The Riddle of Master LuThe Riddle of Master Lu

AKA Ripley's Believe It Or Not

Game Details:  Adventure, 1995

Links:  Moby Games, Adventure Gamers

Walkthrough Updated:  10/23/2015

Suggested Listening:  Caught Up in the Panic (Ash 25)

The Riddle of Master Lu is a traditional third person point-and-click adventure game. You take the role of Robert Ripley, on a globe-trotting tale of high adventure that leads you from Egypt to Beijing and beyond.

New York

Odditorium

Pick up the handling stick from the floor to get rid of the snake. Examine any of the exhibits you like before heading right.

Posh Express (New York)

Talk to the Agent to book passage to Peiping.

Peiping

Posh Express (Peiping)

Talk to the agent here to buy some yuan, then leave.

Hall of Classics

Use your journal on yourself to draw a sketch, then head right and into the alley behind the blacksmith's shop. Try to pick up the wheel, then pick up the 7 spokes that have broken off. Look at the junk pile immediately next to the peasant and you will spot a Rebus Amulet. Give some yuan to the peasant to receive the amulet. Go back out to the main road and give your photo to the old lady; she will give you the helmet. Put this on top of the orange awning outside the blacksmith's shop, and the peasant will be distracted. Now head slightly left and use your spokes on the red and green wall will holes to climb over.

Use your journal on yourself to draw another sketch. Pick up the Silver Butterfly from the ground just to your right. Head to the far left, outside a pagoda. Pick up the mallet and use it on the gong, then talk to the acolyte that appears:

  • Do you speak English?
  • I guess you could say I'm a student of life.
  • Oh, neither! It is one of the great libraries of the world.
  • None that can come close to the manificence of this place!

Now you can ask any questions you like. Afterwards, leave the Hall of Classics and return to the left.

Posh Express (Peiping)

Talk to the agent to get a message, then send both of your oddities to New York, before booking passage to Danzig.

Danzig

Posh Express (Danzig)

Talk to the agent here to buy some marks, then leave.

Schloss Pik-As

Use your journal on yourself to draw a sketch, then talk to the gardener, Wolf. Give him some marks to get him to take you to see the Baron. Return to the front of the castle and head inside. Talk to Albert about everything, then he will leave. Look beneath the right sofa and pick up the German Banknote. Leave this room and return to the lobby of the castle, talking to the butler about everything. Head outside, through the gate, and back to the tomb that Wolf led you to earlier. Look at the bell on the side of the tomb, then ask Wolf about it and pay him to learn more. After he leaves, pick up the stepladder and edger. Try using the edger on the bell, but Wolf will see you. Use the stepladder on the steps outside the tomb, then climb up. Open the grate above the door and look inside to see the rope attached to the bell. Before leaving, use your journal on the tombstones twice to draw 2 more sketches. Try to leave and you will be forced to return the gardener's tools.

Posh Express (Danzig)

Talk to the agent to send your oddity to New York, before booking passage to New York for yourself.

Posh Express (New York)

If you receive a radiogram from Feng Li saying "Warrant out for your arrest", leave New York and come back again or you will be arrested.

Odditorium

Head left until you find Feng Li and talk to him about his turtle. Take the turtle from the glass case in the right of this room. Open the drawer in the case and take the turtle treats from inside. Now return to the far right.

Posh Express (New York)

Book passage for Danzig again.

Posh Express (Danzig)

Leave to the left.

Schloss Pik-As

Mess up the topiary that Wolf was working on earlier, then go through the gate and tell Wolf about it. Pick up the plank and the edger and return right to the tomb. Use the plank on the urns, then climb up on it and open the grate again. Put the turtle treat inside the grate, push it forwards with the edger, then put the turtle in the grate.

Posh Express (Danzig)

Talk to the agent and book passage for Peru.

Peru

Posh Express (Lima)

Talk to the agent here to buy some inti, then book passage to Easter Island.

Easter Island

Try to take the shirt from the pole and you will meet Dr Twelvetrees. Talk to her about everything, and when given the opportunity, choose to trust her. Look at the glyphs on the head she takes you to, and also look at the obsidian disk in its left eye. Try to head to the right, and Dr Twelvetrees will tell you about an old woman before you can leave. Use your journal on the black lava flow to draw a sketch. Talk to the old woman, then pick up the driftwood stump and the driftwood puffin from the beach. Return left and down and read the note on Twelvetrees' house. Take the note and you will discover a map on the back.

Enter the shed to the right. Take the pull cord from the right side of the gas generator. Go back outside and take the pole (you will get the sleeve as well). Go to the beach again and put the driftwood stump in the large hole near the statue. Put the pole in the stump, then use the pole to turn the statue. Return past the camp to fly back to the Posh Express office.

Posh Express (Lima)

Look at one of the puffins around the room, then talk to the agent about them. Next look at the clock on the desk and ask the agent about it. Offer your driftwood puffin to him and you will receive the clock facing as a trade. Book passage to Easter Island again.

Easter Island

Head right and use the sleeve to get the obsidian disk from the eye of the stone head. Continue right to the beach and give both the clock facing and the obsidian disk to the old woman. Go back to the camp and talk to Dr Twelvetrees so she accompanies you to the beach. You will end up with a Stick and Shell Map and a Whale Bone Horn, and after she leaves you can pick up a lighter from the ground. Head left twice to reach the quarry. Look at the map in your journal to see a layout of the area. On the map below you start at the green square. Go to each of the red squares and look at the glyphs.

6
5
4
3
2
1
A
B
C
D
E
F

Now with the aid of the stick and shell map, go to the blue square above. Look at the large red boulder and the small grey stone in front. Try to move the grey stone, but it is too heavy. Go back to the beach and combine your pull cord and whale horn, then use this to collect some water. Go back to the grey stone and pour this water into the clay at its base. Now push the rock and take the Rongorongo tablet from the fissure in the red boulder. Return to the camp.

Open the window in the back of the shed and climb inside. Pick up the spark plug tool from the ground, and use it on the plug beneath the red gas tank. Separate the pull cord from the whale horn in your inventory, then tie the pull cord to the wire on the back of the door. Use the pull cord on the plug beneath the gas tank to plug it. Now put the lighter on the ground. Blow the whale horn, then immediately climb out the window before the explosion.

Posh Express (Lima)

Talk to the agent to send both of your oddities to New York, before booking passage back to Danzig.

Danzig (Part 2)

Posh Express (Danzig)

Leave for the castle again.

Schloss Pik-As

Enter the castle, and go through to the billiards room. Pick up the red billiard ball from the table. Open the writing desk on the right, then open the drawer inside. Take the keys and the envelope. Use the envelope to find a letter and a Postage Stamp. Use the keys on the games cabinet, then open the cabinet and use the keys on the drawer inside. Look at the cards to notice the ace of spades is missing; look carefully at the wall just to the left of the painting to see an ace of spades in the wallpaper that looks different. Use this to reveal a switch, then use the switch to reveal a smoking hutch. Look inside this, and open the lid of the cigar box. Take a cigar from inside. Open the vent and put the billiard ball in the hole. Press the black button on the wall to close the hutch, then move the billiards table and go downstairs.

Pick up the large lever key from the left wall. Open the drawer here and take all 4 items from inside. Also take the faucet handle from the sink, and the periodic table from the wall to the right. Use your pump grips on the green pump on the floor, then use the pump - it won't work because the air is escaping. Use your faucet handle on the air valve on the desk, then use the pump again to fill the tank with air. Now use your surgical tubing on the nozzles on the table, your periodic table in the large glass jar, and finally your lever key into the table pivot. Open the air valve and you will get the Romanov Emerald. Remove this from the cork and use the journal on it to sketch it.

Next look at the iron brace around the glass jar; use the emerald in the iron brace, then take the glass jar. Also collect the surgical tubing, faucet handle, faucet pipe, lever key, pump grips and pump rod. Combine the lever key and pump rod, then put it in the metal bracket near the ceiling. Attach the glass jar to the end of the lever key. Combine the faucet pipe, garden hose and surgical tubing together. Use this on the faucet stem, then use the faucet pipe (now in the sink) with the glass jar. Attach the faucet handle to the faucet stem and use it to start filling the jar with water - there are 3 holes to plug. Use your cork, rubber plug and pump grips on the jar, then use the faucet again.

Pick up the letter from the cabinet. Look at the Romanov emerald with the microscope to see the letters Ti Xe (reversed eX iT). Look at your periodic table to see this corresponds with atomic numbers 22 54 (reversed 45 22). Use the numbers to enter the code 45 22 and you will exit the laboratory. Leave the castle grounds.

Posh Express (Danzig)

You will automatically send a radiogram to Professor Menendez. Talk to the agent to send your Postage Stamp to New York (make sure you keep the Romanov emerald), then book passage to Peru.

Peru (Part 2)

Posh Express (Lima)

Look at the stele in the corner of the room and you will write down a combination from it in your journal. Buy some inti if you didn't previously, then book passage to Mocha Moche.

Mocha Moche

Walk over the log (you will use the rope for support) and look at the red spider statue. Continue right past the stairs. Look at the stele and then use your journal on it to create a sketch. Head up the stairs and look at the niche high up to see something is catching the light. Pick up two clumps of vines from near the doorway into this tower. Go back to the spider statue and combine your two vines together, then use them on the spider statue. Use the coil of vines on the tree opposite to throw them over. Walk over the chasm and attach the coil of vines to the tree. Use the brown vine coil on the spider statue and cross over again, then tie the brown vine coil to the spider statue. Now that both vines are attached, take the rope (you need to untie it from both ends before you can take it).

Go right and talk to the person in the hole and buy the Shrunken Head for 450 inti (after haggling down from 750. Try to buy his ladder and shovel but he won't sell them. Give him the Romanov emerald and he will end up leaving, so you can take the shovel and ladder. Also collect the Wheeled Toy from the pile of dirt near the hole. Now climb to the top of the tower. Put your ladder on the ground, tie the rope to the ladder, and push the altar post on to the other end of the ladder. Climb down the rope and take the Crystal Skull from the niche. After climbing back up the rope, take the rope again. Head back out of the tower, and left to the observatory. Look at your journal to see the symbols for each stele are in the same order, just starting from a different point. On this door, starting from left to right, change the symbols to: Tree, Wheel, Cross, Sun, Waterfall, Volcano. Inside, put the crystal skull on the skeleton statue in the middle of the room. Use your shovel in a hole in the red capstan beneath the skeleton, then push the shovel and you will see colored lights project on to the glyphs on the wall. Take the Crystal Skull again, then leave the observatory and leave the whole area by going back over the log and continuing left.

Posh Express (Lima)

Talk to the agent to send all 3 of your oddities to New York, before booking passage to Sikkim.

Sikkim

Posh Express (Sikkim)

Pick up a brochure from the counter, then leave to the left.

Temple of the Hidden Way

Talk to the guard about everything. Use the cigar in your inventory, then show the cigar band to the guard and he will let you past. Approach the temple to find 16 prayer wheels and 16 openings above them where you can try to talk to monks - only 5 of the monks will talk to you and using their information and the brochure you picked up earlier, arrange their wheels as follows:

  • Monk 4 - Wisdom wheel from monk 15 (green top)
  • Monk 6 - Serenity wheel from monk 4 (green base)
  • Monk 9 - Peace wheel from monk 6 (blank)
  • Monk 12 - Insight wheel from monk 9 (purple mid)
  • Monk 15 - Truth wheel from monk 12 (blue x two)

Talk to Monk 9 again and he will open the Hidden Way for you. Go to the cell for Monk 14 and descend the stairs. Now you need to make your way through the maze outlined below. To navigate around you must first pull the rope in the direction you wish to go, then actually go there. You start at the Green S and need to reach the Red E. Along the way go to square 1 and collect a Chisel, then go to square 2 and collect an Incense Burner.

S
E
1
2

You will reach a room with a ladder; pull the rope at the back left wall. Climb up the ladder. Look at Master Lu's book and you will automatically make notes in your journal. Climb back down the ladder and you will automatically exit the maze. Leave the temple.

Posh Express (Sikkim)

You will automatically send a radiogram with the Chinese characters. Talk to the agent to send your 2 oddities to New York, then book passage to Peiping.

Peiping (Part 2)

Hall of Classics

After a long cutscene, look in the brazier on the left, then pick up some charcoal from beneath it. Try to push the left tablet, then the right tablet. Head outside and grab the gong and mallet, then go back into the temple. Use the gong on the brazier, then push the right tablet. Look in the gap between the fallen tablets to see your journal, then use the mallet to retrieve it. Look at your journal, but the page you need has been removed. Use the charcoal on the journal to reveal the missing information.

Mount Li

Look at the broken pottery next to the farmhouse, then ask the farmer where it came from. Open the door to the root cellar and head down. Push the sack of rice against the wall to reveal a terracotta hand. Go back up and ask the farmer about the hand. Look at the farmer's shovel, then offer him your money and he will give it to you. Head back down and use the shovel on the hand. Try to pull the hand, and it will break off. Look in the hole, but it is too dark to see much. Go back up and ask the farmer if he has a lantern - he will give you a match. Head down to the cellar once more and enter the hole to find a tomb.

There are five corridors heading from the right wall to another room on the far right. Take the furthest corridor and pick up the large green wooden beam from near the right end of the corridor. Continue to the room on the right. Take the shields from the two soldier statues here, and also pick up the wooden post from the right. Now head left through the second corridor from the bottom. Look at the chariot here and then push it back into the room on the right. Now think back to the solution to Master Lu's riddle: "Push Man 5 Blue Pull Man 1 Red". Go to the second furthest corridor and push the 5th blue soldier, then go to the furthest corridor and pull the 1st red soldier. Now head right and go through the opened jade door.

Look at Kuang's body, then look at the crank in the wall and take it. Go back to the left and push the chariot, then keep pushing it along the corridor to spring the traps. Put the crank in the slot on the far wall and use it to open the stone door. Keep it open by using your wooden post on it. Now use your wooden beam on the corridor and it will hold the door open for good. Take your wooden post and crank again and go through the door.

The bridge here will not support your weight. Turn the large green wheel 3 times so you can see a hole in the end of the bridge. Put your shovel in the hole, then turn the wheel once more. Give the crank to Mei, then say you will stay on this end of the bridge so she can cross. Turn the large green wheel again and take your shovel back. Talk to Mei again and she will use the crank - you will see a bar extend from a hole in line with the bridge. Turn the large green wheel 3 more times, then talk to Mei and she will lock the bridge in place. Now you can go across and enter the next room.

Walk to the end of your platform and look at the lake. Use your shovel in the lake to see it is very deep. Use your shields on the lake to safely cross to the other side. Head up into the mausoleum and take the Imperial Seal.