Part 6: The Tower, part 2
Okay, enough messing around. There are two ways to get past the mechanical hawks.
The first method - the "brute force" method - is to keep throwing rocks. There are three hawks, and each one goes down after three rocks. I can return to the beach to gather more if I run out.
But I'm not doing that, because it's boring, and the "correct" method is delightfully insane.
Kgummy posted:
The only things that look like they combine, is the chicken wrench being used as a sort of winding key for the toy drummer. No wait, I forgot we had a golden bird. Fight bird with bird, possibly by using the chicken wrench with it .
Kgummy was the closest, having named both of the correct items - unfortunately, he didn't think of combining them, having been distracted by the chicken wrench. (Understandable.) Here's what you're supposed to do.
Step 1: The toy drummer has a winding key in it. Remove it.
Step 2: Insert the winding key into the golden bird.
Step 3: Put the bird in the clock, clearly visible in the picture above.
Step 4: Tap the pendulum.
It makes absolutely no sense at all but it works. Maybe they're union hawks, and 3:00 is break time?
(What's that? You didn't grab both the golden bird and the toy soldier before leaving the lighthouse? Tough luck, buddy, go find some rocks.
)Whatever. The way is clear; I can open the gate and proceed without getting my face torn off in slow motion.
At the top of the staircase, I find another door.
The room inside is small and rather cramped. The giant desk cries out for my attention, but first I should pay my respects to the poor man in the chair.
This is - or was - the old inventor that Dr. Krick met. He tried to warn Krick about the Dark Being, but to no avail. Now the inventor himself has fallen victim to... well, we'll see. It's a bit odd that he's already skeletonized. Going by the dates on the notes, his meeting with Dr. Krick was only a week ago. Either something picked his bones clean... or I really shouldn't be walking around unprotected in this atmosphere.
(Aside: I thought the inventor's name was revealed in the game somewhere, but apparently not. His name is Martin, and this tower is properly called Martin's Roost.)
I should probably take that pendant with me. It's bound to be important.
...erk, it's a bit of a tight fit. I can't quite get it past his head. Hang on, almost got it...
> Got Martin's Amulet
Let's... go take care of the desk now.
Where to begin... let's try the drawer in the bottom left first.
Folders full of blueprints. Blueprints for what?
Martin! You're the one who built Jerkwing? I don't think we can be friends any more.
Oh, and if you look closely, one of those folders has a key in it.
> Got Desk Key
One drawer down. Next I'll check the long drawer under the writing surface.
Huh? I can't open it. Come on, game, I know there's something in there. Let me click it already.
Oh, not you again.
So tell me, what's on the dick menu today? Interference? Vandalism?
Nope! Theft.
GIVE THAT BACK YOU FUCKER.
Looks like that was the only useful thing in this drawer. Moving on.
If I was playing normally (rather than trying to demo shit), this tiny little drawer in the bottom right of the desk would be the first I opened.
Why? Because it's got this in it.
> Got Window Key
Now the room is secure. If you do this first, Jerkwing won't be able to steal the whatsit in the center drawer.
Next. The cabinet in the top left has a mishmash of junk in it. Can you see the item we need?
Answer: No, because it's at the bottom of the pile. You need to click three times, in specific locations, to uncover the item you need. (Center, top-right, center.) Now that's the Sierra I know.
> Got Radio Coil
For our current purposes, this is the most important item in the desk. I'll put it to use in a moment; for now, there's two more compartments to try.
Scrolls! Exposition!
Martin has very nice calligraphy.
quote:
I have met a man from another world. He says it is like ours, but in a different time, or maybe another plane of existence. My studies have taught me these things can be possible, but he may be mad. We talked for a brief time in the tower. He is an inventor like myself. I was curious to know more, but he quickly grew nervous and anxious to leave. I gave him the golden sparrow in case he wants to return.
quote:
My birdman has gone insane. He will no longer obey me. I believe he has been corrupted by the Dark Being. I should not have let it into the tower. I think it has discovered our plan. I will send a hawk to warn the priests. I have given the crystal bottle to the doctor from the other world. I trust him, and the creature will not think to look there.
quote:
I am trapped here by my own creation. He will not let me leave the tower. He tries to get in while I sleep. I hear him flapping outside the windows at all hours. I don't know how long I can keep him out. I am exhausted, and running out of food. The priests have not arrived or responded to my messages.
Birdman. BIIIIIIIRDMAAAAAAAN! Okay, got that out of my system. Looks like Martin didn't design the birdman to be a jerk; that was the Dark Being's fault. Good, I don't have to hate the old guy after all.
Most of the stuff we just read is pure exposition, but there's a useful hint tucked away in there: the "crystal bottle" he gave to Dr. Krick. I don't remember seeing that. Maybe we should take another look around the lighthouse next time we're there.
Moving on. The glass-fronted cabinet doesn't open, and neither does the middle-right drawer, so there's only one place left to look.
The top-right cabinet is locked, but I already found the Desk Key.
> Got Electric Whistle
When you press the little button this gadget plays a tone. The dial controls the pitch - it gets higher the more you turn it. However, the very last setting doesn't make any noise at all! Strange.
Well, I think I've cleared out this room. Let's just take a quick look around before I head back downstairs. There's the desk, the window... this bed...
... and why am I looking at this corner of the room?
Oh. Ohhhh. There's another room above here.
I can't reach the ladder, though: it's too high up.
Okay, to the workshop then. I've got an idea.
This is the thing the birdman was hammering on. If we assume that his sabotage is deliberate, not random, then this must be important.
> Got Broken Transmitter
> Got Radio Antenna
Before I get started, though, I'd better lock down the room.
Suck it.
I start by placing the device on this worktable. The... drill-bit-looking thing... lets me open it up.
The coil inside is burnt out. I'd replace it, but it's held fast. I need to loosen the fasteners. And to do that, I need to use...
Once that's done, it's easy to replace the burnt coil with the new one from upstairs.
I also stick the antenna back into place. Close the whole thing up and I've got me a new item!
> Got Radio Transmitter
Back upstairs!
The transmitter is some kind of remote control. You choose the setting you want - Ladder, Attack, or Patrol - and hit the round button in the middle.
Obviously we want the Ladder command. We now have access to the top of Martin's Roost. What will we find up there?
You'll just have to wait and see.
End of Chapter
Next time: I discover a part of the game I didn't even know existed!
