Bone of Contention Walkthrough ------------------------------ While there are a lot of sudden-death points in the game (often without warning), it's impossible (to my knowledge) to actually get stuck doing something where the game's stuck in an unwinnable state. [Ooops -- correction. There's one place: the ornate/simple key. If you lose the ornate key, it's game over as far as I can see.] Use of undo will probably get you out of any death, but I suggest saving often. At the very least, save before entering any of the buildings. I've been using them as save names ("house.sav", "shack.sav") since they're pretty much independant (with some exceptions -- particularly during the endgame). This walkthrough goes through the buildings in the order they appear: house -> shack -> hovel -> hut -> temple -> tower. I noticed going back to play through for the walkthrough that a lot of elements seem randomized. I've tried to make note of all of them. > score > full (do both of these throughout the game to get interesting responses) > look (The description is a hint. Pay attention to capital letters.) > n > s > e > w > examine path > examine grass > examine dirt > examine drawing > open drawing > read tag > pull lever > turn lever > again > again (the window should now be blue) > push lever > enter house > diagnose [NOTE: Be sure to do this whenever you enter one of the buildings, as the portal can end up doing some pretty strange things to you. As far as I know, it's random, but certain buildings seem to be associated with certain changes. If you're in a form that makes the particular building difficult (and, I found, in some cases impossible) to finish the tasks necessary, leave, wait, follow the paths back to the previous building and back, then re-enter. Enough time should have passed that you're now in a new form.] > pick up all except the brass dog > e > drop all > w > get dog (don't try doing this in the opposite order: stuff then dog) > e > e > examine fox > wind dog > again > again > drop dog > wait > wait > get bone > w > u (You die. The game has a lot of these no-warning deaths.) > undo > close eyes > up > throw bone (BTW - It seems impossible to know about what's in the room without dying) > wait > wait > open eyes > get all > search body > get all > open left door (It's locked. I never got it open. Does anyone know if you can?) > open right door > n > examine pedestal > examine indentation (remind you of anything?) > put dial in indentation > clean pedestal > examine isntraction > take inscription (then respond to the questions:) > literally > yes > yes (A dumb joke, I thought.) > open matchbook > light match > light thread > wait > wait (It's gonna blow!) > wait (Hmmm...guess not.) > examine carving (they're instructions for the dial) > turn dial right 3 > turn dial right 4 > turn dial left 2 > drop matchbook and inscription > pull handle > turn handle > push handle > cut string with bowie knife > get chime > s > d > get all (you can't take this stuff up the stairs) > w > w > n > examine spire > examine young man > ask him about spire > e > examine middle-aged man > ask him about spire > n > examine old man > ask him about spire > w > examine door > examine statuettes > examine first > examine second > examine third (do these remind you of anyone?) [NOTE: This puzzle took me forever to figure out. The door is based on the union of the first two you touch minus the third. You'll have to decide which of the three are forward, neutral, and backward and then figure out a combination that will open the door based on its initial condition. The door and the men are randomized, but in most cases OLD (third), YOUNG (first), MIDDLE (second) did the trick. Be careful though -- if you get the combination wrong, the door respins to a new position.] > enter door > examine pyramid > examine supports (the puzzle can be solved two ways depending on how tall your current form is) > get rope (if the game says it's too high, try the second solution. if not, continue) > throw rope over support > tie rope to barrel > pull rope > again > again > tie rope to ring > push pyramid > again > push plank > stand on plank > cut rope with bowie knife (if you're too short, you could always go under rather than over) > turn pyramid > again > examine opening > get plank > put plank against opening (against pyramid also works) > walk across plank (walk over plank, on plank, etc, also work) > enter opening (you couldn't do this if you were tall enough to get the rope) > climb ladder (in either case, you should now be at the top of the slope) > push boulder n > get prybar (now quick! before it rolls back!) > s > s > e (x5) > tie string to branch > strike (hit, attack, etc) chime with prybar > wait > e > n > pry open coffin with prybar > drop prybar > open coffin > take robe > take bronze (one down, four to go) > s > w (x3) > s (and you're done with the house) > look (again, pay attention to capitals) > s > e > w > n (note the description has changed) > examine shack > examine drawing > turn drawing > open drawing > pull lever > turn lever > again > again > again (the window should be red) > push lever > enter shack > diagnose [If you're in any of the left forms, leavel, go back to the house, come back, then re-enter. You can't finish the shack in any of the left forms.] > u > wait > wait > look > open eyes (this is a clue about the end of the fields and the end-game) > d (3x) > examine grotto > examine sky (strange, huh?) > examine field > examine creature [Note: there's a particular path through the fields. Any mistep ends in death. You obviously have to avoid the creatures, but the pits, spores, and spikes have no clues as to where they are. I didn't see any way to figure this out short of trial-and-error dying. Anyone see a hint I missed?] > ne > ne > n > w > sw > n > ne > e (stone pile) > examine pile > search pile > take skull, finger, small stone, axe (leave the rest, it's unnecessary) [This section of the fields seemed to make more sense -- avoid the lake to the east by going around it to the north while avoiding the creatures again.] > n > w > ne > e > se > w > s (altar) > examine altar > pull fourth stone (remember the hint from upstairs?) > turn fourth stone right > pull sixth stone > turn sixth stone left > push third stone > push fifth stone (the first stone should rise up) > pull skull on first stone (now the panel opens...does it remind you of anything?) > put stick on bar > put wire basket on stick > put bowl on stick (but they still aren't balanced…) > put stone in wire basket > take ??? (??? -- this object seems randomized, just take whatever the altar gives you.) [The next section of the fields is much like the first -- trial and error, just keep trying to move towards the staircase.] > e > se > s > nw > w > s > se > se (staircase) > diagnose [If you're in a left form, you've screwed up. You'll have to go all the way back across the fields, leave, wait, go back to the house, then return and re-enter until you're not in a left-form.] > examine corridor > examine statues > examine pendulum > u (this is why you're in a left form) > examine ceiling > read inscription (the name might not make sense now, but remember it.) > s > examine wall > examine chink > put finger in chink > turn finger (presto!) > examine markings (strange, huh? from the bottom up…) [Before going up, make sure you have everything you need from the fields, since the passage closes behind you.] > u > examine table > examine skeleton (cute, isn't it?) > examine bookcase (there are six or seven books. read them all, they give hints about what to do next.) > e > examine crypts > examine first, second, third...etc. [Read the names. You're only supposed to open one, but you can get away with two if you do it right. The one you really need is connected to the name you saw at the top of the staircase. The names on the crypts as well as the inscription are randomized. To pick the right one, think of the name on the crypt as a bastardization of the original on the staircase...ie, pick the one closest to that name.) > open X crypt (where X is the name that's closest to the one on the stairs) > examine body > examine skin > take skin (remind you of anything?) > w > examine machine > examine brick wall (remember what the red book said?) > hit wall (no good...you can't get through...but who can?) > examine skeleton > turn on machine > put skin on skeleton > read green book (ain't he cute? From what you read in the three diaries, you should know his name...) > poer, get up > poer, hit wall > turn machine off (otherwise Poer'll kill you in about three-five moves) > examine poer (what broke off when you shut him off?) > take tail, paw > w > examine skeleton (can you guess who this is from the diaries?) > put robe on skeleton > examine ghost > wait > take ring, iron (two down, three to go!) > w > u (2x) > examine wall > examine depression > put ring in depression > turn ring > push wall > w > u > s (now you're done with the shack) > look (capitals again) > e > w > n > s (again, the description has changed) > examine hovel > examine drawing > turn drawing > again > again > open drawing > pull lever > turn lever (the window should be green) > push lever > enter hovel > diagnose [Form is very important in this building. You're going to have to be different forms for certain parts. For the first section, you can be any non-left form. For the second, you have to be a left form. For the third, you have to be tall enough to reach the shelf. Again, if you're not in the right form, leave and then come back.] (non-left form) > examine table > look under table > hit table with axe > again > get wood > nw > get pot > w > put pot under faucet > s > u > turn dial right (opens valve) > u > n > examine machine (does thie remind you of anything?) > push button 4 (nothing happens) > w > d > d > examine door > close door > put wood in niche > close door > pull lever (power!) > u > u > e > push button 4 > push button 6 > push button 3 > push button 5 > push button 1 > s > d > turn dial left > d > n > turn on faucet > turn off faucet > get pot > e > e > examine woman > ask woman about lake > ask woman about death > ask woman about poer > ask woman about paw (interesting, huh?) > throw paw into lake > ask woman about tail > n > u > examine hole > examine lake > again > again (it should be glowing "brightly" by now) > put tail in hole > turn tail > d > s > examine body > search body > get all (the ornate key is particularly important) > e > sw (left form -- leave and come back) > e > examine gate > read inscription (a bug, I think -- you can "read" but not "examine" it?) > climb gate > examine gargoyle > examine mouth > get tooth (watch out!) > put bowie knife in mouth > get tooth > get bowie knife > climb gate > s > examine wall > examine footholds > d > examine boy (you'll get a lot of information on the backstory from him) [Note: You'll have to be in a left form for him to talk to you.] >boy, hello > tell boy about gate > tell boy about gargoyle > show tooth to boy > ask boy about nephantis > ask boy about kylar > ask boy about iopia > give tooth to boy [You can now ask the boy about the following: lake, death, poer, caprice, bones, drawing, buildings, house, hovel, hut, temple, tower, contention, copper, iron, silver, gold. There might be more, but that's enough to understand what's going on and what you have to do.] > u > n > d (2x) > w (tall form -- leave and come back) > sw > read sign (important!) > close door > examine shelf > get simple key (don't confuse it with the key form the body [ornate key]) > e > u [Be careful here! Using the ornate key incorrectly breaks it and you're stuck.] > unlock door with simple key > open door > e > close door > lock door > read sign > put simple key in slot (make sure it's the simple key and not the ornate one. You'll lose it if you do.) > s (if you do this without putting the key in the slot, you die.) > enter shaft > examine door > read inscription (remember what you learned from the boy > say "poer" > say "iopia" > say "silver" > open door > e > examine door > read inscription > say "kylar" > say "caprice" > say "tower" > open door > s > examine door > read inscription > examine funnel > examine box > pour pot into funnel > turn crank > say "bone of contention" > push lever > open door > w > examine panel > push slider down > examine drain (remember where it comes from and think about where it's going) > turn dial to 9 (the dial does go up to 11, but that's too high) > push slider up > turn dial to 2 (1 or 0 are too cold and it'll break) > examine drain > pull lever > push slider down > open panel > unlock box with ornate key > drop ornate key > open box > get silver (three down, two to go) > w > climb ladder > examine wall > push wall > s (you're done with the hovel) > look (capitals) > w > n > s > e > examine hut > examine drawing > turn drawing > again > again > again > again > open drawing > pull lever > turn lever > again (the window should be yellow) > push lever > enter hut > diagnose [Most likely you're in a form you haven't seen before. Don't worry about it. As far as I could see, form had not important, but it seems that the hut portal has three or four new forms that the other ones don't.] > read plaque > examine statue > examine arm > examine hand > turn hand > open plaque > get ribbon > ne > examine fence > turn stile > climb stile > examine horse > show ribbon to horse > tie ribbon to horse > get on horse > ride horse e > again > again > jump chasm > get off horse > s > cut vine with bowie knife > take vine > n > e > search rubble > examine glint > take diamond > n > examine ice (remember what the boy said?) > cut ice in with diamond > get disc > cut ice in with diamond > get square > cut ice in with diamond > get triangle (don't cut the ice again or you'll die) > s > w > get on horse > jump chasm > get off horse > w > climb stile > n > w > examine cube > read inscription (remember what the boy said) > put disc on cube > n > examine pyramid > read inscription > put square in slot > w > examine sphere > read inscription > put triangle on platform > pull handle > turn handle > push handle > get sceptre > e > pull lever > get crown > s > push button > get sword > s > w > examine platform > examine left ring > examine right ring > turn right ring > push left ring > open box > get mirror > break mirror > examine ghost > wait > w > u (3x) > examine door > read inscription (remember the sphere, pyramid, cube & caprice's ghost) > say "death" > say "wisdom" > say "honesty" > say "love" > open door > n (ouch!) > open eyes > stand > examine window (could that be...no...it couldn't...) > s > d (3x) > e (...looks like it is!) > duck > jump > attack poer > again > wait > get sword, sceptre, crown, mirror > examine chest > examine lock > put sceptre in hole > turn sceptre > open chest > take chalice > n (looks like he dropped something else...) > take gold (four down, one to go!) > e > s > climb stile > w > climb stile > w > s (you're done with the hut) > look (capitals) > n > e > w > s > examine temple > examine drawing > turn drawing (doesn't turn...odd, huh?) > examine temple > examine rubble > search rubble > get splinter and tetrahedron (you don't need any of the other stuff) > push button > turn drawing > open drawing > pull lever > turn lever > again > again > again (the window should be purple) > push lever > enter temple > diagnose [Your initial form really doesn't matter, but I've noticed that the temple forms are different than any of the other buildings.] [At this point, if you followed the walkthrough directly, you should have: the object given to you by the altar in the shack area (random), the splinter, the tetrahedron, the bowie knife, the axe, the pot, the diamond, the vine, the sceptre of nephantis, the crown of kylar, the sword of iopia, caprice's mirror, poer's chalice, and the four bones you've collected (bronze, iron, silver, gold). If you didn't follow the walkthrough, don't bother in this area until you have these items.] > n > examine altar > examine niche > examine statues > examine king > examine queen > examine knight (the solution to the next two puzzles should be painfully obvious.) > put crown on king > give sceptre to queen > give sword to knight > put mirror in niche > put chalice on altar > examine marble column > open door > enter column > wait > wait > exit > examine table > read inscription > examine north hole > examine south hole (etc...) > put iron in north hole > put copper in east hole > put silver in south hole > put gold in west hole > examine table (what's this?) > take contention (Ha! You didn't think it'd be THAT easy, did you?) [Endgame] > open eyes > look > examine machine [This is one of the most complicated puzzles in the game. The machine is capable of turning you into any form possible -- including a few you haven't seen before. Unfortunately, I can't give a straight-forward answer to the passage-puzzles because they're randomized. So are the machine controls. Experiment and figure out the proper forms necessary to get by the passage barriers. Failure=death, so save your game before trying a passage. You need to pass the four passages and get the button, the lever, the dial and the panel, then return to the central passage. > u > examine machine > examine paper > take paper > put dial, lever, button and panel on the machine > examine slot > read panel > put paper in slot [This is another confusing puzzle. There are a couple hints throughout the game -- particularly the riddle Caprice gives you. Essentially you have to make a sort of "Travel ticket" which is connected to the colors in the windows at each of the locations. The button obviously turns the machine on. The next step is to turn the lever until you see all the colors. Notice anything strange? The dial is like the slider in the silver bone puzzle (cold/hot). With all of them, you have to set the ticket (the paper you put in the slot) to travel to the four buildings. Caprice's riddle didn't mention the temple as 'the past' and she DID say you should ignore the present (you're still in the temple). So what's the future? The one color that doesn't fit -- the tower. I can't give a step-by-step answer to this one because the dial and color settings are randomized. Essentially, pull the lever, turn it to the color, set the dial, then push the lever to "stamp" the ticket and go on to the next one. When you get the ticket out of the machine, it should be blue, red, green, yellow and no-color]. > take paper > push blue (you should now be in the house) > tie vine to balcony > climb down vine > n > examine pedestal > take bronze (look out!) > duck > s (you could just travel to the shack, but you can learn something here) > hide behind column > wait > wait > push red (shack) > examine doorway > put splinter in doorway > n > examine depression > put tetrahedron in depression > turn tetrahedron > push tetrahedron > open lid > d (look out!) > u > close lid > wait > wait > open lid > d > e > search rubble > get iron > push green (hovel) > s > examine floor > drop pot (or really, any useless object) > wait > s > e > hide behind statue > wait > examine poer > examine globe > wait > wait > wait > e (now do what he did) > globe, begin > globe, turn > globe, open > take silver (trapped!) > examine globe > cut globe with diamond > d (Quick! Get out of the way!) > e > push yellow (hut) > e > examine skeleton > attack skeleton > again > e > examine pedestal > break glass with axe > examine slit > put knife in slit > turn knife > open box > take gold > push no-color (tower) > examine window > examine curtain > open curtain > examine glint > clean wall > take mirror > examine mirror > read inscription > caprice, come > give all bones to caprice > wait > wait > wait > take all > examine caprice > examine poer > examine nephantis > examine kylar > examine iopia > give gold to nephantis > give silver to iopia > give iron to kylar [Now, ask Poer and Caprice each about: death, each other (ie. ask poer about caprice...), love, honesty, wisdom, nephantis, iopia, kylar, the boy, the bones, copper, contention.] [The last decision comes down to: who are you going to believe? Poer or Caprice? Give the copper bone to either one, then...] > take contention (...and sit back and enjoy the ending.)