In this rambling game, you begin as Harold Banks, a failed sci-fi author. Your second novel is so bad, you throw its manuscript away. However, your words and ideas have shaped another dimension into existence! Mysterious characters will pull you into your not-so-fictional world, guiding you to fix the chaos you've unwittingly released. Assuming, of course, that this isn't just a grandiose delusion caused by an anaesthetic called Halothane.
This solution is by David Welbourn, and is based on Release 1 of the game.
Map H1: From Your Bedroom to a Fireside Chat (From Prologue to Chapter 4)
Map H2: Tower and Building (Chapter 5)
Map H3: The Aviators Saloon (Chapter 6)
Map C1: Cassandra's House (Chapter 7)
Map C2: Charlestown (Chapter 8)
Note that if you dally too long in the desert heat outside the town, you'll fall asleep and wake up in the town square.
Map C3: Hospital (Chapter 9)
Map C4: Battlefield (Chapter 10)
Walkthrough
Prologue
Your Bedroom
> x me. x pockets.
> x manuscript. search it.(+4)
> x flower. x note. read note.
> take note and flower. smell flower.
> x desk. x chair. x bed. look under bed.
> look under desk.(+2)
> x fan.
> x bookcase. open it. x novel.
> take novel. read novel.
> enter bed. sleep. stand.
> put fan on chair.(+4)
> turn on fan.
> enter bed. sleep.(+7)
Chapter One - Respiratory Distress
Operating Room
> stand. x table. x mask. take it.
> x trolley. x door. w.
Instrument Room
Note that if you turn on the valve, maskless, you'll go straight to Chapter Two, skipping the interposition.
> x panel. x cylinder. read print.
> x valve. smell.
> wear mask. turn valve.
> read panel. touch panel.(+6)
First Interposition - Invasion of Privacy
Driveway, Outside House
> read sign.("Franklin")
> x door. knock on door. e.
Front Hall, in the house
> close front door.
> take small piece. read it.
> take memo. read it.
> x shawl. take it. wear it. smell it.
> x sofa. x shelf. open shelf.
> x texts. search texts. read texts.
> n.
Under the Arch
> x arch. touch arch.(Babel ref.)
> e.
Nursery
> x letter. take it. read it.(by Simone to her parents)
> x table. x chair. x bed. search bed.
> x wardrobe. open it. x dresser. open it.
> x window. open window. look. close window.
> w. w.
Corridor, Down the West Wing
> listen. g. g. g. g. g. g.
> w.
Master Bedroom
> x bed. x people. x table.
> push switch.(+13)
Chapter Two - Errare Humanum Est
Study
> x manuscript. g. x dustbin.
> take manuscript. read it. tear it. put it in bin.(+4)
Chapter Three - Driving With Your Eyes Closed
On a lonely highway, in the back seat
> x rope. untie rope. x window.
> listen. g. g. g. g. g.(+8)
Open Field
> x sun. x wall. x grass.
> sit on grass. search grass.
> n.
Meadow
> x fence. x tree. x sign. read sign.
> climb fence. climb tree.
Going north leads to Chapter Four and 8 points.
Turning the sign, however,...
> turn sign.
Second Interposition - Thinking Allowed
In The Calvert Museum
> x machine. x slots. read dial.(6 mV)x button.
> take all model. e.
Storage Room
> take brochure. read it. w.
In The Calvert Museum
> put clonidine in a2. put propranolol in b1.
> put dopamine in d4. put ondansetron in s3.
> read dial.(4 mv)
> push button.(+17)
An aged man escorts you to...
Chapter Four - Everything Can Change
Cold city street, outside a house
> w. n. s.
> x window. open window. e.
Living-room, inside the hosue
Oddly, the window isn't on this side.
> x table. x fireplace. x chandelier.
> x sofa. x figure.
> e.
By The Fireside
You will now begin a long conversation with Simone. However, your time with her is limited and you can't get to every topic that she has a response for. Feel free to change the suggested topics if you want to ask about something else, eg: history or dimnesion.
> x woman.(It's Simone Rosenberg, neé Franklin.)
> sit on sofa. x fireplace.
> ask Simone about herself. ask Simone about solution.
> ask Simone about Author. ask Simone about me.
> ask Simone about manuscript.
> ask Simone about world —or— ask Simone about future.
> ask Simone about empire. ask Simone about successors.
> ask Simone about flower —or— ask Simone about halothane.
> ask Simone about Edward —or— ask Simone about Laura.
> show shawl to Simone. show flower to Simone.
> ask Simone about Rosenberg. ask Simone about house.
> ask Simone about politics. ask Simone about Padre.
After several turns, Simone ends the conversation, gives you a fountain-pen, and wishes you luck. You gain 20 points and the room dissolves to...
Chapter Five - The Far Horizon
Red Lake
> x pen. x liquid. taste it. swim.
> x trapdoor. open it. d.
Floating On Clouds
> x clouds —or— x city.
> x pathway.
> n.
Before a Gate
> x gate. read sign. x statue. open gate.
> e.
Narrow Side-Lane
> x tower. e.
In An Open Field
> x grass. e.
At The Base Of The Stairs
> x staircase. u. e.
Laboratory
> x bottle. read it.(Aqua regia, a dissolvant.)
> take bottle. take key. x it.
> x table. x tubes.
> x pot. x liquid. smell it. taste it.(Chocolate!)
> w. d. w. n.
Outside a Building
> x board.("Dreamscapes Publishing House")
> x door. open door. unlock door with key.
> n. w.
In a deserted classroom
> x blackboard. read it.(Shut down by G.H.T.)
> turn it. erase it.
> e. e.
In a deserted storeroom
> x box. look in it.(+5)
> take handbag. x it. open it.
> x handkerchief.("Marguerite")
> x badge.("Harvey Price")
> w.
Inside The Building
> n.(Denied. "Identity invalid.")
> wear badge. n.(+16)
Third Interposition - A Romantic Interlude
Boudoir
> x door. x bed. x pillows.
> look under bed. take journal. x it. read it.
> x dresser. open drawer. read handwritten note.(To you from The Little Tin God.)
> read letters.(to Cathy from L.)
> take all from drawer.
> enter bed. sleep.(Man in your dream wants antimony.)
> sleep.(You see yourself put white stuff into a vial.)
> sleep.(Giacomo and Margot talk in hushed voices.)
> sleep.(Knight and king in throne room.)
> sleep.(A voice says you could have done something.)
> stand.
> z.(Repeat six or so turns until the door suddenly opens.)
> n.
Tower Room
> x stand. x green bottle. open it.
> x wine. drink wine.(Denied.)
> take green bottle. close it.
> x fireplace. enter fireplace.(Denied.)
> search fireplace.(+9)
> take box. x it. open it.
> x pill. x insert. read insert.
> take pill. open green bottle.
> s.
Boudoir
> put green bottle on dresser.(Denied.)
> n.
Tower Room
Choose one:
> break green bottle.(+8)
> put pill in green bottle.(+8)
You have aided an intrigue and now you're in...
Chapter Six - The Sad Café
Antechamber, in the Aviators Saloon
> x man. ask man about story.(Tells about Janus Mbelwe and Vanessa Clarke.)
> ask man about hotel. ask man about Janus. ask man about Vanessa.
> x counter. look under counter. read scrap.
> e.
Dining Hall, in the Aviators Saloon
> look under table. take device. x it.
> x table. x carvings.
> x cupboard. open it. x plates. search plates.
> w. u. n.
Room 1, in the Aviators Saloon
> take manual. x it. read it.
> x table.(It's locked.)
> table, 100.(Bzzt.)
> s. s.
Room 2, in the Aviators Saloon
> x armchair. x disc. take it.
> n. w.
Room 3, in the Aviators Saloon
> x chair. x bed. look under bed.(+9)
> take blue disc. x it.
> x table. open drawer. close drawer.
> x computer. turn on computer.
> put black disc in computer. read screen.
> take black disc.
> put blue disc in computer. read screen.
> take blue disc.
> e. e.
Room 4, in the Aviators Saloon
> x bed. look under bed. x box. open box. read crumpled note.
> x quilt.(Dr. Reed's.)
> x dresser. open it. x table. x armchair. x window.
> w. n.
Room 1, in the Aviators Saloon
The table codes are the years mentioned on the black disc's article.
> table, the code is 2187.(It opens.)
> look in table. take chip. x it.
> put chip in device.(Something teleports to room four?)
> read device.("Room 7. Behind Closed Doors.")
> table, the code is 2869.(It closes and locks.)
> s. e.
Room 4, in the Aviators Saloon
> move quilt. take letter.
> x it. read it. yes.
> w. u.
Second floor, in the Aviators Saloon
> x plants.
> w.
Room 6, in the Aviators Saloon
> x stool. take stool. sit on stool.
> e. e.
Receptionist's room, in the Aviators Saloon
> x bed. x window. x couch. search couch.
> x bookshelf. x books. x tv.
> w. d. d.
Antechamber, in the Aviators Saloon
> ask man about device.(A tracer used to find someone.)
> ask man about table.
> ask man about letter.(+6)
> take key. x key. ask man about key.
> u. u.
Second floor, in the Aviators Saloon
> unlock door with key. n.
Vanessa Clarke's room, in the Aviators Saloon
> x table. x vase.
> x wardrobe. open wardrobe. x coat. look in coat.(+8)
> x card. take card. read card.(It's Cassandra's.)
> put pen in vase.(+18)
Mr Author says your story goes no further, but your memories can guide someone in this dimension.
Chapter Seven - Recalled From Life
You are now playing as Cassandra Anderson, a lawyer. You have kept the flower, strange letter, and identity card. You are wearing the coat and dress that Harold found in the wardrobe.
Outside your house
> x me. i. x card. x coat. x dress.
> n.
Front porch, outside the house
> x panel. touch it.(Nothing happens.)
> x door. open it. n.
Antechamber, in your house
> x lights. x coat-stand. put coat on it.
> x wallpaper. n.(A brick wall is in the way.)
> e. e.
End of corridor, in your house
> s.(The room is destroyed. There's blood. You retreat.)
> n.
Master bedroom, in your house
> x bed. x pillow. x mattress. look under bed.
> x wardrobe. open it.(+7. A corpse falls out.)
> x corpse.(Initially think it's Gerald, but no, it's not him.)
> search corpse. take plastic card. x it. read it.("Angela Bradbury")
> x armchairs. w.
Bathroom, in your house
> e. s. w. w.
Antechamber, in your house
> take coat. s.
Front porch, outside the house
> wear coat. s. e.
Dark Lane
> x machine. put cash card in machine.(+26. Kaboom!)
Chapter Eight - Where The Sun Always Shines
500 miles away from home
You retain the flower, letter, and dress. Your coat and both cards are gone.
> i. x tracks. x signpost. read it.
> n. listen to tracks. lie on tracks.
> e.
Outside Charlestown
> x buildings. e.
Town Square, in Charlestown
> x statue. read inscription.("Joel Sweeney (1814-1892)")
> x fog. n.
Office of the Charlestown Times
> take front page. read it.
> x shelf. x papers. search papers.(+13)
> x envelope. read it.
> take letter from envelope. read it.
> n.
Archives of the Charlestown Times
> x chair. look under chair.(+6)
> take form. read form.
> s. s. s.
Workhouse, in Charlestown
> x wooden door. x black door. read it.("Joel Sweeney's Lair. Private.")
> open wooden door. d.
Underground, in the workhouse
> x vial. take it. read it.(Pentothal.)
> e. n.
Kitchen, in the underground
> open cupboard. x insect. take bug.
> look in cupboard. x cartons. search cartons.
> x fireplace. enter it.(There's a light in a hole in its roof.)
> x bug. s. e. s.
Chapel
> x bulb. take bulb. unscrew bulb. hit bulb.(+15)
> look. take key. x it.
> x benches. x altar. x window. pray.
> look under altar.(+6. "Great men have sensitive ears.")
> n. e.
Dead end, in the underground
> u.(boards block a small chamber.)
> w. w. w. u. n. e. n.
Note that the fog is gone when you walk back through the town.
In the shack
> x transmitter. turn on transmitter.
> z.(Repeat waiting until countdown and a clatter.)
> s.
Main Street, in Charlestown
> s.(Unlocking the door with the golden key.)
Front Room, in the Golds' home
> s.
Small Chamber
> d.(End at platform into tunnel.)
> e.(Ends in a series of boards.)
> n. e.
Empty Room
> ask Judith about Sweeney.(She dies.)
> take key. x it.
> search Judith. take knife. x it.
> w. n. w. s.
Workhouse, in Charlestown
> e.(unlocking the door with the black key)
Sweeney's Lair
> x Joel. ask Joel about himself.
> x coffin. read it.
> ask Joel about Janus. ask Joel about Leon.
> ask Joel about Author. ask Joel about God.
You have a choice:
> put strange letter in coffin.(+30)
> tell bug about anything.(+21)
> z. z. z. z. z. z. z. z.(+14)
> throw knife at Joel.(+7)
Sweeney vanishes into green mist. Mbelwe breaks out of his coffin. He reads the letter and the walls change...
Chapter Nine - Birth Of A Notion
In a hospital corridor
> i.(You're wearing your dress. All other inventory is gone.)
> n.
Intersection, in the hospital
> x map.(ASCII art map is shown, with east as the top edge.)
> x sign. read sign.("The Receptionist is OUT")
> e. u. u. s. w.
Ward 10, Antechamber
> x student. n.(You need the proper attire.)
> ask student about attire.(Need cap, mask, and gown.)
> e. n. n. e.
Ward 5
> take cap. x it.
> x cupboard. open it. look in it. move it.
> w. s. d. d. w.
Intersection, in the hospital
> push sign.(+1)read desk.
> look under desk.(+7)take sheet. read sheet.
> w.
Records Room, in the hospital
Amusingly, you may see a reference to "Patient H. Banks" when reading the pile of records.
> x table. look under table.(+6)
> read square paper.
> x pile. read pile.(+20)
> take pink. read it.
> read pile. g. g. g.
> e. n. e.
Ward One
> take gown. x it.
> w. n. e.
Ward Two
> take key. x it.
> w. s. s. e. u. n.
Doctors' Lounge, in the Hospital
> x locker. open it.(locked)
> unlock locker with platinum key. open locker.
> take mask. x it.
> s. u. s. w.
Ward 10, Antechamber
> wear gown. wear cap. wear mask.
> n.
Recovery Room, in Ward 10
> n.(+24)
Laura and her newborn daughter are there. Laura gives you something (a fountain-pen) before the room fades away.
Chapter Ten - It Takes A Village
Small Hut
> i. x pen.
> listen. g. g. g. g.
> w.
Battlefield
> x monster.
> xyzzy —or— plugh.
> hit monster with pen.
Gerald arrives in the family jet to take Cassie home.
Meanwhile, Mr Author and the Voice congratulate Harold on his victory.
Your Bedroom
*** You have won ***
> amusing
Extras
Amusing
Amusing (and surprising) things to try..
Some weird and amusing actions..... Just for the heck of it, have you tried:
examining your pockets when you're Harold?
killing yourself?
killing the various characters in the game?
asking various people about Halothane?
TELL SIMONE ABOUT INVERSE SQUARE LAW? :-D
typing "xyzzy" or "plugh"?
attacking anything in your field of vision?
wearing the blue dress as Harold?
removing it as Cassie?
finding Viktor Von Goethe's journal?
listening to the railroad tracks in Chapter Eight?
lying down on the railroad tracks?
visiting the three interpositions?
killing Sweeney with the knife?
not killing Sweeney at all?
singing while tied up in the car?
trying to free yourself in the car?
praying?
swearing?
putting your ID, instead of the cash card, into the machine?
finding the various quote boxes in the game?
taking inventory at the beginning of Chapter Eight?
typing the outdated IF verb "use"?
crying (including in the obvious location)?
reading different critical texts in the Franklins' home?
reading all the medical reports in the hospital?
listening to the troll's dialogue, or interacting with it?
finding a hidden symbolic message in this game :-)?
Spot the IF references.... There are several IF references in this game, but I can't tell you about all of them.
That's because they're fairly easy to find. If you can't wait to find out which games are involved, read on.
In all, there are references to the following games, in no particular order, to whet your appetite...
Babel, Spider and Web, Delusions, Little Blue Men, Muse.....
....Curses, Maiden of the Moonlight, Zork (well, in a way)..
....Enemies, and a few more that you'll have to find yourself.
Characters
Harold Banks is the initial player-character, an author of a sci-fi book that didn't sell. He's sometimes called the Creator.
Cassandra Anderson a.k.a. "Cassie" is the second player-character, a lawyer in her thirties. Oddly, even though Harold never wrote Cassandra into his novel, he had invented her in his mind for the novel, and therefore she exists in his novel's dimension.
Mr. Author is a mysterious character who guides Harold and Cassandra in their quests.
The Little Tin God a.k.a. the Voice a.k.a. Padre is another mysterious character who pushes the story along. He usually appears in profile (as if he's a coin), but sometimes as a wise old man.
Simone Franklin, later Mrs. Simone Rosenberg, is a character in Harold's novel. She was a historian.
Edward and Laura Franklin are Simone's parents. Initially seen in their bedroom during the first interposition, you'll meet Laura again in the hospital chapter.
Nash is the receptionist behind the counter in the antechamber of the Aviators Saloon. He's a kindly old man.
A man's corpse falls out of Cassandra's wardrobe. We're never told who he is, who killed him, or why. But he does look like Gerald.
Judith Gold is a woman dying in her home in Charlestown.
Joel Sweeney is a dangerous man in Charlestown. Exactly what he's up to isn't that clear. A statue describes him as a benefactor and liberator, and a newspaper article calls him a television personality.
Janus Mbelwe was the Director of Social Scientists. Several years ago, he inexplicably vanished from the Saloon just before he was going to get married. You will get to meet him, very briefly.
A medical student guards the door to the Recovery Room in Ward Ten of the hospital. The associated box quote strongly suggests that this character represents the game's author, Ravi Rajkumar, who is also a medical student according to the game's About the Author text.
An ugly monster in a zoot suit, probably a troll, threatens you in the Battlefield.
Gerald is Cassandra's husband. He and their two daughters make a brief appearance at game's end.
Mentioned in the Third Interposition:
Note: These characters form a story all their own, as if they all belong to a different game or story.
Giacomo is an Italian adventurer. When you're in the boudoir, you can hear him shouting. He may also be the 16-century man with a twirly moustache that you see in one of your dreams.
Marquise Marguerite, aka Margot, is having an intrigue with Giacomo. Her name is on the lacy handkerchief you find in Chapter 5.
Lucas, L, and the sour kraut may all be the same character as the potential victim of the wine poisoning. Lucas may suspect the affair between Giacomo and Margot. L wrote the letter to Cathy. Both L and the "sour kraut" mention their doctor. Lucas might also be the knight who, in one of your dreams, collapses near his king.
Cathy is someone who L wrote to.
Konnie is the sour kraut's daughter.
Mentioned elsewhere:
Stephen Gilmour and Julia Franklin are book authors. Copies of their books are in the Franklin home.
Harvey Price is the name on the small microfilm badge.
Vanessa Clarke was going to be Janus's wife. The receptionist says she was a psychologist of some sort.
The receptionist's daughter is a physician out in the East.
Mrs. Fairbank, Dr. Reed, and Professor Royal were three social scientists that stayed at the Saloon. Royal's sister is also mentioned.
Simon Goedler of the Institute of Historical and Social Research wrote the article on the black disc.
Noel Horton of the Pan European News Services wrote the article on the blue disc.
Officer Schultz of the European Police Force is quoted in Horton's article.
Angela Bradbury is named on the plastic card that Cassie finds on the man's corpse. Angela looks just like Cassie in the card's photograph.
Dr Osborne Sharma is a noted author and close associate of Joel Sweeney's.
Leon E. Gold was a Doctor of Science, a schoolmaster, and Judith's husband. He was involved in a scandal before his death. At the direction of Mr Author, he left a letter for you, asking you to save the town from Sweeney.
Albert Romanov was appointed as Superintendent of Education and Human Potential. He campaigned on behalf of Joel Sweeney.
Alison D. and S. Hunter are mentioned in the pile of records in the hospital's records room.
Credits
From the Credits submenu via the HELP command:
Inspirations
In a purely literary sense, Agatha Christie, Isaac Asimov and W.M.Thackeray, to a great extent, and Kurt Vonnegut Jnr. and Keno Don Rosa on occasions. Musically, Don Henley, Eddie Vedder, Mark Knopfler, Joe Dassin, Enrico Macias and Pierre Bachelet.
In I-F, Graham Nelson (for getting me started on IF), Rybread Celsius, Daniel Ravipinto, Adam Cadre, Cody Sandifer, Brendon Wyber, Mike.J.Roberts, and - most importantly - Volker Blasius for providing a life-line to thousands of I-F addicts.
Thanks
Many thanks, several times, to the following people, in no specific order: Graham Nelson for Inform (and, more importantly, the Designers' Manual), L. Ross Raszewski for his library extensions and Comp '98 capsule rants, Baf for his Guide to the IF-Archive (though I don't always agree with it), Jay Goemmer and Stuart Moore for support and programming tips, Volker Blasius for all his encouragement when I started writing I-F, Michael Gentry for Anchorhead and Little Blue Men, Rybread Celsius for unremitting kookery, all the MiSTing programmers, all the kind souls who wrote reviews of the Comp '98 games, Stephen Granade for collecting them and for his wonderful news page - not to mention "The Arrival", and C.E.Forman for his 1997 reviews. I enjoyed "Sylenius Mysterium" too, perhaps because, once upon a time, I also used to play Atari games. Thanks to Kent Tessman too, for "Guilty Bastards" and my first taste of footnotes.
The Roll of Honour
And, finally, here's a tribute to all the fine folks without whom this game never would have existed:
Stephen Granade, organizer of IF Comp 1999.
Lucian Paul Smith, organizer of the IF Comp Beta-Testing Ring.
Graham Nelson, who did 99% of the programming in this game.
And finally, my wonderful beta-testers, without which this game would have had more bugs than text:
Vincent Lynch, Stuart Barrow, Mark Silcox, Alex Hoffer, Anneli Meeder, Jennifer, Karalee Coleman, Steve Barcroft, Andrew Brack and Randy Cox.
Inventory
Note that some items will be quietly removed from you as you advance to a new chapter, but other items can persist between chapters.
From the prologue:
a small note. Find it by searching the manuscript in your bedroom. Read it.
a yellow flower. Find it by searching the manuscript in your bedroom. Take it and smell it; it has no odor.
The flower loses a petal every time you complete a chapter. The yellow petals represent Harold's chapters and the pink petals represent Cassandra's.
a fan. Acquire it by looking under your desk in your bedroom. Put the fan on your chair and turn it on; now you'll be able to sleep.
a copy of your first novel. It's in the bookcase in Your Bedroom. Read it.
From chapter one:
a face mask. It's in the operating room. If you're wearing it in the instrument room when you turn the cylinder's valve, you won't pass out.
From the first interposition:
a small piece of paper. It's on the sofa in the Franklins' front hall. Read it.
a blue shawl. It's on the sofa in the Franklins' front hall. You don't need it, but you can try wearing it, smelling it, or showing it to Simone later.
a small memo. It's in the Franklins' front hall. Read it.
a brief letter. It's on the metal table in the nursery. Read it.
From chapter two:
a completed manuscript. It's on the table in the study. Put it in the dustbin there.
From chapter three:
a thick rope. You begin this chapter tied up with this rope, but it's not listed in your inventory, nor can you really do anything with it. "Padre" eventually unties you and the rope is gone.
From the second interposition:
a noradrenaline model, a propranolol model, a clonidine model, a yohimbine model, a clozapine model, a dopamine model, a serotonin model and an ondansetron model. All eight models are in the Calvert Museum near a machine. Put clonidine in the A2 slot, put propranolol in the B1 slot, put dopamine in the D4 slot, and ondansetron in the S3 slot, then push the button.
a brochure for the Calvert Museum. It's in the storage room. Read it. It gives you the information you need to solve the puzzle with the models.
From chapter four:
a fountain-pen. Simone, by the fireside, gives this to you when chapter four ends. Put the pen in the vase in Vanessa Clarke's room in the Aviators Saloon. At the end of chapter nine, Laura gives the pen to you. In the battlefield, hit the monster with the pen.
From chapter five:
a small glass bottle. It's on the stone table in the laboratory. It contains acid which you can pour on the gate and end chapter five that way. However, you'll miss the third interposition if you do that.
a small key. It's in the laboratory. The key unlocks the door at "Outside a Building".
a leather handbag. Find it by looking in the box in a deserted storeroom. Open it. It contains the handkerchief and the microfilm badge.
a lacy handkerchief. It's inside the leather handbag. Examine it.
a small microfilm badge. It's inside the leather handbag. Read it. If you're wearing it, you can go north from "Inside The Building" to the optional third interposition section of the game. Wear the badge to be able to go north from "Inside The Building".
From the third interposition:
a cloth-bound journal. Look under the bed in the boudoir to find it. Read it.
a handwritten note. It's in the dresser drawer in the boudoir. Read it.
a pile of letters. It's in the dresser drawer in the boudoir. Read it.
a green glass bottle. It's on the weapon stand in the tower room. Open it to find some wine which you suspect has been poisoned. Either break the green bottle or put the chelator pill into it; this will end the third interposition.
a cardboard box. Find it by searching the fireplace in the tower room. Open it; it contains a chelator pill and a package insert.
a chelator pill. It's inside the cardboard box. Read the insert to learn more about the pill. Put the pill in the green bottle to negate its poison.
a package insert. It's inside the cardboard box. Read it to learn more about the chelator pill.
From chapter six:
a small scrap of paper. Acquire it by looking under the counter in the antechamber. Read it.
a small black device. Find it by looking under the table in the dining room. Put the personal ID chip in the device; this will somehow teleport a strange letter to appear underneath the quilt in Room 4.
an AutoLock Users' Manual. It's in Room 1. Read it.
a black disc. It's on the armchair in Room 2. In Room 3, turn on the computer and put the black disc in the computer. Read the screen to learn about the year 2187. Between the manual and this disc, you can deduce that 2187 is the code that unlocks Room 1's night-table. (The other date mentioned by the disc is the code that closes and locks the table, but you don't need to do that.)
a blue disc. Find it by looking under the bed in Room 3. In Room 3, turn on the computer and put the blue disc in the computer. Read the screen to learn about Cassie Anderson's disappearance.
a crumpled note. It's in the toybox which is found by looking under the bed in Room 4.
a personal ID chip. It's inside the night-table in Room 1; open the table with the command: table, the code is 2187. Put the chip in the black device, then read it.
a strange letter. It's teleported to underneath the quilt in Room 4 when you put the chip in the device. Read it. Then ask the receptionist in the antechamber about it; he'll produce a key. Much later, put the strange letter in the coffin in Sweeney's Lair.
the key to Vanessa's room. After finding the letter, ask the receptionist about the letter. He'll put this key on the counter. It unlocks the north door to Room 7 on the second floor.
an identity card. Find it by searching the coat in the wardrobe in Vanessa Clarke's room.
a long brown coat. It's in the wardrobe in Vanessa Clarke's room. Search it to find an identity card. You don't need to take the coat, but you'll be wearing it in chapter 7 regardless. As Cassie, put the coat on the coat-stand in the antechamber of your house. When you leave your home, take the coat and wear it again.
a pale blue dress. It's in the wardrobe in Vanessa Clarke's room. You don't need to take the dress, but you'll be wearing it in chapter 7 regardless.
From chapter seven:
a plastic cash card. Find it by searching the corpse that falls out of your master bedroom's wardrobe. Put the cash card in the machine in the dark lane.
From chapter eight:
a torn newspaper page. It's in the office of the Charlestown Times. Read it.
an envelope. Acquire it by searching the papers in the office of the Charlestown Times. It contains a wordy letter.
a wordy letter. It's in the envelope. Read it.
Legal Form 67. Find it by looking under the chair in the archives of the Charlestown Times. Read it.
a glass vial. It's underground, in the workhouse. You may ignore it.
a small metal bug. Find it by opening the cupboard in the underground kitchen. You can defeat Joel Sweeney with it by asking (or telling) the bug something when in Sweeney's presence, but it's better to put the strange letter into the coffin instead.
a golden key. It's in the chapel after you break the bulb there. It unlocks the mansion's door on Main Street.
a dark black key. It's in the empty room in the Golds' home. It unlocks the black door in the workhouse.
a nasty-looking knife. Find it by searching Judith's body in the empty room. You have the option to throw the knife at Joel Sweeney in his lair, but it's better to put the strange letter into the coffin instead.
From chapter nine:
a green cap. It's in ward 5. Wear the mask. cap, and gown to be able to enter the recovery room in ward 10.
a discharge sheet. Found by looking under the hospital's reception desk. Read it.
a small square of paper. Find it by looking under the table in the records room. Read it.
a pink sheet of paper. Find it by reading the pile in the records room. Read it.
a long green gown. It's in ward one. Wear the mask. cap, and gown to be able to enter the recovery room in ward 10.
a platinum key. It's in ward two. It unlocks the locker in the doctors' lounge.
a green surgical mask. It's in the locker in the doctors' lounge; unlock the locker with the platinum key. Wear the mask. cap, and gown to be able to enter the recovery room in ward 10.
Quotations
Every so often, the game displays a box quote.
The Beatles, "Paperback Writer" is quoted in response to examine novel in Your Bedroom (Prologue).
Agatha Christie, "Problem At Sea" is quoted at the start of Chapter 1.
Don Henley, "The End Of The Innocence" is quoted in response to examine grass in Open Field (Chapter 3).
US, "The Fly" is quoted in response to examine chandelier in the Living Room (Chapter 4).
Pearl Jam, "Elderly Woman" is quoted in response to examine woman at By The Fireside (Chapter 4).
Pearl Jam, "Red Mosquito" is quoted in respose to ask Simone about manuscript at By The Fireside (Chapter 4).
Pearl Jam, "Better Man" is quoted in response to ask Simone about history at By The Fireside (Chapter 4).
Pearl Jam, "Immortality" is quoted in response to examine trapdoor in the Red Lake (Chapter 5).
Don Henley is quoted in response to examine gate at Before a Gate (Chapter 5).
U2, "Promenade" is quoted in response to examine staircase at At The Base Of The Stairs (Chapter 5).
unsigned, "Not a shirt on my back" is quoted in response to inventory (Chapter 8).
Dire Straits, "Telegraph Road" is quoted in response to examine tracks at 500 miles away from home (Chapter 8).
Keno Don Rosa, "The Life and Times of $crooge McDuck" (French translation) is quoted in response to listen to tracks at 500 miles away from home (Chapter 8).
Don Henley is quoted in response to pray in the Chapel (Chapter 8).
Kurt Vonnegut, "Slaughterhouse 5" is quoted in response to examine student in Ward 10, Antechamber (Chapter 9).
Don Henley is quoted in response to xyzzy or plugh.
Score
You have so far scored your-score out of a possible 360, in several turns, earning you the rank of ranking.
4 points for finding the flower and note in your manuscript.
2 points for finding your fan under your desk.
4 points for putting the fan on your chair.
7 points for sleeping at the end of the prologue.
6 points for touching the emergency exit panel in the instrument room.
13 points for pushing the light switch in the Franklins' master bedroom.
4 points for putting your manuscript in the study's dustbin.
8 points for arriving in the open field after the captive car ride.
17 points for solving the Neural Model Machine puzzle in the Calvert Museum.
20 points for completing your chat with the adult Simone.
5 points for finding the handbag in the deserted storeroom.
16 points for arriving in the boudoir.
9 points for finding the small cardboard box in the tower room's fireplace.
One of:
8 points for aiding and abetting an intrigue (either by breaking the green bottle or putting the pill in it).
8 points for pouring acid on the gate.
9 points for finding a blue disc under the bed in Room 3, in the Aviators Saloon.
6 points for asking the Saloon's receptionist about the strange letter.
8 points for finding the identity card in the long brown coat.
18 points for putting the pen into the vase, ending Harold Banks' chapters and starting Cassie Anderson's.
7 points for finding a corpse in your wardrobe.
26 points for inserting the cash card into the cab-caller machine.
13 points for finding an envelope in the office of the Charlestown Times.
6 points for finding a legal form in the archives of the Charlestown Times.
15 points for breaking the bulb in the chapel.
6 points for finding an inscription under the chapel's altar.
One of:
30 points for inserting the strange letter into Janus's coffin.
21 points for asking (or telling) the bug about anything when in Sweeney's lair. (Weirdly, "shout at bug" also works, but "shout" with the bug chosen as the direct object doesn't work. This solution is a little buggy.)
14 points for doing nothing to Joel Sweeney at all.
7 points for throwing the knife at Joel Sweeney.
1 point for pushing the triangular metal sign in the hospital.
7 points for finding the discharge sheet under the hospital's intersection desk.
6 points for finding the square paper under the records room's table.
20 points for finding the pink paper in records room's pile.
24 points for meeting Mrs Franklin and her newborn daughter in the hospital.
Rankings:
One-Book Wonder.(0 points)
Booker Prize Winner.(4 to 17 points)
Refugee from Postmodernism.(23 to 48 points)
Talented Amateur.(65 points)
Deserving Writer.(85 to 114 points)
Straight Speaker.(123 to 146 points)
Creator of Parallel Dimensions.(162 to 197 points)
Master of the Whirling Nib.(201 to 231 points)
Fellow of the Pantheon.(242 to 285 points)
Writer Extraordinaire.(301 to 325 points)
Conqueror of the Troll.(360 points, although I couldn't achieve this high score. Sorry!)