Bivotar and Juranda, two famous adventurers that frequented the company of each other, were the nephew and niece of Syovar the Strong. The rest of his family is unknown, save that in 948 GUE his mother and a cousin named Antax were still alive. The two inseperable companions commonly dressed in the adventurer's garb, featuring leather belts, hooded cloaks, and sturdy leather boots.
THE FORCES OF KRILL
Circa 738~755, Bivotar and Juranda were kidnapped by the forces of Krill. Because of Syovar's absorption into the isolation and intrigues of the royal Quendoran life, it took him several years before he found out. The two were imprisoned for nearly two hundred years, when they finally escaped the clutches Krill's servants in the late ninth century. The two were instantly plunged into the war between Krill and the Aragain Province as Syovar and Sir Ellron were desperately trying to counter the invasion.
The two adventurers stumbled across the Sword of Zork. In the Foothills of Frobozz, they met with Sir Ellron and the rest of the Knights of Frobozz on the provincial road who were marching towards the White House to collect with Syovar's forces. He had no time to spare them the details of occurrences during their imprisonment. Thus he directed the pair to an ancient man still dwelling in a nearby village within the folds of the foothills, who explained to them all the doings in the kingdom from the fall of the Empire to the current campaign against Krill. They departed the village to bring the Sword of Zork to Syovar at the campsite in the Dark Forest. Their arrival was belated, for the knights had been forced to move on to engage with Krill’s forces that were again amassing beyond Flood Control Dam #3. A letter attached to a signpost updated them on the campaign:
Bivotar,
Juranda,
It
brings joy to my heart to hear that you have returned. Sir Ellron tells
me that
he met you in the foothills and that you have the Sword of Zork. We
must hurry
off to battle; the armies of Krill are massing again beyond the dam,
and I fear
they will attack before nightfall. We will go to Ellron's house as soon
as
possible; meet us there with the sword.
Syovar
The two adventurers headed down the forest trail toward the White House. At the fork in the trail, Juranda climbed a tree were she spotted a bronze key amidst a birds nest. All of the doors and windows of the White House were boarded shut, save one window behind the house which Juranda found that was slightly ajar. They entered through it. In the living room, the two adventurers found an inscription upon a trophy case: “Only when the Three Palantirs of Zork are returned to this case can the evil be driven from the land and the Great Underground Empire rise once more.” The two were determined to recover the Palantirs. Juranda accidentally found a trapdoor hidden beneath a heavy oriental rug, which was opened once the bronze key she had found was inserted into the lock. They added a brass lantern to their inventory and descended. Some mysterious ill-willed being firmly shut the trapdoor behind them.
Along a dark tunnel they were ambushed by a lurking troll. Wielding the Sword of Zork, Bivotar dispatched the troll and the two followed a passage to a flat ledge overlooking the massive reservoir of Flood Control Dam #3. A torn map once leading to the location of the three Palantirs was found on the skeleton of a deceased adventurer. They followed the ledge lining the reservoir east towards the dam until the path before them was broken by a huge gap. Hopelessly looking for a way to cross, one of the many gnomes of the region appeared, willing to help them, as long as they relinquished the Sword of Zork into his hands. Refusing to handover the precious artifact, Bivotar cleverly tricked the gnome to form a magical bridge free of charge, and the two adventurers continued their journey.
Upon their arrival at Flood Control Dam #3, a bloody and disheveled Ellron met them astride his mount. The army of Krill had beaten the Knights of Frobozz in battle that day and they were in retreat. Syovar had fled to the underground base in the nearby coal mines where the survivors were rendezvousing to form a last defense against Krill. At this moment, a letter from Syovar arrived via gray owl, informing Ellron that the armies of Krill had amassed for battle once again. He reasoned that if the armies of Syovar lost this round, that it would be their final defeat. But even if the knights were able to defeat Krill on this day, Ellron knew that without the three Palantirs, it would only be a matter of time before Krill was victorious. After bidding Juranda and Bivotar goodwill, warning them of Krill’s shape-shifting powers, and mentioning that Syovar never removed his Ring of Zork, Ellron departed to reunion with Syovar in the coal mines.
After a brief meeting with Harlon the Hermit, the two friends were interrupted by an enchanted frog near the base of the dam, who, before hopping away, suggested that the two climb the stairs to the top. Concerned that the frog might have been a minion of Krill only trying to guide them into his grip, the two reluctantly ascended the dam.
At the top, they entered the control room and opened the floodgates with the push of a button. A second button on the control panel malfunctioned, causing the pipes to burst. Fortunately, the burst broke open a hollow in the walls, revealing the three Palantirs of Zork. Unfortunately, the room was flooded with brown water and swept the Palantirs deep beneath it. Desperate to recover the spheres that he believed was their only source of salvation, Bivotar dove under the water and obtained the three Palantirs. The two adventurers were swept out of the control room by the rising water and onto the top of the dam. Now that the floodgates had been opened, the water no longer crossed the lip of the dam, thus they crossed to the far side where a path led them into the coal mines.
In the meantime, just as Ellron had arrived at the mines, Krill had discovered the hideout and forced all of the Knights of Frobozz to withdraw to the White House. The two knights who met Bivotar and Juranda upon their entrance were Krill’s lizard warriors who had been polymorphed into the likeness of men. Krill himself had assumed the form of Syovar with the same spell. This pseudo-Syovar welcomed them with stew and informed them that Ellron had already told him of their quest for the Palantirs and the recovery of the sword. But when something tugged the back of Bivotar’s mind, he recalled the advice of Ellron (that Syovar never removes his ring) and thus he was not fooled by the naked fingers of Krill’s disguise.
At Bivotar’s refusal to hand over the relics to the pseudo-Syovar, Krill reverted his appearance and the surrounding knights returned to their lizard forms. Bivotar and Juranda escaped the coal mine, sliding down a chute that returned them to the cellar of the White House. Climbing up the rickety stairs they met with Ellron, Syovar and other knights in the living room. Bivotar handed over the sword of Zork and the three Palantirs into the hands of Syovar.
Krill’s pursuing army of at least ten thousand strong surrounded the house. Syovar quickly placed the Palantirs into the trophy case, read the inscription on the case and recited a spell. An arc of light leapt between the three spheres and grew to encompass the entire room. It flashed blindingly bright, and as the light faded, so did their surroundings—the house was gone, and instead they all stood on a hill in the center of a vast plain. Before them, like a foul black sea, stood the armies of Krill. Krill himself towered above them, larger than life, a horrible dark cloud before the sun. Behind them, stretching to the horizon, summoned by the power of the Palantirs, stood the legendary Warriors of Zork, clothed in white tunics and shiny battle armor. Syovar mounted his mighty steed and commanded the summoned warriors to rid his kingdom of the evil scourge. With a cheer that echoed across the plain, the warriors charged forward, engulfing the armies of Krill. After an eternity of chaos, the armies of Krill lost both ground and strength. The Warriors of Zork pressed on, seemingly tireless and invincible. Syovar vanquished Krill by plunging the Sword of Zork deep into his heart. The evil warlock’s body disappeared in a giant puff of unwholesome smoke and his disembodied spirit fled elsewhere. Unfortunately, the middle of the tenth century would see the resumption of the evil sorcerer’s deviousness.
Syovar was wounded in the battle but it was not serious. Now that the three Palantirs had served their purpose, they vanished in black smoking piles of ash, only to be magically relocated back to the Great Underground Empire beneath the White House. Before sending Bivotar and Juranda back to their homeland, Syovar gifted them with the Ring of Zork. Whenever they wished to return, they only had to place the ring upon their finger to be teleported instantly to the Castle of Zork.
THE MALIFESTRO QUEST
The legends of Bivotar and Juranda’s bravery and their defeat of Krill spread all across the kingdom, although the tales were distorted. One of such warped versions, which omitted the roles that any of the others had played in the ordeal, making it seem that Bivotar and Juranda were two powerful wizards who alone had defeated Krill, made its way beyond the kingdom to Malifestro. This evil wizard lived on the east side of the Flathead Mountains where he was in preparation for world conquest. Malifestro conjured a powerful spell to capture Syovar and held him for ransom in his Fenshire castle. Weak and desperate, the imprisoned king contacted Bivotar and Juranda via magic which came to them in the form of a dream.
That night, the two were both troubled with images of Syovar’s imprisonment above the potent slithering reptiles. Their uncle implored them to come to his aid, to take the ancient underground route, and to seek the black crystal sphere. Then the dream dispersed.
That morning, Bivotar and Juranda met together to share their identical dreams. Fearing the worst, Bivotar placed the Ring of Zork upon his finger and the two companions were transported to the Castle of Zork, which was almost entirely deserted and somewhat neglected. Rats had even invaded the once thriving walls. They befriended Max and Fred, the two frightful elves who told them of the tyranny of Malifestro and the capture of Syovar. Though the elves begged the adventurers to remain at the castle, Bivotar and Juranda were determined to rescue the king. They gathered gear for the journey and set out from the castle for the Flathead Mountains hoping to cross it to Malifestro’s castle on the opposite side. With them, they brought a sack of magical devices, which included vials of potions.
After an hour from the Castle of Zork, the four companions noticed a band of thieves on horseback in the distance. Two accounts currently circulate on how they evaded the band: one states that huddled together behind a large invisibility cloak to shield them from wicked eyes. Another tells that Fred cast a friendliness spell upon the thieves. Despite the variations, both accounts agree that the thieves moved on without any conflict.
After an unsuccessful attempt at magic by Fred to teleport them to Malifestro’s lair (eating hard and bitter cakes and the elf chanting a spell, which only moved them four feet towards the mountains), Juranda pulled a Frobozz Magic Carpet from the sack. The four companions squeezed onto the rug and set off. Unfortunately, the abrupt propulsion flung the two elves off the rug. Juranda and Bivotar had already forgotten the magic word to bring the rug to a halt and were unable to go back. When they finally recalled this word, they had almost reached the base of the mountains and the two elves were nowhere in sight.
As no means could be found to restart the carpet, they sought shelter at a tiny cabin at the base of the mountains, where they were greeted by Vengrallior, a wizard who had been banished from the kingdom by Dimwit Flathead. He fed them bland and lumpy porridge before issuing a prophecy:
Turn
not away from the one-eyed beast,
and
pass ye through the gates of despair.
Vengrallior informed that only the meek and innocent would be able to approach Malifestro without detection. Then he vanished with a wild laugh. While pondering these words, Bivotar and Juranda slept within the cabin.
The next morning, Bivotar and Juranda awoke and started on their journey to cross the mountains. Recalling the advice Syovar gave through their dream, the two adventurers forsook traveling the mountain paths and entered the “ancient underground route” which had a cavernous opening at the mountain base. Entering into darkness, they would have been consumed by a pack of grues had not Bivotar opened a jar of Frobozz Magic Sunlight, putting all the grues to flight.
The labyrinthine passageways brought them to the Prince of Kaldorn, who had been exiled from his own kingdom. In his despair he had been selling magic sneakers, but the Malifestro epidemic had almost killed his entire business. Just for listening to his misery, his awarded the two adventures with free magic sneakers and set them off. Soon afterward a Frobozz Magic Wizard Escape Potion was added to their inventory.
When the two reached the door of Walter M. Smith, a cyclops, they were dubious if it was wise to enter. But recalling Vengrallior's prophecy, “Turn not away from the one-eyed beast” they risked entrance. The eager cyclops invited them inside to prepare them for his dinner. Juranda knew, as all common adventurers do, that the mere mention of the cyclops-blinder Odysseus would instill fear into this giant. Thus with the utterance of the name, the terrified Walter fled, leaving a cyclops-sized hole in the wall for them to follow.
This passage led them to the Temple of Zork. After packing their inventory with abandoned religious material the two adventurers followed a stairway at the far end of the temple which descended to the Gates of Hades. Bivotar quickly recognized this at the second half of Vengrallior's prophecy “Pass through the gates of despair.” The gates were barred by a horde of translucent spirits. Using the book of exorcism and other religious trinkets gathered from the temple, Bivotar banished the spirits and they were able to pass through.
Traversing the forbidden land, Juranda quickly found another passage leaving Hades. As the tunnel became steep and treacherous, Bivotar and Juranda donned the magic sneakers that had been given by the Prince of Kaldorn; and just in time. A giant toad began to pursue them. The sneakers gave them both the traction and speed to escape the monster.
They emerged from the tunnels on the eastern side of the Flathead Mountains. Before them, rising out of a forest of twisted trees, was the pinnacle of Malifestro’s castle. Surprisingly, they found Max and Fred here, who had crossed the mountains on their own and had been anxiously awaiting them. The four treaded the depths of the forest to the walls of the castle. They climbed some thick vines on the side of the castle and entered through a small window.
On the floor in the center of the room was a pentagram, and sitting near the window was a black crystal sphere upon which was entrapped a demon. Recalling their dream, Bivotar knew that this was the sphere that Syovar had spoken of. When he threw the sphere on the pentagram, the demon was released and appeared before them. It informed them that Malifestro had already disposed of Syovar and was in preparation to invade the Kingdom of Zork. The demon bargained, that in exchange for the adventurer’s bottle of Wizard Escape Potion, he would grant them any wish that was within his power to fulfill. Sensing their distrust, the evil spirit was willing to grant their wish before requiring the payment of the potion.
It is here that Bivotar made one of the most foolish decisions. Although the elves protested for him to retain the potion and not barter with a demon, he was not warded by their attempts. By requesting that the demon bring Syovar back to life, Juranda followed him on the path of folly, for any bargain with a demon is sickening and immensely evil and hideous. The demon granted their request, and revived Syovar from the dead, and unfortunately, was freed when Bivotar handed over the Wizard Escape Potion in exchange.
Syovar knew that if he was able to meet with Malifestro in the throne room of his own castle, the evil wizard would be unable to summon additional help. It would be just his magic and wits against Syovar’s. The king teleported them all into the throne room where Malifestro appeared to confront him in a cloud of acrid smoke.Syovar defeated the evil wizard in magical combat by trapping him in a black crystal sphere. With a wave of Syovar's arm, Bivotar, Juranda and the two elves were back in the Castle of Zork with their uncle.
By the next morning, word had spread of Malifestro’s defeat. Throngs began to gather on the meadow outside the castle. Syovar was hailed by the returning people and the two adventurers were honored with surnames: Bivotar the Brave and Juranda the Dauntless. After the celebration, Bivotar and Juranda said their farewells and departed from the kingdom.
THE CAVERN OF DOOM
The Great Underground Empire began to rise once more following the imprisonment of Malifestro. Each week, new areas of the old underground caverns were rediscovered, explored, and settled. A new section of the Great Underground Empire was discovered, a region that Syovar would later entitle the Cavern of Doom. Over fifty adventurers and treasure hunters flocked into the vast new area, many of them wise and brave, but none returned. Max and Fred were amongst the missing. Wishing to prevent further disappearances, and with utmost reluctance, Syovar was forced to forbid access to that section of the Underground Empire. For Logrumethar, Syovar's son, who was still under Grawl’s curse and in the form of the hideous monster Grum, dwelt in the Cavern of the Rainbow Mosses in that region. Although Grum was happy when people first began to come to the cavern, he hid himself from view and warned others that they would be sorry if they entered. Anyone that did not heed his words and looked upon him were instantly turned to stone.
Syovar could only glean a vague feeling that the one able to enter the enchanted cavern and return was someone completely innocent and pure of heart. His first thought was of Bivotar and Juranda. Concurrently, that moment was when the two young adventurers found themselves transported to the throne room of the Castle of Zork. Syovar picked up the Ring of Zork that dropped into the room after them.
The abundance of celebration and feasting had not ceased since the freedom that had been ushered in after the defeat of Malifestro. While Syovar hinted that he preferred if they talked with him, the excitement of these events caused them to forsake listening to his tales. Somberly, Syovar accompanied Bivotar and Juranda to the craftsfair, the jousting finals, and a banquet followed by a play before the king took them to their bedroom for the night.
The following morning, both were guilty that they had bathed in the jubilation of the festivities and neglected the king. Syovar informed them of his past, his late wife, lost son, and the conditions of the Empire since the fall. The most important information was the details of the recently discovered “Cavern of Doom.” In response to the tales, Juranda was convinced that both she and Bivotar were the ones spoken of that were completely innocent and pure in heart. For both this reason, and that their friends Max and Fred were numbered amongst the missing, the persistent Juranda was able to convince the hesitant Bivotar to accompany her.
Syovar was easily persuaded that they might possibly be the pure and innocent ones. He felt that they would succeed where so many brave adventurers and mighty warriors had failed and teleported them to the entrance of the Cavern of Doom.
The king removed the ward on the door with a lengthy spell, and gave them rations of food and water, a lamp, and a powerful talisman that would glow in the presence of evil. He additionally enchanted them with his strongest protection spell, then resealed the doorway behind them to continue to prevent unauthorized access.
The forbidden region yielded the hut of Grawl. Believing that the abode was deserted, Bivotar and Juranda entered. When they descended into the cellar, they realized that the hut belonged to Grawl. The talisman Syovar had given them glowed, warning of danger. With only enough time to nab a NITFOL scroll, they left the hut just prior to Grawl’s return. Unbeknownst to them, the wizard, having discovered the intrusion, planned to track them down.
After handing over some newly acquired treasures to a greedy toll gnome, they passed through a cavern where a glacier had formed a giant wall of ice that was smooth and shiny like an enormous mirror. The adjacent room was the lair of Leblong the Dragon. Bivotar recited the NITFOL spell scroll, and now understanding dragonese, was warned by the dragon that all passage through his lair was forbidden. In the past, Leblong had made an oath with Grawl to guard this cavern in exchange for killing his twin brother Berlong.
With haste planning, the two adventurers deceived Leblong into believing that his brother was possibly still amongst the living, and led him to the icy mirror to prove this to him. Thinking that his own reflection was his still-living brother, Leblong faced “Berlong” with flaming breath that melted the mirror. Torrents of water began pouring off the glacier that washed the two adventurers away in a massive wave. The dragon was nowhere in sight. In his absence, they quickly passed beyond the lair. Unfortunately, the water had damaged their lamp, causing it to die.
Grues quickly surrounded them, but the two young adventurers narrowly escaped into a patch of light before being devoured. This was the Cavern of the Rainbow Mosses, where they were greeted by the grating voice of Grum. Noticing that the amulet that Syovar had given them was not glowing, Bivotar and Juranda ventured into the cavern that was filled with petrified victims. From afar, Grum told them a hazy tale of his past. Bivotar, moved by compassion, opposed Grum’s warnings and approached the creature. Grum was indeed ugly beyond belief, but Bivotar ignored the ugliness, only looking into Grum’s compassionate eyes. Both Juranda and Bivotar encouraged Grum, telling him that he was beautiful, because he was willing to live within the cavern for so long in isolation, even warning others not to enter, rather than to risk harming them. This was true inner beauty.
Grum was heartbroken with tears. Never had he imagined that someone would describe him as beautiful. When the suggestion was made that Syovar would be able to break the enchantment, Grum became willing, but would return to the cavern should another be turned into stone. Before departing, the statues of Max and Fred were sorrowfully discovered.
The light source was renewed with the discovery of an ivory torch that provided them with guidance to the Hall of Mirrors where a gigantic mirror filled the cavern. Through it, a reflection of the banquet hall of the Castle of Zork could be seen. Bivotar reached out to touch the surface, and when he did, a tremor tossed all three of them to the floor. Magic had transported them to the true banquet hall.
But instead of the hideous beast, they found Logrumethar. The enchantment that had imprisoned him in the form of Grum had been broken. In fact, the enchantment had begun to break when Bivotar and Juranda demonstrated that their feelings for him as a person were more important than their feelings about his appearance. But it was not until they touched the mirror and were transported back to the Castle of Zork that the last of the curse was broken. Logrumethar’s memories were restored with his appearance. Hearing the rumble, Syovar came to investigate. Weeping with tears for his long-lost son, Syovar embraced him.
That evening, the king held a mighty banquet to celebrate the return of Logrumethar. Noblemen and enchanters from every township in the kingdom were present. Syovar and his son sat at the head table, flanked by Bivotar and Juranda. Syovar “tested his abilities” during the banquet by casting a spell so powerful that the very air in the room seemed to crackle. And when he was finished, standing in the hall were a hundred or more explorers, treasure hunters, and knights. Syovar had returned all the stone figures to flesh and transported them back to the castle. Max and Fred were amongst the restored. The jubilant reunion with the elves was short. Syovar thanked both adventures one more for saving his son, handed the Ring of Zork to Juranda, and again sent them off.
THE RETURN OF JEEARR
It was an amazing decade for all known kingdoms. Syovar’s plea for a unified Kingdom of Zork was being considered by all leaders of the lands. Dreams of peace and unity were no more translucent vapors, but nearly solidified forms. In several days, all of the leaders of the surviving city-states, as well as representatives from Kovalli, Kaldorn and Antharia agreed to meet at the old city of Quendor in the northlands. If everything went according to plan, the treaty would be signed proclaiming a union between the lands. As the conference approached, a truce between all the warring neighbors had been observed—but instead of working toward peace, the nations had merely used this time to build huge armies, poised to attack should the treaty not be signed. If Syovar was not present at the conference, the treaty would not be made and Quendor would be merely the prelude to the worst bloodshed that the Land of Frobozz would have ever seen.
This was where Jeearr surfaced his ugly feline head. The evil demon planned to lure Syovar into a trap that would prevent him from attending the Conference of Quendor. The bait was his dear Bivotar and Juranda. The evil force prepared a wicked spell which heralded a dark, black storm cloud across the sky above where Bivotar and Juranda were. With an explosion of lighting, the cloud changed shape until it knotted into the form of an enormous hand. The giant hand reached down from the sky and closed around the two, plucking them away. The two adventurers were deposited in a shallow pit in the ancient castle which was being used by the evil warlock Grawl. After helping each other out of the pit, the demon Jeearr appeared before them and recited a cryptic riddle:
Poor Bivotar
will be dead soon,
unless he finds
the silver spoon.
Sharp fangs
await
the one who dares
to climb and climb
these winding stairs.
The plea for help was received by Syovar. He presumed that Grawl had imprisoned Bivotar and Juranda out of revenge for having rescued Logrumethar from the Cavern of Doom and formulated a rescue plan. Taking the two elves, Max and Fred with him, Syovar set out for the ancient castle now occupied by Grawl. Wishing for the elves to be placed in the dungeon alongside Bivotar and Juranda, Syovar purposefully sent them alone into the enchanted woods surrounding the castle. Without any magical protection, they were captured.
Bivotar and Juranda were awakened from their restless sleep when Max and Fred were tossed into the dungeon. The two elves informed the adventurers of the situation. Suddenly, a wall of the dungeon exploded into a cloud of smoke and mortar, and sunlight poured through the newly formed gaping hole. Outside of the castle, Syovar and Grawl were locked together, the magical battle climaxing with a wall of fire leaping across the dungeon. At first there was abundant joy when the flames dispersed and Grawl was lying motionless on the dungeon floor. But the cheer died in their throats when they saw a burned Syovar staggering. Jeearr again appeared, this time above the body of Grawl. Its eyes betrayed a hint of anger as it spoke directly to Syovar:
My servant
Grawl lies
here
defeated by your hand
but soon you’ll see the
end
of everything you’ve
planned.
It was then that Logrumethar knew that he had been wrong about why Bivotar and Juranda were snatched away to the dungeon prison. Jeearr had deceived them into thinking it was Grawl seeking revenge for breaking the enchantment of Grum, but the real reason was to ensure Syovar’s absence from the Conference. And it seemed that Jeearr had won, until Logrumethar recalled the Helm of Zork, a magical headpiece that allowed the wearer to impersonate anyone he chose. With the helm in possession, Logrumethar knew that he would be able to attend the Conference by impersonating his father.
Since its location was unknown, it seemed that the Helm would be impossible to find. Despite this, Bivotar and Juranda were determined to do anything they must to restore Syovar. Logrumethar presented them with equipment for the journey, a brass lantern and a magic bead that when broken would return them to the castle. Then with an AIMFIZ spell, the prince teleported the two somewhere near the vicinity of the Helm.
The young adventurers found themselves at the base of the Aragain Falls. The usual breathtaking rainbow arched high above the falls, ending at the riverbank just before them. The familiar voice of Jeearr intoned:
It bobs and
sways upon
the spray
warning sailors—stay
away!
Walk upon the rainbow
mist
but not before the
scepter’s twist!
After crossing they ventured into an underground tunnel. This entrance to the Dungeon of Zork was guarded by Cerberus, who had previously been stationed as the guardian of Hades. The weak tunnel collapsed behind them, forcing them with no choice but to face the three-headed dog. Jeearr spewed one of his riddles again:
You will
always be a
winner
if you give a puppy dog
his dinner!
Leaving it behind, the two adventurers passed through the ruins of Leonardo Flathead’s studio. An attempt was made to enter the Loud Room and gather a bar of platinum, but the acoustics of the room were too treacherous and they retraced their steps without claiming it. The tunnel began to slope steeply downward and became covered with loose pebbles and other rubble. Bivotar lost his footing on a patch of gravelly ground, and when grabbing Juranda for support, caused her to lose balance as well. They slid down the corridor and landed at the bottom. The brass lantern was damaged in the fall; the bulb flickered.
The giant rectangular room they had landed in had wooden walls. After pushing the wooden panels on the walls, the entire room turned and the doorway was no longer set before walls, but before an open corridor. There the lamp sputtered and died. But they were not plunged into darkness. Light streamed down from above, for the two landed inside the bottom of an old volcano, the one which Dimwit Flathead had hollowed out. And in the center was a hot-air balloon. The demon briefly returned for another cryptic message:
One of
nature's quaint
surprises
is that hot air always
rises.
Within these
ruins lie
the object of your quest
but to cross the moat
you must
pass one final spelling
test!
The last place to check was the tower. Peering through the door at the top, Bivotar spied the Helm of Zork through a mirror on the far wall. The keyhole was blocked by the key, but on the interior side. Using the common adventurer technique of slipping the doormat under the door and then pushing the key through with a letter opener, Juranda soon had the key and the door unlocked. Juranda picked up the Helm, admiring its beauty. But suddenly a cold wind blew through the room and the wooden doors slammed shut behind them. Jeearr was floating in the air behind them. For once its face was unsmiling, frozen in a mask of cold hatred. It spoke in a voice dripping with malevolence.
Your victory
now turns
sour
the Helm's not yours for
long
'Twill be buried with
this tower
when the whirlwind sings
its song!
Logrumethar was surprised at their discovery of the Helm, but Syovar’s condition had been worsening hourly. Now he was almost as pale as his white silk bedsheets and his breathing was shallow and irregular. Taking the Helm, Logrumethar left at once, for Quendor was a day’s journey and the Conference would began on the following midday. He was fortunate, for the Hell of Zork fooled everyone at Quendor; they had really thought he was Syovar. Thus the Treaty of Quendor was signed, resulting once again in the unification of the entire area under one unified Kingdom of Zork.
Logrumethar returned to find that the healer and his assistant alchemists had used experimental procedures upon Syovar. And within half-an-hour he was on his way to recovery. The king regained consciousness the next day for first time since his battle with Grawl. Logrumethar told him all that had transpired during his illness. Syovar called Bivotar and Juranda to his bedside. Beaming, he humbly thanked them for their courageous help. Bivotar and Juranda departed from the Castle of Zork with invitations to return again to see the blossoms of the seed that had been planted. Unfortunately, this period of harmony between the providences would not last forever. Further uprisings and conflicts were on the horizon.
THE FORBIDDEN LANDS
Before departing for a secret mission at the end of 947, Bivotar embarked on a routine Surveillance Duty at the 106th annual Convention of Enchanters where Guildmaster Barbel made veiled references to critical "elements" regarding an upheaval of all Learning Arts in the Empire. Between sessions, he overheard in a hushed conversation mention of alchemy. His sources at the Enchanters’ Guild, which included members of the Circle of Enchanters, were tight-lipped about any new developments or significant information.
Bivotar swore to uphold the Unnatural Acts, which provided stiff penalties for those convicted of selling “Unnatural or Supernatural Substances,” and prohibited the unauthorized conflagration of the Learned Arts. Yet, in studying the violations and forbidden acts (magic was forbidden in these days due to Syovar's war against the Enchanters' Guild), he developed a silent fascination with the Enchanter’s Art. His memory had always been weak, and therefore his efforts to master the simplest spells escape him.
Following Lucien's murder of the four alchemists and the murder of his own love, Alexandria in 945, the territory which King Syovar dubbed the Forbidden Lands was haunted with hallucinations and strange magical occurances. One of those who had been murdered was Thaddeus Kaine. Unaware of his death, all attempts to reach him bewteen 945 and 947 had ended in complete failure. Thus Syovar had no alternative but to send a spy to scout out the lands to discover the fate of the general. The times were dangerous; it was weary to trust anyone. The times were dangerous, it was weary to trust anyone. The most truest and earnest companion of his was still his beloved Bivotar. And so, as a fully authorized agent and representative of Syovar, Karlok Bivotar was entrusted with the challenging assignment and sent out to the Forbidden Lands hoping to shed light on the chaotic power-vacuum that had existed in those realms for almost three years.
Although Bivotar was somewhat disturbed that his briefing was hastened by unexplained urgency, his objectives were clearly enumerated by Syovar:
- To determine the whereabouts of the Four Missing Citizens of Prominence (General Thaddeus Kaine, Doctor Erasmus Sartorius, Father Malveaux, Madame Sophia Hamilton)
- To substantiate the alleged curse of the so-declared Forbidden Lands.
- To investigate rumors of unauthorized magic, black or otherwise,
in the region.
On Dismembur 17, 947, Bivotar arrived at the outskirts of the Forbidden Lands—the northern border of the Desert River Province. The border crossing into the territory was well-guarded. Even with the scroll bearing Syovar’s signature, the royal militia was reluctant to let him across. By the 22nd of the same month, Bivotar was three days journey south of the northern branch of the Frigid River. While he had not yet reached the edge of the desert, the signs of devastation were obvious on every side.
Bivotar arrived at the city of Zylonika on the outskirts of Irondune, Kaine’s territory, at dusk on Estuary 4, 948. The desolate and dismal place was abandoned, thousands of refugees and lunatics having streams forth two years earlier. He was only able to find one old woman, sitting in the central square, lost in her own little world. This woman, who had not eaten in days or bathed in week, had once been intimate with Dr. Sartorius:
Using
a stick to carve lines in the dirt, she preoccupied herself by doodling
a vast
array of astrological symbols all across the square. I tried to grab
her
attention, but she simply went on mumbling about the nature of the
secret
elixir and the philosopher’s stone, and praising the unity of all
elements. The
references to the forbidden alchemical sciences caught my ear, and I
pressed
her for details. She pretended not to hear me, only gradually answering
my own
questions by continuing to talk to herself…
I
hurriedly began to copy down the symbols she was drawing in the dust.
Before I
could finish, she took the pen from my hand and began to sketch the
most
beautiful, otherworldly drawing. I asked if I could have it, and she
took from
her bag a roll of parchment, filled with her elaborate, mystic visions.
By
this time, night had fallen completely and the ruins of Zylonika had
become
horribly oppressive. Even the old woman seemed to be growing
uncomfortable, her
mumblings and screechings growing more nervous and frantic with each
passing
moment.
The
garbled name she had mentioned, Doctor Erasmus Sartorius, struck a
distant
chord in my memory, my assignment 95822… She began screaming about
voices and
visions in the night, blaming the alchemists for the devastation around
her. I
tried to hold her, to calm her, asking her where I could find this
Erasmus
Sartorius. Her reaction was one I will never forget. She broke free of
me, running
and laughing hysterically. “There! There! There! And there!” she
screamed,
pointing at the rocks, the trees, the stars, the half-moon. “Don't you
see? He
is everywhere now. We can never escape him. We can never escape any of
them!”
With
those words, she was gone. I never even learned her name. I have
studied her
parchments for hours, and don’t know what to make of them. They are
strangely
arresting.
While staying at Zylonika, Bivotar also had the opportunity to interview a resident by the name of F.B. Punketah, who mistook the visions of the four alchemists as Implementors:
As Bivotar made his way through the desert south of Aragain, he saw that Irondune was surrounded by plumes of black smoke. He desperately sought to find answers that would lead him to General Kaine and hasten his return home. Bivotar wrote about his expeditions in his journal (948-01-07):
My
fellow wayfarers—of the unimpressive yet customary sort that you find
along the
Great Underground Highways of this land—attribute the curse to some
dark figure
they will only call the “Nemesis.” The name has surfaced two or three
times
now, and with the same dark respect a child attributes to the
boogey-man. But
these are mawkish, superstitious folks, with not the insight of a
brogmoid
between them. I refuse to endure another endless game of Fanucci in
hopes of
eliciting more useless information.
Having returned to the vicinity of Zylonika, Bivotar departed from the city on Estuary 22 and arrived in the village Finbar two days later. The situation there was only a little better. Not every store or home had been completely ransacked and destroyed, but since Oracle of 947, the village had lost over 90% of its original population—some of them had safely returned to Syovar’s rule and others had disappeared without a trace. He was able to find several inhabitants still living in the area, not altogether in good shape themselves, but willing to share certain useful things with him.
One
young man I met in Finbar was himself extremely helpful. He had been an
apprenticed sorcerer of some kind himself, but had abandoned the art in
disgust
once the dispute between the enchanters and the alchemists erupted into
full-fledged violence. For some reason the man seemed little affected
by the
hallucinations and nearly-contagious insanity that has infected the
Forbidden
Lands. I suspect that some sort of secret association with the
alchemists
protects him somehow, but I was not able to get him to admit the truth.
Bivotar questioned him about the alchemical community around the Desert River Province. The man seemed fairly knowledgeable about the subject, explaining rumors about Sartorius and General Kaine being a part of that organization. He also explained Kaine’s fate, stating that the General had been missing for almost three years now. Bivotar found the words shocking, for that meant that Lord Ellron had been waging and endless war against an opponent that had disappeared, deep inside territory that Syovar had declared to be forbidden.
On Estuary 27, Bivotar summarized all his collected information regarding the war between Ellron and Kaine, which he carefully appended to his own observations. He tried to enlist the fearful inhabitants in the region, but they were all too frightened. The only survivors he could provoke into conversation were some of the older veterans who had deserted the chaotic hordes, as well as most of their sanity. Most of what they said made little sense, and what was coherent painted a very ugly picture, speaking of the Nemesis and chronic hallucinations enough to drive a man insane:
I
know not what to say, Your Highness. All is not well here. Those are
the lucid
ones, the ones still sane enough to form coherent thoughts, the ones
not afraid
enough to run from me at first sight. I have tried to infiltrate a few
of these
roving bands of madmen, but I have had no success. They know almost
immediately
that I am not one of them, that I do not see the things that they see.
I cannot
help but wonder why it is that I have been spared. The sickness that
pervades
this place has passed me over. I fear that perhaps it is only a matter
of time.
Bivotar reached the Castle Irondune on Frobuary 2nd and was surprised to recognize the castle from among the madwoman’s sketches. He was uncertain of what to make of this, but suspected that the sickness had preceded him there. He easily slipped past Ellron’s troop undetected, but when he reached Irondune, he discovered that the majority of Kaine’s troops had not even been convinced that the General had disappeared at all.
In the castle library, the writings of the generals told him that they were able to maneuver the troops through an elaborate system of remote radio control codes of such a sophisticated nature that Bivotar was unable to decipher. All that he knew was this: the codes seemed to telegraph Kaine’s instructions on any given day, provided the soldier could identify himself with the given cipher for that day. Bivotar sensed that information of this nature was entirely too dangerous to carry on his person, and was determined to forward to Syovar any further progress he had made with this intelligence.
Staying within the castle to investigate, Bivotar stumbled upon an old castle guard on the 10th of the month who was raving made and desperate to talk. This guard had known Kaine since he was a boy and pressed several photographs into Bivotar’s hands and begged him to bring his beloved liege back to him.
On the 15th of the month, Bivotar came across a single photograph of Madame Sophia Hamilton, who was Case File 95820. With the possibility to discover the nature of the connection between the honorable General and the cultured Madame, he departed north to the Frigid River.
Bivotar arrived at the Frigid River Valley by at least the 17th of Frobuary, and after following along the banks of the Frigid River, reached the Frigid River Branch Conservatory on the 25th of the month. He was startled to discover that the madwoman in Zylonika anticipated his journey, for an image of the Conservatory appeared in her sketches just as Irondune had previously. The oddest thing happened while he explored the innards of the ruined building:
A
darkness came over me, a feeling of utter fury, a
kind of hatred I have never before known. I screamed—I could not help
myself—and found that the sound I heard was not my voice, the roar of a
great
beast, a daemon in a murderous frenzy, as if the mighty river had
opened its
throat. I heard the gentle pierce of glass breaking, and I looked up to
see a
cleaning woman. She backed away from me—making the sign of Yoruk over
her
breast—and whispered, “Nemesis.” Perhaps the curse of this land is
working upon
me yet. It is difficult to stay untouched.
On Arch 7, Bivotar attended a concert in the nearby town of Zorokesh. Without Madame Sophia, there was no violin in the local Z’orchestra and the traditional Closing Anthem could not be played and as a result the concert contined on for seventeen additional hours. Eventually he retired without its conclusion.
Later, on the 9th of the same month after failing to identify the fourth alchemists, he wrote:
Mysteriously,
I have remained untouched by whatever visions of horror pervade this
place. I
have often wondered what it is that spares me the fate of the creatures
I have
encountered. It is almost as if whatever it is that is haunting this
place has
made me exempt, and has chosen me, for some future fate as yet unknown.
But a mere two days later, on the 11th of the month, he discovered Bishop Malveaux’s association with the other three in a program from the Frigid River Branch Conservatory. In turn, Bivotar decided to make passage to the Steppinthrax Monastery to see what he could learn of the monk Malveaux.
On Arch 15, Just as Bivotar was despairing of every finding a way out of the rolling dunes, which were some several hundred bloits to the northeast of the Steppinthrax Monastery, he came across a wandering bank of Zorkastrian monks who had chosen to devote their whole life to their faith, living in celibacy and loneliness for their so-called fire gods. The monks did not run from him, but were quite friendly, unlike most of the people he had met in the horrible land. They were assumed that Malveaux’s powers of alchemy had destined him for immortality. When Bivotar inquired how he could find the Bishop:
[The monk’s] arm began to twitch, almost
violently.
“You cannot. He is hiding, waiting. For three years now he and the
others have
been gone, watching this place until the moment is right.”
“Others? What others?”
He backed away from me, dancing and
writhing, his
answer a haunting and melodic chant:
“Air, earth, and water. The madman, the
general, and
his lover.”
I blinked, and he was gone.
By the time Bivotar arrived at the Monastery at Steppinthrax on the 21st of the month, he was not surprised to discover that the madwoman of Zylonika had predicted his current destination in her drawings. The monks there mourned the departure of their dead Bishop, who had, for the most part taken a vow of silence. In an empty office, he found several volumes on alchemy.
The
subject returns to me once again; it seems to be the common link, but I
do not
understand it… Between the hundreds of thousands of fire worshippers
who cling
to his text, and the Zorkastrian brothers who defend his person, I can
find
very little reason that anyone would seek to harm Bishop Malveaux to
begin
with. Then again, if the Nemesis is truly some great daemon, the
Bishop’s
goodness would be grounds enough.
Bivotar dwelt at the Steppinthrax Monastery for several more days. On the 26th of Arch, he found dozens of photographs of Alexandria Wolfe. He was unable to identify the girl at this time. Following this discovery, his journal is void until the 12th of Mage, where he mentions:
I
continue to encounter cosmic symbols and runic
writings that I cannot understand and have difficulty reproducing in
this
Record. I believe them to be magical in nature, however. As, I have
determined,
are these sketches. Strange.
Although his weak memory kept him exception from mastering the simplest of spells, Bivotar recorded a list of spells, potions, and his attempted translations. The precise place of the discovery of these spells is unknown, but as his next entry, only five days later, recounts his explorations of the Gray Mountain Asylum, these cosmic symbols and incantations may have been found there.
Bivotar recorded on Mage 17, that he found the Asylum to be a haunted place. Many levels of the complex were abandoned—floors 2 through 19 appeared to be completely deserted, although a notebook referred to a laboratory on the 18th floor:
Knowing
nothing of the medical profession and less of science, I am
learning little. I
encountered an unusual chair. It must have been some therapeutic
device, as
sitting in it created a most pleasurable sensation, as though hundreds
(perhaps
thousands) of fingers were devoted to my corporeal stimulation. After
several
sittings, I resolved to bring this device to the attention of the Vice
Regent
on my return.
I
discovered some food here and made the mistake of eating it. Suffering
from
abdominal disorder. Surrounded by medicines I dare not take. Pain
increasing.
What is going on in my stomach? I am beginning to wonder whether this
Assignment is worth the trials I am experiencing.
For the next week, Bivotar did nothing but read the Alchemy books which he discovered among the Doctor’s papers. Finally, he was able to decipher the signs written in the sand and found out that they were indeed alchemical. Two days later, on the 26th of the month, he briefly summarized the teachings of alchemy, and was lead to the wrong hypothesis regarding the fate of the alchemists:
If this daemon Nemesis has taken possession of the Forbidden Lands as he appears to have—if this curse is his doing—then it is my hypothesis that the General and his Madame, the Monk and his Doctor—all suffering under the curse themselves, whether for the sake of their troops or their patients, their music or their parishioners—came together to fight All Hell with the One Power Stronger. The Quintessence. And then, I must further hypothesize, they lost.
Within the Doctor’s papers, Bivotar found mention of the Temple of Agrippa. Learning that the four alchemists were said to have practiced their evil art there, he chose to head there.
Bivotar ventured into Frostham and tried to speak of the Temple of Agrippa, but no one would say that it existed, yet their haunted faces seemed to confirm what their words did not. He finally found a sherpa who for a few zorkmids was willing to take him part of the way. On the 29th of Mage, his guide departed, leaving Bivotar on his own before sheer cliffs of impenetrable rock. Before leaving, he cast the one spell he knew by heart, that of the homing pigeon, upon his journal, so that if something were to happen to him at the Temple, the narrative would return to Syovar’s chambers. Thus the last coherent entry of his account reads:
I
am certain
that the end of my journey awaits me there. A dark mood has overtaken
me.
Perhaps I, too, have finally fallen under the curse. It is difficult to
say.
All I know is that it is no longer the promise of fortune or
promotion—neither
politics nor economics—that drives me forward. Like Yoruk, I now seek
only
simple answers, the simple truth, the simple power it wields. I will
find the
One Power and, if I do not, I will meet the Nemesis in Hell.
Yoruk
save us
all.
Bivotar
A letter, which Bivotar had previously written under different circumstances (it seems, upon judging both the date of the composition and internal evidence that Bivotar had already despaired surviving the mission while he was seeking the Steppinthrax Monastery), was found attached to the interior cover of his journal:
17
Arch 948
To
His Royal Highness King Syovar-
I doubt that I will live to know whether or
not this report will ever reach your hands. This mission has been a
dangerous
one in the extreme, as we knew it would be. I am not well. I fear for
my health
and sanity, and yet I feel that I must remain in this place a few weeks
longer,
in hopes of learning the truth.
I have entrusted this packet to a friend who
is utterly beyond reproach. Please show him the kindest hospitality
available
to you. I pray he makes it out alive. Your orders, my lord, were vague,
because
the situation is vague. The Forbidden Lands have been a private hell
for me
these last months. I have included in this packet parts of my own notes
and
diary, with particular attention to the words of the survivors. It is
imperative that we find the truth behind the four missing alchemists if
this
land is ever to be cured. I remain behind in an effort to learn more.
Give my love to Juranda, and may the best of
success be yours.
Bivotar
When he arrived sometime later, he explored the temple altar and The following day, the 30th of Mage, he set out alone for the Temple of Agrippa. Sometime later he arrived and explored the temple altar and made it past Lucien’s Gallery, but while reposing to envy the paintings, Lucien bludgeoned him. In the gallery, the flow of time was as circular as the room, and Lucien killed Bivotar before he was ever actually born. As his life slowly faded, he seems to have hastily composed these fragmented words (although the capitalized words are criticized to have been spurious additions by the Nemesis himself):
The
four They are here Dead
Nemesis HATES
killed
the girl
EVIL
he
will not
I AM
DEAD
The personal journal of Bivotar was later found 20 bloits downwind of the Eastlands in the Forbidden Lands.
TRIVIA:
Bivotar thinks that leaves are fun to walk on.
Bivotar is not a good swimmer.
Bivotar was a Soundungeon fan.
Bivotar had oily hair.
Bivotar had a pet yipple named Peppy in second quarter of the tenth century.