Key & Compass presents:
Dr. Death's House of Horrors
by John Olsen

The game begins with you in a jail cell and the walls are closing in! If you escape this death trap, you will find that you are still trapped in a wax museum called Dr. Death's House of Horrors. Yes, you are dreaming all this, but the only way to escape this nightmare is to find ten keys and learn how to use them.

This solution is by David Welbourn, and is based on Version 3.0 of the game. I used the DOSBox emulator to play this game in 2018 and 2019.

Map
Walkthrough
Extras
- Characters, Credits, Endings, Inventory
Thank You to my Patreon supporters
External links:
- This game at IFDB, and IFWiki.
- Tweet about this walkthrough on Twitter.

Map

Walkthrough

Notes:

The room names in this walkthrough are my own invention. This game does not use formal room names or a status line.
There is no X abbreviation for EXAMINE. However, command verbs can be abbreviated to their first four letters, so I use EXAM instead of EXAMINE.
To restart the game, type QUIT, then answer YES you really want to quit, then YES you want to try again.
To save the game, type SAVE, then provide a short DOS filename (only up to eight alphanumeric characters, no spaces), then enter the letter of the drive to save to, probably C.
To restore the game, type LOAD, then enter the filename and drive letter at the prompts as before.

Stone Cell

Walls are closing in!

> push table. climb table. jump up.

Short Alley

You don't need the bottle but this is your only chance to acquire it, in case you want to try to do something with it later.

> exam can. take bottle. exam bottle. e.

Outside Mansion

The fog prevents you from returning to the alley.

> exam door. pull doorbell.

You fall down a chute. A voice tells you to find ten keys if you want your freedom.

Short Stone Hallway

> drop bottle.

> e.

European Castle

It's a bit disturbing, but if you care to, you can take the stake and then put the stake back in the figure.

> exam cobwebs. exam coffin. open coffin.

> exam figure. exam stake.

> take gold key. exam gold key. ("CHARITY")

> s.

English Village Square

Note: Although you can take the hood and wear it, you don't need it.

> exam figure. exam hood.

> w.

18th Century France

Note: Although you can take the skull, you don't need it.

> exam guillotine. exam figure. exam basket. exam skull.

> pull lever. take copper key.

> exam copper key. ("SINCERITY")

> w.

Undersea Tableau

> exam diver. exam shell. take knife. exam knife.

> e. n. u. n.

Entry Hall

> exam door. exam machine. (Needs a quarter.)

> n.

Cloak Room

You don't need the hat or the ticket.

> take hat. exam hat. take ticket. exam ticket.

> drop hat. drop ticket.

> take quarter. exam quarter. s.

Entry Hall

> put quarter in machine. (See a man digging in the desert, then in a graveyard.)

> u. n.

Native Hut

> exam zombie. exam symbols.

> take book. exam book. drop book.

> s. e. n.

French Foreign Legion

> exam figure.

> dig. (Using the knife. You find lead slugs.)

> drop knife. take slugs. exam slugs.

> e.

Desert

> exam figure. dig.

> take steel key. exam steel. ("FRIENDLY")

> w. s.

East End of Hallway

> open door (with copper key). e.

Office

During your time in the office, the portrait will tell you: "Each of the ten keys has a word engraved on it. Stand by the front door, hold each key, and say the magic word to release each lock."

> exam desk. take thread. exam thread.

> exam painting. (It's of the museum's owner, Dr. Death.)

> exam window.

> open door (with gold key).

Instead of going through the gold door, head back to the entry hall to drop off most of your stuff:

> w. w. d.

Entry Hall

Use the entry hall as your drop location for objects you'll use later.

> drop gold. drop copper. drop steel. drop slugs.

> e.

Large Room

Note: If you break the case with the axe, the suit of armour animates and takes you to the cell. Don't do that yet!

> exam case. (Has chrome key on velvet pillow.)

> exam armour. exam axe.

> s.

African Village

You don't need the toothpick.

> exam figure. take toothpick. exam toothpick.

> pick teeth. drop toothpick.

> n. n.

Outer Space

You need the magnet but not the candy wrapper.

> exam figure. take magnet. exam magnet.

> take wrapper. exam wrapper. drop wrapper.

> s. w. u. s.

Overgrown Graveyard

> exam hand. dig. take silver key. exam silver. ("MODESTY")

> n. e. s.

African Jungle

> exam figure. (has an iron key)

> exam scorpions. (Real ones!)

> tie thread to magnet.

> take iron with magnet. drop magnet. exam iron. ("LOYALTY")

> n. e.

Office

> s. (The door slams shut behind you!)

Storage Room

> exam shelves. take mold. exam mold.

> exam head. pull antlers. (You fall into the cloakroom.)

Cloakroom

> s.

Entry Hall

> drop silver. drop mold.

> e.

Large Room

> open door (with iron key). w.

Entry Hall

> drop iron key. e. e.

Colonial Village

You don't need the broken watch.

> exam figure. exam stocks.

> take watch. exam watch. drop watch.

> n.

Lumbermill

> exam figure. take bronze key. exam bronze. ("FAITHFUL")

> e.

1930's Penitentary

> exam figure. take gloves. exam gloves.

> pull lever. take tarnished quarter.

> s.

Old West Town

Around this time, you start getting thirsty. The exact trigger is unclear, but I think it starts several turns after you arrive in the Colonial Village..

By the way, you don't need the sheriff's star.

> exam figure. take star. exam star. drop star.

> pull lever. (brass key falls)

> take brass key. exam brass. ("BRAVERY")

> s.

Louisiana Swamp

Sorry, but you really do need to drink some swamp water to prevent death by thirst.

> exam figure. exam water. drink water.

> w.

American Plains

You don't need the tomahawk.

> exam figure. take tomahawk.

> exam tomahawk. drop tomahawk.

> n. w. w.

Entry Hall

> drop bronze. drop gloves.

> put quarter in machine.

> e.

Large Room

If you have the brass key, it's okay to smash the case open.

> take axe. break case.

You're carried to...

Stone Cell

The walls are closing again.

> take aluminum key.

> open door (with brass key).

> e.

Medieval Dungeon

> exam aluminum. ("MERCY")

> exam figure. exam pit. exam crucible. (empty)

> e. u. n. e.

Large Room

> take chrome. exam chrome. ("HONESTY")

> w.

Entry Hall

> drop brass. drop aluminum. drop chrome. drop axe.

> take slugs. take mold. take gloves.

> s. d. w.

Medieval Dungeon

> put slugs in crucible. wear gloves.

> take crucible. pour lead into mold.

> drop crucible. open mold.

> drop mold. drop gloves.

> take lead key. exam lead. ("TOLERANCE")

> e. u. n.

Entry Hall

Assuming you're still carrying the lead key:

> say tolerance.

As you say each magic word, the key and its lock on the front door both disappear.

> take gold. say charity.

> take silver. say modesty.

> take iron. say loyalty.

> take copper. say sincerity.

> take brass. say bravery.

> take aluminum. say mercy.

> take steel. say friendly.

> take chrome. say honesty.

> take bronze. say faithful.

The front door opens to blinding white light. You wake up! You escaped!

*** END OF GAME ***

Extras

Characters

The voice of Dr Death talks to you when you fall down the chute, telling you to find the ten keys to freedom. He will also briefly manifest himself via his office portrait.
Actual scorpions are in the pit in the African jungle exhibit. Caution! They're poisonous!
The suit of armour in the large room animates and takes you back to the cell with the crushing walls if you break the display case.
The HELP command suggests listening to the ghost, but I never saw one unless they mean Dr. Death.

Also: There's many wax figures in the museum, but they're not characters in the game. However, the vampire figure will make a bit of noise if you either take the stake from its chest or put the stake back into the figure.

Credits

From the README.TXT file that is included in the Nightmares From The Crypt collection:

SHAREWARE These games are Shareware, and are copyright (c) 1992 by John Olsen. If you play them, register by sending your $20 (US) Shareware fee to: John Olsen P.O. Box 181 Newberg Oregon 97132 USA By sending your Shareware fee, you are compensating the author for his time, effort, and creativity. This will encourage further efforts. And by sending in your Shareware fee, you also will become a registered user and receive maps, hints, and full solutions to all three adventure games. Specifically ask for CLUE KIT #4 to make sure you get the proper solutions, hints and maps for all of these games. TECHNICAL STUFF These games are copyright (c) 1992 by John Olsen. You are free to use, copy and distribute RINGS, RIDERS, and DEATH for NON-COMMERCIAL use if: They are not modified in any way. No fee is charged for use. Only a nominal fee not to exceed ($5) for expenses and handling in copying and distribution.

Endings

The game ends when your character dies or escapes.

You can die in a few ways:

You can be crushed by the closing walls in the stone cell.
You can die of a poisonous scorpion bite if you try to take the iron key directly in the African jungle exhibit.
You can expire from dehydration. Thirst starts several turns after you enter the America wing on the east side of the iron door and ends when you drink nasty swamp water.

The death endings all conclude with:

You are dead. Your nightmare is over. You have failed to solve this adventure END OF GAME

You can escape if, in the entry hall, you hold each of the ten keys in turn and say the word written on them. The winning ending looks like this:

The last key and lock disappear. The front door swings open, revealing a blinding white light. You are waking up! You have done it! You have escaped from Dr. Death's House of Horrors and survived this "Nightmare from the Crypt." END OF GAME

Inventory

The ten keys | Useful items | Useless items

Note: You have a carrying capacity limit of five items. Also, you usually can't examine something portable unless you're holding it.

The ten keys

Note that you will need all ten keys to unlock the front door by saying all the words engraved on them.

a copper key. Find it by pulling the lever in 18th century France. It has "SINCERITY" engraved on it. It unlocks the copper door to the office upstairs.
a gold key. It's held by the figure in the coffin in the European castle. This key unlocks the gold door in the upstairs office to the storage room.
a silver key. Find it by digging in the graveyard. It has "MODESTY" engraved on it. It's only used to help unlock the front door.
an iron key. It's held by an explorer in a shallow pit in the African jungle. Take the iron key with the magnet tied to a thread. The word "LOYALTY" is engraved on the key. It unlocks the iron door in the large room.
a brass key. Find it by pulling the lever in the old west town. It has "BRAVERY" engraved on it. It unlocks the door of the stone cell.
a steel key. Find it by digging in the desert. It has "FRIENDLY" engraved on it. It's only used to help unlock the front door.
an aluminum key. It's in the stone cell after the desk is destroyed. It has "MERCY" engraved on it. It's only used to help unlock the front door.
a chrome key. It's in the glass case in the large room. Make sure you have the brass key first, then break the case with the battleaxe. The suit of armour will take you to the stone cell and you'll need the brass key to escape. Return to the large room and take the chrome key. It has "HONESTY" engraved on it. It's only used to help unlock the front door.
a bronze key. It's held by the villian at the lumbermill. It has "FAITHFUL" engraved on it. It's only used to help unlock the front door.
a lead key. You'll need to make it. Get the lead slugs, mold, and gloves. Go to the medieval dungeon. Put the slugs in the crucible. Wear the gloves. Take the crucible. Pour the lead into the mold. Open the mold; the lead key falls out. The word "TOLERANCE" is engraved on it. It's only used to help unlock the front door.

Useful items

a sharp diver's knife. It's on the diver in the underwater tableau. In the French Foreign Legion outpost, dig with the knife to find the lead slugs.
a shiney new quarter. It's in the cloak room. Put it in the moviola machine in the entry hall to watch a short movie. The movie hints to try digging in both the desert and the graveyard.
a small donut shaped magnet. It's in the outer space tableau; examine the figures to spot it. Tie the spool of thread to the magnet; it's now styled as a magnet tied to thread on a spool. Go to the African jungle, and take the iron key from the pit with the magnet-and-thread combo.
a spool of thread. It's in the desk in the upstairs office. Tie it to the magnet.
a mold for a key. It's on the shelves in the upstairs storage room. Use it when making the lead key.
an old paperback book. It's in the native hut. Read it for some clues.
a pair of heavy gloves. They're worn by the executioner in the 1930's penitentary. Use them when making the lead key, protecting your hands from the hot crucible when you take it. (The gloves should also protect you from electrical hazards, but I don't know of any in this game.)
a handful of slugs made of lead. Find them by digging with the knife in the French Foreign Legion outpost. Use them when making the lead key.
a heavy battleaxe. It's in the large room. Make sure you have the brass key first, then break the case with the battleaxe. The suit of armour will animated and take you to the stone cell; unlock the door with the brass key so you can escape. The case in the large room will remain broken so you can take the chrome key.
a tarnished old quarter. Find it by pulling the lever in the 1930's penitentary. Put it in the moviola machine in the entry hall to watch a short movie. It tells you how to melt lead in a crucible and pour it into a mold.
a hot stone crucible. It's in the medieval dungeon over a fire. Put the lead slugs in the crucible. The lead will melt. Put on the gloves and take the hot crucible and pour the lead into the mold. When you open the mold, a new lead key will fall out.

If you took the crucible from the fire and need to put it back because you didn't melt the lead yet, PUT CRUCIBLE IN FIRE is the command you're looking for.

Useless items

I have no idea why there's so many unnecessary items in this game.

an empty bottle. It's in the trashcan in the short alley. Unfortunately, you can't fill it with water from the swamp.
a human skull. It's in the basket in 18th century France.
a black cloth hood with wide eye holes. It's worn by the executioner figure in the English village square. You can wear it.
a wooden stake. It's in the chest of the figure in the coffin in the European castle.
a black top hat. It's in the cloak room. Examine it to find a lottery ticket inside.
a lottery ticket. It's inside the black top hat.
a wood toothpick. It's in the African village.
an empty candy wrapper. It's in the outer space tableau.
a pocket watch. It's held by the figure in the stocks in the village square. Alas, the watch is broken.
a flint tomahawk. One of the Indian figures in the American plains is wielding it.
a Sheriff's tin star. It's worn by the sheriff figure in the old west town. You can wear it.

Thank You to my Patreon supporters

This walkthrough was funded via Patreon with

the support of Robin Johnson, Ville Lavonius, Andrew Schultz, Kenneth Hon, Jason McIntosh, Carl Muckenhoupt, Mark Musante, and Phil Tatro;
the generous support of Janice M Eisen and Matthew Foxley;
the very generous support of Karl Ove Hufthammer;
the extremely generous support of Emily Short, Allen Garvin, Jesse McGrew, Jacqueline Ashwell, Marius Müller, and Jennifer Rexrode;
and the invisible support of several anonymous patrons.

Key & Compass presents: Dr. Death's House of Horrors by John Olsen

Map

Walkthrough

Extras

Characters

Credits

Endings

Inventory

Thank You to my Patreon supporters

Key & Compass presents:
Dr. Death's House of Horrors
by John Olsen