from: the Asimov collection -----SERPENT'S STAR SOLVE---- GAME OPTIONS: SOUND ON/OFF AND QUICK TRAVEL (TO SPEED UP THE GAME). SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS THAT YOU HAVE TO TYPE IN EXACTLY ARE GIVEN IN QUOTES AND DIRECTIONS FOR MOVEMENT ARE GIVEN IN SQUARE BRACKETS. FOR EXAMPLE, "SIT BY EXPLORER" AND [NE,F,R,B,W] FOR NORTHEAST, FORWARD, RIGHT, BACK AND WEST. THE FIRST SEVERAL MOVES OF THE GAME ARE AUTOMATIC AND TAKE YOU JUST BEYOND THE GATES OF THE CITY WHERE YOU WILL SEE A CARAVAN. TYPE THE FOLLOWING TO GET ALL THE EQUIPMENT YOU'LL NEED: "GO CARAVAN", "BUY HORSE", "BUY SADDLEBAGS", "PUT SADDLEBAGS ON HORSE", "BUY TENT", "PUT TENT IN SADDLEBAGS", "BUY BUTTER", "BUY TSAMPA", "BUY TEA". NOW THAT YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED, TYPE [E,NE] TO GET TO THE INN. NOW YOU NEED TO GET A LAMP AND REST UP FOR THE NEXT DAY'S JOURNEY, SO TYPE: "TETHER HORSE", "ENTER", "SIT BY EXPLORER", "BUY DRINK", "OFFER DRINK", "ASK HELP", "BUY DRINK", "OFFER DRINK", "ASK HELP" (YOU NOW HAVE THE LAMP AND FUEL). CONTINUE WITH "LEAVE", "REST", "OUT", "MOUNT". NOW, IT'S OFF TO THE FIRST MONESTARY. YOU SHOULD SAVE THE GAME (TYPE "SAVE GAME") BEFORE MOVING ANY FURTHER, BECAUSE THE WOLF IS COMING UP AND YOU PROBABLY WON'T MAKE IT PAST HIM THE FIRST TIME YOU TRY! GO [SE] AND THERE'S THE WOLF!. KILLING THE WOLF IS A MATTER OF TIMING. WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS TYPE "SHOOT" AS FAST AS YOU CAN FOR AS MANY TIMES AS IT TAKES TO KILL HIM. IT VARIES FROM 3 TO 6 TIMES. ONCE THE WOLF IS DEAD, GO [S] TO THE BRIDGE. TYPE "DISMOUNT", "CROSS" AND THEN HEAD [NE]. THE MONK HAS SOMETHING YOU NEED, SO TYPE "GREET MONK", "OFFER TSAMPA", "ASK ABOUT SCROLL", "GET MONK'S SCROLL". NOW TO CONTINUE ON TO THE FIRST MONESTARY, GO [S,W,N] THEN "KNOCK", "IN", "OFFER MONEY", "DISMOUNT", "DROP REINS", "IN" AND WE'RE THERE! TYPE "GO BUDDHA", "PUT BUTTER ON ALTAR", "GO DOOR", THEN [F] AT THE INTERSECTION. YOU WILL RUN INTO THE ABBOT, SO HERE YOU TYPE "ASK ABOUT LHASA SCROLL","LEAVE", GO [L], THEN "OUT", "OUT", "MOUNT" AND WE'RE READY TO FIND THE FABLED MONESTARY WHERE THE STAR IS KEPT. FROM THE MONESTARY, GO [S,NE,NE] TO THE CAVE ENTRANCE. NOW, YOU SHOULD SAVE THE GAME AGAIN BECAUSE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAVE IS THE INFAMOUS ROCK/SNOW SLIDE AND YOU'RE GONNA NEED A BUNCH OF TRIES BEFORE YOU GET THROUGH IT!! TYPE "PUT FUEL IN LAMP", "LIGHT MATCH THEN LIGHT LAMP", THEN PROCEED [F,F]. THERE IS A CRYSTAL STATUETTE TO BE FOUND IN THE CAVE, BUT LEAVE IT ALONE! GO [F] ONE MORE TIME AND YOU WILL BE AT THE SNOW/ROCK SLIDE WHICH IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF THE GAME TO GET THROUGH. IT'S ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE TRIAL- AND-ERROR THINGS WHERE YOU JUST HAVE TO KEEP GOING UNTIL YOU GET THRU IT. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SCREEN, YOU WILL SEE ONE BOULDER THAT BOUNCES OFF THE MOUNTAIN AND IS HIGHLIGHTED AGAINST THE SKY AS IT GOES DOWN THE TOWARD THE ROAD. IF YOU FOLLOW THIS BOULDER DOWN, YOU WILL SEE THAT AT ONE POINT IT HITS THE GROUND JUST TO THE LEFT OF THE ROAD. AS SOON AS IT BOUNCES UP AGAIN, PRESS A KEY! GO [F] AND A WHOLE SERIES OF SCREENS GO BY EXPLAINING ABOUT IT BEING NIGHT TIME AND THE AIR AROUND THE RUINS IS MYSTERIOUS, ETC. ONCE THE FABLED MONESTARY APPEARS, TYPE "KNOCK", "OFFER MONK'S SCROLL", "DISMOUNT", "DROP REINS", "IN". NOW THAT YOU'RE INSIDE, GO [F,F,F] ALL THE WAY UP TO THE STATUE OF BUDDHA, THEN "LOOK BEHIND", "GO BEHIND", "GET ALL", "WEAR ROBE", THEN GO [B,F], "UNLOCK DOOR", GO [L] AND "LOOK STAFF". YOU SEE THE INSCRIPTION YOU WILL NEED TO KILL THE DEMON GUARDS LATER ON. TYPE "GET SCROLL", AND THEN GO [B] AND "OUT" BACK TO THE COURTYARD. THIS TIME, GO [L], THEN "LOOK TAPESTRY", [F]. NOW TYPE "PUT OUT FLAME" THREE TIMES TO GET ALL THE FLAMES OUT. THEN "OPEN DOOR" AND GO [F] WHERE YOU FIND 3 OF THE 6 GEMS YOU WILL NEED. TYPE "OPEN CHEST", "GET ALL" AND GO [F] AND "OPEN BOX". THE BLACK CLOUD WILL CAUSE YOU TO STUMBLE AROUND IN THE DARK, SO TO MAKE THINGS EASY, JUST TYPE [N,N,N,N,N,N,N,N,N,N] AND YOU'LL BE IN THE LITTLE ARMORY. TYPE "PUT STAFF IN PACK", "GET SHIELD" AND GO [D]. TYPE "DROP SHIELD", "GET STAFF", "SAY TSKDG", "PUT STAFF IN PACK", "LOOK FLOOR", "GET ALL" (INCLUDING GEM #4), AND "OPEN DOOR". GO [F], "GET ALL" (GEM #5), THEN [F,F] TO THE OLD SAGE. HE WILL ASK YOU THREE QUESTIONS; YOUR THREE ANSWERS ARE "DRAGON", "YIN AND YANG", AND "MAN", RESPECTIVELY. NOW GO [R] YOU ARE NOW AT THE MAZE. IT SEEMS THE AUTHORS LEFT A BIT OF DEBUGGING CODE IN, SO IF YOU TYPE "STAT" WHILE IN THE MAZE, IT WILL TELL YOU WHERE YOU ARE AND WHAT DIRECTION YOU'RE FACING! BUT TO SAVE YOU THE TROUBLE OF WENDING YOUR WAY AROUND, HERE IS THE SEQUENCE TO REACH THE DOOR OF THE DRAGON'S LAIR: THE FOLLOWING PATH IS THE SHORTEST WAY TO GET THRU THE MAZE. FIRST, GO [L,L], "GET ALL" (THE LAST OF THE 6 GEMS), THEN GO [B,F,L,F], "RING GONG", [B,F,L,L], "DROP MATCHES", "GET TSAMPA", [R,F,L,L] AND YOU'RE AT THE DOOR...NOW YOU KNOW WHAT THE SIX GEMS ARE FOR! THEY HAVE TO BE INSERTED INTO THE DOOR IN THE PROPER ORDER, SO TYPE: " PUT BLACK GEM IN DOOR" " PUT VIOLET CRYSTAL IN DOOR" " PUT BLUE STONE IN DOOR" " PUT GREEN GEM IN DOOR" " PUT ORANGE GEM IN DOOR" " PUT CLEAR CRYSTAL IN DOOR" THE DOOR WILL OPEN, SO GO [F]. TYPE "BLOW SHELL". THE DRAGON WILL APPEAR AND ASK TWO QUESTIONS. YOU ONLY HAV E TO ANSWER ONE, AS THE SHIELD WILL PROTECT YOU IF YOU MISS ONE OF THEM... TO SAVE WEAR AND TEAR ON THE SHIELD, HOWEVER, YOUR TWO ANSWERS (IN ORDER) ARE: "RAINBOW" AND "NIRVANA". THE DRAGON WILL NOW DISAPPEAR AND YOU CAN THEN "DROP ALL", "GET SERPENT'S STAR", "LOOK NICHE", "PUT SERPENT'S STAR IN NICHE" AND YOU'RE DONE!! =END=