ZORK I: The Great Underground Empire Copyright (c) 1981, 1982, 1983 Infocom, Inc. All rights reserved. ZORK is a registered trademark of Infocom, Inc. Revision 88 / Serial number 840726 West of House You are standing in an open field west of a white house, with a boarded front door. There is a small mailbox here. >open mailbox Opening the small mailbox reveals a leaflet. >read leaflet (Taken) "WELCOME TO ZORK! ZORK is a game of adventure, danger, and low cunning. In it you will explore some of the most amazing territory ever seen by mortals. No computer should be without one!" >go north North of House You are facing the north side of a white house. There is no door here, and all the windows are boarded up. To the north a narrow path winds through the trees. >go north Forest Path This is a path winding through a dimly lit forest. The path heads north- south here. One particularly large tree with some low branches stands at the edge of the path. You hear in the distance the chirping of a song bird. >climb tree Up a Tree You are about 10 feet above the ground nestled among some large branches. The nearest branch above you is above your reach. Beside you on the branch is a small bird's nest. In the bird's nest is a large egg encrusted with precious jewels, apparently scavenged by a childless songbird. The egg is covered with fine gold inlay, and ornamented in lapis lazuli and mother-of-pearl. Unlike most eggs, this one is hinged and closed with a delicate looking clasp. The egg appears extremely fragile. >take egg Taken. >climb down (down the tree) Forest Path >go south North of House >go south The windows are all boarded. >go east Behind House You are behind the white house. A path leads into the forest to the east. In one corner of the house there is a small window which is slightly ajar. >open window With great effort, you open the window far enough to allow entry. >enter window Kitchen You are in the kitchen of the white house. A table seems to have been used recently for the preparation of food. A passage leads to the west and a dark staircase can be seen leading upward. A dark chimney leads down and to the east is a small window which is open. On the table is an elongated brown sack, smelling of hot peppers. A bottle is sitting on the table. The glass bottle contains: A quantity of water >go west Living Room You are in the living room. There is a doorway to the east, a wooden door with strange gothic lettering to the west, which appears to be nailed shut, a trophy case, and a large oriental rug in the center of the room. Above the trophy case hangs an elvish sword of great antiquity. A battery-powered brass lantern is on the trophy case. >take lantern Taken. >move rug With a great effort, the rug is moved to one side of the room, revealing the dusty cover of a closed trap door. >open trap door The door reluctantly opens to reveal a rickety staircase descending into darkness. >drop egg Dropped. >drop leaflet Dropped. >go down You have moved into a dark place. The trap door crashes shut, and you hear someone barring it. It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue. >light lantern The brass lantern is now on. Cellar You are in a dark and damp cellar with a narrow passageway leading north, and a crawlway to the south. On the west is the bottom of a steep metal ramp which is unclimbable. >go south East of Chasm You are on the east edge of a chasm, the bottom of which cannot be seen. A narrow passage goes north, and the path you are on continues to the east. >go east Gallery This is an art gallery. Most of the paintings have been stolen by vandals with exceptional taste. The vandals left through either the north or west exits. Fortunately, there is still one chance for you to be a vandal, for on the far wall is a painting of unparalleled beauty. >take painting Taken. >go north Studio This appears to have been an artist's studio. The walls and floors are splattered with paints of 69 different colors. Strangely enough, nothing of value is hanging here. At the south end of the room is an open door (also covered with paint). A dark and narrow chimney leads up from a fireplace; although you might be able to get up it, it seems unlikely you could get back down. Loosely attached to a wall is a small piece of paper. >go up Kitchen On the table is an elongated brown sack, smelling of hot peppers. A bottle is sitting on the table. The glass bottle contains: A quantity of water >turn off lantern The brass lantern is now off. >go west Living Room Above the trophy case hangs an elvish sword of great antiquity. A small leaflet is on the ground. There is a jewel-encrusted egg here. >get sword Taken. >get egg Taken. >open trophy case Opened. >put painting in trophy case Done. >go east Kitchen On the table is an elongated brown sack, smelling of hot peppers. A bottle is sitting on the table. The glass bottle contains: A quantity of water >go up You have moved into a dark place. It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue. >turn on lantern The brass lantern is now on. Attic This is the attic. The only exit is a stairway leading down. A large coil of rope is lying in the corner. On a table is a nasty-looking knife. >get all nasty knife: Taken. rope: Taken. >turn off lantern The brass lantern is now off. It is now pitch black. >go down Kitchen On the table is an elongated brown sack, smelling of hot peppers. A bottle is sitting on the table. The glass bottle contains: A quantity of water >go west Living Room A small leaflet is on the ground. Your collection of treasures consists of: A painting >open trap door The door reluctantly opens to reveal a rickety staircase descending into darkness. >go down You have moved into a dark place. The trap door crashes shut, and you hear someone barring it. It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue. Your sword is glowing with a faint blue glow. >turn on lantern The brass lantern is now on. Cellar You are in a dark and damp cellar with a narrow passageway leading north, and a crawlway to the south. On the west is the bottom of a steep metal ramp which is unclimbable. Someone carrying a large bag is casually leaning against one of the walls here. He does not speak, but it is clear from his aspect that the bag will be taken only over his dead body. Your sword has begun to glow very brightly. >save Ok. >go north The Troll Room This is a small room with passages to the east and south and a forbidding hole leading west. Bloodstains and deep scratches (perhaps made by an axe) mar the walls. A nasty-looking troll, brandishing a bloody axe, blocks all passages out of the room. The troll's swing almost knocks you over as you barely parry in time. >attack troll with sword The troll is momentarily disoriented and can't fight back. The troll slowly regains his feet. >attack troll with sword Your sword misses the troll by an inch. The troll swings his axe, but it misses. >attack troll with sword A good stroke, but it's too slow; the troll dodges. The axe crashes against the rock, throwing sparks! >attack troll with sword The troll is staggered, and drops to his knees. The troll slowly regains his feet. >attack troll with sword A good stroke, but it's too slow; the troll dodges. The axe crashes against the rock, throwing sparks! >attack troll with sword A quick stroke, but the troll is on guard. The axe crashes against the rock, throwing sparks! >attack troll with sword The quickness of your thrust knocks the troll back, stunned. The troll slowly regains his feet. >attack troll with sword The fatal blow strikes the troll square in the heart: He dies. Almost as soon as the troll breathes his last breath, a cloud of sinister black fog envelops him, and when the fog lifts, the carcass has disappeared. Your sword is no longer glowing. >drop sword Dropped. >go east East-West Passage This is a narrow east-west passageway. There is a narrow stairway leading down at the north end of the room. >go east Round Room This is a circular stone room with passages in all directions. Several of them have unfortunately been blocked by cave-ins. >go southeast Engravings Cave You have entered a low cave with passages leading northwest and east. There are old engravings on the walls here. >go east Dome Room You are at the periphery of a large dome, which forms the ceiling of another room below. Protecting you from a precipitous drop is a wooden railing which circles the dome. >tie rope to railing The rope drops over the side and comes within ten feet of the floor. >climb down rope Torch Room This is a large room with a prominent doorway leading to a down staircase. Above you is a large dome. Up around the edge of the dome (20 feet up) is a wooden railing. In the center of the room sits a white marble pedestal. A piece of rope descends from the railing above, ending some five feet above your head. Sitting on the pedestal is a flaming torch, made of ivory. >turn off lantern The brass lantern is now off. >get torch Taken. >go south Temple This is the north end of a large temple. On the east wall is an ancient inscription, probably a prayer in a long-forgotten language. Below the prayer is a staircase leading down. The west wall is solid granite. The exit to the north end of the room is through huge marble pillars. There is a brass bell here. >drop lantern Dropped. >go east Egyptian Room This is a room which looks like an Egyptian tomb. There is an ascending staircase to the west. The solid-gold coffin used for the burial of Ramses II is here. >take coffin Your load is too heavy, especially in light of your condition. A seedy-looking individual with a large bag just wandered through the room. On the way through, he quietly abstracted some valuables from the room and from your possession, mumbling something about "Doing unto others before..." The thief seems to have left you in the dark. >open coffin It's too dark to see! >west Temple There is a brass lantern (battery-powered) here. There is a brass bell here. >take lantern Taken. >light lantern The brass lantern is now on. >east Egyptian Room The solid-gold coffin used for the burial of Ramses II is here. >open coffin The gold coffin opens. A sceptre, possibly that of ancient Egypt itself, is in the coffin. The sceptre is ornamented with colored enamel, and tapers to a sharp point. >take sceptre from coffin Taken. >west Temple There is a brass bell here. >save Ok. >temple You hear a scream of anguish as you violate the robber's hideaway. Using passages unknown to you, he rushes to its defense. The thief gestures mysteriously, and the treasures in the room suddenly vanish. Treasure Room This is a large room, whose east wall is solid granite. A number of discarded bags, which crumble at your touch, are scattered about on the floor. There is an exit down a staircase. There is a suspicious-looking individual, holding a large bag, leaning against one wall. He is armed with a deadly stiletto. There is a silver chalice, intricately engraved, here. The butt of his stiletto cracks you on the skull, and you stagger back. >give egg to thief You don't have that! >give torch to thief You don't have that! >give coffin to thief You don't have that! >give sceptre to thief The thief is taken aback by your unexpected generosity, but accepts the sceptre and stops to admire its beauty. >temple Temple There is a brass bell here. >diagnose You have a light wound, which will be cured after 28 moves. You can be killed by a serious wound. >wait Time passes... >wait Time passes... >wait Time passes... >wait Time passes... >wait Time passes... >wait Time passes... >wait Time passes... >wait Time passes... >wait Time passes... >wait Time passes... >wait Time passes... >wait Time passes... >