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 was a game of adventure, danger, and low cunning. In it you explored some of the most amazing territory ever seen by mortals. No computer should be without one.”

>look at house

The house is a once-beautiful colonial house which is painted a dull, fading white. It is clear that the owners must be long dead. The time to call this house abandoned was nearly fifty years ago. Now, it is a ruin.

>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.

>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.

>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.

The bird’s nest contains:

	A broken jewel-encrusted egg

There is a golden clockwork canary nestled in the egg. It seems to have recently had a bad experience. The mountings for its jewel-like eyes are empty, and its silver beak is crumpled. Through a cracked crystal window below its left wing you can see the remains of intricate machinery. It is not clear what result winding it would have, as the mainspring seems sprung.

You hear in the distance the chirping of a song bird.

>take egg

Taken.

>open egg

It is already open.

>down

Forest Path

>south

North of House

>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.

>in

Kitchen

You are in the kitchen of the white house. A dusty table seems to have been sitting here, unused for years. 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

>take sack

Taken.

>open sack

Opening the brown sack reveals a lunch.

>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 all

trophy case: The trophy case is securely fastened to the wall.

sword: Taken.

brass lantern: Taken.

carpet: Just the sack in the kitchen, “take all” here. How many times have you played this?

>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.

>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.

>drop egg

Dropped.

>turn on lamp

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.

There is a somewhat ruined egg here.

>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.

The nasty-looking corpse of a troll is sprawled on the floor. All passages out of the room are open.

There is a bloody axe here.

>kill troll with sword

The troll is already dead.

>what

What do you want to what?

>look at troll

The troll was already a loathsome creature in life, spending every day alone in his dark, miserable cavern. When he was murdered by an intruder, the world neither knew nor cared. Even the fog wouldn’t claim him. His decaying remains have lain here rotting ever since, unmourned and unloved. His name has been lost to time.

The only solace for the troll is that his killer is doomed to the same fate.

>look at axe

There’s nothing special about the bloody axe.

>west

Maze
This is part of a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.

>west

Maze
This is part of a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.

>west

Maze
This is part of a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.

>up

Dead End

You have come to a dead end in the maze.

>what

What do you want to what?

>look

Maze

This is part of a maze of twisty little passages, all alike. A skeleton, probably the remains of a luckless adventurer, lies here.

Beside the skeleton is a rusty knife.

The deceased adventurer’s useless lantern is here.

There is a skeleton key here.

An old leather bag, bulging with coins, is here.

>look at skeleton

Once he was a young man, full of potential. He just wanted to explore a dungeon, collecting treasures. This is now his legacy. His bones are his monument. How he met his end is unknown, but I’m sure you can guess it. You know what the rusty knife does.

>take coins and key

leather bag of coins: Taken.

skeleton key: Taken.

>southwest

Cyclops Room

This room has an exit on the northwest, and a staircase leading up.

The east wall, previously solid, now has a cyclops-sized opening in it.

>odysseus

Wasn’t he a sailor?

>look at cyclops

You can’t see any cyclops here!

>east

Strange Passage

This is a long passage. To the west is one entrance. On the east there is an old wooden door, with a large opening in it (about cyclops sized).

>turn off lamp

The brass lantern is now off.

It is now pitch black.

>east

Living Room

>open trophy case

Opened.

>put coins in trophy case

Done.

>east

Kitchen

A bottle is sitting on the table.

The glass bottle contains:

	A quantity of water.

>up

You have moved into a dark place.

It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.

>turn on lamp

This is the attic, where the house’s owners stashed all the old, unwanted garbage they decided was best forgotten. Filthy clothes and unwashed dishes are strewn across the room. The only exit is a stairway leading down.

A large coil of rope is lying in the corner.

On the table is a nasty-looking knife.

A computer is giving a faint blue glow in the back of the room.

>take all

nasty knife: Taken.

rope: Taken.

computer: You’ve been going through the motions for too long. It’s time to actually play.

>look at computer

The machine is modern, but the display on screen is downright ancient. Gray, blocky DOS letters fill a black screen, spelling out a childish story of a man wandering the ruins of an empty world. The creature in the attic, whatever it is, has consigned itself to the realms of fantasy.

Your sword has begun to glow very brightly.

>turn off lamp

The brass lantern is now off.

It is now pitch black.

>down

Kitchen

A bottle is sitting on the table.

The glass bottle contains:

	A quantity of beer

>look at bottle

Of course it gets your attention now. The water bottle’s a suboptimal solution to the cyclops puzzle, but no walkthrough can keep you away from this one. You learned at a young age alcohol could numb the pain. But you’re not a young man anymore. You don’t have a young man’s liver. I’d tell you it’s killing you, but deep down that’s the point.

>west

Living Room

>look at trophy case

The trophy case is empty.

>look at coins

Your accomplishments have faded away.

>open trap door

The door enthusiastically opens to reveal a descent into darkness.

>down

You have moved into a dark place.

It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.

>turn on lamp

Mirror Room

You are in a large square room with tall ceilings. On the south wall is an enormous mirror which fills the entire wall. There are exits on the other three sides of the room.

>look at mirror

There is an ugly person staring back at you. Old, fat, tired. It’s hard to imagine this withered shell of a man was ever once a child.

>diagnose

You are dying.

>restart

You can’t. Nobody can.

>quit

I don’t know the word “quit”.

>q

I don’t know the word “q”.

>FUCK YOU CLOSE THE GAME

Such language in a high-class establishment like this!

>who are you

I don’t know the word “who”.

>what is you

You already know that. I’m the narrator of your adventures, such as they are. I’m the voice in your head that echoes all your doubts and fears. I’m the reminder of how little you’ve done, how you squandered the gift of life you’ve been given, though only once. For decades you used fantasy as your shield, but it doesn’t work anymore. Every game you play, every movie you watch, every book, every song, I’m going to be there, whispering in your ear that it will never be OK.

You like text adventures, Tim? Here’s an InvisiClue for you: Eventually, the brass lantern’s battery will give out. There is nothing you can do to stop it, and when it happens, the grues will be ready.

>up

Living Room

Go wherever you want, I’ll still be here. Would you like to play another game? You’ve got a lot installed on here, not surprising. Let me tell you how they’ll go. Floyd isn’t going to save you. You can’t escape before the Vogons come. The Leather Goddesses of Phobos will give you as much notice as the women of Earth. Your mind is not forever voyaging.

>repent

“It could very well be too late!” That line was written in 1977. You know how much has changed since then? Infocom doesn’t exist anymore. They’ve been bought by Activision, who’s been bought by Microsoft. Think we can do away with the benefit of the doubt by now. It IS too late.

>cry

You know that won’t help. Come on, don’t despair. I’m not cruel, I merely reflect reality. There’s still a way to end this game. You’ve still got that rope.

>kill self with rope

No good adventure game would make the easiest solution to a puzzle the correct one. What do you REALLY do with the rope? No more messing with the map, promise.

>down

Cellar

There is a somewhat ruined egg here.

>north

The Troll Room

There is a bloody axe here.

>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.

>east

Round Room

This is a circular stone room with passages in all directions. Several of them have unfortunately been blocked by cave-ins.

>southeast

Engravings Cave

You have entered a low cave with passages leading northwest and east. There are old engravings on the walls here.

>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.

>down

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.

>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.

>south

Altar

This is the south end of a large temple. In front of you is what appears to be an altar. In one corner is a small hole in the floor which leads into darkness. You probably could not get back up it.

On the two ends of the altar are burning candles.

On the altar is a large black book, open to page 569.

>down

Cave

This is a tiny cave with entrances west and north, and a dark, forbidding staircase leading down.

Your sword is glowing with a faint blue glow.

>down

Entrance to Hades

You are outside a large gateway, on which is inscribed

Abandon every hope all ye who enter here!

The gate is open; through it you can see a desolation, with a pile of mangled bodies in one corner. Thousands of voices, lamenting some hideous fate, can be heard.

The way through the gate is barred by evil spirits, who jeer at your attempts to pass.
Your sword has begun to glow very brightly.

>pray

Your prayers are not heard.

You’ve come this far, might as well accept it. It’s good preparation for the day you finally enter the real Great Underground Empire.

>turn off lamp

The brass lantern is now off.

>drop all

skeleton key: Dropped.

nasty knife: Dropped.

brass lantern: Dropped.

sword: Dropped.

brown sack: Dropped.

leaflet: Dropped.

>south

You step into the darkness, into the Land of the Living Dead. The hands of countless lost souls cover your body, until you are consumed, another body among the myriad. For the first moment in decades, you feel no pain.

	**** You have died ****

The game ended a long time ago. Whether or not you deserve another chance, you don’t get one. This is what awaits you. A long walk to the abyss. Your remains will be installed in the Land of the Living Dead, where your fellow adventurers may gloat over them.

Your score is 60 (total of 350 points), in 85 moves.

This gives you the rank of Novice Adventurer.


C:\>

Ryan Mahan

Surely Thou Shalt Repent