** Note: This is not the only solution to the game ** Would you like to restore a game (Yes or No)? n Verbose mode displays the room description every time you enter the room, even if you have been there before. Otherwise it only prints it the first time you go there and when you 'look'. Would you like to activate verbose mode (Yes or No)? n Well George, you've finally done it. You've drank so much you have no idea where you are. It doesn't take much of a survey to realize you are lying in some else's bed, in someone else's home. Unfortunately, you have no idea how you got here or where here is. Your last memory is of drinking (unsurprising; a lot of your memory gaps happen after that.) It wasn't what you normally drank, though, but something someone had given you. Entangled somewhere in this drinking is a woman, but you aren't sure how she fits in. You sit up on the edge of the bed and look around. A window gives you a view of dense forest, not something found where you live. That is not a good sign. Neither is the fact that you are wearing someone else's clothes. The light vest and trousers you're wearing would be too cold to wear back home, even in summer. The only other thing drifting around in the blackness of this memory blackout is a warm beach and, well, you were doing something with someone there. You seem to remember it being rather pleasurable. Perhaps you should look around and see if there's anything to prod your memory along here. Type 'help' to access the help system. THE EVIL SORCERER Copyright (C) 2000-1 by Gren Remoz. Release 1 / Serial number 010815 / Inform v6.21 Library 6/10 SD Bedroom (on the large bed) You are in a small bedroom. Along the walls are various paintings. Resting on the thick carpet is a nightstand. A strip of wallpaper near the ceiling adds a dark red accent to the otherwise white bedroom. In the north wall of the room is a large window. A mirror hangs by the window. To the west is a door that leads to a closet of some sort. Visibility through the doorway to the south is blocked by strings of beads hanging down, but it probably leads to the rest of the house. On the nightstand is a handwritten note. >replay Enter file name (".rec" will be added). Default is "EVIL.rec": Do you want MORE prompts? (y/n) >n [Replaying commands.] >read note A brief handwritten note. It reads: Follow the beach until you reach the hermit's hut, but don't go in - even the gods couldn't help you then - instead take the path that leads around the hut. Follow the path up the cliff to the plateau ringed by stones. I'll meet you there. Reading the note causes pieces of your memory to come grudgingly back. You were at a party, which isn't unusual, and a stunningly beautiful woman came up to you, ignoring all others, which was highly unusual. She gave you something to try that you'd never tasted before (and you'd thought you'd tried them all.) After a little bit, she said she needed your help. You quickly agreed to help. She led you out to her car (a small red convertible, you seem to remember), and helped you in. Then she gave you another bottle and started driving. You have vague, confused memories of the trip. You seem to remember the world exploding in a kaleidoscope of color, then reforming into a beach. The woman let you out of the car, then drove it off along the beach and returned without it. She then led you to a bedroom and laid you down on the bed where you quickly fell asleep. You awoke the following morning with an awful headache and some residual grogginess. "You're finally awake," she said. Getting some clothes out of the closet (which was locked, you note) she tossed them to you and walked out of the room. They were the same clothes as you're wearing now. Once changed, you left as well. Stepping outside, you instantly understood the reason for the change in clothing. It must have been a hundred degrees out. The flash of memory ends with your stepping onto the hot sands. Beyond that is a black void. [Your score has just gone up by two points.] >stand You get off the large bed. Bedroom On the nightstand is a handwritten note. >look under bed Among the dust and cobwebs under the bed, you find a small box. You pull it out. >look in box (the lantern box) In the lantern box are an iron key and a wallet. >get key Taken. >get wallet Taken. [Your score has just gone up by four points.] >s You push the beads aside and pass through. Living Room The living room is a rather small room, almost overfilled with furniture. The walls are a dark red color, making the room seem darker than it really is. A large painting of an empty desert hangs on one wall, right above a large chair. To the north a curtain of beads hangs down over the doorway, preventing you from seeing through, and a similar curtain hangs over the doorway to the west. You can clearly see the kitchen to the south and a sun room to the east. On the end table is a photograph. >x photo It's a picture of a truly unusual creature. It looks vaguely like a lizard standing in a human-like stance. Its hands are short a finger (at least from your point of view - it'd probably say you had an extra.) >w You push the beads aside and pass through. Bathroom Like the living room, the bathroom is too small for its contents. In addition to this, it looks like the bathroom is being used as storage. The shower stall is filled with junk. There's no hope of being able to have a shower. While you can't see them, there are presumably both a toilet and a counter under the boxes stacked against the wall. To the east is a curtain of beads blocking your view of the living room. A comb sits on one of the boxes. You can also see a shower stall (in which is some junk) here. >look at comb It's a modern plastic comb. There seems to be a single hair on it. >get hair You remove the hair from the comb. >e Living Room On the end table is a photograph. >e Sun room The sun room is a peaceful place. The walls here are made of glass, except for the side of the building. The sun shines in here, making this a bright room. The floor is made from two by fours laid across the ground. Plants flourish around the edges, giving the sun room an almost forest-like appearance. Only one thing seems out of place: the large cactus in the middle of the room. A doorway in the west wall leads back into the living room. A doorway to the south goes outside to the porch. To the north is a large outdoor garden. On the steel endtable is a paperback book. >get book Taken. >search cactus A silver glint catches your eye. On closer examination it turns out to be a small silver key, half buried in the dirt. You take it. >s Porch The porch is a wooden deck made of two-by-fours. Along the edge is a railing, preventing you from falling off. A gap in the railing provides for a passage to the beach just to the south. To the north is a plant-filled sun room, while a doorway to the west leads to the kitchen. A vine twines around the railing. On the vine are eight berries. >s Stepping onto the sand seems to bring the rest of your memory back. You can remember that it has been several days since you arrived. After stepping out like this on that first day, you had found Julia sitting and watching the waves crash into the beach. You started to speak, but she waved you to silence. Unexpectedly, she stood and walked to the porch, where she spent a couple minutes removing several knives from where they were hidden under her clothes. Then she turned and looked at you, almost daring you. You can't remember a beautiful woman ever looking at you twice, let alone acting like this before. Even your ex-wife, who had an admittedly mediocre figure, never acted like this. Nothing in your life is likely to rival those few days you spent on the beach. During this time, Julia told you that you weren't anywhere near your home, but rather on an island in some empire. She also showed you something she called magic, and while she wasn't very good at it, she was good enough to thoroughly convince you. After a few days, however, she told you that she really did need your help. She'd asked the old man (whoever that is) about it, and it was decided that you would be best for the job. What was the job? Killing an evil sorcerer living on her lands (which is apparently the entire island and bits of others.) The idea of this, especially with your newfound belief in magic, sent you into a panic. You ran into the house and, not watching where you were going, ran into a wall. Now that you're awake, calmer, and have had time to think about it, the idea is less frightening. You really should find Julia and talk to her about it. Beach You're on a narrow strip of beach positioned between the porch of the house and the ocean. Beneath your feet the hot sand shifts endlessly in the slight breeze coming off the ocean. To the north is the porch of the house. The beach continues both to the west and northeast. >ne Beach The beach blends into the ocean here. To the north you can see a small shack made from driftwood. The sound of muttering comes from within. To the northwest is a small path that goes around the edge of the shack, leading deep into the forest. The beach continues to the southwest. >nw Forest Path The path leads around a shack to the southeast. Large trees abound on either side, effectively boxing in the path. Along the edge of the road is a large rock. Flowing down the cliff to the northeast is a trickle of water. To the north a path leads up the cliff. Also, the path forks with one leading to the west and one to the northwest. A white flower is growing here. The leaves around you rustle loudly in a sudden breeze. >n As you ascend the path up the cliff, you hear a rasping voice above you. "He is coming." The voice says. As you reach the end of the path, you can see tall standing stones ringing the outside of the plateau. Two people stand there. Julia, and an old man. The old man looks to have lived through an inferno. All of his left side (or at least those parts you can see) is burned and blackened. His left hand and eye are missing. His right hand holds a long staff with a dragon engraved along it. He wears a long, flowing robe. "You are here." He says. "I can see that," Julia says, "get on with it." "Julia has asked me to help you. I am told you are to destroy the sorcerer to the north. Is this correct?" "Well, um," You reply. The man points the staff towards the north. "Behold, the sorcerer's work!" Looking where he's pointing, you can see that a large portion of the forest is twisted into a variety of tortured shapes. You can vaguely make out that some of the trees almost appear to be dripping blood. "The curse of the sorcerer!" "That's awful." You reply. "It is evil. As I said, he lives to the north. You can see how the forest around him has been twisted by his very presence. It will take hundreds of years to recover from only weeks of his presence." "Yes, yes," Julia says, "get on with it." "I have asked the gods for their help in this and they have told me how you may win. "First you must eliminate the guardian. Bring me an Aedlar berry, a piece of the guardian and some water and I shall make you a potion to free it from the sorcerer's evil. "Second, you will need a ranged weapon blessed by a god. To go with this, you will need ammunition for it. A close-range weapon will do you no good, for to get close to the sorcerer is to be twisted by his evil. "Third, you will need an Amulet of the Dead. This I cannot help you with." "See? Not so hard, is it?" Julia asks, after having led you onto a ledge in a different cliff, "A toast to your success?" "I haven't succeeded yet." you say, realizing then that you had decided to do this thing. "I'm sure you will." Julia opens a bottle of her strange drink and pours you some, "Drink up. It'll make you better for it. Don't worry, it's not actually alcoholic, it just had a drug to make the trip here easier for you." She grins slightly, "I'm afraid you would have interfered with the magic." She searches through her clothing for a moment before pulling out a small paper. "A list of what you need. I though you might find it useful." You have your drink and ready yourself for your work. Ledge You're standing at the top of a flight of stairs carefully carved into the cave to the north. To your east is a large opening in the cave wall, providing a beautiful view of the ocean and sky. Looking down, you can see a boardwalk below. Julia is standing here with her hands behind her back. You can also see a glass display case (which is closed) (in which is a single- shot rifle) here. >give julia book "Thank you." [Your score has just gone up by four points.] >n Stairs The stairs lead southward, up to what you can see is a ledge, and northwards, to what appears to be a small segment of cave. >n Cave You are standing just inside what appears to be the beginning of a large series of caverns. Just to your east is the beach. To your south a set of upwards stairs has been carved into the cavern, making a quick and easy ascent. There was once a passage to the north, but it appears that it has collapsed, creating a blockade. A large stalactite hangs down by the collapsed passage. There is a small hole in the ground. You can also see a scale, a femur bone and a piece of quartz here. >e Beach Here the beach meets with the tall cliffs. The sand beneath your feet shifts in the wind. To the south a wooden boardwalk follows the cliff out over the ocean. The beach continues to the east and there is a cave in the cliff to the west. The cliffs themselves continue out into the ocean. >e Beach A gust of wind blows the sand into new patterns. >n Porch A vine twines around the railing. On the vine are eight berries. >w Kitchen The kitchen isn't much larger than the living room, but appears so because of the lack of furniture. A small fridge sits in one corner under the counter and a table sits across the room with only two chairs. Strangely, there is no stove here. To the north you can see the living room, while a doorway to the east leads to the porch. You can see a counter (on which is a dull knife) and a fridge (which is closed) here. >open fridge You open the fridge, revealing eight steaks. >get steak You take one of the steaks. [Your score has just gone up by two points.] >n Living Room On the end table is a photograph. >e Sun room >n Garden The garden planted out here is well tended. All kinds of plants grow here; tulips, daisies, morning glory. Mixed among these is a small amount of belladonna, foxglove and thyme. Ivy climbs the side of the building, hiding it from view. A tall tree sits in the middle of the garden, looking tall and magnificent. Against the wall of the house is a large white cabinet. The sunroom is to the south. >x tree The tree towers out of sight. The trunk is rather large and you can't reach around it. Branches grow all down the tree, making it a rather easy climb. There's a small hollow at the base of the tree. >x hollow It's a small empty space formed by a hole under one of the tree's roots. In the hollow is a grimy ring. >get ring Taken. >clean ring You clean the grime and dirt from the ring. It looks almost new now. >open cabinet You open the cabinet, revealing some thick gloves. >get gloves Taken. >s Sun room >s Porch A vine twines around the railing. On the vine are eight berries. >w Kitchen You can see a counter (on which is a dull knife) and a fridge (in which are seven steaks) here. >e Porch A vine twines around the railing. On the vine are eight berries. >s Beach >w Beach A large wave crashes onto the shore. >w Cave There is a small hole in the ground. You can also see a scale, a femur bone and a piece of quartz here. >get rock You're carrying too many things already. >put rock in ring You need to be holding the piece of quartz before you can put it into something else. >wear ring You put on the shiny ring. >wear gloves You put on the thick gloves. >get scale Taken. >get scale You already have that. >e Beach >e Beach >n Porch A vine twines around the railing. On the vine are eight berries. >n Sun room >w Living Room On the end table is a photograph. >n You push the beads aside and pass through. Bedroom On the nightstand is a handwritten note. You can see a lantern box (which is empty) here. >unlock closet with silver You unlock the closet door. >open closet You open the closet door. >w Closet >From the lack of contents, it appears that whatever this closet was used for is gone. The only furnishing left is a small shelf against one wall and a painting above it. There is a door to the bedroom to the east. You can see a magnet here. >put silver on shelf You put the silver key on the shelves. >get magnet Taken. >move painting You find a safe beneath the painting. >unlock safe with key (the iron key) You unlock the wall safe. >put key on shelf (the iron key on the shelves) You put the iron key on the shelves. >open safe You open the wall safe, revealing the Necronomicon and the Book of Azure. [Your score has just gone up by five points.] >get necro Taken. [Your score has just gone up by four points.] >e Bedroom On the nightstand is a handwritten note. You can see a lantern box (which is empty) here. >s You push the beads aside and pass through. Living Room On the end table is a photograph. >s Kitchen You can see a counter (on which is a dull knife) and a fridge (in which are seven steaks) here. >s You can't go that way. >e Porch A vine twines around the railing. On the vine are eight berries. >s Beach >ne Beach >n Inside the Shack The inside of this shack is crammed full of everything imaginable. Along every wall are huge banks of shelves, filled with all kinds of paraphernalia mixed with bottles of powders and strange liquids. A desk against one wall is covered in stained sheets. A small pot sits to one side of the room, filled with water. Directly above it there is a hole in the ceiling. The only escape from this crowded room is to the south. On the shelves is a platinum bullet. A man wearing ragged clothes works in this shack. >give man book The hermit takes the book from your hands and looks at it closely. "Ah-ha! Very good." He says before running out the door with it. [Your score has just gone up by five points.] >get bullet Taken. [Your score has just gone up by two points.] >s Beach >sw Beach >n Porch A vine twines around the railing. On the vine are eight berries. >w Kitchen You can see a counter (on which is a dull knife) and a fridge (in which are seven steaks) here. Somewhere in the distance you hear a horrible scream. >e Porch A vine twines around the railing. On the vine are eight berries. >tie hair to magnet You tie the hair to the magnet. >get berry You remove a berry from the vine carefully, so as not to injure yourself on the thorns. Taken. [Your score has just gone up by two points.] >drop list Dropped. >s Beach >w Beach >s Boardwalk The boardwalk is constructed of spaced two by fours. Beneath them is a piece of plywood. The water splashes against the piers constantly, creating a racket drowning out almost everything else. While it looks like the boardwalk continued further along the cliff, it has collapsed making progress further out impossible. The beach is to the north. The bottom of a wine bottle lies on the boardwalk. The boards of the boardwalk creak ominously beneath your feet. >get bottle Taken. >fill bottle with water You fill the broken wine bottle with water. [Your score has just gone up by two points.] >drop magnet between boards You fish the rusty key out from under the boards. >n As you step off the boardwalk, a wave crashes into it. It gives a final shudder and crashes into the ocean. Beach >w Cave There is a small hole in the ground. You can also see a femur bone and a piece of quartz here. >s Stairs >s Ledge Julia is leaning against the side of the cavern reading a book. You can also see a glass display case (which is closed) (in which is a single- shot rifle) here. >unlock case What do you want to unlock the glass display case with? >key You unlock the glass display case. >open case You open the glass display case. [Your score has just gone up by ten points.] >drop key Dropped. >get rifle Taken. [Your score has just gone up by four points.] >l Ledge You're standing at the top of a flight of stairs carefully carved into the cave to the north. To your east is a large opening in the cave wall, providing a beautiful view of the ocean and sky. Julia is leaning against the side of the cavern reading a book. You can also see a rusty key and a glass display case (which is empty) here. >load bullet into rifle You load a new bullet into the the single-shot rifle >ask julia about amulet "I'd talk to Charon at the end of the Road of the Dead about that." >n Stairs >n Cave There is a small hole in the ground. You can also see a femur bone and a piece of quartz here. >e Beach >e Beach >ne Beach >nw Forest Path A white flower is growing here. >w Road of the Dead The trees around you all look dead. The brush is sickly and even the dirt of the path looks dead. Though the sun still shines, it does nothing to light this road, nor the environs around it. To the east you can see a more healthy forest, and to the west you can barely see a river with an unhealthy glow for the lack of effective sunlight. A large dog stands guard over the road, keeping any from passing. >give dog steak The dog quickly gobbles down the steak. It looks sated for the moment, but I wouldn't count on this state lasting! [Your score has just gone up by three points.] >w The Dead River You are standing on the banks of a river that looks to be dead. Its waters are as black as the darkest night, or as the darkness in the deep underground. You can see the road to the east. On the black river is the ferry (on which is the gaunt man). >ask man about amulet "The only thing you need of the dead is the Amulet of the dead. Bring me something of one whom the slaying is for and I shall make it for you." >give man scale "I need nothing of the living world." >e The dog ignores your passage. Road of the Dead A large dog stands guard over the road, keeping any from passing. The dog watches you hungrily. >e Forest Path A white flower is growing here. >se Beach A gust of wind blows the sand into new patterns. >sw Beach >w Beach >w Cave There is a small hole in the ground. You can also see a femur bone and a piece of quartz here. >s Stairs >s Ledge Julia sets her novel on the table. "I need something of you." You tell Julia. "I should have figured you'd have to know eventually." Julia says sadly. "Know what?" "Did you see the picture in my living room? That's me. I don't look anything like this; I'm not human." "You sure look like it." You say. Julia grins sorrowfully, "It's a spell of illusion. I am of the sakian." She looks on the verge of tears. Even more then that, she looks like she wants to, but cannot. "Um." You say unintelligently. "I would have told you sooner, but, but," She stops, unable to continue. "It'll be alright." You say. "Really?" "Of course." You say. She immediately looks better, but still appears to be quite sad. Perhaps you could do something nice for her? On the steel end table is a paperback book. You can also see a rusty key and a glass display case (which is empty) here. >n Stairs >n Cave There is a small hole in the ground. You can also see a femur bone and a piece of quartz here. >e Beach >e Beach >n Porch A vine twines around the railing. On the vine are seven berries. You can also see a list here. >w Kitchen You can see a counter (on which is a dull knife) and a fridge (in which are seven steaks) here. >get steak You take one of the steaks. >e Porch A vine twines around the railing. On the vine are seven berries. You can also see a list here. >s Beach >ne Beach >nw Forest Path A white flower is growing here. >w Road of the Dead A large dog stands guard over the road, keeping any from passing. >give dog steak The dog quickly gobbles down the steak. It looks sated for the moment, but I wouldn't count on this state lasting! >w The Dead River On the black river is the ferry (on which is the gaunt man). >give man scale The man takes the scale and examines it. After a moment he nods. "Your cause is as just as any," He says before dipping the scale into the river. It's surface turns from red to solid black in an instant. From the depths of his robes, he withdraws a solid black chain. With a deft motion he feeds it through the scale (how you aren't sure, since there's no hole in the scale.) Then he hands this to you. "The Amulet of the Dead." [Your score has just gone up by eight points.] >wear amulet You put on the Amulet of the Dead. [Your score has just gone up by four points.] >e The dog ignores your passage. Road of the Dead A large dog stands guard over the road, keeping any from passing. >e Forest Path A white flower is growing here. >n You need to have the three ingrediants before returning to the old man. These are an aedlar berry, the talon and some water. >nw You walk along the path for some time before coming to . . . Twisted Forest Unlike the forest around the path far to the southeast, the trees here are twisted and misshapen. Never have you seen such a horrendous sight. To the north, a small log cabin sits by a particularly twisted tree. There is also a small path to the northwest. A large, particulary twisted tree grows beside the cabin. Sitting in front of the cabin is the Guardian, who is watching you intently. You can also see a piece of talon here. >get talon Taken. >se You walk along the path for some time before coming to . . . Forest Path A white flower is growing here. >n When you reach the plateau again, the old man seems to have been waiting for you. "So, he makes it back!" Shouts the old man. Leaning his staff against a pole, he takes the ingredients from you and chants a few cryptic words. "Aenugal Vean Raeoon Varoush!" The concoction boils rapidly for a couple moments, then stops. "Give this to the guardian and it will be freed of the sorcerer's influence. Since you freed it, it will probably leave you alone. Now be gone!" You make your way back off the plateau, potion in hand. [Your score has just gone up by ten points.] >nw You walk along the path for some time before coming to . . . Twisted Forest A large, particulary twisted tree grows beside the cabin. Sitting in front of the cabin is the Guardian, who is watching you intently. >give guardian potion The Guardian looks at what you offer disinterestedly for a moment, then suddenly knocks it from your hands and drinks it. Nothing happens for a moment, but then there is an angry scream from inside the cabin. The guardian walks off into the forest. [Your score has just gone up by ten points.] >n Inside the Sorcerer's Cabin Along the walls are shelves containing hundreds of books. Most of the room is empty, except for a large desk in the center of the room. On this desk are several open books, all written in languages you don't understand. Towards the back of the room a pentagram has been drawn onto the floor in white chalk. The corpse of the hermit lies crumpled on the ground. The sorcerer looks up at your arrival. With a few quick words, he casts a powerful spell at you, which has no effect. "Egads!" The sorcerer shouts, "Thou art protected! I shalt summon the demon Eavoun to destroy thee!" You can also see the Necronomicon and a pentagram (which is empty) here. "Eavoun! Hear me now!." The sorcerer chants. [Your score has just gone up by ten points.] >fire rifle at sorcerer As the bullet strikes the sorcerer, a look of surprise and shock forms on his face. "I cannot die! I have been promised!" He yells. Then he disappears in a spectacular flame, catching the building on fire. You run out of the building and towards the ledge where Julia is. "You have done a great thing this day," She tells you once you arrive, "You even managed to destroy that pesky hermit. I thank you." She hands you a large bag of coins, "I take you home in the morning." *** You have won *** In that game you scored 141 out of a possible 188, in 148 turns and that's your final score. Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, give the FULL score for that game or QUIT? > full In that game you scored 141 out of a possible 188, in 148 turns and that's your final score. The score was made up as follows: 2 for reading the note. 4 for getting the wallet. 5 for opening the wall safe. 4 for getting the Necronomicon. 5 for giving the hermit what he wanted. 10 for opening the display case. 10 for freeing the Guardian. 10 for taking the potion to the old man. 8 for getting the Amulet of the Dead. 3 for feeding Cerberus. 2 for getting the hermit's bullet. 4 for giving Julia her novel. 10 for reflecting the sorcerer's spell. 50 for killing the sorcerer. 2 for getting a berry. 2 for getting some water 2 for getting a steak 4 for wearing the amulet 4 for getting the rifle 141 total (out of 188) Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, give the FULL score for that game or QUIT? > quit