In this scavenger hunt game, you might be anyone with lockpicking skills standing in the foyer of the old haunted Bordelon House. Find the ten items on your list and leave before midnight because that's when the ghosts attack. It's already 7:30 PM, so don't waste any time! Optimize!
This solution is by David Welbourn, and is based on Release 1 of the work.
SPOILERS AHEAD. Reading a walkthrough prematurely can sometimes diminish one's enjoyment of a work of interactive fiction. Please make an honest effort to play the work before reading this walkthrough.
> i. x guide.(Don't break anything, especially glass.)
> x lamp.
> x doors. x dust. x cobwebs.
> n.
Hall 1
> x wallpaper. x carpet. x stair.
> w.
Dining Room
> x chandelier.(best leave it alone)
> x table. x door.(You could try to pick the lock.)
> x tray.(wrapped with knotted twine)
> n.
Kitchen
> x fridge. x cupboards.(both empty)
> x drawer.(You could try to open it, but feels very stuck.)
> e.
Hall 2
> x pot.(no dirt, just a dead plant)
> n. n.
Family Room
> x sofas. x radio. x cabinet.(could be something in there)
> deal cabinet.(+14 minutes; took a bottle of paint remover)
> x remover.("Speedaway Fast-Acting Paint Remover")
> w.
Laundry
> x door.(will take time to pick the lock)
> x board.(uninteresting)
> x washtub.(might have something amid the scraps)
> x machine.(glint underneath it)
> deal machine.(+17 minutes; acquired chest key; a stick or rod would have helped here.)
> deal tub.(+15 minutes; acquired scarf)
> deal door.(+24 minutes)
> s.
Workshop
> x worktable.
> x toolbox.(rusty)
> deal cellar key.(+1 minute; you take it)
> deal toolbox.(+6 minutes; you acquire a screwdriver)
> n. n.
Garage
> x car.(something's on the front seat, but the car is locked)
> x wrench. deal wrench.(yours after +12 minutes)
> deal car.(acquire wristwatch; +25 minutes)
> s. e. s. e. n.
Music Room
> x chairs. x piano.
> x cabinet.(You see a sheet of music inside, but the cabinet is locked.)
> x bench.(searchable)
> deal bench.(acquire clock key; +9 minutes)
> deal cabinet.(acquire sheet of music; +20 minutes)
> s. s.
Bathroom
> x sink. x duck. x magnet.
> n. e.
Hall 5
> x portrait.(of man in suit and with cane)
> n.
Library
> x shelves.(One book will open a secret door, but if you don't know which book, you'll have to try them all.)
> x globe.(openable, but how?)
> deal globe.(acquire desk key; +7 minutes)
> s.
Hall (east end)
> deal door.(+21 minutes)
> s.
Conservatory
> x pots.
> x vase.(seems glued to the table)
> x padlock.(The cellar key should fit.)
> deal padlock.(using cellar key; +1 minute)
Cellar
> x rack. x bottle.(corked, has gold coin inside)
> x barrel.
> deal bottle.(got coin; +23 minutes)
> u.
Conservatory
> deal vase.(+23 minutes)
> n. w. w. s. s. s.
Foyer
> leave.
*** You made it out ***
>> SPACE
The game is reset, but you retain your map and all* the information you learned. (*Actually, the safe combination and which library book opens the hidden exit is randomized with each attempt; that info does not carry over.)
Part 2: Interlude
Foyer
You can now RECALL locations, UNDO actions, and check STATS. Your COMMANDS have been updated accordingly.
Known unvisited rooms are shown in uppercase on the ASCII map.
> com.
> recall hal. map.(Unique map names are now on.)
> recall ha5.
I went through several more normal runs just to map this place out.
Then I did several spot checks to learn the timings for everything.
And then I made myself a concise list of deal results, to be shuffled around. The RECALL command can help you make your own list, assuming, of course, that you recalled the RECALL command exists. My list looked like this:
2F. Cabinet key @ Bath 2. (1 magnet or 21)
1F. Cellar key @ Workshop. (1)
1F. Chest key @ Laundry. (2 reacher or 17)
1F. Clock key @ Music Rm. (9)
A. Closet key @ Attic E. (1)
2F. Conservatory key @ Balcony. (9)
1F. Desk key @ Library. (7)
1F. Office key @ Lab. (1)
2F. Studio key @ Bed 2. (10)
2F. Workshop key @ Linen. (11)
1F. Remover @ Family. (14)
1F. Screwdriver @ Workshop. (1 lube or 6)
1F. Wrench @ Garage. (12)
1F. Reacher @ China Closet. (4)
A. Scissors @ Attic W. (8)
A. Corkscrew @ Observatory. (1)
1F. Lube @ Lab. (7)
1F. Magnet @ Bath 1. (9)
2F. Solvent @ Billiard. (8)
2F. Note @ Hall 8. (1 clock key or 16)
1F. Combo @ Parlor. (2 screwdriver or 24)
1F. *SCARF* @ Laundry. (15)
2F. *BOWTIE* @ Bed 1. (2 remover or 24)
1F. *WRISTWATCH* @ Garage. (25)
2F. *POCKETWATCH* @ Office (1 desk key or 15)
1F. *SHEET MUSIC* @ Music Rm. (1 cabinet key or 20)
A. *MAP* @ Observatory. (2 remover or 20)
B. *COIN* @ Cellar. (1 corkscrew or 23)
1F. *VASE* @ Conservatory. (2 solvent or 23)
1F. *DISH* @ Dining. (1 scissors or 18)
1F. *NINE-BALL* @ Coat Closet. (17)
2F. *SIX-BALL* @ Billiard. (2 lube or 20)
1F. *SPOON* @ Kitchen. (2 lube or 19)
A. *FORK* @ Attic E. (1 chest key or 20)
2F. *BEAR* @ Playroom. (1 reacher or 18)
1F. *DUCK* @ Bath 1. (1 scissors or 18)
2F. *PLAQUE* @ Studio. (2 screwdriver or 23)
2F. *CAMEO* @ Bed 3. (3 combo or 25)
1F. *RING* @ Shrine. (10)
1F. Closet door @ Dining. (1 closet key or 21)
1F. Workshop door @ Laundry. (1 workshop key or 24)
1F. Conservatory door @ Hall 5. (1 conservatory key or 21)
1F. Secret door @ Library. (2 note or 22)
2F. Studio door @ Hall 6. (1 studio key or 19)
2F. Office door @ Hall 7. (1 office key or 22)
2F. Attic door @ Hall 10. (2 wrench or 25)
1F. Cellar door @ Conservatory. (1 cellar key or 25)
1F. Cleared stairs @ Hall 1. (17)
1F/2F. Use stairs @ Hall 1 or Hall 6. (1 cleared or 4)
And, of course, I made my maps.
Then I carefully reordered this list until I had a plan of attack, then tried it. If it worked, I added it to the walkthrough.
Part 3: "Acrophobic" run
Foyer
In this run, we will avoid the attic entirely.
Head directly for the Music Room:
> n. n. n. e. n.
Music Room
> deal cabinet.(got sheet music; +20 minutes)
> s. e. n.
Library
> deal globe.(got desk key; +7 minutes)
> deal books.(hidden exit opens; +22 minutes)
> e.
Laboratory
> deal box.(got lubricant; +7 minutes)
> deal key.(got office key; +1 minute)
> s.
Shrine
> deal ring.(got ring; +10 minutes)
Head back to Hall 1 and the stairs:
> n. w. s. w. w. s. s.
Hall 1
DO NOT clear the junk. It's not worth the cost in time unless you intend to make at least three round trips on these stairs, and we're never doing that.
After winning three different ways, I'm satisfied. Hope you are too.
> save
> quit
Extras
Achievements
There are five Achievement points you can earn, but all of them involve leaving the manor with 10 items on your list; use the POINTS command to list them:
Finish the game
Finish the game by 11:26 pm
"Bookless": Finish the game without entering the Library
"Acrophobic": Finish the game without entering the Attic
"Rumpled": Finish the game without entering the Laundry
ASCII art
ASCII art is used to draw a dynamic map of the current floor of the house in the lower right corner of the screen. Room names are abbreviated to their first three letters, and locked doors look like plus-signs. A pair of caret characters point to your current location. And the current time is shown below the map
You can use the MAP or MODE commands to toggle unique abbreviations on and off for locations with the same name; for example, the bedrooms are normally all marked as "bed", but with uniqueness on, they are "be1", "be2", and "be3".
When the game restarts, you retain your maps, but unvisited rooms in your current run are shown in uppercase. Lowercase continues to be used for visited locations.
Ghosts force you out of the house at midnight if you didn't leave earlier.
In random atmospheric messages:
A spider crawls over your foot.
Somewhere outside, a dog howls.
Mentioned:
The Bordelon family owned the house.
Mashina Bordelon is named on the plaque.
Gustaf is the name of the fiercely-scowling bust in Hall 9.
A man in an old-fashioned suit, holding a cane, is the subject of the portrait in Hall 5.
Also, presumably someone gave you the guide that you're carrying, but the game is not the slightest bit interested in adding detail to the whys and wherefores of the scavenger hunt premise.
Commands
This is the response to COMMANDS or COM during your first run:
- You can LOOK (L), EXAMINE (X) things, or check your INVENTORY (I).
- You can move around with N, W, E, S, U, D.
- You can DEAL WITH things. (Abbreviation DEAL or DE.)
- You can check your LIST of scavenger items.
- You can LEAVE from the foyer.
Not mentioned are:
HELP for general introductory help.
MAP or MODE for toggling unique abbreviations on the map.
When the game resets for your second run, additional commands are added:
Also:
- You can UNDO your last action. (You can do this as many times as you want, back to the start of your current run.)
- You can RECALL a location you've been to. (You can use the full name of the location, or the three-letter abbreviation on the map.)
- You can RESET at any time to start a new run. You will keep your current play stats, map, and "recall" knowledge.
- You can check STATS for a summary of your play history.
After you've won the game at least once, the POINTS command is also listed:
- You can type POINTS for a list of achievement points.
Credits
The in-game credits appear at the start of the game, just after the game banner is displayed:
Special thanks to Andy Fleming, Lorne Harris, Aubrey Orf, Luke Pebler, and Mike Spivey for testing, and to Aubrey Orf for cover art.
Endings
You get chased out by the ghosts and lose everything
if you're still in the mansion at midnight.
You made it out
if you LEAVE the Foyer before midnight with less than the ten items on your list.
You won with "Bookless"
if you LEAVE the Foyer before midnight with the ten items on your list, and you never visited the Library.
You won with "Acrophobic"
if you LEAVE the Foyer before midnight with the ten items on your list, and you never visited the Attic.
You won with "Rumpled"
if you LEAVE the Foyer before midnight with the ten items on your list, and you never visited the Laundry.
YOU WON
if you LEAVE the Foyer before midnight with the ten items on your list; the default win.
Inventory
Initial items
These are the things you brought into the house with you.
a scavenger guide. You're carrying it.
Examine the guide to learn that you mustn't break anything, especially glass.
The list of items to find is part of the guide, but use the LIST command to read that part.
a lamp. You're carrying it.
It provides light for the whole game. You can safely ignore the lamp.
Honorable mention: hairpins, dimes, and fingernails. These things not mentioned in your inventory, but they are mentioned in your attempts to deal with things unaided.
Hairpins are used to pick locks. Of course, if you have the right key for a lock, you use the key instead.
A dime is used to pry the porcelain vase away from the table it's stuck to. Dimes are also used when you need a screwdriver but don't have one.
Keys
a cabinet key. In the second floor bathroom, deal with the drain to acquire the cabinet key. Unaided, it takes 21 minutes, but with the magnet (from the first floor bathroom), it only takes 1 minute.
In the Music Room, deal with the cabinet. You unlock the cabinet with the cabinet key and take the sheet of music. (+1 minute)
a cellar key. It's in the Workshop. Deal with the cellar key to take it. (+1 minute)
The cellar key unlocks the padlock in the Conservatory, giving you access to the Cellar (see gold coin).
a chest key. Acquire it by dealing with the machine in the Laundry. Unaided, it takes 17 minutes, but with the reaching tool (from the China Closet), it only takes 2 minutes.
In East Attic, deal with the chest. You unlock the chest with the chest key and take the silver fork. (+1 minute)
a clock key. In the Music Room, deal with the piano bench to acquire the clock key. This takes 9 minutes.
In Hall 8, deal with the clock. You unlock the clock with the clock key and take the note. (+1 minute)
a closet key. In Attic East, deal with the key to acquire it. (+1 minute)
In the Dining Room, deal with the door. You unlock it with the closet key and gain access to the China Closet; see reaching tool. (+1 minute)
a conservatory key. Acquire it by dealing with the pot on the Balcony. (+9 minutes)
In Hall 5, deal with the door. You unlock it with the conservatory key and gain access to the Conservatory; see porcelain vase. (+1 minute)
a desk key. Acquire it by dealing with the fancy globe in the Library. (+7 minutes)
In the Office, deal with the desk. You unlock the desk and obtain the pocketwatch. (+1 minute)
an office key. In the Laboratory, deal with the key to acquire it. (+1 minute)
In Hall 7, deal with the door. You unlock the door and obtain access to the Office; see pocketwatch. (+1 minute)
a studio key. Acquire it by dealing with the loose floorboard near the nightstand in the second Bedroom. (+10 minutes)
In Hall 6, deal with the door. You unlock the door and obtain access to the Studio; see plaque. (+1 minute)
a workshop key. Acquire it by dealing with the wicker hamper in the Linen Closet. (+11 minutes)
In the Laundry, deal with the door. You unlock the door and obtain access to the Workshop; see screwdriver and cellar key. (+1 minute)
Found Tools
a bottle of paint remover. In the Family Room, acquire it by dealing with the cabinet. The search takes 14 minutes.
In Bedroom 1, deal with the drawers. You remove its paint then acquire the bowtie in 2 minutes. (Without the remover, it takes 24 minutes.)
In the Observatory, deal with the box. You remove its paint then acquire the parchment map in 2 minutes. (Without the remover, it takes 20 minutes.)
The remover is not used with the portrait (Hall 5) or the painting (Bedroom 3).
a screwdriver. It's in the rusty toolbox in the Workshop. Deal with the toolbox to acquire it. (+1 minute with lube, +6 minutes without)
In the Parlor, deal with the box (while holding the screwdriver) to get a combination in 2 minutes. (Without the screwdriver, it takes 24 minutes.)
In the Studio, deal with the plaque (while holding the screwdriver) to get the plaque in 2 minutes. (Without the screwdriver, it takes 23 minutes.)
a wrench. It's under a front wheel in the Garage. Deal with the wrench to acquire it. (+12 minutes)
In Hall 10, deal with the trapdoor (while holding the wrench) to open the trapdoor in 2 minutes. (Without the wrench, it takes 25 minutes.)
a reaching tool. It's wedged behind the empty cabinet in the China Closet. Deal with the tool to acquire it. (+4 minutes)
In the Laundry Room, deal with the machine to obtain the chest key in 2 minutes. (Without the tool, it takes 17 minutes.)
In the Playroom, deal with the stuffed bear to obtain it in 1 minute. (Without the tool, it takes 18 minutes.)
a pair of scissors. In Attic West, deal with the box of junk to acquire the scissors. This takes 8 minutes.
In the Dining Room, deal with the tray (while holding the scissors) to cut open the tray and acquire the porcelain dish in 1 minute. (Without the scissors, it takes 18 minutes.)
In the first floor Bathroom, deal with the duck (while holding the scissors) to acquire the rubber duck in 1 minute. (Without the scissors, it takes 18 minutes.)
Note that the scissors is not used with the magnet, because you need it with the string still attached.
a corkscrew. It's in the Observatory. Deal with it to get it. (+1 minute)
In the cellar, deal with the bottle to uncork it and acquire the gold coin in 1 minutes. (Without the corkscrew, it takes 23 minutes.)
a can of lubricant. Acquire it by dealing with the box of junk on the Laboratory. (+7 minutes)
In the Kitchen, deal with the stuck drawer to obtain the silver spoon in 2 minutes. (Without the lube, it takes 19 minutes.)
In the Workshop, deal with the rusty toolbox to obtain the screwdriver in 1 minute. (Without the lube, it takes 6 minutes.)
In the Billiard Room, deal with the stuck ball to obtain the six-ball in 2 minutes. (Without the lube, it takes 20 minutes.)
a magnet on a string. Acquire it by dealing with the magnet in the first floor bathroom. (+9 minutes)
In the second floor bathroom, deal with the drain (while holding the magnet) to acquire the cabinet key in 1 minute. (Without the magnet, it takes 21 minutes.)
a tube of glue solvent. In the Billiards Room, examine the rack to notice the solvent. Acquire the solvent by dealing with it. It takes 8 minutes.
In the Conservatory, deal with the vase to acquire the porcelain vase in 2 minutes. (Without the solvent, it takes 23 minutes.)
a note. Acquire it by dealing with the clock in Hall 8. Unaided, it takes 16 minutes, but with the clock key, only 1 minute.
In the Library, deal with the books (while holding the note), to open the secret passage east in only 2 minutes. (Without the note, it takes 22 minutes.)
The book title named on the note is one of "My Wicked Friend", "Persimmon Season", "The Last Turkey Dinner", etc. It's randomized.
a combination. In the Parlor, acquire it by dealing with the wooden box. Unaided, it takes 24 minutes, but with the screwdriver, only 2 minutes.
In Bedroom 3, after dealing with the painting (which takes 1 minute) to reveal the wall safe, deal with the safe (while holding the combination), to unlock the safe in 2 minutes and acquire the jeweled cameo that was inside. (Without the combo, dealing with the safe takes 24 minutes.)
Treasures
Note that you will not keep two of the same type of treasure. For example, if you acquire the silver spoon when you already have the silver fork, you automatically discard the silver spoon, the new item.
The ARTICLE OF NECKWEAR is either:
a gray scarf. In the Laundry, deal with the washtub to acquire the scarf. The search takes 15 minutes.
a bowtie. In Bedroom 1, deal with the painted-shut drawers to acquire the bowtie. Unaided, it takes 24 minutes, but with the paint remover (from the Family Room cabinet), it only takes 2 minutes.
The TIMEPIECE is either:
a wristwatch. In the Garage, deal with the car to acquire the wristwatch. The lockpicking takes 25 minutes; there's no car key.
a pocketwatch. In the Office, deal with the locked desk to acquire the pocketwatch. Unaided, the lockpicking takes 15 minutes, but with the desk key (from the Library globe), it only takes 1 minute.
The SHEET OF PARCHMENT is either:
a sheet of music. Acquire this parchment by dealing with the cabinet in the Music Room. Unaided, this takes 20 minutes; with the cabinet key (from Bathroom 2's drain), it only takes 1 minute.
a parchment map. Acquire this parchment by dealing with the red box in the Observatory. Unaided, this takes 20 minutes, but with the paint remover (from the Family Room cabinet), it only takes 2 minutes.
The GOLD COIN is unique:
a gold coin. Acquire it by dealing with the bottle in the Cellar. Using your fingernails to remove the cork takes 23 minutes, but with the corkscrew (from the Observatory), it only takes 1 minute.
The PORCELAIN ITEM is either:
a porcelain vase. Acquire it by dealing with the vase, which is glued to the table in the Conservatory. With a dime, it takes you 23 minutes, but with the solvent (from the Billiard Room rack), it only takes 2 minutes.
a porcelain dish. Acquire it by dealing with the covered tray in the Dining Room. Unaided, it takes you 18 minutes, but with the scissors (from Attic West's box of junk), it only takes 1 minute.
The BILLIARD BALL is either:
a nine-ball. Acquire this nine-ball by dealing with the junk in the Coat Closet. It takes you 17 minutes.
a six-ball. In the Billiards Room, examine the table to notice it. Acquire the six-ball by dealing with it. Unaided, it takes you 20 minutes, but with the lubricant (from the Laboratory's box), only 2 minutes.
The ITEM OF SILVERWARE is either:
a silver spoon. Acquire this item of silverware by dealing with the drawer in the Kitchen. Unaided, it takes you 19 minutes; but with lubricant (from the Laboratory's box), it takes you 2 minutes.
a silver fork. Acquire this item of silverware by dealing with the chest in Attic East. Unaided, it takes you 20 minutes, but with the chest key (from under the Laundry machine), it only takes 1 minute.
The TOY ANIMAL is either:
a stuffed bear. In the Playroom, deal with the bear to acquire it. Unaided, it takes 18 minutes, but with the reaching tool (from the China Cabinet), it only takes you 1 minute.
a rubber duck. In the first floor Bathroom, deal with the duck to acquire it. Unaided, it takes 18 minutes, but with the scissors (from Attic West's box), it only takes you 1 minutes.
The PLAQUE is unique:
a plaque. Acquire the plaque by dealing with the plaque in the Studio. Unaided, it takes 23 minutes, but with the screwdriver (from the Workshop's toolbox), it only takes you 2 minutes.
The ITEM OF JEWELRY is either:
a jeweled cameo. In Bedroom 3, first deal with the painting (which takes 1 minute) to reveal a wall safe. Deal with the safe to acquire the cameo. Unaided, breaking into the safe takes 24 minutes, but with the combination (from the Parlor's box), it only takes 2 minutes.
a emerald ring. In the Shrine, the ring is half-melted to a plastic pedestal. Deal with the ring to get it. It takes 10 minutes.
Score
There is no SCORE command, but when you LEAVE the foyer with less than 10 items, you do get a score message:
You collected N out of 10 required items. That gives you a rating of P%.
For example, collecting 5 items gives you a 50% rating.
the support of Robin Johnson, Ville Lavonius, Andrew Schultz, Kenneth Hon, Carl Muckenhoupt, Mark Musante, Phil Tatro, Allyson Gray, Daniel Stelzer, and Tabitha;
the generous support of Janice M Eisen, Matthew Foxley, Thomas Insel, Brian Long, Andy Volk, and HΓ₯var Hojem;
