Scratches (walkthrough)

Welcome to the Scratches Walkthrough

Adventure Game Walkthroughs

A lot of creaking doors wait you in this tale of mystery and murder. Take your time to really explore the house before you resort to consulting this walkthrough for the game.

All you need to play the game is your mouse and the ESC key. Move the mouse to pan about and, when you see something of interest, left click to examine, pick-up, use or move in that direction.

If you want to use something you have collected, right-click to open the inventory. Left click to select items. If you want to use an item hover over object you want to interact with and left click. Items can be used on other inventory items or object within the house. Right-click to exit the inventory.

To access the main menu, press ESC. To skip the dialogues, press ESC (not advisable first time round though).
Saturday Oct 12th

Your journey begins on a country lane in Northumberland. It is a dark and misty morning as you drive to your new home: Blackwood Manor.
Getting to Know You

After you have parked up, walk towards the house and up the steps. Try the door knob to discover the door is locked.

Right click to see your inventory. Along with your cases you have a key. Left click to select the key and right click to exit the inventory. Hover over the doorknob and the key will glow. Left click to use the key on the door. Click on the doorknob to open the door and enter the Main Hallway.

Survey your surroundings. Off to the left is a rather grand staircase, in front is small anteroom and on the right is a Living Room.

After a few moments the phone rings. Go forwards into the anteroom and the phone is on a table to the right. Pick up the handset and chat with Jerry.

You really need to explore your new house but do not want to be lugging those cases around. Climb the staircase and enter the Guest Room on the right.

Go to the table in the corner and plonk your suitcase on the top. Put your typewriter on the desk and open the lid. Get the paper and typewriter out and put the case on the floor (click on the case to do this). You can read the notes on your book if you like.

Go to your suitcase and open the lid. Pick-up the pen and matchbook. Examine Jerry's business card and Barbara's number in your note book. There is a copy of your first book in there as well. Interesting cover notes.

Open the desk drawers and see if you can decipher the scrawls on the anatomical drawings.

There is a screwed up note in the waste bin that might be worth a read.

Flip the light switch by the door. Not a good start.

Leave the Guest room and go back down to the Main Hallway. Give Jerry a call. He tells you that an electrician is due to call later to fix the lights. Give Barbara a call and discover that she is learning tongues.
Exploring the House
First (Ground) Floor

In the Living Room there are a load of candlesticks without candles. On the table is a diary that proves to be an interesting read. James was a troubled soul - those noises seem to have become quite disturbing.

Open the door in the Living Room and enter the Study. Lots of interesting books on the bookshelves; one of them is titled the 'Worlds of Myst'.

Read the journal on the desk - those masks sound intriguing. Note all the items in the drawers. Note the locked drawer on the right.

Leave the Study through the double doors and enter the Dining Room.

The door to the left leads to the Main Hallway. There is little to do in the Dining Room but note more of the empty candlesticks.

Go through the door on the right and enter the Small Hallway.

Open the curtains on the left to get some light. There are some more vases on the floor - guess where they come from. We will investigate the stairs later. Go through the other door into the Kitchen.

The outside door leads to a path which leads to a Crypt. The door is sealed with wire so walk back to the Kitchen.

Note the key holder on the wall, coffee grinder on the table, lack of water in the sink, gungy refrigerator and the locked door to the Basement. Go through into the Maid's Quarters.

Go to the desk and examine the letter. It has some strange markings that need to be investigated. Open the top drawer of the desk and pick up the pencil. Open your inventory and use the pencil on the letter. Interesting. Could be something Barbara could help you with.

Now examine the photo in the drawer (underneath the notebook). It is a picture of the key holder in the Kitchen with a key and a vase beneath.

Close the drawer and step back. Open the door to the bathroom and examine the photos. In the bath is a picture of the Basement door - it wasn't locked then.

Go back to the Kitchen and look at the key holder on the wall. The key and vase are missing but you have seen enough vases around the house - maybe you can find it.

Exit the Kitchen into the Small Hallway and take another look at the vases underneath the window. There is a key in the one on the left. The only locked door you know about is the one in the Kitchen. And if it leads to the Basement you should be able to find the fuse box and fix the lights.

Return to the Kitchen and unlock the Basement door. Down the stairs and examine the fuse box on the left. Everything seems to be in order so don't know what the problem is. Examine the huge boiler and the valve on the pipe at the back of the cellar.

That noise is driving me crazy! Up the stairs and back into the Kitchen. Into the Small Hallway and climb the stairs to the Second Floor.
Second Floor

Note the stairs leading up to the Third Floor

Enter the Bathroom on the left, a room that has seen better days. Not much in the drawers apart from an old rag. Leave the Bathroom and walk along the hallway.

Enter the Main Bedroom on the left. Not yours but quite elegant. Note the picture on the wall of a lady with a crystal ball. Touch the ball to reveal a safe. There is a small mirror on the table that swivels back and forth.

Leave the Main Bedroom and enter the African Gallery opposite. Note the small desk with the broken lamp where there is another letter to be read. Examine the cabinet in the corner with the elephant tusks. Examine the masks on the opposite side of the room - there seems to be one missing. To the left of the door is a necklace with a lion's claw pendant.

Leave the gallery and climb the stairs to the Third Floor.
Third Floor

The door on the left of the stairs is stuck. Go to the rooms opposite the stairs.

These rooms are interconnected. The builders have been in but they're not there now. In one of the rooms is a small stove on some planks. Since there is not much else to do exit to the Upper Hallway. Opposite the builders room is another staircase leading up and a door. The door is locked but you can see the key on the other side of the key hole. If you have been collecting things as you go along, you can try to get the key using the 'traditional method'.

At the far end of the hallway is a spiral staircase that leads up to the top of the tower. There is an old lamp bracket and a large crack in the wall. Not much else to do though except look out of the window.

Back down and up those final stairs. They lead to an Attic that turns out to be full of junk. On the left is a small musical box that plays a tinkly tune. At the far end is a pile of newspapers and there is a big travelling chest in the corner.
Into the Grounds and more Discoveries

Remember that letter written in Italian? Head back down to the Main Entrance and call Barbara as she may be able to help with the translation.

Go to the Study and open the drawers in the desk. Pick up the envelope, Open your inventory and put the letter in the envelope. Use the pen from your suitcase to address the letter.

Leave the house and go to the main gates. On the left is a Mailbox (and for the British players - I know it's not how we do things but just live with it). Open the flap and you will see a note inside. Pick it up and discover that the electrician has already been. Great. Put your letter to Barbara in the mail box and close the flap.

Before you return to the house, take time to explore the grounds. Face the house.

Off to the right is a locked garage - could be some tools in there.

Off to the left is a long path. A little way along is a sandy path off to the right. Follow this path to a locked chapel. On the way back, take a look at the house. You can see all the rooms you have visited but maybe you can see something extra. No matter if you can't. Note the position of the windows in the tower. Back to the long path and follow it to a junction (just past the boulders). The left fork leads to a pool of water and a dead tree. The right fork leads to a locked greenhouse.

Back to the house and call Jerry. He will ask you to check the fuses. If you have already done so his next suggestion is to look for some candles - there are certainly enough candlesticks.

Time to take another look through all the rooms. I suggest you check the cupboard next to the sink in the Kitchen, the drawers in the Dining Room, Study and Guestroom and the chest in the Attic (note the lamp in the chest).

If you still can't find any candles, give Jerry another call. If you haven't looked everywhere he will send you off again.

Eventually he suggests you take a drive into town to buy some candles. Out of the house and into your car. The keys are in the glovebox. Put the keys in the ignition, twist and -nothing. Open the door and return to the house. Call Jerry again.

He suggest that the lack of light is perfect for creating the writing ambiance. And so it is.

Lets take stock. There is no power, no water, no candles and all the lamps seem to be broken. There are also some disturbing noises and books that are not that cheerful. Have a bit of a mooch around, make sure you have read the diary in the Living Room and journal in the Study. Give Jerry another call - maybe he knows something about the previous owners.

Armed with a date (May 1963), climb all the way up to the Attic and examine those newspapers again. Click on the caption and read all about it. Interesting news and at least you now know who took those photographs.

It's been a long day. Jerry and Barbara have nothing more to say so why not hit the sack. Head for the Guest Room and lie down on the bed.
Saturday Night

It seems only a few moments ago that you fell asleep and now there is a hammering. Leave your room and go to the gallery. It looks very different now - go to the barred door and get the hammer.

Err... Am I awake now?

There is a lot of noise from over near the fireplace. Get the doctor's stethoscope from the bag and use it on the hearth stone.

It's downstairs whatever it is. Listen at the bricks in the fireplace in the Living Room. Further down still. And the only place left is the Basement. Go to the Kitchen and open the Basement door.

As it is much to dark to see (and do you really want to hear those noises in the dark) go back to bed.
Sunday October 13th

When you awake on Sunday morning all you can hear is a tremendous thunderstorm. Leap out of bed and take another look at the cabinet in the African Gallery. Seems to be all OK now, you can pull on the handle but nothing moves. Head off downstairs. The phone rings and Jerry informs you that you are stuck here for a while. If you have already found the safe in the Main Bedroom then Jerry will give you the combination. If not, you will need to find the safe and call Jerry back.

Go to the Main Bedroom. Open the picture with the lady in red and then the safe. Get the blue key and read the contract for the house repairs. Note the number for the Bank: 01912 94144.

You really should do some work but there are some intriguing locked doors that seem much more interesting. You are going to need some tools to help though. Go get the:

Boring tool out of the desk in the study.

Rag from the bottom drawer in the Bathroom.

Knife from the cupboard next to the sink in the Kitchen.

Lamp from the chest in the Attic.

(If you are a magpie like me, you have probably got most of these already).

Go to the Third Floor and face the locked door (with your back to the spiral staircase). Since the key is on the inside, the solution is as old as the building itself. Grab a sheet of paper from the materials on the left and slide it under the door. Now push the key out of the lock using the boring tool.

Pull back the newspaper and... damn, always seems to work in the movies. Use the blue key from the safe to open the door and go inside.

In the middle of a desk is a padlock key that may prove useful later.

Examine the blueprints on the desk. If you click on each room Michael will describe it. Click on a corner to get the next blueprint. On the second floor there seems to be a small room between the Main Bedroom and the staircase that seems interesting. This relates to the extra window you may have seen if you have explored the grounds.

Go back down to the Lower Hallway and look at the wall to the left of the Main Bedroom door. Use your knife cut away the wallpaper to find the bricked up doorway.

Since there seems to be no obvious way into the hidden room from either the Lower Hallway or the Main Bedroom, you will have to use your ingenuity. And the window seems to be the best bet. Examining the blueprints again you notice the tower window is almost above the hidden room. What you need is a rope to climb down.

Pick up the hammer from the stool and go into the next room.

Climb the ladder and cut the loop of rope with the kitchen knife.

Jump off the ladder and pick up the rope (you may need to back off to see it). Leave the room and climb the spiral staircase to the top of the tower.

Use the hammer on the crack in the wall and tie the rope to the lamp bracket. Look down and pick up the rope. Michael will throw it out the crack so that it hangs down outside the tower.

Go down the stairs a little and open the window. Still raining but you can see the rope in the top right corner. Grab it and haul yourself outside. This is not really that much fun. Slither down the rope and push open the window. Swing into the room and breathe a sigh of relief.
Hidden Rooms
The Nursery

The doorway is bricked up so no way out the room that way. If you look around you can see a child's cot and a chest of drawers.

Open the top drawer and read the birth certificate. This could be the lead you are looking for - maybe the newspapers will provide more information.

Examine the blocks in the little trolley. The ones on the floor spell out the word BIN and there is a misplaced O as well. You may want to note the numbers on the blocks.

Exit the room through the window and climb the rope to the tower. Down the stairs and up to the Attic. Somewhat disappointing news but another intriguing avenue opens up.
The African Gallery

Let's go to work on that cabinet in the African Gallery.

Return to the room with the ladder and have a look at the shelf at the top. There is a small oil can whose drop of oil won't be enough for your new found lamp. Use the rag on the very dirty can. It seems to be full of oil but the lid is stuck tight. Pierce a hole using your boring tool and use the lamp on the can.

If you got the matches from your suitcase, you now have the tools to combat even the darkest corner of the house.

Exit the room and go down to the African Gallery.

Examine the bottom of the cabinet. Use the knife to prise off the panel at the bottom. Pulling the handle does little except wear you out. Try using the oil can on the two wheels. Pull the handle and all is revealed. Use the hammer to prise off the planks and open the door.

A bit dark in here. Use the matches on the lamp and once it is lit, take a look.

Stop looking at me! Move the bamboo poles away from the window and Michael will put out the lamp. On one of the boxes are two letters. Could this Christopher be the doctor named on the Birth certificate and mentioned in the newspaper?

Not much left in the house to explore now. Still got lots of questions but you really need to do some work. Sit at the desk and put some paper in the typewriter. Tap on the keys and the creative juices start to flow. After a while your enthusiasm wanes and you feel the need to share your experiences.

Pop downstairs and give Jerry a call. He doesn't seem as enthused as you are. It has been a long day. Maybe it's time for bed.
Sunday Night

You wake again at midnight - something is not right. Leave your room and go once more to the African Gallery. Enter the small room and something is missing. This is not good. Leave the room and -

Another dream?

Properly woken this time, you hear those scratches again. Last night you couldn't investigate further as you were without light. This time with lamp in hand you can search out the source of the noises. Go down to the Kitchen and into the Basement. Light your lamp and use it on the room.

Down the steps and over to the boiler. Open the fire door and crawl inside. There is something at the far end - crawl along and take a look through the hole. Spooky.

Exit from the boiler and leave the Basement. Nothing more to do so it's back to bed and try to sleep.
Monday October 14th

Awake bright and early. Last nights shenanigans leave Michael a little shaken. It is really cold so go down to the living room and light the fire. Give Jerry a call.

Remember the telephone number of the bank you saw on the building contract. Why not give them a call and see what they know. Might be worth saving your game here.

Select the 'call another number' option and dial: 01912 94144. When the bank answers you have a number of options. Get it wrong and the bank won't help.

Try this sequence: Ask about James Blackwood, say you are Christopher Milton, ask about recent activities.

Don't actually think that there is much more to explore in the house and now that the weather is better it might be nice to investigate outside.
The Garage

Leave the house through the front entrance and go to the Garage over on the left. Use the padlock key on the padlock and open the door.

On the right is a very old car. On the left is a very old bike. Spin the pedals and the front light comes on. The old dynamo attached to the rear wheel still works then. Go the bench. In the tool box on the left is a pair of pliers and a screwdriver. Leaning on the right hand end of the bench is a crowbar. Pick up all three items and leave the garage.

One of the problems in the house was the lack of water. In the Basement was a seized valve. Oil won't do it but you tools should give you leverage you need. Go to the Basement and use the crowbar on the valve. Now use the hammer and the valve opens. If you check in the Kitchen you will discover that the water is flowing but still not through the taps.
The Crypt

Leave the house through the Kitchen door and go to the crypt. Use the pliers to remove the wire. Open the doors and look inside. Go to the coffins at the far end.

There are two plaques near the floor that declare the expiration of James and Catherine Blackwood. Pick the stone while you are there.

Stand up and open the coffins. Each one contains a quite different surprise. Back off and go down the stairs to the lower level. It is very gloomy and although you can see a plaque below the small coffin on the left, you can't see what it says. Note the other coffin with the half open lid.

The small coffin could well be the final resting place of the Blackwood boy. His name was unreadable on his birth certificate so you really need to check the plaque. But without any light this will not be so easy. One possible method is to reflect the sunlight off of a mirror. Remember the mirror beneath the safe the Main Bedroom? Go there now and use the screwdriver to detach it from its frame. Return to the crypt and use the wire on the mirror. Try to hang the mirror on the candle bracket. Still not enough light. Maybe if you can break the windows in the dome things will get a little brighter.

Use the stone on the dome - useless. My old granny could do better. Down the stairs and pick up the stone. Try again. Success! Hang the mirror on the candle bracket, down the stairs and examine the plaque. It just says 'R'. Recall that the blocks in the nursery spelt out the letters BIN. R and BIN could combine with the misplaced O to spell the name ROBIN. If you have the numbers from the blocks for these 5 letters you will have a five figure sequence.

I think that you really need to call Jerry and find out what on earth happened. He gives you a date that needs investigating. Back up to the Attic and look at the papers for June 1963. Note Bailey's phone number: 01665 65217.

Back down to the main hall and give Bailey a call. He is very reluctant to talk but eventually reveals that Eva Mariani had seen how Catherine's throat was ripped open and that she is still buried in the Manor grounds.

Which reminds you - Babara was translating a letter for you. Go to the mail box and the translated letter should be there for you. Note the hiding place beneath the bedside cabinet. Go to the maid's room and examine the loose floorboard beneath the cabinet. There is a photograph of James Blackwood digging a hole for a very mysterious something. Note the shadow of the tower.
The Silver Key

Leave the house through the front door and take the long path off to the right to the Greenhouse. First time round you couldn't get in but you now have an oil can. Squirt some oil on the hinges and the door opens easily. It is very musty inside. Note something shiny beneath the central tree. You can't get to it but it looks valuable. Go round the other side on the central tree and note the water tap. Go upstairs to the catwalk. There is a spade stuck fast in the flowerbed and a hose on the floor. Walk round to the opposite side and examine the potting table. There plant is only thing still alive. Read the letter in the left drawer. In the right drawer is a pair of shears that you can use to take a cutting from the plant.

Shovels are always useful on a mystery mission especially now that you have something to dig for. Grab one end of the hose pipe and shove it in the flowerbed, throw the other end over the railing. Go down the stairs and connect the hose pipe to the tap. Turn on the tap and go back up to the stairs. The water has loosed the soil and you can get the shovel.

Now for that shiny thing. You may be able to wash it round to a more accessible place. If you have explored the grounds you will have seen the dead trees by the pool. I suspect that the Greenhouse drains into this pool. Pull the hose off the tap and the water pours into the drain. Wander round to the other side of the tree. After a few moments the shiny thing disappears. Follow the drain to the right. There is a fallen pot with an old plant blocking the drain. Use the shears the cut away the plant and you will hear the water washing away. Leave the Greenhouse and go to the boulders. Walk to the pool down the path to the right. Look down at the pool and you will see the shiny thing. Pick it up and discover that you have found a small silver key.

Run through your list of things still locked and smallest of those is the drawer in the desk in the Study. Go to the desk drawer and use the key. Open the drawer and examine the box inside. There is a combination lock with 5 dials. Remember the name ROBIN. On the blocks in the nursery each letter had a number. And you noted them down didn't you?

Set the dials to the combination 59097. Open the lid and examine the contents. The partition on the right has a small section that swivels. Turn it to the left and press the button on the left. Turn it to the right and press the button on the right. Lift out the false bottom and get the ornate key that can only be for the chapel.
The Chapel

Leave the house through the front door and take the sandy path to the chapel. Use the key on the door and enter the chapel.

Go round to the back of the altar and examine the crucifix. If you look closely at the toes you will see a hole. Look up and note the position of the INRI. Step back and examine the ring in the floor. Use the crowbar on the ring and lift out the slab to reveal a chain and pulley. Go back to the entrance and climb the spiral stairs. Open the wooden cabinet and take the Bible from the drawer at the top. Flick through the pages until you find the nail. Guess where that goes. Back down the stairs and return to the crucifix. Use the nail on the hole in the feet and look up. The INRI sign is somewhat askance. Use the crowbar on the INRI sign and it all starts to happen.

Climb down into the hole and light the candle on your right. Look at the desk and read the letter to Christopher and the essay. It seems that you need to make yourself an amulet. The instructions aren't that precise but you do need to find items from victim and victimizer, a binding plant and a wooden holder. The two key items shouldn't be too solid and they must be organic. A simple task then! Grab the wooden branch from the right of the desk.

Before you do anything else, give Jerry a call.

After your phone call, leave the house by the front door. It seems as if somebody was there just now. Go check the mailbox. You have received a missive from the National Trust. This explain Jerry's new found desire for you to leave. You have got to get your car to start somehow. The old bike in the garage has a dynamo, you could try charging your battery with it. Open the boot of the car and lift out the battery. Stagger to the garage and put the battery on the box next to the bike. Connect the cables and turn those pedals.

Put the battery in the car and jump in. But before you turn the key, your desire to solve the mystery of the Manor takes precedence.
The Amulet

Go to the sandy path that leads to the chapel. If you look very carefully you can see the tower's shadow to the left of the path. If you can't then wait a while until it gets darker (about 4pm) and you will be able to see the shadow better. Use your spade to dig a hole. Guess who? This seems to fit the bill of a victim.

Examine Catherine's decaying mouth and use your pliers to remove a tooth. Let's leave her in peace.

Recall the journal entry that mentioned a godlike tall feline, the need for a victimizer and that both elements needed to be organic. The only item that fits the bill is the lion's claw in the African Gallery. Return to the house, go to the African Gallery use your pliers to remove the claw from the necklace.

OK, you now have all the ingredients for the amulet but the bone is very solid. Go to the Kitchen and open the top of the coffee grinder. Drop in Catherine's tooth, close the lid and grind away. Open the drawer and collect the powder. Close the drawer. Do the same with the lion's claw. Combine them together and add the leaves from the African plant you got from the greenhouse.

It doesn't really form an amulet so head up to the third floor. Enter the builder's rooms. Examine the little stove. There is a support missing. Go to the other room and look at the builder's rubble. Tucked in one of the holes in a block is the missing support. Use it on the stove. You could do with something flat in the top. Go to the room with the paintings and get the lid from the middle of the table. Put it on the stove along with the amulet ingredients. Use your last match to light the stove and the ingredients combine. Pick up the green stone and use it with the wooden branch.
Exorcising the house

Right. You are now ready to fight evil. Go down to the African Gallery and into the little room with the mask. Use the amulet on the mask and that's that. End of the mystery.

Lets go downstairs and warm up a bit. And there it is again. Those scratches. Go to the living room fire. It has burnt out and revealed a grating. Lift up the grate and you can see yet another secret entrance. Climb down and you are now in a space between the Basement and that cell you saw.

Slide back the bolt on the door and enter. This really is a ghastly place. Whoever was incarcerated in there has been trying to escape. Go to the hole in the wall and get a whiff of something nasty. Now take a good look around the room. There is a mutilated teddy bear and some gnawed bones on the table. Who or what was in here?

Have another look at that hole in the wall...