Solution to "The Life (and Deaths) of Doctor M" by Edmund Wells ================= TABLE OF CONTENTS ================= 1. Introduction 2. The Windy Meadow 3. The Man and His Hat 4. The Innkeeper and Tavern Residents 5. Searching the Shelves for Biographies 6. Recovering the Mirror 7. Repairing the Inferno 8. Repairing the Window of Light 9. Delivering John Doe 10. Delivering Janet Evans 11. Delivering Thomas York 12. Delivering Ourselves 13. Ending I: M is Mercy 14. Ending II: M is for Murder 15. Ending III: M is for Middle Ground =============== 1. INTRODUCTION =============== This is a minimal walkthrough of the Interactive Fiction, "The Life (and Deaths) of Doctor M". Although this walkthrough attempts to give you enough background to understand the puzzles and their solutions, this walkthrough does not go into the game in any depth. That is, there is much more to be seen and heard. A thorough appreciation of the game can only be accomplished by thorough exploration. Examine everything. Ask the NPCs about their listed topics. Despite its minimalist approach, the walkthrough is complete and utter spoilage: Follow the commands and notes, and they will take you through the game and its multiple endings. Welcome to "The Life (and Deaths) of Doctor M." =================== 2. The Windy Meadow =================== Wherein we take stock of our possessions and navigate through the initial environment. X ME X COAT LOOK IN POCKET TAKE LOCKET X LOCKET The following puzzle is procedurally generated, so there is no single solution. We must examine the signpost, then follow the arrow that points "TO THERE" three times. The following is an example... X SIGNPOST [If "TO THERE" points SE] SE X SIGNPOST [If "TO THERE" points N] N X SIGNPOST [If "TO THERE" points N] N At this point, we find ourselves outside the Everlast Inn. ENTER INN ====================== 3. The Man and His Hat ====================== Wherein we meet an odd gentleman who is searching for his hat. N TALK TO MAN ASK MAN ABOUT HAT [He hints that the hat is "HERE"] BYE S EXIT W Again, this puzzle is procedurally generated. After talking with the man about his hat, we follow the signpost arrow that points "TO HERE", which is opposite of "TO THERE". Upon finding the hat, we make our way back to the Inn. X SIGNPOST [If "TO THERE" points north...] S TAKE HAT X HAT TAKE HATPIN X HATPIN X DAFFODIL X SIGNPOST [If "TO THERE" points west...] W ENTER INN N GIVE HAT TO MAN X GOLD CHAIN X LOCKET ATTACH CHAIN TO LOCKET ===================================== 4. The Innkeeper and Tavern Residents ===================================== Wherein we meet the "innkeeper" and pour some drinks for some other residents of the Everlast Inn. S TAKE CANDLE OPEN LEDGER RING BELL X FIGURE X HAND The "innkeeper" is clearly demanding payment. Where to find some? NW TALK TO ANGEL ASK ANGEL ABOUT INN [Asking angel about inn opens ladder to attic] BYE TALK TO DEVIL ASK DEVIL ABOUT INN [Devil mentions the fireplace stone] BYE TAKE COINS While in the tavern, we may have noticed that both the angel and the devil are trying to serve themselves drinks... and failing... They hint they will reward us if we can fix things. E X FIREPLACE SEARCH FIREPLACE PUSH STONE D X METAL GO IN TAKE DELIVERANCE DEVICE OPEN CABINETS TAKE COOLER TAKE GUIDE X DASHBOARD TAKE STEERING WHEEL OUT W Here we discover the problem of the tavern drinks: The valves from the cask of spirits has been shut off. Time to turn them on. X COPPER SPIGOT TURN COPPER SPIGOT Oops. We need to replace the handle with something... like a steering wheel. Each spigot has a coupling, which can be tightened (closed) or loosened (open). We insert the wheel into the open coupling, tighten the coupling, then turn the wheel. OPEN COPPER COUPLING PUT WHEEL IN COPPER COUPLING TURN WHEEL CLOSE COPPER COUPLING TURN WHEEL OPEN COPPER COUPLING TAKE WHEEL OPEN STEEL COUPLING PUT WHEEL IN STEEL COUPLING CLOSE STEEL COUPLING TURN WHEEL The spirits are flowing. Back to the tavern. E U W PULL BLACK TAP [Receive iron coin as a reward] PULL WHITE TAP [Receive silver coin as a reward] SE GIVE SILVER COIN TO FIGURE GIVE IRON COIN TO FIGURE TAKE KEY ======================================== 5. Searching the Shelves for Biographies ======================================== Wherein we start learning about the patients of Doctor M. READ LEDGER N TALK TO MAN ASK MAN ABOUT HIMSELF ASK MAN ABOUT LIBRARY ASK MAN ABOUT BIOGRAPHY OF DOCTOR M ASK MAN ABOUT JOHN DOE ASK MAN ABOUT JANET EVANS ASK MAN ABOUT THOMAS YORK ASK MAN ABOUT DOCTOR M BYE At this point, we now have enough information to deduce the birth years of John Doe, Janet Evans, and Thomas York. We use the ladder to peruse the bookshelves and find each biography. X LADDER PULL LADDER U U U LOOK UP JANET EVANS PUSH LADDER PUSH LADDER D LOOK UP JOHN DOE D LOOK UP THOMAS YORK D READ BIOGRAPHY OF JOHN DOE READ BIOGRAPHY OF JANET EVANS READ BIOGRAPHY OF THOMAS YORK Each of the biographies has an interesting "bookmark": A lily, a shard of glass, and a long-stemmed match. We now put these to use. ======================== 6. Recovering the Mirror ======================== Wherein we recover a "lost" mirror. X MANTEL PUT LILY IN SILVER VASE PUT DAFFODIL IN GOLD VASE X MIRROR LOOK IN MIRROR TOUCH MIRROR TAKE RUSTY KEY ENTER MIRROR [Note that we can't seem to enter the mirror yet.] ======================== 7. Repairing the Inferno ======================== Wherein we enter the boiler room and help the devil repair the furnace. D W S X PIT D X FURNACE X DIALS OPEN PANEL X TINY HOLE X RED BUTTON LIGHT MATCH WITH RED CANDLE PUSH RED BUTTON PUT MATCH IN TINY HOLE [We get a key from this incident] ENTER INFERNO [Note that we can't seem to enter the inferno yet.] ================================ 8. Repairing the Window of Light ================================ Wherein we go to the attic and help the angel repair a broken window. U N E U S U U U X WINDOW LOOK THROUGH WINDOW PUT SHARD IN WINDOW TAKE TARNISHED KEY [We get another key] ENTER LIGHT [Note that we can't seem to enter the light yet.] D W At this point, we have recovered four keys: The ivory key (from the "innkeeper"), the rusty key, the scorched key, and the tarnished key. Time to put them to use. ====================== 9. The Viewing Chamber ====================== Wherein we discover that we need to confront three significant shadows of our past. OPEN DOOR UNLOCK DOOR WITH IVORY KEY W OPEN COFFIN X EASTERN SPECTER X NORTHWESTERN SPECTER X SOUTHWESTERN SPECTER E ======================= 10. Delivering John Doe ======================= Wherein we revisit the time when we delivered John Doe. CLOSE DOOR LOCK DOOR WITH IVORY KEY UNLOCK DOOR WITH RUSTY KEY W X MAN We have by now hopefully concluded that we are, indeed, Doctor M, the notorious individual who euthanized patients. It's our task to relive some of those experiences. First we must prep the Deliverance Device, which we use to send our patients to the afterlife. For a full understanding of how the Deliverance Device works, we can talk to the man with the hat about the Device. Or we can just... X DEVICE X PUMP X NEEDLE OPEN COOLER X WHITE BOTTLE LOOK UP RINGER'S SOLUTION IN PHARMACEUTICAL GUIDE X GRAY BOTTLE LOOK UP SODIUM PENTOTHAL IN PHARMACEUTICAL GUIDE X BLACK BOTTLE LOOK UP POTASSIUM CHLORIDE IN PHARMACEUTICAL GUIDE LOOK UP PANCORIUM BROMIDE IN PHARMACEUTICAL GUIDE PUT RINGER'S SOLUTION IN LEFT SLOT PUT SODIUM PENTOTHAL IN MIDDLE SLOT PUT POTASSIUM CHLORIDE IN RIGHT SLOT CLOSE LID INSERT NEEDLE INTO MAN Before delivering the homeless man, we must make him comfortable. I REMOVE RAIN COAT PUT RAIN COAT ON MAN INSERT NEEDLE INTO MAN REMOVE HAT FILL HAT GIVE WATER TO MAN INSERT NEEDLE INTO MAN Time for the deliverance... DROP DELIVERANCE DEVICE INSERT NEEDLE INTO MAN PUSH BUTTON WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT We return to the strange door. ========================== 10. Delivering Janet Evans ========================== Wherein we return to the viewing chamber, discover we have vanquished a shadow, and realize we must vanquish two more. TAKE DEVICE UNLOCK STRANGE DOOR WITH IVORY KEY W OPEN COFFIN E CLOSE STRANGE DOOR LOCK STRANGE DOOR WITH IVORY KEY Back to the past... UNLOCK STRANGE DOOR WITH TARNISHED KEY W PUT DELIVERANCE DEVICE ON SHELF INSERT NEEDLE INTO WOMAN The woman, Janet Evans, is looking for a photograph. OPEN CABINETS TAKE PURSE OPEN PURSE TAKE PHOTOGRAPH GIVE PHOTOGRAPH TO JANET EVANS INSERT NEEDLE INTO JANET EVANS JANET, KILL YOURSELF HYPNOTIZE JANET WITH GOLD LOCKET JANET, KILL YOURSELF WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT ========================== 11. Delivering Thomas York ========================== Wherein we return to the viewing chamber, discover we have vanquished yet another shadow, and realize there is one more to face. TAKE DEVICE UNLOCK STRANGE DOOR WITH IVORY KEY W OPEN COFFIN E CLOSE STRANGE DOOR LOCK STRANGE DOOR WITH IVORY KEY Back to the past... UNLOCK STRANGE DOOR WITH SCORCHED KEY W PUSH INTERCOM SIT ON COUCH DROP DEVICE INSERT NEEDLE INTO THOMAS YORK HYPNOTIZE THOMAS YORK WITH GOLD LOCKET THOMAS YORK, KILL YOURSELF WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT ======================= 12. Delivering Doctor M ======================= Wherein we return to the viewing chamber, and realize we have one more person to deliver... TAKE DEVICE UNLOCK STRANGE DOOR WITH IVORY KEY W X PEDESTAL GET IN COFFIN DROP ALL BUT DEVICE E DROP ALL BUT DEVICE W PUT DEVICE ON PEDESTAL INSERT NEEDLE INTO ME GET IN COFFIN INSERT NEEDLE INTO ME COMMIT SUICIDE We can do whatever we want as we fall, land, and rise through the next six turns. X GLINT TAKE LOCKET TAKE LOCKET X FLOWERS X LOCKET X CLOUDS We find ourselves back in the Everlast Inn, but in a new, spiritual form. We must now chose what sort of person we were in the past. ======================== 13. Ending I: M is Mercy ======================== Wherein we decide that we were merciful. E E U ENTER LIGHT ============================== 14. Ending II: M is for Murder ============================== Wherein we decide that we were murderous. UNDO D D D N D W S D ENTER INFERNO ======================================= 15. Ending III: M is for Middle Ground ======================================= Wherein we decide that the answer is not so black and white... UNDO U N E U ENTER MIRROR