AllThingsJacq.com - Interactive Fiction | ClubFloyd - November 22-29, 2020 - Several Other Tales from Castle Balderstone by Ryan Veeder


ToyShop & Floyditorium		#ClubFloyd Discussion


DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "load sleepmask balderstone3"
CF ] Gateway
CF \|
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Good evening, again. My name, as you well know, is Ryan Veeder. It is
CF \| once again my great pleasure, in this festive and frightening season,
CF \| to welcome you for a third time to Castle Balderstone: America's
CF \| legendary hotbed of horror, a treasure trove of the morose, macabre,
CF \| and monstrous. Its crooked pinnacles continue to slash blasphemously
CF \| against ever-present clouds; its grim silhouette continues to be a
CF \| stain of absolute blackness in the midst of a black sky.
CF \|
CF \| This year, as they did last year???and the year before that, and so
CF \| on???the greatest spookcrafters working in the English language have
CF \| assembled in Castle Balderstone's drafty halls to test their latest
CF \| material on the only audience possessed of hearts so inured to terror
CF \| as to withstand the absolute scariest stories???each other.
CF \|
CF \| Tonight, for the third time, you are my plus-one to this wedding of
CF \| the weird and the wicked.
CF \|
CF \| As we ascend once more the winding stairs of Castle Balderstone, the
CF \| wind outside howls in warning, and the temperature drops until your
CF \| teeth chatter in the cold???or is it in recollection of the horrors you
CF \| witnessed here one year ago? Or two years ago?
CF \|
CF \| We trudge again through antique galleries, across musty hallways, and
CF \| down forgotten corridors. The occasional window offers no view of a
CF \| friendly outside world, but of walls, towers, and perilously pitched
CF \| roofs, confirming what your aching legs and ragged breath have already
CF \| predicted: that the labyrinthine architecture of Castle Balderstone is
CF \| one you can never hope to escape. Nevertheless we continue on, through
CF \| another creaking door...
CF \|
CF \| ...And into a warm sitting-room, where velvet couches sit in a circle
CF \| near a roaring fire. The walls are lined with bookshelves, stacked
CF \| with titles you recognize as those you have never been brave enough to
CF \| read. You recognize the occupants of the couches, as well:
CF \| murder-mongers, evil-experts, ghost-gurus, monster-maestros,
CF \| vampire-virtuosos, and dread-distributors. These are the infamous
CF \| authors of Castle Balderstone, and you are their latest victim, again.
CF \|
CF \| Apparently we are the last ones to arrive, AGAIN, so we take our seats
CF \| in a conspicuous display of embarrassed hurriedness and
CF \| loudly-whispered apologies. Eventually the chamber quietens itself,
CF \| and we realize we are about to enjoy the first tale of the evening.
CF \|
CF \| It is Elmir Divkovic, who terrifies so many readers with his
CF \| intricately-realized world of vampires. Worldbuilding gets a bad rap
CF \| these days, but you know what you get when it's done right? You get an
CF \| Elmir Divkovic story, that's what.
CF \|
CF \| The stories are also very scary, too. That's the main thing.
CF \|
CF \| "I am honored to return to Balderstone and present another of my
CF \| vampire-tales," Divkovic begins. "With my vampire-tales I seek to
CF \| raise a mirror to human society: My central theme, that of vampire's
CF \| invampiricism to vampire, must thrust to the center of the human
CF \| reader's soul, and convince the reader to overcome those distasteful
CF \| vampire-like traits lurking within the reader's dark heart. To do
CF \| this, to pierce the soul, my vampire-tales must be both utterly
CF \| horrifying and utterly believable. Hence, all of my vampire-tales are
CF \| enframed within a single carefully constructed world???'The world of
CF \| vampire-tales,' I call it. And for this vampire-tale I have written a
CF \| foreword of sorts, which will acclimate you to my little world before
CF \| we all forget ourselves and inhabit that world for a few moments." He
CF \| opens his notebook:
CF \|
CF \| "The Marquis Semix has long been suspected of dabbling in
CF \| forbidden melliphytic research. He may believe, like so many members
CF \| of the nobility, that his position will his protect him from
CF \| prosecution.
CF \|
CF \| "But the Orthodoxy knows no rank: The Orthodoxy punishes the
CF \| highborn and the peasantry, vampire citizens and mortal helots alike.
CF \| It is simply a matter, in dangerous cases like this, of procuring an
CF \| Inquisitor who is equal to the task."
CF \|
CF \| Elmir looks up and smiles. He lets it all sink in. And then he turns
CF \| the page, and begins to read...
CF \|
CF \| Ryan Veeder Presents
CF \| The Inquisitor Vultrine
CF \| A vampire-tale by Elmir Divkovic
CF \| Release 1 / Serial number 201031 / Inform 7 build 6M62 (I6/v6.34 lib
CF \| 6/12N) SD
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Gateway
CF \| Grotesques in blackened calcite flank the threshold of the Ch??teau
CF \| Semix. Though rain lashes in nearly horizontal torrents, the
CF \| scarlet-flamed braziers go on burning imperturbably.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST
CF \|
CF \| >		MoyTW says, "oh this is the one I didn't get."
		MoyTW says, "Basically, you pick up weapons and use them to fight monsters, and they break on usage. So you need to optimize your weapon usage."
		MoyTW says, "Which uh, I didn't do, so I lost."
		DavidW asks, "'melliphytic'?"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x me"
CF ] Gateway
CF \| >
CF \| > X ME
CF \|
CF \| Publicly the Orthodoxy takes pains to assure its subjects that
CF \| Inquisitors are not above the law. This is a pleasant fiction.
CF \| Inquisitors are empowered to meld the law according to their needs, to
CF \| invent edicts or forget them at will, so long as it serves the aims of
CF \| the Orthodoxy. In the earliest decades of your career, you availed
CF \| yourself of these privileges frequently, reveling in the arbitrary
CF \| power of your position.
CF \|
CF \| But a century's experience has demonstrated that an Inquisitor need
CF \| not resort to such inelegances. The true law, unadulterated by
CF \| situational convenience, is just and complete. It is sufficient in all
CF \| respects, so long as it is wielded with skill and patience. Thus it is
CF \| said privately, and not repeated outside the halls of the Orthodoxy,
CF \| that only the best Inquisitors are not above the law.
CF \|
CF \| You are the Inquisitor Vultrine, ranked among the best.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "i"
CF ] Gateway
CF \| >
CF \| > I
CF \|
CF \| You are carrying:
CF \| a silk cape (being worn)
CF \| a white dagger
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu asks, "melli - honey phyto - plant I think?"
		DavidW asks, "okay?"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x cape"
CF ] Gateway
CF \| >
CF \| > X CAPE
CF \|
CF \| Your fine silk cape is the unofficial symbol of your position as
CF \| Inquisitor. You take great pride in the accessory.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x dagger"
CF ] Gateway
CF \| >
CF \| > X DAGGER
CF \|
CF \| This well-trusted blade was a gift from your mentor, High Inquisitor
CF \| Urimedonte. She warned you to use it judiciously???which is not to say
CF \| she told you never to use it. Its attack power is 1.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu says, "Not sure how that connects, really."
		Roger says, "that's how I would try to parse out the word too"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Audience Hall
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Audience Hall
CF \| Guests of the Marquis who fail to make a good first impression are
CF \| flung into the pit that takes up most of this chamber.
CF \|
CF \| The Marquis himself is seated in the balcony overhead. "I've been
CF \| expecting you, Inquisitor!" he calls down at you. "Make yourself at
CF \| home."
CF \|
CF \| His laughter seems to echo through all the halls of the Ch??teau.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| A scimitar lies abandoned at the edge of the pit.
CF \|
CF \| >		MoyTW says, "Grab every weapon you can."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x marquis"
CF ] Audience Hall
CF \| >
CF \| > X MARQUIS
CF \|
CF \| The Marquis, who was so giddy with sadistic triumph at your entrance,
CF \| now seems for the most part uninterested in your presence. Odd.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x scimitar"
CF ] Audience Hall
CF \| >
CF \| > X SCIMITAR
CF \|
CF \| A curved sword not unlike those you saw employed in the Algerian human
CF \| uprising a century ago. Its attack power is 2.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take it"
CF ] Audience Hall
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE IT
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW asks, "up, down, or east?"
		MoyTW asks, "Try up?"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Audience Hall
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \| You could climb up the wall here, if only your fingers could get a
CF \| strong enough grip.
CF \|
CF \| >		MoyTW says, "I'm reasonably sure you can't at this point but I didn't try - oh you can't."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "talk to marquis"
CF ] Audience Hall
CF \| >
CF \| > TALK TO MARQUIS
CF \|
CF \| The balcony is too high up to permit any interation with the Marquis.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW asks, "so east or down?"
		MoyTW says, "mrmyep I'll kinda sit back"
		DavidW says, "If down is a pit, I hazard east is safest."
		MoyTW says, "You should probably just drive until you hit an interesting thing with this game."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Great Stair
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Great Stair
CF \| Velvet spills over the grand stairway in a crimson flood. To the east
CF \| is a massive wooden door.
CF \|
CF \| High on the wall are displayed the arms of the Marquis Semix.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x arms"
CF ] Great Stair
CF \| >
CF \| > X ARMS
CF \|
CF \| The device of Semix: Gules, a unicorn sable horned or. (Violations of
CF \| the rule of tincture rest outside an Inquisitor's jurisdiction.)
CF \|
CF \| Crossed beneath the escutcheon are the poleaxe Thembriaud and the
CF \| longsword Harcheque.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x poleaxe"
CF ] Great Stair
CF \| >
CF \| > X POLEAXE
CF \|
CF \| This long-handled axe was wielded by a previous Marquis Semix in the
CF \| Battle of Noyes. Its attack power is 5.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take it"
CF ] Great Stair
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE IT
CF \|
CF \| The weapons on the wall are too high to reach.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x longsword"
CF ] Great Stair
CF \| >
CF \| > X LONGSWORD
CF \|
CF \| This silver-plated sword beheaded the werewolf Cornegule in 1207. Its
CF \| attack power is 6.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x door"
CF ] Great Stair
CF \| >
CF \| > X DOOR
CF \|
CF \| The carven boiseries of the portal suggest copious fangs and tongues.
CF \| The door itself is shut.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open it"
CF ] Great Stair
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN IT
CF \|
CF \| The huge door seems to be locked.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Gallery
CF \| Numerous objets d'art and historical oddities are on display in this
CF \| museum hall: A portrait of the Marquis, the statue of Gaspard Oindr??,
CF \| a framed family tree, a Japanese warrior's equipment in an elaborate
CF \| display case.
CF \|
CF \| A pane of ghost-glass to the west offers a view of the balcony. The
CF \| oak door to the east is closed.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x portrait"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > X PORTRAIT
CF \|
CF \| The Marquis sat for this portrait in the hall at the bottom of the
CF \| stairs; you see his coat of arms on the wall behind him. The xanthic
CF \| luminosity of his eyes was probably exaggerated by the artist: You
CF \| recognize the signature of Bartheno??de Aguenisse, an expert flatterer.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take poleaxe"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE POLEAXE
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take sword"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE SWORD
CF \|
CF \| You already have that.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "i"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > I
CF \|
CF \| You are carrying:
CF \| a scimitar
CF \| a silk cape (being worn)
CF \| a white dagger
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take longsword"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE LONGSWORD
CF \|
CF \| The steel display case isn't open.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x case"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > X CASE
CF \|
CF \| The steel bars are worked in intricate designs, offering only
CF \| tantalizing glimpses of the case's contents.
CF \|
CF \| In the steel display case are a suit of samurai armor, a katana, and a
CF \| wakizashi.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x armor"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > X ARMOR
CF \|
CF \| The armor gleams like a insect's iridescent shell. Its polished plates
CF \| bear no marks of battle; it was probably given as a gift rather than
CF \| taken from a foe.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x katana"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > X KATANA
CF \|
CF \| A single-edged longsword of Japanese manufacture. It is flawless. Its
CF \| attack power is 5.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x wakizashi"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > X WAKIZASHI
CF \|
CF \| A Japanese sword with a blade about a foot long. Its attack power is
CF \| 3.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "Each attack power is distinct so far."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x statue"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > X STATUE
CF \|
CF \| The stone Gaspard casts a defiant eye over his shoulder, as if daring
CF \| his foe to attack from behind. The statue is not, strictly speaking,
CF \| life-like; Oindre was petrified in 1709, and his remains have
CF \| been on display in the Ch??teau for perhaps thirty years.
CF \|
CF \| >		MoyTW says, "It's not a rule."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x tree"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > X TREE
CF \|
CF \| This vellum scroll purports to trace the ancestry of the Marquis back
CF \| to the eleventh century and the legendary ur-vampiress ??streg, who
CF \| sired Ixaron, who sired Nivemes... Undoubtedly the pedigree consists
CF \| predominantly of fabrications, but this is de rigeuer among the
CF \| Marquis and his peers.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "move portrait"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > MOVE PORTRAIT
CF \|
CF \| (That won't be necessary.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x door"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > X DOOR
CF \|
CF \| An imposing oaken door with a heavy lock.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x pane"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > X PANE
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "l"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > L
CF \|
CF \| Gallery
CF \| Numerous objets d'art and historical oddities are on display in this
CF \| museum hall: A portrait of the Marquis, the statue of Gaspard Oindr??,
CF \| a framed family tree, a Japanese warrior's equipment in an elaborate
CF \| display case.
CF \|
CF \| A pane of ghost-glass to the west offers a view of the balcony. The
CF \| oak door to the east is closed.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x glass"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > X GLASS
CF \|
CF \| The Marquis is standing on the balcony on the other side of the glass.
CF \| Oddly, he is still leaning over the railing, as if waiting for you to
CF \| reappear in the hall below.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "That is odd."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \| You can't pass through solid ghost-glass.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu asks, "Just an illusion?"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "break glass"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > BREAK GLASS
CF \|
CF \| Ghost-glass like this is impossible to break with brute force???but it
CF \| can be penetrated by more subtle means.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "spells"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > SPELLS
CF \|
CF \| That's not a verb I recognize.
CF \|
CF \| >		MoyTW says, "You get a specific thing to mess with the glass later, you'll know when you do."
		DavidW says, "Last time I passed through glass in a game, it was with a tuning fork."
		MoyTW says, "...I say this because it's very tempting to keep going back to try and mess around with the glass but it's a waste of time."
		MoyTW asks, "I, hmm. Like, shattering it?"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open case"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN CASE
CF \|
CF \| The steel display case seems to be locked.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "break case"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > BREAK CASE
CF \|
CF \| You must specify the weapon with which you are attacking.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "break case with scimitar"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > BREAK CASE WITH SCIMITAR
CF \|
CF \| Harming the steel display case would accomplish nothing.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "d"
CF ] Great Stair
CF \| >
CF \| > D
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Great Stair
CF \| Velvet spills over the grand stairway in a crimson flood. To the east
CF \| is a massive wooden door.
CF \|
CF \| High on the wall are displayed the arms of the Marquis Semix.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "jump"
CF ] Great Stair
CF \| >
CF \| > JUMP
CF \|
CF \| You jump!
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take longsword"
CF ] Great Stair
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE LONGSWORD
CF \|
CF \| The weapons on the wall are too high to reach.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "climb wall"
CF ] Great Stair
CF \| >
CF \| > CLIMB WALL
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Audience Hall
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Audience Hall
CF \| Guests of the Marquis who fail to make a good first impression are
CF \| flung into the pit that takes up most of this chamber.
CF \|
CF \| The Marquis leans over the balcony, following your movements with a
CF \| bored sneer.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "d"
CF ] Pit
CF \| >
CF \| > D
CF \|
CF \| You leap down into the pit.
CF \|
CF \| Pit
CF \| You land with a soft grunt. Some indeterminate number of unworthy
CF \| guests rest at the bottom of this pit, their remains mingled by the
CF \| depredations of scavengers.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST
CF \|
CF \| A shining mace has landed near the center of the pit.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x mace"
CF ] Pit
CF \| >
CF \| > X MACE
CF \|
CF \| A steel club with a flanged head. Its attack power is 3.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take mace"
CF ] Pit
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE MACE
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x guests"
CF ] Pit
CF \| >
CF \| > X GUESTS
CF \|
CF \| Casting an eye over the decaying assemblage, you notice an impressive
CF \| battleaxe, still nominally in the grasp of its former possessor.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x battleaxe"
CF ] Pit
CF \| >
CF \| > X BATTLEAXE
CF \|
CF \| A broad-bladed axe, its handle enwrapped by a skeletal hand. Its
CF \| attack power is 5. The surrounding air is thick with the vile perfume
CF \| of mortal decay.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take it"
CF ] Pit
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE IT
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x guests"
CF ] Pit
CF \| >
CF \| > X GUESTS
CF \|
CF \| Further inspection reveals nothing left to liberate from the Ch??teau's
CF \| unluckiest guests.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Tunnel
CF \| A rough-hewn passage beneath the castle, visited only by the least
CF \| welcome and most desperate guests of the Marquis. Certain flagstones
CF \| of the floor are carved with certain strange symbols.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| A monstrous shape scuttles out of the darkness: A hissing stag-beetle
CF \| the size of a tiger.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x beetle"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > X BEETLE
CF \|
CF \| This beast must be the prime beneficiary of those morsels resting in
CF \| the Ch??teau's pit. Unseemly if not illegal magic must have been
CF \| employed for it to grow to such proportions; Inquisitory procedure
CF \| would recommend if not require the creature's extermination.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill beetle with battleaxe"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL BEETLE WITH BATTLEAXE
CF \|
CF \| You wail in fury as you bring the battleaxe down on the giant beetle,
CF \| dealing 5 damage. The axe is reduced to steel splinters.
CF \|
CF \| The insect offers up one last eerie, crackling cry before exploding
CF \| into moist dust. Only its horn remains, a spear-like length of deadly
CF \| chitin.
CF \|
CF \| Now, alone in the tunnel, you are able to inspect its dark corners
CF \| properly. A pair of gloves rests on the floor, perhaps dragged from
CF \| the pit by that beetle as a bizarre trophy.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "undo"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \|
CF \| > UNDO
CF \|
CF \| Tunnel
CF \| [Previous turn undone.]
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill beetle with dagger"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL BEETLE WITH DAGGER
CF \|
CF \| You stab the dagger into the giant beetle and deal 1 damage. The blade
CF \| shatters.
CF \|
CF \| The beetle attempts to stab you with its chitinous horn, but only
CF \| pokes a small hole in your cape.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "undo"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \|
CF \| > UNDO
CF \|
CF \| Tunnel
CF \| [Previous turn undone.]
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill beetle with mace"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL BEETLE WITH MACE
CF \|
CF \| You slam the mace into the giant beetle. The mace bursts into a cloud
CF \| of shrapnel, but not before dealing 3 damage.
CF \|
CF \| The beetle attempts to stab you with its chitinous horn, but only
CF \| pokes a small hole in your cape.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "undo"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \|
CF \| > UNDO
CF \|
CF \| Tunnel
CF \| [Previous turn undone.]
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "So each weapon can only be used once."
		DavidW says, "And we don't know how much damage is needed until we try and kill something."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill beetle with battleaxe"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL BEETLE WITH BATTLEAXE
CF \|
CF \| You wail in fury as you bring the battleaxe down on the giant beetle,
CF \| dealing 5 damage. The axe is reduced to steel splinters.
CF \|
CF \| The insect offers up one last eerie, crackling cry before exploding
CF \| into moist dust. Only its horn remains, a spear-like length of deadly
CF \| chitin.
CF \|
CF \| Now, alone in the tunnel, you are able to inspect its dark corners
CF \| properly. A pair of gloves rests on the floor, perhaps dragged from
CF \| the pit by that beetle as a bizarre trophy.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x gloves"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > X GLOVES
CF \|
CF \| These gloves have been fitted with sharp, strong claws. The wearer
CF \| could keep a firm grip on any number of surfaces.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take gloves"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE GLOVES
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "l"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > L
CF \|
CF \| Tunnel
CF \| A rough-hewn passage beneath the castle, visited only by the least
CF \| welcome and most desperate guests of the Marquis. Certain flagstones
CF \| of the floor are carved with certain strange symbols.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| That awful beetle's spear-like horn rests on the floor.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x flagstones"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > X FLAGSTONES
CF \|
CF \| A collection of flagstones near the midpoint of the tunnel are each
CF \| engraved with the symbol ???.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x horn"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > X HORN
CF \|
CF \| The horn of a giant stag beetle: As stiff and strong as iron, but as
CF \| light as cork. Its attack power is 4.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take horn"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE HORN
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "touch symbol"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > TOUCH SYMBOL
CF \|
CF \| You feel nothing unexpected.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "lift flagstone"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > LIFT FLAGSTONE
CF \|
CF \| The flagstones are set so firmly as to resist even your not
CF \| inconsiderable vampire-strength.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Crypt
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Crypt
CF \| A statue of ??ternitas looms over a magnificent ghost-glass casket. The
CF \| high ceiling dances with the glow of candles in the chamber above.
CF \|
CF \| The eastern archway is protected by a potent array of sigils.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x casket"
CF ] Crypt
CF \| >
CF \| > X CASKET
CF \|
CF \| Ostensibly the resting-place of the Marquis, this coffin is clearly
CF \| intended primarily as decoration. The glasswork is flawless.
CF \|
CF \| In the casket are a ruby lens and a gladius.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x lens"
CF ] Crypt
CF \| >
CF \| > X LENS
CF \|
CF \| Gentle reader: It was my earnest hope that by making Vultrine to
CF \| wear this ruby lens (a sort of jeweler's loupe or monocle, as I
CF \| envisioned it), you would be able to see the HP or "health" of all the
CF \| monsters in this story, to gauge your progress in defeating them and
CF \| help you decide which of Vultrine's weapons you should use.
CF \| Unfortunately, I ran out of time before I could implement this helpful
CF \| feature. I hope you will enjoy "The Inquisitor Vultrine" even without
CF \| this extra convenience, and I hope you will allow Vultrine to wear the
CF \| ruby lens, even though it has no purpose. If nothing else, the image
CF \| of a vampiric Inquisitor bearing so singular an accessory will surely
CF \| add to your enjoyment of the story.
CF \|
CF \| Sincerely,
CF \| Elmir Divkovic.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x gladius"
CF ] Crypt
CF \| >
CF \| > X GLADIUS
CF \|
CF \| The Marquis wielded this sword in the early chapters of his career.
CF \| Its attack power is 4.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x sigils"
CF ] Crypt
CF \| >
CF \| > X SIGILS
CF \|
CF \| Sigils of forbiddance have been drawn across the threshold. Passing
CF \| through the archway will require engraving the correct counter-formula
CF \| with an appropriate instrument.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \| You slip on your clawed gloves and begin climbing.
CF \|
CF \| Lounge
CF \| The walls of this chamber are hung with dark curtains, flickering in
CF \| the light of tall candelabrae. An ostentatious couch runs the length
CF \| of the hall. To the west is a huge door.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| On the long couch are a flail and a cinqueda.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x flail"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > X FLAIL
CF \|
CF \| A heavy spiked ball on a chain. The spikes are blunted somewhat after
CF \| repeated impacts on various battlefields. Its attack power is 3.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take it"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE IT
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x cinqueda"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > X CINQUEDA
CF \|
CF \| An Italian blade, broad at its base, pointed at its tip. Its attack
CF \| power is 3.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take it"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE IT
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x couch"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > X COUCH
CF \|
CF \| This infamous custom-built couch is sure to feature in any
CF \| conversation related to the Ch??teau Semix. Viewed up close, it fails
CF \| to match its reputation; you will grant, however, that it is the
CF \| longest couch you have ever seen.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "search couch"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > SEARCH COUCH
CF \|
CF \| There is nothing on the long couch.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "look under couch"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > LOOK UNDER COUCH
CF \|
CF \| You find nothing of interest.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "push couch"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > PUSH COUCH
CF \|
CF \| (That won't be necessary.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x curtains"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > X CURTAINS
CF \|
CF \| You look behind the curtains. There's nothing there.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "pull curtains"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > PULL CURTAINS
CF \|
CF \| (That won't be necessary.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x candlebra"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > X CANDLEBRA
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "candelabra"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > CANDELABRA
CF \|
CF \| That's not a verb I recognize.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "l"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > L
CF \|
CF \| Lounge
CF \| The walls of this chamber are hung with dark curtains, flickering in
CF \| the light of tall candelabrae. An ostentatious couch runs the length
CF \| of the hall. To the west is a huge door.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x candelabrae"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > X CANDELABRAE
CF \|
CF \| The magics that maintain a low flame on each taper are entirely legal.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open door"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN DOOR
CF \|
CF \| The huge door seems to be locked.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "Same door as in Great Stair, I suspect."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "unlock door"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > UNLOCK DOOR
CF \|
CF \| What do you want to unlock the huge door with?
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Hall of Feasting
CF \| There has been no feasting here for some time, and the long table is
CF \| covered in dust. At the east end of the room, a grand window looks out
CF \| on the Ch??teau gardens.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| There is a human here, pacing at the far end of the table. He has not
CF \| marked your arrival.
CF \|
CF \| "Are you in the employ of the Marquis?" you call across the hall.
CF \|
CF \| His surprise fades quickly. "I am," he says, "by my own will."
CF \|
CF \| "That's what thralls are usually commanded to say," you mutter???but he
CF \| hears you perfectly.
CF \|
CF \| "I assure you I am no thrall, Inquisitor. I am Sectiert du Noyes, and
CF \| my will is my own." He begins traversing the length of the hall to
CF \| meet you. "The Marquis has promised unimaginable rewards in return for
CF \| my assistance in his research. He requires human test subjects, their
CF \| minds unclouded by vampiric magic. Until his experiment is ready, I am
CF \| free to roam the Ch??teau, to do as I please. He has advised me???"
CF \|
CF \| Now he stands before you with an expression of despicable
CF \| self-satisfaction. "???Advised me, not commanded???to prevent any
CF \| interference by nosy Inquisitors."
CF \|
CF \| He draws a cutlass from behind his back.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW asks, "Perhaps retreat?"
		MoyTW asks, "How confident are you in your inventory of weapons?"
		DavidW says, "I don't think we should waste weapons on this guy if we don't have to."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "bite human"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > BITE HUMAN
CF \|
CF \| That's not a verb I recognize.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "I thought we were a vampire."
		Knight_Otu says, "Who knows what kind."
		DavidW says, "We might be able to mesmerize him or something."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Lounge
CF \| The walls of this chamber are hung with dark curtains, flickering in
CF \| the light of tall candelabrae. An ostentatious couch runs the length
CF \| of the hall. To the west is a huge door.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "d"
CF ] Crypt
CF \| >
CF \| > D
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Crypt
CF \| A statue of ??ternitas looms over a magnificent ghost-glass casket. The
CF \| high ceiling dances with the glow of candles in the chamber above.
CF \|
CF \| The eastern archway is protected by a potent array of sigils.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Tunnel
CF \| A rough-hewn passage beneath the castle, visited only by the least
CF \| welcome and most desperate guests of the Marquis. Certain flagstones
CF \| of the floor are carved with certain strange symbols.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "d"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > D
CF \|
CF \| There is no obvious way of moving these flagstones aside.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "oh."
		DavidW says, "I thought there was a stair."
		DavidW says, "So we have little choice as yet."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Crypt
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Crypt
CF \| A statue of ??ternitas looms over a magnificent ghost-glass casket. The
CF \| high ceiling dances with the glow of candles in the chamber above.
CF \|
CF \| The eastern archway is protected by a potent array of sigils.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "n"
CF ] Crypt
CF \| >
CF \| > N
CF \|
CF \| You can't go that way.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \| You dig your claws into the wall and begin climbing.
CF \|
CF \| Lounge
CF \| The walls of this chamber are hung with dark curtains, flickering in
CF \| the light of tall candelabrae. An ostentatious couch runs the length
CF \| of the hall. To the west is a huge door.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Hall of Feasting
CF \| There has been no feasting here for some time, and the long table is
CF \| covered in dust. At the east end of the room, a grand window looks out
CF \| on the Ch??teau gardens.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| Sectier is still here, still ready with his cutlass.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \| You can't pass through solid ghost-glass.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x table"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > X TABLE
CF \|
CF \| For whatever reason, this very long table never comes up when people
CF \| are talking about the very long couch in the lounge. A rusty carving
CF \| knife is nearby.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take knife"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE KNIFE
CF \|
CF \| (the white dagger)
CF \| You already have that.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take carving knife"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE CARVING KNIFE
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x it"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > X IT
CF \|
CF \| A rusty blade originally intended for dismembering roast turkeys, not
CF \| one's enemies. Its attack power is 2.
CF \|
CF \| >		MoyTW says, "huh I missed that one."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "l"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > L
CF \|
CF \| Hall of Feasting
CF \| There has been no feasting here for some time, and the long table is
CF \| covered in dust. At the east end of the room, a grand window looks out
CF \| on the Ch??teau gardens.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| Sectier is still here, still ready with his cutlass.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x window"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > X WINDOW
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill sectier"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL SECTIER
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill human with horn"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL HUMAN WITH HORN
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill with horn"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL WITH HORN
CF \|
CF \| You swing the horn around and thrust it into Sectiert, dealing 4
CF \| damage. The horn explodes into moist dust.
CF \|
CF \| Sectiert swings his cutlass, but only manages to scratch the hem of
CF \| your cape.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill with mace"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL WITH MACE
CF \|
CF \| You slam the mace into Sectiert. The mace bursts into a cloud of
CF \| shrapnel, but not before dealing 3 damage.
CF \|
CF \| A curious expression falls over Sectiert's face. He seems shocked,
CF \| though you cannot see by what. You wonder if he is about to vomit.
CF \|
CF \| Then he melts, all at once. Then his liquid remains begin to bubble
CF \| and steam, and the so-called human evaporates completely.
CF \|
CF \| Left behind on the floor are a cutlass and a key.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "undo"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \|
CF \| > UNDO
CF \|
CF \| Hall of Feasting
CF \| [Previous turn undone.]
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill with carving knife"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL WITH CARVING KNIFE
CF \|
CF \| You stab with the carving knife. The blade snaps, but Sectiert takes 2
CF \| damage.
CF \|
CF \| A curious expression falls over Sectiert's face. He seems shocked,
CF \| though you cannot see by what. You wonder if he is about to vomit.
CF \|
CF \| Then he melts, all at once. Then his liquid remains begin to bubble
CF \| and steam, and the so-called human evaporates completely.
CF \|
CF \| Left behind on the floor are a cutlass and a key.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "undo"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \|
CF \| > UNDO
CF \|
CF \| Hall of Feasting
CF \| [Previous turn undone.]
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu asks, "What have they done to metal in this world?"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill with dagger"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL WITH DAGGER
CF \|
CF \| You stab the dagger into Sectiert and deal 1 damage. The blade
CF \| shatters.
CF \|
CF \| Sectiert pushes back, hoping to bury his cutlass in your heart. But
CF \| you are too fast.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "undo"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \|
CF \| > UNDO
CF \|
CF \| Hall of Feasting
CF \| [Previous turn undone.]
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill with carving knife"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL WITH CARVING KNIFE
CF \|
CF \| You stab with the carving knife. The blade snaps, but Sectiert takes 2
CF \| damage.
CF \|
CF \| A curious expression falls over Sectiert's face. He seems shocked,
CF \| though you cannot see by what. You wonder if he is about to vomit.
CF \|
CF \| Then he melts, all at once. Then his liquid remains begin to bubble
CF \| and steam, and the so-called human evaporates completely.
CF \|
CF \| Left behind on the floor are a cutlass and a key.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "okay, so he's a '6'."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take all"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE ALL
CF \|
CF \| master's key: Taken.
CF \| cutlass: Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x key"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > X KEY
CF \|
CF \| A heavy iron key on a black ribbon.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x cutlass"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > X CUTLASS
CF \|
CF \| A crude weapon, eminently suitable for a human. Its attack power is 2.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "diagnose"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > DIAGNOSE
CF \|
CF \| That's not a verb I recognize.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x me"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > X ME
CF \|
CF \| Publicly the Orthodoxy takes pains to assure its subjects that
CF \| Inquisitors are not above the law. This is a pleasant fiction.
CF \| Inquisitors are empowered to meld the law according to their needs, to
CF \| invent edicts or forget them at will, so long as it serves the aims of
CF \| the Orthodoxy. In the earliest decades of your career, you availed
CF \| yourself of these privileges frequently, reveling in the arbitrary
CF \| power of your position.
CF \|
CF \| But a century's experience has demonstrated that an Inquisitor need
CF \| not resort to such inelegances. The true law, unadulterated by
CF \| situational convenience, is just and complete. It is sufficient in all
CF \| respects, so long as it is wielded with skill and patience. Thus it is
CF \| said privately, and not repeated outside the halls of the Orthodoxy,
CF \| that only the best Inquisitors are not above the law.
CF \|
CF \| You are the Inquisitor Vultrine, ranked among the best.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "l"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > L
CF \|
CF \| Hall of Feasting
CF \| There has been no feasting here for some time, and the long table is
CF \| covered in dust. At the east end of the room, a grand window looks out
CF \| on the Ch??teau gardens.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Lounge
CF \| The walls of this chamber are hung with dark curtains, flickering in
CF \| the light of tall candelabrae. An ostentatious couch runs the length
CF \| of the hall. To the west is a huge door.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "cut couch with dagger"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > CUT COUCH WITH DAGGER
CF \|
CF \| I only understood you as far as wanting to cut the long couch.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "cut couch"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > CUT COUCH
CF \|
CF \| Cutting it up would achieve little.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take candle"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE CANDLE
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "d"
CF ] Crypt
CF \| >
CF \| > D
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Crypt
CF \| A statue of ??ternitas looms over a magnificent ghost-glass casket. The
CF \| high ceiling dances with the glow of candles in the chamber above.
CF \|
CF \| The eastern archway is protected by a potent array of sigils.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "undo"
CF ] Lounge
CF \|
CF \| > UNDO
CF \|
CF \| Lounge
CF \| [Previous turn undone.]
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "unlock door with key"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > UNLOCK DOOR WITH KEY
CF \|
CF \| You unlock the huge door.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Great Stair
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \| (first opening the huge door)
CF \|
CF \| Great Stair
CF \| Velvet spills over the grand stairway in a crimson flood. The huge
CF \| door to the east stands open, and wind whistles down the length of the
CF \| castle.
CF \|
CF \| High on the wall are displayed the arms of the Marquis Semix.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "wear gloves"
CF ] Great Stair
CF \| >
CF \| > WEAR GLOVES
CF \|
CF \| You're already wearing those!
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take longsword"
CF ] Great Stair
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE LONGSWORD
CF \|
CF \| You claw your way up the wall.
CF \|
CF \| You reach out with one hand for Harcheque and grab it; however, in the
CF \| same movement you knock Thembriaud loose. The poleaxe falls to the
CF \| floor.
CF \|
CF \| You hop back down with Harcheque safe in your hands.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take poleaxe"
CF ] Great Stair
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE POLEAXE
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "i"
CF ] Great Stair
CF \| >
CF \| > I
CF \|
CF \| You are carrying:
CF \| Thembriaud
CF \| Harcheque
CF \| a cutlass
CF \| the master's key
CF \| a cinqueda
CF \| a flail
CF \| some clawed gloves (being worn)
CF \| a mace
CF \| a scimitar
CF \| a torn cape (being worn)
CF \| a white dagger
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Gallery
CF \| Numerous objets d'art and historical oddities are on display in this
CF \| museum hall: A portrait of the Marquis, the statue of Gaspard Oindr??,
CF \| a framed family tree, a Japanese warrior's equipment in an elaborate
CF \| display case.
CF \|
CF \| A pane of ghost-glass to the west offers a view of the balcony. The
CF \| oak door to the east is closed.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "unlock case with key"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > UNLOCK CASE WITH KEY
CF \|
CF \| You unlock the steel display case.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open case"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN CASE
CF \|
CF \| You open the steel display case.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take all from case"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE ALL FROM CASE
CF \|
CF \| suit of samurai armor: You have no need for such protections.
CF \| katana: Taken.
CF \| wakizashi: Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "d"
CF ] Great Stair
CF \| >
CF \| > D
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Great Stair
CF \| Velvet spills over the grand stairway in a crimson flood. The huge
CF \| door to the east stands open, and wind whistles down the length of the
CF \| castle.
CF \|
CF \| High on the wall are displayed the arms of the Marquis Semix.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Lounge
CF \| The walls of this chamber are hung with dark curtains, flickering in
CF \| the light of tall candelabrae. An ostentatious couch runs the length
CF \| of the hall. To the west is a huge door.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "d"
CF ] Crypt
CF \| >
CF \| > D
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Crypt
CF \| A statue of ??ternitas looms over a magnificent ghost-glass casket. The
CF \| high ceiling dances with the glow of candles in the chamber above.
CF \|
CF \| The eastern archway is protected by a potent array of sigils.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open casket"
CF ] Crypt
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN CASKET
CF \|
CF \| It has no visible hinges or lid.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "unlock casket with key"
CF ] Crypt
CF \| >
CF \| > UNLOCK CASKET WITH KEY
CF \|
CF \| You can see no keyhole in the casket.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \| You dig your claws into the wall and begin climbing.
CF \|
CF \| Lounge
CF \| The walls of this chamber are hung with dark curtains, flickering in
CF \| the light of tall candelabrae. An ostentatious couch runs the length
CF \| of the hall. To the west is a huge door.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Great Stair
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Great Stair
CF \| Velvet spills over the grand stairway in a crimson flood. The huge
CF \| door to the east stands open, and wind whistles down the length of the
CF \| castle.
CF \|
CF \| High on the wall are displayed the arms of the Marquis Semix.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Gallery
CF \| Numerous objets d'art and historical oddities are on display in this
CF \| museum hall: A portrait of the Marquis, the statue of Gaspard Oindr??,
CF \| a framed family tree, a Japanese warrior's equipment in an elaborate
CF \| display case.
CF \|
CF \| A pane of ghost-glass to the west offers a view of the balcony. The
CF \| oak door to the east is closed.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "unlock door with key"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > UNLOCK DOOR WITH KEY
CF \|
CF \| You unlock the oak door.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Master Bedroom
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \| (first opening the oak door)
CF \|
CF \| Master Bedroom
CF \| The Marquis does not sleep here (or indeed at all). The great bed is
CF \| unused, the fireplace is spotless.
CF \|
CF \| A chill wind issues from the spiral staircase, and a tapestry hung on
CF \| the easten wall ripples gently.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x bed"
CF ] Master Bedroom
CF \| >
CF \| > X BED
CF \|
CF \| There is something of the funeral pall in the black velvet draped over
CF \| the bed.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "search bed"
CF ] Master Bedroom
CF \| >
CF \| > SEARCH BED
CF \|
CF \| There is nothing on the great bed.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take velvet"
CF ] Master Bedroom
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE VELVET
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "look under bed"
CF ] Master Bedroom
CF \| >
CF \| > LOOK UNDER BED
CF \|
CF \| Under the bed is a silver chamber pot and a machete.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x pot"
CF ] Master Bedroom
CF \| >
CF \| > X POT
CF \|
CF \| You contemplate the object disdainfully. Such things are below the pay
CF \| grade of an Inquisitor.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x machete"
CF ] Master Bedroom
CF \| >
CF \| > X MACHETE
CF \|
CF \| A long, chipped blade, utilitarian in design. Its attack power is 3.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take it"
CF ] Master Bedroom
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE IT
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x fireplace"
CF ] Master Bedroom
CF \| >
CF \| > X FIREPLACE
CF \|
CF \| A merely decorative hearth, devoid of ashes. A silver poker stands
CF \| nearby.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x poker"
CF ] Master Bedroom
CF \| >
CF \| > X POKER
CF \|
CF \| A fireplace poker, forged from silver. Such extravagance, while not
CF \| illegal, is certainly unforgivable. Its attack power is 5.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take it"
CF ] Master Bedroom
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE IT
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "I am not used to carrying a zillion weapons in an IF game."
		DavidW says, "I'm getting a bit freaked out."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x tapestry"
CF ] Master Bedroom
CF \| >
CF \| > X TAPESTRY
CF \|
CF \| The tapestry depicts the Battle of Noyes, albeit in highly
CF \| romanticized manner. The towers of the Ch??teau are visible above the
CF \| trees, though in fact the forest of Noyes is miles away from the
CF \| castle. Further, the forces of the (former) Marquis Semix and the
CF \| bandit captain Elandrique as woven here are shown to be evenly
CF \| matched; in truth, Elandrique was hopelessly outnumbered, and some
CF \| contemporaneous sources report that she offered surrender.
CF \|
CF \| Currents of wind coil around your boots, flowing under the tapestry.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "move it"
CF ] Master Bedroom
CF \| >
CF \| > MOVE IT
CF \|
CF \| (That won't be necessary.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "search it"
CF ] Master Bedroom
CF \| >
CF \| > SEARCH IT
CF \|
CF \| You pull the tapestry to the side and confirm your suspicions: A
CF \| narrow hallway is hidden behind, leading east.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Hidden Passage
CF \| Here the walls are bare wood, and dust covers the cold stone floor. It
CF \| is doubtful that the Marquis has found a use for this concealed
CF \| redoubt in recent years.
CF \|
CF \| A rusty lever is set in the far wall.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: WEST
CF \|
CF \| A metallic rattle pierces the eerie silence, and a dark form emerges
CF \| from the shadows. A figure in black armor???No, a suit of armor itself,
CF \| acting on its own power, lumbers toward you. It raises an enormous
CF \| greatsword.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "SAVE"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "cf22"
CF \| >
CF \| > SAVE
CF \| %% Enter a save filename to write:
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| > SAVEOk.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill with longsword"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL WITH LONGSWORD
CF \|
CF \| Which do you mean, the katana or Harcheque?
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "harcheque"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > HARCHEQUE
CF \|
CF \| You slice at the suit of armor with Harcheque and land a powerful
CF \| blow, dealing 6 damage. The legendary weapon crumbles to dust.
CF \|
CF \| The armor swings its greatsword at you, and manages to slice off a bit
CF \| of your cape.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill with katana"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL WITH KATANA
CF \|
CF \| You plunge the katana into the suit of armor. It takes 5 damage. The
CF \| blade itself crumbles to dust.
CF \|
CF \| The armor stands still. The ??? on its helmet fades away.
CF \|
CF \| It falls to the floor and crumbles into dust. Only its greatsword
CF \| remains.
CF \|
CF \| Floating above the dust are two motes of magic, which you recognize as
CF \| a word of animation and a word of injunction: The spells that gave
CF \| these plates of steel a semblance of life. You take possession of
CF \| them, predicting you'll find some use for them later.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "undo"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \|
CF \| > UNDO
CF \|
CF \| Hidden Passage
CF \| [Previous turn undone.]
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill with cinquada"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL WITH CINQUADA
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "i"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > I
CF \|
CF \| You are carrying:
CF \| a silver poker
CF \| a machete
CF \| a wakizashi
CF \| a katana
CF \| Thembriaud
CF \| a cutlass
CF \| the master's key
CF \| a cinqueda
CF \| a flail
CF \| some clawed gloves (being worn)
CF \| a mace
CF \| a scimitar
CF \| a badly torn cape (being worn)
CF \| a white dagger
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill with cinqueda"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL WITH CINQUEDA
CF \|
CF \| You drive the cinqueda into the suit of armor and deal 3 damage???but
CF \| the blade is shattered.
CF \|
CF \| The suit of armor slices back at you???You duck just in time.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "undo"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \|
CF \| > UNDO
CF \|
CF \| Hidden Passage
CF \| [Previous turn undone.]
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill with katana"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL WITH KATANA
CF \|
CF \| You plunge the katana into the suit of armor. It takes 5 damage. The
CF \| blade itself crumbles to dust.
CF \|
CF \| The armor stands still. The ??? on its helmet fades away.
CF \|
CF \| It falls to the floor and crumbles into dust. Only its greatsword
CF \| remains.
CF \|
CF \| Floating above the dust are two motes of magic, which you recognize as
CF \| a word of animation and a word of injunction: The spells that gave
CF \| these plates of steel a semblance of life. You take possession of
CF \| them, predicting you'll find some use for them later.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "I'm not sure if I'm wasting my best weapons or not"
		Knight_Otu says, "Hard to tell."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "i"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > I
CF \|
CF \| You are carrying:
CF \| a word of injunction
CF \| a word of animation
CF \| a silver poker
CF \| a machete
CF \| a wakizashi
CF \| Thembriaud
CF \| a cutlass
CF \| the master's key
CF \| a cinqueda
CF \| a flail
CF \| some clawed gloves (being worn)
CF \| a mace
CF \| a scimitar
CF \| a badly torn cape (being worn)
CF \| a white dagger
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x injunction"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > X INJUNCTION
CF \|
CF \| The word of injunction is a magic spell which you hold more in your
CF \| mind than in your hand. Its attack power is 4.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x animation"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > X ANIMATION
CF \|
CF \| The word of animation is a magic spell which you hold more in your
CF \| mind than in your hand. Based on your limited expertise in these
CF \| matters, you believe it to be related to the ??? rune you saw etched
CF \| into the walking armor's helmet.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x greatsword"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > X GREATSWORD
CF \|
CF \| A huge two-handed sword with a very broad, asymmetrical blade. Its
CF \| attack power is 5.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take it"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE IT
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu asks, "For the flagstones?"
		DavidW says, "yes"
		DavidW says, "It should animate them into opening."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x lever"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > X LEVER
CF \|
CF \| You can deduce that this lever is very rarely used.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x armor"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > X ARMOR
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x suit"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > X SUIT
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "l"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > L
CF \|
CF \| Hidden Passage
CF \| Here the walls are bare wood, and dust covers the cold stone floor. It
CF \| is doubtful that the Marquis has found a use for this concealed
CF \| redoubt in recent years.
CF \|
CF \| A rusty lever is set in the far wall.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "pull lever"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > PULL LEVER
CF \|
CF \| You pull back on the lever. It resists, and squeals in hideous
CF \| protest, but then it gives way???and the chamber rumbles violently. The
CF \| floor shakes, and sections begin to plunge down as if an insidious
CF \| trap has been activated.
CF \|
CF \| But when the noise and shaking stop, you see that the floor has
CF \| reformed itself into a staircase leading to the room below.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "d"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > D
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Hall of Feasting
CF \| There has been no feasting here for some time, and the long table is
CF \| covered in dust. At the east end of the room, a grand window looks out
CF \| on the Ch??teau gardens.
CF \|
CF \| There's a staircase sticking out of the ceiling.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Hidden Passage
CF \| Here the walls are bare wood, and dust covers the cold stone floor. It
CF \| is doubtful that the Marquis has found a use for this concealed
CF \| redoubt in recent years.
CF \|
CF \| A rusty lever is set in the far wall.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Master Bedroom
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Master Bedroom
CF \| The Marquis does not sleep here (or indeed at all). The great bed is
CF \| unused, the fireplace is spotless.
CF \|
CF \| A chill wind issues from the spiral staircase, and a tapestry hung on
CF \| the easten wall ripples gently.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Parapet
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Parapet
CF \| Rain falls in sheets, and the narrow walkway is like a sluice. On one
CF \| side is the tower wall, ascending into the storm; on the other,
CF \| statues of Nephreine and Alithedora look out over the countryside,
CF \| serenely ignoring the precipitous drop to the castle grounds at their
CF \| feet. Happily, a staircase nearby enables a safer descent.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x nephreine"
CF ] Parapet
CF \| >
CF \| > X NEPHREINE
CF \|
CF \| Nephreine is one of the heroines in Yvenne d'Abelune's novel The
CF \| Scarred Palm, expertly realized here in copper. The character is
CF \| instantly recognizable from the combination of beauty and ruthlessness
CF \| in her face, and the harp in her hands.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x harp"
CF ] Parapet
CF \| >
CF \| > X HARP
CF \|
CF \| A nonmusical harp made of copper, for a statue of Nephreine. Its
CF \| attack power is 4.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take it"
CF ] Parapet
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE IT
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x alithedora"
CF ] Parapet
CF \| >
CF \| > X ALITHEDORA
CF \|
CF \| Alithedora is the companion of Nephreine throughout most of The
CF \| Scarred Palm, that infamous novel of Yvenne d'Abelune. The
CF \| expression on this copper statue captures not only Alithedora's
CF \| mischievousness, but the sadness she took such pains to keep hidden.
CF \| So in that sense, the statue is not entirely accurate.
CF \|
CF \| Alithedora holds her walking stick loosely at her side.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x stick"
CF ] Parapet
CF \| >
CF \| > X STICK
CF \|
CF \| A long copper staff, sculpted to look like gnarled wood. Its attack
CF \| power is 4.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take it"
CF ] Parapet
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE IT
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Parapet
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \| You follow the walkway west, and eventually a tower becomes visible
CF \| through the storm: A door, and windows alive with greenish light.
CF \|
CF \| Then your nose stings???Then your eyes, the back of your throat. Now
CF \| you
CF \| see a the vapor flowing from out of the windows and door, dissipated
CF \| only slightly by the surrounding wind and rain: An unbearable mephitis
CF \| radiates from this tower, a noxious atmosphere you cannot bring
CF \| yourself to enter. You are forced to turn back, and wonder how you
CF \| could overpower such an awful odor.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "I need a pee break."
		DavidW asks, "how are people doing?"
		DavidW asks, "For time, I mean?"
		MoyTW says, "I'm good."
		Knight_Otu says, "It's getting late here, though I can stay a bit."
		MoyTW asks, "Where do you live, Otu?"
		Knight_Otu says, "Germany."
		MoyTW says, "Oh! That's pretty far off, timezone-wise."
		Knight_Otu says, "It works most of the time."
		MoyTW asks, "Does Germany have time zones?"
		MoyTW says, "<---- is very American"
		DavidW says, "back"
		Knight_Otu says (to Moy), "Just the one."
		DavidW says, "I'll try the flagstones next."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "d"
CF ] Master Bedroom
CF \| >
CF \| > D
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Master Bedroom
CF \| The Marquis does not sleep here (or indeed at all). The great bed is
CF \| unused, the fireplace is spotless.
CF \|
CF \| A chill wind issues from the spiral staircase, and a tapestry hung on
CF \| the easten wall ripples gently.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Hidden Passage
CF \| Here the walls are bare wood, and dust covers the cold stone floor. It
CF \| is doubtful that the Marquis has found a use for this concealed
CF \| redoubt in recent years.
CF \|
CF \| A rusty lever is set in the far wall.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "d"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > D
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Hall of Feasting
CF \| There has been no feasting here for some time, and the long table is
CF \| covered in dust. At the east end of the room, a grand window looks out
CF \| on the Ch??teau gardens.
CF \|
CF \| There's a staircase sticking out of the ceiling.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Lounge
CF \| The walls of this chamber are hung with dark curtains, flickering in
CF \| the light of tall candelabrae. An ostentatious couch runs the length
CF \| of the hall. To the west is a huge door.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "d"
CF ] Crypt
CF \| >
CF \| > D
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Crypt
CF \| A statue of ??ternitas looms over a magnificent ghost-glass casket. The
CF \| high ceiling dances with the glow of candles in the chamber above.
CF \|
CF \| The eastern archway is protected by a potent array of sigils.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Tunnel
CF \| A rough-hewn passage beneath the castle, visited only by the least
CF \| welcome and most desperate guests of the Marquis. Certain flagstones
CF \| of the floor are carved with certain strange symbols.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "animate flagstone"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > ANIMATE FLAGSTONE
CF \|
CF \| That's not a verb I recognize.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit flagstone with animation"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT FLAGSTONE WITH ANIMATION
CF \|
CF \| Harming the flagstones would accomplish nothing.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open flagstone"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN FLAGSTONE
CF \|
CF \| They aren't something you can open.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x animation"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > X ANIMATION
CF \|
CF \| The word of animation is a magic spell which you hold more in your
CF \| mind than in your hand. Based on your limited expertise in these
CF \| matters, you believe it to be related to the ??? rune you saw etched
CF \| into the walking armor's helmet.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu asks, "Put the spell on it?"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "put animation on flagstone"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > PUT ANIMATION ON FLAGSTONE
CF \|
CF \| The word of animation is (mostly) not a physical object.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "say animation"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > SAY ANIMATION
CF \|
CF \| (to yourself)
CF \| You don't respond.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "say animation to flagstone"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > SAY ANIMATION TO FLAGSTONE
CF \|
CF \| You can only do that to something animate.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "cast animation at flagstone"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > CAST ANIMATION AT FLAGSTONE
CF \|
CF \| That's not a verb I recognize.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu says, "Maybe go down? Other items were used automatically."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "d"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > D
CF \|
CF \| You speak the word of animation, and the ??? glyphs glow as the
CF \| flagstones themselves rise up out of the floor, revealing a passage
CF \| into the deeper foundations of the Ch??teau Semix.
CF \|
CF \| Ancient Tomb
CF \| A crypt of antediluvian design, perhaps at first a natural cave, hewn
CF \| by its original discoverers into a roughly circular shape. This
CF \| chamber must predate the Ch??teau above by some millennia. It made no
CF \| appearance in any of your researches.
CF \|
CF \| The sloped floor descends toward a basalt sarcophagus, surrounded by
CF \| seven iron urns.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "ta-da. Thanks."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x sarcophagus"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > X SARCOPHAGUS
CF \|
CF \| The sarcophagus was not brought here: It was carved out of the living
CF \| rock, like the walls and floor.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x urns"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > X URNS
CF \|
CF \| (You can't use multiple objects with that particular verb. I'm sorry.
CF \| It's not up to me. Please, just refer to one thing at a time. I'm
CF \| really sorry.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x first urn"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > X FIRST URN
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x urn"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > X URN
CF \|
CF \| Which do you mean, the northern urn, the northeastern urn, the eastern
CF \| urn, the southeastern urn, the southwestern urn, the western urn, or
CF \| the northwestern urn?
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x northern urn"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > X NORTHERN URN
CF \|
CF \| The urns transcribe the points of a heptagon around the sarcophagus:
CF \| Seven vessels of beaten iron, from an age when iron was valued more
CF \| highly than gold. This one is closed.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open it"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN IT
CF \|
CF \| You open the northern urn, revealing a pool of quicksilver.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x quicksilver"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > X QUICKSILVER
CF \|
CF \| A quantity of liquid hydrargyrum metal rests in the bottom of the urn.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open northeastern urn"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN NORTHEASTERN URN
CF \|
CF \| You open the northeastern urn, revealing a clay tablet.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x clay tablet"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > X CLAY TABLET
CF \|
CF \| Some sort of pre-linguistic figures are pressed into the dried clay.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "read it"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > READ IT
CF \|
CF \| Some sort of pre-linguistic figures are pressed into the dried clay.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open eastern urn"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN EASTERN URN
CF \|
CF \| You open the eastern urn, revealing a milky gem.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x gem"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > X GEM
CF \|
CF \| An unremarkable stone. You are at a loss as to the reason for its
CF \| interment here.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open southeastern urn"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN SOUTHEASTERN URN
CF \|
CF \| You open the southeastern urn, revealing a shriveled brain.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x brain"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > X BRAIN
CF \|
CF \| The oils used to preserve this brain lost their efficacy some
CF \| centuries ago.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open southwestern urn"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN SOUTHWESTERN URN
CF \|
CF \| You open the southwestern urn, revealing an ivory needle.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x needle"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > X NEEDLE
CF \|
CF \| You can detect a primal magic about this needle, which may have been
CF \| carved from the tusk of a woolly mammoth. Its attack power is 6.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take it"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE IT
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open western"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN WESTERN
CF \|
CF \| You open the western urn, revealing a wooden idol.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x idol"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > X IDOL
CF \|
CF \| A humanoid figure, expertly carved. A line painted around its neck may
CF \| represent some sort of necklace.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open idol"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN IDOL
CF \|
CF \| It isn't something you can open.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "pull idol"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > PULL IDOL
CF \|
CF \| (That won't be necessary.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take idol"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE IDOL
CF \|
CF \| You have no use for that.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "search idol"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > SEARCH IDOL
CF \|
CF \| You find nothing of interest.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open northwestern"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN NORTHWESTERN
CF \|
CF \| (the northwestern urn)
CF \| You open the northwestern urn, revealing a blackened thorn.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x thorn"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > X THORN
CF \|
CF \| An inch-long thorn cut from a nameless vine or flower, now extinct. A
CF \| dark, unidentifiable residue coats the tip.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "smell thorn"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > SMELL THORN
CF \|
CF \| You smell nothing unexpected.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "That could be poison."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x residue"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > X RESIDUE
CF \|
CF \| An inch-long thorn cut from a nameless vine or flower, now extinct. A
CF \| dark, unidentifiable residue coats the tip.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu says, "Possibly."
		MoyTW says, "Possibly."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open sarcophagus"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN SARCOPHAGUS
CF \|
CF \| You begin to push the heavy lid aside. This requires some effort, even
CF \| for a vampire of your considerable strength.
CF \|
CF \| A hand reaches out of the casket to assist you.
CF \|
CF \| You leap backward in shock, and look on speechlessly as the desiccated
CF \| appendage completes the task of removing the basalt slab. Then the
CF \| limb's owner rises from its sarcophagus: A humanoid shape, a full foot
CF \| taller than you, though of emaciated aspect. Its body was once wrapped
CF \| in linen bandages; most of these have disintegrated, revealing the
CF \| time-blackened tissues beneath. An iron torc is fastened round its
CF \| withered neck.
CF \|
CF \| The mummy grips a blade of chipped stone and takes a step toward you.
CF \|
CF \| >		MoyTW says, "oh, wait."
		DavidW asks, "yes?"
		MoyTW asks, "...I wonder if you can stab the clay doll with the thorn?"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "undo"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \|
CF \| > UNDO
CF \|
CF \| Ancient Tomb
CF \| [Previous turn undone.]
CF \|
CF \| >		MoyTW says, "Or, like, if there's some way to do this and avoid the mummy fight."
		DavidW says, "There was a clay tablet and a wooden idol."
		Knight_Otu says, "Also the brain."
		MoyTW says, "Well, stab the idol? Or dip the thorn in quicksilver? Or just, like, Do Stuff with them."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "search mercury"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > SEARCH MERCURY
CF \|
CF \| You find nothing of interest.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take thorn"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE THORN
CF \|
CF \| You have no use for that.
CF \|
CF \| >		MoyTW says, "It's possible the answer is "no lol" but I didn't try anything like that."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take tablet"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE TABLET
CF \|
CF \| You have no use for that.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "stab idol with needle"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > STAB IDOL WITH NEEDLE
CF \|
CF \| Harming the wooden idol would accomplish nothing.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "put needle in mercury"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > PUT NEEDLE IN MERCURY
CF \|
CF \| That can't contain things.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "dip needle in mercury"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > DIP NEEDLE IN MERCURY
CF \|
CF \| That's not a verb I recognize.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "We could try goes up from the audience hall, using the gloves."
		MoyTW says, "Well ok it seems like we gotta fight the mummy."
		DavidW says, "er going"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "push save"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > PUSH SAVE
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "SAVE"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "cf23"
CF \| >
CF \| > SAVE
CF \| %% Enter a save filename to write:
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| > SAVEOk.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open sarcophagus"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN SARCOPHAGUS
CF \|
CF \| You begin to push the heavy lid aside. This requires some effort, even
CF \| for a vampire of your considerable strength.
CF \|
CF \| A hand reaches out of the casket to assist you.
CF \|
CF \| You leap backward in shock, and look on speechlessly as the desiccated
CF \| appendage completes the task of removing the basalt slab. Then the
CF \| limb's owner rises from its sarcophagus: A humanoid shape, a full foot
CF \| taller than you, though of emaciated aspect. Its body was once wrapped
CF \| in linen bandages; most of these have disintegrated, revealing the
CF \| time-blackened tissues beneath. An iron torc is fastened round its
CF \| withered neck.
CF \|
CF \| The mummy grips a blade of chipped stone and takes a step toward you.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit mummy with needle"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT MUMMY WITH NEEDLE
CF \|
CF \| You stick the mummy with the ivory needle, dealing 6 damage. The
CF \| needle, having waited millennia to serve its purpose, melts and
CF \| disappears.
CF \|
CF \| The mummy lunges???how could it be so fast????and its blade tears
CF \| silently
CF \| through your cape.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit mummy with greatsword"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT MUMMY WITH GREATSWORD
CF \|
CF \| The greatsword smashes into the mummy and deals 5 damage. Then it
CF \| explodes.
CF \|
CF \| The mummy brings its dagger within an inch of your neck.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit mummy with poker"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT MUMMY WITH POKER
CF \|
CF \| You plunge the poker into the mummy, though the holy metal stings your
CF \| fingers even through your gloves. The weapon deals 5 damage and
CF \| explodes.
CF \|
CF \| The mummy's dagger plunges at your heart???but you push its stringy arm
CF \| to the side.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit mummy with injunction"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT MUMMY WITH INJUNCTION
CF \|
CF \| You speak the word of injunction: The body of the mummy is racked with
CF \| intense force, taking 4 damage. But the spell fades away.
CF \|
CF \| A weak groan issues from the mummy's mouth.
CF \|
CF \| It slumps forward, about to fall to its knees???but in mid-fall it
CF \| crumbles to dust. The only sound is of its stone blade clattering to
CF \| the floor.
CF \|
CF \| You step over the mummy's remains to look inside its sarcophagus. It
CF \| has left behind another artifact: an athame carved from bone.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take athame"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE ATHAME
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x it"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > X IT
CF \|
CF \| The bone of some impossibly ancient beast, carved by the earliest
CF \| practictioners of magic into a ritual instrument. The brittle point is
CF \| useless as a weapon, but it would be profoundly effective in the
CF \| engraving of certain sigils and glyphs.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x blade"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > X BLADE
CF \|
CF \| The material used in the blade's manufacture is beyond the reach of
CF \| your geologic acumen. Its deadly sharpness appears to have been
CF \| enhanced by some unrecognizably primitive magic. Its attack power is
CF \| 7.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take it"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE IT
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x mummy"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > X MUMMY
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "l"
CF ] Ancient Tomb
CF \| >
CF \| > L
CF \|
CF \| Ancient Tomb
CF \| A crypt of antediluvian design, perhaps at first a natural cave, hewn
CF \| by its original discoverers into a roughly circular shape. This
CF \| chamber must predate the Ch??teau above by some millennia. It made no
CF \| appearance in any of your researches.
CF \|
CF \| The sloped floor descends toward a basalt sarcophagus, surrounded by
CF \| seven iron urns.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Tunnel
CF \| A rough-hewn passage beneath the castle, visited only by the least
CF \| welcome and most desperate guests of the Marquis. Certain flagstones
CF \| of the floor are carved with certain strange symbols.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Crypt
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Crypt
CF \| A statue of ??ternitas looms over a magnificent ghost-glass casket. The
CF \| high ceiling dances with the glow of candles in the chamber above.
CF \|
CF \| The eastern archway is protected by a potent array of sigils.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Crypt
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \| You could use that athame to counteract the sigils protecting the
CF \| archway, but the particular glyphs required are unknown to you.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Tunnel
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Tunnel
CF \| A rough-hewn passage beneath the castle, visited only by the least
CF \| welcome and most desperate guests of the Marquis. Certain flagstones
CF \| of the floor are carved with certain strange symbols.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Pit
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Pit
CF \| Some indeterminate number of unworthy guests rest at the bottom of
CF \| this pit, their remains mingled by the depredations of scavengers.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Audience Hall
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \| You dig your claws into the wall and begin climbing.
CF \|
CF \| Audience Hall
CF \| Guests of the Marquis who fail to make a good first impression are
CF \| flung into the pit that takes up most of this chamber.
CF \|
CF \| The Marquis leans over the balcony, following your movements with a
CF \| bored sneer.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Balcony
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \| You dig your claws into the wall and begin climbing.
CF \|
CF \| Balcony
CF \| This lens-shaped platform is bounded by a low marble railing on one
CF \| side and the eastern wall on the other. A ghost-glass window is set in
CF \| the wall; a horned statue stands sentry nearby.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN
CF \|
CF \| The Marquis seems delighted that you've taken the initiative to meet
CF \| him face-to-face, but he says nothing???He only chortles and swirls his
CF \| scythe dramatically.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill with blade"
CF ] Balcony
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL WITH BLADE
CF \|
CF \| The sharpened stone slices through the Marquis with uncanny
CF \| smoothness. You deal 7 damage???but the weapon shatters.
CF \|
CF \| The Marquis swings his scythe???tearing your cape.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill with harp"
CF ] Balcony
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL WITH HARP
CF \|
CF \| The harp is an awkward weapon, but you quickly judge how best to slam
CF \| it into the Marquis. Your foe takes 4 damage, but the instrument does
CF \| not survive the process.
CF \|
CF \| The Marquis falls to his knees, leaning heavily on his scythe. His
CF \| form swirls and fades, like a drop of ink dissolving in a glass of
CF \| water. Your suspicions were correct: This is not the Marquis himself,
CF \| but a phantom, programmed to taunt and distract you.
CF \|
CF \| With a rattling gasp, the specter dissipates into a milky fog, and his
CF \| scythe clatters to the balcony floor. The gaseous ghost-form, obeying
CF \| your implicit instructions, rises up into your nostrils and suffuses
CF \| your body. After taking a moment to integrate the substance, you look
CF \| down at your hands: With some small concentration, you cause them to
CF \| fade away for a moment.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "undo"
CF ] Balcony
CF \|
CF \| > UNDO
CF \|
CF \| Balcony
CF \| [Previous turn undone.]
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill with machete"
CF ] Balcony
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL WITH MACHETE
CF \|
CF \| The machete connects with the Marquis and deals 3 damage before
CF \| bursting into useless splinters.
CF \|
CF \| The Marquis falls to his knees, leaning heavily on his scythe. His
CF \| form swirls and fades, like a drop of ink dissolving in a glass of
CF \| water. Your suspicions were correct: This is not the Marquis himself,
CF \| but a phantom, programmed to taunt and distract you.
CF \|
CF \| With a rattling gasp, the specter dissipates into a milky fog, and his
CF \| scythe clatters to the balcony floor. The gaseous ghost-form, obeying
CF \| your implicit instructions, rises up into your nostrils and suffuses
CF \| your body. After taking a moment to integrate the substance, you look
CF \| down at your hands: With some small concentration, you cause them to
CF \| fade away for a moment.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "undo"
CF ] Balcony
CF \|
CF \| > UNDO
CF \|
CF \| Balcony
CF \| [Previous turn undone.]
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill with cutlass"
CF ] Balcony
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL WITH CUTLASS
CF \|
CF \| You slice into the Marquis with the cutlass and deal 2 damage. The
CF \| flimsy weapon turns to dust immediately.
CF \|
CF \| The Marquis falls to his knees, leaning heavily on his scythe. His
CF \| form swirls and fades, like a drop of ink dissolving in a glass of
CF \| water. Your suspicions were correct: This is not the Marquis himself,
CF \| but a phantom, programmed to taunt and distract you.
CF \|
CF \| With a rattling gasp, the specter dissipates into a milky fog, and his
CF \| scythe clatters to the balcony floor. The gaseous ghost-form, obeying
CF \| your implicit instructions, rises up into your nostrils and suffuses
CF \| your body. After taking a moment to integrate the substance, you look
CF \| down at your hands: With some small concentration, you cause them to
CF \| fade away for a moment.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "undo"
CF ] Balcony
CF \|
CF \| > UNDO
CF \|
CF \| Balcony
CF \| [Previous turn undone.]
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill with dagger"
CF ] Balcony
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL WITH DAGGER
CF \|
CF \| You stab the dagger into the Marquis and deal 1 damage. The blade
CF \| shatters.
CF \|
CF \| You duck beneath another swing of the glittering scythe.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "undo"
CF ] Balcony
CF \|
CF \| > UNDO
CF \|
CF \| Balcony
CF \| [Previous turn undone.]
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "kill with cutlass"
CF ] Balcony
CF \| >
CF \| > KILL WITH CUTLASS
CF \|
CF \| You slice into the Marquis with the cutlass and deal 2 damage. The
CF \| flimsy weapon turns to dust immediately.
CF \|
CF \| The Marquis falls to his knees, leaning heavily on his scythe. His
CF \| form swirls and fades, like a drop of ink dissolving in a glass of
CF \| water. Your suspicions were correct: This is not the Marquis himself,
CF \| but a phantom, programmed to taunt and distract you.
CF \|
CF \| With a rattling gasp, the specter dissipates into a milky fog, and his
CF \| scythe clatters to the balcony floor. The gaseous ghost-form, obeying
CF \| your implicit instructions, rises up into your nostrils and suffuses
CF \| your body. After taking a moment to integrate the substance, you look
CF \| down at your hands: With some small concentration, you cause them to
CF \| fade away for a moment.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x scythe"
CF ] Balcony
CF \| >
CF \| > X SCYTHE
CF \|
CF \| A farming implement turned toward violence. Its attack power is 3.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take it"
CF ] Balcony
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE IT
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x balcony"
CF ] Balcony
CF \| >
CF \| > X BALCONY
CF \|
CF \| On the other side of the ghost-glass is the museum gallery.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x statue"
CF ] Balcony
CF \| >
CF \| > X STATUE
CF \|
CF \| The limestone form of some minor demon, its expression carved to
CF \| create the sense that this statue, resentful of its station, is
CF \| nonetheless powerless to defy its master. It grips a little sickle in
CF \| one hand.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x sickle"
CF ] Balcony
CF \| >
CF \| > X SICKLE
CF \|
CF \| A moon-shaped blade with a short handle. Its attack power is 4.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take it"
CF ] Balcony
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE IT
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu says, "The attack powers feel rather random."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "l"
CF ] Balcony
CF \| >
CF \| > L
CF \|
CF \| Balcony
CF \| This lens-shaped platform is bounded by a low marble railing on one
CF \| side and the eastern wall on the other. A ghost-glass window is set in
CF \| the wall; a horned statue stands sentry nearby.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "i"
CF ] Balcony
CF \| >
CF \| > I
CF \|
CF \| You are carrying:
CF \| a sickle
CF \| a scythe
CF \| the form of the ghost
CF \| an athame
CF \| a copper walking stick
CF \| a copper harp
CF \| a word of animation
CF \| a machete
CF \| a wakizashi
CF \| Thembriaud
CF \| the master's key
CF \| a cinqueda
CF \| a flail
CF \| some clawed gloves (being worn)
CF \| a mace
CF \| a scimitar
CF \| a tattered cape (being worn)
CF \| a white dagger
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x ghost"
CF ] Balcony
CF \| >
CF \| > X GHOST
CF \|
CF \| The form of the ghost resists any physical interaction. It is, in
CF \| fact, entirely insubstantial???and this is the basis of its utility.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu says, "For the ghostglass, of course."
		DavidW asks, "And will it work on all the glass?"
		MoyTW says, "Yeah."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \| Your body melts into bluish, incorporeal smoke, and you pass through
CF \| the glass.
CF \|
CF \| Gallery
CF \| Numerous objets d'art and historical oddities are on display in this
CF \| museum hall: A portrait of the Marquis, the statue of Gaspard Oindr??,
CF \| a framed family tree, a Japanese warrior's equipment in an elaborate
CF \| display case.
CF \|
CF \| A pane of ghost-glass to the west offers a view of the balcony. The
CF \| oak door to the east is open.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| You reconstitute your physical form.
CF \|
CF \| >		MoyTW says, "Really you'd think an inquisitor would come prepared with ghost-form."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "d"
CF ] Great Stair
CF \| >
CF \| > D
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Great Stair
CF \| Velvet spills over the grand stairway in a crimson flood. The huge
CF \| door to the east stands open, and wind whistles down the length of the
CF \| castle.
CF \|
CF \| High on the wall are displayed the arms of the Marquis Semix.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Lounge
CF \| The walls of this chamber are hung with dark curtains, flickering in
CF \| the light of tall candelabrae. An ostentatious couch runs the length
CF \| of the hall. To the west is a huge door.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "d"
CF ] Crypt
CF \| >
CF \| > D
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Crypt
CF \| A statue of ??ternitas looms over a magnificent ghost-glass casket. The
CF \| high ceiling dances with the glow of candles in the chamber above.
CF \|
CF \| The eastern archway is protected by a potent array of sigils.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take all from casket"
CF ] Crypt
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE ALL FROM CASKET
CF \|
CF \| ruby lens: You discorporate your hand so as to reach through the
CF \| glass.
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \| gladius: You discorporate your hand so as to reach through the glass.
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu says, "Maybe the mission reached us while we were vacationing."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \| You dig your claws into the wall and begin climbing.
CF \|
CF \| Lounge
CF \| The walls of this chamber are hung with dark curtains, flickering in
CF \| the light of tall candelabrae. An ostentatious couch runs the length
CF \| of the hall. To the west is a huge door.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Hall of Feasting
CF \| There has been no feasting here for some time, and the long table is
CF \| covered in dust. At the east end of the room, a grand window looks out
CF \| on the Ch??teau gardens.
CF \|
CF \| There's a staircase sticking out of the ceiling.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Hedge Maze
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \| Your body melts into bluish, incorporeal smoke, and you pass through
CF \| the glass.
CF \|
CF \| Hedge Maze
CF \| A labyrinth of sculpted greenery stretches before you: A frivolous
CF \| distraction. You climb atop the hedge-wall, and find it solid enough
CF \| to traverse.
CF \|
CF \| The rain is relentless.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| You reconstitute your physical form.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW asks, "Do we have to drop stuff to map this?"
		MoyTW asks, "Drop stuff to map this?"
		MoyTW says, "Uh, no."
		DavidW says, "A maze"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Rose Garden
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Rose Garden
CF \| Those who manage to navigate the hedge maze are rewarded with this
CF \| nightmarish sight: Giant roses growing wild over what was once a
CF \| tasteful garden, thorny tendrils spreading like a blight across the
CF \| yellowed grass. The intense collective aroma of all these flowers,
CF \| while not unpleasant, is almost enough to make you swoon.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: WEST
CF \|
CF \| A woman is growing among the vines. She blinks at you languidly. You
CF \| wave.
CF \|
CF \| "Good evening, mademoiselle. I have come here seeking information
CF \| concerning the Marquis."
CF \|
CF \| "You have come to assassinate the Marquis," she hisses. "I have been
CF \| apprised of your arrival, Inquisitor."
CF \|
CF \| You bow stiffly. "An unnecessary and unbecoming deception. I beg your
CF \| pardon, mademoiselle."
CF \|
CF \| "My name is Mandragora," she says, as lightning illuminates her
CF \| emerald skin. "and I am bound by duty to destroy the enemies of the
CF \| Marquis."
CF \|
CF \| "I see. I, similarly, am bound by duty to destroy the accomplices of
CF \| the Marquis, as well as his experiments."
CF \|
CF \| "Your duty is of no interest to me, Inquisitor. Come and face me, or
CF \| else leave my garden." Mandragora's tendrils ripple around her, and
CF \| the field of brambles lurches toward you as a single body.
CF \|
CF \| You nod. "Very well. My name is Vultrine, by the way."
CF \|
CF \| >		MoyTW says, "Ooooh, you mean, like, us the players."
		MoyTW says, "I thought you were asking if we had to drop all our weapons to map it, and was very confused."
		DavidW says, "Like a typical maze in an old-school IF."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x woman"
CF ] Rose Garden
CF \| >
CF \| > X WOMAN
CF \|
CF \| It is not illegal to grow a living, thinking plant, but it does seem
CF \| cruel: This woman will never see anything beyond the walls of this
CF \| garden. She will never visit museums, or climb mountains, or walk
CF \| along a beach.
CF \|
CF \| You cut your sympathies short: This individual is interfering with
CF \| your investigation. She must be dealt with.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x flowers"
CF ] Rose Garden
CF \| >
CF \| > X FLOWERS
CF \|
CF \| The flowers are unnaturally robust, probably as a result of
CF \| melliphytic interference.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit with stick"
CF ] Rose Garden
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT WITH STICK
CF \|
CF \| You bring the walking stick down on Mandragora and deal 4 damage. The
CF \| stick itself snaps in half and is destroyed.
CF \|
CF \| Mandragora swipes at you with a thorny vine, cutting an ugly gash in
CF \| your cape.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit with sickle"
CF ] Rose Garden
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT WITH SICKLE
CF \|
CF \| You slice into Mandragora with the sickle, dealing 4 damage. The blade
CF \| snaps off, and the weapon is destroyed.
CF \|
CF \| Another lash from Mandragora's tendrils lands painfully on your cheek.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit with gladius"
CF ] Rose Garden
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT WITH GLADIUS
CF \|
CF \| You plunge the gladius into your enemy, dealing 4 damage. The weapon
CF \| is disintegrated by the force of impact.
CF \|
CF \| You duck to avoid one of her attacks???and are momentarily ensconced in
CF \| a pit of brambles. But you pull yourself out.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit with scythe"
CF ] Rose Garden
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT WITH SCYTHE
CF \|
CF \| You swing the scythe in a deadly arc, dealing 3 damage. The scythe
CF \| shatters.
CF \|
CF \| She stops moving. She blinks.
CF \|
CF \| And then she withers away, and her form is not that of a woman, but of
CF \| a gnarled twig. Her brambles blacken and fall to pieces. Only the
CF \| roses remain.
CF \|
CF \| And one length of vine, covered in thorns.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x roses"
CF ] Rose Garden
CF \| >
CF \| > X ROSES
CF \|
CF \| The flowers are unnaturally robust, probably as a result of
CF \| melliphytic interference.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x vine"
CF ] Rose Garden
CF \| >
CF \| > X VINE
CF \|
CF \| A vine that Mandragora used in her attempt to kill you. The thicker
CF \| end is smooth enough to grip as a handle; the opposite end is covered
CF \| in menacing thorns. Its attack power is 7.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take vine"
CF ] Rose Garden
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE VINE
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "i"
CF ] Rose Garden
CF \| >
CF \| > I
CF \|
CF \| You are carrying:
CF \| a thorn whip
CF \| a ruby lens
CF \| the form of the ghost
CF \| an athame
CF \| a copper harp
CF \| a word of animation
CF \| a machete
CF \| a wakizashi
CF \| Thembriaud
CF \| the master's key
CF \| a cinqueda
CF \| a flail
CF \| some clawed gloves (being worn)
CF \| a mace
CF \| a scimitar
CF \| a tattered cape (being worn)
CF \| a white dagger
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x cape"
CF ] Rose Garden
CF \| >
CF \| > X CAPE
CF \|
CF \| Long gouges have been torn out of your beloved cape. It remains to be
CF \| seen whether Clarienne will be able to restore it.
CF \|
CF \| You resolve not to let the question bother you. Clarienne is a miracle
CF \| worker.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "look"
CF ] Rose Garden
CF \| >
CF \| > LOOK
CF \|
CF \| Rose Garden
CF \| A field of oversized roses, filling the air with unbearable sweetness.
CF \| At their center is the stump that once was Mandragora.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x stump"
CF ] Rose Garden
CF \| >
CF \| > X STUMP
CF \|
CF \| A vaguely humanoid bit of plant matter is all that remains of
CF \| Mandragora. It's not impossible that she'll manage to regrow
CF \| herself???Perhaps in a few years.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take roses"
CF ] Rose Garden
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE ROSES
CF \|
CF \| You pick one rose and install it in your buttonhole. At once you feel
CF \| yourself surrounded by an aura of its cloying perfume.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "yessss"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Hedge Maze
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Hedge Maze
CF \| Standing atop the hedges, you can dash from one end of the maze to the
CF \| other in a few moments.
CF \|
CF \| The rain is relentless.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW asks, "rain?"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \| Your body melts into bluish, incorporeal smoke, and you pass through
CF \| the glass.
CF \|
CF \| Hall of Feasting
CF \| There has been no feasting here for some time, and the long table is
CF \| covered in dust. At the east end of the room, a grand window looks out
CF \| on the Ch??teau gardens.
CF \|
CF \| There's a staircase sticking out of the ceiling.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| You reconstitute your physical form.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Hidden Passage
CF \| Here the walls are bare wood, and dust covers the cold stone floor. It
CF \| is doubtful that the Marquis has found a use for this concealed
CF \| redoubt in recent years.
CF \|
CF \| A rusty lever is set in the far wall.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Master Bedroom
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Master Bedroom
CF \| The Marquis does not sleep here (or indeed at all). The great bed is
CF \| unused, the fireplace is spotless.
CF \|
CF \| A chill wind issues from the spiral staircase, and a tapestry hung on
CF \| the easten wall ripples gently.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Parapet
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Parapet
CF \| Rain falls in sheets, and the narrow walkway is like a sluice. On one
CF \| side is the tower wall, ascending into the storm; on the other,
CF \| statues of Nephreine and Alithedora look out over the countryside,
CF \| serenely ignoring the precipitous drop to the castle grounds at their
CF \| feet. Happily, a staircase nearby enables a safer descent.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Laboratory
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \| The rose's atmosphere surrounds you, forming a bubble of sweet air
CF \| with enough solidity to repel the toxic gas surrounding the western
CF \| tower. You continue along the walkway and enter.
CF \|
CF \| Laboratory
CF \| Here, if any further evidence were needed, is proof positive: The
CF \| Marquis is not merely dabbling, but devoting considerable resources to
CF \| his study of melliphysis. You recognize the banned materials on the
CF \| bookshelves at a glance. Diagrams on the wall depict physical space
CF \| being folded into unnatural shapes.
CF \|
CF \| And most damning of all, in the far corner of the chamber is a
CF \| pinprick of darkness???a rent torn through the very air???through which
CF \| a
CF \| viridescent miasma is slowly leaking into this dimension.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST
CF \|
CF \| A loose page lies on the workbench, with some sort of formula scrawled
CF \| on it.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take page"
CF ] Laboratory
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE PAGE
CF \|
CF \| At the first step you take toward the workbench, something skitters
CF \| out from underneath it: A furry, many-legged creature you cannot
CF \| immediately recognize.
CF \|
CF \| It opens a toothy maw and growls breathily at you, standing between
CF \| you and the pitted desk. It dawns on you that this is a famulus,
CF \| conjured by the Marquis. Besides interfering with your investigation,
CF \| the monster itself is illegal.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x famulus"
CF ] Laboratory
CF \| >
CF \| > X FAMULUS
CF \|
CF \| A melliphytic famulus is sculpted with the limbs, sensory organs???even
CF \| the specific intellectual faculties required by its summoner.
CF \| Presumably when this one is not acting as a mere guard dog, it is able
CF \| to assist the Marquis in his depraved studies.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit with vine"
CF ] Laboratory
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT WITH VINE
CF \|
CF \| You swipe at the famulus with the thorny whip, slicing deep and
CF \| dealing 7 damage. But then the whip withers away, like the rest of
CF \| Mandragora's armament.
CF \|
CF \| The famulus leaps forward and closes its massive jaws around your
CF \| cape, tearing off a sizable strip of fabric.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit with poleaxe"
CF ] Laboratory
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT WITH POLEAXE
CF \|
CF \| You bring down Thembriaud with a mighty swing and deal 5 damage. The
CF \| legendary weapon is destroyed.
CF \|
CF \| The famulus tries to bite down on your arm, but you smack it away.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit with mace"
CF ] Laboratory
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT WITH MACE
CF \|
CF \| You slam the mace into the famulus. The mace bursts into a cloud of
CF \| shrapnel, but not before dealing 3 damage.
CF \|
CF \| The famulus utters one last creaking whine???and then it disappears
CF \| with
CF \| a hideous popping sound.
CF \|
CF \| A magic particle rises into the air over the spot: A spell you
CF \| recognize as a word of vexation. This must have been what imparted
CF \| such orneriness to the creature. You take possession of it.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "undo"
CF ] Laboratory
CF \|
CF \| > UNDO
CF \|
CF \| Laboratory
CF \| [Previous turn undone.]
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit with scimitar"
CF ] Laboratory
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT WITH SCIMITAR
CF \|
CF \| With a practiced hand you slice into the famulus and deal 2 damage.
CF \| The force of your blow is enough to snap the blade into two pieces of
CF \| useless steel.
CF \|
CF \| The famulus whines pitifully???and then climbs up your shirt, to snap
CF \| at
CF \| your neck. You shove it back to the floor.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "undo"
CF ] Laboratory
CF \|
CF \| > UNDO
CF \|
CF \| Laboratory
CF \| [Previous turn undone.]
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit with mace"
CF ] Laboratory
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT WITH MACE
CF \|
CF \| You slam the mace into the famulus. The mace bursts into a cloud of
CF \| shrapnel, but not before dealing 3 damage.
CF \|
CF \| The famulus utters one last creaking whine???and then it disappears
CF \| with
CF \| a hideous popping sound.
CF \|
CF \| A magic particle rises into the air over the spot: A spell you
CF \| recognize as a word of vexation. This must have been what imparted
CF \| such orneriness to the creature. You take possession of it.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x vexation"
CF ] Laboratory
CF \| >
CF \| > X VEXATION
CF \|
CF \| The word of vexation is a magic spell which you hold more in your mind
CF \| than in your hand. Its attack power is 7.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take page"
CF ] Laboratory
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE PAGE
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x page"
CF ] Laboratory
CF \| >
CF \| > X PAGE
CF \|
CF \| The formula on the scrap of paper is a glyph of interruption,
CF \| specifically designed to suspend the effects of some other magic for a
CF \| limited time. To inscribe the glyph would require a specialized ritual
CF \| instrument.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x pinprick"
CF ] Laboratory
CF \| >
CF \| > X PINPRICK
CF \|
CF \| The perforation is so miniscule in size as to seemingly disappear when
CF \| observed directly. You have dealt with such things before, however:
CF \| Even the most diminutive of melliphytic phenomena can have disastrous
CF \| effects.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x miasma"
CF ] Laboratory
CF \| >
CF \| > X MIASMA
CF \|
CF \| The gas flows steadily out of the air, filling the laboratory,
CF \| drifting out of the windows. It will go on flowing out of the Ch??teau,
CF \| across the countryside, into farms and villages. You will have to
CF \| procure a specialist to seal the perforation as soon as possible???as
CF \| soon as you have executed your own duties.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x banned"
CF ] Laboratory
CF \| >
CF \| > X BANNED
CF \|
CF \| Your instinct is to destroy the most heretical books at once, but they
CF \| will need to be taken in as evidence after you've dealt with the
CF \| Marquis.
CF \|
CF \| A spherical vial of hythic acid is sitting atop one shelf.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take vial"
CF ] Laboratory
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE VIAL
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x vial"
CF ] Laboratory
CF \| >
CF \| > X VIAL
CF \|
CF \| Though it has applications in any number of unseemly or unlawful
CF \| endeavors, mere possession of hythic acid is perfectly legal. Its
CF \| attack power is 6.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "look"
CF ] Laboratory
CF \| >
CF \| > LOOK
CF \|
CF \| Laboratory
CF \| Here, if any further evidence were needed, is proof positive: The
CF \| Marquis is not merely dabbling, but devoting considerable resources to
CF \| his study of melliphysis. You recognize the banned materials on the
CF \| bookshelves at a glance. Diagrams on the wall depict physical space
CF \| being folded into unnatural shapes.
CF \|
CF \| And most damning of all, in the far corner of the chamber is a
CF \| pinprick of darkness???a rent torn through the very air???through which
CF \| a
CF \| viridescent miasma is slowly leaking into this dimension.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x diagrams"
CF ] Laboratory
CF \| >
CF \| > X DIAGRAMS
CF \|
CF \| The bizarre deformations drawn out by the Marquis on these parchments
CF \| are enough to make your forehead ache, even without the knowledge that
CF \| the entity he purports to force into such contortions is the universe
CF \| itself.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take diagrams"
CF ] Laboratory
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE DIAGRAMS
CF \|
CF \| (That's not for taking.)
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "So, the sigil arch next."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Parapet
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Parapet
CF \| Rain falls in sheets, and the narrow walkway is like a sluice. On one
CF \| side is the tower wall, ascending into the storm; on the other,
CF \| statues of Nephreine and Alithedora look out over the countryside,
CF \| serenely ignoring the precipitous drop to the castle grounds at their
CF \| feet. Happily, a staircase nearby enables a safer descent.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu nods.
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "d"
CF ] Master Bedroom
CF \| >
CF \| > D
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Master Bedroom
CF \| The Marquis does not sleep here (or indeed at all). The great bed is
CF \| unused, the fireplace is spotless.
CF \|
CF \| A chill wind issues from the spiral staircase, and a tapestry hung on
CF \| the easten wall ripples gently.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Hidden Passage
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Hidden Passage
CF \| Here the walls are bare wood, and dust covers the cold stone floor. It
CF \| is doubtful that the Marquis has found a use for this concealed
CF \| redoubt in recent years.
CF \|
CF \| A rusty lever is set in the far wall.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "d"
CF ] Hall of Feasting
CF \| >
CF \| > D
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Hall of Feasting
CF \| There has been no feasting here for some time, and the long table is
CF \| covered in dust. At the east end of the room, a grand window looks out
CF \| on the Ch??teau gardens.
CF \|
CF \| There's a staircase sticking out of the ceiling.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Lounge
CF \| The walls of this chamber are hung with dark curtains, flickering in
CF \| the light of tall candelabrae. An ostentatious couch runs the length
CF \| of the hall. To the west is a huge door.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "d"
CF ] Crypt
CF \| >
CF \| > D
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Crypt
CF \| A statue of ??ternitas looms over a magnificent ghost-glass casket. The
CF \| high ceiling dances with the glow of candles in the chamber above.
CF \|
CF \| The eastern archway is protected by a potent array of sigils.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \| You lean down and carve the glyph of interruption with the athame,
CF \| suspending the enchantment just long enough for you to pass through
CF \| the archway.
CF \|
CF \| Grotto
CF \| Slumped stalagmites surround a pool of greenish liquid, its depths
CF \| obscured by unnatural mist.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x pool"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > X POOL
CF \|
CF \| You peer over the edge of the pool.
CF \|
CF \| Something peers back up at you.
CF \|
CF \| It swims up at you, undulating eerily, faster and faster until it
CF \| emerges with a viscous splashing at the water's edge. You recognize
CF \| its shape: A Nemertean.
CF \|
CF \| "Ah, a friend of the Marquis," it utters, the words muffled by its
CF \| many-lobed mouth. "I was not apprised of your visitation. All the
CF \| same, I am happy to take on another pupil."
CF \|
CF \| "Then it was you who instructed the Marquis in the art of
CF \| melliphysis?" you ask.
CF \|
CF \| Its eye opens in a grim smirk. "I recognize the questioning of an
CF \| Inquisitor," it spits back. "You may spare me any rehearsed remarks
CF \| upon the necessity of my eradication???I have had it all from your
CF \| predecessor, in the moments before he was devoured."
CF \|
CF \| You nod. "Then I will proceed directly to the eradication."
CF \|
CF \| "Attempt this if you must," it says, unsheathing a chitinous pincer,
CF \| "but I have fed so recently???It is all the same to me if you choose to
CF \| flee with your life."
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit with vexation"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT WITH VEXATION
CF \|
CF \| You speak the word of vexation: The Nemertean shrieks in unfathomable
CF \| fury, taking 7 damage. But the spell fades away.
CF \|
CF \| The Nemertean's membranes billow, and it flies up into the dark
CF \| heights of the cave.
CF \|
CF \| It swoops down upon you???you leap out of the way???your cape is caught
CF \| in
CF \| its pincer.
CF \|
CF \| It yanks on the tattered garment, drawing you in. You pull in the
CF \| other direction until your cape is torn from your shoulders. You leap
CF \| out of range and whirl around to see the monster shredding what
CF \| remained of your cape to ribbons. Then it turns toward you.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit with vial"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT WITH VIAL
CF \|
CF \| The vial shatters, and hythic acid splashes all over the Nemertean.
CF \| The liquid then erupts in flames, dealing 6 damage.
CF \|
CF \| The Nemertean thrusts in response, but you dodge the blow.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "i"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > I
CF \|
CF \| You are carrying:
CF \| a glyph of interruption
CF \| a rose (being worn)
CF \| a ruby lens
CF \| the form of the ghost
CF \| an athame
CF \| a copper harp
CF \| a word of animation
CF \| a machete
CF \| a wakizashi
CF \| the master's key
CF \| a cinqueda
CF \| a flail
CF \| some clawed gloves (being worn)
CF \| a scimitar
CF \| a white dagger
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit with flail"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT WITH FLAIL
CF \|
CF \| You swing the flail around and around, building up speed???Then you
CF \| swing it into the Nemertean, and it explodes, dealing 3 damage.
CF \|
CF \| You duck behind a stalagmite to avoid another swipe of the creature's
CF \| pincer.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit with harp"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT WITH HARP
CF \|
CF \| The harp is an awkward weapon, but you quickly judge how best to slam
CF \| it into the Nemertean. Your foe takes 4 damage, but the instrument
CF \| does not survive the process.
CF \|
CF \| The bulbous creature stops in its tracks.
CF \|
CF \| "Have it your own way, Inquisitor. Go and wreak your justice upon the
CF \| Marquis. We Nemerteans love nothing more than to see vampire turn
CF \| against vampire."
CF \|
CF \| The noise it produces next might be a hollow laugh, or else a
CF \| death-rattle: For the Nemertean collapses, its unearthly organs
CF \| squelching and shriveling before your eyes.
CF \|
CF \| You look over the remains: Its air-membrane, shrunken into a form not
CF \| unlike your beloved silk cape, and its deadly pincer.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x pincer"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > X PINCER
CF \|
CF \| One of the few rigid elements of Nemertean anatomy is the pincer. A
CF \| grisly trophy to be sure, but its efficacy in combat far outweighs its
CF \| distastefulness. Its attack power is 8.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take it"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE IT
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x membrane"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > X MEMBRANE
CF \|
CF \| The material is remarkably smooth and soft, considering its origin.
CF \| You have seen firsthand how its folds take in surrounding air and
CF \| converts the pressure into a powerful upward force.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take it"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE IT
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "l"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > L
CF \|
CF \| Grotto
CF \| Slumped stalagmites surround a pool of greenish liquid, its depths
CF \| obscured by unnatural mist.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x mist"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > X MIST
CF \|
CF \| An unaccountable quantity of vapor covers the water's surface,
CF \| creeping out over the stone, as if seeking to infiltrate the Ch??teau
CF \| beyond.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x stone"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > X STONE
CF \|
CF \| Each mass of stone seems to ooze indolently over itself, creeping
CF \| toward the dark pool.
CF \|
CF \| A sword is sticking out of one of the stalagmites???It must have been
CF \| thrust into the rock with considerable force.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take sword"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE SWORD
CF \|
CF \| (the white rapier)
CF \| You grab hold of the rapier's hilt and pull.
CF \|
CF \| It doesn't budge.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x sword"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > X SWORD
CF \|
CF \| Which do you mean, the white rapier, the machete, the cinqueda, or the
CF \| scimitar?
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW focuses on his crystal and fades away into a white haze in the light.
DavidW has arrived.
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "white"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > WHITE
CF \|
CF \| You think you recognize the weapon, but you won't be sure until you'e
CF \| extracted it from this rock formation.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x rock"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > X ROCK
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x stalagmite"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > X STALAGMITE
CF \|
CF \| Each mass of stone seems to ooze indolently over itself, creeping
CF \| toward the dark pool.
CF \|
CF \| A sword is sticking out of one of the stalagmites???It must have been
CF \| thrust into the rock with considerable force.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "The last time I pulled a sword from a stone, I used a special oil."
		DavidW says, "I don't think that's the trick here."
		MoyTW says, "ha."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "pull white rapier"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > PULL WHITE RAPIER
CF \|
CF \| You set your feet and pull harder at the rapier.
CF \|
CF \| The blade seems to shift in the rock. A little.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "g"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > G
CF \|
CF \| You heave once more, and the rapier slides out of the stalagmite with
CF \| such ease that you stumble backward a bit.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "yay, persistence."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x white rapier"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > X WHITE RAPIER
CF \|
CF \| This rapier was wielded by Udolphon, the first Inquisitor assigned to
CF \| investigate the Marquis. While examining it closely, you perceive in
CF \| yourself an unprofessional desire to ensure he is avenged. Its attack
CF \| power is 8.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu asks, "Are we now the vampire king?"
		DavidW says, "Not yet."
		DavidW says, "We may have all we can take from here."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "d"
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > D
CF \|
CF \| You can't go that way.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "And I'm guessing the membrane will let us go UP from Parapet to the final battle."
		Knight_Otu says, "(Also, if Udolphon made it to here, why are so many old obstacles still here. Can't all have been created after, right?)"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "I think some reset."
CF ] Grotto
CF \| >
CF \| > I THINK SOME RESET.
CF \|
CF \| I only understood you as far as wanting to take inventory.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Crypt
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Crypt
CF \| A statue of ??ternitas looms over a magnificent ghost-glass casket. The
CF \| high ceiling dances with the glow of candles in the chamber above.
CF \|
CF \| The eastern archway is protected by a potent array of sigils.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Lounge
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \| You dig your claws into the wall and begin climbing.
CF \|
CF \| Lounge
CF \| The walls of this chamber are hung with dark curtains, flickering in
CF \| the light of tall candelabrae. An ostentatious couch runs the length
CF \| of the hall. To the west is a huge door.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu says, "Maybe."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Great Stair
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Great Stair
CF \| Velvet spills over the grand stairway in a crimson flood. The huge
CF \| door to the east stands open, and wind whistles down the length of the
CF \| castle.
CF \|
CF \| High on the wall are displayed the arms of the Marquis Semix.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "n"
CF ] Great Stair
CF \| >
CF \| > N
CF \|
CF \| You can't go that way.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Gallery
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Gallery
CF \| Numerous objets d'art and historical oddities are on display in this
CF \| museum hall: A portrait of the Marquis, the statue of Gaspard Oindr??,
CF \| a framed family tree, a Japanese warrior's equipment in an elaborate
CF \| display case.
CF \|
CF \| A pane of ghost-glass to the west offers a view of the balcony. The
CF \| oak door to the east is open.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: EAST DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Master Bedroom
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Master Bedroom
CF \| The Marquis does not sleep here (or indeed at all). The great bed is
CF \| unused, the fireplace is spotless.
CF \|
CF \| A chill wind issues from the spiral staircase, and a tapestry hung on
CF \| the easten wall ripples gently.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP EAST WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Parapet
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Parapet
CF \| Rain falls in sheets, and the narrow walkway is like a sluice. On one
CF \| side is the tower wall, ascending into the storm; on the other,
CF \| statues of Nephreine and Alithedora look out over the countryside,
CF \| serenely ignoring the precipitous drop to the castle grounds at their
CF \| feet. Happily, a staircase nearby enables a safer descent.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP DOWN WEST
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "SAVE"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "cf24"
CF \| >
CF \| > SAVE
CF \| %% Enter a save filename to write:
CF ] Parapet
CF \| > SAVEOk.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Roof
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \| You dig your claws into the wall and begin climbing.
CF \|
CF \| Roof
CF \| A lesser Inquisitor might lose one's footing on this steeply pitched
CF \| roof, in this torrential downpour, but fortunately the Orthodoxy gave
CF \| this particular assignment to their most skilled agent.
CF \|
CF \| A gap in the roof and a few loose bricks indicate that some section of
CF \| the castle was forcibly removed from this spot. Looking up, you see
CF \| what happened: The tower is floating in the clouds above the Ch??teau.
CF \| That is most certainly illegal.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: UP DOWN
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x bricks"
CF ] Roof
CF \| >
CF \| > X BRICKS
CF \|
CF \| Bricks are littered across the roof. A nearby specimen possesses a
CF \| particular imposing jaggedness.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x specimen"
CF ] Roof
CF \| >
CF \| > X SPECIMEN
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x brick"
CF ] Roof
CF \| >
CF \| > X BRICK
CF \|
CF \| A squarish piece of rock with a knifelike edge. Its attack power is 3.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take it"
CF ] Roof
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE IT
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x gap"
CF ] Roof
CF \| >
CF \| > X GAP
CF \|
CF \| A roughly circular hole has been punched out of the roof. There
CF \| appears to be nothing of interest below.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x tower"
CF ] Roof
CF \| >
CF \| > X TOWER
CF \|
CF \| Though the places where it formerly connected to the Ch??teau bear the
CF \| impressions of remarkable violence, the better part of the tower is
CF \| surprisingly intact. It is in the first place surprising (though much
CF \| of the shock has now worn off) that such a massive structure could be
CF \| made to levitate independently at all. The melliphytic energies
CF \| required must be colossal. The Orthodoxy will be furious???unless you
CF \| bring the Marquis to justice.
CF \|
CF \| A glow from within indicates that the tower is currently occupied.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Roof
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \| You have no way of flying up into that tower!
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "wear membrane"
CF ] Roof
CF \| >
CF \| > WEAR MEMBRANE
CF \|
CF \| You put on the membranous cape.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Floating Tower
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \| You raise your cape around you and catch a gust of wind???
CF \|
CF \| ???It bears you up into the tempest, up to the tower.
CF \|
CF \| Floating Tower
CF \| You land lightly on the rain-slick floor. Thunder shakes the tower,
CF \| and then a voice booms: "You're too late, Inquisitor."
CF \|
CF \| A vortex of twisted space hangs over the tower, whipping the wind and
CF \| clouds into a maelstrom. You can feel it pulling on you, as well.
CF \|
CF \| EXITS: DOWN
CF \|
CF \| "Too late for what?" you ask.
CF \|
CF \| The Marquis glides toward you, unperturbed by the howling winds. "The
CF \| Gate is open," he explains, "and shortly it will be under my control.
CF \| I have solved the equations. All that remains is the psychical
CF \| component???of bending the Gate to my will."
CF \|
CF \| "I'm afraid that won't be possible," you tell him. "Marquis Semix, in
CF \| the name of the Orthodoxy, I hereby arrest you on charges of research
CF \| and experimentation in melliphysis, the knowledge or application of
CF \| which is a capital crime, and on various related charges to be
CF \| enumerated before a magistrate. You have the right to stand trial and
CF \| speak or be spoken for in your defense. Do you choose to exercise this
CF \| right?"
CF \|
CF \| "I do not," he sneers. He stretches out his fingers to show you long,
CF \| barbed claws.
CF \|
CF \| "Very well. In that case, the Orthodoxy sentences you to death, and
CF \| obliges me carry out your execution at my earliest convenience."
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "i"
CF ] Floating Tower
CF \| >
CF \| > I
CF \|
CF \| You are carrying:
CF \| a jagged brick
CF \| a white rapier
CF \| a membranous cape (being worn)
CF \| a Nemertean pincer
CF \| a glyph of interruption
CF \| a rose (being worn)
CF \| a ruby lens
CF \| the form of the ghost
CF \| an athame
CF \| a word of animation
CF \| a machete
CF \| a wakizashi
CF \| the master's key
CF \| a cinqueda
CF \| some clawed gloves (being worn)
CF \| a scimitar
CF \| a white dagger
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit with pincer"
CF ] Floating Tower
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT WITH PINCER
CF \|
CF \| You bring the arms of the pincer around the Marquis Semix, crushing it
CF \| and dealing 8 damage. The pincer itself splits under the force of
CF \| impact.
CF \|
CF \| The Marquis pounces on you and digs his nails into your arm???You shove
CF \| him away.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit with rapier"
CF ] Floating Tower
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT WITH RAPIER
CF \|
CF \| You thrust with the white rapier and deal 8 damage to the Marquis
CF \| Semix. The blade erupts in silver flames, and you feel that Udolphon's
CF \| memory has at last been laid to rest.
CF \|
CF \| He flashes out of existence.
CF \|
CF \| Then he reappears, his claws closing around your throat. You shake him
CF \| off and leap backward.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit with brick"
CF ] Floating Tower
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT WITH BRICK
CF \|
CF \| You thump the brick over the Marquis Semix, dealing 3 damage. The
CF \| brick crumbles.
CF \|
CF \| He shrieks a melliphytic spell, and lightning springs out of the
CF \| vortex. You activate your membranous cape and propel yourself away
CF \| before the bolt can connect with the spot where you were standing.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit with machete"
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT WITH MACHETE
CF \|
CF \| The machete connects with the Marquis Semix and deals 3 damage before
CF \| bursting into useless splinters.
CF \|
CF \| The Marquis falls to his knees. His lips move; his words are swallowed
CF \| in the storm.
CF \|
CF \| The vortex sputters. You sprint to the lip of the platform. You fall.
CF \|
CF \| An indescribable cacophony shreds the air above you.
CF \|
CF \| You land, and look up: The floating tower is gone. The vortex is gone.
CF \| There is no sign of the Marquis. The storm continues to rage.
CF \|
CF \| You cannot spare a moment's rest; there is evidence to collect, and
CF \| paperwork to complete. You draw your new cape around your shoulders
CF \| and begin your descent of the Ch??teau Semix.
CF \|
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| * The End *
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
CF \| * The End *Elmir closes his notebook and smiles.
CF \|
CF \| "How chilling!" the moderator says, as applause dies down. "And how
CF \| detailed!" Elmir nods modestly.
CF \|
CF \| The moderator turns to the audience: "Are there any questions?"
CF \|
CF \| "Yeah, I have a question." I don't recognize the person asking. "How
CF \| do you call that a 'vampire-tale?'"
CF \|
CF \| Elmir frowns. "I don't understand..."
CF \|
CF \| "I mean, you say the characters are vampires, but they don't do any
CF \| vampire stuff. They don't turn into bats. They don't drink blood. I
CF \| don't think you even mentioned blood once."
CF \|
CF \| Elmir starts flipping through his notebook. Someone else speaks up:
CF \| "There were several vampire elements. There was hypnosis, and
CF \| caskets."
CF \|
CF \| "There was some vampire-adjacent stuff, but if you never told me these
CF \| characters were vampires, I never would have known they were vampires!
CF \| They're just spooky guys! You should call them 'spooky-guy-tales,' is
CF \| all I'm saying."
CF \|
CF \| The moderator finally takes control: "Please, authors," he says, even
CF \| though it's only one person causing the trouble. "This is Castle
CF \| Balderstone. The occasion demands some decorum."
CF \|
CF \| The person with the question sighs loudly. Awkwardness is thick in the
CF \| air.
CF \|
CF \| But Elmir closes his notebook and speaks up: "The querant has a point.
CF \| I skimmed back through the story, and I don't see any blood. But of
CF \| course, this is only one of my vampire-tales. The others contain many
CF \| more of these classic vampire-elements. If you would like to peruse
CF \| them, they're collected in a volume titled Elmir Divkovic's World
CF \| of Vampire-Tales. I have a few copies in my car..."
CF \|
CF \| The moderator thanks Elmir and ushers him down from the dais.		Knight_Otu exclaims, "Wooh!"
		MoyTW says, "Nice job."
		DavidW says, "thanks"
		Knight_Otu exclaims, "And I think with that, I think it's time for me to log off. Good night, and stay safe!"
		DavidW says, "I feel this is a good place to stop."
Knight_Otu goes home.		MoyTW says, "Yeah. Thanks for the games."
MoyTW disappears through an invisible gap in the MUD. You think you may have heard the sounds of chatting before the gap closed again.		DavidW says, ".MoyTW Thanks for playing and helping and everything."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "save"
CF ] Parking Lot
CF \| The moderator thanks Elmir and ushers him down from the dais.Now it is
CF \| time for the next author to step forward and share the next of the
CF \| evening's chilling entertainments. It is Antonio F. Karnack, who
CF \| presented that "Fealglass" story a year ago. Two years ago?
CF \|
CF \| Antonio's reputation is such that his fellow-authors begin applauding
CF \| before he can start talking. He's been a big deal on the horror scene
CF \| since the 80s, when he wrote that dark-urban-fantasy series about
CF \| Marshal Trevino. Then in the 90s he got tired of that and started
CF \| writing in other settings, which nobody liked, because they just
CF \| wanted more Trevino stories. So in the 2000s he went back to writing
CF \| Trevino stories, which nobody liked, because they weren't the old
CF \| Trevino stories. So, in the 2010s, he went back to writing other
CF \| stuff, and people liked that, because???I'm not sure. I guess because
CF \| he's a good writer.
CF \|
CF \| But now it's 2020! What will Karnack's next move be?
CF \|
CF \| "I have a new story for you all," he intones: "A story from the world
CF \| of Marshal Trevino, and the Department of Human Welfare."
CF \|
CF \| Every author leans forward.
CF \|
CF \| "The story does not deal with Trevino directly, but with a new
CF \| character. A kindred spirit, I think."
CF \|
CF \| The authors settle back into their seats a little.
CF \|
CF \| "His name is Christopher Gill, and he is no Marshal for the Department
CF \| of Human Welfare, but a mere health inspector. He carries a clipboard.
CF \| And he???But I should let him speak for himself."
CF \|
CF \| Antonio opens his notebook, and begins to read...
CF \|
CF \| Ryan Veeder Presents
CF \| A Nice Drive
CF \| A new story from Antonio F. Karnack's Marshal Trevino universe
CF \| Release 1 / Serial number 201031 / Inform 7 build 6M62 (I6/v6.34 lib
CF \| 6/12N) SD
CF \|
CF \| Parking Lot
CF \| Right when I got out of the car, I felt this warm wind coming over the
CF \| countryside. It smelled like hog feces. I hate the Midwest, to be
CF \| honest. Especially in the summer.
CF \|
CF \| The entrance to the Belle Landing convenience store stood to the
CF \| northeast. Right outside there was this filthy trash can, overflowing
CF \| with garbage.
CF \|
CF \| A vague sort of path led around the building to the northwest.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "save"
CF \| >
CF \| > SAVE
CF \| %% Enter a save filename to write:
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "cfbalder3"
CF ] Parking Lot
CF \| > SAVEOk.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "i"
CF ] Parking Lot
CF \| >
CF \| > I
CF \|
CF \| I was carrying:
CF \| my citation pad
CF \|
CF \| >

*SESSION TWO*
		DavidW says, "We can do that, but I kinda couldn't wait and played on my own afterwards. The vampire tale was indeed the most intense."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "l"
CF ] Parking Lot
CF \| >
CF \| > L
CF \|
CF \| Parking Lot
CF \| The entrance to the Belle Landing convenience store stood to the
CF \| northeast. Right outside there was this filthy trash can, overflowing
CF \| with garbage.
CF \|
CF \| A vague sort of path led around the building to the northwest.
CF \|
CF \| My car looked awful inviting, but I couldn't leave quite yet.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "This is the beginning of another story."
		DavidW says, "We're now an inspector of some sort."
		Knight_Otu asks, "Yeah, we're some kind of health inspector with a notepad if I recall the recap correctly?"
		Farfloat says, "sounds cool"
		DavidW says, "That sounds right. You should drive since I know what this one's about."
		DavidW says, "er to Knight"
Knight_Otu says (to ClubFloyd), "x me"
CF ] Parking Lot
CF \| >
CF \| > X ME
CF \|
CF \| My name is Chris Gill. I work for the Health Department. I remember
CF \| that on the night in question, I hadn't shaved in a while. Health
CF \| inspectors aren't supposed to have any stubble. But out on the road, I
CF \| could get away with that sort of thing.
CF \|
CF \| >
Knight_Otu says (to ClubFloyd), "x car"
CF ] Parking Lot
CF \| >
CF \| > X CAR
CF \|
CF \| I remember that car. I remember when I started working for the health
CF \| department, there was some sticker on there that my boss said wasn't
CF \| appropriate for a vehicle I'd be driving around for my job, and he
CF \| made me tear it off. But it didn't come off all the way, so there was
CF \| this scrap left stuck to the bumper, like an adhesive scar.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "this is my first time here, I'm not sure of the procedures for playing together"
Knight_Otu says (to ClubFloyd), "x scrap"
CF ] Parking Lot
CF \| >
CF \| > X SCRAP
CF \|
CF \| It was torn off enough that you couldn't read any of it. I don't
CF \| really remember what the sticker originally said. I don't think it was
CF \| anything offensive, or even interesting. Just, too informal for
CF \| government work.
CF \|
CF \| When I ended up selling that car, that scrap was still stuck on the
CF \| bumper.
CF \|
CF \| >
Knight_Otu says (to ClubFloyd), "i"
CF ] Parking Lot
CF \| >
CF \| > I
CF \|
CF \| I was carrying:
CF \| my citation pad
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says (to Farfloat), "oh sorry. Normally we have a driver who takes control of the game so we don't step on top of each other."
Knight_Otu says (to ClubFloyd), "x pad"
CF ] Parking Lot
CF \| >
CF \| > X PAD
CF \|
CF \| We carried around these pads of citation paperwork that looked like
CF \| they had been mimeographed in the seventies. It was carbonless copy
CF \| paper, if you remember what that is. I was supposed to make a note of
CF \| all the violations I saw, and depending on what I noted, I was
CF \| empowered to issue a warning or, in extreme circumstances, a citation.
CF \| A citation was a lot more paperwork.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "makes sense"
		DavidW says, "If the game's going too fast or if you have a suggestion or want to take the wheel, speak up here."
Knight_Otu says (to ClubFloyd), "x can"
CF ] Parking Lot
CF \| >
CF \| > X CAN
CF \|
CF \| A trash can in a high-traffic area like that has to be emptied a few
CF \| times a day. This one hadn't been emptied that day. It hadn't been
CF \| emptied the day before, either. There was a little mountain of trash
CF \| forming around it.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "Also, try to stay on this channel because it makes the transcript look nicer."
Knight_Otu says (to ClubFloyd), "note can"
CF ] Parking Lot
CF \| >
CF \| > NOTE CAN
CF \|
CF \| I definitely wrote down something about the garbage can. I probably
CF \| used the words "mountain of trash."
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "will do"
Knight_Otu says (to ClubFloyd), "l"
CF ] Parking Lot
CF \| >
CF \| > L
CF \|
CF \| Parking Lot
CF \| The entrance to the Belle Landing convenience store stood to the
CF \| northeast. Right outside there was this filthy trash can, overflowing
CF \| with garbage.
CF \|
CF \| A vague sort of path led around the building to the northwest.
CF \|
CF \| My car looked awful inviting, but I couldn't leave quite yet.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "For this current story, it's probably safe to go free-form and let anyone type."
Knight_Otu says (to ClubFloyd), "x store"
CF ] Parking Lot
CF \| >
CF \| > X STORE
CF \|
CF \| There were streaks on the glass door, that kind of residue that makes
CF \| you think "oh sure, someone did try to clean this, at some point." It
CF \| almost made the place look abandoned.
CF \|
CF \| >
Knight_Otu says (to ClubFloyd), "x streaks"
CF ] Parking Lot
CF \| >
CF \| > X STREAKS
CF \|
CF \| There were streaks on the glass door, that kind of residue that makes
CF \| you think "oh sure, someone did try to clean this, at some point." It
CF \| almost made the place look abandoned.
CF \|
CF \| >		says, "To give commands to CF, you preface your command with an f or a > ."
Knight_Otu says (to ClubFloyd), "note streaks"
CF ] Parking Lot
CF \| >
CF \| > NOTE STREAKS
CF \|
CF \| I made a note of the dirty window: I wrote "Dirty Window!" or
CF \| something like that.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x doors"
CF ] Parking Lot
CF \| >
CF \| > X DOORS
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x door"
CF ] Parking Lot
CF \| >
CF \| > X DOOR
CF \|
CF \| There were streaks on the glass door, that kind of residue that makes
CF \| you think "oh sure, someone did try to clean this, at some point." It
CF \| almost made the place look abandoned.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "oh, and there's special buttons for entering a SPACE or RETURN if the game needs that."
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "open door"
CF ] Parking Lot
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN DOOR
CF \|
CF \| I opened the door and let go of the handle so it could close itself. I
CF \| don't know what I was checking.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "in"
CF ] Entryway
CF \| >
CF \| > IN
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Entryway
CF \| The convenience store was set up so you'd have to walk through this
CF \| gallery of snacks and tchochkes and stuff on your way in and out.
CF \| Usually you want the counter to be closer to the door, but, I dunno,
CF \| this is how this place was set up. The counter was over to the
CF \| northeast.
CF \|
CF \| But the first thing I noticed was this slimy stuff on the floor.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "note slime"
CF ] Entryway
CF \| >
CF \| > NOTE SLIME
CF \|
CF \| I noted that they needed to clean up the mess in the entryway, or at
CF \| least put a Wet Floor sign out.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "eat slime"
CF ] Entryway
CF \| >
CF \| > EAT SLIME
CF \|
CF \| That was plainly inedible.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "Sometimes slime is edible, but it kills you in some exotic fashion."
		Farfloat says, "lol sounds like z-machine"
		Knight_Otu says, "This section sounds a lot like another game Clubfloyd played previously."
		DavidW says, "This is an Inform game, but Glulx, not Z-machine."
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "ne"
CF ] Counter
CF \| >
CF \| > NE
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Counter
CF \| The counter was at the center of the building, and there were wings
CF \| off to the northeast, southeast, and southwest. There was a door in
CF \| the northwest, next to a huge mirror.
CF \|
CF \| The counter was unattended. Unless you count the giant spider that was
CF \| sitting on it.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW asks (of Knight), "Which game are you thinking of?"
		Knight_Otu says, "Afflicted. I looked it up."
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "note spider"
CF ] Counter
CF \| >
CF \| > NOTE SPIDER
CF \|
CF \| I didn't have the presence of mind to write something at the time, but
CF \| later on I did made a note: "There is a spider the size of my hand
CF \| somewhere around your cash register. Get it out of there." Something
CF \| along those lines.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "note unattended counter"
CF ] Counter
CF \| >
CF \| > NOTE UNATTENDED COUNTER
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x mirror"
CF ] Counter
CF \| >
CF \| > X MIRROR
CF \|
CF \| The mirror took up as much of the wall as possible. I remember it was
CF \| really clean, unlike everything else in that place.
CF \|
CF \| I could see the spider's reflection in the mirror, and that scared me
CF \| a second time.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "get spider"
CF ] Counter
CF \| >
CF \| > GET SPIDER
CF \|
CF \| I didn't know what I was going to do about the spider. I wanted to
CF \| shoot it, but they don't let health inspectors carry guns.
CF \|
CF \| Luckily, while I was trying to formulate a plan to deal with the
CF \| situation, the spider just crawled over the edge of the counter. To
CF \| the other side, where I couldn't see it.
CF \|
CF \| Of course, the rest of the time I was in that building, I was looking
CF \| out for that spider.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x counter"
CF ] Counter
CF \| >
CF \| > X COUNTER
CF \|
CF \| I noticed some more of that slime on the edge of the counter, like
CF \| something had just brushed against it while walking by. There was no
CF \| one at the cash register, which struck me as a bad idea, but not
CF \| exactly a health hazard.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "feel free to take a turn if anyone wants to"
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "note slime"
CF ] Counter
CF \| >
CF \| > NOTE SLIME
CF \|
CF \| I took a note of the little bit of slime on the counter, and of course
CF \| I said something about that spider as well.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "It's weird, but I never thought to NOTE something when I played."
		Knight_Otu says, "I've driven so often, it's fine by me if someone else wants to drive."
		DavidW says, "yeah, I'm happy to sit back and watch and kibbitz."
		Farfloat says, "I just encountered the Inform doc section on notebooks when I was looking for how to make a normal book. I thought the notes would be kind of awkward, but I imagined them being freeform. This is pretty easy"
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "ne"
CF ] Food Court
CF \| >
CF \| > NE
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Food Court
CF \| The food court was disgusting. There were more drops of that slime on
CF \| the floor, and smears of pizza sauce over the walls.
CF \|
CF \| There was a kid slumped over one of the tables. He had one of those
CF \| visors on, so I assumed he was an employee.
CF \|
CF \| Nobody was on duty at the cash register, and of course the counter to
CF \| the southwest was still unattended.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat exclaims, "cool!"
		DavidW says, "yeah, this seems to be NOTE [nearby noun]."
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "note sauce"
CF ] Food Court
CF \| >
CF \| > NOTE SAUCE
CF \|
CF \| I wrote down "wipe sauce off the walls!!!" with three exclamation
CF \| points. To convey my distaste.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "note slime"
CF ] Food Court
CF \| >
CF \| > NOTE SLIME
CF \|
CF \| I noted: "Slime in food court. Floors require cleaning." I didn't note
CF \| exactly how vile this slime looked.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "Sometimes, in a game, NOTE [number] is used to lookup a footnote. And in yet other games, NOTE [random text] is to make a random note to the author, if you're testing it for them."
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x kid"
CF ] Food Court
CF \| >
CF \| > X KID
CF \|
CF \| He was kind of draped over the table with his eyes closed. His skin
CF \| was pale, and his mouth was hanging open, and he was so skinny. He
CF \| looked malnourished, maybe dehydrated. Really strung-out, to be
CF \| honest. But this was some teen! Kids aren't supposed to work fifteen
CF \| hour shifts and then fall unconscious in the workplace.
CF \|
CF \| There was a key sitting on the table next to him.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "oh that's cool about the author note"
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "get key"
CF ] Food Court
CF \| >
CF \| > GET KEY
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "wake kid"
CF ] Food Court
CF \| >
CF \| > WAKE KID
CF \|
CF \| I poked the kid's arm. He didn't seem to notice. And his skin had this
CF \| odd texture. Kind of like clay.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x key"
CF ] Food Court
CF \| >
CF \| > X KEY
CF \|
CF \| It was a steel key, with a round head.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu says, "Not quite sure yet what this builds up to."
		DavidW says, "I wasn't either until it happened."
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "note corpse"
CF ] Food Court
CF \| >
CF \| > NOTE CORPSE
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "note kid"
CF ] Food Court
CF \| >
CF \| > NOTE KID
CF \|
CF \| I probably should have put something in my notes about the scene, but
CF \| at the time, I guess I didn't know what to say.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "push kid"
CF ] Food Court
CF \| >
CF \| > PUSH KID
CF \|
CF \| (That won't be necessary.)
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "L"
CF ] Food Court
CF \| >
CF \| > L
CF \|
CF \| Food Court
CF \| The food court was disgusting. There were more drops of that slime on
CF \| the floor, and smears of pizza sauce over the walls.
CF \|
CF \| There was a kid slumped over one of the tables. He had one of those
CF \| visors on, so I assumed he was an employee.
CF \|
CF \| Nobody was on duty at the cash register, and of course the counter to
CF \| the southwest was still unattended.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW asks, "I think you've done all you can with the kid. I think I tried picking him up?"
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x register"
CF ] Food Court
CF \| >
CF \| > X REGISTER
CF \|
CF \| The LED display on the cash register had the word "CLOSED" scrolling
CF \| across it, very slowly.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu asks, "What about the visor?"
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x visor"
CF ] Food Court
CF \| >
CF \| > X VISOR
CF \|
CF \| It probably had the logo of whatever pizza chain was located in the
CF \| food court, but I don't really remember.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "It's just something he's wearing. You don't need it."
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "sw"
CF ] Counter
CF \| >
CF \| > SW
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Counter
CF \| The counter was at the center of the building, and there were wings
CF \| off to the northeast, southeast, and southwest. There was a door in
CF \| the northwest, next to a huge mirror.
CF \|
CF \| The counter was unattended.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu says, "Well, it could have been. ;)"
		DavidW says, "well, yes."
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "nw"
CF ] Counter
CF \| >
CF \| > NW
CF \|
CF \| (first opening the door)
CF \| The door seemed to be locked.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "open door with key"
CF ] Counter
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN DOOR WITH KEY
CF \|
CF \| I unlocked the door.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "open door"
CF ] Counter
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN DOOR
CF \|
CF \| I opened the door.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "nw"
CF ] Office
CF \| >
CF \| > NW
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Office
CF \| The office didn't match the rest of the place at all. It was nicer
CF \| than my boss's office: There was a wood desk, and a filing cabinet
CF \| built into the wall. And two big windows: One in the northwest wall,
CF \| with a view of the field out back, and one in the southwest, next to
CF \| the door, with a view of the filthy convenience store.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x desk"
CF ] Office
CF \| >
CF \| > X DESK
CF \|
CF \| The top of the desk even had a blotter on it, like this was a CEO's
CF \| office in the fifties. But there was nothing written on the blotter.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "open desk"
CF ] Office
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN DESK
CF \|
CF \| It wasn't something I could open.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x cabinet"
CF ] Office
CF \| >
CF \| > X CABINET
CF \|
CF \| The filing cabinet was basically one big drawer, built into the wall.
CF \| I don't know how swanky that sounds when I say it out loud, but it
CF \| looked really swanky.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "I'd like some swanky drawers"
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "open drawer"
CF ] Office
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN DRAWER
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "open cabinet"
CF ] Office
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN CABINET
CF \|
CF \| I pulled the cabinet open, and imagine my surprise when I saw there
CF \| were no files in there at all. There was a keychain in there, though.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "get keychain"
CF ] Office
CF \| >
CF \| > GET KEYCHAIN
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu says, "Well that sure is a surprise."
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x keychain"
CF ] Office
CF \| >
CF \| > X KEYCHAIN
CF \|
CF \| There was just one key on the chain. I remember thinking it was either
CF \| a very new key, or just a key that rarely got used, because the teeth
CF \| on it were so sharp. It was attached to a plastic key fob thing that I
CF \| think just had some business's phone number on it.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x fob"
CF ] Office
CF \| >
CF \| > X FOB
CF \|
CF \| I didn't inspect the fob closely, I guess.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "look out window"
CF ] Office
CF \| >
CF \| > LOOK OUT WINDOW
CF \|
CF \| Which do you mean, the northwest window or the southeast window?
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "I like how this is all past-tense remembering/retelling style."
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "northwest"
CF ] Office
CF \| >
CF \| > NORTHWEST
CF \|
CF \| Outside you could see the field, and the sky, and that windmill they'd
CF \| built behind the store.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "that is pretty interesting to have that tense"
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x windmill"
CF ] Office
CF \| >
CF \| > X WINDMILL
CF \|
CF \| A big fake windmill, lit up by a spotlight. And behind that, the
CF \| stars.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "It lets you know you'll definitely be alive at the end of it."
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x stars"
CF ] Office
CF \| >
CF \| > X STARS
CF \|
CF \| Outside you could see the field, and the sky, and that windmill they'd
CF \| built behind the store.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "look out southeast window"
CF ] Office
CF \| >
CF \| > LOOK OUT SOUTHEAST WINDOW
CF \|
CF \| You could keep an eye on everything that was going on in the store
CF \| from in there, especially as regarded what the person behind the
CF \| counter was doing. Obviously the office window was the other side of
CF \| the mirror behind the counter. I had assumed it was a one-way mirror,
CF \| just because it was so impractically large.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "se"
CF ] Counter
CF \| >
CF \| > SE
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Counter
CF \| The counter was at the center of the building, and there were wings
CF \| off to the northeast, southeast, and southwest. There was a door in
CF \| the northwest, next to a huge mirror.
CF \|
CF \| The counter was unattended.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "sw"
CF ] Entryway
CF \| >
CF \| > SW
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Entryway
CF \| The convenience store was set up so you'd have to walk through this
CF \| gallery of snacks and tchochkes and stuff on your way in and out. The
CF \| counter was over to the northeast, and the way out was southwest.
CF \|
CF \| And there was that trail of slime running along the floor.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "ne"
CF ] Counter
CF \| >
CF \| > NE
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Counter
CF \| The counter was at the center of the building, and there were wings
CF \| off to the northeast, southeast, and southwest. There was a door in
CF \| the northwest, next to a huge mirror.
CF \|
CF \| The counter was unattended.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "se"
CF ] Figurines
CF \| >
CF \| > SE
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Figurines
CF \| This one corner of the store was completely devoted to cute little
CF \| figurines. The shelves were stacked with them.
CF \|
CF \| I could see the counter to the northwest. There was still nobody
CF \| there.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "get figurine"
CF ] Figurines
CF \| >
CF \| > GET FIGURINE
CF \|
CF \| (That's not for taking.)
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x figurine"
CF ] Figurines
CF \| >
CF \| > X FIGURINE
CF \|
CF \| I guess "cute" is the wrong word. They were supposed to be graceful
CF \| and beautiful. Willowy mothers holding willowy daughters, angels in
CF \| long flowing robes. None of the figurines had faces. Just blank heads,
CF \| but you could infer they were supposed to have beatific expressions.
CF \|
CF \| When I looked closely, I noticed there were dozens of tiny spiders
CF \| skittering up and down the figurines.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "oh nice"
		Knight_Otu says, "Very spidery..."
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x spiders"
CF ] Figurines
CF \| >
CF \| > X SPIDERS
CF \|
CF \| They were the tiniest of spiders, just little dots. But the more I
CF \| looked, the more of them I saw. The place was crawling with them.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "note tiny spiders"
CF ] Figurines
CF \| >
CF \| > NOTE TINY SPIDERS
CF \|
CF \| I wrote down, "spider infestation," with no other details or
CF \| instructions, because, what more do you need to say?
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "nw"
CF ] Counter
CF \| >
CF \| > NW
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Counter
CF \| The counter was at the center of the building, and there were wings
CF \| off to the northeast, southeast, and southwest. There was a door in
CF \| the northwest, next to a huge mirror.
CF \|
CF \| The counter was unattended.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "sw"
CF ] Entryway
CF \| >
CF \| > SW
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Entryway
CF \| The convenience store was set up so you'd have to walk through this
CF \| gallery of snacks and tchochkes and stuff on your way in and out. The
CF \| counter was over to the northeast, and the way out was southwest.
CF \|
CF \| And there was that trail of slime running along the floor.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x gallery"
CF ] Entryway
CF \| >
CF \| > X GALLERY
CF \|
CF \| Which do you mean, the snacks or the tchochkes?
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "snacks"
CF ] Entryway
CF \| >
CF \| > SNACKS
CF \|
CF \| Bags of peanuts and chips. And candy. Normal convenience store stuff.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "get chips"
CF ] Entryway
CF \| >
CF \| > GET CHIPS
CF \|
CF \| I never buy anything at the places I'm inspecting, though. Some
CF \| inspectors, they do that to be polite. I have a weird sense of honor
CF \| about it, I guess.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x tchochkes"
CF ] Entryway
CF \| >
CF \| > X TCHOCHKES
CF \|
CF \| I remember there was a rack of mugs and shirts and dishtowels with
CF \| cute sayings on them. There was the typical "serenity to accept the
CF \| things I cannot change" stuff, and then there was some really odd
CF \| stuff. "All men are not created equal, only the finest become police."
CF \| Or, "Thyme to turnip the beet." "I tried to retire, but now I work for
CF \| my wife." So, not really a single unifying theme.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "sw"
CF ] Parking Lot
CF \| >
CF \| > SW
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Parking Lot
CF \| The entrance to the Belle Landing convenience store stood to the
CF \| northeast. Right outside there was this filthy trash can, overflowing
CF \| with garbage.
CF \|
CF \| A vague sort of path led around the building to the northwest.
CF \|
CF \| My car looked awful inviting, but I couldn't leave quite yet.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "nw"
CF ] Field
CF \| >
CF \| > NW
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Field
CF \| There was a big field of grass around the side of the store. The grass
CF \| was wet, and it kind of glistened under the stars.
CF \|
CF \| I try not to pay too much attention to the stars.
CF \|
CF \| I came up to where there was a spotlight stuck in the ground, pointing
CF \| at this big windmill to the northeast. The path back to the store
CF \| entrance was southeast from there.
CF \|
CF \| And there was a rabbit sitting there, twitching and blinking, trying
CF \| to figure out if I'd seen it yet.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x rabbit"
CF ] Field
CF \| >
CF \| > X RABBIT
CF \|
CF \| It was just a dark shape in the grass, but I could tell it was a
CF \| rabbit.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "note rabbit"
CF ] Field
CF \| >
CF \| > NOTE RABBIT
CF \|
CF \| As soon as I made any kind of move toward the rabbit, it skedaddled.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x spotlight"
CF ] Field
CF \| >
CF \| > X SPOTLIGHT
CF \|
CF \| A really bright light, bolted into a square of concrete in the middle
CF \| of the field, to light up the windmill at night.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x windmill"
CF ] Field
CF \| >
CF \| > X WINDMILL
CF \|
CF \| It was not a real windmill. There was a wind going, remember: Hog
CF \| feces. I could still smell it. But the vanes of the windmill weren't
CF \| moving. It was just for show.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "note hog feces"
CF ] Field
CF \| >
CF \| > NOTE HOG FECES
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "open windmill"
CF ] Field
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN WINDMILL
CF \|
CF \| I was too far away from the windmill to do much of anything with it.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "ne"		DavidW says, "ne, I think"
CF ] Windmill
CF \| >
CF \| > NE
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Windmill
CF \| Now I was standing at the foot of the windmill, out of the way of the
CF \| spotlight. The whole thing was a lot bigger than it had looked from
CF \| far away.
CF \|
CF \| To get back to the store entrance, I'd have to go around to the
CF \| southwest.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x windmill"
CF ] Windmill
CF \| >
CF \| > X WINDMILL
CF \|
CF \| I guess they built it to celebrate the Dutch heritage in the
CF \| surrounding area. And to attract tourists. It didn't look like a
CF \| classic windmill, though. It was stumpier, if that makes sense.
CF \|
CF \| There was a sort of hatch built into the side. The dark side, that the
CF \| spotlight wasn't pointed at.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x hatch"
CF ] Windmill
CF \| >
CF \| > X HATCH
CF \|
CF \| It was somewhat smaller than your typical door, and kind of rounded at
CF \| the corners, which is why I call it a "hatch" rather than a "door."
CF \| But there was a normal handle with a normal keyhole, which made it all
CF \| that much weirder.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "open hatch with new key"
CF ] Windmill
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN HATCH WITH NEW KEY
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "i"
CF ] Windmill
CF \| >
CF \| > I
CF \|
CF \| I was carrying:
CF \| a keychain
CF \| a steel key
CF \| my citation pad
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "keychain"
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "open hatch with keychain"
CF ] Windmill
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN HATCH WITH KEYCHAIN
CF \|
CF \| I unlocked the hatch.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "open hatch"
CF ] Windmill
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN HATCH
CF \|
CF \| I opened the hatch.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "in"
CF ] Cavity
CF \| >
CF \| > IN
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Cavity
CF \| The floor inside the windmill was just dirt, and the walls were bare
CF \| plywood. Strands of sticky stuff were hanging from the walls.
CF \|
CF \| A guy with eight legs was hanging from the ceiling.
CF \|
CF \| I checked my notebook. "Are you the proprietor?" I asked. "Mister
CF \| Luikx?"
CF \|
CF \| "Yes, hello," he said. He didn't seem to mind that I'd barged in on
CF \| him. "You're Mister Gill, from the Health Department, right?"
CF \|
CF \| I told him I was, and I mentioned I had looked for him in his office,
CF \| and he said he was sorry he was so hard to find.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu says, "Well that's perfectly normal."
		Farfloat says, "yeah, just a normal small business owner"
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x proprieter"
CF ] Cavity
CF \| >
CF \| > X PROPRIETER
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x legs"
CF ] Cavity
CF \| >
CF \| > X LEGS
CF \|
CF \| Well, his arms, or legs, were covered in brownish bristles. He had
CF \| big, black, shiny eyes. And his hair was slicked back and shiny. I
CF \| remember he had something stuck in his mandibles, a chunk of
CF \| something, and I kept looking at it. I felt like I was being rude. But
CF \| he didn't seem to notice.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "Spider-Man, Spider-Man, owner of a convenience store, ..."
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x chunk"
CF ] Cavity
CF \| >
CF \| > X CHUNK
CF \|
CF \| I don't know what it was a chunk of. I didn't say anything about it.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "x walls"
CF ] Cavity
CF \| >
CF \| > X WALLS
CF \|
CF \| The windmill looked a little off from the outside, kind of stunted.
CF \| You know what I mean? Well, inside, it was the same thing, only inside
CF \| out. You could see the other sides of all those weird angles.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat asks, "any ideas?"
		DavidW asks, "Talk to him?"
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "talk to spiderman"
CF ] Cavity
CF \| >
CF \| > TALK TO SPIDERMAN
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "talk to owner"
CF ] Cavity
CF \| >
CF \| > TALK TO OWNER
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "Just man should work"
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "talk to man"
CF ] Cavity
CF \| >
CF \| > TALK TO MAN
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "x mr"
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "talk"
CF ] Cavity
CF \| >
CF \| > TALK
CF \|
CF \| What do you want to talk?
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x mr"
CF ] Cavity
CF \| >
CF \| > X MR
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x luikx"
CF ] Cavity
CF \| >
CF \| > X LUIKX
CF \|
CF \| Well, his arms, or legs, were covered in brownish bristles. He had
CF \| big, black, shiny eyes. And his hair was slicked back and shiny. I
CF \| remember he had something stuck in his mandibles, a chunk of
CF \| something, and I kept looking at it. I felt like I was being rude. But
CF \| he didn't seem to notice.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "talk to luikx"
CF ] Cavity
CF \| >
CF \| > TALK TO LUIKX
CF \|
CF \| I told him I had my report on his convenience store. "I noticed a few
CF \| things that need to be addressed," I said, and I rattled off my list.
CF \| I told him about the giant spider at the front counter. He said "Oh,
CF \| she shouldn't be running loose, I'll take care of her," and I nodded
CF \| and told him to make sure he did that right away.
CF \|
CF \| And I told him about the slime everywhere, and he got kind of
CF \| sheepish. He said his employees left something to be desired as far as
CF \| attention to detail.
CF \|
CF \| So I brought up the kid I saw in the food court. I said, "You wouldn't
CF \| feed on your employees without a signed release, right?" and he said
CF \| of course not. He reached up into the rafters (I guess that's where he
CF \| kept all his files) and pulled out a form with a parent's signature,
CF \| and I said okay, just checking. But I put on my mean guy face, and I
CF \| said it was still a lot of violations, and the whole operation was not
CF \| up to the state's standards of health and safety.
CF \|
CF \| He lowered himself down to my eye level, and he put a claw on my
CF \| shoulder, and he said, "Mister Gill, you've caught me on a bad day.
CF \| I'm short-staffed, and I can't seem to whip these kids into shape. Do
CF \| you really have to give me a citation?"
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "yes or no"
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "yes"
CF ] Cavity
CF \| >
CF \| > YES
CF \|
CF \| I told him I did, and he nodded, and he lifted his claw from my
CF \| shoulder.
CF \|
CF \| Something made me say, "Sorry, it's just..."
CF \|
CF \| But he wasn't sulking. He said, "I know, you're just doing your job.
CF \| We've all got our jobs to do."
CF \|
CF \| I signed my citation pad, and tore off his copy, and I told him the
CF \| full form would be coming in the mail. He put the paper between his
CF \| mandibles to fold it crisply, and then he pulled himself up in the
CF \| rafters to file it away. Up where it was too dark for me to see.
CF \|
CF \| Then he lowered himself, and he said "Thank you," although I don't
CF \| know for what.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu says, "Hm."
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "up"
CF ] Cavity
CF \| >
CF \| > UP
CF \|
CF \| I couldn't go that way.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW asks, "I think I simply left at this point, but perhaps you can do more here? Talk to him again?"
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "talk to liukx"
CF ] Cavity
CF \| >
CF \| > TALK TO LIUKX
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "talk to luikx"
CF ] Cavity
CF \| >
CF \| > TALK TO LUIKX
CF \|
CF \| We made some small talk. I wasn't in a hurry to be anywhere.
CF \|
CF \| >
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "talk to luikx about kid"
CF ] Cavity
CF \| >
CF \| > TALK TO LUIKX ABOUT KID
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat asks, "shall we wander back out?"
		DavidW says, "sure"
		Knight_Otu says, "Yeah."
Farfloat says (to ClubFloyd), "out"
CF \| >
CF \| > OUT
CF \|
CF \| I said I needed to head on to the next stop, and I turned toward the
CF \| exit. Luikx said, "So long! Have a nice drive!"
CF \|
CF \| And, just as the hatch was closing behind me, I called back: "You
CF \| too!"
CF \|
CF \| It was mortifying.
CF \|
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| * The End *		DavidW says, "push space in the room here."
		Farfloat says, "not sure how that works"
Knight_Otu pushes the green 'space' button.
CF \| * The End *Everyone applauds, except me. I am
CF \| wondering: Does Karnack have something against the Dutch?
CF \|
CF \| "Are there any questions?" the moderator asks. Someone stands up to
CF \| ask: "The paperwork in your story, which allows an employer to 'feed
CF \| on' an employee, reminds me of the story Johanna Quinn presented last
CF \| year." Not a question, friend!
CF \|
CF \| Karnack does a funny little shrug. "I only steal from the best," he
CF \| says, and everyone laughs.
CF \|
CF \| A voice from clear in the back of the room cuts through the
CF \| good-natured chortling: It's Johanna C. Quinn herself! "Don't worry,
CF \| Antonio!" she cries. "I only steal from the best, too!"
CF \|
CF \| Everyone also laughs at this, although I'm not sure why.
CF \|
CF \| Then we wait a little bit, for somebody to say a third witty thing.
CF \| But nobody can think of anything.
CF \|
CF \| Antonio steps down from the dais.		DavidW says, "There's a button in the clubhouse here."
		Knight_Otu says, "You just type "push space" in the room here."
		DavidW says, "Don't preface with " or f or anything."
		Farfloat says, "gotcha"
		Farfloat says, "ok so that was cute."
		DavidW says, "There's another story if you push space."
Farfloat pushes the green 'space' button.
CF ] School
CF \| Antonio steps down from the dais.Now it is time for the next author to
CF \| step forward and share the next of the evening's delirious
CF \| entertainments.
CF \|
CF \| "We have a special treat for you tonight," the moderator explains.
CF \| "Some students from Silas Elementary are here to present a story."
CF \|
CF \| A whole herd of eight-year-olds rises from their chairs and floods the
CF \| aisles, corralled from behind by their teacher. With some effort she
CF \| wrangles them all onto the dais, and then she pulls out one student to
CF \| address the audience.
CF \|
CF \| I was expecting the little girl to draw a blank and start gawping at
CF \| us, but she doesn't seem fazed at all. "We're Miss Shiroiwa's class,
CF \| and we wrote this story together," she explains. "It's called The
CF \| Banshee's Curse."
CF \|
CF \| "We all worked on it!" another kid yells. Miss Shiroiwa shushes him,
CF \| but the girl at center stage takes it in stride.
CF \|
CF \| "Yeah, we all worked on it. But, Miss Shiroiwa also gave us..." She
CF \| purses her lips and remembers the words: "editorial oversight."
CF \|
CF \| The teacher rolls her eyes good-naturedly.
CF \|
CF \| "My name is Daniella Florence, and I will be your narrator tonight,"
CF \| the girl says, as she opens her notebook and begins to read...
CF \|
CF \| Ryan Veeder Presents
CF \| The Banshee's Curse
CF \| By Miss Shiroiwa's third grade class
CF \| Release 1 / Serial number 201031 / Inform 7 build 6M62 (I6/v6.34 lib
CF \| 6/12N) SD
CF \|
CF \| School
CF \| There were three best friends named Leana, Garrin, and Chloe. You play
CF \| as Leana and Gavin. Chloe was an exchange student from Ireland. A
CF \| banshee followed her from Ireland, and when she looked in its face,
CF \| she got the curse of the banshee. She needed a potion to undo the
CF \| curse.
CF \|
CF \| To the east of the school was the town graveyard. To the west of the
CF \| school was the museum.
CF \|
CF \| There was a magic chalice that they could make a potion to cure the
CF \| curse if they had all the ingredients.
CF \|
CF \| They found a map in the library that showed where all the ingredients
CF \| were.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "Basically this game is people telling scary stories in a castle."
		Farfloat asks, "one of you all want to take over this time?"
		DavidW says, "There's 10 rooms in this story, but the geography is simple."
		DavidW says, "I've played this already."
		Knight_Otu says, "I'm fine if you want to continue playing."
		Farfloat says, "i'm getting sleepy, I'd like to just watch and chime in this round :-)"
		Farfloat says, "this is fun though, I'm glad you guys came"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x map"
CF ] School
CF \| >
CF \| > X MAP
CF \|
CF \| The map told where all the ingredients for the potion to cure the
CF \| curse of the banshee were:
CF \|
CF \| A Forever Fern, in the Garden of Doom
CF \| A coalflower, in the goblin coal mine
CF \| A pinch of mummy dust, from a mummy's sarcophagus
CF \| ...and one more ingredient that was smudged. But they could see the
CF \| path leading up to the smudge, and it had a special crow's stone on
CF \| one side. A stone in the shape of a crow.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x chloe"
CF ] School
CF \| >
CF \| > X CHLOE
CF \|
CF \| Chloe had dark curly hair and she wore glasses. She couldn't talk, she
CF \| was so sick from the curse.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "i"
CF ] School
CF \| >
CF \| > I
CF \|
CF \| They were carrying nothing.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take map"
CF ] School
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE MAP
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Graveyard
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Graveyard
CF \| The graveyard was full of these scraggly trees that looked like hands.
CF \| And there were stars shining up above.
CF \|
CF \| There was a ghost dog there, who kept digging up human bones.
CF \|
CF \| To the east of the graveyard was the haunted house. To the west of the
CF \| graveyard was the school.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x dog"
CF ] Graveyard
CF \| >
CF \| > X DOG
CF \|
CF \| The ghost dog was nice. It didn't try to hurt them. It pointed its
CF \| nose at the haunted house, to say, "go there."
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x trees"
CF ] Graveyard
CF \| >
CF \| > X TREES
CF \|
CF \| The trees had mouths, too. They could grab you and then swallow you.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x stars"
CF ] Lake of the Dead
CF \| >
CF \| > X STARS
CF \|
CF \| The stars were all purple. No, they were red. They were giant lasers
CF \| pointed at the earth, and they killed Leana and Garrin.
CF \|
CF \| Lake of the Dead
CF \| When they woke up, they were at the lake of the dead, where every dead
CF \| person goes when they die.
CF \|
CF \| There were some skeletons carrying a coffin across the water.
CF \|
CF \| To the west of the lake of the dead was the goblin court, and there
CF \| was also a cave at the lake.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu says, "My."
		DavidW says, "Tell me if I'm going too fast."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x skeletons"
CF ] Lake of the Dead
CF \| >
CF \| > X SKELETONS
CF \|
CF \| The skeletons were actually walking on the water. And they had a
CF \| coffin that they were carrying.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x coffin"
CF ] Lake of the Dead
CF \| >
CF \| > X COFFIN
CF \|
CF \| The coffin had a dead body in it that the skeletons were carrying to
CF \| the other side of the lake of the dead.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x lake"
CF ] Lake of the Dead
CF \| >
CF \| > X LAKE
CF \|
CF \| The lake was full of the faces of dead people.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x cave"
CF ] Lake of the Dead
CF \| >
CF \| > X CAVE
CF \|
CF \| The cave went down underneath the lake of the dead.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "d"
CF ] Twisted Cave
CF \| >
CF \| > D
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Twisted Cave
CF \| In the cave there was a giant dragonfly caught in a web. They could go
CF \| up to get outside of the cave. The cave went further down, too.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x cave"
CF ] Twisted Cave
CF \| >
CF \| > X CAVE
CF \|
CF \| (That noun is not implemented.)
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x dragonfly"
CF ] Twisted Cave
CF \| >
CF \| > X DRAGONFLY
CF \|
CF \| The dragonfly was pure of heart, but an evil giant spider caught it in
CF \| its web. It was going to eat the dragonfly when it got back. But
CF \| Garrin had his pocket knife
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "cut web"
CF ] Twisted Cave
CF \| >
CF \| > CUT WEB
CF \|
CF \| Garrin got out his pocket knife and cut all the strands of the spider
CF \| web, and the dragonfly got free. Garrin told the dragonfly to fly away
CF \| and be free, but the dragonfly said he owed his life to Garrin and he
CF \| would follow him forever.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "d"
CF ] Garden of Doom
CF \| >
CF \| > D
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Garden of Doom
CF \| At the bottom of the cave was the Garden of Doom. Every poisonous
CF \| deadly plant grew there.
CF \|
CF \| They could go up to the rest of the cave.
CF \|
CF \| Leana looked around and she saw the Forever Fern growing there.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x plant"
CF ] Garden of Doom
CF \| >
CF \| > X PLANT
CF \|
CF \| One of the deadly plants was deadly nightshade. There was also poison
CF \| oak, and poison ivy, and poison sumac. And digitalis, which is
CF \| foxglove.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x fern"
CF ] Garden of Doom
CF \| >
CF \| > X FERN
CF \|
CF \| The Forever Fern is a fern that never dies. And its spiral at the end
CF \| of the leaves keeps going around and around, forever.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take fern"
CF ] Garden of Doom
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE FERN
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Twisted Cave
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Twisted Cave
CF \| In the cave there was a sliced-up web. They could go up to get outside
CF \| of the cave. The cave went further down, too.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "out"
CF ] Lake of the Dead
CF \| >
CF \| > OUT
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Lake of the Dead
CF \| They were at the lake of the dead, where every dead person goes when
CF \| they die.
CF \|
CF \| There were some skeletons carrying a coffin across the water.
CF \|
CF \| To the west of the lake of the dead was the goblin court, and there
CF \| was also a cave at the lake.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Goblin Court
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Goblin Court
CF \| The Goblin King sat on a huge throne and there were a hundred other
CF \| goblins hanging around him. He said, "Little girl, and little boy, I
CF \| can bring you back to life, but you have to answer my riddle."
CF \|
CF \| To the east of the goblin court was the lake of the dead, and
CF \| underneath the court was the goblins' coal mine.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "d"
CF ] Coal Mine
CF \| >
CF \| > D
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Coal Mine
CF \| As they walked around the coal mine there were all these flowers that
CF \| sprang up.
CF \|
CF \| The mine was about to explode, but they didn't know that.
CF \|
CF \| If they went up out of the mine they would go back to the goblin
CF \| court.
CF \|
CF \| There was one coalflower right at Leana's feet.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x coalflower"
CF ] Coal Mine
CF \| >
CF \| > X COALFLOWER
CF \|
CF \| (the coalflower)
CF \| They had to be careful to touch only the stem, because if you touch
CF \| the petals, it can kill at a coalflower's touch.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take it"
CF ] Coal Mine
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE IT
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "u"
CF ] Goblin Court
CF \| >
CF \| > U
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Goblin Court
CF \| The Goblin King sat on a huge throne and there were a hundred other
CF \| goblins hanging around him. He said, "Little girl, and little boy, I
CF \| can still bring you back to life, but you still have to answer my
CF \| riddle."
CF \|
CF \| To the east of the goblin court was the lake of the dead, and
CF \| underneath the court was the goblins' coal mine.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x king"
CF ] Goblin Court
CF \| >
CF \| > X KING
CF \|
CF \| He was the biggest, fattest goblin, and all the other goblins swore
CF \| loyalty to him.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "talk to king"
CF ] School
CF \| >
CF \| > TALK TO KING
CF \|
CF \| The goblin king told them his riddle: "What is the longest word you
CF \| can write with the top row of a typewriter?"
CF \|
CF \| And Garrin said, "That's easy! It's TYPEWRITER!"
CF \|
CF \| And the Goblin King got really mad, and swore they cheated, but he had
CF \| to honor his end of the deal, so he brought Leana and Garrin back to
CF \| life. When they woke up, they were back at the school library with
CF \| Chloe.
CF \|
CF \| School
CF \| Their headquarters was the library in the top floor of the school.
CF \| Chloe was lying in a bed they made out of cushions. She had to get the
CF \| potion to under the banshee's curse, or she would die.
CF \|
CF \| To the east of the school was the town graveyard. To the west of the
CF \| school was the museum.
CF \|
CF \| There was a magic chalice that they could make a potion to cure the
CF \| curse if they had all the ingredients.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take chalice"
CF ] School
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE CHALICE
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x it"
CF ] School
CF \| >
CF \| > X IT
CF \|
CF \| The chalice was a fancy type of cup. It had an engraving on it of a
CF \| selkie, which is an Irish mythological creature.
CF \|
CF \| They had to put all the potion ingredients in there to create the
CF \| potion.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "w"
CF ] Museum
CF \| >
CF \| > W
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Museum
CF \| At the town's museum there was an exhibit about Ancient Egypt. They
CF \| had a mummy in a sarcophagus, and it came to life. If it touched you,
CF \| you would die. But Garrin and the dragonfly had a plan to distract the
CF \| mummy.
CF \|
CF \| To the east of the museum was their school.
CF \|
CF \| Some of its dust was left inside its sarcophagus.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x dust"
CF ] Museum
CF \| >
CF \| > X DUST
CF \|
CF \| A little bit of dust, which Leana thought was disgusting, but they
CF \| needed it for Chloe's potion.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take dust"
CF ] Museum
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE DUST
CF \|
CF \| The dragonfly buzzed over to the mummy and started flying around its
CF \| head to confuse it. While the mummy was distracted, Leana and Garrin
CF \| took the dust out of its sarcophagus.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu says, "I'm sure there could be a longer word in German."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "put dust in chalice"
CF ] Museum
CF \| >
CF \| > PUT DUST IN CHALICE
CF \|
CF \| They put the mummy's dust into the chalice.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "put coalflower in chalice"
CF ] Museum
CF \| >
CF \| > PUT COALFLOWER IN CHALICE
CF \|
CF \| They put the coalflower into the chalice.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "put fern in chalice"
CF ] Museum
CF \| >
CF \| > PUT FERN IN CHALICE
CF \|
CF \| They put the Forever Fern into the chalice.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x map"
CF ] Museum
CF \| >
CF \| > X MAP
CF \|
CF \| The map told where all the ingredients for the potion to cure the
CF \| curse of the banshee were:
CF \|
CF \| A Forever Fern, in the Garden of Doom
CF \| A coalflower, in the goblin coal mine
CF \| A pinch of mummy dust, from a mummy's sarcophagus
CF \| ...and one more ingredient that was smudged. But they could see the
CF \| path leading up to the smudge, and it had a special crow's stone on
CF \| one side. A stone in the shape of a crow.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] School
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| School
CF \| Their headquarters was the library in the top floor of the school.
CF \| Chloe was lying in a bed they made out of cushions. She had to get the
CF \| potion to under the banshee's curse, or she would die.
CF \|
CF \| To the east of the school was the town graveyard. To the west of the
CF \| school was the museum.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Graveyard
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Graveyard
CF \| The graveyard was full of these scraggly trees that looked like hands.
CF \| And there were stars shining up above.
CF \|
CF \| There was a ghost dog there, who kept digging up human bones.
CF \|
CF \| To the east of the graveyard was the haunted house. To the west of the
CF \| graveyard was the school.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Haunted House
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Haunted House
CF \| In the house there was a bedroom with chains and blood. In the front
CF \| of the house there was a carriage with a skeleton horse. In the back
CF \| yard of the house there was a garden.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x carriage"
CF ] Haunted House
CF \| >
CF \| > X CARRIAGE
CF \|
CF \| A long time ago there was a girl whose birthday was on Halloween. Her
CF \| friends never came to her birthday party, even though she invited all
CF \| of them, because they were out trick or treating. She went out to look
CF \| for them, and she was never seen again.
CF \|
CF \| She is seen on Halloween, in a carriage with a skeleton horse. If you
CF \| go inside the carriage, you will be cursed to be at her party forever.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x garden"
CF ] Haunted House
CF \| >
CF \| > X GARDEN
CF \|
CF \| The garden was full of red and black roses, and there was an odd stone
CF \| way in the back.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x stone"
CF ] Haunted House
CF \| >
CF \| > X STONE
CF \|
CF \| The stone was shaped like a crow. The crow's stone! That meant that
CF \| the last ingredient was behind the house, to the east!
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "this definitely fits the description of written by 30 kids lol"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "e"
CF ] Cherry Orchard
CF \| >
CF \| > E
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| Cherry Orchard
CF \| They followed the path to a hill covered in cherry trees.
CF \|
CF \| To the west of the cherry orchard was the haunted house.
CF \|
CF \| There was one magic cherry hanging from a branch.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x cherry"
CF ] Cherry Orchard
CF \| >
CF \| > X CHERRY
CF \|
CF \| (the magic cherry)
CF \| Leana and Garrin looked at each other and said "This must be the last
CF \| ingredient!"
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take it"
CF ] Cherry Orchard
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE IT
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "put it in chalice"		Knight_Otu says, "I wasn't going to say it."
CF \| >
CF \| > PUT IT IN CHALICE
CF \|
CF \| They put the magic cherry into the chalice.
CF \|
CF \| Now they had all four ingredients! They mixed the potion and brought
CF \| it to Chloe. Chloe drank it, and her eyes lit up, and she said she
CF \| felt fine.
CF \|
CF \| But the banshee knew that her curse was cured, and she swore that she
CF \| would have revenge.
CF \|
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| * The End *
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
CF \| * The End *Daniella Florence bows, and the
CF \| sitting-room is filled with the sounds of applause. The kids eat it
CF \| up.
CF \|
CF \| The moderator steps up to the dais. "I must say, that was pretty
CF \| scary, boys and girls! Are there any questions from our audience?"
CF \|
CF \| "Yes," someone says. "My question is for the teacher: Why are you
CF \| here? Why did you bring a bunch of little kids to a meeting of adult
CF \| horror authors? In the middle of the night?"
CF \|
CF \| Miss Shiroiwa glances across the room and catches my eye, and I can
CF \| see the exact moment when she decides to throw me under the bus: "It
CF \| was Ryan's idea, actually," she says.
CF \|
CF \| Someone mutters something.
CF \|
CF \| But the moderator has my back, for once: "I'm sure it is indeed very
CF \| much past these young authors' bedtimes," he says. "So I think we will
CF \| bid them bon soir, after we've given them one more round of
CF \| applause."
CF \|
CF \| Everyone can get behind this, and Miss Shiroiwa leads a beaming
CF \| procession of students out into the hall while avoiding eye contact
CF \| with me.		DavidW asks, "Ready for the next story?"
		DavidW says, "I think there's just the one more."
		Knight_Otu says, "Ready."
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
CF \| with me.Now it is time for the next author to step forward and share
CF \| the next of the evening's hideous entertainments.
CF \|
CF \| ...Hold on. Somebody is looking at us. Giving us the hairy eyeball.
CF \| Who the heck is this guy and what the heck is his problem?
CF \|
CF \| "Hello," I say, sounding very tough and cool. "Who are you, exactly?"
CF \|
CF \| "I'm Thomas Ligotti. Who is that with you?" the guy asks. He's talking
CF \| about you.
CF \|
CF \| "This is my guest! The same guest I brought in 2018 and 2019!"
CF \|
CF \| "I don't think we're allowed to bring guests," someone else adds
CF \| unhelpfully.
CF \|
CF \| "Well, it's never been a problem before, so let's just move on." I
CF \| wave at the moderator to let the next author start reading.
CF \|
CF \| But the moderator shakes his head: "The convocation at Castle
CF \| Balderstone is a place for the world's foremost authors of horror to
CF \| share their work with each other. The charter does not allow
CF \| for visiting observers. Now, if your guest were prepared to present a
CF \| horror story, that would be a different matter."
CF \|
CF \| The other authors start murmuring in agreement. Looks like we're up
CF \| against the wall on this one. Dang.
CF \|
CF \| Okay, I've got an idea. "As a matter of fact, my guest is
CF \| prepared to present a horror story, actually! We just need to get
CF \| psyched up first. So we'll just step out into the hallway for a
CF \| moment, if you don't mind."
CF \|
CF \| Press any key to step out into the hallway with me.		Farfloat says, "sure"
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| Press any key to step out into the hallway with me.## Musty Hallway
CF \| A damp passageway lit only by the firelight from within the library
CF \| and occasional flashes of lightning.
CF \|
CF \| Okay, don't panic. We just have to come up with some ideas. I mean,
CF \| you have to come up with some ideas. I've got a pretty good outline we
CF \| can use, but you'll need to supply the specifics.
CF \|
CF \| There's no rush on any of this. Take as long as you want. But I don't
CF \| know if "UNDO" is going to work during this part, so, try and get
CF \| everything right the first time.
CF \|
CF \| First, give me a girl's name, like "Wendy."
CF \| >		DavidW says, "WE are going to tell a story. Give me suggestions!"
		Farfloat says, "Hmmmmmmmmmm"
		DavidW says, "There's a lot of questions, so don't over-think it."
		DavidW says, "I used Barb when I played."
		Knight_Otu asks, "Floyda?"
		Farfloat asks, "Astronaut marooned in space?"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "Floyda"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > FLOYDA
CF \|
CF \| Sure. Now, I need an inanimate natural object, like "fallen log."
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "trunk"
		DavidW says, "That's not a natural object."
		Knight_Otu asks, "A tree trunk?"
		DavidW says, "oh, a tree trunk, okay"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "tree trunk"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > TREE TRUNK
CF \|
CF \| Next, something that has wheels��but, not a car.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "turbogenerator"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "turbogenerator"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > TURBOGENERATOR
CF \|
CF \| Okay, an adjective next. Something that you'd apply to something
CF \| creepy.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu asks, "Spidery?"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "spidery"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > SPIDERY
CF \|
CF \| Another noun: An innocuous object that's small enough to carry around,
CF \| but big enough that you wouldn't lose it easily.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "discman"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "discman"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > DISCMAN
CF \|
CF \| Okay. How about: an adjective for something old.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "boomerish"
		Farfloat says, "lol sorry"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "boomerish"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > BOOMERISH
CF \|
CF \| That works fine. Next, give me a job title that's respectable, but not
CF \| impressive.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu says, "Haw."
		DavidW asks, "health inspector?"
		Knight_Otu asks, "Why not?"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "health inspector"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > HEALTH INSPECTOR
CF \|
CF \| Really? Okay.
CF \|
CF \| Now, this one is important: A creepy location. A place where you feel
CF \| uncomfortable.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu says, "Right now? Outside."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "outside"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > OUTSIDE
CF \|
CF \| Great. Okay. Now I need a small object that can pick a lock.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu says, "Sorry."
		Farfloat says, "paperclip-like device"
		DavidW asks, "How about 'paperclip' then?"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "paperclip"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > PAPERCLIP
CF \|
CF \| How about an adjective that means "nice," as in, "a nice person."
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "sure"
		Farfloat says, "an absentee ballot years ago literally had a peice of metal shaped like a paperclip labeled paperclip-like device lol"
		Farfloat says, "swell"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "swell"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > SWELL
CF \|
CF \| And now a horrifying object, something that's smaller than a discman?
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "occupied mousetrap"
		Knight_Otu says, "Ew."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "occupied mousetrap"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > OCCUPIED MOUSETRAP
CF \|
CF \| Cool. Next I need an adjective that you associate with boring people.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "normal"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "normal"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > NORMAL
CF \|
CF \| Next, a dangerous household object.
CF \|
CF \| >
MoyTW has arrived.		DavidW says, "hi Moy"
		Farfloat says, "axe"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "axe"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > AXE
CF \|
CF \| And a large-ish container, like a suitcase or a treasure chest.
CF \|
CF \| >		MoyTW asks, "Morning. Are you still doing Balderstone?"
		Farfloat says, "hamper"
		DavidW says, "yes, last story"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hamper"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > HAMPER
CF \|
CF \| A cute dessert?
CF \|
CF \| >		MoyTW asks, "Ah, the mad libs?"
		DavidW says, "yes"
		Knight_Otu says, "Yeah."
		DavidW says, "I did Black Forest cake here."
		Farfloat says, "eclair"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "eclair"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > ECLAIR
CF \|
CF \| Okay, here's a fun one: A substance or material that is typically dry.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "I love eclairs."
		Farfloat says, "powdered tungsten"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "powdered tungsten"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > POWDERED TUNGSTEN
CF \|
CF \| How about, what is the most boring US state? Or just name a boring
CF \| location, I guess.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "I did New Brunswick."
		Farfloat says, "perfect"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "New Brunswick"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > NEW BRUNSWICK
CF \|
CF \| An ominous adjective.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat asks, "creakily?"
		Knight_Otu says, "Sure."
		DavidW says, "That's an adverb."
		DavidW asks, "creaky?"
		Knight_Otu says, "Right. Yeah."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "creaky"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > CREAKY
CF \|
CF \| An adjective that you find desirable in a person, like "artistic" or
CF \| "rich."
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "eccentric"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "eccentric"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > ECCENTRIC
CF \|
CF \| A tiny cute animal, something that fits in your hand.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "Obviously 'rat' is wanted here."
		Knight_Otu asks, "Hamster?"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hamster"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > HAMSTER
CF \|
CF \| A type of metal.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "haha"
		Farfloat says, "sodium"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "sodium"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > SODIUM
CF \|
CF \| A body part.
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu asks, "Hand?"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hand"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > HAND
CF \|
CF \| An upsetting color.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "puce"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "puce"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > PUCE
CF \|
CF \| An adjective that you'd use to describe a fluid.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "vomitous"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "vomitous"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > VOMITOUS
CF \|
CF \| A smallish container, something that would fit in a drawer.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "iphone box"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "iphone box"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > IPHONE BOX
CF \|
CF \| Okay, just a couple more details. What name should we credit you with,
CF \| as the author of this story?
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu says, "Club Floyd of course."
		Farfloat says, "[thumbs up]"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "Club Floyd"
CF ] Musty Hallway
CF \| >
CF \| > CLUB FLOYD
CF \|
CF \| And finally, give me any four words from a nursery rhyme or a poem or
CF \| something like that. (Don't overthink this. Trust me.)
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "goblins will get you"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "goblins will get you"
CF \| >
CF \| > GOBLINS WILL GET YOU
CF \|
CF \| Perfect. Awesome. We can work with this. Absolutely.
CF \|
CF \| Press any key to head back into the library.
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
CF ] Outside
CF \| Press any key to head back into the library.
CF \| Library
CF \| The authors have started chatting with each other in our absence, but
CF \| they get really quiet when they see us come in. They're all looking at
CF \| you expectantly.
CF \|
CF \| Don't worry, you're going to do great.
CF \|
CF \| The moderator clears his throat. "Well, this wasn't on the schedule,
CF \| but it appears that now we have a story from Club Floyd." Oh my gosh,
CF \| he cannot deal with the fact that I called his bluff!
CF \|
CF \| I mean, we called his bluff, obviously. Together. Now get up
CF \| there and knock 'em dead!
CF \|
CF \| Ryan Veeder Presents
CF \| Goblins Will Get You
CF \| by Club Floyd
CF \| Release 1 / Serial number 201031 / Inform 7 build 6M62 (I6/v6.34 lib
CF \| 6/12N) SD
CF \|
CF \| Outside
CF \| Floyda finds herself in an outside. There's an oddly creaky energy in
CF \| the air. Somehow she has the feeling that she has been here before.
CF \|
CF \| There is a hamper here, which isn't that strange.
CF \|
CF \| The presence of a tree trunk is somewhat more unusual.
CF \|
CF \| >		DavidW says, "now, uh, I've played this too, although not with these suggestions."
		Farfloat asks, "oh wait, is this interactive now?"
		DavidW says, "yes!"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x me"
CF ] Outside
CF \| >
CF \| > X ME
CF \|
CF \| Floyda is a normal person, a health inspector from New Brunswick.
CF \| She's swell, but she's not eccentric.
CF \|
CF \| >		MoyTW says, "Yeah."
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "i"
CF ] Outside
CF \| >
CF \| > I
CF \|
CF \| She is carrying nothing.
CF \|
CF \| A creaking noise reaches her ears from far away.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x hamper"
CF ] Outside
CF \| >
CF \| > X HAMPER
CF \|
CF \| It's a perfectly normal hamper. Or, it looks perfectly normal.
CF \|
CF \| The creaking noise is getting closer.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat exclaims, "neat!"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open it"
CF ] Outside
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN IT
CF \|
CF \| She opens the hamper, revealing a discman.
CF \|
CF \| A turbogenerator rolls into view, its wheels creaking noisily.
CF \|
CF \| "Hey there, eclair," the turbogenerator says. "You're looking good."
CF \|
CF \| Floyda backs away slowly.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "lol"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x turbogenerator"
CF ] Outside
CF \| >
CF \| > X TURBOGENERATOR
CF \|
CF \| It seems like a normal turbogenerator, until she notices there's a
CF \| hand sticking out of the side.
CF \|
CF \| "What's wrong?" the turbogenerator asks in a creaking voice. It keeps
CF \| coming closer. Floyda keeps backing away. "Why don't you like me
CF \| anymore? What did I do?"
CF \|
CF \| >		Knight_Otu says, "Oh my."
		Farfloat says, "jeses haha"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x discman"
CF ] Outside
CF \| >
CF \| > X DISCMAN
CF \|
CF \| "What would a discman be doing here?" she wonders. Something doesn't
CF \| seem right.
CF \|
CF \| "Don't be mean to me," the turbogenerator pleads. "I don't want you to
CF \| be mean."
CF \|
CF \| Floyda reaches behind herself. Her hand finds an axe.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take axe"
CF ] Outside
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE AXE
CF \|
CF \| She already has that.
CF \|
CF \| "What are you doing with that axe?" asks the turbogenerator, still
CF \| coming closer. Closer.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "hit turbogenerator with axe"
CF ] Outside
CF \| >
CF \| > HIT TURBOGENERATOR WITH AXE
CF \|
CF \| Floyda swings the axe down on the turbogenerator. The thing splits
CF \| down the middle and bursts open: A flood of wet powdered tungsten
CF \| flows out of the crumpled husk.
CF \|
CF \| She holds her breath, waiting for the turbogenerator and its horrible
CF \| hand to start moving again. But it's gone. Now there's only powdered
CF \| tungsten oozing everywhere.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x tungsten"
CF ] Outside
CF \| >
CF \| > X TUNGSTEN
CF \|
CF \| She kneels down to inspect the slimy powdered tungsten. Something in
CF \| there is moving.
CF \|
CF \| It pops out: A tiny hamster, covered in vomitous fluids.
CF \|
CF \| The little hamster coughs miserably.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take hamster"
CF ] Outside
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE HAMSTER
CF \|
CF \| Floyda picks up the poor wet hamster and strokes its back. The
CF \| creature is in distress. There's something caught in its throat.
CF \|
CF \| The hamster coughs up a sodium key. Now it's feeling better.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x key"
CF ] Outside
CF \| >
CF \| > X KEY
CF \|
CF \| A simple key made of sodium.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take discman"
CF ] Outside
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE DISCMAN
CF \|
CF \| She picks up the discman, revealing an occupied mousetrap!
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x mousetrap"
CF ] Outside
CF \| >
CF \| > X MOUSETRAP
CF \|
CF \| The occupied mousetrap twitches, and Floyda jerks back in revulsion.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "l"
CF ] Outside
CF \| >
CF \| > L
CF \|
CF \| Outside
CF \| Floyda is standing in an outside. There's an oddly creaky energy in
CF \| the air. Somehow she has the feeling that she has been here before.
CF \|
CF \| There is a hamper here, which isn't that strange.
CF \|
CF \| The presence of a tree trunk is somewhat more unusual.
CF \|
CF \| She can also see a husk and a powdered tungsten here.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x trunk"
CF ] Outside
CF \| >
CF \| > X TRUNK
CF \|
CF \| Floyda frowns as she inspects the tree trunk. It's odd enough to see a
CF \| tree trunk in an outside, but this one has a keyhole in it.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "unlock trunk with key"
CF ] Outside
CF \| >
CF \| > UNLOCK TRUNK WITH KEY
CF \|
CF \| She unlocks the tree trunk.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open trunk"
CF ] Outside
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN TRUNK
CF \|
CF \| She pries the tree trunk open. There's a dark space inside.
CF \|
CF \| A spidery voice floats out from the darkness: "Come on, Floyda. It's
CF \| time."
CF \|
CF \| The dark space seems vast enough to swallow her completely.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "enter trunk"
CF ] Room
CF \| >
CF \| > ENTER TRUNK
CF \|
CF \| She climbs into the tree trunk.
CF \|
CF \| She is engulfed by darkness.
CF \|
CF \| She wakes up.
CF \|
CF \| Room
CF \| She is in a room with puce walls. There is a bed here, and a bedside
CF \| table. There is a door, and high on the wall is a boomerish intercom.
CF \|
CF \| The intercom buzzes, and a man's normal voice fills the room: "Any
CF \| changes?" it asks.
CF \|
CF \| "No," she says. "It was the same dream again. Exactly the same."
CF \|
CF \| The normal voice grunts, disappointed.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat says, "which of course doesn't burst into flames, being wet sodium lol"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x bed"
CF ] Room
CF \| >
CF \| > X BED
CF \|
CF \| An uncomfortable bed with puce sheets.
CF \|
CF \| "Well, we'll try again in a few hours," says the normal voice. "In the
CF \| meantime��"
CF \|
CF \| But another voice comes on: "Is my wife in there? Is that my wife?"
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x table"
CF ] Room
CF \| >
CF \| > X TABLE
CF \|
CF \| The bedside table has one drawer.
CF \|
CF \| "We don't allow visitors," the normal voice says. But the other voice
CF \| shrieks: "You have to let her out! Let her out now! Floyda, can you
CF \| hear me? Get out of there! Get out!"
CF \|
CF \| The intercom goes dead.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x intercom"
CF ] Room
CF \| >
CF \| > X INTERCOM
CF \|
CF \| The intercom is high up on the wall, too high to reach.
CF \|
CF \| There's a noise outside the door. Somebody is trying to get in.
CF \|
CF \| "Floyda, it's locked! Can you open it from in there? Come on, Floyda!
CF \| We're going home!"
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open door"
CF ] Room
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN DOOR
CF \|
CF \| The heavy door seems to be locked.
CF \|
CF \| Whoever is outside is still trying to open the door, without success.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "i"
CF ] Room
CF \| >
CF \| > I
CF \|
CF \| She is carrying:
CF \| some (being worn)
CF \| a discman
CF \| a sodium key
CF \| a hamster
CF \|
CF \| The guards will be here soon.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "unlock door with key"
CF ] Room
CF \| >
CF \| > UNLOCK DOOR WITH KEY
CF \|
CF \| That doesn't seem to fit the lock.
CF \|
CF \| "Floyda!" the voice outside cries. "Please! Open the door!"
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "x door"
CF ] Room
CF \| >
CF \| > X DOOR
CF \|
CF \| It's impossible to see through the frosted glass.
CF \|
CF \| The guards will be here soon.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "break glass"
CF ] Room
CF \| >
CF \| > BREAK GLASS
CF \|
CF \| Violence isn't the answer to this one.
CF \|
CF \| Whoever is outside is still trying to open the door, without success.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "look under door"
CF ] Room
CF \| >
CF \| > LOOK UNDER DOOR
CF \|
CF \| She finds nothing of interest.
CF \|
CF \| The guards will be here soon.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "l"
CF ] Room
CF \| >
CF \| > L
CF \|
CF \| Room
CF \| She is in a room with puce walls. There is a bed here, and a bedside
CF \| table. There is a door, and high on the wall is a boomerish intercom.
CF \|
CF \| Whoever is outside is still trying to open the door, without success.
CF \|
CF \| >		Farfloat asks, "did we open the drawer?"
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open drawer"
CF ] Room
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN DRAWER
CF \|
CF \| She opens the drawer, revealing an iphone box.
CF \|
CF \| The guards will be here soon.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open box"
CF ] Room
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN BOX
CF \|
CF \| She opens the iphone box, revealing a paperclip.
CF \|
CF \| Whoever is outside is still trying to open the door, without success.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "take paperclip"
CF ] Room
CF \| >
CF \| > TAKE PAPERCLIP
CF \|
CF \| Taken.
CF \|
CF \| "Floyda!" the voice outside cries. "Please! Open the door!"
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "unlock door with paperclip"
CF ] Room
CF \| >
CF \| > UNLOCK DOOR WITH PAPERCLIP
CF \|
CF \| She presses the paperclip into the lock and wiggles it back and forth
CF \| desperately. She has no idea what she's doing.
CF \|
CF \| But the lock clicks.
CF \|
CF \| Whoever is outside is still trying to open the door, without success.
CF \|
CF \| >
DavidW says (to ClubFloyd), "open door"
CF \| >
CF \| > OPEN DOOR
CF \|
CF \| She opens the door. The room fills with light.
CF \|
CF \| As she looks outside her throat tightens. She can't say anything. She
CF \| can't scream.
CF \|
CF \| Standing in the hallway is the turbogenerator, its vestigial hand
CF \| twitching in excitement.
CF \|
CF \| "Come on, eclair," it creaks. "Let's get out of here."
CF \|
CF \|
CF \|
CF \| * The End *		Knight_Otu says, "That sure was something."
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
CF \| * The End *The room is silent. Your heart sinks: Your
CF \| story has provoked no reaction at all.
CF \|
CF \| But as you look across your audience, you realize there has indeed
CF \| been a reaction: One of desperate, speechless horror. The authors'
CF \| mouths hang open. Their eyes stare into the middle distance. That guy
CF \| who bothered use before is twitching a little.
CF \|
CF \| The moderator steps onto the dais. "Th-thank you, C-Club Floyd," he
CF \| says. Hey, you even scared the moderator! I've never seen that before.
CF \|
CF \| "I think we can all agree that was..." He swallows. "A contribution
CF \| worthy of our convocation. Certainly. Are there any questions for our
CF \| author?"
CF \|
CF \| Nobody can get it together enough to say anything.
CF \|
CF \| There is a long pause.
CF \|
CF \| A very long pause.
CF \|
CF \| You return to your seat, next to me.		Farfloat says, "the mad libs part made that surprisingly engaging for me when it went into interactive mode"
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
CF \| You return to your seat, next to me.The moderator now stands alone on
CF \| the dais. There's an odd energy in the room. People are chattering
CF \| behind us.
CF \|
CF \| I halfway get up in my seat and crane my neck to look around the room.
CF \| Hold on: Where is Allison Chase? Is she not here this year?
CF \|
CF \| Why the heck did we come all the way out here if Allison Chase isn't
CF \| doing a story?
CF \|
CF \| "Our revels are at an end," the moderator says. "I'd like to thank all
CF \| of our presenting authors for their contributions. Of course, I thank
CF \| all of you, presenters or not, for attending. Before we depart,
CF \| though, I have something of a personal note."
CF \|
CF \| He clears his throat solemnly.
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
CF \| He clears his throat solemnly.Then there is a crash of thunder.
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
CF \| He clears his throat solemnly.Then there is a crash of thunder.The
CF \| fireplace is snuffed out��
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
CF \| fireplace is snuffed out��And Castle Balderstone is plunged into
CF \| darkness!
CF \| cheapglulxe quit with exit status: 0
CF asks, "That game over already? It was just getting good. Wanna play another?"		Knight_Otu says, "It always ends in thunder and darkness."
		DavidW says, "yay."
		MoyTW exclaims, "Hooray!"