WARTORN LAND
Written by Jon Scott
This game was never published
Played by Doreen Bardon on a PC under Spectrum emulation
You are Moribus, the apprentice of Equajo the sorcerer. Your task is to retrieve
the valuable treasures stolen from the Castle of Archdale, find spells - and
destroy Danevas.
You start at the crossroads: I – wearing a doublet, hose and shoes and carrying
a velvet pouch. X DOUBLET (a shirt with heraldic patterns, it covers a birthmark
on your midriff) X BIRTHMARK (it's the mark of a sorcerer) X HOSE (covers the
legs) X SHOES (lightweight) X POUCH (empty) X SIGN (it's loose) PULL SIGN, X
HOLE, FEEL IN HOLE, X PRISM (can reflect sunlight) N, E, X GREEN KNIGHT, E (he
won't let you pass) W, N, X CART, SR CART, X BAR (there is a hook attached to
it) REMOVE HOOK FROM BAR, N, X, SACKS, SR SACKS (you find an empty sack) S, S,
S, W, X BUSHES (dense) SR BUSHES (you get a red key) X RED KEY (carved from
hardwood, bears image of a hawk) E, E, X BRIDGE, READ INSCRIPTION (this is the
LIQUIFY spell, which you can now cast) X TREE, X HOLE, FEEL IN HOLE, X PARCHMENT
(tells of a talisman 'dulack' which was created by the Ancients to incarcerate
Obegon. Free Obegon and the talisman is useless)
SE, E, X PAGAN (one of the Ancients) TALK TO PAGAN (has lost something) GIVE
PARCHMENT TO PAGAN, PLACE PARCHMENT ON TABLE (you can now treat the place like
home) X CHEST (locked and covered in hawk patterns) X PATTERNS, PRESS PATTERNS
(something rolls inside the chest) UNLOCK CHEST (the red key unlocks the chest,
the pagan takes the red key) GET FLASK, GET BLUE KEY, GET ORB, X ORB (a valuable
treasure) X FLASK (empty) X BLUE KEY (mystical, crafted by the Ancients – will
allow its owner to unlock any 3 locks – then vanish), W, NW, W, S, S (you see
the mayor in stocks) X FOUNTAIN, X SYMBOLS, PRESS SYMBOLS (the water in the
fountain is drained, you find 2 coins) X STOCKS, X MAYOR, FREE MAYOR (you
release him and he says that he will reward you) E, X NOTICEBOARD (a note reads
'Danevas, Count of Darkness resident in the Castle of Archdale – needs to be
vanquished, Celestial in charcoal will protect you from the ghost of the abyss')
X PLANTS, GET SEEDS, X SEEDS (known for their oil burning properties).
S (in town hall, the mayor is in his office) X CROWD, JOIN QUEUE (you wait,
eventually the clerk recognises you and rewards you with 2 coins) PUT SEEDS IN
FLASK, CAST LIQUIFY (the oil is released from the seeds)
N, W, W, X BONFIRE (on tavern property – ready for the solstice) N, X YELLOW
KNIGHT, TALK TO YELLOW KNIGHT (you converse about cowardice) X BARMAN, BUY ALE,
GIVE ALE TO YELLOW KNIGHT, ASK YELLOW KNIGHT ABOUT GREEN KNIGHT (he says the
green knight will fight, he gives you his sword) X SWORD (sharp) X BOX
(rectangular, closed has words engraved 'FERME APRES OUVRE'
OPEN BOX (barman won't let you) LIGHT OIL, S, THROW FLASK ON BONFIRE (it sets
alight and the barman rushes out to put it out) N, OPEN BOX, FEEL IN BOX (a
black key is found) GET AMULET, CLOSE BOX, X AMULET (a valuable treasure, can be
worn), WEAR AMULET, EXAMINE BLACK KEY, S, X WALL, (you find the BRAY spell) E,
N, E, X DONKEY, CAST BRAY SPELL (you can understand the donkey) SHOW BIRTHMARK
TO DONKEY (a burst of light hits your temple – you now have the WEAK spell) W,
S, S, W, X DOOR, KNOCK ON DOOR (a shifty peasant invites you inside).
X TABLE, X LEGS (find the SHATTER spell) X PEASANT (thin and ill) TALK TO
PEASANT (tax man due today, and he has no money) WAIT (a tax collector bursts
into the hovel) X COLLECTOR (wears a mask and a cloak, he demands payment) FIGHT
COLLECTOR (you swing the sword and kill the collector, the peasant take the
cloak and mask, finds a coin which he gives you and you both go outside to deal
with the horseman), SR RUBBLE, X SHRAPNEL, CLEAN SHRAPNEL (with sack) X MIRROR
(a valuable treasure) E, SE, X BLACKSMITH, TALK TO BLACKSMITH, GIVE BAR TO
BLACKSMITH (he makes a horseshoe), EXAMINE HORSESHOE (for a male horse) NW, N,
N, N, W, X GATE, UNLOCK GATE (you are asked if you want to use the blue key) YES
(the gate is unlocked) N, N, X COFFIN (closed, has the words ADSUM DIABALO I,
the Devil am present) S, X DOOR (no keyhole) X COBWEBS, CLEAR COBWEBS, EXAMINE
DOOR, X LINTEL, FEEL LINTEL, PRESS BUTTON (a panel opens revealing a lock).
UNLOCK DOOR (you asked it you want to use the blue key) YES (the door is
unlocked) W (inside the church Warex is praying to God) X WAREX (he is dying of
the plague) WF (Warex stands and is willing to follow you) E, N, WS (you tell
Warex to stay here) SAY TO WAREX OPEN COFFIN (he begins to open the lid and you
think it is not a good time to be here) S (you hear Warex scream as a beast
emerges from the coffin and kills Warex) N, X COFFIN, X REMAINS (you get a
bone), X BONE (you find the SNAKE spell) S, S, E, N, E, FIGHT GREEN KNIGHT (you
decapitate the knight and flee into the forest, you can see the tower of Equajo)
X TOWER, X BRIARS, SR BRIARS, X BRANCH (still green) UNLOCK DOOR WITH BLACK KEY,
E, CLOSE DOOR (you find a jade figurine on a pedestal behind the door) X JADE
(it's a valuable treasure) U, X PAINTING (see the words 'TH.R. T..E L.C.Y' )
X TRIPTYCH, LOBE PAINTING (you find the TELEPORT spell) X SLOT ('u' shaped).
TURN VOLETE (to colt) TURN VOLETE (to stallion) INSERT HORSESHOE INTO SLOT (a
blinding light and a pole drops to the floor) X POLE (it can be extended or
retracted) D, OPEN DOOR, W, S, X GRASS, SR GRASS (you find some string) x
STRING, X CLERIC, TALK TO CLERIC (wants payment to leave forest) GIVE COIN TO
CLERIC (he gives you a stone) X STONE (to use as a focus on spells – to use once
only) SE, X MERCHANT (has items for sale) BUY ROPE, BUY CROWBAR, SE, X ROCK, TIE
ROPE TO ROCK, D, X TABLET (note the engraved sorcerer) PLACE STONE ON TABLET,
PULL ROPE, CAST TELEPORT (now at the bottom of the cliff) E, N, X ORC (relieving
himself & drunk) KILL ORC, GET CHAIN, EXAMINE CHAIN, S, X SLAB (find the SLUICE
spell) X CHIMNEY, LOOK UP CHIMNEY (you get an elfhorn) X ELFHORN, S, X ELF, TALK
TO ELF, GIVE ELFHORN TO ELF (he gives you a piece of cloth) X CLOTH (outside the
dungeon write the watchword) N, X BOARDS.
FORCE BOARDS WITH CROWBAR, E, X ELIXIR (a sea below you) X GAP (see a notch and
a retracting bridge on the other side) X NOTCH, THROW BRANCH AT NOTCH, GET
BRANCH, N, X ALTAR (find the GRAB spell) X SHELVES, X CARBOY, ATTACH CHAIN TO
CARBOY, S, LOWER CARBOY INTO ELIXIR
W, S, S (on platform western chasm) EXTEND POLE, JUMP CHASM (you leap the 20'
feet to the eastern side, drop the pole, see the enemy, and run to the bottom of
a track) SR GARDEN (find a cellar door) ENTER CELLAR (you hide from the enemy,
they fall down the chasm) N, X TRUNK, X STATUETTE, KISS STATUETTE (the trunk
flies open and you find the DOVE spell) S, S (below you, you see guards chasing
a woman) X BOULDER, LEVER BOULDER WITH BRANCH (the boulder falls crushing the
guards, the woman is Ruth your sweetheart), S, GET SALT, X SALT (valuable) S, X
SAND (you get a phial), EXAMINE PHIAL (give it to the one you love) N, X
WATERFALL, CAST SLUICE (the water is diverted) SW, S, X MERCHANT (is it the same
one?) GIVE SALT (you bargain with him and he gives you a purple key) X PURPLE
KEY (has royal insignia) X ICESHEET, CAST SHATTER ON ICESHEET, E, X PIT (see the
talisman of Dulack far below)
CAST GRAB (you are too weak), SIP ELIXIR, CAST GRAB (you get the talisman) X
TALISMAN (belonged to the Queen) W, N, W, U (the scree is steep – how?) DROP
ROPE, CAST SNAKE (the rope leads upwards) CLIMB ROPE, U (the scree is
impassable) WAIT (Thane Stelfox appears) X THANE, TALK TO THANE, THANE HELP (he
carries you up the scree on his back) X CAIRN, MOVE STONE (with the help from
Thane you move the stones and enter the cairn) WAIT (Thane gives you a pair of
boots) X BOOTS, FEEL IN BOOTS (you find the CONTAIN spell)
E, D, D, PULL ROPE (the Thane eventually leaves), E, S, W, N (inside a cave
system is someone here?) SAY HELLO (you see Ruth your beloved, she has lost
something) GIVE PHIAL TO RUTH (she is grateful and gives you a cage) EXAMINE
CAGE (a treasure) S, X CROW, CATCH CROW (it is in the cage) E, S (you are
outside the castle of Archdale, there is a gryphon flying above) RELEASE CROW
(it flies off, the gryphon follows and crashes into the wall, then rests on the
roof) UNLOCK GATE WITH PURPLE KEY (you enter the entrance hall and all metal
items are nearly wrenched from your hands) DROP SWORD (it attaches itself to an
unseen lodestone) INVENTORY (you have the lodestone) LODESTONE (magnet) S, X
CHUTE, OPEN DOOR (no handle) NE, X GUARD (accident-prone) GIVE SWORD (he impales
himself), X UNIFORM, GET UNIFORM, HIDE GUARD, LOOK E (you see an officer
unconscious holding bolts) WAVE LODESTONE (the bolts land in your hands)
X BUCKET, FEEL IN BUCKET, X BREAD, SW, W, OPEN CURTAINS, X SCROLLS (valuable
treasure) X CROW, GIVE BREAD TO CROW (it flies and knocks a handle down) GET
HANDLE, DROP CROWBAR (the crowbar acts as a 'focus' and the owl is transformed
into Equajo who goes to sleep on the bed) RUB ELIXIR ON LIPS (Equajo's strength
is returned and he downs the remaining elixir; he now follows you) E, OPEN
CHUTE, INSERT BOLTS IN HOLES (the chandelier below is now firm) D, THROW ROPE
(it catches on the chandelier) U, PLACE ALL IN CHUTE (everything slides down the
chute into the east hall) D, SWING ROPE (you swing across the fire pit into the
east hall) GET ALL, X RECESS, X GAUNTLETS (a valuable treasure) WEAR GUANTLETS,
DROP BRANCH, GET CHARCOAL, E, S, (on battlements, see a cell with closed
shutters some 20' away) OPEN SHUTTERS (if you were a bird), CAST DOVE, N, X
GUARD, CAST WEAK (the guard flees) E, READ LEGEND, WRITE CELESTIAL WITH
CHARCOAL.
UNLOCK DOOR (with the blue key, this is the last time – it vanishes) S (you see
a dirty window) CLEAN WINDOW (sunlight streams through) X BOTTLE, X CEILING,
INSERT HOOK INTO HOLE, TIE STRING TO HOOK, TIE PRISM TO STRING (the sunlight is
focused onto the cold wax on the bottle and it is opened) WEAR TALISMAN, GET
BOTTLE, OPEN BOTTLE (Obegon is released and asks where Danevas is) X OBEGON,
TALK TO OBEGON, GIVE MIRROR TO OBEGON (he says he will use the mirror to sly
Danevas, and then he will be ruler, you all go to Danevas's sanctum. Danevas is
slain by Obegon) CAST CONTAIN (both you and Equajo manage to use the spell and
Obegon is contained back inside the bottle).
It is not long before the Morovans hear of Danevas's downfall. They foolishly
attack the Castle, their brutish leader Olaf in the frontline. But it is Olaf
who falls first when the gallant Kleinvaricans from the dungeons return to
action. They slay the remaining Morovans in battle, and set about reclaiming the
land. The borders between Kleinvair and the two neighbouring lands are
reinforced and you settle back into court life under King Egon (who was alive,
after all) and Queen Serena. Their coronation is most poignant.
Equajo brings a young lady to visit you some days later. It is Ruth, and you
leap into her arms. Not long after, you are married, and several years down the
line the youngsters are flowing from your beautiful wife. The land is tranquil
and evil magic is vanquished. With your family, and the splendid Kingdom of
which you proudly belong, all is well again. The Royal Treasures that you
retrieved sit displayed in the Throne Room and the village of Emillano is
flourishing again.
One morning, the King sends for you. I have a quest for you, Moribus, he
declares… Pray return to Emillano and bring me some of that most wonderful bread
that is baked there! I am tiring of court food. You wipe the sweat from your
forehead, most relieved that this quest is somewhat less challenging. The visit
will bring back memories no doubt. You have done excellently - congratulations
on completing
WARTORN LAND
Solution by Doreen Bardon
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