Scorpion's Tale

The Lurking Horror

Scorpia

WARNING! This article contains spoilers. Avert your eyes!

Ah, it's that time of year again: when frost is on the punkin, and ghosties and ghoulies slip through the foggy October nights. Of course, I shouldn't keep you standing at the door (never know what might be creeping up behind you, eh?). Step in and get cozy by the fireplace. While you're warming up, we can talk about term papers and even more unpleasant things.

Lurking Horror is an authentic horror story, Lovecraftian hi-tech with Stephen King overtones. The monsters are very real and very nasty. While there is nothing shockingly gruesome (after all, this is Infocom), the game does have some unsettling parts (finding a severed hand, for instance), so be prepared.

One thing you won't find, however, is a complete explanation for what is going on. There are some hints and implications, but they don't really cover everything that happens in the game. Don't expect it all to be be neatly tied up at the end because much will be left shrouded in mystery.

The game begins in a raging blizzard. Outside, freezing winds whip through deserted streets, blowing heavy snow into huge drifts. Inside, you hunker over a computer screen in the terminal room of GUE Tech, trying to finish a term paper due tomorrow. Tomorrow may never come.

Somehow, files have gotten crossed up in the computer system, and what you see on your screen has nothing to do with your paper. Pages of only partly-intelligible text scroll before your eyes and the readable parts give you a distinctly eerie feeling. An illustration pops up that causes you to faint outright and have a nightmare (?).

Fortunately, you wake up from that to find yourself still (again?) in the computer room, although the screen is now an illegible mess. A friendly hacker (in the original sense of the word) does what he can, but it appears that your term paper file has been lost. Oh well, maybe the people in the Alchemy Department (whose files were mixed in with yours) can help you out. Now the fun begins (hehehe).

Of course, wandering through a nearly-deserted university in the wee hours of the morning may not seem like fun to you, especially when you recall certain rumors you've heard. That paper has to be finished, though. There's nothing for it but to get a move on and visit the Alchemy Department.

However, I'd recommend some initial explorations of the college before running off to the Alchemy Department. The elevator and the basement are definitely worth investigating. There are so many interesting things to find down there. I hope you have a light source with you (there's one nearby, if you look in the right place) and are able to hang on to some of the items you find as you go through the game. Some of them are useful in more places than one.

During your explorations, you'll probably run into the urchin. He has no business (no legitimate business, anyway) in the college. You won't be able to deal with him for awhile, so ignore him when he shows up. Just don't drop anything while he's around. Later on, you'll be able to give him a hand and get something in return.

One of the more unpleasant areas down below is the steam tunnel, which happens to be filled with voracious rats. They aren't interested in junk food; only fresh meat (you) will satisfy their hunger. It'll take some violence and a quick turn to get rid of them.

Also tucked away underneath the college is something that looks very much like an altar. With a few suspicious stains on it. I wouldn't recommend either lingering around here or opening anything.

When you're done with the underground for the present, a visit to the Aerospace Building is in order. You'll need to stroll through the Infinite Corridor (not really infinite, just long) to reach the Alchemy Department. Unfortunately, that may not be as easy as it sounds. A rather zombie-like maintenance man with a floor waxer seems intent on blocking your progress.

There's no way around him; he'll block your every move to get past. On the other hand, since he's waxing the floor, eventually he'll start moving away, allowing you to go a bit further down the corridor each time. But he's still in front of you, and as long as that's the case, you won't be able to get where you want to go.

What you have to do here is get his attention. It'll take some sharp action on your part to accomplish that. Naturally, the maintenance man will not be pleased, and his reactions are going to be a trifle violent, possibly even deadly. You'll have to stay on your toes and move fast; one little slip is all it takes.

When the maintenance man is no longer an obstacle, you'll have clear passage to other areas of the college. However, before you go running off, you may wish to investigate the great dome. Strange, how the ladder up to the catwalk is nowhere to be seen, but it seems someone left a rope hanging down that you can climb up. Then again, maybe this isn't exactly a rope. Climb with care.

Luckily for you, what you find up on the catwalk doesn't stick around. However, you're not up here to sight-see (even if you have been seeing some pretty strange sights lately), so keep going until you're out in the cold and up on the dome (just don't stay too long out there).

Back inside, it's time for a visit to the Brown Building, or more specifically, the weather station on top of it (don't worry, you'll be getting to the Alchemy Department soon enough). Just walk up to the roof (sorry, this elevator isn't working, but it's a quick trip by the stairs) and out yet again into the cold.

At least it's warm inside the station . . . errrr ... did you hear something out there? Uh-oh. Something IS out there, and it doesn't look friendly. And it isn't staying out there, either, it's on it's way inside. Gulp!

Maybe this is not the best place to be at the moment. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide ... you get the idea. Best to make tracks while you can. EEK! You just ran right into the thing! You're in trouble now!

You've got to do something about this, quickly. Whatever the creature is, it isn't natural, and natural means won't stop it. If only you had something that was supernatural.....

Whew! That was a close call, fer sure! Yet, there must have been some reason for that thing to be hanging around here. This calls for another investigation of the weather station.

Finally, it's time to visit (at last) the Alchemy Department. No, your key won't work on the door, but I'll bet there's someone inside, even at this time of night.

While the professor lets you in, he doesn't seem especially interested in you. You also notice he's reluctant to allow you into the lab (why, I wonder?). There isn't much to see in the office, except for the sign-up sheet. Maybe you should take a look at that. Maybe you could show the professor something that would change his attitude.

Then again, perhaps that was not the wisest thing to do. Because now you're in the lab, magically (?) imprisoned in a pentagram, while the professor stands inside another. He's not just standing there, either. He's calling for something and something is definitely on its way. Something much nastier than anything you've seen yet and you don't want to be here when it arrives. Trust me.

If you thought you had to move fast before, that's nothing compared to how fast you have to move now. You can't afford any wasted movements here. You must get out of the pentagram, and out of the room, before the thing fully materializes. Breaking the pentagram is the only way, and only one particular item will do the job. Otherwise, you'll end up sacrificing yourself, in a very unpleasant manner.

When things have finally settled down in the lab, do go back and check out what's left. The vat in particular is commended to your attention. You'll find it a very handy item.

There is, however, some more to be done (as you probably noticed from the score). The end of the professor does not mean an end to the horrors. One more part of the underground area needs to be explored. There's just one little problem, though. Some of the things you have to bring with you won't pass through the narrow crack in the wall. Which brings us back to the reinforcing rod in the steam tunnel. What do you suppose might be on the other side, behind the brick wall? Look at your map, and see if anything occurs to you. Perhaps you've heard the sound of machinery from the other side...what might be operating at this time of night yet? It could be worth investigating!

Ok, now you're ready for the final confrontation, although you'll have to get by a few nasty places first along the way. One is the hatchery. This should not much of a problem, actually, since the beings here won't attack. However, you must disable them to get further, and it's a simple matter of being a cut-up.

Now it's down into the maze of wet tunnels. A very confusing place, where you could wander lost for quite some time, without a helping hand. Does that ring any bells? Moving along, you come to . . . slime. Horrible stuff, slime. It will eat through anything and get on anything that comes too close. Good thing you have the means to deal with it. Look over your inventory for something you haven't used, yet. Keep your cool, and the slime will cease to be an obstacle.

At last, you penetrate to the inner chamber, and what appears to be the central focus of the evil permeating the college. As before, time is again short. The metal box is the key to victory; make sure you read the description of the interior with great care. The right connection will lead to a shocking experience, and put an end to the lurking horror ... maybe ....

Whew! The things you have to do to get a term paper done. Bet you never thought college could be like this (grin)! Well, it usually isn't unless you happen to attend George Underwood Edwards (GUE) Tech. Maybe it's time to think of transferring elsewhere; the Space Patrol is looking for a few good people (oh, Floyd...).

Well, that about does it for this issue. In the meantime, if you need help with an adventure game, you can reach me in the following ways:

On Delphi: visit the GameSIG (under the Groups and Clubs menu). On GEnie: stop by the Games Roundtable (type: Scorpia to reach the Games RT). On The Source: send Smail to ST1030. By US Mail: (Remember to enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you live in the United States) Scorpia, PO Box 338, Gracie Station, NY NY 10028.

Until next time, happy adventuring!

Copyright 1987 by Scorpia, all rights reserved.

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