You begin your adventure as a senior-year student from Glenvale Grammar. In your last class, Mr. Beasley, your history teacher, talked about the darker era of Glenvale: a time when a cult, ruled by Carl Kurndorf, the madman, enticed many of the young townsfolk into performing unmentionable acts. The cult spread like wildfire among the community until regional officials stepped in. The police arrested Kurndorf but, due to the lack of evidence and the uncommon generosity of Magistrate Anthony Melin, Kurndorf was released.

Calamity followed. In a letter from the blacksmith's wife, Mrs. Stears, to the regional minister the good lady described what she had witnessed:

Tonight I could not believe how far our neighbours have fallen from God. In search of my daughter, Trudy, I visited the hotel, a place I have avoided since that devil Kurndorf was set free. Before I entered that place of sin I prayed to the Almighty that I might not find my innocent daughter there with the crowd of devil worshippers.

Two men guarded the lobby entrance: Constable Phillips and a stranger who looked like the strongest man in the world. I tried to ignore them as I squeezed between their massive bulk but to no avail. Not only did they prevent me from entering but Constable Phillips spoke with such profanity that I wondered whether he could still be the same man who, one month before, charmingly greeted me in the street.

Now I know that I should have counted myself lucky to have been shielded from the hotel lobby. If I had not yelled at those burly men, Kurndorf may not have known I was there. Upon hearing my voice I heard him order the guards to allow me purchase. As I staggered forth, a scene, which I could not describe for the fear of God presented itself to me.

In the midst of the debauchery, I saw Kurndorf lounging in a throne- like chair. Despairing, I pleaded for my daughter. The devil laughed. Ignoring my request, he told me it was my turn. Fear struck my heart and, as Kurndorf lifted an enormous book from a side table, I could not speak. Kurndorf opened the book and started to read something aloud. The words were demented and evil. Knowing that I was in great danger, I fled those premises and ran to my house to write this message.

There is not much time left. Soon the entire township will be under the spell of the evil cult. Please save us.

After the letter was received by the church, district officials were notified and within a month Carl Kurndorf was killed by a lone gunman. There is no mention of who the gunman was or what happened to him. Many of the townfolk, including Mrs. Stears, were directed to the district asylum.

You are curious about these events and Kurndorf's book. You decide that you must find the book, decipher the incantations, and find and combine ingredients to cast spells.