POMPEII - Solutions
First Day: 20 August 79 AD
You must go to the “low” atrium (the house entrance): leave the peristyle where
you are, and go up to the multicoloured hangings in the main yellow peristyle
(the one with a pond).
When you are in the low atrium, approach the chest on the left. Pick up the
small leather bag on the floor: this contains your inventory, as well as a
little key. Using this key, open the chest and take out the three objects that
you find inside (the amulet—which constitutes your direct access to the
encyclopaedia—the contract, and the ropes). Close the chest.
At that moment, two prominent people enter the atrium. Converse with them in
whatever order you prefer. When the conversation ends, your host—Popidius—will
join you. Speak with him (during your conversation, your contract will
automatically transfer to him). He makes an appointment to meet you near the
Comitium.
You can now leave the house. Turn right as you exit, and go up the street. You
arrive right in the middle of a quarrel between a market gardener and a
construction labourer whose cart is blocking the street. Chat with the farmer,
who explains the situation to you. Be careful: you have very little time to find
the right solution before this degenerates into a general brawl, and everyone is
arrested. Take the stick that the market gardener is holding, and then take a
head of lettuce from his cart. Turn toward the donkey and place the stick on top
of the animal’s head (don’t hit him or he will kick you). Tie a piece of rope on
the stick, then attach the salad to the end of this rope. The donkey will start
to move. To show his gratitude, the market gardener gives you a small bag of
dates.
Next go to the Forum (the space bar makes the map appear): when you enter the
Forum, go to the duumvirates’ office (turn left under the colonnade, then to the
right). You will encounter an Egyptian merchant who is waiting there. Speak with
him: he is looking for Gallic wine, and would like to sell some linen. He leaves
you after making an appointment to meet you later. Next, knock on the main door
facing you: a municipal secretary answers. Despite your insistence, you will not
be allowed to enter the office. Rejoin Popidius, in front of the Comitium (the
place from which you entered the forum). Talk to him about what the merchant
needs and recover your contract, as well as a money pouch. Then go to Eumachia’s
building, which is also in the Forum.
There, you will meet Harpocrates, the merchant again, who is standing in front
of Eumachia’s building. He has been unable to strike a bargain. Converse with
him, select your contract and give it to him. In exchange, ask him to give you
his batch of linen. He will pay you the balance in coins and give you an
Egyptian dagger. Go into the building. On your left, a fuller (cloth craftsman)
is trying to sell his poor quality cloth to a wealthy Pompeiian lady. Listen to
him and then question the young woman dressed in pink who has been following the
transaction. Break into the conversation between the fuller and his woman
customer. Select your dagger, and use it on the cloth being negotiated. The
customer leaves the building, calling the young emancipated slave accompanying
her—who is none other than Sophia. Alerted by her slave, Eumachia enters and the
fuller goes away. Converse with Eumachia: find out who Sophia is and hand her
the linen that the merchant has just given to you. Eumachia will tell you why
the son of Popidius lost the elections. When your discussion has ended, go back
out of the building. The fuller is calling you: he will tell you where to find
Palmyra, pointing to the tavern of Lucius Vetutius Placidus, on Via Abundance.
Go to the tavern.
Inside the tavern, you will meet Dionysus, the tavern-keeper, who is very angry
because he has just knocked over his baskets. Converse with him. While telling
you about his baskets, he will confide his problem to you. You find yourself in
front of the baskets in question and a shelf. Take the right wheel on the
miniature cart leaning against the wall and hang it directly onto the nail on
the shelf. Pick up both baskets, then place a piece of rope on the wheel. Attach
a basket to each end of the rope. Then, the baskets balance. To thank you,
Dionysus invites you to have a drink in the back room, warning you to beware of
the painter. Learn about the loaded dice and enter the back room. There, you
encounter Harpocrates, who tells you that he is about to lose everything. Go
back into the main room and take the scale behind Dionysus. In the back room,
place the scale on the table and put Harpocrates’ dice, and the painter’s dice,
on each of the scale pans. When the painter’s trick is revealed, you will need
to calm Harpocrates and play against the painter, using his own dice. When the
stake has been recovered, Harpocrates offers you the necklace that he had
pledged, and leaves the tavern.
Next, bargain with the painter until he agrees to restore Popidius’ fresco and
give him the blue pigments. Then speak with Palmyra, who will give you the
“inside story” about the elections, and tell you what you should do. Leave the
tavern and return to the Forum.
Once you are in the Forum, go to the Forum Hot Baths. You will find Harpocrates
in the first room you enter. He will give you some sacred water of the Nile.
Next, go into the second room, where Popidius is expecting you. Tell him about
your day (you will automatically hand him the necklace you won). Your efforts
will be rewarded, because you will follow Popidius to a reception at the house
of Octavius Quartio, where you will again encounter Sophia.
After the feast is over in the house of Octavius Quartio, he will suggest a
poetry contest. Sophia will respond to your first stanza. Choose whatever reply
you like. Your hosts invite you to enter the garden, and your first day comes to
an end.
Second Day: 21 August 79 AD
You again meet Popidius, who is preparing to worship the Lares. He will signal
you not to interrupt him. Leave the house by way of the lower atrium. Shortly
after you go out, you encounter Fructus, the city’s mad prophet. He suggests
that you go stand before the Temple of Isis. Then he disappears. Turn left, then
left again, into the street of the Temple of Isis. A public slave pursuing
Fructus asks you if you know what direction he took. Answer “no.” Go to the end
of the street and pick up a bracelet that is lying on the ground. Locusta the
Magician arrives. Speak with her. She eventually gives you a list of ingredients
that you will need to gather so that she can prepare some magic potions.
You can collect the following items in any order you wish:
The three stones from Octavius Quartio’s garden
Go to the main door of the house on Via Abundance. Argue with Statius, the
doorkeeper, who refuses to admit you. Turn right into Via Abundance (heading
toward the Forum), then take the first left, and turn left again. Go up to
Octavius Quartio’s garden gate and speak to the gardener. Talk to him
immediately about “Fructus.” This will cause him to leave the gate. Go into the
garden, turn around and pick up the three stones.
Pure wine, lamp oil and incense
For these three items, you have a choice: you can obtain them in the House of
Citharist (this offers the advantage that they will be free of charge), or you
can buy them at the tavern of Dionysus.
In the House of Citharist, cross the atrium and the main central peristyle (by
passing alongside the pond). Enter the main centre room, to the rear of the
peristyle. Ask Licinius, the housekeeper, for the items you need, then take them
from the table (the vial, lamp, and the stick of incense in the box).
In The tavern of Dionysus, ask Dionysus for the items in whatever order you
prefer. You will be charged a modest amount for them (1 to 2 sestertia).
A rose growing at the foot of Venus
During your trips along Via Abundance, note the tavern located between the House
of Citharist and the tavern of Octavius Quartio (marked “Tavern” on the map). On
the left wall of the tavern, you will see a fresco representing the Venus of
Pompeii, as well as a rose bush. Pick one of the roses. A dove will then pass
near the rosebush and lose one of its feathers. For Romans, the rose and the
dove represent qualities of Venus. The dove’s feather will be your lucky charm
in the game—later, it will help you to convince Sophia that Venus is protecting
you.
Powder from a donkey’s molar
Contrary to what one might think, you will not find a molar near the donkey
grazing along Via Abundance, but you must resolve another problem (see below).
To obtain this powder, you have to go to the bakery of Sotericus, in Via
Abundance (consult your map). In the bakery, greet Sotericus, then go into the
grinding room. Turn right, and look to your right. Find the donkey’s molar lying
on the ground. After that, go to the rear of the room, next to the grindstone to
which the donkey is attached. Slip the molar into the upper part of the
grindstone and get the donkey moving. As he turns, he will grind the molar into
fine powder that you can collect beneath the grindstone, in a small piece of
cloth.
A drop of blood from an animal sacrificed to Apollo
Go to the Temple of Apollo, in the Forum. Speak to the passer-by standing in
front of the sanctuary door, then go inside. You will find Apollo, the Priest,
at the end of the colonnade, to your left. He has just finished his church
service. Ask him for the items. Then go onto the lawn, near the altar. Left of
the altar, a cursor will show you that there is something on the ground for you
to examine. It is a bloodstain. Select a glass tube from your inventory and use
it to recover a drop of blood.
A tear from Apollo
From the lawn, you can also examine the top of the altar. With another glass
tube, pick up a drop of water. Turn around and zoom in on the face of Apollo’s
statue. Pour the drop of water from the tube into the corner of the statue’s
eye. Let the tear slide down the side of his cheek and collect it again by
clicking the glass tube on top of the tear. If your attempt fails, go back for
another drop of water on the altar and start all over again.
A feather from an ibis
Then, go to the Temple of Isis, next to the place where you met Locusta. Once
you are inside, you will find the Priest of Isis. Introduce yourself and
immediately give him the sacred water of the Nile. He will leave you to put the
water in a safe place; you have just enough time to get to the rear of the
sanctuary. Pass through the arcades and enter the lavishly decorated room (the
ekklesiasterion). Take the feather on the table, which is all the way to your
right. Do not touch any of the other objects, or you might break a vase and be
cast out of the Temple. Leave quickly.
During your comings and goings on Via Abundance, you will see a donkey grazing
near a perfume shop. Introduce yourself to Ascula, the merchant woman. Then go
over to greet the donkey, which will recognise you as the one who fed him the
day before and give you a warm welcome. At that point, Ascula calls you over:
converse with her and take the two baskets of flowers marking her shop entrance.
Turn to your right and go over to speak with the labourer who is enjoying his
work break. Return to Ascula and try to convince her to transform the donkey
into an advertising sign. Then return to the labourer and talk to him about his
donkey, then switch the conversation deliberately to "perfume." The labourer
will then agree to lend you his donkey. Next, go find the pigment merchant, who
is inside the shop to the right of the labourer. Speak to him about the donkey,
then choose the “sign.” He will agree to give you a painted sign. Go back to the
donkey and put the sign and two baskets on top of him. Fructus suddenly appears,
pretending to make a grand speech to the donkey, and then disappears. Ascula
asks you to tell her how she can thank you. Tell her about Sophia and the vials,
then examine the perfume at the back of her shop. Select your vial and use it to
collect one of the perfumed oils on the rear shelf.
Once you have done all that, you can go to the front of the tavern of Dionysus,
where Locusta is waiting for you. You immediately turn over to her all the items
and she makes an appointment to meet you the next day. After that, go into the
tavern and greet Dionysus. Then enter the back room. There, you will make the
acquaintance of Marcus, a friend of Secundus. He invites you to play a game of
Tali (a game using knucklebones). After a few practice turns, place your bet on
the game board. Marcus will pass an amulet over his knucklebones. After that,
select your dove feather and pass it over the pieces. Every time that you make
this gesture, you will form the highest score pattern in Tali, named Venus,
which will allow you to constantly win the point. Otherwise, just let Fate run
the game and play “normally” against Marcus. You can stop the game whenever you
like simply by leaving the game board. Marcus will hand you the Tali and invite
you to go with him to the Public Baths. Or, you can play the game all the way
through (either way, he will hand you the Tali).
You will pick up your day again in the late afternoon, in front of the House of
Octavius Quartio. Speak to Statius and go into the house. You must walk all the
way through it to reach the garden. Rejoin Sophia in the middle of the central
walkway. When you have greeted her, offer her the dates and the vial of perfumed
oil. Then converse with her until the key word “leave” appears. You can take
interest in her dream (that would be courteous of you!), or you can immediately
tell her to leave. Sophia will move away, and Lavinia will join you. After her
first few comments, you must give her the bracelet that you found in the
morning, near the Temple. Then converse with Lavinia until your conversation—and
the day—draw to an end...
Third Day: 22 August 79 AD
The third day begins in the upper atrium of the House of Citharist. Popidius,
Maenianus and Licinius call you over to see the donkey cross the city, wearing a
sign announcing the end of Pompeii. Popidius dispatches you to find out more
about it.
Go to Ascula’s Perfume Shop. While on your way there, people shout “Beware!” at
you: immediately click in front of you (using your drag cursor, to avoid a
falling tile that breaks at your feet. Next, return to the shop: there you will
find Helvius, the aedile [town councillor] on the site, interrogating the
various witnesses involved in this affair. Ascula offers you some roses to thank
you for what you did for her the day before. Question every person present. When
Helvius orders you to follow him, Marcus intervenes on your behalf and takes you
to the palestra.
Once you are at the palestra, listen to the end of Marcus’ story. Then, go to
the rear and to the right, to do some practice javelin throwing. Take advantage
of being near the House of Octavius Quartio to send a present to Sophia: select
a rose from your inventory, attach it to the javelin, and toss the javelin
(Marcus gives you an additional hint). To be sure that you send it in the right
direction, aim for the hollow in the Crater of Vesuvius. Then leave the
palestra.
When you are on the esplanade of the amphitheatre, continue along the left side
of the building. When you hear Locusta call you, turn around and go to speak to
her (she is hiding under the stairs’ archway). Collect the two magic potions;
then learn what happened to Fructus.
Next, go find the slave by continuing along the side of the amphitheatre, in the
opposite direction than before, until you arrive at the gladiators’ passageway.
Start talking with the slave guarding Fructus and answer “no” when he asks you
whether you are a Wise Man. End the conversation and go find Fructus, who is in
the passageway, on the other side of the wooden bars. Answer “no” when he makes
a request. Leave the passageway and continue alongside the amphitheatre. Near
the spot where you found Locusta, you come across Palmyra and a gladiator.
Converse with Palmyra, choosing “slave” as the topic. Palmyra goes off to
distract the guard. Next, talk to Pyramus, Fructus’ gladiator.
Now, climb the stairs behind you. When you are on top of the amphitheatre, go to
your left. You will come out directly on the arena. Go all the way across it and
return to the gladiators’ passageway, which is also closed off by a portcullis
of wooden bars. Click on that “portcullis” and, using the icon you have just
acquired, click on Pyramus. Once Pyramus has destroyed the bars, go into the
passageway and turn to your right. Go up to Fructus but do not click on him.
Select the dagger from your inventory and—then only—click on Fructus’ bonds to
free him. When you have done that, move quickly to the exit (the one by which
you came), then calmly go back across the amphitheatre. When you reach the other
end, turn left to go back up to the top part of the building. Take the stairs to
your right (the ones that are under the Vesuvius. You can get back to the
esplanade without being seen by the slave.
Next, return to the tavern of Dionysus and greet him. In the back room, find
Pyramus, who suggests a game of Tali. Place your bet to start the game, or leave
the room again (once the game begins, you can stop it at any time).
Next, go find Sophia in the House of Octavius Quartio. Bet by Statius, who is
blocking your way, by choosing to speak to him about Lavinia. Then pass through
the house and find Sophia in the garden, in the same place where she was
yesterday. Converse with her. When you choose the topic “love,” Sophia will ask
you for a guarantee that Venus is protecting you. So select your Tali game and
throw the knucklebones at her feet: the pieces will form the shape of Venus.
Sophia will then ask you for proof of the danger awaiting you. Select Magic
Potion #1 from your inventory and use it on the top of the fountain, to your
right. When the vision appears, Sophia will make an appointment to meet you the
following night and she will leave you. A shadow flees through the trees and the
day comes to an end.
Fourth Day: 23 August 79 AD
Start your day by talking to Popidius. He assigns you your tasks for the day:
locate some sylphium (a kind of spice that no longer exists) and persuade a
troupe of actors to perform at his banquet. Go out and gather this
information—in whatever order you prefer—from Dionysus in the tavern, or from
Ascula, in front of the perfume shop.
A labourer hails you when you are at the crossroads between Via Abundance and
Via Stabies. Stop, speak with him, and agree to buy back his donkey for him.
In the tavern, question Dionysus for leads. He will tell you where you can find
Fructus. Go into the backroom to speak with Pyramus, and suggest that he flee
with you.
Converse with Ascula at the perfume shop. She will tell you where Locusta is,
for the sylphium, and where the actors are.
Go to the Triangular Forum to see Locusta: you will find her in the rear, near
some temple ruins. She asks you for a branch from the tree behind you. Pick up a
stone lying to the right of Locusta. By doing this, you free a viper. From that
point on, you have only a little time left. Turn around and face the tree: aim
high at the branch in the middle of the tree. Pick up the branch at the foot of
the tree, on the right, and turn around quickly to grab the viper with this
branch. Once the viper has coiled around the branch, keep holding the branch,
pivot a quarter-turn to the right and click toward the back of the scene to
throw the viper far away. Then hand the branch to Locusta (above all, do not
attempt to kill the viper with your stone or your dagger, because it would bite
you). Once Locusta has hold of the branch, she will speak to you about Fructus’
passion for actors of tragedies, and will tell you how to obtain some sylphium
by entrusting you with a valuable papyrus scroll.
After that, go to the exit of the Triangular Forum and turn to the right twice
under the colonnade. You will find Helvius, the town councillor, mounting guard
in front of the theatre door. Start up a conversation with him and talk to him
immediately about Fructus. He will abandon his guard duty to pursue him. Enter
the main theatre and pick up the two items lying on the tiers of seats (a capsa,
or box used to hold tragedians’ scrolled recital lines and costumes). Then go
onto the stage to speak to Pyladius, from whom you will learn that his star
tragedian has left the troupe. You must find a replacement for him. Leave the
theatre and find Fructus, at the bakery of Sotericus.
In the bakery, begin by talking to Sotericus, who has no one to make a delivery
at the theatre. Then go into the back room and turn to the right: Fructus is
hiding near the first column. Talk to him about the actors. You will have to
“disguise” him as a bread deliverer so that he can get into the theatre without
any mishaps. Go to the rear of the room, near the donkey grindstone. Retrieve
the flour in the bolt of cloth and use it to cover Fructus. He leaves the bakery
and you return to the Triangular Forum.
Rejoin Fructus and Locusta in the Triangular Forum, in front of the Main Theatre
door. Go inside. Visit with Pyladius on the stage, and introduce your companions
to him. When they have been hired, work out the details of your escape with
Pyladius, and go back out at the end of the conversation. Go stand in front of
the Temple of Isis.
Converse with the priest in the Temple, then give him Locusta’s papyrus. When he
questions you about books, answer “third.” The priest leaves you for a few
minutes. Hurry into the ekklesiaterion (back room), and move the right palm
tree. Take the sylphium that you find behind it and leave the Temple.
Next, rejoin Popidius in the House of Citharist and give him the sylphium. Then
talk to him and try to convince him to flee the city. When you see the cook
again, he has completed the recipe requiring the sylphium. He proposes that you
guess the menu by playing charades. During each charade game, take all the meals
in front of you on the table and learn their principal ingredient by consulting
your inventory. Then, place them on the table in the proper order.
First Charade: "Gustatio" (entrées). Place each of the following in order, from
left to right:
1. Mussel Casserole
2. Scrambled Eggs with Asparagus
3. Stuffed Tuna
Second Charade: "Summa Cena" (main courses). Place, from left to right:
1. Breast of Trout with Sea Urchins
2. Duck with Rape leaves
First Charade: " Secundae mensae " (desserts). Place, from left to right:
1. Oysters
2. Dulcia
3. Stuffed Dates
Then go back to see Popidius in the main peristyle. He asks you for some fish
for an offering to Vulcan. Go up to the pond in the peristyle and take out some
goldfish. Hand them to Popidius. He then prays to Vulcan and the scene ends.
You take charge again after the banquet: night has fallen over Pompeii. Go up to
Octavius Quartio’s garden gate and imitate the song of the nightingale in front
of it. Click with your drag cursor on the area immediately to your left to avoid
a rock aimed at your head.
Then follow Statius the Doorkeeper’s shadow, which you can barely distinguish in
the twilight. Return to Via Abundance and go to where it intersects Via Stabies.
There, turn left into Via Stabies, do an about-turn and go back to the
crossroads to disarm Statius. After that, converse with him and you will learn
that he kidnapped Sophia and hid her in the city. Force him to take Magic Potion
#2 to temporarily prevent him from harming you.
Next, go to free Sophia, whom Statius has hidden in the ruins of the Triangular
Forum. Move all the way across the Forum and move to the other side of the
Temple ruins, in the centre of the Forum. When you have passed through the
Temple, turn to the right and use your dagger to free Sophia from her bonds.
After a joyful reunion, the day is dawning and you are in front of the House of
Citharist, on Via Stabies, preparing to leave. Make sure that you disguise
Sophia with the cloak and mask found in the theatre, so that the public slave
guarding the door will be unable to recognise her. Go down the street as far as
the gate.
Stabies Gate is guarded by the public slave, who recognises you. Speak to him
and try to convince him that you are an actor. Give him either the capsa
containing the text that you are spouting to him, or Magic Potion #2, which will
cause him to fall asleep. Once you have passed the city gate, you will rejoin
your new troupe and you can flee before the eruption starts.
