The Mirror of Khoronz
Written by Derek L. Haslam and published by Phoenix for the BBC, though
never actually released commercially - game available from The Stairway to
Hell or The Interactive Fiction Archive, though only the latter version
includes the original hint files.
This is a massive game with almost two hundred locations and a 'real time'
environment where the hours pass and night follows day. Indeed one area of
the game map is only accessible at night with a lit candle. The game is
unusual in that it allows several players to take part simultaneously and,
once completed, allows a successful wizard to relocate items and thus
create entirely different problems. As you'll have guessed from that, the
aim of the game is to become a wizard.
Two fundamental problems are the size of a player's inventory and the
limited life of the light source, a candle. Most artefacts have only one
use and can be relinquished after employment. Wear everything you can and
put as many objects in the rucksack as possible. The candle should be used
sparingly and is best not used at all once a player becomes familiar with
the landscape and remembers the position of various game items.
Death can occur in numerous locations, but usually with some forewarning,
though it's essential to save the game regularly.
What follows is a bare bones solution, not a step-by-step walkthrough
(which would take far too long to write).
1. Head east from the beginning of the game, then southwest to discover
the box, containing the candle and a parchment describing where the three
parts of the tile will be found. Outside the caves go up (the word 'climb'
is not recognised by the game) to find the brass key. The matchbox is
located in the tower to the north and east of the cave entrance.
The following objects are located inside the caves: the crystal of rock
salt; the tiny silver key; the silver serpent; and, the rucksack. Use
'open' rather than 'unlock' to access the grille. Go up and obtain the
first part of the tile.
2. Don't worry if you get robbed crossing the brigands' valley. Continue
NE until you reach the path through the woods. At the junction first head
east to pick up the flat piece of wood, then go west until you reach the
cross. Waiting here leads to the arrival of a traveller whom, on being
asked, will provide three important pieces of advice. Go behind the cross
to discover a clue about a knight and go down from there to obtain the bar
of tin.
3. Ignore the path south through the woods to the pine tree for the
moment. Instead head to the Castle of Wonders. The essential thing to do
in here is to lift the carpet. Go down through the trapdoor and pick up
the compass and the lantern. Putting the candle in the lantern prevents it
from being extinguished by the wind in various locations.
4. The compass makes the spinning room at the centre of the castle
navigable (though don't go west). A white cube can be found to the
southwest and a black cube (with a button) to the northwest. Heading south
will reveal a tapestry about alchemy, while heading southeast uncovers
another describing a manticore defeating a wyvern and a cock victorious
over a basilisk, as well as a rare book. Reading or examining the book
(sometimes one command works and sometimes the other) reveals the recipe
for gold and the five ingredients needed (you should have two by now
already). Heading northeast from the spinning room and then north you will
find a suit of armour. Wear this when heading north from the spinning
room, but remove and then drop it after you've been struck by crossbow
bolts.
Pick up the bolts and the knight and examine the chessboard. This reveals
the classic knight's puzzle where all the sixty-four squares of the board
are covered once in turn by a series of moves of said chess piece. I'll
leave you to work it out for yourself (the stone cross provided a clue as
to where to begin your moves). However, if you want a shortcut, then the
key words are 'Arc-Evranor'. Remember to get the chessboard.
Go north, then west, south and east from the chessboard room to obtain the
crossbow (and don't try to kill the ice-dragon with said weapon). Then
retrace the last three steps and head east and then south across the
bridge. Note that if you were still wearing the armour you would be pulled
into the pit and don't worry about the magnetic field destroying your
compass.
5. The next part is a little tricky since it can only be navigated at
night. You will need to wait until 6pm and then light the candle. Once
outside it should become possible to navigate by the stars. If not, then
make several moves within the castle and try again. The giant weasels will
not attack if you are carrying a lit candle. Keep heading north until you
come to the beach. Now drop everything except the lantern (with candle
inside), the rucksack, the matchbox, the flat piece of wood, the bolts and
the crossbow and put everything that will fit into the rucksack. Head west
to get the coracle and return. Go north then up to board the ship.
Say Arc-Evranor to the sailors to get the ship moving. All three items on
board the ship are useful. The canvas can be found by going down, but
you'll need to use on-board directions ('forward' and 'astern') to
discover the cord and the bottle. Once all three have been obtained, leave
the ship.
6. Head east and then northeast from the jetty. Drop the canvas in the
copse. The sulphur can be found by retracing your steps and heading south
from the pool location. From the pool keep heading northeast and then
north from the signpost to the causeway. Once you enter the lake (coracle
required) head north until you see the information about a tower off to
the northeast. Head NE and then immediately go in (don't use 'enter
tower'). Shoot the beast three times with the crossbow then drop the
weapon and pick up the hacksaw.
Back outside the tower go to the northern shore. A brass arm ring can be
found in the cave to the northwest and a second part of the tile by
climbing the obelisk. Now go back to the centre of the lake. Head west and
then down to pick up the flaming sword. Tie the cord to the bottle and go
down again to the pool of mercury. Fill the bottle then go up. The cord
should float to the surface (if it doesn't first time around, go down and
up again). Pull the cord to get the bottle. Now go all the way back to the
copse. Get the axe and use it to break the door and chop down the trees.
Go inside the cabin to get the hammer and nails and back outside to make a
raft. Drop the axe and hammer. Fit the canvas to the raft and pick up your
new vessel. If you're wondering why you need this, then try going back
across the sea in the coracle. Instead launch the raft from the jetty to
return.
7. Back on the southern shore pick up everything you had left behind.
Again you'll need to wait until nighttime to traverse the weasels' domain.
Head all the way back to the cross and then return to the castle. Kill the
ice-dragon with the flaming sword then go west to get the rope and
grapnel. Tie the rope to the grapnel and return to the pine tree location.
Throw the grapnel and go up the tree to discover the location of the
warlock's warren.
8. Head west from the pine tree until you reach the centre of the clearing
and the well. Drop everything (especially the white cube!) except the
lantern/candle, matchbox and the black cube. Light the candle and then
drop the matchbox. Descend the well and first head west once you have
entered the warren. Do not open the manticore's cage from its actual
location but go into the recess to the south and then open the gate. Go
back out and into the cage. Head east to get the casket, open the iron
door, get the cage (don't type 'get cock' as it will fly away), and then
the ruby. Go east and then north and jump the pit. Note that carrying any
more weight than this results in instant death by snake-bite. Get the
tile. East and southeast from the warlock's lair you'll find a bronze
dragon and then going north leads to a cube room. Press the button on the
black cube and return to the clearing location. Pick up everything (you
might need to drop the black cube).
9. Now go all the way back to the Castle of Wonders, past the corpse of
the ice-dragon to the spiral stairway. If you examine each of the three
tile parts in turn, you'll discover that the words needed to enter the
wizard's domain are 'Draco Vincit Est'. Just type these and enter. Give
the wizard the three tile pieces (type 'give tiles'), get the ivory box
and go south to enter his laboratory. Examine the furnace and get the
crucible. Light the furnace. Put the mercury, salt, sulphur, tin and
powder in the crucible (type 'put **** in crucible'). Put the crucible in
the furnace. Wait three times. Get the crucible. Wait again. Get the gold.
Now cut the gold with the hacksaw and remember to pick up both the pieces.
10. That's almost it. First, head all the way back to the brigands' valley
and allow yourself to be robbed again. If you had already tried to open
the casket, you'll know the bandits' fate. Go directly to the thieves'
lair and release the cock to destroy the basilisk. Pick up all the
treasures.
11. Head right back to the entrance to the initial cave system and then
south to the grinning skull. Wait and then question the Narvik who
arrives. Give him the small lump of gold and get led across the swamp.
Enter the throne room and give the large lump of gold to the king. Now go
to the mine and explore its various locations. Examine the ore wagon and
obtain the shovel. Go to the location where the roof has collapsed and
dig. Go back to the wagon and push it. Follow its route to discover that
the wagon has smashed the oak door. Go in and the south.
'You are home again, your quest completed. Congratulations! You have
earned the rank of Wizard and the right to use the commands FIND, VISIT
and others which you can discover for yourself - the game still has its
secrets!'
A Wibble and Blim production for CASA.
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