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The main character of the Shadow Of The Beast Trilogy is Aarbron. It probably would be best to quote the manual
from Beast 3 here, as it includes the complete story overview of all 3 parts of SOTB.

Shadow Of The Beast:

As a small child, Aarbron was enslaved by the Priests of the Beast Lord. He was tormented for years asubjected to
an evil programme of will-sapping drugs. He eventually had no purpose of his own and completely belonged to
Maletoth, The Beast Lord.
He became the Beast Messenger, a creature possesing great strength and agility, and he soon forgot human
ancestry. Time passed and Aarbron performed his duties well, he was a good slave.

Then, one fateful day, he was passing time watching ritual sacrifices when the man shackled to the altar woke dim
and distant memories. Perplexed, Aarbron moved closer and looked long and hard at the face of the man about to
be slugteed...
The sacrificial knife plunged down and Aarbron remembered with horror the man he now looked on - his father!
As he watched the life blood flow from his body to splash red on the cold floor of the temple, the memories of his
short childhood and the truth of who he really was became clear to him.
He looked around him at the priests of the Beast Lord and felt hatred. He swore vengeance on Maletoth and his aid
Zelek. Running away from the temple, cold tears stinging his anguished face, Aarbron vowed to avenge the dead of
his father and make them pay for his own years of torment...
He knew he had a long and difficult battle ahead of him...

Shadow Of The Beast II:

Aarbron fought bravely and battled hard but failed to destroy either Zelek or Maletoth. However, he destroyed many
armies of Beast followers and was rewarded by having some of his humanity returned.
The power of the Beast was diminished... but Maletoth remained a dark threat.
Aarbron drank from a pool of cool clear water. As the refeshing liquid passed his lips, the pool dared and grew cloudy.
A dull light from its depths illuminated a vision that transfixed Aarbrons gaze: He saw a small ramshackle house,
lonely and vunerable in the storm that raged around it.
High on a caggy cliff overlooking the house stood Maletoth... commanding the storm. Lifting his arms to the rolling
sky he began to metamorphose into his beast form... a horrific winged demon. With a cry of triumph he lept off the
cliff and glided efforlessly through the maelstrom to land witark grace on the roof of the little house.

Inside, a frightened mother moved to protect her baby as the clawed hand of Maletoth smashed its wayrough the flimsy roof and reached down.
A baby's cry, a mother's scream and Maletoth flew from the roof and into the darkness... the frightened child in his talons.
A faint whisper escaped from Aarbrons lips... 'Sister!'
He heard Maletoth speak to him above the storm:
'She is perfect to take your place by my side... on Kara-Moon'
His evil laughter mingled with the thunder as the menacing vision slowly dissapeared to be replaced a bright rind of ripples.
Was Aarbron to be haunted forever by Maletoth?
He knew he must journey to Kara-Moon and face unknown terrors in order to rescue his sister.

Shadow Of The Beast III:

Zelek was dead...
Aarbron collapsed to the ground and slept.
As he dreamed, an apparition appeared before him in the form of a wizened man. The man smiled.
"You have done well, Aarbron. Zelek was indeed a powerfull enemy, to defeat him took great courage astrength.
The world is now a safer place, thanks to your valour. But your battle is not yet over. Maletoth, although abated is
still a power to be reckoned with. To be free of his curse forever he must be destroyed.
I am Rekann. Once magician to the King, I maintained the balance between light and dark, good and evil.

Sadly, I was lapse. I should have seen Maletoth's power growing and sensed his presence, but he was very... very
clever. I had no hope, his attack was swift. Before I could retaliate he had imprisoned me in this Cage Of Constraint.
But now, your defeat of Zelek has weakened Maletoth sufficiently to allow me to contact you. His dark hold on the
world is loosening. We must strike while we can.
To banish Maletoth forever you must seek out these four items:
The Skull Of Louq-Garou, The Quintessence Of Being, Pendek's Mace and the Crystals Of Hodag.
Only when you have these four entities will you be strong enough to face Maletoth. Awake now, Aarbron.
Awake to ace your greatest challenge yet... but fear not for i shall be with you to guide you along the way.
Awake Aarbron... your transport awaits."
Aarbron stirred. He lay quietly on the ground, contemplating his dream. He felt different, he felt good.
Looking down he saw that his body had changed, he had regained his human form.
Maletoth's curse had left him, he was free!

----------------------------------------------------

From the distance, Aarbron heard the throbbing hum of aircraft engines. He watched, fascinated, as an old plane
flew into view and landed close by.
Aarbron waited... Nothing happened.
He approached the now silent aircraft and, as he neared it, the door opened. Aarbron jumped back, but again
nothing happened. He looked inside... no-one was aboard. He climbed in and the door slamed shut. The engine
fired up and the plane took off.
Aarbron made himself comfortable.
The plane was heading north,... towards Maletoth.

The main character: The changes from Beast 1 to 3

The changes of the character exactly fit to the storyline. This "evolution" of Aarbron is TRUE PIXEL ART.
In Beast 1 he appears beast-like, strong and fast. In Beast 2 it is almost the opposite. Weaker and slower than in the
first game, he has lost his beast powers in SOTB 2 and no longer remains in beast form.
Part three shows a smooth Aarbron sprite who already went through many adventures, a little older and maybe wiser.
Like a traveller he has a hat and backpack now and seems to be prepared for any journey.

Shadow Of The Beast:

Aarbron in his Beast form. Powerful and agressive. Notice the iron all over his body for he was a "slave".

Shadow Of The Beast 2:

Aarbron lost his Beast form. He is still NOT completely human but has lost his beast like powers.

Shadow Of The Beast 3:

Yes, that's still our hero. New outfit! Seems to be better prepared, this time..