|  Introduction | | The dark, twisted power of the young Malbordus is reaching its zenith. All he needs now is to retrieve the five dragon artefacts which have been hidden for centuries in the lost city of Vatos, somewhere in the Desert of Skulls. Each day that passes brings him closer to them and only YOU can stop him! YOUR mission is to reach the lost city before Malbordus and destroy the treasures he seeks. But beware! Each step you take leads you closer to your doom... |
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| | Temple of Terror | |
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| | Description | This release tried to be a faithful conversion of the original, as much as possible. However, it appears that the original game is fatally bugged, both the C64 and the ZX Spectrum versions. (See this review, or this video for example.) Therefore this is the first "good" version of the game that can be actually completed as the creators intended. Please note that the list below may contain some spoilers.
A list of some of the major changes:
- A new title screen, taken from the book's cover, thanks for Chronos.
- The manual is included, to provide the backstory and some hints. The original manual was also buggy: besides some typos, it contained information that was factually incorrect. These have been corrected. To navigate in the manual, use the cursor keys, or space, or ESC (at any point, including the title screen) to exit.
- The game's graphics engine has been greatly optimized. Text is written about 12 times faster, and graphics is drawn around 3 times faster. Below a visual comparison of the two, side-by-side. This makes the game a lot more enjoyable to play.
- The original could only save the game to tape, this version can save to either tape or disk.
- The original game was impossible to complete, because it used an internal variable for two things: keeping track of the pirates, and the last door, which only opens when 4 items are inserted into it. When an item was inserted, the variable got incremented by one. However, the other part of the logic, dealing with the pirates, noticed this, printed a message and reset the variable to zero. Therefore the part of the logic, which checked if the variable reached four never executed. This of course has been fixed. Also, due to the nature of this bug, I am sure that the game simply wasn't tested before release - or perhaps somehow the wrong version was released, although the chances of that happening on two different systems is low. This is no mere typo, not a single-byte-off issue, it's a glaring bug that needed some extensive changes.
- Lots and lots of text fixes. Grammar, typos, extra commas or apostrophes were all corrected.
- Several new synonyms added, e.g. "SERPENT GUARD" can be referred to either as "SERPENT" or "GUARD".
- Lots of minor (but non fatal) bugs fixed. One, for example, is the messenger of Death. As an added obstacle, the player must avoid reading all the letters of the word DEATH, which has been left all over the temple. However, one of the letters (D), was completely missing, making this whole issue nonsensical. This has been fixed, so if the player does read all letters, he will die. Another example: "DROP CROSSBOW" produced the message "You don't have it." even when the player did have it and it was correctly dropped.
- Graphic fixes: in several rooms, when an enemy was killed, they stayed on screen either indefinitely (weird!) or until you re-entered the room (annoying). All of these were fixed.
- Brand new additions: after fixing all the above issues, I decided to add a few more things. There were some cases where some spells or items SHOULD have worked, but didn't. I couldn't think of any reason why they shouldn't, so I added a few changes. These give a few "new paths" for the player to solve the game, but otherwise I feel that thematically they are justified. |
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| | Image Gallery |  A Dark Elf  The desert  A Giant Centipede  A Skeleton  A Lizardman  Dark Disciples  A Mutant Orc  Treasure! Or is it? |
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| | Solutions - Hints | How do I escape from the pirates in the beginning?
Once you get across the bridge, CUT the BRIDGE so that they aren't able to follow you.
How do I kill the Harpy?
With the TRIDENT you're carrying, although once you realize that it's harmless, maybe you don't have to.
How do I get past the Basilisk?
You can get past it easily, he's not stopping you... But to kill him, POINT the MIRROR AT BASILISK.
I keep dying of thirst in the desert!
You can drink from the cactus (CUT CACTUS first), or enter Abjul's tent, he'll always refresh you.
Where can I get the item the Gnome wants to trade for?
It's on the pirate ship in the beginning. You'll have to sedate the pirates first, if you want to get it though.
How do I kill the skeleton?
ROLL the CANNONBALL AT SKELETON.
How do I kill the Death Dog?
Dogs like to eat meat, right? Maybe you could give him something to deal with him.
I still don't know how to kill the Death Dog!
GET the BOTTLE from the man in the desert. FILL the BOTTLE at the oasis (it's poisoned). EXAMINE the CARCASS the ratman was eating, GET the FLESH. POUR WATER onto FLESH and you have poisoned meat. Give that to the Death Dog.
A crossbow keeps shooting me!
From the room with the imaginary fire, ROLL the CANNONBALL. This will go into the tunnel and trip the tripwire.
How do I deal with the Fiend?
THROW TAPESTRY AT FIEND.
How do I deal with the Torturer?
THROW SCORPION AT DOOR when you're outside. Make sure you have the gauntlets to be able to pick up the scorpion.
How do I deal with the Disciples?
THROW NET AT DISCIPLES, then the usual KILL DISCIPLES WITH SWORD.
The Mutant Orc is too strong!
Once you DRINK from the pool, you'll gain enough strength.
How do I get past the Tentacled Thing?
DROP the BRACELET you bought from Abjul, it will dive after it.
Leesha's Servant keeps killing me!
Be sure you have the shield when you enter the room, this will give you a momentary advantage.
Where's the Silver Dragon?
In a box in the room with the solitary candle.
Where's the Bone Dragon?
Hanging in the bucket in the room behind the drapes.
Where's the Crystal Dragon?
In the Gnome's room, in a cavity in the floor. Trade for it or kill the gnome to get it.
Where's the Ebony Dragon?
In the room with the wood carving, in a cavity inside the carving.
Where's the Gold Dragon?
In the idol's mouth (near the end).
Instead of playing, I just followed the C=64 solution, but that doesn't have the ending because of the original game's bug!
To defeat Malbordus, you must have all 5 dragons and the hammer. Once you meet him, simply SMASH the DRAGONS. |
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| | Solutions - Complete | Here is the complete solution of the game by MCG:
(You are on the banks of the Catfish River which is spanned by a rope bridge.)
INVENTORY (you are carrying Yaztraomos’ magic book of spells, a sword and a trident)
READ BOOK (it contains the words of four spells "sleep", "dart", "incendiary" and "shrinking")
CAST SLEEP ON PIRATES
GO BOAT
EXAMINE DECK (Telescope)
GET TELESCOPE (the pirates are waking)
E
GO BRIDGE
S (pirates are crossing the bridge)
CUT ROPE (the pirates fall into the river and are eaten by crocodiles - now you have a little more time)
EXAMINE SWORD (It's a double edged broadsword)
EXAMINE TRIDENT (It's two metres long with three spikes on the end)
S (Scrubland with a patch of black ground)
S (Scrubland by boulders where a torch has been abandoned)
GET TORCH
N (Scrubland with a patch of black ground)
N (Scrubland, close to the bank of a river)
E (Scrubland with a burning hut)
LIGHT TORCH (from the burning hut)
EXAMINE ELVES (they are dancing round a dead man's body)
KILL ELVES WITH SWORD
EXAMINE MAN (Bow, Arrow)
GET BOW
GET ARROW
W (Scrubland, close to bank of a river)
S (to where there's a patch of black ground)
EXAMINE PATCH (see a bronze medallion which if you get it you will find it's red hot and burns a letter M into your flesh before you drop it - note this will remain in your inventory for the rest of the game)
S (to where the boulders are)
CLIMB BOULDERS (into a cave - the light from your torch sends a huge Cave Troll screaming of into the depths of the caves)
EXAMINE CAVE (empty except for a small loose rock in the corner)
GET ROCK
W (Scrubland, by huge boulders)
DROP TORCH (it goes out but you don't need it anymore)
S (to where the harpy is)
EXAMINE HARPY
KILL HARPY WITH TRIDENT
DROP TRIDENT
S (Scrubland)
GET POUCH
EXAMINE POUCH (Message, a piece of paper flutters to the ground)
GET MESSAGE
READ MESSAGE (from Yaztromo and reads "Help is at hand.")
DROP MESSAGE (an eagle flies down and lands nearby)
EXAMINE EAGLE (looks like the closest thing around here to a Jumbo Jet)
CLIMB ON EAGLE (you are attacked by a Terodactyl)
FIRE ARROW (it kills the terodactyl... the eagle lands... you climb down and the eagle flies off... you are in the desert by a large skeleton and you have a limited number of moves before dying of thirst)
DROP BOW
EXAMINE SKELETON (find a Small Wooden Box)
GET BOX
OPEN BOX (see a Mirror and a Sealed Clay Pot)
GET MIRROR
DROP BOX (the pot is a red herring - note if you break it, a poisonous gas escapes and kills you)
S (Desert where the cactus is)
CUT CACTUS
EXAMINE CACTUS (It's full of water)
DRINK WATER
S (Desert)
S (Desert with the Basilisk)
POINT MIRROR AT BASILISK (the deadly stare of the Basilisk reflects off the mirror turning him into stone)
DROP MIRROR
DIG (found a small Bronze Bell)
GET BELL
S (Desert, see footprints leading west)
W (Desert, there's a dead man here)
EXAMINE MAN (found an Empty Bottle)
GET BOTTLE
E
S (Desert)
S (Desert, where the black tent is)
ENTER TENT (Abjul the nomad gives you refreshment and asks if you wish to buy something)
EXAMINE POUCH (contains 14 gold coins)
BUY BRACELET
BUY MONGOOSE
BUY BUTTON (the other items are of no use)
E (Desert, where the black tent is)
W (Desert, suddenly a huge Sandworm emerges from the sand)
THROW ROCK (it blocks the Sandworm's throat choking it to death)
EXAMINE SANDWORM (it's mouth is full of razor sharp teeth... you can get tooth but there is no use for it)
E (Desert, where the black tent is)
S (Desert)
S (Desert where in the distance birds circling over trees)
E (An oasis)
FILL BOTTLE (don't drink the water though as it is poisoned)
W (Desert where in the distance birds circling over trees)
S (Desert)
S (Desert)
S (Desert)
S (Desert where a walled city is in the distance)
S (city entrance where your way is blocked by a Serpent Guard)
KICK SAND AT SERPENT GUARD (he is temporarily blinded)
ENTER DOOR (to a large square, out of the desert heat you quickly revive)
GO ARCHWAY (to a Staircase)
D (Corridor where an Iron Casket is)
EXAMINE CASKET (found a Shield)
GET SHIELD
EXAMINE SHIELD (it has magical markings on it)
S (a creature with a mouth full of slime appears and whispers “DEATH” in your ear before disappearing, if you read all letters you die - note from now on at various locations the letters of death are formed in reverse order)
S (T-junction, facing on the wall are heavily patterned drapes)
W (Corridor)
S (Corridor)
S (Corridor where the deep pit is)
CLOSE EYES
JUMP OVER PIT
S (this gets you across the pit and past the eye stinger which is on the other side)
OPEN EYES (you are in a corridor with an iron grille)
EXAMINE GRILLE (the letter H has been drawn in chalk)
E (Corridor)
S (A T-junction - a tall reptilian creature is here wearing armour and holding a sword)
EXAMINE REPTILIAN (He is a Lizard Man)
CAST INCENDIARY AT LIZARD (there is a flash as the spell works)
EXAMINE LIZARD (find an iron key, but leave it as it has no use in the game)
EXAMINE SACKS (full of grain - a red herring)
E (Dead-end with a ladder)
CLIMB LADDER (to a small cluttered room - a gnome is here holding a wooden pole)
TALK TO GNOME (he offers to trade a telescope for one of his treasures)
GIVE TELESCOPE (the gnome points to a handle in the floor)
PULL HANDLE (one of the slabs lifts up revealing a cavity)
EXAMINE CAVITY (found a Crystal Dragon)
GET DRAGON
DROP MONGOOSE
D (Dead-end with a ladder)
W (A T-junction with pile of Sacks)
W (to a dingy room)
KILL RATMAN WITH SWORD (he's dead)
EXAMINE CARCASS (found a Goblin Flesh)
GET FLESH
POUR WATER ONTO FLESH (you now have some poisoned flesh)
DROP BOTTLE
GO LEFT ARCH (into a corridor with broken glass)
N (Corridor where a Skeleton Warrior carrying a net is here)
N (into a room with two open stone coffers)
EXAMINE COFFERS (contain a stone cannonball and hammer)
GET CANNONBALL
GET HAMMER
S (to Corridor where the skeleton is)
ROLL CANNONBALL AT SKELETON (Strike!)
GET NET
GET CANNONBALL
S (Corridor with broken glass)
S (Corridor, a doorway in the left-hand wall)
W (to Corridor with dead man)
DROP HAMMER
SE (your mind fills with horrific images)
ROLL CANNONBALL EAST (this releases a crossbow bolt by rolling into a trip wire and allows you to proceed east)
GET BOLT
E (a low narrow tunnel)
GET CROSSBOW
LOAD CROSSBOW
GO ARCHWAY (back to room with horrific images, do not linger here)
NW (Corridor with a dead man)
E (room with a carved doorway)
GO DOOR (room with bones - you hear growling coming from a low arch... suddenly a huge Death Dog attacks)
DROP FLESH (the dog gobbles it greedily)
GO ARCH (low narrow tunnel)
GET STONE (triangular - note if you haven't rolled the cannonball you get killed here by the crossbow bolt)
N (An empty room with pile of bones)
W (Corridor with a carved doorway)
N (Corridor with broken glass)
NE (Corridor with iron grille)
CLOSE EYES
N (you avoid the eye stinger)
JUMP OVER PIT
OPEN EYES
N (Corridor)
E (Corridor)
N (T-junction with drapes)
EXAMINE DRAPES (see an iron door)
GO DOOR (A dust filled room where a bucket hangs by a rope)
CUT ROPE (the bucket falls and a giant centipede rushes forward to bite you)
FIRE CROSSBOW AT CENTIPEDE (the bolt hits the monster's skull - note you only have one move here so the crossbow must be pre-loaded)
DROP CROSSBOW
EXAMINE BUCKET (found Bone Dragon)
GET DRAGON
GO DOOR (Corridor)
S (to where the pit is)
CLOSE EYES
JUMP OVER PIT
S
OPEN EYES (Corridor with an iron grille)
S (Corridor with broken glass)
S (Corridor with a carved doorway)
W (to where the dead man is)
EXAMINE MAN (you find a Gauntlet which we will pick up later)
S (corridor - a giant glowing moth is here)
CAST SHRINKING AT MOTH (the spell works)
DROP BOOK (you won't need it anymore)
GET MOTH (this is needed later for illumination)
S (to a large chamber)
GO TUNNEL (A flooded room)
GO WATER (A hideous monster surfaces... tentacled thing)
DROP BRACELET (as the bracelet sinks, the monster disappears beneath the surface)
S (Corridor)
E (corridor where the phantom drains your strength)
DROP BUTTON (the presence of silver makes the phantom cringe... he turns to dust)
DROP BELL
DROP SHIELD
N (Corridor)
N (A flooded room)
N (A lagre chamber)
N (Corridor)
N (Corridor with dead man)
GET GAUNTLET
GET HAMMER
S (Corridor)
S (A large chamber)
GO TUNNEL
GO WATER
S (Corridor)
E (corridor where the phantom drains your strength)
DROP HAMMER
N (Corridor)
W (Dead-end where a solitary candle burns in an alcove)
EXAMINE ALCOVE (there's a small silver box here)
GET BOX
OPEN BOX (a silver dragon falls)
DROP BOX
GET DRAGON
E (Corridor)
E (Corridor)
W (Corridor where a chair carved in the shape of a Sphinx is here)
SIT CHAIR (it vibrates which refreshes you)
EXAMINE TAPESTRIES (they depict a fire breathing creature being smothered by a cloth)
GET TAPESTRY
W (to the end of a corridor where the pool is)
DRINK POOL (the liquid increases your strength greatly)
E (Corridor where a chair carved in the shape of a Sphinx is here)
E (Corridor)
E (Corridor where a wall covered by picture of a great battle)
S (Corridor with a door)
S (A passage outside a locked door)
S (End of a corridor)
GO RIGHT DOOR (to a storeroom)
THROW TAPESTRY AT FIEND (the Tapestry imprisons the fiend in his jar)
EXAMINE VASE (see a scorpion)
GET SCORPION (note you must be carrying the gauntlet to do this)
E (End of a corridor)
N (A passage outside a locked door)
N (Corridor with a door, you hear cries coming from the room)
THROW SCORPION IN DOOR (there's a yell from inside the room)
GO DOOR (to torture room - the scorpion has killed the torturer)
DROP GAUNTLET
FREE MAN (he tells you his name is Thita before leaving)
W (Corridor with a door)
S (you are in a passage outside a locked door but in fact it isn't and you can simply go door)
GO DOOR (to a marbled floored room - you are in the room of question and are asked the name of the torturer's victim)
SAY THITA
GET LODESTONE
W (A passage outside a locked door)
S (End of a corridor)
GO LEFT DOOR (to an empty room - there is a door in the wall on which there is a small box)
EXAMINE BOX (has a coin sized slot in it)
DROP COIN IN SLOT (a small panel flips round, there is a letter T on it - the messenger of death has struck)
DROP POUCH
W (End of a corridor)
N (A passage outside a locked door)
N (Corridor with a door)
N (Corridor where a wall covered by picture of a great battle)
W (Corridor)
GET SHIELD
GET BELL
E (Corridor where a wall covered by picture of a great battle)
S (Corridor with a door)
S (A passage outside a locked door)
S (End of a corridor)
GO LEFT DOOR (An empty room)
S (A very dimply lit Corridor, you see the letter A)
GO DOOR (into the candle lit chamber - the night horror is here shooting bolts of light at you from a silver rod)
RING BELL (the night horror drops the rod to cover it's ears)
DROP BELL (the ceiling is coming down and is touching your head)
GET ROD (this stops the ceiling and you must always carry this to pass through this room)
EXAMINE NIGHT HORROR (found a key)
DROP NET
GET KEY
UNLOCK DOOR
DROP KEY
GET NET
GO DOOR (a sparsely furnished room - there is a large wood carving on the wall)
DROP ROD
EXAMINE CARVING (depicts a city... there is a small crack in one of the buildings)
EXAMINE BUILDING (the roof is loose)
GET ROOF (there's a small cavity where the roof was)
DROP ROOF
EXAMINE CAVITY (see an ebony dragon, we get later)
S (large hall guarded by two Dark Disciples)
EXAMINE ALTAR (the Dark Disciples push you back)
THROW NET AT DISCIPLES (they are tangled in it)
KILL DISCIPLES WITH SWORD (you quickly overpower the servants of Leesha)
EXAMINE ALTAR
GET CROSS
EXAMINE CROSS (It's stone)
S (corridor - there are four stone arms protruding from the wall)
THROW LODESTONE (the magnetic properties of the stone lock the swords inseparably together)
N (A large hall)
N (A small sparsely furnished room)
GET ROD
N (A candle-lit chamber)
W (A very dimply lit corridor)
N (End of a corridor)
N (A passage outside a locked door)
N (Corridor with a door)
N (Corridor where a wall covered by picture of a great battle)
W (Corridor)
GET HAMMER
E (Corridor where a wall covered by picture of a great battle)
S (Corridor with a door)
S (A passage outside a locked door)
S (End of a corridor)
GO LEFT DOOR (An empty room)
S (A very dimply lit Corridor, you see the letter A)
GO DOOR (into the candle lit chamber - the night horror is here shooting bolts of light at you from a silver rod)
GO DOOR (A small sparsely furnished room)
DROP ROD
GET DRAGON
S (A large hall)
S (corridor - there are four stone arms protruding from the wall)
GO DOOR (you are in front of a curtain of golden rain)
E (Dead-end corridor - a Mutant Orc is here)
KILL ORC WITH SWORD (the strength gained from the Herbal liquid helps you overcome the Orc)
EXAMINE ORC (found a circular stone)
W (in front of a curtain)
GO CURTAIN (luxurious chamber)
W (corridor with two doors)
EXAMINE DOORS (one bears the symbol of the sun the other the moon... the sun door leads to sudden death)
GO MOON DOOR (chamber with three stone pots)
EXAMINE POTS (they are white, black and red)
EXAMINE BLACK POT (nothing special)
EXAMINE RED POT (you see the letter E)
EXAMINE WHITE POT (you find a square stone)
S (into an empty room with trapdoor in the floor)
GO TRAPDOOR (you must have the glowing moth but there isn't much point at there is nothing here)
U
DROP MOTH
DROP DRAGONS
DROP DRAGONS
N (A chamber)
GET STONE (square)
GO DOOR (Corridor with two doors)
E (A luxurious chamber)
GO CURTAIN (In front of a curtain)
E (A corridor which finishes in a dead-end)
GET STONE
W (In front of a curtain)
N (A corridor with four stone arms)
N (A large hall)
GET NET
S (A corridor with four stone arms)
GO DOOR (front of curtain)
GO CURTAIN (A luxurious chamber)
W (Corridor with two doors)
GO MOON DOOR
S (to where the trapdoor is)
W (into treasure room)
W (Corridor)
S (At the foot of a flight of stone steps)
U (At the top of the steps - there is no way to open the oak door)
D (At the foot of a flight of stone steps)
N (Corridor)
N (A passage - there are some grapes here on top of a marble column, but they are poisoned, so don't eat them)
N (A small chamber - Two Skeleton Men bar your way)
THROW NET (the skeletons get tangled in the net)
W (A luxurious chamber - your shield protects you as the blind servant of Leesha hacks wildly at the air with his sword)
KILL SERVANT WITH SWORD (as you deal with the guard, Leesha turns and runs)
DROP SHIELD
E (A small chamber)
S (A passage)
S (Corridor)
E (A treasure room)
E (An empty room with a trap-door)
GET DRAGONS
GET DRAGONS
W (A treasure room)
W (Corridor)
N (A passage)
N (A small chamber)
W (A luxurious chamber)
W (in a hallway - there's a bronze dog shaped idol in the middle of the hallway)
EXAMINE IDOL (there's something in its mouth)
EXAMINE MOUTH (found a Gold Dragon)
DROP SWORD
GET DRAGON
N (a dwarf whispers “Hurry. Malbordus is close to victory.”... you are in a passage with a massive stone door which has four small holes in it)
EXAMINE HOLES (they are triangle, circle, square and cross shaped)
INSERT TRIANGULAR STONE
INSERT CIRCULAR STONE
INSERT SQUARE STONE
INSERT CROSS (door opens)
GO DOOR (to a cold room)
SMASH DRAGONS WITH HAMMER
...and As you bring the hammer down on the Dragon Artifacts, the power of Malbordus diminishes. You have won. Malbordus is defeated.
THE END |
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