In this fantasy game, you play as the guardian familiar known as Ezra, formed from light and given to Aurel when he was a child. Today, you wake up bleeding in a forest. You remember raiders attacking. Aurel is gone. You must find him. Your astral gem lets you turn into a black fox with enchanced smell and the ability to speak to animals.
This solution is by David Welbourn, and is based on Release 1 of the game.
SPOILERS AHEAD. Reading a walkthrough prematurely can sometimes diminish one's enjoyment of an interactive fiction game. Please make an honest effort to play the game before reading this walkthrough.
You are a familiar of the world, given life by a priestess and given to the child Aurel to guide and accompany him.
You remember raiders and a man grabbing your hand and running. But now you're alone.
Forest
> x me.(As "Ezra", you are slender, dark-haired. You wear a bracelet.)
> x bracelet.(for the gem)
> x gem.(Lets you CHANGE into a black fox.)
> open satchel. wear bandages.
> take all.
> x journal.(It's Aurel's, but you can't read it.)
> put journal in satchel.
> wear gem.(You are now a fox.)
> smell.(ash from raiders, Aurel, blood)
> x trees. listen.
> n.
Clearing
> smell trail.(Aurel.)
> x structure. x moat. x bridge. x flags.
> n.
Fort Entrance
> x gate. x padlock. x shack.
> w.
Shed
> x weapons. x wood. x table. x dagger.
> take dagger.
> e. e.
Post
As a fox, you can talk to the horses.
> x brown horse. topics brown horse.
> ask brown about raiders.
> ask brown about gate.(Wants food in exchange for key location.)
> ask brown about name.("Rian")
> ask brown about forest.
> topics white.
> ask white about name.("Era")
> ask white about raid.
> ask white about forest.
> w. s. s. s.
Within the Forest
> x trail. x berries. x thorns.
> change.
> cut thorns with dagger.(You have berries.)
> put berries and dagger in satchel.
> change. n. n. n. e.
Post
> give berries to brown.
> look under black saddle.(You take a rusty key.)
> w.
Fort Entrance
Yes, you can manage this as a fox.
> unlock gate with key.(The key is gone.)
> open gate.(You are now in...)
Raiders' Fort
> n.
Library
> x raven. topics raven.
> ask raven about raven. ask raven about Aurel.
> ask raven about library. ask raven about books.
> ask raven about reading.
> x paper. ask raven about paper.
> take paper. ask raven about paper.(Grey for sneaking in, red for secrets, green for death.)
> take journal. ask raven about journal. g. g. g.
> x pendant. put it in satchel.
> x fireplace. x stand. x books, x desk. x window.
> ask raven about raiders. ask raven about rats.
> put journal and paper in satchel.
> s. w.
Kitchen
> x cabinets. open cabinets. x bread. put bread in satchel.
> x pot. x pyre. x utensils. x spoons. x fork.
> x crack. x hay.
> n.
Cellar / A Dark Room
> x bottles. x chest. x crowbar. x crate.
> x cheese. x rat. x trap.
> open chest. x lantern. take lantern.
> take crowbar.
> open crate.(need to be human to do that)
> change.(now you can't see much)
> light lantern.
> open crate.(voices and footsteps approaching!)
> hide.
Two raiders, Rork and Sel, fail to find the crowbar, lantern, or you.
> open crate. x wine.
> put cheese in satchel.
> put wine in satchel.
> extinguish lantern.
> s.
Kitchen
> change.(You're now a fox.)
> w.
Rat's Nest
> x nest. x rat. topics rat.
> ask rat about rat.(He has three items to trade; he wants food or shiny things.)
> ask rat about nest. ask rat about brother.
> ask rat about other rats. ask rat about Aurel.
> ask rat about raven.
> ask rat about cheese. ask rat about bread.
> ask rat about pendant.
> give cheese to rat.(He gives you a copper key.)
... tell the rat about the dead rat? yes.(He thanks you and gives you a strange token.)
> give bread to rat.(He tells you that you'll get lost forever in the maze if you even make one mistake in it. No going backward either!)
> give pendant to rat.(He gives you a note.)
After all three trades, he disappears into his nest.
> x key. x token.(very shiny)
> x note.(You can't read it.)
> e. e. n.
Library
> ask raven about note.("Enter Neither East Nor West When Searching Walls Near Windows.")
Note that the initial letters are compass directions: E, N, E, N, W, W, S, W, N, W.
> s. e.
Narrow Hall
CAUTION: Don't push any of the stones just yet.
> change. look.(Now stones are GREY, GREEN, RED.)
> x grey.(could be pressed like a button)
> x tapestries. x pictures. x weaponry. x pillars.
> n.
Tower
> x raiders. listen.
> s.
Narrow Hall
Make sure you're human so you see the colors correctly.
> push grey.(You fall into...)
Secret Passage (south end)
> x switch. n.
Secret Passage (north end)
> x hatch. u.(You climb out to...)
Barracks
> x candles. x door.
> open bedroom door.("P--- off, Rinel!")
> g,(2nd door has muttering)
> g.(wooden door is quiet)
> open wooden door.(locked)
> unlock it with key.(You enter...)
Empty Bedroom
> x dust. x window.
> x bed. look under bed. x blanket.
> x book. take it. x illustrations. g. g.
> x nightstand.("MK")
> x MK. x whetstone. sharpen dagger. x dagger.
Oddly, after you sharpen the dagger, the whetstone is gone. Its job is done.
> x closet. open it.
> x uniform. take it.
> x carvings. x bear. x wolf. x bird. x goat.
> e. d. s. push switch. w. n.
Library
> change.(You're now a fox.)
> ask raven about book.("book of fairytales")
> s. e.
Narrow Hall
> change.(You're now human.)
> wear uniform. n.
Tower
> x fat. topics fat raider.
> x silent. topics silent raider.
> x carpet. x lanterns.
> ask fat about himself.(He's Dov. The other guy is Zakir.)
> ask Dov about Zakir.(has no tongue)
> ask Dov about Zakir's tongue.(mentions 'magic clan')
> ask Dov about magic clan.(star freaks with lil guardians)
> ask Dov about raiders. ask Dov about tower.
> ask Dov about Aurel.(locked up)
> ask Dov about keys.(for dungeons)
> ask Dov about wine.(try the cellar)
> give wine to Dov.(He gives the keys to you.)
> x keys.
> s.
Narrow Hall
> push red.(Passage east opens.)
> e.
Maze Entrance
> save. change.(Let's be a fox for this.)
> ENTER THE LABYRINTH.
Within the Maze (several locations)
Use the directions clued by the translated note. Don't make any mistakes!
> e. n. e. n. w. w. s. w. n. w.
Dungeons
> smell green trail. x slab.
> change.(You are now human.)
> x Aurel. topics Aurel.
> ask Aurel about himself.
> ask Aurel about what happened.
> ask Aurel about dungeon.
> ask Aurel about raiders.
> ask Aurel about escape.
> unlock cell with keys.(Note it's "cell", not "cage".)
> push slab.
Suddenly Zakir is attacking with a spiked chain!
> attack Zakir with dagger.
Zakir dies. You and Aurel crawl through a tunnel outside the fort, then ride the horses to freedom.
*** You rescued Aurel and escaped the raiders' fort together! You also managed to do away with Zakir without sustaining any major injuries, so you're home free! What adventures await you next? ***
Extras
Characters
You are "Ezra", a guardian spirit who can shapeshift between human and fox forms.
Aurel is a young man of the "magic clan". Your sole task in life is to guard and protect him.
A brown horse (male, "Rian") and a white horse (female, "Era") are tied to a post outside the fort.
A black raven perches on a stand in the library. She has taught herself how to read human writing.
Rork and Sel are two raiders who enter the cellar, looking for the crowbar and lantern. Rork is a brunet in braids. Sel is tall and has pale hair and a milky eye.
Dov and Zakir are two raiders in the tower. Dov is the fat raider. Zakir is the silent raider; his tongue was cut out.
A brown rat is in his nest west of the kitchen. He's willing to trade some of his things in exchange for food and shiny things.
A black rat is in the maze. She's pregnant and the brown rat's cousin. You only meet her if you're lost in the maze and she'll only help you return to the maze entrance if you give her something nice.
A dead rat is in cellar. He was the brown rat's brother.
Mentioned:
An old priestess breathed life into you, according to the prologue.
Several raiders attacked the village you were in; several villagers were killed. Presumably, most of the raiders are now in their rooms in the barracks; Rinel is one of them.
"MK" was the raider who used to live in the empty bedroom. From what he left behind, one can guess he didn't want to be a raider at all and is probably dead now.
Endings
You made a fatal error, and now Aurel is doomed... Perhaps you should have been more careful about pressing things at random.
if you push the green stone in the narrow hall.
You became forever lost in the maze, and now Aurel is doomed...
if you get lost in the maze after several turns of aimless wandering.
You and Aurel were killed by Zakir before you could make it out of the dungeons in time... (If only you had acted more quickly then maybe you would have survived.)
if, in the dungeons, you decline to counterattack Zakir in any way for several turns, or only attack with your fists.
You alone escaped the raiders' fort, but at a terrible cost. Aurel is dead... Aurel... is dead... (Perhaps the dagger would have proved a more effective ally.)
if, in the dungeons, you attack Zakir with the crowbar.
You rescued Aurel and escaped the raiders' fort together, but you both suffered injuries in the process, and Zakir is still going to be after you. (If only the dagger had been sharper, then maybe things would have been different.)
if, in the dungeons, you attack Zakir with the dull dagger.
You rescued Aurel and escaped the raiders' fort together! You also managed to do away with Zakir without sustaining any major injuries, so you're home free! What adventures await you next?
if, in the dungeons, you attack Zakir with the sharp dagger.
Inventory
a satchel. It's in the forest where you wake up.
When you take the satchel, you automatically wear it.
You can put most of your inventory into the satchel, put you don't really need to.
your astral gem. It's in the forest where you wake up.
Note: You must take and use the gem before you can leave the initial location in the forest.
Whenever you wear the gem (by putting it into your bracelet), you shapeshift into a black fox. As a fox, you are smaller, can smell better, and talk to animals. However, you are also colorblind.
Simply use the CHANGE command to switch between your fox and human forms. You don't need to fiddle with the gem directly once you've used it the first time.
You are unable to read the journal, but in the library, as a fox, ask the raven about the journal, and she reads some of it to you. There's three entries in total. The text fills in some backstory about Aurel, you, and the raiders.
a dagger. It's on the table in the shed. You note that it's dull.
At "Within the Forest", cut the thorns with the dagger to get some berries.
In the empty bedroom, SHARPEN DAGGER (with the whetstone). It is now a sharp dagger.
In the dungeons, when Zakir is attacking you, attack Zakir with the dagger. If the dagger is sharp, both you and Aurel escape and you win the game.
some berries. They're at "Within the Forest" on a thorny berry bush. Cut the thorns with the dagger to get the berries.
At "Post", as a fox, give the berries to the brown horse. He tells you a key is under his saddle and you can now take it.
a rusty key. At "Post", the key is hidden under the brown horse's black saddle. As a fox, learn this fact by giving the berries to the brown horse.
Note that you must first give the berries to the brown horse before he lets you look under his saddle.
At "Fort Entrance", unlock the gate with the rusty key. (The key is removed from the game; you don't need it anymore.)
a paper. It's on the desk in the library.
In the library, as a fox, ask the raven about the paper. She recites a rhyme about grey, red, and green. In summary, grey leads to an hidden entrance, red leads to a secret, and green leads to death". The paper is now restyled as a translated paper.
a pendant. It's on the desk in the library.
In the rat's nest, give the pendant to the rat to get the note in exchange.
some bread. It's in the kitchen cabinets.
In the rat's nest, give the bread to the rat to learn some gossip about the maze.
some cheese. It's near a mouse-trap in the cellar.
In the rat's nest, give the cheese to the rat to get the copper key. Then answer YES to tell the rat about the dead rat to get the token as well.
a crowbar. It's on some casks in the cellar.
You need to be in human form to use the crowbar.
In the cellar, open the crate (with the crowbar). A wine bottle is inside.
In the dungeons, you can attack Zakir with the crowbar, but it's less effective than the sharp dagger. Only you will escape; Aurel will die.
a lantern. It's inside the chest in the cellar.
To use the lantern, LIGHT it to turn it on, and EXTINGUISH it to turn it off.
In the cellar, as a human, light the lantern then try to open the crate (with the crowbar). You hear someone approaching: HIDE. After the raiders are gone, you'll automatically re-light the lantern. Now you can successfully open the crate.
Oddly, you don't need to use the lantern in the maze. Just the cellar.
a wine bottle. It's inside the crate in the cellar. You need to be human and be carrying the crowbar to open the crate.
In the tower, as a human wearing the uniform, give the wine to Dov (the fat raider). He gives you his keys in exchange.
a copper key. The rat in the rat's nest gives the key to you in exchange for the cheese.
In the barracks, the copper key unlocks the wooden door to the empty bedroom.
a token. The rat in the rat's nest gives the token to you when you tell him about the dead rat. The prompt to tell him or not happens when you trade the cheese for the copper key.
If you get lost in the maze, you can give the token to the black rat to safely return to the maze entrannce. But this only works once, and if you follow the directions from the note, you won't get lost or need to use the token.
a note. The rat in the rat's nest gives the note to you in exchange for the pendant.
In the library, ask the raven about the note. She reads it to you, and it's now a translated note.
The initial letters of the words on the note are the directions to follow in the maze: East, North, East, North, West, West, South, West, North, West.
a book. It's on the bed in the empty bedroom.
It has illustrations of fantasy creatures that you can look at.
If you ask the raven in the library about the book, you learn that it's a book of fairy tales.
The book doesn't help you in any way.
a uniform. It's in the closet in the empty bedroom.
Note: You can only wear the uniform when you're in human form. Whenever you change into a fox, you automatically take the uniform off.
While in uniform, you can enter the tower and talk to the raiders there, Dov and Zakir. Well, only Dov, since Zakir is missing his tongue. Give the wine bottle to Dov and he gives his keys in exchange.
the dungeon keys. Dov, the fat raider, has them. He's in the tower. When in human form and wearing the uniform, give him a wine bottle; he gives his keys to you in exchange.
In the dungeons, unlock the cell with the keys.
Honorable mention:
your bracelet. You're wearing it.
The bracelet isn't listed in your inventory, but it is the container for your astral gem when you wear the gem.
When in fox form, you can no longer see the bracelet, but you can still see the gem. I'm not sure what that means exactly, but in practice, you can just ignore the bracelet.
