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HDK 94 † Into the dragon's domain

by ASTARIUM

/
1.
In the centuries long past, the people of the province of Culhaver used to celebrate their successful harvest of the crops by travelling across Yarrowdale moor to the mountains to give thanks to their god who had sent them rain when needed and sunshine to follow the rain. It was on this day of celebration in the mountains, one year long ago, that a fearful dragon appeared, swooping down from the sky and attacking the defenceless gathering villagers. He became known as “Dagmor the Terrible”. Spitting tongues of flame he laid waste to the land and to the villagers themselves. Many perished that day, and from that day forward the mountains have been known as the mountains of sorrow.
2.
With the destruction wrought by Dagmor the Terrible the mountains became desolate, craggy and haunting. The dragon pillaged on. Some brave and gallant fighters of fortune accepted the challenge of defeating the Dragon and free the land from its threat: they travelled into the mountains and... were never seen again. So the High Sheriff of Culhaver has offered a huge reward to whoever brought him the dragon’s head (believing that no one would ever succeed). Well, as you passed through the region, your curiosity was piqued by the possibility of putting your hands on that mountain of gold...
3.
By early evening you have arrived at an hamlet in the heart of this sad region and with only seven houses it is very easy to find “Old Tom’s Drinking House”. Making yourself known to your host - old Tom himself - you are provided with a hearty meal and tankard of fine ale. You are joined by another traveller who has learnt of your intended quest. “Perhaps I may be of some assistance” he quietly suggests. He is an old gentleman called Laban, with the experience of many years travelling written in his face. “I have travelled these parts greatly in my time and have made the study of the dragon my particular... hobby, you might say.” Be warned,” he adds, “the dragon is no fool. He is very powerful and a deadly opponent. Firstly, he is able to cast a spell which would charm you into becoming his slave - or even his dinner! In addition to this, like most dragons, he can breathe fire. However, you may succeed in finding some defence against the flames. Your first task will be to find a wise old hermit who lives in the caves. Once he was a friend of mine... now he’s a prisoner of the dragon. He can tell you of the three ingredients needed to make a potion of fire resistance”. You are pleased that you can gain protection from the flames, but what worries you most is the thought of being charmed, and you convey this concern to Laban. He informs you, however, that guarded within the caves is a magical protective helm wrought from solid gold. Set in the front piece of the helm is a magnificent golden yellow topaz. The person who wears this helm is immune to the dragon’s magic. “One more piece of advice my adventurous friend “he adds,” a renowned hero died in those caves-he too thought he could slay Dagmor the Terrible. He carried with him a special sword inscribed with the words: ‘Albus the Avenger’. Find it and use it. It was specifically forged from a fallen meteor for the purpose of slaying dragons...
4.
By late morning you reach the mountains and it is here that Laban wishes you good luck, presenting you with his lodestone compass to help you, should you get lost in the caves. “If you succeed,” he says, “return to this point and light a signal fire. I will return to guide you back.” Once more you are on your own and you must nowrely on the directions and information given you by the traveller the night before. Your journey in the mountains is slow and cautious: you certainly do not want to encounter the dragon in the open air... Settling down to a steady pace, you search for the landmarks that you have been told will lead you to the remote valley and indeed to the very lair of Dagmor the Terrible himself.
5.
At long last you reach the valley described to you. Making your way to the head of this desolate depression, you look around for the cave entrance detailed by Laban Quite. Quickly you spot it in the near distance and draw closer as the afternoon sun gradually breaks up the few remaining pockets of lingering mist. You have crossed the threshold: now you are into the dragon’s domain... You continue on and down into the cave passage. The air is slightly moist, still and stale. It is dark, but cautiously you carry on...
6.
“Dagmor is indeed a terrible dragon,” replies the old hermit. “One blast of his fiery breath will kill if he doesn’t charm you first to make you one of his slaves, or supper! There is however, a potion which will greatly reduce the effect of his flaming breath and I know the ingredients”. He whispers them in your ear. After saying farewell to the old man you edge your way along a secret tunnel. The air is still, dry and musty...
7.
Magical helm 02:43
You walk over to the glass case and blow away some of the accumulated dust. Something glistens inside and you decide to rub away more of the dust to get a better look. It is then that you see the helm inside. It is made of gold and very finely crafted. In the centre on the frontpiece is set a flawless golden gem. It is a topaz, reputed for its magical property of warding off evil spells. You lift your sword in the air and, using your hilt, smash the glass case containing the helm. You sheath your sword and reach in to take it from its resting place, but as you do so, a guillotine blade drops from the top of the casing frame. Your reflexes will be good enough to keep the blade from cutting clear your hand?
8.
Closing the door, you leave the dusty old room behind you and travel North down yet another dark unlit passage, but at least it seems to run basically straight. After a while you see a shaft of light in the distance ahead. It is different to any other kind of light that you have seen in these caverns, and edging ahead cautiously, you enter a very large chamber strewn with odd scatterings of loose rocks. It is only now that you discover the strange shaft of light is actually a beam of sunlight. Looking high to the chamber roof, you see a large hole through which the sunlight from outside shines down into the cavern. You’ve spent so long in these caves you’d forgotten what real sunlight looked like. You are just about to leave the cavern when you hear a noise: it is a steady, rhythmic beating noise. Moving quickly and quietly, you crouch by the chamber wall in shadow and wait expectantly. As the noise draws closer, you realise that it is the steady beating of large leathery wings. Within seconds you see a large winged creature fly into the chamber from the North exit. It looks quite like a dragon in form and carries the remains of its last catch in its mouth. Almost immediately it spots you, drops the morsel from its mouth and swoops down towards you. Now you must fight valiantly for your very life.
9.
Taking the box with the powder and spoon over to the fire, you sprinkle one spoonful on the flames. A plume of red smoke erupts over the fire releasing a pleasant, scented fragrance as it does so. In the centre of the plume you see an image slowly forming. Within a few seconds the static image turns into a moving scene. A small man can be seen fighting what appears to be a Rock Troll. The man has almost lost the fight when he grabs a nearby torch and thrusts it towards the Troll’s face. Whilst watching this enacted scene you become aware of thoughts being placed within your mind: “Rock Trolls are afraid of fire” You have been forewarned and so forearmed. The smoky plume erupts once more as you place another spoonful of the red powder on the ceremonial fire. This time, the vision that appears is of a hobgoblin. while you are concentrating on the smoky picture, the hobgoblin steps out of the smoke and rushes towards you, brandishing his sword. You find yourself surprised and on his first attack the hobgoblin hits you. You already feel the heat of the blood dripping from the wound on your shoulder. You step to one side to avoid his next charge, draw your sword and prepare to fight...
10.
With a final thrust of your blade, the evil man dressed totally in black from the tip of his boots to the helm on his head falls to the floor. This certainly has been a most difficult and arduous fight and you can now congratulate yourself in defeating such a dangerous opponent. Searching his lifeless body you find a leather pouch containing ten gold pieces and a key. Searching all around the chamber you eventually find, on a narrow, dark ledge, a long rectangular box-locked! You place the key in the lock and turn it. There is a soft “click” of the lock opening, and then a second “click”. You throw yourself to one side, sensing danger, as a series of darts shoots out. Only the speed of your reaction saves you. Picking one of the darts up, you find it coated in some kind of sticky substance-poison... Inside the box you find a beautifully crafted sword in a jewelled sheath. You lift the sword out of the box and withdraw it from the sheath to test its weight and balance. Everything about it feels perfect and it is then that you notice an inscription etched on the blade-”Albus the Avenger”. You have the sword you seek. Suddenly, the sword begins to glow and you feel a buzzing sensation pulsate through your body. Are you ready now to face Dagmor the Terrible?
11.
Fiery breath 04:08
You are deep inside the mountain and you feel that the dragon can now not be too far away. At last you come to a large chamber, larger than any you have encountered so far. There are fires burning everywhere and corpses scattered about. As you look around, this would certainly seem to be the right setting for a dragon’s lair. Then you spy an enormous pile of gold and silver coins, more than you have ever dreamed of in your life. Scattered throughout the pile are goblets, jewels, brooches, golden plates and more trinkets than you can imagine. Way up on top of the pile squats a smouldering, stenching red dragon-eyes closed! This is obviously... Dagmor the Terrible! The dragon looks deep into your eyes and says “Hallo, it looks as if dinner has arrived, or are you really so foolish as to try to challenge the great Dagmor the Terrible?” You offer no reply but calmly draw your sword. Again the dragon looks deep into your eyes but you just laugh at his attempt to charm you. Growing angry at your mocking laughter, the dragon speaks “So, you wear the golden helm. That may help you to resist my spells, but now you will surely die-like all the others before you.” You prepare yourself for the onslaught.
12.
At last a champion has been found to slay the dragon! Dagmor is now the ‘Not so Terrible’ and slumps with a dying hiss and a wheeze to the floor. As he does so, the floor shakes and shudders from his mighty weight, and gold coins and trinkets from his massive pile of treasure slide down the mound in an avalanche. Taking a few trinkets and jewels for your trouble, you become aware of a waft of fresh air. The little avalanche has revealed what appears to be an escape tunnel, obviously previously blocked by the huge pile of gold. Eager to leave, you slice off the dragon’s head and make your way down this small tunnel, feeling the air get fresher all the time. At last you see a streak of sunlight ahead and shortly find yourself out in the open air. Free at last! Now you can return to the village of Mittleden to collect your reward and a hero’s welcome, knowing that if you can slay a dragon, you can slay almost anything and your name will go down in the local history and folklore as the champion who slew “Dagmor the Terrible”.

about

In the centuries long past, the people of the province of Culhaver used to celebrate their successful harvest of the crops by travelling across Yarrowdale moor to the mountains to give thanks to their god who had sent them rain when needed and sunshine to follow the rain. It was on this day of celebration in the mountains, one year long ago, that a fearful dragon appeared, swooping down from the sky and attacking the defenceless gathering villagers.

He became known as “Dagmor the Terrible”. Spitting tongues of flame he laid waste to the land and to the villagers themselves. Many perished that day, and from that day forward the mountains have been known as the Mountains of Sorrow.

With the destruction wrought by Dagmor the Terrible the mountains became desolate, craggy and haunting. The dragon pillaged on. Some brave and gallant fighters of fortune accepted the challenge of defeating the Dragon and free the land from its threat : they travelled into the mountains and... were never seen again. So the High Sheriff of Culhaver has offered a huge reward to whoever brought him the dragon's head (believing that no one would ever succeed).

Well, as you passed through the region, your curiosity was piqued by the possibility of putting your hands on that mountain of gold...

O=={============>

In the 80s there was the boom of the so-called "gamebooks", interactive books usually of the fantasy genre, in which the reader was called to make choices and solve puzzles to reach the last page.

PROTEUS, a magazine released in the UK from 1984 to 1988, published a whole interactive adventure to play in each issue: they were naive dungeon explorations, treasure searches full of sense of bizarre, weird riddles and absurd monsters.

PROTEUS's adventures weren't masterpieces, but they were fun and damn difficult: there were often dozens of objects to necessarily find to complete the quest and defeat the final monster, and most of the time the decisive one was missing; furthermore, it was essential to draw maps ogf the dungeons in order not to get lost in the paragraphs, but these maps often... did not add up.

In short: a lot of fun for us kids of the analog era!

O=={============>

From the plains of remote Siberia here is ASTARIUM, a prolific DS musician we met in the first volume of HDK Dungeon-synth Magazine.

A kaleidoscope of classic DS atmospheres combined with the epic and arcane pace of classic heavy metal: an unusual but winning combination that will accompany you in the highlights of this dungeon-crawling. In "Into the Dragon's Domain" you will hear echoes of the great Eastern Bloc Heavy metal bands of the 80-90s like Turbo, Aria and Octave.

"Into the Dragon's Domain" cassette includes an illustrated booklet of 28 pages that will accompany you track by track for a immersive listening!

credits

released October 31, 2021

This is the soundtrack of the omonymous adventure published in “PROTEUS” Magazine (U.K.) in year 1988.

Thank you to Mike Keward to allowed to use the PROTEUS illustrations.

Recorded by ASTARIUM 2020-21.

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Heimat Der Katastrophe Milan, Italy

DIY label focused on ambient punk, minimal-synth, dungeon-drone, wartime music and post-nuclear wave. Managed by a creative punx collective from Milano city.

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