The Mines of Lithiad - Zenobi Software (Text STAC adventure for ST) Reviewed by Paul Brunyee Here is another adventure from the keyboard of respected adventure author Jack Lockerby. Written, like his previous releases, using STAC the adventure is available for the measley sum of œ2.95. This text only adventure starts with the following introduction: "Cavilian the dragon is in an evil mood. The Orcs - under direction of The Master - had systematically killed all the dragons except Cavilian who was saved while in the process of laying her one and only egg. The egg was captured by the Orcs who want to lure Cavilian to her death in the Mines of Lithiad." "Cavilian looked around the people assembled in front of her as she told this sorry tale. Then her eyes stopped and focused on you:" "Go to the Silvertooth Mountain and wait for me outside my cave. From here I will take you as close as I dare to the Mines. Bring back my unborn one..." So charged by the last remaining dragon, you are carried off by Cavilian to an area known as Kalem Wood knowing only a vague direction of where the Mines can be found. There are many locations to be explored at the outset giving the opening sequence at Kalem Wood a slight 'maze' feel with most locations having similar descriptions. You will soon find a man dying of thirst, a well with a warped bucket useless for holding water and the mine shaft entrance which you may not enter without a light source. Similar to other Jack Lockerby adventures, with what at first may appear to be a fairly simple problem, the author ensures that diligence is required to find all of its elements such that the problem may be solved. Soon enough you should find yourself wandering around the Mines of Lithiad where mapping is essential to be able to find your way about. As you go deeper into the mines, the problems become slightly trickier and require slightly more actions to complete. The adventure runs along at a steady pace and while it should get the grey matter ticking over nicely, it shouldn't present you with unsurmountable problems. The text descriptions are quite sparse at times and by this very nature present few options of what to do in certain locations thus suggesting that you may hit upon a correct solution sooner rather than later. Also, the introductions/instructions conclude by listing the verbs and nouns which you can expect to use. This list alone offers a few pointers for help in the adventure so make sure you read through this. There were a few niggles that I found such as when you are told an item is present in a location but the program won't otherwise acknowledge it exists, for example; "You can see a long table...." "EXAMINE TABLE" "I can't see that anywhere". But all in all, these are only minor glitches in what is a very enjoyable adventure. The puzzles are all quite logical, the mapping is straight forward (mostly) and at the price, I believe it is well worth it, too!