Zork Nemesis

Frigid River Branch Conservatory

At the foot of a large and impressive dam, sits the Frigid River Branch Conservatory, home to Lady Sophia Hamilton - and the mysterious Alexandria Wolfe.

The Z'orchestra.
The lamp.
Gaining access to the theatre.
Turning on the lights.
Gaining access below the stage.
Getting to the boiler room.
Finding Lady Sophia's metal - COPPER

NOTE: These hints are not presented as a step-by-step walkthrough. There are many items scattered about that are not essential to the completion of the game, but either add to the already magnificent atmosphere, or further the plot as we glimpse the sometimes sordid circumstances behind the coming of Nemesis. These are not mentioned, as to do so would spoil the pleasure of finding them yourself.

The Z'orchestra

In the practice chamber of the Conservatory lie the various instruments of the Z'orchestra. Numerous clues identify the instruments, and their position in the Z'orchestral formation. Place the instruments in the correct formation on the chairs in the practice room to hear a message from Lady Sophia to Alexandria. (This message repeats every time you approach the instruments.)

The lamp

A letter in Lady Sophia's desk drawer refers to a lamp being filled with oil. Such a lamp sits on the desk, but the key is missing. Find the piano tuning fork. When placed in the appropriate place on the piano and struck, the fork sounds a note. When the corresponding key is played on the piano, a small clatter should be heard. Look inside the piano and a small key should be found. When this is placed in the lamp and the lamp switched on, a secret message is revealed.

Gaining access to the theatre

To gain access to the theatre, you must find the book of posters on Alexandria's bed, remove the last one and place it in the poster-frame in the foyer. The Conservatory now fills with the noise and hubbub of a pre-performance crowd. You must also pick up a ticket from the booth in the foyer; then you can enter the theatre by opening the main door: the woman will now let you in.

Turning on the lights

Firstly, you should travel to the box with the letter assigned on your ticket. From there you can watch the performance. The lights will not go up until the traditional Zorkian Anthem is played: which you must conduct. If you get up on stage, the conductor's podium has a stick on it. This should be used to make the instruments play the anthem. (The anthem can be heard on the "Harmony of the Spheres" LP.) If this is done in the correct sequence, the lights will go on.

Gaining access below the stage

Once behind the curtain, you will be faced by a large stage set, through which you cannot pass. If you enter the control booth on your right, you can raise and lower the scenery using the machine - not all the sets can be raised at once however. The book of set designs shows the scenery and the order in which they are stacked. Work out - by examining which sets have an opening in the bottom right corner - which ones you have to raise to free the passage to the below stage area.

Getting to the boiler room

To gain access to the boiler room, you must enter the large swan prop below stage. A hand pedal apparatus causes this to ascend into the air. From this position you can exit the swan onto the top of the large drum (you will crash through the drum skin). You will now be in the boiler room.

Finding Lady Sophia's metal - COPPER

To fashion Lady Sophia's metal, you must carry out the instructions hinted at in the secret message on her desk. First, you have to "prepare the boiling solution". This is done by lowering one of the levers in the boiler room to send sufficient heat to the crystal crater in the crystal chamber. The problem is the lever will not stay down: unless weighted with the pendant.

Secondly, the solution must be "seeded with crystal". This is done by taking one of the small crytals from the hole in the wall of the crystal chamber and throwing it in the crater. Thirdly, you must "purify the crystal" by taking a tablet from the green crystal fish and throwing it too into the crater.

Lastly, you must "ring the notes together" by causing the correct crystals to vibrate. You should know the notes (and the order in which they should be played) already, and you can work out which crystals to ring from the map on the chamber wall (the last crystal is the one actually in the crater). Once you start to vibrate a crystal, it will stop after a short while so you must be quick. Assuming all this is done, the copper symbol will appear in the crater. Touch this to bring this stage to an end.

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