> 1


Before we begin...Just a simple question: are you male or female?

> male
Male you are.

> x others
You see: Vardo the priest, Steven Harris, Lara and Garrick.

> talk to lara
"I don't want to be here," says Lara without looking at you. She walks her doll across the floor then sighs. "Me and Phoebe wanna go home!"
You feel that you cannot continue for much longer without sleep.

> ask lara about harris
She looks at Harris for a moment then puts her head close to yours and whispers, "I saw him take something out of Garrick's pocket."
A great weariness assails you. The desire to sleep is quite overpowering.

> ask lara about something
"I think it was a key or something like that."

> ask harris about key
"What? But I haven't..." He breaks off angrily then looks around the cell as if worried that someone might overhear him. Then he says to you in a hushed whisper, "it's not a key, it's a picklock. I found it in Garrick's pocket. I've been twiddling with it for the past hour trying to figure out how you use it to open things. Damned if I can figure out a thing."
You yawn suddenly, unable to help yourself. You wonder how long it has been since you last had a decent sleep.

> ask harris about picklock
He sighs and hands the picklock over. "But be careful with it," he whispers. "We don't know if the Count's watching us somehow and I for one don't want to spend the rest of my life in this cell."

> open door
You insert the picklock into the lock on the door and begin to work...

Several minutes pass by while you struggle with the complex locking mechanism on the door, sweat beading on your forehead. Eventually you are forced to admit defeat. Perhaps if you try again later you will be more successful...
You feel that you cannot continue for much longer without sleep.

> open door
You insert the picklock into the lock on the door and begin to work...

After several minutes careful work, you hear a click and the door slowly swings opens.
"You did it!" Harris says, surprise evident in his voice.

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> x vardo
Sitting slumped against the cold stone wall, Vardo is not a well man. He coughs frequently into a bloodstained rag, a deep racking cough that tells you he does not have long to live. His eyes are wide and pain-rimmed. He is dressed in deep brown robes which are torn and bloodied in numerous places. Clutched in his left hand, the fingers curled around it so tight the knuckles are bony white, is a crucifix.

> ask vardo about crucifix
He glances towards the open door, looks at you, and hands you the crucifix. "Be careful with it," he says. "Without it, we are lost..."

YOUR JOURNAL HAS BEEN UPDATED - PAGE 3

> east
"Looks a little dangerous out there," says Harris as you move towards the door. "I think I'll stay right here."
You stare at him in surprise. "You're not going to at least try and escape?"
He shakes his head. "Maybe later. You go, Marlon. Anyway, someone has to stay and look after the kid. Come back when you find some weapons and maybe I'll come with you then."
You give him a bewildered look and leave the cell.

Press a key to continue

The Laboratory
Dusty and abandoned, the laboratory appears to have been wrecked at some time in the recent past: cabinets have been overturned, rows of strange metallic devices have been smashed, chairs and tables lie broken on the floor. Only one table is still intact, and on this table, lying perfectly still, unmoving, is the body of a tall man clad in green robes. He appears to be dead.
There is a boarded up window in one wall, drab rays of sunlight oozing through the cracks in the boards. Perhaps outside there might be some chance at escape...?
Light from a glowing panel set into the ceiling illuminates this room but there is little to see.
From far off in the castle you hear ghoulish laughter.

Exits lie: west (to the cell), north (to a door) and southeast (to a hallway)

> se
You move southeast.

Shadowy Hallway
The very atmosphere of this hallway seems wrong: the air a little too hard to breathe, the walls ever-so-slightly out of focus, the floorboards feeling more like stone beneath your feet. For certain this is not a natural place. Something rushes by your feet. You jerk back, fearing rats. But nothing is there.
The hallway stretches for perhaps thirty feet east to west and is lined at regular intervals with portraits. The eyes of each person seem alive with malice and appear almost to follow you as you move about.
Lit from above by glowing panels, the hallway is nevertheless a dark and dismal place. Something tells you not to spend too much time here.
A shiver goes down your spine.

Exits lie: northwest (to the laboratory), east (to the bend in the hallway) and southwest (to a further branching of the hallway)

> sw

You move southwest.

Dark passageway
Here the hallway turns sharply, one branch heading off southwards into a dimly-lit room, the other to the northeast. There is little to see at this juncture aside from a single portrait affixed to the wall. It depicts a dark shore somewhere that you do not recognise.
A rat scurries over your foot, half causing you to have a heart attack.

Exits lie: northeast (to the hallway) and south (to the dimly-lit room)

> x portrait
It depicts a dark shoreway, the moon washing over silver sand. In the sea, though mainly hidden, is what appears to be some kind of behemoth. You do not recognise the location.

> x protrusion
As you lean forward to study the protrusion, you experience a sudden dizzy spell. Shaking your head in confusion appears to dispel this.

But when you look again you find you are not standing in the dark passageway any longer.

Hidden room
This is just a small room, some eight feet by seven. At some time in the past it was used as a cell (perhaps similar in many ways to the one in which you escaped from just recently), and chained to the wall are the skeletal remains of its last prisoner. An eyeless skull grins at you from atop a body clad in dark red robes. The dust around the skeleton is disturbed by many footprints, hinting that this room is not as abandoned as it might at first glance appear.
Out of the corner of your eye, you catch sight of something sitting in the corners of the room yet when you look again there is nothing there.

Exits lie: nowhere

> x dust
Noticing something strange about the dust, you brush it aside with your hands and come across a small book.

YOUR JOURNAL HAS BEEN UPDATED - PAGE 11

> read book
You flip open the log and read:

A strange madness has overtaken the castle. Since the arrival of the stranger two weeks past, I have noticed a marked change in the residents. The guards are pale and appear not to be sleeping; the maids look as if they have seen unspeakable things (though when questioned they deny, quite poorly, that anything is wrong); even Gladrin seems ill at ease. Where usually he is soft-spoken and courteous to a fault, now he seems almost a different man. I shall have to investigate and discover what I can.

> read book
You flip open the log and read:

A meeting with the stranger himself! He introduced himself as Vaslock, a traveller from different lands. He seemed perfectly pleasant company during our little conversation though I was left afterwards with the unsettling feeling that it was all a charade for my benefit. I also noticed, though it did not seem so at the time, that while Vaslock asked a great deal of questions of me (the answers to most I fail to recall) he answered few of my own questions. And the ones that he did answer he did so in such a way that they were never really answered at all. A strange and most perplexing man. He shall require watching.

> read book
You flip open the log and read:

This morning I was called to see Lord Havelock. He was not well. He has never been a hale and hearty man (despite the rumours of his sexual prowess with the numerous ladies of the castle) but now he seems but a shadow of his former self. Of Variana there is no sign. A maid informed me, though she seemed reluctant to speak at the time, that Havelock had dismissed her on the urgings of the stranger, Vaslock, who has convinced Havelock that she was some kind of charlatan. It seems Vaslock himself is now caring for my Lord's health and safety. Something, I have to confess, I find disturbing in the extreme.

> read book
You flip open the log and read:

Havelock worsens. I saw him at dawn today and hardly recognised him for who he is. He has lost weight, and most of his hair, and walks with a pronounced limp. Vaslock never leaves his side.

I have confided my fears in Gladrin who seems to agree with me that something needs to be done. He will arrange matters, he says, to 'take care of Vaslock'. I do not ask him what he means to do. I do not wish to know.

> read book
You flip open the log and read:

Gladrin is dead! His body was found this morning in the courtyard, pale and bloodless. His sword lay by his side, unblooded. Whoever killed him was either so fast or so skilled that he failed to land a blow. I would never have thought anyone capable of felling Gladrin with such ease. I mourn his loss greatly. I have lost my only ally. Strangely his body seems almost unmarked, save for two small puncture wounds on his neck.

Later that day, as I saw to the burial of Gladrin's body, I was spoken to by Vaslock again. He did not attend the funeral on the field outside the castle but met me later, in a shadowy passageway within the castle (something I have only just realised. How dark the castle seems these days. The windows appear misted over and there are few places where sunlight strikes within the walls.) Vaslock asked me more questions and I found myself answering them without even being sure why I was doing so. His eyes were mesmerising and each time I tried to hold something back from him I found I was unable to do so. In the end he bid me go. I learnt nothing from him.

> read book
You flip open the log and read:

The changes I noted before occurring within the castle are more pronounced than ever. Tempers seem frayed and fights break out over the slightest thing. Two men were found dead in the courtyard earlier today, wounds on their bodies matching the ones I found on Gladrin just last week. I fear the worst. Something must be done and, as I now lack allies, it is to be I that does something.

> read book
You flip open the log and read:

An audience with Lord Havelock who appears to be a walking corpse. He sits on his throne - or slumps would be a more apt word - and is attended by Vaslock at all times. I had requested a personal audience yet the newcomer is here nonetheless. In his presence my former resolve withered away and I merely mumbled some empty platitudes that I hoped my Lord made a swift recovery from his illness before quickly departing.

Later I chanced to see Vaslock in the eastern halls. I went at once to Lord Havelock's chambers and demanded entrance. There was quite a delay before I was finally admitted and my Lord's guards - whom I have known for many years and am good friends with - were reluctant in the extreme to allow me to enter without first summoning Vaslock. But in the end I persisted and entered. In vain alas. Havelock was incapable of coherent speech and ignored my pleas to banish Vaslock from the castle. In despair I turned to leave... and saw Vaslock standing there! Yet no door had been opened and I was sure he could not have reached these chambers before me. He did nothing but merely looked at me and, my resolve broken, I fled.

> read book
You flip open the log and read:

They came for me in the middle of the night. I was in the act of fleeing the castle. I had no clear plan in mind, just the certain knowledge that if I remained I would be slain as surely as Gladrin had been. I knew not how Vaslock had overcome such a mighty warrior with such ease but for sure if he could handle Gladrin so easily he would have no trouble with one such as I. So I had prepared to flee, knowing there was nothing that could be done here... alas I was too slow. There were four of them, masked men in robes that hid their bodies from me. I fought but not well. I have never been a strong man and they outnumbered me and were each stronger than I was. Quickly I was subdued.

Earlier that day, before I was set upon my course to flee, I had chanced upon a room I had never encountered before. A secret room in which sat five bodies: one I knew was Gladrin (even though I had myself buried him out in the field), another was Valiz, a singer with whom my Lord was infatuated a while ago before her abrupt disappearance, a third was Golyon, Havelock's butler, thought long dead, the fourth was Toril, Havelock's priest who was supposedly banished from the castle shortly after Vaslock's arrival, the fifth I did not recognise. By chance - or fate, I know not - I uttered a word... and Gladrin's corpse turned to look at me!

This was a most frightening experience and one which I wish had not occurred. But it seemed, incredible as it sounds, that none of the 'people' (I use the word lightly) were truly dead. They were not alive either, but held in a kind of state between the two. I was able to question Gladrin and discover that indeed he had been slain by Vaslock. His sword had dealt the stranger three solid blows, and yet Vaslock had acted as if he was unwounded. For sure, Gladrin's corpse informed me, mortal weapons were of no use against the likes of Vaslock.

Later... before Vaslock himself I was brought. This came as little surprise. He was different than before. Whereas before he had always seemed courteous, if a little cold, I now saw him for what he truly was. He explained to me in great detail, apparently taking some perverse delight in tormenting me thus and knowing there was nothing I could do, what he had done to the castle. He seemed to care little that my Lord was in the room at the time although Havelock did nothing so Vaslock's arrogance was perhaps unsurprising. Only at one time did he seem to show unease. When he grabbed me by the tunic and lifted me to my feet - he did this easily and without the slightest strain - the cross that I wore around my neck brushed lightly across his hand. He cursed angrily and thrust me from him with enough force to send me flying across the chamber. "Get that human out of here!" I heard him roar as he nursed his hand which, to my wonder, had turned an angry red colour as if burnt. I was dragged from Vaslock's presence.

> read book
You flip open the log and read:

I have heard much screaming in the past few hours and the sounds of fighting. There was what sounded like an explosion earlier today and the very foundations of the castle seemed to shake. Afterwards I was aware of footsteps past my cell and the groans of injured people. My cries as to what was occurring went unaswered. I fear the worse.

> read book
You flip open the log and read:

My last journal entry, I fear. A strange development has occurred, one I never imagined in my worst nightmares. Vaslock came to visit me. He informed me that the castle was now his to do with as he pleased. Havelock had been since the start, a weak-willed fool who was susceptible to mind control and unable to resist what he was ordered to do. Vaslock told me that there were many more of he and his kind at large in the world but that he had little contact with them and cared for them even less than I cared for him. He went on to tell me that he wished to strike a bargain with me: access to my study (which for some reason he was not able to enter) in return for my life. I am proud to say I spat in his face.

Perhaps my action was a foolish one but I had never for a second expected he would let me live even if I did what he asked (and in all truth I know not why he was unable to enter my study. Something in there, obviously, forbids him entrance though I am unsure as to what it could be.) My fate was dealt out a moment later.

I expected he would kill me, strike me down as easily as he had done Gladrin. But instead he wrapped me in a tight embrace and bit my neck! The pain was excruciating and I believe I passed out for a while. When I came to Vaslock was stood over me, blood smeared across his face. He said 'now you will see life as I see it. But you will not enjoy it, Morlock, for when the blood rage comes over you you will have no means of beating it. Suffer you will, and think on the offer you turned down.' Then he left. I doubt I will see him again.

I confess that most of what Vaslock said I did not understand but I understood quite well what he had done to me. He had made me as he was, only weaker. Whereas he possesses the strength to ward off blows from a sword, I am unable to free myself from this cell. And I can feel myself succumbing to what I can only assume is the "blood rage". Blood, the very thought of it, fills my every thought. Whereas once I would have been sickened at the very idea of drinking such stuff, now I find myself lusting for it. Whatever evil it is that Vaslock has inflicted on me, I can only hope my mortal frame perishes before it overwhelms me utterly. I would hate to end my days as he is...

> x robes
As you touch the robes, a collection of items held inside fall to the floor, disturbing the dust that lies there.

> get salts
You pick up the smelling salts.

> wait
Unable to discover a way to escape this room, you stand there and wait.....

A little time passes and then you hear a strange, grating sound and the floor at your feet spins around, moving you back to the dark passageway once more.

Dark passageway
Here the hallway turns sharply, one branch heading off southwards into a dimly-lit room, the other to the northeast. There is little to see at this juncture aside from a single portrait affixed to the wall. It depicts a dark shore somewhere that you do not recognise.
Far away in the castle, you hear someone crying.

Exits lie: northeast (to the hallway) and south (to the dimly-lit room)

> south
You move south.

Dimly-lit room
At some time in the past, this was no doubt a cosy dining room. It has long since fallen into disrepair. Cobwebs stretch across the length and breadth of the long table which runs down the centre of the room, a table that is covered with the remains of a long since deserted feast: rotted foostuffs give off a smell that makes your eyes water.
Lining one wall is an impressive marble fireplace shaped into a lion's face. The fire in the hearth has long since gone out.
Seated in armchairs around the table are five skeletons, dressed in finery such that you have never seen before. The sixth chair, the one that would sit at the head of the table, remains empty.
A rat scurries over your foot, half causing you to have a heart attack.

Exits lie: north (to the dark passageway)

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> x ashes
Sifting through the ashes, you come across a pair of worn, leather gloves. They appear incredibly old and it is difficult to say just how long they have been lying here. All the same, you take them with you.

> x ashes
A further sift through the ashes and you find a ring. Rubbing the ashes from it, you discover it is gold in colour.

> x mantle
Dust is scattered liberally across the fireplace, indicating no one has been here in a long, long time. At either end of the mantle are steel candleholders though minus any candles. In the hearth itself are the ashes of the last fire to burn here.

> pull candleholders
You pull down on one of the candleholders which turns under your hand with a creak. Faintly, you could swear you heard machinery moving.

> x sixth chair
The sixth chair sits at the head of the table and is the only chair in here that is empty. It is covered with a fine satin weave that has survived the ravages of time surprisingly well.

> get weave
As you reach out to take the weave, a ghostly hand appears from nowhere and pushes your own hand aside.
"I would not do that," says a voice. "You know not what you mess with."
You jerk your hand back and look up to see that a figure now sits in the chair. A ghostly figure that is oddly translucent. The chair is visible through its form.
"In life I was Havelock, Lord of this castle. Now I am nothing but a spectre of what I once was. But I still have power, stranger, even in death."

YOUR JOURNAL HAS BEEN UPDATED - PAGE 4

> talk to havelock's spectre
"Ah, a poor shadow of my former self I am now," says the strange being. "I was a fool. I see that now. But at the time... Oh, I did not understand what it was I faced. I had no comprehension of what manner of creature Vaslock was. Even now, these many long years after my death, I struggle to understand the things he has done. He has a purpose, no doubt, but one that is dark and clouded. Perhaps he is not sure of it himself. Whatever..." The spectre peers at you. "Ask me questions if you would. Perhaps I can shed some light on your current predicament."

> ask havelock's spectre about morlock
"A strange man, Morlock. He was my chief scribe and a far more intelligent man than I ever gave him credit for. He urged me to banish Vaslock from the castle and if I had done as he urged I might well have avoided the events that occurred. But I regret I was a fool. I did not listen.
'Stranger, if you would rid the castle of the evil that now manifests itself here, you should speak to Morlock himself."
"But Morlock is... dead," you say.
Havelock nods. "He is, yes. But his spirit remains here the same as does mine, and the others in this room. I sense him in his study. Go there now. You may not see him at first but there is a ritual... Ah, I forget the ritual."
"The ritual of the mirror," says the skeleton of Valiz.
"Ah yes, of course. Go to Morlock's study, stranger, look deep into the mirror, study your reflection. You may find that all is not the same afterwards. I can tell you nothing more."

YOUR JOURNAL HAS BEEN UPDATED - PAGE 5

> look under table
Peering into the dark, empty space you make out what appears to be a large box.

> north
You move north.

Dark passageway
Here the hallway turns sharply, one branch heading off southwards into a dimly-lit room, the other to the northeast. There is little to see at this juncture aside from a single portrait affixed to the wall. It depicts a dark shore somewhere that you do not recognise.
From far off in the castle you hear ghoulish laughter.

Exits lie: northeast (to the hallway) and south (to the dimly-lit room)

> ne
You move northeast.

Shadowy Hallway
The very atmosphere of this hallway seems wrong: the air a little too hard to breathe, the walls ever-so-slightly out of focus, the floorboards feeling more like stone beneath your feet. For certain this is not a natural place. Something rushes by your feet. You jerk back, fearing rats. But nothing is there.
The hallway stretches for perhaps thirty feet east to west and is lined at regular intervals with portraits. The eyes of each person seem alive with malice and appear almost to follow you as you move about.
Lit from above by glowing panels, the hallway is nevertheless a dark and dismal place. Something tells you not to spend too much time here.
From somewhere you hear a door slam. It seems you are not alone.

Exits lie: northwest (to the laboratory), east (to the bend in the hallway) and southwest (to a further branching of the hallway)

> nw
You move northwest.

The Laboratory
Dusty and abandoned, the laboratory appears to have been wrecked at some time in the recent past: cabinets have been overturned, rows of strange metallic devices have been smashed, chairs and tables lie broken on the floor. Only one table is still intact, and on this table, lying perfectly still, unmoving, is the body of a tall man clad in green robes. He appears to be dead.
There is a boarded up window in one wall, drab rays of sunlight oozing through the cracks in the boards. Perhaps outside there might be some chance at escape...?
Light from a glowing panel set into the ceiling illuminates this room but there is little to see.
You have a sinking feeling that someone, somewhere, is watching you.

Exits lie: west (to the cell), north (to a door) and southeast (to a hallway)

> use salts
You hold the smelling salts before the face of the unconscious man and wait for something to happen.

After a few seconds something does happen. The man's eyes suddenly flicker open and he grasps at your wrist with fingers of steel. Another hand claws for your throat...
And then, just as suddenly, lets go.
"My apologies, friend," says the man. "I thought you someone else."
You introduce yourself and the man, wearily finding his feet, says his name is "Lorgrim. Or that is the name I am known by in this castle. Whether that is my real name or not, I do not know. I remember little before my arrival."
"I remember little myself," you say.
Lorgrim nods. "I suspect Vaslock does something to your mind - perhaps using his vampire powers - to suppress your earlier memories. It disorientates you, makes you easier to handle, I guess. Suffice to say, I awoke in this dismal place a month past and have never yet set foot outside it." Lorgrim pauses and rubs wearily at his face which, you cannot help noticing, has a bizarre look to it. Lorgrim smiles grimly upon seeing your expression. "Vaslock and his little experiments are the cause of this, I fear. As I said, I recall next to nothing of my life before the castle but I doubt I looked anything like this. In part, my appearance is as a result of the vampirism Vaslock inflicted with me." Lorgrim notices you take a step back. "You have nothing to fear from me, my friend. After all, by awakening me you no doubt saved my life.
"As I said, Vaslock inflicted me with his vampire blood. He needed a guinea pig, you see, for his experiments and either his vassals were too precious for him to use or they lacked the necessary proprties for the experiments to be a success. So he chose me. He bit my neck-" Lorgrim touches his neck where two puncture wounds are visible "and after that I became similar to him. Aye, only similar. I lacked his strength else I would have killed him then, or died trying. I tried as it was but he simply struck me and the experiments began. I never noticed my appearance changing at first - there were no mirrors in the cell he kept me in - but I could tell the difference after a while. My captors looked at me differently and my eyesight seemed to be improving, particularly in the dark. And, also, I had begun to crave the taste of blood..."
Lorgrim trails off. He glances around the laboratory and shudders. "You would think this place has been abandoned for decades, but not so. Vaslock was here a matter of days ago. No doubt time passage in this part of the castle in an unnatural way."
He trails off again then looks at you. "I thank you for awaking me, stranger, but I cannot tarry here. If I am to escape, I must be gone soon. If you have any questions, ask them of me now."

> ask lorgrim about experiments
"Aye, what Vaslock subjected me to. He sought to overcome his aversion to sunlight by... experimenting on me. He would inject me with foul substances that left me vomiting blood for days afterwards; other times he would bleed me and study my blood in case there had been some minute change that was not outwardly visible. Always his experiments ended in failure. If not the pain they caused me, I would have rejoiced in this. But it seems his final experiment was too great. He killed me..."

> ask lorgrim about killed
"Or thought he did, at any rate. Needless to say, he would not have left me unlocked had he known I was still alive. I suspect whatever he did to me the last times - the herbs he made me swallow - they affected my metabolism somewhat so that I had no heartbeat or pulse and yet I still lived."

> ask lorgrim about herbs
"I have the key to the herbs box here," he says, and fetches a small iron key out of his pocket. "The herbs store itself is in a room in the castle that I have never visited but I know that Vaslock often kept some closeby when he was... experimenting upon me. Look around. You'll find the box somewhere.
"And now, my friend, it is time for me to depart. I doubt I will get far - my health has never been good and after Vaslock's cursed experiments it is worse than ever - but I can at least try. Perhaps we shall meet again. Farewell."
You shake hands with Lorgrim before he leaves the laboratory, staggering weakly to the southeast.

> north
You move north.

Study
This room seems untouched by the passage of the years that have so affected the rest of the castle. There is not a speck of dust to be found but, also, you sense a great emptiness here as if no one has used this room in a long, long time.
Far away in the castle, you hear someone crying.
An old wooden desk sits by an empty fireplace. Above the desk is a barred window showing a bleak, desolate moor. On one wall is a circular mirror of roughly three feet dimensions. Something about the mirror disturbs you but you cannot say just what it is.

Exits lie: south (to the laboratory)

> look into mirror
Acting on Havelock's instructions, you look into the mirror. You see, unsurprisingly, your own reflection. There appears to be nothing different or remarkable about this.

> x reflection
You study yourself as Havelock instructed. And slowly, oh so slowly, you begin to detect slight differences - your reflection has slightly longer hair, your reflection is shorter than you, your reflection has green eyes whereas yours are blue...
In surprise you jerk yourself away from the mirror - and encounter a surprise even greater. The room appears different than it was a moment before.

YOUR JOURNAL HAS BEEN UPDATED - PAGE 5

> south
As you seek to leave the study, a sudden urge to turn around comes around you. You do so.And see, floating by the desk, the shade of a man long dead."Welcome," says Morlock. "You have found me at last."

> talk to morlock's shade
"You did well to find me," speaks the ghostly presence. "I had almost given up hope."
Its words echo around the small study in an unsettling manner. But you listen as intently as you are able. Something tells you that what the shade says will be all important to your hopes of escaping from here.
"My time is over. I am aware of this. I died a long time ago, Marlon, and I can never hope to have my life restored. But I can aid you and aid you I will, if for no other reason than to bring about the demise of Vaslock."
"You know my name?" you breathe.
"I know many things about you, Marlon. I know why you were brought here, and the others in your cell, the ones who lack the willpower to escape. Only you have the necessary bravery to see this thing through to conclusion. Only you, Marlon."
Morlock is silent for a moment, gathering his thoughts, then he says, "forgive me if my explanations seem a little rushed. My mind... is not what it was. I died over three hundred years past and keeping track of what occurs is one thing I have sought to do much over the years. Often I have failed. The mind in death is not nearly so efficient as the mind in life.'But enough of that. Listen then, and I will tell you what I know..."
"What you know about your life before you awoke in that cell - what little you may have remembered - is a lie. A cleverly constructed lie, if the truth be told, but a lie all the same. You were born in this castle, Marlon, as were the others in your cell. They might remember differently but then their memories have been tampered with just as yours have been. Vardo is no priest despite what he might think, Harris has no fiancée, and so on. What they know is what Vaslock wants them to know. What it serves his purpose for them to know. It keeps them weak and disorientated. Easy to control.
'Vaslock, I will tell you this, is both more and less than he appears. He has the true power of the vampire that he is, and yet he also suffers from a most human failing: remorse. He inflicts great pain and suffering as a result of what he is and during the times of his blood rage he does not dwell upon this. He revels in it. He seeks out those he despises and he inflicts great anguish upon them for no other reason than he can. And then the blood rage will pass and he will be left broken, a shadow of what he once was. He will despair of the curse he finds himself under - the curse of vampirism. He has sought to rid himself of it for centuries now, since long before he arrived at this castle and enslaved and slew its occupants, but he has always failed. In a way this is because the path to ridding himself of the curse is a nigh on impossible one, but also because he does not truly have the willpower to rid himself of it. For what is his curse is also his gift. He has lived a long, long time because of what manner of creature he is. Rid himself of the curse and he would die in an instant, the age of countless centuries crushing his mortal self beneath them.
'Little of this will mean anything to you, Marlon. You know it all, in the dark recesses of your mind, but Vaslock has suppressed those memories because it serves his purpose to do so, and hence what you may remember is only what he causes you to remember. But what I have told you will mean everything eventually. It will give you the means necessary to rid the world of his evil."
"But how...?"
"Ah, a good question. As poor fortune would have it, Vaslock is now in the build up to one of his blood rages. He has full control of his senses during such times, but he lacks any of his human compassion or remorse that might make him possible to reason with. But in another way we are fortunate: he lacks cunning during such times and his control over his vassals is less than it normally is. You have a chance, albeit a slim one. Ask me questions if you would. I have amassed much knowledge over the years and anything I can tell you that will aid you, I will do so gladly."

> ask morlock's shade about escape
"Ah, the one question I knew you would ask. How to escape. How indeed? Escape will not be easy, although that probably goes without saying. Vaslock is no fool and has not survived this long by making mistakes. He will be aware you have escaped from the cell soon and send his vassals to deal with you. But, for now, you have a chance if you move swiftly enough.
'Take this vial."
The shade holds out a small vial and, without thinking, you reach out and take hold of it. It is only as you grasp it that you wonder how a shade can only a real, physical item.
Morlock goes on before you can ask, "use the vial against Vaslock's guardian. You will encounter him on the next floor of the castle. Without that vial you will be unlikely to get the better of him. After that, I can help you little. There are others like you held captive elsewhere in the castle. If you could free them, you could have an army with which to fight against Vaslock and his vassals, or perhaps you would prefer taking him on yourself. Suffice to say, if you free the other captives and enlist their aid, most if not all of them will die. Consider your actions before you make your move.
'You will find the chamber of Toril, the castle's priest, somewhere in the castle - my memory fails me as to exactly where. Vaslock has been unable to enter due to the holy items contained therein. It seems Toril one day feared his master might turn upon him and so kept a sanctuary to where he could flee if the need arose. Alas for the traitorous priest, Vaslock was wise to this and slew him elsewhere. But his loss is your gain. The items in Toril's chamber will be of great help in combating Vaslock and his minions for if they have been unable to enter the room after all these centuries then the items have lost none of their potent power.
'Go now. And may God go with you."

YOUR JOURNAL HAS BEEN UPDATED - PAGE 5

> south
You move south.

The Laboratory
Dusty and abandoned, the laboratory appears to have been wrecked at some time in the recent past: cabinets have been overturned, rows of strange metallic devices have been smashed, chairs and tables lie broken on the floor. Only one table is still intact. Its surface is bare.
There is a boarded up window in one wall, drab rays of sunlight oozing through the cracks in the boards. Perhaps outside there might be some chance at escape...?
Light from a glowing panel set into the ceiling illuminates this room but there is little to see.
From far off in the castle you hear ghoulish laughter.

Exits lie: west (to the cell), north (to a door) and southeast (to a hallway)

> se
You move southeast.

Shadowy Hallway
The very atmosphere of this hallway seems wrong: the air a little too hard to breathe, the walls ever-so-slightly out of focus, the floorboards feeling more like stone beneath your feet. For certain this is not a natural place. A wave of dizziness suddenly sweeps over you and you grasp at the wall to steady yourself.
The hallway stretches for perhaps thirty feet east to west and is lined at regular intervals with portraits. The eyes of each person seem alive with malice and appear almost to follow you as you move about.
Lit from above by glowing panels, the hallway is nevertheless a dark and dismal place. Something tells you not to spend too much time here.
Far away in the castle, you hear someone crying.

Exits lie: northwest (to the laboratory), east (to the bend in the hallway) and southwest (to a further branching of the hallway)

> sw
You move southwest.

Dark passageway
Here the hallway turns sharply, one branch heading off southwards into a dimly-lit room, the other to the northeast. There is little to see at this juncture aside from a single portrait affixed to the wall. It depicts a dark shore somewhere that you do not recognise.
From somewhere you hear a door slam. It seems you are not alone.

Exits lie: northeast (to the hallway) and south (to the dimly-lit room)

> south
You move south.

Dimly-lit room
At some time in the past, this was no doubt a cosy dining room. It has long since fallen into disrepair. Cobwebs stretch across the length and breadth of the long table which runs down the centre of the room, a table that is covered with the remains of a long since deserted feast: rotted foostuffs give off a smell that makes your eyes water.
Lining one wall is an impressive marble fireplace shaped into a lion's face. The fire in the hearth has long since gone out.
Seated in armchairs around the table are five skeletons, dressed in finery such that you have never seen before. The sixth chair, the one that would sit at the head of the table, now contains the transluctent form of Lord Havelock's spectre.
Far away in the castle, you hear someone crying.

Exits lie: north (to the dark passageway)

> open box
You unlock the box with the key given to you by Lorgrim. Inside are a collection of herbs which you decide to take with you.

> north
You move north.

Dark passageway
Here the hallway turns sharply, one branch heading off southwards into a dimly-lit room, the other to the northeast. There is little to see at this juncture aside from a single portrait affixed to the wall. It depicts a dark shore somewhere that you do not recognise.
The floor underfoot seems to shake visibly.

Exits lie: northeast (to the hallway) and south (to the dimly-lit room)

> ne
You move northeast.

Shadowy Hallway
The very atmosphere of this hallway seems wrong: the air a little too hard to breathe, the walls ever-so-slightly out of focus, the floorboards feeling more like stone beneath your feet. For certain this is not a natural place. A wave of dizziness suddenly sweeps over you and you grasp at the wall to steady yourself.
The hallway stretches for perhaps thirty feet east to west and is lined at regular intervals with portraits. The eyes of each person seem alive with malice and appear almost to follow you as you move about.
Lit from above by glowing panels, the hallway is nevertheless a dark and dismal place. Something tells you not to spend too much time here.
It must be tiredness, but you could swear that you just saw a face on one of the walls.

Exits lie: northwest (to the laboratory), east (to the bend in the hallway) and southwest (to a further branching of the hallway)

> nw
You move northwest.

The Laboratory
Dusty and abandoned, the laboratory appears to have been wrecked at some time in the recent past: cabinets have been overturned, rows of strange metallic devices have been smashed, chairs and tables lie broken on the floor. Only one table is still intact. Its surface is bare.
There is a boarded up window in one wall, drab rays of sunlight oozing through the cracks in the boards. Perhaps outside there might be some chance at escape...?
Light from a glowing panel set into the ceiling illuminates this room but there is little to see.
Far away in the castle, you hear someone crying.

Exits lie: west (to the cell), north (to a door) and southeast (to a hallway)

> west
You move west.

The cell
A dismal and dank room, the 'cell' you find yourself in is not large but appears to be so. Perhaps it is the lack of lighting, perhaps it is the way the walls seem somehow "insubstantial", perhaps it is simply your mind playing tricks on you.
There is a small, barred window through which streams moonlight set high up in the nearest wall. Opposite this, set into the stone like an immovable giant, is a door of cold, dark steel. Even in the dim light, mystic sigils are visible over the surface.
There are several others in the cell, clustered together in a group for warmth.

Exits lie: east (through the now open door)

> use herbs
You rub some of the herbs into the unconscious man's skin.
"Do you really think that's a good idea?" asks Harris.
"At the worst it'll kill him," you say. "And in this place that might be a blessing..."
Time passes.

Press a key to continue

After what seems like an incredible wait, Garrick's eyelids flutter, and then open.
"Where am I?" he croaks in a voice that sounds at Death's Door. "What happened?"
You fill Garrick in what with little you know as he tries to come to terms with what has happened. He stares at you first with disbelief, then understanding.
"I remember... a few things. Although I'm not sure if what I remember really happened or I just... remember them. Strange. I get the feeling my memories have been messed with.
"I'm an investigator, or was. I remember..." He shakes his head. "I remember so little. A lady came to me at my office in Bekkel. She said her... husband, I think it was, her husband had gone missing. She asked me to find him. She paid me quite a fair sum of money up front and I accepted. I think business had been slow. After that..." He shakes his head again.
"The next thing I remember I was standing on a road looking up at this castle. I'd never noticed it before although I've lived in Bekkel my whole life. I decided it was as good a place as any to ask questions. And I hadn't had much luck anywhere else.
"So to the castle I went. I remember thinking the place was strange. There didn't seem to be anyone around yet I got the impression I was being watched. It was really unnerving. I knocked on the main door - there was no bell - and the door was answered and...
"And that's all I remember. I guess someone must have hit me or something because the next thing I knew was you rubbing those herbs into my face, friend. Thanks. Although, looking at the place we're in right now, I think I preferred being out of it." He grins ruefully. "But forgive my manners. At least I'm awake now, and I'll be a darn sight more useful awake than asleep. You want me to follow you, just say so."

YOUR JOURNAL HAS BEEN UPDATED - PAGE 13

> ask garrick to follow you
"Thought you'd never ask."

> east
You move east.

The Laboratory
Dusty and abandoned, the laboratory appears to have been wrecked at some time in the recent past: cabinets have been overturned, rows of strange metallic devices have been smashed, chairs and tables lie broken on the floor. Only one table is still intact. Its surface is bare.
There is a boarded up window in one wall, drab rays of sunlight oozing through the cracks in the boards. Perhaps outside there might be some chance at escape...?
Light from a glowing panel set into the ceiling illuminates this room but there is little to see.
Far away in the castle, you hear someone crying.

Exits lie: west (to the cell), north (to a door) and southeast (to a hallway)

Garrick walks towards you from the west.

> se
You move southeast.

Shadowy Hallway
The very atmosphere of this hallway seems wrong: the air a little too hard to breathe, the walls ever-so-slightly out of focus, the floorboards feeling more like stone beneath your feet. For certain this is not a natural place. From the corner of your eye one of the figures in a portrait appears to move but when you turn to look it is back in place again.
The hallway stretches for perhaps thirty feet east to west and is lined at regular intervals with portraits. The eyes of each person seem alive with malice and appear almost to follow you as you move about.
Lit from above by glowing panels, the hallway is nevertheless a dark and dismal place. Something tells you not to spend too much time here.
Far away in the castle, you hear someone crying.

Exits lie: northwest (to the laboratory), east (to the bend in the hallway) and southwest (to a further branching of the hallway)

Garrick walks towards you from the north-west.

> east
You move east.

Eastern hallway
You stand at the far eastern end of the hallway by a statue of an old, old man dressed in robes that appear to be made (or maybe it is just the way the statue is constructed) from bones. It sends a shiver through you just looking at the thing.
The hallway here shows definite signs of ruin: the ceiling is lined with cracks, the walls appear to be crumbling, the floorboards are broken and shattered where chunks of stone have forced their way up through them.
The floor underfoot seems to shake visibly.
Set into the south wall is a steel door. It appears of modern design and no doubt was fitted only recently. You can guess at the purpose for this. It appears firmly locked.

Exits lie: west (to the shadowy hallway)

Garrick walks towards you from the west.

> x statue
Wrinkled and graying, the man carved in stone appears to be a wizard of some sort judging by the staff he is carrying and the pointed hat set upon his brow. But there is little whimsical about his expression: it is one of stark dread.
His left hand is held out as if grasping for something - or perhaps waiting for an offering...?

> put coin in statue's hand
The moment the coin touches the palm of the statue, the hand closes. The coin is crushed to dust.
'The gift is received,' a voice in your mind whispers. 'The way is open.'

YOUR JOURNAL HAS BEEN UPDATED - PAGE 6

> south
You move south.

Ruined Stairs
Here you find yourself at the base of a flight of ruined stairs which wind upwards into the very heart of the castle. Light leaks down from a doorway set perhaps fifty feet above you. The steps, which are of incredible age, have collapsed in parts, leaving gaping holes which will make passage awkward to say the least. Cobwebs are here in abundance, masking every surface.
Far away in the castle, you hear someone crying.

Exits lie: north (through the steel door) and up (the stairs)

Garrick walks towards you from the north.

> up
You move up.

Top of the Stairs
A winding flight of ruined stairs lead downwards into the very depths of the castle. Looking at them gives you a bad attack of vertigo.
Dust stirred by your footsteps obscures your vision for a moment, and causes you a worrying moment when you think you hear someone moving around behind you.
Before you is a door set firmly into the wall. Beyond it you can hear the laughter and voices of several people.

Exits lie: down (the stairs) and north (through the door)

Garrick walks towards you from below.

> north
You move north.

Empty room
You expected to find this room full of people - but instead it appears deserted. What happened to the voices and laughter you heard? Or did you hear them at all?
You hear a voice braying in laughter - and another shrieking in pain.
Of the room itself, little can be said. It is small, perhaps the same size as the cell you awoke in earlier, and desolate aside from a small collection of boxes in one corner. Archways in three walls lead further into the castle.

Exits lie: northwest (through an archway), east (through an archway), southeast (through an archway) and south (to the top of the stairs)

YOUR JOURNAL HAS BEEN UPDATED - PAGE 7Garrick walks towards you from the south.

> se
You move southeast.

Deserted Library
There is a feeling of great age about this location, as if the library has stood here since time immemorial. Cobwebs cover all surfaces, lending an eerie look to the place.
In one corner of the room you fancy you see someone standing watching you, but a closer examination reveals there is nothing there.
Seven rows of books line one wall, three line the other. At the end of the second row are a ruin of old bookshelves and destroyed books. The destruction appears recent.
By the southern door is a desk and a chair, both remnants from when the library was an active place rather than the memory it is now.

Exits lie: northwest (to the empty room) and south (to a passageway)

Garrick walks towards you from the north-west.

> x bookshelves
You begin a quick, but thorough, search of the bookshelves, beginning at one end of the room and finishing at the other. In this time, you come across several books that have survived the carnage but none that appear to be of any use to you. The only item of note you decide to keep is a scroll which you get a feeling is very important indeed.

> x scroll
This scroll contains just a few lines of writing and, below, what looks to be a spell of some kind. The writing at the top informs you that reading the rest of the scroll will trigger the spell, but it fails to tell you just what it is the spell does. It also contains the cryptic line: "Touch the one you would summon to life and speak the words of might"

> south
You move south.

PassagewayThis short passageway extends from the library as far south as you can see. However, just ten feet from where you stand there is a gaping pit in the floor - it looks as if a mighty fist has smashed down and scooped out a sizeable chunk of the ground.
You rub tiredly at your eyes, wondering if you will ever see the outside world again.
Hanging above the pit, just out of reach, is a glowing globe. It seems to be emitting a low, humming sound.

Exits lie: north (to the library) and south (along the passageway)

Garrick walks towards you from the north.

> south
As you approach the pit, a sudden wave of dizziness sweeps over you. You raise a hand to your head, stagger forward a few paces, and then you are falling...

You fall and fall and fall, deep into the depths of the pit. Around you are a torrent of screaming faces, chortling demons, gasping hags, yelling monsters...

You fall further, down and down and down, until it seems that you will never stop falling...

The Dream
In a shadowy cell
Ar you stand, the walls forever fading in and out of reality, the floor one moment there, the next gone, the ceiling the night sky and then the bright light of day...
Resting on a plinth near to where you stand is a coffin.

Exits lie:in many directions

Vadris is here.

You stand yourself up in these strange new surroundings. Several things become apparent at once. All your items are gone. You are now clad in strange green robes which swirl about as you move, seeming to try to blend themselves in with their surroundings by subtle shifts of colour. You have never seen anything like them.Garrick walks towards you.

> talk to vadris
"Ah, the wanderer arrives," says Vadris. "I always wondered when you would make your way here."
"What is this place?" you ask. Your words seem to be pulled away as if by a strange wind although you feel nothing.
"This place? This is nowhere. It does not exist. It is outside the normal plane of existence. Does that answer your question? No? This place cannot be explained, Marlon, so waste not your time searching for explanations. Instead, seek merely to escape."
You glance around, failing to see any way out. "Is there an exit?"
Vadris nods. "There is. Though not in the physical sense of things. Not the way you would define an exit. But there exists one nevertheless. All you have to do is find it. Here." He claps his hands and suddenly is carrying a spear which he promptly throws to you. "Take this. It will aid you well in this place."
"As a weapon?"
"As anything but. Go now. I can tell you nothing more."

> south
You move south.

The Dream
In a shadowy cell
Ar you stand, the walls forever fading in and out of reality, the floor one moment there, the next gone, the ceiling the night sky and then the bright light of day...
Resting on a plinth near to where you stand is a coffin.

Exits lie:in many directions

Iridil is here.Garrick walks towards you from the north.

> west
You move west.

The Dream
In a shadowy cell
Ar you stand, the walls forever fading in and out of reality, the floor one moment there, the next gone, the ceiling the night sky and then the bright light of day...
Resting on a plinth near to where you stand is a coffin.

Exits lie:in many directions

Sokan is here.Garrick walks towards you from the east.

> give spear to sokan
Sokan takes the spear and gives you a surprised look. "Impressive. You figured it out then, the purpose of this little game. Well done."
"What happens now?" you ask.
"Ah, but where would be the fun in telling you that?"

> talk to sokan
"What do you want?" hisses Sokan as you approach. "You would do well to get out of here, friend. This is a strange and unsettling place. You would not want to be... caught here like the rest of us."
"Caught here?" you ask.
"Of course! You think we're here by choice? Pah! We're trapped here. We went against Vaslock and he imprisoned us here for our temerity! Me, I don't even remember what I did, but I know damn well he remembers. That's why I'm here. That's why I can't leave until he's dead." Sokan stares off into the distance for a while then shakes his head. "You want to help me, friend? Fine. Take this crown."
Sokan tosses the item in question to the ground before you and you stoop to pick it up.
"What do I do with this?" you ask.
"Whatever you want. It won't make any difference in the long run. No one will ever get the better of Vaslock."

> east
You move east.

The Dream
In a shadowy cell
Ar you stand, the walls forever fading in and out of reality, the floor one moment there, the next gone, the ceiling the night sky and then the bright light of day...
Resting on a plinth near to where you stand is a coffin.

Exits lie:in many directions

Iridil is here.Garrick walks towards you from the west.

> give crown to iridil
"Ah, my symbol of rulership is returned!" cries Iridil, snatching the crown from you and placing it upon his head. "Yes, this is much better! You may go now."
"Go?" you say. "But some reward..."
Iridil shrugs. "I don't recall any mention of a reward. Begone. I have no further use for you now."

> talk to iridil
"Ah, Marlon, I wondered when you would make it here," remarks Iridil.
"You know me?"
"I know many things. I am, after all, the king of this place."
You glance around at the dank and dismal and - scarcely real - location. "Here?"
Iridil smiles. "Why not? It is as good a place as any to be ruler of, and I am undoubtedly ruler here. None of the others have gainsaid any of the laws I have passed, none of the others have sought to wrest my rulership away from me, none of the others... But I digress. Now is neither the time nor the place for idle chatter. Take this sword." Iridil hands to you a sword that he seems to magic out of thin air. "Give it to the one you believe is most deserving of it."
"And who might that be?" you ask.
"Ah. But where would be the fun in telling you? That is something you have to discover for yourself."

> west
You move west.

The Dream
In a shadowy cell
Ar you stand, the walls forever fading in and out of reality, the floor one moment there, the next gone, the ceiling the night sky and then the bright light of day...
Resting on a plinth near to where you stand is a coffin.

Exits lie:in many directions

Sokan is here.Garrick walks towards you from the east.

> nw
You move northwest.

The Dream
In a shadowy cell
Ar you stand, the walls forever fading in and out of reality, the floor one moment there, the next gone, the ceiling the night sky and then the bright light of day...
Resting on a plinth near to where you stand is a coffin.

Exits lie:in many directions

Gabriel is here.Garrick walks towards you from the south-east.

> give sword to gabriel
Gabriel takes the sword and a slow smile spreads across his craggy face. "With this I was unbeatable. I never faced an enemy who could stand against my skill and might. Hmmm. Until Vaslock, of course, but that was an unfair fight at best. Perhaps if we meet again..." He sheathes the sword. "Best you go now. I thank you for returning my blade to me but do not presume to gain some reward for your doing so. That is not my way."

> talk to gabriel
Gabriel turns to look at you as you approach, his head a full foot above your own. "You're not what I expected. Not by a long shot," he rumbles. "Bigger is what I expected. Bigger than me. Huh! Can't see you getting the better of Vaslock."
"What do you know about Vaslock?" you ask.
"Lots. But none of it any use. If I knew anything useful I'd have killed him when I had the chance and wouldn't be rotting in this hellhole. But maybe you'll be better though you don't look up to much. Here, have this cross."
Gabriel tosses the cross to you and you catch it in your hand.
"Don't even think about trying to take Vaslock on with that, though. It'll take a bit more than a little cross to get the better of him."
"Then what is the cross for?"
"Discover that and you might just be ready for Vaslock after all."

> se
You move southeast.

The Dream
In a shadowy cell
Ar you stand, the walls forever fading in and out of reality, the floor one moment there, the next gone, the ceiling the night sky and then the bright light of day...
Resting on a plinth near to where you stand is a coffin.

Exits lie:in many directions

Sokan is here.Garrick walks towards you from the north-west.

> east
You move east.

The Dream
In a shadowy cell
Ar you stand, the walls forever fading in and out of reality, the floor one moment there, the next gone, the ceiling the night sky and then the bright light of day...
Resting on a plinth near to where you stand is a coffin.

Exits lie:in many directions

Iridil is here.Garrick walks towards you from the west.

> north
You move north.

The Dream
In a shadowy cell
Ar you stand, the walls forever fading in and out of reality, the floor one moment there, the next gone, the ceiling the night sky and then the bright light of day...
Resting on a plinth near to where you stand is a coffin.

Exits lie:in many directions

Vadris is here.Garrick walks towards you from the south.

> open coffin
As you move towards the coffin, Vadris blocks your path - then shies back in alarm as you raise the cross!
"Very clever," he hisses as he backs away from you. "But best you keep that cross close to you in future. You wouldn't want me to catch you without it."
Ignoring him, you open the coffin. Inside, rather than the corpse you expected to find, you instead come across a single key of a cobalt hue.
"Take the key if you would," says Vadris. "It will do you little good in this place and you will never leave alive."
You take the key - which at once vanishes from your hand.
Vadris laughs.

> south
You move south.

The Dream
In a shadowy cell
Ar you stand, the walls forever fading in and out of reality, the floor one moment there, the next gone, the ceiling the night sky and then the bright light of day...
Resting on a plinth near to where you stand is a coffin.

Exits lie:in many directions

Iridil is here.Garrick walks towards you from the north.

> west
You move west.

The Dream
In a shadowy cell
Ar you stand, the walls forever fading in and out of reality, the floor one moment there, the next gone, the ceiling the night sky and then the bright light of day...
Resting on a plinth near to where you stand is a coffin.

Exits lie:in many directions

Sokan is here.Garrick walks towards you from the east.

> nw
You move northwest.

The Dream
In a shadowy cell
Ar you stand, the walls forever fading in and out of reality, the floor one moment there, the next gone, the ceiling the night sky and then the bright light of day...
Resting on a plinth near to where you stand is a coffin.

Exits lie:in many directions

Gabriel is here.Garrick walks towards you from the south-east.

> sw
You move southwest.

The Dream
In a shadowy cell
Ar you stand, the walls forever fading in and out of reality, the floor one moment there, the next gone, the ceiling the night sky and then the bright light of day...
Resting on a plinth near to where you stand is a coffin.

Exits lie:in many directions

Timon is here.Garrick walks towards you from the north-east.

> give cross to timon
"My faith is restored," says Timon as you hand him the cross. He cradles it to his breast and whispers, "never will I be alone again!" He glances up at you and frowns. "Alas, I have nothing to offer you but my thanks. So thank you. Now begone. I have much catching up to do."

> talk to timon
As you approach, Timon bows his head in your direction. "Are you the one foretold then? The one who will deliver us from the darkness and into the light?"
You shake your head in confusion. "I'm not sure I understand what you-"
"But of course you don't! For the prophecy states that the one who would save us all would be unknowing of their destiny. Ah, the sweet irony of it! But anyway, if you are indeed the one foretold, you will need this." Timon hands to you a goblet filled to the brim with a strange liquid. "I would not propose drinking that, it would do frightful things to your digestive system."
"What do I do with it then?"
"Give it to the one whom needs it the most," replies Timon, and will say nothing more on the subject.

> se
You move southeast.

The Dream
In a shadowy cell
Ar you stand, the walls forever fading in and out of reality, the floor one moment there, the next gone, the ceiling the night sky and then the bright light of day...
Resting on a plinth near to where you stand is a coffin.

Exits lie:in many directions

Volroar is here.Garrick walks towards you from the north-west.

> give goblet to volroar
"Hmmm, very nice," Volroar says upon sampling the content of the goblet. "But quite frightfully poisonous. Ah well, such is life." He peers up at you. "Yes? Is there any reason you're still here?"
"I found the goblet for you-"
"And now you expect a reward? Pah! Take your expectations and go! You'll get no reward from me!"

> talk to volroar
Volroar glances up at you as you approach him then sneers. "Oh, you're here, are you? Can't say I'm happy to see you. Not at all. You'll be wanting this." He tosses a mirror to you which you deftly catch in your hand. "I don't have any use for it myself."
"What do I do with the mirror?" you ask.
Volroar shrugs his capacious shoulders. "I neither know nor care to know. Do with it as you want. Only leave me be."

> east
You move east.

The Dream
In a shadowy cell
Ar you stand, the walls forever fading in and out of reality, the floor one moment there, the next gone, the ceiling the night sky and then the bright light of day...
Resting on a plinth near to where you stand is a coffin.

Exits lie:in many directions

Selphaza is here.Garrick walks towards you from the west.

> give mirror to selphaza
"My mirror!" cries Selphaza and snatches it from your hand. She peers into it and breathes a sigh of relief. "Ah, my looks are unaffected. Thank heaven for that! What I would do without them I cannot imagine." She glances over to you. "Expect no reward from me, Marlon, just go before I lose my patience."

> talk to selphaza
Selphaza spares you barely a glance as you approach. She says, "another one of you, is there? Well, I saw the others off. I'm sure I can see off one more."
"I'm not sure I follow you," you say.
Selphaza sighs. "The other ones like you. The other adventurers for want of a better word. They come here, they bother me, I give them the stake they require, and they go. Sooner or later the stake returns to me and so I know they have died."
"The stake?"
"This stake." She throws it to you. "Now go, and do with it what you must."
"And what is that?"
"Ha! I did not tell the others. I am hardly going to tell you. Do not bother me anymore."

> ne
You move northeast.

The Dream
In a shadowy cell
Ar you stand, the walls forever fading in and out of reality, the floor one moment there, the next gone, the ceiling the night sky and then the bright light of day...
Resting on a plinth near to where you stand is a coffin.

Exits lie:in many directions

Iridil is here.Garrick walks towards you from the south-west.

> north
You move north.

The Dream
In a shadowy cell
Ar you stand, the walls forever fading in and out of reality, the floor one moment there, the next gone, the ceiling the night sky and then the bright light of day...
Resting on a plinth near to where you stand is a coffin.

Exits lie:in many directions

Vadris is here.Garrick walks towards you from the south.

> give stake to vadris
Vadris takes the stake with a smile. "And thus I am safe. There exists only one stake in this little hellhole and I now possess it. Hence, none can stand against me. Thank you, Marlon, for this gift. But expect no reward from me. Best you go now, before I forget myself and rid this world of one more interfering do-gooder."

> talk to vadris
"I have told you everything I can. I know nothing else."

> north
You cannot go in that direction. Try instead going northeast and south.

> ne
A sudden gust of wind blows through this strange place and you feel the ground beneath your feet crumbling away. You try to step back from the edge but find only empty space behind you. You fall...

It seems a long time has passed before you awaken. You find yourself no more in the strange cell
Ar that was the dream but instead lying on the ground by the side of the pit. Clutched in your left hand is a glowing orb which pulses with magical energy. Scattered around you are the possessions you were carrying before the dream began.
"You have done well..." whispers a voice from somewhere. "You have succeeded where many before you failed... Perhaps you have a chance... Take the Orb... Do with it what must be done..."
The voice fades leaving you alone in the passageway.Garrick walks towards you.

> get all
You pick up the picklock, the wallet, the silver marble, your journal, the worn, leather gloves, the crucifix, the gold ring, the smelling salts, the verdigris key, the vial of holy water, the herbs, the cobalt key and the scroll.

> north
You move north.

Deserted Library
There is a feeling of great age about this location, as if the library has stood here since time immemorial. Cobwebs cover all surfaces, lending an eerie look to the place.
Dust stirred by your footsteps obscures your vision for a moment, and causes you a worrying moment when you think you hear someone moving around behind you.
Seven rows of books line one wall, three line the other. At the end of the second row are a ruin of old bookshelves and destroyed books. The destruction appears recent.
By the southern door is a desk and a chair, both remnants from when the library was an active place rather than the memory it is now.

Exits lie: northwest (to the empty room) and south (to a passageway)

Garrick walks towards you from the south.

> nw
You move northwest.

Empty room
You expected to find this room full of people - but instead it appears deserted. What happened to the voices and laughter you heard? Or did you hear them at all?
Somewhere in the castle, a clock strikes the hour.
Of the room itself, little can be said. It is small, perhaps the same size as the cell you awoke in earlier, and desolate aside from a small collection of boxes in one corner. Archways in three walls lead further into the castle.

Exits lie: northwest (through an archway), east (through an archway), southeast (through an archway) and south (to the top of the stairs)

Garrick walks towards you from the south-east.

> nw
You move northwest.

Passage
The passage widens somewhat here and to the west you can make out what appears to be a large open area with a pit in the centre. A fire burns in this pit. Seated around the pit, their eyes as larger as saucers, are a group of strange men in long, black robes. They appear to be chanting words under their breath.
In one corner of the room you fancy you see someone standing watching you, but a closer examination reveals there is nothing there.
Set into the walls of this passage are a number of alcoves, each of which is filled by a statue of some fantastic beast you have never seen the like of before. Are they real? Or just the work of a fevered mind?

Exits lie: west (to the pit) and southeast (to the empty room)

Garrick walks towards you from the south-east.

> x statues
There are eight alcoves in total, each containing the statue of a beast from legend (or myth in some cases). The four alcoves on the southern side of the passage contain statues of a medusa, a dragon, an ogre and a goblin. The four alcoves to the north contain statues of a hydra, a basilisk, a horned devil and a zombie. What any of this signifies is beyond you.

> close eyes
You close your eyes but determine to open them if needs be.

> touch basilisk
You lay a hand on the basilisk's paw hand. Nothing seems to happen.

> read scroll
You speak the words you memorised from the scroll.

Under your hand, you feel a strange sensation - as if the statue were moving! You try to jerk your hand back but find yourself unable to. Something is gripping your wrist!

"The sixth word is 'end'," breathes a voice as cold as the grave and the pressure on your hand is released.

You open your eyes. The statue of the basilisk stands before you in the exact same position it was in before. Nothing seems to have changed. But you know deep down that something has changed. You mull over the word it told you - end - and wonder what it signifies.

> close eyes
You close your eyes but determine to open them if needs be.

> touch medusa
You lay a hand on the medusa's hand. Nothing seems to happen.

> read scroll
You speak the words you memorised from the scroll.

Under your hand, you feel a strange sensation - as if the statue were moving! You try to jerk your hand back but find yourself unable to. Something is gripping your wrist!

"The word is 'life'," breathes a voice as cold as the grave and the pressure on your hand is released.

You open your eyes. The statue of the medusa stands before you in the exact same position it was in before. Nothing seems to have changed. But you know deep down that something has changed. You mull over the word it told you - life - and wonder what it signifies.

> touch devil
You lay a hand on the horned devil's hand. Nothing seems to happen.

> read scroll
You speak the words from the scroll.

It seems at first that nothing has happened, but then you you feel a strange sensation under your hand, as if the horned devil statue were coming to life! You try to jerk your hand back but find yourself unable to. Fear paralyses you!

"Who seeks the second word? A human? Hmmm. Well, know then that the word is 'the'. Little good it will do you!" the horned devil grates. It pushes you away with a sneer.

You stagger back, shocked at what as happened (even thought you do not fully understand it). The horned devil statue seems as it was before. Unmoving. All that seems to have changed is the word in the back of your mind - 'the'.

> touch dragon
You lay a hand on the dragon's paw. Nothing seems to happen.

> read scroll
You speak the words from the scroll.

It seems at first that nothing has happened, but then you you feel a strange sensation under your hand, as if the dragon statue were coming to life! You try to jerk your hand back but find yourself unable to. Fear paralyses you!

"The word is 'at'," breathes a voice directly into your mouth and your hand is released.

You stagger back, shocked at what as happened (even thought you do not fully understand it). The dragon statue remains as it was before. All that seems to have changed is the word in the back of your mind - 'at'.

> touch ogre
You lay a hand on the ogre's hand. Nothing seems to happen.

> read scroll
You speak the words from the scroll.

It seems at first that nothing has happened, but then you you feel a strange sensation under your hand, as if the ogre statue were coming to life! You try to jerk your hand back but find yourself unable to. Fear paralyses you!

"The word you seek is 'only'," whispers the ogre and your hand is abruptly released.

You stagger back, shocked at what as happened (even thought you do not fully understand it). The ogre statue seems as it was before. Unmoving. All that seems to have changed is the word in the back of your mind - 'only'.

> touch goblin
You lay a hand on the goblin's hand. Nothing seems to happen.

> read scroll
You speak the words from the scroll.

It seems at first that nothing has happened, but then you you feel a strange sensation under your hand, as if the goblin statue were coming to life! You try to jerk your hand back but find yourself unable to. Fear paralyses you!

"The word you're after is 'of'," hisses the goblin in your face as it releases your hand.

You stagger back, shocked at what as happened (even thought you do not fully understand it). The goblin statue seems as it was before. Unmoving. All that seems to have changed is the word in the back of your mind - 'of'.

> touch zombie
You lay a hand on the zombie's hand. Nothing seems to happen.

> read scroll
You speak the words from the scroll.

It seems at first that nothing has happened, but then you you feel a strange sensation under your hand, as if the zombie statue were coming to life! You try to jerk your hand back but find yourself unable to. Fear paralyses you!

The zombie stares into your eyes and whispers, "ah, one of the living seeks answers of one of the dead. Very well, living. The word is 'death', the final word you need, the word you will become one day, just as I am now. Know this word, living. Know it well." The zombie releases your hand.

You stagger back, shocked at what as happened (even thought you do not fully understand it). The zombie statue seems as it was before. Unmoving. All that seems to have changed is the ominous word in the back of your mind - 'death'.

> touch hydra
You lay a hand on the medusa's paw. Nothing seems to happen.

> read scroll
You speak the words from the scroll.

It seems at first that nothing has happened, but then you you feel a strange sensation under your hand, as if the hydra statue were coming to life! You try to jerk your hand back but find yourself unable to. Fear paralyses you!

"The word isssss 'liessssss'," the hydra hisses in your face and a moment later your hand is released.

You stagger back, shocked at what as happened (even thought you do not fully understand it). The hydra statue seems as it was before. Unmoving. All that seems to have changed is the word in the back of your mind - 'lies'.

YOUR JOURNAL HAS BEEN UPDATED - PAGE 8

> west
You move west.

The Pit
You find yourself standing at the very edge of a pit which has been dug into the floor of this chamber. Flames shoot up at regular intervals, searing the air with tremendous heat. What is causing this you do not know, but you sense that there is great power here. Best you keep well back...
You rub tiredly at your eyes, wondering if you will ever see the outside world again.
Seated around the pit are a group of strange people: clad in black robes, they have eyes the size of saucers and seem to be chanting something under their breaths. They appear wholly unaware of your presence.
In the northern wall of this room are a number of openings, each blocked with steel bars, beyond which you can see nothing but shadows.

Exits lie:east (to the passage)

Garrick walks towards you from the east.

> talk to figures
One of the figures looks at you with its strange, saucer-like eyes and mutters, "say the eight in sequence and the way shall be opened."
The figure turns back to its chanting and nothing else you say seems to have any effect.

> say the eight in sequence
Acting on a hunch you speak the words "the eight in sequence."

The figures cease their chanting and in unison turn to look at you.
"Impressive," says one.
"Remarkable," comments another.
"A sound mind to combat the evil of the dark," says a third.
"The way is open," says a fourth.
The figures then return to their chanting, continuing as if you had never interrupted them at all.

You notice that the way to the north now appears accessible.

YOUR JOURNAL HAS BEEN UPDATED - PAGE 9

> north
You move north.

Cells
You stand in a disheartening place: surrounding you in all directions save for the southern passage you used to enter this miserable place, are cells. Inside each are prisoners; some seem like you, others are hideously deformed, others appear at first unmarked but then gross monstrosities reveal themselves: you see a boy with no eyes, a girl with a head growing from her back, a man with neither arms nor legs but claws, and so on...
This bizarre set of prisoners, all of whom are confined to their cells, set up a cacophony of wails the moment you entered here, and nothing you do seems to quieten them down.

Exits lie: south (to the pit)

Garrick walks towards you from the south.

> raise orb
The moment you raise the orb, a strange thing happens. Each of the cell doors spring open!
At first, the prisoners sit there and stare at you in shock, unable to believe what has happened. Then, tentatively, one man reached out his hand - and gives a cry of delight when it passes the boundary of his cell without opposition.
"Free!" he cries. "We are free!"

Press a key to continue

Some of the prisoners here are like you: failed experiments of Vaslock's in his attempts to rid himself of his vampire vulnerabilities, but there are a couple of others amongst the prisoners whose story catches your attention. One is Harald, a former slave of Vaslock's.
"I disagreed with what he did," Harald tells you readily enough. "So I waited till he slept - he always sleeps during the day because the very sun, even though he's inside and can't see it, saps his strength - and then I tried to drive a stake through his black heart. But I wasn't fast enough, or he was waiting for me, I know not. Either way, he seized my hand, broke it off at the elbow-" he shows you his left arm which ends in a stump just beneath the elbow "-and threw me in here. I've been plotting revenge every since but until you came along..."
The final prisoner, the last person you expected to see here, is none other than Steven Harris.

Press a key to continue

"I suppose you've met the 'spy' then?" Harris asks.
"I'm not sure I know what the hell is going on here," you say. "Just who are you?"
"Steven Harris. The real Steven Harris at any rate. The one you woke up with in that grimy little cell, Marlon, he's a vampiric spy of Vaslock's. Vaslock can alter someone's appearance so they look like someone else, for a time at least, and the guy you spoke to before is none other than one of his vassals, an unpleasant fellow called Chad. Ever wonder why "Harris" was so damn unhelpful? Now you know."
"But he gave me the picklock that got me out of the cell in the first place. Why would he do that if he worked for Vaslock?"
"For the same reason as everything that happens in this hellhole - Vaslock wanted it. It's all part of his frigging experiments. He wants to see how well you think under pressure, how well you find your way around the castle, how far you get in your attempts to kill him."
You have a sudden thought. "Then Vaslock knows everything I've done today?"
Harris nods. "Undoubtedly. Like I said, all part of his experiments. He might not have the magical scrying powers he'd like to think he has but you can bet your lucky stars that he's been watching 90% of what you've done. He'll know you've freed us for sure. It's all just a case of how far he's willing to allow the experiment to run, whether he's prepared to take the risk that you might actually be able to kill him if he lets you go far enough. You're lucky in that respect - he's arrogant to the point of allowing you to reach him with a cross and a stake just because he's so convinced in his powers that he doesn't think you'll have a chance against him.
"But time is pressing, I fear. We have to get out of here. And the only way to do that is to take Vaslock on himself. You've got yourself some allies, Marlon, and if Vaslock thinks he's going to lock me up again he's got another thing coming. I might die here but I'm going to stake me a few vampires before I go."
Harris and Harald organise the other prisoners, some of whom are so weak they have trouble walking, and lead them in an orderly procession out of the cell area, leaving you to ponder over what you have been told - and what you have to do next.

YOUR JOURNAL HAS BEEN UPDATED - PAGE 15

> south
You move south.

The Pit
You find yourself standing at the very edge of a pit which has been dug into the floor of this chamber. Flames shoot up at regular intervals, searing the air with tremendous heat. What is causing this you do not know, but you sense that there is great power here. Best you keep well back...
One of the walls to your left suddenly shudders. Nothing else happens. But the event leaves you wondering just how safe this place is.
Seated around the pit are a group of strange people: clad in black robes, they have eyes the size of saucers and seem to be chanting something under their breaths. They appear wholly unaware of your presence.
In the northern wall of this room are a number of openings, each now accessible. The steel bars which previously blocked them have receded into the walls.

Exits lie:north (to the openings) and east (to the passage)

Garrick walks towards you from the north.

> east
You move east.

Passage
The passage widens somewhat here and to the west you can make out what appears to be a large open area with a pit in the centre. A fire burns in this pit. Seated around the pit, their eyes as larger as saucers, are a group of strange men in long, black robes. They appear to be chanting words under their breath.
A sudden pain behind your eyes leaves you feeling weak and irritable.
Set into the walls of this passage are a number of alcoves, each of which is filled by a statue of some fantastic beast you have never seen the like of before. Are they real? Or just the work of a fevered mind?

Exits lie: west (to the pit) and southeast (to the empty room)

Garrick walks towards you from the west.

> se
You move southeast.

Empty room
You expected to find this room full of people - but instead it appears deserted. What happened to the voices and laughter you heard? Or did you hear them at all?
A sudden pain behind your eyes leaves you feeling weak and irritable.
Of the room itself, little can be said. It is small, perhaps the same size as the cell you awoke in earlier, and desolate aside from a small collection of boxes in one corner. Archways in three walls lead further into the castle.

Exits lie: northwest (through an archway), east (through an archway), southeast (through an archway) and south (to the top of the stairs)

Garrick walks towards you from the north-west.

> south
You move south.

Top of the Stairs
A winding flight of ruined stairs lead downwards into the very depths of the castle. Looking at them gives you a bad attack of vertigo.
Dust stirred by your footsteps obscures your vision for a moment, and causes you a worrying moment when you think you hear someone moving around behind you.
Before you is a door set firmly into the wall. Beyond it you can hear the laughter and voices of several people.

Exits lie: down (the stairs) and north (through the door)

Garrick walks towards you from the north.

> down
You move down.

Ruined Stairs
Here you find yourself at the base of a flight of ruined stairs which wind upwards into the very heart of the castle. Light leaks down from a doorway set perhaps fifty feet above you. The steps, which are of incredible age, have collapsed in parts, leaving gaping holes which will make passage awkward to say the least. Cobwebs are here in abundance, masking every surface.
Far away in the castle, you hear someone crying.

Exits lie: north (through the steel door) and up (the stairs)

Garrick walks towards you from above.

> north
You move north.

Eastern hallway
You stand at the far eastern end of the hallway by a statue of an old, old man dressed in robes that appear to be made (or maybe it is just the way the statue is constructed) from bones. It sends a shiver through you just looking at the thing.
The hallway here shows definite signs of ruin: the ceiling is lined with cracks, the walls appear to be crumbling, the floorboards are broken and shattered where chunks of stone have forced their way up through them.
From somewhere you hear a door slam. It seems you are not alone.
Set into the south wall is a steel door. It appears of modern design and no doubt was fitted only recently. You can guess at the purpose for this. It now stands open.

Exits lie: west (to the shadowy hallway) and south (through the steel door)

Garrick walks towards you from the south.

> west
You move west.

Shadowy Hallway
The very atmosphere of this hallway seems wrong: the air a little too hard to breathe, the walls ever-so-slightly out of focus, the floorboards feeling more like stone beneath your feet. For certain this is not a natural place. From the corner of your eye one of the figures in a portrait appears to move but when you turn to look it is back in place again.
The hallway stretches for perhaps thirty feet east to west and is lined at regular intervals with portraits. The eyes of each person seem alive with malice and appear almost to follow you as you move about.
Lit from above by glowing panels, the hallway is nevertheless a dark and dismal place. Something tells you not to spend too much time here.
From far off in the castle you hear ghoulish laughter.

Exits lie: northwest (to the laboratory), east (to the bend in the hallway) and southwest (to a further branching of the hallway)

Garrick walks towards you from the east.

> nw
You move northwest.

The Laboratory
Dusty and abandoned, the laboratory appears to have been wrecked at some time in the recent past: cabinets have been overturned, rows of strange metallic devices have been smashed, chairs and tables lie broken on the floor. Only one table is still intact. Its surface is bare.
There is a boarded up window in one wall, drab rays of sunlight oozing through the cracks in the boards. Perhaps outside there might be some chance at escape...?
Light from a glowing panel set into the ceiling illuminates this room but there is little to see.
You have a sinking feeling that someone, somewhere, is watching you.

Exits lie: west (to the cell), north (to a door) and southeast (to a hallway)

Garrick walks towards you from the south-east.

> west


The cell
A dismal and dank room, the 'cell' you find yourself in is not large but appears to be so. Perhaps it is the lack of lighting, perhaps it is the way the walls seem somehow "insubstantial", perhaps it is simply your mind playing tricks on you.
There is a small, barred window through which streams moonlight set high up in the nearest wall. Opposite this, set into the stone like an immovable giant, is a door of cold, dark steel. Even in the dim light, mystic sigils are visible over the surface.
There are several others in the cell, clustered together in a group for warmth.

Exits lie: east (through the now open door)

You can also see Lara's doll.

The moment you step into the cell, "Harris" looks up in alarm - he clearly knows what has happened and that you are aware of his identity.
"You'll do well to keep your distance!" he warns. "You don't want to mess with me, Marlon!"
"Why not, Harris? Or should I say Chad?" you ask.
Chad hesitates then snatches Lara into his arms. He places one hand around her throat. "This is why, damnit! I knew this was a bad idea! I knew I should have got out of here! Well, step away from the door, Marlon, or I'll snap her neck like a twig!"
You stay where you are. "And who'll stop me killing you then?"
Chad sneers. "Don't give me that! You won't let an innocent child die if you have a choice in the matter." He squeezes Lara's neck, making the little girl cry out. "Now, move! Before I forget myself and snap her neck for the hell of it!"
Knowing you have little choice in the matter, you step aside. Chad rushes past you, fleeing into the laboratory and then to the southeast. You start to give chase but know you will never catch him - he runs like the wind.

YOUR JOURNAL HAS BEEN UPDATED - PAGE 15Garrick walks towards you from the east.

> get doll
You get the doll.

> east
You move east.

The Laboratory
Dusty and abandoned, the laboratory appears to have been wrecked at some time in the recent past: cabinets have been overturned, rows of strange metallic devices have been smashed, chairs and tables lie broken on the floor. Only one table is still intact. Its surface is bare.
There is a boarded up window in one wall, drab rays of sunlight oozing through the cracks in the boards. Perhaps outside there might be some chance at escape...?
Light from a glowing panel set into the ceiling illuminates this room but there is little to see.
You have a sinking feeling that someone, somewhere, is watching you.

Exits lie: west (to the cell), north (to a door) and southeast (to a hallway)

Garrick walks towards you from the west.

> se
You move southeast.

Shadowy Hallway
The very atmosphere of this hallway seems wrong: the air a little too hard to breathe, the walls ever-so-slightly out of focus, the floorboards feeling more like stone beneath your feet. For certain this is not a natural place. A wave of dizziness suddenly sweeps over you and you grasp at the wall to steady yourself.
The hallway stretches for perhaps thirty feet east to west and is lined at regular intervals with portraits. The eyes of each person seem alive with malice and appear almost to follow you as you move about.
Lit from above by glowing panels, the hallway is nevertheless a dark and dismal place. Something tells you not to spend too much time here.
A rat scurries over your foot, half causing you to have a heart attack.

Exits lie: northwest (to the laboratory), east (to the bend in the hallway) and southwest (to a further branching of the hallway)

Garrick walks towards you from the north-west.

> east
You move east.

Eastern hallway
You stand at the far eastern end of the hallway by a statue of an old, old man dressed in robes that appear to be made (or maybe it is just the way the statue is constructed) from bones. It sends a shiver through you just looking at the thing.
The hallway here shows definite signs of ruin: the ceiling is lined with cracks, the walls appear to be crumbling, the floorboards are broken and shattered where chunks of stone have forced their way up through them.
From far off in the castle you hear ghoulish laughter.
Set into the south wall is a steel door. It appears of modern design and no doubt was fitted only recently. You can guess at the purpose for this. It now stands open.

Exits lie: west (to the shadowy hallway) and south (through the steel door)

Garrick walks towards you from the west.

> south
You move south.

Ruined Stairs
Here you find yourself at the base of a flight of ruined stairs which wind upwards into the very heart of the castle. Light leaks down from a doorway set perhaps fifty feet above you. The steps, which are of incredible age, have collapsed in parts, leaving gaping holes which will make passage awkward to say the least. Cobwebs are here in abundance, masking every surface.
Far away in the castle, you hear someone crying.

Exits lie: north (through the steel door) and up (the stairs)

Garrick walks towards you from the north.

> up
You move up.

Top of the Stairs
A winding flight of ruined stairs lead downwards into the very depths of the castle. Looking at them gives you a bad attack of vertigo.
Dust stirred by your footsteps obscures your vision for a moment, and causes you a worrying moment when you think you hear someone moving around behind you.
Before you is a door set firmly into the wall. Beyond it you can hear the laughter and voices of several people.

Exits lie: down (the stairs) and north (through the door)

Garrick walks towards you from below.

> north
You move north.

Empty room
You expected to find this room full of people - but instead it appears deserted. What happened to the voices and laughter you heard? Or did you hear them at all?
Somewhere in the castle, a clock strikes the hour.
Of the room itself, little can be said. It is small, perhaps the same size as the cell you awoke in earlier, and desolate aside from a small collection of boxes in one corner. Archways in three walls lead further into the castle.

Exits lie: northwest (through an archway), east (through an archway), southeast (through an archway) and south (to the top of the stairs)

Garrick walks towards you from the south.

> east
You move east.

Eastern passage
This passage runs in a rough east-west direction and appears to be almost completely unremarkable aside from a chalk drawing on the floor. The drawing is that of a demonic face, rendered well despite the roughness of the floor.
A row of torches line the walls though their light does not seem to spread for as far as it should do. At the far eastern end is a shadowy archway, beyond which nothing can be seen.

Exits lie: west (to the empty room) and east (to the shadowy archway)

Garrick walks towards you from the west.

> east
The moment you try to walk along the corridor, a bright light flares around the chalk figure drawn on the floor. You cover your eyes until it dies down and when you can finally see again, you find you are not alone.

> throw vial at demon
Just as the demon lunges for you, you throw the vial of holy water at it, causing it to smash on the demon's gnarled face. At first nothing seems to happen-

And then the demon howls in pain!

It crashes into the wall to one side of you, clawing madly at its face, seeming to rip chunks of flesh out in its agony. You can only stand and watch in horror as the beast finally sinks to the floor, its death throes over.

YOUR JOURNAL HAS BEEN UPDATED - PAGE 16

> east
You move east.

Sloping Corridor
Here the corridor slopes abruptly upwards to the third level of the castle. The floor here appears of a more modern appearance than what you have seen thus far, and cleaner besides indicating that this section of the castle is used more than the areas you have previously travelled through. Torches line the walls giving off a sickly illumination.
Several doors slam somewhere else in the castle.
At the far end of the corridor is an archway beyond which nothing can be seen.

Exits lie: west (to the passageway) and north (the sloping corridor)

Garrick walks towards you from the west.

> north
You move north.

Ancient Feasthall
Perhaps several centuries past, this was the main feasthall of the castle. A row of tables surround a central pit dug into the floor. You suspect that in olden times a mighty fire would light and heat the room from this pit, which now contains little more than ashes.
The sudden slamming of a door makes your blood run cold.
At one end of the largest feast table is a throne of dark metal upon which sits a skeleton clad in black robes. A broadsword is resting on the skeleton's lap and a crown upon its fleshless brow.
Corridors lead off in many directions. From the western one you can hear the sound of voices.

Exits lie: west, north and northeast (along the corridors), east (through an archway) and south (to the sloping corridor)

Garrick walks towards you from the south.

> north
Goblin Chamber
Whether the occupant of this chamber is truly a goblin or just an incredibly filthy human you have no idea, but the smell in here is quite stomach-turning. It is all you can do to prevent yourself throwing up in disgust. Dust covers most of what is here although this is probably a sign of neglect than of no one living here.
The occupant's bed sags in one corner and appears to have a hunched up shape upon it, hidden beneath the filthy blankets.

Exits lie: south (to the feasthall)

> extinguish fire
You stamp on the fire until it goes out, leaving the room seeming quite a bit smaller afterwards.

> south
You move north.

Ancient Feasthall
Perhaps several centuries past, this was the main feasthall of the castle. A row of tables surround a central pit dug into the floor. You suspect that in olden times a mighty fire would light and heat the room from this pit, which now contains little more than ashes.
The sudden slamming of a door makes your blood run cold.
At one end of the largest feast table is a throne of dark metal upon which sits a skeleton clad in black robes. A broadsword is resting on the skeleton's lap and a crown upon its fleshless brow.
Corridors lead off in many directions. From the western one you can hear the sound of voices.

Exits lie: west, north and northeast (along the corridors), east (through an archway) and south (to the sloping corridor)

Garrick walks towards you from the north.

> west
You move west.

End of Corridor
The corridor ends here with each of the three walls being taken up by a single door. Each door has a plaque attached to it, perhaps giving a hint as to what lies within.
Far away in the castle you hear the sound of someone howling in pain.
Hanging on a chain by the southern door is a bell and set into the wall by the western door a button. The southwestern door has no such item.
In the corner between the southwestern and southern doors is a small pile of skulls.

Exits lie: west, southwest and south (through the doors) and east to the feasthall

Garrick walks towards you from the east.

> south


The Pool
Light from a single glowing globe set into the ceiling of this room is reflected from the pool in the centre, allowing bizarre shapes to dance around the walls. The floor beneath your feet is moist due to the water from the pool, and you seem to sink into it ever so slightly as you move around.
The pool seems some five feet deep and empty aside from a small stone statue in the middle, carved elaborately into the shape of a woman with her mouth open in song. Water cascades from her open mouth.

Exits lie: north (to the end of the corridor)

YOUR JOURNAL HAS BEEN UPDATED - PAGE 12Garrick walks towards you from the north.

> x woman
The statue is carved in the figure of a woman, naked from the waist up, her mouth open in song. Water pours her mouth into the pool. Is it your imagination or is there something wrong with her eyes?

> x eyes
You lean forward to study the statue's eyes more closely - and are shocked when they turn to look at you!

FLEE THIS PLACE!!! a voice in your mind shrieks. FLEE NOW! BEFORE YOU BECOME CAUGHT THE WAY I WAS!!!

You start to say something but the statue's eyes suddenly lose their clarity and a moment later seem nothing more than stone once again.

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> north
You move north.

End of Corridor
The corridor ends here with each of the three walls being taken up by a single door. Each door has a plaque attached to it, perhaps giving a hint as to what lies within.
One of the walls suddenly seems to bulge - but when you look again there is nothing there.
Hanging on a chain by the southern door is a bell and set into the wall by the western door a button. The southwestern door has no such item.
In the corner between the southwestern and southern doors is a small pile of skulls.

Exits lie: west, southwest and south (through the doors) and east to the feasthall

Garrick walks towards you from the south.

> east
You move east.

Ancient Feasthall
Perhaps several centuries past, this was the main feasthall of the castle. A row of tables surround a central pit dug into the floor. You suspect that in olden times a mighty fire would light and heat the room from this pit, which now contains little more than ashes.
A feeling of despair grips you and it takes a moment to shake it off.
At one end of the largest feast table is a throne of dark metal upon which sits a skeleton clad in black robes. A broadsword is resting on the skeleton's lap and a crown upon its fleshless brow.
Corridors lead off in many directions. From the western one you can hear the sound of voices.

Exits lie: west, north and northeast (along the corridors), east (through an archway) and south (to the sloping corridor)

Garrick walks towards you from the west.

> x skeleton
Havelock's skeletal remains sit on the throne that was once his during the days when the castle you are now trapped in was his domain. Such days are long gone.

> get broadsword
As you reach out your hand, the skeleton's head suddenly turns to look at you.
"I would not do that if I were you," it hisses in a voice as cold as the grave. "You might not like the consequences."

> talk to havelock
"So you are the one who would bring Vaslock down, eh?" the skeleton says. "I was expecting someone a little... larger, I have to confess."
"I'm just trying to get out of here," you reply. "I've no interest in fighting Vaslock."
The skeleton shakes its head, causing the crown to clatter from side to side. "Oh, and you think Vaslock will just let you go, do you? That he will turn a blind eye, so to speak, and allow you to escape? You, who he has carried out his experiments on, you who are his greatest hope? You are a fool if you think the vampire will let you go. No, you will escape from this place in only one way: by killing the evil that rules it."

> ask havelock about woman
"Ah, you have met Viralee," he says.
"Viralee?"
"The woman in the pool. Or statue, I should say for that is what she truly is now. She was a peasant girl from one of the surrounding villages whom Vaslock took a fancy to, as he is wont to do from time to time. He took her, brought her here, and attempted to corrupt her soul. But she was strong, was Viralee, and fought him every step of the way. In the end he tired of her, as he also is wont to do, and, to punish her for resisting him, turned her into the statue you have encountered. He placed her in the pool, unable to move but fully aware of what goes on around her. I believe she has been there for the best part of a hundred years now and doubtless will suffer for a while longer. Stone, after all, is a hardy substance."
"Is there nothing that can be done?"
Havelock nods. "But of course. Something can always be done. I have the means to free her from her torment but I lack the means to leave this hall. There are others in this part of the castle who could free her but who lack the nerve to do so for fear of what anger it might arouse in Vaslock. Here." Havelock leans forward and hands to you a vial containing a reddish powder. "Sprinkle that over her. It will free her."
You study the powder in the vial and determine to do just that.

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> ask havelock about toril
"Ah, my traitorous priest. The fool who threw his lot in with Vaslock in the misguided hope that that would save him. Little good it did him. Vaslock used him and then, when his usefulness was at an end, had him killed. As I always knew he would. In fact, Toril seemed to be the only one unaware of what fate awaited him." The skeleton gestures to the west. "He has chambers that way, warded by magics and by holy relics. Vaslock is unable to enter due to the presence of so many relics and the wards..." The skeleton seems to consider something then nods its head. "I will lower the wards for a while to allow you to enter. There is doubtless something within the traitor's chambers that you can use to fight Vaslock. But do not tarry too long there. The longer the wards are down, the more chance there is of Vaslock detecting their absence and coming to investigate."

> west
You move west.

End of Corridor
The corridor ends here with each of the three walls being taken up by a single door. Each door has a plaque attached to it, perhaps giving a hint as to what lies within.
One of the walls suddenly seems to bulge - but when you look again there is nothing there.
Hanging on a chain by the southern door is a bell and set into the wall by the western door a button. The southwestern door has no such item.
In the corner between the southwestern and southern doors is a small pile of skulls.

Exits lie: west, southwest and south (through the doors) and east to the feasthall

Garrick walks towards you from the east.

> south
You move south.

The Pool
Light from a single glowing globe set into the ceiling of this room is reflected from the pool in the centre, allowing bizarre shapes to dance around the walls. The floor beneath your feet is moist due to the water from the pool, and you seem to sink into it ever so slightly as you move around.
The pool seems some five feet deep and empty aside from a small stone statue in the middle, carved elaborately into the shape of a woman with her mouth open in song. Water cascades from her open mouth.

Exits lie: north (to the end of the corridor)

Garrick walks towards you from the north.

> use powder
Following the instructions you received from Havelock's skeletal remains, you sprinkle the vial of powder over the statue of the woman in the pool. At first it seems nothing will happen... and then her eyes open again and the water spouting from her mouth comes to an abrupt end. Her eyes lock onto yours, a voice speaks in your mind ...FREE... I AM... FREE..., and then she collapses forward, her head striking the edge of the pool with a dull thud.
You hesitate, then reach out a shaking hand and touch the woman. You are surprised to find her skin is no longer stone, it is human flesh once more.

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> north
You move north.

End of Corridor
The corridor ends here with each of the three walls being taken up by a single door. Each door has a plaque attached to it, perhaps giving a hint as to what lies within.
One of the walls suddenly seems to bulge - but when you look again there is nothing there.
Hanging on a chain by the southern door is a bell and set into the wall by the western door a button. The southwestern door has no such item.
In the corner between the southwestern and southern doors is a small pile of skulls.

Exits lie: west, southwest and south (through the doors) and east to the feasthall

Garrick walks towards you from the south.

> west
You move west.

Strange Room
You find yourself in a room of strange proportions: the ceiling appears to curve downwards in the centre, two of the walls are slanted at angles, there is a gaping hole in the middle of the floor...
The sudden slamming of a door makes your blood run cold.
It is difficult to tell anything for certain about this room aside from a door in the northern wall.

Exits lie: north and east (through doors)

Garrick walks towards you from the east.

> climb walls
Climbing the slanting walls is not actually possible because the slant is only a few degrees and the walls are too smooth to allow you to gain any purchase on them, but you are able to scramble up a few feet before gravity takes its hold on you. In this time, you find what appears to be a small clay idol tucked into a crack in one wall.

> north
You move north.

Toril's Chambers
Protected by priestly wards, this is the one chamber in the castle Count Vaslock has been unable to enter. As such, there is an air of neglect here that is not present anywhere else, a feeling that centuries have passed since anyone last set foot within these four walls.
A bed, the middle having collapsed sometime since it was last used, sits by a desk. Above the desk are three shelves filled with books and scrolls; the remains of a fourth shelf lie scattered across the top of the desk. Standing in the far corner is a suit of armour, its faceplate turned in your direction so that for a moment it seems that the suit is actually watching you. Light from the single window illuminates (although poorly) the room.

Exits lie: south (to the strange room)

Garrick walks towards you from the south.

> x bed
The bed is at least three centuries old and has suffered badly from the ravages of time. The middle has collapsed inwards and is now the home of a colony of woodlice.A long, dark cloak is on the bed.

> get cloak
You take the long, dark cloak from the bed.

> x suit of armour
No doubt this was worn by one of the defenders of the castle in olden times for it is unlikely that Toril himself ever wore it. It has a mighty broadsword clasped in one gauntleted fist.

> x faceplate
The faceplate is dull and dusty. It is impossible to see even your own reflection in it.

> rub faceplate
You rub the faceplate with the cuff of your shirt until it is bright and shiny once more.

> x faceplate
The faceplate is now clear and offers you a view inside the suit itself. However, there appears to be nothing in there. The suit does not contain a body, nor a hoard of valuables.
But as you turn away you catch sight of something in the faceplate that you never noticed before - a hood hanging on the wall by the shelves. You look at the wall and, sure enough, the hood is there. You feel a chill go through you that you never saw it before.

> get hood
You pick up the priest's hood.

> wear hood
You put on the priest's hood.

> x desk
The desk leans against the wall, one of its legs eaten through by woodlice. There is a single drawer in the desk which at the moment is closed.

> open drawer
You slide the drawer open with an eerie groaning sound. Inside you find, seemingly unmarked by age, a silver dagger which you quickly take.

> south


Strange Room
You find yourself in a room of strange proportions: the ceiling appears to curve downwards in the centre, two of the walls are slanted at angles, there is a gaping hole in the middle of the floor...
A feeling of despair grips you and it takes a moment to shake it off.
It is difficult to tell anything for certain about this room aside from a door in the northern wall.

Exits lie: north and east (through doors)

As you exit Toril's chambers, you experience a strange sensation. Turning around, you can see nothing different than before but something tells you that the wards have reinstated themselves.Garrick walks towards you from the north.

> east
You move east.

End of Corridor
The corridor ends here with each of the three walls being taken up by a single door. Each door has a plaque attached to it, perhaps giving a hint as to what lies within.
A shiver runs down your spine.
Hanging on a chain by the southern door is a bell and set into the wall by the western door a button. The southwestern door has no such item.
In the corner between the southwestern and southern doors is a small pile of skulls.

Exits lie: west, southwest and south (through the doors) and east to the feasthall

Garrick walks towards you from the west.

> sw
You move southwest.

Kitchen
In the centre of this room is a large pot resting on a pile of logs, some of which are alight. Capering around this pot are a bizarre group of creatures: none stand more than four feet tall and seem to have features which are hideously twisted out of shape. You see huge noses, gaping mouths, eyes that appear almost to be hanging from the sockets.
One of the walls suddenly seems to bulge - but when you look again there is nothing there.
Hanging on one wall are a series of cupboards that look to have seen better years. You wonder how it is they manage to stay attached to the wall.
Upon your arrival, several of the figures (there are an even dozen in total) stopped to look at you, but now they have returned to their mad capering around the pot.
Aside from this strange sight, there is little of interest to be found here.

Exits lie: northeast (to the end of the corridor)

Greera the cook is here, leaning on her staff.Garrick walks towards you from the north-east.

> give ring to greera
Greera takes the gold ring and coos, "ah, it is back, it is back! My precious!"
She seems to forget you are even there.

> open cupboards
You