FREAKY SCIENCE WALKTHROUGH

CHAPTER 8 - LOST CARCOSA (FINALE)

by Mike MacDee

LOST CARCOSA

BRIEFING. "CARCOSA collapsed eons ago as a result of Hastur's influence. As his home realm it is the most treacherous place in all of time and space. It is also the only way back to earth..."

OBJECTIVE. "How are we supposed to beat Hastur when we're separated?! We can't even hope to beat him as a group!"

THE MORTEPENDIUM SAYS... "Lost Carcosa is full of surprises: no two people experience it the same way."

"TO DO" LIST

~o~  The Four Idols  ~o~

You start on a tiny islet with a color-changing STARGATE, which takes you to the same place regardless of its color: a ring-shaped island, the centerpiece of this dreadful, barren archipelago. On the south side is a symbol where one of four objects appears depending on the color of the STARGATE: blue creates a TELESTONE, yellow a SHOGGOTH, red an ANKH, purple a MORTEPENDIUM. On the island's north side is THOR'S HAMMER, an ominous GONG, and a locked door. Beyond the latter is a YELLOW SIGN serving as the realm's exit.

Four HASTUR IDOLS are arranged around the edge of the lake at the island's center, each separated from its own respective FLOOR SWITCH by a closed door. Pushing all four idols onto these switches will unlock the final confrontation. Ah, but how do you open the doors to make this possible?

~o~  The Ordeals  ~o~

Lost Carcosa is unique among the treacherous realms of Freaky Science: it must be solved with all five heroes, and each hero's puzzle is different. When Edna, Mikaela, Gabe, or Russel hits the GONG, he/she is teleported to an isolated area and faced with a difficult task. The completion of this task yields the KEY that opens the way to the YELLOW SIGN, and unlocks one of the four doors at the center of the map.

When all four doors are open, Dr. Holiday can use THOR'S HAMMER to push the four HASTUR IDOLS onto their respective FLOOR SWITCHES. Only then will hitting the GONG have any effect for him.

~o~  Edna and the Egg  ~o~

Before she hits the GONG, Edna should take either the MORTEPENDIUM (purple) for the temporary invincibility, or the ANKH (red) for the emergency health/attack.

She's teleported to a nasty arena battle between herself and a tag-team duo of ALLOSAURUS and FIRE DRAKE. To make matters worse, the arena is infested with VIPERS. The ALLOSAURUS should go first, as it has fewer hitpoints and can kill Edna by trampling her. Killing the FIRE DRAKE yields a DRAGON EGG and opens the arena door.

Take the egg and leave the arena. The road forks west and south. Take the south route along the treacherous reef, and tread carefully: it's easy to fall into the deep water here, and there are DEEP ONES afoot. Far south you'll find a locked fortress (Mikaela's ordeal) and an islet with HASTUR's sacrificial altar. Throw the DRAGON EGG into the altar and wait for it to boil -- it explodes, releasing a KEY! Grab it and head back to the arena, then take the west route: an even more dangerous reef maze leading back to the four HASTUR IDOLS. Use the KEY to reach the YELLOW SIGN and escape.

When you return to the hub, HASTUR's platform has a flickering YELLOW SIGN on it. This indicates you have unlocked one-fourth of the final puzzle. Three more to go!

~o~  Mikaela and the Fortress of Doors  ~o~

Mikaela should take the ANKH (red).

The GONG transports her to a shape-changing maze of PYRES and doors. Each PYRE she lights will open some doors and close others; but while the PYRES are color-coded, the doors are not. With only a limited supply of ANKHS she must navigate her way through the maze first to the bottom-left corner, then to the upper-right. Search every hallway for ANKHS before lighting the next PYRE: if you run out, you're trapped forever.

Light the first yellow PYRE and go north. Light the red PYRE and walk east along the north wall to grab two ANKHS, then go to the west wall and travel south. Light the yellow PYRE and grab the ANKH west of your starting position before following the west wall to the exit in the southwest corner. Ammut is here, and he's gnawing on a KEY. Trade him a JELLY BABY for it, then go back inside. Walk east along the south wall and light the red PYRE. Keep going east until you see a SHOGGOTH: dodge it and go north along the east wall. Light the yellow PYRE and head north to the northeast exit. Recognize this little island? You're back at HASTUR'S sacrificial altar.

The SHOGGOTH is hot on your tail! Take the same route Edna did back to the four HASTUR IDOLS and unlock the way to the YELLOW SIGN.

~o~  Gabe and the Deep Ones  ~o~

Gabe should get the TELESTONE (blue), but leave it behind when he hits the GONG. You'll be glad you did.

He's teleported to a large structure similar to the TIME WELL, except it's the size of a house: its frame is a network of catwalks suspended over the water. And along the outer-edges, sea gods DAGON and HYDRA are on patrol, looking to snatch you up and have you for a snack!

The KEY is right in front of you, and on the other side of the machine is a YITHIAN LIGHTNING GUN. The principle to solving this puzzle is identical to the TIME WELL, with the added peril of constantly avoiding two giant monsters playing defense. When you solve the puzzle, the DOOHICKEY yields the TELEPORT SPELL. Use it and unlock the way to the YELLOW SIGN.

~o~  Russel and the Four Mirrors  ~o~

Russel should take the MORTEPENDIUM (purple).

He's teleported to an arena with four MIRRORS arranged around an ICE BLOCK containing a KEY. Using THOR'S HAMMER, rotate all four MIRRORS so their beams focus on the ICE BLOCK: after a few moments it will begin to melt, and eventually surrender the KEY.

This relatively simple task becomes a Herculean effort the moment the resident SHOGGOTH gets wind of Russel's blood. From the word go, the beast pursues him relentlessly -- a single stumble or misstep and all of Russel's work is rather messily undone. The temporary invulnerability granted by the MORTEPENDIUM may come in handy in a pinch, but don't rely on it. As soon as the ICE BLOCK is melted, grab the KEY and dash for the exit at the west wall. The four HASTUR IDOLS are right next door.

~o~  Dr. Holiday's Pet  ~o~

With all four doors open at the center of the map, it's time for the final showdown. Select Dr. Holiday and have him take either the ANKH (red) or the MORTEPENDIUM (purple). Push all four HASTUR IDOLS onto their FLOOR SWITCHES with THOR'S HAMMER, then hit the GONG to enter the final arena, where you face none other than...

...AMMUT?!

Thats right: crafty ol' HASTUR has been watching your progress, and he's decided to use your toughest asset against you. By possessing his fat little body, HASTUR transforms Ammut into a bounding, belching, invincible monstrosity. His barf balls follow your every move. He crushes you instantly under his humongous girth. His flabby hide reflects your every attack. It's ironic that your most loyal companion has now become the instrument of your execution. All seems hopeless.

Well, until you remember that he's Ammut; that he eats everything; and that just because he CAN eat everything, doesn't mean he SHOULD. When he opens his mouth to attack, use THOR'S HAMMER to induce wicked indigestion. If you can hold out against his onslaught long enough, eventually he'll revert to his original size and promptly go back to sleep. That leaves you alone with the true form of HASTUR THE UNSPEAKABLE ONE.

He's tiny and pathetic. Hit him once and he'll immediately surrender and send you back home. Stupid space octopus...

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