Curse of Crowley Manor

THE CURSE OF CROWLEY MANOR is the second in the series of "Other Ventures" from Adventure International. Like the others, there is a minimum of description (and clues) in the rooms through which you travel. This walkthrough will examine all the locations and objects, even if they aren't instrumental in solving the game. That way, you'll get the whole flavour of the adventure.

You start in a large office with some furniture, and a closed door to the east. You might as well have a look around, because you can't do anything (including leave the room) until the telephone rings, and you answer it. So, type <I> for inventory and have a LOOK AT the objects that you are carrying. You can't EXAMINE anything, you can only LOOK. LOOK AT THE CALENDAR and NAMEPLATE on the desk, and have a LOOK OUT the window. Now you know who and where you are! You're Inspector Black of Scotland Yard in London, on the night of April 2, 1913.

Finally, the telephone rings and you ANSWER it. Officer Strade tells you to get to CROWLEY MANOR, because there has been a murder. Now you can OPEN THE DOOR to the east, and when you do, you find yourself on a landing, with a hallway heading south. GO SOUTH <S>, and you will end up on a brick street in front of Scotland Yard.

If you LOOK AT THE STREET, you will discover that a hansom cab is parked there, and the driver is smiling at you. This looks promising, so GO TO THE CAB. (Note that in some versions of the game, you cannot "GO TO THE CAB", you must "CLIMB IN"). If you TALK, the friendly driver will ask you where you are going. Why, CROWLEY MANOR, of course! (You will find that throughout the game, typing TALK or LISTEN will elicit information that will help you to solve the mystery.)

LOOK AT THE DRIVER, and you will find a small VIAL. GET THE VIAL...it's HOLY WATER and will come in handy, later. While the cab is driving through the streets of London, have a LOOK as you pass some familiar landmarks, and eventually pull into the driveway that leads into CROWLEY MANOR.

GET OUT of the cab, and the driver will tell you that he has taken 10 of your 50 shillings. You are on the porch, and if you LOOK, you will see Police Inspector Harbour. TALK, and he will tell you that the body is in the kitchen and Officer Strade is inside. CLIMB THE STEPS and you will end up in the plush entry hall, which contains a large, locked cabinet.

From now on, you should type LOOK when you enter a room, and it will list the contents. When you type LOOK AT (a specific object), you will get some of the details that are included in this walkthrough.

Now's the time to get rid of some of the baggage that you don't need: Drop the I.D. CARD, and the 40 SHILLINGS. If you were to quit or get killed, you would be returned to your office with all possessions intact. To get back to CROWLEY MANOR, you would need your money with you, but since this won't happen, you don't need to lug it around.

GO WEST <W> and then <S>. This is the elegant music room, lined with old portraits. They stare at you with fiendish, inhuman eyes. You find an old victrola and a piano. LOOK AT THE VICTROLA, and you will see the crank. Try turning the crank. Hmmm...it's stuck! Have a LOOK AT THE CRANK and you will find a GOLD KEY. You don't need the GOLD KEY to solve the adventure, but take it anyway. Now the crank is unstuck and you can TURN it. LISTEN. Ahhh...MOZART!! Go <N> twice, into the dimly lit room. A small figure huddles in the dark, but you can't see much. The figure is on the floor. TALK to him. It is DAVONN, and NO MAN has murdered his master.

GO EAST <E> into the study. It's full of old books and a desk. There is a silver book on the desk, which you can READ (Note that some versions of the game require you to "READ" twice). You learn that "the demon" is trapped in the house. Brrrrr!!! Open the desk, and get the CRYSTAL BALL. Go <W> (you will find Davonn has been cruelly murdered!), <S>, and <E>.

If you want, unlock the large locked cabinet with the GOLD KEY. Officer Strade falls out! Now you have a personal stake in finding the demon of CROWLEY MANOR!! Drop the GOLD KEY and GO EAST. You are at the south end of a long hall. If you LOOK, you will find a statue which turns out to be a WHITE ELEPHANT. It is, so forget about it.

GO NORTH again. You are in the centre of the hall. A tremendous force thrusts you against the wall, and there is a hideous smell. (This only happens if you LOOK. Without doing so, it would be a rather dull adventure indeed!) GO NORTH again to the north end, and CLIMB THE STAIRWAY there.

You are in the kitchen. Blood splatters the walls and floor, but there is no body! If you LOOK again, you will discover a brown, slimey GROWTH on the floor. GET THE GROWTH and GO WEST, into the exquisite dining room.

There is a china cabinet which you cannot open, and a marble table here. LOOK AT THE OAK TABLE. You must do this, to discover the delicious looking FOOD. DROP THE GROWTH and LOOK. It slides over to the plate, devours the food, and begins to grow. LOOK again. The GROWTH shoots under the china cabinet, which falls over with a crash. What have we here?! A LETTER OPENER and a HAND AXE! Get Them both. Return to the parlor: <E> <S> <S> <S> <W> <W>.

Here you will find a Rosewood chest, screwed shut. But you have a LETTER OPENER! UNSCREW THE SCREWS, and OPEN THE CHEST. You will find a CRUCIFIX and an OLD NOTE. Get Them. When you read the note, you will see that it says "5271". Remember this, and drop the OLD NOTE, and the LETTER OPENER. Go back to the dining room <E> <E> <N> <N> <CLIMB STAIRS> <W>. GO NORTH to the food pantry. A closed door is to the east. OPEN THE DOOR, and you will be in a short E/W hall. GO EAST to the small storage room.

If you LISTEN, you will hear a noise behind the plywood wall. CHOP A HOLE IN THE WALL WITH THE AXE. CLIMB THROUGH THE HOLE. You are in a darkened room with scientific instruments. LOOK, and a tremendous voice will boom out: "YOU HAVE NOT THE POWER TO FACE ME YET. BE WARNED..." Wow, the plot thickens!

Part II COLLECTING THE WEAPONS

LOOK AT THE SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS. There is an ancient book here. READ THE BOOK, and you will learn that "GAFALA ALONE CAN HELP." Who is GAFALA? You'll GO WEST to the musty room. There is a door here, with a numeral lock. Luckily, you have sacraments (CRUCIFIX and HOLY WATER), or an icy creature would appear and kill you! SET THE DIAL TO 5271 (the number on the OLD NOTE). The door will click. OPEN THE DOOR.

You are in a damp, brick walled room. There is a horrible stench. LOOK (several times): A powerful force slams you against the wall. Something screams. You are thrown flat on the floor. A voice bellows, "SOON YOU'LL BE MINE!!" The room cools and fills with smoke. Your crucifix is red hot. An evil smelling smoke drifts through the room. It forms frightening shapes. This is getting exciting, isn't it?!

CLIMB THE STAIRWAY that lies to the east. You are at the south end of a N/S hall. Sound familiar? GO NORTH twice, then <W> through the doorway. You are in a stark room of red brick. This appears to be a dead end! Time to call in the reinforcements! Type GAFALA. A wall falls, and a voice shouts: "I AM HERE!" LOOK! The west wall has collapsed, revealing a stairway. CLIMB THE STAIRWAY.

You are in a brilliant crystal room. A towering figure of white stands in the centre. A glowing mist surrounds the figure. TALK TO GAFALA. You learn that he is the evil demon's brother, and that two paths leave the room to the north and the south. It's a good thing that you had GAFALA to help you, because there's no indication of any exits from this room!

GO SOUTH to the east end of an E/W hall. GO WEST to the crypt. If you LOOK, you will discover that THE HORROR IS HERE - THE DEMON! It screams: "WHERE IS YOUR WEAPON, MAGGOT?" Well...it seems that you need to arm yourself! Whatever you do, don't LOOK again, or you will end up back in the darkened room with DAVONN. This wouldn't be the end of the world, but you would have to retrace your steps.

GO WEST to the dim, shimmering room. A ghostly figure sits at a piano. It resembles the portraits back in the music room! TALK, and it will tell you that it knows one composer and will play if you name him. Know any composers? How about MOZART! Sure enough, the figure plays and a stairway appears to the north. CLIMB THE STAIRWAY.

Oh oh...another apparent dead end! This is a large deserted room with nothing in view. Luckily, you DO have five senses. LISTEN...and you will hear a noise above your head. LOOK UP, and then CLIMB THE ROPE you see hanging from the ceiling.

You are in a damp, musty passage with a rope hanging through a hole in the floor. Why not have a LOOK? Sure enough, a GOLD SHIELD appears. GET THE GOLD SHIELD. If you look again, you will notice a light to the east. GO EAST.

You are in a great silver room, with a circular depression on the floor. I'll bet you're carrying something that would fit that perfectly! DROP THE CRYSTAL BALL and LOOK. You see a vision of a sword and a beautiful fountain. LOOK again, and a magic SWORD will appear.

GET THE SWORD and return to the crystal room where GAFALA is: <W> <CLIMB DOWN ROPE> <S> <E> (If you like, have a look when you get to the crypt, and you will find a SILVER CLUB and half decayed corpses on the floor. Don't bother with either!) Just for fun, GO NORTH, LOOK and GO SOUTH. Keep going to the crystal room: <E> <N>.

Part III CHASING THE DEMON

Now, take the other path NORTH <twice> and you will find yourself in a wide, dark, smelly pit. A low wailing moan permeates the darkness. LISTEN. BUT IS IT CLEANSED?" Hmmm...something else to keep in mind! CLIMB THE STAIRWAY to the north.

You are in a stone room strewn with bones. A huge, ugly rat is here. Unfortunately , you can't kill the rat until it removes a chunk of flesh from your arm ! Don't do anything but LOOK. It will oblige you, and you can KILL THE RAT WITH THE REVOLVER. If you try to use any other weapon, it will rip out your throat! OPEN THE DOOR to the west, and you will be in a smelly dirt pit with fungus growing on the walls. A stairway to the north is blocked by wooden beams. CHOP THE BEAMS WITH THE AXE, and then you can CLIMB THE STAIRS.

You are in a very eerie, black walled chamber. Strange, magical runes are drawn on the floor. A ghost-like image of GAFALA is here. TALK TO GAFALA, and he will give you some important advice: "YOU HAVE BUT ONE MOMENT TO STRIKE. STRIKE ONLY THEN."

Now comes a rather annoying part of the game. There is no indication of any other exit from the room, except the golden doorway to the north. If you GO SOUTH, you will end up back in the pit.

Yet, you must GO EAST!! Here you will find a brilliant green room with a beautiful fountain. It flows with green liquid and energy waves. CLEANSE THE SWORD in the fountain. You will be rewarded with a surge of power and a low moan from the north. If you hadn't gone east and cleansed your sword, than all would be lost!! Rather a significant thing to leave hidden away, isn't it? (Note that in some graphic versions of the game, the doorway to the east is visible in the picture)

Return to the eerie chamber and through the golden doorway: <W> <N>. You end up in a gigantic cavern, stretching out of sight to the east and west, and filled with a sickening odor. Just head straight NORTH to the Gates of Hell. IT IS UPON YOU!

LOOK (several times): The demon hurls you through the air. Your body slams against a wall. Your face is red hot from the heat of its breath. It howls, "THANK YOU FOR DROPPING IN, FOOL!" It slams you into a small passage and laughs, "YOU'VE BEEN DUPED! YOU CAN'T KILL ME!" Your body shakes with convulsions as the demon tries to crush you, but you are shielded! It touches your white hot sword and screams with pain. (Good thing you cleansed it, or you wouldn't have gotten even this far!) It belches a sheet of flame which engulfs your body. You're getting a little perturbed, but you're biding your time!

The demon stares into your face. "JOIN ME...SPAWN OF DIRT, AND SHARE THE POWER THAT IS MINE." The time has come!!! Without further ado, KILL THE DEMON WITH THE SWORD.

Your CRT explodes with light!! Congratulations! You have defeated the demon of CROWLEY MANOR!