Temple of Apshai Trilogy - 1984

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If one were to draw out a Venn diagram with one circle including the earliest game programmers and the other circle including players of Dungeons and Dragons, one would find that they were pretty much entirely overlap. With its requirements for personal bookkeeping, many dice rolls, and its piles of reference tables, D&D practically begs for digital assistance. Combine this with the need for a Dungeon Master making it impossible to play alone and you have a pretty good explanation for why so many early coders built what became known as "CRPGs", first for fun and later for profit. In the earliest days, these manifested as programs for mainframe computers — like dnd in 1975—a similar story to how Zork was built. Over the next five years, companies spouted out of the woodwork. Many were founded by these earliest coders, and all were hoping to sell to this wave of potential customers.

Dunjonquest: Temple of Apshai was one of the earliest commercial endeavors for the genre, releasing for the TRS-80 home computer in 1979. It was heavily inspired by Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, which had been published just a few years before. Automated Systems (which later rebranded as Epyx) released numerous follow-up games within the same game engine and the whole library was ported to various home computers.

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Getting Started

First, the elephant in the room. Epyx remastered the three Apshai games into a single package for the Commodore 64. This is what I am playing, because the original release is staggeringly slow to play and having easy access to lots of dungeons is hard to argue against.

The game was sold with an expansive manual which lays out how character creation works. A player can let the game generate them a character, which is random, or they can import one from outside. The manual even explicitly instructs the player that they can transfer their already-existing D&D character into the game. It is worth noting, however, that all adventurers are fighters. There are no magic spells in Apshai. Neither are there thief skills, although the player can locate secret doors and traps.

I rolled a random character until I was happy with the results, spent my starting money, and finished with the following statistics and equipment:

I had spent every single silver piece on this equipment (thanks to the ability to haggle letting me punch slightly above my purse's weight), so it was clear that I needed to get started with the dungeon delving.

Gameplay is a little different to other early CRPGs. Rather than choosing between moving a single tile or taking a different action such as attacking, the player chooses their facing and then a number of steps to take. The manual implies that the player can wear themself out if they run around all the time, especially with heavy loads, but in my own play I never dropped below 100% fatigue. The game is also only pseudo-turnbased. An enemy gets a single action per player action but gets a free turn if the player takes too long to do something.

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Early Gameplay

©EPYX Inc., 1985

Jumping straight into the first level of the original dungeon, I quickly found that not leaving myself any silver for healing salves was risky. It took me a few trips to just the first few rooms to gain a level and find some elixirs before I felt confident going further.

My first impressions are positive. I enjoy the sounds (particularly the short pieces of music) and the gameplay loop—while slow by modern standards—is compelling, especially as I am mapping as I go. Combat and traps feel threatening enough that I don't want to sprint through the hallways; it's hard to know how much I'll be hurt by something until it is too late. I do not die, but sometimes I limp back to the entrance with my tail between my legs. I attribute this to the game using an armor class system: I either get hit or I don't.

By the time I have explored, mapped and looted the whole of the first floor, I have enough experience points to count as a 3rd-level Fighter (running on the assumption that the game uses AD&D progression), I've upgraded my equipment to have the best the shop has to offer, and I have a small pile of healing items banked. I've also found a +1 sword but it isn't clear what the base, unenchanted item would be. I struggle with this when I return to the game and have to type my character statistics back in.

Several More Levels

As I play more and more, it's hard to shake the feeling that fully mapping the first floor and purchasing all of the items from the innkeeper's shop is the biggest victory. In most D&D settings, a warrior getting full plate and a magic sword is kind of a Big Deal. They are likely a local hero at this point. The second floor is similar to the first and I particularly enjoy the descriptions of the prison space.

As the manual suggests that levels 3 and 4 are harder, I move from the original temple to the game's first expansion, the Upper Reaches. This may have been a mistake. The tone is lighter and there's little challenge to be found for my increasingly experienced character. I fly through the first level and, by the time I have finished the second map of the second game, I am very nearly level 6, and I have increased my Intelligence to 18.

Winding Down

I think that at this point I had realised that I was likely to run out of motivation before I ran out of dungeon. It was not that I was not enjoying the game, it was that I had a creeping feeling growing in me that I'd seen all it had to offer.

I completed the third floor of both the first and second games (here and here respectively), and then poked my head into the final level of the first game where I was killed by the very first enemy on screen. I elected to try the final level of the Upper Reaches and finished up with my character at level 7 with only two ability scores not at 18. This was where I decided to call it quits for now.

Thoughts

I found Temple of Apshai Trilogy to be highly compelling and surprisingly tense during my first few hours. The slow, thoughtful process of entering a new room, reading the description within the manual, dealing with any enemies and then searching for secrets created a gameplay loop that remained fun up until I felt like my character was no longer improving. Unfortunately, a lack of an outlet for the large amount of money a player accrues combined with very little personal progression turns the later floors into a mapping exercise. I found that the more I played, the quicker I went and the more diminished the exploration felt. I don't think this is specifically an Apshai problem, though. When I hit a proper flow while gaming, it's easy for me to lose the detail and get locked into just the basic mechanical aspects.

With regards to the mechanical aspects, the opaque nature of the game system both helps and hinders. When actively playing Dungeons & Dragons, I can see when I roll poorly; no matter what, there's an unavoidable element of metagaming. I know more than my character does. With this game, I can only see results, so the opposite feels true. I can't tell how close I was to a successful hit, nor can I see my armour class or any bonuses from magic items. It feels like my character knows more than me.

Is it Worth Playing?
Yes, but only the first level unless particularly interested in the style of gameplay.
👍

Loot for the Hoard:
144,891 silver pieces, and a magical lily with healing properties.

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Temple of Apshai Trilogy - Benedic's Monastery Map

General Layout

The final dungeon to explore within the upper reaches is a monastery named after the friendliest NPC that can rescue the player when they are defeated. There are no unusual mechanics like one-way doors, but there is a large spiral staircase leading into the depths that I've represented on the map above as several small floors.

The bulk of this level is relatively peaceful—the monastery itself—with creatures that offer little challenge to the player by this point. Many of them are not even aggressive! We start in the main hall and can walk through the monks' accommodation to the west. Many of these small rooms contain traps and if the player is not careful, they may spawn Geb's Spirit—possibly the strongest creature in the game. Since these traps tend to summon additional enemies, the player can take advantage of the game only handling a single creature at a time. Treading on such a trap while another creature is onscreen causes nothing to happen.

The eastern region and the downstairs is a much less pleasant place. Undead roam the halls and seem able to reduce the player's attributes permanently. The level culminates in a fight with a vampire, something that is hinted within the description in the manual.

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Notable Treasures

The main hall (Room 4 to be precise) contains another attribute-increasing item, the Empty Hand. This permanently raises the players Intuition by a point.

There's a few sources of elixirs within this level, but the easiest is in Room 19, just east of the entrance.

Possibly the best treasure yet, the Stale Bread can be found in Room 30. Retrieving this gives you a permanent point of Constitution.

Finally, the biggest source of silver on this floor may be found in the hidden Room 47. The money is probably useless at this point and it is guarded by a vampire. There's also a magic sword at the very bottom of the level in Room 60, but it isn't close to the entrance so repeatedly retrieving it is arduous.

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Full Reference

Treasure Descriptions:

T01 - Among various peculiar vials, you find some containing a milky white potion.

T02 - An amulet of gold. [50sp]

T03 - An amulet of silver. [25sp]

T04 - An amulet of brass. [5sp]

T05 - Amazing! It's actually a fine gold needle! [1sp]

T06 - Evidently you were hungrier than you though, and this bit of stale bread looked the least old. [+1 Constitution]

T07 - What a haul: a silver candelabra, two silver chains, a diamond goblet with traces of a reddish liquid inside, 13 platinum pieces, 128 gold pieces, and 666 silver pieces! [7246sp]

T08 - This rough robe can't be worth much and probably belongs to someone, anyway. Put it back.

T09 - From the rich earth you pick several large, white mushrooms.

T10 - A candle.

T11 - These herbs look unfamiliar but promising.

T12 - Another candle.

T13 - Some greasy, grungy pots and pans. Unless you're planning to become a door-to-door salesman or to volunteer for dishwashing duty, put them back and get out of there.

T14 - Apparently the Apshaians were not the only ones to know the secret of growing these lilies. Amazed by your good fortune, you pick a few of the healthful plants.

T15 - A crock of ale.

T16 - It is a book called The Secrets of St. Gulik.

T17 - An empty hand, that's what you are offered. [+1 Intuition]

T18 - As far as you can tell at a glance, the sword looks well made. There is also lots of other stuff here, if you could take the time to get it. Unfortunately, you seem to be occupied...

T19 - Some nice red, ripe tomatoes.

T20 - At first the stones look valuable, but you soon realize that they are only worthless gravel from the courtyard polished up a bit.

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Trap Descriptions:

MOLD - As you rummage about, your hands and arms become covered with disgusting rot and mold.

DUST - A strong breeze blows up a whirlwind around you; the dust stings your eyes.

PIT - You fall into an open grave. Be more careful when walking through a cemetery.

NEEDLE - Some of these plants have prickly thorns and needles.

FLAME - It is only a minor burn, but you should not be so careless when handling a lit candle.

CAVE-IN - Everything comes crashing down with a noise loud enough to wake the dead. The monks are not likely to be pleased, and you're just lucky nothing hit you on the head.

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Room Descriptions:

Rooms 1-4 - A large, walled courtyard covered with loose dirt and strange, glittering gravel. To the right of the arched entrance, there is a large stack of hay for travelers' weary animals. In the center of the court there is an immense, beautifully carved statue of a bearded man; he's smiling beatifically and appears to be offering you something in his outstretched hand.

Rooms 5-12 - A long arched corridor running along the west side of the courtyard. Many doors, both open and closed, line the corridor, but the only light comes from the barred arches fronting the courtyard. The stone walls are thick, and the air is cool.

Rooms 13-20 - Small cubicles or cells that serve as bedchambers for the Gebite monks. Each has a thin straw pallet on a stone platform, a small shelf holding various personal items (some interesting, some not), and a very little else. Some are occupied; so, if you are going to investigate, do so quietly and cautiously.

Rooms 21-28 - A large, walled garden divided into long aisles. You are surprised by the amazing variety and abundance of plants, and at times you must cut your way through the shrubs and vines to walk the narrow paths.

Room 29 - A kitchen. The counters are covered with grease and dust, and what must be a month's worth of pots, dishes, and utensils are precariously piled halfway to the ceiling. A terrible stench is coming from somewhere.

Room 30 - A small pantry. The foul odor originates here. The pantry is filled with old, stale, stinking - no, reeking food. Would anyone really eat this stuff?

Room 31 - The dining room is as much of a mess as the kitchen - or nearly so. Its sole inhabitant, the singing monk, is surrounded by crockery and an almost tangible alcoholic cloud. Falling off a bench without spillng a drop from the jug he's holding, he staggers happily toward you. Want a swig?

Room 32 - This obscurely placed room must be an infirmary or embalming chamber. Bandages and bottles of strange liquids litter the tables and shelves. There is a sign:
OUT ON A HOUSE CALL. HELP YOURSELF TO WHATEVER YOU NEED, AND DON'T GET BLOOD ON THE CARPET. - Welbius, Monk
For some reason you have a vision of a fatherly, white-haired man, compassionate and concerned but cheerful, and sense that there have been many miraculous healings here. Although the room is dark, you feel uplifted as you leave.

Rooms 33-44 - A long, narrow, winding spiral staircase taking you far underground. The footing is treacherous, the lighting bad, and the railing separating you from a fall into the abyss is cracked or broken. Near the bottom, you hear clicking noises and detect a faint smell of vanilla.

Room 45 - The stairs level off into a narrow, dank passage. Although the room is uninhabited, you sense great danger near. You can barely see the close walls, but you discern a very particular arrangement of bricks along the south wall. The masonry swings aside at your touch.

Room 46 - A large chamber of earth and stone. The smell of vanilla and the sense of impending doom are now overwhelming. Perhaps that tricky door has kept the native Apshaians from discovering the way into the monastery. You are not the first to find this room, however, for several skeletal corpses in ripped and smashed remnants of armor lie about. Near one is a particularly interesting sword, but unfortunately moving shapes can be seen moving in a dark hole in the floor. It looks like trouble in River City.

Room 47 - A long, dark earthen chamber with a heavy sarcophagus at one end.

Rooms 48-49 - A large cemetery adjoining the monastery. An eery rattling and moaning seem to come from t he very ground. Many of the tombstones are ornate and finely carved, but some graves are open, as if the process of burial had been interrupted. One casket is adorned with familiar, glittering stones.

Room 50 - A large chapel or meditation room. Although there is ample space for all the monks to assemble, only one is in the room. He offers you a book on which to meditate.

Rooms 51-52 - Smaller rooms evidently intended for solitary meditation, these are ablaze with candlelight. A monk suggests you might feel better with a candle or two to dispel the darkness.

Rooms 53-56 - Narrow, enclosed hallways, dark but still peaceful.

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Temple of Apshai Trilogy - Level 3

General Layout

Level three of the original dungeon is a mine filled with sources of gold and riddled with collapsing ceilings that do a surprising amount of damage. There is little else here, but it is a natural step up in difficulty from previous levels. It's particularly noticable here that the antmen are tougher than previous floors.

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Notable Treasures

Every treasure in level 3 is cold hard currency. There are dozens of rooms filled with gold nuggets and gems, but by this point in the game, you will have no use for this much silver.

The heaviest haul from this level is found in Room 35. Two hundred gold nuggets in a pile! The ten thousand silver this is worth is really only good for keeping score, however.

Room 60 contains the other notable treasure pile: nearly twelve thousand silver's worth of gemstones. It is guarded by wraiths which may permanently drain the player's strength.

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Full Reference

Treasure Descriptions:

T01 - Two gold nuggets. [100sp]

T02 - Three gold nuggets. [150sp]

T03 - Four gold nuggets. [200sp]

T04 - Five gold nuggets. [250sp]

T05 - Six gold nuggets. [300sp]

T06 - Nothing of value.

T07 - Two small diamonds lay in the dust. [200sp]

T08 - One small ruby lays in the dirt. [400sp]

T09 - Resting in the earth is one small emerald. [200sp]

T10 - Laying in the dirt you find one sapphire [300sp].

T11 - One small diamond mingles with the earth. [100sp]

T12 - One small emerald and one small diamond gleam from the dirt. [300sp]

T13 - One small ruby and one small diamond lay in the earth. [500sp]

T14 - Inside the backpack you find three hundred gold pieces, a pearl ring, and emerald ring and a sapphire bracelet. In a pocket on the body you find a diamond ring. [5600sp]

T15 - Inside the sack you find three small diamonds, a small ruby, a ruby chalice, a silver chain and a pearl ring. [2900sp]

T16 - A small pouch containing two small diamonds and a small ruby. [600sp]

T17 - In the corner you find a small sack with two small diamonds, a small sapphire, a small ruby and a diamond goblet inside. [2900sp]

T18 - Behind the large web is a heap of two hundred gold nuggets. [10000sp]

T19 - A search of the chests and coffers reveals forty-five small diamonds, ten small emeralds, seven small sapphires and four small rubies. [11800sp]

T20 - Nothing of value.

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Trap Descriptions:

CAVE IN TRAP - There are no traps per se in the Apshaian mines. One never knows, however, when a rock might loose itself and cause severe damage to those unfortunate enough to be standing below. For this reason it is highly recommended that all visitors wear helmets while wandering through the ancient caverns.

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Room Descriptions:

Room One - is a natural passage with the floor carved level. Scattered bones litter the area and a forgotten backpack rests against the wall half way down the passage. The floor shows signs of frequent comings and goings and the odor of vanilla is strong in the air.

Room Two - is a natural cavern. The opening to the north has been carved through the rock. Bones litter the floor along the walls.

Room Three - is a natural cave. Many bones litter the floor along the walls. The opening to the east has been dug through the rock wall.

Room Four - is a large cavern. Human and animal tracks mark the dusty floor. A bright glint is visible near the top of a slide of rocks in the northwest corner.

Room Five - is a natural cave with a leveled floor. The body of a giant rat lies in the southeast corner. The dusty floor shows signs of disturbance.

Room Six - is a natural cavern. A pile of litter fills the southwest corner. Animal tracks can be seen on the dusty floor and the air smells of musk and decay. The opening to the north shows tool marks.

Room Seven - is a natural cave. An old boot lies near a mound of earth in the southwest corner. The dusty floor is undisturbed.

Room Eight - is also a natural cave. The opening to the west has been carved through solid granite. Small slides line the walls and a heap of bones fills the southwest corner.

Room Nine - is a natural gallery with a high vaulted ceiling and a rough stone floor. A heap of litter and bones fills the southeast corner and the floor shows the tracks of large animals. The air smells of musk and decay. The opening to the south has been widened with carving tools.

Room Ten - is a large natural cavern. Tracks lead into the chamber that suggest something heavy being dragged. The floor is covered with slimy red muck. A pile of body parts and gnawed bones occupies the northwest corner and the air reeks of decay and death.

Room Eleven - is cave with little evidence of use in the dust on the floor. A brilliant glint of light beckons from the dust of the southeast corner.

Room Twelve - is a small cave with leveled floor. The opening to the east has been carved through solid rock. The dusty floor is largely undisturbed save for a small slide of earth in the southwest corner.

Room Thirteen - is a small cave. The dirt floor shows the tracks of large animals. Bones litter the northwest and southwest corners.

Room Fourteen - is a wedge-shaped cavern with the ceiling sloping to meet the floor in the southwest corner. The dusty floor is much disturbed near the opening to the east. A smelly mound of trash fills the southwest corner.

Room Fifteen - is a natural cave. A large boulder fills the northwest corner. A bony hand protruding from beneath it still clutches a small ruby.

Room Sixteen - is a small cave. The opening to the west has been carved through the rock. The dusty floor if undisturbed. A pouch is visible on the belt of a corpse lying in the southwest corner.

Room Seventeen - is a narrow tunnel bored through native rock. The rough stone floor is littered with bones and a small skull rests in the north end of the passage. No tracks can be seen.

Room Eighteen - is a natural passage. A small sack rests against the south wall halfway down the passage. The air is filled with a musky odor. The earthen floor is covered with the tracks of small animals.

Room Nineteen - is a passage with the floor and walls of carved stone and a native stone ceiling. The opening to the east has been carved through the rock. The dusty floor shows signs of much activity. A discarded cloak lies against the west wall.

Room Twenty - is a narrow excavated passage. An abandoned backpack rests on the floor in the eastern end of the passage.

Room Twenty-one - is a narrow passage. Half of a giant rat lies in the southern end of the passage.

Room Twenty-two - is a narrow passage. The opening to the north has been carved through the stone wall. The dusty floor shows signs of some disturbance.

Room Twenty-three - is a narrow passage. The air smells faintly of vanilla. A rusty pick lies in the dirt at the western end of the passage.

Room Twenty-four - is a natural tunnel through the rock. Some signs of digging are evident at the southern end of the passage though no toolmarks can be discerned. The air is filled with the scent of vanilla and the floor shows the marks of frequent comings and goings. Scraping and clicking sounds are faintly audible from the north.

Room Twenty-five - is a small passage carved through the surrounding rock.

Room Twenty-six - is a well trafficked passage with carved rock walls, floor and ceiling. A broken shovel protrudes from a mound of earth near the north end of the passage.

Room Twenty-seven - is a narrow corridor that shows signs of frequent passage. A litter of small bones lines the walls and a well-preserved human skull grins from against the north wall halfway down the passage. The air smells faintly of vanilla.

Room Twenty-eight - is a rough, narrow tunnel. The floor is bare except for a skeleton near the opening to the south. Cobwebs hang in the passage and scraping and clicking sounds can be heard from the west. The air smells strongly of death and decay.

Room Twenty-nine - is a small cave with the floor carved level. The dusty floor shows some marks of disturbance toward the opening to the east. The opening to the north has been carved through the stone. A single emerald gleams from midway up the west wall of the cave.

Room Thirty - is a small, unoccupied cave except for a scattering of bones and a small heap of offal in the northeast corner.

Room Thirty-one - is a small excavated room. The room is coated with dust and the air is heavy with the odor of decaying flesh. An antman body lies half buried under a slide of earth in the southeast corner.

Room Thirty-two - is a small excavated room. A discarded basket lies in the southeast corner.

Room Thirty-three - is a huge vaulted cavern with a leveled floor. The walls show the marks of ancient mining operations and a heap of rusting tools sits in the northeast corner. The floor shows marks of occasional transit through the opening to the west, which has been widened with tools.

Room Thirty-four - is a natural cave. The cave is covered with dust and the air is foul. A human body lies in the southwest corner

Room Thirty-five - is a large natural cavern. The rough stone walls and vaulted ceiling are draped with filmy webs. The entire southeast corner is obscured by a huge web. The dusty floor is littered with a variety of bones and exoskeletons.

Room Thirty-six - is a smallish excavated chamber. A mound of freshly dug dirt in the northeast corner evidences a yellow glitter.

Room Thirty-seven - is a long cavern with bones littering the floor. A foot-worn path runs between the two openings. Off the path, travel is hindered by the many and bizarre rock formations. One of these resembles a giant hunting insect. A dead antman lies in the northwest corner.

Room Thirty-eight - is a large cavern with the floor carved level. A worn path runs between the two openings. A large wooden box is set against the wall in the southeast corner.

Room Thirty-nine - is a small natural cave. The dusty floor evidences much disturbance. Scattered bones litter the dust and a discarded backpack rests in the northeast corner. The air smells of ancient death.

Room Forty - is a natural cave with rough stone walls, floor and ceiling. The aroma of vanilla fills the air. The southeast corner holds a heap of fresh earth with the glint of gold visible.

Room Forty-one - is a natural cave. The opening to the west has been dug through the earth but shows no toolmarks. The floor is well trodden and the smell of vanilla fills the air. A pile of baskets leans against the wall in the northeast corner.

Room Forty-two - is a natural cave. The floor shows marks of frequent passage and the walls bear the marks of recent digging. A small basket in the northwest corner holds gold nuggets. The air is thick with the smell of vanilla.

Room Forty-three - is a natural cave. The openings to the south and east have been dug through the earth but show no toothmarks. The floor is much travelled and the walls show signs of recent digging. A small basket in the southwest corner holds a few gold nuggets. The air is thick with the smell of vanilla.

Room Forty-four - is a huge natural cavern with a leveled floor, although a few stalactites hang from the roof. The opening to the north has been dug through the rock. A heap of stones stands in the middle of the cavern. There is a faint draft of air blowing from north to south through the cavern.

Room Forty-five - is a small chamber with the walls, floor and ceiling chiseled smooth. The dust shows a heavily trafficked path through the opening to the west and a less clear trail through the opening to the east. The air smells faintly of vanilla.

Room Forty-six - is a cave. The dust shows a beaten path between the two openings. A pile of bones litters the southeast corner. A faint smell of vanilla is in the air.

Room Forty-seven - is a small cave with the floor carved level. The floor shows tracks from the southern opening to the center of the room where a small pile of gnawed bones rests.

Room Forty-eight - is a cavern. A path in the dust runs between the two openings.

Room Forty-nine - is a natural cave. A well trodden path in the dust runs between the two openings and the air smells faintly of vanilla. A small pile of rusty weapons litters the northwest corner.

Room Fifty - is a smallish cave with the floor carved level. A well worn path runs between the north and south openings. The air smells faintly of vanilla. A stack of rusty tools leans against the east wall.

Room Fifty-one - is a small excavated chamber. A well-worn path runs between the north and west openings with a fainter trail to the east. The air smells faintly of vanilla intermingled with the odor of decayed flesh. A newly slain antman lies in the southwest corner with a spilled basket of gold nuggets nearby.

Room Fifty-two - is a natural cave with fantastic stalactite and stalagmite formations. The air reeks with a pungent stench. a corpse lies just inside the opening. A tattered sack rests against the wall in the northeast corner.

Room Fifty-three - is a natural cave. An unbroken layer of dust covers the floor. A heap of stones fills the southwest corner of the room.

Room Fifty-four - is an excavated room. A well-worn path marks the floor between the two openings and the faint smell of vanilla is in the air. A pile of bones rests in the northeast corner of the cave.

Room Fifty-five - is a natural cave with the floor carved level. A well trodden path runs between the two openings and the air smells faintly of vanilla.

Room Fifty-six - is a natural cave. The opening to the north has been dug through the earth without the benefit of tools. The walls show the marks of recent digging. The air smells heavily of vanilla. A small basket holding a few gold nuggets sits on the floor in the southeast corner.

Room Fifty-seven - is a natural passage with the floor carved level. The dusty floor shows some signs of passage. A small mound of fresh earth occupies the middle of the corridor.

Room Fifty-eight - is a natural cavern with a rough stone floor. A skeleton in the southwest corner still wears the remains of a rotting backpack. Small bones litter the floor. Torchlight creates vague shadows that suggest beasts, or worse, lurking in the corners of the chamber.

Room Fifty-nine - is a narrow passage. The opening to the north has been dug through the earth but shows no toolmarks. A well-worn path runs from the opening in the west wall into the northern passage. The air smells faintly of vanilla.

Room Sixty - is a huge vault with stonework walls and floor and a native rock ceiling. rude statues and carved pillars picture men and half-men. As the figures become more bestial, the workmanship becomes more primitive. Ancient tools and artifacts lie all about the chamber. Small stone doors of cunning device line the east and south walls. Several of these are open, revealing three by three by six foot openings into the rock. A shroud hangs from one of the open cavities. Glyphs of unknown symbology cover the walls. The dust of the floor is thick and undisturbed. The air smells of musty antiquity and death. Several urns and coffers in the southeast corner gleam with jeweled brilliance.

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Temple of Apshai Trilogy - Olias' Basement

General Layout

In addition to having some overlapping spaces, there's a large number of one-way doors within this level. The general geometry isn't too bad, however, as the player will generally either loop back round to the entrance or will use the alternative exit found in the northeast corner.

Olias the dwarf is one of the NPCs who may rescue the player upon their death and, since he takes all of your treasure for the privilege, we can assume that the wealth in his basement is either our own or has come from similarly unlucky adventurers. The room descriptions paint a much grander picture than simply a "basement". Olias seems to have his own castle!

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Notable Treasures

Speaking of the wealth in his basement, Olias has a lot of treasure.

Normally, the large amount of treasure (more than five thousand silver's worth) found in Room 19 would be the haul for a whole dungeon floor. There's actually a second, similar reward in Room 27 to further pad out our now impossible-to-spend hoard.

Easily the best reward so far across the trilogy, Room 34 holds more that twice the aforementioned treasure along with a belt that permanently increases our Strength by one.

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Full Reference

Treasure Descriptions:

T01 - In the quiver you find normal arrows.

T02 - In the quiver you find magic arrows.

T03 - An old set of armor. Worthless as protection, it might be worth something melted down. [10sp]

T04 - When mixed with some herbs you happen to have, any venom you can recover from the dead snakes' poison sacs will act just like a healing elixir.

T05 - On the floor you find a Skull Ring with diamond flecks for eyes. [50sp]

T06 - Three gold coins. [30sp]

T07 - As far as you can tell in the poor light, the sword seems to be finely made and rust-free.

T08 - The sword is an ancient one made of bronze - an interesting curio of no practical value. [4sp]

T09 - The shiny object on the ground is a fine pearl ring! [200sp]

T10 - Olias is not the only pack rat around here. You find a collection of worthless beads of various colors, 3 gold nuggets, a leather pouch containing 11 gold and 4 platinum pieces, 7 small diamonds, 2 small emeralds, a small ruby, and a large ruby. [5160sp]

T11 - On some skeletal remains you find a silver medallion. [40sp]

T12 - A pouch contains 10 matching small emeralds. [2000sp]

T13 - The only interesting object here is a gold medallion. [100sp]

T14 - There's more here than you can carry, but, being nearly as greedy as Olias himself, into the largest sack you can find you stuff 10 silver ingots, 3 gold ingots, a silver candelabra, 2 gold chains, and various minor bits and pieces (to fill up the cracks) worth another 500 silver pieces. [5050sp]

T15 - This is the creme de la creme; an emerald ring with a matching bracelet, a pair of jade cats worth about 2500 silver pieces each, a dozen platinum pieces, and a gem-studded, glowing belt. You have no idea what sort of magic it possesses, but you decide to wear it from now on. [12700sp, +1 Strength]

T20 - A glittering piece of genuine iron pyrite of no redeeming social value.

---

Trap Descriptions:

PIT TRAP - As you are walking, you accidentally fall into a trap meant for small game.

CROSSBOW TRAP - A crossbow quarrel flies from a hidden niche in the wall across from you.

SPEAR TRAP - A hidden mechanism thrusts a spear at you.

NEEDLE TRAP - As you try to open the chest, a tiny spring thrusts a poisoned needle at your thumb.

CEILING TRAP - As you walk in the cave, the vibrations of your tread causes a large stalactite to fall upon you. The Surgeon General has determined that this is hazardous to your health!

CAVE-IN - Whether an accidental falling of loose rock or a deliberate trap set by Olias, there are many cave-ins here. They may seal off an entrance or exit to a cavern or passage and, if you are underneath, may cause injury or even death.

CREEPING CRUD - The exact nature of this slimy, amoebic life form is unknown, but it is large, hungry, and extremely dangerous.

---

Room Descriptions:

Room 1 - The small foyer of the cottage of Merlis the Mage. A pale, greenish light emanates from nowhere in particular, and the walls are decorated with arcane symbols and spooky magical stuff that no doubt maintain Merlis' image but don't impress you. Much.

Rooms 1-2 - A forest near the castle of Olias the dwarf. You are surrounded by the sights and sounds of the great outdoors; dappled sunlight, the fluting of birdsong, the trickling of a distant brook. Nearer to hand, there is an annoying hum in the air and the smell of something unpleasant.

Rooms 3-4 - A well-traveled courtyard in front of the castle. The dust in criss-crossed with tracks of horses and small animals. The gate of the castle to the north is closed and solidly barred. Olias may have taken your one and only magic sword, but a frontal assault is out of the question. A more discrete approach is called for. Fortunately, you have heard rumor of a cave complex underneath the castle that Olias uses as a cellar and storehouse. Unfortunately, you have no idea how to get into it. There is an old and rickety shed to the south, but it does not look enticing. Still...

Room 5 - Well, well. This may be the cave entrance you were looking for. It's dark in here, but there appears to be an opening across from you, and there may be a cleft to the north, near a pile of loose stones.

Room 6 - The dark shed is full of junk, but there may be something worthwhile in all this. Watch your step, though.

Room 7 - A huge, drafty cavern with a man-made (or dwarf-wrought) door at one end.

Room 8 - A hidden arsenal. On the far side of the room you see a quiver filled with arrows.

Room 9 - Another cavern, the corpse of another adventurer, and another quiver. Also a minor obstacle.

Rooms 10-13 - These passages connect several large caverns. They are narrow, dim, dank, and a bit drafty.

Room 14 - Bat City. The cave-in that sealed the entrance to this large cavern also seems to have awakened about a zillion bats, which are now filling the air with their winged bodies and eerie, screeching cries. There may be another way out near a pile of rocks on the other side of the cavern. Protruding from beneath the pile is a skeletal arm gripping a sword.

Room 15 - Among the other objects in this storeroom is a sword that looks somewhat familiar. Could it be yours, lost on a previous adventure and appropriated by the greedy dwarf? To find out, you'll first have to do something about the snakes.

Room 16 - A cavern inhabited by particularly large and unpleasant bats.

Rooms 17-19 - A series of interconnected caverns off a breezy passageway. There are holes and ridges in the floor; footing is treacherous. Room 19 is a storehouse of interesting items.

Rooms 20-23 - A long, winding corridor. There is a substantial breeze from the west; it grows in strength as you move in that direction. It whistles audibly in your ears, at least until a cave-in seals off part of the passage. (You are either clumsy or unlucky, or Olias has mined these caves carefully to discourage unwanted visitors.)

Room 24 - A small alcove. As you enter, dozens of spiderwebs cling to you. (Shades of Raiders of the Lost You-Know-What!)

Room 25 - Another alcove. What's that on your foot?

Rooms 26-27 - As this part of the cave widens, a familiar, pungent odor grows progressively stronger. You clearly deduce that this is the den of some furry animals.

Rooms 28-30 - A winding corridor that grows lighter and windier as you move to the south.

Room 31 - This portion of the cave shows signs of careful workmanship, as if the natural cavern has been deliberately enlarged.

Room 32 - This low passage slants upward. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Rooms 33-34 - These hand-hewn rooms obviously serve as a storehouse for some of Olias' accumulated loot. Your attention is drawn to the ornate chest in front of the far wall in Room 34.

---

Temple of Apshai Trilogy - Merlis' Cottage Map

General Layout

This level is quite a lot more confusing. It's likely the first time that the player experiences a layout that doesn't follow conventional geometry and there are times where exiting a room and then trying to return will instead send you to a third location. I've represented this on the map with notes by the appropriate doorways. The only exception is room 19 which doesn't have a western wall at all; a trick of the layout that's particularly hard to visualise.

Other than this, the level is small. There's the cottage itself, which sort of has two versions that the player travels between, and a forest to the southwest (filled with bees and culminating in finding the hive).

It is worth noting that the enemies in this level give far more experience than both the Innkeeper's Garden and the first two floors of the original Temple of Apshai. I found it trivial to fight my way to what I'd assume was character level 6 (following AD&D rules) by running through the cottage a few times.

---

Notable Treasures

There's a source of elixirs (honey from the hive) found in the very southeastern corner of the map.

Room 6 holds the best treasure in pure coinage: a chest containing gold worth 1000 silver pieces.

However, by far and away the most exciting loot here is found in the well-hidden Room 19. It's a magic wand with no material value, but collecting it permanently gives the player a single point of Intelligence.

It is trivial for the player to loop through the cottage repeatedly picking up the wand and the chest of coins. During my playthrough, I did this until I had increased my Intelligence to a total of 18.

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Full Reference

Treasure Descriptions:

T01 - In an elegant chest adorned with feline figurines you find 250 silver pieces. [250sp]

T02 - These insects must be magical indeed to produce such a delicious and tasty liquid. Drinking some makes you feel marvelous, and you risk a sting or two to grab a honeycomb full of the stuff.

T03 - Hanging on a tree is a quiver with some interesting arrows in it.

T04 - In a brass-bound chest you find 500 copper pieces. [50sp]

T05 - You decide to show Merlis a thing or two and take what you are sure is a magic wand. Unfortunately, it is so magical that it turns into an ordinary stick as soon as you take it out of the cottage.

T06 - When you open the chest, you find the only things inside were moths.

T07 - Inside a silver-laid chest that seems magically bonded to the floor, you take 100 gold pieces. [1000sp]

T20 - A large eggshell - of value only to a large egg.

---

Trap Descriptions:

CROSSBOW TRAP - From high in a tree comes a loud "SPROINGG!" but nothing else. Originally intended to keep unwanted visitors out, this useless trap was fortunately forgotten. No one even bothered to put an arrow in it.

---

Room Descriptions:

Room 1 - The small foyer of the cottage of Merlis the Mage. A pale, greenish light emanates from nowhere in particular, and the walls are decorated with arcane symbols and spooky magical stuff that no doubt maintain Merlis' image but don't impress you. Much.

Room 2 - A long, narrow hallway filled with remarkable lifelike sculptures of men and beasts. Paintings of the village - strangely distorted but oddly vivid - hang on the wall. The scenes seem to move when you are not looking at them. Sounds you cannot identify emanate from the walls.

Rooms 3-5 - The corridor widens into a large reception area with many doorways. The chairs - seats for those waiting for an appointment in Merlis' magic hall - have seen much use.

Room 6 - Merlis' den. A desk is covered with scrolls and magical paraphernalia, and the shelves are lined with dusty tomes. The apparatus looks so dangerous and the runes and symbols so forbidding, you are afraid to go near most of the stuff. However, out in the open is an ordinary chest.

Room 7 - A laboratory. There are many bottles and jugs you are afraid to touch and some complicated machinery. There is a small crack in one wall near the ceiling and a door on the east side. Over the door a sign warns, "DANGER - DO NOT ENTER."

Room 8 - the crack leads to a huge nest and landing area on the roof of the cottage. It is not visible from below. The large flying creature - evidently one of Merlis' strange animal friends - that usually occupies the area is not here. Looking around, you see what looks like a large egg to one side.

Room 9 - Another laboratory. This one is filled with cages of small animals. A sign reads: "PLEASE LEAVE OR YOU MAY SCARE THE EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS TO DEATH!"

Rooms 10-11 - Merlis' hall of magic. A large table occupies the center of this dimly lit room. There is a chest in one corner and a huge tapestry covering the back wall. While moving around through the room, things appear to shimmer every now and then; you suspect there may be more here than meets the eye.

Room 12 - A back room in the cottage. There is a door leading out the back of the house into a forest. There are some empty phials on the floor of the otherwise tidy room.

Rooms 13-17 - A path leading from the back door through the woods. It is bounded by large, old trees and tall hedges; the shade of the forest is deep. A buzzing sound grows louder as you go east.

Room 18 - A small meadow in the woods, completely enclosed by trees. The smell of clover is strong, and a large, white box hums with activity to the south.

Room 19 - The narrow closet is lined with shelves on which rest various strange objects. You find your courage beginning to desert you and wonder if there is really anything here worth the risk. Perhaps you'll find something...

Rooms 20-21 - An enchanted hall in which Merlis keeps his cats. The carpeting is expensive but covered with hair, and the room is finely decorated with chairs and tables of fine workmanship. There is a chest near one wall.

---

Temple of Apshai Trilogy - The Innkeeper's Backyard Map

General Layout

The first level found in the Upper Reaches expansion is a far more relaxed affair. Rather than delving into an underground maze, the player is tasked with tidying up the innkeeper's land. The player has a lot more opportunity here to talk to creatures rather than resorting to violence. In fact, getting carried away can lead one to slay the innkeeper's wife!

The majority of this level is outside, though there is a sizeable barn to the north and a shed to the southeast. There is a large open space made up of twenty-four "rooms" representing a field of berry bushes. All of these spaces hold the fruits as treasures, but some are covered in vicious thorns.

Interestingly, there are some aggressively growing tomatoes in a garden adjoining the main field. Some of these attack you, and some of them even have knives! Feels a lot like a certain 1979 movie...

---

Notable Treasures

There is very little to be found on this level. I think this makes the most natural starting point into the trilogy, but it's a little disappointing if the level is explored later on.

Room 41 (a cave in which a bandit hides) holds the only meaningful treasure, presumably the spoils of the bandit's... banditry.

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Full Reference

Treasure Descriptions:

T01 - All that glitters is not gold. In fact, in this case it's copper - a copper piece that someone carelessly dropped. [0.1sp]

T02 - A big cluster of berries hangs in the bush in front of you. [0.2sp]

T03 - There are small eggs in a nest here, and you risk a fowl attack to grab them. [0.5sp?]

T04 - You find a copper ingot, 750 copper pieces, one silver arrow, 23 silver pieces, 14 gold pieces, two small emeralds, and a partridge in a pear tree. [639sp]

T05 - Near a hoe you find some arrows which may be of use.

T06 - In a worn leather purse you find 6 copper pieces, 7 silver pieces, 3 gold piece, and a small diamond. [137.6sp]

T08 - The laundry consists of a few shirts and a pair of pants. They are wet, not in your size, patched, and certainly not worth taking.

T09 - A large piece of stale cheese - the main attraction for the mice.

T11 - Some crockery, mostly broken, now empty but smelling of bad ale.

T20 - A large rock of no value.

Fractional silver piece values may or may not be summed into whole pieces upon returning to the inn. Who knows?

---

Trap Descriptions:

FLAME - You stepped right in the bonfire! Watch where you are going!

DUST - Try not to kick up so much dust next time.

NEEDLE - Some of these bushes have needle-like thorns. Be careful.

FLIES - If you insist on walking through garbage, then you should expect to put up with a few flies.

---

Room Descriptions:

Room 1 - A wide roadway with a large rock in the center. The inn lies off-stage to the west. To the north and south are picket fences in need of a little paint.

Rooms 2-3 - A small yard choked with weeds and littered with garbage. To the north is a large barn, to the east an alley, and to the south the stable area. To the right of the barn door are stacks of rotting garbage. Just to the left of the door is a small bonfire in which you notice a gleam of something other than flame.

Rooms 4-5 - Once used as a stable, this part of the yard and the roofless enclosure now smell of soap. The weeds are patchy, and there are traces of suds in the grass. Inside (Room 5), wet laundry hangs on a line in the corner.

Rooms 6-7 - The main stable area. The walls of the old building are full of badly patched holes, and many planks are loose. The packed earth shows little sign of recent activity. Inside (Room 7), cobwebs clog the corners, and mice are scurrying about the remains of someone's lunch.

Rooms 8-10 - The barn. The place is obviously ill-kept, and straw and feathers are everywhere. You hear honking to the right and loud clucking to the left.

Room 11 - A narrow alleyway between the barn and the stable. It is thick with weeds, but a narrow path down the center is worn down from the tread of many feet. Ahead is a gate with a low fence - the entrance to the berry patch.

Rooms 12-35 - The innkeeper's berry patch. It must be the right time of the year, because every bush seems laden with luscious, ripe berries. Since the innkeeper has given his permission, and you're hungry, you decide to grab a basket and do some picking. What you don't eat you can always sell in the village for a few copper pieces. While wandering through the bushes, you notice some tomato plants beginning to supplant the berries in some spots. There is, in fact, an entire tomato garden next to an old tool shed on one side of the berry patch. The berries are spread over a low hill that begins to slope steeply near the back hedge.

Rooms 36-39 - A large shed. Tools and debris are scattered about. Signs of recent usage and a sort of rumbling sound coming from somewhere within alert you to the presence of someone - or something - inside. Could it be the thief? Or something more sinister?

Room 40 - You have stumbled across an unknown or long-forgotten passage that seems to lead into the hill.

Room 41 - A large cavern displaying clear signs of habitation. It's dark in here, and you keep stumbling into things, but something on the floor glimmers faintly.

Rooms 42-45 - A vegetable garden. Aside from a few struggling carrots, there seems to be nothing here but tomatoes. Some of these, however, are huge - bigger than pumpkins. Near the gate you discover a dead chicken. Closer inspection shows that it is covered not with blood but with ketchup! What can this mean? And what else may be hidden beneath these strangely menacing vines?

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Temple of Apshai Trilogy - Level 2 Map

General Layout

The second floor of the Temple of Apshai is again largely made of natural spaces that have been expanded and smoothed out. The initial rooms are plain, but the southwest corner of the map shows evidence of industry, including a jeweller's workshop and a forge. The floor is dominated by the bleak gaol and extensive torture chambers on the western side. We also have locations reminiscent of the first floor: underground natural water features give the impression that I am exploring a space that's a continuation of where I was previously.

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Notable Treasures

The quality of treasures here has not improved meaningfully since the first floor. This matches up with the rough description in the instruction manual that the first two floors are suitable for adventurers of levels one to three. A player may gather a decent proportion of the valuable treasures by only exploring the western third of the floor.

Immediately upon entering the dungeon, the player can enter Room 9 to find some valuables. The manual hints that the skull ring found as part of the loot may have an additional effect, but it is too vague to see anything going on. If I were to guess, I'd take a stab that the ring protects the player from the stat-draining effect that attacks from some undead can have.

Room 13 contains another magic cloak. While I couldn't verify that this actually improves a player's defenses, it's worth grabbing as early as possible just in case it does.

Room 31 contains a magic sword. Again, it seems random whether this is a bonus or a curse, but at least this room is easily accessible from the entrance to repeatedly collect it.

An elixir can be found in Room 16, but it is probably easier to repeatedly enter level 1 in order to pick up the lilies.

There is also a magic talisman which the manual describes as able to "endow the holder with wondrous powers of mental perception." The effect is too subtle to see, but I assume it increases my chances of (s)earching for a trap or (e)xamining for a secret door. It is found in Room 24.

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Full Reference

Treasure Descriptions:

T01 - After coaxing open the cabinet you find a silver candelabra, six silver trays and a bronze skull ring with mithril specks for eyes. [800sp]

T02 - Fifty silver pieces. [50sp]

T03 - On the workbench you find a small gold ingot and a tiny box with two small rubies inside. [1250sp]

T04 - You stumble across a finely worked cloak (see Magic Cloak).

T05 - On a shelf on the south wall you find two small silver ingots, two copper ingots and a tiny box with three small diamonds inside. [540sp]

T06 - Finding nothing of value in the room you pour the milky liquid into a waterskin, just in case you happen to be dying of thirst in the desert some day (see Milky white Potion).

T07 - After jimmying the lock you find five hundred copper pieces and four hundred silver pieces as well as a porcelain talisman inscribed with mithril runes (see Magic Talisman). [450sp]

T08 - On a back shelf of one of the racks you find a finely honed blade worked with mithril.

T09 - The moldy sack splits at your touch spilling its contents of sixty gold pieces to the ground. [600sp]

T10 - A search of the lockers reveals that aside from rotten clothing, one contains six hundred copper pieces, another contains a sack with sixty gold pieces, and the last holds two hundred silver pieces and a diamond ring. [1160sp]

T11 - The sack contains one hundred silver pieces and thirty gold pieces. [400sp]

T12 - Under the mattress on the bed you find a moneybelt containing two hundred silver pieces and thirty gold pieces. [500sp]

T13 - Seven silver coins. [7sp]

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Trap Descriptions:

CEILING TRAP - A steel blade descends from the ceiling, sweeps down the corridor in a long arc and then retracts.

NEEDLE TRAP - A needle springs from the lock very near to your hand.

PIT TRAP - A ten foot pit with pointy spikes in the bottom opens beneath your feet.

SPEAR TRAP - A spear thrusts out of the wall and then retracts.

X-BOW TRAP - A crossbow quarrel fires from the wall opposite the door as you enter the room.

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Room Descriptions:

Room One - is a passage with native granite walls. The ceiling and floor have been carved level. A low scraping sound vibrates through the floor. The air has the musty smell of age and death. The dust on the floor is heavy near the walls, but a clear path has been worn down the center of the passage.

Room Two - The walls of the tunnel have been smoothed and widened with carving tools. A brass-bound wooden door is set into the north wall near the west end of the passage, its broken lock hanging from the corroded hasp. The scraping sound continues. The dusty path continues straight for a way, then disappears into a side passage to the south.

Room Three - The dust on the stone floor shows signs of small animals, but is otherwise undisturbed. The iron-bound door in the north wall hangs from rusty hinges. A simple sliding bolt secures it. The scraping sound can be heard through the floor and the fragrance of cut wood freshens the air.

Room Four - The east wall is of cut and worked stone. The brass-bound wooden doors in the north and south walls are secured by rusty iron locks. The tracks of small animals crisscross the floor between the doors and the air smells of must and rot. The sound of flowing water can be heard through the floor and a low rumbling can be heard in the east end of the passage.

Room Five - is a corridor with stonework evident on the walls and floor. The ceiling is of carved rock. The wooden doors to the east and west hang from tarnished brass hinges. The scraping noise vibrates through the floor and the worn dusty path continues down the center of the corridor.

Room Six - Two doors, one to the east and one to the west, are wooden and hang on brass hinges. The scraping sound grows fainter and the worn path along the center of the corridor continues.

Room Seven - The north wall of the corridor is native granite, while the others are masonry. The worn path leads to a wooden door in the west wall from which dangles a heavy iron lock, now unfastened. The hinges of the door show signs of frequent use. The scraping sound can still be hard faintly.

Room Eight - The path runs the length of the passage, then bends and disappears to the north. The door in the west wall is iron-bound wood and hangs ajar from rusty iron hinges.

Room Nine - The stone in the east wall only shows signs of workmanship. Racks of motheaten robes, wadmal grey in color, fill the interior of the room. Against the north wall stands a locked cedar cabinet and rack hung with the remains of more elaborate black and green robes. A pungent odor fills the air and the dust of the floor is undisturbed.

Room Ten - Furniture of various types is stacked around the walls and the entire floor is covered with a layer of fine sawdust. The air is heavy with the smell of different woods. A low scraping sound can be heard through the floor.

Room Eleven - A strong, musky odor intermingles with the smell of decay. Casks and crates are stacked along the walls and in rows down the center of the room. The sound of flowing water can be heard through the floor and a vibration can be felt.

Room Twelve - A bench along the west wall of the small chamber holds a neat array of jeweler's tools and a small forge on the sough wall holds glowing embers. The dusty floor shows signs of recent disturbance and a strong smell of vanilla is in the air.

Room Thirteen - All four walls are covered with a heavy layer of soot. Rusty tools and scrap iron litter the floor, several weapons in various states of repair among them. A large forge against the north wall shows no signs of recent use. The dirty floor is covered with a black, grimy dust.

Room Fourteen - is a small cave with stonework on the east wall and the other walls, floor, and ceiling of carved rock. An iron chest sits against the south wall with the key still in the lock. The floor shows signs of recent use. The floor shows signs of recent entry and the air smells faintly of vanilla.

Room Fifteen - three of the walls are lined with shelves containing dust-covered beakers, phials, and jars. Evil looking substances in jars marked "eye of newt", "hair of frog", etc. occupy a table in the center of the room. An even layer of dust covers the floor.

Room Sixteen - is a chamber with stonework on the east and west walls. The other walls, floor and ceiling are carved rock. A long table in the center of the room supports a network of flasks and tubing with a rusty iron oil burner beneath one end. A table against the south wall holds beakers of colored liquids with strange inscriptions and a desk in the southwest corner holds a tray with a pitcher of slime-covered milky liquid. Scraps of paper litter the floor around the desk. An even layer of dust covers the room. The doorways to the east and west are obscured by shredded tapestries embroidered with strange glyphs.

Room Seventeen - is a small chamber. Tables covered with bolts of rotten cloth press against the walls. The low scraping sound can be heard faintly through the floor.

Room Eighteen - Mounds of sawdust cover the floor of the small room. The air smells of decayed wood. The scraping sound can be heard clearly from the east.

Room Nineteen - The door in the west wall is wooden and has no latch. The musty smelling room is filled with dusty weaving looms and other spinning and sewing devices. The scraping sound can be heard through the door.

Room Twenty - Leather hangings on the west wall cover a doorway. The room is littered with sawdust and rusty woodworking tools. A metal shaft runs from floor to ceiling in the southwest corner, attached to a large sawblade by a complex system of gears and levers, all rusty from age and disuse. The scraping sound is now very loud. If you move one of the levers, it will cause a loud screeching beneath the floor.

Room Twenty-one - A small sack lies against the wall at the west end of the passage. A well-worn path runs the length of the corridor.

Room Twenty-two - At the far end of the narrow passage there is a door of brass-bound oak inscribed with strange glyphs. These give off an eerie green glow. The floor is covered with an even layer of dust.

Room Twenty-three - Strange implements litter a table in the center of the room. Here and there are various cages with the remains of animals. Jars filled with a viscous liquid and holding a miscellany of body parts from assorted creatures are stored in racks on the north wall. The door to the east is made of wood and is secured with a rusty iron bolt.

Room Twenty-four - A desk sits against the north wall and a table and chair against the south wall. Along the east wall is a bed with a chest visible beneath it. The floor is covered with an unbroken layer of dust. The sound of flowing water can be heard from an opening in the northeast corner where a stream flows beneath the flooring.

Room Twenty-five - Remnants of books and scraps of paper rest on a rack along the north wall while a desk fills most of the south wall, and a cabinet and bed are flush with the east wall. The sound of flowing water comes from an opening in the northeast corner where a stream flows beneath the flooring.

Room Twenty-six - Large vats and tubs are set into the floor of the small chamber and heaps of rotting clothing litter the room. The sound of flowing water can be heard through the moss-hung doorway to the east. The dusty floor is undisturbed and the air smells of damp greenery.

Room Twenty-seven - An underground stream flows through an opening beneath the eastern half of the floor. The walls and floor of the room are covered with moss and a malodorous slime.

Room Twenty-eight - The eastern door is wooden and is secured with a simple latch. The room is filled with tables against the north and south walls, holding a variety of metal working tools, all rusty with age. A small forge against the south wall is filled with litter. The scraping sound is heard loudest in the northeast corner where a metal shaft runs from floor to ceiling and is connected to a bank of grinding wheels by a complex system of gears and levers. Moving the levers causes the metal shaft to spin in place and a grinding sound comes from the attached gears.

Room Twenty-nine - Shelves lining the walls hold a variety of rusted and corroded metal scraps. The sound of flowing water can be heard through the dusty floor.

Room Thirty - is a large cavern with stonework on the west wall and the western half of the south wall. Bales, casks, and crates line the walls and the shelves in the middle of the room. The air smells of musk and rot, and the tracks of small animals abound. Water can be heard flowing beneath the floor.

Room Thirty-one - is a small cave. Racks of rusty weapons line the walls.

Room Thirty-two - A loud roaring sound can be heard from the northern end of the passageway and bits of bone litter the floor.

Room Thirty-three - is a short passageway. A rumbling sound can be heard from the opening to the north.

Room Thirty-four - A table and four chairs sit in the middle of the room and two goblets lie on the floor nearby. Footprints crisscross the dusty floor. The wooden door to the north stands ajar. The eastern door is wooden with iron hinges and has a small barred window at eye level. A low rumbling sound is audible from the west.

Room Thirty-five - Dark stains cover the carved stone floor in front of the door to the west. The air smells of antiquity and death.

Room Thirty-six - Dark stains mar the floor of the passage and moans and the rattling of chains echo faintly through the corridor.

Room Thirty-seven - The dark stains are thicker here and the sound of moans and rattling chains grows louder.

Room Thirty-eight - is a large natural cavern. Manacles hang from the north wall, one set still supporting a human skeleton. Various braziers, irons, and larger implements of torture line the east and south walls. The air is musty and the moaning and clanking continues through no source is evident.

Room Thirty-nine through Forty-two - also form a narrow passage. The doors to the south are iron. Each has a small barred window at eye level and a small slot at ground level. All are locked with slidebolts. Clanking chains and sorrowful moaning echo through the passage.

Room Forty-three through Forty-six - also form a narrow passage. The doors to the south are iron. Each has a small barred window at eye level and a small slot at ground level. All are locked with slidebolts. Clanking chains and sorrowful moaning echo through the passage.

Room Forty-seven through Fifty - are small, cramped cells. Each cell has a wooden plank suspended by chains on the north wall. clanking and moaning echo faintly through the cellblock.

Room Fifty-one through Fifty-four - are small cells much like the others. The clanking and moaning can be heard throughout.

Room Fifty-five - is a large natural cavern, except for the western portion of the south wall, which is stonework. A large waterfall plummets from the ceiling to a pool in the rear of the cavern, blanketing the area in mist. The chamber reverberates with the roar of the cataract. Lying near the bank of the pond is a moss-covered sack. The air is filled with the fresh scent of the many mosses and ferns growing about.

Room Fifty-six - Six cots line the west wall with six lockers placed along the north wall. A table and three broken chairs stand against the east wall. A strip of cloth lies on the stone floor next to the table.

Room Fifty-seven - Dark stains and pieces of bone dot the floor. Faint moans echo through the corridor.

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Temple of Apshai Trilogy - Level 1 Map

General Layout

The first floor of the Temple of Apshai is presented as being relatively unimpressive. We are treated to descriptions of smoothed out natural passages and expansions to already-existing caves rather than entirely artificial constructions. Sections are flooded or have water flowing through them (particularly the southwest and northeast corners). The middle of the map appears to be the most interesting and has the most signs of long-past habitation, but outside of this region, there is little furniture remaining. Finally, the southeast corner is made up of tunnels dug out of the earth by the antmen who now roam the whole floor.

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Notable Treasures

While this is only the first floor, there are still a few treasures worth collecting.

Room 7 contains an easily-grabbable elixir source: magic lilies. Since the dungeon resets each time you return to the inn, it is relatively trivial to only do further exploration once you hold a safe quantity of elixirs. They heal a lot more than the salves you can buy from the innkeeper!

Room 48 contains a magic sword. It is random whether this is a +1 sword or is cursed, and there is no way to know which you have received until you leave.

The ant passages in the southeast corner of the map (Rooms 37-48) contain a multitude of small diamonds which should make it trivial to purchase everything the inn has to offer.

There is also a magic cloak that makes the player a little tougher, but it disappears upon leaving the dungeon. It can be found in Room 15.

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Full Reference

Treasure Descriptions:

T01 - Several of the lilies can be reached. A vague memory of the healing properties of some Apshasian flowers prompts you to pluck them for later perusal.

T02 - The delicate fragrance of the moss prompts you to place a sample in your pack for later investigation (see Incense Moss). [30sp]

T03 - Any plant that glows in the dark must be worth something to someone so you bag some (see Phosphorescent Algae). [5sp]

T04 - A beautiful cloak, wondrously light, yet tough as nails.

T05 - The aroma of the plant overcomes your better judgement and you taste a bit of it. It is delicious and builds strong bodies twelve ways (see Food Algae). [5sp]

T06 - Having enough to worry about at present your forgo sampling the mushrooms for the time being and take some of each type for future examination. [6sp]

T07 - Having spent some time up and down the coast you know of several varieties of useful seaweed so you take some along (see Kelp). [5sp]

T08 - In a pocket of the deceased you find four gold pieces. [40sp]

T09 - the arrows all have silver points.

T10 - Resting in the dirt are five small diamonds. [500sp]

T11 - Eight small diamonds rest in the earth. [800sp]

T12 - Four small diamonds rest in the earth. [400sp]

T13 - Laying in the dirt are seven small diamonds. [700sp]

T14 - The arrows have silver points.

T15 - The sword has mithril worked into the blade, the hallmark of magical arms and armor. There are also two gold pieces on the body. [20sp]

T16 - Inside the cabinet you find arrows with mithril worked into the points.

T17 - This much copper has got to be valuable so you slip the ingot into your sack (see Copper Ingot). [20sp]

T18 - Inside the box you find two hundred silver pieces and a diamond ring. [500sp]

T20 - Nothing of value.

Note the lack of a T19. This is a choice we will see echoed in later floors. More than half the available treasures found within the level are valueless rubbish.

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Trap Descriptions:

LILY TRAP - The lilies give off a cloud of fine powder which causes severe swelling in your throat.

NEEDLE TRAP - A needle springs from the lock in the immediate vicinity of your hand.

PIT TRAP - A ten foot pit opens beneath your feet.

SPEAR TRAP - A spear thrusts out of the cabinet as it is opened and then retracts.

MOLD TRAP - The yellow mold on the floor gives off a cloud of spores as it is stepped on. These spores cause a severe coughing fit.

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Room Descriptions:

Room One - The smooth stonework of the passageway floor shows that advanced methods were used in its creation. A skeleton sprawls on the floor just inside the door, a bony hand, still clutching a rusty dagger, outstretched toward the door to safety. A faint roaring sound can be heard from the far end of the passage.

Room Two - A stream runs through this natural stone chamber. A narrow landing adjacent to the corridor at the north end of the chamber allows easy access to the stream. The water flows in from a cut in the west wall and flows out under the north wall near the landing. In an alcove near one end of the landing there are many urns and pots. The water is very clear and appears to be about three feet deep.

Room Three - A finely carved and painted mural fills the east wall of the passage, opposite the opening, depicting men tilling the soil. A ransacked backpack rests under the mural. A roaring sound can be heard from the north.

Room Four - is a smoothly carved passage with a native granite ceiling. Slippery green moss fills every crack and crevice in the room, and the air is filled with its heavy scent. An empty purse lies in the southwest corner. A droning sound can be heard.

Room Five - is a pond-filled room with a small landing to the south. The surface of the sluggish water is covered with moss and a number of black lilies rest peacefully upon the green matting. The water can be found to be about three feet deep and flows almost imperceptibly in under the west wall and out under the east wall. Some of the lilies can be reached from the landing.

Room Six - Water flows into this chamber from the northern part of the west wall and out again through the southern part of the same wall. The surface of the water is covered with moss and multi-colored lilies, some within reach of the landing. Experiments will reveal the water to be about three feet deep.

Room Seven - The moss-covered water in this chamber appears to be three feet deep, also. A rusting suit of platemail can be seen on the murky bottom. White lilies rest on the surface of the pool. Water flows into the chamber from under the east wall and out under the west wall.

Room Eight - is a passage with smooth stone walls and floor and a native rock ceiling. A loud roaring sound may be heard from the north. A humanoid skull rests on the floor in the middle of the passageway.

Room Nine - is of roughly hewn stone. The floor has been levelled by manmade means, but the walls and ceiling are native rock. Cobwebs fill every crack and hang from the ceiling, dancing slowly in the slight breeze. A cloying, sweet odor fills the air.

Room Ten - The air of the room is filled with a cloying, sweet aroma, causing the senses to reel. The walls of the room are covered with moss which is largely brown and dried with only a few pale green patches remaining. Breaking off any part of the green moss will reveal it as the source of the aroma.

Room Eleven - A mist drifts into the corridor from an opening in the west wall and a deafening roar is heard. Moss covers the floor before the opening to the west and a rusty sword lies on the mossy stone.

Room Twelve - The floor, walls, and ceiling of the chamber bear the marks of tools. A glow fills the opening to the east and a foul, musty odor is in the air.

Room Thirteen - The room is well lighted by the phosphorescent glow emanating from the greenish-yellow algae covering the high ceilings of native rock and well-worked stone walls to the north and south. A broken bow lies in two pieces on the floor near the east wall.

Room Fourteen - A loud roaring sound may be heard from the west end of the passage. A pyramid of medium-sized stones fills one corner of the north wall at the east end of the corridor.

Room Fifteen - is an irregular cave of native rock. The walls and floor are covered with a heavy matting of multi-hued moss. The walls are brilliant reds, greens, and blues, while the floor is a pastel yellow. A wooden box lies topless in the middle of the cavern floor. Inside lies a well-made cloak. The material of the cloak seems to shimmer in the torchlight.

Room Sixteen - Here you find the source of the roaring sound. A stream flows into the chamber from the south, across the large water wheel, and plummets into a pit in the floor of the cave. The bottom of the pit cannot be seen, but experiments will indicate that it is a very long drop.

Room Seventeen - Only the floor has been smoothed in this chamber, the walls and ceiling having been left in the natural state. The air smells of decaying vegetable matter. A small mound of stones against the west wall in the north end of the passage partially blocks the way to the north.

Room Eighteen - The passage reeks of spoiled and rotten matter. A strip of cloth sticks out from beneath a mound of dirt in the southern portion of the passageway.

Room Nineteen - Small bones litter the floor of this chamber and crunch under the boots of the incautious traveller.

Room Twenty - The walls of the room are covered with algae. Most of the algae is black and rotten, but the few remaining brown patches have a nutty aroma, and, if tasted, are reminiscent of spiced bread.

Room Twenty-one - The west wall of the cavern shows the marks of carving tools, but the rest is natural rock. The floor of the room is overgrown with mushrooms of two varieties. One has broad, flat caps and is white with brown splotches, while the second variety has black, tightly rounded caps.

Room Twenty-two - This cavern is also overgrown with the same types of mushrooms as are found in room twenty-one. A skeleton lies among the mushrooms still clutching the remnants of a sack.

Room Twenty-three - The native rock walls of the room are covered with algae. Most of the algae is black and rotten, but the remaining brown patches have a nutty scent and taste like spiced bread. The exoskeleton of a huge ant lies in the middle of the chamber.

Room Twenty-four - is a mossy, carved stone landing. The air is very humid and smells of damp and mold. A slime-covered sack rests against the eastern wall of the landing.

Room Twenty-five - A stagnant pond fills the south end of the carved stone chamber, with a narrow landing at the south end. White mold covers the surface of the water, save the southeast corner, where a gold-colored seaweed is in evidence. Tests will reveal the water to be three feet deep, but the bottom of the pool cannot be seen through the murk.

Room Twenty-six - A shallow pond fills most of the room. The surface of the water is covered with a white mold, except in the northeast corner where a clump of golden-brown seaweed is visible.

Room Twenty-seven - The floor of this tunnelled passage is streaked with slime. A well-wrought iron candlestick lies at the southern end of the tunnel.

Room Twenty-eight - The tunnel floor is streaked with a stinking slime and littered with small and medium-sized stones.

Room Twenty-nine - The odor of the slime coating the entire chamber floor is overpowering. A trickle of water runs down the eastern wall and a small pool has formed in a depression in the southeast corner of the room. A rigid body in a finely woven cloak lies in the northeast corner.

Room Thirty - The smoothly carved northern and southern sections of the chamber contrast sharply with the native granite found in the middle of the room, suggesting that is has been widened out from a natural passage. A quiver and some arrows lie on the floor in the middle of the chamber next to a sword and a broken bow.

Room Thirty-one - is a narrow, low tunnel of native rock. Small slides of earth and rock line the sides of the passage with a larger fall of stones near the eastern end of the tunnel. A skeletal hand protrudes from the rockfall, an inscribed bronze ring visible on one of the fingers.

Room Thirty-two - is a rough, five-foot wide tunnel with packed dirt walls, floor, and ceiling. A shining trail of dried fluid runs the length of the tunnel and the air smells of vanilla. Strange clicking sounds echo faintly through the passage.

Room Thirty-three - A shiny trail runs the length of the packed-earth tunnel and the odor of vanilla fills the air. The clicking grows louder.

Room Thirty-four - A trail of shiny excretions run the length of the passage and the vanilla odor is stronger than before. The clicking sound is clearly audible from the north end of the tunnel.

Room Thirty-five - is a rough cave, carved out of the dense earth. The vanilla odor clogs the nostrils and the clicking noises are still audible from within. A handful of gems litters the dirt floor before the western wall.

Room Thirty-six - Vanilla fills the air and the clicking sound appears to emanate from nearby. A fresh slide of earth against the north wall reveals the glitter of gems amid the fallen earth.

Room Thirty-seven - The odor of vanilla is strong and the clicking sounds continue. The east wall is studded with a number of glittering gems.

Room Thirty-eight - The tunnel appears to have been dug out of the hard earth. A familiar trail runs the length of the passage and the odor of vanilla is heavy. The clicking sound begins to fade.

Room Thirty-nine - The floor of the passage is lined with the excretion and the aroma of vanilla fills the air. Clicking sounds echo faintly through the passage.

Room Forty - has been dug out of the surrounding hard-packed earth. The odor of vanilla becomes exceedingly strong, but the clicking sound is barely audible from within. Gems can be seen gleaming from the south wall.

Room Forty-one - The trail of dried fluid is heavier here and the odor of vanilla is almost unbearable. The clicking sound grows louder in this passage.

Room Forty-two - The vanilla odor is cloyingly thick. Bones and gems litter the floor along the north wall. The clicking sound is plainly audible within the cave.

Room Forty-three - The aroma of vanilla makes the senses reel and the floor of the room is covered with the shiny stuff previously observed. Bones lie scattered across the floor and the clicking sound grows fainter from within. Gems stud the south wall.

Room Forty-four - The tunnel floor is heavily coated with dried fluid and the aroma of vanilla is overpowering. The strange clicking sounds are now quite loud in this passage.

Room Forty-five - is a large cavern. The shiny stuff is lighter inside than in the connecting tunnel, but the vanilla odor is strong. The clicking sound appears to emanate from within. A pile of shiny cocoons fills the northern half of the room and gems are scattered about the dirt floor.

Room Forty-six - The vanilla odor is still strong. The ceiling of the cavern is hung with the moldering bodies of various creatures, mostly men. The shiny stuff is heavy on the floor and the clicking sound is heard clearly. Gems are visible in the dust of the cavern floor.

Room Forty-seven - The clicking is replaced by a droning sound. A skull and some bones lie next to a quiver of arrows.

Room Forty-eight - The droning continues to echo from within the cavern. An elaborately carved sword hilt sticks out from under a heap of rocks. Bootprints lead up to the pile, but no other signs of disturbance can be seen.

Room Forty-nine - is a narrow, high-ceilinged passage. Small slides of earth and stone line both walls of the tunnel.

Room Fifty - A forgotten backpack rests on the slimy stone against the middle of the north wall.

Room Fifty-one - A rotting wood cabinet stands in the southwest corner of the chamber, the brass lock of the cabinet broken.

Room Fifty-two - is a smoothly worked passage. Shallow alcoves line the north wall, but are empty save for dust and an old boot that crumbles at a touch. The carpet of dust on the smooth floor is undisturbed.

Room Fifty-three - The north and west walls of the chamber are lined with racks of rusty farming and stoneworking implements.

Room Fifty-four - A dusty wooden chest sits in the southeast corner, the iron lock rusted through and the wood decaying from the dampness.

Room Fifty-five - is a rough stone cave save for the smoothly carved north wall. Dust covers the floor of the room several inches thick and cobwebs hang from the ceiling and fill every crack of the floor and walls. A small box is visible in the dust in the southwest corner.

Room Fifty-six - is a passage with rough stone walls and floor and a native granite ceiling. The south wall of the passage is faced with smooth squarish stones near the far end, while the floor and other walls are of a rough stone. A foul, musty odor fills the air and a thin layer of moss coats the floor at the extreme end of the passage.

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Full Spoilers Map

Map created in DungeonScrawl using icons created by Daniel F. Walthall.

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