THE CHALLENGE OF IYTHUS
by David Court/Rogers
Creative Juices
Spectrum 128
This is an excellent game, full of intriguing, difficult puzzles, made
very challenging by the random elements, and by needing to perform some
actions in a required order. The descriptions are well-written, though
some things don't hold together well.
While a step-by-step solution is available at the Tipshop (courtesy of
Sinclair User), Part 2 is incomplete and has some parts missing, as well
as some errors. Possibly this was a different version.
Hints:
Part 1
Don't examine the cherub.
You'll need the rope more than once.
In the mines, get the lamp and star first, before entering the mine car.
You will need to crawl in one location. Don't panic if you lose the star.
DUCK when you hear a whistling noise.
The black box is not necessary.
Of course, the sword is needed. But it needs to be energized before you
meet a strong opponent.
Eating what you can appears to increase your strength.
Don't be too quick in leaving after examining the pile of twigs and
leaves. Take the objects you find.
What you saw on the flask comes in handy when there is a blockage.
There is a dog in the game. The bone doesn't help? You'll have to find
something else.
Solution:
Part 1
INFO (Arakin tells you of a plan by Iythus to create a new master race.
You are sent to destroy him. The dwarf star will do this. Only two exist,
buried under a castle in a mine where the orcs try to find it. But one is
somewhere in the castle guarded by a monster. Only one dwarf stone will
destroy him. When you have the stone meet Arakin's steed in the wastelands
found in the mine. Your mission must remain secret. You are transported to
the castle walls.)
INVENTORY (you have a sword, an apple, and a coin), EXAMINE SWORD (it has
magical powers), EXAMINE COIN (seems strange), EXAMINE APPLE (delicious),
EAT APPLE, E, S, EXAMINE RUBBISH (a demon mound tells you not to waken him
again), N, W, W, N (you see a manhole cover), OPEN MANHOLE (it's locked),
E, TAKE LEAFLET, EXAMINE LEAFLET (important), N (an elf appears and tries
to sell you an insurance policy), GIVE COIN (you get a sheet), READ SHEET,
S, E (the north exit is blocked by lights), N, EXAMINE SARCOPHAGUS, OPEN
SARCOPHAGUS, REDESCRIBE (you see a hole), GO HOLE, TAKE ROPE, GO HOLE, S,
W, S, W, EXAMINE WALL (there is a pole), THROW ROPE, REDESCRIBE (the rope
dangles).
CLIMB ROPE, UNTIE ROPE, REDESCRIBE (at the guard tower), S, DOWN, E (you
see a hard hat), TAKE HAT, WEAR HAT, W, W, UP, N, N (you see a flute),
TAKE FLUTE, EXAMINE FLUTE (made from gold), UP, DOWN, E (an orc gets you
and puts you on a path north), W, W, TAKE ROPE, E, E, N, N, PLAY FLUTE
(the lights vanish), N, N (you see a well and a ladder), DOWN, DOWN (you
see a pile of twigs and leaves), EXAMINE PILE (a rat jumps out), KILL RAT,
REDESCRIBE, TAKE RAT, EXAMINE RAT (glows eerily), EXAMINE WATER (you get a
vial), EXAMINE VIAL, EXAMINE PILE (you see a key), TAKE KEY, UP, UP, S, S,
S, W, N (you see a door), OPEN DOOR (you hear a whistling noise), DUCK (an
arrow misses you; you see a black-cloaked creature who vanishes).
REDESCRIBE (you see a black box), EXAMINE BOX (seems solid, not hollow),
W, N, EXAMINE SHELVES (you see a chicken, a bone, and a tomato), TAKE ALL,
EAT CHICKEN, EAT BONE, S, E, E, E, N (you see a uniform), TAKE UNIFORM,
WEAR UNIFORM, S, W, W, UP, N, W, OPEN IRON (a dead dwarf falls out),
EXAMINE DWARF (you find a map and a note), TAKE MAP, READ MAP (the
entrance to the mine through a cramped passageway; the track leads over a
canyon to wastelands on the other side), TAKE NOTE, READ NOTE (the ideal
spell for large creatures like dragons. demons, and battle creatures is
the "Kapow" spell; you will need to have the following objects: broken
glass, a source of water, and a tooth from a drook hound and maybe some
rope and some mould).
Go E, E (you see a coffin), OPEN COFFIN (you release a vampire ghost), W,
S, W (you see a curtain), OPEN CURTAIN (you see a dog), THROW RAT (the dog
vanishes), REDESCRIBE (you see a tooth), TAKE TOOTH, E, N, N, OPEN DOOR,
GO DOOR (you see the ghost), KILL GHOST (he'll be back), GO DOOR, S, E, N
(in the skullmaze), N, N, E, S, S, E, S, E (you see an empty flask), TAKE
FLASK, EXAMINE FLASK (Althar is on it), N, N, N, W, W, S, S, S, W, S,
DOWN, OPEN DOOR, S, FILL FLASK, W, UNLOCK MANHOLE, OPEN MANHOLE, DOWN (you
see dice resting on a plinth), EXAMINE PLINTH (you see a lever), PULL
LEVER (the dice floats to the ground), TAKE DICE, EXAMINE DICE (each side
has a skull symbol).
ROLL DICE (random – until you hear thunder; you see a creature; he thanks
you and gives you a blue sphere), TAKE SPHERE, EXAMINE SPHERE, UP, N, E,
OPEN DOOR, UP, N, N, GO DOOR (the ghost is here), CLOSE DOOR, KILL GHOST,
OPEN DOOR, GO DOOR, S, S, DOWN, E, E, S (you see an orc), THROW VIAL (he
dissipates), REDESCRIBE (you see broken glass), TAKE GLASS, S, S, E, READ
SIGN, E, DROP FLUTE, TAKE LAMP, EXAMINE LAMP (magic), W, W, N, E, E, E, S,
DOWN, DOWN, DOWN (you see the star and an ogre guarding it), SAY KAPOW
(the ogre vanishes and you hear voices screaming "lava"), TAKE STAR, UP,
UP, UP, N, W, W, W, S, CRAWL S (you see a mine car with its brakes on),
ENTER CAR, PULL BRAKE (you'll need to cut it).
CUT BRAKE (the car moves, the lava starts filling the canyon and you lose
the star), REDESCRIBE (you are at the north end of the canyon and see a
winged demon), KILL DEMON (chance – until it is dead), DOWN, E, E, N, E
(you see a boulder and the insurance elf who tells you when in the sequel
and on the bridge shout "WAR"), SAY ALTHAR (the boulder shatters), E, E, S
(you see the dwarf star), TAKE STAR, N, W, W, W, S, W, W, UP, N (you climb
on an eagle's back; the next part of your mission is to kill Iythus; the
password for Part 2 is "SAY GUPPY". Score: 112 points.
Hints:
Part 2
The password is "SAY GUPPY", not "SAY PUPPY".
The hint that the elf gave you in part 1? It's a red herring.
The dog is necessary close to the end. So do not free it immediately. SAY
EVAP, not EVAPORATE.
DUCK when you see the firebolt.
To demolish the circuitry, KILL it.
To get off the ledge after jumping down, CLIMB ROCKS.
Beware the thin ice. While you cannot walk on it, you can cross it. You
need an adverb though. Choose the direction you need to go. How would you
cross thin ice? Quickly, or...?
Periodically when you fall asleep, you will be captured and put in a
torture chamber. You are given a choice about how to die. Choose either,
then YELL, and you will find yourself north of the door on a pack of snow.
Retrace your steps to where you were before you were captured. and
continue on.
Don't kill the scorpion right away as it is necessary alive at a
particular location. Once it has fulfilled its purpose, it can be killed.
To get out of the complex, wait until sleep overtakes you. Return here as
you can also move the wall.
After you have cut the pipes, GO HOLE.
Solution:
Part 2
If you wish to know the history about the writing of the game, type
HISTORY ONE, HISTORY TWO, HISTORY THREE.
You are in an icy cavern. INVENTORY (you have your sword), E, CRAWL E,
REDESCRIBE, E, TAKE BOTTLE, EXAMINE BOTTLE, W, CRAWL W, (you can't), DROP
BOTTLE, CRAWL W, DROP SWORD, CRAWL E, TAKE BOTTLE, CRAWL W, TAKE SWORD, W,
S, S, DROP SWORD, DROP BOTTLE, S, E, E (at the chasm), JUMP CHASM, N, UP,
N (you see an arrow and a crossbow), TAKE ARROW, EXAMINE CROSSBOW (there
is a slot in the back and can be fired by pulling the trigger), INSERT
ARROW, PULL TIRGGER (the area is illuminated), S, E, E (you see gloves),
TAKE GLOVES, EXAMINE GLOVES (useful), WEAR GLOVES, W, N, DOWN, S, S (you
are on thin ice), S SLOWLY, S SLOWLY (you see the dwarf star).
TAKE STAR, EXAMINE STAR (octagonal crystal), N SLOWLY, N, SLOWLY, N, JUMP
CHASM, W, W, W, TAKE ALL, N, N, N, N, E, E, S (you see a stalagtite
[sp.]and some rocks), BREAK STALAGTITE, TAKE STALAGTITE, EXAMINE ROCKS
(you see a scorpion), CATCH SCORPION (you put it in the bottle), N, W, W,
S, S, S, E (you see a snow dog chained to a wall), PAT DOG, E, E (the man
says he does not like visitors and draws his sword), FREE SCORPION (the
man is frightened and says to take his dog with the word "evap" to free
his chains; the scorpion kills him), REDESCRIBE, KILL SCORPION, REDESCRIBE
(you see the sting), DROP BOTTLE, TAKE STING, W, W, W, DROP STING, DROP
STAR, S, E, N, N (you see a wall).
EXAMINE WALL (you see a hole ), EXAMINE HOLE, INSERT HAND, REDESCRIBE (you
are in a complex), REDESCRIBE (until you fall asleep), SAY WATER, YELL
(back at the pack of snow), E, E, N, N, PUSH WALL (it spins around), E
(you see a pipe filled with gas), CUT PIPE, GO HOLE, REDESCRIBE (you are
in a lab; you see tubes with creatures), CUT TUBES, EXAMINE INFANTS,
EXAMINE CIRCUITRY, KILL CIRCUITRY (the lights dim), E, E, EXAMINE NOTICE
(red and blue papers), READ RED PAPER (battle orc), READ BLUE PAPER
(incubation of the babies), E, N (you see an orc at a desk), KILL ORC (he
tells you of the Battle Orc clones), REMOVE COAT (a gasmask falls out –
ignore it), WEAR COAT, S, EXAMINE PANEL (state your business).
SAY TO PANEL "BATTLE ORC", REDESCRIBE (you see a table with an enormous
mutant orc on it and a branch), KILL ORC (chance – until it dies), TAKE
BRANCH, W, W, W, W, GO HOLE, W, PUSH WALL, S, S, W, N, REMOVE COAT, DROP
COAT, TAKE STING, N, N, N, JUMP (you land on the ledge), S (you see a
bird), THROW STING (it flies off), W, TAKE KEY, E, N, CLIMB ROCKS, S, S,
S, S, W, S (you see a creature ready to attack), THROW STALAGTITE (it
vanishes), UNLOCK DOOR, N, E, N, TAKE STAR, S, W, LIGHT BRANCH, S, GO DOOR
(you hear growling and footsteps coming closer), CLOSE DOOR (the footsteps
recede), S, S, E (you see an Ice Demon), THROW BRANCH (it melts and you
see a wand and the branch), TAKE WAND, INSERT STAR (they are attached).
Go W, N, N, OPEN DOOR, GO DOOR, N, E, N, E, SAY EVAP (the dog follows
you), W, S, W (go east/west until sleep overtakes you), SAY FIRE, YELL
(back at the pack of snow), S, GO DOOR, S, S, S (you see a boat), GO BOAT
(you see a rope), CUT ROPE (you enter a cavern and see a dock), E, N (at a
steep edge), WAVE WAND (you find yourself on a sandy beach), REDESCRIBE,
EXAMINE ROCK (Iythus has control of your dreams; make sure you are in no
predicament when you sleep), WAVE WAND, S, ENTER HUT (the orc tells you to
go south and you will be told what to do), LEAVE HUT, S, E, E (you are
told you will notice a tunnel to the east; clear the rubble away and bring
it back to him), N, E (you see props), E (ignore the rubble).
REDESCRIBE (four times – until the forcefield turns off for a second; your
dog leaps in), REDESCRIBE (in an elegant chamber with an exit to the
north), N, N (Iythus speaks, turns into a jackal; tells you scientists are
completing his final creation and turns a firebolt in your direction),
DUCK (he runs south), S, (his skin begins to split and he turns into a
demon), KILL IYTHUS (you cleave his fingers; he creates demons and
creatures), WAVE WAND (they vanish; Iythus pleads for mercy but he melts
away into a puddle of ash; the mountains explode; you run into a hole that
just appeared; you see a vast army; Arakin and his steed lift you up; you
see the mountains collapse; another mission awaits you. You are finished.
Score: 93%.
Terri Sheehan
2007-03-18
*****************************************************
Displayed on the Classic Adventures Solution Archive:
http://solutionarchive.com
