In this alchemy-driven game, you play as a young man. To heal your broken heart after your girl dumped you, you agree to look after your Uncle Steve's isolated museum while he goes on vacation. Improbably, the secrets hidden there will lead you to finding your one true love and living happy ever after.
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.
Don't worry about closing the gate. There won't be any visitors.
> x spotlights.
Quickly visit the topiary and cemetery before going inside.
> w.
Hotel Topiary
> x bushes. x mongoose.(has brass key)
> e. e.
An overgreen Cemetery
This game has some problems with how to refer to things. Refer to the crypt as "door".
> x tombstones. x door. read door.
The answer to the riddle poem is MOONBEAM. Much later, you will need to focus a moonbeam to open this crypt.
> w. n.
Museum Veranda
> x patio. x chairs. x barbecue.
> n.
Inside the Museum (First Floor)
Note: The glowstick's light lasts forever.
> x stand. x glowstick. take it. shake it.(It's lit.)
> x diary.("G.R.")
> read it.(Centuries ago, a woman decided not to kill herself because of a love note. But the day after, she takes poison when her savior provides no way to escape her father's prison. And then the note itself falls out.)
> take note. read it.(It's to Gwen from you!)
> x alchemy book. read it.(don't understand it)
> x bar. open it. x absinthe.(don't need it)
> e.
Business Office
> x lights.(not hooked up yet)
> x panel.(has tape slot, green button, and dial)
> x door.
The locked gold door is supposed to stop you from entering the lab to the northwest, but the way it's coded, the door is no barrier at all.
For this walkthrough, pretend that the gold door is keeping you out of the lab and play the way the author intended by solving the requistite puzzles first.
> w. u.
A small bedroom
> x bed. x dresser. open drawer.
> x sample. take it.
The game fails to mention a rather important picture in the room:
> x picture.(You instantly fall in love with Guenevere Rominal, the same woman who wrote the diary.)
> s.
A small bathroom
> x toilet. x shower. x chest. open it.
> x pill. take it.
> n. u.
Attic
> x skylight. x window.
> x telescope.(pointed at crypt)
> x mirror.(tilted away from telescope)
> d. d. nw.
Diamond Room
> x pedestal. x diamond. x lasers. x button.
Note the hint about needing to fly to reach the button.
> se. n.
Hall of Alchemy
> x poster —or— x artifact.
> x machine.(Inside a dome, you see a miniature lab and a wizard figure. A panel is in front, and a slot connected to a spiral ramp is on the top.)
> x slot.(connected to the crucible)
> x crucible. x panel.(six buttons)
> w.
Presses through the Ages
> x press. x lever. pull it.(The press is broken now.)
> x disc. x bar. take disc and bar.
> e.
Hall of Alchemy
Time to turn a lead disc into a gold key.
The buttons are red, black, white, green, blue, and purple, but none of them are labelled. Experimentation reveals the following:
The red button makes Merlin cast flame from his wand in whichever way he's facing.
The black button makes Merlin turn from you to the crucible, or from the crucible to the shelf.
The white button makes Merlin try to tip whatever he's facing.
The green button makes Merlin turn from the shelf to the crucible, or from the crucible to you.
The blue button makes Merlin cast ice from his wand in whichever way he's facing.
The purple button makes the mold flip over. The mold is key-shaped.
Assuming Merlin is facing you (his initial direction):
> put disc in slot.(It lands in the crucible.)
> push black.(Merlin turns to face the crucible.)
> push red.(The lead melts.)
> push black.(Merlin turns to face a shelf.)
> push white button.(Merlin tips the small bottle, letting one drop enter the crucible.)
> push green.(Merlin turns to face the crucible.)
> push blue.(A gold key in the mold!)
> push purple.(You get the key.)
> x gold key.
> e.
Hall of Science
> x artifacts. x iron key.
> x generator. x pylons. x dial.(1 to 5)
> put lead bar on pylons.
> turn dial to 5.(Wild electricity breaks the machine and also pulls the iron key onto the machine. You take the key.)
> x iron key.
> w. s. w.
Museum Resturant
> x tables. s.
Museum Kitchen
> x stove.(or fridge or sink)
> x magnet. x note. read it.("run hisses through topiary speakers (setting 3) to scare the mongoose")
> s.
By the Museum Dumpster
> x dumpster. open it. x couch.
> take couch.(You get a piece of leather instead.)
> x piece.
> n. n. n.
Theatre Stage
You don't need the hammer, but who doesn't want one?
> x hammer. take it. x ladder.
> u.
Theatre Control booth
> x panel.(slot with tape; green button)
CAUTION: If you push the green button, the tape plays until you push the button again to turn it off. If you want to hear the tape, you must LISTEN on the stage below; the tape makes a hissing sound.
> take tape. x it.
Return to the business office:
> d. s. e. e.
Business Office
> put tape in slot. turn dial to 3.
> push button.
Now back to the topiary:
> w. s. s. w.
Hotel Topiary
> listen.
> x mongoose. take brass key. x it
> e. n. n. e.
Business Office
> unlock door with gold key.
> open door.(A brass door replaces the gold door!)
> unlock door with brass key.
> open door.(An iron door replaces the brass door!)
> unlock door with iron key.
> open door.(The iron door vanishes, leaving an open doorway to the northwest.)
> nw.
Inside the Lab
> x portal. x machine.("Alchemotron 5000")
> x box.(three buttons: indigo, peach, and maroon)
> x indigo.("growth")
> x peach.("bat")
> x maroon.("sleep")
> read grafitti.("1750"; arrow points to portal)
Because the letter is also a "page", please refer to this new page as "vellum", which I learned about by reading the source code. When I first played this, I closed the backpack so the letter is out of scope.
> x vellum. take it. read it.(Lists needed ingredients for making potions with the Alchemotron.)
But before you can make any of the potions, you must visit the other side of the portal.
> n.
Wine Cellar
> x rack. x wine. take it.
> u.
Chateau Kitchen
> x fireplace. x dumbwaiter.
> x seed. take it.
> put note in dumbwaiter.(Prompted to re-read diary.)
> w. w.
Forest
> x tree. x nest. x magpie.
> climb tree.(can't)
> show gold key to magpie.
> take feather. x it.
> e. ne.
Family Stables
> x manure. take it.
> s.
Exercise Area
> x earth.(loose)
Return to the lab:
> n. sw. e. d. s.
Inside the Lab
> x indigo.("growth")
> push indigo.
> put manure in machine.
> put sample in machine.(The machine makes growth potion, which you take.)
> x vial.
> n. u. w. ne. s.
Exercise Area
> put seed in earth.
> put vial in earth.
You hear growth, but you don't see it. The tree is actually in the topiary in the future.
> n. sw. e. d. s.
Inside the Lab
A bug makes the bat potion too soon if you insert the leather first.
> x peach.("bat")
> push peach.
> put feather in machine.
> put leather in machine.(The machine makes bat potion, which you take.)
> x vial.
> se. w.
Inside the Museum (First Floor)
> read diary.(The second entry has changed, refering to a potion bottle and a second note. The note falls out.)
> take note. read it.
> nw.
Diamond Room
> drink potion.(You become a bat!)
> push button.(The lasers turn off and you're human again.)
> take diamond.
> se. s. s. w.
Hotel Topiary
> x tree. x fruit. take it.
> e. n. n. e. nw.
Inside the Lab
> push maroon.
> put diamond in machine.
> put wine in machine.
> put pill in machine.
> put fruit in machine.(The machine makes sleep potion, which you take.)
> x vial. n. u.
Chateau Kitchen
> put note in dumbwaiter.
> put vial in dumbwaiter.
> d. s. se. w. u. u.
Attic
There's a moonbeam here now.
> move mirror.(The moonbeam reflects off the mirror and into the large end of the telescope.)
> move telescope.(The moonbeam now enters the small end.)
> d. d. s. s. e.
An overgrown Cemetery
The focused moonbeam has unlocked the crypt door.
> open door. n.
Inside the Crypt
Bizarrely, you can't refer to Gwen by her name.
> x slab. x woman.
> kiss woman.(She wakes are greets you.)
*** You have won ***
Extras
Characters
A mongoose is darting around the topiary almost faster than you can see.
A magpie has a nest in a maple tree in the forest. She's molting.
Guenevere Rominal, or Gwen for short, is a beautiful young woman who lived from 1755 to 1775. Her diary in the museum entrance, her portrait is in your uncle's bedroom, and if you change the events of history, you can wake her with a kiss after a very long nap.
Honorable mention:
Merlin is a wizard figure in a machine in the Hall of Alchemy. He does different things in response to buttons you push.
Mentioned:
Uncle Steve owns and operates the museum and dabbles in alchemy. However, from the sorry state of his bed, you assume he doesn't get laid much.
Gwyneth is the girl you dated at the end of Beat the Devil. Unfortunately, she dumped you before this game begins.
A musclebound moron that Gwyneth met at the gym is now dating her.
Dr. N'Gen N. Ani is someone you had "horrid business" with. (This is probably a reference to something, but I don't know what.)
Gwen's father has locked her up in her room to force her to marry a 'toad'. Probably not a literal toad.
Patrons of the museum don't like the mongoose running around.
Inventory
Keys
a gold key. Manufacture the gold key by using the lead disc in the machine in the Hall of Alchemy; see lead disc for details.
The gold key unlocks the gold door in the business office. But when you open the gold door, it's replaced with a brass door.
Later, in the forest, show the gold key to the magpie. It takes the gold key and drops a feather.
a brass key. It's on the collar worn by the mongoose running around the hotel topiary; see cassette tape for more details on getting the brass key.
The brass key unlocks the brass door in the business office. (The brass door replaces the gold door when you open the gold door; see gold key.) But when you open the brass door, it's replaced with an iron door.
an iron key. It's dangling out of reach from a thread in the Hall of Science; see lead bar for details on how to get the iron key.
The iron key unlocks the iron door in the business office. (The iron door replaces the brass door when you open the brass door; see brass key.) When you open the iron door, it disappears, leaving an open doorway to the lab.
Papers
a letter from Uncle Steve. It's inside your backpack.
Read the letter. The bit about "five senses, ten fingers, and a brain" is your clue on how to open the front gate. Turn its dial to 5, then 10, then 1.
a note. Find it by reading the diary in the first floor entrance.
Read the note. Put the note in the chateau kitchen's dumbwaiter, then read the diary again to find a second note.
Read the second note. Put the second note and the sleep potion in the chateau kitchen's dumbwaiter.
a page from an Alchemy book. It's on the bench inside the lab.
Refer to this page as "vellum", because "page" is ambiguous when the letter is also visible.
Read the vellum to learn which ingredients are needed for which potions.
Potions
a vial of growth potion. Make it by using the machine inside the lab.
First, push the indigo button. Then put the manure and sample of Bottle'O'Hair into the machine. The machine makes the vial, which you automatically take.
In the exercise area, put both the seed and the growth potion in the loose earth. This causes a fruit tree to grow in the topiary.
a vial of insta-bat potion. Make it by using the machine inside the lab.
First, push the peach button. Then put the feather and leather into the machine. The machine makes the vial, which you automatically take.
In the diamond room, drink the bat potion, then push the button to turn off the lasers. The bat potion immediately wears off.
a vial of sleep potion. Make it by using the machine inside the lab.
First, push the maroon button. Then put the diamond, wine, pill, and fruit into the machine. The machine makes the vial, which you automatically take.
In the chateau kitchen, put both the second note and this vial in the dumbwaiter.
Potion ingredients
Read the vellum page (the page from an Alchemy book) to learn which ingredients are used for which potions.
a sample of "Bottle'O'Hair". It's in the dresser drawer in Uncle Steve's bedroom.
This is an ingredient when making the growth potion.
a bit of manure. It's in the family stables.
This is an ingredient when making the growth potion.
a piece of leather. Acquire it by trying to take the couch that's inside the dumpster.
a magpie feather. The magpie in the 1750's forest has one.
After unlocking the gold door with the gold key and opening the gold door, go to the forest and show the gold key to the magpie. It takes the gold key and drops a feather.
The feather is an ingredient when making the bat potion.
a sleeping pill. It's in the medicine chest in Uncle Steve's bathroom.
This is an ingredient when making the sleep potion.
a bottle of wine. It's on the rack in the 1750's wine cellar.
This is an ingredient when making the sleep potion.
a pwagna fruit. It's in the hotel topiary after you've put both the seed and the growth potion in the earth in the 1750's exercise area.
The fruit is an ingredient when making the sleep potion.
a diamond. It's on a pedestal, protected by laser beams, in the Diamond Room.
To turn off the lasers, drink the bat potion there then push the button.
The diamond is an ingredient when making the sleep potion.
The backpack is meant to be your player's carry-all, but there are no carrying capacity restrictions in this game, so you don't really need the backpack.
a glowstick. It's on the souvenir stand in the first floor entrance.
Shake it to make it glow. This is your light source to see in dark locations, and its light is permanent.
a bottle of absinthe. It's in the mini-bar in the first floor entrance.
All you can do is open the absinthe. You aren't willing to drink any, and it's not a suitable wine substitute for making the sleep potion.
a lead disc. Create it by pulling the lever in "Presses through the Ages". The disc is the size of a quarter.
In the Hall of Alchemy, put the disc into the slot. If necessary, push the black or green buttons until Merlin is facing the crucible. Push the red button to melt the lead.
Push the black button; Merlin should now be facing a shelf with a tiny bottle. Push the white button to tip a drop of whatever's in it into the cauldron.
Push the green button; Merlin should now be facing the crucible again. Push the blue button to cool the lead mixture into a gold key.
Push the purple button to flip the mold and obtain the gold key.
a lead bar. Create it by pulling the lever in "Presses through the Ages". The bar is 3 feet long and round.
In the Hall of Science, put the lead bar on the pylons (of the generator), then turn the dial to 5. This breaks the generator but also pulls the iron key down onto the generator so you can take it.
a hammer. It's on the theatre stage.
You don't need the hammer. This is just a souvenir from Beat the Devil, the author's previous game.
a cassette tape. It's in the slot of the control panel in the theatre control booth.
CAUTION: If you push the green button to play the tape in the booth, you can't take the tape until you push the green button again.
Take the tape to the business office, put it in the slot, turn the dial to 3, then push the green button. (This is all clued by the note posted on the kitchen fridge.)
Go to the topiary and take the brass key from the mongoose, who is now vibrating in place because of the hissing sound coming from hidden speakers there.
a small seed. It's in the dumbwaiter in the chateau kitchen.
In the exercise area, put both the seed and the growth potion in the loose earth. This causes a fruit tree to grow in the topiary.
