CREATURE OF HAVOC SOLUTION
by Lafe Travis Fredbjornson

Because of your bestial nature at the beginning, many of your early decisions are random; a die must be rolled to determine which direction you go. I don't care too much for this, because you'll end up missing important areas through no fault of your own. But once you open the Vapour of Reason, you'll be allowed to make your own decisions. Vapour, eh? You'll learn more about those later if you don't know what they are.

The starting dungeon is quite hard to escape from. It's a large maze, and occupies the first half of the adventure. Unless you have the means to find secret passageways, you'll be running around in circles forever. Many branches lead to the same areas. I kept finding myself arriving at the workroom from different directions.

The pendant really comes in handy for finding secret passages. But it was unfair that the phrase "You find yourself..." was not part of passage #213, although you still need to add 20. Apparently printings of the Gamebook 2002 had this error corrected.

Steve Jackson has also put some infinite loops in the adventure, such as the dungeon maze, the Chaos Warriors, the guard room door, and the battle with Quimmel Bone. These cannot be gotten out of. Your Stamina will be worn down until you die. One really nasty trick up on the surface, is being sent back down to the dungeon, except without the pendant in your possession. I also noticed how all the directional signs are wrong. Don't always believe what you read!

Areas to avoid are the Yellowstone Mines, the Testing Grounds, The Village of Dree, The Forest of Spiders, and most of the undergrowth in the forest. The map you're given on the inside cover of the book isn't very useful. But some of the clues are hidden in the illustrations, so look at them carefully!

Finding the location of Zarradan Marr is tricky. (He's the weird guy on the book cover.) You are given no clues about where or when you should try to enter his netherworld. But there is no limit on the number of times you may try. (If the passage you arrive at doesn't make any sense, then you'll know that you haven't found him.)

You may be wondering what's with all the strange language? Steve Jackson has brilliantly created this to keep you from learning too much about what is going on. Because you are a primitive creature, all common speech and writing will sound like gibberish to you. Until you are given the Gift of Understanding, you will not be able to decode any of the garbled phrases.

The method for translating the code is at reference 283 in the book. But even if you know that, it's not a perfect system, because not all b's, f's, j's, p's and v's should be shifted down into their adjacent vowels; many of them remain. This takes some guesswork.

I've translated all of the coded passages in the adventure, and they can be found below, following the walkthrough.
Many of them are quite revealing.

I congratulate Steve Jackson for writing such a complicated adventure. Unfortunately, most people have found it too hard. Too many things are left to chance or guessing. It's not easy to get far.

Perhaps with this walkthrough, people will be able to develop an appreciation of this adventure as a whole.

This is probably the shortest route through the adventure (125 references). I suppose you could skip the visit to
Rosina's hut, but her fortune reading adds a lot to the plot.


If you'd like to solve Creature of Havoc on your own, do not read any further !

You are encouraged to follow along in your book. This walkthrough assumes that all battles are won, and all ability checks are successful. Where randomness is involved, I've indicated which rolls are correct.

(1) You awaken in pain. What is going on? A Dwarf. Kill it. Nothing is to be learned

(185) Kill the Dwarf (TRANSLATE) and examine the body

(399) A hide with strange writing! (make a note of reference 337, to refer to once you know how to TRANSLATE)

(308) Roll a 1, 2 or a 3 on one die and go west. You enter a lit chamber ahead.

(205) You attack a party of adventurers . You kill the Hobbit (Sk:5 St:6) in 3 straight rounds.

(160) You eat the Hobbit. (TRANSLATE) Test your Luck.

(292) You kill the man in red robes (-2 Stamina) and fight the Armored Knight (Sk:8 St:9)

(446) You eat the man in red robes (restore Stamina). Flying creatures! A locked door.

(101) Roll 3-6 to break down the door. Corpses litter a cave where a battle took place. Something strange is happening..

(234) Roll 1, 2 or 3 to investigate the bodies further.

(447) There are invisible creatures eating the corpses!

(89) You must fight the Flesh Feeders (Sk:6 St:6/Sk:6 St:7/Sk:6 St:6)

(382) You discover a Flask among the bodies - (TRANSLATE) - A Vapour! (+2 Luck)

(51) You CHOOSE the west passage. You run into another party! Strongman (Sk:7 St:8)

(320) Fight the Warrior (Sk:7 St:7) and the Thief (Sk:8 St:6)

(281) Take the dull metal pendant; it can help you find secret doors

(306) If a passage begins "You cannot see a thing..." DEDUCT 20 from current reference (+1 Luck)

(115) Eat the bodies (+4 Stamina) You must descend a dangerous stairway to a stinky river

(166) Pass a Luck Test and cross the smelly Bilgewater river. Continue North.

(358) The cave becomes dark. You enter a large chamber.

(257) "You cannot see a thing..." Use your pendant. (257-20=???)

(237) Now, if a passage begins "You find yourself..." ADD 20 to the current reference (+1 Luck)

(458) Enter the secret cave. Take the green rock (club).

(110) A crystal club! (Make a note of reference 333 to use). Leave the chamber.

(257) Back in the dark - go west.

(309) You reach a junction. Go west again.

(280) Creatures approaching! Continue ahead.

(342) Two humans! Attack them.

(258) Warrior (Sk:8 St:9) and Fighter in Leather Armor (Sk:7 St:8)

(13) Poke through the sack that the first adventurer laid to one side

(147) A casket with a vial - another Vapour! (TRANSLATE)

(283) The Secret of the Code is revealed (make note of this reference) (+1 Luck)

(137) At the junction, head east to a sturdy locked door

(204) Use the ball to hit the plate

(435) A Rhino Man comes out. (TRANSLATE) You can understand him!

(62) Take his message (make note of Legionnaire 29 if you wish; not used in the solution) and leave

(298) Climb the stairs to a T-junction. Go east

(373) The corridor ends at two doors. Choose the left one.

(241) Two Blood Orcs and an old blind man (TRANSLATE). Fight the Orcs (Sk:7 St:7/Sk:8 St:7)

(7) A blind man (TRANSLATE) You can understand him!

(200) Hannicus gives you info and a Silver Ring to defeat Darramouss (+2 Luck)

(360) Do not give it back. (make note of instructions to defeat Darramouss)

(138) You leave the man and continue to another door...

(15) A creepy workroom with wooden boxes. Ignore them and leave the room.

(436) Choose the east door (quickest).

(49) A bridge over a smelly chasm. Test your Luck!

(457) You are Lucky! You ignore a side passage and continue eastwards

(122) Two doors at the end of a passage. Enter the north door.

(154) It's locked. Break it down. (-1 Stamina)

(396) A desk with parchments. Pick one up and read it.

(100) A powerful Rock Demon appears! Battle it.

(327) It's only an illusion cast on a mouse. Read the parchment.

(192) (TRANSLATE) Learn how to enter Marr's netherworld (subtract 93 at the suspected location)

(450) Leave through the door in the south wall - back to the hallway you entered from.

(263) You must charge the door to the east.(-1 Stamina) A Manic Beast! (Sk:7 St:8)

(209) Defeat the Beast and eat the human carcass.

(249) (+4 Stamina) 2 Gold Pieces. Drink the green liquid (Potion of Strength).

(318) (Restore Stamina to initial level). Leave.

(293) You arrive at a wooden door and hear voices. Creep slowly into the room.

(276) When you enter, you are surprised at what you see...

(161) Six dark arches ahead. Investigate the room further.

(104) (TRANSLATE) Someone is talking to you from an alcove. Enter.

(323) A creepy figure in the shadows (Chattermatter). Leave and try another archway.

(220) The next archway has a shower of strange dust. Investigate.

(56) You are showered with Elven Dust! (make note of this)

(405) Leave the recess and choose the north door.

(300) CLANG! A portcullis closes behind you. Crossroads. Take the west passage.

(213) A dead end. Use your pendant. (213+20=???) ("You find yourself..." is NOT stated!)

(233) A magical doorway opens! Step through.

(369) Darkness -- 4 ghostly faces appear. (TRANSLATE - and you'll be given a new direction)

(90) You confront Darramouss! Grab him? No! (90+50=???)

(140) You use your ring against him. Take the north secret passageway.

(184) Cross a bridge and confront an Dark-Eleven guard. Say you were allowed to leave.

(3) Make no gesture. He leaves to check with Darramouss.

(437) Remain where you are until the Elf returns.

(38) Darramouss couldn't be found. Give him your pendant (no more secret passageway finding!)

(442) You are granted exit from the dungeons! You come up in a creepy graveyard.

(123) Look around the old building - the three Women of Dree. They can help you learn your destiny.

(324) Accept their quest for Sculliweed Root. You sleep for the night. (+8 Stamina, +2 Luck)

(95) Head South. The peasant village of Coven. Leave along a street leading west.

(274) A man is fighting a Half-Orc. Assist the Half-Orc.

(291) Fight the village man (Sk:7 St:8). Grog the Half-Orc is your new companion.

(438) (While he's with you, subtract 52 from references ending with a 7 for bonuses.)

(107) There is a crossroads outside Coven

(107-52=55) Grog retrieves his special knapsack. He suggests going west to Rosina.

(177) You follow the trail to the countryside, where there is a hut.

(177-52=125) Grog points out that it is Rosina's hut. You enter.

(252) Rosina is a fortune teller. You pay her your 2 Gold Pieces.

(11) Your fortune is told. She tells of Sculliweed. She gives you a Rope (not needed). (+2 Luck)

(386) Back to the crossroads, you go north.

(130) Darkness falls. (+4 Stamina). Take the north-west trail. (The signpost is wrong).

(190) You enter a muddy swamp - "Bu Fon Fen".

(307) Two ways on: north and north-east. Choose north.

(307-52=255) Grog warns you about possible danger. (Rope not needed.)

(267) You chose north. You are being watched!

(267-52=215) Grog wants to leave this area.

(380) You investigate the plants by the side of the river

(106) You choose the plant with the blue stem (note the number 49 for this plant)

(18) You turn to leave, but the trail has disappeared! You follow the bank to a clearing.

(315) You confront a toad-creature with a trident. Fight it.

(145) Toadman (Sk:9 St:9)

(287) The Toadmen surround you! Is it the end?

(287-52=235) Grog comes to the rescue. You acquire his knapsack. (Potion of Fortune)

(92) Nightime again. You sleep and the Witch-Women of Dree come to you in a dream. You have a Sculliweed Root.

(92+49=141) Take note of everything they tell you. They give you a Ring of Truth. (restore Stamina to full.)

(423) You awaken in another forest area. Try to mount the strange 4-legged creature (Ophidiotaur).

(127) You must roll lower than your Skill score to succeed

(5) The Ophidiotaur takes you to a clearing in the forest.

(366) Two Brigands are attacking a white-haired Elf (Daga Weaseltongue). Help him.

(429) Brigands (Sk:8 St:9/Sk:8 St:7)

(448) The Elf seems deceptive. You decide to use the Ring of Truth

(269-50=219) You learn how to get onto the Galleykeep

(189) Set off through the undergrowth and look for a trap. Test your Luck.

(341) You are taken aboard the Galleykeep. Fight 2 Goblins (Sk:6 St:5/Sk:5 St:5) on the deck.

(312) You must choose a door. (Remember the Elf's poem? ) Choose the door with the Jug of Water.

(346) The captain's quarters! Investigate the mirror.

(422) Nothing special about the mirror... (Remember the Biography of Z. Marr?)

(422-93=329) You have found Zharradan Marr! You learn of your past...

(121) The mystery is beginning to unravel.

(199) He demands Grog's knapsack (Vapour of Life within). Refuse to give it.

(133) Zharradan starts casting a spell. You bathed in the Elven Dust.

(417) His spell fails.

(28) You have the Crystal Club!

(28+333=361) You shatter the mirror with the crystal club.

(460) Zharradan's portal is closed and all of your memories return.

Translations of the Coded Passages:

• 7
  'Have mercy on a blind man whoever you are. If you are friend then lead me from this place. If you are foe then leave me be.  You are strangely silent. Who are you? Do you understand me. my god intruder. If your plan is to do away with me then do it quickly. Otherwise be off with you.'
  If you can understand the human turn to reference two hundred.
  'So what is it to be. is not my misery enough. show charity. give me gold and feed me. or leave me be.'
   
• 79
  Yellowstone Mines this way
   
• 104
  'over here. come over here if you whant to learn of great riches in these parts. do you not understand the human tongue? perhaps then you speak the troll language.'
   
• 147
  'i have been awakened from my slumber! who calls on the vapour of tongues. the heavenly bodies have taken their opositions. my gift is granted. for better or for worse my release bestows on you the understanding you desire. may you use your gift wisely.'
   
• 155
  'foolish creature. did you think you could thieve the orb of darramouss? none mau touch my sacred crystal for it is my eyes and ears. and my weapons as you shall see.'
   
• 160
  control its mind shaman! it may be able to lead us to that swinebeard cur!
   
• 185
  leave me alone
   
• 192
  'biography of z marr page ninety three:... thus came marr to abandon the physical world and take refuge in his own. a strange netherworld which occupies no space in the world we mortals know. a world of illusion in which where he appears to be he is not. and a world in which those searching for him would instead find themselves. he has but one weakness in his new world and that is a crystal club which may be used to destroy forever the gateway between our world and his.'
  if at some time in the future you belieue you have located the entrance to marrs netherworld deduct the page number above from the reference you are on at the time and turn to this reference. if you are correct you will meet the necromancer. for having the good fortune to find this parchment you may restore your luck score to its initial level.
   
• 217
  'who disturbs the rest of the cursewitches. foul creature you dabble with what you don't understand. none may interfere with our peace save for zharradan marr the master. you must be taught to respect the sleep of the undead and you must be made to feel the wrath of the cursewitches.'
   
• 241
  who is it. what is happening. what has disturbed us. please god release this black eye curse.
   
• 337
  'swinebeard of yore. you have been found guilty of the crime of wilful and malicious arson a most serious offence in the dry region of salamonis. as punishment you are sentenced to undertake a perilous mission of recovery. you must travel northwards and enter the undergound domain of zharradan marr there to seek out and recover flasks of swirling vapours. these are the vapours of stittle woad. you must find the three flasks containing these vapours and return them to this court. ON NO ACCOUNT MUST THEY BE OPENED. this is the sentence of the court and the geas has been cast. this is your punishment. you must succeed or die in the attempt.'
  vapour of  knowledge / - flaxenmane(?) of silverton = / - winged helmet
   
• 364
  keep away from me
   
• 369
  'your progress has been watched foul creature of destruction. so far you have done well though you know not why or what. but you have caused two of the vapours to be lost. zharradan marr himself has decreed your destiny. you shall remain in his dungeons and do my bidding. for i am darramouss your master.'
  if you can understand him turn to reference ninety.
  'your first order is this. report for duty at the yellowstone mines. leave now and head there immediately. i will be waiting.
   
• 382
  'i am released from my rest. foul creature what do you know of the forces with which you tamper. but nonetheless my purpose is ordained. i bestow on you the power of reason. from now on you are in control of your own destiny. and now may i return to my peaceful rest until once more the heavens take their opositions.'
   
• 425
  'yellowstone mines. sergeants and slaves only.'
  'no need to boil your blood. what is it you want in the mines. a few of the slaves will doubtless die today.'
   
• 435
  'come on then. what business have you here. answer quickly.'
  if you can understand the creature turn immediately to reference sixty two.
  'lost your tongue eh. then begone. be off with you before i decide to have a little battle practice.'
   
• 441
  yellowstone mines this way

  ---

Corrections from A. Drake:

special thanks to Alex Eddy <arekusu@jps.net > for retrieval of this solution; I thought it was lost forever!
special thanks to Henrique Rodrigues <hmtr@rnl.ist.utl.pt ) for providing translations of the coded passages
special thanks to A. Drake (drake_alfred@yahoo.co.uk) for providing some helpful corrections.
special thanks to Mark J. Popp for hosting this on his "Scrolls of Titan" website for so many years

page updated July 31st 2007