Zork Nemesis

Steppinthrax Zorkastrian Monastery

In the scorched plains of the Desert River Province lies the Steppinthrax Zorkastrian Monastery, home to Bishop Francois Malveaux.

The significance of the heads.
The Seventh Bell.
Gaining access to the museum.
Descending to the crypt.
Passing the flames.
Arranging the skulls.
Finding Malveaux's metal - LEAD.

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 significance of the heads

Outside the monastery - in the grounds - search for a gold coin. When you've gained access to the monastery building, donate this in the box. You will be rewarded with "prescience from the six gods of emotion" - six slips of paper, each with a symbol and a saying. Now, just past the antechamber of the monastery, on the wall, are six heads. Touching each of these will cause it to speak: each one will speak in the tone of one of the emotions (e.g. anger). In the bowls beneath the heads are plates with symbols upon them. You should match the plates to the heads: when done, they will all speak, one after the other.

The Seventh Bell

At the top of the wooden spiral staircase lies a strange contraption used by the monks to ring the bells. Similar to a typewriter, it consists of keys with symbols upon them. When pushed in the correct order, they will cause the bells to ring. Nearby on the wall is situated the codes to ring the bells. The code for the Seventh Bell is blank, save for the last symbol. The last symbol should tie in with the last item in some other sequence you have come across: press the symbols in this sequence and the Seventh Bell will ring.

When it does so, a rope descends from the roof of the belltower. Pulling this rope not only rings the bell, but causes you to ascend several feet in the air, holding the rope. This takes you past an open window in the belltower which you can jump out of if you time it right.

Gaining access to the museum

The museum lies in the basement of the monastery, in the room behind the main altar. To allow access to the stairway leading down to it, first visit the room containing the baptismal font. In a corner of this room on the floor is a grille. Push this and a message becomes available.

The message is in code, and from it you should be able to work out the code symbols for "open". When the apparatus in the middle of the platforms is activated with these symbols, the stairs leading down to the museum can be accessed.

Descending to the crypt

In the museum there is a very well concealed (by shadows) trapdoor in the floor. It is in front of the notice describing the alarm system. It is possible that you may have to deactivate the alarm system before opening this (you certainly have to deactivate it to finish this stage, at any rate). To do this, open the mushroom-shaped console to the left of the stairs (when facing them) and press the buttons until you hear the voice informing you of the alarm's deactivation.

Passing the flames

In the crypt there are two passages. One leading to a fiery end, one leading to a hungry grue. To get past these, first take the Torch of Endless Fire from the museum and take it to the room with the grue in it. Light the torch and you will be able to proceed to the back of the chamber, in which lies a coffin. Open the coffin and lie inside, then shut the lid and you will see Yoruk's shield - missing a ruby. Exit the coffin and place the torch on the bracket on the wall, return to the museum to pick up the ruby and come back to the coffin. Once again, lie down inside it, this time placing the ruby in the empty slot. This allows you to pick up the shield which is then used to dispel the flames.

Arranging the skulls

At the end of the fiery chamber is a recess containing a row of five skulls. These can be turned to the left and right. When they are arranged correctly, a door opens behind you, leading to the apparatus necessary to complete this stage.

The way in which the skulls should be positioned is represented in a picture in the book on Malveaux's bed. To see this picture, you must first position the magical Zorkastrian Eye upon the page. This device is found in the hexagonal room at the end of the corridor cointaining the monks' cells.

Finding Malveaux's metal - LEAD

Firstly, pick up the gold key and insert it into the keyhole to the left of the machine with the lion's head. Turn the key. Then, pick up the twist of metal and operate the lever beneath the keyhole. Insert the twist into the bowl and push the lever again: if all goes well, you should now have a sphere of metal. Take this to the machine over on the other side of the chamber and place it in the bucket, operating the machine to dip it into the liquid; thus refining the sphere.

Now, turn the wheel to allow lava to flow into the machine with the lion's head. The small flames must now be set in the correct colour sequence. This colour sequence is the same as that in a picture in Malveaux's room (from top to bottom). Now, insert the sphere into the lion's mouth, lastly operating the bellows to cool the metal into the Malveaux's symbol-shaped piece of lead. Touching this completes this stage.

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