In this Zorkian game, you play as an adventurer in the mysterious land of Erewhon. This is a treasure hunt. Collect everything valuable and put them in the nearby treehouse. Get the maximum score of 1400 to win.
This solution is by David Welbourn, and is based on Release 1 of the game. The supplementary materials show that the author built a Release 2, but as I write this in October 2025, the game file in IF Archive is still Release 1.
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.
Because almost nothing has a description in this game, and because there's a reactor about to meltdown, this walkthrough will first work towards shutting the reactor down, and not waste time looking at things. Afterwards, we can accomplish everything else at our leisure.
Also, the game is supposed to have several unlit locations that you need the lamp for, but in Release 1, everything is lit, so you can ignore the lamp entirely. If there's a subsequent release that requires the lamp, this walkthrough won't work that well and will have to be rewritten. I can only write a walkthrough for the game as it exists, not the game it's meant to be.
Meadow
> w.
Meadow Near Tree
> read carvings.("Morton's treehouse -- Six metres above")
> u.
Treehouse
Ignore the lamp.
> s.
Green Cubicle
All four glowing cubicles in the game are a different color, and they all teleport you somewhere when you pull their lever.
> pull lever.(You teleport to...)
Small Room
First, race to a red cubicle to get a staff, ignoring everything on the way there:
> e. e. n. n. e. s.
Red Cubicle
> take staff.
Next, head upstairs. Grab a can of disinfectant from a bathroom, and a glove from the attic. Wear the glove immediately; there's no reason to not wear it.
> n. n. w.
Bathroom
> take can. e. e.
Attic
> wear glove.
Next, thread through a maze, grabbing up some keys and eating a cube.
> w. s. w. w.
Maze (first maze room)
> take keys. w. u.
Strobe Room
> take cube. eat cube.(You can now breathe underwater for the rest of the game.)
> d. s. d.
Mystery Room
The witch blocks your way, but she is easily vanquished.
> kiss witch.(+10. A girl replaces the witch!)
Grab the cello two steps to the east:
> e. e.
Hall of Tones
> take cello.(+20)
> w. w. s.
Slime Room
> spray slime.(+10; using the can)
> drop can.
> s. w.
Mine Field
CAUTION: While the hills are here, going south or jumping here is fatal.
I don't know how you're supposed to figure this out except by sheer bloodymindedness. The staff is not obviously magical, nor is there anything linking it to the mines.
> wave staff.(+10. The hills are gone.)
> s.
Sewer Pipe (north end)
CAUTION: If you try to attack the beast with the staff or knife, he breaks your weapon in half.
Use the ol' music-hath-charms gambit:
> play cello.(Squeek! The beast leaves.)
> d. w. n.
Cold Room
Note: You can't take the icy-cold block with your bare hand. With the glove on, you succeed.
> take block.
> s. w. w.
Quicksand
> drop block.(+25. The quicksand freezes solid.)
> w. s.
Base of Mountain
> read signpost.
> x contraption.(It's a snow lift.)
> enter lift.(You're carried to...)
Summit of Mountain
> read board.
> w.
Ski Shack
> take disc. read disc.
> e. s.
Bunny Slope
> drop disc. board disc. launch.(+10)
Base of Mountain
There's now a white crystal cylinder here you uncovered. Take it, and leave the disc.
> stand. take cylinder.
Return to the waterfall you passed by a while back:
> n. e. e. e. e. u. n. e.
Waterfall
You can't ENTER POOL, but because you ate the cube earlier, you can SWIM underwater.
> swim.(+10)
Wet Room
> e.
Closet
> wear boots. w. s.
Reactor Room
> put cylinder in slot.(+50. The reactor turns off.)
> turn wheel.(grating opens)
With the reactor off and the boots on, you can safely enter the reactor.
> s.
Reactor
> take sapphire.(+50)
Head back to the treehouse:
> n. n. swim. s. pull lever. pull lever. n.
Treehouse
> drop sapphire.(+50)
> drop cello.(+20)
> drop staff.
Now it's just a series of forays to get treasures and bring them back here.
Since you have the keys, use them next.
> s. pull lever. n.
Chest Room
> x chest. x teakwood.
> unlock chest with keys.
> open chest. look in chest.
> enter chest.
Inside Chest
> take gold.(+50)
> out. s. e. e. n. n. e. s. pull lever. n.
Treehouse
> drop gold.(+50)
> drop keys.
Now collect a vase, a stool, a watch, and a pearl.
> s. pull lever. e. e.
Garden
> take vase.(+10)
> n. w.
Store Room
> take stool. w. w.
Chamber of Time
> wear watch.(+20)
> w. w.
Hall of the Sea
> take pearl.(+50)
> e. s. s. s. pull lever. pull lever. n.
Treehouse
CAUTION! Drop the stool before dropping the vase!
> drop stool. drop vase.(+10)
> drop watch.(+20)
> drop pearl.(+50)
For the next set of treasures, you first need to fetch a knife from the kicthen and a card from the bedroom.
> s. pull lever. e. e. n. n.
Living Room
Don't bother taking the parchment, but do read it.
> read parchment.(It's a map.)
> n.
Kitchen
Leave the pizza for later.
> take knife.
> s. e. n. n. w.
Bedroom
> take card.
> e. s. s. e. d.
Viper Pit
The command CUT SNAKE doesn't work, but...
> hit snake with knife.(+10. The wounded snake leaves, revealing coins!)
> take coins.(+35)
> u. n. n.
Burgerland
The clown blocks you from taking anything here or going past him. Fortunately for you, he doesn't like knives either.
> hit clown with knife.(+10. The clown flees, and drops fries!)
Don't eat the fish or fries; they're treasures! No, I'm not kidding.
> take plate.(+5)
> take fish.(+5)
> take fries.(+5)
> n. d.
Burgerland Station
> put card in slot.(You travel by train to the other station.)
Train (at Museum Station)
> out. u.
Art Museum
> take painting.(+50)
Head back to the treehouse, via the meadow:
> d. put card in slot. out. u. e. w. u.
Treehouse
> drop painting.(+50)
> drop plate.(+5)
> drop fish.(+5)
> drop fries.(+5)
> drop coins.(+35)
> drop card.
Keep the knife. In this trip, scare a nurse, then gather up a jewel, a skull, and a book.
Head for the waterfall.
> s. pull lever. e. e. n. w. w. w. w. s. s.
Waterfall
> swim. n. e.
Hospital Room
This is rather unmotivated, but it's the only thing you can do with the nurse.
> hit nurse with knife.(+10; she flees)
Now go to the cave below the ski shack:
> w. s. swim. w. s. d.
Treasure Room
> w. w. w. w. s. enter lift. w. d.
Cave
> take jewel.(+50)
> e. e.
Catacomb
> read note.("ARGYLE")
CAUTION: When you take the skull, an avalanche blocks the western door.
Use the magic word ARGYLE to teleport to the library (or vice-versa).
> take skull.(no points this time)
> argyle.(You teleport to the library!)
Library
> take book.(+10)
> read book.(all about zarkas)
> e. s. e. s. pull lever. n.
Treehouse
> drop jewel.(+50)
> drop skull.(+50)
> drop book.(+10)
> drop knife.
Next, get the girl, a shovel, a ring, a statue, and uh,... let's call it a honeymoon.
> s. pull lever. e. e. n. w. w. w. w.
Mystery Room
> girl, follow me.(+25)
> s. s. w. s. d. w. w. w. w. n.
Archaeology Room
> take shovel. n.
Chapel
> read label. pull knob.
The computer starts a marriage ceremony.
Do you take this girl to be your wife?
>> yes
Any reason why this couple should not be wed?
>> no(+25. You're now wed, and a ring is produced.)
> kiss girl. take ring.(+25)
> wear ring.
Head for the garden:
> s. s. e. e. e. e. u. n.
Mine Field
> e. n. n. e. e. e. e. s.
Garden
The loose soil is a clue to dig here.
While holding the shovel:
> dig. g. g. g. g.(+30. You find a statue.)
> take statue.(+35)
> n. n. e. n. n. w.
Bedroom
Only after you're wed may you enter here with the girl.
> screw girl.(+10)
Back to the treehouse. Since the girl can't teleport with you, go there via the meadow.
> e. s. s. e. e. w. u.
Treehouse
> girl, stay.(+25)
> drop ring.(+25)
> drop statue.(+35)
> drop shovel.
Two more items to go: the globe in the treasure room, and the zarka guarding it. But first, get the pizza from the kitchen.
> s. pull lever. e. e. n. n. n.
Kitchen
> take pizza.
The purple cubicle might be the fastest way to the treasure room. Grab the comb on the way.
> s. e. n. n.
Sitting Room
> take comb.
> e. pull lever. n. w. s. d.
Treasure Room
> read globe.(protected by security system)
> take globe.(When you try, a Zarka appears to defend it.)
The comb is useless, but this the zarka is the only thing you can try to comb.
> comb zarka.(not amused)
> give pizza to zarka.(friendly!)
> zarka, follow me.(+25)
> take globe.(+100)
Because the zarka also can't use the teleport cubicles, return to the treehouse via the meadow like you did with the girl.
> u. n. e. n. n. e. e. e. e.
Greenhouse
> n. e. e. e. w. u.
Treehouse
> zarka, stay.(+25)
> drop globe.(+100)
Congratulations, you have solved the adventure!
*** The End ***
Extras
Artwork
There's one example of ASCII art in the game. This is the map seen when you read the parchment:
A wrinkly old witch blocks your way in the mystery room.
A sexy young girl appears in the witch's place when you kiss the witch. You eventually marry the girl, but never learn her name or anything else about her.
A hungry looking black snake has its home in the viper pit.
An odd clown with red hair and yellow overalls blocks your way at Burgerworld.
A huge gorilla-like beast blocks your way in the sewer pipe.
A menacing nurse with a huge needle is in the hospital room.
A horrible zarka stops you from taking the globe in the treasure room.
An EPA offical runs by muttering, "Tsk, tsk. Another TMI." at turn 200 if the reactor's active.
Mentioned:
Morton owns the treehouse.
King Frobozz II of Erehwon is depicted on the painting.
Endings
All endings end with The End.
Losing endings:
if xeener bugs eat your head. (This ending is supposed to happen sometimes if you go from one dark location to another, but in Release 1, all locations are effectively lit.)
if the reactor melts down. There's an explosion at turn 240 if you don't turn the reactor off before then.
if you eat the note or the can. You die of poisoning.
if you go south, jump, or dig with the shovel in the mine field while the hills are still there.
if you sink too much in the quicksand.
if you launch yourself down the expert trail on the sno-disc. You impale yourself on a tree branch.
if you enter the reactor while it's still on.
if you cut anything with the knife when you're in "Meadow near Tree". The EPA official kills you!
Winning ending:
if you achieve 1400 points. Yes, the only way to win is to get the maximum score.
Inventory
You have an inventory limit based on weight. The heaviest items are the girl, the sapphire, the painting, the globe, and the gold.
Items are listed within their categories in the order acquired, used, or ignored in this walkthrough.
Treasures
Drop all the treasures in the treehouse to get full points for them. CAUTION: The stool must be in the treehouse and unoccupied when dropping the vase, or the vase will smash!
a cello. It's in the hall of tones.
In the northern sewer pipe, play the cello to get rid of the beast.
a sapphire. It's in the reactor.
CAUTION: Make sure the reactor is off (see cylinder) and that you're wearing the boots before entering the reactor.
a gold. This heavy nugget of gold is in the chest room's chest.
Enter the chest to be able to reach the gold and pick it up.
a vase. It's in the garden.
CAUTION: In most locations, when you drop the vase, it smashes into a million pieces!
You can safely put the vase onto the stool, but never ever do that; it messes up the points for the vase. You must DROP VASE when the stool is in the same room.
Also, the stool must be empty when you drop the vase, or the vase slips off.
a watch. It's the timepiece in the chamber of time. You may wear it.
a pearl. It's in the hall of the sea.
some coins. They're in the viper pit after you HIT SNAKE WITH KNIFE.
a plate, a fish, and some fries. They're all at Burgerworld, but the clown won't let you take them.
HIT CLOWN WITH KNIFE to make the clown go away and drop the fries. (You don't see the fries until then.)
Don't eat the fish or fries. These fast food items are treasures! Believe it or not.
a painting. It's in the art museum.
a jewel. It's in the cave.
a skull. It's in the catacomb.
When you take it, an avalanche blocks the only door out. Use the magic word ARGYLE (written on the note) to teleport to the library (or vice-versa).
a girl. Find her in the mystery room by kissing the witch.
Honorable mention: She follows you instead of being in your formal inventory.
When you want the girl to move, order her to follow you. While TAKE GIRL acts almost the same way, the game will deny you if you can't currently pick the girl up physically.
Note that the girl doesn't come with you when you teleport, but she will do her best to re-find you by walking to your location. If no walking route is possible, she suddenly appears next to you instead.
Lead the girl to the chapel and marry her; see ring. After you're married, you may kiss the girl.
Lead your new wife to the bedroom and screw her. But only once. (She gets a headache.) Note that you cannot enter the bedroom when you're unmarried and the girl is with you. No extra-marital hanky-panky allowed!
In the treehouse, DROP GIRL or order her to stay there. She counts as a treasure.
Note: You cannot give excess inventory to the girl. She's not a pack mule.
a ring. The computer in the chapel produces it when you successfully marry the girl. You may wear the ring.
To marry the girl, you must bring the girl to the chapel, pull the knob, answer YES to the computer's first question, and NO to the second question.
a statue. Find it by digging five times in the garden while holding the shovel.
a globe. It's in the treasure room.
Try to take globe; a zarka emerges to protect it. Give the pizza slice to the zarka to make it friendly. Now take the globe; the zarka no longer defends it.
a zarka. It emerges from the globe when you first try to take it.
Honorable mention: It follows you instead of being in your formal inventory.
Give the pizza to the zarka to befriend it. Now order it to follow you. The zarka uses the same movement rules as the girl.
In the treehouse, DROP ZARKA or order it to say there. The zarka counts as a treasure.
Other stuff
a lamp. It's in the treehouse.
It's initially off with 100% battery power.
Release 1 was accidentally released with the player as a light-source, making the lamp unnecessary. I've indicated which rooms are supposed to be dark on the maps in case there's ever a second release that fixes the error, but until then, feel free to leave the lamp untouched.
an empty flask. It's in the Turkish bath.
The flask is only for water. At the waterfall, FILL FLASK. You now have a water-filled flask.
You may drink the water from the flask. Or pour or empty the flask. Um. But you don't need to do anything with the flask. You can ignore the flask entirely.
a staff. It's in the red cubicle.
In the mine field, wave the staff to remove the hills from the game. (This action is completely unclued. You basically have to assume the staff is magical, that waving activates it, and then try waving it everywhere until it does something.)
While the staff can be used as a weapon, it is completely ineffective in that role.
CAUTION: Don't attack the witch, slime, beast, or zarka with the staff! They destroy your staff if you try.
a can. This disinfectant spray can is in the bathroom.
In the slime room, spray the slime (with the can) to get rid of it.
a glove. It's in the attic.
Wear it. The glove protects your hand when taking the very cold block.
a set of keys. It's in the first maze room.
The keys unlock the chest in the chest room. And that's all.
a cube. It's in the strobe room.
Eat the cube to gain the ability to breathe underwater. This is completely unclued.
a block. It's in the cold room. You must be wearing the glove when taking it.
Drop the block in the quicksand. The quicksand freezes solid and is no longer a hazard or obstacle.
a disc. It's in the ski shack.
At the bunny slope, drop the disc, board it, then launch. You glide down to the base of the mountain, dislodging a cylinder during the trip. STAND to leave the disc.
CAUTION: Don't use the disc on the expert trail. You die if you try.
a cylinder. It appears at the base of the mountain after you launch down the bunny slope on the disc.
In the reactor room, put the cylinder into the slot to shut down the reactor and avert a meltdown.
some boots. They're in the closet east of the wet room.
Wear them. They keep your feet dry when inside the flooded reactor.
a stool. It's in the store room.
Take it to the treehouse and drop it there.
The stool is the only thing that can save the vase when you drop it.
a parchment. This map is in the living room.
Read it; the map is in ASCII art. It's a hint to dig in the garden, as if the "loose dirt" in the garden wasn't enough of a hint. See shovel and statue.
a knife. It's in the kitchen.
In the viper pit, attack the snake with the knife. The wounded snake leaves, revealing coins!
In Burgerworld, attack the clown with the knife. The terrified clown leaves, dropping his fries!
In the hospital room, attack the nurse with the knife. The frightened nurse uses her needle to flee!
CAUTION: Don't attack the witch, slime, beast, or zarka with the knife! They destroy your knife if you try.
a card. It's in the bedroom.
In the train stations, put the card into the slot to travel to the other station.
a note. It's in the catacomb.
You don't need to take the note. Just read it to learn the magic word ARGYLE. This magic word teleports you from the catacomb to the library or vice-versa. It doesn't work anywhere else.
a shovel. It's in the archaeology room.
In the garden, while holding the shovel, dig five times to find the statue. This is clued by both the loose dirt in the garden, and by the parchment.
While you can dig in some of the other outdoor locations, only the garden yields anything useful.
The shovel isn't considered a weapon. You cannot attack anyone with it.
Note that you lose acquisition points for a treasure if you drop it anywhere other than the treehouse. This includes the skull: if you drop the skull, you lose 50 points even though you never gained those points in the first place. Eating the the fish or the fries also loses you their acquisition points.
620 points (for depositing treasures) are awarded as follows:
