=====rem: OK this is actually nailing the Lovecraft prose style (for good or ill!) I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >i I am carrying: nothing at all. I am wearing my clothes. Please tell me your next command. >x me I examine myself. My name is Stuart Troughton. I was born in Dunwich. I am still the same as I was yesterday. Tall, slim, clean shaven, handsome... modest. Although I am 66 years old with greying temples, I remain physically quite fit. I'm wearing my clothes. I'm waiting for your commands. >x clothes My clothes: I am wearing my usual attire; tweed suit and overcoat, brimmed hat, and my black oxford, alligator shoes. Tell me what to do next please. >x suit The suit is just part of my normal daily attire. Please enter your instructions. >x shoes The shoes is just part of my normal daily attire. Please tell me your next command. =====rem: ah, should be "are" I'm waiting for your commands. >l MEANDERING TRAIL I am on a twisty trail west of old Arkham town. Looking around I see the hills rise wild, and there are valleys with deep, dark woods. I turn and see dark narrow glens where trees slope fantastically, and where thin brooklets trickle without ever having caught the glint of sunlight. On the gentler slopes I spot a few deserted farms, ancient and rocky, with squat, moss-coated cottages dilapidated and vacant now, the wide chimneys crumbling and the shingled sides bulging perilously beneath low gambrel roofs. Exits lead: east and west. Please enter your instructions. >x trail The dusty, well-worn trail winded lazily and tortuously westwards into a silent and unusual country. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x hills I take time out to marvel at the hills. The hills are conical, steep and grassy with bare, stony tops. Please enter your instructions. >x valleys The valleys. Spectral, broad and thinly wooded, the valleys seem to me to be a gloomy, lonesome and desolate part of the scenery. I'm waiting for your commands. >x woods The woods are dark and dense. Bizzarely claustrophic and sombre, the woods exude an air of inhospitality and danger. Please enter your instructions. >l MEANDERING TRAIL I am on a twisty trail west of old Arkham town. Looking around I see the hills rise wild, and there are valleys with deep, dark woods. I turn and see dark narrow glens where trees slope fantastically, and where thin brooklets trickle without ever having caught the glint of sunlight. On the gentler slopes I spot a few deserted farms, ancient and rocky, with squat, moss-coated cottages dilapidated and vacant now, the wide chimneys crumbling and the shingled sides bulging perilously beneath low gambrel roofs. Exits lead: east and west. Please enter your instructions. >x glens Glens: Dreary, wild and silent the glens appear quite deep and stony in parts. I'm waiting for your commands. >x trees I examine the trees. A strange assortment of trees are in evidence. Most are gnarled and hardy. Some have managed to grow into strange, unsettling shapes. Others are gaunt and skeletal or dead, lifeless and sunken. Please enter your instructions. =====rem: impressive detail on the scenery! I'm waiting for your commands. >x brooklets I look beyond at the wild and untamed brooks with their shallow, sluggish waters. What now? >x slopes I examine the slopes. The steep, verdant and sinisterly wooded slopes rise and fall before me in gentle, unbroken curves. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x farms A few lone and ancestral ones can be seen in the distance. Small, archaic ramshackle buildings that are part of the countryside. It's difficult to tell whether they are still inhabited or have long ago been abandoned. Tell me what to do next please. >l MEANDERING TRAIL I am on a twisty trail west of old Arkham town. Looking around I see the hills rise wild, and there are valleys with deep, dark woods. I turn and see dark narrow glens where trees slope fantastically, and where thin brooklets trickle without ever having caught the glint of sunlight. On the gentler slopes I spot a few deserted farms, ancient and rocky, with squat, moss-coated cottages dilapidated and vacant now, the wide chimneys crumbling and the shingled sides bulging perilously beneath low gambrel roofs. Exits lead: east and west. Please enter your instructions. >x cottages There are a few isolated ones dotted about. Weatherbeaten, tumbledown, ancient tottering affairs of white timber and stone. Queer, draughty, shadowy abodes. I am grateful I do not live in such a property. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x chimneys I examine the chimneys.The tall, charred chimneys in this area are pretty much the same; quaintly crooked and aged with sooty, black smoke deposits. I'm waiting for your commands. >x roofs Roofs: I see oaken, timbered roofs, thatched roofs and corrugated metal roofs. All seem in a desolate state of disrepair and are covered with moss and lichen. What now? >e A fleeting thought enters my mind to turn about and return eastwards toward the town, but I quickly shrug this aside with quiet determination and resolve to continue on with the purpose of my journey... Tell me what to do next please. >w I go west. DUSTY ROAD The ground gets higher here, and the brier-bordered stone walls press closer and closer against the ruts of the dusty, curving road. The trees of the frequent forest belts seem too large, and the wild weeds, brambles, and grasses attain a luxuriance not often found in settled regions. At the same time the planted fields appear singularly few and barren. Occasionally, through gaps in the trees, the sky silhouettes with especial clearness a queer circle of tall stone pillars upon which a large grassy hill in the distance is crowned. Exits lead: east and west. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x walls Walls: The walls are low, grey and solid. Nothing interesting. Please enter your instructions. >x road The dusty, well-worn trail winded lazily and tortuously westwards into a silent and unusual country. Please tell me your next command. >x trees I examine the trees. A strange assortment of trees are in evidence. Most are gnarled and hardy. Some have managed to grow into strange, unsettling shapes. Others are gaunt and skeletal or dead, lifeless and sunken. I'm waiting for your commands. >x belts I'm not sure what belts is. I can only examine what I see and understand. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x weeds The weeds are pernicious, repulsive perennials and are a stubborn, straggly and coarse tangle of undergrowth. Please tell me your next command. >x grasses The grass is tough, dry and stubby and mostly lifeless. Short and wiry, it is a very pale greenish-brown variety. Please tell me your next command. >l DUSTY ROAD The ground gets higher here, and the brier-bordered stone walls press closer and closer against the ruts of the dusty, curving road. The trees of the frequent forest belts seem too large, and the wild weeds, brambles, and grasses attain a luxuriance not often found in settled regions. At the same time the planted fields appear singularly few and barren. Occasionally, through gaps in the trees, the sky silhouettes with especial clearness a queer circle of tall stone pillars upon which a large grassy hill in the distance is crowned. Exits lead: east and west. Tell me what to do next please. >x brambles I examine the brambles. All I can report is that it consists of a thorny, prickly mass of sharp bushes. Please enter your instructions. >x fields I examine the fields. The fields are quite barren with rough stubble and patchy grass. The land seems unproductive here. What now? >x pillars Yes - I espy a stone circle made up of pillars of stone crowning the summit of the hill. What now? >u I can't see a way for me to go up. Exits lead: east and west. What now? >climb hill I'm a little surprised that you might think I could climb the hill. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >w I go west. AMONGST THE HILLS The twisty road passes through a silent, dark hilly region. It certainly is a lonely and curious landscape. The northern and southern sides are wooded. Those sides loom up so darkly and precipitously that one wishes they would keep their distance. Further west the narrow road dips between stretches of marshland. Exits lead: east and west. Tell me what to do next please. >x north Seems normal that way. OK, now what? >w I begin moving west. EERIE MARSHLAND I feel a strange sense of uneasiness passing along this stretch through marshland which lies on both sides of me dotted with stunted twisted greenery and clumps of knotted undergrowth. Somewhere nearby I catch the sound of chuckling water over rocks from the winding Miskatonic river. Exits lead: east and west. Oh my! This walk is taking rather longer than I imagined for the light is fading quickly as the sky clouds over and I begin to hear the emerging chatter of unseen whippoorwills and the raucous, creepily insistent rhythms of stridently piping bull-frogs is on the air. Please enter your instructions. =====rem: doesn't seem great! OK, now what? >x undergrowth I examine the undergrowth. It is just more dense, tangled undergrowth which lies to the north and south, prohibiting access in those directions. What now? >listen I focus attention on my ears but glean nothing to my advantage. Please tell me your next command. >w I set off west. WOODEN BRIDGE I have come to a stout wooden bridge which spans a deep ravine. Far down below winds a thin, serpentine rivulet of water. There is no way of avoiding crossing this bridge if one wishes to continue travelling. I can dimly make out a tiny hamlet of small dwellings lying over the bridge to the west. Exits lead: east and west. Tell me what to do next please. >x bridge I x the bridge. It is a covered, rustic, wooden bridge and provides passageway over the deep chasm below. It looks safe and sturdy to continue my journey. What now? =====rem: X for examine I'm waiting for your commands. >x hamley I'm not sure what hamley is. I can only examine what I see and understand. Tell me what to do next please. >oops hamely I'm not sure what hamely is. I can only examine what I see and understand. Tell me what to do next please. >oops hamlet I x the hamlet. I would need to get closer. From here, looks like a cluster of uninhabited, unruly shacks. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >w I begin moving west. SMALL VILLAGE I am on a village road. There's not much sign of life here. It is not reassuring to see, on a closer glance, that most of the sparsely scattered houses are deserted and falling to ruin and wear a uniform aspect of age, squalor, and dilapidation erected in an earlier architectural period than that of the neighbouring region. There is a broken-down church to the south. I'm impressed with a faint, malign odour about the village street, akin to the massed mould and decay of centuries and I am slightly unnerved by the disturbing silence which prevails here. A cracked footpath leads north to Clark's cottage. The road continues westerly toward the base of a giant hill. Exits lead: north, south, east and west. OK, now what? >smell I'll smell and see if there is anything in the air. Nothing seems out of the ordinary to me. OK, now what? >l SMALL VILLAGE I am on a village road. There's not much sign of life here. It is not reassuring to see, on a closer glance, that most of the sparsely scattered houses are deserted and falling to ruin and wear a uniform aspect of age, squalor, and dilapidation erected in an earlier architectural period than that of the neighbouring region. There is a broken-down church to the south. I'm impressed with a faint, malign odour about the village street, akin to the massed mould and decay of centuries and I am slightly unnerved by the disturbing silence which prevails here. A cracked footpath leads north to Clark's cottage. The road continues westerly toward the base of a giant hill. Exits lead: north, south, east and west. Please tell me your next command. >x road The dusty, well-worn trail winded lazily and tortuously westwards into a silent and unusual country. Tell me what to do next please. >x buildings It's a tiny hamlet of old, ramshackle dwellings. The place appears uninhabited. Either that or the villagers are keeping well hidden. Please tell me your next command. >x church I will need to move closer to inspect it properly. Please enter your instructions. >n I begin moving north. OUTSIDE COTTAGE Clark's "residence" is small and compact. I would say about two hundred years old. Lawless crawling vines cover the ancient, tarnished brickwork. It is capped with an odd-shaped peaked roof and chimney stack. The windows are shuttered. The front door is closed. To the right of the door is a rough patch of weedy, neglected garden. A rough, mossy rock serves as a doorstep. Exits lead: south and in. Chloe the cat appears. I recall that Clark had mentioned a couple of months ago that he had left his flat in town and 'moved in' to this abode temporarily to mind it as a favour to his uncle who was visiting family overseas. What now? >pet cat I pet the cat. It mews playfully. Please enter your instructions. =====rem: can pet the cat, 5/5 I'm waiting for your commands. =====rem: 200 years old is very old given it's presumably the 1920s! Tell me what to do next please. >x garden Garden: A pitiful, small rectangular plot with several plants and flowers of greyish-blue that are either dead or stunted. Tell me what to do next please. >search garden Garden: A pitiful, small rectangular plot with several plants and flowers of greyish-blue that are either dead or stunted. OK, now what? >x cat Cat: A black cat. Clark was looking after it, I suspect. Chloe the cat departs and goes in. I'm waiting for your commands. >l OUTSIDE COTTAGE Clark's "residence" is small and compact. I would say about two hundred years old. Lawless crawling vines cover the ancient, tarnished brickwork. It is capped with an odd-shaped peaked roof and chimney stack. The windows are shuttered. The front door is closed. To the right of the door is a rough patch of weedy, neglected garden. A rough, mossy rock serves as a doorstep. Exits lead: south and in. Tell me what to do next please. >x vines They are an ancient tangle of thick, long and knotty creepers covering the brickwork. Wait a minute! I've discovered a loose length of strong creeper here! [My score just went up 5 points] What now? >x creeper Creeper: It's a strong wild creeper several metres in length. Please tell me your next command. >take it I now have the creeper. OK, now what? =====rem: OK, got rope Please enter your instructions. >l OUTSIDE COTTAGE Clark's "residence" is small and compact. I would say about two hundred years old. Lawless crawling vines cover the ancient, tarnished brickwork. It is capped with an odd-shaped peaked roof and chimney stack. The windows are shuttered. The front door is closed. To the right of the door is a rough patch of weedy, neglected garden. A rough, mossy rock serves as a doorstep. Exits lead: south and in. Tell me what to do next please. >x roof Cottage Roof: Looking up I see It is a black timbered one. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x stack The tall, charred chimney on the cottage is quaintly crooked and aged with sooty, black smoke deposits. OK, now what? >x windows I examine the windows. All the windows are sturdily shuttered and fastened securely. No entrance here! Please tell me your next command. >x rock The rock is flat but heavy. It is lying at the foot of the door. OK, now what? >look under rock I bend down and carefully raise the heavy doorstep rock a few inches. Aha! There is a small key hidden underneath it which I quickly take before manoeuvring the rock back into its former position. Chloe the cat enters. OK, now what? >x key Key: It looks like a door key. Please enter your instructions. >open door The door appears to be locked. What now? >unlock door I unlock the door using the small key. I'm waiting for your commands. >open it I open the door and step inside, closing the door firmly behind me. HALLWAY I am in a cramped hallway with plastered walls. Before me, to the right, rises a narrow, wooden staircase. There are open doorways to rooms east and west. At the northern end I espy a latched door in the wall which most surely provides access into the cellar. Exits lead: east, west, up, down and out. Chloe the cat appears. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x walls A few smears of blood here and there but I can detect nothing significant about the walls. What now? =====rem: I mean the blood seems significant? Please tell me your next command. >e I begin moving east. LIVING ROOM The main living quarters are of good size but a queerly irregular shape due to the low ceiling that slants gently downward. The room seems fully furnished. Exits lead: west only. Also here I can see: a desk. What now? >x ceiling I don't see anything that will help. Please tell me your next command. >x desk Desk: It is an antique wooden affair with a single pull-out drawer. The drawer has a combination dial on the front. I am unable to look in the desk. I'm waiting for your commands. >open it I will need the correct combination to dial in to do that. OK, now what? >x dial Examining the combination dial I observe that it requires firstly an alphabetic letter followed by a 3 digit number to be entered in the correct sequence. I would need to use the format: DIAL X123X to effect release of the drawer... Tell me what to do next please. >w I go west. HALLWAY I am in a cramped hallway with plastered walls. Before me, to the right, rises a narrow, wooden staircase. There are open doorways to rooms east and west. At the northern end I espy a latched door in the wall which most surely provides access into the cellar. Exits lead: east, west, up, down and out. Chloe the cat is here. Chloe the cat departs and goes east. What now? >w I go west. KITCHEN A quite plain, ordinary kitchen. Not much looks out of place. A sickly sweet smell is coming from the sink. A garbage bin is in the corner standing next to a refrigerator. Exits lead: east only. Also here I can see: the kitchen sink, a bowl, a garbage bin and a refrigerator. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >smell I'll smell and see if there is anything in the air. All seems normal. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x sink Sink: Looking in the sink I notice that it is has traces of milk poured down the plughole to the drain. Some of it has dried around the edges of the sink in a powder tinged with a yellowish hue. Ugh! Looks as it if has been there for a few days judging by the nauseous stench which assaults my nostrils. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x bin Garbage bin: A container for holding trash. In the bin is: a piece of paper. Please tell me your next command. >x paper I would have to take the paper out of its container before it could examine it. Please tell me your next command. >take it I take the piece of paper from the bin. Please tell me your next command. >x it Paper: There is something scribbled down on it. OK, now what? >read it I read the paper. It shows directions written in pencil to the "Happy Cow" dairy, situated some five miles southwest of Arkham, off the Beverly Road. The precise directions are circled and read: "From the hill go W, W, SW, SW and W". Please tell me your next command. >l KITCHEN A quite plain, ordinary kitchen. Not much looks out of place. A sickly sweet smell is coming from the sink. A garbage bin is in the corner standing next to a refrigerator. Exits lead: east only. Also here I can see: the kitchen sink, a bowl, a garbage bin and a refrigerator. OK, now what? >x fridge Refrigerator: A big, heavy white one with a swing door. In the fridge is: a milk bottle. Chloe the cat appears. Please enter your instructions. >open it In the fridge is: a milk bottle. Tell me what to do next please. >take bottle I now have the bottle. Chloe the cat goes east. What now? >x it Milk bottle: It is labelled with the "Happy Cow Dairy" logo. It is half full of milk. Please enter your instructions. >close fridge The fridge door is closed. Please enter your instructions. >x bowl Bowl: A plain white saucer-shaped dish. Empty. There are traces of milk on it. It has "Chloe" written on one side. (Clark must have been feeding his Uncle's pet) Tell me what to do next please. >take bowl I now have the bowl. What now? >drop bowl I drop the bowl. I'm waiting for your commands. >put milk in bowl I pour the milk into the bowl. Tell me what to do next please. >z I wait. Time passes. OK, now what? >z I wait. Time passes. What now? >x cloe I'm not sure what cloe is. I can only examine what I see and understand. Please tell me your next command. >l KITCHEN A quite plain, ordinary kitchen. Not much looks out of place. A sickly sweet smell is coming from the sink. A garbage bin is in the corner standing next to a refrigerator. Exits lead: east only. Also here I can see: the kitchen sink, a bowl, a garbage bin and a refrigerator. Please tell me your next command. >turn on sink You asked me to turn on sink but I'm having trouble doing that command. Please tell me your next command. >e I go east. HALLWAY I am in a cramped hallway with plastered walls. Before me, to the right, rises a narrow, wooden staircase. There are open doorways to rooms east and west. At the northern end I espy a latched door in the wall which most surely provides access into the cellar. Exits lead: east, west, up, down and out. Chloe the cat is here. Please tell me your next command. >w I move west. KITCHEN A quite plain, ordinary kitchen. Not much looks out of place. A sickly sweet smell is coming from the sink. A garbage bin is in the corner standing next to a refrigerator. Exits lead: east only. Also here I can see: the kitchen sink, a bowl, a garbage bin and a refrigerator. Chloe the cat enters. Tell me what to do next please. >z I wait. Time passes. Please enter your instructions. >z I wait. Time passes. Chloe the cat departs and goes east. Please tell me your next command. >take bowl I now have the bowl. Please tell me your next command. >e I begin moving east. HALLWAY I am in a cramped hallway with plastered walls. Before me, to the right, rises a narrow, wooden staircase. There are open doorways to rooms east and west. At the northern end I espy a latched door in the wall which most surely provides access into the cellar. Exits lead: east, west, up, down and out. Chloe the cat is here. Chloe the cat leaves and moves east. OK, now what? >e I set off east. LIVING ROOM The main living quarters are of good size but a queerly irregular shape due to the low ceiling that slants gently downward. The room seems fully furnished. Exits lead: west only. Also here I can see: a desk. Chloe the cat is here. Tell me what to do next please. >give bowl to chloe I put the bowl of milk down for the cat to drink... The cat purrs and begins lapping up the milk. The cat soon finishes the milk and runs off out of sight. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >w I begin moving west. HALLWAY I am in a cramped hallway with plastered walls. Before me, to the right, rises a narrow, wooden staircase. There are open doorways to rooms east and west. At the northern end I espy a latched door in the wall which most surely provides access into the cellar. Exits lead: east, west, up, down and out. Tell me what to do next please. >u I move up. UPPER LANDING I am at the top of flight of creaky stairs on the upper landing. A dusty, planked floor and plain, featureless walls, with an unkempt, cobwebby ceiling. Peering in the dimness, I see an entrance to a solitary bedroom through the west door. Exits lead: west and down. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x ceiling Dust and cobwebs there. Please tell me your next command. >w I set off west. BEDROOM An uncurtained south window allows light to stream on to a single bed. The exit to the landing is through the door to the east. Exits lead: north and east. Also here I can see: a bed. Please tell me your next command. >x window The window has some stained glass that is quite exquisite. Would look lovely in summer with some proper sunlight streaming through it. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x bed Bed: It is comfortably arrayed with clean soft sheets, blankets and a soft pillow. Please tell me your next command. >look under bed Nothing under the bed that I can tell worth mentioning. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >search bed Bed: It is comfortably arrayed with clean soft sheets, blankets and a soft pillow. OK, now what? >n I go north. BATHROOM Nothing special. Clean and tidy. It contains the essential requirements and amenities; bath, basin and toilet. There is a small shelf affixed to the wall. Exits lead: south only. I'm waiting for your commands. >x bath Please... I would rather not. It is just ordinary and not important. What now? >x basin Please... I would rather not. It is just ordinary and not important. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x toilet Please... I would rather not. It is just ordinary and not important. I'm waiting for your commands. >x shelf Nice idea. I also thought the shelf worth a gander too. However, I find absolutely nothing useful on here except the usual assortment of sprays, powders, shampoo and bath oil and they do not pique my interest in the slightest. Tell me what to do next please. >s I begin moving south. BEDROOM An uncurtained south window allows light to stream on to a single bed. The exit to the landing is through the door to the east. Exits lead: north and east. Also here I can see: a bed. What now? >e I set off east. UPPER LANDING I am at the top of flight of creaky stairs on the upper landing. A dusty, planked floor and plain, featureless walls, with an unkempt, cobwebby ceiling. Peering in the dimness, I see an entrance to a solitary bedroom through the west door. Exits lead: west and down. I'm waiting for your commands. >d I go down. HALLWAY I am in a cramped hallway with plastered walls. Before me, to the right, rises a narrow, wooden staircase. There are open doorways to rooms east and west. At the northern end I espy a latched door in the wall which most surely provides access into the cellar. Exits lead: east, west, up, down and out. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >d I see metal rungs leading down into inky blackness... I don't think I should explore further without a source of light. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >i I am carrying: a key, a milk bottle, a long creeper and a piece of paper. I am wearing my clothes. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >s I'm unable to go south. Exits lead: east, west, up, down and out. Please tell me your next command. >out OUTSIDE COTTAGE Clark's "residence" is small and compact. I would say about two hundred years old. Lawless crawling vines cover the ancient, tarnished brickwork. It is capped with an odd-shaped peaked roof and chimney stack. The windows are shuttered. The front door is closed. To the right of the door is a rough patch of weedy, neglected garden. A rough, mossy rock serves as a doorstep. Exits lead: south and in. Please tell me your next command. >s I go south. SMALL VILLAGE I am on a village road. There's not much sign of life here. It is not reassuring to see, on a closer glance, that most of the sparsely scattered houses are deserted and falling to ruin and wear a uniform aspect of age, squalor, and dilapidation erected in an earlier architectural period than that of the neighbouring region. There is a broken-down church to the south. I'm impressed with a faint, malign odour about the village street, akin to the massed mould and decay of centuries and I am slightly unnerved by the disturbing silence which prevails here. A cracked footpath leads north to Clark's cottage. The road continues westerly toward the base of a giant hill. Exits lead: north, south, east and west. OK, now what? >s I go south. ABANDONED CHURCH The vacant church is in a state of great decrepitude. Some of the high stone buttresses have fallen, and several delicate finials lay half lost among the brown, neglected weeds and grasses. The sooty Gothic windows are largely unbroken, though many of the stone mullions are missing. Further ruins lay to the east. Exits lead: north and east. OK, now what? >x buttresses Buttresses: It is just parts of fallen masonry. The architectural remains of the ancient church. OK, now what? >x finials Finials: It is just parts of fallen masonry. The architectural remains of the ancient church. What now? >x weeds I examine that but it is just clumps of unwanted undergrowth that have started to take over the inside of the building. OK, now what? >x grasses I examine that but it is just clumps of unwanted undergrowth that have started to take over the inside of the building. I'm waiting for your commands. >x windows The once resplendent windows are now shattered. Tell me what to do next please. >e I set off east. AMONGST RUINS The colossal nave is an almost eldritch place with its drifts and mountains of dust over box pews, altar, and hourglass pulpit. Titanic strands of cobweb stretching among the pointed arches of the gallery array themselves and entwine the clustered Gothic columns. Exits lead: west only. Also here I can see: a hole in the floor. Please tell me your next command. >x nve I'm not sure what nve is. I can only examine what I see and understand. What now? >x nave Nave: Dusty and spectral. Bits of wood and blocks of masonry are lying all around. Please enter your instructions. >x wood Definately nothing I can say about a wood to enlighten you more. I'm waiting for your commands. >x pews Pews: Musty and damp the old gothic pews are discoloured and rotting. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x altar Altar: Gilded and ornate, nothing much is left now of this venerable, elegant piece. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x pulpit Pulpit: A high, hand-carved oaken pulpit. Would have looked quite grand in its day but now splintered, stained and decaying. I'm waiting for your commands. >x cobwebs Cobwebs: Sticky and dusty the webs hang motionless like an enormous lacy quilt spread over the ruins. What now? >x archway I'm not sure what archway is. I can only examine what I see and understand. What now? >l AMONGST RUINS The colossal nave is an almost eldritch place with its drifts and mountains of dust over box pews, altar, and hourglass pulpit. Titanic strands of cobweb stretching among the pointed arches of the gallery array themselves and entwine the clustered Gothic columns. Exits lead: west only. Also here I can see: a hole in the floor. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x arches Arches: Near to the hole is a fallen arch. This one has a small circular metal ring screwed into it... What now? >x hole Hole: About three feet in diameter. Looks like the floor was shattered here by something. A dark underground room, possibly a burial chamber or crypt lies at the bottom, but it is quite a drop and there doesn't seem to be a safe way to descend into it. What now? >l AMONGST RUINS The colossal nave is an almost eldritch place with its drifts and mountains of dust over box pews, altar, and hourglass pulpit. Titanic strands of cobweb stretching among the pointed arches of the gallery array themselves and entwine the clustered Gothic columns. Exits lead: west only. Also here I can see: a hole in the floor. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >tir creeper to altar Of course! Whatever that means. Might make sense to you but doesn't to me! Please tell me your next command. >tie creeper to altar No chance I can tie the creeper to the altar. I'd ask you to think of something else please. Tell me what to do next please. >tie creeper to pews No chance I can tie the creeper to the pews. I'd ask you to think of something else please. Please enter your instructions. >tie creeper to pulpit No chance I can tie the creeper to the pulpit. I'd ask you to think of something else please. OK, now what? >x columns Columns: Near to the hole is a fallen arch. This one has a small circular metal ring screwed into it... I'm waiting for your commands. >tie creeper to ring OK. I skilfully knot the creeper through the metal ring affixed to the arch. I throw the loose end down into the dark hole. OK, now what? >d I will do that but only if I have some means of light with me! What now? >n I can't see a way for me to go north. Exits lead: west and down. What now? >w I begin moving west. ABANDONED CHURCH The vacant church is in a state of great decrepitude. Some of the high stone buttresses have fallen, and several delicate finials lay half lost among the brown, neglected weeds and grasses. The sooty Gothic windows are largely unbroken, though many of the stone mullions are missing. Further ruins lay to the east. Exits lead: north and east. Please tell me your next command. >n I begin moving north. SMALL VILLAGE I am on a village road. There's not much sign of life here. It is not reassuring to see, on a closer glance, that most of the sparsely scattered houses are deserted and falling to ruin and wear a uniform aspect of age, squalor, and dilapidation erected in an earlier architectural period than that of the neighbouring region. There is a broken-down church to the south. I'm impressed with a faint, malign odour about the village street, akin to the massed mould and decay of centuries and I am slightly unnerved by the disturbing silence which prevails here. A cracked footpath leads north to Clark's cottage. The road continues westerly toward the base of a giant hill. Exits lead: north, south, east and west. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >w I go west. FOOT OF HILL A giant, grassy hill looms ahead of me. High up, crowning the grassy summit of this swelling mound are a couple of old gnarled trees and a circle of standing stones. A narrow track skirts around the base continuing west. Exits lead: east, west and up. OK, now what? >x trees Nothing I can say about "trees". It doesn't appear to be in view! I'm waiting for your commands. >x stones I will need to be nearer to x it more thoroughly. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >u I glance up and see with apprehension that black racing clouds are darkening the sky, prophetic of a violent thunderstorm. The exertions of the long walk seem to have taken their toll on me. I feel suddenly fatigued and am conscious of a throbbing headache coming on. It would be folly to explore further now, nor safe to return to Arkham, so I elect to find shelter before the tempest breaks. Darkness is spreading like a heavy blanket. The lowering clouds grow more threatening, and the wind increasing to a veritable gale. A flash of distant lightning illuminates the sky, followed by an ominous rumble that seems to hint of malign pursuit. I feel a drop of rain on my outstretched hand. I hurriedly retrace my steps back to Clark's cottage to take rest and spend the night there... OUTSIDE COTTAGE Clark's "residence" is small and compact. I would say about two hundred years old. Lawless crawling vines cover the ancient, tarnished brickwork. It is capped with an odd-shaped peaked roof and chimney stack. The windows are shuttered. The front door is closed. To the right of the door is a rough patch of weedy, neglected garden. A rough, mossy rock serves as a doorstep. Exits lead: south and in. It is getting darker and I am getting rather wet. I shiver and pull up the collar on my overcoat. I begin to hear strange noises and cries echoing from the nearby hills which unsettles me a little... I'm waiting for your commands. >in HALLWAY I am in a cramped hallway with plastered walls. Before me, to the right, rises a narrow, wooden staircase. There are open doorways to rooms east and west. At the northern end I espy a latched door in the wall which most surely provides access into the cellar. Exits lead: east, west, up, down and out. What now? >lock door I lock the door. Tell me what to do next please. >x latch I'm not sure what latch is. I can only examine what I see and understand. Please tell me your next command. >u I move up. UPPER LANDING I am at the top of flight of creaky stairs on the upper landing. A dusty, planked floor and plain, featureless walls, with an unkempt, cobwebby ceiling. Peering in the dimness, I see an entrance to a solitary bedroom through the west door. Exits lead: west and down. I'm waiting for your commands. >x walls Pale and drab looking. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >d I don't feel like going down. I'm just so tired. I need a good rest to recharge by energy. I'm waiting for your commands. >w I set off west. BEDROOM An uncurtained south window allows light to stream on to a single bed. The exit to the landing is through the door to the east. Exits lead: north and east. Also here I can see: a bed. Tell me what to do next please. >sleep With great relief I lie down on the comfortable bed just as the first breaking of a torrential downpour beats maniacally against the window. In next to no time I drift off into a most peaceful slumber. Some time later I experience a realistic and disturbing dream... I feel sick. My stomach is rumbling and gurgling. Sharp pains are building inside me, almost as if life was growing inside me. I head for the bathroom, stumbling and weaving, grabbing anything I can use to break my fall. I rush to the bathroom, just making it in time as I am sick. Blood and rancid milk comes gushing from my mouth and I finish spitting it out. Chunks of food are coming up, but it is then that I notice it isn’t food. It is parts of a person. Half eaten chunks of human flesh are coming back. I wake up to reality screaming and sweating, my stomach doing somersaults - Thank God. The awful nightmarish vision is over and I relax a little. It is morning. The storm has ceased. Sunlight streams through the window. I arise, wash and dress. I feel so much better now and ready to resume the search for my friend. [My score has just gone up 5 points] Please enter your instructions. =====rem: well that was unpleasant! Please enter your instructions. >l BEDROOM An uncurtained south window allows light to stream on to a single bed. The exit to the landing is through the door to the east. Exits lead: north and east. Also here I can see: a key, a milk bottle, a piece of paper and a bed. Tell me what to do next please. >take all I take the key, bottle and the paper. Please tell me your next command. >n I begin moving north. BATHROOM Nothing special. Clean and tidy. It contains the essential requirements and amenities; bath, basin and toilet. There is a small shelf affixed to the wall. Exits lead: south only. I'm waiting for your commands. >s I set off south. BEDROOM An uncurtained south window allows light to stream on to a single bed. The exit to the landing is through the door to the east. Exits lead: north and east. Also here I can see: a bed. Tell me what to do next please. >e I begin moving east. UPPER LANDING I am at the top of flight of creaky stairs on the upper landing. A dusty, planked floor and plain, featureless walls, with an unkempt, cobwebby ceiling. Peering in the dimness, I see an entrance to a solitary bedroom through the west door. Exits lead: west and down. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >w I move west. BEDROOM An uncurtained south window allows light to stream on to a single bed. The exit to the landing is through the door to the east. Exits lead: north and east. Also here I can see: a bed. Tell me what to do next please. >n I begin moving north. BATHROOM Nothing special. Clean and tidy. It contains the essential requirements and amenities; bath, basin and toilet. There is a small shelf affixed to the wall. Exits lead: south only. Please enter your instructions. >was Not really knowing exactly what you mean, I will delay doing that. What now? >wash I'm not really a cleaner. What did you wish for me to wash? Tell me what to do next please. >myself I expect the myself really doesn't need a wash. OK, now what? >wash me I expect the me really doesn't need a wash. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >s I move south. BEDROOM An uncurtained south window allows light to stream on to a single bed. The exit to the landing is through the door to the east. Exits lead: north and east. Also here I can see: a bed. OK, now what? >e I go east. UPPER LANDING I am at the top of flight of creaky stairs on the upper landing. A dusty, planked floor and plain, featureless walls, with an unkempt, cobwebby ceiling. Peering in the dimness, I see an entrance to a solitary bedroom through the west door. Exits lead: west and down. What now? >d I begin moving down. HALLWAY I am in a cramped hallway with plastered walls. Before me, to the right, rises a narrow, wooden staircase. There are open doorways to rooms east and west. At the northern end I espy a latched door in the wall which most surely provides access into the cellar. Exits lead: east, west, up and down. Please tell me your next command. >s I can't see a way for me to go south. Exits lead: east, west, up and down. OK, now what? >out I am unable to go out. Please tell me your next command. >unlock door I unlock the door using the small key. I'm waiting for your commands. >out OUTSIDE COTTAGE Clark's "residence" is small and compact. I would say about two hundred years old. Lawless crawling vines cover the ancient, tarnished brickwork. It is capped with an odd-shaped peaked roof and chimney stack. The windows are shuttered. The front door is closed. To the right of the door is a rough patch of weedy, neglected garden. A rough, mossy rock serves as a doorstep. Exits lead: south and in. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >s I begin moving south. SMALL VILLAGE I am on a village road. There's not much sign of life here. It is not reassuring to see, on a closer glance, that most of the sparsely scattered houses are deserted and falling to ruin and wear a uniform aspect of age, squalor, and dilapidation erected in an earlier architectural period than that of the neighbouring region. There is a broken-down church to the south. I'm impressed with a faint, malign odour about the village street, akin to the massed mould and decay of centuries and I am slightly unnerved by the disturbing silence which prevails here. A cracked footpath leads north to Clark's cottage. The road continues westerly toward the base of a giant hill. Exits lead: north, south, east and west. Please enter your instructions. >w I go west. FOOT OF HILL A giant, grassy hill looms ahead of me. High up, crowning the grassy summit of this swelling mound are a couple of old gnarled trees and a circle of standing stones. A narrow track skirts around the base continuing west. Exits lead: east, west and up. What now? >u I begin an upward ascent to the summit of the grassy hill. It is a good twenty minutes trek but I finally reach the apex of the swelling mound... TOP OF GIANT HILL I am at the summit of the huge, swelling, grassy mound. I can see a few trees, sickly and stunted, and some dead trunks stand or lay rotting. There is an eerie stillness. There are steep, dangerous drops on all sides and the only safe route back is to return via the route whence I came. Close to me is the yawning black maw of an abandoned well whose stagnant vapours permeate the atmosphere. Exits lead: down only. Also here I can see: a stone circle and a well. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x mound It is as I described. OK, now what? >x trees Trees: Nothing much to report. Tell me what to do next please. >x maw I'm not sure what maw is. I can only examine what I see and understand. OK, now what? >x well Well: It's quite deep. It's a dark shaft but I can make out that something revolting and unnatural is down there at the bottom - a kind of weird rhythmically, pulsating green glow oozing and bubbling slime. I'm waiting for your commands. =====rem: seems fine Tell me what to do next please. >enter well There is no apparent way I can enter the well. I'm waiting for your commands. >d FOOT OF HILL A giant, grassy hill looms ahead of me. High up, crowning the grassy summit of this swelling mound are a couple of old gnarled trees and a circle of standing stones. A narrow track skirts around the base continuing west. Exits lead: east, west and up. What now? >u I begin an upward ascent to the summit of the grassy hill. It is a good twenty minutes trek but I finally reach the apex of the swelling mound... TOP OF GIANT HILL I am at the summit of the huge, swelling, grassy mound. I can see a few trees, sickly and stunted, and some dead trunks stand or lay rotting. There is an eerie stillness. There are steep, dangerous drops on all sides and the only safe route back is to return via the route whence I came. Close to me is the yawning black maw of an abandoned well whose stagnant vapours permeate the atmosphere. Exits lead: down only. Also here I can see: a stone circle and a well. Please tell me your next command. >x circle Stone Circle: Some kind of megalithic monument. A circle of great mossy stones. a remnant that must once have held significance to older, long forgotten dwellers. Momentarily, I lose all awareness of who or where I am... A bright light pierces through my foggy vision. I dream of great Cyclopean cities of titan blocks and sky-flung monoliths, all dripping with green ooze and sinister with latent horror. Hieroglyphics cover the walls and pillars, and from some undetermined point below comes a voice that is not a voice; a chaotic sensation which only fancy could transmute into sound, but which I seemed to understand. An almost unpronounceable jumble of words which echo around my mind: "Yegthath, Cahf ah nafl mglw'nafh hh' ahor syha'h ah'legeth, ng llll or'azath syha'hnahh n'ghftephai n'gha ahornah ah'mglw'nafh" It seemed to translate into a phrase: "That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die." A huge, formless white polypous thing with luminous eyes looms up from nowhere to confront me!!! In an instant my senses have returned to normal, thankfully, but I am struck speechless by the strength and clarity of the monstrous vision. Please enter your instructions. >l TOP OF GIANT HILL I am at the summit of the huge, swelling, grassy mound. I can see a few trees, sickly and stunted, and some dead trunks stand or lay rotting. There is an eerie stillness. There are steep, dangerous drops on all sides and the only safe route back is to return via the route whence I came. Close to me is the yawning black maw of an abandoned well whose stagnant vapours permeate the atmosphere. Exits lead: down only. Also here I can see: a stone circle and a well. What now? >x circle Stone Circle: Some kind of megalithic monument. A circle of great mossy stones. a remnant that must once have held significance to older, long forgotten dwellers. What now? >enter it There is no apparent way I can enter the circle. What now? >dance I'm not sure what you mean when you say that. What now? >d FOOT OF HILL A giant, grassy hill looms ahead of me. High up, crowning the grassy summit of this swelling mound are a couple of old gnarled trees and a circle of standing stones. A narrow track skirts around the base continuing west. Exits lead: east, west and up. Please enter your instructions. >w I set off west. WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. I'm waiting for your commands. >x prints I examine the prints. These prints are not something I've come across before. It must be a strange animal indeed that made them. OK, now what? >save Game position saved. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >in It's too dark. I can't see anything. Tell me what to do next please. >l It's too dark. I can't see anything. Tell me what to do next please. >out WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. OK, now what? >w I move west. BEVERLY ROAD Roads branch off in all directions, criss-crossing the landscape. The nearness and intimacy of the dwarfed, domed hills now become veritably breathtaking. The dense, unvisited woods on the inaccessible slopes seem like they may harbour mysterious and unearthly inhabitants. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. What now? >x paper Paper: There is something scribbled down on it. Please tell me your next command. >read it I read the paper. It shows directions written in pencil to the "Happy Cow" dairy, situated some five miles southwest of Arkham, off the Beverly Road. The precise directions are circled and read: "From the hill go W, W, SW, SW and W". Please tell me your next command. >sw I move southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. The vista of the hill-crowded countryside with its towering, threatening, close-pressing green and granite slopes impresses me with its surreal majesty. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >sw I set off southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. The vista of the hill-crowded countryside with its towering, threatening, close-pressing green and granite slopes impresses me with its surreal majesty. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please enter your instructions. >w I set off west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >w I go west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. What now? >w I set off west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >sw I move southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. OK, now what? >ne I go northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please enter your instructions. >e I go east. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. The narrow, ribbon-like road rises and falls and curves with an almost sentient and purposeful caprice amidst the tenantless green peaks and half-deserted valleys. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >se I begin moving southeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. The vista of the hill-crowded countryside with its towering, threatening, close-pressing green and granite slopes impresses me with its surreal majesty. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >s I go south. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. The vista of the hill-crowded countryside with its towering, threatening, close-pressing green and granite slopes impresses me with its surreal majesty. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Tell me what to do next please. >w I set off west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I'm waiting for your commands. >w I go west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please enter your instructions. >w I begin moving west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I'm waiting for your commands. >w I set off west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >w I set off west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. OK, now what? >w I go west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please enter your instructions. >w I go west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. What now? >w I move west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. What now? >w I go west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. OK, now what? >s I set off south. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please enter your instructions. >w I set off west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please tell me your next command. >w I move west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >w I go west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. What now? >w I set off west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please tell me your next command. >w I begin moving west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please enter your instructions. >w I begin moving west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. OK, now what? >w I begin moving west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Tell me what to do next please. >w I move west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please enter your instructions. >w I begin moving west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Tell me what to do next please. >s I move south. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I'm waiting for your commands. >ne I set off northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I'm waiting for your commands. >ne I set off northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >g I move northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please tell me your next command. >ne I set off northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Tell me what to do next please. >e I set off east. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. The narrow, ribbon-like road rises and falls and curves with an almost sentient and purposeful caprice amidst the tenantless green peaks and half-deserted valleys. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >e I go east. BEVERLY ROAD Roads branch off in all directions, criss-crossing the landscape. The nearness and intimacy of the dwarfed, domed hills now become veritably breathtaking. The dense, unvisited woods on the inaccessible slopes seem like they may harbour mysterious and unearthly inhabitants. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >e I go east. WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. Please enter your instructions. >e I move east. FOOT OF HILL A giant, grassy hill looms ahead of me. High up, crowning the grassy summit of this swelling mound are a couple of old gnarled trees and a circle of standing stones. A narrow track skirts around the base continuing west. Exits lead: east, west and up. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >w I set off west. WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >e I move east. FOOT OF HILL A giant, grassy hill looms ahead of me. High up, crowning the grassy summit of this swelling mound are a couple of old gnarled trees and a circle of standing stones. A narrow track skirts around the base continuing west. Exits lead: east, west and up. What now? >read paper I read the paper. It shows directions written in pencil to the "Happy Cow" dairy, situated some five miles southwest of Arkham, off the Beverly Road. The precise directions are circled and read: "From the hill go W, W, SW, SW and W". OK, now what? >w I go west. WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. OK, now what? >w I move west. BEVERLY ROAD Roads branch off in all directions, criss-crossing the landscape. The nearness and intimacy of the dwarfed, domed hills now become veritably breathtaking. The dense, unvisited woods on the inaccessible slopes seem like they may harbour mysterious and unearthly inhabitants. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. What now? >sw I go southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. The vista of the hill-crowded countryside with its towering, threatening, close-pressing green and granite slopes impresses me with its surreal majesty. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I'm waiting for your commands. >sw I go southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. The vista of the hill-crowded countryside with its towering, threatening, close-pressing green and granite slopes impresses me with its surreal majesty. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. What now? >w I set off west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please tell me your next command. >w I go west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. What now? >ne I begin moving northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please enter your instructions. >e I set off east. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. The narrow, ribbon-like road rises and falls and curves with an almost sentient and purposeful caprice amidst the tenantless green peaks and half-deserted valleys. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. OK, now what? >e I move east. BEVERLY ROAD Roads branch off in all directions, criss-crossing the landscape. The nearness and intimacy of the dwarfed, domed hills now become veritably breathtaking. The dense, unvisited woods on the inaccessible slopes seem like they may harbour mysterious and unearthly inhabitants. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >e I go east. WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. OK, now what? >e I go east. FOOT OF HILL A giant, grassy hill looms ahead of me. High up, crowning the grassy summit of this swelling mound are a couple of old gnarled trees and a circle of standing stones. A narrow track skirts around the base continuing west. Exits lead: east, west and up. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >read paper I read the paper. It shows directions written in pencil to the "Happy Cow" dairy, situated some five miles southwest of Arkham, off the Beverly Road. The precise directions are circled and read: "From the hill go W, W, SW, SW and W". Please tell me your next command. =====rem: huh, sure feel like I'm following the idrections Please enter your instructions. >w I move west. WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. I'm waiting for your commands. >w I go west. BEVERLY ROAD Roads branch off in all directions, criss-crossing the landscape. The nearness and intimacy of the dwarfed, domed hills now become veritably breathtaking. The dense, unvisited woods on the inaccessible slopes seem like they may harbour mysterious and unearthly inhabitants. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >sw I set off southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. The vista of the hill-crowded countryside with its towering, threatening, close-pressing green and granite slopes impresses me with its surreal majesty. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I'm waiting for your commands. >sw I set off southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. The vista of the hill-crowded countryside with its towering, threatening, close-pressing green and granite slopes impresses me with its surreal majesty. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. What now? >w I move west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Tell me what to do next please. >ne I begin moving northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Tell me what to do next please. >e I go east. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. The narrow, ribbon-like road rises and falls and curves with an almost sentient and purposeful caprice amidst the tenantless green peaks and half-deserted valleys. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please tell me your next command. >ne I move northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. The narrow, ribbon-like road rises and falls and curves with an almost sentient and purposeful caprice amidst the tenantless green peaks and half-deserted valleys. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please tell me your next command. >e I begin moving east. BEVERLY ROAD Roads branch off in all directions, criss-crossing the landscape. The nearness and intimacy of the dwarfed, domed hills now become veritably breathtaking. The dense, unvisited woods on the inaccessible slopes seem like they may harbour mysterious and unearthly inhabitants. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. What now? >e I go east. WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. OK, now what? >e I move east. FOOT OF HILL A giant, grassy hill looms ahead of me. High up, crowning the grassy summit of this swelling mound are a couple of old gnarled trees and a circle of standing stones. A narrow track skirts around the base continuing west. Exits lead: east, west and up. Please enter your instructions. >u I begin an upward ascent to the summit of the grassy hill. It is a good twenty minutes trek but I finally reach the apex of the swelling mound... TOP OF GIANT HILL I am at the summit of the huge, swelling, grassy mound. I can see a few trees, sickly and stunted, and some dead trunks stand or lay rotting. There is an eerie stillness. There are steep, dangerous drops on all sides and the only safe route back is to return via the route whence I came. Close to me is the yawning black maw of an abandoned well whose stagnant vapours permeate the atmosphere. Exits lead: down only. Also here I can see: a stone circle and a well. I'm waiting for your commands. >w I don't see how I can go west. Exits lead: down only. Tell me what to do next please. >d FOOT OF HILL A giant, grassy hill looms ahead of me. High up, crowning the grassy summit of this swelling mound are a couple of old gnarled trees and a circle of standing stones. A narrow track skirts around the base continuing west. Exits lead: east, west and up. What now? >w I go west. WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. Please enter your instructions. >w I set off west. BEVERLY ROAD Roads branch off in all directions, criss-crossing the landscape. The nearness and intimacy of the dwarfed, domed hills now become veritably breathtaking. The dense, unvisited woods on the inaccessible slopes seem like they may harbour mysterious and unearthly inhabitants. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Tell me what to do next please. >read paper I read the paper. It shows directions written in pencil to the "Happy Cow" dairy, situated some five miles southwest of Arkham, off the Beverly Road. The precise directions are circled and read: "From the hill go W, W, SW, SW and W". What now? >w I begin moving west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. The narrow, ribbon-like road rises and falls and curves with an almost sentient and purposeful caprice amidst the tenantless green peaks and half-deserted valleys. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. OK, now what? >w I move west. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. OK, now what? >sw I begin moving southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >sw I set off southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I'm waiting for your commands. >w I set off west. "HAPPY COW" DAIRY I am at an open gate. A sign on the gate states: "E. Wilkins. Milk supplier." Tyre tracks lead south toward the milk plant. Exits lead: south, east and southwest. OK, now what? >* ah, directions are from the sign, not the hill Not really knowing exactly what you mean, I will delay doing that. Please enter your instructions. >x tracks The tyre tracks are impressions made by the milk truck. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >enter Where do you want me attempt to enter? I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >s I set off south. DEPOT I am outside the milk processing depot. Open doors lead into a large corrugated building. A milk truck is parked outside. Exits lead: north and in. Please enter your instructions. >x building The building? Seems to be missing from this locality. OK, now what? >x truck I walk over to the milk truck to scrutinise it. A battered old standard pick-up vehicle for transporting and delivery. There are holes in the windscreen. I pull open the driver's door to check inside and instantly recoil in wide-eyed surprise! The body of a man tumbles out of the truck on to the ground! Please tell me your next command. >x body Dead body: The corpse is wearing standard milkman overalls and has a name badge: "Ernie Wilkins". No doubt about the cause of death. The miIkman has been shot through the head at close range. Not a pretty sight! I do a quick search of the body but find nothing. Please tell me your next command. >x truck Definately nothing I can say about a truck to enlighten you more. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >l DEPOT I am outside the milk processing depot. Open doors lead into a large corrugated building. A milk truck is parked outside. Exits lead: north and in. Also here I can see: a dead body is here. Tell me what to do next please. >in INSIDE DEPOT All is deathly silent Inside this corrugated storage depot. There are crates of milk stacked high on the left, lots of milk processing machinery and equipment which has ceased operating to the right. Circular vats and sealed metal drums containing milk are in one corner. Exits lead: out only. OK, now what? >x crates Crates: It is just what it appears to be; milk paraphernalia. Nothing special. The crates do not appear to hold any secrets for me at all. Wait I minute though! I discover a couple of things behind one of the nearby crates. [My score just went up by 5 points] What now? >l INSIDE DEPOT All is deathly silent Inside this corrugated storage depot. There are crates of milk stacked high on the left, lots of milk processing machinery and equipment which has ceased operating to the right. Circular vats and sealed metal drums containing milk are in one corner. Exits lead: out only. Also here I can see: a pocket torch and a notebook. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x torch Torch: It has on/off switch. It is currently turned off. What now? =====rem: there we are! I'm waiting for your commands. >take it I now have the torch. Please tell me your next command. >x notebook Notebook: It contains entries about Wilkins' milk round. Customers and their daily requirements. Might be worth a read... What now? >take it I now have the notebook. What now? >read it The latest entry to the notebook is of great interest and import: "Clark Ashton visited me as arranged. I explained to him my horror at what I had found out about the local milk being tainted. This is surely the cause of the epidemic in Arkham. I told him I had made investigations and discovered which of the farms I use was the source of the infected milk. I gave him the name and address of the farmer in question. I hope that he can lead the authorities to end this matter. God help us all! That insane farmer is trying to keep the lid on this, but I will not be threatened or cowed by him for speaking the truth!" Tell me what to do next please. =====rem: Wait, you won't be cowed? By the dairy farmer? Please tell me your next command. >l INSIDE DEPOT All is deathly silent Inside this corrugated storage depot. There are crates of milk stacked high on the left, lots of milk processing machinery and equipment which has ceased operating to the right. Circular vats and sealed metal drums containing milk are in one corner. Exits lead: out only. OK, now what? >x machinery The power is off. I have no idea what all this stuff is or does or how it works so I better leave it well alone. Please tell me your next command. >x equipment The power is off. I have no idea what all this stuff is or does or how it works so I better leave it well alone. Please tell me your next command. >x vats Vats: It is just what it appears to be; milk paraphernalia. Nothing special. The vats does not appear to hold any further secrets for me. OK, now what? >x drums Drums: It is just what it appears to be; milk paraphernalia. Nothing special. The drums does not appear to hold any further secrets for me. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >out DEPOT I am outside the milk processing depot. Open doors lead into a large corrugated building. A milk truck is parked outside. Exits lead: north and in. Also here I can see: a dead body is here. Please tell me your next command. >n I begin moving north. "HAPPY COW" DAIRY I am at an open gate. A sign on the gate states: "E. Wilkins. Milk supplier." Tyre tracks lead south toward the milk plant. Exits lead: south, east and southwest. I'm waiting for your commands. >e I set off east. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. OK, now what? >ne I go northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >ne I begin moving northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. What now? >e I begin moving east. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. The narrow, ribbon-like road rises and falls and curves with an almost sentient and purposeful caprice amidst the tenantless green peaks and half-deserted valleys. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. What now? >e I go east. BEVERLY ROAD Roads branch off in all directions, criss-crossing the landscape. The nearness and intimacy of the dwarfed, domed hills now become veritably breathtaking. The dense, unvisited woods on the inaccessible slopes seem like they may harbour mysterious and unearthly inhabitants. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please enter your instructions. >e I move east. WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. What now? >w I go west. BEVERLY ROAD Roads branch off in all directions, criss-crossing the landscape. The nearness and intimacy of the dwarfed, domed hills now become veritably breathtaking. The dense, unvisited woods on the inaccessible slopes seem like they may harbour mysterious and unearthly inhabitants. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Tell me what to do next please. >e I move east. WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. OK, now what? >save Game position saved. Please enter your instructions. >in It's too dark. I can't see anything. OK, now what? >turn on torch The torch is shining brightly. Please tell me your next command. >l INSIDE DARK CAVE I am in a dark and draughty cave. An exit leads out. Exits lead: north and out. Please tell me your next command. >n I go north. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please enter your instructions. >s I begin moving south. INSIDE DARK CAVE I am in a dark and draughty cave. An exit leads out. Exits lead: north and out. Please tell me your next command. >out WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. What now? >turn off torch The torch is now off. Tell me what to do next please. >e I move east. FOOT OF HILL A giant, grassy hill looms ahead of me. High up, crowning the grassy summit of this swelling mound are a couple of old gnarled trees and a circle of standing stones. A narrow track skirts around the base continuing west. Exits lead: east, west and up. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >e I set off east. SMALL VILLAGE I am on a village road. There's not much sign of life here. It is not reassuring to see, on a closer glance, that most of the sparsely scattered houses are deserted and falling to ruin and wear a uniform aspect of age, squalor, and dilapidation erected in an earlier architectural period than that of the neighbouring region. There is a broken-down church to the south. I'm impressed with a faint, malign odour about the village street, akin to the massed mould and decay of centuries and I am slightly unnerved by the disturbing silence which prevails here. A cracked footpath leads north to Clark's cottage. The road continues westerly toward the base of a giant hill. Exits lead: north, south, east and west. OK, now what? >s I go south. ABANDONED CHURCH The vacant church is in a state of great decrepitude. Some of the high stone buttresses have fallen, and several delicate finials lay half lost among the brown, neglected weeds and grasses. The sooty Gothic windows are largely unbroken, though many of the stone mullions are missing. Further ruins lay to the east. Exits lead: north and east. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >e I begin moving east. AMONGST RUINS The colossal nave is an almost eldritch place with its drifts and mountains of dust over box pews, altar, and hourglass pulpit. Titanic strands of cobweb stretching among the pointed arches of the gallery array themselves and entwine the clustered Gothic columns. A long creeper secured to an arch, hangs down into the hole in the floor. Exits lead: west and down. Also here I can see: a hole in the floor. I'm waiting for your commands. >turn on tarch Are you sure? Turn on tarch is not a good idea. I don't know what the tarch is. What now? >turn on torch The torch is shining brightly. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >d I grasp the sturdy creeper and lower myself gently down into the dark hole. The creeper holds firm. CRYPT In the gloom of the vault I trust to the light of the torch which illuminates a dark and dusty underground, square-shaped room. The room is devoid of decoration and bare of any accoutrements. The air is exceedingly unwholesome. The creeper that I tied to the column ring hangs down and is my only means of exit from the ghastly place. Exits lead: up only. Also here I can see: a meteorite fragment. OK, now what? >x fragment Meteorite fragment: a small lump of silvery-brownish metal. (Probably caused the hole in the church flooring) Please tell me your next command. >take it I now have the meteor. Please tell me your next command. =====rem: seems fine Please enter your instructions. >u I grasp the creeper and shimmy back up it. AMONGST RUINS The colossal nave is an almost eldritch place with its drifts and mountains of dust over box pews, altar, and hourglass pulpit. Titanic strands of cobweb stretching among the pointed arches of the gallery array themselves and entwine the clustered Gothic columns. A long creeper secured to an arch, hangs down into the hole in the floor. Exits lead: west and down. Also here I can see: a hole in the floor. I'm waiting for your commands. >w I set off west. ABANDONED CHURCH The vacant church is in a state of great decrepitude. Some of the high stone buttresses have fallen, and several delicate finials lay half lost among the brown, neglected weeds and grasses. The sooty Gothic windows are largely unbroken, though many of the stone mullions are missing. Further ruins lay to the east. Exits lead: north and east. Please tell me your next command. >n I set off north. SMALL VILLAGE I am on a village road. There's not much sign of life here. It is not reassuring to see, on a closer glance, that most of the sparsely scattered houses are deserted and falling to ruin and wear a uniform aspect of age, squalor, and dilapidation erected in an earlier architectural period than that of the neighbouring region. There is a broken-down church to the south. I'm impressed with a faint, malign odour about the village street, akin to the massed mould and decay of centuries and I am slightly unnerved by the disturbing silence which prevails here. A cracked footpath leads north to Clark's cottage. The road continues westerly toward the base of a giant hill. Exits lead: north, south, east and west. Please tell me your next command. >n I set off north. OUTSIDE COTTAGE Clark's "residence" is small and compact. I would say about two hundred years old. Lawless crawling vines cover the ancient, tarnished brickwork. It is capped with an odd-shaped peaked roof and chimney stack. The windows are shuttered. The front door is closed. To the right of the door is a rough patch of weedy, neglected garden. A rough, mossy rock serves as a doorstep. Exits lead: south and in. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >in HALLWAY I am in a cramped hallway with plastered walls. Before me, to the right, rises a narrow, wooden staircase. There are open doorways to rooms east and west. At the northern end I espy a latched door in the wall which most surely provides access into the cellar. Exits lead: east, west, up, down and out. What now? >d DARK CELLAR After careful descent by a ladder of rungs on the wall I stand in a dark, dank square-shaped cellar. It is very cold and quiet here. From the light which illuminates the area I can make out stone walls and an earthen floor. I can smell a strong, noxious, odour here; There are unfamiliar white fungous growths sprouting from the hard earth floor. I detect a sort of cloudy whitish pattern on the dirt floor - a vague, shifting deposit of mould. I fancied I glimpsed a faint, yellowish, shimmering exhalation rising from the nitrous mould and dissipating in the rank, fetid air. Exits lead: up only. Also here I can see: Clark Ashton is lying on the ground dead. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x walls I shine the torch on them. There is nothing special about the walls. I'm waiting for your commands. >smell I'll smell and see if there is anything in the air. Nothing unusual. Please tell me your next command. >x floor I shine my torch on the earthen floor. Is it my imagination or did the earthen floor move slightly? OK, now what? >x fungus These loathsome, fungal growths are very mushroom-like. They are strangely luminous, fleshy and warty and of a sickly pallid yellow hue. Wouldn't be my choice to go with my breakfast meal!! Please enter your instructions. >x pattern These loathsome, fungal growths are very mushroom-like. They are strangely luminous, fleshy and warty and of a sickly pallid yellow hue. Wouldn't be my choice to go with my breakfast meal!! Tell me what to do next please. =====rem: Oh I was Xing as I went through the description and just realized my friend's body is here! What now? >x clark Clark: What a shock to discover Clark's body. He's been shot through the head at close range and half his skull has been blown away! Whoever did this must have dragged him into the cellar to hide the corpse. My poor, poor friend. I had not thought that a brief period could so alter and disfigure any human creature, but the grotesque fungal growths and twisted, sinuous roots that had thrust themselves from beneath the earth seem to have gotten hold of Clark's cadaver and were gorging and assimilating his remains through some eldritch transmutation. It's very hard to fix my gaze on his torso and extremities, which are in a pulpish, semi-liquefied state. An oozing greenish-slime, was bubbling in and around his solar plexus region. I must find the person responsible and avenge my dear friend. Steadying my nerves and steeling my will, I stoop down to retrieve a small business card which I discern is protruding from Clark's jacket. Tell me what to do next please. >l DARK CELLAR After careful descent by a ladder of rungs on the wall I stand in a dark, dank square-shaped cellar. It is very cold and quiet here. From the light which illuminates the area I can make out stone walls and an earthen floor. I can smell a strong, noxious, odour here; There are unfamiliar white fungous growths sprouting from the hard earth floor. I detect a sort of cloudy whitish pattern on the dirt floor - a vague, shifting deposit of mould. I fancied I glimpsed a faint, yellowish, shimmering exhalation rising from the nitrous mould and dissipating in the rank, fetid air. Exits lead: up only. Also here I can see: Clark Ashton is lying on the ground dead. Please tell me your next command. >i I am carrying: a key, a pocket torch (shining brightly), a milk bottle, a piece of paper, a notebook, a business card and a meteorite fragment. I am wearing my clothes. I'm waiting for your commands. >x card Card: It's Clark's "Arkham Advertiser" card. A small, rectangular id card. On the reverse is written: "J557B" I'm waiting for your commands. >u I go up. HALLWAY I am in a cramped hallway with plastered walls. Before me, to the right, rises a narrow, wooden staircase. There are open doorways to rooms east and west. At the northern end I espy a latched door in the wall which most surely provides access into the cellar. Exits lead: east, west, up, down and out. Please enter your instructions. >turn off torch The torch is now off. What now? >e I move east. LIVING ROOM The main living quarters are of good size but a queerly irregular shape due to the low ceiling that slants gently downward. The room seems fully furnished. Exits lead: west only. Also here I can see: a bowl and a desk. What now? >x desk Desk: It is an antique wooden affair with a single pull-out drawer. The drawer has a combination dial on the front. I am unable to look in the desk. Please enter your instructions. >x dial Examining the combination dial I observe that it requires firstly an alphabetic letter followed by a 3 digit number to be entered in the correct sequence. I would need to use the format: DIAL X123X to effect release of the drawer... What now? >dial j557b I dial in the combination and there is a sharp 'click'. The desk drawer springs open! [My score just went up by 5 points] Please tell me your next command. >score My score is 20 out of 50 adventure game points. I have taken 341 turns. Tell me what to do next please. >open drawer The desk drawer is already open. I can look inside it. What now? >x it Desk: It is an antique wooden affair with a single pull-out drawer. The drawer has a combination dial on the front. In the desk is: a receipt, Clark's jotter and a newspaper clipping. I'm waiting for your commands. >x receipt I would have to take the receipt out of its container before it could examine it. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >read it I can't attempt to read the receipt when it isn't here. OK, now what? >take it If you want the receipt you'll have to first tell me to take it out of the container that it is in. Please tell me your next command. >take receipt If you want the receipt you'll have to first tell me to take it out of the container that it is in. What now? >take receipt from drawer I now have the receipt. What now? >x it Desk: It is an antique wooden affair with a single pull-out drawer. The drawer has a combination dial on the front. In the desk is: Clark's jotter and a newspaper clipping. What now? >x receipt Receipt: It's a printed form for a supply of milk to be delivered to "E. Wilkins Dairy". Maybe I should read it? Please enter your instructions. >read it It has a letterhead banner: "MAYNARD BROWN - FARM PRODUCE" Scribbled on it are directions to find Brown's Farm from the Beverley Road. SW-SW-SW-SW-NW. Tell me what to do next please. >l LIVING ROOM The main living quarters are of good size but a queerly irregular shape due to the low ceiling that slants gently downward. The room seems fully furnished. Exits lead: west only. Also here I can see: a bowl and a desk. What now? >x jotter I would have to take the jotter out of its container before it could examine it. OK, now what? >take jotter out of desk I now have the jotter. Tell me what to do next please. >x it Desk: It is an antique wooden affair with a single pull-out drawer. The drawer has a combination dial on the front. In the desk is: a newspaper clipping. Please tell me your next command. >x jotter Jotter: It contains small pages handy for jotting down information. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >read it Visited Arkham Hospital Oct 20th - several people sick. The people affected by the mystery illness report cases of high fevers and vivid dreams. Some have found tumors or boils growing on their bodies. Found out the authorities have so far traced the origin of the strange outbreak to milk delivered in the past month... An official investigation has begun, although the authorities had hoped to avoid panic by keeping it on the quiet. Is someone deliberately trying to put spoiled milk into the houses of Arkham residents? What sinister motives could such an individual possibly have? As a result, the entire town of Arkham is in an uproar and milk sales from local farmers have plummeted. The dairy in question (Happy Cow) works with different producers, and tracing the tainted milk back to the correct farm is now even more difficult as farmers have closed rank fearful of the cost to their business. I'm waiting for your commands. >x desk Desk: It is an antique wooden affair with a single pull-out drawer. The drawer has a combination dial on the front. In the desk is: a newspaper clipping. I'm waiting for your commands. >take clipping from desk I now have the clipping. Tell me what to do next please. >x it Desk: It is an antique wooden affair with a single pull-out drawer. The drawer has a combination dial on the front. In the desk is: nothing. I'm waiting for your commands. >x clipping Clipping: A cutting of a column of typewritten text from the "Arkham Advertiser". What now? >read it I read the short news column. LIGHTS IN THE SKY Excitement over Arkham last night as a cluster of meteors flashed through the night sky. They are believed to have come to earth somewhere in Arkham’s neighbouring districts causing wonderment and consternation among residents. Grant Akeley reports that one of them hit his well." It seems the epidemic started shortly after this incident. Might be a connection? What now? =====rem: nah, seems awfully convenient OK, now what? >w After the day's events and exertions I am feeling sleepy and it is time to rest again... HALLWAY I am in a cramped hallway with plastered walls. Before me, to the right, rises a narrow, wooden staircase. There are open doorways to rooms east and west. At the northern end I espy a latched door in the wall which most surely provides access into the cellar. Exits lead: east, west, up, down and out. Tell me what to do next please. >s I don't see how I can go south. Exits lead: east, west, up, down and out. Please tell me your next command. >w I don't feel like going west. I'm just so tired. I need a good rest to recharge by energy. OK, now what? >out I don't feel like going out. I'm just so tired. I need a good rest to recharge by energy. Please enter your instructions. >u I begin moving up. UPPER LANDING I am at the top of flight of creaky stairs on the upper landing. A dusty, planked floor and plain, featureless walls, with an unkempt, cobwebby ceiling. Peering in the dimness, I see an entrance to a solitary bedroom through the west door. Exits lead: west and down. Please tell me your next command. >w I go west. BEDROOM An uncurtained south window allows light to stream on to a single bed. The exit to the landing is through the door to the east. Exits lead: north and east. Also here I can see: a bed. I hear a brief muffled flapping and banging outside the bedroom door. My God! I am not alone. Something hellish has entered the cottage. I turn to see my visitor and it is a sight I will never forget! An unearthly creature has entered. It has the appearance of a squat, light-red crab with many pairs of wriggling, centipedal legs and with two great bat-like wings in the middle of the back. Standing on its hindmost legs it ululates in a high-pitched shriek. Feeling antenna protrude from a ghastly, insectoid visage which is most unpleasant to view. In an instant it unfolds its wings and leaps forward toward me! It's on my back, digging in its claws and drawing blood. HELP!! It begins viciously gnawing at my upper body and neck in a frenzied, terrifying feeding attack. I just have enough time to regret not securing the front door properly before I lose consciousness and everything goes black... I'm afraid It's all over! My score is 20 out of 50 adventure game points. * quit out and reloaded, forgot to start the transcript again for a bit >w I'm unable to go west. Exits lead: up only. Tell me what to do next please. >u I grasp the creeper and shimmy back up it. AMONGST RUINS The colossal nave is an almost eldritch place with its drifts and mountains of dust over box pews, altar, and hourglass pulpit. Titanic strands of cobweb stretching among the pointed arches of the gallery array themselves and entwine the clustered Gothic columns. A long creeper secured to an arch, hangs down into the hole in the floor. Exits lead: west and down. Also here I can see: a hole in the floor. I'm waiting for your commands. >w I move west. ABANDONED CHURCH The vacant church is in a state of great decrepitude. Some of the high stone buttresses have fallen, and several delicate finials lay half lost among the brown, neglected weeds and grasses. The sooty Gothic windows are largely unbroken, though many of the stone mullions are missing. Further ruins lay to the east. Exits lead: north and east. I'm waiting for your commands. >n I move north. SMALL VILLAGE I am on a village road. There's not much sign of life here. It is not reassuring to see, on a closer glance, that most of the sparsely scattered houses are deserted and falling to ruin and wear a uniform aspect of age, squalor, and dilapidation erected in an earlier architectural period than that of the neighbouring region. There is a broken-down church to the south. I'm impressed with a faint, malign odour about the village street, akin to the massed mould and decay of centuries and I am slightly unnerved by the disturbing silence which prevails here. A cracked footpath leads north to Clark's cottage. The road continues westerly toward the base of a giant hill. Exits lead: north, south, east and west. Please tell me your next command. >n I move north. OUTSIDE COTTAGE Clark's "residence" is small and compact. I would say about two hundred years old. Lawless crawling vines cover the ancient, tarnished brickwork. It is capped with an odd-shaped peaked roof and chimney stack. The windows are shuttered. The front door is closed. To the right of the door is a rough patch of weedy, neglected garden. A rough, mossy rock serves as a doorstep. Exits lead: south and in. Please tell me your next command. >in HALLWAY I am in a cramped hallway with plastered walls. Before me, to the right, rises a narrow, wooden staircase. There are open doorways to rooms east and west. At the northern end I espy a latched door in the wall which most surely provides access into the cellar. Exits lead: east, west, up, down and out. Please enter your instructions. >lock door I lock the door. Tell me what to do next please. =====rem: I locked it before sleeping, but didn't realize I needed a nap... Please enter your instructions. >n I'm unable to go north. Exits lead: east, west, up and down. Please tell me your next command. >d DARK CELLAR After careful descent by a ladder of rungs on the wall I stand in a dark, dank square-shaped cellar. It is very cold and quiet here. From the light which illuminates the area I can make out stone walls and an earthen floor. I can smell a strong, noxious, odour here; There are unfamiliar white fungous growths sprouting from the hard earth floor. I detect a sort of cloudy whitish pattern on the dirt floor - a vague, shifting deposit of mould. I fancied I glimpsed a faint, yellowish, shimmering exhalation rising from the nitrous mould and dissipating in the rank, fetid air. Exits lead: up only. Also here I can see: Clark Ashton is lying on the ground dead. OK, now what? >x ashton Clark: What a shock to discover Clark's body. He's been shot through the head at close range and half his skull has been blown away! Whoever did this must have dragged him into the cellar to hide the corpse. My poor, poor friend. I had not thought that a brief period could so alter and disfigure any human creature, but the grotesque fungal growths and twisted, sinuous roots that had thrust themselves from beneath the earth seem to have gotten hold of Clark's cadaver and were gorging and assimilating his remains through some eldritch transmutation. It's very hard to fix my gaze on his torso and extremities, which are in a pulpish, semi-liquefied state. An oozing greenish-slime, was bubbling in and around his solar plexus region. I must find the person responsible and avenge my dear friend. Steadying my nerves and steeling my will, I stoop down to retrieve a small business card which I discern is protruding from Clark's jacket. Please enter your instructions. >read card Card: It's Clark's "Arkham Advertiser" card. A small, rectangular id card. On the reverse is written: "J557B" Please tell me your next command. >u I move up. HALLWAY I am in a cramped hallway with plastered walls. Before me, to the right, rises a narrow, wooden staircase. There are open doorways to rooms east and west. At the northern end I espy a latched door in the wall which most surely provides access into the cellar. Exits lead: east, west, up and down. Please tell me your next command. >e I move east. LIVING ROOM The main living quarters are of good size but a queerly irregular shape due to the low ceiling that slants gently downward. The room seems fully furnished. Exits lead: west only. Also here I can see: a bowl and a desk. Tell me what to do next please. >turn off torch The torch is now off. Please tell me your next command. >turn dial to j557b Well there is no way I can turn the dial to the j557b. I sincerely suggest we find some other way. OK, now what? >set dial to j557b I'm not sure what you mean when you say that. What now? >x dial Examining the combination dial I observe that it requires firstly an alphabetic letter followed by a 3 digit number to be entered in the correct sequence. I would need to use the format: DIAL X123X to effect release of the drawer... What now? >dial j557b I dial in the combination and there is a sharp 'click'. The desk drawer springs open! [My score just went up by 5 points] I'm waiting for your commands. >open drawer The desk drawer is already open. I can look inside it. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >take clipping from desk I now have the clipping. Please tell me your next command. >l LIVING ROOM The main living quarters are of good size but a queerly irregular shape due to the low ceiling that slants gently downward. The room seems fully furnished. Exits lead: west only. Also here I can see: a bowl and a desk. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x desk Desk: It is an antique wooden affair with a single pull-out drawer. The drawer has a combination dial on the front. In the desk is: a receipt and Clark's jotter. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >take receipt from desk I now have the receipt. OK, now what? >take jotter from desk I now have the jotter. OK, now what? >read jotter Visited Arkham Hospital Oct 20th - several people sick. The people affected by the mystery illness report cases of high fevers and vivid dreams. Some have found tumors or boils growing on their bodies. Found out the authorities have so far traced the origin of the strange outbreak to milk delivered in the past month... An official investigation has begun, although the authorities had hoped to avoid panic by keeping it on the quiet. Is someone deliberately trying to put spoiled milk into the houses of Arkham residents? What sinister motives could such an individual possibly have? As a result, the entire town of Arkham is in an uproar and milk sales from local farmers have plummeted. The dairy in question (Happy Cow) works with different producers, and tracing the tainted milk back to the correct farm is now even more difficult as farmers have closed rank fearful of the cost to their business. I'm waiting for your commands. >read receipt It has a letterhead banner: "MAYNARD BROWN - FARM PRODUCE" Scribbled on it are directions to find Brown's Farm from the Beverley Road. SW-SW-SW-SW-NW. I'm waiting for your commands. >read clipping I read the short news column. LIGHTS IN THE SKY Excitement over Arkham last night as a cluster of meteors flashed through the night sky. They are believed to have come to earth somewhere in Arkham’s neighbouring districts causing wonderment and consternation among residents. Grant Akeley reports that one of them hit his well." It seems the epidemic started shortly after this incident. Might be a connection? Please enter your instructions. >w After the day's events and exertions I am feeling sleepy and it is time to rest again... HALLWAY I am in a cramped hallway with plastered walls. Before me, to the right, rises a narrow, wooden staircase. There are open doorways to rooms east and west. At the northern end I espy a latched door in the wall which most surely provides access into the cellar. Exits lead: east, west, up and down. Please tell me your next command. >u I move up. UPPER LANDING I am at the top of flight of creaky stairs on the upper landing. A dusty, planked floor and plain, featureless walls, with an unkempt, cobwebby ceiling. Peering in the dimness, I see an entrance to a solitary bedroom through the west door. Exits lead: west and down. I'm waiting for your commands. >w I go west. BEDROOM An uncurtained south window allows light to stream on to a single bed. The exit to the landing is through the door to the east. Exits lead: north and east. Also here I can see: a bed. Please tell me your next command. >sleep I lay down my belongings, quickly undress and get into bed. I yield to my yawns and take my turn at slumber. Sleep seizes me quickly, and I am once again haunted with dreams of a most disturbing kind. I am laying on the ground in a yellow mist. I cannot move. Something is underneath me. Slimy tentacles burst through the earth to entwine my body pulling me downwards! I feel the dirt entering my eyes and mouth. I cannot scream! I am being buried alive! I wake up and for a brief my body is paralyzed. I can’t move! With a sharp pain, I regain control of my body and finally sit up screaming, drenched in a cold sweat. A new day has dawned. [My score has just gone up 5 points] Tell me what to do next please. >e I move east. UPPER LANDING I am at the top of flight of creaky stairs on the upper landing. A dusty, planked floor and plain, featureless walls, with an unkempt, cobwebby ceiling. Peering in the dimness, I see an entrance to a solitary bedroom through the west door. Exits lead: west and down. Please tell me your next command. >d I begin moving down. HALLWAY I am in a cramped hallway with plastered walls. Before me, to the right, rises a narrow, wooden staircase. There are open doorways to rooms east and west. At the northern end I espy a latched door in the wall which most surely provides access into the cellar. Exits lead: east, west, up and down. Tell me what to do next please. >unlock door I don't have a key. Please tell me your next command. >i I am carrying: nothing at all. I am wearing my clothes. OK, now what? >u I set off up. UPPER LANDING I am at the top of flight of creaky stairs on the upper landing. A dusty, planked floor and plain, featureless walls, with an unkempt, cobwebby ceiling. Peering in the dimness, I see an entrance to a solitary bedroom through the west door. Exits lead: west and down. Please tell me your next command. >w I move west. BEDROOM An uncurtained south window allows light to stream on to a single bed. The exit to the landing is through the door to the east. Exits lead: north and east. Also here I can see: a key, a pocket torch, a receipt, a milk bottle, a piece of paper, a bed, a notebook, a business card, Clark's jotter, a newspaper clipping and a meteorite fragment. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >take all I take the key, torch, receipt, bottle, paper, notebook, card, jotter, clipping and the meteor. What now? >e I set off east. UPPER LANDING I am at the top of flight of creaky stairs on the upper landing. A dusty, planked floor and plain, featureless walls, with an unkempt, cobwebby ceiling. Peering in the dimness, I see an entrance to a solitary bedroom through the west door. Exits lead: west and down. What now? >d I set off down. HALLWAY I am in a cramped hallway with plastered walls. Before me, to the right, rises a narrow, wooden staircase. There are open doorways to rooms east and west. At the northern end I espy a latched door in the wall which most surely provides access into the cellar. Exits lead: east, west, up and down. OK, now what? >s I'm unable to go south. Exits lead: east, west, up and down. OK, now what? >unlock door I unlock the door using the small key. Tell me what to do next please. >save Game position saved. Please tell me your next command. >s I don't see how I can go south. Exits lead: east, west, up, down and out. I'm waiting for your commands. >out OUTSIDE COTTAGE Clark's "residence" is small and compact. I would say about two hundred years old. Lawless crawling vines cover the ancient, tarnished brickwork. It is capped with an odd-shaped peaked roof and chimney stack. The windows are shuttered. The front door is closed. To the right of the door is a rough patch of weedy, neglected garden. A rough, mossy rock serves as a doorstep. Exits lead: south and in. What now? >s I set off south. SMALL VILLAGE I am on a village road. There's not much sign of life here. It is not reassuring to see, on a closer glance, that most of the sparsely scattered houses are deserted and falling to ruin and wear a uniform aspect of age, squalor, and dilapidation erected in an earlier architectural period than that of the neighbouring region. There is a broken-down church to the south. I'm impressed with a faint, malign odour about the village street, akin to the massed mould and decay of centuries and I am slightly unnerved by the disturbing silence which prevails here. A cracked footpath leads north to Clark's cottage. The road continues westerly toward the base of a giant hill. Exits lead: north, south, east and west. OK, now what? >w I begin moving west. FOOT OF HILL A giant, grassy hill looms ahead of me. High up, crowning the grassy summit of this swelling mound are a couple of old gnarled trees and a circle of standing stones. A narrow track skirts around the base continuing west. Exits lead: east, west and up. What now? >u I begin an upward ascent to the summit of the grassy hill. It is a good twenty minutes trek but I finally reach the apex of the swelling mound... TOP OF GIANT HILL I am at the summit of the huge, swelling, grassy mound. I can see a few trees, sickly and stunted, and some dead trunks stand or lay rotting. There is an eerie stillness. There are steep, dangerous drops on all sides and the only safe route back is to return via the route whence I came. Close to me is the yawning black maw of an abandoned well whose stagnant vapours permeate the atmosphere. Exits lead: down only. Also here I can see: a stone circle and a well. Tell me what to do next please. >x well Well: It's quite deep. It's a dark shaft but I can make out that something revolting and unnatural is down there at the bottom - a kind of weird rhythmically, pulsating green glow oozing and bubbling slime. I'm waiting for your commands. >put meteorite in well This is a bad idea. What good would it do to put the meteor into the well? I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >d FOOT OF HILL A giant, grassy hill looms ahead of me. High up, crowning the grassy summit of this swelling mound are a couple of old gnarled trees and a circle of standing stones. A narrow track skirts around the base continuing west. Exits lead: east, west and up. Please tell me your next command. >w I begin moving west. WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. OK, now what? >w I go west. BEVERLY ROAD Roads branch off in all directions, criss-crossing the landscape. The nearness and intimacy of the dwarfed, domed hills now become veritably breathtaking. The dense, unvisited woods on the inaccessible slopes seem like they may harbour mysterious and unearthly inhabitants. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >read receipt It has a letterhead banner: "MAYNARD BROWN - FARM PRODUCE" Scribbled on it are directions to find Brown's Farm from the Beverley Road. SW-SW-SW-SW-NW. I'm waiting for your commands. >sw I begin moving southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. The vista of the hill-crowded countryside with its towering, threatening, close-pressing green and granite slopes impresses me with its surreal majesty. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please tell me your next command. >sw I begin moving southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. The narrow, ribbon-like road rises and falls and curves with an almost sentient and purposeful caprice amidst the tenantless green peaks and half-deserted valleys. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. What now? >sw I move southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >sw I move southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. OK, now what? >nw I go northwest. BROWN'S FARM ENTRANCE I am standing outside an arched entranceway to Brown's farm. Nestling in the rolling hills of Massachusetts, it looks fairly isolated with the nearest neighbours miles away and nowhere in sight. A tarmac road leads northwest to the farmer's house. Exits lead: north, west, northwest and southeast. Tell me what to do next please. >save Game position saved. I'm waiting for your commands. >nw I begin moving northwest. OUTSIDE FARMHOUSE The farmhouse is a single storey building topped with a thatched roof. The door stands invitingly open. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. Please enter your instructions. >x building Nothing I can say about "building". It doesn't appear to be in view! I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x roof The roof is made with a yellow and golden straw covering. It sits proudly atop the farmhouse. Tell me what to do next please. >x door The door is ajar. I'm waiting for your commands. >in FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. What now? >x trash What a mess. Someone hasn't cleaned in here for weeks. A disgusting and filthy spectacle to behold! I examine the untidy room and search through the trash and discarded items but I see nothing whatsoever that can be deemed to be helpful here... OK, now what? >x clothing I'm not sure what clothing is. I can only examine what I see and understand. Please tell me your next command. >x candles I don't need to bother with that. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x furniture I don't need to bother with that. OK, now what? >x painting I'm not sure what painting is. I can only examine what I see and understand. Tell me what to do next please. >x couch Ugh! The couch is filthy with wax, dust, bits of food and rubbish. I shall not be sitting down on it. Tell me what to do next please. >l FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. I'm waiting for your commands. >x fireplace Fireplace: It's a traditional log fire burning merrily with a crackling glow and providing ample warmth to the room. What now? >look in fireplace I can't look in the fireplace. It's solid as far as I can tell. Tell me what to do next please. =====rem: seems odd it's still lit? I'm waiting for your commands. >l FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. Tell me what to do next please. >e I begin moving east. FARMER'S BEDROOM The bedroom is in just as bad of a state as the rest of the house. Additionally, a rancid and rotting smell comes from this room. The sheets are pulled up, covering a large lump in the bed itself. Blood stains the sheets here, seeping out from whatever is under the blankets. Exits lead: west only. I'm waiting for your commands. >smell I'll smell and see if there is anything in the air. Nothing unusual that I can notice. OK, now what? >x lump Meteorite fragment: a small lump of silvery-brownish metal. (Probably caused the hole in the church flooring) What now? >x lump in bed Well there is no way I can x the lump in the bed. I sincerely suggest we find some other way. What now? >x bed I pull the sheets back. The half-eaten body of a chicken is revealed. I hold back some vomit and quickly cover up the sickening spectacle. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >l FARMER'S BEDROOM The bedroom is in just as bad of a state as the rest of the house. Additionally, a rancid and rotting smell comes from this room. The sheets are pulled up, covering a large lump in the bed itself. Blood stains the sheets here, seeping out from whatever is under the blankets. Exits lead: west only. OK, now what? >x chicken I don't even want to look at the half-eaten chicken any more. Tell me what to do next please. >x blankets I pull the sheets back. The half-eaten body of a chicken is revealed. I hold back some vomit and quickly cover up the sickening spectacle. I'm waiting for your commands. >take blankets Doesn't seem to be possible for me! I can't take the blankets. Please enter your instructions. >w I go west. FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. Tell me what to do next please. >w I set off west. FARMER'S KITCHEN The rot and decay coming from the kitchen can be smelled all the way from the living room. The kitchen has a small door leading to a pantry, a small stove and a kitchen table. One of the chairs is flipped over. On the table are two cups of tea, both with mould floating in them. Dried, rotten food and flies are everywhere. The sink is full of dirty dishes. Exits lead: north and east. Also here I can see: a besom. Please enter your instructions. >x door It's just part of the room scenery. I'm waiting for your commands. >x stove Stove: Ugh! Filthy and dirty. I examine the stove but after careful scrutiny there really is nothing of use here which is just as well as I don't want to touch any of it. I'm waiting for your commands. >x table Table: Ugh! Filthy and dirty. I examine the table but after careful scrutiny there really is nothing of use here which is just as well as I don't want to touch any of it. Tell me what to do next please. >x chairs Chairs: Ugh! Filthy and dirty. I examine the chairs but after careful scrutiny there really is nothing of use here which is just as well as I don't want to touch any of it. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x tea Tea: Ugh! Filthy and dirty. I examine the tea but after careful scrutiny there really is nothing of use here which is just as well as I don't want to touch any of it. Tell me what to do next please. >x cups Cups: Ugh! Filthy and dirty. I examine the cups but after careful scrutiny there really is nothing of use here which is just as well as I don't want to touch any of it. OK, now what? >l FARMER'S KITCHEN The rot and decay coming from the kitchen can be smelled all the way from the living room. The kitchen has a small door leading to a pantry, a small stove and a kitchen table. One of the chairs is flipped over. On the table are two cups of tea, both with mould floating in them. Dried, rotten food and flies are everywhere. The sink is full of dirty dishes. Exits lead: north and east. Also here I can see: a besom. OK, now what? >x food Food: Ugh! Filthy and dirty. I examine the food but after careful scrutiny there really is nothing of use here which is just as well as I don't want to touch any of it. What now? >x sink Sink: Ugh! Filthy and dirty. I examine the sink but after careful scrutiny there really is nothing of use here which is just as well as I don't want to touch any of it. Please tell me your next command. >x besom Besom: It has a long handle with a bunch of compacted twigs glued firmly on the other end. Would make a fine sweeping brush... or maybe something else?? What now? >take it I now have the besom. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >l FARMER'S KITCHEN The rot and decay coming from the kitchen can be smelled all the way from the living room. The kitchen has a small door leading to a pantry, a small stove and a kitchen table. One of the chairs is flipped over. On the table are two cups of tea, both with mould floating in them. Dried, rotten food and flies are everywhere. The sink is full of dirty dishes. Exits lead: north and east. Please tell me your next command. >n I begin moving north. PANTRY A small larder stocked with a few provisions and necessities. Exits lead: south only. Also here I can see: a hambone. What now? >x hambone Bone: Mmmm! I used to love left-over hambone soup. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >take it I now have the bone. Tell me what to do next please. >s I go south. FARMER'S KITCHEN The rot and decay coming from the kitchen can be smelled all the way from the living room. The kitchen has a small door leading to a pantry, a small stove and a kitchen table. One of the chairs is flipped over. On the table are two cups of tea, both with mould floating in them. Dried, rotten food and flies are everywhere. The sink is full of dirty dishes. Exits lead: north and east. Please tell me your next command. >sweep You sure you know what your talking about? Please enter your instructions. >x besom Besom: It has a long handle with a bunch of compacted twigs glued firmly on the other end. Would make a fine sweeping brush... or maybe something else?? Tell me what to do next please. >e I move east. FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. Farmer Brown is here. Please tell me your next command. >x brown Farmer Brown is tall and built like a brick outhouse! He has a ruddy complexion and a wild, faraway look in his eyes. He is carrying a shotgun over his shoulder. He watches you closely... Tell me what to do next please. >talk to farmer brown "Greetings, stranger. I be the owner of this farm. Brown's the name. You're not from round here are you? Have yer lost yer way, fella? It's easy to get lost in these parts. Lovely day today. You be welcome ter look around here if you wants to. I'd welcome the company... Me and the wife don't mind folks visiting. Make yursel a cup o' tea in the farmhouse if yer like. But please, don't be causin' any damage or messing with my equipment an' all. I be doing my daily rounds and checkin' on things right now. If there be anythin' you want to know or if you see somethin' you want to know about - you can always ask me about it. I enjoy talkin' to people." Please tell me your next command. >ask brown about clark "Hmmm. I haven't a clue what you're on about, mate! Nothing to so with me." I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >ask brown about meteorite "Lived here all my life. Love it here! Some meterorites came down on here a few weeks back. Didn't do much damage, although I heard one of 'em hit the old Akeley Well on the hill." Please enter your instructions. >ask brown about akely "Nah! Can't help yer there. A "akely" you say... Never heard of it!" Farmer Brown departs and goes out. Tell me what to do next please. >undo Turn undone! FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. Farmer Brown is here. I'm waiting for your commands. >ask brown about himself "Nah! Can't help yer there. A "himself" you say... Never heard of it!" I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >undo Turn undone! FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. Farmer Brown is here. OK, now what? >ask brown about akeley "Nah! Can't help yer there. A "akeley" you say... Never heard of it!" Please enter your instructions. >ask brown about well "Sorry. Don't know much about the well." I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >ask brown about ashton "Hmmm. I haven't a clue what you're on about, mate! Nothing to so with me." I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >s I'm unable to go south. Exits lead: east, west and out. Please tell me your next command. >out OUTSIDE FARMHOUSE The farmhouse is a single storey building topped with a thatched roof. The door stands invitingly open. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. Please enter your instructions. >in FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. Please tell me your next command. >e I set off east. FARMER'S BEDROOM The bedroom is in just as bad of a state as the rest of the house. Additionally, a rancid and rotting smell comes from this room. The sheets are pulled up, covering a large lump in the bed itself. Blood stains the sheets here, seeping out from whatever is under the blankets. Exits lead: west only. Farmer Brown is here. I'm waiting for your commands. >ask brown about chicken "I can't tell you much about the chicken." OK, now what? >w I begin moving west. FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. Farmer Brown enters. What now? >w I set off west. FARMER'S KITCHEN The rot and decay coming from the kitchen can be smelled all the way from the living room. The kitchen has a small door leading to a pantry, a small stove and a kitchen table. One of the chairs is flipped over. On the table are two cups of tea, both with mould floating in them. Dried, rotten food and flies are everywhere. The sink is full of dirty dishes. Exits lead: north and east. I'm waiting for your commands. >n I move north. PANTRY A small larder stocked with a few provisions and necessities. Exits lead: south only. Please tell me your next command. >x bone Bone: Mmmm! I used to love left-over hambone soup. Please tell me your next command. >s I begin moving south. FARMER'S KITCHEN The rot and decay coming from the kitchen can be smelled all the way from the living room. The kitchen has a small door leading to a pantry, a small stove and a kitchen table. One of the chairs is flipped over. On the table are two cups of tea, both with mould floating in them. Dried, rotten food and flies are everywhere. The sink is full of dirty dishes. Exits lead: north and east. Please enter your instructions. >e I move east. FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. Farmer Brown is here. Please tell me your next command. >ask brown about hambone "Sorry. Don't know much about the hambone." What now? >s I'm unable to go south. Exits lead: east, west and out. OK, now what? >out OUTSIDE FARMHOUSE The farmhouse is a single storey building topped with a thatched roof. The door stands invitingly open. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. Tell me what to do next please. >sw I set off southwest. CORN SILO It is a tall, cylindrical metal tower. The farmer probably uses it to store fodder or silage, coarsely chopped corn stalks, leaves and ears, for his cattle. There is a small hatch on the outside where the silage can be poured out into hoppers. The hatch can be operated by a lever mechanism. Exits lead: east, northeast and northwest. Please tell me your next command. >x hatch It's like a door or aperture that slides up to let some silage come out. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x lever It's a small hand-operated handle that can be pulled. I'm waiting for your commands. >pull lever I pull the lever on the side of the silo. An amount of fodder is dispensed from the silo. I notice something else amongst the pile. Please enter your instructions. >x fodder It is as you would imagine it. Please enter your instructions. >l CORN SILO It is a tall, cylindrical metal tower. The farmer probably uses it to store fodder or silage, coarsely chopped corn stalks, leaves and ears, for his cattle. There is a small hatch on the outside where the silage can be poured out into hoppers. The hatch can be operated by a lever mechanism. Exits lead: east, northeast and northwest. Also here I can see: the farmer's wife is here. I'm waiting for your commands. >x wife Farmer's wife: Covered in grain, the farmer's wife is quite, quite dead! A large hole has been blasted through her forehead! Please enter your instructions. >ne I go northeast. OUTSIDE FARMHOUSE The farmhouse is a single storey building topped with a thatched roof. The door stands invitingly open. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. What now? >in FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. Farmer Brown is here. Farmer Brown goes west. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >w I move west. FARMER'S KITCHEN The rot and decay coming from the kitchen can be smelled all the way from the living room. The kitchen has a small door leading to a pantry, a small stove and a kitchen table. One of the chairs is flipped over. On the table are two cups of tea, both with mould floating in them. Dried, rotten food and flies are everywhere. The sink is full of dirty dishes. Exits lead: north and east. Farmer Brown is here. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >ask brown about wife "Been married 28 years. The missus is a lovely woman!" Please tell me your next command. >e I begin moving east. FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. Farmer Brown enters. I'm waiting for your commands. >out OUTSIDE FARMHOUSE The farmhouse is a single storey building topped with a thatched roof. The door stands invitingly open. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. What now? >w I move west. FIELD I am in an arid, stubbly field. Patchy grass surrounds me. The soil is cracked and unhealthily pale. There is a tilled area where the farmer has planted a variety of crops and vegetables. It would appear the cows have recently been feeding on the crops here. There is a small crater here. Exits lead: east, northeast and southeast. Also here I can see: some dead cows and a wheelbarrow. What now? >x crater Crater: It's a small depression in the ground. Might have been caused by a meteorite. What now? >x barrow Wheelbarrow: It is a sturdy, heavy duty one in good condition with a single rubber wheel at the front. In the wheelbarrow is: nothing. OK, now what? >x fields I'll describe it again... FIELD I am in an arid, stubbly field. Patchy grass surrounds me. The soil is cracked and unhealthily pale. There is a tilled area where the farmer has planted a variety of crops and vegetables. It would appear the cows have recently been feeding on the crops here. There is a small crater here. Exits lead: east, northeast and southeast. Also here I can see: some dead cows and a wheelbarrow. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x cows Cows: They are all dead, their bodies decayed to the point where they have collapsed in on their own putrescent selves. Inspecting the corpses I notice that they all have signs of having nibbled on some of the diseased vegetables in the field, not to mention the nauseating stench that they are emitting. What now? >x soil I examine the ground beneath my feet and discover nothing of great import. Please tell me your next command. >se I begin moving southeast. CORN SILO It is a tall, cylindrical metal tower. The farmer probably uses it to store fodder or silage, coarsely chopped corn stalks, leaves and ears, for his cattle. There is a small hatch on the outside where the silage can be poured out into hoppers. The hatch can be operated by a lever mechanism. Exits lead: east, northeast and northwest. Also here I can see: the farmer's wife is here. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >ne I begin moving northeast. OUTSIDE FARMHOUSE The farmhouse is a single storey building topped with a thatched roof. The door stands invitingly open. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. Please tell me your next command. >nw I go northwest. OUTSIDE BARN A huge hay barn with open doors faces me. I could go inside as long as nobody noticed. Exits lead: east, southeast, southwest and in. Also here I can see: a bulldog. I'm waiting for your commands. >x dog Bulldog: It's big. Has lots of sharp teeth. It's sitting outside the barn blocking the entrance! It wears a spiky collar with the letters 'BUDDY' engraved on it. Buddy the bulldog growls at me... Please enter your instructions. >give bone to buddy I offer the hambone to placate the angry mutt. Yes. My reasonable logic works! The dog stops growling and settles down to devour the tasty treat with its slobbering, slavering mouth. The dog grabs the bone in its teeth, wags its tail happily and trots off to the southwest. [My score just went up by 5 points] I'm waiting for your commands. >score My score is 30 out of 50 adventure game points. I have taken 459 turns. OK, now what? >in INSIDE BARN Bales of hay are stacked to the ceiling in the rear half of the barn along with a large number of milk kettles. The structure also contains stalls for eight cows in all, four on each side of the building. A feeding trough for the cows is visible. The four cows here all look rather sickly. Exits lead: out only. Also here I can see: a barrel of gasoline. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... =====rem: oh hello Please enter your instructions. >x ceiling Nothing special here. Please enter your instructions. >x kettles Can't help you with the kettles. I'm afraid it doesn't appear to be here! I'm waiting for your commands. >x milk Milk bottle: It is labelled with the "Happy Cow Dairy" logo. It is empty. Please enter your instructions. >x stalls I examine the stalls. It is just the place where the farmer keeps and milks his cows. Tell me what to do next please. >x trough It appears Farmer Brown is feeding them animal feed mixed with the remains of some vegetables from his fields or from the corn silo. What now? >l INSIDE BARN Bales of hay are stacked to the ceiling in the rear half of the barn along with a large number of milk kettles. The structure also contains stalls for eight cows in all, four on each side of the building. A feeding trough for the cows is visible. The four cows here all look rather sickly. Exits lead: out only. Also here I can see: a barrel of gasoline. OK, now what? >x cows I'm no scientist but it looks like the cows are wasting away as if something were eating them up inside. Tell me what to do next please. >x barrel Gas: A heavy metal barrel full of gasoline. It has a cap on top which can be turned to remove it or tighten it. There is a warning sticker affixed to it that says: "FLAMMABLE - KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE" Please enter your instructions. >* ah, theory I'm not sure what you mean when you say that. Please tell me your next command. >take barrel I now have the gas. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >out OUTSIDE BARN A huge hay barn with open doors faces me. I could go inside as long as nobody noticed. Exits lead: east, southeast, southwest and in. I can't hold the gasoline, it's too heavy for me. I drop it. Please tell me your next command. >sw I move southwest. FIELD I am in an arid, stubbly field. Patchy grass surrounds me. The soil is cracked and unhealthily pale. There is a tilled area where the farmer has planted a variety of crops and vegetables. It would appear the cows have recently been feeding on the crops here. There is a small crater here. Exits lead: east, northeast and southeast. Also here I can see: some dead cows and a wheelbarrow. OK, now what? >take barrow I now have the wheelbarrow. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >ne I set off northeast. OUTSIDE BARN A huge hay barn with open doors faces me. I could go inside as long as nobody noticed. Exits lead: east, southeast, southwest and in. Also here I can see: a barrel of gasoline. Tell me what to do next please. >put barrel in barrow I don't have the gas. I'm waiting for your commands. >take barrel I now have the gas. What now? >put barrel in barrow The gas is in the wheelbarrow. Please enter your instructions. >se I go southeast. OUTSIDE FARMHOUSE The farmhouse is a single storey building topped with a thatched roof. The door stands invitingly open. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. Please enter your instructions. =====rem: there we are I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >in FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. Farmer Brown is here. Farmer Brown sees that I have stolen an item of his property! "Thief!", he shouts angrily. Farmer Brown wastes no time at all raising his shotgun and aiming it at me. He pulls the trigger and shoots me in the head. I am hit. I lose consciousness. My score is 30 out of 50 adventure game points. "Not far from Innsmouth and Dunwich and north of Boston, Massachusetts, lies the ancient and legend haunted New England town of Arkham whose huddled, sagging gambrel roofs and crumbling Georgian balustrades brood out the centuries beside the darkly muttering Miskatonic River." ~ H. P. Lovecraft. October 1928. My name is Stu Troughton. I'm here because of my concern for a great friend of mine, Clark Ashton, a journalist from the "Arkham Advertiser". I heard that he had suddenly up and disappeared about a week ago. Passing strange! The local police have been unable to trace him and had reached a dead end with their enquiries. I have some free time, being retired now, and as a former 'Private Enquiry Agent', I have arrived in Arkham by bus from Dunwich to see if I can uncover any light of the cause of Clark's sudden disappearance. I visited his Editor, Harvey Gedney, this afternoon who gave me directions to Clark's address. Seems there's an ongoing public health crisis here; a strange epidemic that has left dozens of tumour-ridden and mutated patients in hospital and an unusual number of Arkhamites ill with symptoms of nausea, vomiting and bleeding. Clark's home is off the Aylesbury Road so I set off on foot for what I hope will be a pleasant country ramble westwards in the late afternoon sunshine to find it. A mile or two into my journey and already the sights and sounds of old Arkham town have receded and I find myself alone following a narrow, winding trail... MEANDERING TRAIL I am on a twisty trail west of old Arkham town. Looking around I see the hills rise wild, and there are valleys with deep, dark woods. I turn and see dark narrow glens where trees slope fantastically, and where thin brooklets trickle without ever having caught the glint of sunlight. On the gentler slopes I spot a few deserted farms, ancient and rocky, with squat, moss-coated cottages dilapidated and vacant now, the wide chimneys crumbling and the shingled sides bulging perilously beneath low gambrel roofs. Exits lead: east and west. OK, now what? BROWN'S FARM ENTRANCE I am standing outside an arched entranceway to Brown's farm. Nestling in the rolling hills of Massachusetts, it looks fairly isolated with the nearest neighbours miles away and nowhere in sight. A tarmac road leads northwest to the farmer's house. Exits lead: north, west, northwest and southeast. Please tell me your next command. >l BROWN'S FARM ENTRANCE I am standing outside an arched entranceway to Brown's farm. Nestling in the rolling hills of Massachusetts, it looks fairly isolated with the nearest neighbours miles away and nowhere in sight. A tarmac road leads northwest to the farmer's house. Exits lead: north, west, northwest and southeast. OK, now what? >i I am carrying: a key, a pocket torch, a receipt, a milk bottle, a piece of paper, a notebook, a business card, Clark's jotter, a newspaper clipping and a meteorite fragment. I am wearing my clothes. Please tell me your next command. >in I am unable to go in. What now? >w I move west. CORN SILO It is a tall, cylindrical metal tower. The farmer probably uses it to store fodder or silage, coarsely chopped corn stalks, leaves and ears, for his cattle. There is a small hatch on the outside where the silage can be poured out into hoppers. The hatch can be operated by a lever mechanism. Exits lead: east, northeast and northwest. Farmer Brown enters. OK, now what? >n I don't see how I can go north. Exits lead: east, northeast and northwest. Please enter your instructions. >nw I begin moving northwest. FIELD I am in an arid, stubbly field. Patchy grass surrounds me. The soil is cracked and unhealthily pale. There is a tilled area where the farmer has planted a variety of crops and vegetables. It would appear the cows have recently been feeding on the crops here. There is a small crater here. Exits lead: east, northeast and southeast. Also here I can see: some dead cows and a wheelbarrow. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >take barrow I now have the wheelbarrow. Farmer Brown appears. Farmer Brown sees that I have stolen an item of his property! "Thief!", he shouts angrily. Farmer Brown wastes no time at all raising his shotgun and aiming it at me. He pulls the trigger and shoots me in the head. I am hit. I lose consciousness. My score is 25 out of 50 adventure game points. "Not far from Innsmouth and Dunwich and north of Boston, Massachusetts, lies the ancient and legend haunted New England town of Arkham whose huddled, sagging gambrel roofs and crumbling Georgian balustrades brood out the centuries beside the darkly muttering Miskatonic River." ~ H. P. Lovecraft. October 1928. My name is Stu Troughton. I'm here because of my concern for a great friend of mine, Clark Ashton, a journalist from the "Arkham Advertiser". I heard that he had suddenly up and disappeared about a week ago. Passing strange! The local police have been unable to trace him and had reached a dead end with their enquiries. I have some free time, being retired now, and as a former 'Private Enquiry Agent', I have arrived in Arkham by bus from Dunwich to see if I can uncover any light of the cause of Clark's sudden disappearance. I visited his Editor, Harvey Gedney, this afternoon who gave me directions to Clark's address. Seems there's an ongoing public health crisis here; a strange epidemic that has left dozens of tumour-ridden and mutated patients in hospital and an unusual number of Arkhamites ill with symptoms of nausea, vomiting and bleeding. Clark's home is off the Aylesbury Road so I set off on foot for what I hope will be a pleasant country ramble westwards in the late afternoon sunshine to find it. A mile or two into my journey and already the sights and sounds of old Arkham town have receded and I find myself alone following a narrow, winding trail... MEANDERING TRAIL I am on a twisty trail west of old Arkham town. Looking around I see the hills rise wild, and there are valleys with deep, dark woods. I turn and see dark narrow glens where trees slope fantastically, and where thin brooklets trickle without ever having caught the glint of sunlight. On the gentler slopes I spot a few deserted farms, ancient and rocky, with squat, moss-coated cottages dilapidated and vacant now, the wide chimneys crumbling and the shingled sides bulging perilously beneath low gambrel roofs. Exits lead: east and west. What now? BROWN'S FARM ENTRANCE I am standing outside an arched entranceway to Brown's farm. Nestling in the rolling hills of Massachusetts, it looks fairly isolated with the nearest neighbours miles away and nowhere in sight. A tarmac road leads northwest to the farmer's house. Exits lead: north, west, northwest and southeast. Farmer Brown arrives... Tell me what to do next please. >w I move west. CORN SILO It is a tall, cylindrical metal tower. The farmer probably uses it to store fodder or silage, coarsely chopped corn stalks, leaves and ears, for his cattle. There is a small hatch on the outside where the silage can be poured out into hoppers. The hatch can be operated by a lever mechanism. Exits lead: east, northeast and northwest. What now? >e I move east. BROWN'S FARM ENTRANCE I am standing outside an arched entranceway to Brown's farm. Nestling in the rolling hills of Massachusetts, it looks fairly isolated with the nearest neighbours miles away and nowhere in sight. A tarmac road leads northwest to the farmer's house. Exits lead: north, west, northwest and southeast. Farmer Brown is here. Farmer Brown departs and goes west. OK, now what? >nw I go northwest. OUTSIDE FARMHOUSE The farmhouse is a single storey building topped with a thatched roof. The door stands invitingly open. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. What now? >e I can't see a way for me to go east. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. Tell me what to do next please. >in FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. I'm waiting for your commands. >w I begin moving west. FARMER'S KITCHEN The rot and decay coming from the kitchen can be smelled all the way from the living room. The kitchen has a small door leading to a pantry, a small stove and a kitchen table. One of the chairs is flipped over. On the table are two cups of tea, both with mould floating in them. Dried, rotten food and flies are everywhere. The sink is full of dirty dishes. Exits lead: north and east. Also here I can see: a besom. Please tell me your next command. >take besom I now have the besom. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >e I set off east. FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. I'm waiting for your commands. >e I begin moving east. FARMER'S BEDROOM The bedroom is in just as bad of a state as the rest of the house. Additionally, a rancid and rotting smell comes from this room. The sheets are pulled up, covering a large lump in the bed itself. Blood stains the sheets here, seeping out from whatever is under the blankets. Exits lead: west only. What now? >w I set off west. FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. Tell me what to do next please. >w I move west. FARMER'S KITCHEN The rot and decay coming from the kitchen can be smelled all the way from the living room. The kitchen has a small door leading to a pantry, a small stove and a kitchen table. One of the chairs is flipped over. On the table are two cups of tea, both with mould floating in them. Dried, rotten food and flies are everywhere. The sink is full of dirty dishes. Exits lead: north and east. OK, now what? >n I go north. PANTRY A small larder stocked with a few provisions and necessities. Exits lead: south only. Also here I can see: a hambone. What now? >take hambone I now have the bone. Please tell me your next command. >s I set off south. FARMER'S KITCHEN The rot and decay coming from the kitchen can be smelled all the way from the living room. The kitchen has a small door leading to a pantry, a small stove and a kitchen table. One of the chairs is flipped over. On the table are two cups of tea, both with mould floating in them. Dried, rotten food and flies are everywhere. The sink is full of dirty dishes. Exits lead: north and east. OK, now what? >e I set off east. FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >s I can't go south at this moment. Exits lead: east, west and out. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >out OUTSIDE FARMHOUSE The farmhouse is a single storey building topped with a thatched roof. The door stands invitingly open. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. Please tell me your next command. >sw I set off southwest. CORN SILO It is a tall, cylindrical metal tower. The farmer probably uses it to store fodder or silage, coarsely chopped corn stalks, leaves and ears, for his cattle. There is a small hatch on the outside where the silage can be poured out into hoppers. The hatch can be operated by a lever mechanism. Exits lead: east, northeast and northwest. I'm waiting for your commands. >pull lever I pull the lever on the side of the silo. An amount of fodder is dispensed from the silo. I notice something else amongst the pile. Please enter your instructions. >x body I can't see the body to examine. OK, now what? >x wife Farmer's wife: Covered in grain, the farmer's wife is quite, quite dead! A large hole has been blasted through her forehead! I'm waiting for your commands. >l CORN SILO It is a tall, cylindrical metal tower. The farmer probably uses it to store fodder or silage, coarsely chopped corn stalks, leaves and ears, for his cattle. There is a small hatch on the outside where the silage can be poured out into hoppers. The hatch can be operated by a lever mechanism. Exits lead: east, northeast and northwest. Also here I can see: the farmer's wife is here. Farmer Brown arrives... Farmer Brown sees his wife lying dead on the ground. "Murderer!", he shouts angrily. "You've killed my wife!" Farmer Brown raises his shotgun and aims it at me. Without hesitation he pulls the trigger and shoots me in the head. I am hit. I lose consciousness. My score is 25 out of 50 adventure game points. "Not far from Innsmouth and Dunwich and north of Boston, Massachusetts, lies the ancient and legend haunted New England town of Arkham whose huddled, sagging gambrel roofs and crumbling Georgian balustrades brood out the centuries beside the darkly muttering Miskatonic River." ~ H. P. Lovecraft. October 1928. My name is Stu Troughton. I'm here because of my concern for a great friend of mine, Clark Ashton, a journalist from the "Arkham Advertiser". I heard that he had suddenly up and disappeared about a week ago. Passing strange! The local police have been unable to trace him and had reached a dead end with their enquiries. I have some free time, being retired now, and as a former 'Private Enquiry Agent', I have arrived in Arkham by bus from Dunwich to see if I can uncover any light of the cause of Clark's sudden disappearance. I visited his Editor, Harvey Gedney, this afternoon who gave me directions to Clark's address. Seems there's an ongoing public health crisis here; a strange epidemic that has left dozens of tumour-ridden and mutated patients in hospital and an unusual number of Arkhamites ill with symptoms of nausea, vomiting and bleeding. Clark's home is off the Aylesbury Road so I set off on foot for what I hope will be a pleasant country ramble westwards in the late afternoon sunshine to find it. A mile or two into my journey and already the sights and sounds of old Arkham town have receded and I find myself alone following a narrow, winding trail... MEANDERING TRAIL I am on a twisty trail west of old Arkham town. Looking around I see the hills rise wild, and there are valleys with deep, dark woods. I turn and see dark narrow glens where trees slope fantastically, and where thin brooklets trickle without ever having caught the glint of sunlight. On the gentler slopes I spot a few deserted farms, ancient and rocky, with squat, moss-coated cottages dilapidated and vacant now, the wide chimneys crumbling and the shingled sides bulging perilously beneath low gambrel roofs. Exits lead: east and west. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >i I am carrying: nothing at all. I am wearing my clothes. Please tell me your next command. BROWN'S FARM ENTRANCE I am standing outside an arched entranceway to Brown's farm. Nestling in the rolling hills of Massachusetts, it looks fairly isolated with the nearest neighbours miles away and nowhere in sight. A tarmac road leads northwest to the farmer's house. Exits lead: north, west, northwest and southeast. What now? >w I go west. CORN SILO It is a tall, cylindrical metal tower. The farmer probably uses it to store fodder or silage, coarsely chopped corn stalks, leaves and ears, for his cattle. There is a small hatch on the outside where the silage can be poured out into hoppers. The hatch can be operated by a lever mechanism. Exits lead: east, northeast and northwest. Please tell me your next command. >e I go east. BROWN'S FARM ENTRANCE I am standing outside an arched entranceway to Brown's farm. Nestling in the rolling hills of Massachusetts, it looks fairly isolated with the nearest neighbours miles away and nowhere in sight. A tarmac road leads northwest to the farmer's house. Exits lead: north, west, northwest and southeast. Farmer Brown is here. Farmer Brown departs and goes northwest. I'm waiting for your commands. >nw I set off northwest. OUTSIDE FARMHOUSE The farmhouse is a single storey building topped with a thatched roof. The door stands invitingly open. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. I'm waiting for your commands. >in FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >w I begin moving west. FARMER'S KITCHEN The rot and decay coming from the kitchen can be smelled all the way from the living room. The kitchen has a small door leading to a pantry, a small stove and a kitchen table. One of the chairs is flipped over. On the table are two cups of tea, both with mould floating in them. Dried, rotten food and flies are everywhere. The sink is full of dirty dishes. Exits lead: north and east. Also here I can see: a besom. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >take besom I now have the besom. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >n I set off north. PANTRY A small larder stocked with a few provisions and necessities. Exits lead: south only. Also here I can see: a hambone. I'm waiting for your commands. >take bone I now have the bone. OK, now what? >s I go south. FARMER'S KITCHEN The rot and decay coming from the kitchen can be smelled all the way from the living room. The kitchen has a small door leading to a pantry, a small stove and a kitchen table. One of the chairs is flipped over. On the table are two cups of tea, both with mould floating in them. Dried, rotten food and flies are everywhere. The sink is full of dirty dishes. Exits lead: north and east. OK, now what? >e I go east. FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. What now? >e I begin moving east. FARMER'S BEDROOM The bedroom is in just as bad of a state as the rest of the house. Additionally, a rancid and rotting smell comes from this room. The sheets are pulled up, covering a large lump in the bed itself. Blood stains the sheets here, seeping out from whatever is under the blankets. Exits lead: west only. I'm waiting for your commands. >x chicken I don't even want to look at the half-eaten chicken any more. What now? >w I go west. FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. OK, now what? >out OUTSIDE FARMHOUSE The farmhouse is a single storey building topped with a thatched roof. The door stands invitingly open. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. Farmer Brown is here. Farmer Brown sets off, heading northwest. What now? >save Game position saved. Please tell me your next command. >nw I set off northwest. OUTSIDE BARN A huge hay barn with open doors faces me. I could go inside as long as nobody noticed. Exits lead: east, southeast, southwest and in. Also here I can see: a bulldog. Farmer Brown is here. Please tell me your next command. >kill brown Wouldn't be a good idea. Tell me what to do next please. >i I am carrying: a key, a pocket torch, a receipt, a milk bottle, a piece of paper, a notebook, a business card, a hambone, Clark's jotter, a newspaper clipping, a besom and a meteorite fragment. I am wearing my clothes. Please enter your instructions. >l OUTSIDE BARN A huge hay barn with open doors faces me. I could go inside as long as nobody noticed. Exits lead: east, southeast, southwest and in. Also here I can see: a bulldog. Farmer Brown is here. Please tell me your next command. >give bone to bulldog I offer the hambone to placate the angry mutt. Yes. My reasonable logic works! The dog stops growling and settles down to devour the tasty treat with its slobbering, slavering mouth. The dog grabs the bone in its teeth, wags its tail happily and trots off to the southwest. [My score just went up by 5 points] Farmer Brown leaves and moves southwest. Please tell me your next command. >in INSIDE BARN Bales of hay are stacked to the ceiling in the rear half of the barn along with a large number of milk kettles. The structure also contains stalls for eight cows in all, four on each side of the building. A feeding trough for the cows is visible. The four cows here all look rather sickly. Exits lead: out only. Also here I can see: a barrel of gasoline. Tell me what to do next please. >x barrel Gas: A heavy metal barrel full of gasoline. It has a cap on top which can be turned to remove it or tighten it. There is a warning sticker affixed to it that says: "FLAMMABLE - KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE" I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >take it I now have the gas. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >s I'm unable to go south. Exits lead: out only. I can't hold the gasoline, it's too heavy for me. I drop it. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >out OUTSIDE BARN A huge hay barn with open doors faces me. I could go inside as long as nobody noticed. Exits lead: east, southeast, southwest and in. Farmer Brown is here. Farmer Brown sets off, heading east. Please enter your instructions. >in INSIDE BARN Bales of hay are stacked to the ceiling in the rear half of the barn along with a large number of milk kettles. The structure also contains stalls for eight cows in all, four on each side of the building. A feeding trough for the cows is visible. The four cows here all look rather sickly. Exits lead: out only. Also here I can see: a barrel of gasoline. OK, now what? >take barrel I now have the gas. Please enter your instructions. >out OUTSIDE BARN A huge hay barn with open doors faces me. I could go inside as long as nobody noticed. Exits lead: east, southeast, southwest and in. Farmer Brown is here. Farmer Brown departs and goes southwest. I can't hold the gasoline, it's too heavy for me. I drop it. OK, now what? >sw I go southwest. FIELD I am in an arid, stubbly field. Patchy grass surrounds me. The soil is cracked and unhealthily pale. There is a tilled area where the farmer has planted a variety of crops and vegetables. It would appear the cows have recently been feeding on the crops here. There is a small crater here. Exits lead: east, northeast and southeast. Also here I can see: some dead cows and a wheelbarrow. Farmer Brown is here. Farmer Brown goes northeast. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >se I begin moving southeast. CORN SILO It is a tall, cylindrical metal tower. The farmer probably uses it to store fodder or silage, coarsely chopped corn stalks, leaves and ears, for his cattle. There is a small hatch on the outside where the silage can be poured out into hoppers. The hatch can be operated by a lever mechanism. Exits lead: east, northeast and northwest. Tell me what to do next please. >pull lever I pull the lever on the side of the silo. An amount of fodder is dispensed from the silo. I notice something else amongst the pile. Please enter your instructions. >x wife Farmer's wife: Covered in grain, the farmer's wife is quite, quite dead! A large hole has been blasted through her forehead! What now? >nw I set off northwest. FIELD I am in an arid, stubbly field. Patchy grass surrounds me. The soil is cracked and unhealthily pale. There is a tilled area where the farmer has planted a variety of crops and vegetables. It would appear the cows have recently been feeding on the crops here. There is a small crater here. Exits lead: east, northeast and southeast. Also here I can see: some dead cows and a wheelbarrow. I'm waiting for your commands. >save Game position saved. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >take barrow I now have the wheelbarrow. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >ne I move northeast. OUTSIDE BARN A huge hay barn with open doors faces me. I could go inside as long as nobody noticed. Exits lead: east, southeast, southwest and in. Also here I can see: a barrel of gasoline. Please tell me your next command. >take barrel I now have the gas. Tell me what to do next please. >save Game position saved. I can't hold the gasoline, it's too heavy for me. I drop it. Please enter your instructions. >take barrel I now have the gas. Please tell me your next command. >put barrel in barrow The gas is in the wheelbarrow. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >se I go southeast. OUTSIDE FARMHOUSE The farmhouse is a single storey building topped with a thatched roof. The door stands invitingly open. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. Please tell me your next command. >in FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. OK, now what? >drop barrow I drop the wheelbarrow. Please enter your instructions. >open cap This is not the place to be opening up dangerous liquids that could be harmful to man... or beast. Fire is a very dangerous element and as far as I know no person or animal is immune to its devastating effects! OK, now what? =====rem: I mean why not? I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >l FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace and a wheelbarrow. Tell me what to do next please. >take barrow I now have the wheelbarrow. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >w I set off west. FARMER'S KITCHEN The rot and decay coming from the kitchen can be smelled all the way from the living room. The kitchen has a small door leading to a pantry, a small stove and a kitchen table. One of the chairs is flipped over. On the table are two cups of tea, both with mould floating in them. Dried, rotten food and flies are everywhere. The sink is full of dirty dishes. Exits lead: north and east. Please tell me your next command. >open cap This is not the place to be opening up dangerous liquids that could be harmful to man... or beast. Fire is a very dangerous element and as far as I know no person or animal is immune to its devastating effects! What now? >n I begin moving north. PANTRY A small larder stocked with a few provisions and necessities. Exits lead: south only. Tell me what to do next please. >open cap This is not the place to be opening up dangerous liquids that could be harmful to man... or beast. Fire is a very dangerous element and as far as I know no person or animal is immune to its devastating effects! Tell me what to do next please. >x provisions I'm not sure what provisions is. I can only examine what I see and understand. I'm waiting for your commands. >s I set off south. FARMER'S KITCHEN The rot and decay coming from the kitchen can be smelled all the way from the living room. The kitchen has a small door leading to a pantry, a small stove and a kitchen table. One of the chairs is flipped over. On the table are two cups of tea, both with mould floating in them. Dried, rotten food and flies are everywhere. The sink is full of dirty dishes. Exits lead: north and east. Tell me what to do next please. >e I begin moving east. FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. Please enter your instructions. >e I begin moving east. FARMER'S BEDROOM The bedroom is in just as bad of a state as the rest of the house. Additionally, a rancid and rotting smell comes from this room. The sheets are pulled up, covering a large lump in the bed itself. Blood stains the sheets here, seeping out from whatever is under the blankets. Exits lead: west only. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >open cap This is not the place to be opening up dangerous liquids that could be harmful to man... or beast. Fire is a very dangerous element and as far as I know no person or animal is immune to its devastating effects! OK, now what? >w I set off west. FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. What now? >out OUTSIDE FARMHOUSE The farmhouse is a single storey building topped with a thatched roof. The door stands invitingly open. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. Tell me what to do next please. >open cap This is not the place to be opening up dangerous liquids that could be harmful to man... or beast. Fire is a very dangerous element and as far as I know no person or animal is immune to its devastating effects! Please enter your instructions. >e I'm unable to go east. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. Farmer Brown arrives... Farmer Brown sees that I have stolen an item of his property! "Thief!", he shouts angrily. Farmer Brown wastes no time at all raising his shotgun and aiming it at me. He pulls the trigger and shoots me in the head. I am hit. I lose consciousness. My score is 30 out of 50 adventure game points. "Not far from Innsmouth and Dunwich and north of Boston, Massachusetts, lies the ancient and legend haunted New England town of Arkham whose huddled, sagging gambrel roofs and crumbling Georgian balustrades brood out the centuries beside the darkly muttering Miskatonic River." ~ H. P. Lovecraft. October 1928. My name is Stu Troughton. I'm here because of my concern for a great friend of mine, Clark Ashton, a journalist from the "Arkham Advertiser". I heard that he had suddenly up and disappeared about a week ago. Passing strange! The local police have been unable to trace him and had reached a dead end with their enquiries. I have some free time, being retired now, and as a former 'Private Enquiry Agent', I have arrived in Arkham by bus from Dunwich to see if I can uncover any light of the cause of Clark's sudden disappearance. I visited his Editor, Harvey Gedney, this afternoon who gave me directions to Clark's address. Seems there's an ongoing public health crisis here; a strange epidemic that has left dozens of tumour-ridden and mutated patients in hospital and an unusual number of Arkhamites ill with symptoms of nausea, vomiting and bleeding. Clark's home is off the Aylesbury Road so I set off on foot for what I hope will be a pleasant country ramble westwards in the late afternoon sunshine to find it. A mile or two into my journey and already the sights and sounds of old Arkham town have receded and I find myself alone following a narrow, winding trail... MEANDERING TRAIL I am on a twisty trail west of old Arkham town. Looking around I see the hills rise wild, and there are valleys with deep, dark woods. I turn and see dark narrow glens where trees slope fantastically, and where thin brooklets trickle without ever having caught the glint of sunlight. On the gentler slopes I spot a few deserted farms, ancient and rocky, with squat, moss-coated cottages dilapidated and vacant now, the wide chimneys crumbling and the shingled sides bulging perilously beneath low gambrel roofs. Exits lead: east and west. Please tell me your next command. OUTSIDE BARN A huge hay barn with open doors faces me. I could go inside as long as nobody noticed. Exits lead: east, southeast, southwest and in. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >in INSIDE BARN Bales of hay are stacked to the ceiling in the rear half of the barn along with a large number of milk kettles. The structure also contains stalls for eight cows in all, four on each side of the building. A feeding trough for the cows is visible. The four cows here all look rather sickly. Exits lead: out only. I can't hold the gasoline, it's too heavy for me. I drop it. I'm waiting for your commands. >out OUTSIDE BARN A huge hay barn with open doors faces me. I could go inside as long as nobody noticed. Exits lead: east, southeast, southwest and in. Farmer Brown appears. Farmer Brown sees that I have stolen an item of his property! "Thief!", he shouts angrily. Farmer Brown wastes no time at all raising his shotgun and aiming it at me. He pulls the trigger and shoots me in the head. I am hit. I lose consciousness. My score is 30 out of 50 adventure game points. "Not far from Innsmouth and Dunwich and north of Boston, Massachusetts, lies the ancient and legend haunted New England town of Arkham whose huddled, sagging gambrel roofs and crumbling Georgian balustrades brood out the centuries beside the darkly muttering Miskatonic River." ~ H. P. Lovecraft. October 1928. My name is Stu Troughton. I'm here because of my concern for a great friend of mine, Clark Ashton, a journalist from the "Arkham Advertiser". I heard that he had suddenly up and disappeared about a week ago. Passing strange! The local police have been unable to trace him and had reached a dead end with their enquiries. I have some free time, being retired now, and as a former 'Private Enquiry Agent', I have arrived in Arkham by bus from Dunwich to see if I can uncover any light of the cause of Clark's sudden disappearance. I visited his Editor, Harvey Gedney, this afternoon who gave me directions to Clark's address. Seems there's an ongoing public health crisis here; a strange epidemic that has left dozens of tumour-ridden and mutated patients in hospital and an unusual number of Arkhamites ill with symptoms of nausea, vomiting and bleeding. Clark's home is off the Aylesbury Road so I set off on foot for what I hope will be a pleasant country ramble westwards in the late afternoon sunshine to find it. A mile or two into my journey and already the sights and sounds of old Arkham town have receded and I find myself alone following a narrow, winding trail... MEANDERING TRAIL I am on a twisty trail west of old Arkham town. Looking around I see the hills rise wild, and there are valleys with deep, dark woods. I turn and see dark narrow glens where trees slope fantastically, and where thin brooklets trickle without ever having caught the glint of sunlight. On the gentler slopes I spot a few deserted farms, ancient and rocky, with squat, moss-coated cottages dilapidated and vacant now, the wide chimneys crumbling and the shingled sides bulging perilously beneath low gambrel roofs. Exits lead: east and west. Please enter your instructions. >load OUTSIDE BARN A huge hay barn with open doors faces me. I could go inside as long as nobody noticed. Exits lead: east, southeast, southwest and in. Tell me what to do next please. >put barrel in barrow The gas is in the wheelbarrow. Please enter your instructions. >open cap This is not the place to be opening up dangerous liquids that could be harmful to man... or beast. Fire is a very dangerous element and as far as I know no person or animal is immune to its devastating effects! OK, now what? >sw I go southwest. FIELD I am in an arid, stubbly field. Patchy grass surrounds me. The soil is cracked and unhealthily pale. There is a tilled area where the farmer has planted a variety of crops and vegetables. It would appear the cows have recently been feeding on the crops here. There is a small crater here. Exits lead: east, northeast and southeast. Also here I can see: some dead cows. Please tell me your next command. >open cap This is not the place to be opening up dangerous liquids that could be harmful to man... or beast. Fire is a very dangerous element and as far as I know no person or animal is immune to its devastating effects! Please tell me your next command. >se I move southeast. CORN SILO It is a tall, cylindrical metal tower. The farmer probably uses it to store fodder or silage, coarsely chopped corn stalks, leaves and ears, for his cattle. There is a small hatch on the outside where the silage can be poured out into hoppers. The hatch can be operated by a lever mechanism. Exits lead: east, northeast and northwest. Also here I can see: the farmer's wife is here. Please enter your instructions. >open cap This is not the place to be opening up dangerous liquids that could be harmful to man... or beast. Fire is a very dangerous element and as far as I know no person or animal is immune to its devastating effects! I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >e I go east. BROWN'S FARM ENTRANCE I am standing outside an arched entranceway to Brown's farm. Nestling in the rolling hills of Massachusetts, it looks fairly isolated with the nearest neighbours miles away and nowhere in sight. A tarmac road leads northwest to the farmer's house. Exits lead: north, west, northwest and southeast. Tell me what to do next please. >open cap This is not the place to be opening up dangerous liquids that could be harmful to man... or beast. Fire is a very dangerous element and as far as I know no person or animal is immune to its devastating effects! Please tell me your next command. >se I set off southeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please tell me your next command. >read receipt It has a letterhead banner: "MAYNARD BROWN - FARM PRODUCE" Scribbled on it are directions to find Brown's Farm from the Beverley Road. SW-SW-SW-SW-NW. Tell me what to do next please. >ne I go northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. OK, now what? >ne I go northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. The narrow, ribbon-like road rises and falls and curves with an almost sentient and purposeful caprice amidst the tenantless green peaks and half-deserted valleys. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Tell me what to do next please. >ne I begin moving northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. The vista of the hill-crowded countryside with its towering, threatening, close-pressing green and granite slopes impresses me with its surreal majesty. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I'm waiting for your commands. >ne I set off northeast. BEVERLY ROAD Roads branch off in all directions, criss-crossing the landscape. The nearness and intimacy of the dwarfed, domed hills now become veritably breathtaking. The dense, unvisited woods on the inaccessible slopes seem like they may harbour mysterious and unearthly inhabitants. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I'm waiting for your commands. >e I move east. WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. Please tell me your next command. >in It's too dark. I can't see anything. What now? >turn on torch The torch is shining brightly. Tell me what to do next please. >l INSIDE DARK CAVE I am in a dark and draughty cave. An exit leads out. Exits lead: north and out. I'm waiting for your commands. >n I set off north. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I'm waiting for your commands. >se I move southeast. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. What now? >se I go southeast. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please enter your instructions. >e I move east. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I'm waiting for your commands. >n I set off north. SUBTERRANEAN CHAMBER I am in a larger chamber which I guess is roughly below the centre of the great mound. I can see a shaft of light streaming through a hole far above. Horror upon horrors! The centre of this black cavern is taken up by a huge, egg-shaped lifeform. Green and slimy it pulsates rhythmically, casting an eerie luminescence onto the cave walls around me. The abominable 'thing' hisses scarily as If aware of my presence! Exits lead: south only. The egg-shaped monster is in the middle of the cave. A crab-like creature is here. Tell me what to do next please. >open cap Ah! I think I know what you have in mind. Accordingly I remove the cap on the barrel of gasoline and toss it away. The barrel of gasoline is now open... I'm waiting for your commands. =====rem: oh wait step two Please tell me your next command. >Whoops! Please type something in. I'm waiting for your commands. >i I am carrying: a key, a receipt, a pocket torch (shining brightly), a milk bottle, a piece of paper, a notebook, a business card, Clark's jotter, a newspaper clipping, a besom, a meteorite fragment and a wheelbarrow. In the wheelbarrow is: a barrel of gasoline. I am wearing my clothes. Please enter your instructions. =====rem: maybe the besom? Please tell me your next command. >drop barrow I drop the wheelbarrow. OK, now what? >out I am unable to go out. Please enter your instructions. >l SUBTERRANEAN CHAMBER I am in a larger chamber which I guess is roughly below the centre of the great mound. I can see a shaft of light streaming through a hole far above. Horror upon horrors! The centre of this black cavern is taken up by a huge, egg-shaped lifeform. Green and slimy it pulsates rhythmically, casting an eerie luminescence onto the cave walls around me. The abominable 'thing' hisses scarily as If aware of my presence! Exits lead: south only. Also here I can see: a wheelbarrow. The egg-shaped monster is in the middle of the cave. A crab-like creature is here. What now? >x monster Egg-shaped monster: My God! I struggle to describe accurately what I see. It is unlike anything I've encountered on this planet and the three known dimensions. Before me is a gigantic hideous bulbous monstrosity. A grotesque, slithering, octopoidal jumble of eyes and tentacles with a greenish starfish-shaped head and peculiar sac-like swellings with orifices that are lined with white tooth-like projections. All the time it is undulating and throbbing in a disconcerting wavelike motion which makes it difficult for my senses to apprehend a correct and stable visualisation of the thing... I instinctively intuit that the crab-like creature must be its horrendous spawn! It looks like the creature displays traits and elements of the Cthulhu Mythos or some kind of Yog-Sothothery. It reminds me of the legends of the "Great Old Ones", a pantheon of ancient, powerful deities from space who once ruled the Earth and are still rumoured to be sleeping in the great vastness of Cosmic space... Please tell me your next command. >x crap I'm not sure what crap is. I can only examine what I see and understand. Tell me what to do next please. >x crab The unearthly creature has the appearance of a squat, light-red crab with many pairs of wriggling, centipedal legs and with two great bat-like wings in the middle of the back. It is milling about close to the monster. Sometimes it stands on its hindmost legs only and ululates in a high-pitched shriek. Feeling antenna protrude from a ghastly, insectoid visage which is most unpleasant to view. The creature appears to be the offspring of the monster! Please enter your instructions. >out I am unable to go out. OK, now what? >l SUBTERRANEAN CHAMBER I am in a larger chamber which I guess is roughly below the centre of the great mound. I can see a shaft of light streaming through a hole far above. Horror upon horrors! The centre of this black cavern is taken up by a huge, egg-shaped lifeform. Green and slimy it pulsates rhythmically, casting an eerie luminescence onto the cave walls around me. The abominable 'thing' hisses scarily as If aware of my presence! Exits lead: south only. Also here I can see: a wheelbarrow. The egg-shaped monster is in the middle of the cave. A crab-like creature is here. Oh my God! The crablike creature suddenly extends its wings and flaps upward... It swoops down on my back, digging in its claws and drawing blood. It begins viciously gnawing at my upper body and neck in a frenzied, ravenous feeding attack. It's not long before I lose consciousness. I'm afraid It's all over! My score is 30 out of 50 adventure game points. "Not far from Innsmouth and Dunwich and north of Boston, Massachusetts, lies the ancient and legend haunted New England town of Arkham whose huddled, sagging gambrel roofs and crumbling Georgian balustrades brood out the centuries beside the darkly muttering Miskatonic River." ~ H. P. Lovecraft. October 1928. My name is Stu Troughton. I'm here because of my concern for a great friend of mine, Clark Ashton, a journalist from the "Arkham Advertiser". I heard that he had suddenly up and disappeared about a week ago. Passing strange! The local police have been unable to trace him and had reached a dead end with their enquiries. I have some free time, being retired now, and as a former 'Private Enquiry Agent', I have arrived in Arkham by bus from Dunwich to see if I can uncover any light of the cause of Clark's sudden disappearance. I visited his Editor, Harvey Gedney, this afternoon who gave me directions to Clark's address. Seems there's an ongoing public health crisis here; a strange epidemic that has left dozens of tumour-ridden and mutated patients in hospital and an unusual number of Arkhamites ill with symptoms of nausea, vomiting and bleeding. Clark's home is off the Aylesbury Road so I set off on foot for what I hope will be a pleasant country ramble westwards in the late afternoon sunshine to find it. A mile or two into my journey and already the sights and sounds of old Arkham town have receded and I find myself alone following a narrow, winding trail... MEANDERING TRAIL I am on a twisty trail west of old Arkham town. Looking around I see the hills rise wild, and there are valleys with deep, dark woods. I turn and see dark narrow glens where trees slope fantastically, and where thin brooklets trickle without ever having caught the glint of sunlight. On the gentler slopes I spot a few deserted farms, ancient and rocky, with squat, moss-coated cottages dilapidated and vacant now, the wide chimneys crumbling and the shingled sides bulging perilously beneath low gambrel roofs. Exits lead: east and west. What now? >load OUTSIDE BARN A huge hay barn with open doors faces me. I could go inside as long as nobody noticed. Exits lead: east, southeast, southwest and in. Tell me what to do next please. >put barrel in barrow The gas is in the wheelbarrow. I'm waiting for your commands. >se I go southeast. OUTSIDE FARMHOUSE The farmhouse is a single storey building topped with a thatched roof. The door stands invitingly open. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. Please enter your instructions. >in FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >light besom OK. I hold the brush of the besom over the flames and it catches fire, burning slowly with a steady flame... Forgive me. I will not allow a flaming besom so close to a barrel of gas. It's far too dangerous. I extinguish the besom. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >e I begin moving east. FARMER'S BEDROOM The bedroom is in just as bad of a state as the rest of the house. Additionally, a rancid and rotting smell comes from this room. The sheets are pulled up, covering a large lump in the bed itself. Blood stains the sheets here, seeping out from whatever is under the blankets. Exits lead: west only. OK, now what? >w I go west. FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. I'm waiting for your commands. >out OUTSIDE FARMHOUSE The farmhouse is a single storey building topped with a thatched roof. The door stands invitingly open. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. Please tell me your next command. >se I move southeast. BROWN'S FARM ENTRANCE I am standing outside an arched entranceway to Brown's farm. Nestling in the rolling hills of Massachusetts, it looks fairly isolated with the nearest neighbours miles away and nowhere in sight. A tarmac road leads northwest to the farmer's house. Exits lead: north, west, northwest and southeast. Please enter your instructions. >se I move southeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Tell me what to do next please. >ne I begin moving northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. What now? >ne I begin moving northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. The narrow, ribbon-like road rises and falls and curves with an almost sentient and purposeful caprice amidst the tenantless green peaks and half-deserted valleys. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Tell me what to do next please. >ne I go northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. The vista of the hill-crowded countryside with its towering, threatening, close-pressing green and granite slopes impresses me with its surreal majesty. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Tell me what to do next please. >e I go east. WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. Tell me what to do next please. >w I set off west. BEVERLY ROAD Roads branch off in all directions, criss-crossing the landscape. The nearness and intimacy of the dwarfed, domed hills now become veritably breathtaking. The dense, unvisited woods on the inaccessible slopes seem like they may harbour mysterious and unearthly inhabitants. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I'm waiting for your commands. >n I go north. BEVERLY ROAD Roads branch off in all directions, criss-crossing the landscape. The nearness and intimacy of the dwarfed, domed hills now become veritably breathtaking. The dense, unvisited woods on the inaccessible slopes seem like they may harbour mysterious and unearthly inhabitants. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I'm waiting for your commands. >e I set off east. WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. Please enter your instructions. >n I'm unable to go north. Exits lead: east, west and in. I'm waiting for your commands. >in It's too dark. I can't see anything. What now? >turn on torch The torch is shining brightly. Please tell me your next command. >save Game position saved. I'm waiting for your commands. >l INSIDE DARK CAVE I am in a dark and draughty cave. An exit leads out. Exits lead: north and out. What now? >n I set off north. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please tell me your next command. >ne I begin moving northeast. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I'm waiting for your commands. >ne I go northeast. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please enter your instructions. >ne I begin moving northeast. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please tell me your next command. >ne I go northeast. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. OK, now what? >ne I go northeast. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please tell me your next command. >n I move north. SUBTERRANEAN CHAMBER I am in a larger chamber which I guess is roughly below the centre of the great mound. I can see a shaft of light streaming through a hole far above. Horror upon horrors! The centre of this black cavern is taken up by a huge, egg-shaped lifeform. Green and slimy it pulsates rhythmically, casting an eerie luminescence onto the cave walls around me. The abominable 'thing' hisses scarily as If aware of my presence! Exits lead: south only. The egg-shaped monster is in the middle of the cave. A crab-like creature is here. Please enter your instructions. >drop barrel I would have to take the barrel out of the container it is in before I could drop it. Tell me what to do next please. >take barrel from barrow I take the barrel of gas from the wheelbarrow. I can't hold the gasoline, it's too heavy for me. I drop it. Please enter your instructions. >s I set off south. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. The crab-like creature follows me. Tell me what to do next please. >sw I go southwest. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. A crab-like creature is here. Please enter your instructions. >sw I begin moving southwest. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. A crab-like creature is here. What now? >s I begin moving south. INSIDE DARK CAVE I am in a dark and draughty cave. An exit leads out. Exits lead: north and out. The crab-like creature follows me. I'm waiting for your commands. >out WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. Please enter your instructions. =====rem: phew Please tell me your next command. >save Game position saved. OK, now what? >w I begin moving west. BEVERLY ROAD Roads branch off in all directions, criss-crossing the landscape. The nearness and intimacy of the dwarfed, domed hills now become veritably breathtaking. The dense, unvisited woods on the inaccessible slopes seem like they may harbour mysterious and unearthly inhabitants. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. OK, now what? >sw I begin moving southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. The vista of the hill-crowded countryside with its towering, threatening, close-pressing green and granite slopes impresses me with its surreal majesty. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please enter your instructions. >sw I begin moving southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. The narrow, ribbon-like road rises and falls and curves with an almost sentient and purposeful caprice amidst the tenantless green peaks and half-deserted valleys. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. What now? >sw I begin moving southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please enter your instructions. >sw I go southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. OK, now what? >nw I set off northwest. BROWN'S FARM ENTRANCE I am standing outside an arched entranceway to Brown's farm. Nestling in the rolling hills of Massachusetts, it looks fairly isolated with the nearest neighbours miles away and nowhere in sight. A tarmac road leads northwest to the farmer's house. Exits lead: north, west, northwest and southeast. Please enter your instructions. >nw I set off northwest. OUTSIDE FARMHOUSE The farmhouse is a single storey building topped with a thatched roof. The door stands invitingly open. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. OK, now what? >in FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. Farmer Brown is here. Farmer Brown departs and goes out. I'm waiting for your commands. >light besom OK. I hold the brush of the besom over the flames and it catches fire, burning slowly with a steady flame... I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >se I can't see a way for me to go southeast. Exits lead: east, west and out. What now? >out OUTSIDE FARMHOUSE The farmhouse is a single storey building topped with a thatched roof. The door stands invitingly open. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. Farmer Brown is here. Farmer Brown sees that I have stolen an item of his property! "Thief!", he shouts angrily. Farmer Brown wastes no time at all raising his shotgun and aiming it at me. He pulls the trigger and shoots me in the head. I am hit. I lose consciousness. My score is 30 out of 50 adventure game points. "Not far from Innsmouth and Dunwich and north of Boston, Massachusetts, lies the ancient and legend haunted New England town of Arkham whose huddled, sagging gambrel roofs and crumbling Georgian balustrades brood out the centuries beside the darkly muttering Miskatonic River." ~ H. P. Lovecraft. October 1928. My name is Stu Troughton. I'm here because of my concern for a great friend of mine, Clark Ashton, a journalist from the "Arkham Advertiser". I heard that he had suddenly up and disappeared about a week ago. Passing strange! The local police have been unable to trace him and had reached a dead end with their enquiries. I have some free time, being retired now, and as a former 'Private Enquiry Agent', I have arrived in Arkham by bus from Dunwich to see if I can uncover any light of the cause of Clark's sudden disappearance. I visited his Editor, Harvey Gedney, this afternoon who gave me directions to Clark's address. Seems there's an ongoing public health crisis here; a strange epidemic that has left dozens of tumour-ridden and mutated patients in hospital and an unusual number of Arkhamites ill with symptoms of nausea, vomiting and bleeding. Clark's home is off the Aylesbury Road so I set off on foot for what I hope will be a pleasant country ramble westwards in the late afternoon sunshine to find it. A mile or two into my journey and already the sights and sounds of old Arkham town have receded and I find myself alone following a narrow, winding trail... MEANDERING TRAIL I am on a twisty trail west of old Arkham town. Looking around I see the hills rise wild, and there are valleys with deep, dark woods. I turn and see dark narrow glens where trees slope fantastically, and where thin brooklets trickle without ever having caught the glint of sunlight. On the gentler slopes I spot a few deserted farms, ancient and rocky, with squat, moss-coated cottages dilapidated and vacant now, the wide chimneys crumbling and the shingled sides bulging perilously beneath low gambrel roofs. Exits lead: east and west. Please enter your instructions. >load WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >w I begin moving west. BEVERLY ROAD Roads branch off in all directions, criss-crossing the landscape. The nearness and intimacy of the dwarfed, domed hills now become veritably breathtaking. The dense, unvisited woods on the inaccessible slopes seem like they may harbour mysterious and unearthly inhabitants. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please enter your instructions. >sw I go southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. The vista of the hill-crowded countryside with its towering, threatening, close-pressing green and granite slopes impresses me with its surreal majesty. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. What now? >sw I begin moving southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. The narrow, ribbon-like road rises and falls and curves with an almost sentient and purposeful caprice amidst the tenantless green peaks and half-deserted valleys. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please tell me your next command. >sw I set off southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. OK, now what? >sw I set off southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please enter your instructions. >nw I go northwest. BROWN'S FARM ENTRANCE I am standing outside an arched entranceway to Brown's farm. Nestling in the rolling hills of Massachusetts, it looks fairly isolated with the nearest neighbours miles away and nowhere in sight. A tarmac road leads northwest to the farmer's house. Exits lead: north, west, northwest and southeast. Please enter your instructions. >nw I move northwest. OUTSIDE FARMHOUSE The farmhouse is a single storey building topped with a thatched roof. The door stands invitingly open. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. Tell me what to do next please. >in FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >save Game position saved. I'm waiting for your commands. >light besom OK. I hold the brush of the besom over the flames and it catches fire, burning slowly with a steady flame... Please tell me your next command. >out OUTSIDE FARMHOUSE The farmhouse is a single storey building topped with a thatched roof. The door stands invitingly open. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. Please tell me your next command. >se I go southeast. BROWN'S FARM ENTRANCE I am standing outside an arched entranceway to Brown's farm. Nestling in the rolling hills of Massachusetts, it looks fairly isolated with the nearest neighbours miles away and nowhere in sight. A tarmac road leads northwest to the farmer's house. Exits lead: north, west, northwest and southeast. I'm waiting for your commands. >ne I don't see how I can go northeast. Exits lead: north, west, northwest and southeast. What now? >ne I'm unable to go northeast. Exits lead: north, west, northwest and southeast. I'm waiting for your commands. >se I move southeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please tell me your next command. >ne I begin moving northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. OK, now what? >ne I begin moving northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. The narrow, ribbon-like road rises and falls and curves with an almost sentient and purposeful caprice amidst the tenantless green peaks and half-deserted valleys. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. What now? >ne I move northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. The vista of the hill-crowded countryside with its towering, threatening, close-pressing green and granite slopes impresses me with its surreal majesty. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >ne I set off northeast. BEVERLY ROAD Roads branch off in all directions, criss-crossing the landscape. The nearness and intimacy of the dwarfed, domed hills now become veritably breathtaking. The dense, unvisited woods on the inaccessible slopes seem like they may harbour mysterious and unearthly inhabitants. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >e I move east. WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. What now? >in INSIDE DARK CAVE I am in a dark and draughty cave. An exit leads out. Exits lead: north and out. A sudden draught extinguishes the flaming besom! Please tell me your next command. =====rem: blarg Please enter your instructions. >i I am carrying: a key, a receipt, a pocket torch (shining brightly), a milk bottle, a piece of paper, a notebook, a business card, Clark's jotter, a newspaper clipping, a besom, a meteorite fragment and a wheelbarrow. I am wearing my clothes. Tell me what to do next please. >out WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >e I go east. FOOT OF HILL A giant, grassy hill looms ahead of me. High up, crowning the grassy summit of this swelling mound are a couple of old gnarled trees and a circle of standing stones. A narrow track skirts around the base continuing west. Exits lead: east, west and up. OK, now what? >u I begin an upward ascent to the summit of the grassy hill. It is a good twenty minutes trek but I finally reach the apex of the swelling mound... TOP OF GIANT HILL I am at the summit of the huge, swelling, grassy mound. I can see a few trees, sickly and stunted, and some dead trunks stand or lay rotting. There is an eerie stillness. There are steep, dangerous drops on all sides and the only safe route back is to return via the route whence I came. Close to me is the yawning black maw of an abandoned well whose stagnant vapours permeate the atmosphere. Exits lead: down only. Also here I can see: a stone circle and a well. OK, now what? >d FOOT OF HILL A giant, grassy hill looms ahead of me. High up, crowning the grassy summit of this swelling mound are a couple of old gnarled trees and a circle of standing stones. A narrow track skirts around the base continuing west. Exits lead: east, west and up. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x circle I will need to be nearer to x it more thoroughly. What now? >u I begin an upward ascent to the summit of the grassy hill. It is a good twenty minutes trek but I finally reach the apex of the swelling mound... TOP OF GIANT HILL I am at the summit of the huge, swelling, grassy mound. I can see a few trees, sickly and stunted, and some dead trunks stand or lay rotting. There is an eerie stillness. There are steep, dangerous drops on all sides and the only safe route back is to return via the route whence I came. Close to me is the yawning black maw of an abandoned well whose stagnant vapours permeate the atmosphere. Exits lead: down only. Also here I can see: a stone circle and a well. Please enter your instructions. >x circle Stone Circle: Some kind of megalithic monument. A circle of great mossy stones. a remnant that must once have held significance to older, long forgotten dwellers. Tell me what to do next please. >enter it There is no apparent way I can enter the circle. Tell me what to do next please. >touch circle I will touch the circle. I didn't feel anything unusual. Please enter your instructions. >x well Well: It's quite deep. It's a dark shaft but I can make out that something revolting and unnatural is down there at the bottom - a kind of weird rhythmically, pulsating green glow oozing and bubbling slime. Please enter your instructions. >touch well I will touch the well. I didn't feel anything unusual. OK, now what? >climb well The well is unsuitable for me to climb. Please enter your instructions. >enter well There is no apparent way I can enter the well. Please enter your instructions. >i I am carrying: a key, a receipt, a pocket torch (shining brightly), a milk bottle, a piece of paper, a notebook, a business card, Clark's jotter, a newspaper clipping, a besom, a meteorite fragment and a wheelbarrow. I am wearing my clothes. Tell me what to do next please. >drop besom in well This must be a bad idea. What good would it do to put a broomstick into the well? I'm waiting for your commands. >n I can't go north at this moment. Exits lead: down only. Please tell me your next command. >d FOOT OF HILL A giant, grassy hill looms ahead of me. High up, crowning the grassy summit of this swelling mound are a couple of old gnarled trees and a circle of standing stones. A narrow track skirts around the base continuing west. Exits lead: east, west and up. Please tell me your next command. >w I begin moving west. WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. Tell me what to do next please. >in INSIDE DARK CAVE I am in a dark and draughty cave. An exit leads out. Exits lead: north and out. OK, now what? >n I go north. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please tell me your next command. >ne I set off northeast. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please enter your instructions. >ne I go northeast. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >ne I go northeast. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. What now? >n I go north. SUBTERRANEAN CHAMBER I am in a larger chamber which I guess is roughly below the centre of the great mound. I can see a shaft of light streaming through a hole far above. Horror upon horrors! The centre of this black cavern is taken up by a huge, egg-shaped lifeform. Green and slimy it pulsates rhythmically, casting an eerie luminescence onto the cave walls around me. The abominable 'thing' hisses scarily as If aware of my presence! Exits lead: south only. Also here I can see: a barrel of gasoline. The egg-shaped monster is in the middle of the cave. A crab-like creature is here. Please enter your instructions. >take barrel I now have the gas. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >put barrel in barrow The gas is in the wheelbarrow. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >sw I can't go southwest at this moment. Exits lead: south only. Please tell me your next command. >s I go south. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. The crab-like creature follows me. Please tell me your next command. >sw I go southwest. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. A crab-like creature is here. Tell me what to do next please. >s I go south. INSIDE DARK CAVE I am in a dark and draughty cave. An exit leads out. Exits lead: north and out. The crab-like creature follows me. Tell me what to do next please. >out WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. Please tell me your next command. >x barrel I would have to take the barrel out of its container before it could examine it. OK, now what? >take barrel from barrow I take the barrel of gas from the wheelbarrow. I can't hold the gasoline, it's too heavy for me. I drop it. Please enter your instructions. >x it Wheelbarrow: It is a sturdy, heavy duty one in good condition with a single rubber wheel at the front. In the wheelbarrow is: nothing. I'm waiting for your commands. >x barrel Gas: A heavy metal barrel full of gasoline. It has a cap on top which can be turned to remove it or tighten it. There is a warning sticker affixed to it that says: "FLAMMABLE - KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE" Please tell me your next command. >open cap This is not the place to be opening up dangerous liquids that could be harmful to man... or beast. Fire is a very dangerous element and as far as I know no person or animal is immune to its devastating effects! OK, now what? >take barrel I now have the gas. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >put barrel on barrow I put the gas on to the wheelbarrow. What now? >n I'm unable to go north. Exits lead: east, west and in. I'm waiting for your commands. >in INSIDE DARK CAVE I am in a dark and draughty cave. An exit leads out. Exits lead: north and out. I'm waiting for your commands. >n I begin moving north. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. What now? >s I set off south. INSIDE DARK CAVE I am in a dark and draughty cave. An exit leads out. Exits lead: north and out. Please tell me your next command. >x draught I'm not sure what draught is. I can only examine what I see and understand. OK, now what? >x cave Cave: Cold, dark and abysmal this draughty pear-shaped cave appears to lead to a further system underneath the giant hill. Please tell me your next command. >ne I can't see a way for me to go northeast. Exits lead: north and out. I'm waiting for your commands. >n I go north. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x grotto Grotto: These cool and wondrous underground caverns all look the same. What now? >nw I begin moving northwest. INSIDE DARK CAVE I am in a dark and draughty cave. An exit leads out. Exits lead: north and out. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >n I begin moving north. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Tell me what to do next please. >ne I set off northeast. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please enter your instructions. >n I move north. SUBTERRANEAN CHAMBER I am in a larger chamber which I guess is roughly below the centre of the great mound. I can see a shaft of light streaming through a hole far above. Horror upon horrors! The centre of this black cavern is taken up by a huge, egg-shaped lifeform. Green and slimy it pulsates rhythmically, casting an eerie luminescence onto the cave walls around me. The abominable 'thing' hisses scarily as If aware of my presence! Exits lead: south only. The egg-shaped monster is in the middle of the cave. A crab-like creature is here. Please enter your instructions. >open cap Ah! I think I know what you have in mind. Accordingly I remove the cap on the barrel of gasoline and toss it away. The barrel of gasoline is now open... I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >roll barrel You sure you know what your talking about? Please tell me your next command. >push barrel I look around me but I fail to spot the barrel to push. I'm waiting for your commands. >sw I can't see a way for me to go southwest. Exits lead: south only. Please tell me your next command. >s I begin moving south. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. The crab-like creature follows me. OK, now what? >sw I begin moving southwest. WINDING CAVERNS I am exploring the many winding caverns of this underground grotto. They turn this way and that, that way and this. I wonder if I shall ever be able to find my way back out to safety! Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. A crab-like creature is here. Please enter your instructions. >s I go south. INSIDE DARK CAVE I am in a dark and draughty cave. An exit leads out. Exits lead: north and out. The crab-like creature follows me. Tell me what to do next please. >out WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. Tell me what to do next please. >x barrel I would have to take the barrel out of its container before it could examine it. What now? >take barrel If you want the barrel you'll have to first tell me to take it out of the container that it is in. Tell me what to do next please. >x it I would have to take the barrel out of its container before it could examine it. What now? >take barrel from barrow I take the barrel of gas from the wheelbarrow. I can't hold the gasoline, it's too heavy for me. I drop it. Tell me what to do next please. >x it Wheelbarrow: It is a sturdy, heavy duty one in good condition with a single rubber wheel at the front. In the wheelbarrow is: nothing. What now? >x barrel Gas: A heavy metal barrel full of gasoline. It has a cap on top which can be turned to remove it or tighten it. There is a warning sticker affixed to it that says: "FLAMMABLE - KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE" OK, now what? >x cap Cap: It seals the gas inside the barrel. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >put barrel in barrow I don't have the gas. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >sw I can't see a way for me to go southwest. Exits lead: east, west and in. Please enter your instructions. >s I can't see a way for me to go south. Exits lead: east, west and in. Tell me what to do next please. >l WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. Also here I can see: a barrel of gasoline. Please enter your instructions. >i I am carrying: a key, a receipt, a pocket torch (shining brightly), a milk bottle, a piece of paper, a notebook, a business card, Clark's jotter, a newspaper clipping, a besom, a meteorite fragment and a wheelbarrow. I am wearing my clothes. Tell me what to do next please. >e I go east. FOOT OF HILL A giant, grassy hill looms ahead of me. High up, crowning the grassy summit of this swelling mound are a couple of old gnarled trees and a circle of standing stones. A narrow track skirts around the base continuing west. Exits lead: east, west and up. What now? >u I begin an upward ascent to the summit of the grassy hill. It is a good twenty minutes trek but I finally reach the apex of the swelling mound... TOP OF GIANT HILL I am at the summit of the huge, swelling, grassy mound. I can see a few trees, sickly and stunted, and some dead trunks stand or lay rotting. There is an eerie stillness. There are steep, dangerous drops on all sides and the only safe route back is to return via the route whence I came. Close to me is the yawning black maw of an abandoned well whose stagnant vapours permeate the atmosphere. Exits lead: down only. Also here I can see: a stone circle and a well. What now? >put barrel in well I can't seem to do that. Tell me what to do next please. >put gas in well I can't seem to do that. What now? >open gas The gas isn't here to open. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >open barrel The barrel isn't here to open. Please enter your instructions. >l TOP OF GIANT HILL I am at the summit of the huge, swelling, grassy mound. I can see a few trees, sickly and stunted, and some dead trunks stand or lay rotting. There is an eerie stillness. There are steep, dangerous drops on all sides and the only safe route back is to return via the route whence I came. Close to me is the yawning black maw of an abandoned well whose stagnant vapours permeate the atmosphere. Exits lead: down only. Also here I can see: a stone circle and a well. Please enter your instructions. >x barrow Wheelbarrow: It is a sturdy, heavy duty one in good condition with a single rubber wheel at the front. In the wheelbarrow is: nothing. OK, now what? >n I'm unable to go north. Exits lead: down only. I'm waiting for your commands. >d FOOT OF HILL A giant, grassy hill looms ahead of me. High up, crowning the grassy summit of this swelling mound are a couple of old gnarled trees and a circle of standing stones. A narrow track skirts around the base continuing west. Exits lead: east, west and up. What now? >w I go west. WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. Also here I can see: a barrel of gasoline. OK, now what? >put barrel in barrow I don't have the gas. Please tell me your next command. >e I go east. FOOT OF HILL A giant, grassy hill looms ahead of me. High up, crowning the grassy summit of this swelling mound are a couple of old gnarled trees and a circle of standing stones. A narrow track skirts around the base continuing west. Exits lead: east, west and up. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >w I move west. WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. Also here I can see: a barrel of gasoline. I'm waiting for your commands. >take barrel I now have the gas. Please tell me your next command. >put barrel in barrow The gas is in the wheelbarrow. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >e I set off east. FOOT OF HILL A giant, grassy hill looms ahead of me. High up, crowning the grassy summit of this swelling mound are a couple of old gnarled trees and a circle of standing stones. A narrow track skirts around the base continuing west. Exits lead: east, west and up. OK, now what? >u I begin an upward ascent to the summit of the grassy hill. It is a good twenty minutes trek but I finally reach the apex of the swelling mound... TOP OF GIANT HILL I am at the summit of the huge, swelling, grassy mound. I can see a few trees, sickly and stunted, and some dead trunks stand or lay rotting. There is an eerie stillness. There are steep, dangerous drops on all sides and the only safe route back is to return via the route whence I came. Close to me is the yawning black maw of an abandoned well whose stagnant vapours permeate the atmosphere. Exits lead: down only. Also here I can see: a stone circle and a well. What now? >put barrel in well I can't seem to do that. Please tell me your next command. >open cap I can't imagine why you would think I could open the cap. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >x barrel I would have to take the barrel out of its container before it could examine it. What now? >take barrel from container Sorry but I can't take the barrel from the container. I would really need to know what or where the container is first! Please enter your instructions. >take barrel from barrow I take the barrel of gas from the wheelbarrow. I can't hold the gasoline, it's too heavy for me. I drop it. Please enter your instructions. >open cap I can't imagine why you would think I could open the cap. OK, now what? >take barrel I now have the gas. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >put barrel in well Sounds like a good move! I put the open gasoline barrel into the well. The slightly bluish liquid gurgles out in a shower raining down the shaft to the bottom of the well. I throw the empty barrel down into the well for good measure. Now what? [My score just went up by 5 points] Tell me what to do next please. =====rem: whew OK, now what? >x besom Besom: It has a long handle with a bunch of compacted twigs glued firmly on the other end. Would make a fine sweeping brush... or maybe something else?? Please tell me your next command. >d FOOT OF HILL A giant, grassy hill looms ahead of me. High up, crowning the grassy summit of this swelling mound are a couple of old gnarled trees and a circle of standing stones. A narrow track skirts around the base continuing west. Exits lead: east, west and up. What now? >w I move west. WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. I'm waiting for your commands. >w I begin moving west. BEVERLY ROAD Roads branch off in all directions, criss-crossing the landscape. The nearness and intimacy of the dwarfed, domed hills now become veritably breathtaking. The dense, unvisited woods on the inaccessible slopes seem like they may harbour mysterious and unearthly inhabitants. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >sw I begin moving southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. The vista of the hill-crowded countryside with its towering, threatening, close-pressing green and granite slopes impresses me with its surreal majesty. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please tell me your next command. >sw I move southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. The narrow, ribbon-like road rises and falls and curves with an almost sentient and purposeful caprice amidst the tenantless green peaks and half-deserted valleys. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. OK, now what? >sw I move southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Tell me what to do next please. >sw I move southwest. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >nw I go northwest. BROWN'S FARM ENTRANCE I am standing outside an arched entranceway to Brown's farm. Nestling in the rolling hills of Massachusetts, it looks fairly isolated with the nearest neighbours miles away and nowhere in sight. A tarmac road leads northwest to the farmer's house. Exits lead: north, west, northwest and southeast. What now? >nw I set off northwest. OUTSIDE FARMHOUSE The farmhouse is a single storey building topped with a thatched roof. The door stands invitingly open. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. Please enter your instructions. >in FARMER'S LIVING ROOM This living room is a mess. Trash and clothing lie everywhere. Burnt down candle remains are all around the room and wax has dripped over everything, ruining the furniture. A scenic painting of a farm has been slashed to ribbons by a knife. The couch is filthy. Exits lead: east, west and out. Also here I can see: the fireplace. Tell me what to do next please. >light besom OK. I hold the brush of the besom over the flames and it catches fire, burning slowly with a steady flame... I pause a moment, contemplating my next action... >out OUTSIDE FARMHOUSE The farmhouse is a single storey building topped with a thatched roof. The door stands invitingly open. Exits lead: west, northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest and in. I'm waiting for your commands. >se I begin moving southeast. BROWN'S FARM ENTRANCE I am standing outside an arched entranceway to Brown's farm. Nestling in the rolling hills of Massachusetts, it looks fairly isolated with the nearest neighbours miles away and nowhere in sight. A tarmac road leads northwest to the farmer's house. Exits lead: north, west, northwest and southeast. Please enter your instructions. >se I set off southeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please enter your instructions. >ne I begin moving northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of the rutted, irregular highway. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please enter your instructions. >ne I begin moving northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. The narrow, ribbon-like road rises and falls and curves with an almost sentient and purposeful caprice amidst the tenantless green peaks and half-deserted valleys. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Please enter your instructions. >ne I begin moving northeast. ROAD I walk along a rough, uneven stretch of road. The vista of the hill-crowded countryside with its towering, threatening, close-pressing green and granite slopes impresses me with its surreal majesty. These roads all look the same to me. Maze-like. I begin to lose sense of direction and feel I am getting lost in the wilds of the countryside. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. What now? >ne I move northeast. BEVERLY ROAD Roads branch off in all directions, criss-crossing the landscape. The nearness and intimacy of the dwarfed, domed hills now become veritably breathtaking. The dense, unvisited woods on the inaccessible slopes seem like they may harbour mysterious and unearthly inhabitants. Exits lead: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. OK, now what? >e I set off east. WEST OF HILL Here is a signpost marked "Beverly Road" pointing to the west. I can see a dark cave opening in the side of the hill. I notice queer footprints (or clawprints) in the mud outside the entrance. Exits lead: east, west and in. Please tell me your next command. >e I set off east. FOOT OF HILL A giant, grassy hill looms ahead of me. High up, crowning the grassy summit of this swelling mound are a couple of old gnarled trees and a circle of standing stones. A narrow track skirts around the base continuing west. Exits lead: east, west and up. What now? >u I begin an upward ascent to the summit of the grassy hill. It is a good twenty minutes trek but I finally reach the apex of the swelling mound... TOP OF GIANT HILL I am at the summit of the huge, swelling, grassy mound. I can see a few trees, sickly and stunted, and some dead trunks stand or lay rotting. There is an eerie stillness. There are steep, dangerous drops on all sides and the only safe route back is to return via the route whence I came. Close to me is the yawning black maw of an abandoned well whose stagnant vapours permeate the atmosphere. Exits lead: down only. Also here I can see: a stone circle and a well. I'm waiting for your commands. >put besom in well Good idea! I toss the flaming besom down into the dark well to ignite the gasoline I previously poured into it! Whoosh! There is a loud explosion that shakes the very ground I stand upon. A rush of warm air and a blackened pall of smoke billows from the well rising skywards. The most outlandish and otherworldly screams I have ever heard are issuing forth from beneath the mound. I swear that I will never forget that hellish cacophany of screams for as long as I live!!! After what seems an age the smoke begins to dissipate and the horrendous screams give way to a brooding silence. I have destroyed the monsters and rid the land of the abomination that was infecting it! I have won the game. I am happy to have avenged my dear friend Clark Ashton and will go on to make a complete report to the authorities which will lead to the arrest and incarceration of the mentally unhinged Farmer Brown. I do not know whether anyone will ever truly believe all of my report, especially my encounter and final destruction of the monsters from beyond time and space... I look about. Everything seems a lot calmer now. The sun seems to shine brighter than it did before. I have a profound sense that I have been instrumental in removing a thick blanket of oppression from the very fabric of the countryside. I relax and smile. What's this? Birds are returning to the trees again and are filling the air with their songs. Arkham will slowly get back to normal and I sense all is now well. THE END My score is 45 out of 50 adventure game points.