RIDICULOUSLY LONELY, THE

The Ridiculously Lonely are a group of lethargic people who inhabited the labyrinthrine tunnels within the Cliffs of Depression during the mid 17th-century GUE. In order to break the dwarven union permanently, Morphius enslaved most of the people from East Shanbar to mine translumynite for the bulding of his new empire.

The sorcery of Morphius was so strong that it radiated from the cliffs causing his prisoners within to grow so depressed that they could not get up to leave (which was exactly what he wanted). The only ones able to temporarily stay without being affected were those with a bonding plant. But the spells of Morphius were so powerful, that the bonding plant could only survive a short time before wilting and its holder be trapped forever at the cliffs as a virtual slave—a worker in the translumynite mine.

These slaves were extremely somber, lacking energy, enthusiasm and spirit--the most depressing people in existence; they could be heard even from the tops of the cliffs bewailing their misery. They become known as the Ridicuously Lonely. Hoping to rekindle even a fleeting spark of joy or laughter, the prisoners revived Chuckles Comedy Club, and established Cliff Robinson (another of Morphius' slaves) as manager; although the prioprietor warned those without bonding plants to keep away, both with words and with posted warning signs.

After the defeat of Morphius in 1647 GUE, the curse was broken and all the slaves were liberated, both from the cliffs and from their state of depression.

SOURCE(S): Return to Zork (game, design documents)