Start of a transcript of Flattened London A Fanwork in Two Dimensions by Carter Release 7 / Serial number 201004 / Inform 7 build 6M62 (I6/v6.33 lib 6/12N) Identification number: //EE691FFB-4923-422E-8598-FF45808A5A90// Interpreter version 2.1.7 / VM 3.1.2 / Library serial number 080126 Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson Simple Followers version 7/150410 by Emily Short Epistemology version 8/140830 by Eric Eve >about Fallen London is © 2019 and ? Failbetter Games Limited: www.fallenlondon.com. This is an unofficial fan work. Flatland is public domain. >l Your Cozy Home The rain falls south onto the roof of your home - a pentagon, just like the home of every other shape in the city. On a night like tonight, there's nothing you want to do more than sit back and relax with a nice cup of tea. A small mirror hangs on your wall. In front of you is a small scrap of paper you don't remember writing on. You can also see a mug (in which is some tea) here. >i You are carrying nothing. >x me You make acute equilateral triangle, if you do say so yourself. >x mirror You check yourself out in the mirror. You make acute equilateral triangle, if you do say so yourself. >take it Taken. >x scrap You never could read in dreams. Despite this, you find yourself compelled to pick up the note and shove it in your pocket. >read it You never could read in dreams. >x mug A nice china mug. In the mug is some tea. >drink tea You take a small sip. The tea tastes earthy, and vaguely sweet. You hold the warm mug and prepare for a pleasant evening at home. [PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE] All of a sudden, things begin to shake. You find yourself being tossed back and forth, and you're pretty sure you hear your mug shatter. When the shaking subsides, you stagger out from the ruins of your home to find London in complete disorder. The great shift that befell London was ten years ago, and everything is different now. Hell, devils included, is a real place to the west of London, and impossible creatures live and work among ordinary shapes. Some believe London went DOWN, to a cavern beneath the earth, but any well regarded citizen knows those are little more than rumours. After all, there's no such thing as down. [PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE] Your Lodgings You are in your small apartment. It's a cool London morning, and your windows are ever so slightly fogged up. A door is set into the west wall of your home. A spare towel covers a small hand mirror lying in your room. It's been sanitized, of course, but one can never be too careful. In one corner of the room is an old wooden trophy case. A rack stands in the corner, brimming with hats. You wake up, shivering, the note still heavy in your pocket. >take towel Taken. >x it Mud, blood, mirrors. This towel does it all. >x mirror You resist the urge to check yourself out in the mirror. You've seen the prisoners in the Labyrinth of Tigers, and you've no intention of joining them. >take it Taken. >x case An old trophy case, with thirteen slots of specific sizes and shapes. The case is empty. >x rack Your elegant hat rack is more than capable of holding the one hat you own. It is the most important part of your identity, after all. In the rack are a detective's fedora, a captain's cap, a doctor's headpiece and a footpad's mask. >x hats Your elegant hat rack is more than capable of holding the one hat you own. It is the most important part of your identity, after all. In the rack are a detective's fedora, a captain's cap, a doctor's headpiece and a footpad's mask. >i You are carrying: a sanitized mirror the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >x me You make acute equilateral triangle, if you do say so yourself. >x note Greetations, Sincere apologetics for the intrusion into your dream-world, but interception of this message would have been most introublematic. Your presence in my ancient store is thusly requirsted posthaste - I have need of your services, and am prepared to offer a colossiderable reward. Judging from the many portmalteaus, this was written by Mr. Pages - one of the Masters, the cabal of shadowy creatures that 'bought' London ten years ago. You aren't sure what store he's referring to, but many of London's older shops are on a street southwest of your lodgings. Perhaps Mr. Pages expects you to show up soon. >take hat Which do you mean, the detective's fedora, the captain's cap, the doctor's headpiece or the footpad's mask? >all detective's fedora: So you're a detective, then? >e Please answer yes or no.> yes Taken. Your other hats disappear. captain's cap: That isn't available. doctor's headpiece: That isn't available. footpad's mask: That isn't available. >e You can't go that way. >s You can't go that way. >n You can't go that way. >w Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >sw Desolate Lane Most people prefer the wide, well-maintained main street to this dull, empty road. Most of the storefronts are vacant, windows boarded up, with the exception of one cozy-looking storefront. The lane connects with some broad streets in the northeast. South is the entrance to the city's archeological district. An antique shop is embedded in a wall of shops to the east. A horse statue is on display in the window. >x statue A valuable statue of a horse made from silver, apparently made by London's predecessors. It's on sale. >e Antique Shop The place has a rather homey atmosphere. Ancient objects of all shapes and sizes are for sale along the walls, though most of them just look like junk. Outside, the desolate lane awaits. In the east wall of the shop is the door to a back room. Running the shop is a weary antiquarian. A rusty lamp catches your eye. A silver statue of a horse is on display. >x lamp An old fashioned oil lamp. >take it The antiquarian shrugs. "Sure. Not like it was going to sell anyway. No one wants to buy a rusty antique." >x antiquarian A square who looks like she'd like nothing better than a nap. She occasionally looks up from the counter to check on you. >talk to antiquarian "This used to be the busiest antique shop in the city, you know. At least, until they cleaned the rubble up from main street and I stopped getting foot traffic. These days, I'm lucky to get a customer." She looks briefly sad. "I'm technically in the antiques business, but this place is just a glorified pawnshop, so feel free to ask me about any treasures you find - I might just have an answer." >i You are carrying: a rusty lamp a detective's fedora a sanitized mirror the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >a pages The antiquarian sighs. "He's in the back." >a horse "I'm afraid I can't tell you much about this piece. Probably from the fourth city, they did like horses. It's also rather valuable, and it's yours if you can give me something to replace it." >give mirror (to the weary antiquarian) The antiquarian shrugs and hands the sanitized mirror back to you. "Not my area." >e (first opening the back room door) The Lair Of Mr. Pages Instead of the back room of an antique shop, you appear to have stumbled onto some kind of chair warehouse. A chairhouse, if you will. Antique furniture has been placed in neat piles around the room. The antique shop proper is west. Mr. Pages himself, conspicuously without his usual flock of guards and assistants, lounges in an old Queen Anne seat. This must be important. >x pages Mr. Pages' fondness for loquacious verbositude is well known. His species of origin is not. Whatever he is, he must be at least twice your size, exact shape obscured by a heavy leather coat. >t pages That's not a verb I recognise. >talk to pages "Ah, Detective. I do hope my missive wasn't too perplusing." Pages speaks in an urgent, grating screech. "After two thousand years, an entity has returned to the city. Back to spread its untruthidious gospel of the third dimension, no doubt." He spits. "I would have you perform a small task for me." Pages watches you carefully. "Well, Detective? Are you going to ASK me about it?" >a entity "A perfidious shape," Pages hisses. "It has lied to us, and now it has returned, to lie to other shapes about the existence of the 'third dimension'. Disharmodious falsehoods, I assure you." >a third "The traitor would have us all believe that another dimension exists, beyond the two," Pages explains. "A square is to a line as this new plane is to us." You ask the obvious question. Does the third dimension exist? "No!" Pages screeches. His claws squeeze the armrest of his chair tightly, causing it to splinter. "It does not!" Maybe asking someone else will be more helpful. >a pages "Mr. Iron rules iron," Pages says. "Knives and blades. Mr. Stones is the lord of stones, and Mr. Spices spices. I-" he gestures wildly to himself "-am the master of pages! Books and their pages!" He takes a deep breath before continuing to screech. "And chairs!" >a antique shop You don't know what you're talking about. >a shop You don't know what you're talking about. >a antiques You don't know what you're talking about. >a chair Mr. Pages looks at his seat with a lover's passion. "The jewel of my collection," he explains. "A most beauticious seat." What makes this particular chair such a prize, he doesn't say. >a traiter You don't know what you're talking about. >w Antique Shop The place has a rather homey atmosphere. Ancient objects of all shapes and sizes are for sale along the walls, though most of them just look like junk. Outside, the desolate lane awaits. In the east wall of the shop is the door to a back room. Running the shop is a weary antiquarian. A silver statue of a horse is on display. >w Desolate Lane Most people prefer the wide, well-maintained main street to this dull, empty road. Most of the storefronts are vacant, windows boarded up, with the exception of one cozy-looking storefront. The lane connects with some broad streets in the northeast. South is the entrance to the city's archeological district. An antique shop is embedded in a wall of shops to the east. A horse statue is on display in the window. >w You can't go that way. >exits That's not a verb I recognise. >s Forgotten Gates You stand at the edge of an ancient city - The Forgotten Quarter. Or what's left of it, anyway. What wasn't destroyed by London was stripped away by looters, making the whole place feel rather empty. To the north, the empty ruins connect to an empty street. Far to the west, you can see a pavilion that seems more or less untouched. South is an archeological dig site. >s Dig Site A magnificent dig site, heading into the stone that encases a lot of the ruins. This one is almost abandoned, though. The excavation seems to have stopped at a large chunk of rock with a building embedded in it. The way out of the Forgotten Quarter is to the north. In the distance, looking almost translucent in the mist, is a pavilion. A bored archaeologist lies on a crate, worn out. A pickaxe rests on the ground nearby. >take pickaxe The archaeologist watches you take the pickaxe. "Sure, take it," she says. "And do let me know what you find." >x stone You can't see any such thing. >x ruins You can't see any such thing. >x rock It seems progress stopped on the excavations at the exact wrong time. A little more digging, and the ruin's front door would have been accessible. >x archaeologist A square, dressed in the neat clothing of an archaeologist. She looks tired. >talk to archaeologist The last archaeologist squints at you. "You won't find anything here," she says. "That third dimension stuff is just talk." She sighs. "Not that it matters whether or not I was going to find anything, seeing as my crew quit. And when I was only a few pickaxe-swings away from victory, too." >a crew The archaeologist sighs. "I suppose I should have told them up front that this expedition had to do with the third dimension. And they were right to be scared of getting arrested on the slim chance that we found something interesting. Only when they quit, my colleagues went too, and all the dockworkers, and now there's no one in London that'll even consider helping me with this. Shame, too. It's a good job." >a expedition "I'm digging for a ritual site," the archaeologist explains. "We were making great progress until- well, until my team walked out on me." She shrugs. "I did what I could on my own, but I think I sprained something. It's frustrating. Now that I've found the damn building, I can't get through to it." >x third dimension You can't see any such thing. >a third dimension "I don't know what the third dimension is exactly, or if it's even real. I do know there used to be a cult that worshipped a shape they believed to be from the third dimension, and that they were wiped out by whatever the fourth city had for law enforcement. I'd hoped to find one of their ritual sites here, for my research into them, but apparently not." >a cult "I'm researching a geomesoteric cult that existed a few decades ago, back when this place - the whole fourth city - was a thriving metropolis, and London was somewhere else. They worshipped the third dimension, I think. By far the pinnacle of their worship was a pavilion located somewhere around here." >a fourth "They're the topic of my thesis," the archaeologist begins, clearly excited to have an audience. "The capital of the Mongol empire, vanished in its prime, subject of numerous conspiracy theories - turns out it ended up here. Wherever 'here' is, anyway. I'm studying a cult that cropped up in their later years." Her smile fades when you ask her what happened to them. "Wouldn't you rather hear about something else? Like my cult." >a cult "I'm researching a geomesoteric cult that existed a few decades ago, back when this place - the whole fourth city - was a thriving metropolis, and London was somewhere else. They worshipped the third dimension, I think. By far the pinnacle of their worship was a pavilion located somewhere around here." >dig rock What do you want to dig the rock chunk with? >pickaxe You hit the chunk, hard. Flecks of stone fly off of it, exposing more of the door. >pickaxe That's not a verb I recognise. >dig rock with pickaxe You hit the chunk again. You've managed to get most of the way through. >dig rock with pickaxe You chip away at the last of the rock blocking the door. The entrance to an ancient temple is now visible to the south. >a himself "I know, most archaeologists are busy searching for the cavern where memories go to die. That's where all the money is, certainly. But I really do want to find this pavilion, and I'll use every last scrap of grant money to do so." >a door The archaeologist frowns. "I'm afraid I can't help you there." >a rock "I can't thank you enough," the archaeologist says. "I mean, I could, if I weren't flat broke." She shrugs. "I'll mention you in the book I'm writing, how about that?" >a book You don't know what you're talking about. >s Ancient Temple You stand in a grand hall, built from a rich marble. Even weathered by time, it's magnificent. The exit is to the north. A side-room, so small that it seems like an afterthought, is to the west. Presumably there were other chambers here, but they've long since been buried in debris. >w Lesser Chamber A cramped room that seems to have been carved into the rock rather than constructed. East, a jagged tunnel leads back into the temple you came from. A nodule of amber is here, in the center of the room. Whoever put it here obviously thought it was important. >take amber Taken. >x amber If you listen, you can almost hear the distant sound of gurgling. This lump of amber fills you with a warm, fuzzy feeling when you hold it. That makes it valuable, at least to you. >listen You hear nothing unexpected. >listen to amber You hear nothing unexpected. >e Ancient Temple You stand in a grand hall, built from a rich marble. Even weathered by time, it's magnificent. The exit is to the north. A side-room, so small that it seems like an afterthought, is to the west. Presumably there were other chambers here, but they've long since been buried in debris. >s You can't go that way. >n Dig Site A magnificent dig site, heading into the stone that encases a lot of the ruins. This one is almost abandoned, though. The way out of the Forgotten Quarter is to the north. In the distance, looking almost translucent in the mist, is a pavilion. The entrance to an ancient temple is visible to the south. A bored archaeologist lies on a crate, worn out. >a amber "Amber, huh?" The archaeologist irritably smashes into a pebble, sending it flying. "Figures the temple I've been searching for for five odd years would turn out to just be some... Hive for a bunch of irregulars. And I was so sure it would be somewhere in this area, too. Circles damnit." >w You can't go that way. >n Forgotten Gates You stand at the edge of an ancient city - The Forgotten Quarter. Or what's left of it, anyway. What wasn't destroyed by London was stripped away by looters, making the whole place feel rather empty. To the north, the empty ruins connect to an empty street. Far to the west, you can see a pavilion that seems more or less untouched. South is an archeological dig site. >w In The Pavilion You stand in a grand pavilion. The other buildings on this street are weathered and broken, but here not a single thing is out of place. Outside and to the east is the way out of the Forgotten Quarter. An ornate rug covers most of the pavilion's southern side. >x rug An antique rug from the people who came before, in excellent condition. You're sure they wouldn't mind you having this. >take it The rug seems to have been covering a tunnel in the south. >x tunnel You can't see any such thing. >s Winding Hall A long, serpentine hallway. The floor is covered in a rather detailed mural. To the north, the passage returns to the pavilion. South, the hallway continues. >x mural A large group of triangles is gathered around an unusual shape in what looks like worship. But that can't be right. Who in their right mind would worship a line? >s Twisty Hall You are still in a hallway that runs north-south. Another mural is etched into the floor. >x mural The mural depicts a battle between a group of triangles and a handful of circles. Despite the advantage granted to them by their points, the triangles appear to be losing. A rectangle stands in the distance, passively watching. It is the same color as the line in the previous mural, and is in the same location. >s The Hallway Ends The hallway north ends in an oak door to the south. Near the door, and all around you, is a mural. >x mural In the mural, a small group of triangles gather around a circle in exaltation. Apart from the dead triangles, scattered around the mural, all is well. The lower classes are in their proper places at last. >s (first opening the oak door) Ritual Room A huge chamber with an exit to the north. It smells faintly of smoke, and apart from an odd carving near the far wall, is completely empty. Something else about the room feels off, though you can't say what exactly. Eight candles have been placed at odd intervals around the room. The bones of a long-dead triangle rest against the far wall, clutching a bell. >x carving A dot, then a line, then a square. Then some kind of irregular shape, like two squares crushed and smashed together. Next to it, something is written. ???? ?????? - PERFECTION in mongolian. But you never learned to read mongolian. So why do you know what that says? >x candles Old tallow candles. Flammable. >x bones You get the sense that the dead triangle is watching you. >x bell An old bell. >take it Taken. >ring it A sudden gust of wind causes the candles to go out. The bell makes a pleasant ringing sound. >l Ritual Room A huge chamber with an exit to the north. It smells faintly of smoke, and apart from an odd carving near the far wall, is completely empty. Something else about the room feels off, though you can't say what exactly. Eight candles have been placed at odd intervals around the room. The bones of a long-dead triangle rest against the far wall. >x candles Old tallow candles. Flammable. >light candles What do you want to light the candles with? >i You are carrying: a bell an antique rug a lump of friendly amber a pickaxe a rusty lamp a detective's fedora a sanitized mirror the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >talk to amber You can talk to the lump of friendly amber, but it can't talk back. >x lamp An old fashioned oil lamp. >light it What do you want to light the rusty lamp with? >l Ritual Room A huge chamber with an exit to the north. It smells faintly of smoke, and apart from an odd carving near the far wall, is completely empty. Something else about the room feels off, though you can't say what exactly. Eight candles have been placed at odd intervals around the room. The bones of a long-dead triangle rest against the far wall. >take bones ...ew. You leave the dead triangle where it is. >take candles You wouldn't want to disrupt whatever undetectable pattern the candles have been laid out in. >n The Hallway Ends The hallway north ends in an oak door to the south. Near the door, and all around you, is a mural. >s Ritual Room A huge chamber with an exit to the north. It smells faintly of smoke, and apart from an odd carving near the far wall, is completely empty. Something else about the room feels off, though you can't say what exactly. Eight candles have been placed at odd intervals around the room. The bones of a long-dead triangle rest against the far wall. >smell You smell nothing unexpected. >n The Hallway Ends The hallway north ends in an oak door to the south. Near the door, and all around you, is a mural. >n Twisty Hall You are still in a hallway that runs north-south. Another mural is etched into the floor. >n Winding Hall A long, serpentine hallway. The floor is covered in a rather detailed mural. To the north, the passage returns to the pavilion. South, the hallway continues. >n In The Pavilion You stand in a grand pavilion. The other buildings on this street are weathered and broken, but here not a single thing is out of place. Outside and to the east is the way out of the Forgotten Quarter. Despite the fact that you've seen the pavilion from the outside, there is a tunnel leading south. >out Forgotten Gates You stand at the edge of an ancient city - The Forgotten Quarter. Or what's left of it, anyway. What wasn't destroyed by London was stripped away by looters, making the whole place feel rather empty. To the north, the empty ruins connect to an empty street. Far to the west, you can see a pavilion that seems more or less untouched. South is an archeological dig site. >n Desolate Lane Most people prefer the wide, well-maintained main street to this dull, empty road. Most of the storefronts are vacant, windows boarded up, with the exception of one cozy-looking storefront. The lane connects with some broad streets in the northeast. South is the entrance to the city's archeological district. An antique shop is embedded in a wall of shops to the east. A horse statue is on display in the window. >x storefront You can't see any such thing. >ne Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >s Bazaar Side-Streets The industrial bustle of London peaks here, not at the center of town but in the Bazaar that effectively owns the city. Something alien is here, thrumming at the edge of your consciousness and living inside the ground. A more ordinary street is to the north, and an alleyway is to the west. East is the door to a land agency. An out-of-work clay triangle is here, lounging in front of a door to the east. >x triangle A triangle, but made from sturdy clay. One of the creatures that began to appear here and there after the shift, albeit to fill a role London's had for centuries. This one looks bored. >talk to triangle "I WAS NOT MADE FOR DOOR-WATCHING," says the clay triangle. "I WILL FOLLOW YOU, IF YOU CAN LEAD ME TO WORK." >a triangle (the out-of-work clay triangle) "I AM CLAY," the clay triangle says. "LIVING CLAY FROM THE ISLAND OF POLYTHREME, GIVEN FORM. EVERYTHING THERE IS ALIVE, EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE." The triangle shudders. "I AM GLAD TO BE IN LONDON." >e The clay triangle stops you. "MR. PENSTOCK HAS INSTRUCTED ME TO PREVENT TRESPASSERS," he says. "AND FOR A LACK OF ADEQUATE WORK, I WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO." >a work You don't know what you're talking about. >tell triangle about work That noun did not make sense in this context. >triangle, follow me The out-of-work clay triangle begins to follow you. >n Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. The out-of-work clay triangle arrives from the south. >sw Desolate Lane Most people prefer the wide, well-maintained main street to this dull, empty road. Most of the storefronts are vacant, windows boarded up, with the exception of one cozy-looking storefront. The lane connects with some broad streets in the northeast. South is the entrance to the city's archeological district. An antique shop is embedded in a wall of shops to the east. A horse statue is on display in the window. The out-of-work clay triangle arrives from the northeast. >s Forgotten Gates You stand at the edge of an ancient city - The Forgotten Quarter. Or what's left of it, anyway. What wasn't destroyed by London was stripped away by looters, making the whole place feel rather empty. To the north, the empty ruins connect to an empty street. Far to the west, you can see a pavilion that seems more or less untouched. South is an archeological dig site. The out-of-work clay triangle arrives from the north. >s Dig Site A magnificent dig site, heading into the stone that encases a lot of the ruins. This one is almost abandoned, though. The way out of the Forgotten Quarter is to the north. In the distance, looking almost translucent in the mist, is a pavilion. The entrance to an ancient temple is visible to the south. A bored archaeologist lies on a crate, worn out. The clay triangle and the last archaeologist stare at one another for a moment. The archaeologist takes in the triangle's strong, capable angles. The triangle takes in the vast amount of work to be done. "IT'S PERFECT," says the triangle. "When can you start?" says the archaeologist, already taking out her wallet. >l Dig Site A magnificent dig site, heading into the stone that encases a lot of the ruins. This one is almost abandoned, though. The way out of the Forgotten Quarter is to the north. In the distance, looking almost translucent in the mist, is a pavilion. The entrance to an ancient temple is visible to the south. A clay triangle is hard at work at the dig site. A bored archaeologist lies on a crate, worn out. >n Forgotten Gates You stand at the edge of an ancient city - The Forgotten Quarter. Or what's left of it, anyway. What wasn't destroyed by London was stripped away by looters, making the whole place feel rather empty. To the north, the empty ruins connect to an empty street. Far to the west, you can see a pavilion that seems more or less untouched. South is an archeological dig site. >n Desolate Lane Most people prefer the wide, well-maintained main street to this dull, empty road. Most of the storefronts are vacant, windows boarded up, with the exception of one cozy-looking storefront. The lane connects with some broad streets in the northeast. South is the entrance to the city's archeological district. An antique shop is embedded in a wall of shops to the east. A horse statue is on display in the window. >n You can't go that way. >ss That's not a verb I recognise. >ne Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >s Bazaar Side-Streets The industrial bustle of London peaks here, not at the center of town but in the Bazaar that effectively owns the city. Something alien is here, thrumming at the edge of your consciousness and living inside the ground. A more ordinary street is to the north, and an alleyway is to the west. East is the door to a land agency. >e Penstock's Wicket The land agency of Penstock, a heptagon realtor with better things to do than man his own shop. The air in here is still and dusty. A door to the west leads back out to the bazaar, and an elevator shaft is to the east. A brass key is tucked away past the counter here. A metal cage-elevator looms in the back of the shop, situated precariously at the top of a long shaft south. >take key Taken. >e Elevator Shaft (in the cage-elevator) You are in a rickety metal cage-elevator, with a lever attached to it. The elevator is still. An elevator shaft is visible to the south, and the land agency is back to the west. >x lever A plain lever, waiting to be pulled. >pull lever You pull the lever. The elevator starts to move. The elevator rushes south, past what looks like a shelf carved into the side of the shaft. >x shelf A niche in the side of the elevator shaft. Something wooden is inside. The elevator rushes south. >take wooden You can't see any such thing. >push lever You pull the lever. Nothing happens. The elevator stops in a vast cavern, far south of the ground. >push lever You pull the lever. The elevator starts to move. The elevator rushes north, to your great relief. >take wooden You can't see any such thing. >l Elevator Shaft (in the cage-elevator) You are deep in the earth. The elevator rushes north, past what looks like a shelf carved into the side of the shaft. >take wooden You can't see any such thing. >take something You can't see any such thing. >take shelf Taken. The elevator screeches to a halt at the top of the shaft. >i You are carrying: a shelf a brass key a bell an antique rug a lump of friendly amber a pickaxe a rusty lamp a detective's fedora a sanitized mirror the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >x shelf A niche in the side of the elevator shaft. Something wooden is inside. >open shelf It isn't something you can open. >x something wooden You can't see any such thing. >s The elevator blocks your path. >pull lever You pull the lever. The elevator starts to move. The elevator rushes south, past what looks like a shelf carved into the side of the shaft. >take something wooden You can't see any such thing. >l Elevator Shaft (in the cage-elevator) The elevator passes by a shelf carved into the side of the shaft. A discrete casket is here, nestled into a shelf carved into the rock. The elevator rushes south. >take casket You can't see any such thing. >l Elevator Shaft (in the cage-elevator) You are deep in the earth. The elevator stops in a vast cavern, far south of the ground. >w You would have to get out of the cage-elevator first. >out You get out of the cage-elevator. Sundered Sea The room is a vast, yawning cavern, a secret warehouse south of the ground. Fiery glyphs set into the walls illuminate deep pools and pits of ivory foam around you, and the scent of ammonia is thick in the air. North is an elevator shaft leading out, and east is an altar. A metal cage-elevator is here, attached to a chain. >i You are carrying: a shelf a brass key a bell an antique rug a lump of friendly amber a pickaxe a rusty lamp a detective's fedora a sanitized mirror the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >x shelf A niche in the side of the elevator shaft. >search it You find nothing of interest. >x altar You can't see any such thing. >e At The Altar Here in a broad cavern, across a sea of foamy pits, is a stone altar. West is a cage-elevator, situated on a flat stone clearing. A stairwell south leads even further into the bowels of the earth. A large pail rests next to the altar. >x altar A large stone altar, about your size. Some writing has been carved into it. >x pall You can't see any such thing. >x writing One part lacre, one part shape. Add shape to lacre, combine in pail. Wait. Enjoy. They say people come down here with black glass knives and cut themselves. They say the snow-foam likes that. You don't have a knife, but theoretically, any 'aspect of the self' will do. >x pail An old metal pail. The bottom is crusted with a snowy residue. >x residue You can't see any such thing. >take all pail: Taken. >i You are carrying: a pail a shelf a brass key a bell an antique rug a lump of friendly amber a pickaxe a rusty lamp a detective's fedora a sanitized mirror the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >put amber in pail You drop the lump of friendly amber into the pail. >z Time passes. >x writing One part lacre, one part shape. Add shape to lacre, combine in pail. Wait. Enjoy. They say people come down here with black glass knives and cut themselves. They say the snow-foam likes that. You don't have a knife, but theoretically, any 'aspect of the self' will do. >put mirror in pail You drop the sanitized mirror into the pail. >z Time passes. >take all There are none at all available! >take all from pail There are none at all available! >take mirror Taken. >take amber Taken. >l At The Altar Here in a broad cavern, across a sea of foamy pits, is a stone altar. West is a cage-elevator, situated on a flat stone clearing. A stairwell south leads even further into the bowels of the earth. >x altar A large stone altar, about your size. Some writing has been carved into it. >s Stairwell A passageway running north-south through the rock. The scent of ammonia wafts in from the north, and to the south, the tunnel gets darker. >smell You smell nothing unexpected. >s Darkness It is pitch dark, and you can't see a thing. >n Stairwell A passageway running north-south through the rock. The scent of ammonia wafts in from the north, and to the south, the tunnel gets darker. >n At The Altar Here in a broad cavern, across a sea of foamy pits, is a stone altar. West is a cage-elevator, situated on a flat stone clearing. A stairwell south leads even further into the bowels of the earth. >w Sundered Sea The room is a vast, yawning cavern, a secret warehouse south of the ground. Fiery glyphs set into the walls illuminate deep pools and pits of ivory foam around you, and the scent of ammonia is thick in the air. North is an elevator shaft leading out, and east is an altar. A metal cage-elevator is here, attached to a chain. >n Elevator Shaft You are in an elevator shaft. A great chain is here, spanning north to south. >pull lever You can't see any such thing. >pull chain You can't see any such thing. >l Elevator Shaft You are in an elevator shaft. A great chain is here, spanning north to south. >x chain You can't see any such thing. >push lever You can't see any such thing. >u You don't believe such a direction exists. >n Elevator Shaft You are in an elevator shaft. A great chain is here, spanning north to south. A discrete casket is here, nestled into a shelf carved into the rock. >take casket The casket is far too heavy for that. >open it You open the discrete casket, revealing a heartmetal disc. >take disc Taken. >x it A milky lump of silvery metal, about the size of a heart and quite smooth. You've never seen anything like this before, but there's no doubt it's valuable. >touch it You feel nothing unexpected. >n Elevator Shaft You are at the top of an elevator shaft. It continues to the south, and the land agency is back to the west. >s Elevator Shaft You are in an elevator shaft. A great chain is here, spanning north to south. A discrete casket is here, nestled into a shelf carved into the rock. >s Elevator Shaft You are in an elevator shaft. A great chain is here, spanning north to south. >s Sundered Sea The room is a vast, yawning cavern, a secret warehouse south of the ground. Fiery glyphs set into the walls illuminate deep pools and pits of ivory foam around you, and the scent of ammonia is thick in the air. North is an elevator shaft leading out, and east is an altar. A metal cage-elevator is here, attached to a chain. >x elevator A rickety cage-elevator on a chain. It won't fall, but you can't be sure of that. >u That's impossible. >u If anyone hears you talking that way, you'll be done for. >n Elevator Shaft You are in an elevator shaft. A great chain is here, spanning north to south. >n Elevator Shaft You are in an elevator shaft. A great chain is here, spanning north to south. A discrete casket is here, nestled into a shelf carved into the rock. >n Elevator Shaft You are at the top of an elevator shaft. It continues to the south, and the land agency is back to the west. >w Penstock's Wicket The land agency of Penstock, a heptagon realtor with better things to do than man his own shop. The air in here is still and dusty. A door to the west leads back out to the bazaar, and an elevator shaft is to the east. >w Bazaar Side-Streets The industrial bustle of London peaks here, not at the center of town but in the Bazaar that effectively owns the city. Something alien is here, thrumming at the edge of your consciousness and living inside the ground. A more ordinary street is to the north, and an alleyway is to the west. East is the door to a land agency. >w Empty Alleyway If you remember correctly, the garbage bin you found your trophy case in is somewhere around here. Sigils that hurt to look at gleam on the walls, and the alley exits to the east. >x bin A nondescript garbage bin. >open it It isn't something you can open. >search it You find nothing of interest. >x sigils They say that huge, fiery entities exist - not north, but above your fragile world. They say the stars have their own language, and that it looks something like this. But this is just graffiti, a cheap imitation of the real thing. Either way, it's enough to set a part of your shirt on fire. You pat it out. >e Bazaar Side-Streets The industrial bustle of London peaks here, not at the center of town but in the Bazaar that effectively owns the city. Something alien is here, thrumming at the edge of your consciousness and living inside the ground. A more ordinary street is to the north, and an alleyway is to the west. East is the door to a land agency. >n Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >x river You can't see any such thing. >n Moloch Street Moloch Street, where shapes who have traded away their mortal souls begin their journeys towards hell. North is the entrance to the Labyrinth of Tigers, and west is the university. South, the street becomes less menacing. An old house with a brass-plated door stands in the east, passing judgement on everyone it sees. >x house A grandiose old home, with a brass-plated door and boarded up windows. As far as you can tell, the only people that have been here in the last ten years have been squatters. >e (first opening the brass-plated door) It seems to be locked. >unlock door What do you want to unlock the brass-plated door with? >key You unlock the brass-plated door. >e (first opening the brass-plated door) A House On Moloch Street The house abandoned. Locked or not, anything of any real value has been long since ransacked. A door to the west leads outside. An unspeakably hideous painting is still here - there's not a looter in London that would be caught dead with that thing. >x painting The wild asymmetry in the devil's face is bad enough. Together with the threatening swarm of crows in the background and the way the painting manages to suggest that Her Most Circular Majesty is a whore, this is by far the worst painting you've ever seen. The employment of lead-based paints means it's not even good kindling. No, the only way this painting might ever be useful would be as some sort of theft deterrent, placed in front of your chiefest treasures to ensure no one ever comes near them. >take it You notice something stashed away behind the painting. >x something You can't see any such thing. >look behind painting You can't see any such thing. >l A House On Moloch Street The house abandoned. Locked or not, anything of any real value has been long since ransacked. A door to the west leads outside. A gold brick is here. >take brick Taken. >x it A brick made from solid gold. Valuable, as gold bricks usually are. >i You are carrying: a solid gold brick an unspeakably hideous painting a heartmetal disc a lump of friendly amber a sanitized mirror a pail a shelf a brass key a bell an antique rug a pickaxe a rusty lamp a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >l A House On Moloch Street The house abandoned. Locked or not, anything of any real value has been long since ransacked. A door to the west leads outside. >e You can't go that way. >n You can't go that way. >s You can't go that way. >w Moloch Street Moloch Street, where shapes who have traded away their mortal souls begin their journeys towards hell. North is the entrance to the Labyrinth of Tigers, and west is the university. South, the street becomes less menacing. An old house with a brass-plated door stands in the east, passing judgement on everyone it sees. >save Ok. >n The Labyrinth of Tigers Previously, one saw tigers at the zoo. Now, the tigers run the zoo. Some of the more mundane exhibits are to the west. The geometrical cells are east, and north is the Labyrinth's gift shop. South is the exit to Moloch Street. A tiger in a janitor's uniform can be seen scrubbing the walls. >x tiger A large, magnificent tiger, quietly mopping what looks like a bloodstain. >talk to tiger "Hey," the tiger says. "I'm a little busy right now. After I clean this, I need to go feed the penguins - and on top of that, the Cervine Shuffler in the next exhibit over won't take his pills." >a cervine The tiger sighs. "I don't know what's wrong with him," he says. "I put his pills in his tray, but he won't take them. How am I supposed to take care of these animals if they won't even take their pills?" >a pills "They're supposed to get it to throw up," the tiger explains. "Just in case he ate something he wasn't supposed to. Or someone." The tiger shrugs. "To be fair, I wouldn't take them either if I were him. He only eats meat and meat-adjacent foods." >w Cervine Shuffler Out of the many animal exhibits here, this one seems the least likely to maim you. A tiger mopping the floors outside reassures you that that 'doesn't usually' happen. But why take chances? A large beast that only vaguely resembles a deer is here, shuffling morosely around its cage. Every so often, it makes a sickening rattle that could charitably be described as a cough. A scattering of pills is in the Shuffler's feeding trough, untouched. >take pills Taken. >i You are carrying: some pills a solid gold brick an unspeakably hideous painting a heartmetal disc a lump of friendly amber a sanitized mirror a pail a shelf a brass key a bell an antique rug a pickaxe a rusty lamp a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >w You can't go that way. >n You can't go that way. >l Cervine Shuffler Out of the many animal exhibits here, this one seems the least likely to maim you. A tiger mopping the floors outside reassures you that that 'doesn't usually' happen. But why take chances? A large beast that only vaguely resembles a deer is here, shuffling morosely around its cage. Every so often, it makes a sickening rattle that could charitably be described as a cough. >s You can't go that way. >x beast A huge, hairy creature with antlers and razor-sharp teeth. Its coughing sounds like the wheeze of a dying man. >talk to beast The Cervine Shuffler looks at you balefully. It grunts. >give pill to beast You can't see any such thing. >give pills to beast The Shuffler resists your attempts to feed it the pills. Dying or not, it doesn't seem to like the taste. >i You are carrying: some pills a solid gold brick an unspeakably hideous painting a heartmetal disc a lump of friendly amber a sanitized mirror a pail a shelf a brass key a bell an antique rug a pickaxe a rusty lamp a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >e The Labyrinth of Tigers Previously, one saw tigers at the zoo. Now, the tigers run the zoo. Some of the more mundane exhibits are to the west. The geometrical cells are east, and north is the Labyrinth's gift shop. South is the exit to Moloch Street. A tiger in a janitor's uniform can be seen scrubbing the walls. >e Geometrical Cells Animals aren't the only thing kept in the Labyrinth of Tigers. You are in a wide room, the walls lined with various cells behind curtains. A sign reminds visitors not to bring mirrors into the exhibit. West is the exit. A plain green curtain covers a cage. >pull curtain It is fixed in place. >move it You open the curtain. A scruffy-looking square is behind it. >x square The square looks like it hasn't slept in a week. That doesn't stop it from making polite eye contact with you. It apparently hasn't forgotten its manners. >talk to square The square greets you politely. "Good day, Detective," it begins. "Don't suppose you'd mind giving us that mirror you've got there?" When you fail to give it the mirror, it sighs heavily. "You shapes are all the same." >give mirror to square The square thanks you, snatching the mirror. "Sanitized," it remarks coolly. "Disgusting, but we can work with that." The scruffy-looking square shoves itself into the mirror with a sickening crack and is gone. Your mirror falls to the south side of the cage, but something is different about it. >x mirror A small mirror with green-tinted glass. When you touch the surface, it ever so slightly gives way. You could enter it, if you wanted to. >enter it You push yourself into the mirror, cutting yourself slightly on jagged edges you didn't know were there. [PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE] Amber Woods You are in a thick forest, where the ambient light is a soft shade of amber. You are in the land-behind-mirrors, home of the glass serpents. You are nowhere that is real. The forest stretches out in every direction. >i You are carrying: some pills a solid gold brick an unspeakably hideous painting a heartmetal disc a lump of friendly amber a pail a shelf a brass key a bell an antique rug a pickaxe a rusty lamp a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >out But you aren't in anything at the moment. >n Jungle Path A path from west to east snakes through the thick foliage. Off the path to the north, you can see something gleam. >n Brightest Grove You've never heard of an orchard with just one tree. Here it is, though. Densely packed trees surround you on all sides, but open up ever so slightly to the south. A gorgeous tree stands at the center of a wide clearing, lush with promises it may yet keep. >x tree The most beautiful tree you've ever seen shines when you look at it, forcing you to squint. Shining, silver sap drips slowly from the tree in rivulets, ready for collection. A glassy cluster of fruit hangs on the tree, waiting to be plucked. >take sap Your pockets are much stickier, and the tree isn't nearly as bright. >take fruit You remove the fruit. Without it, the tree doesn't catch the light as nicely as it used to. >x fruit A glassy cluster of fruit, like a fly's eye hewn from crystal. Solacefruit is rare, valuable, and entirely toxic. >eat it Solacefruit contains a powerful venom - invigorating in small quantities, but lethal after that. Are you sure you want to eat it? >yes The solacefruit is bitter and sharp. It's only after you swallow your first mouthful that the venom takes hold, and everything goes hazy as your lines begin to seize up. [PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE] A Silent River A slow boat drifts down a silent river. Your surroundings are dark, but you can see everything with awful clarity. You can see the far shore in the distance, out of reach. A skeleton in robes sits at the front of the boat, guiding it along down the river. An ancient chess set is tucked away in a far corner of the boat. >play chess The boatman looks at you inquisitively, and you think you see something glint in his empty eyes. "Would you care for a game of chess?" >yes The boatman moves a rook to D5. His moves are smooth, confident. It's your turn. 1: Catspaw to G4 2: Rook to C7 3: Bishop to H2 >2 It's clear that the boatman has you at a disadvantage. It's as though he's playing 3D chess. The boatman moves a rook to F4. His moves are smooth, confident. It's your turn. 1: Bishop to H6 2: Catspaw to G5 3: Circle to C8 >3 You watch passively as the boatman captures several of your pieces. The boatman moves a catspaw to G7. His moves are smooth, confident. It's your turn. 1: Square to B7 2: Rook to A4 3: Circle to C1 >3 You try a move you vaguely recall hearing about. To your surprise, it works perfectly. The boatman moves a square to A6. His moves are smooth, confident. It's your turn. 1: Bishop to F6 2: Rook to B9 3: Flint to A2 >1 You watch passively as the boatman captures several of your pieces. The boatman knocks your circle from the board with the practiced ease of one who's done it a thousand times. "You never had a chance," he hisses. "I've only ever lost once to a Londoner. Strange woman," the boatman muses. "I think she actually wrote a book about the experience." His gaze lingers on you for a moment, before turning back to the river. "We've arrived, by the way. You might as well get out." >a londoner You don't know what you're talking about. >out The sound of waves becomes louder and louder, until it is almost deafening. Just like that, you return to yourself. Stolen Shores What was once the river Thames cuts through the middle of the city, depositing the dead and detritus alike on its muddy banks. The river itself is immediately south. The street is north, and the beach stretches on for a while to the west. Your whole body aches. You must have washed onto the beach - they do say that the stolen river takes a trip through hell. Your brain is on fire. But at least you're alive. >w West Banks The stolen river's western riverbanks end here. There's nothing but piles and piles of mud. To the east, the riverbank gets wider. You can see a lumpy object glint out at you, half buried in the mud. >take object Taken. >x it A small, hard-to-make-out item, dripping with mud. You think you can catch the gleam of brass, but beyond that, you can't identify it through the muck. >clean it What do you want to clean the lumpy object with? >water You can't see any such thing. >clean it with towel You make short work of the mud, revealing a brass ring. Your towel, however, is ruined. >x ring A shiny brass ring, of the kind often given by devils to their human admirers. Valuable, though perhaps not the sort of thing to be seen flaunting. >wear it You put on the brass ring. >l West Banks The stolen river's western riverbanks end here. There's nothing but piles and piles of mud. To the east, the riverbank gets wider. >x mud The problem with mud is that it's almost always located in such a way that makes it impossible to go around. If you want to get anywhere in this mud field, you're forced to let it splatter against one of your sides. Circles, you hate mud. >e Stolen Shores What was once the river Thames cuts through the middle of the city, depositing the dead and detritus alike on its muddy banks. The river itself is immediately south. The street is north, and the beach stretches on for a while to the west. >s You kick and thrash, trying to keep the muddy water from filling your lungs. >n Coughing and sputtering, you drag yourself out of the river like some kind of mud zombie. >n Near The River You've got an excellent view of the stolen river, which is accessible to the south. The shuttered palace looms in the west, the entrance to the university is north, and east is a series of broad streets. >e Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >e Your Lodgings You are in your small apartment. It's a cool London morning, and your windows are ever so slightly fogged up. A door is set into the west wall of your home. In one corner of the room is an old wooden trophy case. >open case You open the trophy case. >x it An old trophy case, with thirteen slots of specific sizes and shapes. The case is empty. >x slot You can't see any such thing. >x slots You can't see any such thing. >put brick in case The solid gold brick fits perfectly. >i You are carrying: a brass ring (being worn) a solacefruit some brilliant sap some pills an unspeakably hideous painting a heartmetal disc a lump of friendly amber a pail a shelf a brass key a bell an antique rug a pickaxe a rusty lamp a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >put ring in case (first taking it off) The brass ring fits perfectly. >put fruit in case The solacefruit fits perfectly. >put sap in case The brilliant sap doesn't seem to fit. >put painting in case The unspeakably hideous painting doesn't seem to fit. >put pills in case The pills doesn't seem to fit. >put disc in case The heartmetal disc fits perfectly. >put amber in case The lump of friendly amber fits perfectly. >put bell in case The bell doesn't seem to fit. >i You are carrying: some brilliant sap some pills an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a bell an antique rug a pickaxe a rusty lamp a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >put rug in case The antique rug doesn't seem to fit. >put pail in case The pail doesn't seem to fit. >put shelf in case The shelf doesn't seem to fit. >put lamp in case The rusty lamp doesn't seem to fit. >x case An old trophy case, with thirteen slots of specific sizes and shapes. Five of the case's slots have been filled. In the trophy case are a lump of friendly amber, a heartmetal disc, a solacefruit, a brass ring and a solid gold brick. >w Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >w Near The River You've got an excellent view of the stolen river, which is accessible to the south. The shuttered palace looms in the west, the entrance to the university is north, and east is a series of broad streets. >w The Palace Gates The palace is shuttered, and its windows are boarded up. That's really all there is to say on the matter. The road you are on continues around the palace to the north and south. The Stolen River's banks are to the east. The palace looms in the west, but two gates prevent you from going any further. >x gates Wrought-iron gates. Only a miracle could get you through the tight bars, and you don't think one is forthcoming. >x miracle You can't see any such thing. >s The Palace South You are south of the palace. A red brick wall extends from the palace floor and continues south for a while. You could follow it, if you wanted. >s The End Of A Wall A red brick wall to your west comes from the shuttered palace, far to the north, and ends in a large mass of rock to your immediate south. East, you recognize the distant ruins of the Forgotten Quarter, which are at least less empty than this place. >x rock A huge chunk of stone, as wide as the city and half as thick. There's a reason most people looking to go south go by sea. >dig rock with pickaxe That's not something that can be mined. >take rock That's hardly portable. >search rock You find nothing of interest. >s The mass of rock is too wide to be easily bypassed. >w You can't go that way. >n The Palace South You are south of the palace. A red brick wall extends from the palace floor and continues south for a while. You could follow it, if you wanted. >n The Palace Gates The palace is shuttered, and its windows are boarded up. That's really all there is to say on the matter. The road you are on continues around the palace to the north and south. The Stolen River's banks are to the east. The palace looms in the west, but two gates prevent you from going any further. >n The Palace Roof You are north of the palace, past the roof. You get the feeling that Her Most Circular Majesty doesn't particularly care for warmth, because all the chimneys have been covered up. The palace's front gates are east, and its more discreet back entrance is west. A barrier to the south keeps you away from the shingles. >w The Palace West You are west of the palace, where the back entrance to the building is located. North is the roof, and to the south, you can see a basalt wall. >s Along The Basalt Wall You are south of the shuttered palace, following a basalt wall in the east. Further to the south, the wall disappears into a large mass of rock. Here, the wall has a small crack in it. >x crack A minor weakness in the wall. It's not nearly large enough to fit yourself through, but it's a good place to start. >dig crack What do you want to dig the crack with? >pickaxe With a few well-placed swings, you reduce this section of the wall to rubble. >s At The Corner You stand at a far corner of London, at the intersection of a basalt wall that marks the western border and a mass of rock that marks the south. To the west, the land becomes warped and unrecognizable - certainly nowhere you want to go. North is the way you came. >w If you consult a new map of London, you'll see that hell is to the west. You can't go to hell. There's still so much you wanted to do. >e You can't go that way. >s It would take all day to go around the mass of rock. And it wouldn't get you anywhere, unless you have business in the inhospitable wasteland to the south. >n Along The Basalt Wall You are south of the shuttered palace, following a basalt wall in the east. Further to the south, the wall disappears into a large mass of rock. A hole in the wall reveals a tunnel to the east. >e Darkness It is pitch dark, and you can't see a thing. >w Along The Basalt Wall You are south of the shuttered palace, following a basalt wall in the east. Further to the south, the wall disappears into a large mass of rock. A hole in the wall reveals a tunnel to the east. >n The Palace West You are west of the palace, where the back entrance to the building is located. North is the roof, and to the south, you can see a basalt wall. >e (first opening the back door) It seems to be locked. >unlock door What do you want to unlock the back door with? >key That doesn't seem to fit the lock. >x wall It spans a great distance from the shuttered palace to a large mass of rock. >n The Palace Roof You are north of the palace, past the roof. You get the feeling that Her Most Circular Majesty doesn't particularly care for warmth, because all the chimneys have been covered up. The palace's front gates are east, and its more discreet back entrance is west. A barrier to the south keeps you away from the shingles. >n You can't go that way. >e The Palace Gates The palace is shuttered, and its windows are boarded up. That's really all there is to say on the matter. The road you are on continues around the palace to the north and south. The Stolen River's banks are to the east. The palace looms in the west, but two gates prevent you from going any further. >e Near The River You've got an excellent view of the stolen river, which is accessible to the south. The shuttered palace looms in the west, the entrance to the university is north, and east is a series of broad streets. >n University Quad Squares and nobleshapes of all sides and sizes are out and about on the university lawn. Paths to the south and east both lead back into the city. North is the entrance to the only public library in the city, and what looks like an engineering building is situated to the west. >x lawn You can't see any such thing. >w The Department Of Manufactured Light In London, as it is everywhere else, the whole world is evenly lit during the day with little regard to walls or veils. The rules seem to be different here, and the whole room is like night apart from a gaslight on the wall. West is a door leading to a hallway, and east is the way back to the quad. >x gaslight A bright, flickering thing. Mounted to the wall. >take it That's hardly portable. >light lamp with gaslight The lamp is not fueled. >x lamp An old fashioned oil lamp. >search it The rusty lamp is empty. >i You are carrying: some brilliant sap some pills an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a bell an antique rug a pickaxe a rusty lamp a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >put sap in lamp You pour the brilliant sap into the rusty lamp. >light lamp with gaslight The lamp is not fueled. >take sap Your pockets are much stickier. >x sap Silver sap, from the place that is not. It shines brightly, but isn't enough to provide any real light. Perhaps if you were to put it somewhere. >put it in lamp You pour the brilliant sap into the rusty lamp. >w University Hallway A long hallway extends from a door to the east, and continues west for a while. A wall-mounted torch illuminates the room. >take torch It is firmly attached to the wall. >w Unlit Hallway You are in the middle of a broad hallway from east to west. Some unlit glass tubes are here. >x tubes An ordinary glass tube. If you look closely, you can see a colorful gas inside. >take gas You can't see any such thing. >x gas You can't see any such thing. >open tube It isn't something you can open. >take it That's hardly portable. >break tube Violence isn't the answer to this one. >l Unlit Hallway You are in the middle of a broad hallway from east to west. Some unlit glass tubes are here. >w University Hallway A long hallway continues through a patch of darkness in the east, and ends in a door to the west labelled "TESTING LAB". A dull light flows out from the muddled glass windows of the door. >w (first opening the testing lab door) Testing Lab Lamps and lights of all different kinds are scattered around the room here. A few small fires can be seen, and the scent of gasoline is heavy in the air. The exit is a nondescript door to the east. Welcome to the Laboratory of Manufactured Light. A pentagon sits in the lab, looking distressed. >x pentagon The pentagon - A.R. according to his name tag - probably shouldn't have all that oil-stained clothing so close to an open flame. But you won't tell. >take all There are none at all available! >talk to pentagon The pentagon turns to greet you. "It's hopeless," he says. "My academic career, completely down the drain." >a career "I've been working on something," the pentagon explains. "A comprehensive analysis of fire that's sure to get me published. Only thing is, I need a particular compendium from the library. And since I lost my library card, the librarian won't let me take any more books out." >a compendium "Fire And Its Medicinal Uses", the pentagon says fondly. "Oh, I can just see the title now." >a fire You don't know what you're talking about. >e University Hallway A long hallway continues through a patch of darkness in the east, and ends in a door to the west labelled "TESTING LAB". A dull light flows out from the muddled glass windows of the door. >e Unlit Hallway You are in the middle of a broad hallway from east to west. Some unlit glass tubes are here. >e University Hallway A long hallway extends from a door to the east, and continues west for a while. A wall-mounted torch illuminates the room. >e The Department Of Manufactured Light In London, as it is everywhere else, the whole world is evenly lit during the day with little regard to walls or veils. The rules seem to be different here, and the whole room is like night apart from a gaslight on the wall. West is a door leading to a hallway, and east is the way back to the quad. >e University Quad Squares and nobleshapes of all sides and sizes are out and about on the university lawn. Paths to the south and east both lead back into the city. North is the entrance to the only public library in the city, and what looks like an engineering building is situated to the west. >n Library Front Desk You are at the library's front desk, to which a sign has been taped. The exit is in the south wall. A forest of bookshelves is accessible to the north. A librarian sits at the front desk, ignoring you. >talk to librarian The librarian ignores you, pointing to the sign. >x sign FOOD IS NOT ALLOWED IN THE LIBRARY, the sign reads. BUT YOU MAY: ASK ABOUT DIRECTIONS CHECK OUT A BOOK STUDY QUIETLY IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU COME TO THE LIBRARY WITH AN IDEA AS TO WHAT YOU SEEK, the sign adds, OR YOU MAY BE HERE A WHILE. >a directions The librarian addresses you without looking away from her book. "Zero-zero-zero is west is early. Encyclopedias. East is nine-nine-nine geography. Two books a room." She frowns. "Don't ask again." >a book You don't know what you're talking about. >a fire You don't know what you're talking about. >a Fire And Its Medicinal Uses You don't know what you're talking about. >w You can't go that way. >l Library Front Desk You are at the library's front desk, to which a sign has been taped. The exit is in the south wall. A forest of bookshelves is accessible to the north. A librarian sits at the front desk, ignoring you. >n In The Stacks A long path, walled in by shelves, goes from west to east, and the exit is to the south. All around you are bookshelves. >w In The Stacks A long path, walled in by literature, goes from west to east. All around you are bookshelves, packed with books. >x shelves In the bookshelves are a copy of Cults And Rituals: A History and a copy of On The Politics of London. >e In The Stacks A long path, walled in by shelves, goes from west to east, and the exit is to the south. All around you are bookshelves. >x shelves In the bookshelves are a copy of Understanding The Language Of Stars and a copy of On Gravity. >w In The Stacks A long path, walled in by literature, goes from west to east. All around you are bookshelves, packed with books. >w In The Stacks A long path, walled in by literature, goes from west to east. All around you are bookshelves, packed with books. >x shelves In the bookshelves are a copy of The Encyclopedia of Shapes and a copy of A Dream I Had Last Saturday. >w West Wing A cozy-looking study nook is at the end of a long corridor of books to the east. >x shelves You can't see any such thing. >x nook You can't see any such thing. >e In The Stacks A long path, walled in by literature, goes from west to east. All around you are bookshelves, packed with books. >e In The Stacks A long path, walled in by literature, goes from west to east. All around you are bookshelves, packed with books. >e In The Stacks A long path, walled in by shelves, goes from west to east, and the exit is to the south. All around you are bookshelves. >e In The Stacks A long path, walled in by literature, goes from west to east. All around you are bookshelves, packed with books. >x shelves In the bookshelves are a chess handbook and a copy of Fire And Its Medicinal Uses. >take fire Taken. >x it Fire has no medicinal uses. >read it Fire has no medicinal uses. >read chess You crack open your copy of The Devil Went South To London: How To Win At Chess Against Immortal Entities. Renowned correspondant and chessmaster Letitia P. Eaglethorpe claims to have beaten Death at chess, not once but several times. She claims that anyone can do the same, provided they follow these instructions, with the first taking precedence over the last. 1. The circle is a powerful opponent, but pointless. Use something sharp. 2. The ideas and constructs of civilization can always be brought low by the wild animal's grand designs. 3. A stops B and B stops C. All things shall return to me. 4. Infinity stopped with a shot from a gun. To hinder a catspaw, move into a- *the ink is smudged too badly to read* 5. If all else fails, go north, into the edge and the black. >e In The Stacks A long path, walled in by literature, goes from west to east. All around you are bookshelves, packed with books. >i You are carrying: a copy of Fire And Its Medicinal Uses some pills an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a bell an antique rug a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) some brilliant sap a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >x shelves In the bookshelves are a maze map and a copy of The Indecent Squid-Creature Servant. >x map So the geometer stood at the ready, pacing nervously around his study. Soon, he'd been promised, it would all be complete. Even if he'd contacted them first, he hadn't expected them to actually respond, and he couldn't be more anxious if he tried. Not Eating, barely sleeping, even, in case the chiropterans wanted to make the exchange at night. Whether or not they could even give him what he'd asked for was unclear as well. Such Entities as them were not to be taken lightly, if they really wanted his entire city in exchange - and that was another thing. What he'd promised them he didn't own, and if they discovered they'd been tricked, they might not uphold their end of the bargain. Euclid shuddered at the thought. You shut the book. That's not a map at all. Must have been an error at the printer's. >e East Wing A clean looking study nook is at the end of a long corridor of books to the west. A missing library card is here, neglected and crumbled up. >take card Taken. >x it This library card belonged to Allen Rutherford, a pentagon in his 20s. Now it belongs to you. >w In The Stacks A long path, walled in by literature, goes from west to east. All around you are bookshelves, packed with books. >w In The Stacks A long path, walled in by literature, goes from west to east. All around you are bookshelves, packed with books. >w In The Stacks A long path, walled in by shelves, goes from west to east, and the exit is to the south. All around you are bookshelves. >s Library Front Desk You are at the library's front desk, to which a sign has been taped. The exit is in the south wall. A forest of bookshelves is accessible to the north. A librarian sits at the front desk, ignoring you. >give card to librarian The librarian ignores you, and eventually, you give up. >s University Quad Squares and nobleshapes of all sides and sizes are out and about on the university lawn. Paths to the south and east both lead back into the city. North is the entrance to the only public library in the city, and what looks like an engineering building is situated to the west. >i You are carrying: a library card a copy of Fire And Its Medicinal Uses some pills an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a bell an antique rug a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) some brilliant sap a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >w The Department Of Manufactured Light In London, as it is everywhere else, the whole world is evenly lit during the day with little regard to walls or veils. The rules seem to be different here, and the whole room is like night apart from a gaslight on the wall. West is a door leading to a hallway, and east is the way back to the quad. >w University Hallway A long hallway extends from a door to the east, and continues west for a while. A wall-mounted torch illuminates the room. >w Unlit Hallway You are in the middle of a broad hallway from east to west. Some unlit glass tubes are here. >w University Hallway A long hallway continues through a patch of darkness in the east, and ends in a door to the west labelled "TESTING LAB". A dull light flows out from the muddled glass windows of the door. >w Testing Lab Lamps and lights of all different kinds are scattered around the room here. A few small fires can be seen, and the scent of gasoline is heavy in the air. The exit is a nondescript door to the east. Welcome to the Laboratory of Manufactured Light. A pentagon sits in the lab, looking distressed. >give fire to pentagon The pentagon takes the book from you. "My research is saved," he says. "This is truly a great day for science. Why don't you take this as payment?" He hands you some kind of experimental device. >x device A metal device resembling an open-ended safety pin. One of its points has a metal disc screwed onto it, and one of its points is empty - it's missing something. When you click the ends together, nothing happens. >i You are carrying: an experimental device a library card some pills an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a bell an antique rug a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) some brilliant sap a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >a device "What, that?" The pentagon shrugs. "Part of a new invention I'm working on. The power of fire, at the tip of your fingertips. Or I guess the power of sparks." >use device 'Use' isn't specific enough. Why don't you try: Lighting Drinking Attaching Digging Pulling Playing Unlocking Reading Drying Remember, you can type HELP at any time to review a list of commands. >e University Hallway A long hallway continues through a patch of darkness in the east, and ends in a door to the west labelled "TESTING LAB". A dull light flows out from the muddled glass windows of the door. >e Unlit Hallway You are in the middle of a broad hallway from east to west. Some unlit glass tubes are here. >light tubes with device The steel part of the lighter strikes the lighter's other end, but it fails to create a spark. >x end You can't see any such thing. >x lighter A metal device resembling an open-ended safety pin. One of its points has a metal disc screwed onto it, and one of its points is empty - it's missing something. When you click the ends together, nothing happens. >i You are carrying: an experimental device a library card some pills an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a bell an antique rug a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) some brilliant sap a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >e University Hallway A long hallway extends from a door to the east, and continues west for a while. A wall-mounted torch illuminates the room. >e The Department Of Manufactured Light In London, as it is everywhere else, the whole world is evenly lit during the day with little regard to walls or veils. The rules seem to be different here, and the whole room is like night apart from a gaslight on the wall. West is a door leading to a hallway, and east is the way back to the quad. >e University Quad Squares and nobleshapes of all sides and sizes are out and about on the university lawn. Paths to the south and east both lead back into the city. North is the entrance to the only public library in the city, and what looks like an engineering building is situated to the west. >s Near The River You've got an excellent view of the stolen river, which is accessible to the south. The shuttered palace looms in the west, the entrance to the university is north, and east is a series of broad streets. >w The Palace Gates The palace is shuttered, and its windows are boarded up. That's really all there is to say on the matter. The road you are on continues around the palace to the north and south. The Stolen River's banks are to the east. The palace looms in the west, but two gates prevent you from going any further. >n The Palace Roof You are north of the palace, past the roof. You get the feeling that Her Most Circular Majesty doesn't particularly care for warmth, because all the chimneys have been covered up. The palace's front gates are east, and its more discreet back entrance is west. A barrier to the south keeps you away from the shingles. >w The Palace West You are west of the palace, where the back entrance to the building is located. North is the roof, and to the south, you can see a basalt wall. >s Along The Basalt Wall You are south of the shuttered palace, following a basalt wall in the east. Further to the south, the wall disappears into a large mass of rock. A hole in the wall reveals a tunnel to the east. >s At The Corner You stand at a far corner of London, at the intersection of a basalt wall that marks the western border and a mass of rock that marks the south. To the west, the land becomes warped and unrecognizable - certainly nowhere you want to go. North is the way you came. >n Along The Basalt Wall You are south of the shuttered palace, following a basalt wall in the east. Further to the south, the wall disappears into a large mass of rock. A hole in the wall reveals a tunnel to the east. >e In Between This small, cramped tunnel runs from north to south between two parallel walls. A hole in the western wall leads outside. >n Wine Cellar The palace's wine cellar is supposed to be intruder-free, but the trapdoor was left unlocked. Strangely, racks and racks of expensive wines still line the walls. South, the trapdoor leads back to the tunnels. West is a back door out. On one wall is a jeweled sword, apparently used to uncork wine. >take sword Taken. >x it A large, curving thing with a gem-encrusted handle. ...Is that a diamond? It certainly looks valuable. It's also decorative, not to mention blunt. >x racks Wines from before London changed have a certain flavor to them you can't get anywhere else. But the wines made after are rich, and taste like home. Many, many bottles are arranged here. >x wine Wines from before London changed have a certain flavor to them you can't get anywhere else. But the wines made after are rich, and taste like home. Many, many bottles are arranged here. >take bottle You can't see any such thing. >take bottles You take the decoy wine. >l Wine Cellar The palace's wine cellar is supposed to be intruder-free, but the trapdoor was left unlocked. Strangely, racks and racks of expensive wines still line the walls. South, the trapdoor leads back to the tunnels. West is a back door out. >i You are carrying: a bottle of decoy wine a jeweled sword an experimental device a library card some pills an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a bell an antique rug a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) some brilliant sap a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >x bottle A bottle of wine, if 'wine' was the latest slang term for sand. Some thief apparently thought this would be a clever way to steal the palace's wine stores. They were probably right. >n You can't go that way. >w (first opening the back door) You unlock the door from the inside. The Palace West You are west of the palace, where the back entrance to the building is located. North is the roof, and to the south, you can see a basalt wall. >e Wine Cellar The palace's wine cellar is supposed to be intruder-free, but the trapdoor was left unlocked. Strangely, racks and racks of expensive wines still line the walls. South, the trapdoor leads back to the tunnels. West is a back door out. >s In Between This small, cramped tunnel runs from north to south between two parallel walls. A hole in the western wall leads outside. >s Further Between This small, cramped tunnel runs from north to south between two parallel walls. North is a hint of daylight. South, you see the ruins of an archway. >s Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >n Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >save Ok. >n Further Between This small, cramped tunnel runs from north to south between two parallel walls. North is a hint of daylight. South, you see the ruins of an archway. >n In Between This small, cramped tunnel runs from north to south between two parallel walls. A hole in the western wall leads outside. >w Along The Basalt Wall You are south of the shuttered palace, following a basalt wall in the east. Further to the south, the wall disappears into a large mass of rock. A hole in the wall reveals a tunnel to the east. >n The Palace West You are west of the palace, where the back entrance to the building is located. North is the roof, and to the south, you can see a basalt wall. >n The Palace Roof You are north of the palace, past the roof. You get the feeling that Her Most Circular Majesty doesn't particularly care for warmth, because all the chimneys have been covered up. The palace's front gates are east, and its more discreet back entrance is west. A barrier to the south keeps you away from the shingles. >i You are carrying: a bottle of decoy wine a jeweled sword an experimental device a library card some pills an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a bell an antique rug a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) some brilliant sap a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >n You can't go that way. >e The Palace Gates The palace is shuttered, and its windows are boarded up. That's really all there is to say on the matter. The road you are on continues around the palace to the north and south. The Stolen River's banks are to the east. The palace looms in the west, but two gates prevent you from going any further. >n The Palace Roof You are north of the palace, past the roof. You get the feeling that Her Most Circular Majesty doesn't particularly care for warmth, because all the chimneys have been covered up. The palace's front gates are east, and its more discreet back entrance is west. A barrier to the south keeps you away from the shingles. >e The Palace Gates The palace is shuttered, and its windows are boarded up. That's really all there is to say on the matter. The road you are on continues around the palace to the north and south. The Stolen River's banks are to the east. The palace looms in the west, but two gates prevent you from going any further. >e Near The River You've got an excellent view of the stolen river, which is accessible to the south. The shuttered palace looms in the west, the entrance to the university is north, and east is a series of broad streets. >e Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >n Moloch Street Moloch Street, where shapes who have traded away their mortal souls begin their journeys towards hell. North is the entrance to the Labyrinth of Tigers, and west is the university. South, the street becomes less menacing. An old house with a brass-plated door stands in the east, passing judgement on everyone it sees. >n The Labyrinth of Tigers Previously, one saw tigers at the zoo. Now, the tigers run the zoo. Some of the more mundane exhibits are to the west. The geometrical cells are east, and north is the Labyrinth's gift shop. South is the exit to Moloch Street. A tiger in a janitor's uniform can be seen scrubbing the walls. >e Geometrical Cells Animals aren't the only thing kept in the Labyrinth of Tigers. You are in a wide room, the walls lined with various cells behind curtains. A sign reminds visitors not to bring mirrors into the exhibit. West is the exit. A mirror lies in the cage. It looks like your old one, but the glass has been tinted green. Beneath the green curtain is a cage. >take mirror Taken. >e You can't go that way. >save Ok. >enter mirror You push yourself into the mirror, cutting yourself slightly on jagged edges you didn't know were there. [PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE] Amber Woods You are in a thick forest, where the ambient light is a soft shade of amber. You are in the land-behind-mirrors, home of the glass serpents. You are nowhere that is real. The forest stretches out in every direction. >s Jungle The jungle is thick, and the air is heavy and warm. All around you are trees. Far to the south, through a curtain of leaves, you can see something shine with borrowed light. >s Mirror Fields You are in a field of mirrors at the edge of the jungle, each one fixed in the ground. Many reflect parts of London you recognize, but many don't reflect places at all. >x mirrors In the sea of mirrors, you find yourself drawn to two - a dark mirror and a red mirror. >x dark This mirror is made of a smoky glass that comes alive when you approach it. Reflected in the mirror is someone else's dream - An archaeologist digs through rock. It doesn't matter how long she digs for, the only thing she ever finds is stone. >x red The mirror reflects a boat, drifting slowly down a quiet river. The surface ripples, concealing something sharp. >enter red You push yourself halfway into the mirror. The glass slices your body like a swarm of knives, leaving your lines covered with delicate trails of blood. You could keep going, if you wanted. Or you could remove yourself. But is that really what you want? >yes That was a rhetorical question. >l Mirror Fields You are in a field of mirrors at the edge of the jungle, each one fixed in the ground. Many reflect parts of London you recognize, but many don't reflect places at all. >n Jungle The jungle is thick, and the air is heavy and warm. All around you are trees. Far to the south, through a curtain of leaves, you can see something shine with borrowed light. >n Amber Woods You are in a thick forest, where the ambient light is a soft shade of amber. You are in the land-behind-mirrors, home of the glass serpents. You are nowhere that is real. The forest stretches out in every direction. >w Jungle You are in the jungle. Thick, leafy vines surround you, and in the distance, you can hear the chirping of many-throated birds. The region to the west is blocked off by densely-packed trees. >w The jungle is too thick for you to take more than a couple of steps in that direction. >e Amber Woods You are in a thick forest, where the ambient light is a soft shade of amber. You are in the land-behind-mirrors, home of the glass serpents. You are nowhere that is real. The forest stretches out in every direction. >e Jungle Path A path from the west winds around to the south. It is easy to get lost here. >w Amber Woods You are in a thick forest, where the ambient light is a soft shade of amber. You are in the land-behind-mirrors, home of the glass serpents. You are nowhere that is real. The forest stretches out in every direction. >s Jungle The jungle is thick, and the air is heavy and warm. All around you are trees. Far to the south, through a curtain of leaves, you can see something shine with borrowed light. >s Mirror Fields You are in a field of mirrors at the edge of the jungle, each one fixed in the ground. Many reflect parts of London you recognize, but many don't reflect places at all. >enter dark You collide with the mirror. You are far too real to ever enter the dreams of others. >x dark This mirror is made of a smoky glass that comes alive when you approach it. Reflected in the mirror is someone else's dream - A shop owner walks through stacks upon stacks of ancient junk. She fishes something out of a pile: A child's doll, with a thin dusting of something that could be mistaken for snow. She weeps. Oh, how she weeps. >search it You find nothing of interest. >x dark This mirror is made of a smoky glass that comes alive when you approach it. Reflected in the mirror is someone else's dream - A geometer prepares to make a bargain it knows it cannot uphold. It thinks, perhaps it hopes, that by the time its deception is discovered, it will be long gone from this dimension. >x dark This mirror is made of a smoky glass that comes alive when you approach it. Reflected in the mirror is someone else's dream - A tiger mops blood from a nondescript wall, but it keeps coming back. There is so much blood on his paws. >x dark This mirror is made of a smoky glass that comes alive when you approach it. Reflected in the mirror is someone else's dream - A librarian is handed a book that details the exact time and date of an accident that will kill thousands. She assigns it a number, and shelves it. She moves on. >x dark This mirror is made of a smoky glass that comes alive when you approach it. Reflected in the mirror is someone else's dream - A seven-eyed shape sits in a cage. Thorns twist around and around the heptagon, burying it, but it does not react. >x dark This mirror is made of a smoky glass that comes alive when you approach it. Reflected in the mirror is someone else's dream - A clay triangle drinks a beer that begs for its life from a mug that's always screaming. It's not enough to forget. It's never enough to forget. >x dark This mirror is made of a smoky glass that comes alive when you approach it. Reflected in the mirror is someone else's dream - A triangle is born. A triangle grasps the horror of its brief existence. A triangle is gone. >x dark This mirror is made of a smoky glass that comes alive when you approach it. Reflected in the mirror is someone else's dream - A snake watches shapes go about their lives from a distance. It could not get closer to them, even if it wanted to. >x dark This mirror is made of a smoky glass that comes alive when you approach it. Reflected in the mirror is someone else's dream - A pentagon searches his missing library card. But no matter how hard he looks, he can't seem to find it. >x dark This mirror is made of a smoky glass that comes alive when you approach it. Reflected in the mirror is someone else's dream - A shop owner walks through stacks upon stacks of ancient junk. She fishes something out of a pile: A child's doll, with a thin dusting of something that could be mistaken for snow. She weeps. Oh, how she weeps. >x dark This mirror is made of a smoky glass that comes alive when you approach it. Reflected in the mirror is someone else's dream - A seven-eyed shape sits in a cage. Thorns twist around and around the heptagon, burying it, but it does not react. >x red The mirror reflects a boat, drifting slowly down a quiet river. The surface ripples, concealing something sharp. >x red The mirror reflects a boat, drifting slowly down a quiet river. The surface ripples, concealing something sharp. >enter red You push yourself halfway into the mirror. The glass slices your body like a swarm of knives, leaving your lines covered with delicate trails of blood. You could keep going, if you wanted. Or you could remove yourself. But is that really what you want? >enter red You push yourself further into the mirror. You feel hurt, and then woozy, and then everything goes dark. [PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE] A Silent River A slow boat rests in a silent river. Your surroundings are dark, but you can see everything with awful clarity. The far shore is in the distance, out of reach. A skeleton in robes sits at the front of the boat, guiding it along down the river. An ancient chess set is tucked away in a far corner of the boat. >play chess The boatman looks at you inquisitively, and you think you see something glint in his empty eyes. "Would you care for a game of chess?" >yes The boatman moves a rook to H1. His moves are smooth, confident. It's your turn. 1: Rook to C4 2: Catspaw to B5 3: Bishop to E7 >2 You've got him on the ropes with that last move, you're sure of it. The boatman moves a bishop to F7. His moves are smooth, confident. It's your turn. 1: Catspaw to C1 2: Bishop to H8 3: Rook to F7 >1 You try a move you vaguely recall hearing about. To your surprise, it works perfectly. The boatman moves a rook to F4. His moves are smooth, confident. It's your turn. 1: Rook to C8 2: Bishop to D6 3: Catspaw to E4 >3 The boatman captures one of your pieces, unaware of the trap he's fallen into. Winning this game shouldn't take long at all. The boatman moves a bishop to G5. He watches for your next move. It's your turn. 1: Flint to F5 2: Catspaw to A2 3: Square to E4 >2 You knock another of the boatman's pieces from the board triumphantly. He sighs. The boatman just stares when you finally capture his circle. He hands you one of his catspaws, to your surprise. "Take this," he says. "I don't often get a real opponent." His gaze lingers on you for a moment with something like respect, and then he turns back to the river. "We've arrived, by the way. You might as well get out." >out The sound of waves becomes louder and louder, until it is almost deafening. Just like that, you return to yourself. Stolen Shores What was once the river Thames cuts through the middle of the city, depositing the dead and detritus alike on its muddy banks. The river itself is immediately south. The street is north, and the beach stretches on for a while to the west. Your whole body aches. You must have washed onto the beach - they do say that the stolen river takes a trip through hell. Your brain is on fire. But at least you're alive. >i You are carrying: an apocyan catspaw a green-glass mirror a bottle of decoy wine a jeweled sword an experimental device a library card some pills an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a bell an antique rug a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) some brilliant sap a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >e You can't go that way. >n Near The River You've got an excellent view of the stolen river, which is accessible to the south. The shuttered palace looms in the west, the entrance to the university is north, and east is a series of broad streets. >e Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >e Your Lodgings You are in your small apartment. It's a cool London morning, and your windows are ever so slightly fogged up. A door is set into the west wall of your home. In one corner of the room is an old wooden trophy case. >i You are carrying: an apocyan catspaw a green-glass mirror a bottle of decoy wine a jeweled sword an experimental device a library card some pills an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a bell an antique rug a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) some brilliant sap a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >x catspaw A catspaw. It can move diagonally, or in an L, or not at all, but never all at once. This one is made of a valuable coral that gleams like a brilliant gem. >put it in case The apocyan catspaw fits perfectly. >put mirror in case The green-glass mirror doesn't seem to fit. >put wine in case The bottle of decoy wine doesn't seem to fit. >put sword in case The jeweled sword fits perfectly. >put card in case The library card doesn't seem to fit. >l Your Lodgings You are in your small apartment. It's a cool London morning, and your windows are ever so slightly fogged up. A door is set into the west wall of your home. In one corner of the room is an old wooden trophy case. >x case An old trophy case, with thirteen slots of specific sizes and shapes. Seven of the case's slots have been filled. In the trophy case are a jeweled sword, an apocyan catspaw, a lump of friendly amber, a heartmetal disc, a solacefruit, a brass ring and a solid gold brick. >w Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >s Bazaar Side-Streets The industrial bustle of London peaks here, not at the center of town but in the Bazaar that effectively owns the city. Something alien is here, thrumming at the edge of your consciousness and living inside the ground. A more ordinary street is to the north, and an alleyway is to the west. East is the door to a land agency. >e Penstock's Wicket The land agency of Penstock, a heptagon realtor with better things to do than man his own shop. The air in here is still and dusty. A door to the west leads back out to the bazaar, and an elevator shaft is to the east. >i You are carrying: a green-glass mirror a bottle of decoy wine an experimental device a library card some pills an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a bell an antique rug a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) some brilliant sap a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >w Bazaar Side-Streets The industrial bustle of London peaks here, not at the center of town but in the Bazaar that effectively owns the city. Something alien is here, thrumming at the edge of your consciousness and living inside the ground. A more ordinary street is to the north, and an alleyway is to the west. East is the door to a land agency. >n Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >sw Desolate Lane Most people prefer the wide, well-maintained main street to this dull, empty road. Most of the storefronts are vacant, windows boarded up, with the exception of one cozy-looking storefront. The lane connects with some broad streets in the northeast. South is the entrance to the city's archeological district. An antique shop is embedded in a wall of shops to the east. A horse statue is on display in the window. >e Antique Shop The place has a rather homey atmosphere. Ancient objects of all shapes and sizes are for sale along the walls, though most of them just look like junk. Outside, the desolate lane awaits. In the east wall of the shop is the door to a back room. Running the shop is a weary antiquarian. A silver statue of a horse is on display. >give mirror (to the weary antiquarian) The antiquarian freezes. "Where did you get a thing like that?" she asks. "No, don't show it to me. Please don't show it to me.I want that damned thing out of my store." The antiquarian hands it back to you. >give wine (to the weary antiquarian) "It's sand." The antiquarian hands it back to you. >give device (to the weary antiquarian) The antiquarian shrugs and hands the experimental device back to you. "Not my area." >give painting (to the weary antiquarian) "Ew." The antiquarian hands it back to you. >give rug (to the weary antiquarian) The antiquarian takes the rug with poorly contained excitement. "A genuine fourth city rug? And look at that detail. Where did you even find a thing like this? Wait, on second thought, don't tell me. I could care less if it's stolen, it's mine now." There is a pause. "Oh right, you probably want something in return. Take the horse statue. Leave me to my prize." >take horse The antiquarian nods as you take it. >w Desolate Lane Most people prefer the wide, well-maintained main street to this dull, empty road. Most of the storefronts are vacant, windows boarded up, with the exception of one cozy-looking storefront. The lane connects with some broad streets in the northeast. South is the entrance to the city's archeological district. An antique shop is embedded in a wall of shops to the east. >ne Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >e Your Lodgings You are in your small apartment. It's a cool London morning, and your windows are ever so slightly fogged up. A door is set into the west wall of your home. In one corner of the room is an old wooden trophy case. >put horse in case The horse statue fits perfectly. >x case An old trophy case, with thirteen slots of specific sizes and shapes. Eight of the case's slots have been filled. In the trophy case are a horse statue, a jeweled sword, an apocyan catspaw, a lump of friendly amber, a heartmetal disc, a solacefruit, a brass ring and a solid gold brick. >w Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >s Bazaar Side-Streets The industrial bustle of London peaks here, not at the center of town but in the Bazaar that effectively owns the city. Something alien is here, thrumming at the edge of your consciousness and living inside the ground. A more ordinary street is to the north, and an alleyway is to the west. East is the door to a land agency. >e Penstock's Wicket The land agency of Penstock, a heptagon realtor with better things to do than man his own shop. The air in here is still and dusty. A door to the west leads back out to the bazaar, and an elevator shaft is to the east. >e Elevator Shaft You are at the top of an elevator shaft. It continues to the south, and the land agency is back to the west. >s Elevator Shaft You are in an elevator shaft. A great chain is here, spanning north to south. A discrete casket is here, nestled into a shelf carved into the rock. >s Elevator Shaft You are in an elevator shaft. A great chain is here, spanning north to south. >s Sundered Sea The room is a vast, yawning cavern, a secret warehouse south of the ground. Fiery glyphs set into the walls illuminate deep pools and pits of ivory foam around you, and the scent of ammonia is thick in the air. North is an elevator shaft leading out, and east is an altar. A metal cage-elevator is here, attached to a chain. >e At The Altar Here in a broad cavern, across a sea of foamy pits, is a stone altar. West is a cage-elevator, situated on a flat stone clearing. A stairwell south leads even further into the bowels of the earth. >s Stairwell A passageway running north-south through the rock. The scent of ammonia wafts in from the north, and to the south, the tunnel gets darker. >s Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >n Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >save Ok. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >w Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >w Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >w Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >e Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >w Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >es That's not a verb I recognise. >w Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >e Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >w Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >n Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >w Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >w Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >w Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >w Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >w Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >w Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >w Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >w Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >n Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >w Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >w Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >n Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >n Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >n Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >n Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >n Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >w Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >n Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >n Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >e Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >n Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >n Stairwell A passageway running north-south through the rock. The scent of ammonia wafts in from the north, and to the south, the tunnel gets darker. >s Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >smell You smell nothing unexpected. >x archway You can't see any such thing. >x ruins You can't see any such thing. >x stone You can't see any such thing. >l Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >n Stairwell A passageway running north-south through the rock. The scent of ammonia wafts in from the north, and to the south, the tunnel gets darker. >n At The Altar Here in a broad cavern, across a sea of foamy pits, is a stone altar. West is a cage-elevator, situated on a flat stone clearing. A stairwell south leads even further into the bowels of the earth. >w Sundered Sea The room is a vast, yawning cavern, a secret warehouse south of the ground. Fiery glyphs set into the walls illuminate deep pools and pits of ivory foam around you, and the scent of ammonia is thick in the air. North is an elevator shaft leading out, and east is an altar. A metal cage-elevator is here, attached to a chain. >n Elevator Shaft You are in an elevator shaft. A great chain is here, spanning north to south. >n Elevator Shaft You are in an elevator shaft. A great chain is here, spanning north to south. A discrete casket is here, nestled into a shelf carved into the rock. >n Elevator Shaft You are at the top of an elevator shaft. It continues to the south, and the land agency is back to the west. >w Penstock's Wicket The land agency of Penstock, a heptagon realtor with better things to do than man his own shop. The air in here is still and dusty. A door to the west leads back out to the bazaar, and an elevator shaft is to the east. >w Bazaar Side-Streets The industrial bustle of London peaks here, not at the center of town but in the Bazaar that effectively owns the city. Something alien is here, thrumming at the edge of your consciousness and living inside the ground. A more ordinary street is to the north, and an alleyway is to the west. East is the door to a land agency. >n Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >n Moloch Street Moloch Street, where shapes who have traded away their mortal souls begin their journeys towards hell. North is the entrance to the Labyrinth of Tigers, and west is the university. South, the street becomes less menacing. An old house with a brass-plated door stands in the east, passing judgement on everyone it sees. >n The Labyrinth of Tigers Previously, one saw tigers at the zoo. Now, the tigers run the zoo. Some of the more mundane exhibits are to the west. The geometrical cells are east, and north is the Labyrinth's gift shop. South is the exit to Moloch Street. A tiger in a janitor's uniform can be seen scrubbing the walls. >n Gift Shop Tigers hate cheap trinkets, and visitors to the labyrinth are too enthralled with the wonders of the natural world to pay a gift shop any mind. Nevertheless, the gift shop remains, gathering dust. South is the way out. A small food cart selling rubbery lumps has been set up near the back of the shop. Today, they are distributing free samples. >take sample As you take the lumps, something catches on one of your sides, and before you know it, the cart has completely collapsed. Oil pools at the base of the cart. >l Gift Shop Tigers hate cheap trinkets, and visitors to the labyrinth are too enthralled with the wonders of the natural world to pay a gift shop any mind. Nevertheless, the gift shop remains, gathering dust. South is the way out. A small puddle of oil spills from the remains of the cart. A pile of rubble is all that remains of a food cart. >take oil Taken. >i You are carrying: a pint of fry oil some rubbery lumps a green-glass mirror a bottle of decoy wine an experimental device a library card some pills an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a bell a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) some brilliant sap a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >x lumps Hot, greasy, fried food. As usual, you aren't quite sure what it is that's been fried, only that it came from something living. >x rubble The cart has been almost completely destroyed. You suppose that should count as a public service. >search it You find nothing of interest. >s The Labyrinth of Tigers Previously, one saw tigers at the zoo. Now, the tigers run the zoo. Some of the more mundane exhibits are to the west. The geometrical cells are east, and north is the Labyrinth's gift shop. South is the exit to Moloch Street. A tiger in a janitor's uniform can be seen scrubbing the walls. >w Cervine Shuffler Out of the many animal exhibits here, this one seems the least likely to maim you. A tiger mopping the floors outside reassures you that that 'doesn't usually' happen. But why take chances? A large beast that only vaguely resembles a deer is here, shuffling morosely around its cage. Every so often, it makes a sickening rattle that could charitably be described as a cough. >i You are carrying: a pint of fry oil some rubbery lumps a green-glass mirror a bottle of decoy wine an experimental device a library card some pills an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a bell a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) some brilliant sap a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >give lumps to beast You tentatively offer it a lump. The Shuffler swallows it whole. You decide to hold onto the rest of the lumps, at least for now. >put pills in lumps You stuff the pills into the lumpy mass. Hopefully this will do something towards disguising their taste. >give lumps to beast The Shuffler sniffs the lumps cautiously. Then it opens its mouth and swallows them, not even bothering to chew. >l Cervine Shuffler Out of the many animal exhibits here, this one seems the least likely to maim you. A tiger mopping the floors outside reassures you that that 'doesn't usually' happen. But why take chances? A large beast that only vaguely resembles a deer is here, shuffling morosely around its cage. Every so often, it makes a sickening rattle that could charitably be described as a cough. Suddenly, the Cervine Shuffler begins to cough loudly. It gags and wheezes, straining to push something out from its throat. >l Cervine Shuffler Out of the many animal exhibits here, this one seems the least likely to maim you. A tiger mopping the floors outside reassures you that that 'doesn't usually' happen. But why take chances? A large beast that only vaguely resembles a deer is here, shuffling morosely around its cage. Every so often, it makes a sickening rattle that could charitably be described as a cough. After what feels like an eternity of hacking and sputtering, the Cervine Shuffler spits a smooth grey stone onto the floor. >take stone Taken. >x it A smooth, grey stone. Valuable, and only occasionally hairy. >e The Labyrinth of Tigers Previously, one saw tigers at the zoo. Now, the tigers run the zoo. Some of the more mundane exhibits are to the west. The geometrical cells are east, and north is the Labyrinth's gift shop. South is the exit to Moloch Street. A tiger in a janitor's uniform can be seen scrubbing the walls. >talk to tiger "Hey," the tiger says. "I'm a little busy right now. After I clean this, I need to go feed the penguins." >ask about penguins You don't know what you're talking about. >a beast "Oh, is he doing better?" the tiger asks. "That's good. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to get a deer and a razor-toothed slimeback to mate." >s Moloch Street Moloch Street, where shapes who have traded away their mortal souls begin their journeys towards hell. North is the entrance to the Labyrinth of Tigers, and west is the university. South, the street becomes less menacing. An old house with a brass-plated door stands in the east, passing judgement on everyone it sees. >s Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >e Your Lodgings You are in your small apartment. It's a cool London morning, and your windows are ever so slightly fogged up. A door is set into the west wall of your home. In one corner of the room is an old wooden trophy case. >put stone in case You can't see any such thing. >i You are carrying: a bezoar a pint of fry oil a green-glass mirror a bottle of decoy wine an experimental device a library card an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a bell a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) some brilliant sap a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >x bezoar A smooth, grey stone. Valuable, and only occasionally hairy. >put it in case The bezoar fits perfectly. >x case An old trophy case, with thirteen slots of specific sizes and shapes. Nine of the case's slots have been filled. In the trophy case are a bezoar, a horse statue, a jeweled sword, an apocyan catspaw, a lump of friendly amber, a heartmetal disc, a solacefruit, a brass ring and a solid gold brick. >x towel The towel drips uselessly with mud. >open wine It isn't something you can open. >x it A bottle of wine, if 'wine' was the latest slang term for sand. Some thief apparently thought this would be a clever way to steal the palace's wine stores. They were probably right. >enter mirror You push yourself into the mirror, cutting yourself slightly on jagged edges you didn't know were there. [PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE] Amber Woods You are in a thick forest, where the ambient light is a soft shade of amber. You are in the land-behind-mirrors, home of the glass serpents. You are nowhere that is real. The forest stretches out in every direction. >n Jungle Path A path from west to east snakes through the thick foliage. >w Jungle Path A path from the northwest bends around to the east. The trees here seem to grow in strange directions. >nw Castle Gates North is the entrance to a sinuous structure of wood and thorns. Something shapeless lives here, you're sure of it. What remains to be seen, however, is whether or not they'll be able to catch you trespassing. Southeast, a path leads back into the forest. >n Briar Hall Leafy walls make up a large entry hall. Tapestries can be seen on either side of the room. Off to the west, a passageway lined with thorns can be seen. East, the walls change from leaves to mahogany. Other, smaller passages pepper the wall like holes, but they are far too small for you to enter. >x tapestries The tapestries are a lethargic shade of green you recognize from the surrounding jungle. Each one depicts a writhing mass of snakes. >w The Cage-Den A cavernous room, with thorny walls and no windows. Cages made from stiff briars are here, wrapping painfully around their dead-eyed prisoners. Most of them are motionless, but one stirs to look at you when you enter the room. To the east, the rest of the castle beckons you. An imprisoned heptagon watches the room with its too-many eyes. >x heptagon Each one of his seven eyes is fixed on you with rapt attention. He sees you looking at him, and coughs, politely. >talk to heptagon "Hello, Detective. I believe, taking into account the predicament I am in-" The briars squeeze the heptagon tighter, as if in response. "-that you can help me with a problem of mine." He smiles wearily. "And maybe, I can do you a favor as well." Out of the corner of your eye, you see a flash of green. A trick of the light. It's nothing. Don't worry about it. >a predicament "I've been their prisoner for quite a while now," the heptagon explains. "The kings behind mirrors. I can't say for how long, time is funny here." He continues as if he's talking about what he had for breakfast this morning. "They prefer more normal-looking shapes, so they've left me alone. But I'm tired of living in their castle, eating their 'food', watching the things they do to decent shapes." He leans towards you. "I want to escape, Detective. And I want you to help me. >a help "Getting out's possible, in theory," the heptagon says. "Not as easy as getting in, but possible, using the same, ah, methods. This is the land-behind-mirrors, after all." The heptagon stares at you with a sudden hunger. "I know you have a mirror. Give it to me. Give it to me, please, Detective, I can't stay here any longer." >a favor "It's nothing much," he says. "I can see in every direction, and sometimes, a little bit more. If you helped me, I could give you a fraction of that power. I'd understand if you didn't want it, but it's all I have to give." >a kings "They're nothing more than snakes," The heptagon spits. "Literal snakes. And the things that live in the corners of your eyes. You'll have to be careful around them, or they'll take your skin and wear it. Pompous bastards," he mutters to himself. "Trapped in some imaginary wasteland, and they call themselves kings." >a escape "Getting out's possible, in theory," the heptagon says. "Not as easy as getting in, but possible, using the same, ah, methods. This is the land-behind-mirrors, after all." The heptagon stares at you with a sudden hunger. "I know you have a mirror. Give it to me. Give it to me, please, Detective, I can't stay here any longer." You think you hear a hissing sound. Quiet, at first, but getting louder. >a land (land-behind-mirrors) "The nature of the place is that it defies nature." The heptagon shrugs. "They can't exist in the real world, not without their borrowed geometry, so they've resigned themselves to be the kings only of dreams, and all things behind mirrors." >give mirror (to the sevenfold panoptic) The heptagon takes the mirror tenderly. "Thank you," he says. "You've done a good thing." With that he hurls himself into the mirror, not even bothering to pick his way around the sharp parts, and is gone, leaving the mirror behind. >take mirror Taken. >l The Cage-Den A cavernous room, with thorny walls and no windows. Cages made from stiff briars are here, wrapping painfully around their dead-eyed prisoners. To the east, the rest of the castle beckons you. >e Briar Hall Leafy walls make up a large entry hall. Tapestries can be seen on either side of the room. Off to the west, a passageway lined with thorns can be seen. East, the walls change from leaves to mahogany. Other, smaller passages pepper the wall like holes, but they are far too small for you to enter. The hissing won't stop. Not even when you plug your ears. >e The Finger-Vaults The castle's treasure vault is located to the east. The imposing door has a small plaque attached to it. West is the exit. Six gas lamps are embedded in the vault door. A piano is set into one wall. >x plaque PLAY THE SEQUENCE TO ENTER THE VAULT, the plaque reads. A piece of scratch paper is taped next to it. >x paper Some notes in borderline illegible handwriting. GREEN = RIGHT NOTE, RIGHT PLACE BLUE = RIGHT NOTE, WRONG PLACE PLAY SIX NOTES AT A TIME (A-G) >x lamps The gas lamps are unlit. >play piano You play 'PIANO' on the piano. One of the gas lamps lights up blue. Something heavy and vicious has started to swim in your brain, and in the edge of your vision. >w Briar Hall Leafy walls make up a large entry hall. Tapestries can be seen on either side of the room. Off to the west, a passageway lined with thorns can be seen. East, the walls change from leaves to mahogany. Other, smaller passages pepper the wall like holes, but they are far too small for you to enter. >s As you pass through the threshhold, the hissing stops abruptly. The intrusions leave your brain. Castle Gates North is the entrance to a sinuous structure of wood and thorns. Something shapeless lives here, you're sure of it. What remains to be seen, however, is whether or not they'll be able to catch you trespassing. Southeast, a path leads back into the forest. >n Briar Hall Leafy walls make up a large entry hall. Tapestries can be seen on either side of the room. Off to the west, a passageway lined with thorns can be seen. East, the walls change from leaves to mahogany. Other, smaller passages pepper the wall like holes, but they are far too small for you to enter. >e The Finger-Vaults The castle's treasure vault is located to the east. The imposing door has a small plaque attached to it. West is the exit. Six gas lamps are embedded in the vault door. A piano is set into one wall. >play aaaaaa You play 'AAAAAA' on the piano. One of the gas lamps lights up green. >x piano A small mahogany piano that can play notes from A-G. Most of the keys are wood, but one is made from ivory. >x ivory If a piano's key were to exist, it would be made out of valuable ivory. Out of the corner of your eye, you see a flash of green. A trick of the light. It's nothing. Don't worry about it. >push ivory It is fixed in place. >press it It is fixed in place. >play bbbbbb You play 'BBBBBB' on the piano. Two of the gas lamps light up green. >play cccccc You play 'CCCCCC' on the piano. >play dddddd You play 'DDDDDD' on the piano. You think you hear a hissing sound. Quiet, at first, but getting louder. >play eeeeee You play 'EEEEEE' on the piano. One of the gas lamps lights up green. >play ffffff You play 'FFFFFF' on the piano. Two of the gas lamps light up green. >w Briar Hall Leafy walls make up a large entry hall. Tapestries can be seen on either side of the room. Off to the west, a passageway lined with thorns can be seen. East, the walls change from leaves to mahogany. Other, smaller passages pepper the wall like holes, but they are far too small for you to enter. >s As you pass through the threshhold, the hissing stops abruptly. Castle Gates North is the entrance to a sinuous structure of wood and thorns. Something shapeless lives here, you're sure of it. What remains to be seen, however, is whether or not they'll be able to catch you trespassing. Southeast, a path leads back into the forest. >n Briar Hall Leafy walls make up a large entry hall. Tapestries can be seen on either side of the room. Off to the west, a passageway lined with thorns can be seen. East, the walls change from leaves to mahogany. Other, smaller passages pepper the wall like holes, but they are far too small for you to enter. >e The Finger-Vaults The castle's treasure vault is located to the east. The imposing door has a small plaque attached to it. West is the exit. Six gas lamps are embedded in the vault door. A piano is set into one wall. >play accccc You play 'ACCCCC' on the piano. One of the gas lamps lights up blue. >play cacccc You play 'CACCCC' on the piano. One of the gas lamps lights up blue. >play ccaccc You play 'CCACCC' on the piano. One of the gas lamps lights up blue. Out of the corner of your eye, you see a flash of green. A trick of the light. It's nothing. Don't worry about it. >play cccacc You play 'CCCACC' on the piano. One of the gas lamps lights up blue. >play ccccac You play 'CCCCAC' on the piano. One of the gas lamps lights up green. >play eccccc You play 'ECCCCC' on the piano. One of the gas lamps lights up blue. >play cecccc You play 'CECCCC' on the piano. One of the gas lamps lights up blue. >play cceccc You play 'CCECCC' on the piano. One of the gas lamps lights up green. You think you hear a hissing sound. Quiet, at first, but getting louder. >play bccccc You play 'BCCCCC' on the piano. One of the gas lamps lights up blue. >play cbcccc You play 'CBCCCC' on the piano. One of the gas lamps lights up blue. >play cccbcb You play 'CCCBCB' on the piano. Two of the gas lamps light up green. >w Briar Hall Leafy walls make up a large entry hall. Tapestries can be seen on either side of the room. Off to the west, a passageway lined with thorns can be seen. East, the walls change from leaves to mahogany. Other, smaller passages pepper the wall like holes, but they are far too small for you to enter. >s As you pass through the threshhold, the hissing stops abruptly. Castle Gates North is the entrance to a sinuous structure of wood and thorns. Something shapeless lives here, you're sure of it. What remains to be seen, however, is whether or not they'll be able to catch you trespassing. Southeast, a path leads back into the forest. >n Briar Hall Leafy walls make up a large entry hall. Tapestries can be seen on either side of the room. Off to the west, a passageway lined with thorns can be seen. East, the walls change from leaves to mahogany. Other, smaller passages pepper the wall like holes, but they are far too small for you to enter. >e The Finger-Vaults The castle's treasure vault is located to the east. The imposing door has a small plaque attached to it. West is the exit. Six gas lamps are embedded in the vault door. A piano is set into one wall. >play ffcbab You play 'FFCBAB' on the piano. Five of the gas lamps light up green. >w Briar Hall Leafy walls make up a large entry hall. Tapestries can be seen on either side of the room. Off to the west, a passageway lined with thorns can be seen. East, the walls change from leaves to mahogany. Other, smaller passages pepper the wall like holes, but they are far too small for you to enter. >s Castle Gates North is the entrance to a sinuous structure of wood and thorns. Something shapeless lives here, you're sure of it. What remains to be seen, however, is whether or not they'll be able to catch you trespassing. Southeast, a path leads back into the forest. >n Briar Hall Leafy walls make up a large entry hall. Tapestries can be seen on either side of the room. Off to the west, a passageway lined with thorns can be seen. East, the walls change from leaves to mahogany. Other, smaller passages pepper the wall like holes, but they are far too small for you to enter. >e The Finger-Vaults The castle's treasure vault is located to the east. The imposing door has a small plaque attached to it. West is the exit. Six gas lamps are embedded in the vault door. A piano is set into one wall. >play ffebab You play 'FFEBAB' on the piano. Six of the gas lamps light up green. You hear a click in the vault door. One of the keys in the piano pops out. >take key (the ivory key) Taken. >e (first opening the vault door) Treasure Room Riches beyond your wildest imagination are here. Precious stones, artifacts, even gold coins float around in your peripheral vision. To the west is the door out of the vault. Out of the corner of your eye, you see a flash of green. A trick of the light. It's nothing. Don't worry about it. >take all There are none at all available! >x riches Beautiful masterworks, silver and jewels. But they're all out of focus, and thinking about them too hard gives you a headache. >w The Finger-Vaults The castle's treasure vault is located to the east. The imposing door has a small plaque attached to it. West is the exit. Six gas lamps are embedded in the vault door. A piano is set into one wall. >s You can't go that way. >w Briar Hall Leafy walls make up a large entry hall. Tapestries can be seen on either side of the room. Off to the west, a passageway lined with thorns can be seen. East, the walls change from leaves to mahogany. Other, smaller passages pepper the wall like holes, but they are far too small for you to enter. >s Castle Gates North is the entrance to a sinuous structure of wood and thorns. Something shapeless lives here, you're sure of it. What remains to be seen, however, is whether or not they'll be able to catch you trespassing. Southeast, a path leads back into the forest. >x mirror A green-tinted mirror with a real eye embedded in its handle. Presently, it is closed. >x eye A green-tinted mirror with a real eye embedded in its handle. Presently, it is closed. >se Jungle Path A path from the northwest bends around to the east. The trees here seem to grow in strange directions. >e Jungle Path A path from west to east snakes through the thick foliage. >e Jungle Path A path from the west winds around to the south. It is easy to get lost here. >s Ruined Structure You stand at the center of a ruined structure. Bright green vines twist around bits of rubble. There was something for you here, once. But not any more. A path leads north, and to the east, the jungle becomes impassable. >n Jungle Path A path from the west winds around to the south. It is easy to get lost here. >w Amber Woods You are in a thick forest, where the ambient light is a soft shade of amber. You are in the land-behind-mirrors, home of the glass serpents. You are nowhere that is real. The forest stretches out in every direction. >s Jungle The jungle is thick, and the air is heavy and warm. All around you are trees. Far to the south, through a curtain of leaves, you can see something shine with borrowed light. >s Mirror Fields You are in a field of mirrors at the edge of the jungle, each one fixed in the ground. Many reflect parts of London you recognize, but many don't reflect places at all. >s The jungle is too thick for you to take more than a couple of steps in that direction. >x mirrors In the sea of mirrors, you find yourself drawn to two - a dark mirror and a red mirror. >n Jungle The jungle is thick, and the air is heavy and warm. All around you are trees. Far to the south, through a curtain of leaves, you can see something shine with borrowed light. >w Jungle You are in the jungle. Thick, leafy vines surround you, and in the distance, you can hear the chirping of many-throated birds. The region to the west is blocked off by densely-packed trees. >listen You hear nothing unexpected. >i You are carrying: an ivory key a looking glass a pint of fry oil a bottle of decoy wine an experimental device a library card an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a bell a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) some brilliant sap a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >x key Which do you mean, the ivory key or the brass key? >ivory If a piano's key were to exist, it would be made out of valuable ivory. >x looking glass A green-tinted mirror with a real eye embedded in its handle. Presently, it is closed. >open it You try to pry it open, but the eye remains shut. >talk to it You can talk to the looking glass, but it can't talk back. >look through it The looking glass is empty. >e Amber Woods You are in a thick forest, where the ambient light is a soft shade of amber. You are in the land-behind-mirrors, home of the glass serpents. You are nowhere that is real. The forest stretches out in every direction. >e Jungle Path A path from the west winds around to the south. It is easy to get lost here. >w Amber Woods You are in a thick forest, where the ambient light is a soft shade of amber. You are in the land-behind-mirrors, home of the glass serpents. You are nowhere that is real. The forest stretches out in every direction. >s Jungle The jungle is thick, and the air is heavy and warm. All around you are trees. Far to the south, through a curtain of leaves, you can see something shine with borrowed light. >e The jungle is too thick for you to take more than a couple of steps in that direction. >w Jungle You are in the jungle. Thick, leafy vines surround you, and in the distance, you can hear the chirping of many-throated birds. The region to the west is blocked off by densely-packed trees. >e Amber Woods You are in a thick forest, where the ambient light is a soft shade of amber. You are in the land-behind-mirrors, home of the glass serpents. You are nowhere that is real. The forest stretches out in every direction. >s Jungle The jungle is thick, and the air is heavy and warm. All around you are trees. Far to the south, through a curtain of leaves, you can see something shine with borrowed light. >s Mirror Fields You are in a field of mirrors at the edge of the jungle, each one fixed in the ground. Many reflect parts of London you recognize, but many don't reflect places at all. >x red The mirror reflects a boat, drifting slowly down a quiet river. The surface ripples, concealing something sharp. >x dark This mirror is made of a smoky glass that comes alive when you approach it. Reflected in the mirror is someone else's dream - A librarian is handed a book that details the exact time and date of an accident that will kill thousands. She assigns it a number, and shelves it. She moves on. >enter red You push yourself halfway into the mirror. The glass slices your body like a swarm of knives, leaving your lines covered with delicate trails of blood. You could keep going, if you wanted. Or you could remove yourself. But is that really what you want? >enter looking glass As you step out from the mirror, you wake up in a cold sweat. [PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE] Your Lodgings You are in your small apartment. It's a cool London morning, and your windows are ever so slightly fogged up. A door is set into the west wall of your home. In one corner of the room is an old wooden trophy case. >i You are carrying: a looking glass an ivory key a pint of fry oil a bottle of decoy wine an experimental device a library card an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a bell a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) some brilliant sap a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >put ivory in case If a piano's key were to exist, it would fit perfectly. >put looking glass in case The looking glass doesn't seem to fit. >enter mirror It's difficult, but you manage to force yourself through the glass. [PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE] Amber Woods You are in a thick forest, where the ambient light is a soft shade of amber. You are in the land-behind-mirrors, home of the glass serpents. You are nowhere that is real. The forest stretches out in every direction. >l Amber Woods You are in a thick forest, where the ambient light is a soft shade of amber. You are in the land-behind-mirrors, home of the glass serpents. You are nowhere that is real. The forest stretches out in every direction. >n Jungle Path A path from west to east snakes through the thick foliage. >w Jungle Path A path from the northwest bends around to the east. The trees here seem to grow in strange directions. >nw Castle Gates North is the entrance to a sinuous structure of wood and thorns. Something shapeless lives here, you're sure of it. What remains to be seen, however, is whether or not they'll be able to catch you trespassing. Southeast, a path leads back into the forest. >n Briar Hall Leafy walls make up a large entry hall. Tapestries can be seen on either side of the room. Off to the west, a passageway lined with thorns can be seen. East, the walls change from leaves to mahogany. Other, smaller passages pepper the wall like holes, but they are far too small for you to enter. >w The Cage-Den A cavernous room, with thorny walls and no windows. Cages made from stiff briars are here, wrapping painfully around their dead-eyed prisoners. To the east, the rest of the castle beckons you. >e Briar Hall Leafy walls make up a large entry hall. Tapestries can be seen on either side of the room. Off to the west, a passageway lined with thorns can be seen. East, the walls change from leaves to mahogany. Other, smaller passages pepper the wall like holes, but they are far too small for you to enter. >e The Finger-Vaults The castle's treasure vault is located to the east. The imposing door has a small plaque attached to it. West is the exit. Six gas lamps are embedded in the vault door. A piano is set into one wall. >e Treasure Room Riches beyond your wildest imagination are here. Precious stones, artifacts, even gold coins float around in your peripheral vision. To the west is the door out of the vault. Out of the corner of your eye, you see a flash of green. A trick of the light. It's nothing. Don't worry about it. >take coins The riches go straight through your pockets. Apparently they're not real enough to be handled by someone like you. >w The Finger-Vaults The castle's treasure vault is located to the east. The imposing door has a small plaque attached to it. West is the exit. Six gas lamps are embedded in the vault door. A piano is set into one wall. >take piano That's fixed in place. >w Briar Hall Leafy walls make up a large entry hall. Tapestries can be seen on either side of the room. Off to the west, a passageway lined with thorns can be seen. East, the walls change from leaves to mahogany. Other, smaller passages pepper the wall like holes, but they are far too small for you to enter. >s Castle Gates North is the entrance to a sinuous structure of wood and thorns. Something shapeless lives here, you're sure of it. What remains to be seen, however, is whether or not they'll be able to catch you trespassing. Southeast, a path leads back into the forest. >se Jungle Path A path from the northwest bends around to the east. The trees here seem to grow in strange directions. >e Jungle Path A path from west to east snakes through the thick foliage. >s Amber Woods You are in a thick forest, where the ambient light is a soft shade of amber. You are in the land-behind-mirrors, home of the glass serpents. You are nowhere that is real. The forest stretches out in every direction. >s Jungle The jungle is thick, and the air is heavy and warm. All around you are trees. Far to the south, through a curtain of leaves, you can see something shine with borrowed light. >n Amber Woods You are in a thick forest, where the ambient light is a soft shade of amber. You are in the land-behind-mirrors, home of the glass serpents. You are nowhere that is real. The forest stretches out in every direction. >enter mirror As you step out from the mirror, you wake up in a cold sweat. [PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE] Your Lodgings You are in your small apartment. It's a cool London morning, and your windows are ever so slightly fogged up. A door is set into the west wall of your home. In one corner of the room is an old wooden trophy case. >w Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >s Bazaar Side-Streets The industrial bustle of London peaks here, not at the center of town but in the Bazaar that effectively owns the city. Something alien is here, thrumming at the edge of your consciousness and living inside the ground. A more ordinary street is to the north, and an alleyway is to the west. East is the door to a land agency. >e Penstock's Wicket The land agency of Penstock, a heptagon realtor with better things to do than man his own shop. The air in here is still and dusty. A door to the west leads back out to the bazaar, and an elevator shaft is to the east. >n You can't go that way. >w Bazaar Side-Streets The industrial bustle of London peaks here, not at the center of town but in the Bazaar that effectively owns the city. Something alien is here, thrumming at the edge of your consciousness and living inside the ground. A more ordinary street is to the north, and an alleyway is to the west. East is the door to a land agency. >n Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >sw Desolate Lane Most people prefer the wide, well-maintained main street to this dull, empty road. Most of the storefronts are vacant, windows boarded up, with the exception of one cozy-looking storefront. The lane connects with some broad streets in the northeast. South is the entrance to the city's archeological district. An antique shop is embedded in a wall of shops to the east. >e Antique Shop The place has a rather homey atmosphere. Ancient objects of all shapes and sizes are for sale along the walls, though most of them just look like junk. Outside, the desolate lane awaits. In the east wall of the shop is the door to a back room. A beautiful old rug is spread out across the floor of the shop. There is no price tag. Running the shop is a weary antiquarian. >x rug An antique rug from the people who came before, in excellent condition. You're sure they wouldn't mind you having this. >take it "No take backs," the antiquarian snaps at you. >i You are carrying: a looking glass a pint of fry oil a bottle of decoy wine an experimental device a library card an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a bell a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) some brilliant sap a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >a looking glass The antiquarian shrugs. "Not my area." >a wine (the bottle of decoy wine) "It's sand." >a device The antiquarian shrugs. "Not my area." >a painting "Ew." >e The Lair Of Mr. Pages Instead of the back room of an antique shop, you appear to have stumbled onto some kind of chair warehouse. A chairhouse, if you will. Antique furniture has been placed in neat piles around the room. The antique shop proper is west. Mr. Pages himself, conspicuously without his usual flock of guards and assistants, lounges in an old Queen Anne seat. This must be important. >talk to pages "A liar has returned to our Bazaar, after two thousand years," Pages spits. "No doubt it seeks to speak of its untruthidious third dimension. For this, I have summoned you, to carry out a small task under my employ." >a task "He is writing a book," Pages spits. He says it with such force that you are, for a moment, convinced that he hates all books. "A foul doctrine of third-dimensional lies. Your task is to track the entity to its lair-" And kill it? "No". Trained shapes have tried and failed to kill this creature. No, Pages just wants the book, so he can be sure it is destroyed properly. "There will be a reward", he adds when he sees you hesitate. >a lair "Its lair is undecealed," Pages says. "Incognonymous. Hobscure." He hands you a piece of paper. "You will need this." >a reward "I should think that proving yourself to my imsteemed individuality would be reward enough," says Pages, puffing out his chest. "But I can offer you money. A plenteous sum. Enough to make you a very rich shape." >i You are carrying: the theoretical location of a hideout a looking glass a pint of fry oil a bottle of decoy wine an experimental device a library card an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a bell a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) some brilliant sap a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >x hideout A messy list that looks like it was written by someone with claws. Different parts of the city that the entity you're tracking might live in, though it's not clear what they all have in common. The document reads: The Shuttered Palace (in the west) The Forgotten Quarter (in the southwest) The Bazaar (in the south) > I beg your pardon? >l The Lair Of Mr. Pages Instead of the back room of an antique shop, you appear to have stumbled onto some kind of chair warehouse. A chairhouse, if you will. Antique furniture has been placed in neat piles around the room. The antique shop proper is west. Mr. Pages himself, conspicuously without his usual flock of guards and assistants, lounges in an old Queen Anne seat. This must be important. >talk to pages "A liar has returned to our Bazaar, after two thousand years," Pages spits. "No doubt it seeks to speak of its untruthidious third dimension. For this, I have summoned you, to carry out a small task under my employ." >a task "He is writing a book," Pages spits. He says it with such force that you are, for a moment, convinced that he hates all books. "A foul doctrine of third-dimensional lies. Your task is to track the entity to its lair-" And kill it? "No". Trained shapes have tried and failed to kill this creature. No, Pages just wants the book, so he can be sure it is destroyed properly. "There will be a reward", he adds when he sees you hesitate. >a reward "I should think that proving yourself to my imsteemed individuality would be reward enough," says Pages, puffing out his chest. "But I can offer you money. A plenteous sum. Enough to make you a very rich shape." >a book Which do you mean, the copy of The Encyclopedia of Shapes, the copy of A Dream I Had Last Saturday, the copy of Cults And Rituals: A History, the copy of On The Politics of London, the copy of Understanding The Language Of Stars, the copy of On Gravity, the chess handbook, the copy of Fire And Its Medicinal Uses, the maze map or the copy of The Indecent Squid-Creature Servant? >w You don't know what you're talking about. >w Antique Shop The place has a rather homey atmosphere. Ancient objects of all shapes and sizes are for sale along the walls, though most of them just look like junk. Outside, the desolate lane awaits. In the east wall of the shop is the door to a back room. A beautiful old rug is spread out across the floor of the shop. There is no price tag. Running the shop is a weary antiquarian. >a rug "Excellent craftmanship," the antiquarian says. "Sometimes you see a piece you like so much, you have to keep it." You see her go over to stroke the rug as she says this. Gently, like she's comforting a friend. >w Desolate Lane Most people prefer the wide, well-maintained main street to this dull, empty road. Most of the storefronts are vacant, windows boarded up, with the exception of one cozy-looking storefront. The lane connects with some broad streets in the northeast. South is the entrance to the city's archeological district. An antique shop is embedded in a wall of shops to the east. >ne Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >s Bazaar Side-Streets The industrial bustle of London peaks here, not at the center of town but in the Bazaar that effectively owns the city. Something alien is here, thrumming at the edge of your consciousness and living inside the ground. A more ordinary street is to the north, and an alleyway is to the west. East is the door to a land agency. >w Empty Alleyway If you remember correctly, the garbage bin you found your trophy case in is somewhere around here. Sigils that hurt to look at gleam on the walls, and the alley exits to the east. >search bin You find nothing of interest. >take bin That's hardly portable. >move it It is fixed in place. >x sigils They say that huge, fiery entities exist - not north, but above your fragile world. They say the stars have their own language, and that it looks something like this. But this is just graffiti, a cheap imitation of the real thing. Either way, it's enough to set a part of your shirt on fire. You pat it out. >e Bazaar Side-Streets The industrial bustle of London peaks here, not at the center of town but in the Bazaar that effectively owns the city. Something alien is here, thrumming at the edge of your consciousness and living inside the ground. A more ordinary street is to the north, and an alleyway is to the west. East is the door to a land agency. >e Penstock's Wicket The land agency of Penstock, a heptagon realtor with better things to do than man his own shop. The air in here is still and dusty. A door to the west leads back out to the bazaar, and an elevator shaft is to the east. >w Bazaar Side-Streets The industrial bustle of London peaks here, not at the center of town but in the Bazaar that effectively owns the city. Something alien is here, thrumming at the edge of your consciousness and living inside the ground. A more ordinary street is to the north, and an alleyway is to the west. East is the door to a land agency. >s You can't go that way. >n Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >sw Desolate Lane Most people prefer the wide, well-maintained main street to this dull, empty road. Most of the storefronts are vacant, windows boarded up, with the exception of one cozy-looking storefront. The lane connects with some broad streets in the northeast. South is the entrance to the city's archeological district. An antique shop is embedded in a wall of shops to the east. >s Forgotten Gates You stand at the edge of an ancient city - The Forgotten Quarter. Or what's left of it, anyway. What wasn't destroyed by London was stripped away by looters, making the whole place feel rather empty. To the north, the empty ruins connect to an empty street. Far to the west, you can see a pavilion that seems more or less untouched. South is an archeological dig site. >e You can't go that way. >s Dig Site A magnificent dig site, heading into the stone that encases a lot of the ruins. This one is almost abandoned, though. The way out of the Forgotten Quarter is to the north. In the distance, looking almost translucent in the mist, is a pavilion. The entrance to an ancient temple is visible to the south. A clay triangle is hard at work at the dig site. A bored archaeologist lies on a crate, worn out. >e You can't go that way. >x triangle A triangle, but made from sturdy clay. One of the creatures that began to appear here and there after the shift, albeit to fill a role London's had for centuries. This one looks bored. >e You can't go that way. >s Ancient Temple You stand in a grand hall, built from a rich marble. Even weathered by time, it's magnificent. The exit is to the north. A side-room, so small that it seems like an afterthought, is to the west. Presumably there were other chambers here, but they've long since been buried in debris. >e You can't go that way. >w Lesser Chamber A cramped room that seems to have been carved into the rock rather than constructed. East, a jagged tunnel leads back into the temple you came from. >e Ancient Temple You stand in a grand hall, built from a rich marble. Even weathered by time, it's magnificent. The exit is to the north. A side-room, so small that it seems like an afterthought, is to the west. Presumably there were other chambers here, but they've long since been buried in debris. >n Dig Site A magnificent dig site, heading into the stone that encases a lot of the ruins. This one is almost abandoned, though. The way out of the Forgotten Quarter is to the north. In the distance, looking almost translucent in the mist, is a pavilion. The entrance to an ancient temple is visible to the south. A clay triangle is hard at work at the dig site. A bored archaeologist lies on a crate, worn out. >n Forgotten Gates You stand at the edge of an ancient city - The Forgotten Quarter. Or what's left of it, anyway. What wasn't destroyed by London was stripped away by looters, making the whole place feel rather empty. To the north, the empty ruins connect to an empty street. Far to the west, you can see a pavilion that seems more or less untouched. South is an archeological dig site. >w In The Pavilion You stand in a grand pavilion. The other buildings on this street are weathered and broken, but here not a single thing is out of place. Outside and to the east is the way out of the Forgotten Quarter. Despite the fact that you've seen the pavilion from the outside, there is a tunnel leading south. >s Winding Hall A long, serpentine hallway. The floor is covered in a rather detailed mural. To the north, the passage returns to the pavilion. South, the hallway continues. >s Twisty Hall You are still in a hallway that runs north-south. Another mural is etched into the floor. >s The Hallway Ends The hallway north ends in an oak door to the south. Near the door, and all around you, is a mural. >s Ritual Room A huge chamber with an exit to the north. It smells faintly of smoke, and apart from an odd carving near the far wall, is completely empty. Something else about the room feels off, though you can't say what exactly. Eight candles have been placed at odd intervals around the room. The bones of a long-dead triangle rest against the far wall. >x bones You get the sense that the dead triangle is watching you. >i You are carrying: the theoretical location of a hideout a looking glass a pint of fry oil a bottle of decoy wine an experimental device a library card an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a bell a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) some brilliant sap a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >x pail An old metal pail. The bottom is crusted with a snowy residue. >x hideout A messy list that looks like it was written by someone with claws. Different parts of the city that the entity you're tracking might live in, though it's not clear what they all have in common. The document reads: The Shuttered Palace (in the west) The Forgotten Quarter (in the southwest) The Bazaar (in the south) >n The Hallway Ends The hallway north ends in an oak door to the south. Near the door, and all around you, is a mural. >n Twisty Hall You are still in a hallway that runs north-south. Another mural is etched into the floor. >n Winding Hall A long, serpentine hallway. The floor is covered in a rather detailed mural. To the north, the passage returns to the pavilion. South, the hallway continues. >n In The Pavilion You stand in a grand pavilion. The other buildings on this street are weathered and broken, but here not a single thing is out of place. Outside and to the east is the way out of the Forgotten Quarter. Despite the fact that you've seen the pavilion from the outside, there is a tunnel leading south. >n You can't go that way. >e Forgotten Gates You stand at the edge of an ancient city - The Forgotten Quarter. Or what's left of it, anyway. What wasn't destroyed by London was stripped away by looters, making the whole place feel rather empty. To the north, the empty ruins connect to an empty street. Far to the west, you can see a pavilion that seems more or less untouched. South is an archeological dig site. >n Desolate Lane Most people prefer the wide, well-maintained main street to this dull, empty road. Most of the storefronts are vacant, windows boarded up, with the exception of one cozy-looking storefront. The lane connects with some broad streets in the northeast. South is the entrance to the city's archeological district. An antique shop is embedded in a wall of shops to the east. >n You can't go that way. >ne Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >n Moloch Street Moloch Street, where shapes who have traded away their mortal souls begin their journeys towards hell. North is the entrance to the Labyrinth of Tigers, and west is the university. South, the street becomes less menacing. An old house with a brass-plated door stands in the east, passing judgement on everyone it sees. >w University Quad Squares and nobleshapes of all sides and sizes are out and about on the university lawn. Paths to the south and east both lead back into the city. North is the entrance to the only public library in the city, and what looks like an engineering building is situated to the west. >n Library Front Desk You are at the library's front desk, to which a sign has been taped. The exit is in the south wall. A forest of bookshelves is accessible to the north. A librarian sits at the front desk, ignoring you. >n In The Stacks A long path, walled in by shelves, goes from west to east, and the exit is to the south. All around you are bookshelves. >e In The Stacks A long path, walled in by literature, goes from west to east. All around you are bookshelves, packed with books. >e In The Stacks A long path, walled in by literature, goes from west to east. All around you are bookshelves, packed with books. >e East Wing A clean looking study nook is at the end of a long corridor of books to the west. >x books You can't see any such thing. >w In The Stacks A long path, walled in by literature, goes from west to east. All around you are bookshelves, packed with books. >x books In the bookshelves are a maze map and a copy of The Indecent Squid-Creature Servant. >take all maze map: Taken. copy of The Indecent Squid-Creature Servant: Taken. >read indecent ACT I, SCENE III PRINCESS: Here to clean my chambers? I certainly hope your tentacles will be up to the task. My chambers are quite large, you see. SQUID-CREATURE: Hrshbrglargh. PRINCESS: Oh my. Do you think you could polish... this? SQUID-CREATURE: Blathrgthlgle. PRINCESS (Blushing): Well. >read map So the geometer stood at the ready, pacing nervously around his study. Soon, he'd been promised, it would all be complete. Even if he'd contacted them first, he hadn't expected them to actually respond, and he couldn't be more anxious if he tried. Not Eating, barely sleeping, even, in case the chiropterans wanted to make the exchange at night. Whether or not they could even give him what he'd asked for was unclear as well. Such Entities as them were not to be taken lightly, if they really wanted his entire city in exchange - and that was another thing. What he'd promised them he didn't own, and if they discovered they'd been tricked, they might not uphold their end of the bargain. Euclid shuddered at the thought. You shut the book. That's not a map at all. Must have been an error at the printer's. >w In The Stacks A long path, walled in by literature, goes from west to east. All around you are bookshelves, packed with books. >x books In the bookshelves is a chess handbook. >take all chess handbook: Taken. >w In The Stacks A long path, walled in by shelves, goes from west to east, and the exit is to the south. All around you are bookshelves. >x books In the bookshelves are a copy of Understanding The Language Of Stars and a copy of On Gravity. >take all copy of Understanding The Language Of Stars: Taken. copy of On Gravity: Taken. >read stars Most of the book is scorched beyond recognition. The parts you can read claim that not only do celestial beings beyond comprehension exist, but that their language has the power to 'substantially alter' a person's biology. It goes on to claim that those aspects of their language can be reproduced by ordinary shapes, with sufficiently powerful materials and a knowledge of what to write. You shut the book, tired of hearing more unsubstantiated claims by the honey-addled and the delusional. And afraid for your clothing, which tends to catch fire when you think about that sort of thing too hard. >read gravity "By a Law of Nature with us, there is a constant attraction to the South; and, although in temperate climates this is very slight-yet the hampering effect of the southward attraction is quite sufficient to serve as a compass in most parts of our earth. Moreover, the rain (which falls at stated intervals) coming always from the North, is an additional assistance; and in the towns we have the guidance of the houses, which of course have their side-walls running for the most part North and South, so that the roofs may keep off the rain from the North." - Edwin A. Abbott. Most of this has remained true even after London's change, though the rain comes from somewhere else now. >w In The Stacks A long path, walled in by literature, goes from west to east. All around you are bookshelves, packed with books. >x books In the bookshelves are a copy of Cults And Rituals: A History and a copy of On The Politics of London. >take all copy of Cults And Rituals: A History: Taken. copy of On The Politics of London: Taken. >read cults The book is rather dry, but perhaps you'll get something out of it. According to this book, a small cult in the fourth city once chose to break off from the doctrines laid out for them by the circle, instead worshipping "third-dimensional beings", in clear defiance of scientific fact. When gathering, these cults would often perform elaborate rituals in attempts to summon these entities, though none have of these have been proven to work. In the year 1796, such a cult attempted an elaborate ritual, but they were massacred by fourth city authorities, and their ritual site reduced to ash. As you read, a set of instructions falls out from between the pages. >read politics This "book" is nothing more or less than a series of rants about London's mayoral elections, which the author claims are both rigged and pointless. London, the author argues, is controlled by the chiropteran beasts that abducted London in the first place, not by some democratically elected mascot. Not to mention, Her Most Circular Majesty ought to be in charge, even if she did sell the city to them in a kind of elaborate devil's paw scenario. You shut the book with disgust. Monarchists. >take instructions Taken. >read instructions The instructions to some kind of rite, in shaky writing. 1. The shape the sacred shape never more never less always eight the sacred shape LIGHT THEM. 2. Ring the bell to get the audience's attention 3. Repeat after me. On the back is an incantation, though much of the ink is smudged. >x incantation The instructions are written in the queen's english, but the incantation is written in mongolian - the language of the fourth city. But it's not really the right time for mongolian conjuring, so you decide not to.You don't understand a word of it. Maybe if you did you'd be able to read it out loud. >w In The Stacks A long path, walled in by literature, goes from west to east. All around you are bookshelves, packed with books. >x books In the bookshelves are a copy of The Encyclopedia of Shapes and a copy of A Dream I Had Last Saturday. >take all copy of The Encyclopedia of Shapes: Taken. copy of A Dream I Had Last Saturday: Taken. >read shapes "Soldiers and the lowest classes of workmen are isosceles triangles. The middle class consists of equilateral triangles. Professional men and gentlemen are squares and pentagons. Next above these come the nobility, of whom there are several degrees, beginning at hexagons, and from thence rising in the number of their sides till they receive the honourable title of polygonal, or many-sided. Finally when the number of the sides becomes so numerous, and the sides themselves so small, that the figure cannot be distinguished from a circle, he is included in the circular or priestly order; and this is the highest class of all." - Edwin A. Abbott You shut the encyclopedia. You knew all this already. >read dream A Dream I Had Last Saturday is nothing more than rambling nonsense. In it, the author describes a dream they had about a dimension of straight, one-dimensional lines. He was apparently invisible to them, and was unable to explain the existence of the second dimension. That's the only part of the book you can make out, anyway. Censorship seems to have hit it hard, and more than half of the book is torn out or covered up. Shame. >w West Wing A cozy-looking study nook is at the end of a long corridor of books to the east. >e In The Stacks A long path, walled in by literature, goes from west to east. All around you are bookshelves, packed with books. >e In The Stacks A long path, walled in by literature, goes from west to east. All around you are bookshelves, packed with books. >e In The Stacks A long path, walled in by shelves, goes from west to east, and the exit is to the south. All around you are bookshelves. >s Library Front Desk You are at the library's front desk, to which a sign has been taped. The exit is in the south wall. A forest of bookshelves is accessible to the north. A librarian sits at the front desk, ignoring you. >s University Quad Squares and nobleshapes of all sides and sizes are out and about on the university lawn. Paths to the south and east both lead back into the city. North is the entrance to the only public library in the city, and what looks like an engineering building is situated to the west. >w The Department Of Manufactured Light In London, as it is everywhere else, the whole world is evenly lit during the day with little regard to walls or veils. The rules seem to be different here, and the whole room is like night apart from a gaslight on the wall. West is a door leading to a hallway, and east is the way back to the quad. >x gaslight A bright, flickering thing. Mounted to the wall. >i You are carrying: a copy of A Dream I Had Last Saturday a copy of The Encyclopedia of Shapes a set of ritual instructions a copy of On The Politics of London a copy of Cults And Rituals: A History a copy of On Gravity a copy of Understanding The Language Of Stars a chess handbook a copy of The Indecent Squid-Creature Servant a maze map the theoretical location of a hideout a looking glass a pint of fry oil a bottle of decoy wine an experimental device a library card an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a bell a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) some brilliant sap a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >take sap Your pockets are much stickier. >put oil in lamp You pour the pint of fry oil into the rusty lamp. >light lamp with gaslight You can't light anything with that. >put lamp in gaslight That can't contain things. >w University Hallway A long hallway extends from a door to the east, and continues west for a while. A wall-mounted torch illuminates the room. >x torch An actual torch, straight out of the dark ages. Firmly attached to the wall. >light lamp with torch You light the rusty lamp. >i You are carrying: some brilliant sap a copy of A Dream I Had Last Saturday a copy of The Encyclopedia of Shapes a set of ritual instructions a copy of On The Politics of London a copy of Cults And Rituals: A History a copy of On Gravity a copy of Understanding The Language Of Stars a chess handbook a copy of The Indecent Squid-Creature Servant a maze map the theoretical location of a hideout a looking glass a bottle of decoy wine an experimental device a library card an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a bell a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) a pint of fry oil a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >e The Department Of Manufactured Light In London, as it is everywhere else, the whole world is evenly lit during the day with little regard to walls or veils. The rules seem to be different here, and the whole room is like night apart from a gaslight on the wall. West is a door leading to a hallway, and east is the way back to the quad. >e University Quad Squares and nobleshapes of all sides and sizes are out and about on the university lawn. Paths to the south and east both lead back into the city. North is the entrance to the only public library in the city, and what looks like an engineering building is situated to the west. >s Near The River You've got an excellent view of the stolen river, which is accessible to the south. The shuttered palace looms in the west, the entrance to the university is north, and east is a series of broad streets. >e Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >s Bazaar Side-Streets The industrial bustle of London peaks here, not at the center of town but in the Bazaar that effectively owns the city. Something alien is here, thrumming at the edge of your consciousness and living inside the ground. A more ordinary street is to the north, and an alleyway is to the west. East is the door to a land agency. >sn That's not a verb I recognise. >n Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >sw Desolate Lane Most people prefer the wide, well-maintained main street to this dull, empty road. Most of the storefronts are vacant, windows boarded up, with the exception of one cozy-looking storefront. The lane connects with some broad streets in the northeast. South is the entrance to the city's archeological district. An antique shop is embedded in a wall of shops to the east. >s Forgotten Gates You stand at the edge of an ancient city - The Forgotten Quarter. Or what's left of it, anyway. What wasn't destroyed by London was stripped away by looters, making the whole place feel rather empty. To the north, the empty ruins connect to an empty street. Far to the west, you can see a pavilion that seems more or less untouched. South is an archeological dig site. >w In The Pavilion You stand in a grand pavilion. The other buildings on this street are weathered and broken, but here not a single thing is out of place. Outside and to the east is the way out of the Forgotten Quarter. Despite the fact that you've seen the pavilion from the outside, there is a tunnel leading south. >s Winding Hall A long, serpentine hallway. The floor is covered in a rather detailed mural. To the north, the passage returns to the pavilion. South, the hallway continues. >s Twisty Hall You are still in a hallway that runs north-south. Another mural is etched into the floor. >s The Hallway Ends The hallway north ends in an oak door to the south. Near the door, and all around you, is a mural. >s Ritual Room A huge chamber with an exit to the north. It smells faintly of smoke, and apart from an odd carving near the far wall, is completely empty. Something else about the room feels off, though you can't say what exactly. Eight candles have been placed at odd intervals around the room. The bones of a long-dead triangle rest against the far wall. >light candles with lamp The candle's flames roar to life as you light them. Each one is a bright point of light, and for a moment, you can almost see the shape they form. >x shape You can't see any such thing. >l Ritual Room A huge chamber with an exit to the north. It smells faintly of smoke, and apart from an odd carving near the far wall, is completely empty. Something else about the room feels off, though you can't say what exactly. Eight candles have been placed at odd intervals around the room. The bones of a long-dead triangle rest against the far wall. >x instructions The instructions to some kind of rite, in shaky writing. 1. The shape the sacred shape never more never less always eight the sacred shape LIGHT THEM. 2. Ring the bell to get the audience's attention 3. Repeat after me. On the back is an incantation, though much of the ink is smudged. >ring bell The bell makes a loud, hollow sound that makes contact with your lines and stays there. Your vision blurs. >read incantation "I address you, who live in the directions of up and down." You begin to read aloud in a voice that is not your own, and in a language you've never heard before. "I call upon a world I will never be able to see, in its grand infinities, that it may speak to me, and that for a moment, that I might begin to understand. There is a shape beyond a circle, and it is you, it is Euclid, the square that has been squared, spare me your fate and give me your lines." You raise your voice. "I open the door!" [PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE] You feel the world shake around you, hear the distant cry of an unfamiliar animal, but nothing appears. The triangle, resting against the wall behind you, stands shakily. >x triangle Unlike the skeleton you remember seeing, this triangle is alive. Even if they are bleeding slightly. >talk to triangle "I always wondered if it would have worked," the occultist says. "We were so close to completing the ritual, before- well, before. And we tried so hard. Our cult, that is." They sigh. "But after seventy years of waiting, I guess this was what I was waiting for." The occultist hands you a wooden comb, carved to resemble a hawk. "Thanks for trying, I suppose. For tying up that last loose end." >a cult "I wouldn't say we were a cult. More like a friend group with religious interests in common. It was me, Batu, Odgerel, and a couple of others. I'm the only one who was able to stick around." The occultist shivers. "It was us against the emperor's finest. We never stood a chance." You smell smoke, and feel the temperature start to rise. "Our time's almost up," the occultist says. "I don't have anything to keep me here, not any more." >a emperor You don't know what you're talking about. >a triangle (the three-sided occultist) "I'd tell you my name, but I don't really remember it." The occultist shrugs. "I know I was a triangle who got a bit tired of the circles always shoving that holier-than-thou shit in our faces. Think I liked the idea that there was something greater than a circle, something that made the difference between a triangle and a square look like nothing." >a dimensions "Imagine a line that can only see in one dimension," the occultist begins. "It wouldn't know we - us two dimensioners - exist, and it certainly wouldn't be able to understand us. That's why I'm so sure the third dimension exists. And why we wanted this ritual to go well. Oh man, what I wouldn't give to see the third dimension..." >a comb "Last valuable thing I own," says the occultist. "Not that I've got much of a use for it. And I mean, it's just going to get burnt up if I keep it on me." >a ritual The occultist looks blank. "Never heard of it," they say. Must be a London thing. The building crashes and collapses as bits of wood turn into charcoal before your eyes. "Goodbye," says the occultist quietly. "And thank you." Burnt Rubble A clearing full of old, burnt rubble. Any structure that might have been here has been long since destroyed, but perhaps a few relics remain. East is the entrance to the Forgotten Quarter. The memory of smoke stings your eye. >e Forgotten Gates You stand at the edge of an ancient city - The Forgotten Quarter. Or what's left of it, anyway. What wasn't destroyed by London was stripped away by looters, making the whole place feel rather empty. To the north, the empty ruins connect to an empty street. Far to the west is a nondescript pile of rubble. South is an archeological dig site. >x comb A wooden comb, carved and painted to look like a hawk. The fact that it's a genuine fourth city relic, albeit one in suspiciously good condition, makes it rather valuable. >n Desolate Lane Most people prefer the wide, well-maintained main street to this dull, empty road. Most of the storefronts are vacant, windows boarded up, with the exception of one cozy-looking storefront. The lane connects with some broad streets in the northeast. South is the entrance to the city's archeological district. An antique shop is embedded in a wall of shops to the east. >ne Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >e Your Lodgings You are in your small apartment. It's a cool London morning, and your windows are ever so slightly fogged up. A door is set into the west wall of your home. In one corner of the room is an old wooden trophy case. >put comb in case The accipitrine comb fits perfectly. >x case An old trophy case, with thirteen slots of specific sizes and shapes. Eleven of the case's slots have been filled. In the trophy case are an accipitrine comb, an ivory key, a bezoar, a horse statue, a jeweled sword, an apocyan catspaw, a lump of friendly amber, a heartmetal disc, a solacefruit, a brass ring and a solid gold brick. >i You are carrying: some brilliant sap a copy of A Dream I Had Last Saturday a copy of The Encyclopedia of Shapes a set of ritual instructions a copy of On The Politics of London a copy of Cults And Rituals: A History a copy of On Gravity a copy of Understanding The Language Of Stars a chess handbook a copy of The Indecent Squid-Creature Servant a maze map the theoretical location of a hideout a looking glass a bottle of decoy wine an experimental device a library card an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) a pint of fry oil a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >drop chess Dropped. >drop dream Dropped. >drop shapes Dropped. >l Your Lodgings You are in your small apartment. It's a cool London morning, and your windows are ever so slightly fogged up. A door is set into the west wall of your home. In one corner of the room is an old wooden trophy case. You can also see a copy of The Encyclopedia of Shapes, a copy of A Dream I Had Last Saturday and a chess handbook here. >i You are carrying: some brilliant sap a set of ritual instructions a copy of On The Politics of London a copy of Cults And Rituals: A History a copy of On Gravity a copy of Understanding The Language Of Stars a copy of The Indecent Squid-Creature Servant a maze map the theoretical location of a hideout a looking glass a bottle of decoy wine an experimental device a library card an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) a pint of fry oil a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >drop politics Dropped. >read cults The book is rather dry, but perhaps you'll get something out of it. According to this book, a small cult in the fourth city once chose to break off from the doctrines laid out for them by the circle, instead worshipping "third-dimensional beings", in clear defiance of scientific fact. When gathering, these cults would often perform elaborate rituals in attempts to summon these entities, though none have of these have been proven to work. In the year 1796, such a cult attempted an elaborate ritual, but they were massacred by fourth city authorities, and their ritual site reduced to ash. >drop it Dropped. >drop indecent Dropped. >i You are carrying: some brilliant sap a set of ritual instructions a copy of On Gravity a copy of Understanding The Language Of Stars a maze map the theoretical location of a hideout a looking glass a bottle of decoy wine an experimental device a library card an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) a pint of fry oil a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >read gravity "By a Law of Nature with us, there is a constant attraction to the South; and, although in temperate climates this is very slight-yet the hampering effect of the southward attraction is quite sufficient to serve as a compass in most parts of our earth. Moreover, the rain (which falls at stated intervals) coming always from the North, is an additional assistance; and in the towns we have the guidance of the houses, which of course have their side-walls running for the most part North and South, so that the roofs may keep off the rain from the North." - Edwin A. Abbott. Most of this has remained true even after London's change, though the rain comes from somewhere else now. >drop it Dropped. >drop stars Dropped. >s You can't go that way. >w Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >s Bazaar Side-Streets The industrial bustle of London peaks here, not at the center of town but in the Bazaar that effectively owns the city. Something alien is here, thrumming at the edge of your consciousness and living inside the ground. A more ordinary street is to the north, and an alleyway is to the west. East is the door to a land agency. >e Penstock's Wicket The land agency of Penstock, a heptagon realtor with better things to do than man his own shop. The air in here is still and dusty. A door to the west leads back out to the bazaar, and an elevator shaft is to the east. >e Elevator Shaft You are at the top of an elevator shaft. It continues to the south, and the land agency is back to the west. >s Elevator Shaft You are in an elevator shaft. A great chain is here, spanning north to south. A discrete casket is here, nestled into a shelf carved into the rock. >s Elevator Shaft You are in an elevator shaft. A great chain is here, spanning north to south. >s Sundered Sea The room is a vast, yawning cavern, a secret warehouse south of the ground. Fiery glyphs set into the walls illuminate deep pools and pits of ivory foam around you, and the scent of ammonia is thick in the air. North is an elevator shaft leading out, and east is an altar. A metal cage-elevator is here, attached to a chain. >e At The Altar Here in a broad cavern, across a sea of foamy pits, is a stone altar. West is a cage-elevator, situated on a flat stone clearing. A stairwell south leads even further into the bowels of the earth. >s Stairwell A passageway running north-south through the rock. The scent of ammonia wafts in from the north, and to the south, the tunnel gets darker. >s The eye on the handle of your looking glass opens. Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >x eye A green-tinted mirror with a real eye embedded in its handle. The eye is looking south. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >x eye A green-tinted mirror with a real eye embedded in its handle. The eye is looking south. >s Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >x eye A green-tinted mirror with a real eye embedded in its handle. The eye is looking east. >e Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >x eye A green-tinted mirror with a real eye embedded in its handle. The eye is looking northeast. >ne Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >x eye A green-tinted mirror with a real eye embedded in its handle. The eye is looking west. >w Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >x eye A green-tinted mirror with a real eye embedded in its handle. The eye is looking southeast. >se Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >x eye A green-tinted mirror with a real eye embedded in its handle. The eye is looking west. >w Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >x eye A green-tinted mirror with a real eye embedded in its handle. The eye is looking east. >e Tunnel's End The maze of tunnels in the west ends here, at a fancy door to the east. You can sense a presence behind the door, thrumming with power. You're close. >save Ok. >e (first opening the fancy door) Euclid's Den A small room with rough cave walls, but an inhabited one. Cave paintings near the wall serve as decorations, and empty wine bottles are scattered all over the room. West is the exit. An old wooden desk is here, next to a chair. >x paintings The paintings are crude, but it's clear someone spent a lot of time on them. What they're of is anyone's guess - lines intersect each other at seemingly random intervals, shapes overlap one another and fold inwards. >x desk A plain wooden writing desk that contains a set of drawers. >open drawers You open the drawers, revealing a handwritten book. >take book (the handwritten book) As if on cue, a line- no, a square- appears out of nowhere behind you. >read it The book contains many detailed mathematical illustrations. Every page is filled to the brim with small, neat handwriting. Half of it is written in ancient greek, and the rest is in mongolian. Shame. It probably would have been fascinating. You find a small bookmark, tucked away between the pages. >x bookmark A thin bookmark with detailed geometrical patterns. The solid gold inlay makes it quite valuable. >x square He is an infinitely thin straight line - no, some kind of rectangle. Or is he a square? He keeps changing. Whatever he is, he is dressed in a simple robe, and has the look of someone from another time. As a square, he smiles sadly at you. >talk to square "It hurts, being like this." The entity blinks at you, as though he's just realizing you're here. "But I'm being rude. You're here for the book, right?" >a book (the handwritten book) "This was supposed to be my life's work," he says softly. "I wanted to prove that the third dimension was real so very badly. Back when I was Euclid the geometer, instead of being... like this." As he says this, he vanishes, only to reappear moments later. "I'm sorry, Detective. It's so hard to keep myself flat. My body just wants to drift up into space, I suppose. Add that to my list of regrets." >a square (Euclid) "I was just a geometer, once. I'd like to be that again - just a geometer. But instead, I get to be the square that moves in three dimensions. More importantly, I get constant headaches, because my flat brain can't handle the sheer... weight of it all. >a regrets "This book was supposed to be a log of my travels. The places I saw, the things I learned. I wanted to enlighten people, wake them up to the glories of the third dimension. And even now, I still do. But I don't know if it was worth it, and I certainly don't want anyone trying to follow in my footsteps." >a travels "I spent hundreds of years travelling the third dimension," Euclid says. "Even if I couldn't really get it, I figured I'd have a look. Thought I might find another civilization, resources, something. I found two things - You people, in that cavern the bats like to send people to, and nothing. Absolutely nothing. We're all alone in the universe." He shivers. "It was all for nothing." >a third dimension "Yes, the third dimension is real. Not that anyone wants to listen. They're all so scared that there could be something out there they don't understand, so they try to suppress it. The bats are in on it too, trying to keep people in the dark." He perks up. "But my book can change all that! Spread the truths of the third dimension to the common man." Euclid clears his throat. "I want my book to go public, so people will know the truth, but at the same time, I'm not sure if we even should be meddling with the third dimension. Maybe it's better to keep people in the dark." He gives you a serious look. "I want to let you have my book, Detective. Give it to a library, sell it - hell, you could even burn the damn thing, it's in your hands now. I know you'll do the right thing with it, in the end." >a footsteps "I don't know how it happened, exactly. The bats showed me a letter, or maybe it was a word, but something was wrong with it - it was too strong, or it wasn't made right or something. It made me pass out, and when I woke up, I could see so much more." Euclid sighs. "I can't stop seeing it, though. Even when I try, the third dimension is always right there, giving me one hell of a headache. I'd get rid of it, if I could." >a bats "I heard they bought cities. Pages and the rest. I asked them for help with my research, and we made a deal. Of course, they only found out I wasn't the owner of Athens after." He shivers. "I still don't know if what they did was my payment, or my punishment for lying to them, but I can't say they didn't give me what I asked for." >a pages "I remember him." Euclid glares. "Listen, Detective, I don't care what he offers you - you can't let him have my book. He helped take down London, and he's not even fully three dimensional. If he had a guide to the third dimension, who knows what else he'd be able to do." >a london (London) "I like this city. The mongolian city - the one before you guys - was alright, don't get me wrong, but they really had it out for me. Don't think they agreed with just how... irregular I am. Still, what happened to them was-" Euclid shudders. "I'll miss your city, when it's your turn to be replaced." >a altar The entity just stares at you. One of his lines fades in and out of reality. >i You are carrying: a bookmark a handwritten book some brilliant sap a set of ritual instructions a maze map the theoretical location of a hideout a looking glass a bottle of decoy wine an experimental device a library card an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) a pint of fry oil a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >x bookmark A thin bookmark with detailed geometrical patterns. The solid gold inlay makes it quite valuable. >a ritual The entity just stares at you. One of his lines fades in and out of reality. >a lines The entity just stares at you. One of his lines fades in and out of reality. >a square (Euclid) "I was just a geometer, once. I'd like to be that again - just a geometer. But instead, I get to be the square that moves in three dimensions. More importantly, I get constant headaches, because my flat brain can't handle the sheer... weight of it all. >a circle You don't know what you're talking about. >a note The entity just stares at you. One of his lines fades in and out of reality. >a pail The entity just stares at you. One of his lines fades in and out of reality. >a bookmark The entity just stares at you. One of his lines fades in and out of reality. >talk to euclid "Give it to a library, burn it, do whatever you think is right," Euclid says. "Just don't sell it. That's all I ask." >l Euclid's Den A small room with rough cave walls, but an inhabited one. Cave paintings near the wall serve as decorations, and empty wine bottles are scattered all over the room. West is the exit. An entity stands in the room, giving you a headache. An old wooden desk is here, next to a chair. >x chair An old chair with a curved back. It is made of wood, but surprisingly light. >take it Taken. >i You are carrying: a chair a bookmark a handwritten book some brilliant sap a set of ritual instructions a maze map the theoretical location of a hideout a looking glass a bottle of decoy wine an experimental device a library card an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) a pint of fry oil a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >l Euclid's Den A small room with rough cave walls, but an inhabited one. Cave paintings near the wall serve as decorations, and empty wine bottles are scattered all over the room. West is the exit. An entity stands in the room, giving you a headache. An old wooden desk is here. >x bottles Empty bottles of the cheapest alcohol you've ever seen. There must be hundreds of them. >take bottles That's hardly portable. >a bottles (the empty bottles) "Sometimes, if I drink enough, it's like I'm two dimensional again." >a chair "Technically, this chair's from Greece," Euclid explains. "Or, I guess you'd call it Ancient Greece. Only, it's not, because I keep replacing bits of it." >a desk (the desk) The entity just stares at you. One of his lines fades in and out of reality. >n You can't go that way. >w Tunnel's End The maze of tunnels in the west ends here, at a fancy door to the east. You can sense a presence behind the door, thrumming with power. You're close. >e Euclid's Den A small room with rough cave walls, but an inhabited one. Cave paintings near the wall serve as decorations, and empty wine bottles are scattered all over the room. West is the exit. An entity stands in the room, giving you a headache. An old wooden desk is here. >a paintings The entity just stares at you. One of his lines fades in and out of reality. >w Tunnel's End The maze of tunnels in the west ends here, at a fancy door to the east. You can sense a presence behind the door, thrumming with power. You're close. >w Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >n Winding Tunnels A complex system of tunnels forms a winding labyrinth, with exits in all directions. >n Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >l Tunnel Entrance You stand in the ruins of an archway, made from ancient stone. There is a complex series of tunnels to the south, and north is the way you came. >n Stairwell A passageway running north-south through the rock. The scent of ammonia wafts in from the north, and to the south, the tunnel gets darker. >n At The Altar Here in a broad cavern, across a sea of foamy pits, is a stone altar. West is a cage-elevator, situated on a flat stone clearing. A stairwell south leads even further into the bowels of the earth. >x altar A large stone altar, about your size. Some writing has been carved into it. >x writing One part lacre, one part shape. Add shape to lacre, combine in pail. Wait. Enjoy. They say people come down here with black glass knives and cut themselves. They say the snow-foam likes that. You don't have a knife, but theoretically, any 'aspect of the self' will do. >i You are carrying: a chair a bookmark a handwritten book some brilliant sap a set of ritual instructions a maze map the theoretical location of a hideout a looking glass a bottle of decoy wine an experimental device a library card an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a shelf a brass key a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) a pint of fry oil a detective's fedora the spare towel a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >x sap Silver sap, from the place that is not. It shines brightly, but isn't enough to provide any real light. Perhaps if you were to put it somewhere. >put sap in pail You pour the brilliant sap into the pail. >put towel in pail You drop the spare towel into the pail. >z Time passes. >take towel Taken. >put card in pail You drop the library card into the pail. >z Time passes. >take card Taken. >i You are carrying: a library card the spare towel a chair a bookmark a handwritten book a set of ritual instructions a maze map the theoretical location of a hideout a looking glass a bottle of decoy wine an experimental device an unspeakably hideous painting a pail some brilliant sap a shelf a brass key a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) a pint of fry oil a detective's fedora a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >x pail An old metal pail. In the pail is some brilliant sap. >take sap Your pockets are much stickier. >x pail An old metal pail. The bottom is crusted with a snowy residue. >x residue You can't see any such thing. >x snowy You can't see any such thing. >search pail The pail is empty. >push sap Nothing obvious happens. >pull sap Nothing obvious happens. >shape sap That's not a verb I recognise. >verbs That's not a verb I recognise. >commands Flattened London has a lot of its commands in common with other parser-based text adventures. Use these commands the way you would in a simple sentence in real life (examine the hat, talk to the triangle, etc). The main ones, along with their abbreviations, are: Look (L) - Repeat the description of the room you are in. Examine (x) - Get a detailed description of a specific object. Go [direction] (N/S/NE/SW) - Move in the specified direction. You can also GO IN or OUT. Inventory (i) - Check your inventory. Get - Pick something up. Drop - Drop something. Talk to - Talk to someone Ask about (a) - Ask someone about something. Open/Close - Open or close something. Wait (z) - Wait one turn. Help - Review this list at any time. Undo - Undo the previous turn. Use this one sparingly! Restart - Restart the game. Save/Restore - Save and load the game. Quit - Quit the game. About - View pertinent legal information. Credits - View the credits. Amusing - See a 'for your amusement' list of things to try. You might also want to: PUT, ENTER, EXIT, DRINK, GIVE, WEAR, POUR, ATTACH, PUSH/PULL, DIG, LIGHT, CLEAN, READ, PLAY, RING, UNLOCK, or PET a person or thing. If you're stuck, you can type 'HELP (an object)' for a hint regarding the object. To have a conversation with someone, you can try TALKing TO them. You can also ASK them ABOUT something they've mentioned or an object in the world. To ask someone to do something, preface your command with their name (e.g. Robot, follow me). >wear sap You can't wear that! >l At The Altar Here in a broad cavern, across a sea of foamy pits, is a stone altar. West is a cage-elevator, situated on a flat stone clearing. A stairwell south leads even further into the bowels of the earth. >x altar A large stone altar, about your size. Some writing has been carved into it. >ente rit That's not a verb I recognise. >enter it That's not something you can enter. >x pits A foamy white substance sits in pits and pools here. You might call it snow if you didn't know any better, but you do know better, so you call it lacre. Better not get too close. >take lacre There's no way you're going to touch that stuff. Not with your bare hands, anyway. >take lacre with pail I only understood you as far as wanting to take the lacre. >put lacre in pail You shovel some lacre into the pail. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >x writing One part lacre, one part shape. Add shape to lacre, combine in pail. Wait. Enjoy. They say people come down here with black glass knives and cut themselves. They say the snow-foam likes that. You don't have a knife, but theoretically, any 'aspect of the self' will do. >i You are carrying: some brilliant sap a library card the spare towel a chair a bookmark a handwritten book a set of ritual instructions a maze map the theoretical location of a hideout a looking glass a bottle of decoy wine an experimental device an unspeakably hideous painting a pail a pailful of lacre a shelf a brass key a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) a pint of fry oil a detective's fedora a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >cut me Cutting you up would achieve little. >put fedora in pail You drop the detective's fedora into the pail. The liquid in the pail fizzes, sparks, and dissipates, turning a dull red. >x pail An old metal pail. In the pail is a pailful of lacre. The surface of the snow-foam warps and bubbles. The pail disintegrates and a snow-triangle, much smaller than you but with the same proportions, crawls out from its remains. >take triangle I don't suppose the snow-triangle would care for that. You see your snow-triangle start to unravel. A dusting of ivory powder falls from one of its sides. >x powder You can't see any such thing. >x triangle An exquisite rendition of a shape, made from dense white foam. It makes acute equilateral triangle, if you do say so yourself. Your snow-triangle watches as one of its sides caves in. Snow-foam pools around it, viscous and thick. >x triangle An exquisite rendition of a shape, made from dense white foam. It makes acute equilateral triangle, if you do say so yourself. The snow-triangle stumbles towards you. It tries to cling to you, but its lines collapse. >take it You can't see 'it' (nothing) at the moment. >take triangle I don't suppose the snow-triangle would care for that. The snow-triangle looks at you with what's left of its eye. Something shines there, bitter and sharp. "Goodbye," it says, and melts completely. >x triangle You can't see any such thing. >l At The Altar Here in a broad cavern, across a sea of foamy pits, is a stone altar. West is a cage-elevator, situated on a flat stone clearing. A stairwell south leads even further into the bowels of the earth. A puddle is here, fizzing ever so slightly. A shard glints out from the middle of it. >x shard A glistening ivory shard. It is as cold and hard as ice, but it won't melt. You know it won't. It is valuable, whatever else it might be. >take it Taken. >n You can't go that way. >w Sundered Sea The room is a vast, yawning cavern, a secret warehouse south of the ground. Fiery glyphs set into the walls illuminate deep pools and pits of ivory foam around you, and the scent of ammonia is thick in the air. North is an elevator shaft leading out, and east is an altar. A metal cage-elevator is here, attached to a chain. >n Elevator Shaft You are in an elevator shaft. A great chain is here, spanning north to south. >n Elevator Shaft You are in an elevator shaft. A great chain is here, spanning north to south. A discrete casket is here, nestled into a shelf carved into the rock. >n Elevator Shaft You are at the top of an elevator shaft. It continues to the south, and the land agency is back to the west. >w Penstock's Wicket The land agency of Penstock, a heptagon realtor with better things to do than man his own shop. The air in here is still and dusty. A door to the west leads back out to the bazaar, and an elevator shaft is to the east. >w Bazaar Side-Streets The industrial bustle of London peaks here, not at the center of town but in the Bazaar that effectively owns the city. Something alien is here, thrumming at the edge of your consciousness and living inside the ground. A more ordinary street is to the north, and an alleyway is to the west. East is the door to a land agency. >n Broad Streets A public road. A muddy river connects with the street to the west, and Moloch Street is accessible in the north. The street is empty in the southwest and alien in the south. Your lodgings are to the east. >e Your Lodgings You are in your small apartment. It's a cool London morning, and your windows are ever so slightly fogged up. A door is set into the west wall of your home. In one corner of the room is an old wooden trophy case. You can also see a copy of Understanding The Language Of Stars, a copy of On Gravity, a copy of The Indecent Squid-Creature Servant, a copy of Cults And Rituals: A History, a copy of On The Politics of London, a copy of The Encyclopedia of Shapes, a copy of A Dream I Had Last Saturday and a chess handbook here. >i You are carrying: a snow shard some brilliant sap a library card the spare towel a chair a bookmark a handwritten book a set of ritual instructions a maze map the theoretical location of a hideout a looking glass a bottle of decoy wine an experimental device an unspeakably hideous painting a shelf a brass key a pickaxe a rusty lamp (providing light) a pint of fry oil a knapsack (open but empty) a compelling note >put bookmark in case The bookmark fits perfectly. >put shard in case As the last item is placed snugly in the case that looks like it was built to hold it, the pieces start to fall into place. This was never a trophy case, it was a mold. And you have filled it - painstakingly, lovingly - with the treasures of the world. Brass from the devils, foam from the deepest pits, even the idea of ivory, stolen from the serpent lords themselves. The shape that you have made is not fire, but it burns. >l Your Lodgings The only thing in the room is the burning symbol. Everything else is just background noise. A sigil of the correspondence - the language of the stars that do not exist - sits in your room and smolders. You can also see a copy of Understanding The Language Of Stars, a copy of On Gravity, a copy of The Indecent Squid-Creature Servant, a copy of Cults And Rituals: A History, a copy of On The Politics of London, a copy of The Encyclopedia of Shapes, a copy of A Dream I Had Last Saturday and a chess handbook here. >x sigil An Unmappable Direction. A raging inferno at the edge of your consciousness. A dot, then a line, then a square, and then you, as you were always meant to be. The sigil is a command, an exigent order followed by a shower of sparks. The sigil is two words. The sigil is: GO UP. >save Ok. >u Above It All You are not north of London but above it. Shapes go about their daily lives in little pentagonal buildings, and from here they might as well be ants. Only the Bazaar is anything other than flat, its spines and spires somehow managing to point up in ways you never noticed before now. You can see the rest of the world, the one London was stolen from so many years ago, as another flat plane far above you. When people claimed that London went down, they might have been right. And above all that? Space, an infinite cosmos of secrets, and the only way to go is up. >u You're going to leave them in the dust. Flat, puny shapes, with flat, puny dreams. Yours is the third dimension now, and the greater universe, and abilities beyond mortal comprehension. It doesn't hurt you like it does Euclid because your awakening wasn't some poorly drawn sketch, given to a lazy liar by bats living large on borrowed power. You took the long road and built your own third-dimensional path with the things you've gathered, and now you're ready to leave this world behind for the cosmic wilderness. End your journey here? (You will be able to reverse this decision, but why would you want to?) >u Please answer yes or no.> no >y That was a rhetorical question. >u You're going to leave them in the dust. Flat, puny shapes, with flat, puny dreams. Yours is the third dimension now, and the greater universe, and abilities beyond mortal comprehension. It doesn't hurt you like it does Euclid because your awakening wasn't some poorly drawn sketch, given to a lazy liar by bats living large on borrowed power. You took the long road and built your own third-dimensional path with the things you've gathered, and now you're ready to leave this world behind for the cosmic wilderness. End your journey here? (You will be able to reverse this decision, but why would you want to?) >yes Up past the gate, and up a little further. You depart for the infinite cosmos feeling giddy, but quickly decide it's not for you. There's nothing for you in this grand, empty place. What would you do? Live as a thrall to a monstrous star, burn both ends of the candle and yourself to a crisp? You return, reluctantly, to London, and to your life as a shape. Taking your new perspective with you, of course. As for the book? Well, it's yours, isn't it? Euclid gave it to you. And once you can get it translated, you'll know everything he knows about the third dimension. All the secrets and little tricks that come from two thousand years of exploration, tucked securely away in your pocket. Crime demands your attention now. You can see it all from above. Every theft, every murder. What was concealed behind closed doors is so very visible from above. Not that you could ever tell the constables that. Instead, you spin them a tale - you knew they were the murderer from the mud on their boots. Their handwriting can attest to their guilt, surely. And so on and so forth. Pretty quickly, people begin to take notice, but not nearly as much as you notice them. You see everything that happens in the city all the time, sometimes even in dreams. You are the panopticon that is forever staring into space. You watch a thousand tiny shapes commit a thousand tiny sins a day, and you cannot possibly punish all of them. There's not enough time. There's never enough time. You are the greatest detective London has ever seen. [PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE] *** The End *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? >