WARTORN LAND (aka Warlord)
by Jon Scott
Spectrum 128

This is a long game with excellent, evocative descriptions, many giving 
necessary hints. You can carry an unlimited amount of objects.

The author's comments follow:

You are Moribus, the apprentice of Equajo, the Sorcerer of the Court of 
Kleinvair. The land of Kleinvair is a mystical region surrounded on most sides 
by a vicious war that has raged for years between the factions of Morova and 
Wrfryx. Two years ago the war spilled over into the Kleinvarican Homeland and 
the Morovans, a society of orcs, attacked the Castle of Archdale in which the 
court was based. The castle and its peace-loving King Arteyan quickly fell to 
the barbaric Morovans. Olaf, the braggart leader of the "Morovan Swarm", 
butchered the King and most of the Court but Equajo and you are among the few 
who escaped; though it was rumoured that Equajo was forced to metamorphose into 
a bird, and that subsequent magic by a Dark Sorcerer has entrapped him in this 
form. However, it was not likely that the Wrfrycians - who have some primeval 
resemblance to humans - would stand by and watch the Morovans take the prize of 
the Kingdom. The Peace Treaties between Wrfryx and Kleinvair were quickly 
trodden over, as the Overlord of Wrfryx sent forth his armies of warriors upon 
the Castle. These warriors quickly overthrew the Morovans and Danevas, the 
Overlord, seized the east tower as his sanctum and with a skeleton staff of 
guards now occupies the Castle. At this time, the forces of Morova are most 
strong in the two lands in which the battle rages and so they were forced to 
surrender any interest in Kleinvair. However, a small but élite band of Morovans 
are encamped around the mountains and caverns near the castle and they hope one 
day, if their comrades should succeed in defeating Wrfryx, they will reclaim the 
Castle.

Thane Stelfox, a most noble traveller, has recently been spreading the tale 
amongst those who dare listen of one of Danevas's dallies with death. 
Apparently, the Overlord - or Count of Darkness as he is more frequently called 
- has been building his magical inventory up very slowly. In order to use this 
to obliterate the Morovans, he cannot store it within his body, but within a 
repository deep within the Castle. One year ago, he set out conquering some of 
the other men of magic (for he himself is not only powerful as an Overlord, but 
also as a Warlock). One of these was the Dark Faerie, Obegon, who has stalked 
the Land of Wrfryx for years. Danevas had Obegon summoned to the Castle on the 
false pretence that he wished to seek an alliance with his fellow-countryman. 
This, of course, could never have been the case, as the despot would never allow 
anyone to be on a par with him. Danevas wore the Talisman Dulack, which allowed 
him immunity from the deadly attributes of Obegon, and here it is necessary to 
reveal another aspect of Danevas which has secured his unchallenged rule of 
Wrfryx. The absolute evil of the sinister powers which Danevas has absorbed has 
resulted in an evil gaze that is so gruesome that it strikes terror into the 
heart of anyone who looks upon it; causing instantaneous death. Danevas sought 
to reveal his countenance of darkness to Obegon, thus destroying the faerie and 
sapping his powers, but it did not work. Obegon was the only creature that was 
able to behold Danevas's visage. Enraged, Danevas entrapped Obegon in a 
winebottle and sealed the bottle in wax in a cell within the dungeon of the 
Castle. Danevas subsequently threw the Talisman Dulack into the Pit of Pelar and 
continued on his endeavour to subsume all the magic of Kleinvair and the 
neighbouring lands.

You have been in hiding for these past three years in the village of Emillano at 
the far northwest corner of Kleinvair. It is isolated beyond the mountains, Lake 
Vallinus and the Forest of Fallopius and its proximity to the Nether Regions 
makes it of strategic insignificance to the Wrfrycians and Morovans. You were a 
very young boy when you were in the Court of King Arteyan and now that seventeen 
summers have passed you by you have decided that it is time that you strike. You 
are going to set out upon an almost insurmountable quest. You will travel to the 
Castle of Archdale, building up your repertoire of spells as you go and 
retrieving the plundered Royal Treasures, and you will find some way to destroy 
Danevas. Only then can you save your beloved:

WARTORN LAND

Normal adventuring commands are accepted in this game. Some important commands 
that you will require are the following. When you obtain a spell, you can CAST 
<spell> at the correct target and the MAGIC or M command will list the spells 
that you carry. It is important to TALK TO characters and to ask them about 
objects or other characters; and you can, for example, ASK OUEFRIC TO OPEN DOOR 
(although this is a character from the game, you can be assured that this 
command will not be applicable during the game). When you meet Warex, for 
example, you can use WF [Warex Follow] or WS [Warex Stay]. The same command may 
work on other characters, so simply put their initial and then either F or S. 
You never know! TAKE, DROP and EXAMINE ALL are accepted, as are many 
abbreviations: SR [SEARCH], X [EXAMINE], G [GET], DR [DROP], LIN [LOOK IN], LOBE 
[LOOK BEHIND] and LUND [LOOK UNDER] being among these. Necessary also if you 
wish to shorten or extend the location descriptions are the VERBOSE and BRIEF 
commands, and EXITS ON or OFF is also catered for. EXITS by itself will list 
which directions you can go at any time. In addition, as well as the usual 
RAMSAVE and RAMLOAD commands, QS and QL will save your position to memory 
without asking you for confirmation. 

Hints:

There are no red herrings, so all objects are necessary.

There are five coins to be obtained; four are available close to one another. 
You will receive another one when you help someone. All are needed. Once you 
have them, you need to determine to whom to give them, and/or what to buy. There 
are two instances where you could use a coin, but you should choose a different 
action.

There are 10 spells: LIQUIFY, BRAY, WEAK, SHATTER, TELEPORT, GRAB, SLUICE, 
SNAKE, CONTAIN, DOVE. All are needed, and you will usually know when. 

There are several treasures to collect (you are told it is a treasure): ORB, 
AMULET, MIRROR, FIGURINE, CARBOY, CAGE, SCROLL, GAUNTLETS. Besides being 
treasures, they are needed to solve other puzzles. 

Several objects are needed more than once (e.g. the rope, the sword, the 
crowbar, the crow, the branch). So if you drop them or forget them somewhere, go 
back and get them (if you can). 

TALK to <people> you meet, even if you only sense someone there. ASK for their 
help.

EXAMINE all objects. SEARCH is not the same as EXAMINE, so use it also. FEEL 
inside objects and things. LOOK BEHIND and LOOK UP <things>.

You are a sorcerer, not a priest, so it is allowable to kill some bad guys.

Use one flying animal to battle another.

Check your inventory often as sometimes you have something you didn't know you 
had.

There are several keys in the game: red, blue, black, orange, and purple. Save 
the blue key until you are asked if you want to use it, and use the others when 
you can.

You will meet the merchant more than once. Once you have no more coins, he will 
barter if you have something valuable.

WEAR those objects that can be worn.

What to do with the accident-prone guard? Give him something he can hurt himself 
with. Keep getting killed once you have the uniform? Since the guard is found, 
you need to dispose of his body somehow so he is not found.

You are followed by a band of Morovians? Hide somewhere.

Can't find the sorcerer to help you? DROP the crowbar where you dropped the 
bread and found the handle. Can't find the bread? Check out the slops.

Keep sliding down the scree? You need help. WAIT and it will arrive. You will 
need that help again once you reach the top. Drop a metallic object when in the 
cairn.

Can't remove the wax from the bottle? Notice the hole in the ceiling. You need 
the help of sunlight to melt the wax. First ensure there is sunlight. Wedge an 
object into the hole, and hang a light-focusing object to it. You will need to 
wear something before you can open the bottle safely.

Can't get into the sanctum? Given Obegon a tool he can use. How to vanquish him 
once he is in the sanctum? Have a companion and use a spell.

Can't open the coffin without getting killed? Someone nearby will selflessly 
help. 

Can't get the bolts? A magnet can help. WAVE it.

Equajo falls asleep? Maybe he needs to be rubbed with a tonic to revitalize.

Don't be too quick to leave the pagan's room once you open the chest. Look at it 
again.

Can't get the barman out in order to open his box? Lure him outside. How to do 
that? Light the bonfire. How? You need burning oil. How to get the oil?  Find a 
container and something which can be used to make oil. Remember to follow the 
French instructions before you leave.

Stuck at a door with no lock? Get rid of the cobwebs.

Stuck at the triptych? Examine the horseshoe for a hint. Keep examining the 
painting at the triptych room. The triptych can be TURNed.

Can't use the rope while you are carrying treasures? Maybe you can first drop 
them into something and retrieve them later. But use one object first at a 
location close by.

Terri Sheehan
2009-04-26

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