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Loom
by Spatvark (
[email protected])
==============================================================================
/ =============================== \
< [01] Introduction >
\ =============================== /
They say: Long after the passing of the Second Shadow, when dragons ruled the
twilight sky and the stars were bright and numerous, came the Age of the Great
Guilds. Blacksmiths, Shepherds, Clerics. Each dedicated to the absolute
control of secret knowledge. Another such Guild was the Weavers. Over the
centuries, their craft transcended the limits of physical cloth, until they
wove the very fabric of reality itself. Now, a strange power has swept the
Weavers into oblivion, leaving behind one Weaver boy to unravel the mystery.
Help young Bobbin rescue his Guild...and you just might save the universe from
an unspeakable catastrophe.
-----
The fourth of Lucasarts SCUMM games, Loom was a departure from the verb-driven
interfaces of the previous (and later) games, instead relying upon the main
character's "Distaff" and the musical notes it creates to cast spells upon the
objects, people and animals around him. While the game is short, and
relatively easy (you can't die or lose the game), the storyline is charming,
and with the great music (especially in the FM-Towns version), Loom is a
rather engaging game to play.
/ =============================== \
< [02] Disclaimer >
\ =============================== /
Listen up you mangy lot, this bit is important. You are free to use this FAQ
for personal reference but if you plagirize any sections, well... I'll have to
come up with something evil to do to you...
The only place allowed to host this FAQ is:
GameFAQs -
http://www.gamefaqs.com
If you see it anywhere else, please contact me at:
[email protected]
You can also contact me with any questions that pertain to Loom that AREN'T
answered in this FAQ, or any corrections to mistakes I've made (this does not
include typographical errors; I'm not THAT anal retentive about my work).
Also, do not bother to email me and ask whether you can host this FAQ on your
site, the answer is no. GameFAQs is the only place I particularly feel like
trusting, while sites that have to go soliciting for FAQs strike me as
desperate to get a reputation even a tenth of that GameFAQs has. So don't
bother, I won't even reply to your emails.
/ =============================== \
< [03] Version History >
\ =============================== /
v1.10 - Updated the Book of Patterns with three new codes from Silent D. I
also changed the FAQ a little. [09/07/09]
v1.05 - Updated the Copyright. [09/01/09]
v1.00 - It's not like there's a whole lot that can be done with a FAQ/
Walkthrough for this kind of game, and I think I've got it all down
here.
/ =============================== \
< [04] Contents >
\ =============================== /
**>Introduction -------------------------------------- [01]
**>Disclaimer ---------------------------------------- [02]
**>Version History ----------------------------------- [03]
**>Contents ------------------------------------------ [04]
**>Characters ---------------------------------------- [05]
**>Walkthrough --------------------------------------- [06]
==>Using the Distaff ---------------------------------- [06a]
==>Pattern of One ------------------------------------- [06b]
==>Glass Sheep ---------------------------------------- [06c]
==>Iron Dragons --------------------------------------- [06d]
==>Tripping the Rift ---------------------------------- [06e]
==>You Can Never Go Back Home Again ------------------- [06f]
**>Book of Patterns ---------------------------------- [07]
**>The Audio Drama ----------------------------------- [08]
**>FAQ ----------------------------------------------- [09]
**>Thanks -------------------------------------------- [10]
**>Legal Stuff --------------------------------------- [11]
**>Next Version -------------------------------------- [12]
**>Working On... ------------------------------------- [13]
**>Goodbye! ------------------------------------------ [14]
/ =============================== \
< [05] Characters >
\ =============================== /
Bobbin Threadbare:
Isolated from the other members of the Guild of Weavers, Bobbin has led a
very solitary life on Loom Island, his only company that of Dame Hetchel.
He has just turned sixteen as the game begins.
Dame Hetchel:
After the death of Bobbin's mother, Lady Cygna Threadbare, Dame Hetchel
took him in and raised him as if he were her own. However, the trio of
Elders discover she has been teaching Bobbin to weave, and punish her with
the Pattern of Transcendence.
Elders Clothos, Atropos and Lachesis:
Named after the Weavers of Fate in Greek myth, Clothos, Atropos and
Lachesis are the current Elders leading the Guild of Weavers. They fear
the Loomchild, Bobbin Threadbare, blaming him for the degredation of the
Pattern ever since he was born.
Master Goodmold:
One of the Masters of the Guild of Glassmakers, Master Goodmold is rather
in love with his work, and that of the Masters before him. He could go on
and on about them all day long... and he will if you let him.
Fleece Firmflanks:
A Shepherdess, Fleece is versed in the songs of Healing, though she does
not have much confidence in her ability to use them. She hired a wizard
from the Guild of Mages to protect the Guild's flock from the Dragon.
Dragon:
In her prime, the Dragon was an unholy terror upon the world, especially
the Guild of Shepherds and Glassmakers, both of whom were situated closeby
to her volcano home. However, the years have not treated her kindly, and
her failing eyesight combined with her fear of fire have made her somewhat
less of a threat than expected.
Rusty Nailbender:
Son of Wellwrought Nailbender, Foreman of the Guild of Blacksmiths. Rusty,
truth be told, is an idle layabout, not much concerned with the work of
the guild, instead preferring to nap on the plateau not far from the
Guild's home, the Forge.
Bishop Mandible:
A member of the Guild of Clerics, Bishop Mandible is the Transultimate
Apostle of the Antisecular Conclave of Clerics. Which translates as he
thinks an awful lot of himself. He has big plans, and has hired several
other guilds to assist him in achieving his ends.
Cob:
Bishop Mandible's lackey, Cob is a rather vile creature, all too eager to
resort to torture and violence. His course nature rubs even Bishop
Mandible the wrong way, but he nevertheless remains useful to the Cleric.
Chaos:
A malevolent spirit, almost as old as time itself, Chaos seeks dominion
over everything and anything, and leads an army of Dead Ones into the
world to do just that.
Lady Cygna Threadbare:
Banished by the Elders, after drawing Bobbin forth from the Great Loom,
Lady Cygna had the Pattern of Transcendence cast upon her as punishment,
turning her into a swan. Once a year, she flies over Loom Island to catch
a glimpse of the son she can never meet.
/ =============================== \
< [06] Walkthrough >
\ =============================== /
<--[06a] Using the Distaff-------------------------------------->
The Distaff is the tool the Weavers use to weave their Drafts upon the world,
shaping it to their liking. By learning how to use the Distaff, you learn how
to play the game.
,,#######
,,##############,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,#############`
###########################,,,,,,#########################``
#################################################``````
#######```` ````##################````
#``
|-c-----|-d-----|-e-----|-f-----|-g-----|-a-----|-b-----|-C'----|
|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|
|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-----·-|-----°-|
|-------|-------|-------|-------|-----·-|-----°-|-------|-------|
|-------|-------|-----·-|-----°-|-------|-------|-------|-------|
--·- °
The Distaff is split into eight sections, one for each note. It starts at the
left with C Minor, and progresses along through D to G, looping back around to
A, B, and ending with C Major.
NOTE: If I could, I'd draw a G Glef (Triple Clef) at the beginning of the
staff (the musical notation kind, not the wooden thing), to indicate the
pitch range properly.
Each Draft is made of four Threads, spun together by the Weaver's voice
harmonising with their Distaff. The first thread is known as the Throw, the
second is the Beat, the third is the Treadle, and the fourth and last is the
Rest.
As you progress in the game, you unlock more notes, starting from C Minor, to
C Major, eight in total. Using those notes in combinations of four allows you
to weave spells upon various things in Bobbin's world. To use a note, or
rather, to Spin a Thread, there are three methods to do so. You can either
click on the appropriate section of the Distaff (see above), or you can use
either of the keys on the keyboard demarked in the table below.
/===========================================\
| Note | C | D | E | F | G | A | B | C' |
>------|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|--------<
| Key 1 | C | D | E | F | G | A | B | Shift+C |
|-------|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---------|
| Key 2 | Q | W | E | R | T | Y | U | I |
\===========================================/
Patterns come in two kinds; those that can be reversed, and thus are really
two different Patterns (i.e. ECED, the Pattern of Opening, can be reversed to
DECE, which will close things), and those that are palindromic, that can be
read exactly the same whether they're read forwards or backwards.
Also of note, before we begin the walkthrough proper, there are three
different game modes available to the player:
Practice - You can see the staff below the Distaff.
The Distaff harmonizes with all Patterns, whether sung by Bobbin or
someone/something else; this causes the appropriate section of the
Distaff to glow.
The four Threads in the last Pattern that Bobbin hears are shown in
a small box below the staff.
Clicking on the small box while targeting something/someone will
cause Bobbin to weave that particular Draft.
Standard - You can see the staff below the Distaff.
The Distaff harmonizes with all Patterns, whether sung by Bobbin or
someone/something else; this causes the appropriate section of the
Distaff to glow.
There is no box below the staff.
Expert - There is no staff.
There is no box below the staff.
The Distaff does not harmonize with Patterns not sung by Bobbin.
<--[06b] Pattern of One----------------------------------------->
Sleeping upon a clifftop, Bobbin is woken by a "messenger nymph," a Summoning
Draft spun by the Elders, calling for him to meet them at the Sanctuary that
houses the Great Loom.
When you gain control of Bobbin, double-click the Leaf if you want, though no
real purpose is served by it. Also, note that you can look at the Sky from
here.
Head down the steep path to the left, towards the village. When you reach the
collection of tents, enter the one immediately to Bobbin's left. It's a lot
bigger on the inside than the out, most likely the result of a large Folding
Draft, to create spacial anomalies.
Move to the right, and check out each of the three Great Tapestries as you
move by. Reaching the end of the passage, Bobbin finds the Elders and Dame
Hetchel arguing. They're angry with her for teaching Bobbin how to use a
Distaff, fearful that he may somehow turn against them. Infuriated by her
actions against their wishes, they spin the Pattern of Transcendence (C'FEC)
upon her, but instead of just becoming a swan, she regresses from that point
into an egg, much to the consternation of the Elders.
Suddenly, the stained glass window overlooking the Great Loom shatters, as a
large swan flies in through it. The rest of the Guild have been turned into
swans, and as the Elders blame Bobbin for it, calling him "Loomchild," they
too are turned into swans as the Pattern of Transcendence they were trying to
weave against him backfires.
Regaining control of a disconsolate Bobbin, double-click on the egg; note how
it sings a Pattern, and that both the Great Loom and Elder Atropos' Distaff
resonate with it, as the Egg tries to open. Double-click on the Distaff to
pick it up; the image of the Distaff will appear below the main screen.
Target the Egg; it's time to spin our first Draft. Repeat the Pattern that all
three items harmonized on; ECED. This is the Pattern of Opening (the reverse,
DECE in turn, instead of opening things, closes them), and weaving it upon the
Egg causes it to hatch, freeing Dame Hetchel in her new form as a Cygnet. She
tells him some of what has been going on; the Great Pattern is breaking down
of its own accord and chaos is spreading. The Elders blamed this upon Bobbin's
birth, leading them to both fear and despise him, keeping him away from the
other children in the guild, as well as from any and all looms and distaffs.
Done with her tale, she tells Bobbin that he must leave the island, and then
flies off into a rift that opens briefly in the Loom.
Leave the Great Sanctuary and return to the village. Head to the far-right and
enter the tent there, which belongs to Dame Hetchel. Double-click on the Dye
Pot, and note down the Pattern weaved into it. Next, click on either the Pile
below the Dye Pot, or the Wool above it, and spin the same Pattern; the
Pattern of Dyeing, which will turn them green. Reversing the order of the
Threads will turn green wool into white. With that done, move towards the
table and double-click the Flask; you'll tip it over where it will start to
drip onto the floor, revealing the Pattern spun into it. Note this down; it is
the Pattern of Emptying.
Leave Hetchel's tent and move to the far left of the village, to the pier.
Weave the Pattern of Opening upon the Clam, and then leave by the top-right.
Move into the forest, and examine the first three Holes (from right to left).
Move left to the next screen and examine the Owl sleeping upon the Grave.
Next, double-click the Thorns to the left. Pricking himself upon them, he
scares a rabbit hiding within them into bolting, which in turn wakes the Owl
who grabs it and carries it off.
With the Grave now uncovered, check it out:
In Memory of
LADY CYGNA THREADBARE
7983-8004
Destiny shall draw the Lightning
Down from Heaven; roll its thunder
Far across the Sea, to where I
Wait upon the Shore of Wonder,
On the day the Sky is Opened
And the Tree is split asunder.
This is actually a massive hint, telling you what you need to do to progress
in the game. Head to the right and examine the remaining Hole, which will now
contain the Owl you disturbed. The four of them will hoot out the Pattern of
Night Vision; be sure to note it down.
Return to the village, and enter the remaining unvisited tent. Ignore the Gold
for now, and click on either of the two patches of Darkness, and weave the
Pattern of Night Vision. This will reveal a large Wheel, which when double-
clicked upon, will reveal the Pattern of Straw into Gold weaved into it.
Rumpelstiltskin anyone? Test it out on either the Gold or the Straw. This will
teach Bobbin the next note, F.
Leave the village and return to the clifftop where you began. Target the sky,
and as the epitaph on Lady Cygna's grave suggests, weave the Pattern of
Opening upon it. It works, drawing a blast of lightning forth that strikes the
tree, sending most of the trunk over the side, where it floats to the pier.
Meet up with it there and jump off the bridge, clambering atop it, and then
paddling away from Loom Island.
<--[06c] Glass Sheep-------------------------------------------->
Examine the Waterspout, and it will reveal the Pattern of Twisting. Weave it
in reverse upon the Waterspout to cause it to dissipate. Paddle onwards to the
beach, and once Bobbin reaches dry land, he will learn the next note, G. Head
for the forest.
Upon entering, continue onwards to the left, where Bobbin will be accosted by
four Shepherds, who uncloak with the Pattern of Invisibility reversed. They
think you're after their sheep, though after some discussion, they make
mention of a "great wizard," and insist upon Bobbin casting a spell for them.
Unfortunately, none of the Patterns you know so far will work upon them, so
leave them be, instead heading to the top-right corner towards the green glass
buildings.
Enter the city (Crystalgard), and move towards the top-level; after losing
control for a few second, continue on to the right and into the Crystal. It
will teleport you into the foreground of the screen, where Master Goodmold of
the Guild of Glassmakers greets you. Like the Shepherds, he hasn't seen or
heard of any swans in the area, though he does mention an interesting rumour
about the Weavers.
When he leaves, examine the Chalice, and Master Goodmold will return. He'll
tell you a little about the Guild's history, including the damage done by the
Dragon and the loss of the first Scrying Sphere in that attack. Continue
onwards to the right and you'll arrive at the Guild of Glassmakers' cemetary,
where you can examine two of the graves there. Leave by the back and look at
the Workers up in the tower, before entering it at the base.
Double-click on the two figures having a Conversation. Master Crucible is
telling Bishop Mandible of the Guild of Clerics about the Scrying Sphere that
they've made for him. Enter the Crystal that you can reach, and you'll be
teleported to the top of the tower, where two Glassmakers are polishing a
giant Scythe. They quickly get rid of Bobbin though, sending him back down the
tower.
Leave by the back, and from outside, target the Workers and weave the Pattern
of Invisibility upon them. Return inside and with the Crystal, return to the
top. Hang around, listening to their conversation; apparently the Guild
doesn't trust Bishop Mandible and suspect he's up to something. They also
refer to the Scythe that they're sharpening, suggesting it's to be used in the
defence of the Guild if ever necessary. Examine the Scythe, which will reveal
the Pattern of Sharpening.
Go on past the Scythe and ring the Bell to the left to be taken back down the
tower, but this time on the other side. Examine the Scrying Sphere three
times; each time will show you a different scene. The first is Bobbin weaving
the Pattern of Terror upon the Shepherds in the forest, causing them to flee.
The second is of a large fire within a cave. The third is of the Great Swan,
the Pattern of Transcendence twinkling in her eye.
Make your way out of Crystalgard and return to where you first encountered the
Shepherds. This time, weave the Pattern of Terror you learned from the Scrying
Sphere upon them, and Bobbin will briefly assume the form of a Dragon, the
same one we saw in the flashback of the attack on Crystalgard. This scares the
buggery out of them, which is no more than the bullies deserve.
Head onwards to the left which you can now reach, and you'll come to a fence.
Examine the Sheep and they'll jump over the fence, revealing the Pattern of
Sleep in reverse. He'll shoo them back over the fence, which will cause them
to send him back to sleep. Continue on past them and enter the house when you
reach it. Look at the Lamb, and you'll be interrupted by Fleece Firmflanks
(hur hur hur), the First Chosen of the Guild of Shepherds. She'll tell you
about the Dragon that has been stealing their sheep, and that it has put the
order for ten thoushand sheep that Bishop Mandible requested in jeopardy of
failing. Again, the Guild of Shepherds doesn't trust the Cleric, but they do
intend to fulfill the order, despite their reservations. Nevertheless, they
can do nothing about the Dragon, except rely upon the help of a mage, which
she mistakes you for.
Examine the Lamb and Fleece will sing the Pattern of Healing. Leave and move
into the middle of the flock of Sheep. Weave the Pattern of Dyeing upon them,
and all of them will have their wool dyed grass green, enabling them to blend
in with their surroundings. Unfortunately, the Dragon picks just this time to
fly by and she grabs the first thing she sees. Bobbin. Whoops.
<--[06d] Iron Dragons------------------------------------------->
Flying into a seemingly dormant volcano, the Dragon sets you down before
landing upon a large pile of Gold. Examine her, and she'll get into a bit of a
diatribe about fire, and how she doesn't much like it. Examine the gold, and
she'll mention that she used to have a lot more, but after some crappy wizard
failed in an attempt to use the Pattern of Temblor upon the volcano (see the
Book of Patterns below), she lost most of it in either the earthquake or in
his fit of kleptomania, leaving her only a fragment of the gold and "a
gorgeous glass sphere."
Reverse the Pattern of Straw into Gold upon the Gold, turning it all into
Straw, something that really annoys the Dragon. It also teaches Bobbin the
next note, A. Weave the Pattern of Sleep onto her, with your nice new note,
and she'll conk out on top of the Straw, snoring flames from her nose. Wait
just a little while, and she'll set the Straw on fire, waking her up. When her
tail catches light, she flies out of the volcano in a hurry, crying vengeance
upon the young Weaver.
As the fire burns out, a passageway is revealed behind where the Gold was.
Weave the Pattern of Night Vision upon the Darkness and make your way slowly
through the caves, until Bobbin slips off a ledge. You'll find yourself by a
Pool; examine it, and water dripping from the stalactites reveal the Pattern
of Reflection. Next, weave the Pattern of Emptying (the Flask in Dame
Hetchel's tent) upon the Pool, to drain it off water and reveal another
Scrying Sphere, presumably the first Scrying Sphere Master Goodmold made
mention of. The first scene is of an active volcano, the second is the great
swan once more, and the final scene is that of Bishop Mandible smiling.
Follow the path the rest of the way to the exit, where you'll find a spiral
staircase, and probably the worst pun in the game, should you examine the
Steps. Weave the Pattern of Twisting in reverse upon it to complete the
bridge, allowing you to cross it.
Examine the Grave if you want, and then take a look at the Boy, sleeping on
the floor. Weave the reverse of the Pattern of Sleep upon him, waking him up,
and he'll introduce himself as Rusty Nailbender, member of the Guild of
Blacksmiths. When he goes back to sleep, head to the right, down the cliffside
to the Forge. You'll be rebuffed at the gates, told only members of the guild
can gain access, so return to where Rusty is sleeping, and weave the Pattern
of Reflection upon him, making Bobbin look like Rusty, and vice versa! Return
to the Forge, and this time you're granted entrance.
Inside, head to the right, and you'll eventually reach the furnace, the fire
being kept alive by Stoke. Irritated that it's been over four hours since he
sent Rusty to fetch firewood (note the mention of Bishop Mandible once again),
he snatches the Distaff from his hands and throws him into a nearby cell,
locking him inside. The only thing you can do here really is to examine the
Straw, which has a Pattern of Sleep woven into it, lulling Bobbin into
catching a few Z's.
Things just seem to have a habit of going wrong for him, don't they? The
Dragon, still furious after having her tail set on fire, spies the sleeping
Rusty, still wearing the guise of Bobbin, and decides to pay him back by
eating him! Meanwhile, Stoke has tossed the Distaff into the furnace!
As Rusty's ghost makes threats and stalks off to the Outside, Dame Hetchel
flies by, saving the Distaff just in the nick of time. Sliding it under the
door to Bobbin's cell (he's now back in his own form, since Rusty has died),
the young weaver is woken. Pick the Distaff back up, and then weave the
Pattern of Opening upon the Door. Note that the Woodbin is empty, and head
down the stairs to a chamber filled with swords. Bishop Mandible and Rusty's
father walk on screen; focus on the Conversation between them. Master
Edgewise, the Blacksmith working on the Sword in the center of the room, has
nearly finished the ten thousandth sword for Bishop Mandible. As the
Conversation comes to an end, examine the Sword in Edgewise's hand as he holds
it up, and weave the Pattern of Sharpening in reverse upon it; you can't do it
while Master Edgewise is working on the Sword, since it's too loud.
Edgewise freaks out at the Sword suddenly becoming dull, and cries out; Bishop
Mandible spots Bobbin lurking in the background, and has him seized by two
burly Blacksmiths, and taken to the Cathedral!
<--[06e] Tripping the Rift-------------------------------------->
Once you regain control of Bobbin, weave the Pattern of Opening upon the Cage,
only to have the Bishop snatch the Distaff away from you. He leads you out
onto the balcony, and explains his evil plan, to tear open the Pattern and
allow the Dead Ones to return to the plane of the living, forming a large army
under his control, fed by the sheep from the Guild of Shepherds, armed with
the swords from the Guild of Blacksmiths, and led by the visions shown in the
Scrying Sphere from the Guild of Glassmakers.
Cob takes you back to the previous room; examine the Beast and then the
Scrying Sphere. Cob proffers a deal, to allow Bobbin to look at the Scrying
Sphere if Cob is allowed to look under Bobbin's hood, to disprove the legends.
Needless to say, it doesn't go at all well for the Cleric. Study the Scrying
Sphere; the first vision is of the Great Swan and the Pattern of
Transcendence, the second is of a roasted fowl, and the third is of a single
black feather, falling to the ground.
Return to the balcony, and Bishop Mandible will weave the Pattern of Opening
upon the graveyard, tearing open the Pattern. A blue spirit forms before him,
calling herself Chaos, and promptly tears Bishop Mandible apart with the
Pattern of Unmaking.
Move Bobbin back on screen, and pick up the Distaff, reclaiming it once again.
Return to the cage room, and note that the Beast has somehow become freed.
Head back to the balcony and the Beast follows you, chasing Bobbin onto the
ledge, which gives way beneath him, plunging him into the rift.
Float left to the next Hole, and enter it; you'll find yourself at the Guild
of Blacksmith's graveyard, and quickly accosted by Rusty's ghost. He tells you
about what the Dead Ones are planning, their bid to take over the world, and
the screen pans to take in the disfiguration of the Forge, the first casualty
of the Dead Ones. If you try to leave, Rusty blocks your path, so examine
skeleton Rusty. Weave the Pattern of Healing upon it, restoring Rusty's body
to health, and sealing his spirit back inside. As the two part ways, return to
the rift.
Continue on to the left, to the next Hole. Enter it, and you'll find yourself
at the Guild of Shepherds; Fleece stands over the corpses of her fellow
Guildmates, and begs for your help in bringing a swift end to those who are
suffering. Weave the Pattern of Healing upon the fallen Shepherds. Return to
the rift.
Head left to the next Hole, taking you to the Guild of Glassmakers' graveyard.
Talk to Master Goodmold; he tells you that Chaos has stolen the Scythe, after
the Guild refused to use it in battle, for fear of what they would become with
such power in their hands. As Goodmold dies, his body disappears, meaning you
can't bring him back to life. Return to the rift.
Float along to the left, until you reach a pond, out in the middle of nowhere.
A Swan talks to Bobbin, telling him that it is the Shore of Wonder, as spoken
of upon Lady Cygna Threadbare's gravestone. Talk to her, and Bobbin reveals
that he recognises her as the swan that visited him every year upon his
birthday, while she in turn reveals that she is Bobbin's mother, and the story
of how Bobbin came to be. She continues by saying that Dame Hetchel has
returned to Loom Island to try and stop Chaos and the Dead Ones from seizing
control of the Great Loom. She also suggests you do something about the Holes
that the Dead Ones have been using to move through the world with.
Head to the right, and as you reach each Hole, weave the Pattern of Opening in
reverse upon them to close them up. As you seal the Hole leading to the Guild
of Clerics, Bobbin will learn the next thread, B. Return to the Shore of
Wonder and then continue on to the left, where you'll find the final Hole.
<--[06f] You Can Never Go Back Home Again----------------------->
Entering it takes you to the Guild of Weaver's graveyard on Loom Island. Leave
the screen via the right, and you'll see a brief cutscene, showing the mutated
Forge, now serving as the base of the Dead Ones, getting ever closer to the
island. When control returns, you find yourself back within the tent of the
Great Sanctuary. Keep heading to the right, and examine the Great Loom. Dame
Hetchel flies onscreen, quickly pursued by a Scythe-wielding Chaos. Hetchel
orders Bobbin to unmake the Great Loom, but he doesn't know the correct draft.
Chaos offers him a position as Advisor to her, teaching her how to use the
Great Loom. As Hetchel tries to tell Bobbin the correct threads needed for the
draft, Chaos weaves the Pattern of Silence upon the Cygnet, making her mute.
The Great Loom stores the last correct draft woven before it, so examining it
will replay the draft Chaos just used upon Dame Hetchel, if you didn't get it
down the first time. Reverse the threads in the Pattern of Silence to unmute
Hetchel. This time, Chaos uses the Pattern of Shaping, turning Hetchel into a
roast fowl! Reverse it once more to restore her to her Cygnet form. Finally
reaching her final teather, Chaos wields the Pattern of Unmaking, and destroys
Hetchel completely, except for a single black feather, which she claims as a
souvenir. However, the Pattern of Unmaking is the one we need! Weave it upon
the Great Loom and watch as the Pattern is torn asunder, teaching Bobbin the
final note, C' (C Major).
Finally, we can bring the game to an end; move Bobbin into the rift, and as he
floats away, Chaos tosses the Scythe after him, though she misses. On the
other side of the rift, target Myself and weave the Pattern of Transcendence
upon Bobbin, turning him into a swan. As he and the rest of the Guild fly off,
they take their side of the Pattern with them, flying out over the twilight
horizon of the Outside.
/ =============================== \
< [07] Book of Patterns >
\ =============================== /
The Book of Patterns contains information about all of the various drafts that
are known to the Weaver's Guild, including where they came from, what they're
used for, and in this FAQ's case, the actual notes required to cast them. Not
every draft here can be used, and even those that you can learn the sequence
of notes required for it, aren't necessarily in the game.
Also, please bear in mind that each game, the notes required for each draft
change, so you won't be able to use the exact same sequence each playthrough.
However, there are only a limited number of possible sequences that a draft
can be (I believe three is the limit).
If you receive different sequences for any of the drafts listed below, please
do email me at
[email protected] telling me what your notes were.
/==========================================================================\
| Opening | This fundamental draft is traditionally the first one |
| | taught to novice spellweavers. Once mastered, it may be |
| | spun into tarpaulins, theater curtains, or any covering |
| | that must be whisked aside on command. |
| |----------------------------------------------------------|
| | ECED [This draft is fixed, and will always be ECED] |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Dyeing | This draft was perfected by the dye chemists of the |
| | Woonsocket Chapter, who slaved for hours over steaming |
| | pots to satisfy the Clerics' appetite for colorful |
| | vestures. Originally woven into all types of fabric, the |
| | applicability of the Dyeing draft has diminished over |
| | the course of centuries. Now it only works on wool. |
| |----------------------------------------------------------|
| | CDCD, DDCD, CCCD |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Summoning | Chiefly spun by the Elders in those rare instances when |
| | a member's physical presence is required in the |
| | Sanctuary. The draft may be perceived by its recipient |
| | in many different ways. It most often takes the form of |
| | a small, luminous spheroid, referred to in children's |
| | stories as a "messenger nymph." |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Tongues | The Pattern of Tongues was first spun into the dinner |
| | placemats at the 423rd Conclave of the Guilds, held at |
| | Elstree in 7610. For the first time, the Guild delegates |
| | could understand each other's speeches. This innovation |
| | was widely praised until an Undertaker was overheard |
| | insulting a Florist. Both Guilds were plunged into a |
| | bloody war lasting five hundred years. |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Straw into Gold | When times are lean, the Elders may invoke this draft to |
| | generate extra revenue. Its use is strictly regulated by |
| | the Treasurer of the Guild to prevent inflation. Other |
| | Guilds, ignorant in the ways of spellweaving, have |
| | concocted a variety of outlandish fairy tales involving |
| | this rather elementary weave. |
| |----------------------------------------------------------|
| | DDDE, DEDE, CCCE |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Temblor | Temblor was discovered by a reckless (and now very dead) |
| | spellweaver who directed the threads of Rending upon a |
| | thought-to-be-dormant volcano. Eagerly sought after by |
| | the Guild of Seismologists, this extremely dangerous |
| | draft is included here only for reference; its spinning |
| | has been forbidden by the Guild since 7331. |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Rending | The inventors of this innocent draft could not have |
| | imagined how badly it would be abused. The Guild of |
| | Embalmers originally licensed the draft for tearing rags |
| | into long strips. When the Embalmers were disbanded in |
| | 6529, a legal battle awarded the right to the Guild of |
| | Career Politicians, who employed it to shred documents. |
| | The secret wandered from one unscrupulous Guild to |
| | another, until it ended up among the Assassins, whose |
| | uses for Rending are too horrible to describe. |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Night Vision | The threads of this distinctive and beautiful draft are |
| | extrapolated from the song of nocturnal birds. At one |
| | time, Night Vision was prized by the Guild of Miners, |
| | whose legendary underground realm was chiefly |
| | illuminated by luminous tapestries bearing our Seal. |
| | Tragically, demand fell off after the Great Earthquake |
| | of 7331. |
| |----------------------------------------------------------|
| | CDDC, DCCD, CCCC |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Healing | In Volume 19 of her 'Brief History of the Guild of |
| | Weavers' (Guild Press 5620), Third Elder Lazykate |
| | documents the way bandages were treated with Healing as |
| | early as 1716. The four threads have evolved far beyond |
| | their original form. They can now be spun into virtually |
| | anything which needs rejuvenation, with the notable |
| | exception of the spellweaver's own body. |
| |----------------------------------------------------------|
| | ACCA, AGGA, CAAC |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Shrinkage | Many simple fabrics contract when exposed to moisture or |
| | heat. In studying this phenomenon, the ancient Weavers |
| | isolated the threads that cause this natural Shrinkage, |
| | and soon developed a draft to weave the effect into any |
| | material object. Be wary in its use! Once spun, the |
| | Shrinkage threads can never be unwoven. |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Desire | The draft of Desire has its origins in the primitive |
| | days of our community, when it was used to lure |
| | unsuspecting passersby into Guild shops. When spun upon |
| | a creature or person, it warps the threads around the |
| | spellweaver so that he or she resembles whatever thing |
| | the victim desires the most. The illusion is quite |
| | fragile and impossible to maintain for more than a few |
| | moments. |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Waterproofing | The 5992 expedition of Fifth Elder Spindleshank to the |
| | rain forests of Lesser Uxbridge yielded this very |
| | practical draft, which shields any fabric from the |
| | effects of moisture. The Poison Galoshes Panic of 6003 |
| | almost resulted in a permanent ban on Waterproofing, |
| | until it was revealed that magazine test reports had |
| | been rigged by the Guild of Umbrella Openers. |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Reflection | This draft was commissioned by the Guild of Dancers to |
| | expedite costume changes for their 500th anniversary |
| | performance of the classic ballet 'Olema.' When properly |
| | invoked, the spellweaver immediately assumes the |
| | appearance of the being the draft is spun upon, and vice |
| | versa. The four threads are based upon the mating grunt |
| | of the slit-throated chameleon. |
| |----------------------------------------------------------|
| | ADDA, AFFA, FAAF |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Terror | This draft reweaves the spellweaver's appearance into a |
| | form drawn from the deepest anxieties of the being the |
| | threads are spun upon. In effect, it turns you into the |
| | thing the recipient fear most. Terror works only on |
| | sentient beings but its potency more than makes up for |
| | this limitation. It is approved for limited therapeutic |
| | use by the Guild of Psychotherapists. |
| |----------------------------------------------------------|
| | EFFE, DFFD, FCCF |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Folding | Archaeological evidence suggests that Folding was never |
| | supposed to be spun upon the fabric of space. Instead, |
| | its inventors seem to have been more concerned with the |
| | management of laundry! No faster or more convenient way |
| | has been found to move a spellweaver from one place to |
| | another. Caution must be exercised when Folding a |
| | section of space already Folded by another spellweaver. |
| | Careless spinning can create an uninhabitable "wrinkle" |
| | zone, such as the Gainsborough Blind Spot. |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Invisibility | When spun a person or group, Invisibility frays the |
| | focus of their vision, rendering the spellweaver quite |
| | difficult to see. The provenance of this draft is |
| | uncertain. It seems to have been acquired (under |
| | questionable circumstances) from the Guild of Shepherds, |
| | whose genius in the art of stealth is probably |
| | unrivaled. |
| |----------------------------------------------------------|
| | GCCD, GCGC, GEEC |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Twisting | The origins of this ancient draft are lost in history. |
| | The earliest references to it are woven into the |
| | foremost hem of the Long Tapestry, beside threads |
| | depicting the manipulation of flax and yarn by hand. |
| | Tradition has it that the four notes were derived from |
| | the rhythmic squeak of First Elder Swellflax's own |
| | spindle. |
| |----------------------------------------------------------|
| | CFCC, DEFC, FDDE |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Confusion | The reason why this unusual draft was first developed is |
| | lost in time. Revisionists claim that it was spun into |
| | the cheaper fabircs sold at Guild shops in an attempt to |
| | undermine the confidence of bargain hunters. Whatever |
| | its origin, Confusion's potency has not diminished over |
| | time. One spin leaves a victim helplessly bewlidered |
| | until the spellweaver is safely out of sight. |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Shaping | Only a handful of Weavers possess the concentration |
| | necessary to Shape a material substance. The threads of |
| | the draft must be spun with unusual single-mindedness |
| | before the Pattern will yield. Even then, a successfully |
| | Shaped object may revert to its original form if the |
| | draft is not rewoven periodically. |
| |----------------------------------------------------------|
| | BFBF, BCBC, BABA |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Warmth | What Weaver has never been wrapped in the cozy threads |
| | of a Warmth draft? Second only to Aphrodesia in |
| | popularity (they are often sold together), Warmth has |
| | been a staple of our Guild for much of our recorded |
| | history. Even a thin gauze coverlet eels as substantial |
| | as a Penumbrian quilt after a single application. |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Aphrodesia | The Guild's quick rise to prosperity and influence was |
| | due in very large part to the success of this best- |
| | seller. Fabrics wover with threads of Aphrodesia are |
| | guaranteed to soften the heart of even the most |
| | indifferent love interest. Only the Elders are |
| | privileged to know the true origin of the draft. Rumors |
| | of a secret affair between Second Elder Twillfast and a |
| | member of the Guild of Organists are malicious and |
| | completely unfounded. |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Sleep | It would be difficult to find a pillow, baby bonnet or |
| | sleeping bag that has not been imbued with the soothing |
| | properties of this popular draft. The Guild of Nannies |
| | requires its use in all household fabrics, and the |
| | Anesthesiologists have approved an industrial-strength |
| | version as an alternative to chloroform. |
| |----------------------------------------------------------|
| | AGFE, AEDC, AFED |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Silence | Silence was hailed as a welcome relief for first-time |
| | parents and dwellers in college dormitories. |
| | Unfortunately, our Guildmembers are too often hired to |
| | spin these threads in siuations of doubtful |
| | appropriateness. The worst offender is the Guild of |
| | Conductors, whose members frequently impose a draft of |
| | Silence over their audience before a concert. |
| |----------------------------------------------------------|
| | BAGF, BCCC, BFFC |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Emptying | The contents of almost any filled container may be |
| | instantly unravelled with this handy draft. Before its |
| | development c. 4200, the streams of Woonsocket ran green |
| | with the discarded dyes of the chemists. Avoid the |
| | temptation to spin Emptying upon lakes or clouds; its |
| | range is deliberately limited to prevent catastrophes |
| | such as the Double Deluge of 4202 (for which the Guild |
| | admits no responsibility). |
| |----------------------------------------------------------|
| | GFFE, GEED, GDDE |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|</pre><pre id="faqspan-2">
| Unmaking | Novices are often impatient to acquire the undeniably |
| | dramatic abiliy to Unmake physical objects. Luckily, |
| | these volatile threads lie well beyhond the grasp of all |
| | but the most mature spellweavers. Entire armies can and |
| | have been disembodied by the transawesome power of |
| | Unmaking. Let us hope we are never again called upon to |
| | demonstrate our craft in this manner. |
| |----------------------------------------------------------|
| | ABBA, BCCB |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Extinguishing | Open flames are easily smothered with the draft of |
| | Extinguishing. It untangles the threads of oxygen and |
| | fuel within a conflagration almost instantly, with few |
| | if any side effects and very little smoke. The Guild of |
| | Firefighters awarded us with their 6222 Plaque of |
| | Distinction for the devvelopment of this safe, fast- |
| | acting treatment. |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Sharpening | Scissors, pins and knitting needles are the usual |
| | benefactors of this simple draft. In ancient times, |
| | however, warriors often submitted their blades to our |
| | Guildmembers for treatment. A formal protest by the |
| | Blacksmiths resulted in the Whetstone Bridge Treaty of |
| | 7550, which specifically prohibits the use of the |
| | Sharpening draft on weapons of war. |
| |----------------------------------------------------------|
| | AAAG, DFAF, CDDA |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Blessing | Also known as "Casino's Bane." Blessed items acquire a |
| | charmed state of probability which manifests itself as |
| | "good luck" to laymen. Use of this draft outside the |
| | Guild is restricted by the Emerick Agreement of 5858, |
| | which coincidentally supplies out treasury with an ample |
| | endowment from the Order of Statisticians. |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Transcendence | Few indeed are the Weavers who have successfully spun |
| | this, the most subtle and mysterious expression of our |
| | art. Transcendence dissolves the ties that bind our |
| | threads to the Pattern, elevating mid and body to an |
| | undefined state of existence. Transcended beings are |
| | said to assume the form of birds, constellations or even |
| | sunspots. Because corporal punishment is forbidden in |
| | our Guild, Transcendence is occasionally used as a means |
| | of humane banishment, but only for the most unforgivable |
| | infraction of the Rules. |
| |----------------------------------------------------------|
| | C'FGC [This draft is fixed, and will always be C'FGC] |
\==========================================================================/
/ =============================== \
< [08] The Audio Drama >
\ =============================== /
Released with the original version of the game was a thirty minute audio
drama, briefly visiting periods over the seventeen years before the game
begins, and explaining some of the world's history. Below is a transcript of
the entire audio drama, in script format.
-----
CLOTHOS
(as Narrator):
It was long after the passing of the Second Shadow, when
dragons ruled the twilight sky, and the stars were bright and
numerous, that humankind began to thirst again for dominion
over nature.
Their weapon was industry, and they wielded it with confidence.
One by one, the mysteries of light and darkness fell before
the engines of progress. Whole nations came to believe that
nothing lay beyond the power of their own arrogance.
Competition was fierce in those productive days. Skilled labour
became a valuable commodity. And so the tradespeople of the
land banded themselves together to promote their common
interests, and to protect their secrets. These professional
societies swelled in power as their membership grew. A few,
such as the Blacksmiths and the Clerics, acquired vast
territories, with private armies to defend them.
Thus began the Age of the Great Guilds: vast city-states
devoted to the absolute control of knowledge, held together by
stern traditions of pride... and of fear. Within the span of a
few life times, the commerce of the world was in their hands.
But not all of the Guilds were equally ambitious. The spinners
of thread and weavers of fabric wished only to pursue their
labour without interference. They did not involve themselves in
the politics of the day and left the administration of taxes
and wars to others.
So the Guild of Weavers never attained the prominence of the
Shepherds or the Glassmakers. Their number was small, for their
strict rules forbade membership to any but the child of a
member. Marriage outside the Guild was discouraged, and
eventually outlawed.
Outsiders regarded the Weaver's ingrown society with distaste.
Yet their customs were not without benefit. The natural talents
of their membership were nurtured and purified, generation
after generation, until the greatest among them wove fabrics of
such extraordinary beauty, that the whole world wondered at
their achievements. Goods bearing the Seal of the Guild
commanded a premium price and the Weavers amassed considerable
wealth in this period, which they quietly hoarded.
Like the other Guilds, the Weavers had evolved a philosophy of
living based on the tools and technology of their handiwork.
They beheld in their great frames of wood and metal a symbol of
universal truth, and found ways to work subtle patterns of
influence into the fabrics they wove.
The cloth of the Guild soon became known for virtues other than
mere beauty. Certain weaves seemed to posses remarkable powers
of healing. Others held a charm against ill fortune.
In the fullness of time, the art of the Weavers transcended the
limits of physical cloth. They abandoned the flax and dyes of
their ancestors to wield the very stuff of light and music, and
spun new patterns directly in the fabric of reality. The
ignorant looked upon these works with fear, and called them
witchcraft. Many of the Guild were persecuted. A few were
hanged.
To protect their heritage, the Weavers extended a small
fraction of their wealth to purchase a rocky island off the
mainland coast. They packed up their spindles and skeins and
shuttles, and retreated from the company of men to refine
their arts in solitude.
Many wars and plagues followed. Mighty Guilds fell into ruin,
others rose to surpass them. The exhausted world all but forgot
the humble Guild of Weavers, and few found reason to visit
their home, an island of mystery shrouded in perpetual mist,
shunned by sailors, which ancient maps call... LOOM.
-----
Scene 1.
A woman sweeps the floor of a small antechamber.
Wind blows in from the outside as a door opens.
CYGNA:
(Entering.)
Hetchel.
HETCHEL:
Lady Cygna? Bless you child, out of bed so soon? What brings
you?
CYGNA:
(Stiff, formal.)
I wish an audience with the Elders.
HETCHEL:
Look at you, pale as lace. And your hands trembling! Sit down.
The idea of coming this way alone! You wouldn't be up and about
if I was still midwifing, you can be sure of that. Now, what's
this you say? An audience?
CYGNA:
I must speak to them. The Elders. At once
HETCHEL:
The Elders? I see. Concerning?
CYGNA:
A matter of importance.
(Drops formality.)
Please, Hetchel.
HETCHEL:
An audience. Oh, my.
(Opening a great inner
door.)
Wait here. Old Hetchel will get you in.
The perspective moves into a vast cathedral space.
Footsteps echo on a stone floor, and the rhythmic
clunk of old machinery draws closer as we follow
Hetchel into the Sanctuary of the Loom.
ATROPOS:
I do not remember summoning you, Hetchel.
HETCHEL:
Forgive me, Elder Atropos. Lady Cygna is in the antechamber.
She desires an audience.
LACHESIS:
Now? So late in the afternoon?
HETCHEL:
The girl is not yet recovered, your Reverence. Yet she comes alone.
Distant footsteps as Cygna bursts into the room.
CYGNA:
I will speak.
HETCHEL:
Cygna!
CYGNA:
(Drawing closer.)
Elders, hear me! I cannot remain silent.
LACHESIS:
That much is obvious.
ATROPOS:
Lady Cygna. We are grieved to hear of your loss.
CYGNA:
Do not grieve on my account, Elder. Save your sympathy for the
rest of the Guild.
ATROPOS:
I am not aware that our guild is in need of sympathy
CYGNA:
How many more babies must die before the Guild will earn your
condolences?
Hetchel gasps.
LACHESIS:
That is no way to address an Elder, young woman.
CYGNA:
Is it not? Then give me the words, Elder Lachesis. Tell me how
to express my anger.
CLOTHOS:
Anger does not become you. Calm yourself, child. Tell us what
it is that troubles you so.
CYGNA:
Our seed is barren, Elder Clothos. We have lived under the
Rules of Membership too long. Most of our children are born
dead. Many that survive are monsters, beyond hope. Our numbers
are failing; less than a score of us remain. And all in the
name of Rules written in ignorance, obsolete a thousand years!
LACHESIS:
The same Rules that distilled our not inconsiderable talent.
CYGNA:
What purpose will our talent serve when there is no one left to
practice it?
ATROPOS:
The same purpose it serves now, Cygna. The Fulfillment of the
Pattern. That is our only purpose.
CYGNA:
You speak of the Pattern as if it were our master. But the Long
Tapestry speaks of a time when we were the masters. Please
Elders! There is power in the Loom.
LACHESIS:
So. It is power you seek.
CLOTHOS:
What would you have us do with this power?
CYGNA:
Use it! I beg you, Elder Clothos. Use the Loom to end our
suffering and bring life and health to our children. The
changes in the Pattern would be trivial. Any one of us could
work the thread. All we lack is courage.
LACHESIS:
Do you make this request on behalf of the Guild? Or on your own
behalf?
CYGNA:
(Hesitant.)
Both.
ATROPOS:
Cygna. It is true, the Great Loom holds the power you seek. It
is also true that our ancestors wielded its power freely. It
may be that they understood the Pattern better than we. Or
perhaps the threads were easier to grasp in those simpler
times. It does not matter. We dare not tamper with the Pattern
now. It subtleties have passed beyond our understanding. It is
all we can do to observe our destiny in its fulfillment.
LACHESIS:
You ask for a miracle, Cygna. But we are not Gods. We are
interpreters.
CYGNA:
Interpreters? You are nothing but caretakers. How can you
squander the heritage our ancestors gave their lives to
preserve? Your pious hand-wringing mocks their devotion. Who
are the Weavers now, and who are the woven?
ATROPOS:
Enough. I have tolerated your hysteria out of sympathy for your
bereavement. But I cannot allow you to utter blasphemy in the
presence of the Loom itself. You will return to your tent and
forget that this conversation ever occurred. If I hear of it
again outside this chamber, you will suffer the penalty
prescribed to all who defy the will of the Elders. Must I
specify that penalty?
CYGNA:
No, Elder Atropos.
ATROPOS:
Then go.
(Gentler.)
And do not judge us, Cygna. Only the Pattern may judge.
-----
Scene 2.
Night. The chirp of crickets and hoot of owls are
tense and expectant.
Anxious footsteps cross a yard of dead leaves. A
key ring tinkles. We hear the dull click of a dead
bolt, and the creak of a little-used door. The
perspective slides indoors, drawing closer to the
echoing rhythm of the Loom.
CYGNA:
(Muttering to herself.)
Deserted. No one will hear me. No one will know.
(Stepping across the
floor.)
The Loom. Power. The Elders are afraid to use it. I am not
afraid.
(Sits.)
The colors in the Pattern. Dancing. The shadow of rainbows.
(Rustles through her
cloak.)
One gray thread. Gray goes with every colour. Invisible. No one
will notice one gray thread. To work. Here's the trick. Tied to
the end of the shuttle.
(She begins to work the
Loom.)
Let the harness do the work. Throw, beat, treadle, rest. Throw,
beat, treadle, rest. Back and forth across the web. You taught
me well, poor Hetchel.
(The music of woven
magic begins to rise as
Cygna chants in rhythm
with the mechanism.)
Throw, beat, treadle, rest. Throw, beat, treadle, rest. In and
under, through and back...
The strange music reaches a climax. A door crashes
open.
ATROPOS:
(Racing into the
Sanctuary.)
Lady Cygna!
The first cry of a newborn infant echoes in the
room. Footsteps hurry across the floor.
LACHESIS:
Too late!
CLOTHOS:
Poor child.
ATROPOS:
You understand the gravity of what you have done.
CYGNA:
Only the Pattern may judge, Elder Atropos.
LACHESIS:
We cannot allow this outrage to go unpunished.
CYGNA:
Do what you must. This baby is alive. I am content.
CLOTHOS:
Surrender the child to Dame Hetchel.
CYGNA:
(Giving Hetchel the baby.)
Care for him the way you cared for me, old friend.
HETCHEL:
(Upset.)
It's the only way I know.
CYGNA:
I am ready.
ATROPOS:
Lady Cygna, you are guilty of treason against the Guild. You
have breached the sanctity of the Loom, and compromised the
fulfillment of the Pattern to indulge your own selfish desires,
in direct defiance of the Elders.
(An eerie, ominous sound
envelops the Sanctuary
as the Elder's magic is
woven.)
You are henceforth and forever outcast from the Guild of
Weavers. You shall neither behold this child, nor set foot upon
this island again. From now until the end of your days, you
shall wander the skies in perpetual solitude. Your mournful cry
shall be a lesson to all who would defy their destiny.
The eerie sound rises to a terrible crescendo,
then condenses into the flutter of powerful wings.
The cry of a swan echoes in the chamber. Witnesses
gasp in surprise and horror.
HETCHEL:
A swan.
(Overcome with emotion.)
Still beautiful...
The proud bird utters a final cry and takes
flight. A great window crashes to pieces, and
beating wings fade into the night.
-----
CLOTHOS
(as Narrator):
Few in the Weaver's village saw the great swan disappear across
the sea that night. But it did not take long for them to hear
of Lady Cygna's defiance in the Sanctuary, and the Elders'
terrible vengeance. All were curious to behold the new infant,
a child born not of woman, but out of the Loom itself, and
whose creation was unforeseen.
It was decreed that the child be raised outside the ways of the
Guild until his coming-of-age seventeen years hence, when his
future would be decided by a High Council. The old serving-
woman, Hetchel, agreed to raise the Loom-Child as her own. She
named the little boy "Bobbin."
-----
Scene 3.
Night. The bedroom of a farm cottage.
HETCHEL:
Bobbin?
(Shaking him.)
Bobbin. Wake up, child.
YOUNG BOBBIN:
Hetchel?
HETCHEL:
That's right, dear. Out of bed.
YOUNG BOBBIN:
Still dark.
HETCHEL:
I know, little one. Get up quickly and get dressed.
YOUNG BOBBIN:
Why?
(Yawning.)
Sleepy.
HETCHEL:
There's something outside I want you to see. Quickly now before
the sun rises.
-----
Scene 4.
A windswept cliff overlooking the sea.
YOUNG BOBBIN:
Cold up here.
HETCHEL:
I told you to bring your quilt, didn't I? Here. My shawl is
warm.
YOUNG BOBBIN:
I don't see anything.
HETCHEL:
Patience. She will come. She's come every year, ever since you
were born.
YOUNG BOBBIN:
What does she look like?
HETCHEL:
She looks... Wait. There, between the trees!
(A distant hoot.)
No, no. Only an owl.
YOUNG BOBBIN:
The village looks small from up here. Which star is that?
HETCHEL:
The bright one? That is the morning star. You can even see it
in the daytime, if then sun is right. Look, down there! Flying
low, across the water. Do you see?
YOUNG BOBBIN:
It's just a sea gull.
HETCHEL:
Look again
The cry of a lone bird echoes above the surf.
YOUNG BOBBIN:
(A gasp of surprise.)
Oh!
HETCHEL:
A swan, Bobbin. A white swan.
(To herself.)
Happy birthday, poor boy.
YOUNG BOBBIN:
Here she comes. Look, she's flying over!
(The cry passes by with a
great beating of wings.)
She's... beautiful.
HETCHEL:
Yes. Still beautiful.
YOUNG BOBBIN:
Why does she sound so sad?
HETCHEL:
Because she is alone. Proud, and alone.
YOUNG BOBBIN:
She's flying away. Where is she going, Hetchel?
HETCHEL:
Out beyond the Pattern, I expect.
YOUNG BOBBIN:
Can we go visit?
HETCHEL:
Stand away from the edge! No, little Bobbin. Those who are born
of the Pattern are hemmed into its web forever. Where that swan
goes, we cannot follow.
YOUNG BOBBIN:
(Sleepy.)
The sun is in my eyes.
HETCHEL:
You're yawning. Come. Back to home and bed for you.
-----
CLOTHOS
(as Narrator):
The years were kind to Bobbin Threadbare. The boy grew tall and
slender, with wide blue eyes that sparkled with mystery and
intelligence.
Yet Bobbin never went to school. The Elders of the Guild would
not permit it. The other children were told he was a half-wit,
and they taunted him with terrible cruelty, throwing stones if
he came too near. And so the friendless boy spent his days in
solitude, combing the beaches for sticks of firewood, and
exploring the hills and forests of the Weavers' little island,
until no one knew them better than he.
Old Hetchel cared for Bobbin like her own son. She saw his
growing bitterness, and begged the Elders to end this cruel
exile. But the Elders were afraid of Bobbin, and not without
reason. His unexpected birth had thrown the Pattern into chaos.
Year after year, they watched with growing apprehension as
shadows of apocalypse spread across the web in the Loom.
Bobbin's thread was weaving its way towards a destiny of
overwhelming consequence. The Pattern was disintegrating. No
one knew how to stop it.
The Elders never told Bobbin who he was, or how he came to be.
They prayed that Bobbin would be unable to fulfill his destiny
so long as he never left the Island, and never learned the ways
of spellweaving. They did not suspect that Bobbin's education
had already begun.
-----
Scene 5.
Interior of farm cottage. A cozy fire crackles
nearby.
BOBBIN:
Not tonight, Mother Hetchel!
HETCHEL:
Especially tonight. Draw the curtains, boy. Sit here by the
fire. Now, tell me. How many threads are there in a draft?
BOBBIN:
(By rote.)
Four.
HETCHEL:
Their names?
BOBBIN:
The Throw.
HETCHEL:
That's one.
BOBBIN:
The Beat
HETCHEL:
Two.
BOBBIN:
The Treadle. And the Rest.
HETCHEL:
Good. Let's see if you remember the draft I taught you. Spin it
for me.
Bobbin reluctantly hums the four notes of a
draft. He isn't very good.
HETCHEL:
Tsk, tsk. Pitiful. Listen to me.
(Hums the same notes, very
sweetly and steadily.)
Now you know what the other boys do in school all day.
BOBBIN:
I guess I'll never learn to weave.
HETCHEL:
Rubbish. Do you suppose that every Weaver starts out with a
golden throat? It takes years of practice, years! How long do
you suppose the Elders have been weaving? Nearly as long as I
have, and that is a very long time indeed.
BOBBIN:
But where do I begin?
HETCHEL:
You will begin with this.
(A soft harmonic
vibration, rich and
vaguely musical, wavers
nearby. It sounds like a
glass harmonium.)
Do you know what it is?
BOBBIN:
(Fascinated.)
No.
HETCHEL:
This is called a "dis-taff." Our ancestors used a distaff to
spin flax into thread. We use it to spin music and light into
threads of influence.
BOBBIN:
Show me.
HETCHEL:
Hold the distaff in your hands. Like this; don't be afraid. Now
spin that draft I taught you again. Just the first thread.
Bobbin hums the note, uncertainly and rather flat.
HETCHEL:
(Interrupting.)
Flat. Spin it again, dear. This time, slide the thread high in
your throat like this.
(Demonstrates.)
Can you do that?
BOBBIN:
I think so.
Bobbin sings the note again, slowly increasing the
pitch. As he approaches C, the distaff begins to
vibrate in sympathy, until Bobbin's voice and the
distaff's hum are harmonizing. Bobbin stops
abruptly, but the distaff continues to hum for a
few seconds.
BOBBIN:
(Delighted.)
It's glowing!
HETCHEL:
It's telling you when your pitch is correct Try the beat and
treadle threads.
Bobbin sings the second and third notes. The
distaff hums obediently.
HETCHEL:
You learn quickly.
BOBBIN:
What happens if I spin all four?
HETCHEL:
Let's find out, shall we? Let me shut this first...
(She snaps a nearby basket shut.)
All right. Listen carefully. I want you to spin those four
threads again. Wait for the distaff to glow before you go on to
the next. As you spin the last thread, point the distaff at the
ball of yarn inside my knitting basket.
BOBBIN:
But you just closed it.
HETCHEL:
Indeed. Those four threads form a Pattern of Opening. You're
going to lift up the top of that basket without even touching
it. Whenever you're ready.
BOBBIN:
Does it hurt?
HETCHEL:
Tingles a bit. Remember, concentrate on the ball of yarn inside
the basket. Spin.
Bobbin begins the four-note sequence again. The
distaff hums along, its harmonies swelling in
power and complexity.
HETCHEL:
Concentrate. Now, point... Not at the window!
A pane of glass shatters. Shards tinkle on the
floor as the humming dies away. A distant dog
begins to bark.
BOBBIN:
Wow.
HETCHEL:
Ssh! Blow out that light!
(He does.)
Sit still for a minute!
(The barking dies away.)
Good. I don't think anybody heard us.
BOBBIN:
(Waving the distaff
around.)
What other drafts do you know?
HETCHEL:
Give me that! You've done enough Weaving for one night. Off to
bed with you. You have a big day ahead, and we both have to get
up very early.
BOBBIN:
Let me go alone this year, Mother Hetchel.
HETCHEL:
Alone...? Well, I suppose you're old enough. Go alone, Bobbin.
I don't mind staying in bed late this time.
-----
CLOTHOS
(as Narrator):
It was still dark when Bobbin awoke. Quietly, so as not to
disturb old Hetchel, he slipped into his warm gray robe and
stepped outside into the chill before dawn.
(The rush of a windswept
cliff rises in the
background.)
The climb up the cliff path was steep and dangerous in the
darkness. Only the waves crashing against the rocks below broke
the stillness. Bright stars twinkled overhead.
It was still half an hour before sunrise when Bobbin reached
the top of the cliff. He sat down beneath a crooked old tree,
and leaned back to wait for the seventeenth visit of the great
swan. In less than a minute he was fast asleep.
/ =============================== \
< [09] FAQ >
\ =============================== /
==Q. I don't get the first scene shown by the Dragon's Scrying Sphere. What is
it supposed to be showing?===============================================
A. Well, the Scrying Sphere is supposed to show something that occurs sometime
in the not too distant future. The volcano erupting certainly seems to be
an unleashed Temblor Draft, but it does not feature within the actual span
of the game, or at least, not as far as we the player can see. It's
possible that it happens when the Dead Ones come into the world, or it
could actually be an event from one of the sequels to Loom.
==Q. Wait, there are sequels to Loom?=========================================
A. Uhm, no, but they were at the very least being considered. Brian Moriarty,
who designed Loom, has given conflicting accounts about the two follow-up
games, Forge (about Rusty Nailbender and his attempts to liberate the
Forge) and The Fold (about Fleece Firmflanks uniting the guilds to fight
against Chaos), but they never came into existence since Moriarty was busy
with other projects, and no one else at Lucasarts really gave a crap.
==Q. Are there any secrets in this game?======================================
A. If you're playing the original floppy disk version of Loom, you actually
get to see Bobbin's face in Expert mode when Cob meets his grizzly fate.
==Q. Why isn't that in later versions of Loom?================================
A. Truthfully, I haven't played the FM-Towns CD version, so I don't know for
certain that it doesn't actually appear there. However, the later DOS CD
version is most definitely missing it. With the upgrade to a full talkie
version, Lucasarts had problems synching up the audio to the mouth
movements of the characters in the close-up shots of their faces. As such,
all the headshots got removed, including that of Bobbin's actual face.
Which sucks.
==Q. Huh, the music sounds familiar. What is that?============================
A. All pieces of music are excerpts from Tchaikovsky's classic, "Swan Lake."
==Q. Help! I own a copy of Loom, but I can't get it to run!===================
A. Chances are, your computer is just too good to run Loom. However, there is
a solution to this; the wonderful folk over at ScummVM
(
http://www.scummvm.org) have created a nifty program to allow many old
point-and-click games to be run on todays more technologically advanced
computers.
==Q. Do you know where I can find a copy of Loom? I can't seem to find it in
the shops, nor *ahem*online*ahem*========================================
A. There used to be a rant about how Lucasarts wouldn't release their old games
as Abandonware... well, they still haven't, but you can now buy Loom at the
Steam store (
http://store.steampowered.com/), as well as several other
Lucasarts games, with more to come.
/ =============================== \
< [10] Thanks >
\ =============================== /
This list is gonna be pretty short methinks =P
Silent D - for giving me some additional codes for the Book of Patterns.
My Brother - for getting me into the Lucasarts games in the first place,
and doing most of the puzzle solving for me (I used to be a
hideous example of back-seat gaming).
DJellybean - for clueing me in for the basics of FAQ presentation.
Phoenix 1911 - I stole the copyright stuff from him coz' it sounded all
professional and stuff XD
GameFAQS - for hosting this FAQ.
/ =============================== \
< [11] Legal Stuff >
\ =============================== /
This unofficial document is protected by the international Copyright law. All
content within is created and owned by Peter Carter. Absolutely no profit must
be made from this work; it may not be reproduced, in part or in whole, and/or
altered in any way or under any circumstances without the prior consent from
the author, except for personal and private use. All copyrights and trademarks
contained within are owned by their respective holders. No copyright
infringement was intended during the creation of this document.
Copyright 2005-2009 Peter Carter.
/ =============================== \
< [12] Next Version >
\ =============================== /
There probably won't be a next version to be honest. What can be added to
this?
/ =============================== \
< [13] Working On... >
\ =============================== /
Fallout 1.
/ =============================== \
< [14] Goodbye! >
\ =============================== /
GOODBYE!
And that's all for now folks!
