Gateway to Apshai: HELP!

[Aswald]

O.K, I've finally given up.

I cannot figure out what these things do:

PROTECT Spell

STAFF

WAND

A few years ago, I discovered that the CROSS, when "used," doubles the damage your sword/dagger attacks do to undead, such as Ghouls, Vampires, and Vampire Bats. SHIELD Spell temporarily grants you a "magic shield +," and the others are obvious enough- but not those 3.

The version I'm playing is the ColecoVision version, but any info on these things on any version (Atari, Commodore 64, etc.) would help. How do you use them?

Quite frankly, I'm beginning to wonder if, on the CV version, they have any use at all.

[Tempest]

I could never figure those out myself. At least now I know what the cross does. Hopefully someone here can solve ths mystery, because it's been bugging me since 1984!

Tempest

[Mayhem]

I checked my original instructions for the C64 version... no mention of what each spell or item does! So ya stuck... though I reckon the staff is a weapon, and the Protect spell does something to prevent injury. Wand probably casts missiles perhaps...

[Aswald]

Logic would dictate that the WAND (or STAFF) would cast missiles of some sort (a fireball, perhaps?), but I tried that- using the WAND and the STAFF while facing an opponent (I've tried them on several, in fact, including a lowly "Fungus"), without any luck whatsoever. They do not register as weapons. They do not grant immunity from Cursed Traps, they do not enhance other spells, Magical Armor or the like, your Hit Points, they do not add any extra protection, they do not affect Undead, Dragons, Wizards, etc...and they do not blast away Wall sections. They also do not reveal Hidden Doors. They do not restore Hit Points, nor do they restore any lost abilities (like Strength after a Weakness Trap).

I have also not seen any extra protection afforded by a PROTECT Spell. None.

As I've said- I'm beginning to wonder if those things have any value in the CV version at all. It's strange that NOBODY anywhere seems to have any idea what these things do in any version; I've asked elsewhere, without any luck.