Start of a transcript of Good Bones An interactive fiction by XYZoe and IronSerenity Release 1 / Serial number 240801 / Inform v6.43 PunyInform v5.5.1dev DR > restart Are you sure you want to restart? y Fog shrouds the waning moon as you slip around the side of Wild Chester's Lasagna Armory. Peeling posters announcing the five foot "Cannonolis," monstrous confections of pastry shell and ricotta cheese, still cling to greasy windows. The stars disappear from the sky one by one as the clouds creep in. Fortunately, you are right where you need to be. Your crowbar proves unnecessary for prying open the back door; somebody else has beaten you to it. The stairway behind it descends one flight after another into the dim half-light of ancient halogen bulbs. You find yourself walking far deeper than you had expected when you took this job. You'd assumed, based on the location and sparse details whispered to you over the phone, that you were stealing some employee files or a secret lasagna recipe (with sauce almost certainly made with gunpowder). But the restaurant, and even its basement, are now five storeys above you, and the stairs descend further still. Finally, you reach their bottom and find a vent covering, helpfully jimmied open and laid to the side. There is nowhere else to go. You shimmy through. Good Bones An interactive fiction by XYZoe and IronSerenity Release 1 / Serial number 240801 / Inform v6.43 PunyInform v5.5.1dev DR Supply Closet The closet is square with not much left inside of it. The vent you entered through looms four feet off the ground. Its cover, long detached, leans against the west wall. In front of you is a wood-framed door leading south. > * so... the stairs don't go anywhere? just stairs down to nowhere? That is not a verb I recognize. > x vent It's too late to back out now. > x me You feel like you haven't slept in weeks. Everything that's happened in the days since hearing from, well, whoever it was that you heard from, you've been in a daze. The worst of it was discovering that whoever it was, they were serious--the little "reminders" left for you wherever you went, as if they had mapped out your routine (and, at this point, you're absolutely certain that they have). > i You're carrying a flashlight. > l flashlight A simple Maglite that runs on two D batteries, currently switched off. > open flashlight You open the flashlight, revealing a pair of fresh batteries. > * oh no. do we have a timed light? and...hmm. How can we see in this closet wi That is not a verb I recognize. > get batteries Taken. > i You're carrying a pair of fresh batteries and a flashlight. > put batteries in flashlight You put the fresh batteries into the flashlight. > close flashlight You close the flashlight. > l Supply Closet The closet is square with not much left inside of it. The vent you entered through looms four feet off the ground. Its cover, long detached, leans against the west wall. In front of you is a wood-framed door leading south. > x cover It's unimaginable, but this thick iron grate appears to have been peeled away. It's clear that some of the rust isn't simply oxidation but organic in nature. > * huh? That is not a verb I recognize. > * yeah, I can't make sense of that sentence That is not a verb I recognize. > get cover It's far too heavy and besides, why would you even need it? > put cover on vent No need to concern yourself with that. > open door You apply pressure to the warped and moldy door. It's softer than it looks and instead of opening outward on its hinges, you stumble through as if it were made of soaking wet cardboard. Computer Room A desk rests against the back corner. An old PC sits upon its surface. Open-topped banker boxes of old papers crowd around the desk. There are exits to the north and east. You can see a Guide to Adventure Games here. > * ok, enough messing around, let's play this thing That is not a verb I recognize. > listen You hear nothing unexpected. > x desk It is covered in dust save for where a greasy film streaks through it. The handle on its ancient drawer is corroded, possibly by moisture that's made its way into the facility from the Resto Barmory it sits beneath. > x film You can't see any such thing. > * "a greasy film streaks through it"? That is not a verb I recognize. > x barmory Sorry, I don't understand what "barmory" means. > x Restor Barmory Sorry, I don't understand what "restor" means. > x Resto Barmory Sorry, I don't understand what "resto" means. > x drawer You recognize this model of desk and its 'iconic' (if that's the word) drawer from your time working at that Scandinavian furniture store in your youth. Billig. It was mostly particleboard but for some reason the drawer itself was tougher than Fort Knox. This one seems to be more oxide than metal at this point. > open drawer You pull and pull but the bloody thing won't budge. > l pc Undoubtably state-of-the-art two decades ago, the dust that has settled on it now forms a sticky-looking film. > l boxes They contain old papers which have stuck together into one giant blob of wood pulp. > l Computer Room A desk rests against the back corner. An old PC sits upon its surface. Open-topped banker boxes of old papers crowd around the desk. There are exits to the north and east. You can see a Guide to Adventure Games here. > search papers No need to concern yourself with that. > x guide A weathered book with dog-earred pages. It claims to contain important information regarding playing adventure games. It can be consulted via: "read in guidebook" For example: "read contents in guidebook" > read contents in guidebook You discover nothing of interest in the nothing. > read contents in guidebook You discover nothing of interest in the nothing. > * XXX - oops That is not a verb I recognize. > consult guidebook about contents That is not a verb I recognize. > x guidebook A weathered book with dog-earred pages. It claims to contain important information regarding playing adventure games. It can be consulted via: "read in guidebook" For example: "read contents in guidebook" > read contents You can't see any such thing. > read guidebook A weathered book with dog-earred pages. It claims to contain important information regarding playing adventure games. It can be consulted via: "read in guidebook" For example: "read contents in guidebook" > l Computer Room A desk rests against the back corner. An old PC sits upon its surface. Open-topped banker boxes of old papers crowd around the desk. There are exits to the north and east. You can see a Guide to Adventure Games here. > n Supply Closet > * oh, right. oops That is not a verb I recognize. > s Computer Room You can see a Guide to Adventure Games here. > e Lobby This small lobby resembles a military checkpoint more so than a waiting room. The reception desk is surrounded by heavy plexiglass. The seating for the scant visitor is merely a steel bench riveted to the wall. Sparse appointments for sparse appointments. Doors stand open to the east and west. A solid steel bulkhead blocks the way north. Stairs creep downwards for a long way to the south. You can see a "Memo: Renovations" here. > verbose This game is now in its "verbose" mode, which always gives long descriptions of locations (even if you've been there before). > * wait. Do I know what I'm looking for? What I'm doing here? I know what I'm * That is not a verb I recognize. > x bulkhead A very heavy door with a dozen locks and latches, many of which have rusted shut. > x bench Very uncomfortable looking. > sit on bench The bench looks so very uncomfortable that you think better of it. > look under bench Sorry, I don't understand what "under" means. > * yay, I hate when games make you "look under" That is not a verb I recognize. > x desk Three heavy slabs of wood pieced together. > x memo > l Lobby This small lobby resembles a military checkpoint more so than a waiting room. The reception desk is surrounded by heavy plexiglass. The seating for the scant visitor is merely a steel bench riveted to the wall. Sparse appointments for sparse appointments. Doors stand open to the east and west. A solid steel bulkhead blocks the way north. Stairs creep downwards for a long way to the south. You can see a "Memo: Renovations" here. > e Upper Landing Two large windows on the north wall stare out over the beauty of nature. An old chest rests beneath one of them. A spiral staircase in the room's center winds clockwise to a lower level. Three doorways lead elsewhere: south, east, and west. The stairway, of course, leads downward. > x window You can't see any such thing. > l n A look in that direction reveals nothing new. > l windows These arched windows look out over a beautiful ocean sunset in one direction and snowcapped mountains in another. Upon closer inspection, they're just very good paintings inset into the wall. > * I was going to say...we're way underground That is not a verb I recognize. > x chest A box made of dark, stained wood. A wide, thin hole has been cut in its top, about the size and shape of a short stack of papers. Its base appears to be a small turntable of sorts. Flaking gold paint twines across the lid, swirling into fleurs-de-lis. Where they converge in the center, a large felur-de-lis points north. A hideously-constrasting aluminum latch of hardware-store quality has been screwed onto its front. The off-center keyhole looks small, cheap, and just sturdy enough to keep the lid closed. > x fleur-de-lis Sorry, I don't understand what "fleur-de-lis" means. > x paint Sorry, I don't understand what "paint" means. > x latch You can't see any such thing. > open chest It's locked. > turn chest You turn the chest to face east. > turn chest You turn the chest to face south. > g You turn the chest to face west. > turn chest south You can't see any such thing. > turn chest You turn the chest to face north. > l chest A box made of dark, stained wood. A wide, thin hole has been cut in its top, about the size and shape of a short stack of papers. Its base appears to be a small turntable of sorts. Flaking gold paint twines across the lid, swirling into fleurs-de-lis. Where they converge in the center, a large felur-de-lis points north. A hideously-constrasting aluminum latch of hardware-store quality has been screwed onto its front. The off-center keyhole looks small, cheap, and just sturdy enough to keep the lid closed. > l keyhole You can't see any such thing. > l Upper Landing Two large windows on the north wall stare out over the beauty of nature. An old chest rests beneath one of them. A spiral staircase in the room's center winds clockwise to a lower level. Three doorways lead elsewhere: south, east, and west. The stairway, of course, leads downward. > e Swanky Office Soft, cerulean carpet flows from the raised, eastern portion of the room to the lower western half. An opulent mahogany desk sits square in the middle of the raised platform, leering down at you. The doorway to the west is angled for a perfect view of the Upper Landing's windows from the desk. > x desk It is beautifully constructed of dark, laquered wood. It rests atop a raised platform, looming haughtily above the rest of the room. It has a single thin drawer with a a gilded keyhole. > open drawer It's locked. > l carpet It runs like twin rivers from the higher platform holding the desk, down two parallel pairs of steps, to the lower area near the entrance. > u You can't go that way. > l west A look in that direction reveals nothing new. > l doorway Sorry, I don't understand what "doorway" means. > w Upper Landing Two large windows on the north wall stare out over the beauty of nature. An old chest rests beneath one of them. A spiral staircase in the room's center winds clockwise to a lower level. Three doorways lead elsewhere: south, east, and west. The stairway, of course, leads downward. > s Projection Room An antiquated film projector stares down over the theater below. A secondary digital projector is mounted on the ceiling, its cable trailing to a small black box in the corner. A doorway to the north leads back towards the upper landing. > x film projector An old-fashioned reel-to-reel film projector. The empty spools await a film reel. > x digital projector The digital projector is mounted to the ceiling above the film projector. A cable runs along the ceiling and down the wall into a small, black box in the corner with a port for ZetaMax-II visual art diskettes. > x black box The digital projector is mounted to the ceiling above the film projector. A cable runs along the ceiling and down the wall into a small, black box in the corner with a port for ZetaMax-II visual art diskettes. > l Projection Room An antiquated film projector stares down over the theater below. A secondary digital projector is mounted on the ceiling, its cable trailing to a small black box in the corner. A doorway to the north leads back towards the upper landing. > l theater Sorry, I don't understand what "theater" means. > x theater Sorry, I don't understand what "theater" means. > * huh That is not a verb I recognize. > n Upper Landing Two large windows on the north wall stare out over the beauty of nature. An old chest rests beneath one of them. A spiral staircase in the room's center winds clockwise to a lower level. Three doorways lead elsewhere: south, east, and west. The stairway, of course, leads downward. > x chest A box made of dark, stained wood. A wide, thin hole has been cut in its top, about the size and shape of a short stack of papers. Its base appears to be a small turntable of sorts. Flaking gold paint twines across the lid, swirling into fleurs-de-lis. Where they converge in the center, a large felur-de-lis points north. A hideously-constrasting aluminum latch of hardware-store quality has been screwed onto its front. The off-center keyhole looks small, cheap, and just sturdy enough to keep the lid closed. > w Lobby This small lobby resembles a military checkpoint more so than a waiting room. The reception desk is surrounded by heavy plexiglass. The seating for the scant visitor is merely a steel bench riveted to the wall. Sparse appointments for sparse appointments. Doors stand open to the east and west. A solid steel bulkhead blocks the way north. Stairs creep downwards for a long way to the south. You can see a "Memo: Renovations" here. > e Upper Landing Two large windows on the north wall stare out over the beauty of nature. An old chest rests beneath one of them. A spiral staircase in the room's center winds clockwise to a lower level. Three doorways lead elsewhere: south, east, and west. The stairway, of course, leads downward. > e Swanky Office Soft, cerulean carpet flows from the raised, eastern portion of the room to the lower western half. An opulent mahogany desk sits square in the middle of the raised platform, leering down at you. The doorway to the west is angled for a perfect view of the Upper Landing's windows from the desk. > w Upper Landing Two large windows on the north wall stare out over the beauty of nature. An old chest rests beneath one of them. A spiral staircase in the room's center winds clockwise to a lower level. Three doorways lead elsewhere: south, east, and west. The stairway, of course, leads downward. > * ok, down then? Does it matter which room we go down from? That is not a verb I recognize. > d Stairwell In the dead center, a circular staircase winds its way upward through the ceiling. In the equally unlively corners, pastel flowers thrive despite the water features behind them looking bone dry. The rooms widens gracefully into a hallway to the west. A doorway beckons to the south. The stairs, of course, lead upward. > u Upper Landing Two large windows on the north wall stare out over the beauty of nature. An old chest rests beneath one of them. A spiral staircase in the room's center winds clockwise to a lower level. Three doorways lead elsewhere: south, east, and west. The stairway, of course, leads downward. > w Lobby This small lobby resembles a military checkpoint more so than a waiting room. The reception desk is surrounded by heavy plexiglass. The seating for the scant visitor is merely a steel bench riveted to the wall. Sparse appointments for sparse appointments. Doors stand open to the east and west. A solid steel bulkhead blocks the way north. Stairs creep downwards for a long way to the south. You can see a "Memo: Renovations" here. > d Lab Access Stairwell At the bottom of the steely stairway, pale white lights shine behind frosted panels. The stairway climbs northward towards the lobby. To your immediate south is a solid steel door. > l door A beautiful slab of stainless steel. Very good at keeping out unwanted visitors. > open door It refuses to budge. As if to explain why, a card reader blinks angrily to the right of the frame. > * ha! Nice description That is not a verb I recognize. > l Lab Access Stairwell At the bottom of the steely stairway, pale white lights shine behind frosted panels. The stairway climbs northward towards the lobby. To your immediate south is a solid steel door. > x door A beautiful slab of stainless steel. Very good at keeping out unwanted visitors. > x description Sorry, I don't understand what "description" means. > x card reader A simple panel with a single red blinking light in the middle > * questionable not describing it before, but... hmm, probably ok here That is not a verb I recognize. > u Lobby This small lobby resembles a military checkpoint more so than a waiting room. The reception desk is surrounded by heavy plexiglass. The seating for the scant visitor is merely a steel bench riveted to the wall. Sparse appointments for sparse appointments. Doors stand open to the east and west. A solid steel bulkhead blocks the way north. Stairs creep downwards for a long way to the south. You can see a "Memo: Renovations" here. > d Lab Access Stairwell At the bottom of the steely stairway, pale white lights shine behind frosted panels. The stairway climbs northward towards the lobby. To your immediate south is a solid steel door. > d You can't go that way. > e You can't go that way. > u Lobby This small lobby resembles a military checkpoint more so than a waiting room. The reception desk is surrounded by heavy plexiglass. The seating for the scant visitor is merely a steel bench riveted to the wall. Sparse appointments for sparse appointments. Doors stand open to the east and west. A solid steel bulkhead blocks the way north. Stairs creep downwards for a long way to the south. You can see a "Memo: Renovations" here. > e Upper Landing Two large windows on the north wall stare out over the beauty of nature. An old chest rests beneath one of them. A spiral staircase in the room's center winds clockwise to a lower level. Three doorways lead elsewhere: south, east, and west. The stairway, of course, leads downward. > d Stairwell In the dead center, a circular staircase winds its way upward through the ceiling. In the equally unlively corners, pastel flowers thrive despite the water features behind them looking bone dry. The rooms widens gracefully into a hallway to the west. A doorway beckons to the south. The stairs, of course, lead upward. > x flowers Pretty, pastel, and probably acryllic. > x water features Granite spouts that once poured into small pools of smooth stone. > x pools Sorry, I don't understand what "pools" means. > w Collapsed Hallway What was once a lovely hallway capable of efficently moving foottraffic from east-to-west and back again has been blocked off by a collapsed pile of rubble. There is just enough room to still make passage between the eastern stairwell and the norther room possible. > x rubble Pulverized concrete with heavy bits of rebar threatening to puncture the carefree adventurer. > * haha, nice That is not a verb I recognize. > n Pastel Room The decor wthin this bedroom attempts to defy the coldness of the surrounding facility. Every surface is covered with garrish posters and pictures. A dozen animal plushies are scattered over the bed. The powder-pink carpet in this room squishes as you move about it. A single door to the south leads back to the world of steel and rust. > x carpet You'd rather not examine the carpet too closely, but you note that when you press on it, a greenish-yellow liquid comes to the surface and when you release, it recedes, leaving not a trace of a stain on the cotton candy surface. > x plushies Lions and lions and sharks, oh my! > x shark Sorry, I don't understand what "shark" means. > x sharks Sorry, I don't understand what "sharks" means. > x lions Sorry, I don't understand what "lions" means. > x posters A couple dozen posters from various animated shows like Joseph Galaxy, Vasra and the Marquises of Might, Pony Pals, and Buoyancy Heights. > x pictures A couple dozen posters from various animated shows like Joseph Galaxy, Vasra and the Marquises of Might, Pony Pals, and Buoyancy Heights. > x bed A well-made bed with pretty pink sheets. > sleep on bed That is not a verb I recognize. > sleep That is not a verb I recognize. > sit on bed It's like nestling into a cotton candy cloud... But, having a task to perfom, you hop back out. > * there we go, very nice That is not a verb I recognize. > l Pastel Room The decor wthin this bedroom attempts to defy the coldness of the surrounding facility. Every surface is covered with garrish posters and pictures. A dozen animal plushies are scattered over the bed. The powder-pink carpet in this room squishes as you move about it. A single door to the south leads back to the world of steel and rust. > s Collapsed Hallway What was once a lovely hallway capable of efficently moving foottraffic from east-to-west and back again has been blocked off by a collapsed pile of rubble. There is just enough room to still make passage between the eastern stairwell and the norther room possible. > e Stairwell In the dead center, a circular staircase winds its way upward through the ceiling. In the equally unlively corners, pastel flowers thrive despite the water features behind them looking bone dry. The rooms widens gracefully into a hallway to the west. A doorway beckons to the south. The stairs, of course, lead upward. > s Game Room A few well-stocked bookshelves line the eastern wall. A table-tennis table is wedged into the corner to make room for a folding table with a game still set up on it. Doorways lead south, west, and north. You can see a Last Player marker here. > n Stairwell In the dead center, a circular staircase winds its way upward through the ceiling. In the equally unlively corners, pastel flowers thrive despite the water features behind them looking bone dry. The rooms widens gracefully into a hallway to the west. A doorway beckons to the south. The stairs, of course, lead upward. > pick flower Sorry, I don't understand what "flower" means. > x flowers Pretty, pastel, and probably acryllic. > pick flowers I think you wanted to say "pick object up". Please try again. > get flowers No need to concern yourself with that. > s Game Room A few well-stocked bookshelves line the eastern wall. A table-tennis table is wedged into the corner to make room for a folding table with a game still set up on it. Doorways lead south, west, and north. You can see a Last Player marker here. > x table-tennis The netting is ripped in half. > x netting Sorry, I don't understand what "netting" means. > x bookshelves 'bookshelves' may be a misnomer given that these are only stocked with board games. Sadly, they are all mushed cardboard now. > x folding tale Sorry, I don't understand what "folding" means. > x folding table Sorry, I don't understand what "folding" means. > x table The netting is ripped in half. > x game The much-reviled board game, The Kettles of Satan, is set up in the center of the table. One player clearly amassed a fortune of Hellsheep which they used to secure the resources for Longest Road. > * cute That is not a verb I recognize. > get hellsheep No need to concern yourself with that. > get satan Sorry, I don't understand what "satan" means. > get game No need to concern yourself with that. > l Game Room A few well-stocked bookshelves line the eastern wall. A table-tennis table is wedged into the corner to make room for a folding table with a game still set up on it. Doorways lead south, west, and north. You can see a Last Player marker here. > x marker A small, coin-sized marker used to signify the last player in a game of Kettles of Satan. Its surface shimmers irredescently. > get last player Taken. > x marker A small, coin-sized marker used to signify the last player in a game of Kettles of Satan. Its surface shimmers irredescently. > l Game Room A few well-stocked bookshelves line the eastern wall. A table-tennis table is wedged into the corner to make room for a folding table with a game still set up on it. Doorways lead south, west, and north. > n Stairwell In the dead center, a circular staircase winds its way upward through the ceiling. In the equally unlively corners, pastel flowers thrive despite the water features behind them looking bone dry. The rooms widens gracefully into a hallway to the west. A doorway beckons to the south. The stairs, of course, lead upward. > s Game Room A few well-stocked bookshelves line the eastern wall. A table-tennis table is wedged into the corner to make room for a folding table with a game still set up on it. Doorways lead south, west, and north. > w Theater Three rows of chairs point towards an enormous canvas screen stretched across the western wall. A small window looms about twenty feet up the eastern wall. Double doors lead back east to the Game Room. You can see a floor hatch and a movie seats here. > x screen The silver screen where movie magic happens. > x window Almost certainly the window of a projection booth. > x chairs Three rows of theater seats point towards the screen. Beneath the frontmost row a small metal hatch peeks out from beneath the red carpet. > x hatch A metalic hatch with "Emergency Use Only" printed on its top. It is locked up tight. > * metallic - needs two Ls That is not a verb I recognize. > open hatch It's locked. > l Theater Three rows of chairs point towards an enormous canvas screen stretched across the western wall. A small window looms about twenty feet up the eastern wall. Double doors lead back east to the Game Room. You can see a floor hatch and a movie seats here. > e Game Room A few well-stocked bookshelves line the eastern wall. A table-tennis table is wedged into the corner to make room for a folding table with a game still set up on it. Doorways lead south, west, and north. > s Garden Slate tiles, crawling with moss, ring around a marble plinth in the center of the room. The frescoed ceiling attempts to convince you of the presence of the sky just before sunset. A single, bright, round light rains plastic sunshine down upon the subterranean garden. Flowers bloom along the walkway as it turns from the west to the north.A fountain, marble-white, stands atop the central plinth; burbling softly. Doorways, at either end of the walkway, lead north and west. You can see a plastic flowers and a fountain here. > x flowers The beauty of plastic is that it never needs watering. > get flowers You pluck them from along the path, leaving the room looking a little less colorful. > * oh! We can get these ones? I almost didn't try that That is not a verb I recognize. > drop flowers Dropped. > l Garden Slate tiles, crawling with moss, ring around a marble plinth in the center of the room. The frescoed ceiling attempts to convince you of the presence of the sky just before sunset. A single, bright, round light rains plastic sunshine down upon the subterranean garden. Flowers bloom along the walkway as it turns from the west to the north.A fountain, marble-white, stands atop the central plinth; burbling softly. Doorways, at either end of the walkway, lead north and west. You can see a plastic flowers and a fountain here. > get flowers You pluck them from along the path, leaving the room looking a little less colorful. > x fountain A marble bowl adorned with a warbling stone bird spitting water. Something glimmers beneath the water. > x glimmer Sorry, I don't understand what "glimmer" means. > search fountain You grab at the shimmer in the fountain. As soon as you try to pull it out of the water it slips from your fingers. > search fountain You grab at the shimmer in the fountain. As soon as you try to pull it out of the water it slips from your fingers. > look in fountain You grab at the shimmer in the fountain. As soon as you try to pull it out of the water it slips from your fingers. > x bird Its wings are carved from white rock. Its beak spills water into the basin below. > x shimmer You can't see any such thing. > l Garden Slate tiles, crawling with moss, ring around a marble plinth in the center of the room. The frescoed ceiling attempts to convince you of the presence of the sky just before sunset. A single, bright, round light rains plastic sunshine down upon the subterranean garden. Flowers bloom along the walkway as it turns from the west to the north.A fountain, marble-white, stands atop the central plinth; burbling softly. Doorways, at either end of the walkway, lead north and west. You can see a fountain here. > x plinth You can't see any such thing. > push bird No need to concern yourself with that. > x ceiling A false sky of desaturated blue with a few faux clouds thrown in for good measure. > x tiles You can't see any such thing. > w Flickering Hallway An iron vent in the north wall whispers warm air to these abandoned halls. A flickering light makes shadows dance across the green carpet as it meanders east toward a tiled room. A doorway to the south is jammed closed, awaiting more development time. The hallway itself flows further east and west. > e Garden Slate tiles, crawling with moss, ring around a marble plinth in the center of the room. The frescoed ceiling attempts to convince you of the presence of the sky just before sunset. A single, bright, round light rains plastic sunshine down upon the subterranean garden. Flowers bloom along the walkway as it turns from the west to the north.A fountain, marble-white, stands atop the central plinth; burbling softly. Doorways, at either end of the walkway, lead north and west. You can see a fountain here. > * ha. Awaiting more development time That is not a verb I recognize. > * oops, wrong way That is not a verb I recognize. > w Flickering Hallway An iron vent in the north wall whispers warm air to these abandoned halls. A flickering light makes shadows dance across the green carpet as it meanders east toward a tiled room. A doorway to the south is jammed closed, awaiting more development time. The hallway itself flows further east and west. > * oh, I see, the light made me think there was something interesting east That is not a verb I recognize. > w Silent Hallway The rough, green carpet of this hallway runs from the lounge in the west to a further set of doors to the east. But here, in this spot, the gentle hum of fluorescents above is muffled into nothing. Slightly peeling wallpaper along the north and south walls mimics wood paneling. Two doors flank you silently to the north and south. > x carpet A faded diamond pattern weaves its way across the floor. Your eyes have a hard time following it, short circuiting your depth perception. Your shoes scrub harshly against it as you walk. > * this game *really* likes carpets That is not a verb I recognize. > x wallpaper Beatifully carved wooden arches are poorly imitated all along the hallway. The peeling corners reveal the thick steel that the walls are actually made of. > peel wallpaper That is not a verb I recognize. > take wallpaper No need to concern yourself with that. > * but I *want* to fiddle with it! No, it's fine That is not a verb I recognize. > l Silent Hallway The rough, green carpet of this hallway runs from the lounge in the west to a further set of doors to the east. But here, in this spot, the gentle hum of fluorescents above is muffled into nothing. Slightly peeling wallpaper along the north and south walls mimics wood paneling. Two doors flank you silently to the north and south. > w Lounge Two small, crimson couches surround a coffee table speckled with half-dissolved playing cards. The air smells of old books and mildew. A bulletin board weeps streaks of filth from a dozen pushpin eyes onto a bed of squishy pulp. An odd vending machine lurks in the far corner; a plexiglass box with a handcrank on its side. A crookedly-mounted television maintains its silent vigil over the room and its unfinished card game. There are doorways to the north and east. > x couches The cushions, squishy to the touch, are sewn to the frame. Perhaps three people could squeeze onto one of these couches. > x table A Bjork-Bjork coffee table made of the sturdiest Swedish lumber. > x cards Slimy and faded. Picking through the pile it appears someone has removed all the Aces. > * nice That is not a verb I recognize. > x bulletin board An old corkboard soaked with a brown ooze that is becoming disgustingly familiar. > x pushpins All of the pushpins are corroded to the point that they've fused to the bulletin board. > * good job That is not a verb I recognize. > x tv Sorry, I don't understand what "tv" means. > x television The eyes and head of a news anchor are burnt into its screen. It will not turn on. > x TV Sorry, I don't understand what "tv" means. > * TV is probably a good synonym That is not a verb I recognize. > * that's some *serious* burn-in -- how did *that* happen? Still funny That is not a verb I recognize. > x machine A pane of plexiglass separates you from its only contents: a red herring. A blue handcrank on its side sits just below a coin slot. > turn crank It refuses to budge > x slot You can't see any such thing. > i You're carrying a plastic flowers, a Last Player marker and a flashlight. > save Ok. > put marker in slot You can't see any such thing. > i You're carrying a plastic flowers, a Last Player marker and a flashlight. > x slot You can't see any such thing. > x coin slot You can't see any such thing. > put marker in machine The Last Player marker tumbles through the machine's internals. > * aha, there we go That is not a verb I recognize. > turn crank The handcrank begins to turn, making it almost a quarter way around before locking into place. > g It refuses to budge > g It refuses to budge > * haha. Excellent That is not a verb I recognize. > l Lounge Two small, crimson couches surround a coffee table speckled with half-dissolved playing cards. The air smells of old books and mildew. A bulletin board weeps streaks of filth from a dozen pushpin eyes onto a bed of squishy pulp. An odd vending machine lurks in the far corner; a plexiglass box with a handcrank on its side. A crookedly-mounted television maintains its silent vigil over the room and its unfinished card game. There are doorways to the north and east. > n Kitchen This kitchen is in need of some love. The counters are lacking drawers, the fridge is missing a door, the oven wont turn on, and in general everything here feels non-descript. The only thing of note, really, is the garbage chute. An arched doorway south leads to the lounge and a tightly-closed door is set into the north wall. > * Hmm. "nondescript" is usually one word, and it means "boring," whereas all t That is not a verb I recognize. > * maybe "decrepit"? That is not a verb I recognize. > x door A sturdy-looking door. > open door It's locked. > * I really like that there haven't been disambiguation issues: nicely done That is not a verb I recognize. > x chute There is nothing special about the garbage chute. > enter chute Squaring your shoulders against the frame of the chute, you're pretty sure you could squeeze into it if you want. But... are you sure that's what you want to do? > * hmm, maybe not yet That is not a verb I recognize. > l Kitchen This kitchen is in need of some love. The counters are lacking drawers, the fridge is missing a door, the oven wont turn on, and in general everything here feels non-descript. The only thing of note, really, is the garbage chute. An arched doorway south leads to the lounge and a tightly-closed door is set into the north wall. > s Lounge Two small, crimson couches surround a coffee table speckled with half-dissolved playing cards. The air smells of old books and mildew. A bulletin board weeps streaks of filth from a dozen pushpin eyes onto a bed of squishy pulp. An odd vending machine lurks in the far corner; a plexiglass box with a handcrank on its side. A crookedly-mounted television maintains its silent vigil over the room and its unfinished card game. There are doorways to the north and east. > e Silent Hallway The rough, green carpet of this hallway runs from the lounge in the west to a further set of doors to the east. But here, in this spot, the gentle hum of fluorescents above is muffled into nothing. Slightly peeling wallpaper along the north and south walls mimics wood paneling. Two doors flank you silently to the north and south. > n Untidy Bedroom A maelstrom of junk clutters the desk, bed, and floor of this humble bedroom: old junkfood wrappers, fraying clothes, and a smattering of receipts. A cabinet is built into the western wall. To the south lies the doorway back to the hallway and to cleanliness. > * what the heck *is* this place? That is not a verb I recognize. > x wrappers Cheesey Snakes and Crisp Crisps and Yunfuns; oh my! > x clothes Really coming close to the literal meaning of 'threadbare.' > x receipts Whoever lived here seemed to purchase a lot of junk food and loose-leaf tobacco. > x desk Some of the trash seems to have melded with the faux wood used to make this desk. A large drawer frames its lower-right corner. > x bed You can't see any such thing. > x floor A look in that direction reveals nothing new. > open drawer The drawer pulls open to reveal a sea of scrunched-up paper. > x paper A mass of papers fills the drawer. > search papers Within a cocoon of misprinted pages, you find a crumpled red note. You put it in your pocket. > x note You can't see any such thing. > x red note You can't see any such thing. > i You're carrying a plastic flowers and a flashlight. > * ok... what happened to it? That is not a verb I recognize. > read note You can't see any such thing. > l Untidy Bedroom A maelstrom of junk clutters the desk, bed, and floor of this humble bedroom: old junkfood wrappers, fraying clothes, and a smattering of receipts. A cabinet is built into the western wall. To the south lies the doorway back to the hallway and to cleanliness. > search papers You find nothing more in the morass of useless papers. > * ok, I guess it's just silently tracked? Maybe? That is not a verb I recognize. > x cabinet A cabinet. It's handles gleam before you, invitingly. > * lol That is not a verb I recognize. > x handles Sorry, I don't understand what "handles" means. > open cabinet You open the cabinet, revealing a immaculate pipe. > x pipe A wooden smoking pipe with a broad bowl and a straight, mahogany stem. > * The Treachery of Images? :) That is not a verb I recognize. > get pipe Taken. > x pipe A wooden smoking pipe with a broad bowl and a straight, mahogany stem. > smoke pipe That is not a verb I recognize. > l Untidy Bedroom A maelstrom of junk clutters the desk, bed, and floor of this humble bedroom: old junkfood wrappers, fraying clothes, and a smattering of receipts. A cabinet is built into the western wall. To the south lies the doorway back to the hallway and to cleanliness. > close cabinet You close the cabinet. > close drawer You close the Cluttered Desk. > s Silent Hallway The rough, green carpet of this hallway runs from the lounge in the west to a further set of doors to the east. But here, in this spot, the gentle hum of fluorescents above is muffled into nothing. Slightly peeling wallpaper along the north and south walls mimics wood paneling. Two doors flank you silently to the north and south. > s Artsy Room Every wall is covered with sketches and paintings, granting this bedroom a more personal touch. The bed is made up perfectly. Against the western wall, an easel holds an unfinished portrait of two gleaming cat eyes over a toothy, half-smile. The silence of the hallway seeps into the room from a doorway to the north. > x easel A cool easel that needs more description > x painting You can almost see what lies beyond. > x portrait Sorry, I don't understand what "portrait" means. > x sketches Figures grim and phantasmal stare at you from every angle. Among the more interesting pieces are a sketch of monstrous raven, a watercolor of gooey skeletons, and an oil painting of a violet door. > x paintings Figures grim and phantasmal stare at you from every angle. Among the more interesting pieces are a sketch of monstrous raven, a watercolor of gooey skeletons, and an oil painting of a violet door. > * ah, I see what x painting was doing That is not a verb I recognize. > x sketch Not implemented yet, but I can assure you it'll be spooky. > x watercolor Gloopy bones yet to be implemented. > x painting You can almost see what lies beyond. > get sketch No need to concern yourself with that. > get watercolor No need to concern yourself with that. > get painting No need to concern yourself with that. > l Artsy Room Every wall is covered with sketches and paintings, granting this bedroom a more personal touch. The bed is made up perfectly. Against the western wall, an easel holds an unfinished portrait of two gleaming cat eyes over a toothy, half-smile. The silence of the hallway seeps into the room from a doorway to the north. > get easel No need to concern yourself with that. > x bed Serenity should probably make her bed more often. > * who?!! That is not a verb I recognize. > n Silent Hallway The rough, green carpet of this hallway runs from the lounge in the west to a further set of doors to the east. But here, in this spot, the gentle hum of fluorescents above is muffled into nothing. Slightly peeling wallpaper along the north and south walls mimics wood paneling. Two doors flank you silently to the north and south. > w Lounge Two small, crimson couches surround a coffee table speckled with half-dissolved playing cards. The air smells of old books and mildew. A bulletin board weeps streaks of filth from a dozen pushpin eyes onto a bed of squishy pulp. An odd vending machine lurks in the far corner; a plexiglass box with a handcrank on its side. A crookedly-mounted television maintains its silent vigil over the room and its unfinished card game. There are doorways to the north and east. > w You can't go that way. > e Silent Hallway The rough, green carpet of this hallway runs from the lounge in the west to a further set of doors to the east. But here, in this spot, the gentle hum of fluorescents above is muffled into nothing. Slightly peeling wallpaper along the north and south walls mimics wood paneling. Two doors flank you silently to the north and south. > e Flickering Hallway An iron vent in the north wall whispers warm air to these abandoned halls. A flickering light makes shadows dance across the green carpet as it meanders east toward a tiled room. A doorway to the south is jammed closed, awaiting more development time. The hallway itself flows further east and west. > n You can't go that way. > x vent No larger than your forearm, it spills warm air into the hallway. > open vent You can't open that. > e Garden Slate tiles, crawling with moss, ring around a marble plinth in the center of the room. The frescoed ceiling attempts to convince you of the presence of the sky just before sunset. A single, bright, round light rains plastic sunshine down upon the subterranean garden. Flowers bloom along the walkway as it turns from the west to the north.A fountain, marble-white, stands atop the central plinth; burbling softly. Doorways, at either end of the walkway, lead north and west. You can see a fountain here. > w Flickering Hallway An iron vent in the north wall whispers warm air to these abandoned halls. A flickering light makes shadows dance across the green carpet as it meanders east toward a tiled room. A doorway to the south is jammed closed, awaiting more development time. The hallway itself flows further east and west. > w Silent Hallway The rough, green carpet of this hallway runs from the lounge in the west to a further set of doors to the east. But here, in this spot, the gentle hum of fluorescents above is muffled into nothing. Slightly peeling wallpaper along the north and south walls mimics wood paneling. Two doors flank you silently to the north and south. > w Lounge Two small, crimson couches surround a coffee table speckled with half-dissolved playing cards. The air smells of old books and mildew. A bulletin board weeps streaks of filth from a dozen pushpin eyes onto a bed of squishy pulp. An odd vending machine lurks in the far corner; a plexiglass box with a handcrank on its side. A crookedly-mounted television maintains its silent vigil over the room and its unfinished card game. There are doorways to the north and east. > w You can't go that way. > n Kitchen This kitchen is in need of some love. The counters are lacking drawers, the fridge is missing a door, the oven wont turn on, and in general everything here feels non-descript. The only thing of note, really, is the garbage chute. An arched doorway south leads to the lounge and a tightly-closed door is set into the north wall. > * ok, is that everything? I *think* so? I didn't map it on paper That is not a verb I recognize. > enter chute You stick your head inside and stare down into the darkness. If you do this, there may not be a way back up. And there would be no help until your employers decide to send someone else on this cursed quest. Still... > g Tucking your elbows in, you hold your nose and slide into the chute. You fall through the rancid night. A Room Full Of Garbage A giant heap of garbage surrounds you on all sides. > x garbage The variety of junk here is truly astonishing. The garbage bags aren't entirely unexpected, nor the empty cans of beans and creamed corn (at least, it seems to be creamed corn. It's hard to tell since none of the cans are labeled). The pile seems to be endless, although you're unsure if any of it is interesting or useful. You're almost certain that some of it is toxic. The stench is incredible. > * I don't even know what this quest IS That is not a verb I recognize. > search garbage You dig your hand deeper into the pile, trying your best to avoid anything sharp. Mostly more cans of cream maybe-corn, pencil shavings, decaying and moldy produce, and you've only just begun. > l A Room Full Of Garbage A giant heap of garbage surrounds you on all sides. > n You can't go that way > e You can't see any obvious way out of here. > u You can't see any obvious way out of here. > s You can't see any obvious way out of here. > w You can't see any obvious way out of here. > climb heap You would achieve nothing by this. > l A Room Full Of Garbage A giant heap of garbage surrounds you on all sides. > * huh. That is not a verb I recognize. > quit Are you sure you want to quit? y