The Ancestral Trail - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Ancestral Trail is a now out-of-print partwork

Partwork

A partwork is a written publication released as a series of planned magazine-like issues over a period of time. Issues are typically released on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis, and often a completed set is designed to form a reference work on a particular topic.-Publication:Partwork series...

magazine

Magazine

Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...

that was originally published by Marshall Cavendish

Marshall Cavendish

Marshall Cavendish is a subsidiary company of Times Publishing Group, the printing and publishing subsidiary of Singapore-based conglomerate Fraser and Neave and at present is a publisher of books, directories and magazines. Marshall Cavendish was established in the United Kingdom in 1968 by Norman...

in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

, South Africa and New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

in the early nineties. It was also translated into French, German, Italian, and Spanish and licensed for sale worldwide. There was also a computer game compiled in both DOS and Amiga formats.

The first partwork was issued on Wednesday 30 December 1992 and continued on a fortnightly basis for two years until December 1994. The Ancestral Trail came from an original mythological type work by South African raised author Frank Graves. Graves's manuscript was originally written as a complete trilogy (Past, Present and Future) with a large book format similar to The Lord of the Rings in mind. The "past" and "future" portions of this work were later readapted by Marshall Cavendish to better suit the Marshall Cavendish's Partwork fortnightly format style. Fergus Fleming reduced the first 26 issues, and Ian Probert wrote up the final 26 issues for the partwork series release.

The story tells the fantasy

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

/sci-fi filled story of a boy called Richard, who is brought against his will to a strange land known as the Ancestral World. This original 26 part series was extended, and Richard's adventures continued into a futuristic world known as the Cyber Dimension. The television marketing advertising spend on launch in the UK alone was in the order of £1.6 million upon initial publication in 1993/94.

The Ancestral Trail was split into two halves of 26 issues each. The first half takes place in the Ancestral World and describes Richard's struggle to restore good to the world. After the initial international run, which sold over 30 million copies worldwide, Marshall Cavendish omitted the second part of the trilogy and used the third part (future) for the second series that followed. This part of the series, originated and written by Ian Probert and published in 1994, takes place in the Cyber Dimension. It deals with Richard's attempts to return home. Each issue centered on an adventure against a particular adversary, and each issue ended on a cliffhanger.

The Ancestral Trail was illustrated by Julek and Adam Heller. Computer-generated graphics were provided by Mehau Kulyk for issues #27 through #52.

Introduction to The Ancestral Trail

Richard, on his way home, slips and falls, causing him to black out. When he wakes, he is in the Ancestral World, where he meets an old man named Golan. Golan explains to Richard that he is the prophesied "Chosen One" and that the Ancestral World is being destroyed by a being known as the "Evil One", and that he is close to winning the battle against the forces of good.

Golan is a Guardian and the Keeper of the Life Force, which is contained in the Tree of Life through seven Life Force Pods - each pod possesses a different Life Force. Six of the seven pods have been stolen, and consequently six Guardians have been captured. Only Golan's pod remains, but he is severely weakened. He sends Richard on a quest, which he must complete in twenty six days, to recover the missing Life Force pods and free the captured Guardians and their forces.

The basic expository

Exposition (literary technique)

At the beginning of a narrative, the exposition is the author's providing of some background information to the audience about the plot, characters' histories, setting, and theme. Exposition is considered one of four rhetorical modes of discourse, along with argumentation, description, and narration...

beginnings of the story aren't featured in Part #1 of the series but in a special four-panel folder that was included with the first issue. When the center fold is opened, the two closed outer arms reveal the image of a dark, sinister mask against a bloody red background. This is the face of the Evil One.

Main characters

Richard (First appears in the Introductory Folder)

Richard is the ordinary boy who is plucked from his normal life to save the Ancestral World. He spend the entire journey wanting to return home, but as his journey progresses, he becomes something far more than when he began. The story chronicles his adventures through the Ancestral World and the Cyber Dimension filtered through his perspective. He has oddly coloured eyes. Golan explains the philosophical importance of this: Richard's green eye sees the good side of life; his grey eye sees the evil. Only Richard, therefore, can restore the balance between good and evil.

Orkan (First appears in the Introductory Folder)

Orkan meets Richard almost as soon as he begins his journey, crossing paths as Orkan falls back from the forces of the Evil One. He is searching for survivors of the Final Battle when he joins Richard's quest. A half-pig
Pig
A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...

, half man creature he eventually becomes the Guardian of Common Beasts at the end of Richard's Ancestral World adventures.

Melek (First appears in Issue #1)

Before the Evil One arrived, the aged dwarf Melek of Antona was a scribe in the Ancestral City. After the Forces of Evil corrupted his world and his people, Melek fled the Ancestral City with two books that become invaluable throughout Richard's journey. One of these, the Book of Prophecies, saves the group on more than one occasion. Melek becomes Keeper of Sacred Runes and the leader of his people after the Evil One's defeat.

Golan (First appears in the Introductory Folder)

Golan is the ancient Leader of the Guardians and also the Guardian of Landsmen, and the only Guardian not to fall under the Evil One's influence. He summons Richard to his world and sends him on his special quest to rid the world of the Evil One. He equips Richard with a tunic that turns him invisible, and a powerful amulet, to help him on his quest. Golan remains with Richard in spirit throughout his journey through the Ancestral World and the Cyber Dimension.

The Evil One (First appears in Issue #52)

An all-powerful evil being whose existence and motivations are never explained. He has designs on both the Ancestral World and Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...

, and his plane of origin, apparently, is the Cyber Dimension. Richard eventually confronts him at the end of his journey.

Robo (First appears in Issue #27)

Robo first encounters Richard almost as soon as he appears in the Cyber Dimension, and follows him on his journey. Unbeknownst to Richard, Robo is actually programmed by the Evil One to eliminate Richard if he succeeds in finding all the Omni Pieces. Richard has to convince him to override his own programming to survive. Robo hates Teeza from as soon as they meet and treats him with contempt from then on onwards.

Teeza (First appears in Issue #43)

Teeza is a marsupial
Marsupial
Marsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. Close to 70% of the 334 extant species occur in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, with the remaining 100 found in the Americas, primarily in South America, but with thirteen in Central...

/monkey
Monkey
A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...

-like creature called a Wigmat, who joins Richard's journey after Richard defeats a machine who eats his people. Teeza, like Robo, can also hold Omni Pieces and becomes invaluable to Richard when Robo is lost for a portion of the journey through the Cyber Dimension.

The Ancestral World (1993) - Part one of the author's trilogy

The first issue set in the Ancestral World begins in the Forest of Findor where he meets his second companion, Melek before a horrifying confrontation with Sumar, the mighty Moss Beast. In the Ancestral World, Richard and his companions must travel across the land, defeating the Evil One's minions, avoiding his armies, freeing the captured Guardians, finding the lost Life Force pods, and break the Evil One's influence.

Seven races - Landsmen, Insect

Insect

Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...

s, Reptile

Reptile

Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...

s, Bird

Bird

Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...

s, Fish

Fish

Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...

, Mythical Beasts, and Common Beasts, populate the Ancestral World. A Guardian represents each of these, and these Guardians form a council that rules from the Ancestral City, at the centre of the Ancestral World. Each Guardian has a pod representing his/her life force, and these pods hang from the great Tree of Life. Each pod also represents a quality in an individual - goodness, wisdom

Wisdom

Wisdom is a deep understanding and realization of people, things, events or situations, resulting in the ability to apply perceptions, judgements and actions in keeping with this understanding. It often requires control of one's emotional reactions so that universal principles, reason and...

, endurance

Endurance

Endurance is the ability for a human or animal to exert itself and remain active for a long period of time, as well as its ability to resist, withstand, recover from, and have immunity to trauma, wounds, or fatigue. In humans, it is usually used in aerobic or anaerobic exercise...

, knowledge

Knowledge

Knowledge is a familiarity with someone or something unknown, which can include information, facts, descriptions, or skills acquired through experience or education. It can refer to the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject...

, valour, and justice

Justice

Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...

. The person who finds absorbs that quality. Richard's mission is to recover all the pods.

The Ancestral Trail: An Epic Story of Myths, Magic and Monsters

Title	Subtitle	UK United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... Publication Date	Issue	ISBN
The Moss Beast	In The Grip of the Slime River Ghoul	30 December 1992	#1	ISBN 0-7485-4080-6
Richard and Orkan meet the scribe Melek, before an encounter with the first monster the Ancestral World throws at Richard - Sumar the Moss Beast!
Tolosh of the Garoon	Mortal Danger in Enchanted Waters	13 January 1993	#2	ISBN 0-7485-4036-9
A precious pod lies at the bottom of Lake Garoon. Will Richard and his companions survive their attempts to retrieve it?
Baal the Giant Spider	Caught in a Sticky Web of Evil	27 January 1993	#3	ISBN 0-7485-4037-7
The daring trio and their new ally come face to face with a monstrous spider. But there is even more danger ahead in Baal's sticky domain.
Mirra the Magician	Battle of Wits in the City of Stone	10 February 1993	#4	ISBN 0-7485-4038-5
A Guardian has been turned to stone by the cunning Mirra. Can the trio outwit the evil magician to release the Guardian and escape from the City of Stone in one piece?
Boltor, Bird of Thunder	Air Attack over Desert Wastes	24 February 1993	#5	ISBN 0-7485-4039-3
The hapless trio are saved by a giant bird as they spiral through the air to certain death. But can their saviour save himself from a vicious air attack by Boltor and his forces?
Cozards and Killer Bees	Death Squads in the Dying Woods	10 March 1993	#6	ISBN 0-7485-4040-7
The Evil One's stormtroopers are on a search-and-destroy mission in Green Man Wood. Will our heroes manage to evade the Cozards' deadly tactics or will they have to stay put?
Zock, Cannibal Chief	Trapped in the Caves of Flesh-Eating Dwarfs	24 March 1993	#7	ISBN 0-7485-4041-5
Our friends fall into the hands of greedy cannibal dwarfs and are being held deep in the caves of Kanbala. Are they destined for the pot?
Enlil's Dungeon	Dicing with Death in the Bubbling Cauldron	7 April 1993	#8	ISBN 0-7485-4042-3
The three companions trick their way past vicious guards and into the heart of a bubbling volcano. Will they find it so easy to retrieve the pod and escape from the evil bat's fiery domain?
Living Death Traps	Caught in the Jaws of Killer Plants	21 April 1993	#9	ISBN 0-7485-4043-1
Melek has a near escape when he attempts a daring rescue - then things hot up fast in the Dead Wood.
Zibella's Fortress	Sorcery and Witchcraft in the Watery Depths	5 May 1993	#10	ISBN 0-7485-4043-1
More than one surprise lies in store for the trio when they find themselves in the magical crystal fortress of an evil sorceress.
Klaw, Servant of Evil	Battling the Army of Bonemen	19 May 1993	#11	ISBN 0-7485-4195-0
Melek braves the Pit of Perils and saves the live of a dying Guardian. Then the trio are confronted by her captor and his hideous bone army.
Scorpions of the Desert	Deadly Guards of the Sandy Fortress	2 June 1993	#12	ISBN 0-7485-4196-9
Fresh from the battle with Klaw's fearsome army of bonemen, our heroes face an even more terrifying foe - the squads of giant scorpions who guard Sand City. How will the trio face against creatures who have a deadly sting in their tail?
Dragora's Inner Sanctum	Fight to the Death in Cobra's Keep	16 June 1993	#13	ISBN 0-7485-4197-7
A triple-headed monster guards a precious pod, deep in Cobra's Keep. How will our heroes overcome this deadly serpent of evil?
Hulkan, the Mole Monster	Under Attack from the Mud Warriors	30 June 1993	#14	ISBN 0-7485-4198-5
After their near escape from Sand City our heroes are concerned by an evil mole monster and his eerie army of mud warriors. How will the trio cope with the unstoppable onslaught?
Narkum, the Fly King	At the Mercy of the Fiendish Spy Master	7 July 1993	#15	ISBN 0-7485-4199-3
Seeking refuge from flying Grapfrits in the Black Forest, our brave trio come under attack again - from another flying army! Will Richard's increasing abilities help him to evade the airborne attack and find the key to the spy master's power?
Cragmar, Man of Stone	A Fatal Mistake on Plunderer's Plateau	21 July 1993	#16	ISBN 0-7485-4200-0
On Plunderer's Peak the heroes pit their wits against a giant Man of Stone. Will they overcome him and rescue Zard, the fleet-footed Guardian?
Gator, Reptile Warrior	Battle for Power in the Shadowy Swamps	4 August 1993	#17	ISBN 0-7485-4201-9
On the trail of a Pod in the Shadow Swamps, the trio get covered in huge blood-sucking leeches, then come face-to-face with a vicious reptile warrior.
Kronis, the Winged Lion	Fight for Freedom in the Whispering Maze	18 August 1993	#18	ISBN 0-7485-4202-7
Trapped in a maze of streets on Stone Fish Island, the heroes find a Guardian tethered by Kronis' magic. How will the trio evade the evil winged lion and release the Guardian?
Nemis, Master of the Deep	In the Merman's Underwater Prison	1 September 1993	#19	ISBN 0-7485-4203-5
Seeking safety aboard a deserted ship, the trio find a ghostly welcome. Then they are pulled to the sea floor where the Merman King has a nasty surprise in store for them.
Spector, Keeper of the Ice Kingdom	Trapped in the Wastes of Frigoria	15 September 1993	#20	ISBN 0-7485-4204-3
After a hazardous journey over icy terrain, the travellers are captured by a hideous one-eyed monster. To escape, they must find a way to avoid his all-seeing eye!
Stridor, Lord of the Snowy Mountains	Facing up to the White Death	29 September 1993	#21	ISBN 0-7485-4205-1
The trio are battered by freezing winds and blizzards as they fight their way across the Snowy Mountains. Not only must they survive these harsh extremes, but also avoid a confrontation with the lord of this dangerous domain.
Zyton and the Curse of Loktar	Sinister Steps in the Chambers of Fear	13 October 1993	#22	ISBN 0-7485-4206-X
In their search for the hidden Pod, the trio are faced with a fearsome triple-headed monster and unwittingly invoke the Curse of Loktar. Can they avoid the terrible consequences and escape with their precious prize?
Dagmar, Demon of Fire	Flames of Fury over Yellow Stone Peaks	27 October 1993	#23	ISBN 0-7485-4207-8
On their way to Yellow Stone Peaks, the trio are attacked by a fire-breathing monster. Will they survive the encounter, or will their efforts go up in smoke so near the final goal?
Syrus, Spirit of the Sky	Devilish Dealings with a Devious Genie	10 November 1993	#24	ISBN 0-7485-4208-6
The hapless trio are cut down to size by a monstrous genie. They must find a way to break his evil spell and escape his mountain lair. Time is fast running out for the powers of good.
Fenrar, the Desert Stalker	Danger and Deceit at Dead River Sands	24 November 1993	#25	ISBN 0-7485-4209-4
After a long hot trek, the trio find a refreshing welcome in the cool blue waters at Wizard's Well. The last Pod is near at hand, but danger and deception also await at this oasis.
The Evil One	Fight to the Finish in the Final Battle	8 December 1993	#26	ISBN 0-7485-4210-8
Richard's long and arduous search for the precious pods is over, but the battle for the Ancestral City must still be won. Will the Life Force Pods be returned to the Tree of Life and the Guardians reinstated?

Issue synopses are from the blurbs of the actual issues.

The Guardians and the Life Force Pods

The Guardians

With the exception of Golan, all the Guardians left to fight the Evil One's forces and never returned. Richard finds each of the Guardians as he progresses through the Ancestral World. Some of the Guardians Richard releases impart him protective equipment - some of them become really useful later on in his journey. Golan equips Richard with a tunic that becomes invisible as well as an amulet with special powers, Juroot gives Richard a dagger, Kika gives him a magical belt and Tishon & Shunta give him a special oil to protect him from exposure.

Guardian name	Guardian of...	Weapon	Held by	Location	Appeared
Golan, Keeper of the Life Force	Landsmen	Unknown	N/A	N/A	Intro Folder, Issue #26
Juroot, Keeper of Truth	Birds	a Mace	Mirra	Petroplis	Issue #4, #26
Kika, Keeper of Goodness	Insects	a Blowpipe and darts	Klaw	Pit of Perils	Issue #11, #12, #13, #14
Zard, Keeper of Endurance	Reptiles	a Battleaxe	Cragmar	Dreadmort Cliffs	Issue #16, #17
Tuska, Keeper of Knowledge	Mythical Beasts	a Halbard	Kronis	Stone Fish Island	Issue #18
Tishon & Shunta, Twin Keepers of Justice	Fish	Daggers	Nemis	Sea of Lost Souls	Issue #19
Armor*, Keeper of Valour	Common Beasts	Unknown	N/A	N/A	N/A

Armor is killed by the Evil One's forces before the Final Battle and is never seen in the series. Richard does, however, meet Armor's lieutenant, Broon. Armor is replaced as Guardian of the Common Beasts by Orkan in episode 26.

Life Force Pods

Each of the missing Pods must be found and kept by Richard - if even one of the Pods remains within the grasp of the Evil One's powers, all of the efforts of the Forces of Good will be in vain. Therefore when Richard leaves a Pod with Baal the giant spider, he must return to retrieve it from the overgrown arachnid.

Pod name	Held by	Location	Found
Pod of Life*	Golan	Tree of Life	N/A
Pod of Endurance	the Water-Tolosh	Lake Garoon	Issue #2
Pod of Goodness	Enlil	Enlil's Volcano	Issue #8
Pod of Justice	Dragora	Cobra's Keep	Issue #13
Pod of Valour	Gator	Shadow Swamps	Issue #17
Pod of Knowledge	Zyton	Pyramid of Loktar	Issue #22
Pod of Wisdom	Fenrar	Wizard's Well	Issue #25

This Pod was the single Pod not to have been stolen by the Forces of Evil.

Good forces within the Ancestral World

Merkat (Issues #2, #3)
Muldoon (Issue #3)
Bird Forces (Issues #4, #5, #26)
Oganga (Issues #5, #23, #26)
Living Tree (Issue #6)
Common Beasts (Issues #8, #9)
Timid Cat (Issue #9)
Reptile Forces (Issues #13, #17)
Insects (Issue #15, #26)
Fengal (Issue #17)
Mythical Beasts (Issue #18)
Fish Forces (Issue #19)
Doonar (Issues #19, #20, #26)
Sea Mammals (Issues #20, #26)
Dion (Issue #23)
Ronek & the Landsmen (Issues #24, #25, #26)
Ravan (Issues #25, #26)

Bird Forces
Most of Juroot's Bird Forces are trapped in stone in the city of Petropolis, and are freed by Richard alongside their leader. They seem to mainly be armoured eagle

Eagle

Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...

s, although injured hawk

Hawk

The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...

-like birds are seen huddled together in the Valley of Death. Two giant winged birds - Oganga and Dion help Richard and friends at various points throughout their journey (Issues #4, #5, #23, #26)

Common Beasts
Armor's Common Beasts are enslaved by the giant bat

Bat

Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...

s Enlil and Erna, and are set free by Richard. The leader of the beasts, Broon, thanks Richard before they leave for the Ancestral City. The Common Beasts appear to include wildebeest

Wildebeest

The wildebeest , also called the gnu is an antelope of the genus Connochaetes. It is a hooved mammal...

s, leopard

Leopard

The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...

-men and bear

Bear

Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...

s. (Issues #2, #3, #8, #9, #26)

Reptile Forces
Zard's lizard

Lizard

Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...

Reptile Forces are kept prisoner by Dragora, the three-headed snake within the Sand City. Kika leads them back to the Ancestral City, while Zard himself frees the alligator

Alligator

An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two extant alligator species: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator ....

s under Gator's influence and likewise, leads them back to the Ancestral City for the final battle. (Issues #13, #17, #26)

Insect Forces
Kika's Insect Forces are used as the dark eyes and ears of the Forces of Evil, all transformed into black flies

Fließ

Fließ is a municipality in the Landeck district and is located5 km south of Landeck on the upper course of the Inn River. It has 9 hamlets and was already populated at the roman age; the village itself was founded around the 6th century. After a conflagration in 1933 Fließ was restored more...

and reporting to the giant fly, Narkum. Upon Narkum's death, they moult back into their proper forms - dragonflies

Dragonfly

A dragonfly is a winged insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera . It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body...

, butterflies

Butterfly

A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...

and huge multi-coloured beetle

Beetle

Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...

s. (Issues #15, #26)

Mythical Creatures
Tuska's half-believed figments of legend are consigned to the shadows of Stone Fish Island by the winged-lion

Lion

The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...

, Kronis. Some of them are amalgams of creatures known to Richard, some not. They are set loose upon Kronis' demise and return with Tuska to the Ancestral City. The winged unicorn

Unicorn

The unicorn is a legendary animal from European folklore that resembles a white horse with a large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead, and sometimes a goat's beard...

Ravan saves Richard's group from the shapeshifting Fenrar, and brings them back to the Ancestral City in time for the Final Battle. (Issues #18, #25, #26)

Fish Forces & Sea Mammals
Twin Guardians Tishon and Shunta's fish forces are held captive by the evil merman

Merman

Mermen are mythical male equivalents of mermaids – legendary creatures who have the form of a human from the waist up and are fish-like from the waist down.-Mythology:...

Nemis, while the sea mammals are held frozen in ice in Spector's frozen Frigoria. Doonar, the dolphin

Dolphin

Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...

, who is also the last of the sea mammals, helps Richard and friends free the Guardians; Richard and friends actions in Frigoria melt the ice, freeing the previously entombed animals. (Issues #19, #20, #26)

Landsmen
Many of Golan's landsmen are scattered throughout the lands - Melek's dwarf people fall under the influence of Zock and become cannibals until Juroot liberates them. Ronek, leader of the Landsmen Forces, and a large number of his troops are captured by Syrus, the evil Genie within Sorcerer's Falls. Many landsmen take part in the final battle at Ancestral City. (Issues #1, #7, 24, #25, #26)

Evil Forces within the Ancestral World

It was never explicitly stated within the story whether most of the "main" villains of each issue were on the side of the Good Forces before the Evil One arrived in the Ancestral World, or whether these creatures arrived alongside the Evil One. It is most likely that the Evil One corrupted creatures native to the Ancestral World and used them to enslave their respective populations.

Evil creatures who inhabit the Ancestral World include giant versions of Earth's spider

Spider

Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...

s, snake

Snake

Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...

s, bat

Bat

s, earwig

Earwig

Earwigs make up the insect order Dermaptera, found throughout the Americas, Africa, Eurasia, Australia and New Zealand. With 1,800 species in 12 families, they are one of the smaller insect orders...

s, scorpion

Scorpion

Scorpions are predatory arthropod animals of the order Scorpiones within the class Arachnida. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by the pair of grasping claws and the narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back, ending with a venomous stinger...

s, vulture

Vulture

Vulture is the name given to two groups of convergently evolved scavenging birds, the New World Vultures including the well-known Californian and Andean Condors, and the Old World Vultures including the birds which are seen scavenging on carcasses of dead animals on African plains...

s, winged-lion

Lion

The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...

s and alligator

Alligator

An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two extant alligator species: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator ....

s.

Regular confrontations between Richard's group are made with both Cozards and Grapfrits. Cozards are the Evil One's reptilian military, and are frequently seen on 'search and destroy' units. Orkan states of them "they are disciplined, mindless and completely ruthless". Richard runs into them on more than one occasion.

Likewise the a number of times Richard crosses path with the Grapfrits - small insect-like creatures that live in the forests of the Ancestral World. They have long proboscis-like noses which they use to drain their victim's blood - luckily they have got dreadful eyesight and are relatively easy to avoid.

There are a number of other more human-like figures within the Ancestral World - very few of these are revealed to be in line with the Evil One; some of them may simply always been evil or are more ambiguously operative. The Living Death Trap plants, similar to our Venus flytrap

Venus Flytrap

The Venus Flytrap , Dionaea muscipula, is a carnivorous plant that catches and digests animal prey—mostly insects and arachnids. Its trapping structure is formed by the terminal portion of each of the plant's leaves and is triggered by tiny hairs on their inner surfaces...

s, may simply be feeding with no sense of good or evil; it is also unknown if these plants existed in the Ancestral World before the Evil One arrived.

Sumar, the Moss Beast (Issues #1, #26)
Grapfrits (Issues #1, #13, #14, #26)
Water-Tolosh (Issue #2)
Land-Tolosh (Issues #2, #26)
Baal (Issues #3, #4)
Lotan (Issue #3, #4)
Mirra (Issue #4)
Earwigs (Issues #4, #5, #26)
Boltor (Issue #5)
Vultures (Issues #5, #..)
Cozards (Issues #6, #9, #26)
Killer Bees (Issue #6)
Zock (Issues #7, #8)
Cannibal Dwarfs (Issues #7, #8, #26)
Guard Dogs (Issue #8)
Enlil & Erna (Issue #8)
Zibella (Issue #10)
Klaw (Issues #11, #12))
Skeleton Army (Issues #11, #12)
Scorpion Guards (Issues #12, #13, #26)
Dragora (Issue #13)
Hulkan (Issue #14)
Mud soldiers (Issue #14)
Narkum (Issue #15)
Fly spies (Issue #15)
Cragmar (Issue #16)
Leeches (Issue #17)
Gator (Issue #17)
Alligators (Issue #17)
Kronis (Issue #18)
Nemis (Issues #19)
Ghost Sailors (Issue #19, #26)
Spector (Issue #20)
Stridor (Issue #21)
Zyton (Issue #22)
Loktar (Issue #22)
Dagmar (Issue #23)
Syrus (Issue #24)
Fenrar (Issue #25)

Locations within the Ancestral World

Forest of Findor (Issue #1)
Lake Garoon (Issue #2)
Cobweb Wood (Issues #3, #4)
Petropolis (Issues #4, #5)
Valley of Death (Issue #5)
Green Man Wood (Issue #6)
Caves of Kanbala (Issues #7, #8)
Enlil's Dungeon (Issues #8, #9)
Dead Wood (Issue #9)
Zibella's Lair (Issues #10, #11)
Pit of Perils (Issue #11)
Sand City & Cobra's Keep (Issues #12, #13)
Hulkan's Heights (Issue #14)
Black Forest (Issues #14, #15)
Dreadmort Cliffs & Plunderer's Plateau/Peak* (Issues #16, #17)
Shadow Swamps (Issue #17)
Stone Fish Island (Issue #18)
Sea of Lost Souls (Issue #19)
Frigoria (Issues #19, #20)
Snowy Mountains* (Issue #21)
Forgotten City (Issue #21)
Valley of Fear (Issue #22)
Yellow Stone Peaks (Issue #23)
Sorcerer's Falls (Issues #24, #25)
Wizard's Well (Issue #25)
Ancestral City (Introductory Folder, Issue #26)

Most of the place names are from the Location Recorder that was part of The Ancestral Trail RPG Game. Some of the other locations are known from both the Ancestral World map, and from the story text - these are marked with an asterisk.

Book of Prophecies

Melek stole the Book of Prophecies from Ancestral City's Great Library just before it was overrun by evil. It contains numerous prophecies that predict the rise of evil and the path of The Chosen One to eradicate it. It is also believed that only The Chosen One can unravel the book's secrets completely - although Melek and Orkan infrequently make correct guesses at the riddles. The book also contains a number of spells and magical instructions which are sometimes used on the journey.

Contained within the spine of the Book of Prophecies is the Path Finder, a shimmering dagger which changes colour to show the land ahead and shimmers gold to indicate the path Richard should take - although he often does not follow its advice. The Path Finder was first shown in Issue #2 and its riddle revealed in Issue #13.

The Path Finder riddle was:

"Across Green fields, Overland you go, where Winter solstice White brings Ice and snow,

The Grey dove flies to fresher Air, and shuns the Yellow swamp of Wastes' despair,

When Blue eyes, to Water clear aspire, round campsites Orange tongues will wag in Fire,

Out of Stone, rise cities cloaked in sand, and Brown caves weave in secret, Underland,

The Silver moon shines potent magic Light, though Black skies loom in the silent dark of Night,

Golden glimmers brightest on the spear, and leads to Good, when journey's end is near".

Morbane's Book of Monsters & Magic

As described earlier, this fictional book was worked into the storyline and was carried by Melek along with the Book of Prophecies. Two cards were given away with each issue, each detailing a different myth or legend with at least one of the featured cards being used as the basis for that issue's monster or adversary.

The featured myths/legends were: Scylla

Scylla

In Greek mythology, Scylla was a monster that lived on one side of a narrow channel of water, opposite its counterpart Charybdis. The two sides of the strait were within an arrow's range of each other—so close that sailors attempting to avoid Charybdis would pass too close to Scylla and vice...

, Nya Nya, Gilikango, Rusalki, Arachne

Arachne

In Greco-Roman mythology, Arachne was a great mortal weaver who boasted that her skill was greater than that of Minerva, the Latin parallel of Pallas Athena, goddess of wisdom and crafts. Arachne refused to acknowledge that her knowledge came, in part at least, from the goddess. The offended...

, Biliku, Medusa

Medusa

In Greek mythology Medusa , " guardian, protectress") was a Gorgon, a chthonic monster, and a daughter of Phorcys and Ceto. The author Hyginus, interposes a generation and gives Medusa another chthonic pair as parents. Gazing directly upon her would turn onlookers to stone...

, King Midas, Lightning Bird, the Green Knight

Green Knight

The Green Knight is a character in the 14th-century Arthurian poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the related work The Greene Knight. His true name is revealed to be Bercilak de Hautdesert in Sir Gawain, while The Greene Knight names him "Bredbeddle"...

, the Green Man

Green Man

A Green Man is a sculpture, drawing, or other representation of a face surrounded by or made from leaves. Branches or vines may sprout from the nose, mouth, nostrils or other parts of the face and these shoots may bear flowers or fruit...

, Cannibal Zim, Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga or Baba Roga is a haggish or witchlike character in Slavic folklore. She flies around on a giant pestle, kidnaps small children, and lives in a hut that stands on chicken legs...

, Cerberus

Cerberus

Cerberus , or Kerberos, in Greek and Roman mythology, is a multi-headed hound which guards the gates of the Underworld, to prevent those who have crossed the river Styx from ever escaping...

, the Fire Giant, the Tree of Poisons, the Lotus Eaters, Rats of Hamelin

Hamelin

Hamelin is a town on the river Weser in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Hamelin-Pyrmont and has a population of 58,696 ....

, Morgan le Fay

Morgan le Fay

Morgan le Fay , alternatively known as Morgane, Morgaine, Morgana and other variants, is a powerful sorceress in the Arthurian legend. Early works featuring Morgan do not elaborate her character beyond her role as a fay or magician...

, the Banshee

Banshee

The banshee , from the Irish bean sí is a feminine spirit in Irish mythology, usually seen as an omen of death and a messenger from the Otherworld....

, Grey Claw, Dragon's Teeth

Dragon's teeth (mythology)

In Greek myth, dragon's teeth feature prominently in the legends of the Phoenician prince Cadmus and Jason's quest for the Golden Fleece. In each case, the dragon's teeth, once planted, would grow into fully armed warriors....

, Zombie

Zombie

Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...

s, Isis

Isis

Isis or in original more likely Aset is a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. She was worshipped as the ideal mother and wife as well as the matron of nature and magic...

, the Servants of the Sun, Hydra

Lernaean Hydra

In Greek mythology, the Lernaean Hydra was an ancient nameless serpent-like chthonic water beast, with reptilian traits, that possessed many heads — the poets mention more heads than the vase-painters could paint, and for each head cut off it grew two more — and poisonous breath so virulent even...

, the Feathered Serpent, Treasure Worm, Lakyan, the Furies, Nomatotlos, Golem

Golem

In Jewish folklore, a golem is an animated anthropomorphic being, created entirely from inanimate matter. The word was used to mean an amorphous, unformed material in Psalms and medieval writing....

, David and Goliath

Goliath (Bible)

Goliath , جليات Ǧulyāt ) known also as Goliath of Gath is a figure in the Hebrew Bible . Described as a giant Philistine warrior, he is famous for his combat with the young David, the future king of Israel...

, Duku, Sebek, the Griffin

Griffin

The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle...

, the Minotaur

Minotaur

In Greek mythology, the Minotaur , as the Greeks imagined him, was a creature with the head of a bull on the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, "part man and part bull"...

, the Siren

Siren

In Greek mythology, the Sirens were three dangerous mermaid like creatures, portrayed as seductresses who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. Roman poets placed them on an island called Sirenum scopuli...

s, Lorelei

Lorelei

The Lorelei is a rock on the eastern bank of the Rhine near St. Goarshausen, Germany, which soars some 120 metres above the waterline. It marks the narrowest part of the river between Switzerland and the North Sea. A very strong current and rocks below the waterline have caused many boat...

, Cyclops

Cyclops

A cyclops , in Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, was a member of a primordial race of giants, each with a single eye in the middle of his forehead...

, Argus

Argus Panoptes

In Greek mythology, Argus Panoptes or Argos, guardian of the heifer-nymph Io and son of Arestor, was a primordial giant whose epithet "Panoptes", "all-seeing", led to his being described with multiple, often one hundred, eyes. The epithet Panoptes was applied to the Titan of the Sun, Helios, and...

, Atlas

Atlas

An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a map of Earth or a region of Earth, but there are atlases of the other planets in the Solar System. Atlases have traditionally been bound into book form, but today many atlases are in multimedia formats...

, Big Foot

Bigfoot

Bigfoot, also known as sasquatch, is an ape-like cryptid that purportedly inhabits forests, mainly in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Bigfoot is usually described as a large, hairy, bipedal humanoid...

, Dragon

Dragon

A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...

s, Geryon

Geryon

In Greek mythology, Geryon , son of Chrysaor and Callirrhoe and grandson of Medusa, was a fearsome giant who dwelt on the island Erytheia of the mythic Hesperides in the far west of the Mediterranean. A more literal-minded later generation of Greeks associated the region with Tartessos in southern...

, the Sphinx

Sphinx

A sphinx is a mythical creature with a lion's body and a human head or a cat head.The sphinx, in Greek tradition, has the haunches of a lion, the wings of a great bird, and the face of a woman. She is mythicised as treacherous and merciless...

, the Chimera

Chimera (mythology)

The Chimera or Chimaera was, according to Greek mythology, a monstrous fire-breathing female creature of Lycia in Asia Minor, composed of the parts of multiple animals: upon the body of a lioness with a tail that ended in a snake's head, the head of a goat arose on her back at the center of her...

, the Genie

Genie

Jinn or genies are supernatural creatures in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings that occupy a parallel world to that of mankind. Together, jinn, humans and angels make up the three sentient creations of Allah. Religious sources say barely anything about them; however, the Qur'an mentions that...

of the Lamp, Beelzebub

Beelzebub

Beelzebub -Religious meaning:Ba‘al Zəbûb is variously understood to mean "lord of flies", or "lord of the dwelling". Originally the name of a Philistine god, Beelzebub is also identified in the New Testament as Satan, the "prince of the demons". In Arabic the name is retained as Ba‘al dhubaab /...

, Werewolf

Werewolf

A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...

, Witches, Vampire

Vampire

Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...

s and Merlin

Merlin

Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...

The Cyber Dimension (1994) - Part three of the author's trilogy

Richard is pulled into the world of the Evil One before he can return home to Earth, and must survive the futuristic hell that is known as the Cyber Dimension - a metallic world where machines rule and carbon-based organisms

Carbon-based life

Carbon forms the backbone of biology for all of life on Earth. Complex molecules are made up of carbon bonded with other elements, especially oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen, and carbon is able to bond with all of these because of its four valence electrons. Carbon is abundant on earth...

cannot survive. The Cyber Dimension is populated by evil robots and machines who obey the Evil One. There are also peaceful, silicon-based organisms called Wigmats, who are persecuted by the evil machines.

He teams up with the seemingly friendly robot Robo and, later in the story, the cute Wigmat Teeza, and must collect seven Omni Pieces - little glowing metal shapes which, when brought together at just the right place, open doors to other dimensions. He can use the Omni Pieces to return home to Earth - but the Evil One can also use the Omni Pieces to open a gateway to Earth, leaving it ripe for his conquest.

The Ancestral Trail: Cyber Challenge in the Next Dimension

Title	Subtitle	UK United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... Publication Date	Issue	ISBN
Tengam, Gravity Defier	Clash of Metal with a Cyber Warrior	22 December 1993	#27	ISBN 0-7485-4211-6
Trapped in a terrifying time-warp, Richard faces an unforeseen danger. Are his skills and bravery enough to defeat the ruthless new foe?
Zenon, Laser Lancer	In the Clutches of the Creature of Light	5 January 1994	#28	ISBN 0-7485-4212-4
Richard and Robo encounter a foe that is composed of pure light. Can they evade the creature's deadly spears and find a way to overcome its awesome powers?
Flector, Hi-Speed Solar Cruiser	Battle of Wits with an Airborne Assassin	19 January 1994	#29	ISBN 0-7485-4213-2
Richard's adventures continue as he meets an invincible adversary that is able to absorb any power. With Robo at his side, Richard also encounters the sinister Pekods.
Mortex, Molten Trail Blazer	White Hot Terror in the Tunnels of Doom	2 February 1994	#30	ISBN 0-7485-4214-0
Richard is held captive underground by the sinister Pekods. Can he survive his sternest test and defeat the terrifying being of fire?
Holotron, Dynamic Deceiver	Battle of Wits with a Shape Shifter	16 February 1994	#31	ISBN 0-7485-4215-9
Richard loses Robo and enters a land where nothing is real. Can he find a way to escape the clutched of the incredible shape shifter?
Husasan, Silicon Samurai	Dual of Doom with an Android Warrior	2 March 1994	#32	ISBN 0-7485-4216-7
Richard battles a robotic swordsman and enters a mysterious library, containing evil from another dimension.
Terraforma, Environmorpher	Trapped in the Lair of the Land Changer	16 March 1994	#33	ISBN 0-7485-4217-5
Richard steps into a land of fire and ice to encounter an evil being with the power to transform any environment.
Toxis, Poison Predator	Caught in the Grip of the Slime Creature	30 March 1994	#34	ISBN 0-7485-4218-3
With Robo at his side, Richard is forced to seek a special potion which will free an awesome creature of the deep.
Identico, Deadly Replicator	Lost in the Factory of Dreams	13 April 1994	#35	ISBN 0-7485-4500-X
Fantasy turns to fear as Richard and Robo enter a world that exists inside a bubble. To continue their quest they must face the evil Identico and his Replitype hordes.
Scordef, Sinister Supervirus	Hypontized by an Evil Computer Virus	27 April 1994	#36	ISBN 0-7485-4501-8
At the heart of the Cyber Dimension, Richard must repel the challenge of a deadly living computer virus.
Cronid, Micro Creature	Horror of the Cyber Insects	11 May 1994	#37	ISBN 0-7485-4502-6
Richard and Robo are trapped in a microscopic world inhabited by the Petronites and their evil master.
Mescon, Menacing Multi-Form	Caged by the Galactic Zoo Keeper	25 May 1994	#38	ISBN 0-7485-4503-4
Richard and Robo meet a nightmarish creature that is made from the body parts of specimens in a galactic zoo. Can they escape it's evil clutches?
Proton, Power Android	Tank Battle on the Cyber Plains	8 June 1994	#39	ISBN 0-7485-4504-2
Richard gets behind the controls of a cyber tank and enters a battleground. Can he defeat a gigantic robot to locate the next Omni Piece?
Kentar, Cyber Demon	Fight to the Finish in the Cyber Skies	22 June 1994	#40	ISBN 0-7485-4505-0
Richard and Robo are lost in a city of clouds. Then they are swallowed by a gigantic robot sea serpent. Is this the end of their adventures?
Continuuma, Empress of Time	Kidnapped by the Controller of Time	6 July 1994	#41	ISBN 0-7485-4506-9
Richard is lost in history as he comes under attack from an evil time controller. Can he get back to the present and vanquish his foe?
Tyrannix, Robo-Dinosaur	Peril in the Jungles of the Robot King	20 July 1994	#42	ISBN 0-7485-4507-7
In the midst of a blazing inferno, Richard comes under attack from pre-historic robots. Can he escape a raging forest fire and rescue Robo before it is too late?
Galaxia, Anti-Matter Alien	Marooned in the Domain of Terror	3 August 1994	#43	ISBN 0-7485-4508-5
Abandoned in the Cyber Dimension, Richard meets a new friend and has to fight an evil creature powered by anti-matter. Can he survive this latest exciting adventure?
Quasar, Faceless Fiend	Sieged by a Savage Super Being	17 August 1994	#44	ISBN 0-7485-4509-3
Richard finds himself trapped in a world of fractals and meets its ruler, a creature who has no form. Can he and Teeza find a way out of this strange world?
Cortix, Mind Master	Duel of Minds in Computer City	31 August 1994	#45	ISBN 0-7485-4510-7
The adventures continue as Richard and Teeza meet the guardian of a computerized city. After battling the deadly Mutators, Richard is forced to fight a mind battle.
Hydron, Mercury Monster	Return to the Perilous Sea of Mercury	14 September 1994	#46	ISBN 0-7485-4511-5
Richard returns to the scene of a previous adventure and once more battles the awesome Hermisites. At the bottom of the Sea of Mercury a prize awaits for him.
Mandelbiot, Fearsome Fractal	Fatal Fury of the Deadly Digital Demon	28 September 1994	#47	ISBN 0-7485-4512-3
A terrible fractal disease threatens to turn Richard and his two companions into slaves. Can Richard outwit the dreadful Mandelbiot and find the antidote before it is too late?
Pixar, Particle Blaster	Evil Revenge in the City of the Lost	12 October 1994	#48	ISBN 0-7485-4513-1
Richard continues his search for the last Omni Piece. But first he must defeat Pixar, possessor of on of the most fearsome weapons Richard has ever encountered.
Malachit, Evil Incinerator	Plasma Attack of the Cyber Warrior	26 October 1994	#49	ISBN 0-7485-4514-X
Richard and Robo are captured by the Dark Robots and taken to a cyber arena. There, Richard is forced to fight for his very existence.
Robo, Robotic Betrayer	Friend Becomes Foe in Battle to the End	9 November 1994	#50	ISBN 0-7485-4515-8
Richard finds the final Omni Piece and celebrates the end of his quest. However, before he can return home he must face the wrath of one of his closest allies.
Vileeon, Cyber Judge	Trapped in the Court of the Cyber Citadel	23 November 1994	#51	ISBN 0-7485-4516-6
Richard and Robo are put on trial in a cyber court. The evil judge sentences them both to death and this time there is no escape. Is this really the end for Richard and his friend?
The Evil One	Final Battle with the King of Cyber World	7 December 1994	#52	ISBN 0-7485-4517-4
The battle between light and darkness reaches its conclusion. Can Richard overcome his fiercest opponent and finally return home?

Issue synopses are from the blurbs of the actual issues.

The Omni Pieces

Located:

In The Keeper's possession (Issue #33)
In Scoredef's possession (Issue #36)
In Proton's Tower (Issue #39)
In Galaxia's possession (Issue #43)
In Quasar's possession (Issue #44)
In Hydron's possession (Issue #46)
Under Malachit's guard (Issue #50)

Richard's Cyber-vehicles

During Richard's travels throughout the Cyber Dimension, he acquires several modes of transport. In addition to the temporary flight abilities of Robo, Richard can also use: a Cybercruiser (Issues #28 - #38), Cybertank (Issue #39) and finally the Cyber Cruiser Version 3.11 (Issues #40 - #49).

More to come on this subject

Good Forces within the Cyber Dimension

Not too surprisingly, there are very few, almost no, creatures or machines on the side of Richard - almost every lifeform or artificial intelligence is out to destroy him. However, there are a few friendly faces he meets during his time in the Cyber Dimension.

Wigmats (Issue #44)
Gomm & the Tilomites (Issue #47)
Elitper & the Liberosans (Issue #48)

Evil & Non Aligned-Forces within the Cyber Dimension

The Cyber Dimension, and its sub-version, is the Evil One's domain - almost everything Richard encounters on his journey is an enemy. Richard, however, meets some lifeforms who are not aligned with the Evil One.

Tengam (Issue #27)
Land Leapers (Issue #27)
Hydronomizers (Issues #27, #28)
Zenon (Issue #28)
Hydron & Hermisites (Issues #28, #29, #46, #51)
Flector (Issues #29)
Pekods (Issues #29, #30)
Mortex (Issue #30)
Holotron (Issue #30)
Dakom (Issue #30, #31)
Husasan (Issue #32, #51)
Antimatter Beings (Issue #32, #33)
Spikers (Issue #33)
Terraforma (Issue #33)
The Keeper (Issue #33)
Toxis (Issue #34, #51)
Gargoyles (Issue #34)
Replitypes (Issue #35)
Identico (Issue #35)
Scoredef (Issue #36)
Cronid (Issue #37)
Land-Petromites (Issue #37)
Air-Petromites (Issue #37)
Menanger (Issue #38, #51)
Mescon (Issue #38)
Cub Cub (Issue #38)
Trebo Beast (Issue #38)
Proton (Issue #39)
Molos (Issue #40)
Kentar (Issue #40)
Sophrites (Issue #41)
Continuuma (Issue #41, #51)
War Robot (Issue #41)
Robo-Dactyl (Issue #42)
Tyrannix (Issue #42)
Ceratopian Robot (Pentaceratops?) (Issue #42)
Galaxia (Issue #43)
Quasar (Issue #44)
Fractites (Issue #44)
Cortixian creature (Issue #45)
Cortix (Issue #45, #51)
Mandelbiot (Issue #47, #51)
Goffal (Issue #48)
Pixar (Issue #48)
Malachit (Issue #49)
Dark Robots (Issues #49, #50, #51)
Vileeon (Issue #51)
The Evil One (Issue #52)

*Interestingly, Vileeon is an anagram of Evil One.

Series extras

Not just a story spread out over 52 magazines, each issue contained numerous things to do when finished reading the main text - this included interpreting prophecies, spotting hidden sprites, playing card games, board games, and creating one's own map of the Ancestral World part by part each fortnight.

The Prophecy Scroll and Robo's Binary Panel

Each adventure had a prophecy printed on the inside of the front cover which pertained to that specific issue. You could either try and work out the meaning of the prophecy from the beginning, or go back and look at it at the end of each part and work out what each line in the riddles meant afterwards. Reading the prophecy was not essential to the story, and by not reading it you did not ruin your enjoyment of the story, as in a lot of the issues the prophecy was worked into the dialogue. In some cases, it may be possible to use the prophecy to guess what will happen next after getting approximately half way through an issue.

Beginning with Issue #27, Richard's first adventure in the Cyber Dimension, the prophecy on the inside cover was replaced with Robo's Display Panel - Binary messages which were also at times worked into the story. By deciphering the code you could discover that issue's main adversaries weakness alongside Richard who also used it within the storyline for the same reason. Again, not reading the code did not impede your enjoyment of the story. A binary decoder card was given away with Issue #27.

Information Cards

The monsters from the Ancestral World were based on real legends, for example, the magician Mirra was based on Medusa

Medusa

. Cards featuring information and stories on various monsters were given away free with the first half, and it was a challenge to guess which the main bad guy in that story was based on. These card could be kept together within a folder given away with issue #2 entitled "Morbane's Book of Mosters & Magic", which was eventually worked into the series storyline.

The monster cards were replaced in the second half by Techscan cards, which told the reader about various scientific principles and theories, generally those which had featured in some way in the issue. The Techscan cards could also be used within the Mainframe Control game. These included such things as laser

Laser

A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...

s, acid

Acid

An acid is a substance which reacts with a base. Commonly, acids can be identified as tasting sour, reacting with metals such as calcium, and bases like sodium carbonate. Aqueous acids have a pH of less than 7, where an acid of lower pH is typically stronger, and turn blue litmus paper red...

s & alkali

Alkali

In chemistry, an alkali is a basic, ionic salt of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal element. Some authors also define an alkali as a base that dissolves in water. A solution of a soluble base has a pH greater than 7. The adjective alkaline is commonly used in English as a synonym for base,...

s, and magnetism

Magnetism

Magnetism is a property of materials that respond at an atomic or subatomic level to an applied magnetic field. Ferromagnetism is the strongest and most familiar type of magnetism. It is responsible for the behavior of permanent magnets, which produce their own persistent magnetic fields, as well...

RPG

Free Monster Might cards were given away with Issues #2 through #8 for use in RPG

Role-playing game

A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...

activities. Rules for various games were printed intermittently along the series run. These cards consisted of four suites, two for the Good Forces and two for Evil Forces and contained all of the series principal characters or groups. Each had a different score in six attributes: Good/Evil

Evil

Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...

, Size, Strength

Physical strength

Physical strength is the ability of a person or animal to exert force on physical objects using muscles. Increasing physical strength is the goal of strength training.-Overview:...

, Magic

Magic (gaming)

Some role-playing games or game systems can include a set of rules that are used to portray magic in the paranormal sense. These rules simulate the effects that magic would have within the game context, according to how the game designer intended the magic to be portrayed...

, Trickery, and Weapon

Weapon

A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...

s.

Role playing games that were featured in the Ancestral Trail were titled: The Ancestral Trail (Locator cards, tokens, six Pod and Interceptor card throughout Issues #1 - #26; Instruction booklet in Issues #15 & #16), Pod Quest (Issue #1), Advanced Pod Quest (Issue 6), Megapower (Issue #11), Random Challenge (Issue #15), Fighting Forces (Issue #20) and Battle Axe (Issue #25).

A number of games were included with the second half of the series - games such as Mainframe Control and Cyber Chess. The pieces for the games were printed at regular intervals starting in Issue #27, and were followed by a special playing board and rule booklet.

Cyber Power cards were printed in the second half, unlike in the first half which were given away on the cover, featuring characters, beings, and machines from the Cyber Dimension. Because there were almost no "good" characters in the Cyber Dimension, the cards used the following characteristics: Speed

Speed

In kinematics, the speed of an object is the magnitude of its velocity ; it is thus a scalar quantity. The average speed of an object in an interval of time is the distance traveled by the object divided by the duration of the interval; the instantaneous speed is the limit of the average speed as...

, Intelligence, Size, Weapons, Strength, and Function.

Cyber Power cards could be used to play the Monster Might games Mega Power and Fighting Force with no change to the rules or gameplay.

Visual Activities

Various tasks were included in the issues including spotting hidden artwork, such as the characters of Shoomi and Shoobi, two friendly creatures who quietly followed Richard on his quest and who could be seen around two times in every issue.

Fragments of the Evil One's mask and random other 'canon' paraphernalia were also hidden in the background art - these tasks constituted the regular 3-Minute Challenge. Each issue had a challenge, usually finding a fragment of the Mask of Evil. Other items that could be found in the artwork throughout the series were: Juroot's mace, Zock's pendant

Pendant

A pendant is a loose-hanging piece of jewellery, generally attached by a small loop to a necklace, when the ensemble may be known as a "pendant necklace". A pendant earring is an earring with a piece hanging down. In modern French "pendant" is the gerund form of “hanging”...

, Enlil's bat

Bat

minions, the Libertas spell elements, the Path Finder, Hulkan's worm-infested mud warrior, Narkum's fly spies, Zard's battleaxe, Tuska's dagger

Dagger

A dagger is a fighting knife with a sharp point designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon. The design dates to human prehistory, and daggers have been used throughout human experience to the modern day in close combat confrontations...

and halberd

Halberd

A halberd is a two-handed pole weapon that came to prominent use during the 14th and 15th centuries. Possibly the word halberd comes from the German words Halm , and Barte - in modern-day German, the weapon is called Hellebarde. The halberd consists of an axe blade topped with a spike mounted on...

, Nemis's trident

Trident

A trident , also called a trishul or leister or gig, is a three-pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and was also a military weapon. Tridents are featured widely in mythical, historical and modern culture. The major Hindu god, Shiva the Destroyer and the sea god Poseidon or Neptune are...

, Spector's eye, the Seal of Loktar, and the Spell Stopper.

Life Force pods were intermittently hidden in the background artwork, as well as the names of Pods that Richard had found hidden within the text.

Shoomi and Shoobi continued to follow Richard into the Cyber Dimension and could still be seen in the artwork, as could various pieces of 1990's technology

Technology

Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...

- this was called the Computer Challenge. Items that could be found throughout Richard's adventures in the Cyber Dimension were, in order: a SIMM

SIMM

A SIMM, or single in-line memory module, is a type of memory module containing random access memory used in computers from the early 1980s to the late 1990s. It differs from a dual in-line memory module , the most predominant form of memory module today, in that the contacts on a SIMM are redundant...

card, a power connector

Power connector

Power connector may refer to:* AC power plugs and sockets* Industrial power plug* DC connector* Blade connector, commonly found in cars for quick connection of wiring to electrical components* IEC 60309 , so-called "Commando" plug and socket...

, a VRAM

VRAM

Video RAM, or VRAM, is a dual-ported variant of dynamic RAM , which was once commonly used to store the framebuffer in some graphics adapters....

chip, Computer mouse, a floppy disk

Floppy disk

A floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles...

, a SCSI

SCSI

Small Computer System Interface is a set of standards for physically connecting and transferring data between computers and peripheral devices. The SCSI standards define commands, protocols, and electrical and optical interfaces. SCSI is most commonly used for hard disks and tape drives, but it...

cable, a VDU, a computer keyboard

Computer keyboard

In computing, a keyboard is a typewriter-style keyboard, which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys, to act as mechanical levers or electronic switches...

, a terminator plug, a desktop bus port, a bubble-jet printer

Computer printer

In computing, a printer is a peripheral which produces a text or graphics of documents stored in electronic form, usually on physical print media such as paper or transparencies. Many printers are primarily used as local peripherals, and are attached by a printer cable or, in most new printers, a...

, a CD-ROM

CD-ROM

A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....

, a portable scanner

Image scanner

In computing, an image scanner—often abbreviated to just scanner—is a device that optically scans images, printed text, handwriting, or an object, and converts it to a digital image. Common examples found in offices are variations of the desktop scanner where the document is placed on a glass...

, a microprocessor

Microprocessor

A microprocessor incorporates the functions of a computer's central processing unit on a single integrated circuit, or at most a few integrated circuits. It is a multipurpose, programmable device that accepts digital data as input, processes it according to instructions stored in its memory, and...

, a network connector, an accelerator card

Hardware acceleration

In computing, Hardware acceleration is the use of computer hardware to perform some function faster than is possible in software running on the general-purpose CPU...

, an internal hard disk

Hard disk

A hard disk drive is a non-volatile, random access digital magnetic data storage device. It features rotating rigid platters on a motor-driven spindle within a protective enclosure. Data is magnetically read from and written to the platter by read/write heads that float on a film of air above the...

, a computer pen

Light pen

A light pen is a computer input device in the form of a light-sensitive wand used in conjunction with a computer's CRT TV set or monitor. It allows the user to point to displayed objects, or draw on the screen, in a similar way to a touch screen but with greater positional accuracy...

, a digital camera

Digital camera

A digital camera is a camera that takes video or still photographs, or both, digitally by recording images via an electronic image sensor. It is the main device used in the field of digital photography...

, a hand held computer

Personal digital assistant

A personal digital assistant , also known as a palmtop computer, or personal data assistant, is a mobile device that functions as a personal information manager. Current PDAs often have the ability to connect to the Internet...

, an external hard disk, a flatbed scanner, a modem

Modem

A modem is a device that modulates an analog carrier signal to encode digital information, and also demodulates such a carrier signal to decode the transmitted information. The goal is to produce a signal that can be transmitted easily and decoded to reproduce the original digital data...

, a CD-ROM drive, and finally a complete unit. The hidden technology was pointed out and explained in the following issue.

Some of the above terms have fallen from use for example nowadays a 'hand-held computer' would be known as a Personal Digital Assistant. Interestingly, the Hard disk entry in Issue #44 has really dated itself - it states that the biggest hard drives can only contain 1.3 Gb!

The Computer View Panel appeared twice in every issue from #27 to #52. It has a special function that is not revealed until the very end of the series run. Robo reveals to Richard that he can see them, although Richard and Teeza can't. The Evil One had been using them to drain Richard's powers while he was within the Cyber Dimension - leading to the Evil One's fatal weakness.

Practical Activities

A large blank map of the Ancestral World was given away with Issue #1, which could be filled in with map 'pieces' which were given away with each issue as well. As the series progressed the map could be built up, eventually being completed by Issue #26. Putting the map together was not easy, but was well worth doing.

Competitions

"The Power of Evil" was a competition running from Issues #1 through #26 where a letter block would appear in each issue. Once re-arranged the phrase would reveal the source of the Evil One's power. The competition prize was a, at the time, top of the line Atari

Atari

Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...

1040 ST computer. Clues to solve the phrase appeared in Issues #14 and #26.

After every issue had been collected, you would have 26 letter blocks. If you then looked at each issue, you would see that the first word of the story in each issue is depicted in the style of a letter block. The first letters of all 26 issues match the 26 collected letter blocks exactly.

When you take the first letter of the story in each issue, you get the following: DNIMEHTNIYLNOSITAHWTONRAEF. When written backwards, it reveals the source of the Evil One's power: FEAR NOT WHAT IS ONLY IN THE MIND

The Cyber Dimension-era competition was to win a Sega Mega Drive

Sega Mega Drive

The Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...

bundled with a copy of the role playing game "Shining Force

Shining Force

Shining Force, known as in Japan, and otherwise known as Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention, is a 1992 turn-based strategy role-playing video game for the Mega Drive/Genesis console...

".

Like in the first series of issues, you had to cut out a letter blocks and re-arrange them into a phrase - a phrase that reveals the fatal flaw in the Cyber Dimension.

The second competition proved to be much harder than the first, you could not just read the first letter of each issue as it made no sense in either direction: EIOAAAEATHMNDFMNSHLLMSTRLL

To solve it, you had to put the following letters into the spaces provided:

AAAA D EE F HH I LLLL MMM NN O R SS TT



_ _ _   _ _ _ _   _ _   _ _ _   _ _ _ _ _   _ _ _ _ _ _   _ _ _



Which translates into: THE MIND OF MAN SHALL MASTER ALL

Obviously, both competitions are closed to new entries...

External links

www.marshallcavendish.co.uk - publisher's web-site http://www.marshallcavendish.co.uk
See Opening Chapter http://www.immediatemovies.co.uk/at/opening.pdf
Ancestral Trail story and Pictures"http://www.harper-collins.co.uk/"
The Ancestral Trail Website

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.