text: l of old, brittle parchment is here.
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor outside.
  Your stomach is starting to grumble.
  
  > take the scroll
  Your load is too heavy, especially in light of your exhaustion.
  
  > Sleep
  You try to sleep but it's too noisy.
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor outside.
  
  > read the scroll
  The scroll reads "kulcad spell: dispel a magic spell". The spell seems very long and extremely complicated.
  Suddenly, you sense a great wind of evil magic blowing around you. You are weighed down by its power, and only your sorcerous training permits you to withstand it. When you regain your composure, your surroundings have changed.
  
  > look
  Everything you see is grey and lifeless, as though covered with a veil of ash. Sound is muted and there is a faint acrid odor.
  This is the control room for all the machinery nearby. The controls are all magical, of course. The walls are covered by blinking lights and shifting displays, interspersed with arcane dials and glowing buttons. It's all very mysterious looking. The exit, to the northwest, leads into a room with machinery which would surely crush you if you were to attempt to enter it.
  A scroll of old, brittle parchment is here.
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor outside.
  
  > Inventory
  You are carrying:
  A spell book
  A jug (providing light)
  The jug contains:
  A quantity of water
  A partially eaten loaf of bread
  A jewelled box
  
  > go to the west
  You are feeling tired.
  
  > Sleep
  Ah, sleep! It's been a long day, indeed. The rest will do you good. You spread your cloak on the floor and drift off, renewing your powers and refreshing your mind ... Time passes as you snore blissfully.
  
  You sleep uneventfully, dreamlessly, and awake refreshed.
  The sun has now risen above the hills.
  Your stomach is starting to grumble.
  
  > go to the southeast
  You make it across the room, but just barely; just as you duck through the door, a huge hammer crashes down behind, missing by an inch. Something you stepped on along the way clicked as well, and with a horrible screeching noise, the machinery speeds up, crashing faster and faster until it's twice as fast as before.
  
  Everything you see is grey and lifeless, as though covered with a veil of ash. Sound is muted and there is a faint acrid odor.
  This is the control room for all the machinery nearby. The controls are all magical, of course. The walls are covered by blinking lights and shifting displays, interspersed with arcane dials and glowing buttons. It's all very mysterious looking. The exit, to the northwest, leads into a room with machinery which would surely crush you if you were to attempt to enter it.
  A scroll of old, brittle parchment is here.
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor outside.
  
  > Go northwest
  You run across the room, trying to dodge the crashing machinery, and you are succeeding for a while until you set off a trap. A volley of sharp spears, powered by cunning machinery, comes at you from all directions. You are skewered! The huge hammer crashes down for the coup de grace.
  
  ****  You have died  ****
  
  You awaken among the members of the Circle. Belboz the Necromancer looks tired, and scattered about are the remains of the components of a spell of great healing power. The other members of the Circle are pleased to see you revived, but worried by the setback. "I think Krill is too powerful," says one. "This inexperienced wizard will never defeat one so puissant as he." Quiet discussion ensues, with well-concealed acrimony beneath the surface.
  Debate ensues, with Belboz returning frequently to the contents of the ancient manuscript. His wishes prevail, and it is agreed to send you back....
  
  There is a loaf of bread here.
  There is a jug here (providing light).
  The jug contains:
  A quantity of water
  
  > look
  Everything you see is grey and lifeless, as though covered with a veil of ash. Sound is muted and there is a faint acrid odor.
  This is the control room for all the machinery nearby. The controls are all magical, of course. The walls are covered by blinking lights and shifting displays, interspersed with arcane dials and glowing buttons. It's all very mysterious looking. The exit, to the northwest, leads into a room with machinery which would surely crush you if you were to attempt to enter it.
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor outside.
  
  > Kulcad box
  As you cast the spell, the brittle scroll vanishes!
  It appears that the jewelled box was real, since nothing happens.
  
  A knife seems to split your head apart. A deep, black presence seems to enter and probe, deep and sure. After what seems like an eternity, it passes, leaving you with a throbbing headache.
  
  > Kulcad rope
  As you cast the spell, the brittle scroll vanishes!
  Nothing obvious happens, but when you examine the rope, it lacks a certain something you saw in it before. It now looks sort of ordinary, like a clothesline.
  
  A knife seems to split your head apart. A deep, black presence seems to enter and probe, deep and sure. After what seems like an eternity, it passes, leaving you with a throbbing headache.
  
  > learn the rezrov
  Using your best study habits, you learn the rezrov spell.
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor outside.
  
  > Rezrov box
  The rope dissolves and the jewelled box flies open!
  
  > look in the box
  The jewelled box contains:
  A vellum scroll
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor outside.
  
  > read it
  The scroll reads "melbor spell: protect magic users from harm by evil beings".
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor outside.
  
  > Gnusto melbor
  Your spell book begins to glow softly. Slowly, ornately, the words of the melbor spell are inscribed, glowing even more brightly than the book itself. The book's brightness fades, but the spell remains! However, the scroll on which it was written vanishes as the last word is copied.
  
  > learn the melbor
  Using your best study habits, you learn the melbor spell.
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor outside.
  
  > Melbor yourself
  A wave of warmth courses through you, leaving you with a feeling of great internal strength.
  
  > Go northwest
  You rush across the engine room, your speed enabling you to avoid the gigantic hammers and gears; at this speed they appear to move with great deliberation. Unfortunately, you set off a trap, and many sharp spears fly at you from all directions! They seem to move pretty fast. Too fast, in fact. You can't dodge them, and you are severely skewered.
  
  ****  You have died  ****
  
  You awaken among the members of the Circle. Belboz the Necromancer looks tired, and scattered about are the remains of the components of a spell of great healing power. The other members of the Circle are pleased to see you revived, but worried by the setback. "I think Krill is too powerful," says one. "This inexperienced wizard will never defeat one so puissant as he." Quiet discussion ensues, with well-concealed acrimony beneath the surface.
  Debate ensues, with Belboz returning frequently to the contents of the ancient manuscript. His wishes prevail, and it is agreed to send you back....
  
  There is a loaf of bread here.
  There is a jug here (providing light).
  The jug contains:
  A quantity of water
  
  > Go southeast
  You are feeling tired.
  
  This is a meadow near the sea. There is a smell of salt in the air. Only heather and thistles grow here. To the north is a gate leading into the castle. A narrow path to the southeast leads to the shore of the Sea.
  The stars shine down on you from a clear, dark sky.
  Your stomach is starting to grumble.
  
  This is a rocky beach along a grey and lifeless sea. There is dead seaweed covering many rocks, and listless waves barely stir the flotsam and jetsam here. There are many shells, but all are broken. A narrow path to the northwest leads into a meadow.
  The stars shine down on you from a clear, dark sky.
  Crawling slowly along the beach is an enormous turtle, his enamelled shell shining with all the colors of the rainbow.
  
  > Cleesh turtle
  As he is already a reptile, the spell has little effect.
  
  > Hello
  The turtle looks at you quizzically. It's clear he would like to understand you, but he doesn't. He responds, but it's only snaps, hisses, and clicks to you.
  
  > learn the nitfol
  Using your best study habits, you learn the nitfol spell.
  
  > Nitfol turtle
  The rainbow turtle looks at you for a moment, and you look at it. "Hello," it says.
  You are worn out.
  
  > Sleep
  Ah, sleep! It's been a long day, indeed. The rest will do you good. You spread your cloak under the open sky and drift off, renewing your powers and refreshing your mind ... Time passes as you snore blissfully.
  
  You sleep blissfully, unaware of the evil creatures lurking in the darkness. Unaware, that is, until one of them sets upon you with nasty sharp teeth.
  
  ****  You have died  ****
  
  You awaken among the members of the Circle. Belboz the Necromancer looks tired, and scattered about are the remains of the components of a spell of great healing power. The other members of the Circle are pleased to see you revived, but worried by the setback. "I think Krill is too powerful," says one. "This inexperienced wizard will never defeat one so puissant as he." Quiet discussion ensues, with well-concealed acrimony beneath the surface.
  Debate ensues, with Belboz returning frequently to the contents of the ancient manuscript. His wishes prevail, and it is agreed to send you back....
  
  There is a loaf of bread here.
  There is a jug here (providing light).
  The jug contains:
  A quantity of water
  Your stomach is starting to grumble.
  
  > Go north
  You can't go that way.
  You are becoming quite hungry.
  
  > Sleep
  You fall asleep quickly and begin to dream. The dream turns into a nightmare of decay and desolation, as your surroundings turn grey and lifeless. You feel a great weight, like a pile of ashes, constricting your movements, and then you bolt awake!
  
  > touch the shell
  The turtle seems to appreciate the attention.
  
  > take the turtle
  The turtle is much too large to take.
  
  > Blorb
  What do you want to blorb?
  
  > give the scroll to you
  The rainbow turtle seems confused. "I don't see any scroll here!"
  
  > ask Turtle,  to go to the northwest
  The rainbow turtle, ever the good friend, leaves you.
  
  > Go north
  This interior courtyard stands at the southern entrance to the castle, where a small rusty gate is standing open and slowly swaying in a gentle sea breeze. Beyond the gate can be seen a small meadow and, beyond that, a white beach on a misty sea. Passages enter the castle proper to the north, east, and west.
  An enormous turtle is here, its enamelled shell shining with all the colors of the rainbow.
  
  > Up
  The turtle huffs and puffs up the stairs. "Pretty steep stairs for a turtle, friend..."
  
  > ask Turtle,  to go southeast
  The poor turtle starts, but he's just too slow. About halfway across the room he is dispatched by the enormous hammer, leaving only a rainbow colored smudge on the floor. Even that disappears at the next blow of the hammer.
  
  *** The rainbow turtle has died ***
  
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor.
  
  > learn exex
  Using your best study habits, you learn the exex spell.
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor.
  A gaunt, feral-looking dog carrying a well-chewed bone approaches, is surprised by your presence, growls and then turns tail.
  
  > ask Turtle,  to go southeast
  As the turtle starts across, he seems to set off something, for the machinery speeds up and the noise level becomes almost unbearable. Luckily, he makes it to the other side safely!
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor.
  
  > go southeast
  You start across the room, but less than halfway across, the huge hammer crashes down, right on top of you!
  
  ****  You have died  ****
  
  You awaken among the members of the Circle. Belboz the Necromancer looks tired, and scattered about are the remains of the components of a spell of great healing power. The other members of the Circle are pleased to see you revived, but worried by the setback. "I think Krill is too powerful," says one. "This inexperienced wizard will never defeat one so puissant as he." Quiet discussion ensues, with well-concealed acrimony beneath the surface.
  Debate ensues, with Belboz returning frequently to the contents of the ancient manuscript. His wishes prevail, and it is agreed to send you back....
  
  The darkening sky is lit by a waning moon.
  There is a loaf of bread here.
  There is a jug here (providing light).
  The jug contains:
  A quantity of water
  
  > look
  The room is filled with noise: crashing and smashing, gurgling of water, grinding of gears, and horrible screeching of metal. Huge devices of obscure purpose provide these effects. The most notable is a huge hammer that smashes continually against the stone floor: it makes any crossing of the room a dangerous enterprise. The whole construction brings to mind the words "Infernal Machine." Far off to the southeast is another room. You can barely make out something on the floor of that room. It might be a scroll, but from here you can't tell for sure. Across the room you can see the rainbow turtle, who frequently looks your way.
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor.
  
  > exex yourself
  Nothing seems to happen. Perhaps the spell needs time before it can be cast again.
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor.
  
  > learn the zifmia
  Using your best study habits, you learn the zifmia spell.
  
  > Zifmia turtle
  You can't see anyturtle here.
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor.
  
  > examine the turtle
  He is standing on the other side of the machinery.
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor.
  The darkened sky is now full of bright stars. It is night.
  Today seemed shorter than yesterday, somehow.
  
  > learn the cleesh
  Using your best study habits, you learn the cleesh spell.
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor.
  
  > cleesh yourself
  You are turned into a newt, and scurry off to find your friends in the swamp. You are distracted by various yummy insects along the way, but eventually settle into a nice gooey part of the morass and live happily ever after, at least until you are devoured by a heron.
  
  Your score is 145 of a possible 400, in 445 moves.
  This puts you in the class of Novice Enchanter.
  
  Would you like to restart the game from the beginning, restore a saved game position, or end this session of the game?
  (Type RESTART, RESTORE, or QUIT):
  
  > learn the cleesh
  Using your best study habits, you learn the cleesh spell.
  The adventurer leaves the room, heading to the north.
  You are feeling tired.
  
  > Go north
  Everything you see is grey and lifeless, as though covered with a veil of ash. Sound is muted and there is a faint acrid odor.
  This short piece of corridor continues to the north and south.
  There is a bedraggled and weary adventurer standing here. He is carrying a dusty book, a beautiful, ornamented egg, a worn silver spoon, a sword, and a brass lantern.
  The adventurer leaves the room, heading to the north.
  Your stomach is starting to grumble.
  
  > Go north
  This desolate hall is nearly empty, save for a few long benches which are scattered throughout the room. The walls seem to be scorched, and everywhere are signs of decay. A sickening odor pervades the room, and wisps of acrid black smoke can be seen to the north. A wide passage leads south, and a small one opens to the east.
  To the north you can hear the sound of a group of low, guttural voices. There is a bedraggled and weary adventurer standing here. He is carrying a dusty book, a beautiful, ornamented egg, a worn silver spoon, a sword, and a brass lantern.
  The low, guttural voices seem to be coming in your direction.
  The adventurer attempts to eat his sword. I don't think it would agree with him.
  
  > Cleesh adventurer
  The adventurer turns into a fairly large newt, which scuttles off and is lost to sight.
  A group of four hunched and hairy shapes walks into your presence. They seem surprised to see you. After whispering a few guttural words to each other, they start to move toward you purposefully.
  
  > go south
  The group of shapes follows you, intent on your capture! They seem to come alive in the desolation which fills this room.
  
  > Go south
  The group of shapes follows you into this undespoiled room, emboldened and eager for blood.
  
  > Go southeast
  You can't go that way.
  The group of hunched and hairy shapes takes you in their arms and escorts you into a huge temple.
  
  A low noise begins behind you, and you turn to see hundreds of hunched and hairy shapes. A guttural chant issues from their throats. Near you stands a figure draped in a robe of deepest black, brandishing a vicious dagger. The chant grows louder as the robed figure approaches the altar. As the shapes grab you, the figure in black speaks: "Take the victim to the tower. I shall prepare for the sacrifice!" The figures, whose form you can barely guess, take you from here through the northern door and into a prison cell. They take your possessions from you and close the door with a crash!
  
  Everything you see is grey and lifeless, as though covered with a veil of ash. Sound is muted and there is a faint acrid odor.
  This is a small prison cell in the north tower of the temple. Hideous shapes can be seen through the iron-barred window in the prison door. From the temple, a bloodcurdling chant can be heard.
  
  > Sleep
  Ah, sleep! It's been a long day, indeed. The rest will do you good. You spread your cloak on the floor and drift off, renewing your powers and refreshing your mind ... Time passes as you snore blissfully.
  
  You sleep uneventfully, dreamlessly, and awake refreshed.
  
  > go south
  This is a meadow near the sea. There is a smell of salt in the air. Only heather and thistles grow here. To the north is a gate leading into the castle. A narrow path to the southeast leads to the shore of the Sea.
  The sun has now risen above the hills.
  Your stomach is starting to grumble.
  
  > go southeast
  This is a rocky beach along a grey and lifeless sea. There is dead seaweed covering many rocks, and listless waves barely stir the flotsam and jetsam here. There are many shells, but all are broken. A narrow path to the northwest leads into a meadow.
  Crawling slowly along the beach is an enormous turtle, his enamelled shell shining with all the colors of the rainbow.
  
  > Go north
  A bedraggled adventurer walks into the room from the west.
  
  > go to the north
  Everything you see is grey and lifeless, as though covered with a veil of ash. Sound is muted and there is a faint acrid odor.
  This short piece of corridor continues to the north and south.
  An enormous turtle is here, its enamelled shell shining with all the colors of the rainbow.
  
  > ask Turtle,  to go south
  The rainbow turtle, ever the good friend, leaves you.
  A bedraggled adventurer walks into the room from the east.
  You are becoming quite hungry.
  
  > Go south
  There is a bedraggled and weary adventurer standing here. He is carrying a dusty book, a beautiful, ornamented egg, a worn silver spoon, a sword, and a brass lantern.
  An enormous turtle is here, its enamelled shell shining with all the colors of the rainbow.
  The adventurer leaves the room, heading to the north.
  
  > ask Turtle,  to go east
  The rainbow turtle, ever the good friend, leaves you.
  A gaunt, feral-looking dog carrying a well-chewed bone approaches, is surprised by your presence, growls and then turns tail.
  
  > Zifmia turtle
  You can't see anyturtle here.
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor outside.
  
  > examine the turtle
  He is standing on the other side of the machinery.
  
  > look
  The room is filled with noise: crashing and smashing, gurgling of water, grinding of gears, and horrible screeching of metal. Huge devices of obscure purpose provide these effects. The most notable is a huge hammer that smashes continually against the stone floor: it makes any crossing of the room a dangerous enterprise. The whole construction brings to mind the words "Infernal Machine." Far off to the southeast is another room. You can barely make out something on the floor of that room. It might be a scroll, but from here you can't tell for sure.
  An enormous turtle is here, its enamelled shell shining with all the colors of the rainbow.
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor.
  
  > learn the zifmia
  Using your best study habits, you learn the zifmia spell.
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor.
  
  > Vaxum turtle
  The turtle seems to make a friendly gesture, but then again turtles are pretty friendly anyway.
  
  > climb the turtle
  The turtle doesn't allow you to get on his back.
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor.
  
  > Rezrov turtle
  The turtle's shell pops off his back. Mortified, he retrieves it.
  
  > look
  The room is filled with noise: crashing and smashing, gurgling of water, grinding of gears, and horrible screeching of metal. Huge devices of obscure purpose provide these effects. The most notable is a huge hammer that smashes continually against the stone floor: it makes any crossing of the room a dangerous enterprise. The whole construction brings to mind the words "Infernal Machine." Far off to the southeast is another room. You can barely make out something on the floor of that room. It might be a scroll, but from here you can't tell for sure.
  An enormous turtle is here, its enamelled shell shining with all the colors of the rainbow.
  
  > Hello
  The turtle looks at you quizzically. It's clear he would like to understand you, but he doesn't. He responds, but it's only snaps, hisses, and clicks to you.
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor.
  
  > learn the nitfol
  Using your best study habits, you learn the nitfol spell.
  The sun starts to set behind the Lonely Mountain in the west.
  The day is coming to an end earlier than you would have expected.
  
  > Nitfol turtle
  The rainbow turtle looks at you for a moment, and you look at it. "Hello," it says.
  A bedraggled adventurer walks into the room from downstairs.
  
  > learn the vaxum
  Using your best study habits, you learn the vaxum spell.
  A bedraggled adventurer walks into the room from downstairs.
  
  > Vaxum adventurer
  The adventurer smiles at you with an air of good will.
  The adventurer eyes your possessions intently.
  
  > ask Adventurer,  to go southeast
  "I'll do what I please, thank you."
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor.
  The adventurer leaves the room, heading downstairs.
  
  > look
  The room is filled with noise: crashing and smashing, gurgling of water, grinding of gears, and horrible screeching of metal. Huge devices of obscure purpose provide these effects. The most notable is a huge hammer that smashes continually against the stone floor: it makes any crossing of the room a dangerous enterprise. The whole construction brings to mind the words "Infernal Machine." Far off to the southeast is another room. You can barely make out something on the floor of that room. It might be a scroll, but from here you can't tell for sure. There is a bedraggled and weary adventurer standing here. He is carrying a dusty book, a beautiful, ornamented egg, a worn silver spoon, a sword, and a brass lantern. He seems pleased to see you and frequently smiles in your direction.
  An enormous turtle is here, its enamelled shell shining with all the colors of the rainbow.
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor.
  The adventurer leaves the room, heading downstairs.
  
  > eat adventurer
  "I'm only a turtle, you know, even if I can talk!"
  The adventurer stares at his possessions as if expecting a revelation.
  
  > take Book
  The adventurer, not seeing any use in keeping the dusty book anyway, hands it to you gladly.
  The adventurer leaves the room, heading downstairs.
  
  > read Book
  Which book do you mean, the dusty book or the spell book?
  
  > read dusty Book
  The first page of the book was the table of contents. Only two chapter names can be read: The Legend of the Unseen Terror and The Legend of the Great Implementers.
  "Crash!" A huge hammer smashes against the stone floor.
  
  > read unseen Terror
  This legend, written in an ancient tongue, goes something like this: At one time a shapeless and formless manifestation of evil was disturbed from millenia of sleep. It was so powerful that it required the combined wisdom of the leading enchanters of that age to conquer it. The legend tells how the enchanters lured the Terror "to a recess deep within the earth" by placing there a powerful spell scroll. When it had reached the scroll, the enchanters trapped it there with a spell that encased it in the living rock. The Terror was so horrible that none would dare speak of it. A comment at the end of the narration indicates that the story is considered to be quite fanciful; no other chronicles of the age mention the Terror in any form.