Introduction
About The Author...
Jon Thackray first encountered adventure games in 1978 while studying for his PhD at Cambridge, and started writing his own game soon after.
In 1982, he joined Acorn Computers and started looking at putting adventure games onto micros in his spare time. He has maintained a keen interest in adventure games ever since, both single and multi-use, and is now an Arch-wizard on the British Telecom multi-user dungeon.
About The Adventure...
A mysterious body, known only as The Ruling Council of Acheton, has issued the following challenge to sentinent life-forms everywhere:
"We hereby challenge the greatest adventurers in the known universe to uncover the dread secrets of our realm.
"Acheton is no ordinary land. Although explorers are welcome, you may find that Death is the only reward. Deeds of heroic valour will be required, and feats of intellect that Newton and Einstein would have boggled at. Understanding of the arcane science known as Magic will be mandatory...
"For the successful adventurer, the rewards will be great: riches immense, power supernatural, and the knowledge that you have succeeded where others have failed...
"Good luck - you will need it!
Signed and Sealed in the four thousand and twenty-seventh year of the Reign of Yelka-Dekklm TV. May his Dread Majesty live forever!"
GAME SIZE: Expansive, with a wide range and a very high standard of problems.
RATING: A real challenge.
On-line Help
Acheton comes with on-line help which you get into by typing HELP (RETURN). The program will halt and wait for you to type in a number so that it knows which 'hint' you want. You therefore need to know which numbers refer to which hints. Pages 2-4 of this Hint Sheet contain a series of questions that players typically ask, like 'What do I do in the enchanted forest?' Various 'key words' have been deleted from these questions - making it harder to accidentally see the solutions to other questions - and are reproduced below. The numbers alongside the words refer to the questions. The number that follows each question is the number to key for that particular hint. Good luck!
ALCHEMIST 224 GARGOYLES 45 PYRAMID 155
ALCOVE 2 GATE 46 QUICKSAND 156
ALTAR 3,51,83 GIANT 47,70,104,231 REEF 157,174
BACK DOOR 4,52 GLADIATOR 48 REMBRANDT PORTRAIT 158
BALROG 5,53 GLASS 49,71 ROCKFALLS 159
BARRIER 6 GLOWING 50 ROCKS 160
BIRD 7 GNOME 72,91 SAFE 161,175,205,220
BLACK FLAG 8 GREENHOUSE 73 SAIL 162
BLACK MAGIC 9 HABERGEON 74,92 SALVER 163
BLEI AMEDI 10 HADES 75,93 SCENT 164
BOOK/S 11,84 HALL MIRRORS 76,94,105 SCYLLA 165,176,182
BOTTLES 12 HANDWRITING 77 SEA 166,177
BRIDGE 13 HARBOUR 78 SHEET 167,178
BULB 14 HELMET 79 SHIP 168,179,206
CAGE 15 HOLE/S 95,106,133,232 SIGNPOST 169
CANDLESTICK 16 ICE 81,96,107,134,147 SKELETON 170,180
CANYON 17,54 IDOL 82 SLAB ROOM 171
CASE 227 INLET 97 SNAKE/S 172,181
CAULDRON 19 J4 98 SNEER 173
CAVE/S 20,55,85,101 INSCRPN 99,108,135,148 SORCERY 207
CELLS 21 ISIS 100 STALACTITES 183,208
CELLAR 22 ISLAND 109,233 STALAGMITES 184
CHARYBDIS 23,56 LABORATORY 110 STARS 185
CHASM 24 LAMP 111,137 STONE 186
CHIMING 25 LAST POINT 112 STONE LIONS 187,209
CLIFF/S 26,57 LIBRARY 113 SWIM 188,210,221
CRUSHED 27,58 LODESTONE ROOM 114,138 THIRST 189
CURRENTS 28 MANACLES 115 TOLL HOLE 190,211,222
DARK PASSAGE 229 MAP 116,139 TOMB ROOM 191
DESERT 30,59,86 MARBLE SLIDE 117 TORCHES 192
DINGHY 31,60,87,102 MAZE 118,226 TRACKS 212
132,146,204 MINE 119,141,149,152 TRAILS 193
DINING ROOM 32 MINK COAT 120,142,150 TREASURE/S 140,194,213
DISC/S 33,61,88 MOSAICS 121 223,228
DUNGEONS 34,62 MUMMY 122 UKREN 195
DWELLINGS 35,63 MUSHROOM 123,143,151 VOICE 197,215
EXAKCIP 36,64 NERKY 124 WALL/S 198,216,217,225
FARMHOUSE 37 NEST 125 WELL 199
FIRE 230 NINGY ROOM 126,144 WHITE FLAG 200
FISSURE/S 39,65 OBJECTS 127 WINE 201,218
FLEDGLINGS 40,66 ODD 128 WINGD SERPENTS 202,219
FLOE 41 PIRATES 129,145 WIZARD 1,18,29,38,80
FOOD 67 PLANT 130 90,136,196,214
FOREST 42,68,89,103 PIT 131 ZOOGE 203
FREEZING TO DEATH 43 POCKETS 153
FRONT DOOR 44,69 PRISON 154
Hint
1 How do I prevent the ******'s front door from closing? 31
2 What is the significance of the inscription? 33
3 What do I do at the ***** of Ra? 84
4 How do I get past the wizard's **** ****? 155
5 How do I avoid bumping into the ******? 147
6 Why does an invisible ******* block my way? 93
7 How do I avoid being killed by the adult ****? 134
8 What is in the ship with the ***** ****? 122
9 What do I do in the cave with a faint impression of *****
***** and sorcery? 48
10 What does "BLEI AMEDI" mean? 73
11 How do I get hold of the alchemist's ****? 149
12 How do I get the wine out of the *******? 89
13 How do I get across the ****** safely? 142
14 How do I get a new **** for my lamp? 101
15 How do I open the **** safely? 151
16 How do I get the bronze ***********? 83
17 How do I climb the walls of the desert ******? 65
18 How do I open the ******'s front door? 32
19 How do I get hold of the wizard's ********? 36
20 How do I swim out of the **** again safely? 143
21 How do I get out of the ***** in the wizard's dungeons? 11
22 How do I get the case of wine out of the ******? 88
23 What is *********? 111
24 How do I get across the *****? 30
25 Why is something ******* nearby? 35
26 How do I get down the *****? 50
27 How do I avoid being ******* by the giant? 29
28 How do I successfully negotiate the ********? 75
29 How do I get past the ******'s back door? 155
30 How do I climb the walls of the ****** canyon? 65
31 How do I get inot the ******? 52
32 How do I get the food from the wizard's *******s? 34
33 How do I carry more than one stone **** at a time? 161
34 How do I get out of the cells in the wizard's *******s? 11
35 How do I get down from the cliff? 140
36 What does "*******" mean? 102
37 What is the ********* for? 7
38 How do I avoid dying when I go thrugh the ******'s back door? 156
39 How do I get across the *******? 17
40 How do I avoid being killed by the **********? 150
41 How do I stop the ice **** melting underneath me? 157
42 What do I do in the enchanted ******? 2
43 How do I avoid ******** ** ***** in the ice area? 27
44 How do I prevent the wizard's ***** **** from closing? 31
45 What do I do with the *********? 60
46 How do I get out of the area near the **** of Isis? 126
47 How do I get past the *****? 21
48 How do I win the *********'s combat? 164
49 How do I get past the ***** sheet? 56
50 What is the significance of the ******* walls? 132
51 How do I avoid losing treasure at the *****? 130
52 How do I avoid dying when I go through the wizard's **** ****? 156
53 At the edge of the ****** pit, how do I get back safely? 148
54 What is the significance of the fissures in the desert ******
which look like giant handwriting? 70
55 Is there anything in the ****s on the island? 118
56 How do I avoid *********? 113
57 How do I climb the *****s? 61
58 How do I avoid being ******* by the things I'm carrying? 74
59 How do I get out of the ******? 63
60 How do I sail the ******? 53
61 How do I stop the stone ****s exploding? 162
62 How do I get out of the wizard's *******s? 96
63 How do I get up to the cliff *********? 141
64 What does "*******" do? 103
65 What is the significance of the *******s in the desert canyon
which look like giant handwriting? 70
66 How do I get out of the area near the **********? 152
67 How do I get the **** from the wizard's dining room? 34
68 How do I get out of the enchanted ******? 3
69 How do I open the wizard's ***** ****? 32
70 How do I avoid being crushed by the *****? 29
71 What is the significance of the inscription on the ***** sheet? 55
72 Why does the ***** keep running away? 38
73 How do I get into the **********? 94
74 What is a *********? 28
75 What do I do in *****? 49
76 How do I get out of the **** ** *******? 90
77 What is the significance of the fissures in the desert canyon
which look like giant ***********? 70
78 How do I swim in the ******? 26
79 How do I turn the ****** off? 125
80 How do I get out of the ******'s dungeons? 96
81 How do I avoid freezing to death in the *** area? 27
82 How do I stop the **** killing me? 139
83 How do I recover treasure lost at the *****? 131
84 How do I get hold of the ****s in the library? 136
85 What do I do in the **** with a faint impression of black
magic and sorcery? 48
86 What is the significance of the fissures in the ****** canyon
which look like giant handwriting? 70
87 How do I steer the *****? 54
88 How do I get out of the area with the stone ****s? 163
89 What do I do in the ordinary ******? 4
90 How do I get out of the cells in the ******'s dungeons? 11
91 How do I catch the *****? 39
92 How do I take the ********* safely? 85
93 How do I get out of *****? 108
94 How do I get hold of the treasure in the **** of *******? 91
95 How do I get past the toll **** without paying? 12
96 How do I avoid the melting *** passages? 44
97 How do I get into the ***** safely? 115
98 What does "**" mean? 23
99 What is the significance of the *********** beyond the west
alcove of the slab room? 33
100 How do I get out of the area near the Gate of ****? 126
101 How do I get into the cave? 1
102 How do I survive the ****** crash? 76
103 How do I get out of the ordinary ******? 5
104 How do I let the ***** out of prison? 46
105 How do I navigate in the **** ** *******? 92
106 How do I recover things I've dropped down the toll ****? 13
107 In the *** passage where I see another *** passage below me,
how do I get into this other passage? 86
108 What do the ***********s on the signpost mean? 40
109 Is there anything in the caves on the ******? 118
110 How do I get through the wizard's **********? 37
111 How do I recharge my ****? 100
112 How do I get the **** ***** in the game? 165
113 How do I get hold of the books in the *******? 136
114 How do I control the direction in which I leave the *********
****? 47
115 How do I get out of the ********? 9
116 How do I *** mazes and other areas where every location looks
the same? 10
117 How do I get back up the ****** *****? 14
118 How do I map ****s and other areas where every location looks
the same? 10
119 How do I go down the ****? 6
120 How do I get hold of the **** **** safely? 19
121 How do I get the ******* out? 59
122 How do I get past the *****? 82
123 Can I do anything useful with the ********? 79
124 What does "*****" mean? 97
125 How do I climb out of the ****? 135
126 Why am I sneered at when I leave the ***** ****? 16
127 How can I locate ******* in the mine reliably? 41
128 What is the significance of the *** walls that various places
have? 8
129 How do I survive the *******' visit? 119
130 How do I prevent the ***** from strangling me? 95
131 At the edge of the balrog ***, how do I get back safely? 148
132 How do I stop the ****** crashing into the reef? 77
133 What use is the toll ****? 99
134 How do I stop the *** floe melting underneath me? 157
135 What is the significance of the *********** on the glass sheet? 55
136 How do I get through the ******'s laboratory? 37
137 How do I get a new bulb for my ****? 101
138 How do I get back to the mine from the ********* ****? 42
139 How do I *** the lower levels of the mine? 15
140 How do I get hold of the ******** in the Hall of Mirrors? 91
141 How do I map the lower levels of the ****? 15
142 How do I stop the **** **** being eaten? 20
143 What do I do with the ********? 80
144 What do I do with the holes in the east wall of the ***** ****? 22
145 What are the ******* doing when they are ashore? 121
146 What do I do while the ****** is sailing? 78
147 What is the significance of the scented *** tracks? 158
148 What is the significance of the *********** in the Slab Room? 58
149 How can I locate objects in the **** reliably? 41
150 Why are the pockets of the **** **** bulging? 24
151 How do I control the ********? 81
152 How do I get back to the **** from the lodestone room? 42
153 Why are the ******* of the mink coat bulging? 24
154 How do I let the giant out of ******? 46
155 In the small room below the *******, how do I go along the dark
passage to the east safely? 124
156 What do I do in the *********? 62
157 How do I get through the ****? 114
158 How do I get the ********* ******** out? 109
159 How do I get past the *********? 67
160 How do I get onto the dark *****? 117
161 How do I close the **** safely? 25
162 Where is the **** for the dinghy? 64
163 How do I get the palladium ******? 105
164 What is the significance of the *****ed ice tracks? 158
165 What is ******? 110
166 How far away is the furthest interesting feature in the ***? 116
167 How do I get past the glass *****? 56
168 How do I attract the attention of a ****? 120
169 What do the inscriptions on the ******** mean? 40
170 Why won't the ******** let me out? 106
171 What is the significance of the inscription beyond the west
alcove of the **** ****? 33
172 How do I get out of the ***** maze safely? 133
173 Why am I *****ed at when I leave the ningy room? 16
174 How do I stop the dinghy crashing into the ****? 77
175 What is the booming voice at the **** talking about? 71
176 How do I avoid ******? 112
177 How do I swim in the ***? 51
178 What is the significance of the inscription on the glass *****? 55
179 What is in the **** with the black flag? 122
180 How do I get past the ******** with all my treasure? 107
181 How do I avoid being killed by *****s? 128
182 How do I kill ******? 144
183 How do I get back up the ***********? 127
184 How do I take the ***********? 69
185 What are the ***** for? 57
186 Why did the ***** make a noise? 87
187 Why do the ***** ***** kill me? 137
188 How do I **** in the harbour? 26
189 How do I avoid dying of ******? 66
190 How do I get past the **** **** without paying? 12
191 What use is the **** ****? 72
192 How do I get hold of the *******? 18
193 What is responsible for the sinuous ******? 129
194 Why was the voice at the safe dubious about one of my
********s? 160
195 What does "*****" mean? 98
196 How do I get hold of the ******'s cauldron? 36
197 What is the booming ***** at the safe talking about? 71
198 What do I do with the holes in the east **** of the ningy room? 22
199 How do I go down the ****? 104
200 What is in the ship with the ***** ****? 123
201 How do I get the **** out of the bottles? 89
202 How do I get out of the area near the ****** ********? 153
203 What does "*****" mean? 43
204 Where is the sail for the ******? 64
205 How do I open the **** safely? 159
206 What is in the **** with the white flag? 123
207 What do I do in the cave with a faint impression of black magic
and *******? 48
208 How do I take the stalactites? 68
209 How do I avoid being killed by the ***** *****? 138
210 How do I **** in the sea? 51
211 How do I recover things I've dropped down the **** ****? 13
212 What is the significance of the scented ice ******? 158
213 How do I avoid losing ******** at the altar? 130
214 How do I get the food from the ******'s dining room? 34
215 Why was the ***** at the safe dubious about one of my
treasures? 160
216 What is the significance of the odd ***** that various places
have? 8
217 What is the significance of the glowing *****? 132
218 How do I get the case of **** out of the cellar? 88
219 How do I avoid being killed by the ****** ********? 154
220 Why was the voice at the **** dubious about one of my
treasures? 160
221 How do I **** out of the cave again safely? 143
222 What use is the **** ****? 99
223 How do I recover ******** lost at the altar? 131
224 How do I get hold of te *********'s book? 149
225 How do I climb the ***** of the desert canyon? 65
226 How do I get out of the snake **** safely? 133
227 How do I get the **** of wine out of the cellar? 88
228 How do I get past the skeleton with all my ********? 107
229 In the small room below the pyramid, how do I go along the
**** ******* to the east safely? 124
230 How do I light a ****? 146
231 How do I get back from beyond the *****? 45
232 What do I do with the ****s in the east wall of the ningy room? 22
233 How do I get off the ******? 145
