The Adventurers Guild: Missed Basic: Past Zork

Setting off on an journey with my greatest mate.

Failing at Puzzles: The Cliff, the Truffles, and the Bridge

Earlier than I get too far, let me wrap up some free ends from final time:

• I appraise the lethal Christmas tree decoration, hoping (and anticipating) that it will be a uncommon and useful treasure. It’s plastic and value 2 zorkmids.
• The vial that I discovered below the pew within the church that I fully forgot to say comprises holy water.
• The scroll I nabbed within the jungle is a “scroll of honing” that can add an enchantment to any weapon, however only one. I ought to determine on my everlasting gear earlier than utilizing it. 
• The minx follows me in every single place, however can get caught. It can not climb ladders or exit the cable automobile with out assist, however in any other case I can largely ignore it and it follows me round. I take into account promoting it, however not one of the shopkeepers are fascinated by turning into a pet retailer.

It’s tough to relate the subsequent bit, however it includes quite a lot of thrashing round with out a good suggestion of what to do subsequent. I attempt to free the unicorn from the secure, however solely uncover that I can improve my luck rating by kissing its horn. In any other case, the secure lock stays stubbornly locked.

I additionally spend an excessive amount of time on the cliff riddle:

“My tines be lengthy, 

 My tines be brief,

 My tines finish ere my first report.

 What am I?”

The important thing components look like “tines” and that they finish “ere” (earlier than) “our first report”. The dictionary tells me that tines are often the prongs of forks, however the phrase may also consult with antlers, branches, the sharp bits of a comb, and different issues that stick out like that. “Ere our first report” nonetheless makes me consider a clock with the lengthy and brief tines being the massive and little fingers of the clock. If that’s the case, all my makes an attempt go nowhere, as do much less well-reasoned makes an attempt involving sunbeams, chimes, music, shadows, and worse concepts. The earlier riddle’s reply was “youth” and I’m inclined to suspect a theme, however it doesn’t actually match. I’m coming again to this cliff again and again whereas exploring, however no breakthroughs come instantly.

My subsequent try is to discover a “chocolate truffle” and I’m half profitable. The handbook mentions these truffles a number of instances, revealing that the minx can discover truffles within the roots of some oak timber. I’m going to the primary oak that I keep in mind (the one on the hill close to the place we begin the sport) and it doesn’t take too lengthy for my cute adventuring buddy to search out what he (or she?) is in search of. I do have to select up and drop it just a few instances to set off it looking out; there could also be a greater manner to do this. Sadly, as soon as now we have a truffle in hand, it melts and goes dangerous in only a few turns. The handbook hints that it’s “valued by royalty”, however I don’t discover anybody shut sufficient and royal sufficient to be its vacation spot earlier than it spoils. I restore and no less than know methods to discover it once more after I discover somebody that desires one.

I fail subsequent with Zeno’s Bridge. When you recall from final time, it is a bridge that works like Zeno’s Paradox: as you go throughout it, you go midway, then midway, then midway once more and by no means get all the manner. There’s a parrot-headed umbrella in the course of the bridge that looks as if we are able to Mary Poppins down with, however we’re too heavy and the umbrella breaks. Is there a “make me lighter” spell? Since I can not cross that manner, I blow the whistle and summon my pterodactyl buddy. (This sport has quite a lot of animal pals.) He informs me that he could also be summoned solely 3 times. Sadly, we can not trip him as his again is simply too slippery. I suppose I might want to discover a technique to get the saddle from the unicorn’s secure in any case. 

My closing failure is pondering that my character certainly must be getting some motivation prior to now. (Do not forget that we the participant have been instructed what’s up, however our character is only a nation peasant that has determined for completely no cause to begin traipsing up and down the countryside.) The most certainly place the place I’ll study the plot is on the Circle of Enchanters, however they’re at present being guarded by a monkey grinder wielding a magic hurdy-gurdy. I attempt to struggle him or use gadgets on him, however every thing is ineffective. I don’t land a single blow or spell. Even the “cane of annihilation” energy simply will get absorbed into his hurdy gurdy. I should attempt one other strategy.

We found a truffle! At the very least, I hope that’s a truffle.

Lastly Managing to Defeat One thing

At this level, I resolve to deal with the sport extra like an RPG. If I’m going to defeat any of the monsters which are at present killing me (the merciless puppet, the crocodile, and so many extra), I might want to care about my stats. It’s time to purchase higher weapons and armor.

What ought to I purchase to optimize my probabilities? The boutique sells a cloak that the shopkeeper there can not establish, however the magic store tells me is a “cloak of stealth”. It will increase my armor class by 5. Trial and error reveals the leather-based tunic I can purchase will increase it by 10, whereas the size mail bumps it by 20. (I don’t even have sufficient gold to check out the plate mail.) Since cash is restricted, I elect to get the axe from the weapon store as I can not afford the sword and the leather-based tunic. These are the second greatest gadgets in two outlets which I hope might be higher than one of the best from one however not the opposite. 

Even with my new equipment, the merciless puppet defeats me handily. I no less than study that the oak tree in his forest additionally has truffles, which means that if I spoil one which I in all probability have someplace that I can get a second. I additionally study that consuming a truffle in entrance of the minx reduces our compassion rating by one, however feeding it one doesn’t improve it. That hardly appears honest!

Regardless of not working towards the puppet, I take my gear into the jungle and it makes me highly effective sufficient to defeat each the bloodworm and the crocodile! We’re getting someplace! Neither of them drop any new gadgets, however I do advance to degree three. We solely (clearly) get extra endurance once we degree up, however even that can assist with fight. I spend a while attempting to resolve a few of the jungle puzzles with fewer distractions:

• The child Hungus nonetheless must be rescued from quicksand. The “rod of sayonara” looks as if it ought to do the trick (it teleports a monster to a close-by room), however the sport sees that as being aggressive and doesn’t let me do it.
• The “Crocodile’s Tear” puzzle is a see-saw the place I believe now we have to drop heavy stuff on one finish in order that we are able to climb to the jewel on the opposite facet with out falling in. Sadly, even placing every thing I personal on one finish isn’t sufficient to maintain the see-saw up within the air. For a second time, I’m wondering if there isn’t a magic object that can make me lighter! Will the mom Hungus sit on one finish after I rescue her child?
• After I do get caught contained in the idol’s maw once more, I can use the “rod of sayonara” on myself to teleport out. This lets me squeeze the moss inside to extend my dexterity, with out getting caught. Contemplating the final time we noticed that moss, it was as a result of there was a dexterity-related puzzle, that could possibly be what’s going on right here as nicely. May I would like each heavy objects and excessive dexterity to get the idol?

That is additionally the purpose the place I notice that I’ve not been utilizing my potions appropriately. All of them say “shake earlier than utilizing” and I’ve simply been ingesting them. Doing it correctly reveals that my “potion of may” completely will increase my energy to 27. I can not but afford the potion of enlightenment with out promoting issues I don’t need to half with, but when I try this (after which restore), I study that it will increase my intelligence to 51. 

With the extra degree and bonuses, I lastly defeat the merciless puppet! A couple of turns later, I’m attacked by a hellhound. Though that struggle is much more tough, I’ve the facility and dexterity to take it down too. I’m now degree 4! Even with all that, I can not hit the monkey grinder even as soon as so I think there may be extra to him than a straight struggle.

Throughout this run round, I believe I discovered a technique to preserve the truffles recent. If I dip them within the fountain of youth, they seem to remain recent ceaselessly. There isn’t a message about this and I’m not even certain it’s not a bug, however after I took a dip (whereas enjoying with the “outdated horseshoe” to try to flip it right into a “younger horseshoe”), it didn’t degrade anymore. That looks as if a loopy use for a fountain of youth when a fridge would do, however magical kingdoms have magical options.

Actually, I may simply make low-quality AI artwork about our heroine and her journey ferret all day.

Exploring the Northern Ruins

I’m nearly of puzzles that I can clear up, however the saddle within the secure calls to me since that can let me fly on the pterodactyl. Like most puzzles, it makes me really feel dumb on reflection: I can use the “Amulet of Bok” (the one which gave me short-term energy to flee the cellar within the inn) to briefly improve my energy after which smash it. Our new unicorn buddy instantly wanders off, however now I’ve the saddle. Rating!

Every little thing else works identical to I anticipate: I’m going to the middle of the bridge, seize the parrot umbrella, then name the pterodactyl. (That is the one technique to get the umbrella with out breaking it.) I put the saddle on him then I used to be in a position to fly north, bypassing the bridge. I dismount and start to discover. As you may anticipate, it’s one other “dungeon”:

• A ghoul assaults me with a spade. Defeating it’s easy, however now I’ve a spade. Is there anyplace that I must do any gardening?
• An undead warrior assaults subsequent. Have you ever observed that almost all of those dungeons have monsters in twos? My axe does no injury to it in any respect, however tossing the holy water defeats it instantly.
• Deeper within the run, I uncover an archway with an hourglass-shaped hole that appears good for the one which prices 1,000 zorkmids. I don’t know the way I’ll afford that, however maybe that’s the place the Crocodile’s Tear is available in?
• Exterior the damage is one other patch of spenseweed that I can domesticate. 

Sadly, that’s it. The damage is only a few rooms, two battles, and a mysterious place to place an hourglass. We can not even cross the bridge once more with out the pterodactyl so I’ve to burn two of his three flights simply getting her. One thing tells me that I used to be supposed to resolve the bridge first, however I used to be actually anticipating one thing on this facet that might assist with that.

This image is lacking a ferret.

Since I’m flying anyway, I take the time to discover the place I can fly to. I shortly notice that the unusual notations on our map correspond to a special “room” whereas aloft and a spot the place we are able to land. The arrows symbolize instructions that we are able to go; the pterodactyl will refuse to fly in different instructions for one cause or one other. Sadly, it’s not so simple as that as a result of we even have occasional headwinds or cross-winds that now we have to “wait” out to journey in a particular course. 

My goal is the one spot on the map that I haven’t been but: the manor or fort within the southwest nook. This reveals one other puzzle: irrespective of how I try to irrespective of how I attempt to wait out the wind, the situations are by no means proper to get to “J” on the map. Notably, we additionally can not get to the Christmas village (“N”) from the remainder of the map both, however touring there and attempting to fly straight northwest doesn’t work both. I think that it is a key puzzle. The handbook tells us that there’s a “compass rose” that could possibly be used to manage the wind, however I haven’t discovered one but. I’ve solely discovered one flowerbed within the sport, close to the unicorn’s secure, however there are not any roses there. 

Having burned all of my pterodactyl flights and completed nothing, I restore again to earlier than I crossed Zeno’s bridge. I’ll attempt once more after I find the rose or one other technique to cross the chasm.

It is sensible on reflection.

Giving Up and Taking a Trace

I’ll spare you one other spherical of crashing towards puzzles and getting nowhere. I attempted to deliver the extraordinarily heavy onion into the jungle to make use of with the idol puzzle, however there’s no apparent technique to get there. The factor is so heavy that we can not carry it– however we are able to roll it from room to room. Even when I get it to the gondola, we can not roll it into the automobile and we’re caught. (How I’d get it down the help tower ladders is a special query, however I didn’t get that far.) Figuring out that I can roll the factor round, I attempted utilizing it in just a few places. If we hack into it within the presence of an enemy, we are able to trigger its eyes to sting. The monkey grinder is proof against this, identical to he’s proof against every thing else, however I’ll be looking out for the place I can use these tips.

In the long run, I failed on the riddle on the cliff and gave up. Simply to remind you, that is what I used to be attempting to resolve:

“My tines be lengthy, 

 My tines be brief,

 My tines finish ere my first report.

 What am I?”

After taking a look at forks and clocks and time and so many issues, I quit and search on-line for the reply: it’s “lightning”. The fork-like branches of lightning are the “tines” and so they finish earlier than their first report as a result of mild travels quicker than sound: we see the flash nicely earlier than we hear the “report” of the thunder. As anticipated, it appears apparent on reflection, however the vocabulary tripped me up. The lightning blasts open a passageway into the cliff face, permitting me to entry the lighthouse above.

What follows is one other Past Zork-style randomized dungeon, besides this one was pretty huge: 3-4 rooms per degree for 4 ranges, all ascending to the highest of the lighthouse.

• On the primary flooring, I uncover a large spider and have little issue defeating it with my axe.
• On the second flooring, we discover a employees and a large slug. He’s proof against assaults from our axe, however he dies instantly if we sprinkle salt on him. He leaves behind a bubblegum card.
• On the third flooring, we discover replicating mud bunnies. Attacking results in multiplication. Happily, the reply for that is within the handbook: static electrical energy or lemon-scented sprays. Whereas life has not but handed us lemons, the bearskin rug that we discovered firstly of the sport precipitated a static cost each time we walked throughout it. I fetch it from the inn and defeat the bunnies simply. They depart behind a hoop. 
• On the fourth flooring, we uncover a Dornbeast (creature with many eyes) guarding a treasure chest. My latest expertise rolling and chopping onions is useful right here as he will be distracted by the stinging of a freshly minimize onion. Even with that benefit, he’s nonetheless a robust fiend and takes some time to kill, however he ultimately goes down. I’m degree 5 once more!

Whereas I ran again to get the onion, I ended to establish my new stuff: the employees of levitation, a hoop of defending, and a scroll of recall. The ring will not be clear what it shields us from, however it “sends a chill down your backbone”. Does it shield towards hearth? The scroll says that it’s “simply the factor for emergencies”, however I don’t know what constitutes an emergency or precisely the way it helps. I’ll must play with it later.

“You and your ferret usually are not welcome right here!”

Opening the chest within the lighthouse transports me to the “Plain of Transinfinite Splendor”, a heavenly realm the place unicorns graze. Sadly, they spy me instantly after I arrive, name me an “intruder” (even after I saved their buddy!), and drive me to expertise a lifetime of equine drudgery earlier than returning me to the lighthouse. The chest now not works and I’m compelled to revive. 

What do I must do to not be rejected by heaven? An indulgence from the church? Whereas there’s a close by church (full with a relic of some variety), I don’t know methods to get that and I don’t get the impression that the unicorns would care. Do I simply want the next compassion rating? It’s been going up each time I do an excellent deed. Pondering that’s the trick, I return to the jungle and rescue the infant Hungus utilizing my new “employees of levitation”, however even with a compassion rating of 56, that isn’t sufficient for the unicorns to love me. The place is the one which I rescued? I attempt numerous different issues, however none of them work. I used to be certain that sporting the cloak (“a robust advantage if woven into the fabric”), however even that doesn’t do it. I quit and simply depart the chest untouched for now.

That looks like sufficient for this week. Right here is my present record of open questions and puzzles. Barring some leap of instinct over the subsequent a number of days, I believe I get caught:

• How do I get the jewel from the idol? What am I lacking to work the load puzzle? The wand of levitation doesn’t work on ourselves or the jewel. 
• How do I get the unicorns in heaven to love me?
• What do we want the chocolate truffle for?
• How will we enter the lightning area or the manor within the southeast of the map?
• The place is the compass rose to manage the wind?
• What’s the “right” technique to cross Zeno’s bridge?
• How do I defeat or get previous the monkey grinder?
• How do I re-make the glyph within the mountains to maintain the Christmas tree monsters at bay?

Time performed: 4 hr 45 min
Whole time: 9 hr 40 min
Rating: Degree 5 Feminine Peasant
Stock: Battleaxe (wielded), scroll of Recall, ring of Shielding, employees of Levitation, pack, silver decoration, scroll of Honing, cane of Annihilation, wand of Anesthesia, lantern, vial of holy water, whistle of Summoning, rod of Sayonara, stick of Eversion, arrow, chocolate truffle, outdated horseshoe, scroll of safety, leather-based tunic, amulet of Bok, 7 zorkmids (plus stuff I’m storing and never carrying: minx, bearskin rug, bubblegum card, and saddle)

In loving reminiscence of Rakeesh “Raki” Pranevich, my very personal adventuring buddy, 1990-1999.