Enchanter is apparently set in the Zork world, although certainly to start with there is no indication of this - it just seems like a "normal adventure-style" game.
It is the first part of a trilogy, which continues with Sorcerer, and then Spellbreaker.
The Circle gathers and its leader, the esteemed Belboz, reveals to them an ancient document which portends evil days much like our own.
He recites a short spell and you appear.
Belboz approaches, transfixing you with his gaze, and hands you the document. The other Enchanters await his decree. "These words, written ages ago, can have only one meaning. You, a novice Enchanter with but a few simple spells in your Book, must seek out Krill, explore the Castle he has overthrown, and learn his secrets. Only then may his vast evil be lessened or, with good fortune, destroyed."
You start at a fork in a road - it goes west, and it forks north-east and south-east.
It shouldn't take you too long to work out which way to go.
There are 400 points available in Enchanter. and with 0 points you start out as a Charlatan. The first 40 points make no difference.
55 points bring you up to Parlour Magician.
100 points make you a Novice Enchanter.
135 is no better.
175 points mean you're an Intermediate Enchanter.
Once you reach 200 points are are classified as an Enchanter.
260 points make you an Expert Enchanter.
330 points make you a Master Enchanter.
With 350 points you become a Candidate for membership in the Circle of Enchanters.
It is also possible to "achieve" a score of -10, which makes you a Menace to Society.
My guess at the points system is as follows:
| From | To | Class |
|---|---|---|
| -10 | Menace to Society | |
| 0 | 49 | Charlatan |
| 50 | 99 | Parlour Magician |
| 100 | 149 | Novice Enchanter |
| 150 | 199 | Intermediate Enchanter |
| 200 | 249 | Enchanter |
| 250 | 299 | Expert Enchanter |
| 300 | 349 | Master Enchanter |
| 350 | - | Candidate for membership in the Circle of Enchanters |
| 400 | 400 | Member of the Circle of Enchanters |
There is (as far as I've experienced in the game) no equivalent of the Colossal Cave Adventure thief, so you don't run the risk of your belongings disappearing, either in a confrontation, or if you simply leave them lying around the place (although I've found precious little reason to do so).
The only exception I've come across is that the "other adventurer" might purloin a pretty useless scroll if you're not keeping an eye on him at the significant point. Even that can be got back again simply by asking for it, though.
I've so far found the following things:
A fair amount of the game appears to be based (maybe the clue's in the name of the game) on finding new spells and working out how / where / when / why to use them.
So far I have found the following seventeen spells (those in italics are already in the spell book):
| Name | Scroll | Purpose | Found a use? |
|---|---|---|---|
| blorb | - | safely protect a small object as though in a strong box | N |
| cleesh | damp | change a creature into a small amphibian | Y |
| exex | stained | make things move with greater speed | Y |
| filfre* | purple | create gratuitous fireworks | N |
| frotz | - | cause something to give off light | Y |
| gondar | frayed | quench an open flame | Y |
| gnusto | - | write a magic spell into a spell book | Y |
| guncho* | powerful | banish the victim to another plane of existence | N |
| izyuk | ornate | fly like a bird | Y |
| krebf | crumpled | repair wilful damage | Y |
| kulcad* | brittle | dispel a magic spell | Y |
| melbor | vellum | protect magic users from harm by evil beings | Y |
| nitfol | - | converse with the beasts in their own tongue | Y |
| ozmoo | black | survive unnatural death | Y |
| rezrov | unnamed | open even locked or enchanted objects | Y |
| vaxum | gold leaf | make a hostile creature your friend | Y |
| zifmia | faded | magically summon a being | Y |
Note1: I've discovered two ways of using most of the new spells so far - one is single-use only. I recommend the other way.
Note2: Spells marked with a * above are apparently too long and complicated to be transcribed into the spell book using gnusto.
You have to work out how to do the following things in order to get to the end of the game:
You get points for doing the following things:
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Open egg | 5 |
| Eat (first time only) | 10 |
| Enter Warlock's Tower | 10 |
| Obtain faded scroll | 10 |
| Obtain ornate scroll | 10 |
| Obtain some human "assistance" (company?) | 10 |
| Drink (first time only) | 15 |
| Create illumination (with the correct object) | 20 |
| Obtain gold leaf scroll | 20 |
| Open castle gate | 20 |
| Find black scroll and candle | 25 |
| Obtain brittle scroll | 25 |
| Obtain frayed scroll | 25 |
| Remove rope from jewelled box | 25 |
| Open Guarded Door | 35 |
| Sacrifice | 35 |
| Obtain powerful scroll | 50 |
| Use powerful scroll | 50 |
| Total | 400 |
I've found 90 locations (of an unknown number) in Enchanter so far. In two different places there also seem to be a simply unending series of locations which you can continue investigating (to no purpose that I'm aware of) until you just die of hunger or thirst.
It seems strange that you can use spells without first having read them; I (as a game designer) would insist that the adventurer must read the thing which has the spell written on it (at least once) before that spell can be used.
If you work out how to create illumination using an appropriate object, you get 20 points for it. If you create illumination using anything (?) else, it works, but you get no points…
A trivial check of "walking until you die" indicates that you have 91 moves before you dehydrate. There are mumblings about being hungry along the way, too.
The Long Road feels like it comes to an eternally-cycling end location, but that is not the case - if you drop objects at various locations *way* beyond the end of the legible signs, they retain their location and wait there for your return, even though you may not have found anything of any interest during your onward investigations west.
I would have preferred to see more points given for opening the egg the "mechanical" way than the "magic" way. You should still be able to complete the game, but more points for doing things "properly" is good.
Bad:
You realize that you are with the Circle. The Eldest of the Circle, Belboz, rises and speaks: "The evil of Krill is ended this day. From beyond hope, you have proved yourself great and worthy. Our hearts are gladdened at your return." A chair appears at his right hand and he motions for you to sit beside him. He smiles warmly. "Join with us," he says, "and tell us of your quest!"
Here ends the first chapter of the Enchanter saga, in which, by virtue of your skills, you have joined the Circle of Enchanters. Further adventures await you as the Enchanter series continues.
Your score is 400 of a possible 400, in 307 moves.
This puts you in the class of Member of the Circle of Enchanters.
The adventures continue with Sorcerer.
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