In this fantasy adventure, you play as someone looking for their uncle Seamore. Seamore is an oddball scientific genius who invented a transdimensional teleportation device, and now he's trapped in a parallel universe. Rescue him and discover your destiny!
This solution is by David Welbourn, and is based on Release 106 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.
When the dimensional effect wears off, you return to the location in your uncle's apartment that overlaps geographically with your current loction. If the effect wears off when you're in the reflected bathroom or reflected closet, you end up in Urthwin's world.
Map 2: Askin Village and area
Map 3: Alley reflection
Map 4: Silver Tower and Laws Palace
Map 5: Caverns of Knowledge
Map 6: Edaw Island
Walkthrough
Prologue
Your uncle Seamore is a scientific wizard and he's gone missing. Search his nearly empty apartment for clues.
Dining Room
> x line. n.
Laboratory
> x machine. x button. s. e.
Kitchen
> x fridge. x counters. w. w.
Study
You don't read the book, but you should read it.
> x book.(+5)
In summary:
Your uncle invented a trans-dimensional teleportation machine.
The other dimension is a distorted mirror of our reality. The yellow line marks the Axis of Reflection.
The device energizes the subject temporarily. When the out-of-phase particles wear off, the subject returns to their normal space-time.
Your uncle is worried about a possible imbalance.
> n.
Closet
This room is empty. Get used to empty rooms.
> s. w.
Bathroom
> x sink. e. e. n.
Laboratory
> push button.
Y-Rotar Obal
There's no machine here and you have three turns of action before the particles wear off and you return to the normal apartment.
Because the two apartments don't overlap perflectly, you need to get to a room that doesn't overlap. Unfortunately, the reflected bathroom is a very bad choice; you die if you go that way. Instead, go directly to the reflected closet:
> s. e. n.(+10)
Tesolc
The closet is part-forest and you feel another wave of disorientation.
> SPACE
Chapter I
> SPACE
Base of Black Tower
You're outside. A troll warns you about approaching soldiers and suggests following him west into the forest.
> w.
Secret Path
The troll gives you a gold key and tells you to find your own grave. The troll disappears into the bush. You can't follow him or go back, but you can go north.
> x bushes. x key. n. w.
Fork
> x signpost.(north to Askin Village, east to Edaw Island)
> s. s.
Abandoned Campsite
> take newspaper. x it.(About Lord Urthwin dying or leaving.)
> n. n. n. n. n.
Central Park
> x statue.(He looks just like you! He has a paper, a box, and an oval indentation.)
> x plaque.(The statue is of the beloved Lord Urthwin. Prophecy predicted your visit.)
Explore the village, but you won't find much.
> e. e.
Tavern
Nothing useful here.
> w. n. e. n.
Cliff Base
> x tower. e.
Phosphorus Pool
> x pool. x water. n.
Phosphorus Cave
> x crystal. take it. s. w. n. w.
Burrow
Hmph. A dead end, and nothing's here.
> e. s. s. w. w. n.
Church
Nothing here for you.
> s. w. w.
Theater
Another empty location.
> e. s. w.
Alley
Dead ends at a cliff.
> e. s. w.
Courthouse
This building is so empty, you're only guessing it's a courthouse.
> e. e. s. w. w.
> n. n. n. n.
Lord Urthwin's Tomb
> x plaque.
> unlock box with key. open box.
> x oval stone. take it.(+5)
> s. s. e. n.
Silver Field
Remember this location for later.
> e.
Base of Silver Tower
This is the same silver tower that you saw from Cliff Base, but there's no visible entrances.
> w. n.
Entrance to Orchard
> x apple tree.(It's hungry?)
> give crystal to tree.(+5. The tree shrinks, leaving a path northward.)
> n.
Orchard
And there's nothing here. Bizarre. Perhaps there's something here later?
Head back to Central Park:
> s. s. s. w.
> s. s. e. e. n. n.
Central Park
> put stone in indentation.(+10)
> SPACE
Chapter II
Central Park
The statue now wears your clothes and you have its clothes, box, and paper.
> i.(Your previous inventory is gone.)
> x paper.("See you in the silver tower: 1357 —Urthwin")
> x box.(red and blue buttons)
> x statue.
I'll save you a bit of time trying to figure out what the box does. It's essentially a portable version of your uncle's transdimensional machine but with a much shorter duration.
Your uncle's book said that his machine only works in some locations, so it's likely this box has the same limitation. But one place it works is at Cliff Base.
> n. e. e. n.
Cliff Base
> push red.(You are now at...)
Esab Ffilc
> w.
Loop Surohp Sohp
The effect wears off.
Basement of Silver Tower
> s. n.
Tower Penthouse
> x launch mat. x keypad.
> type 1357 on keypad.(+5)
You see a recorded video message from Lord Urthkin, explaining:
You two are variants of the same person.
His grandfather had earth-manipulation magic.
His father had undefeatable war magic.
He has the gift to walk reflections.
The evil one's time is ending.
Transportation is hidden in the orchard.
Use blue from silver to launch the transportation. If launched from here with the correct sequence code, it will take you to the home of the Laws. The three sisters will aid you.
Head for the orchard:
> s. n.
Basement of Silver Tower
> push red. e.
Cliff Base
> s. w. w. s. s. s.
> w. w. n. n. e.
> n. n. n.
Orchard
> push red.
Drah Cro
> take basket.
Orchard
> x basket.("3823 will open the way, but only the Word of Power, hidden in the Caverns of Knowledge, can lead one to the Laws.")
> s. s.
Silver Field
> push blue.
Caverns of Knowledge
An old man, annoyed with being woken, opens an eastern doorway before he walks back through a wall.
> x sign. e. e.
Urthwin's Safety Deposit Cave
> x sign.(+5; "ezlwot")
> push blue.
Air
> z.
Phosphorus Pool
Get back to the tower penthouse:
> w. push red. w. s. n.
Tower Penthouse
> put basket on launch pad.
> ezlwot. x balloon.
> type 3823 on keypad.(+5)
> enter basket. SPACE(+10)
The hot air balloon floats to a palace in the clouds.
Chapter III
Courtyard on a Cloud
> out. s.
Courtroom of the Laws
Prophecy gives you a vision of your future. You see yourself standing in a ring of fire, while Uncle Seamore is bound and restrained, and an evil helmeted man yells.
> z.
Advice tells you that you must obtain the onyx ring that the evil one wears and give it to your uncle.
> z.
Intervention makes you invisible, but warns you that you are only invisible to Edaw's guards and not Edaw himself. Also, when you take his ring, it will absorb this magic and you'll be visible to everyone again.
The sisters and their thrones vanish.
> n.
Courtyard on a Cloud
> enter basket. SPACE
You fly to Edaw Island. As you land, a parrot wishes you luck.
Edaw Island
> s. s.
Entryway
To the west is the guards' sleeping quarters; you won't go that way because it's too crowded. To the east is a lounge, the dungeon keeper's quarters, and a long stairway down into the dungeon, but you won't find anything useful there.
> s.
Ballroom
CAUTION: If you enter the throne room to the west, Edaw sees you, uses his own magic to make you visible, and you're taken to the Ring of Fire to die. So don't do that.
> s. s.
Hall
The door to Edaw's quarters is to the south, but there's two bored guars stationed outside. You'll deal with them soon.
> e.
Edaw's Study
> read black book.(+5)
You learn that Edaw's room is guarded by a gargoyle, controlled with chocolate covered marbles. If it eats too many, it will go into hybernation for centuries.
> w. n. w.
Kitchen
> open door. w.
Freezer
> x can. open brown bag. x marble.
> open red bag. x radish. x bowl. x pear.
> take brown bag. take pear.
> e. e. s.
Hall
> drop pear.(The guards leave.)
> open door. s.(+10)SPACE
Chapter IV
Edaw's Quarters
A gargoyle sees you, slams the door closed, and demands food or else.
> give bag to gargoyle.(+5. It eats it all, then sleeps.)
> enter basket.
> z. z. z.(Wait until Edaw enters.)
Edaw puts his ring on the nightstand and enters the bathroom. You hear him start a shower.
> out. take ring.(+5. You're now visible.)
> open large door. n.
Hall
The guards immediately apprehend you, but because they're worried that Edaw will kill them for letting you get into his bedroom in the first place, they rush you into a dungeon cell to buy them time to make up a suitable story.
Dungeon (in the Dungeon Cell)
> give ring to uncle.(+5)
> x uncle.
> z.(Repeat waiting Bernie brings you to...)
Ring of Fire
> z.(Continue to wait until Edaw and your uncle are here.)
> push red.(You and your uncle travel to...)
Moorh-Tab
Your uncle runs west for the door.
> w.(+10)
Y-Duts / Kitchen
You and your uncle are safe. But you remember that Prophecy said that you'd return to save Askin.
> SPACE
*** you have won ***
Extras
Characters
Your allies:
Uncle Seamore is a scientific genius who invented a machine that transports people into a reflected dimension. However, he's now missing and you want to find him.
A troll helps you by showing you a secret path in the forest and gifting you with a gold key.
The Law of Prophecy, the Law of Intervention, and the Law of Advice are three immortal sisters who live in the clouds.
Prophecy is black-haired and foretells the future.
Advice is red-haired and gives good advice.
Intervention is blonde and gives you limited invisibility.
Lord Urthwin is your dimensional twin and has the magical power to walk reflections. Three hundred years ago, he ruled Askin peacefully for over a hundred years before leaving.
An old man greets you in the Caverns of Knowledge, but he thinks you're Urthwin.
A parrot wishes you good luck when your balloon lands on Edaw Island.
Your adversaries:
Lord Sibad Edaw, also known as the Evil One, has cruelly ruled the land for three hundred years. It is your destiny to defeat him (but not in this game). He's in his throne room, usually.
Eight robed men with fireballs surround you in the Ring of Fire.
A squadron of armed men and their captain may capture you if you're caught wandering outside the Black Tower or on the bent bridge.
Two bored guards (Freddie and Bernie) guard the door to Edaw's quarters.
A stone gargoyle guards Edaw's quarters, but his true loyalty is to chocolate covered marbles.
Some guards are playing cards in the dungeon. More guards are in the entryway, the guards' quarters, and the throne room.
Mentioned:
Your family thinks Uncle Seamore is a crackpot.
Urthwin's grandfather had the magical power to mold the earth. He expanded the kingdom by building a vast network of underground cities.
Urthwin's father had the magical power to be undefeatable in war. He expanded the kingdom by conquest.
Edaw's "brothers" (Wade Dabis and Wade Sibad) were killed by the Nameless 'FWUTAC agent' who is sometimes called 'Odin'.
Endings
you have died
if you fail to escape from the Ring of Fire. The fireballs burn you into ash.
if, in the Hall, you open the door to Edaw's quarters while the guards are there. One guard waves his sword wildly and kills you.
if you escape from the Ring of Fire without rescuing Uncle Seamore at the same time. The author strikes you dead with a bolt of lightning.
you have won
if you and Uncle Seamore escape from the Ring of Fire and return back to his apartment.
Inventory
a blue book. It's on the table in your uncle's study.
Don't bother taking it, but do examine it. You learn what the machine does and what the yellow line is for. You also learn that your uncle is almost certainly in a parallel dimension.
a gold key. A troll gives it to you when you enter the secret path.
It unlocks the gold box in Lord Urthwin's tomb.
an old newspaper. It's at the abandoned campsite.
Read it for some background information about Lord Urthwin.
a phosphorus crystal. It's in the phosphorus cave.
Give it to the apple tree at the entrance to the orchard.
an oval stone. It's inside the locked gold box in Lord Urthwin's tomb.
After feeding the apple tree, go to central park and put the oval stone in the oval indentation.
a paper note. You acquire it in the central park when you put the oval stone in the oval indentation.
Read the paper. It's from Urthwin and says, "See you in the silver tower: 1357".
In the tower penthouse, type 1357 on the keypad to see a recorded video message from Urthwin to you. Yes, he was fully expecting you.
a small, black box. You acquire it in the central park when you put the oval stone in the oval indentation.
The box is a portable version of your uncle's transdimensional machine with a much shorter duration.
In the Orchard, push the red button to go to Drah Cro. Quickly grab the basket that's there.
At the Cliff Base, push the red button to go to Esab Ffilc. Quickly go west to Loop Surohp Sohp, then the effect wears off and you're now in the basement of the Silver Tower.
To leave the Silver Tower, return to the basement, push the red button to get to Loop Suroph Sohp, then immediately go east to Esab Fflic and Cliff base.
In the silver field, push the blue button to go to the Caverns of Knowledge. The blue button's effect does not wear off, and I believe you've travelled downwards, as if the ground was a mirror you've been reflected through. In Urthwin's Safety Deposit Cave, push the blue button to find yourself reflected upwards, high in midair. You fall safely into the phosphorus pool below.
Optionally, if you push the red button in the alley, you go to Yella and may go west from there to Inside Cliff. The rest of that passage is blocked by a glowing green boulder, though, so return by pushing the red button, then going east from Tsewer Auq Snwot to the alley.
In the Ring of Fire, push the red button to go to Moorh-Tab, then run west to Y-Duts to save yourself. If Uncle Seamore is wearing the onyx ring and was with you at Ring of Fire when you pushed the button, he comes with you and is saved as well.
a large basket. It's in "Drah Cro". To get there, take the black box to the orchard and push its red button.
Examine the basket. It tells you the number 3823 and also tells you to find a Word of Power in the Caverns of Knowledge.
In the tower penthouse, put the basket on the launch pad then say the magic word EZLWOT (that you learned by reading the neon sing in Urthwin's safety deposit cave) to conjure a hot air balloon above the basket. Type 3823 on the keypad, then enter the basket. You travel to a courtyard on a cloud.
After you've completed all your business with the Laws in their courtroom, return to their courtyard and enter the basket. This time, the balloon flies you to Edaw Island.
three cans of lizard toungues. They're in the walk-in freezer.
You don't need any of these cans and you don't have a can opener.
a brown bag containing several chocolate covered marbles. It's in the walk-in freezer.
In Edaw's quarters, give the bag to the gargoyle. It eats the whole thing and sleeps. You know this would happen if you read the black book in Edaw's study.
a red bag containing several pink radishes. It's in the walk-in freezer.
You don't the red bag or any of the radishes.
a bowl containing several brown pears. It's in the walk-in freezer.
You don't need the bowl or any of the pears, but I use one in this walkthrough as the item to drop in front of the guards to Edaw's quarters, but I suspect any disposable item will do.
a picture frame. It's on the nightstand in Edaw's quarters.
It contains a mirror, but you don't need the frame or its mirror.
an onyx ring. In Edaw's quarters, after giving the entire brown bag of chocolate covered marbles to the gargoyle to make it sleep, hide in the laundry basket and wait. Edaw will soon enter and put his onyx ring on the nightstand before entering his bathroom to shower. Grab his ring and leave before he finishes his shower.
In the dungeon, give the ring to Uncle Seamore.
In the Ring of Fire, wait only until Uncle Seamore is brought into the room, then immediately push the red button of your black box. Because your uncle is wearing the ring, both of you will travel to Moorh-Tab. Quickly go west to Y-Duts before the effect wears off so you're both safe in Uncle Seamore's kitchen.
Score
This is the response to SCORE:
[You have so far scored your-score out of a possible 100, in several turns.]
Points are awarded as follows:
5 points for examining the blue book.
10 points for arriving at the base of the black tower.
5 points for taking the oval stone.
5 points for giving phosphorus to a sad apple tree.
10 points for putting the oval stone in the oval depression after feeding the apple tree.
5 points for viewing the recorded message in the penthouse.
5 points for learning the word of power in the safety deposit cave.
5 points for opening the roof of the silver tower.
10 points for your first hot air balloon flight.
5 points for reading Edaw's journal.
10 points for entering Edaw's quarters.
5 points for satisfying the gargoyle's hunger.
5 points for taking the onyx ring.
5 points for giving the ring to your uncle.
10 points for bringing your uncle and yourself home.
Points may be deducted as follows:
−1019 points for putting the oval stone in the oval depression without feeding the apple tree first.
