You would be better using structures as you can then store different types of data about the same location for example:
This structure contains a description of the location and pointers to the next location, so if the user selects north you load the location pointed to by north_ptr.Code:struct location{ char description[255]; struct location *north_ptr; struct location *east_ptr; struct location *south_ptr; struct location *west_ptr; }
I know you said you didnt know much about pointers but you really need them, take some time out and read up on them as you will benifit greatly in your attempts to create any programs.
I am trying to write a text adventure too and I pull my hair out all the time, because going from location to location is the easy part it's making sense of user input and interacting with objects that is the hard part.