🧭 THE ARCHIVES

Quote of the day

You climb into the bed. It is soft and comfortable. After a few moments, a previously unseen panel opens, and a diagnostic robot comes wheeling out. It is very rusty and sways unsteadily, bumping into several pieces of infirmary equipment as it crosses the room. As the robot straps you to the bed, you notice some smoke curling from its cracks. Beeping happily, the robot injects you with all 347 serums and medicines it carries. The last thing you notice before you pass out is the robot preparing to saw your legs off.

-- Planetfall

Factoid of the day

One of the main characters in the Infocomic ZorkQuest: Assault on Egreth Castle is named Gurthark, an apparent reference to the spider-like alien creature from Starcross: "The spider tells you his name is 'Gurthark-tun-Besnap,' (or something more-or-less that)."

*Adventurer wanted. Inquire within.*
Dec 1997

Softline, v3(1)

~2 minute read

Nov-Dec 1983

GAMELINE

Infidel

Roe Adams

Infidel
By Mike Berlyn and Patricia Fogleman

Most computers.

"Psst, Effendi! Over here. Want to buy a watch? It belonged to Cleopatra. See, it is a wrist sundial. No? Perhaps a flying carpet with low mileage, or a rare one-hump albino camel? You are here on an expedition, maybe? You seek a hidden pyramid? Well, Effendi, you have found the right person! I, Abdul, am directly descended from the ancient Pharaohs of Egypt. I have in my possession a genuine priceless map to the tomb of one of my ancestors, Tutankhamen. Oh, they found that one, did they? Well, then, how about ... wait, Effendi, don't leave! I am the best guide in all of El Menhir. I will be your guide and find workers for you. I will work cheap, only 5,000 piasters a day. Here, let me help you with the navigation box. Oops, so sorry, Effendi: it slipped. Is it broken? Badly? Ah, well. I would like to stay around and help you sweep up the pieces, but I got a line on a cheap shipment of dates that we will need for supplies. May Allah bless you and your kindness, Effendi."

Under his breath as he walks away: "Cursed infidel dog! The sands of the Sahara shall bleach your bones before you desecrate our holy tombs."

You recall how you tricked Miss Ellingsworth into giving up the items that her famous archaeologist father had discovered in Egypt. Too bad he died before finding the pyramid. You have a map, a small dictionary of hieroglyphics, and a mysterious limestone cube. The cube is covered with hieroglyphics hinting at vast treasures. Think of the fame and fortune that awaits, especially the fortune. Soon, it will all be yours. The plan is to leave at dawn, once Abdul has found enough diggers and bearers.

Obituary, the Frobozz Biweekly Quarterly: Little-known explorer reported missing, and presumed dead, while on archaeological expedition in Egypt. No trace has been found at his camp. He appears to have been overcome by a diabolical new text adventure game. There are reported to be more death traps per square foot in the game than in Raiders of the Lost Ark. The probability of survival is also proportional to how well the adventurer can decipher hieroglyphics. Clues abound, hidden by the ages within the dancing pictures. It was unfortunate that the ersatz explorer was linguistically illiterate.

His faithful guide, Abdul, was quoted as saying, "He was just a crazy infidel who wandered aimlessly off in the desert without his navigation box. He was quite drunk at the time. Want to buy a lovely limestone cube, Effendi?"

Apple, Atari, Commodore, DEC, IBM, NEC, Osborne, TI, TRS-80. $39.95 from Infocom, 55 Wheeler Street, Cambridge, MA 02138: (617) 492.1031.

This article appeared in
Softline
Nov-Dec 1983

These historical, out-of-print articles and literary works have been GNUSTOed onto InvisiClues.org for academic and research purposes.