top

Key & Compass presents:
The Mage Wars: Statue
by Jim Fisher

The Mage Wars: Statue is a Z-machine interactive fiction game written with Inform 6 and is © 2003 by Jim Fisher. It was an entry in IntroComp 2003 where it took 1st place. Although the full game was planned for release in 2004, the game remains incomplete. The game is notable for using the ORLibrary.

In this lengthy unfinished game divided into chapters, you'll be playing as various characters, but mostly as Dr. Marcus Philbrook, a man who petrifies himself into a statue in 1997 and wakes up in a museum in 9236. Unbeknowst to Marcus, the world now uses magic, and an evil mage named Noric the dark will soon threaten everyone with his power.

This solution is by David Welbourn, and is based on Release 100 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.


Walkthrough

Introduction (circa 9243)

Children'sBedroom

Children's BedroomMarcus Philbrook

> x Mathen. put him in his bed.

> x Kylina. put her in her bed.

They ask for a story. The game interrupts to tell the player about the MENUSPEAK (or MS or MSPK) optional command for menu-based conversation when the input prompt is doubled.

Fortunately for me, MS options turn into conventional ask/tell commands which I can just show here instead.

>> tell story. tell three pigs story.

>> tell conquering lord story.

>> ask Kylina about preferred story.

>> tell children statue story.

> SPACE


Prologue (circa 9223)

Museum,StatueExhibit

Museum, Statue ExhibitCylest

> x me. x dress. i. x pin. x case.

> x statue. x box. x coat. x pocket.

> put pin in pocket.

Your father's aide orders you to get out of the case.

> SPACE


Chapter I (circa 1997)

The game banner is displayed.

TestingLab MonitoringLab Malcolm'sOffice Hall Board-room MyOffice Lobby CoffeeNook

Coffee NookDr. Marcus Philbrook

> x pot. x me. put pot in maker. n.

Boardroom

> x kitten. (Malcolm attaches Petrian device's electrode to kitten's paw.)

> x device. (There's another in the testing lab. The kitten becomes a new eikon.)

The investors are about to ask you some questions. It's simplest to leave the room before they do.

> w.

Hall

> x scanner. w.

Malcolm's office

The existence of the mailing package is puzzling. Marcus is unwilling to take the package or put anything into it, so why is it here in the game? Was there a plan to use it in a future unwritten chapter? There is a mail slot in the lobby, so someone has to mail this package, yes?

> x desk. x package. e. s.

Lobby

You don't really want to talk to Teresa either.

>> w.

My Office

> x window. x desk. x rabbit. x frame.

> open drawer. x badge. take it.

> e. n.

Hall

> put badge on scanner. n.

Monitoring Lab

> put badge on scanner. n.

Testing Lab

You mustn't hesitate, or Malcolm will stop you.

> take device. attach electrode to me. push button.

You are somewhere else, in a breaking glass case, and a boy is backing away from you.

> SPACE


Chapter II (circa 9236)

Altar MirroredHall(by door) MirroredHall(by stairs)

Mirrored Hall, Bottom of StairsPuck

> x me. i. x bag.

> open bag. x corpse.

> n.

Mirrored Hall

> knock on door. (The guard Siedmeur opens it.)

> n.

Altar Room

> take Limech. put Limech on altar.

The master casts levitation and immobility spells on you.

> x master. (The master kills Puck for his heart.)

You are now playing as the guard Siedmeur.

Altar RoomSiedmeur

> x Puck. x altar.

Noric orders you to put Puck into the bag and take him away. CAUTION: If you take too long to do this, Noric will incinerate you with a fireball.

> take Puck. put Puck in bag. s.

> SPACE


Chapter III (circa 9236)

North of Museum West ofMuseum MuseumGarden East ofMuseum PeaceExhibit ArtExhibit IndustrialExhibit WarExhibit StatueExhibit MuseumLobby MuseumSteps (via window) (locked)

Museum StepsNortoche

> x me. x orb. take orb. (You can do SPELLS.)

> spells. (You know dysparsen, which dispells magik.)

> x door. x bushes.

> nw. ne.

North of Museum

> x moon. s.

Museum Garden

> x window. open window. s.

Museum, Peace Exhibit

> close window. x book. read book.

> read plaque. ("Rehsif-Mij" is, of course, "Jim Fisher" backwards.)

> x field. exits. se.

The museum's geography is variable. You'll find the new rooms in a fixed order regardless which directions you choose.

Museum, War Exhibit

> x weapons. x device.

> x symbols. x workings. x pegs. (The lower peg is missing a gear.)

> x plug. x panel. x button.

> w.

Museum, Industrial Exhibit

> x tools. x case. x box.

> x funnel. x engraving. x tray. x panel.

> w.

Museum, Art Exhibit

> x art. x case. x junk.

> x frog. x river. x umbrella.

> se.

Museum Lobby

> w.

Museum, Statue Exhibit

> x case. x statue. x field.

> dysparsen fieldorthrow orb at field.

> open case. enter case.

> x statue.

Marcus awakens. Nortoche thinks he's a dark mage about to kill him and backs away.

> SPACE


Chapter IV (circa 9236)

Museum, Statue ExhibitDr. Marcus Philbrook

> x me. x coat. look in pocket. x pin.

> i. x device. x badge. x mug. x coffee.

> x glass.

> e.

Museum Lobby

You're restricted to the inside of the museum.

> open door. (locked)

> nw.

Museum, Art Exhibit

> x case. x junk. open case.

> x field. touch field. (No resistance.)

> take umbrella. x it. (It's a satellite dish with a scoket.)

> x river. search washers. take washer. x it.

> e.

Museum, Industrial Exhibit

> x case. x box. x engraving. x funnel. x tray.

> open case. open panel. (Has a battery; needs another.)

> x battery. read it. ("Everlast")

> e.

Museum, War Exhibit

> x case. x machine. x symbols. ("S.P.P.U.S.")

> x opening. x upper pegs. x lower peg. (Needs a gear.)

> x plug. x square button.

> open case. open panel. (Has two batteries; needs another.)

> take battery.

> nw.

Museum, Peace Exhibit

> x book. read it. (A new weapon not only caused vast destruction, but also charged atoms with a new power that wyzurds could manipulate.)

> x plaque. (You can't read it.)

You won't be willing to leave via the window just yet. You're determined to turn the machine in the war exhibit on first.

> se. w.

Museum, Industrial Exhibit

> put battery in panel. put washer in funnel.

> x tray. x washer. take it. (It's now grooved like a gear.)

> take batteries. (You take both of them.)

> e.

Museum, War Exhibit

> put washer on lower peg.

> put dish on plug.

> put batteries in panel.

> push square button. (A "unity space" doorway is created but will only last for two seconds.)

If you don't enter the doorway, guards will find you and beat you senseless, and the story ends.

> enter doorway.

> SPACE


Chapter V (circa 9236)

Museum LobbyDunamei

You are now playing as Dunamei, the green mage, the Principal Mage, investigating the missing statue.

> x mages. i. x robe. spells.

Dunamei had the following spells at his disposal:

> w.

Museum, Statue Exhibit

> thespia.

Dunamei sees a vision of Nortoche throwing the orb, entering the case, the statue animating and becoming flesh, the boy smashing through the glass, the security spell teleporting the boy away, and the statue walking and somehow immune to magic.

> e. nw.

Museum, Art Exhibit

> thespia. (You see the statue take a dish.)

> e.

Museum, Industrial Exhibit

> thespia. (You see the statue put something into the machine and take something out.)

> e.

Museum, War Exhibit

> thespia. (You see the statue putting things into the "kompeutre" and a doorway made without a spell.)

> nw.

Museum, Peace Exhibit

An energy door opens, via the Thurais spell, and a messenger mage in scarlet addresses you. He tells you the council urgently needs you, concerning Limech, a friend and fellow member of the green order. Weeks ago, Noric the Dark sent Limech's heart to the council.

NOTE: I believe this door opens one turn after you've cast thespia at each of the statue, industrial, and war exhibits. Those three exhibits are the critical ones.

> enter door. (The messenger mages follows you through to...)

Museum Outskirtsof Darisia Fringeof Darisia enter door (beyond thegates lies the Thanatosdesert)

Outskirts of Darisia

> e.

Fringe of Darisia, behind gates

The council mages are overcome with horror at Limech, now a zombie acting as Noric's messenger. Only the imperial guard, Cedreght, is showing any backbone and defiance.

>> x Limech. x heart.

>> ask Limech about news from Norioure. (Noric is raising an army.)

>> ask Limech about Noric's army. (Everyone who died in wars past. He's raising them all.)

>> ask Limech about sutures.

>> ask Cedreght about Limech. ("a demon!")

>> tell Cedreght to kill Limech. (The sword does not kill him.)

>> x ooze.

>> tell Cedreght to kill Limech. g. (An arm falls off, but the zombie doesn't fall.)

>> frerquoe Limech. (The fireball destroys the zombie.)

You tell the other mages to inform the Overseer.

>> SPACE


Chapter VI (circa 9236)

StoneTerrace (to Conrad'squarters)

Stone TerraceConrad

> x Noric. take parchment. (It's just out of reach.)

> spells. (You know maesmur: Mesmerize a creature.)

> maesmur bird.

> bird, land.

> bird, drop parchment.

> take parchment. read it.

You get confirmation that the ancient statue has awakened, but decide it doesn't matter. The empire will fall, and the exiled mages will return to Darisia.

> SPACE

TO BE CONTINUED

> SPACE

> quit


Extras

Characters

From 1997:

From Darisia in the far future, the good guys:

From Norioure in the far future, the bad guys:

Mentioned:


Credits

This is the Acknowledgements section of the menus accessed via ABOUT:

Author: Jim Fisher

Compiler and code base:
The Z-machine version of this game (particularly the version release for the IntroComp 2003) was compiled using Graham Nelson's Inform compiler and associated standard library.

It selectively leverages the ORLibrary which can be found at www.OnyxRing.com. The ORLibrary is fairly massive but includes code originating from a variety of authors such as Roger Firth and Irene Callaci as well as the library's organizer, Jim Fisher.

Beta testers:
I'd like to extend my sincere appreciation to those that assisted in the beta-testing process. Their help was invaluable as they were able to identify numerous bugs and missing scenery objects as well as offer insightful suggestions. The quality of this game has been substantially increased due to their priceless input:


Endings


Inventory

Marcus's inventory (introduction in children's bedroom)
Cylest's inventory (prologue in museum)
Marcus's inventory (chapter 1 in office)
Puck's inventory (chapter 2 in Noric's palace)
Siedmeur's inventory (chapter 2 in Noric's palace)
Nortoche's inventory (chapter 3 in museum)
Marcus's inventory (chapter 4 in museum)
Dunamei's inventory (chapter 5 in museum)
Conrad's inventory (chapter 6 on stone terrace)

Score

There is no true score in this game, but the response to SCORE does tell you which chapter you're in:


Spells

There are several spells in this game, but they're usually only available to mages, and no mage in this game (except maybe Noric the dark) has more than three at a time.

The mechanics of how a mage acquires a spell has not been shown. However, in chapter 6, if you try to go down from the terrace, you're told that Conrad had not prepared the appropriate spells for flying. This suggests that a mage must choose and prepare spells somewhat in advance.

From Dunamei's frequent use of thespia in chapter 5, we learn that a mage can use their prepared spells over and over again without losing them.

Here are the spells mentioned by name:

Other unnamed spells include:


Thank You to my Patreon supporters

This walkthrough was funded via Patreon with


Support me on Ko-fi

Ko-Fi is a way to send me small one-time donations. Every little bit helps, and thank you!