You play Murkon. Unlike Murkon's Refuge, which requires you to manipulate and coordinate multiple characters, you only play Murkon. You can have Murkon summon monsters from summoning portals scattered throughout the labyrinth, but these monsters will act independently, according to their own abilities. Familiarity with the monsters in Murkon's Refuge will help you choose the best monsters to accompany you. Note, though, that some of the monsters have new abilities, so you'll want to experiment to see what works best.

The object of the game is to ascend up the ten levels of the labyrinth, wreaking your revenge against the adventurers that defeated you in the previous game. Murkon has been unconscious for a long time, and much has happened in the labyrinth since he ruled it. The landscape has changed dramatically, and the warriors of Peregham and the outlying towns have taken it over. No longer do monsters roam freely; instead, it is populated by knights and rogues and magicians and so forth. In fact, if you played Murkon's Refuge back in 2002 when that game first opened, you may recognize some of the characters in the game as your own! But beware -- remember, you're on the other side now. Your former allies are now your sworn enemies.

The characters you'll be battling in the labyrinth have the same sorts of statistics and attributes that they did in Murkon's Refuge. Examining these statistics as you encounter them may prove to be one important tool in defeating them. Exploit their weaknesses and guard against their strengths.

If you are not familiar with the character statistics used in Murkon's Refuge, or you need a refresher, refer to Murkon's Refuge's characters document.

Murkon has his own similar set of attributes that you'll be able to manage. These will be discussed again later, but here is a brief overview of the main ones:

• Hit Points: Hit points measure how much physical damage you have taken. When your hit points reach zero, you're dead. Since Murkon starts out in a weakened state, he only has a few hit points, but he'll get more in time. Murkon will automatically rest and recover lost hit points between each battle. This is an important departure from Murkon's Refuge and has strategic ramifications.

• Magic Points: Magic points measure how much magical effort Murkon can expend. Using magic (using spells or breath weapons) depletes magic points; they are only restored by bathing in restorative pools scattered in the labyrinth.

• Strength: Strength helps determine how much damage you can deliver to your opponents when you hit them.

• Agility: Agility helps determine how quickly you move and how well you can dodge attacks.

• Dexterity: Dexterity helps determine how easily you can hit your opponents in battle.

• Stealth: Stealth, along with the average stealth of the monsters accompanying you, determines how likely you are to ambush your opponents and how likely you are to avoid their ambushes.

• Fear: Fear determines how likely you are to be frozen in fear in the face of battle. This is normally only a factor in the beginning of the game, when Murkon is still very weak in body and mind.

• Poisoning: This determines how likely Murkon is to poison his opponent after a hit.

• Paralyzing: This determines how likely Murkon is to paralyze his opponent after a hit.

• Draining: This determines how likely Murkon is to drain levels of his opponent after a hit.

• Fire/Cold/Poison Magic: These values give the maximum degree of power Murkon can expend on an elemental attack spell.

• Fire/Cold/Poison Breath: These values give the maximum degree of power Murkon can expend when he breathes an elemental attack.

Murkon can also wield weapons and wear armor. The power of the weapon he is wielding is called the weapon class, which affects both how likely Murkon is to hit an opponent in battle and how much damage will be done if he does hit. The cumulative effectiveness of the armor he is wearing is called armor class and affects how likely Murkon will be able to avoid a blow in battle and how much damage it does if it hits.