For thousands of years the two kingdoms ruled by Queen Xina and King Bodd have competed fiercely to be the first to conquer the labyrinth in the bowels of Mount Foliandre. According to legend the goblin who manages to come through all the tests in the Labyrinth of Foliandre will win eternal benefit for his people. So far, all those who have tried their luck have returned completely insane, and a river of bitterness continues to flow from the mountain through the two hostile kingdoms. For many years this ancestral struggle has captivated the attention of the greatest historians and especially the readers of Goblin News. Blount, one of the most talented journalists of the newspaper, has dreamed of obtaining a sensational scoop for a long time.
But recently there have been new and alarming developments. Behorn, the guardian of the labyrinth and the only person who can guarantee that the tests have been passed fairly, has just died of old age. This is bad news, plus the disturbing discovery that the key to the entrance has disappeared! Even more serious, Behorn's daughter, Wynonna, cannot be found! Has Wynonna been kidnapped? Is she in danger? Without the key, how can the champions try to overcome the obstacles of the labyrinth? Has one of the monarchs stolen the key to be able to explore the labyrinth, despite what the rules say? Blount wants to find the answers to these questions. He has made up his mind. He will go to the two kingdoms and interview the two rivals. While's he's there he'll try to draw their portraits since nobody has any idea what the two hostile monarchs look like.
The journey
Blount starts out by boarding a flying vessel, for Mount Foliandre is in a very remote region. But when he leaves his cabin the following day he finds that the captain, the crew and even the rats have abandoned the vessel which is now being bombarded by huge rocks. Great holes have already appeared in the hull and the nose is slowly but surely submerging. Blount must get off this ship before it capsizes completely.
This is only the beginning of a long series of hair-raising adventures for Blount. Very soon he finds Wynonna being mistreated by King Bodd's henchmen, and he immediately intervenes. As a result he comes up against a fierce wolf who leaves him for dead and possessed of a Werewolf personality which reveals itself any time he is exposed to the moon! Blount has to find a means of transport and then concoct weird potions in the laboratory of an alchemist, potions such as the speedixir or growthixir which will enable him to reach the kingdoms of Xina and Bodd. He is late for the story!
Thanks to his double personality, he might have a chance to try and overcome the obstacles of the labyrinth and become the champion of both Xina and Bodd. Maybe he will also be able to resolve the conflict that divides the two kingdoms.
The aim of the game
Blount must get into the castles of both King Bodd and Queen Xina. His adventures take him through small worlds made up of two or three connected scenes. Each world contains an enigma. the pieces of the solution to the puzzle are scattered about in the different scenes that make up the world.
Blount sets out on his own, but he meets other characters in the course of the game. these include Chump the parrot, Fulbert the boa constrictor and Ooya the sage. Though you can select them and make them move like Blount, they will not pick up objects and their actions are few and selective. Blount can only succeed by combining his actions with those of the characters who accompany him. For example: while Fulbert swings the candelabra, Blount can hold on to it. In this case timing is all important. To succeed, you must make your move exactly right, neither too early nor too late.
Interactivity
When Blount and one of his companions are on the screen at the same time, they can be manipulated simultaneously. But the orders must be given alternately by activating one character at a time. When activated the character you select is seen in profile on the screen. To change to another character; left-click him.
The screen
The screen is divided into four areas: The Control Panel which appears on the top of the screen when the arrow cursor touches the top of the screen. the Central Part where the action takes place. The action is seen by scrolling through more than one screen. The Dialog Window The Command Line, or the last line of the screen.
The Cursor's Role
When you move the cursor arrow over the screen it corresponds to your investigation. Text appears on the command line when you move into a special zone. This allows you to find special places or objects, characters (you can show them objects, give them objects or allow them to express themselves) and exit (the cursor changes into a door). Following are places and results when you click the cursor arrow:
- click on the ground for the selected character to go to the chosen place.
- click on an active zone for the selected character to go to the place and carry out the corresponding action.
- click on an object for the goblin to move toward the object and pick it up (remember that other characters cannot pick up objects). This will cause the object cursor (a barred arrow) to appear. This means that you are holding the object. The phrase USE (name of the object) ON appears in the command line. The object can be put to immediate use or placed in the inventory by right-clicking the mouse.
The Control Panel
To call up the control panel move the cursor to the top of the screen. An icon bar with six icons will appear. Choose a function by clicking on the icon with the left mouse button. Note: you cannot use the toolbar with the object cursor, so first place the item in inventory.
Game management: A menu containing "save", "load", "quit" and "version". To save, select a line, write the name of your save game and confirm. To load, select a save game and confirm. Quit allows you to leave the game.
Jokers: You have five jokers available for the game. These give you extra clues if you get really stuck.
Goblins News: The cover page of each edition gives a summary of the hero's current achievements in his quest. It may be consulted in each scene.
Inventory: Another way ogf gaining access to the inventory, other than right clicking the mouse.
Current Goal: A map indicating the local puzzle and your precise actual location.
Options: Music allows you to turn the soundtrack on or off. The symbol ">" indicates that the music is on. "Info" gives you the date, the hour and the time spent on the game.
