Wrenhold's Secret Vigil

Wrenhold's Secret Vigil
◄Eamon adventure #121►
Author	Bob Davis
Created	25 October 1985
Released	June 1986
Revised	5 November 1989 (DOS) 8 November 1992 (ProDOS)
EAG number	121
EDX number	12-14
EDX set	Best of the Classic Adventures
Native format	Apple DOS 3.3
Files	Eamon 121 - Wrenhold's Secret Vigil.dsk Eamon 121 - Wrenhold's Secret Vigil (ProDOS).dsk

Wrenhold's Secret Vigil is an Eamon adventure written by Bob Davis.

Background

Davis announced the release of his adventure in the June 1986 edition of the Eamon Adventurer's Log newsletter.

Premise

While fishing on the banks of a broad lake south of the Main Hall, you encounter a band of men rowing their boat toward you; their leader hails you and says his kingdom is in desperate need of the services of a great adventurer like yourself. You decide to join their party and travel back across the lake with them to their kingdom which lies near the foot of Mount Eilaak, a high peak visible in the distance.

When you arrive you're met by King Argas who describes the problem: the kingdom's animals have inexplicably gone berserk, attacking and killing people on sight, and the wizard who was seeking a solution — Master Wrenhold — has lost his life-orb and now lies near death. The king promises you gold and a rare Elven weapon in exchange for your help in finding a solution. You're escorted to the base of Mount Eilaak to begin your investigation.

Full introduction

While traveling south from the Main Hall, you come across a path leading into a lightly-wooded area filled with wild grass, deer and hare. The meandering dirt track eventually leads to the edge of a crystalline lake, serene and placid as ice. The lake seems to extend up to the far-away mountains, the only thing on the southern horizon. Deciding to try your hand at catching your noon meal, you fashion a fishing pole and settle on the grass along the shore waiting for a tug on the line from a swingjaw, or maybe even a mouth-watering black cruscrunch. However, the peacefulness and warm sun soon lull you to sleep. Suddenly, you wake to someone shouting for anyone near. You scout the trees with your eyes, but cannot see from whom the shouts originate. Finally you hear sounds of water splashing and look to the lake. A small boat, with a crew of eight, rows toward a small open beach to your right. A brightly clothed man standing in the front of the boat spies you and shouts, "Stand fast! I beseech thee, I am in urgent need and require direction! You shall be paid for your time!" With that last statement, your interest in the man's affairs kindles and ignites. The boat lands, the heavy, balding man wearing tight gold trousers and blue shirt climbs hastily out and slowly runs up to you. "I am in need of a great Adventurer and must have direction to the infamous Adventurer's Guild at once. My king and land depend on the abilities of one such rogue and I fear we have but scarce days left." The short, fidgety man looks sleepless but seems to be driven by a sense of urgency. You state that you are what he seeks, an Adventurer of the Guild, bold and mighty and ready for any task (especially when funded by desperate kings). You walk to the boat, hop over the side, and sit waiting for the portly man to climb in. Nervously, he stares at you and insists, "I must have a tried and true mercenary for my king or we shall all surely perish." Staring evilly down at him, hand on weapon, you outline his choices to him; either take you to see his king or find the Main Hall on his own, risking more time his kingdom cannot afford. Reluctantly, as you somehow foresaw, he climbs in and commands his tired, ragged crew to row back across the lake. Seeking to know more details of your self-appointed task, you engage the man, who you have learned to be Adrelik, the king's scribe, in conversation. "Things are not right within our kingdom," Adrelik volunteers. "Nightly raids are made on the king's fields, scouts do not return from assignments, and the animals run mad killing peasants and livestock. "Our wizard Wrenhold the Pure, his life-orb stolen, grows weaker by the day. He can no longer cast spells to protect the kingdom. I fear all may be lost before my return." Adrelik points out a mountain that lies ahead. "That is Mount Eilaak; our kingdom lies in its valley." You try to judge its distance, but cannot. While gazing at it, it seems to move closer. Suddenly you realize the boat has been accelerating for some time. You surmise that these people must know the currents of the lake well, for the boat speed surely exceeds the efforts of the rowing men. You decide to sleep, knowing the journey may take some time. You doze through the evening and the night, waking to a grey and blue morning sky with wisps of fog bouncing over the waves. The boat has traversed the lake and pulls alongside one of four wooden piers jutting from a long stone wall facing the lake. Waves push the boat into the dockside as a cool breeze slides across the lake from the northwest. A door opens at the end of the pier, exposing a small armed entourage of six royal guards and an elderly man in a black robe with silver fastenings. He greets Adrelik with no emotion and ushers you through the doorway. After traveling several passages and climbing many winding stairways, the unspeaking Elder stops before an open doorway to a conference chamber and motions you in. He closes the door behind him, leaving the guards stationed outside. "Forgive me for not speaking," he begins, "but I could not have my voice recognized by chance passerbys. We know not what befalls our beloved land. I am king Argas, he who has asked for your assistance and who is grateful of your unselfishness to help." "Our land is troubled, crops razed, people hurt and killed by the most timid of creatures - squirrel, deer and moundmole attacking on sight. Master Wrenhold, our wizard in counsel, was seeking an answer when he lost possession of his life-orb. Now he lies destitute, his health slipping each hour. "We need you to either find and return the life-orb of Master Wrenhold or, better for us all, eliminate the travesty that plagues us. Master Wrenhold has become much too expensive lately for services all too often not rendered and we are uncertain of any solution he may pose even with his life-orb returned. "If you succeed in your task, you shall be rewarded with 4000 gold pieces and a special weapon hand-made from Elves that used to dwell in these lands before the Great Battle of Darkness. "Master Wrenhold has advised me that he is too weak to help you. You will meet him on your way out so that he may match auras with you and not harm you when you touch the orb. Go now and may you be blessed on this noble task." After visiting with the ailing wizard Wrenhold, a nice enough fellow if a bit unkempt, you are escorted past the city gates, through a thick forest, and part company at the base of Mount Eilaak. This area is known as having the most incidents of attacks and disappearances.

Walkthrough

Your mission begins at the foot of Mount Eilaak, with a trail heading up the slopes to the east and a path back to town through the forest to the north.

Adventure map by Huw Williams

Entering the mountain

1. From your starting point, go east (or up) twice. Dig to uncover a dead rabbit and take it with you.
2. Go east/up twice more and examine the area to reveal a cave to the south: this is your entrance into the mountain. There is another, which you can find by going east/up twice more to the end of the path, then sliding down an airshaft — but doing so drops you into a maze, so starting with the cave is best.

Exploring the tunnels

1. In the cave entrance, dig to uncover a metal key.
2. Step south and you'll be at a four-way intersection, guarded by a "zombie" that you'll need to dispatch. The east tunnel is your way forward, but first let's explore the south and west tunnels:
3. Go south into the rock-strewn tunnel, then climb down to the bottom of a small drop-off. (If you go straight south you'll tumble down the drop-off and may take some minor damage.) The tunnel continues south but is blocked by a fallen rock.
4. Blast the rock to pieces and go through. You'll reach a dead-end and find the body of a dead adventurer. Search his body to discover his diary.
5. Return to the four-way intersection.
6. Go west then south to reach a large natural cavern inhabited by a vicious "death dog". Give the dog the dead rabbit you collected on the mountain path; it will greedily devour it and then might become friendly. (No guarantee; if not, you'll need to fight it.)
7. Continue south through a low connecting tunnel to reach a lime pool. Dig at the edge of the pool to find an ebony key, then go down into the pool itself and dig again to uncover a small wooden box.
8. Return to the four-way intersection.

Gaining allies

1. Head east to another intersection and fight another zombie. Ignore the south tunnel for now.
2. Continue east through another intersection and into a tunnel that bends south.
3. When you step south you'll tumble into a crevice and may take some minor damage. Dig in the floor of the crevice to discover a ring.
4. Go south again to reach a four-way intersection. At this point you're entering a maze consisting of 14 rooms, some of which connect in unintuitive ways, so to avoid getting lost proceed carefully:
5. Go east once to a T-intersection, then south three times to a four-way intersection, then west once to a T-intersection.
6. Go south into a large chamber inhabited by an ogre and a pair of prisoners. Dispatch the ogre and free the prisoners — villager Raj Breanok and dwarf merchant Dol Pantwell. Both will accompany you. Before you leave, dig to find a small crystal ball.
7. Exit N, N, W, and N, which should take you to a small wooden bridge.

Exploring the city

1. Climb down underneath the bridge, fight the two rats living there, and dig to uncover a strong box. (Inside the box are a bag of jewels and a magical cube which will direct you toward your final destination.)
2. Examine the room to find a secret passage.
3. Follow the secret passage south, then west, emerging into a rough north/south tunnel. (You can return back into the secret passage from here, but you'll need to examine the passage to reveal the entrance.)
4. Go south and you'll find the tunnel ends near a large hole leading south. A pedestal stands here; you'll find a use for it later.
5. Step south and you'll be in the city of the drows, on a thoroughfare in its northwest corner. The wide cylindrical tunnel you're in is the city's main street and is shaped like a ring with various rooms branching off from it.
6. Go east and enter the guard room to the south: defeat the guard, then take the straw mattress to uncover a bronze key.
7. Go east again and check the food preparation room to the south. When you kill the drow chef he'll drop his cleaver; pick it up and then open the shark he was preparing to find a medallion inside.
8. Go back west and west again to where you came in, then go south.
9. Step west into a drow tavern. Dispatch the patron and the bartender, then use the key the bartender drops to open a hidden ivory door. Inside will be a valuable, key-like artifact.
10. Return to the main city tunnel and follow it to the southeast corner of the city. Here another tunnel heads south.
11. Follow the tunnel south to a bronze door and open it with your key.
12. Inside is a temple. Go south, through the golden curtain, into a sanctum and collect the open book.
13. Return to the temple and examine it to discover a secret exit leading west.
14. In the concealed room are many caged wild animals and a large green device protected by a high priest and his guard. Defeat them both, take their keys, then open and examine the device to reveal two things — a lever which you can pull to deactivate the machine, and reveal the life-orb of Wrenhold!

Completing the mission

1. Return to the room with the pedestal: E, N, N, N, N, N, W, W, W, and N.
2. Put the life-orb in the pedestal and magical energy will fill the room, sealing the hole leading to the city. Wrenhold's voice speaks you: "The drows are once again locked away in their eternal prison; and I, Wrenhold, must sacrifice my worldly body to keep them there. Go now, and say not to anyone as to what has passed here today."
3. Return to the surface. The safest way is go back the way via the secret passage and bridge: N, E, N, N, N, U, N, W, W, N, N. Alternatively you can go straight north along the rough passage and fight your way past a magician, zombies, and some dangerous slime (which can be destroyed by repeated blasts).
4. Once outside, descend the mountain to where you began and go north to return to town to complete the mission.

Though the king is unaware of what exactly took place in the mountain, he says that Wrenhold told him before his passing that everything was well, so he rewards you with 4,000 gold pieces and a magical elven bow. You take a boat back north across the lake and return to the Main Hall.

Trivia

• The adventure is identified in the diskette's loading program as Secret Watch of Wrenhold.
• The opening REM comments in the adventure's introduction note that it was written by Bob Davis on October 25, 1985, 8PM, "under close adult supervision".

External links

• Eamon Adventurer's Guild Library Master List
• The Interactive Fiction Database: Wrenhold's Secret Vigil
• Interactive Fiction Reviews: Wrenhold's Secret Vigil