Solution to Runestaff, by Martyn Amos (Squaresoft, 1987)
Game available at http://www.dcs.ex.ac.uk/~mramos/runestaff.html
Solution courtesy of the author.
You start in your bedroom. Get the blanket, and go S. Speak to the King, and he will
tell you your mission. S, D into the kitchen, then tear the blanket and
wipe up the oil with the resulting rag. Get the pot and bottle, then go E into
the laundry. Shake the bottle to give you a clue, then smash the bottle. Get
the key and open the chest. If you examine the chest you will find a cloak -
get it and put it on. GO W, U, W, S, and then S through the gates (your features
are hidden by the cloak and the guard fails to recognise you as the Prince).
Get the flute and go S. Play the flute to get a gold coin, then go N, and E
into the tannery. Buy the glove, and go W, S, S, W into the smithy. Get the
spade and the iron bar, and go E, S, S into the church. If you pray, you will
find a crucifix as you kneel. Take it, and go N, and E to the grave. Dig
the grave to reveal a coffin. Open it - you will die if you are not holding the
crucifixm otherwise the skeleton will collapse into a pile of bones. Take them,
and go W, N, E, E into the wood. Snap the sapling and get the resulting stick.
Go south and poke the trap - if you try to simply take it it will trap you
and you will die. After setting off the trap, take the resulting cage and
go N, W, W, N, N, W. Pull the grate open, and go D. Ensuring you are wearing
the glove, get the rat in the cage (if not wearing the glove it will bite you
and you will die of a horrible disease). Go W and kick the grate open. Go
S, S, W, D, E, U, S to the driveway. Free the rat to get rid of the vicious
cat, then go E, S, S, E into the hallway of the house.
Get the coat, examine it and pocket the matches that you find. Go U, N into
the bedroom, and examine the bed. Life the mattress and take the money that
you find under it. Go S, S into the lab and get the green liquid (you need
to be carrying the pot). Go N, E, E into the library and examine the shelf.
Get the book, read it, then examine it and take the note that falls out. Read
the note ("Ask ASCII to discover the spell"). Go W, D, E into the garden, and
push the sun dial, revealing a secret passage. Go into the passage, then W
into the workroom. Take the parchment and read it to reveal a spell in the form
of a list of numbers. These correspond to ASCII characters (A=65, etc.), and
it reads "TO BRING THINGS TO LIFE SAY KAZAN". Go E, U, S to the gargoyle.
Say kazan to bring it to life. Drink the liquid, and you will be transported
to a hidden room in the house. Light the oil soaked rag, and lift the door
that you see in the floor. Go into the passage, and then D, E, S into the
jeweller's shop. Examine the case and get the ring (you need to be carrying
the money). Go N, E and give the bones to the dog to get past. Go E, E, N
and get the broth (you need the pot). Go U into the caravan and get the herb
chart. Read it, and open the toolbox. Get the rope and go D, S, W, S.
Making sure you pick the right herb (the other will wilt and die as you pick
it), take the thistlewort. Add it to the broth, and go N, E, E. Give the
broth to the guard, who will eat it and run off hallucinating as a result of
the thistle-wort (if you add the mangleweed he simply enjoys the broth and
won't let you past). Go E, S, and bend the bar into a hook. Tie this to the
rope and throw the rope.
Climb up the rope and go D. Examining the ring tells you that it is a ring of
fire that should be rubbed when you want to use it, so do so to melt the block
of ice and free the Runestaff. Take it and go W, N, E, U, E, E onto the window
ledge. Jump into the moat, and go U, W, N, D, W into Rintana's hut. Speak to
him, and (assuming you brought the gargoyle to life) he will give you a spell
to go home. Abode will take you back to your bedroom, from where you can go
S to the King and give him the Runestaff to complete the game and save the
kingdom!
*****************************************************
Displayed on the Classic Adventures Solution Archive:
http://solutionarchive.com