The Lurking HorrorThe Lurking Horror

Game Details:  Horror, 1987

Links:  Moby Games, Adventure Gamers

Walkthrough Updated:  11/3/2001

Suggested Listening:  Where There's Smoke (Ash 25)

The Lurking Horror is a classic text adventure game by Infocom. This is a horror game set in a haunted school in the middle of a blizzard. What starts out as a routine exploration to salvage a lost document turns into a sinister fight for your life.

Computer Lab

Start by looking at the hacker, then look at his keys and ask about them. Ask about the master key, then ask him for the master key - he won't give it to you, but at some point will comment that he is hungry. Head south and west, then open the refrigerator. Take the coke and the carton, and open the carton to see that it contains Chinese food. Open the oven, put the carton inside, and close the oven. Press 4, then 0, then 5, then medium, then start. Wait 4 times, then open the oven and take the carton again. Walk east and north and give the carton to the hacker. Ask him for the master key and you will get it.

Now sit down and turn on your computer. Login 872325412. Password UHLERSOTH. Click EDIT, then click PAPER. Read the paper, then click MORE 4 times and you will faint. Head down along the path, then wait and you will be pushed forward automatically. Pick up the stone, then wait twice and you will wake up. Back in the lab, stand up, then wait twice and the hacker will fix your computer (but lose your paper).

Exploration

Head south and press the down button, then wait twice. Enter the elevator. Open the access panel and take the flashlight, then press the open button and exit the elevator. Go down twice, then east. Take the gloves and crowbar and wear the gloves. Go up and turn on the flashlight. Get the flask and go back down again, then turn off the flashlight. Walk west 3 times, then up and south. Take the plastic container, then go east.

Wait here 3 times, and the man will head east on his floor waxer. Follow him to the east, then go up. Climb the rope (you can only do this if you have the gloves on) to reach the catwalk. Lower the ladder, then open the door and go outside. Head up and remove the plug. Drop the plug and pick up the paper. Read the paper - it is a suicide note. Go back down, inside, down twice and east. If the man is waxing the floor here, wait until he leaves. Smash the cabinet and take the axe, then go west and throw the axe at the cord. The man will now get off his machine and come towards you. Open the container and pour wax on the floor, then drop the container and the assignment. Pick up the axe, and go east, east, north, down and southeast. Take the boots and wear them.

Walk up twice and read the sign on the door. Unlock the door with the master key, then open it and go outside. Head up, then quickly down again when the winged creature arrives. Throw the stone at the creature, then go up again. Look at the tree, then dig in the tub and get the hand that you find there. Go back down, inside, down and south. Pick up the stone that you threw earlier. Now go north, down, northwest, up, south, west 4 times, north, down and east. Get in the forklift and start it. Go east 3 times and it will be pitch black again. Turn on your flashlight and remove the junk with the forklift. Repeat this another 3 times and you will clear a passage. Continue east, then exit the forklift. Open the manhole with the crowbar and go down.

Head north and down again to find an altar. Take the knife, then return up, south, up and west twice. Turn off the flashlight, then continue west 3 times, up, south, east 4 times and south. Read the door, then knock on the door and wait to be brought inside. Give the paper to the professor, then go south. Wait here in the pentagram for exactly two turns, then cut the line with the knife. Get out of the pentagram, move the bench, open the trapdoor and go down.

Open the trapdoor and turn on your flashlight, then go up. Put the hand in the liquid, then wait twice and the hand will come to life. Pick up the hand and the hyrax (ring) and put the hyrax on the hand. Drink the coke now (you are probably tired). Go north and open the door, then go north again and turn off your flashlight. Walk north, west 4 times and north - you should now be in the Aero Lobby. Go down and up on the staircase until you see the urchin. Show the hand to the urchin and he will drop something and run away. Look to see what it was, then pick up the bolt cutter. Go down (once or twice) to the sub-basement and drop the bolt cutter, flask and axe.

Go northwest through the crack into the tomb. Unlock the padlock with your key, then take the padlock. Open the hatch and you will see that the light inside doesn't work. Light your flashlight, then go down and east. Turn the valve with the crowbar, then wait 3 times until the rats arrive. Now open the valve, then close the valve again. Walk east twice and remove bricks with the crowbar twice to make a hole in the wall and reveal a reinforcing rod. Head west 3 times and go up, then turn off your flashlight. Drop the knife and crowbar here, then go southeast and get everything. Go up, east twice and up again.

Press the down button to call the elevator, then go down the stairs. Wait twice and the elevator will stop at the floor above - wedge the doors with the axe, then drop down through the empty shaft. Get the chain and tie the chain to the rod. Lock the chain with the padlock. Go back up and put the chain on the hook. Take the axe to release the doors. Go up and press the down button again, then go back down. Wait until you no longer hear the elevator moving, and wedge the doors with the axe again. Drop down through the shaft to see that there is now a huge hole in the wall.

Take the axe and turn on your flashlight, then go north, west 5 times, and down twice. Cut the wires with the bolt cutter. Go down into a wet tunnel and note that the hand now guides you through the next section. Follow its directions north, down, south twice and down. Open the flask and look inside it, then pour the liquid on the slime. Unlock the door with the key, and open the door. Go south and reach into the pool - the hacker now arrives. Cut the line with the axe 3 times, then get the line. Open the cover and unplug the coaxial cable. Put the line in the socket and you will see the Lurking Horror. Wait once and the stone will become red hot. Throw the stone at the creature, then pick up the stone.