The Vile Grimoire of Jaldi'al

The Vile Grimoire of Jaldi'al
◄Eamon adventure #263►
Author	Michael Penner
Released	1988
EAG number	AT2
EDX number	23-08
EDX set	The Lost Treasures of Eamon
Native format	Atari DOS (1988), C# (2020)

The Vile Grimoire of Jaldi'al, originally titled The Crypt Crasher & the Tomb of Horrors, is an Eamon adventure written by Michael Penner. First released around 1988 for the Atari ST port of Eamon, Penner published a remastered version of the adventure for Eamon CS in 2020 and renamed it for the villain's book of spells.

Premise

You and your companions set out to investigate rumors of disturbances near the distant trading outpost of Geldhaven and after several days' travel arrive at an inn where you spend the night. The next day the innskeeper directs your party to speak with Kreqor Agoras, a member of the Wizard's Council, so you journey north to his estate.

The friendly Kreqor invites you in, gives you supper, and relates the history of the infamous sorcerer Jaldi'al Dhassei. Born in the now-extinct agricultural village of Bahyrst, Jaldi'al was naturally gifted in the practice of magic and as an adolescent attended the Wizard Academy's school of spellcraft. As he grew, so did his thirst for forbidden and arcane knowledge, and he was ultimately expelled from the school for performing illicit experiments meant to manipulate space-time.

Jaldi'al returned to Bahyrst and continued his research at his family's compound, documenting his findings in a grimoire, but disaster struck when one of his rituals caused everyone in the town to disappear, their souls banished forever to the Void. Enraged survivors stormed the compound and killed Jaldi'al, but though they also sought to destroy his work, his book could not be found. That night Jaldi'al's acolytes recovered his body and buried him (likely with his book) in the town's sprawling cemetery. Bahyrst was abandoned and over the years all but forgotten.

Kreqor says that strange spatial disturbances have now been detected again in the area and fears that Jaldi'al may have returned as a lich to seek revenge on the community that killed him. Knowing that his power lies in his book, the Wizard's Council has offered a substantial reward to anyone who can retrieve it. You and your party agree to take on the challenge and Kreqor directs you to the cemetery's gates.

Full introduction (original)

You and your party, after traveling northward from the Main Hall, find room and board at an isolated woodsland inn. You rent your rooms for a night, and then eat a hearty breakfast the next day. On the way out, you happen to overhear the innkeeper in deep conversation with a local: "Yea, Kilroi must need that book pretty dam' bad, else he wouldn't offer a reward like that! Why dayathink he's doin' it??" "Well, Yui, really can't be sure with that wizard... I think he's finally flipped his lid. Ain't nobody gonna be stupid enough to wander into those grounds at night nohow." And so the conversation goes on... Finally, after the innkeeper's friend has gone, you wave the large man down and ak him about it. "Well, you'd do best to hear it from the horse's mouth," he says, eyeing you with interest. "Go north and eastward for a ways, and then you'll come across a crosspath that leads deep into the woods. Follow that path, and you'll come to the 'estate' of Kilroi the wizard. Ask him, and I'm sure he'll be glad to tell you all 'bout it." You thank him, and head out with his directions fresh in your mind. Eventually, after an hour of walking, you finally find the wizard's house. Knocking, he invites you in and, upon request, relays the following information to you: "Friends," he begins with an interesting smirk, "Many years ago, there existed in this region a man named Jaldial. He was no ordinary human, though; he was a Necromancer — a wizard of great power and authority. His deeds were known throughout the land, and he was greatly respected. However, somehow his ideas went awry, and his intensions were perverted. Soon, his very presence became a curse to the entire region. Eventually, he was destroyed by an association of Necromancers, but not before he had done much damage. Coincidentally, many experts consider it strange that the cause of his madness was (and still is) unknown. "Jaldial's body was lain to rest in a large cemetary to the east, and there he lies to this very day. The path leading to it begins about 100 feet into the woods behind my place. Very few venture into that place these days, for legend holds that many night creatures haunt the grounds. It doesn't seem suprising that I haven't had very many people asking about the job." And then, as you begin to wonder just what "the job" is, he seems to read your mind. "Ok, I won't stall it any longer. Here's what I need: someone must brave the cryptsite, and enter the grave of Jaldial himself. He had a book in his posession at the time of his burial, a very old book. We, the Grande Council that is (to which I am a member), are in desperate need of this manuscript, for we fear that another Necromancer has been affected by this strange madness. Perhaps Jaldial's book can provide some clue as to its cause and even a possible cure..." Kilroi goes on to describe the terms, and states that a large reward will be provided should you be successful. In addition, when you commit yourself to his task, he gives you an ancient piece of parchment. "Read this when you're in a real tight spot," he mumbles as he hands it over, "it'll quite possibly save your life..." And with that, he bids you farewell, and shows you the path towards the graveyard. You realize that morning must be upon you, as light shadows dance all around....

Full introduction (revised)

You and your party, hearing rumors of disturbances in a distant rural area, depart the Main Hall and set out along a well-traveled route to investigate. Days later, you arrive at the trading outpost of Geldhaven and seek shelter in an isolated woodlands inn reachable by a bridge, just beyond Tiaga Gorge. You note the sprawling structure's warm atmosphere, excellent accommodations, and thriving business; being exhausted, you rent rooms for the night. The next day, you eat a hearty breakfast and then re-provision. On the way out, you overhear the innkeeper, who is in deep conversation with a local patron. Innkeeper: "I assume Kreqor and the Council would prefer to handle this matter internally, but they have requested outside assistance and posted a reward. Last I heard there weren't any takers." Patron: "You know I think that conjurer was always six birds short of a flock. Nobody's going to be foolish enough to wander into those grounds at night!" And so the conversation goes on. Eventually, when the innkeeper is free, you wave the man down, introduce yourself, and inquire about the situation. "Well, I'm not one to put words in the mouth of a wizard. I think it's best you hear the story directly from Kreqor," he says, eyeing your party with interest. "You'll want to go north on the merchant's trail for a while, but then you'll find a cross-path that leads eastward, deep into the woods. Follow that, and you'll eventually come to the estate of Kreqor Agoras, a member of the Wizard's Council. If you ask him, I'm sure he'll be glad to tell you all about it." You thank him and head out with his directions fresh in your mind. The journey north takes days, and you discover the cross-path at noon, turning eastward. By evening, as the sun is setting, you come upon an isolated cottage enclosed by a picket fence, sitting in a clearing. The warm glow of light in the windows is a cheerful contrast to the cold, dark forest all around; you eagerly approach the door and knock loudly three times. With the sound of a sliding deadbolt, a tiny viewport opens in the door, and you are greeted by a gruff voice: "Hello there? Who are you, and what is your business here? Speak up; the light is failing!" Knowing this man is powerful and significant, you choose your words carefully. "Greetings, sir, and well met! I am sorry for the late hour intrusion. We have traveled for days to speak to you about the problems plaguing this district. Rumors say you are seeking assistance, is this true?" An eye appears in the little window, looking at you and then each party member intently. Moments later, the viewport slams shut. You hear shuffling behind the door and the sliding of more deadbolts. Finally, the door swings open and before you stands an old man with a long beard, in flowing robes leaning on a wooden staff. You quickly surmise his frail appearance is a ruse, and likely why he would open the door for you so quickly. "My apologies," he says. "In these parts, one must be careful. It wouldn't do to be ambushed by brigands. You have heard correctly, the matter has come to a head, and we require help if you are offering it. But come, the night is falling, and you must be exhausted and hungry from your travels. Let's not discuss this in a doorway; there are better venues." Kreqor invites your party inside, and you exchange introductions and pleasantries. After ensuring that you have arrived in good health, he prepares supper and gets you settled around a large fireplace. With a few more logs added, the dying embers spring back to life, casting dancing shadows across the darkened room. Finally, when his tasks are complete, he sits back in a worn, comfortable leather chair, lit pipe in hand, to gather his thoughts. He tells a tale as you finish dinner. "Many years ago, if you traveled northeast from here about a day, you would chance upon the thriving agricultural village of Bahyrst. Gone now, swallowed by the surrounding forests, this was the birthplace of the infamous and powerful sorcerer Jaldi'al Dhassei." "Jaldi'al thrived in intellectual pursuits as a young child, and as an adolescent, he was enrolled in the Academy of Spellcraft, affiliated with and run by the Wizard's Council. His natural talent with the art of spellcasting quickly became apparent; the other pupils regarded him with envy while his instructors, sensing growing darkness within him, became increasingly wary." Kreqor pauses, puffing at his pipe as he stares absently into the fire. "In later semesters, Jaldi'al's voracious appetite for arcane knowledge consumed him, and he began dabbling in forbidden magicks. He was caught in a laboratory one day trying to induce a temporal anomaly and was promptly expelled, his journals seized by the staff. They recoiled in horror as they discovered his true passions: manipulations of space-time and entanglements with the Void." "After his eviction from the campus, Jaldi'al returned to Bahyrst and continued his research unhindered in a small studio at his wealthy family's compound. All this, despite warnings from the Wizard's Council about the danger he posed." "Over time, he entertained many visitors, who left in awe given what they had witnessed inside his residence. Rumors circulated in the village that it was far bigger on the inside and contained bizarre doorways that defied logic and nature. A group of acolytes formed around him, drawn by his power and willing to assist him with his mysterious goals." Now Kreqor leans forward in his chair, and his voice is but a whisper. "Then, something terrible happened. Nobody knows exactly what, but one morning most of the people of Bahyrst disappeared. They just vanished. Evil spellcraft was immediately suspected, and the Wizard's Council investigated. Based on residual evidence, these lost souls were devoured by the Void, a vast nothingness where they exist, neither alive nor dead but conscious, in an eternal state of limbo." "Whether swept in by some accidental utterance or minute failure of protocol, or maybe even malice, it mattered not. By day's end, the despair of the survivors turned to rage at the thought of this damnation. A torch-wielding mob stormed the Dhassei compound, finding Jaldi'al extremely weak from the ritual. He was set upon and, offering little resistance, savagely killed." "Then the studio was ransacked in search of the grimoire that contained his dreadful knowledge. It was never found. Later that night, after the crowd had dispersed, his acolytes quietly reclaimed his body and buried it (along with the grimoire, we presume) in a nearby civilian cemetery that dates back centuries. The village of Bahyrst, fatally wounded by the catastrophe, was abandoned and eventually faded from common memory." Kreqor pauses for a moment and then stands to retrieve some wood, which he puts on the dying embers of the fire, coaxing it back to life. Noticing that you have finished dinner, he clears the dishes from the table. When he returns, he begins to pace the floor while resuming his narrative. "The ruins of Bahyrst and the adjacent graveyard are only rarely visited these days by the occasional scholar, or explorer. But there have been strange happenings as of late. A noted historian sent in by the Council disappeared recently, and there have been reports by hikers of spatial rifts appearing and then vanishing in the surrounding woods. Even the bravest warriors avoid the cemetery proper for fear of what lurks there." "We feel the hand of Jaldi'al himself may be reaching out from the grave; there is a chance he made a pact with a dark god to achieve lichdom. If this is the case, his growing power is manifesting itself, and his plan may include revenge on the descendants of those who killed him. All this said, the Vile Grimoire of Jaldi'al is the key to his power; deprived of it, he would surely wither. The Wizard's Council is offering a substantial reward for the retrieval of this evil book." "I will not lie," Kreqor says sternly. "Only the most powerful should join this quest, as the graveyard is said to be unconsecrated, and now haunted by creatures of the night. There is a real chance it will claim you as a victim. I will allow you quarter to consider your options." You thank Kreqor for his hospitality and retire for the evening. In the morning, after a vigorous debate amongst the party members, it is decided that you will accept the challenge. Kreqor appreciates your courage; to aid you in your quest, he gives you an ancient parchment donated by a Council member who specializes in the summoning of elementals. You also re-provision for the challenges ahead. As you leave the wizard's estate, he points to a path behind his cottage. "If you follow this for maybe a day and a night, you will come to the cemetery gates. Good luck to you in your endeavors." You follow the path and, as expected, arrive just before daybreak; you pause outside the iron gates as your party enters the burial grounds.

Version comparison

While the original (1988) and reworked (2020) versions of the adventure share the same basic story, there are a number of differences between the two, some of which the game mentions in its hints file, and others that Penner described in correspondence with Huw Williams in 2020.

The Vile Grimoire of Jaldi'al...

• has an expanded introduction and outro text, rewritten to improve the game's narrative. Penner also rewrote the poetry and many descriptions, renamed certain elements, and scrubbed all the text to remove various grammatical and spelling errors present in the original Crypt Crasher.
• is designed for high-level characters, with at least one new healing artifact included that wasn't present in Crypt Crasher.
• has a more even mix of low- and high-level monsters.
• improves various game subsystems: day and night transitions are more pronounced, fog intensity varies more realistically, room decorations are more interactive, and flavor effects are more sensitive to weather patterns.
• adds a number of mechanics that were started in the original game but abandoned before full implementation, including the bloodnettle's attack behavior (latches onto a victim and continues to attack it), the beholder's clumsiness spell (affects agility), and the carrion crawler's paralysis (severely affects agility, limits mobility, etc.)
• adds many subtle nuances such as the efreeti and will-o-the-wisp being light sources, the efreeti having an aversion to water, increased danger of traveling in the swamp at night without light, etc.
• varies the strength of Jaldi'al and his "pets" if the player's party adds any new members.
• makes use of the various ArtifactTypes available in Eamon CS (InContainers, DoorGates, etc).
• has a variety of configurable game settings.
• offers a complete set of hints, which were missing in the old game.
• was aggressively tested, debugged, and polished, with any new bugs being fixed when found. (Crypt Crashers was only lightly tested, uploaded once to GEnie, and had no maintenance cycle.)

Walkthrough

A map of the cemetery and its crypts.

This walkthrough is for the latest version of the adventure, The Vile Grimoire of Jaldi'al. The game is largely non-linear and gives players the latitude to explore freely, visit areas in different orders, and seek or avoid certain encounters, so this walkthrough represents just one of many possible routes through the adventure. It's written not with the goal of reaching the end as quickly as possible, nor of visiting absolutely every room, but instead is meant to help players experience all the key parts of the adventure without unnecessary backtracking.

Getting started

Before venturing through the gates of the cemetery, it's good the read the game's hints: they give instructions on how to use Eamon CS and offer some helpful tips for succeeding in your adventure. (More hints will become available as the game progresses.) In particular, note that the adventure is designed with experienced characters in mind, so if you're weak or poorly armed, consider returning with a more capable adventurer.

You'll often find yourself in darkness, both at night in the cemetery and in the unlit tunnels of the crypts, but fortunately your inventory includes a magical torch which you can light to illuminate your surroundings. In your inventory you'll also find the parchment given to you by Kreqor which bears the magical words "Rinnuk Aukasker Frudasdus." Saying this incantation will summon a powerful fire demon known as an efreeti to fight by your side, but you have only a limited number of uses so summon it only when necessary. (The efreeti can damage enemies that normal weapons cannot.) Note that the intermittent rain will drive away the efreeti, and may also damage your torch.

Vile Grimoire rewards careful searching and exploration, so pay attention to your surroundings, watch for clues, and remember to save your progress frequently.

The cemetery

The main section of the cemetery is roughly rectangular, stretching eight rooms east-to-west and five or six rooms north-to-south, and is surrounded on the north, south, and west sides by a strong iron fence. It's haunted by a host of unfriendly monsters who randomly appear to engage your party in combat: bugbears, carrion crawlers, gargoyles, giant rats, ghasts, ghouls, goblins, jackalweres, ochre jellies, shadows, shambling mounds, skeletons, specters, wererats, will-o'-the-wisps, wraiths, and zombies.

"You stand at the entrance to an enormous fenced-in burial ground." (The Cemetery Entrance, c. 1825)

1. Step into the cemetery to meet your four companions: Reginald (who wields a mace), Dubro (a maul), Joque (a claymore), and Trevor (a dirk).
2. Go three rooms east to find a recently dug grave where you can collect a bucket, a shovel, and some rope. Return to the entrance.
3. Go one room south and use the shovel to discover a buried casket; open it to obtain a bronze cross.
4. Go south to the corner of the cemetery, then east. Defeat the malevolent Tanglewoode tree that stands near the brook.
5. Follow the brook east and southeast; here a gap in the fence lets you enter a small glade to the southwest where a solitary tombstone stands — and where, if it's dark, you may battle a hooded specter.
6. Follow the fence two rooms east and collect the fallen fence rod, then return to the place with the gap in the fence.
7. Go north three times to the gravesite, then north again to battle the deadly forest bloodnettles.
8. Go north once more and you'll be at the northern fence. Open the crypt, using either the shovel or the fence rod for leverage, and enter.

The northern crypt

1. Search the crypt's entry chamber multiple times to discover hidden exits leading north and south.
   • North is a passage leading to the lair of a pocket dragon who guards a hoard of treasure. Search the treasure to discover a crystal goblet.
   • South is an animated suit of armor guarding a chest which contains a weathered map, a bottle of Molten Iron Ale, and a pair of steel gauntlets.
2. Take the east passage through the catacombs until you enter a huge gallery decorated with runes and frescoes. Reading the runes, you may find a poem:
   

   The sands of time pass slowly here,
   For those who've slipped away.
   Yet all will surely rise again,
   To see the break of day.

   You may also find a rune of teleportation that magically returns you to a random part of the cemetery.
3. The surrounding rooms are mostly vacant, but the northern exit leads to a small room where you can collect a wine cask, inside of which lurks a dangerous crimson amoeba.
4. Return to the surface.

The southern crypt

1. From the north crypt, go east twice, then south three times to reach a tomb which you can force open and enter.
2. As before, repeatedly search the entry chamber to discover hidden exits north and south.
3. First check the north secret, which is a passageway decorated with frescoes and hieroglyphics that leads to a vacant, dripping chamber. Read the hieroglyphs several times to reveal several messages and short poems, one of which concludes with magical words to be used when "the waves rise against you": "Avarchrom Yarei Uttoximo".
4. Next check the south passageway which is also filled with detailed etchings and has three small side-chambers. The first and last are empty, but the middle one is occupied by five flying saberclaws.
5. From the entrance chamber, follow the catacomb passage east and find a cutlass. Beware: when you fist attempt to get the cutlass it will rise, possessed, and attack your party. Once defeated it can then be safely collected.
6. Go east again and encounter four powerful, animated jade statues. Summon the efreeti to help you beat the statues to pieces, then collect the jade fragments. Search the room to discover a trapdoor leading down to a set of empty rooms and passages.
7. Return to the surface.

The secluded graveyard

1. From the tomb, go one room east. (Avoid going farther east: the cemetery's eastern border is a swampland that can be deadly to traverse, particularly in the dark.)
2. Go north three times to reach a broken spot in the northern fence. Search the area to find an old but serviceable lantern which you can light with your torch.
3. Follow the path north, past a dangerous whip weed plant, then east toward a clearing. You've reached a secluded and overgrown section of the cemetery, four rooms east-to-west and two rooms north-to-south.
4. In the third room east on the south side, find a crypt marked with a strange symbol. Force it open and enter.

The final crypt

1. You find yourself in an entry chamber with exits north, south, and east.
2. Take the east passage to find a wedge-shaped room dominated by a stone sarcophagus, and inside a skeleton clutching a leather-bound book. Remove the book from the sarcophagus. (Could this be the grimoire?) Return to the entry chamber.
3. Go north into a small chamber and search to find a secret exit east. The secret room is occupied by a beholder guarding its treasures; defeat it and search the hoard to find some gold pieces, a pouch of gem stones, and a wearable crimson cloak. Return to the small chamber.
4. Go north again into another small room. Search it to reveal a secret exit and take it west.
5. This small secret chamber is marked with unreadable runes and hides another secret exit north into an alcove.
6. Enter the alcove, descend the stairs, and arrive in a large circular room with exits in every direction except northeast, and a message on the wall which reads, "From the foundations of Eamon to the upper reaches of the sky — my ascension is at hand." Nearly all the exits are dimensional portals that connect to distant environments: a high, windswept plateau (north), a sandy beach by an ocean (northwest), the middle of a vast desert (west), a lush coniferous forest (southwest), a mountain precipice near a griffin nest (south), and a grassy prairie (southeast).
7. Take the narrow east passage and search to find a secret door leading north.
8. In the secret north room you'll find a fountain, and using your bucket to take water from it will awaken a deadly water weird whose powerful regenerative abilities make it extremely difficult to defeat in combat. However, saying the words you found in the frescoed passage will dispatch it instantly. Once it's gone, use your bucket to remove the water, then search the fountain to find a pile of gold and a secret exit leading down. Before you go through, be sure to save your progress, and ensure that you and your party are healed up.
9. The exit down leads through a portal to a steaming jungle where you find the evil lich Jaldi'al himself, sitting on a wooden throne with two jungle cats at his side. Jaldi'al is very dangerous and has powerful attacks, but he can be defeated! Summon your efreeti, fight valiantly, and restore if needed. If you go in with a diminished party or are having difficulty facing all three enemies at once, you may be able to draw the cats away by fleeing and dealing with them separately. Also, as previous clues hinted, death isn't permanent and if you're struck down you'll awaken alone in the open grave in the middle of the cemetery, able to make your way back to re-join the fray.
10. Once he's defeated, search Jaldi'al's wooden throne to discover a secret compartment that hides his grimoire, the object of your quest!
11. Return to the surface, make your way back to gate at the west end of the main cemetery, and exit.

Epilogue

When you leave, the game will report how many days, hours, and minutes you spent exploring the graveyard and then give you one of the following three epilogues, depending on whether or not you successfully retrieved the correct artifact:

Success epilogue

You wander down the path back to Kreqor's estate. To your surprise, he is standing on the doorstep, awaiting your arrival. "I see you survived your quest, excellent!" he says. "The evil aura surrounding the grimoire, I sensed it as you approached, such is its power. Thank the gods this malignant artifact has been captured and no longer poses a threat!" You hand over the book for inspection. Kreqor accepts it, almost with a mixed look of wonder and disgust, and begins to leaf through the pages. He scans the manuscript to determine its condition, but you note he avoids reading its contents. Finally, he looks up at you and says, "The Wizard's Council will undoubtedly authorize the release of the reward, which amounts to 3600 gold pieces. But you must have had many adventures in the graveyard, come inside and lodge for the night. I am curious about what you have seen." You gladly accept Kreqor's hospitality once again. The ale flows, and the fire crackles late into the night as you recount your experiences in the cemetery. Your host is particularly interested in the tale of the final battle with Jaldi'al, as it confirms the suspicions of the Wizard's Council about the lich's existence and its nefarious schemes. "Hopefully," says Kreqor, "the capture of the grimoire has put an end to Jaldi'al's plans once and for all." As the midnight hour nears, you retire to your quarters. The next morning, after breakfast, you re-provision and set out on the final leg of your journey back to the Main Hall. Before doing so, you hand over the ancient parchment so it can be returned to its rightful owner. Kreqor again thanks you profusely for your services and bids you a final farewell. He watches from his doorstep as you fade into the distance. You have no encounters of note on the way home.

Missing book epilogue

You wander down the path, but give a wide berth to Kreqor's estate, as you don't have the grimoire in your possession. You carry the long-held suspicion that wizards can be very ill-tempered. If you appeared at his doorstep empty-handed, he'd probably turn you into something... unnatural. However, you do arrange to have the ancient parchment returned to him via courier. The rest of the journey home is uneventful.

Wrong book epilogue

You wander down the path back to Kreqor's estate. When you arrive at the cottage, you step up to the door and knock loudly. To your surprise, you receive no answer. A moment later, after rapping on the window, you hear a muffled voice from somewhere inside. "One minute! Just a minute!" Eventually, after using the tiny viewport, Kreqor opens the door to greet you. He is dressed in a smock and wearing gloves. "Please come in," he says. "You caught me while I was at work in my study." You follow Kreqor to a well-lit room in the back of the house. Large bookcases filled with thick tomes line the walls, and a workbench runs the length of the room, overloaded with intricate glassware and rubber tubing. Several lit burners heat bubbling liquids; these give off white vapors. "You survived your exploration of the graveyard, excellent! Did you find the grimoire of Jaldi'al?" You proudly hand over the book for inspection. Kreqor, with a doubting look on his face, receives it, and begins to leaf through the pages. As he reaches the end, he abruptly snaps the book closed in your face! There is a flash of light in his eyes, and his voice is trembling with barely controlled anger. "Charlatan and swindler! Do you take me for a doddering fool?" he splutters. "This manual is but a shoddy imitation; I've seen finer magic from a cobbler's apprentice!" You note with alarm that his physical frame seems to grow larger in a menacing way. "Count yourself lucky the Wizard's Council has a standing rule against transmogrification! But clearly, you are an amateur, and we have no use for your services. Good day!" In disgust, he snatches the ancient parchment from your grip and then ejects you from his residence. You have no encounters of note on the way home.

Location

The party's first stop, the trading outpost of Geldhaven, is several days' travel from Evenhold, and per Penner's original introduction lies northward from the Main Hall. In the vicinity of Geldhaven is the Tiaga Gorge and just beyond it an isolated woodland area with an inn.

From Geldhaven, the party travels north for days along the merchant's trail, then east for half a day along a cross-path to reach the cottage of the wizard Kreqor Agoras. Following a path from the cottage for a day and a night leads to the cemetery near the abandoned village of Bahyrst.

Other locations mentioned in the adventure include Banner Elk (located in a forested area in the Bahryst region) and Crystalbay, Lesser Stroyol (the site of Spellunker's Adventuring Supplies).

Trivia

• There is a relative timeline established between the events of the game and the (as yet unfinished) The Wayfarer's Inn adventure. The introduction strongly implies the player spends the night at the Wayfarer's Inn while in its prime.
• The game generates the inscriptions on the cemetery's many gravestones by randomly combining first names, middle names, last names, epitaph passages, and dates. The earliest burials in the cemetery date to the early 500s; the last were in the late 1000s.
• The first appearance in Eamon of the carrion crawler was in Donald Brown's 1980 adventure Castle of Doom.

Gallery

• 

  The introduction from The Crypt Crasher & the Tomb of Horrors

External links

• Eamon Adventurer's Guild Library Master List
• The Interactive Fiction Database: The Vile Grimoire of Jaldi'al
• Interactive Fiction Reviews: The Vile Grimoire of Jaldi'al