Here begins scripting of The 13th Quest. Monday, July 7, 2025 - Time 11:39:57 Forest Clearing You are standing in a forest clearing, with trees surrounding you on almost all sides, with little space between each one. There appears to be a narrow path proceeding to the north, but otherwise no apparent exit. I You're carrying: a letter. READ LETTER The material is thin and brittle, edges both frayed and curling, like it's waited years for unfamiliar hands. It reads as follows... "To the one who bears this seal: By pact and promise, forged long before your breath first stirred the air, a bond was made between your bloodline and the Hidden Folk. The old accord lies unfulfilled, and time, as all things, runs thin. Though the shape of the world may forget, the debt does not. You stand now upon the threshold. By your will the path shall be walked, or the bond left to wither and break and with it, more than you might know. The way will show itself, as it always has, for those who choose to see." Signed only with a peculiar curling mark, which is hauntingly familiar. X MARK I don't understand the word "MARK" used in this context. L Forest Clearing You are standing in a forest clearing, with trees surrounding you on almost all sides, with little space between each one. There appears to be a narrow path proceeding to the north, but otherwise no apparent exit. X ME You could be better looking, but you're stuck the way you are. XTREES I don't understand that entry. X TREES The trees are growing very close together. N The path wanders throughout the trees somewhat, but after a short while you find yourself standing outside a small cottage. Outside Cottage You find yourself standing outside a small cottage which is situated in the middle of a small clearing. This clearing is surrounded by dense vegetation which appears to prevent travel in most directions, although there's a path which leads south back into the depths of the forest. The door leading into the cottage lies to your north. X VEGETATION You see nothing remarkable about the vegetation. X COTTAGE You see nothing remarkable about the cottage. X DOOR The door is closed. OPEN DOOR Okay, the door is now open. Outside Cottage You find yourself standing outside a small cottage which is situated in the middle of a small clearing. This clearing is surrounded by dense vegetation which appears to prevent travel in most directions, although there's a path which leads south back into the depths of the forest. The door leading into the cottage lies to your north. N Inside Small Cottage You are standing in the entrance hallway of a small cottage. There's a door lying to the south, and two other entrances lead to the west and east. You see no windows but adequate light coming from an unknown source illuminates the location quite adequately. W Sitting Room It appears that this functions as the sitting room of the cottage, although its furniture is fairly sparse and appears quite well-worn. Against one of the walls is situated a battered settee, in front of which has been placed a small footstool. Most of the walls are quite bare, but on the one beside the settee you see a flimsy shelf which is, however, firmly attached to the structure. On the southern wall is a dirty-looking window through which you can see almost nothing of any interest. X FURNITURE You see nothing remarkable about the furniture. X SETTE I don't understand the word "SETTE" used in this context. X SETTEE You see nothing remarkable about the settee. X FOOTSTOOL You see nothing remarkable about the footstool. OPEN IT [The footstool] Trying to open the footstool would be pointless. X SHELF On the shelf you see a book. X BOOK You don't notice any book here. TAKE BOOK FROM SHELF Book: Taken. X BOOK The cover of the book shows... WHISPERS ++ WINDINGS by Vaelwyn Ariundrel READ IT [The book] The cover of the book shows... WHISPERS ++ WINDINGS by Vaelwyn Ariundrel READ IT [The book] The cover of the book shows... WHISPERS ++ WINDINGS by Vaelwyn Ariundrel OPEN IT [The book] You open the book. As you do so, something falls from it and flutters down. L Sitting Room It appears that this functions as the sitting room of the cottage, although its furniture is fairly sparse and appears quite well-worn. Against one of the walls is situated a battered settee, in front of which has been placed a small footstool. Most of the walls are quite bare, but on the one beside the settee you see a flimsy shelf which is, however, firmly attached to the structure. On the southern wall is a dirty-looking window through which you can see almost nothing of any interest. Beside you there's a vellum. X VELLUM On the vellum, in faded script, you read... Say the place you wish to find The woven threads will heed your mind TAKE IT [The vellum] Taken. READ BOOK Page 1 Don't judge a book by its cover The wise old saying goes For within the poorest bindings Oft the richest story flows But look beyond the surface Where deeper truths reside In every unassuming page A world lies hidden inside Though tread with care through hidden lore For not all tales are kind Some books, they breathe with ancient scripts With mysteries entwined On dusty shelves, in shadowed nooks Forgotten tomes may lie Whispering secrets in the dark Under a moonless sky READ BOOK Page 1 Don't judge a book by its cover The wise old saying goes For within the poorest bindings Oft the richest story flows But look beyond the surface Where deeper truths reside In every unassuming page A world lies hidden inside Though tread with care through hidden lore For not all tales are kind Some books, they breathe with ancient scripts With mysteries entwined On dusty shelves, in shadowed nooks Forgotten tomes may lie Whispering secrets in the dark Under a moonless sky READ BOOK Page 1 Don't judge a book by its cover The wise old saying goes For within the poorest bindings Oft the richest story flows But look beyond the surface Where deeper truths reside In every unassuming page A world lies hidden inside Though tread with care through hidden lore For not all tales are kind Some books, they breathe with ancient scripts With mysteries entwined On dusty shelves, in shadowed nooks Forgotten tomes may lie Whispering secrets in the dark Under a moonless sky TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ BOOK Page 2 Each page a door to realms unknown Where eerie silence reigns Words twist like serpents in cryptic dance Binding with unseen chains The air grows thick, the walls close in As you turn each page with dread In hidden ink, the cursed truths Of another world unsaid What starts as curiosity Can end in fateful snare Within each chapter deeper descent Into the depths of despair For books are more than paper and ink They may hold powers unseen In their embrace reality bends While nightmares blend with dream TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 3 So when you choose to 'crack a spine' And delve into its heart Remember, some knowledge may be a curse A venomous dark art For within the pages of some books Lurk many terrors untold And by their covers you'll never guess The horrors they might hold TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ BOOK Page 4 In fields of green, where shadows play Wraiths sought to cloak the world in grey But faeries danced 'neath moonlit skies And left a gift of rich surprise Four leaves on clovers, hidden well Against the dark, a secret spell A few found here, a few found there Tiny wards that darkness snare Whisper to it, light and slick... Each leaf becomes a candle's wick If found, hold tight to this small charm A four-leaf clover keeps from harm So sing this rhyme in twilight's hush Through clover fields, in evening's blush Remember, luck these leaves bestow Guardians against the shadow's woe TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 5 Coill Draighean Long ago, before the kingdoms of men drew borders with steel and stone, the land was ruled by whispers, wind and will. So deep in the heart of Eirith's wild hills lies Coill Draighean, the Forest of Blackthorn, where the veil between worlds is as thin as a spider's thread. The forest owes its name to the ancient blackthorn trees which twist, like frozen lightning, across the land. Locals say their thorns are the bones of an ancient god Draighean, or the Thorn Watcher, who once protected the balance between the mortal world and the Otherworld. When mortals began to tear the land for coin and crown, Draighean wept poison into the soil, and the blackthorn trees grew wild and angry. Today no path stays the same in Coill Draighean. Trees whisper in the olden tongues and will-o-the-wisps flicker near ancient cairns. Some say that the Sidhe, or Fey, still hold court deep within, where a blackthorn tree of the size of a cathedral blooms all year round, watered by dreams and blood. TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 6 Few dare enter, and even fewer return. Those who do say of bargains struck, of time lost, of eyes watching from hollow trunks. But the brave and foolish still go, chasing the promise of power, of hidden relics, or truth buried beneath a canopy of thorns. TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 7 The Ember Vial Aelethur, whose heart did burn With fire that none could tame or turn He walked on coals, drank molten ore And slept within the furnace core Yet flame, though fierce, oft flickers low And even suns must someday slow He sought to forge in crimson deep A draught that flame itself makes sleep Three tongues of wyrm he sealed in glass One tear from flame-maid's eye did pass And last, the spark from comet's flight He caught and bound in runes of light Thus brewed he then the Ember Vial A drink to cheat death's final trial To make the soul a blaze unstilled A pyre eternal, self-fulfilled TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 8 But deep below, in abyssal throne The old gods stirred in black unknown For fire unchecked brings ash to sky And flame that walks will never die So came the flood, not born of rain But summoned from the ocean's bane The lake, it rose, the stars went dim The world did hush to bury him Now sleeps the flame beneath the tide Where breathless gods in silence bide One vial alone in coral tomb Its ember soft, its fate in bloom TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 9 The Guardians ------------- Left at the start where the cold winds bite Right, when the shadows vanish from sight Middle the mark where the lost ones stand Right once more by the frost's command Left at the end, when the circle has spun The path for the wise, the battle now won TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 10 Before you cross the cornfield Pluck your ear three times Whisper secrets to the moon In rhythm with its chimes Wear a cloak of spider's silk And shoes of whispergrass Walk backwards with your eyes firm closed Through the mirror glass In your pockets carry salt And thyme tied up in lace For faerie tricks and winding paths You are sure to face Speak not your true name out aloud Nor give your heart away Lest you be trapped in twilight's realm For ever and a day TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 11 With every step be cautious Let not your shadow stray For in the land where dwell these sprites E'en time might lose its way But keep a steadfast gentle heart And show respect and grace For in this world of wonder There's magic you'll embrace TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 12 One born of oak, yet kissed by night Its skin agleam with argent light Give your gift to hand of stone And secrets hidden shall be shown TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 13 Here follows, from 'The Telling Leaves' Fragments of Faerie Lore Collected by Marn the Quiet-Eyed TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 14 The Custom of Reciprocity In all dealings with the fae, give as you receive. A favour granted must be repaid else the balance of things will tilt, and the fae do not like imbalance. TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 15 The Thorn's Kiss Never sleep within a ring of blackthorns. That's where the fae dreams linger and if they catch yours they may borrow it... or worse still, trade it with one of theirs. TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 16 Names Hold Power Speak not your true name aloud in those places where the moonlight pools thick, for a faerie listening may twist it into a charm and wear your will like a cloak. TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 17 The Quiet Places The old places remember. Stone circles, mirror pools, hollow hills - these are doors, not always open, and not always closed. Leave an offering if you must pass - a song, a silver coin, a memory you can spare. TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 18 Glamour and Guile What you see is rarely what is. A ruin may house a shining court, and a beggar may bear wings folded beneath a cloak. Trust your heart, not your eyes, and never accept food from a stranger with starlight in their smile. TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 19 The Crescent Mark Some are born with a crescent mark in behind the ear or beneath the eye. It is said such folk are half-touched by faerie blood - blessed with a strange luck, and cursed with stranger fates. TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 20 The Walker Between They say she came at twilight When the sky forgot its name Feet clad in shoes of whispergrass Cloak stitched from spider's frame She passed through thorn and thistle Unseen by beast or tree Save the hawthorn, who bowed gently And the wren, who turned to see Around her neck a sprig of thyme Tied up in lace so fine Not thread, but woven moonlight From a spindle lost to time TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 21 The faeries watched in silence From fern and hollow stone "She bears the marks," one murmured low, "Of one who walks alone." She crossed the ring where toadstools dream Where bells of foxgloves chime And vanished, like a breath released Into the folds of time But sometimes in the wind at dusk When leaves begin to race You'll hear the hush of grass-bound steps And glimpse a shred of lace So keep your thyme well-hidden Your lace well-knotted, tight For still she walks the borderlands Between the dark and light TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 22 ____________________________________________ Here follows the weave of the Walker Between ____________________________________________ TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 23 Long ago, before the borders between the worlds were sealed, there lived a girl born on the edge of dusk- not fully of this world and not fully of the next. She was the seventh born of a weaver woman and a man who spoke with stones, and she was born under a sky that was split by thunder and starlight. From the moment that she first cried, the wind stopped to listen. The villagers called her Alenwyn, though few dared speak her name aloud. The old folk whispered she'd been claimed at birth, marked by the fae, for she bore a birthmark shaped like a crescent thorn, and her eyes changed colour with the moon. She was not like the others. She walked barefoot through frost never leaving a print. The birds landed on her shoulders. Wild thyme grew in spirals where she had TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 24 stepped. Her mother told her, "You are of both paths, child, tread carefully." When Alenwyn was thirteen, her younger brother was taken - stolen by the fae on midsummer's eve, as so often happened to those left unsalted or unnamed. Her mother wept until her hair turned a pure white. No-one in the village dared to go after him. But Alenwyn... she went to The Hollow Hill. She held no iron, and brought only a bundle of thyme tied with lace, her father's shoes of whispergrass and a cloak of spider silk, spun in secret by moonlight, gifted by the old weaving widow who had no shadow. When she stepped into the ring of toadstools, she whispered not a plea, but a name. They came. TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 25 The Court of Faerie, both bright and terrible, beautiful and cruel offered her a bargain - her brother's freedom in exchange for her voice, her name and her shadow. And she agreed. But the fae, bound by law and loophole, did not realise what they had done. They had granted passage not to a child, but to one who could walk between - a mortal touched by their own making, wearing herbs of seeing, clothed in the silence of spiders and grass. She took her brother, and before the fae could seize her back, she passed beyond their reach, neither wholly returning nor remaining. From that moment on, she was not bound by either realm. She wanders still - between dusk and dawn, dreams and waking, fae and flesh. They call her many things - The Grass-Walker, Nameless TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 26 Weave or simply The Walker Between. Some say she guides lost souls back to their rightful paths, others that she steals children that stray too close to the edge of twilight, not out of malice but to spare them a worse fate. You'll know she is near if the thyme in your garden begins to grow in spirals, your lace begins to unravel or you hear soft footspeps on grass where no-one walks. And if you see her, do not speak her name - she has none now, but she may remember yours. ----- O ----- TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] All the other pages in the book appear to be blank. CLOSE BOOK You close the book. L Sitting Room It appears that this functions as the sitting room of the cottage, although its furniture is fairly sparse and appears quite well-worn. Against one of the walls is situated a battered settee, in front of which has been placed a small footstool. Most of the walls are quite bare, but on the one beside the settee you see a flimsy shelf which is, however, firmly attached to the structure. On the southern wall is a dirty-looking window through which you can see almost nothing of any interest. READ VELLUM On the vellum, in faded script, you read... Say the place you wish to find The woven threads will heed your mind L Sitting Room It appears that this functions as the sitting room of the cottage, although its furniture is fairly sparse and appears quite well-worn. Against one of the walls is situated a battered settee, in front of which has been placed a small footstool. Most of the walls are quite bare, but on the one beside the settee you see a flimsy shelf which is, however, firmly attached to the structure. On the southern wall is a dirty-looking window through which you can see almost nothing of any interest. X WINDOW The window is closed. LOOK THROUGH WINDOW You look through, but see nothing very interesting. OPEN WINDOW It seems pretty well stuck in the closed state. E Inside Small Cottage You are standing in the entrance hallway of a small cottage. There's a door lying to the south, and two other entrances lead to the west and east. You see no windows but adequate light coming from an unknown source illuminates the location quite adequately. E Small Circular Chamber This small circular chamber lies to the east of the entrance hallway of the cottage. There is little of note to see other than the attractive carpet in the geometric centre of the room. This artefact is highly-coloured, and its surface is covered in patterns which weave and swirl in a hypnotic fashion. X CARPET The carpet is quite amazing in appearance, with swirling patterns of multi- coloured threads that twist and turn in a quite hypnotic manner. Gazing at one edge, you note that attached thereto is a large label which reads... Made in Damascus LOOK UNDER CARPET There's nothing under the carpet. L Small Circular Chamber This small circular chamber lies to the east of the entrance hallway of the cottage. There is little of note to see other than the attractive carpet in the geometric centre of the room. This artefact is highly-coloured, and its surface is covered in patterns which weave and swirl in a hypnotic fashion. X CARPET The carpet is quite amazing in appearance, with swirling patterns of multi- coloured threads that twist and turn in a quite hypnotic manner. Gazing at one edge, you note that attached thereto is a large label which reads... Made in Damascus TAKE LABEL The label can't be taken. PULL LABEL Pulling the label would be wasting your time and mine. MOVE CARPET Moving the carpet seems pretty pointless to me. L Small Circular Chamber This small circular chamber lies to the east of the entrance hallway of the cottage. There is little of note to see other than the attractive carpet in the geometric centre of the room. This artefact is highly-coloured, and its surface is covered in patterns which weave and swirl in a hypnotic fashion. E You can't go east. W Inside Small Cottage You are standing in the entrance hallway of a small cottage. There's a door lying to the south, and two other entrances lead to the west and east. You see no windows but adequate light coming from an unknown source illuminates the location quite adequately. N You can't go north. E Small Circular Chamber This small circular chamber lies to the east of the entrance hallway of the cottage. There is little of note to see other than the attractive carpet in the geometric centre of the room. This artefact is highly-coloured, and its surface is covered in patterns which weave and swirl in a hypnotic fashion. STAND ON CARPET As you stand on the carpet, you feel it begin to ripple and transform under your feet. For just a moment or two you feel as if you might fall, and you quickly adopt the seated position. This apparently solves the problem, and the movement stops, leaving you ensconced quite comfortably on the surface. X CARPET The carpet is quite amazing in appearance, with swirling patterns of multi- coloured threads that twist and turn in a quite hypnotic manner. Gazing at one edge, you note that attached thereto is a large label which reads... Made in Damascus L Small Circular Chamber This small circular chamber lies to the east of the entrance hallway of the cottage. There is little of note to see other than the attractive carpet in the geometric centre of the room. This artefact is highly-coloured, and its surface is covered in patterns which weave and swirl in a hypnotic fashion. You are sitting comfortably on the carpet. CARPET FLY I don't understand "CARPET" used in that context. SAY FLY "FLY" U You can't go up. COILL I don't understand that entry. COILL DRAIGHEAN I don't understand "COILL" used in that context. SAY COILL DRAIGHEAN "COILL DRAIGHEAN" I You're carrying: a letter, a book and a vellum. READ VELLUM On the vellum, in faded script, you read... Say the place you wish to find The woven threads will heed your mind SAY FAERIE "FAERIE" X LETTER The material is thin and brittle, edges both frayed and curling, like it's waited years for unfamiliar hands. It reads as follows... "To the one who bears this seal: By pact and promise, forged long before your breath first stirred the air, a bond was made between your bloodline and the Hidden Folk. The old accord lies unfulfilled, and time, as all things, runs thin. Though the shape of the world may forget, the debt does not. You stand now upon the threshold. By your will the path shall be walked, or the bond left to wither and break and with it, more than you might know. The way will show itself, as it always has, for those who choose to see." Signed only with a peculiar curling mark, which is hauntingly familiar. X MARK I don't understand the word "MARK" used in this context. READ MARK I don't understand the word "MARK" used in this context. READ BOOK The cover of the book shows... WHISPERS ++ WINDINGS by Vaelwyn Ariundrel SAY VAELWYN "VAELWYN" READ BOOK The cover of the book shows... WHISPERS ++ WINDINGS by Vaelwyn Ariundrel OPEN IT [The book] You open the book. READ IT [The book] Page 1 Don't judge a book by its cover The wise old saying goes For within the poorest bindings Oft the richest story flows But look beyond the surface Where deeper truths reside In every unassuming page A world lies hidden inside Though tread with care through hidden lore For not all tales are kind Some books, they breathe with ancient scripts With mysteries entwined On dusty shelves, in shadowed nooks Forgotten tomes may lie Whispering secrets in the dark Under a moonless sky TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 2 Each page a door to realms unknown Where eerie silence reigns Words twist like serpents in cryptic dance Binding with unseen chains The air grows thick, the walls close in As you turn each page with dread In hidden ink, the cursed truths Of another world unsaid What starts as curiosity Can end in fateful snare Within each chapter deeper descent Into the depths of despair For books are more than paper and ink They may hold powers unseen In their embrace reality bends While nightmares blend with dream TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 3 So when you choose to 'crack a spine' And delve into its heart Remember, some knowledge may be a curse A venomous dark art For within the pages of some books Lurk many terrors untold And by their covers you'll never guess The horrors they might hold TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ IT [The page] Page 4 In fields of green, where shadows play Wraiths sought to cloak the world in grey But faeries danced 'neath moonlit skies And left a gift of rich surprise Four leaves on clovers, hidden well Against the dark, a secret spell A few found here, a few found there Tiny wards that darkness snare Whisper to it, light and slick... Each leaf becomes a candle's wick If found, hold tight to this small charm A four-leaf clover keeps from harm So sing this rhyme in twilight's hush Through clover fields, in evening's blush Remember, luck these leaves bestow Guardians against the shadow's woe W [Leaving the carpet first] Inside Small Cottage You are standing in the entrance hallway of a small cottage. There's a door lying to the south, and two other entrances lead to the west and east. You see no windows but adequate light coming from an unknown source illuminates the location quite adequately. S Outside Cottage You find yourself standing outside a small cottage which is situated in the middle of a small clearing. This clearing is surrounded by dense vegetation which appears to prevent travel in most directions, although there's a path which leads south back into the depths of the forest. The door leading into the cottage lies to your north. SEARCH FIELD I don't understand the word "FIELD" used in this context. SEARCH GRASS I don't understand the word "FIELD" used in this context. You don't see any grass here. SEARCH VEGETATION You carry out a careful search, but uncover nothing new. S Forest Clearing You are standing in a forest clearing, with trees surrounding you on almost all sides, with little space between each one. There appears to be a narrow path proceeding to the north, but otherwise no apparent exit. SEARCH TREES You carry out a careful search, but uncover nothing new. W You strike out into the forest but find progress very difficult. After some considerable time, during which you are required to make several detours, a way seems to lie ahead. You surge forward and find... Forest Clearing You are standing in a forest clearing, with trees surrounding you on almost all sides, with little space between each one. There appears to be a narrow path proceeding to the north, but otherwise no apparent exit. E You strike out into the forest but find progress very difficult. After some considerable time, during which you are required to make several detours, a way seems to lie ahead. You surge forward and find... Forest Clearing You are standing in a forest clearing, with trees surrounding you on almost all sides, with little space between each one. There appears to be a narrow path proceeding to the north, but otherwise no apparent exit. N The path wanders throughout the trees somewhat, but after a short while you find yourself standing outside a small cottage. Outside Cottage You find yourself standing outside a small cottage which is situated in the middle of a small clearing. This clearing is surrounded by dense vegetation which appears to prevent travel in most directions, although there's a path which leads south back into the depths of the forest. The door leading into the cottage lies to your north. E The undergrowth is too thick to permit passage. W The undergrowth is too thick to permit passage. NE The undergrowth is too thick to permit passage. SE The undergrowth is too thick to permit passage. SW The undergrowth is too thick to permit passage. N Inside Small Cottage You are standing in the entrance hallway of a small cottage. There's a door lying to the south, and two other entrances lead to the west and east. You see no windows but adequate light coming from an unknown source illuminates the location quite adequately. N You can't go north. CLOSE DOOR Okay, the door is now closed. X LIGHT The light is simply the effect of billions of photons, travelling at around three hundred thousand kilometres per second striking your retinae and thus allowing you to experience what you know as sight. N You can't go north. E Small Circular Chamber This small circular chamber lies to the east of the entrance hallway of the cottage. There is little of note to see other than the attractive carpet in the geometric centre of the room. This artefact is highly-coloured, and its surface is covered in patterns which weave and swirl in a hypnotic fashion. E You can't go east. NE You can't go northeast. SE You can't go southeast. S You can't go south. SW You can't go southwest. NW You can't go northwest. N You can't go north. L Small Circular Chamber This small circular chamber lies to the east of the entrance hallway of the cottage. There is little of note to see other than the attractive carpet in the geometric centre of the room. This artefact is highly-coloured, and its surface is covered in patterns which weave and swirl in a hypnotic fashion. TAKE CARPET It seems to be firmly, perhaps magically, affixed to the surface. LIE ON CARPET As you sit on the carpet it momentarily ripples slightly, but this rapidly ceases, leaving you sitting comfortably on the heavily-patterned surface. X PATTERN They're beautiful, but appear meaningless. X CARPET The carpet is quite amazing in appearance, with swirling patterns of multi- coloured threads that twist and turn in a quite hypnotic manner. Gazing at one edge, you note that attached thereto is a large label which reads... Made in Damascus FLY I don't understand that entry. PULL LABEL Pulling the label would be wasting your time and mine. SAY DAMASCUS "DAMASCUS" Almost as soon as the word leaves your lips the carpet starts to ripple and undulate beneath your body and there is an accompanying peal of thunder. At almost the same time you are enveloped in a dense mist, and although you're unable to see what exactly is happening you experience a sense of prolonged and rapid movement. After some time which could have been minutes or hours, the movement ceases and you notice your surroundings have changed... Storeroom You are in a small storeroom with an exit north leading out to what appears to be a baker's shop. Through the doorless frame you can hear from outside the shop what sounds very much like a busy marketplace. On the floor of the storeroom there is an ornate carpet which covers most of the area. You are sitting comfortably on the carpet. LISTEN You hear the sounds of a busy marketplace. X CARPET The carpet is quite amazing in appearance, with swirling patterns of multi- coloured threads that twist and turn in a quite hypnotic manner. Gazing at one edge, you note that attached thereto is a large label which reads... Made in Damascus N [Leaving the carpet first] Baker's Shop The sounds of the marketplace filter through the exit which lies just north there also being another exit to your south. Although it appears this is probably a baker's shop, you base this mostly on the smell of freshly-baked bread rather than on the presence of any artefacts you would associate with the baker's craft. There's no sign of any person being present, but a large counter occupies the centre of the floor. SMELL The wonderful aroma of freshly-baked bread. X COUTNER I don't understand the word "COUTNER" used in this context. X COUTNER I don't understand the word "COUTNER" used in this context. X COUNTER You see nothing remarkable about the counter. TAKE BREAD You see nothing remarkable about the counter. You don't see any loaf of bread here. TAKE BREAD FROM COUNTER There's nothing to take from the counter. L Baker's Shop The sounds of the marketplace filter through the exit which lies just north there also being another exit to your south. Although it appears this is probably a baker's shop, you base this mostly on the smell of freshly-baked bread rather than on the presence of any artefacts you would associate with the baker's craft. There's no sign of any person being present, but a large counter occupies the centre of the floor. SEARCH COUNTER You carry out a careful search, but uncover nothing new. W You can't go west. E You can't go east. N Marketplace In Damascus Just beside you to the south is the doorless entrance leading into what is apparently a baker's shop. Surrounding you in all other directions are many market stalls, the vendors clamouring to attract the many potential buyers who are milling around, peering at all the goods on display. Both customers and vendors appear to ignore you completely, even when you try to engage in conversation or ask any questions; perhaps they do not understand English. The hubbub of the combined voices is quite deafening. Two other exits pass leading into the market, and you notice a sign above the southern doorway. Beside you there's a pair of gloves and a purse. X SIGN It's in Arabic, but from your limited knowledge you translate it as... BAKER X GLOVES Just a pair of everyday gardening gloves. TAKE GLOVE Taken. WEAR IT [The glove] You put on the gloves. X PURSE In the purse you see a coin. L Marketplace In Damascus Just beside you to the south is the doorless entrance leading into what is apparently a baker's shop. Surrounding you in all other directions are many market stalls, the vendors clamouring to attract the many potential buyers who are milling around, peering at all the goods on display. Both customers and vendors appear to ignore you completely, even when you try to engage in conversation or ask any questions; perhaps they do not understand English. The hubbub of the combined voices is quite deafening. Two other exits pass leading into the market, and you notice a sign above the southern doorway. Beside you there's a purse. TAKE PURSE Taken. TAKE GLOVES You're already carrying the pair of gloves. LOOK IN PURSE In the purse you see a coin. TAKE COIN In the purse you see a coin. You don't see any coin here. TAKE COIN FROM PURSE Coin: Taken. Your score has just gone up by 10 points. [Notifications can be turned off and on using the NOTIFY command] X COIN The coin is heavy and warm to the touch. Its surface is worn smooth by many countless hands, but the faintest trace of an ancient sigil still glimmers beneath the scratches. The gold holds a deep, mellow shine - not bright but rich - as if it remembers every pocket it's passed through. X SIGIL Of indeterminite ancestry, possibly Elven. W You gradually pick your way through countless stalls and the bustling crowd until at last everything starts to clear a little. The sounds of the market finally begin to dim, and eventually fade altogether. The buildings on both sides of the street gradually become ever more sparse, until you eventually find yourself at... Junction of Ways The noise of the marketplace is not audible from here, although it lies at some distance to the east. You find that you are at a point in a dimly-lit street where the way has narrowed, and the houses have all but disappeared. It seems that there are but two ways to proceed other than east back to the market. To the southwest, the street appears to narrow even further, but to the northwest it looks as if it widens out slightly. SW Cul-de-sac The buildings here crowd in, preventing further access and resulting in the formation of what is essentially a cul-de-sac. You see no exit other than back to the northeast. X BUILDINGS You see nothing remarkable about them. NE Junction of Ways The noise of the marketplace is not audible from here, although it lies at some distance to the east. You find that you are at a point in a dimly-lit street where the way has narrowed, and the houses have all but disappeared. It seems that there are but two ways to proceed other than east back to the market. To the southwest, the street appears to narrow even further, but to the northwest it looks as if it widens out slightly. NW Narrow Lane You are at the far end of a narrow lane, the buildings on each side of you crowding in and making you feel quite claustrophobic. In front of you, just visible, as it blends in almost perfectly with the material of the wall to your west, there is a small door. The only other apparent way to leave this location is back to the southeast, in the direction of the marketplace. W You can't go through a closed door. OPEN DOOR You can't open a locked door. KNOCK ON DOOR Knock, knock...... Nothing happens. X DOOR The door appears to be closed and locked. SE Junction of Ways The noise of the marketplace is not audible from here, although it lies at some distance to the east. You find that you are at a point in a dimly-lit street where the way has narrowed, and the houses have all but disappeared. It seems that there are but two ways to proceed other than east back to the market. To the southwest, the street appears to narrow even further, but to the northwest it looks as if it widens out slightly. I You're carrying: a letter, a coin, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a purse and a vellum. E Marketplace In Damascus Just beside you to the south is the doorless entrance leading into what is apparently a baker's shop. Surrounding you in all other directions are many market stalls, the vendors clamouring to attract the many potential buyers who are milling around, peering at all the goods on display. Both customers and vendors appear to ignore you completely, even when you try to engage in conversation or ask any questions; perhaps they do not understand English. The hubbub of the combined voices is quite deafening. Two other exits pass leading into the market, and you notice a sign above the southern doorway. N You can't go north. NE You can't go northeast. NW You can't go northwest. SW You can't go southwest. SE You can't go southeast. NE You can't go northeast. E Exit From Market You appear to be where the market is coming to an end, although its sounds continue unabated, if a little reduced in volume. Just in front of you lies one stall which stands out from all the others as no stallholder appears to be in attendance. Beside it, and firmly attached to the ground, there is a small trashcan, presumably to contain items which the stallholder discards. Exits lead west back to the thick of the marketplace, north to yet another alleyway and south through an open doorway into a diminutive house. X TRASHCAN Inside the trashcan you see a bottle and a hazelnut. TAKE ALL FROM TRASHCAN Bottle: Taken. Hazelnut: Taken. X BATTLE I don't understand the word "BATTLE" used in this context. X BOTTLE The bottle displays the following text... ACME (tm) Superior Bottle It is currently empty. X HAZELNUT It's a bit past its best, but still edible. L Exit From Market You appear to be where the market is coming to an end, although its sounds continue unabated, if a little reduced in volume. Just in front of you lies one stall which stands out from all the others as no stallholder appears to be in attendance. Beside it, and firmly attached to the ground, there is a small trashcan, presumably to contain items which the stallholder discards. Exits lead west back to the thick of the marketplace, north to yet another alleyway and south through an open doorway into a diminutive house. EAT HAZELNUT Although edible (just), it doesn't appeal. S Courtyard This apparently is a courtyard from which several exits pass. To north lies the marketplace, while three other exits pass to east, southeast and south. In the middle of the courtyard stands a fountain which appears currently to be non-functional, but which still contains some water. The bustle and the clamour of the market are no longer in evidence from here. X FONTAIN Sorry, but I don't understand that command. X FOUNTAIN It's not currently active, but does contain some water. X WATER The water in the fountain is quite shallow, but looks clean. DRINK WATER You now feel much more refreshed. PUT WATER IN BOTTLE Water: You don't have it. L Courtyard This apparently is a courtyard from which several exits pass. To north lies the marketplace, while three other exits pass to east, southeast and south. In the middle of the courtyard stands a fountain which appears currently to be non-functional, but which still contains some water. The bustle and the clamour of the market are no longer in evidence from here. TAKE WATER It trickles through your fingers. I You're carrying: a letter, a bottle, a coin, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a purse, a vellum and a hazelnut. PUT BOTTLE IN FOUNTAIN The fountain can't receive anything. FILL BOTTLE Okay, the bottle is now full of water. S Laboratory This room presents several anomalies. In most ways it is in a harmony with its general location in that it has many beautiful tapestries adorning many walls, but in other ways it shows features you would not normally associate with an Arabian domicile. Perhaps the most striking of these is the immense wooden bench which occupies the centre of the room, and rests on the ornate parquet tiles with which the floor is covered. On top of the bench you see numerous tools which apparently are of a theurgical nature. The single exit from here is through a doorless archway to the north. X TAPESTRIES They're covered in multi-coloured designs, all with Arabian themes. X BENCH On the bench you see a pair of spectacles and a shimmering wand. TAKE ALL FROM BENCH Pair of spectacles: Taken. Shimmering wand: Taken. X TOOLS They appear to be for theurgical use. X SPECTACLES Engraved on one leg you read... Crafted in Aurrost WEAR THEM [The spectacles] You put on the spectacles. X WAND It shimmers and glistens in the light. L Laboratory This room presents several anomalies. In most ways it is in a harmony with its general location in that it has many beautiful tapestries adorning many walls, but in other ways it shows features you would not normally associate with an Arabian domicile. Perhaps the most striking of these is the immense wooden bench which occupies the centre of the room, and rests on the ornate parquet tiles with which the floor is covered. On top of the bench you see numerous tools which apparently are of a theurgical nature. The single exit from here is through a doorless archway to the north. WAVE WAND As you wave the wand there's a moment's pause following which you're all at once enveloped in a billowing cloud of fairy dust. You experience the sense of movement, but quickly come to your senses to discover... Storeroom You are in a small storeroom with an exit north leading out to what appears to be a baker's shop. Through the doorless frame you can hear from outside the shop what sounds very much like a busy marketplace. On the floor of the storeroom there is an ornate carpet which covers most of the area. WAVE WAND Nothing happens. N Baker's Shop The sounds of the marketplace filter through the exit which lies just north there also being another exit to your south. Although it appears this is probably a baker's shop, you base this mostly on the smell of freshly-baked bread rather than on the presence of any artefacts you would associate with the baker's craft. There's no sign of any person being present, but a large counter occupies the centre of the floor. READ BOOK Page 4 In fields of green, where shadows play Wraiths sought to cloak the world in grey But faeries danced 'neath moonlit skies And left a gift of rich surprise Four leaves on clovers, hidden well Against the dark, a secret spell A few found here, a few found there Tiny wards that darkness snare Whisper to it, light and slick... Each leaf becomes a candle's wick If found, hold tight to this small charm A four-leaf clover keeps from harm So sing this rhyme in twilight's hush Through clover fields, in evening's blush Remember, luck these leaves bestow Guardians against the shadow's woe L Baker's Shop The sounds of the marketplace filter through the exit which lies just north there also being another exit to your south. Although it appears this is probably a baker's shop, you base this mostly on the smell of freshly-baked bread rather than on the presence of any artefacts you would associate with the baker's craft. There's no sign of any person being present, but a large counter occupies the centre of the floor. E You can't go east. N Marketplace In Damascus Just beside you to the south is the doorless entrance leading into what is apparently a baker's shop. Surrounding you in all other directions are many market stalls, the vendors clamouring to attract the many potential buyers who are milling around, peering at all the goods on display. Both customers and vendors appear to ignore you completely, even when you try to engage in conversation or ask any questions; perhaps they do not understand English. The hubbub of the combined voices is quite deafening. Two other exits pass leading into the market, and you notice a sign above the southern doorway. E Exit From Market You appear to be where the market is coming to an end, although its sounds continue unabated, if a little reduced in volume. Just in front of you lies one stall which stands out from all the others as no stallholder appears to be in attendance. Beside it, and firmly attached to the ground, there is a small trashcan, presumably to contain items which the stallholder discards. Exits lead west back to the thick of the marketplace, north to yet another alleyway and south through an open doorway into a diminutive house. S At first it would appear that your entry is unimpeded, but almost at once a mysterious force, gradually strengthening the further you proceed, prevents your continuing access. S At first it would appear that your entry is unimpeded, but almost at once a mysterious force, gradually strengthening the further you proceed, prevents your continuing access. DROP WAND Dropped. S Courtyard This apparently is a courtyard from which several exits pass. To north lies the marketplace, while three other exits pass to east, southeast and south. In the middle of the courtyard stands a fountain which appears currently to be non-functional, but which still contains some water. The bustle and the clamour of the market are no longer in evidence from here. S Laboratory This room presents several anomalies. In most ways it is in a harmony with its general location in that it has many beautiful tapestries adorning many walls, but in other ways it shows features you would not normally associate with an Arabian domicile. Perhaps the most striking of these is the immense wooden bench which occupies the centre of the room, and rests on the ornate parquet tiles with which the floor is covered. On top of the bench you see numerous tools which apparently are of a theurgical nature. The single exit from here is through a doorless archway to the north. N Courtyard This apparently is a courtyard from which several exits pass. To north lies the marketplace, while three other exits pass to east, southeast and south. In the middle of the courtyard stands a fountain which appears currently to be non-functional, but which still contains some water. The bustle and the clamour of the market are no longer in evidence from here. SE Family Room The family room is quieter, warmer, with bare walls and, on the floor, some floormats. A scent of spiced tea clings to the air, and a slant of sunlight paints pretty colours on the floor. The room carries the careless disorder of daily life - comfortable, lived in and unpretentious. In the very centre of the room sits a small table, and there are exits to north and northwest. SMELL There's a scent of spiced tea in the air. X TABLE The table is relatively small, and appears to be made from what could well be sandalwood. It is beautifully carved and appears quite valuable. On the table lies a scrap of paper and a missive. TAKE ALL FROM TABLE Scrap of paper: Taken. Missive: Taken. X SCRAP I don't understand the word "SCRAP" used in this context. X SCRAP OF PAPER The scrap of paper reads... Oscillation in the spatial orientation of your instrument of eldritch and arcane designation, performed sufficiently rapidly and at appropriate temporal intervals will invoke, if in the correct environment, a conduit of translocation. X MISSIVE The missive contains one single word... Draighean N Reception Hall The reception hall is cool and dim, the light filtering softly through the patterned shutters set high in the walls. Simple rugs mute your footsteps on the stone floor, and the air holds the faint scent of woodsmoke and old woven cloth. The room is sparse, but orderly - a place for visitors and not for comfort. Exits pass to the south and to the west. W Courtyard This apparently is a courtyard from which several exits pass. To north lies the marketplace, while three other exits pass to east, southeast and south. In the middle of the courtyard stands a fountain which appears currently to be non-functional, but which still contains some water. The bustle and the clamour of the market are no longer in evidence from here. N Exit From Market You appear to be where the market is coming to an end, although its sounds continue unabated, if a little reduced in volume. Just in front of you lies one stall which stands out from all the others as no stallholder appears to be in attendance. Beside it, and firmly attached to the ground, there is a small trashcan, presumably to contain items which the stallholder discards. Exits lead west back to the thick of the marketplace, north to yet another alleyway and south through an open doorway into a diminutive house. Beside you there's a shimmering wand. TAKE WAND Taken. E You can't go east. N Cobbled Passageway This cobbled pathway winds off from the market's bustle, the noise thinning with every step until only the thin scrape of your feet on the worn cobbles remains. Stone walls press close on either side, their surface cracking and flaking. The alley tapers into a blind end - no door, no gate, only a dry patch of ground where nothing seems to grow, the faint scent of dust and of old stone lingering in the still air. X GROUND It's beneath your feet. SMELL Just the smell of old stone. SAY DRAIGHEAN "DRAIGHEAN" S Exit From Market You appear to be where the market is coming to an end, although its sounds continue unabated, if a little reduced in volume. Just in front of you lies one stall which stands out from all the others as no stallholder appears to be in attendance. Beside it, and firmly attached to the ground, there is a small trashcan, presumably to contain items which the stallholder discards. Exits lead west back to the thick of the marketplace, north to yet another alleyway and south through an open doorway into a diminutive house. W Marketplace In Damascus Just beside you to the south is the doorless entrance leading into what is apparently a baker's shop. Surrounding you in all other directions are many market stalls, the vendors clamouring to attract the many potential buyers who are milling around, peering at all the goods on display. Both customers and vendors appear to ignore you completely, even when you try to engage in conversation or ask any questions; perhaps they do not understand English. The hubbub of the combined voices is quite deafening. Two other exits pass leading into the market, and you notice a sign above the southern doorway. E Exit From Market You appear to be where the market is coming to an end, although its sounds continue unabated, if a little reduced in volume. Just in front of you lies one stall which stands out from all the others as no stallholder appears to be in attendance. Beside it, and firmly attached to the ground, there is a small trashcan, presumably to contain items which the stallholder discards. Exits lead west back to the thick of the marketplace, north to yet another alleyway and south through an open doorway into a diminutive house. N Cobbled Passageway This cobbled pathway winds off from the market's bustle, the noise thinning with every step until only the thin scrape of your feet on the worn cobbles remains. Stone walls press close on either side, their surface cracking and flaking. The alley tapers into a blind end - no door, no gate, only a dry patch of ground where nothing seems to grow, the faint scent of dust and of old stone lingering in the still air. N You can't go north. WAVE WAND As you wave the wand there's a moment's pause following which you're all at once enveloped in a billowing cloud of fairy dust. You experience the sense of movement, but quickly come to your senses to discover... Storeroom You are in a small storeroom with an exit north leading out to what appears to be a baker's shop. Through the doorless frame you can hear from outside the shop what sounds very much like a busy marketplace. On the floor of the storeroom there is an ornate carpet which covers most of the area. SIT ON CARPET As you sit on the carpet it momentarily ripples slightly, but this rapidly ceases, leaving you sitting comfortably on the heavily-patterned surface. SAY DRAIGHEAN "DRAIGHEAN" Almost as soon as the word leaves your lips the carpet starts to ripple and undulate beneath your body and there is an accompanying peal of thunder. At almost the same time you are enveloped in a dense mist, and although you're unable to see what exactly is happening you experience a sense of prolonged and rapid movement. After some time which could have been minutes or hours, the movement ceases and you notice your surroundings have changed... Forest Hovel You are in a small room which, although very basic in appearance, displays a most ornate carpet in the centre of the floor. Through the single window streams daylight, and you can also see that outside the hovel there exists a dense forest of what appear to be blackthorn trees. In the southern wall lies a doorless exit, presumably leading out to the tree-strewn landscape. Against one of the walls you can see a minute bunk, presumably for the use of the hovel's owner, whoever that might be. You are sitting comfortably on the carpet. X BUNK On the bunk lies a silver key. TAKE KEY FROM BUNK You can't quite reach far enough while you're on the carpet. UP You can't go up. OUT [Leaving the carpet first] Blackthorn Path Outside Hovel You find yourself standing on a narrow path, winding meanderingly through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. Indeed, the trees grow so close together that you doubt you could manage to pick your way between them, and you can see no alternative other than to follow the path which seems to lead deeper into the forest to the southwest. To your north lies the doorless entrance into a small tumbledown hovel. N Forest Hovel You are in a small room which, although very basic in appearance, displays a most ornate carpet in the centre of the floor. Through the single window streams daylight, and you can also see that outside the hovel there exists a dense forest of what appear to be blackthorn trees. In the southern wall lies a doorless exit, presumably leading out to the tree-strewn landscape. Against one of the walls you can see a minute bunk, presumably for the use of the hovel's owner, whoever that might be. TAKE ALL FROM BUNK Silver key: Taken. X KEY It is a slender key, wrought from burnished silver, cool to touch and quite unnaturally light. Its bow is shaped like a curling vine twined into a loop of delicate spirals, and faint etchings, perhaps just fanciful whorls, run along its shaft. It gleams even in shadow as though moonlight clings to it, and holding it in the hand stirs a subtle sense of expectancy, almost as if it remembers doors that no longer exist. X WINDOWS The window is closed. SAVE Enter save name [X to exit] >BLARG_______________.SAV Saving position as "BLARG_______________.SAV" S Blackthorn Path Outside Hovel You find yourself standing on a narrow path, winding meanderingly through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. Indeed, the trees grow so close together that you doubt you could manage to pick your way between them, and you can see no alternative other than to follow the path which seems to lead deeper into the forest to the southwest. To your north lies the doorless entrance into a small tumbledown hovel. W The trees are much too thick to permit passage. E The trees are much too thick to permit passage. SW Path In Blackthorn Forest You are on a narrow path leading northeast and southwest through what looks like a dense forest of blackthorn trees, although another much smaller path leads off to the west, where the forest appears to become even thicker than in any other direction if such a thing were possible. W You step on to the narrow path, barely more than a thread of trodden earth winding between gnarled trees and tangled underbrush. No sooner has your footfall settled than the wood seems to shift around you - subtly at first, then with a quiet certainty. The trees lean in new directions, the light as it filters through the canopy alters its hue, and when you glance back, the place you came from is no longer there. The path you chose is not the path you now walk - Blackthorn does not always take you where you wish to go but only where it wills. Path In Blackthorn Forest You're on a narrow path leading through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. From here you can see several other pathways leading to the northeast, the southeast and southwest. The trees crowd together in all other directions. NE Path In Blackthorn Forest You're on a narrow path leading through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. From here you can see only one path leading back to the southwest, the way in all other directions being blocked by the dense growth of the forest. SW Path In Blackthorn Forest You're on a narrow path leading through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. From here you can see several other pathways leading to the northeast, the southeast and southwest. The trees crowd together in all other directions. At the edge of vision something stirs. A tall antlered figure stands amidst the trees, its form half-shadow, half-stag. It turns its head as if listen- ing to something far away, then vanishes with a flick of branches, leaving no mark behind. SE Path In Blackthorn Forest You are now deep in the heart of the blackthorn forest, the path continuing in its inexorable northeast-southwest course. As before the trees crowd all around you on every side, making a foray into the dense timbers impossible. You see two other small and narrow paths branching off to the northwest and to the southeast. Situated right in front of you, in the very middle of the path there stands a large squirrel. Outwardly it looks quite cute, with its red hair and its enormous bushy tail, but something about its demeanour prompts caution. GIVE NUT TO SQUIRREL The squirrel takes the hazelnut from you and subjects it to close scrutiny. Almost at once, from its throat you hear what you can only describe as like the purring of a large cat, and the animal rapidly bolts through the forest carrying its prize with it. Your score has just gone up by 10 points. [Notifications can be turned off and on using the NOTIFY command] Something long and sinuous winds through the shadows- a serpent, dappled as trailing vines. It coils round a trunk and pauses, with its glistening eyes fixed on nothing - or perhaps everything. Then, without a sound, it melts back into the undergrowth, vanishing as if absorbed by the forest itself. L Path In Blackthorn Forest You are now deep in the heart of the blackthorn forest, the path continuing in its inexorable northeast-southwest course. As before the trees crowd all around you on every side, making a foray into the dense timbers impossible. You see two other small and narrow paths branching off to the northwest and to the southeast. SE You step on to the narrow path, barely more than a thread of trodden earth winding between gnarled trees and tangled underbrush. No sooner has your footfall settled than the wood seems to shift around you - subtly at first, then with a quiet certainty. The trees lean in new directions, the light as it filters through the canopy alters its hue, and when you glance back, the place you came from is no longer there. The path you chose is not the path you now walk - Blackthorn does not always take you where you wish to go but only where it wills. Path In Blackthorn Forest You're on a narrow path leading through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. From here you can see only one single narrow path leading to north, the way in all other directions being blocked by the dense growth of the forest. N Path In Blackthorn Forest You are on a narrow path leading northeast and southwest through what looks like a dense forest of blackthorn trees, although another much smaller path leads off to the west, where the forest appears to become even thicker than in any other direction if such a thing were possible. SW Path In Blackthorn Forest You are now deep in the heart of the blackthorn forest, the path continuing in its inexorable northeast-southwest course. As before the trees crowd all around you on every side, making a foray into the dense timbers impossible. You see two other small and narrow paths branching off to the northwest and to the southeast. SE You step on to the narrow path, barely more than a thread of trodden earth winding between gnarled trees and tangled underbrush. No sooner has your footfall settled than the wood seems to shift around you - subtly at first, then with a quiet certainty. The trees lean in new directions, the light as it filters through the canopy alters its hue, and when you glance back, the place you came from is no longer there. The path you chose is not the path you now walk - Blackthorn does not always take you where you wish to go but only where it wills. Path In Blackthorn Forest You're on a narrow path leading through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. From here you can see only one single narrow path leading to north, the way in all other directions being blocked by the dense growth of the forest. WAVE WAND Nothing happens. N Path In Blackthorn Forest You are on a narrow path leading northeast and southwest through what looks like a dense forest of blackthorn trees, although another much smaller path leads off to the west, where the forest appears to become even thicker than in any other direction if such a thing were possible. NE Blackthorn Path Outside Hovel You find yourself standing on a narrow path, winding meanderingly through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. Indeed, the trees grow so close together that you doubt you could manage to pick your way between them, and you can see no alternative other than to follow the path which seems to lead deeper into the forest to the southwest. To your north lies the doorless entrance into a small tumbledown hovel. N Forest Hovel You are in a small room which, although very basic in appearance, displays a most ornate carpet in the centre of the floor. Through the single window streams daylight, and you can also see that outside the hovel there exists a dense forest of what appear to be blackthorn trees. In the southern wall lies a doorless exit, presumably leading out to the tree-strewn landscape. Against one of the walls you can see a minute bunk, presumably for the use of the hovel's owner, whoever that might be. E You can't go east. SIT ON CARAPET I don't understand the word "CARAPET" used in this context. SIT ON CARPET As you sit on the carpet it momentarily ripples slightly, but this rapidly ceases, leaving you sitting comfortably on the heavily-patterned surface. SAY DAMSCUS "DAMSCUS" SAY DAMASCUS "DAMASCUS" Almost as soon as the word leaves your lips the carpet starts to ripple and undulate beneath your body and there is an accompanying peal of thunder. At almost the same time you are enveloped in a dense mist, and although you're unable to see what exactly is happening you experience a sense of prolonged and rapid movement. After some time which could have been minutes or hours, the movement ceases and you notice your surroundings have changed... Storeroom You are in a small storeroom with an exit north leading out to what appears to be a baker's shop. Through the doorless frame you can hear from outside the shop what sounds very much like a busy marketplace. On the floor of the storeroom there is an ornate carpet which covers most of the area. You are sitting comfortably on the carpet. N [Leaving the carpet first] Baker's Shop The sounds of the marketplace filter through the exit which lies just north there also being another exit to your south. Although it appears this is probably a baker's shop, you base this mostly on the smell of freshly-baked bread rather than on the presence of any artefacts you would associate with the baker's craft. There's no sign of any person being present, but a large counter occupies the centre of the floor. N Marketplace In Damascus Just beside you to the south is the doorless entrance leading into what is apparently a baker's shop. Surrounding you in all other directions are many market stalls, the vendors clamouring to attract the many potential buyers who are milling around, peering at all the goods on display. Both customers and vendors appear to ignore you completely, even when you try to engage in conversation or ask any questions; perhaps they do not understand English. The hubbub of the combined voices is quite deafening. Two other exits pass leading into the market, and you notice a sign above the southern doorway. W Junction of Ways The noise of the marketplace is not audible from here, although it lies at some distance to the east. You find that you are at a point in a dimly-lit street where the way has narrowed, and the houses have all but disappeared. It seems that there are but two ways to proceed other than east back to the market. To the southwest, the street appears to narrow even further, but to the northwest it looks as if it widens out slightly. W You can't go west. NW Narrow Lane You are at the far end of a narrow lane, the buildings on each side of you crowding in and making you feel quite claustrophobic. In front of you, just visible, as it blends in almost perfectly with the material of the wall to your west, there is a small door. The only other apparent way to leave this location is back to the southeast, in the direction of the marketplace. UNLOCK DOOR WITH KEY Okay, the door is now unlocked. Your score has just gone up by 20 points. [Notifications can be turned off and on using the NOTIFY command] OPEN DOOR Okay, the door is now open. Narrow Lane You are at the far end of a narrow lane, the buildings on each side of you crowding in and making you feel quite claustrophobic. In front of you, just visible, as it blends in almost perfectly with the material of the wall to your west, there is a small door. The only other apparent way to leave this location is back to the southeast, in the direction of the marketplace. SAVE Enter save name [X to exit] >BLARG_______________.SAV Saving position as "BLARG_______________.SAV" W The door slams shut behind you, blocking the light from outside. It's very dark in here. WEAR SPECTACLES You're already wearing the spectacles. I You're carrying: a letter, a silver key, a scrap of paper, a bottle (containing water), a coin, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a pair of spectacles (being worn), a missive, a purse, a shimmering wand and a vellum. WAVE WAND Nothing happens. OPEN DOOR Okay, the door is now open and light streams in from outside. Octagonal Chamber You are in a small room which is roughly octagonal in shape and which has a rather oppressive air about it, although you can see no obvious reason for this. Up against one wall lies a small altar which also is octagonal in its shape, and which displays many ornate decorations. Apart from this you can see no other distinguishing features although in the chamber's eastern wall is situated the door by which you originally entered. ALTAR I don't understand that entry. X ALTAR On the altar lies a cushion. X DECORATIONS You don't notice any decorations here. TAKE CUSHION FROM ALTAR Cushion: Taken. X IT [The cushion] On the cushion resides a four leaf clover and a silver acorn. X CLOVER You don't notice any clover here. TAKE ALL FROM CUSHION Four leaf clover: Taken. Your score has just gone up by 10 points. [Notifications can be turned off and on using the NOTIFY command] Silver acorn: Taken. X CLOVER You count the leaves - yep, there are indeed four. X ACORN The silver acorn feels impossibly light as if it might vanish with a breath of wind. Its surface is smooth and cool, and yet alive with a silvery sheen that pulses softly, like the light of stars seen through an ancient mist. A faint melodic chime seems to emanate from it, resonating deep in your chest like a half-remembered lullaby. You sense that it was not crafted but given as a gift from something wild and old, and meant only for those who believe still in the hidden things. I You're carrying: a letter, a silver key, a scrap of paper, a four leaf clover, a bottle (containing water), a cushion, a coin, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a pair of spectacles (being worn), a missive, a purse, a shimmering wand, a vellum and a silver acorn. E Narrow Lane You are at the far end of a narrow lane, the buildings on each side of you crowding in and making you feel quite claustrophobic. In front of you, just visible, as it blends in almost perfectly with the material of the wall to your west, there is a small door. The only other apparent way to leave this location is back to the southeast, in the direction of the marketplace. E You can't go east. E You can't go east. N You can't go north. SE Junction of Ways The noise of the marketplace is not audible from here, although it lies at some distance to the east. You find that you are at a point in a dimly-lit street where the way has narrowed, and the houses have all but disappeared. It seems that there are but two ways to proceed other than east back to the market. To the southwest, the street appears to narrow even further, but to the northwest it looks as if it widens out slightly. E Marketplace In Damascus Just beside you to the south is the doorless entrance leading into what is apparently a baker's shop. Surrounding you in all other directions are many market stalls, the vendors clamouring to attract the many potential buyers who are milling around, peering at all the goods on display. Both customers and vendors appear to ignore you completely, even when you try to engage in conversation or ask any questions; perhaps they do not understand English. The hubbub of the combined voices is quite deafening. Two other exits pass leading into the market, and you notice a sign above the southern doorway. S Baker's Shop The sounds of the marketplace filter through the exit which lies just north there also being another exit to your south. Although it appears this is probably a baker's shop, you base this mostly on the smell of freshly-baked bread rather than on the presence of any artefacts you would associate with the baker's craft. There's no sign of any person being present, but a large counter occupies the centre of the floor. N Marketplace In Damascus Just beside you to the south is the doorless entrance leading into what is apparently a baker's shop. Surrounding you in all other directions are many market stalls, the vendors clamouring to attract the many potential buyers who are milling around, peering at all the goods on display. Both customers and vendors appear to ignore you completely, even when you try to engage in conversation or ask any questions; perhaps they do not understand English. The hubbub of the combined voices is quite deafening. Two other exits pass leading into the market, and you notice a sign above the southern doorway. E Exit From Market You appear to be where the market is coming to an end, although its sounds continue unabated, if a little reduced in volume. Just in front of you lies one stall which stands out from all the others as no stallholder appears to be in attendance. Beside it, and firmly attached to the ground, there is a small trashcan, presumably to contain items which the stallholder discards. Exits lead west back to the thick of the marketplace, north to yet another alleyway and south through an open doorway into a diminutive house. S At first it would appear that your entry is unimpeded, but almost at once a mysterious force, gradually strengthening the further you proceed, prevents your continuing access. DROP WAND Dropped. S At first it would appear that your entry is unimpeded, but almost at once a mysterious force, gradually strengthening the further you proceed, prevents your continuing access. I You're carrying: a letter, a silver key, a scrap of paper, a four leaf clover, a bottle (containing water), a cushion, a coin, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a pair of spectacles (being worn), a missive, a purse, a vellum and a silver acorn. DROP ACORDN I don't understand the word "ACORDN" used in this context. S At first it would appear that your entry is unimpeded, but almost at once a mysterious force, gradually strengthening the further you proceed, prevents your continuing access. DROP ACORN Dropped. S At first it would appear that your entry is unimpeded, but almost at once a mysterious force, gradually strengthening the further you proceed, prevents your continuing access. DROP SPECTACLES Dropped. D You can't go down. S At first it would appear that your entry is unimpeded, but almost at once a mysterious force, gradually strengthening the further you proceed, prevents your continuing access. DROP CLOVER Dropped. S Courtyard This apparently is a courtyard from which several exits pass. To north lies the marketplace, while three other exits pass to east, southeast and south. In the middle of the courtyard stands a fountain which appears currently to be non-functional, but which still contains some water. The bustle and the clamour of the market are no longer in evidence from here. PUT COIN IN FOUNTAIN The fountain can't receive anything. N Exit From Market You appear to be where the market is coming to an end, although its sounds continue unabated, if a little reduced in volume. Just in front of you lies one stall which stands out from all the others as no stallholder appears to be in attendance. Beside it, and firmly attached to the ground, there is a small trashcan, presumably to contain items which the stallholder discards. Exits lead west back to the thick of the marketplace, north to yet another alleyway and south through an open doorway into a diminutive house. Beside you there's a four leaf clover, a pair of spectacles, a shimmering wand and a silver acorn. TAKE ALL Four leaf clover: Taken. Pair of spectacles: Taken. Shimmering wand: Taken. Silver acorn: Taken. W Marketplace In Damascus Just beside you to the south is the doorless entrance leading into what is apparently a baker's shop. Surrounding you in all other directions are many market stalls, the vendors clamouring to attract the many potential buyers who are milling around, peering at all the goods on display. Both customers and vendors appear to ignore you completely, even when you try to engage in conversation or ask any questions; perhaps they do not understand English. The hubbub of the combined voices is quite deafening. Two other exits pass leading into the market, and you notice a sign above the southern doorway. S Baker's Shop The sounds of the marketplace filter through the exit which lies just north there also being another exit to your south. Although it appears this is probably a baker's shop, you base this mostly on the smell of freshly-baked bread rather than on the presence of any artefacts you would associate with the baker's craft. There's no sign of any person being present, but a large counter occupies the centre of the floor. S Storeroom You are in a small storeroom with an exit north leading out to what appears to be a baker's shop. Through the doorless frame you can hear from outside the shop what sounds very much like a busy marketplace. On the floor of the storeroom there is an ornate carpet which covers most of the area. SIT ON CARPET As you sit on the carpet it momentarily ripples slightly, but this rapidly ceases, leaving you sitting comfortably on the heavily-patterned surface. SAY DRAIGHEAN "DRAIGHEAN" Almost as soon as the word leaves your lips the carpet starts to ripple and undulate beneath your body and there is an accompanying peal of thunder. At almost the same time you are enveloped in a dense mist, and although you're unable to see what exactly is happening you experience a sense of prolonged and rapid movement. After some time which could have been minutes or hours, the movement ceases and you notice your surroundings have changed... Forest Hovel You are in a small room which, although very basic in appearance, displays a most ornate carpet in the centre of the floor. Through the single window streams daylight, and you can also see that outside the hovel there exists a dense forest of what appear to be blackthorn trees. In the southern wall lies a doorless exit, presumably leading out to the tree-strewn landscape. Against one of the walls you can see a minute bunk, presumably for the use of the hovel's owner, whoever that might be. You are sitting comfortably on the carpet. OUT [Leaving the carpet first] Blackthorn Path Outside Hovel You find yourself standing on a narrow path, winding meanderingly through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. Indeed, the trees grow so close together that you doubt you could manage to pick your way between them, and you can see no alternative other than to follow the path which seems to lead deeper into the forest to the southwest. To your north lies the doorless entrance into a small tumbledown hovel. S The trees are much too thick to permit passage. A mournful tune - no instrument, no voice - rises for a few notes, curling through the undergrowth like smoke. It falters and dissipates, as if it has remembered itself too late. LISTEN All you hear is the sound of the forest fauna. SW Path In Blackthorn Forest You are on a narrow path leading northeast and southwest through what looks like a dense forest of blackthorn trees, although another much smaller path leads off to the west, where the forest appears to become even thicker than in any other direction if such a thing were possible. W You step on to the narrow path, barely more than a thread of trodden earth winding between gnarled trees and tangled underbrush. No sooner has your footfall settled than the wood seems to shift around you - subtly at first, then with a quiet certainty. The trees lean in new directions, the light as it filters through the canopy alters its hue, and when you glance back, the place you came from is no longer there. The path you chose is not the path you now walk - Blackthorn does not always take you where you wish to go but only where it wills. Path In Blackthorn Forest You're on a narrow path leading through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. From here you can see several other pathways leading to the northeast, the southeast and southwest. The trees crowd together in all other directions. NE Path In Blackthorn Forest You're on a narrow path leading through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. From here you can see only one path leading back to the southwest, the way in all other directions being blocked by the dense growth of the forest. You glimpse it just once - a russet shape, streaking between the trees, too quiet for a creature of flesh and bone. Its tail trails like smoke, and for a breathless second it seems to shimmer. Then it's gone, as though it never was, leaving only the faintest scent of ash and moss behind. SW Path In Blackthorn Forest You're on a narrow path leading through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. From here you can see several other pathways leading to the northeast, the southeast and southwest. The trees crowd together in all other directions. SW Path In Blackthorn Forest You're on a narrow path leading through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. From here you can see only one path leading to the northeast, the trees all forming a barrier in other directions. NE Path In Blackthorn Forest You're on a narrow path leading through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. From here you can see several other pathways leading to the northeast, the southeast and southwest. The trees crowd together in all other directions. SE Path In Blackthorn Forest You are now deep in the heart of the blackthorn forest, the path continuing in its inexorable northeast-southwest course. As before the trees crowd all around you on every side, making a foray into the dense timbers impossible. You see two other small and narrow paths branching off to the northwest and to the southeast. From somewhere far away, the soft chime of bells drifts through the trees. Much too delicate for wind, too rhythmic for chance, the sound fades before you can place its source. NW Path In Blackthorn Forest You're on a narrow path leading through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. From here you can see several other pathways leading to the northeast, the southeast and southwest. The trees crowd together in all other directions. From between the gnarled trunks, a stag steps silently into view. Its antl- ers are vast, shrouded in hanging moss, and its hooves seem never to touch the leaf-strewn earth. It does not startle, but merely watches, then turns, gliding back into the deeper dark, lost among the whispering trees. SE Path In Blackthorn Forest You are now deep in the heart of the blackthorn forest, the path continuing in its inexorable northeast-southwest course. As before the trees crowd all around you on every side, making a foray into the dense timbers impossible. You see two other small and narrow paths branching off to the northwest and to the southeast. SE You step on to the narrow path, barely more than a thread of trodden earth winding between gnarled trees and tangled underbrush. No sooner has your footfall settled than the wood seems to shift around you - subtly at first, then with a quiet certainty. The trees lean in new directions, the light as it filters through the canopy alters its hue, and when you glance back, the place you came from is no longer there. The path you chose is not the path you now walk - Blackthorn does not always take you where you wish to go but only where it wills. Path In Blackthorn Forest You're on a narrow path leading through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. From here you can see only one single narrow path leading to north, the way in all other directions being blocked by the dense growth of the forest. N Path In Blackthorn Forest You are on a narrow path leading northeast and southwest through what looks like a dense forest of blackthorn trees, although another much smaller path leads off to the west, where the forest appears to become even thicker than in any other direction if such a thing were possible. SW Path In Blackthorn Forest You are now deep in the heart of the blackthorn forest, the path continuing in its inexorable northeast-southwest course. As before the trees crowd all around you on every side, making a foray into the dense timbers impossible. You see two other small and narrow paths branching off to the northwest and to the southeast. SE You step on to the narrow path, barely more than a thread of trodden earth winding between gnarled trees and tangled underbrush. No sooner has your footfall settled than the wood seems to shift around you - subtly at first, then with a quiet certainty. The trees lean in new directions, the light as it filters through the canopy alters its hue, and when you glance back, the place you came from is no longer there. The path you chose is not the path you now walk - Blackthorn does not always take you where you wish to go but only where it wills. Path In Blackthorn Forest You're on a narrow path leading through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. From here you can see only one single narrow path leading to north, the way in all other directions being blocked by the dense growth of the forest. I You're carrying: a letter, a silver key, a scrap of paper, a four leaf clover, a bottle (containing water), a cushion, a coin, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a pair of spectacles, a missive, a purse, a shimmering wand, a vellum and a silver acorn. A faint ripple of laughter brushes your ear, high and quick, like children playing just out of sight. The forest hushes as it fades into stillness, as though it's listening for more. READ BOOK Page 4 In fields of green, where shadows play Wraiths sought to cloak the world in grey But faeries danced 'neath moonlit skies And left a gift of rich surprise Four leaves on clovers, hidden well Against the dark, a secret spell A few found here, a few found there Tiny wards that darkness snare Whisper to it, light and slick... Each leaf becomes a candle's wick If found, hold tight to this small charm A four-leaf clover keeps from harm So sing this rhyme in twilight's hush Through clover fields, in evening's blush Remember, luck these leaves bestow Guardians against the shadow's woe TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. READ BOOK Page 5 Coill Draighean Long ago, before the kingdoms of men drew borders with steel and stone, the land was ruled by whispers, wind and will. So deep in the heart of Eirith's wild hills lies Coill Draighean, the Forest of Blackthorn, where the veil between worlds is as thin as a spider's thread. The forest owes its name to the ancient blackthorn trees which twist, like frozen lightning, across the land. Locals say their thorns are the bones of an ancient god Draighean, or the Thorn Watcher, who once protected the balance between the mortal world and the Otherworld. When mortals began to tear the land for coin and crown, Draighean wept poison into the soil, and the blackthorn trees grew wild and angry. Today no path stays the same in Coill Draighean. Trees whisper in the olden tongues and will-o-the-wisps flicker near ancient cairns. Some say that the Sidhe, or Fey, still hold court deep within, where a blackthorn tree of the size of a cathedral blooms all year round, watered by dreams and blood. A flicker of movement catches your eye- a lean, dark shape slipping between the trees like smoke. For a moment it turns its pale eyes toward you, quite unreadable and unblinking. Then, as silently as it came, it vanishes into the undergrowth, swallowed by the gloom beneath the tangled boughs. TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. You glimpse a figure through the growth - a black goat watching you without blinking. Its eyes are too bright, too knowing. With slow deliberate steps, it vanishes between the trees and is gone. READ BOOK Page 6 Few dare enter, and even fewer return. Those who do say of bargains struck, of time lost, of eyes watching from hollow trunks. But the brave and foolish still go, chasing the promise of power, of hidden relics, or truth buried beneath a canopy of thorns. A flicker of movement in the distance draws your gaze. Between two ancient trunks a lean dark shape glides like smoke. It pauses, just long enough for you to catch the gleam of its pale eyes watching from the gloom. Then once again it turns, and without a sound, it melts back into the forest, leaving only stillness in its wake. TURN PAG I don't understand the word "PAG" used in this context. TURN PAGE You turn to the next page. RAD IT I don't understand "RAD" used in that context. READ IT [The page] Page 7 The Ember Vial Aelethur, whose heart did burn With fire that none could tame or turn He walked on coals, drank molten ore And slept within the furnace core Yet flame, though fierce, oft flickers low And even suns must someday slow He sought to forge in crimson deep A draught that flame itself makes sleep Three tongues of wyrm he sealed in glass One tear from flame-maid's eye did pass And last, the spark from comet's flight He caught and bound in runes of light Thus brewed he then the Ember Vial A drink to cheat death's final trial To make the soul a blaze unstilled A pyre eternal, self-fulfilled HOLD CLOVER You're already carrying the four leaf clover. SAY RHYME "RHYME" L Path In Blackthorn Forest You're on a narrow path leading through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. From here you can see only one single narrow path leading to north, the way in all other directions being blocked by the dense growth of the forest. W The trees are much too thick to permit passage. N Path In Blackthorn Forest You are on a narrow path leading northeast and southwest through what looks like a dense forest of blackthorn trees, although another much smaller path leads off to the west, where the forest appears to become even thicker than in any other direction if such a thing were possible. NE Blackthorn Path Outside Hovel You find yourself standing on a narrow path, winding meanderingly through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. Indeed, the trees grow so close together that you doubt you could manage to pick your way between them, and you can see no alternative other than to follow the path which seems to lead deeper into the forest to the southwest. To your north lies the doorless entrance into a small tumbledown hovel. W The trees are much too thick to permit passage. E The trees are much too thick to permit passage. A faint ripple of laughter brushes your ear, high and quick, like children playing just out of sight. The forest hushes as it fades into stillness, as though it's listening for more. N Forest Hovel You are in a small room which, although very basic in appearance, displays a most ornate carpet in the centre of the floor. Through the single window streams daylight, and you can also see that outside the hovel there exists a dense forest of what appear to be blackthorn trees. In the southern wall lies a doorless exit, presumably leading out to the tree-strewn landscape. Against one of the walls you can see a minute bunk, presumably for the use of the hovel's owner, whoever that might be. X WINDOW The window is closed. OPEN WINDOW It seems pretty well stuck in the closed state. S Blackthorn Path Outside Hovel You find yourself standing on a narrow path, winding meanderingly through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. Indeed, the trees grow so close together that you doubt you could manage to pick your way between them, and you can see no alternative other than to follow the path which seems to lead deeper into the forest to the southwest. To your north lies the doorless entrance into a small tumbledown hovel. W The trees are much too thick to permit passage. SW Path In Blackthorn Forest You are on a narrow path leading northeast and southwest through what looks like a dense forest of blackthorn trees, although another much smaller path leads off to the west, where the forest appears to become even thicker than in any other direction if such a thing were possible. SE The trees are much too thick to permit passage. S The trees are much too thick to permit passage. A faint ripple of laughter brushes your ear, high and quick, like children playing just out of sight. The forest hushes as it fades into stillness, as though it's listening for more. W You step on to the narrow path, barely more than a thread of trodden earth winding between gnarled trees and tangled underbrush. No sooner has your footfall settled than the wood seems to shift around you - subtly at first, then with a quiet certainty. The trees lean in new directions, the light as it filters through the canopy alters its hue, and when you glance back, the place you came from is no longer there. The path you chose is not the path you now walk - Blackthorn does not always take you where you wish to go but only where it wills. Path In Blackthorn Forest You're on a narrow path leading through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. From here you can see several other pathways leading to the northeast, the southeast and southwest. The trees crowd together in all other directions. SE Path In Blackthorn Forest You are now deep in the heart of the blackthorn forest, the path continuing in its inexorable northeast-southwest course. As before the trees crowd all around you on every side, making a foray into the dense timbers impossible. You see two other small and narrow paths branching off to the northwest and to the southeast. NE Path In Blackthorn Forest You are on a narrow path leading northeast and southwest through what looks like a dense forest of blackthorn trees, although another much smaller path leads off to the west, where the forest appears to become even thicker than in any other direction if such a thing were possible. W You step on to the narrow path, barely more than a thread of trodden earth winding between gnarled trees and tangled underbrush. No sooner has your footfall settled than the wood seems to shift around you - subtly at first, then with a quiet certainty. The trees lean in new directions, the light as it filters through the canopy alters its hue, and when you glance back, the place you came from is no longer there. The path you chose is not the path you now walk - Blackthorn does not always take you where you wish to go but only where it wills. Path In Blackthorn Forest You're on a narrow path leading through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. From here you can see several other pathways leading to the northeast, the southeast and southwest. The trees crowd together in all other directions. SW Path In Blackthorn Forest You're on a narrow path leading through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. From here you can see only one path leading to the northeast, the trees all forming a barrier in other directions. NE Path In Blackthorn Forest You're on a narrow path leading through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. From here you can see several other pathways leading to the northeast, the southeast and southwest. The trees crowd together in all other directions. Something long and sinuous winds through the shadows- a serpent, dappled as trailing vines. It coils round a trunk and pauses, with its glistening eyes fixed on nothing - or perhaps everything. Then, without a sound, it melts back into the undergrowth, vanishing as if absorbed by the forest itself. SE Path In Blackthorn Forest You are now deep in the heart of the blackthorn forest, the path continuing in its inexorable northeast-southwest course. As before the trees crowd all around you on every side, making a foray into the dense timbers impossible. You see two other small and narrow paths branching off to the northwest and to the southeast. NW Path In Blackthorn Forest You're on a narrow path leading through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. From here you can see several other pathways leading to the northeast, the southeast and southwest. The trees crowd together in all other directions. A grey cat with torn ears and too many shadows trails along a ridge. For a moment it stops, licks a paw, and seems to smirk, before melting back into the underbrush with a flick of its tail. SE Path In Blackthorn Forest You are now deep in the heart of the blackthorn forest, the path continuing in its inexorable northeast-southwest course. As before the trees crowd all around you on every side, making a foray into the dense timbers impossible. You see two other small and narrow paths branching off to the northwest and to the southeast. SW Path In Blackthorn Forest There is no sign of your earlier adversary. From here the path leads either southwest or back to the northeast towards the hovel, from where originally you came. At the side of the path you see a prominent sign. X SIGN The sign reads... Llyn Moredach - Swim At Your Own Risk SW Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. X SIGN The sign at the side of the path has two names, with arrows indicating east and west. That pointing east leads to The Ruins of Rathlurach and the other one, pointing west, apparently heads towards Baile Torin. <- Baile Torin | Rathlurach -> L Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. X LAKE It looks deep and very dangerous. S Swimming in the lake is probably not a good idea. You never were much of a swimmer in any case as you always found synchronising your breathing pretty difficult and you were terrified of drowning. W You follow the path through the forest for some distance, coming at last to a break in the trees. You see in front of you... Baile Torin You are standing outside a massive palisade, guarding the entrance to Baile Torin. Immediately in front of you lies a huge gate, apparently constructed from wood and iron, which seems to block entry for any undeserving visitor. There is no handle to the gate, no keyhole, and no other way of opening it. Affixed to the surface of the gate you see a plaque. X GATE The gate is fashioned from timber strengthened with massive metallic plates which look as if they are probably iron in nature. There is no handle, and no other obvious means of opening it, but you see attached to its surface a plaque, on which there is some text. Currently the gate is closed. X PLAQUE The plaque reads... No hand shall turn, no word shall sway I wake for breath the wind must play Silver speaks where tongues fall still And its pure voice will move my will I You're carrying: a letter, a silver key, a scrap of paper, a four leaf clover, a bottle (containing water), a cushion, a coin, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a pair of spectacles, a missive, a purse, a shimmering wand, a vellum and a silver acorn. WEAR SPECTACLES You put on the spectacles. E Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. E You follow the path through the forest for some distance, coming at last to a break in the trees. You see in front of you... Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. X SIGN The sign reads... Here Alone Your Whistle Summons WHISTLE I don't understand that entry. X SUNDIAL On the face of the sundial is a motto... The shadow by my finger cast Divides the future from the past Behind its unreturning line The vanished hour, no longer thine Before it stands the unborn hour In darkness, and beyond thy power One hour alone is in thine hands The hour on which the shadow stands The shadow of the gnomon points to 07:13. L Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. Slowly, just to one side, the air gives a light, silvery shimmer, like sun- light rippling on water. Then, quite without fuss, a small figure stands in the space that had been empty only a moment before. He is a little person, slight and sharp-eyed, wrapped in a rain-stained coat, on his head a broad- brimmed hat set at a tilt. His mouth curls into the faintest knowing smile, as if your surprise was the expected part. "Ah. There you are." he says, as if it was YOU who had kept HIM waiting. You've heard whispers long ago - of little folk who turn up where the paths grow thin and fortunes turn. Looking at him now the pieces settle in place. Leprechaun. Or something very close. You feel you must talk to him. TALK TO FIGURE Leprechaun. Or something very close. You feel you must talk to him. You don't see any vampire here. X LEPRECHAUN He is a small figure no taller than your waist, with the air of someone who has waited a long time and is in no particular hurry. His face is as sharp as a thorn but not unkind, lined with deep smile-creases and with eyes like polished jet, gleaming with cleverness and mischief in equal measure. His clothes seem stitched from oldworld finery and forest-salvaged odds and ends. His coat is a deep mossy green, the fabric thick and tough as though woven from nettle-thread, lined with a fox fur worn to velvet at the cuffs. The brass buttons are unmatched, each probably plucked from different coats over the centuries, and none polished in years. Around his waist is a battered leather belt, the buckle craftfully carved into the shape of a four leaf clover, tarnished nearly black with age. His breeches are tight, buckled just below the knee, and patched in places with scraps of unfamiliar cloth - perhaps Elven, perhaps older. His shoes are stout and black as peat, with curled tips which seem purely ornamental, unless they serve some purpose known only to him. And atop his head is the hat- the true mark of his kind. A tall-crowned and slightly battered affair, the colour of deep heather at dusk. The brim is broad but curled up at one side, and pinned with a tiny silver brooch which is shaped like a crescent moon. If the light catches it just so you'd swear the brooch glimmers of its own accord. Attached to the front of his coat is what looks like a small badge which reads... TALK TO HIM [The leprechaun] Corrin tilts his head, his sharp eyes glinting. "Ah - words. Always a good start, but it helps to have a subject, friend." He taps a stubby finger on his chin, as if pretending to ponder. "Treasures, paths, old coins, jewels, I know much of all these things." His smile widens just a little. "Ask me about something and we'll see where the wind takes us." ASK ABOUT TREASURE I don't understand the word "ABOUT TREASURE" used in this context. ASK HIM ABOUT TREASURE After just a moment's pause, you receive a response... Corrin taps a finger against his lip, as if weighing the word carefully. In a moment he speaks, his voice low and thoughtful. "Treasure you say....well now that's a word with a fine shine to it. Let me tell you the things I would covet." "Five things I seek and five I crave From whispered tomb and shadowed cave One for ear and one for hand One to clasp on wrist as band One shall gleam with minted grace And one shall rest at throat's embrace." ASK HIM ABOUT FLUTE After just a moment's pause, you receive a response... "Ah, the flute... Not just any tune it plays, but you'll find that out soon enough. Don't lose it - things tend to slip away when you aren't looking." He rogueishly taps the side of his nose and continues... "And just remember, although it was fashioned by elves, dwarves had a part to play in it too. Elves made it sing, dwarves made it endure. You'll find it doesn't shy from frost or flame." ASK HIM ABOUT CLOVER After just a moment's pause, you receive a response... "Oh, that old rhyme? Aye, I remember the verses- sang them myself once long ago in clover fields that don't grow any more. Not just pretty words, mind you. Faerie work, that is. They wove their light into clover leaves, four to a charm, and left them tucked where moonlight lingers. If you whisper to one you might just stir the spark they left sleeping there. Little lanterns for those who walk dark paths...but only if you believe in the old songs. WHISPER TO CLOVER You whisper to the clover... The four leaf clover momentarily appears to shimmer slightly, until at last each of its leaves gradually develops what seems like an internal light. In no time at all this becomes a credible source of illumination. Your score has just gone up by 20 points. [Notifications can be turned off and on using the NOTIFY command] SAVE Enter save name [X to exit] >BLARG_______________.SAV Saving position as "BLARG_______________.SAV" ASK HIM ABOUT BOOK You must be deranged, talking to a four leaf clover. ASK LEPRECHAUN ABOUT BOOK After just a moment's pause, you receive a response... "Ah, Whispers and Windings is it? That old thing's followed more paths than a fox with secrets to tell. Vaelwyn Ariundrel..now there was a fae with ink in her blood and moonlight behind her eyes. She wrote not to instruct, but to entangle - wove lore into lullabies, and riddles into rhyme. Some of her verses carry truths sharper than thorns, others are just leaves drifting on a breeze. But all of it? It matters if only because it remembers things the world has forgotten. If the book's found you, well then....it thinks you're someone worth whispering to." I You're carrying: a letter, a silver key, a scrap of paper, a four leaf clover (glowing brightly), a bottle (containing water), a cushion, a coin, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a pair of spectacles (being worn), a missive, a purse, a shimmering wand, a vellum and a silver acorn. ASK HIM ABOUT LETTER After just a moment's pause, you receive a response... "I've wandered many roads, and poked my nose where wiser folk mighn't dare, but that? No, that one's passed me by. Best not to pretend knowledge where none has yet roosted." ASK HIM ABOUT KEY After just a moment's pause, you receive a response... "That one? Old, older than the city it's found in. Fae-wrought, once - born of moonlight and song, or so they say. Lost long ago, traded or stolen, no one remembers now. It has taken root in the mortal world since, fits a lock carved by human hands - but the door it opens still remembers older dreams. Use it gently, and with care." ASK HIM ABOUT COIN After just a moment's pause, you receive a response... "That coin... You think it's just gold, but it carries more than that. You would be wise not to spend it too freely." ASK HIM ABOUT WAND After just a moment's pause, you receive a response... He chuckles, his eyes twinklng beneath the brim of his hat. "Ah the Wand o' Wandering Ways, is it? Tricky little stick, that one. Flick it in the wrong way and ye might land in a goat's den rather than the glade ye had in mind. But used right it'll whisk ye around faster than a wish on a shooting star. Mind ye, the real cleverness isn't the moving, but knowing where to move." ASK HIM ABOUT SPECTACLES After just a moment's pause, you receive a response... "Ah, the spectacles? Not just for fashion, those. Faerie glass, that is. It sees what most eyes pass over. Places like the House of Solace- they favour truth dressed in shadows. Might be worth your having a look round while you are wearing them, if you take my meaning." I You're carrying: a letter, a silver key, a scrap of paper, a four leaf clover (glowing brightly), a bottle (containing water), a cushion, a coin, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a pair of spectacles (being worn), a missive, a purse, a shimmering wand, a vellum and a silver acorn. ASK HIM ABOUT ACORDN After just a moment's pause, you receive a response... Corrin lifts an eyebrow, his mouth twitching into a dry smile. "Now there's a thing I've no business with." He rocks back on his heels. "Best that you ask elsewhere, or let it lie." ASK HIM ABOUT ACORN After just a moment's pause, you receive a response... "Shiny little thing, isn't it? Not just for show, though. Faerie crafts oft echo deeper meanings - seeds of remembrance, tokens of trust. Put it where it feels right and it may open something older than where it's cradled." L Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. Corrin the leprechaun stands by the sign, slowly tapping his foot. ASK HIM ABOUT HIMSELF After just a moment's pause, you receive a response... Corrin lifts an eyebrow, his mouth twitching into a dry smile. "Now there's a thing I've no business with." He rocks back on his heels. "Best that you ask elsewhere, or let it lie." ASK CORRIN ABOUT CORRIN After just a moment's pause, you receive a response... "Leprechauns? Ah, now there's a folk who'll smile at you with one hand in your purse and the other turning your boots around. Tricksy, proud, and so clever beyond comfort. But don't let the tales fool you - there's old magic in their bones and they guard it close. Cross 'em if you must, but never, ever break your word to one. They'll remember. For centuries." He chuckles quietly, as if recalling an encounter he's not about to share. L Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. Corrin the leprechaun stands by the sign, slowly tapping his foot. ASK ABOUT SUNDIAL I don't understand the word "ABOUT SUNDIAL" used in this context. ASK HIM ABOUT SUNDIAL After just a moment's pause, you receive a response... He gives a curious glance, the glint of recollection stirring in his eyes. "Ah, the sundial. Not just a marker of hours, that one. It was set there so long ago by hands that knew the sun's secrets. Shadows it casts might show more than time - might point even when the sky is overcast." He leans close as if sharing a secret. "You'd do well to stand close now and then. Let the day speak to you." X SHADOW The shadow of the gnomon points to 07:41. STAND BY SUNDIAL I don't understand "STAND" used in that context. STAND ON SUNDIAL Take it from me, that wouldn't get you anywhere. LISTEN TO SUNDIAL I don't understand "LISTEN" used in that context. L Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. Corrin the leprechaun stands by the sign, slowly tapping his foot. N The Ember Hall The Ember Hall was once a gathering place, filled with hanging lanterns and great stone hearths which were never extinguished. It was here the solstice was celebrated with song and wine of white fire. Now the hearths are empty, and the hall's blackened bones are scorched as if the fire within had risen up and consumed its keepers, only the flagstones remaining untouched. Only one exit is obvious from here, that lying to the south. X FLAGSTONES You see nothing remarkable about the flagstones. LOOK UNDER FLAGSTONES There's nothing under the flagstones. SEARCH FLAGSTONES You carry out a careful search, but uncover nothing new. X HEARTHS It obviously hasn't had a fire lit in it recently. SEARCH HARTH I don't understand the word "HARTH" used in this context. SEARCH HEARTH You carry out a careful search, but uncover nothing new. L The Ember Hall The Ember Hall was once a gathering place, filled with hanging lanterns and great stone hearths which were never extinguished. It was here the solstice was celebrated with song and wine of white fire. Now the hearths are empty, and the hall's blackened bones are scorched as if the fire within had risen up and consumed its keepers, only the flagstones remaining untouched. Only one exit is obvious from here, that lying to the south. S Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. Corrin the leprechaun stands by the sign, slowly tapping his foot. S Hollow-bent House The Hollow-Bent House has curved walls of dry stone overgrown with moss and plants. It was known for its 'breathing vents'-clever stonework that caught and carried wind through every room. Now it lies open to the sky, its roof gone, with roots twisting through the floor. X ROOTS You see nothing remarkable about the roots. SEARCH ROOTS You carry out a careful search, but uncover nothing new. VENTS I don't understand that entry. X VENTS You don't notice any vents here. N Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. Corrin the leprechaun stands by the sign, slowly tapping his foot. NE House of Murmurs This strange narrow building with thin pillars and alcoves for votive lamps was possibly a temple or a house of oracles. It is oddly untouched by moss, and it is said that it remains cold, even at noon. Some claim that shadows can be seen flitting around quite independently, particularly at night. You notice that one alcove seems to stand out from all the others. X ALCOVERS Sorry, but I don't understand that command. X ALCOVE In the alcove is a papyrus. TAKE PAPYRUS FROM ALCOVE Papyrus: Taken. X IT [The papyrus] On the papyrus, in Elvish script, you read... Potion of Rimefast Grace Beneath the skyless vault it sleeps In chamber cold where silence keeps The potion's quaff melts frost-rimed breath To cast thy soul beyond all death Drink not if thou would move or love For time forgets the ones above But if thy soul would never fade Imbibe the potion elves have made For frost is pain, and pain is flame And stillness walks in Nivurion's name SW Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. Corrin the leprechaun stands by the sign, slowly tapping his foot. E Spiral Keep Once the heart of Rathlurach, this circular tower contained a large central column that allowed voice and light to travel from bottom to top. Today the upper levels and the central column have collapsed, and the lower ones have been buried. At twilight it is said that whispered voices in old Elvish can be heard echoing faintly throughout. The only obvious exit lies west. LISTEN You hear nothing particularly out of the ordinary. W Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. Corrin the leprechaun stands by the sign, slowly tapping his foot. WAIT FOR TWILIGHT I don't understand "WAIT" used in that context. WAIT Time passes... X SUNDIAL On the face of the sundial is a motto... The shadow by my finger cast Divides the future from the past Behind its unreturning line The vanished hour, no longer thine Before it stands the unborn hour In darkness, and beyond thy power One hour alone is in thine hands The hour on which the shadow stands The shadow of the gnomon points to 08:12. Z Time passes... X SUNDIAL On the face of the sundial is a motto... The shadow by my finger cast Divides the future from the past Behind its unreturning line The vanished hour, no longer thine Before it stands the unborn hour In darkness, and beyond thy power One hour alone is in thine hands The hour on which the shadow stands The shadow of the gnomon points to 08:14. X SUNDIAL On the face of the sundial is a motto... The shadow by my finger cast Divides the future from the past Behind its unreturning line The vanished hour, no longer thine Before it stands the unborn hour In darkness, and beyond thy power One hour alone is in thine hands The hour on which the shadow stands The shadow of the gnomon points to 08:15. X SUNDIAL On the face of the sundial is a motto... The shadow by my finger cast Divides the future from the past Behind its unreturning line The vanished hour, no longer thine Before it stands the unborn hour In darkness, and beyond thy power One hour alone is in thine hands The hour on which the shadow stands The shadow of the gnomon points to 08:16. E Spiral Keep Once the heart of Rathlurach, this circular tower contained a large central column that allowed voice and light to travel from bottom to top. Today the upper levels and the central column have collapsed, and the lower ones have been buried. At twilight it is said that whispered voices in old Elvish can be heard echoing faintly throughout. The only obvious exit lies west. E You can't go east. U You can't go up. X RUBBLE I don't understand the word "RUBBLE" used in this context. X COLUMN You see nothing remarkable about the column. SEARCH IT [The column] You carry out a careful search, but uncover nothing new. D You can't go down. U You can't go up. L Spiral Keep Once the heart of Rathlurach, this circular tower contained a large central column that allowed voice and light to travel from bottom to top. Today the upper levels and the central column have collapsed, and the lower ones have been buried. At twilight it is said that whispered voices in old Elvish can be heard echoing faintly throughout. The only obvious exit lies west. E You can't go east. W Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. Corrin the leprechaun stands by the sign, slowly tapping his foot. ASK CORRIN ABOUT TWILIGHT After just a moment's pause, you receive a response... "I've wandered many roads, and poked my nose where wiser folk mighn't dare, but that? No, that one's passed me by. Best not to pretend knowledge where none has yet roosted." I You're carrying: a letter, a silver key, a scrap of paper, a four leaf clover (glowing brightly), a bottle (containing water), a cushion, a coin, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a pair of spectacles (being worn), a missive, a purse, a shimmering wand, a vellum, a papyrus and a silver acorn. GIVE ACORDN I don't understand the word "ACORDN" used in this context. GIVE ACORN You must tell me what to give the silver acorn to. GIVE ACORN TO CORRIN Corrin glances at your offering, head tilting just slightly, his expression unreadable for a moment. His hand hovers, but he doesn't take it. There's a slow exhale, the barest ghost of a smile at the corner of his mouth. "That is a fine thing," he says, voice light but edged with care, "but I've never been one for keeping what's not meant for me." His eyes lift to meet yours, steady and warm. "Save it for a day it'll fit better in another's pocket." GIVE WAND TO CORRIN Corrin glances at your offering, head tilting just slightly, his expression unreadable for a moment. His hand hovers, but he doesn't take it. There's a slow exhale, the barest ghost of a smile at the corner of his mouth. "That is a fine thing," he says, voice light but edged with care, "but I've never been one for keeping what's not meant for me." His eyes lift to meet yours, steady and warm. "Save it for a day it'll fit better in another's pocket." L Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. Corrin the leprechaun stands by the sign, slowly tapping his foot. W As you leave The Ruins of Rathlurach you glance back at Corrin, who gives a small, knowing tilt of his head - half parting, half amusement. Then around him the air shimmers, very slightly, just like the heat haze on a cool day. A blink, a breath, and he's gone, as if he had simply stepped out of sight between one moment and the next. Only the faint sense of his absence stays, as if the world is smoothing over where he but recently stood. But his voice lingers, bright and clear, as though the wind itself had held on to his words. "Gone, am I? Aye for now - but not far. I've left you just a little something - a whistle, plain to the eye, but much cleverer than it looks." His voice seems to drift further, fainter, as if carried off beyond reach. "Blow it when you've need of me, and I'll hear no matter where I may wander, whether near or far." Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. I You're carrying: a letter, a silver key, a scrap of paper, a four leaf clover (glowing brightly), a bottle (containing water), a cushion, a coin, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a pair of spectacles (being worn), a missive, a purse, a shimmering wand, a vellum, a papyrus and a silver acorn. X WHISTLE You don't notice any whistle here. E Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. Beside you there's a whistle. TAKE WHISTLE Taken. W Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. W Baile Torin You are standing outside a massive palisade, guarding the entrance to Baile Torin. Immediately in front of you lies a huge gate, apparently constructed from wood and iron, which seems to block entry for any undeserving visitor. There is no handle to the gate, no keyhole, and no other way of opening it. Affixed to the surface of the gate you see a plaque. BLOW WHISTLE You raise the whistle and blow - the crystal-clear note carries out, sharp against the quiet. For a moment the air feels expectant, as if something is about to stir, but nothing comes. Only the very faintest trace of laughter, so distant you might have imagined it. "Not here, my friend," a voice seems to whisper from nowhere, "Some places I'd sooner not tread, even for you." X SIGN You don't notice any sign here. X PLAQUE The plaque reads... No hand shall turn, no word shall sway I wake for breath the wind must play Silver speaks where tongues fall still And its pure voice will move my will X WATER It might be worthwhile looking at the bottle. L Baile Torin You are standing outside a massive palisade, guarding the entrance to Baile Torin. Immediately in front of you lies a huge gate, apparently constructed from wood and iron, which seems to block entry for any undeserving visitor. There is no handle to the gate, no keyhole, and no other way of opening it. Affixed to the surface of the gate you see a plaque. X PALISADE The palisade is constructed from a material you've never encountered in the past. Not wood, not metal, but apparently stronger and more resistant than either of these elements. It is no doubt of Elven construction. TOUCH GATE You confirm it is indeed the gate. L Baile Torin You are standing outside a massive palisade, guarding the entrance to Baile Torin. Immediately in front of you lies a huge gate, apparently constructed from wood and iron, which seems to block entry for any undeserving visitor. There is no handle to the gate, no keyhole, and no other way of opening it. Affixed to the surface of the gate you see a plaque. S The forest precludes movement in that direction. E Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. E Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. S Hollow-bent House The Hollow-Bent House has curved walls of dry stone overgrown with moss and plants. It was known for its 'breathing vents'-clever stonework that caught and carried wind through every room. Now it lies open to the sky, its roof gone, with roots twisting through the floor. X FLOOR It's beneath your feet. SEARCH IT [The floor] You carry out a careful search, but uncover nothing new. DIG I don't understand that entry. I You're carrying: a letter, a silver key, a scrap of paper, a four leaf clover (glowing brightly), a bottle (containing water), a cushion, a coin, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a pair of spectacles (being worn), a missive, a purse, a shimmering wand, a vellum, a papyrus, a whistle and a silver acorn. N Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. N The Ember Hall The Ember Hall was once a gathering place, filled with hanging lanterns and great stone hearths which were never extinguished. It was here the solstice was celebrated with song and wine of white fire. Now the hearths are empty, and the hall's blackened bones are scorched as if the fire within had risen up and consumed its keepers, only the flagstones remaining untouched. Only one exit is obvious from here, that lying to the south. I You're carrying: a letter, a silver key, a scrap of paper, a four leaf clover (glowing brightly), a bottle (containing water), a cushion, a coin, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a pair of spectacles (being worn), a missive, a purse, a shimmering wand, a vellum, a papyrus, a whistle and a silver acorn. READ PAPYRUS On the papyrus, in Elvish script, you read... Potion of Rimefast Grace Beneath the skyless vault it sleeps In chamber cold where silence keeps The potion's quaff melts frost-rimed breath To cast thy soul beyond all death Drink not if thou would move or love For time forgets the ones above But if thy soul would never fade Imbibe the potion elves have made For frost is pain, and pain is flame And stillness walks in Nivurion's name DRINK You appear to have omitted a noun. L The Ember Hall The Ember Hall was once a gathering place, filled with hanging lanterns and great stone hearths which were never extinguished. It was here the solstice was celebrated with song and wine of white fire. Now the hearths are empty, and the hall's blackened bones are scorched as if the fire within had risen up and consumed its keepers, only the flagstones remaining untouched. Only one exit is obvious from here, that lying to the south. I You're carrying: a letter, a silver key, a scrap of paper, a four leaf clover (glowing brightly), a bottle (containing water), a cushion, a coin, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a pair of spectacles (being worn), a missive, a purse, a shimmering wand, a vellum, a papyrus, a whistle and a silver acorn. SAVE Enter save name [X to exit] >BLARG_______________.SAV Saving position as "BLARG_______________.SAV" HINT The Shelf and Book In the sitting room there is a shelf attached to the wall, and this holds a book. The book should be taken and opened, when it will drop a vellum. This has a rhyming clue which hints at how you should operate the carpet. The book has many pages although not all of them are directly relevant. The pages can be turned by the command 'TURN PAGE', and you can also go back by using the command 'BACK PAGE'. The Shelf and Book The pages which should receive particular attention are pages 4, 9, 12, and to a slightly lesser degree pages 7/8. The Carpet The carpet is actually a magic carpet, which will transport you to various different locations or scenarios throughout the game. Examining the carpet will show it was 'Made in Damascus' and this is where you should first go. You should first 'SIT ON THE CARPET' and then 'SAY DAMASCUS'. The Carpet You will be given various destinations throughout the course of the game, but these may not be accessible until you actually read the clue. You can at any time return to the cottage by entering 'SAY COTTAGE'. The Mattress, Footstool and Settee The mattress, footstool and settee play no part in the game, and can safely be ignored without any penalty. The Baker's Shop The Baker's Shop plays no part other than being where the carpet is placed. Things can be placed on the counter, but it is actually empty in the game, and in fact has no role in its development. The Marketplace The crowd and the vendors in the marketplace will always ignore you and can be ignored. There are, however, several items of importance present and can not be passed by. The Marketplace There is a purse containing a coin and this is needed. In the trashcan lies a hazelnut, and this is needed. The gloves and bottle can be taken, but although the former can be worn and the latter can be filled with water, neither is necessary in the game. The Marketplace The crowd and the vendors in the marketplace will always ignore you and can be ignored. There are, however, several items of importance present and can not be passed by. The Arabian House Much of what is here is not directly relevant, but there are some items of importance. The fountain, for example, contains water which can be drunk, or used to fill the bottle, but neither is necessary. The Arabian House In the family room is a table holding a missive which has to be taken. This gives a direction to the scenario of Draighean. In the laboratory is a bench on which are a pair of spectacles and a wand. The spectacles are needed later on in the game, as you will not be able to interact with the granite cube unless wearing them. They will also let you read the message on the ring. The wand acts as a convenient transfer to the carpet in each scenario, avoiding a lot of to-ing and fro-ing. The paper, which is also on the table, has a cryptic and convoluted message which simply means that waving the wand will take you somewhere else if you do this in the correct place. The Locked Door The locked door cannot be unlocked on your first visit to the marketplace, but requires something which you will acquire from somewhere else. The Locked Door When you journey to Draighean you will arrive in a hovel in the middle of a forest. In the room is a bunk, on which there is a silver key which unlocks the door back in Damascus. When you go through this door it'll always shut behind you, leaving you in the dark. If you open the door again whilst you are inside, this will let light in. On the altar is a cushion with a four- leaf clover. If you remember from page 4 of the book it says if you whisper to a four-leaf clover, it makes the leaves glow, so you now have a reliable light source which you'll need much later on. Waving The Wand In every scenario, waving the wand will return you to where the carpet lies in that particular environment. This will prevent you having to do a lot of to-ing and fro-ing. The Cottage and Forest When you arrive in the Blackthorn Forest of Draighean, you are in a cottage with a bunk. On this is a silver key which can unlock the door back in the marketplace in Damascus. Inside there, you will find on the altar a cushion holding a four leaf clover and a silver acorn. Both of these are needed. The Cottage and Forest On the forest path in Draighean you will come across a vicious squirrel and the only way to get past him is to give him the hazelnut which you got from the trashcan in Damascus. Rathlurach It is in Rathlurach that you will always meet Corrin the leprechaun. He'll always arrive at random at the sign beside the sundial, but the first time you leave him and go to the west, just as he disappears he leaves a whistle whch can always be used to summon him - but only at that location. In the House of Murmurs there is an alcove containing a papyrus. This gives a description of the Nivurion Potion of Rimefast Grace. The Leprechaun You can ask Corrin about many things. When you ask him about treasure he'll tell you there are five things he craves, and in a roundabout way he tells you that these are a coin, a necklace, a bracelet, earrings and a ring. As you proceed through the game, you will find all these and give them to him. In return, he will give you other things in exchange, and these will all be of help in your quest. The Leprechaun If you give Corrin the coin from Damascus he'll give you a flute. This will act as a key to several locations throughout the game. When you give him the bracelet he'll give you the Starforged Hammer. When you give him the necklace he'll give you the Whisperleaf. When you give him the earrings he'll give you the Sirhil Draught. When you give him the ring, he'll give you the Potion of Rimefast Grace and a card directing you to the House of Solace where, by wearing spectacles, you'll find a cube with AURROST written on it - the cold scenario. The Sirhil Draught allows you to survive without breathing and you can swim in Llyn Moredach. If you go down in the lake you'll find a reliquary, which contains the Ember Vial which allows you to survive intense heat. The name of the heat scenario is on the scroll from Baile Torin - EMBERDEEP. The Ember Hall The Ember Hall was once a gathering place, filled with hanging lanterns and great stone hearths which were never extinguished. It was here the solstice was celebrated with song and wine of white fire. Now the hearths are empty, and the hall's blackened bones are scorched as if the fire within had risen up and consumed its keepers, only the flagstones remaining untouched. Only one exit is obvious from here, that lying to the south. S Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. BLOW WHISTLE The sound of the whistle is light and clear, nothing more that a single and bright note, but the air seems to shift around you, as if the world paused to listen. For a moment all else falls quiet: no birdcall, no rustling of leaves, only the lingering echo of that simple tune. Then, as easily as a shadow stepping into sunlight, the air shimmers - and Corrin is there. "Ah, so you've found your way to the right note, have you? Did I not say I would be listening?" ASK CORRIN ABOUT TREASURE After just a moment's pause, you receive a response... Corrin taps a finger against his lip, as if weighing the word carefully. In a moment he speaks, his voice low and thoughtful. "Treasure you say....well now that's a word with a fine shine to it. Let me tell you the things I would covet." "Five things I seek and five I crave From whispered tomb and shadowed cave One for ear and one for hand One to clasp on wrist as band One shall gleam with minted grace And one shall rest at throat's embrace." GIVE COIN TO HIM Corrin's fingers curl slowly around his coveted treasure, holding it as if it were spun from golden moonlight. For once his sharp-tongued chatter dies away. He studies it in silence than lets out a soft, pleased hum. "A fair gift, and fairly given. And friends ought to have something more than empty hands." From somewhere beneath his patched coat he draws a silver flute, as pale and smooth as river-polished stone. "Take this and keep it close. Play it when the way seems shut, and see what stirs." He hands it to you, saying with a gentle smile, "One gift deserves another." X FLUTE The flute is forged from Elven silver, cool to touch and impossibly smooth. It carries no tarnish and feels almost lighter than air, as if it remembers the wind. Etched with a whisper-fine burin, a pattern of spiralling symbols in the old Sky-Tongue runs its length, and reads... Through whispered wind, the path reveals W As you leave The Ruins of Rathlurach you glance back at Corrin, who gives a small, knowing tilt of his head - half parting, half amusement. Then around him the air shimmers, very slightly, just like the heat haze on a cool day. A blink, a breath, and he's gone, as if he had simply stepped out of sight between one moment and the next. Only the faint sense of his absence stays, as if the world is smoothing over where he but recently stood. Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. W Baile Torin You are standing outside a massive palisade, guarding the entrance to Baile Torin. Immediately in front of you lies a huge gate, apparently constructed from wood and iron, which seems to block entry for any undeserving visitor. There is no handle to the gate, no keyhole, and no other way of opening it. Affixed to the surface of the gate you see a plaque. PLAY FLUTE At first the music is scarcely more than a sigh, then it begins to rise - a winding melody that climbs like smoke, as if searching for something lost. It is haunting, not sorrowful, but full of aching memory. The kind of dirge you might remember from a dream or from times you're not sure ever existed. With a soft sigh, the gate unlocks. Your score has just gone up by 20 points. [Notifications can be turned off and on using the NOTIFY command] SAVE Enter save name [X to exit] >BLARG_______________.SAV Saving position as "BLARG_______________.SAV" W The forest precludes movement in that direction. IN The forest precludes movement in that direction. L Baile Torin You are standing outside a massive palisade, guarding the entrance to Baile Torin. Immediately in front of you lies a huge gate, apparently constructed from wood and iron, which seems to block entry for any undeserving visitor. There is no handle to the gate, no keyhole, and no other way of opening it. Affixed to the surface of the gate you see a plaque. N [First opening the gate then closing it behind you] Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. X PALISADE The palisade is constructed from a material you've never encountered in the past. Not wood, not metal, but apparently stronger and more resistant than either of these elements. It is no doubt of Elven construction. W Tinkers' Hall The interior of this building shows a large worktop running most of its not inconsiderable length, its surface scarred from generatons of use. Atop its surface are scattered mechanisms, the purpose of which you can only guess. A stone forge squats at the back, no longer in use, but every few hours it gives a soft click, as though remembering the rhythm of hammer and bellows. From one side of the worktop, attached to its side, projects a small lever. X WORKTOP On the worktop is a palimpsest. TAKE ALL FROM WORKTOP Palimpsest: Taken. X PALIMPSEST The text on the palimpsest is in faded indigo ink, and reads... Beneath the moon's cold-broken glance Where silence swims and shadows dance There brews a draught in silver steep'd By hands that neither sow nor reap Not fire, nor wind nor bellow's sigh Stirs breath within who drinks it dry The chest forgets its rise and fall Yet still shall walk, and hear the call No gill, no lung, the air need crave When soul is drowned, yet body brave In stillness flows the whispered boon Distilled beneath the gibbous moon Seek ye not with mouth agape But with sealed lips, the silence shape One vessel, dark as twilight's hymn And ye shall pass where none dare swim L Tinkers' Hall The interior of this building shows a large worktop running most of its not inconsiderable length, its surface scarred from generatons of use. Atop its surface are scattered mechanisms, the purpose of which you can only guess. A stone forge squats at the back, no longer in use, but every few hours it gives a soft click, as though remembering the rhythm of hammer and bellows. From one side of the worktop, attached to its side, projects a small lever. X MECHANISMS Of the original purpose and use of these mechanisms you have no knowledge. X ORGE I don't understand the word "ORGE" used in this context. X ORGE I don't understand the word "ORGE" used in this context. X FORGE The ancient forge of Baile Torin stands cold and hollow, its blackened and crumbling stone long choked with ash, its iron maw rusted shut by uncounted years. For aeons no flame had burned there, no hammer had sung its song to craft its metallic progeny and no smith had strained sinew in its service. Inside the forge you see a Slagheart. TAKE ALL FROM FORGE Slagheart: Taken. X SLAGHEART The surface of the Slagheart is completely smooth, yet strange ridges coil beneath it like frozen ripples of once-molten stone. Despite its cold, dead appearance it still carries an odd, lingering warmth-the ghost of heat from a forge that hasn't burned in an age. It is heavy, as though burdened by a memory of the fires that birthed it. X LEVER The lever is attached to the side of the worktop. PULL LEVER The lever pulls, then returns to its original position. X FORGE The ancient forge of Baile Torin stands cold and hollow, its blackened and crumbling stone long choked with ash, its iron maw rusted shut by uncounted years. For aeons no flame had burned there, no hammer had sung its song to craft its metallic progeny and no smith had strained sinew in its service. L Tinkers' Hall The interior of this building shows a large worktop running most of its not inconsiderable length, its surface scarred from generatons of use. Atop its surface are scattered mechanisms, the purpose of which you can only guess. A stone forge squats at the back, no longer in use, but every few hours it gives a soft click, as though remembering the rhythm of hammer and bellows. From one side of the worktop, attached to its side, projects a small lever. E Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. NW Elder Hall The wide high-vaulted chamber of this place is supported by narrow pillars darkened with age. At its heart lies a large bowl, where council fire once burned. Hanging from beams are dozens of small banners, representing crafts of the artisans of long ago, now faded to pale ghosts. Rows of niches line the walls, and one of these seems to stand out more than the others. In the very centre of the hall there is a statue which seems to represent a faerie woman, carved in a pale green stone. X PILLAS I don't understand the word "PILLAS" used in this context. X PILLARS They have all been darkened by the passage of time. X BOWL This was where ancient fires once burned. X BANNERS The banners display pictures and dedications to long-dead artisans. X NICHE You see nothing remarkable about the niche. LOOK IN NICHE Presumably you've a reason for trying to look inside the niche? X STATUE The statue stands gracefully in the dim quiet of the chamber, carved from a pale green stone that catches and reflects light in many subtle colours. It depicts a faerie woman, tall and ageless, her fine features caught between mischief and sorrow. Vines of ivy - real or stone, it's hard to tell - curl around her feet. One slender arm extends before her, palm upturned, just as though awaiting some long-forgotten gift or offering. Her eyes, though they are unmoving, seem to glimmer faintly with expectation. GIVE ACORN TO STATUE I'm sure the statue doesn't really want the silver acorn. I You're carrying: a letter, a silver key, a scrap of paper, a palimpsest, a four leaf clover (glowing brightly), a bottle (containing water), a cushion, a flute, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a pair of spectacles (being worn), a missive, a purse, a shimmering wand, a vellum, a papyrus, a whistle, a Slagheart and a silver acorn. GIVE SLAGHEART TO STATUE I'm sure the statue doesn't really want the Slagheart. PUT SLAGHEART IN NICHE Slagheart: Done. PUT ACORN IN NICHE Silver acorn: There's no room. TAKE ALL FROM NICHE Slagheart: Taken. PUT ACORN IN NICHE Silver acorn: Done. TAKE ALL FROM NICHE Silver acorn: Taken. L Elder Hall The wide high-vaulted chamber of this place is supported by narrow pillars darkened with age. At its heart lies a large bowl, where council fire once burned. Hanging from beams are dozens of small banners, representing crafts of the artisans of long ago, now faded to pale ghosts. Rows of niches line the walls, and one of these seems to stand out more than the others. In the very centre of the hall there is a statue which seems to represent a faerie woman, carved in a pale green stone. SE Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. N House of Solace Warm and quiet, this long, low building is now largely empty, although thin gauze curtains hang on the walls, enchanted to gently sway like reeds in a wind no-one feels. In the rafters hang wind chimes of dream-glass, which on moving replay fragments of old healing songs sung in forgotten dialects. In the further end of the building are three exits which pass to the northwest north and northeast, but the major exit to Baile Torin lies just to south. X GLASS Faerie glass if ever I saw it. LSITEN I don't understand that entry. NW The corridor twists and turns somewhat, but eventually you find... Cubical Chamber You're in a small cubical chamber the ceiling of which emits diffuse light. This permits a full and unhindered view of your surroundings, and shows the stone walls and ceiling plus the single exit which leads back to the south. X SURROUNDINGS Cubical Chamber You're in a small cubical chamber the ceiling of which emits diffuse light. This permits a full and unhindered view of your surroundings, and shows the stone walls and ceiling plus the single exit which leads back to the south. X WALLS It seems just like many other walls. SE You can't go southeast. S House of Solace Warm and quiet, this long, low building is now largely empty, although thin gauze curtains hang on the walls, enchanted to gently sway like reeds in a wind no-one feels. In the rafters hang wind chimes of dream-glass, which on moving replay fragments of old healing songs sung in forgotten dialects. In the further end of the building are three exits which pass to the northwest north and northeast, but the major exit to Baile Torin lies just to south. NW The corridor twists and turns somewhat, but eventually you find... Cubical Chamber You're in a small cubical chamber the ceiling of which emits diffuse light. This permits a full and unhindered view of your surroundings, and shows the stone walls and ceiling plus the single exit which leads back to the south. S House of Solace Warm and quiet, this long, low building is now largely empty, although thin gauze curtains hang on the walls, enchanted to gently sway like reeds in a wind no-one feels. In the rafters hang wind chimes of dream-glass, which on moving replay fragments of old healing songs sung in forgotten dialects. In the further end of the building are three exits which pass to the northwest north and northeast, but the major exit to Baile Torin lies just to south. N The corridor twists and turns somewhat, but eventually you find... Cubical Chamber You're in a small cubical chamber the ceiling of which emits diffuse light. This permits a full and unhindered view of your surroundings, and shows the stone walls and ceiling plus the single exit which leads back to the south. S House of Solace Warm and quiet, this long, low building is now largely empty, although thin gauze curtains hang on the walls, enchanted to gently sway like reeds in a wind no-one feels. In the rafters hang wind chimes of dream-glass, which on moving replay fragments of old healing songs sung in forgotten dialects. In the further end of the building are three exits which pass to the northwest north and northeast, but the major exit to Baile Torin lies just to south. NE The corridor twists and turns somewhat, but eventually you find... Cubical Chamber You're in a small cubical chamber the ceiling of which emits diffuse light. This permits a full and unhindered view of your surroundings, and shows the stone walls and ceiling plus the single exit which leads back to the south. S House of Solace Warm and quiet, this long, low building is now largely empty, although thin gauze curtains hang on the walls, enchanted to gently sway like reeds in a wind no-one feels. In the rafters hang wind chimes of dream-glass, which on moving replay fragments of old healing songs sung in forgotten dialects. In the further end of the building are three exits which pass to the northwest north and northeast, but the major exit to Baile Torin lies just to south. X CURTAINS They writhe sinuously in unfelt zephyrs. S Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. NE Weeping Spire The interior of The Weeping Spire rises high and narrow, with a spiralling staircase reaching up with no sight of its upper limits. Along the walls of the staircase are etched memorials to those lost in past ages. X MEMORIALS They contain dedications to ancestors long-since dead. U Due to your fitness, you easily negotiate the stairs. Top of Weeping Spire This circular room lies open to the wind, and is ringed by many horn-shaped windcatchers that emit faint, mournful tones when storms pass. A stone dais holds a single bell, whose clapper appears to be missing. It was said that to ring the bell when thinking of someone lost would summon them in memory. X WINDCATCHERS They emit mournful sounds when storms are approaching. X BELL The surface of The Bell of Rath Mor is not rusted like common metal, but it bears the same star-scattered texture as the hammer's head - a sure sign of sky iron, the metal fallen from the heavens. Along the lip of the bell runs a stanza in subtle Elven script, worn smooth by centuries of rain, although still faintly legible. TAKE BELL The bell can't be taken. READ STANZA The stanza reads as follows... I was forged for the voices of the vanished Long silent, I await the hand that will wake me I You're carrying: a letter, a silver key, a scrap of paper, a palimpsest, a four leaf clover (glowing brightly), a bottle (containing water), a cushion, a flute, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a pair of spectacles (being worn), a missive, a purse, a shimmering wand, a vellum, a papyrus, a whistle, a Slagheart and a silver acorn. RING BELL The bell has no clapper. PUT SLAGHEART IN BELL The bell can't receive anything. E You can't go east. D Due to your fitness, you easily negotiate the stairs. Weeping Spire The interior of The Weeping Spire rises high and narrow, with a spiralling staircase reaching up with no sight of its upper limits. Along the walls of the staircase are etched memorials to those lost in past ages. E You can't go east. SW Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. E Dreamers' Hall This place was used for communal rest and magical dreaming. The interior is a circular space surrounded by platforms encircling a central pit which was presumably used to contain an open fire. X PIT The pit is where an open fire once burned, but it is now quite empty. DREAM I don't understand that entry. W Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. HINT Baile Torin The gate at the entrance to Baile Torin is locked and can't be opened. The only way of unlocking this gate is given on the plaque. You must play the flute which you received from Corrin when you gave him the coin. Baile Torin In Elder Hall, to the northwest, you'll find the statue of a faerie woman. If you place on her palm the silver acorn you obtained from the cushion on the altar in Damascus, a bracelet will appear in its place. You should take this and give it to Corrin. In return he'll give you the Starforged Hammer. Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. NW Elder Hall The wide high-vaulted chamber of this place is supported by narrow pillars darkened with age. At its heart lies a large bowl, where council fire once burned. Hanging from beams are dozens of small banners, representing crafts of the artisans of long ago, now faded to pale ghosts. Rows of niches line the walls, and one of these seems to stand out more than the others. In the very centre of the hall there is a statue which seems to represent a faerie woman, carved in a pale green stone. PUT ACORN ON STATUE Not one of your most brilliant ideas. X STATUE The statue stands gracefully in the dim quiet of the chamber, carved from a pale green stone that catches and reflects light in many subtle colours. It depicts a faerie woman, tall and ageless, her fine features caught between mischief and sorrow. Vines of ivy - real or stone, it's hard to tell - curl around her feet. One slender arm extends before her, palm upturned, just as though awaiting some long-forgotten gift or offering. Her eyes, though they are unmoving, seem to glimmer faintly with expectation. X HAND Your hand looks the same as it always did. X PALM The stony surface shows but the slightest sign of weathering and within the hollow of the palm a shallow indentation appears worn smooth, just as if it has cradled something in its grasp countless times before. PUT CAORN ON PALM I don't understand the word "CAORN" used in this context. OOPS ACORN I don't understand "OOPS" used in that context. PUT ACORN ON PALM Silver acorn: Done. As you set the silver acorn gently into the statue's upturned hand a subtle warmth pulses through the air. The acorn settles without a sound, but the statue seems to respond. A faint shimmer ripples across the stone as if the faerie herself draws breath for the first time in centuries. Then, with a soft chime, no louder than a raindrop in a still room, a glimmering object materialises just above the palm, hovers for a moment, before descending in delicate grace. The statue resumes its silence, arm still outstretched, but now faintly glowing, content, perhaps, that its vigil has not been in vain. You notice in the meantime that the acorn has completely vanished, as if it had never existed. X OBJECT I don't understand the word "OBJECT" used in this context. L Elder Hall The wide high-vaulted chamber of this place is supported by narrow pillars darkened with age. At its heart lies a large bowl, where council fire once burned. Hanging from beams are dozens of small banners, representing crafts of the artisans of long ago, now faded to pale ghosts. Rows of niches line the walls, and one of these seems to stand out more than the others. In the very centre of the hall there is a statue which seems to represent a faerie woman, carved in a pale green stone. X STATUE The statue stands gracefully in the dim quiet of the chamber, carved from a pale green stone that catches and reflects light in many subtle colours. It depicts a faerie woman, tall and ageless, her fine features caught between mischief and sorrow. Vines of ivy - real or stone, it's hard to tell - curl around her feet. One slender arm extends before her, palm upturned, just as though awaiting some long-forgotten gift or offering. Her eyes, though they are unmoving, seem to glimmer faintly with expectation. X PALM The stony surface shows but the slightest sign of weathering and within the hollow of the palm a shallow indentation appears worn smooth, just as if it has cradled something in its grasp countless times before. Held in the palm you see a bracelet. TAKE BRACELET Held in the palm you see a bracelet. You don't see any bracelet here. X IT [The bracelet] You don't notice any bracelet here. TAKE ALL FROM PALM Bracelet: Taken. Your score has just gone up by 10 points. [Notifications can be turned off and on using the NOTIFY command] X BRACELET The bracelet is exqisitely wrought - a slender circlet of silver that seems almost too delicate to endure the lightest of touch. The metal gleams, not with polish, but with an inner glow, as though it remembers starlight. Tiny motifs are etched along its band - leaves curling into spirals, a crescent moon cradled in vines and what might be a pair of wings unfurling. When you hold it in your hand it is cool, not cold, and seems to hum faintly, like a whisper just beyond hearing. SE Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. S [First opening the gate then closing it behind you] Baile Torin You are standing outside a massive palisade, guarding the entrance to Baile Torin. Immediately in front of you lies a huge gate, apparently constructed from wood and iron, which seems to block entry for any undeserving visitor. There is no handle to the gate, no keyhole, and no other way of opening it. Affixed to the surface of the gate you see a plaque. E Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. BLOW WHISTLE You raise the whistle and blow - the crystal-clear note carries out, sharp against the quiet. For a moment the air feels expectant, as if something is about to stir, but nothing comes. Only the very faintest trace of laughter, so distant you might have imagined it. "Not here, my friend," a voice seems to whisper from nowhere, "Some places I'd sooner not tread, even for you." E Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. BLOW WHISTLE The shimmer in the air dances once again and there stands Corrin, adjusting his cuffs, looking calm and entirely unhurried. "Called and come, as ever." He peers at you, mock stern. "But mark me, that whistle's clever, not patient. Now then, what's the trouble this time?" GIVE BRACELET TO CORRIN Corrin takes the bracelet from you, turns it over in his hands, his thumbs brushing its surface like it might hum with some old familiar note. His mouth quirks, half a smile, half something else. "Looks like it's been waiting for me," he says quietly. "I'll not allow it to gather any dust." He slips the bracelet into some hidden pocket beneath his coat then, with surprising care, produces a hammer from behind a nearby stone, as if it had been waiting there all along. "Now take this. Not much to look at, eh, but it's sky-born, forged from the bones of a falling star, and as old as the hills you stand on." The hammer settles in your hands with a strange familiarity, the cold metal thrumming softly against your palms. X HAMMER Its head is forged from a dark, near-black metal, with faint silvery flecks scattered across its surface like a frozen starfield. The metal seems quite unnaturally cold, even after ages of lying untouched, and the edges show no signs of wear, as if time itself feared to dull it. The haft is an of Elven wood wrapped in worn pale leather and beneath the binding a slender line of script is visible, engraved deep into the handle... Wrought from skyfire. For that which calls the lost W As you leave The Ruins of Rathlurach you glance back at Corrin, who gives a small, knowing tilt of his head - half parting, half amusement. Then around him the air shimmers, very slightly, just like the heat haze on a cool day. A blink, a breath, and he's gone, as if he had simply stepped out of sight between one moment and the next. Only the faint sense of his absence stays, as if the world is smoothing over where he but recently stood. Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. W Baile Torin You are standing outside a massive palisade, guarding the entrance to Baile Torin. Immediately in front of you lies a huge gate, apparently constructed from wood and iron, which seems to block entry for any undeserving visitor. There is no handle to the gate, no keyhole, and no other way of opening it. Affixed to the surface of the gate you see a plaque. N [First opening the gate then closing it behind you] Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. S [First opening the gate then closing it behind you] Baile Torin You are standing outside a massive palisade, guarding the entrance to Baile Torin. Immediately in front of you lies a huge gate, apparently constructed from wood and iron, which seems to block entry for any undeserving visitor. There is no handle to the gate, no keyhole, and no other way of opening it. Affixed to the surface of the gate you see a plaque. NE The forest precludes movement in that direction. U You can't go up. W The forest precludes movement in that direction. N [First opening the gate then closing it behind you] Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. NE Weeping Spire The interior of The Weeping Spire rises high and narrow, with a spiralling staircase reaching up with no sight of its upper limits. Along the walls of the staircase are etched memorials to those lost in past ages. U Due to your fitness, you easily negotiate the stairs. Top of Weeping Spire This circular room lies open to the wind, and is ringed by many horn-shaped windcatchers that emit faint, mournful tones when storms pass. A stone dais holds a single bell, whose clapper appears to be missing. It was said that to ring the bell when thinking of someone lost would summon them in memory. RING BELL The bell has no clapper. HIT BELL WITH HAMMER As the hammer meets the bell, a single deep note rolls outward - not merely sound, but something older, something woven deeply into the bones of Baile Torin itself. The air appears to tighten, and from deep beneath your feet a stirring of the tower heralds the arrival of something ancient. Slowly and soundlessly, part of the wall dissolves revealing a compartment. X COMPARTMENT Inside the compartment is a scroll and a necklace. TAKE ALL FROM COMPARTMENT Scroll: Taken. Necklace: Taken. Your score has just gone up by 10 points. [Notifications can be turned off and on using the NOTIFY command] READ SCROLL On the scroll you see one single word, in ornate Elven text... Emberdeep X NECKLACE The necklace is of a very fine structure - a thin chain tarnished to a soft grey, with a pendant the size of a coin, its surface worn to nearly smooth. D Due to your fitness, you easily negotiate the stairs. Weeping Spire The interior of The Weeping Spire rises high and narrow, with a spiralling staircase reaching up with no sight of its upper limits. Along the walls of the staircase are etched memorials to those lost in past ages. E You can't go east. W You can't go west. S You can't go south. W You can't go west. SW Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. S [First opening the gate then closing it behind you] Baile Torin You are standing outside a massive palisade, guarding the entrance to Baile Torin. Immediately in front of you lies a huge gate, apparently constructed from wood and iron, which seems to block entry for any undeserving visitor. There is no handle to the gate, no keyhole, and no other way of opening it. Affixed to the surface of the gate you see a plaque. E Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. E Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. BLOW WHISTLE The shimmer in the air dances once again and there stands Corrin, adjusting his cuffs, looking calm and entirely unhurried. "Called and come, as ever." He peers at you, mock stern. "But mark me, that whistle's clever, not patient. Now then, what's the trouble this time?" GIVE NECKLACE TO CORRIN When you hold it out Corrin's brow lifts, but the words don't come right at once. He silps the chain over his head, letting the pendant settle against his chest beneath his shirt. His hand rests there for a second longer than necessary. Then with a glance your way, "Good thing I've got more things to give you as a gift in return." "Some things are better shown than told and The Whisperleaf is one of them. Just don't blame me if it changes forever how you look at levers." I You're carrying: a letter, a silver key, a scroll, a scrap of paper, a palimpsest, a four leaf clover (glowing brightly), a bottle (containing water), a cushion, a flute, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a pair of spectacles (being worn), a missive, a purse, a shimmering wand, a hammer, a vellum, a papyrus, a whistle, a whisperleaf and a Slagheart. X WHISPERLEAF You unfurl the pale, brittle sheet, surface covered in curling, Elven text in ink so fine it seems almost grown into the fibres. When your eyes drift along the twisting lines the characters seem to shift and realign, with the meaning unfolding in your mind not as words, but as quiet understanding. Diagrams show between the lines, the working of ancient levers, the rhythm and sequence of movements, the language of metal and stone. You feel all of the knowledge settle in your thoughts, as if you'd always known it. W As you leave The Ruins of Rathlurach you glance back at Corrin, who gives a small, knowing tilt of his head - half parting, half amusement. Then around him the air shimmers, very slightly, just like the heat haze on a cool day. A blink, a breath, and he's gone, as if he had simply stepped out of sight between one moment and the next. Only the faint sense of his absence stays, as if the world is smoothing over where he but recently stood. Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. W Baile Torin You are standing outside a massive palisade, guarding the entrance to Baile Torin. Immediately in front of you lies a huge gate, apparently constructed from wood and iron, which seems to block entry for any undeserving visitor. There is no handle to the gate, no keyhole, and no other way of opening it. Affixed to the surface of the gate you see a plaque. SAVE Enter save name [X to exit] >BLARG_______________.SAV Saving position as "BLARG_______________.SAV" N [First opening the gate then closing it behind you] Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. W Tinkers' Hall The interior of this building shows a large worktop running most of its not inconsiderable length, its surface scarred from generatons of use. Atop its surface are scattered mechanisms, the purpose of which you can only guess. A stone forge squats at the back, no longer in use, but every few hours it gives a soft click, as though remembering the rhythm of hammer and bellows. From one side of the worktop, attached to its side, projects a small lever. X LEVER The lever is attached to the side of the worktop. PULL IT [The lever] You wrap your fingers around the cold, time-worn lever. Once it felt locked in place by age, or perhaps by intention. But now, with the quiet knowledge whispered into your mind by the strange leaf your hands move with quiet and calm certainty. You tilt the lever just so feeling as the subtle resistance shifts, as if the mechanism within the worktop were listening and waiting for the exact touch. After a short pause there is a sound as the top of the worktop slides aside to reveal a shallow recess. X RECESS Inside the recess is a small bag. TAKE ALL FROM RECESS Small bag: Taken. OPEN BAG It's already open. X BAG Inside the small bag is a pair of earrings. TAKE ALL FROM BAG Pair of earrings: Taken. Your score has just gone up by 10 points. [Notifications can be turned off and on using the NOTIFY command] X EARRINGS They're small - unassuming at first glance. Silver with edges just slightly imperfect, like they'd been shaped by hand rather than just hammered out by a smith. Each one holds a tiny inlay: a sliver of deep blue stone, as dark as the sky before true night, glinting when the light tilts just right. S You can't go south. E Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. S [First opening the gate then closing it behind you] Baile Torin You are standing outside a massive palisade, guarding the entrance to Baile Torin. Immediately in front of you lies a huge gate, apparently constructed from wood and iron, which seems to block entry for any undeserving visitor. There is no handle to the gate, no keyhole, and no other way of opening it. Affixed to the surface of the gate you see a plaque. E Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. E Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. BLOW WHISTLE The shimmer in the air dances once again and there stands Corrin, adjusting his cuffs, looking calm and entirely unhurried. "Called and come, as ever." He peers at you, mock stern. "But mark me, that whistle's clever, not patient. Now then, what's the trouble this time?" GIVE EARRINGS TO CORRIN When you offer them, Corrin pauses. For once, the usual easy grin does not come right away. "These are not just for show." His voice is low and almost thoughtful. "It's meant to remind you where the sky ends, and where you are to be found when you stand beneath it." "Now for your part of the bargain. This is no mere trinket, but the Sirhill Draught, drawn from wells deeper than any you've stood beside, and encased by hands long since gone to dust." X DRAUGHT The draught is contained in a glass vessel, cold to the touch, humming with a silence deeper than the sea. Embossed into the wall of the container in a text reminiscent of ancient Elvish you read what looks to be a message... Sirhil Draught - No breath song flows W As you leave The Ruins of Rathlurach you glance back at Corrin, who gives a small, knowing tilt of his head - half parting, half amusement. Then around him the air shimmers, very slightly, just like the heat haze on a cool day. A blink, a breath, and he's gone, as if he had simply stepped out of sight between one moment and the next. Only the faint sense of his absence stays, as if the world is smoothing over where he but recently stood. Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. SAVE Enter save name [X to exit] >BLARG_______________.SAV Saving position as "BLARG_______________.SAV" DRINK DRAUGHT Fingers tighten around the glass as you raise it to your lips whereupon the liquid doesn't fall but rises to meet them. It passes your lips just like a thought, heavy with meaning but weightless in substance. As it touches the back of your throat - nothing. No swallow. No need. But the urge to breathe vanishes like a forgotten name. You can still feel your chest expand but it no longer hungers for air. Your lungs have become but memory and the river of breath that once flowed through them has completely stilled, like a pond sealed beneath eternal frost. Immediately you drain the draught, it vanishes from your grasp. SWIM Hesitantly, you stand at the edge of the lake, remembering your fears, the feeling of begging for air that would never come. But now..... Your lungs are still, and no longer does your body even ask to breathe. You enter the water and strike out with a firm and confident stroke. Swimming In Llyn Moredach You are swimming in the vast stretch of water known as Llyn Moredach. Water surrounds you in every direction, but although the temperature is freezing you are unaware of experiencing any discomfort. You do not know exactly how many metres of water might lie below your body, but wonder if descent into the depths could be an interesting experience. After all, since swallowing the draught breathing is no longer a problem. D As you slip beneath the surface, the world above vanishes - soundless, dim, distant. The water presses close, as cool as forgotten stone. Light filters down in fractured shafts, scintillating like ancient script. All around you silence deepens. Shapes drift in the murk - not fish, but memories trailing like mist. Far below you, something glimmers in the gloom - too regular to be stone, too still to be alive. Bottom of Llyn Moredach At the bottom of Llyn Moredach it is much darker than it was on the surface but the greenish-tinged light which does filter down through the depths is quite adequate for you to quite clearly make out your surroundings. Strands of weed weave slowly from side to side in soft currents, and you feel these exerting a similar effect on your body. Dimly seen in the soft green-tinged light you can observe what looks like reefs of pale pink coral. X ORAL I don't understand the word "ORAL" used in this context. X CORAL It's of a pale pink hue, but dimly seen in the greenish light. SEARCH CORAL You carry out a careful search, but uncover nothing new. TAKE CORAL The coral can't be taken. D You can't go down. E Bottom of Llyn Moredach At the bottom of Llyn Moredach it is much darker than it was on the surface but the greenish-tinged light which does filter down through the depths is quite adequate for you to quite clearly make out your surroundings. Strands of weed weave slowly from side to side in soft currents, and you feel these exerting a similar effect on your body. Dimly seen in the soft green-tinged light you can observe what looks like reefs of pale pink coral. Beside you there's a reliquary. X RELIQUARY It's of blackened volcanic glass, fashioned in an impossible geometry. Inside the reliquary is an ember vial. OPEN IT [The reliquary] It's already open. TAKE VIAL FROM RELIQUARY Ember vial: Taken. X VIAL The vial itself, no more than a finger's length, is carved from red crystal like molten rubies frozen in mid flow. Within it churns a slow liquid ember not glowing, but visibly smouldering, as if burning, in ways unmeasured by heat. The closer one draws the colder the surrounds become, almost like the fire within was feeding on its opposite. On the surface of the vial you can see an engraving which reads... Ignis Scutum Maybe you could translate the engraving. TRANSLATE ENGRAVING The engraving on the vial translates as 'FIRE SHIELD'. E Bottom of Llyn Moredach At the bottom of Llyn Moredach it is much darker than it was on the surface but the greenish-tinged light which does filter down through the depths is quite adequate for you to quite clearly make out your surroundings. Strands of weed weave slowly from side to side in soft currents, and you feel these exerting a similar effect on your body. Dimly seen in the soft green-tinged light you can observe what looks like reefs of pale pink coral. E Bottom of Llyn Moredach At the bottom of Llyn Moredach it is much darker than it was on the surface but the greenish-tinged light which does filter down through the depths is quite adequate for you to quite clearly make out your surroundings. Strands of weed weave slowly from side to side in soft currents, and you feel these exerting a similar effect on your body. Dimly seen in the soft green-tinged light you can observe what looks like reefs of pale pink coral. Beside you there's a reliquary. E Bottom of Llyn Moredach At the bottom of Llyn Moredach it is much darker than it was on the surface but the greenish-tinged light which does filter down through the depths is quite adequate for you to quite clearly make out your surroundings. Strands of weed weave slowly from side to side in soft currents, and you feel these exerting a similar effect on your body. Dimly seen in the soft green-tinged light you can observe what looks like reefs of pale pink coral. N Bottom of Llyn Moredach At the bottom of Llyn Moredach it is much darker than it was on the surface but the greenish-tinged light which does filter down through the depths is quite adequate for you to quite clearly make out your surroundings. Strands of weed weave slowly from side to side in soft currents, and you feel these exerting a similar effect on your body. Dimly seen in the soft green-tinged light you can observe what looks like reefs of pale pink coral. N Bottom of Llyn Moredach At the bottom of Llyn Moredach it is much darker than it was on the surface but the greenish-tinged light which does filter down through the depths is quite adequate for you to quite clearly make out your surroundings. Strands of weed weave slowly from side to side in soft currents, and you feel these exerting a similar effect on your body. Dimly seen in the soft green-tinged light you can observe what looks like reefs of pale pink coral. N Bottom of Llyn Moredach At the bottom of Llyn Moredach it is much darker than it was on the surface but the greenish-tinged light which does filter down through the depths is quite adequate for you to quite clearly make out your surroundings. Strands of weed weave slowly from side to side in soft currents, and you feel these exerting a similar effect on your body. Dimly seen in the soft green-tinged light you can observe what looks like reefs of pale pink coral. S Bottom of Llyn Moredach At the bottom of Llyn Moredach it is much darker than it was on the surface but the greenish-tinged light which does filter down through the depths is quite adequate for you to quite clearly make out your surroundings. Strands of weed weave slowly from side to side in soft currents, and you feel these exerting a similar effect on your body. Dimly seen in the soft green-tinged light you can observe what looks like reefs of pale pink coral. S Bottom of Llyn Moredach At the bottom of Llyn Moredach it is much darker than it was on the surface but the greenish-tinged light which does filter down through the depths is quite adequate for you to quite clearly make out your surroundings. Strands of weed weave slowly from side to side in soft currents, and you feel these exerting a similar effect on your body. Dimly seen in the soft green-tinged light you can observe what looks like reefs of pale pink coral. S Bottom of Llyn Moredach At the bottom of Llyn Moredach it is much darker than it was on the surface but the greenish-tinged light which does filter down through the depths is quite adequate for you to quite clearly make out your surroundings. Strands of weed weave slowly from side to side in soft currents, and you feel these exerting a similar effect on your body. Dimly seen in the soft green-tinged light you can observe what looks like reefs of pale pink coral. W Bottom of Llyn Moredach At the bottom of Llyn Moredach it is much darker than it was on the surface but the greenish-tinged light which does filter down through the depths is quite adequate for you to quite clearly make out your surroundings. Strands of weed weave slowly from side to side in soft currents, and you feel these exerting a similar effect on your body. Dimly seen in the soft green-tinged light you can observe what looks like reefs of pale pink coral. S Bottom of Llyn Moredach At the bottom of Llyn Moredach it is much darker than it was on the surface but the greenish-tinged light which does filter down through the depths is quite adequate for you to quite clearly make out your surroundings. Strands of weed weave slowly from side to side in soft currents, and you feel these exerting a similar effect on your body. Dimly seen in the soft green-tinged light you can observe what looks like reefs of pale pink coral. S Bottom of Llyn Moredach At the bottom of Llyn Moredach it is much darker than it was on the surface but the greenish-tinged light which does filter down through the depths is quite adequate for you to quite clearly make out your surroundings. Strands of weed weave slowly from side to side in soft currents, and you feel these exerting a similar effect on your body. Dimly seen in the soft green-tinged light you can observe what looks like reefs of pale pink coral. S Bottom of Llyn Moredach At the bottom of Llyn Moredach it is much darker than it was on the surface but the greenish-tinged light which does filter down through the depths is quite adequate for you to quite clearly make out your surroundings. Strands of weed weave slowly from side to side in soft currents, and you feel these exerting a similar effect on your body. Dimly seen in the soft green-tinged light you can observe what looks like reefs of pale pink coral. SW Bottom of Llyn Moredach At the bottom of Llyn Moredach it is much darker than it was on the surface but the greenish-tinged light which does filter down through the depths is quite adequate for you to quite clearly make out your surroundings. Strands of weed weave slowly from side to side in soft currents, and you feel these exerting a similar effect on your body. Dimly seen in the soft green-tinged light you can observe what looks like reefs of pale pink coral. W Bottom of Llyn Moredach At the bottom of Llyn Moredach it is much darker than it was on the surface but the greenish-tinged light which does filter down through the depths is quite adequate for you to quite clearly make out your surroundings. Strands of weed weave slowly from side to side in soft currents, and you feel these exerting a similar effect on your body. Dimly seen in the soft green-tinged light you can observe what looks like reefs of pale pink coral. E Bottom of Llyn Moredach At the bottom of Llyn Moredach it is much darker than it was on the surface but the greenish-tinged light which does filter down through the depths is quite adequate for you to quite clearly make out your surroundings. Strands of weed weave slowly from side to side in soft currents, and you feel these exerting a similar effect on your body. Dimly seen in the soft green-tinged light you can observe what looks like reefs of pale pink coral. Beside you there's a reliquary. N Bottom of Llyn Moredach At the bottom of Llyn Moredach it is much darker than it was on the surface but the greenish-tinged light which does filter down through the depths is quite adequate for you to quite clearly make out your surroundings. Strands of weed weave slowly from side to side in soft currents, and you feel these exerting a similar effect on your body. Dimly seen in the soft green-tinged light you can observe what looks like reefs of pale pink coral. N Bottom of Llyn Moredach At the bottom of Llyn Moredach it is much darker than it was on the surface but the greenish-tinged light which does filter down through the depths is quite adequate for you to quite clearly make out your surroundings. Strands of weed weave slowly from side to side in soft currents, and you feel these exerting a similar effect on your body. Dimly seen in the soft green-tinged light you can observe what looks like reefs of pale pink coral. NU You appear to have omitted a noun. U You kick off from the lake bed, rising through a hush of shadow and silver light. Fingers brush past threads of weed, and bubbles slip upward just as if they were strings of scattered pearls. The water flows past you silkily, as light gathers above, a wavering silver mirror, drawing closer with every stroke. And then, quietly and gently, you breach the surface, welcoming the soft kiss of wind on wet skin and the cool hush of the world above. Swimming In Llyn Moredach You are swimming in the vast stretch of water known as Llyn Moredach. Water surrounds you in every direction, but although the temperature is freezing you are unaware of experiencing any discomfort. You do not know exactly how many metres of water might lie below your body, but wonder if descent into the depths could be an interesting experience. After all, since swallowing the draught breathing is no longer a problem. U You can't go up. N A good sense of direction was always one of your strong points, and you set out swimming towards where you remember the shore to be. After some time of intense effort you make landfall and haul yourself wearily from the water. Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. SAVE Enter save name [X to exit] >BLARG_______________.SAV Saving position as "BLARG_______________.SAV" HINT Baile Torin The gate at the entrance to Baile Torin is locked and can't be opened. The only way of unlocking this gate is given on the plaque. You must play the flute which you received from Corrin when you gave him the coin. Baile Torin In Elder Hall, to the northwest, you'll find the statue of a faerie woman. If you place on her palm the silver acorn you obtained from the cushion on the altar in Damascus, a bracelet will appear in its place. You should take this and give it to Corrin. In return he'll give you the Starforged Hammer. Llyn Moredach At the edge of Llyn Moredach you can either try to go south or to swim. You will be unable to do either unless you have drunk the Sirhill Draught which makes breathing unnecessary. Llyn Moredach When you are swimming in Llyn Moredach you should go down into the depths. If you go east when you have gone below the surface you'll find a reliquary which contains the Ember Vial. When this is drunk it'll allow you to exist in searing heat, and you can visit Emberdeep. Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. HINT You can ask Corrin about many things and will always get a reply, if not a helpful one on every occasion. Sometimes he acts rather evasively, seeming to dodge the question. Sometimes, however, he can give a response which carries some subtle hints, such as when he refers to the flute being resistant to frost or flame, thus indicating that it could be used both in Emberdeep and Aurrost. Also, when asked about the cairns, he says that five notes should be played "like a mirror", thus indicating that the sequence should be symmetrical. When you ask Corrin about either the Hellkindle, the Slagheart Shard or the Cindergleam he will give you some valuable information about each. Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. E Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. BLOW WHISTLE The shimmer in the air dances once again and there stands Corrin, adjusting his cuffs, looking calm and entirely unhurried. "Called and come, as ever." He peers at you, mock stern. "But mark me, that whistle's clever, not patient. Now then, what's the trouble this time?" ASK CORRIN ABOUT SLAGHEART After just a moment's pause, you receive a response... "Ah, the Slagheart is it? Strange little keepsake. That one's the very last breath of a forge's dying heart, hardened into stone. Folk toss slag away, but not all cinders are finished with their business." He leans in, voice lowering to that playful, warning murmur of his. "Some say the earth knows when a fire's been stolen, and likes a weight left in its place." WAVE WAND As you wave the wand there's a moment's pause following which you're all at once enveloped in a billowing cloud of fairy dust. You experience the sense of movement, but quickly come to your senses to discover... Forest Hovel You are in a small room which, although very basic in appearance, displays a most ornate carpet in the centre of the floor. Through the single window streams daylight, and you can also see that outside the hovel there exists a dense forest of what appear to be blackthorn trees. In the southern wall lies a doorless exit, presumably leading out to the tree-strewn landscape. Against one of the walls you can see a minute bunk, presumably for the use of the hovel's owner, whoever that might be. SIT ON CARPET As you sit on the carpet it momentarily ripples slightly, but this rapidly ceases, leaving you sitting comfortably on the heavily-patterned surface. DRINK VIAL You lift the vial to your lips and watch the entity inside moving, dancing inside the glass like an echo of something that shouldn't be caged. At once you drink, then the pain begins. A pain blooming behind the ribs, uncoiling like a serpent from spine to sternum; your pulse stutters, then races, and for a moment you imagine you are probably dead. Slowly, ever so slowly, the pain subsides and is replaced by a sensation of what you would not say exactly was cold, but more like the absence of heat. Immediately you drain the vial, it vanishes from your grasp. SAY EMBERDEEP "EMBERDEEP" Almost as soon as the word leaves your lips the carpet starts to ripple and undulate beneath your body and there is an accompanying peal of thunder. At almost the same time you are enveloped in a dense mist, and although you're unable to see what exactly is happening you experience a sense of prolonged and rapid movement. After some time which could have been minutes or hours, the movement ceases and you notice your surroundings have changed... The Cradle of Ash You are in a rock hollow, walled on all sides by sheer cliffs of blackened basalt, their faces veined with old lava scars. The ground under your feet is brittle with scattered ash and cracked stone, and the air around carries a strange metallic tang. In the cliff's northern face, a narrow cave yawns like the throat of a waiting beast, exhaling slow fitful breaths of searing sulphurous gas that haze the air in shimmering waves. On the ground there's a carpet, its surface covered in weaving and swirling hypnotic patterns. You are sitting comfortably on the carpet. X CAVE It lies to your north. N [Leaving the carpet first] Around you air swirls, blistering and sharp, but your chest remains steady and cool, almost as though the heat actually fears you. The Smolderpath You are in a winding passage carved by fire and time, the walls glassy and smooth in places, rippled and blistered in others. The searing heat worsens with every step, and the stones underfoot seem to radiate emberish warmth, as though the earth itself stirs restlessly under your feet. Here and there thin vents exhale short sharp puffs of searing air - reminders that the old fires are not entirely dead. Exits pass to northeast and south. X VENTS They emit sharp puffs of searing sulphurous gases. NE The Furnace Hollow This is a cavernous vault, its walls blackened and scorched, weeping with a cascade of mineral drips that hiss on the hot stone below. At the centre is a jagged pedestal, half-swallowed by cooled lava and hardened crust. Around you the air thrums, heavy and oppressive, and every heartbeat feels faintly out of place, as though the place itself is waiting for something. X PEDESTAL The pedestal is a cruel spike of volcanic stone which juts from the earth, its jagged edges glinting dully in the wavering heat haze. The formation rises like the broken fang of some long-buried titan, its surfaces far too sharp for anything to rest upon it. Its presence feels less like a crafted object and more like the earth itself drove it upward in some violent event and left it standing, silent and severe. I You're carrying: a letter, a silver key, a scroll, a scrap of paper, a palimpsest, a four leaf clover (glowing brightly), a bottle (containing water), a cushion, a flute, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a pair of spectacles (being worn), a missive, a purse, a small bag, a shimmering wand, a hammer, a vellum, a papyrus, a whistle, a whisperleaf and a Slagheart. PUT SLAGHEART ON PEDESTAL Not one of your most brilliant ideas. PUT ALL ON PEDESTAL Not one of your most brilliant ideas. L The Furnace Hollow This is a cavernous vault, its walls blackened and scorched, weeping with a cascade of mineral drips that hiss on the hot stone below. At the centre is a jagged pedestal, half-swallowed by cooled lava and hardened crust. Around you the air thrums, heavy and oppressive, and every heartbeat feels faintly out of place, as though the place itself is waiting for something. LISTEN The sound of flame, fire and crackling hot stone surrounds you. I You're carrying: a letter, a silver key, a scroll, a scrap of paper, a palimpsest, a four leaf clover (glowing brightly), a bottle (containing water), a cushion, a flute, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a pair of spectacles (being worn), a missive, a purse, a small bag, a shimmering wand, a hammer, a vellum, a papyrus, a whistle, a whisperleaf and a Slagheart. PUT HAMMER ON PEDESTAL Not one of your most brilliant ideas. HINT The Rifted Chamber Although you can travel to Emberdeep using the carpet, you won't be able to enter it unless you've drunk the Ember Vial. In it you will eventually reach the Rifted Chamber, which you are unable to cross. Reading the plaque there may give you a clue. The Furnace Hollow This is a cavernous vault, its walls blackened and scorched, weeping with a cascade of mineral drips that hiss on the hot stone below. At the centre is a jagged pedestal, half-swallowed by cooled lava and hardened crust. Around you the air thrums, heavy and oppressive, and every heartbeat feels faintly out of place, as though the place itself is waiting for something. W You can't go west. E You can't go east. N You can't go north. NE You can't go northeast. NW Rifted Chamber The chamber swallows all sound. Even the scrape of your own footsteps here is muffled, as if the very air were thick with centuries of silence. Walls loom close but give no comfort-faces of volcanic black, slick in places and with veins of dull, glassy obsidian. A huge rift divides the cavern like an unhealed wound, its depths lost to darkness. On the far side, just visible, you see a lone plinth rising from the cracked floor, like a dragon's tooth. Attached to the wall, just at your side, you can see a rather small plaque. X RIFT The chasm, or rift, is wide and deep, its jagged walls falling away into a dense and impenetrable darkness. Waves of searing heat, however, waft up to make the air simmer and churn around you. There's a peculiar hush as though the very atmosphere were holding its breath. X PLINTH You don't notice any plinth here. X PLAQUE The plaque reads... The path unheard may yet be sung PLAY FLUTE At first the music is scarcely more than a sigh, then it begins to rise - a winding melody that climbs like smoke, as if searching for something lost. It is haunting, not sorrowful, but full of aching memory. The kind of dirge you might remember from a dream or from times you're not sure ever existed. As the final note hangs in the silence, the air before you wavers, just as if ripples had passed over unseen water. Slowly, lines of light appear in the empty space, sketching the outline of an invisible bridge. A low reson- ant hum rises from the earth, and the ripples harden, molten air cooling to form a slender, glassy path of volcanic black glass, gleaming and sparkling under the cavern's glow. L Rifted Chamber The chamber swallows all sound. Even the scrape of your own footsteps here is muffled, as if the very air were thick with centuries of silence. Walls loom close but give no comfort-faces of volcanic black, slick in places and with veins of dull, glassy obsidian. A huge rift divides the cavern like an unhealed wound, its depths lost to darkness. On the far side, just visible, you see a lone plinth rising from the cracked floor, like a dragon's tooth. Attached to the wall, just at your side, you can see a rather small plaque. A bridge of black volcanic glass, thin but strong, bridges the chasm. N Seared Chamber This is a forgotten vault carved from molten stone, its walls blackened and scarred by numerous deposits of materials of unknown origin. The heat here would have been intolerable, were it not for the protection bestowed by the Ember Vial. In the very centre of the chamber, jutting up from the basaltic floor and appearing like a dragon's tooth, stands a single plinth. A bridge of black volcanic glass, thin but strong, bridges the chasm. X PLINTH The plinth stands like an altar of forgotten purpose, roughly hewn from the same volcanic stone as the chamber walls but blackened further by centuries of heat. Around its base the floor is cracked and crazed, as thin fractures spiderweb outward as though the weight of the object it bears is not merely physical, but woven with some deeper strain. The plinth's top is hollowed out into a shallow depression, further darkened by soot and burn marks. On the plinth you see a Hellkindle. TAKE ALL FROM PLINTH Hellkindle: Taken. X HELLKINDLE The Hellkindle is a shard of living fire snared in darkened stone. It burns with an unrelenting, searing heat - its glow so fierce that the air around it shimmers and warps, as if reality itself recoils from the flame impris- oned within. Veins of molten light crawl and flicker beneath the surface, and it reminds you of the embered heart of a long-dead forge. L Seared Chamber This is a forgotten vault carved from molten stone, its walls blackened and scarred by numerous deposits of materials of unknown origin. The heat here would have been intolerable, were it not for the protection bestowed by the Ember Vial. In the very centre of the chamber, jutting up from the basaltic floor and appearing like a dragon's tooth, stands a single plinth. A bridge of black volcanic glass, thin but strong, bridges the chasm. N You can't go north. NE You can't go northeast. NW You can't go northwest. E You can't go east. W You can't go west. SW You can't go southwest. SE You can't go southeast. S As you step away from the plinth, the Hellkindle appears to grow heavier in your hands - then, without warning it slips free from your grasp, as though pulled by an unseen tether. The glowing stone floats through the stifling air, returning to its place atop the plinth with an uncanny grace. A faint pulse hums through the stone as it settles, as if the very chamber breathes the easier for its return. Thinking back, you seem to remember something that Corrin said to you about the earth needing balance. Rifted Chamber The chamber swallows all sound. Even the scrape of your own footsteps here is muffled, as if the very air were thick with centuries of silence. Walls loom close but give no comfort-faces of volcanic black, slick in places and with veins of dull, glassy obsidian. A huge rift divides the cavern like an unhealed wound, its depths lost to darkness. On the far side, just visible, you see a lone plinth rising from the cracked floor, like a dragon's tooth. Attached to the wall, just at your side, you can see a rather small plaque. A bridge of black volcanic glass, thin but strong, bridges the chasm. PUT SLAGHEART ON PLINTH You don't see any plinth here. N Seared Chamber This is a forgotten vault carved from molten stone, its walls blackened and scarred by numerous deposits of materials of unknown origin. The heat here would have been intolerable, were it not for the protection bestowed by the Ember Vial. In the very centre of the chamber, jutting up from the basaltic floor and appearing like a dragon's tooth, stands a single plinth. A bridge of black volcanic glass, thin but strong, bridges the chasm. PUT SLAGHEART ON PLINTH Slagheart: There's no room. TAKE ALL FROM PLINTH Hellkindle: Taken. PUT SLAGHEART ON PLINTH Slagheart: Done. As you lower the Slagheart on to the plinth, the moment the stone hits the hollowed socket, a soft vibration hums through the air - almost as if the plinth itself lets out a muted sigh of approval. The Hellkindle's glow for a brief moment flares once, as though testing the bargain, thereafter lying quietly resting in your hands, now truly yours to carry. Behind you the chamber settles back into its oppressive silence. No longer does the plinth stare at your back, yearning. S You return across the bridge carrying the Hellkindle. Rifted Chamber The chamber swallows all sound. Even the scrape of your own footsteps here is muffled, as if the very air were thick with centuries of silence. Walls loom close but give no comfort-faces of volcanic black, slick in places and with veins of dull, glassy obsidian. A huge rift divides the cavern like an unhealed wound, its depths lost to darkness. On the far side, just visible, you see a lone plinth rising from the cracked floor, like a dragon's tooth. Attached to the wall, just at your side, you can see a rather small plaque. A bridge of black volcanic glass, thin but strong, bridges the chasm. Your score has just gone up by 20 points. [Notifications can be turned off and on using the NOTIFY command] NW You can't go northwest. NE You can't go northeast. W You can't go west. E You can't go east. SW You can't go southwest. SE The Furnace Hollow This is a cavernous vault, its walls blackened and scorched, weeping with a cascade of mineral drips that hiss on the hot stone below. At the centre is a jagged pedestal, half-swallowed by cooled lava and hardened crust. Around you the air thrums, heavy and oppressive, and every heartbeat feels faintly out of place, as though the place itself is waiting for something. S You can't go south. NW Rifted Chamber The chamber swallows all sound. Even the scrape of your own footsteps here is muffled, as if the very air were thick with centuries of silence. Walls loom close but give no comfort-faces of volcanic black, slick in places and with veins of dull, glassy obsidian. A huge rift divides the cavern like an unhealed wound, its depths lost to darkness. On the far side, just visible, you see a lone plinth rising from the cracked floor, like a dragon's tooth. Attached to the wall, just at your side, you can see a rather small plaque. A bridge of black volcanic glass, thin but strong, bridges the chasm. S You can't go south. SE The Furnace Hollow This is a cavernous vault, its walls blackened and scorched, weeping with a cascade of mineral drips that hiss on the hot stone below. At the centre is a jagged pedestal, half-swallowed by cooled lava and hardened crust. Around you the air thrums, heavy and oppressive, and every heartbeat feels faintly out of place, as though the place itself is waiting for something. X PEDESTAL The pedestal is a cruel spike of volcanic stone which juts from the earth, its jagged edges glinting dully in the wavering heat haze. The formation rises like the broken fang of some long-buried titan, its surfaces far too sharp for anything to rest upon it. Its presence feels less like a crafted object and more like the earth itself drove it upward in some violent event and left it standing, silent and severe. PUT HELLKINDLE ON PEDESTAL Not one of your most brilliant ideas. S You can't go south. SE You can't go southeast. SW The Smolderpath You are in a winding passage carved by fire and time, the walls glassy and smooth in places, rippled and blistered in others. The searing heat worsens with every step, and the stones underfoot seem to radiate emberish warmth, as though the earth itself stirs restlessly under your feet. Here and there thin vents exhale short sharp puffs of searing air - reminders that the old fires are not entirely dead. Exits pass to northeast and south. E You can't go east. W You can't go west. S The Cradle of Ash You are in a rock hollow, walled on all sides by sheer cliffs of blackened basalt, their faces veined with old lava scars. The ground under your feet is brittle with scattered ash and cracked stone, and the air around carries a strange metallic tang. In the cliff's northern face, a narrow cave yawns like the throat of a waiting beast, exhaling slow fitful breaths of searing sulphurous gas that haze the air in shimmering waves. On the ground there's a carpet, its surface covered in weaving and swirling hypnotic patterns. SAVE Enter save name [X to exit] >BLARG_______________.SAV Saving position as "BLARG_______________.SAV" I You're carrying: a letter, a silver key, a scroll, a scrap of paper, a palimpsest, a four leaf clover (glowing brightly), a bottle (containing water), a cushion, a flute, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a pair of spectacles (being worn), a missive, a purse, a small bag, a shimmering wand, a hammer, a vellum, a papyrus, a whistle, a whisperleaf and a Hellkindle. BLOW WHISTLE You raise the whistle and blow - the crystal-clear note carries out, sharp against the quiet. For a moment the air feels expectant, as if something is about to stir, but nothing comes. Only the very faintest trace of laughter, so distant you might have imagined it. "Not here, my friend," a voice seems to whisper from nowhere, "Some places I'd sooner not tread, even for you." SIT ON CARPET As you sit on the carpet it momentarily ripples slightly, but this rapidly ceases, leaving you sitting comfortably on the heavily-patterned surface. SAY DAILLEAGH "DAILLEAGH" SAY DAILEAGH "DAILEAGH" SAY DRAIGHEAN "DRAIGHEAN" Almost as soon as the word leaves your lips the carpet starts to ripple and undulate beneath your body and there is an accompanying peal of thunder. At almost the same time you are enveloped in a dense mist, and although you're unable to see what exactly is happening you experience a sense of prolonged and rapid movement. After some time which could have been minutes or hours, the movement ceases and you notice your surroundings have changed... Forest Hovel You are in a small room which, although very basic in appearance, displays a most ornate carpet in the centre of the floor. Through the single window streams daylight, and you can also see that outside the hovel there exists a dense forest of what appear to be blackthorn trees. In the southern wall lies a doorless exit, presumably leading out to the tree-strewn landscape. Against one of the walls you can see a minute bunk, presumably for the use of the hovel's owner, whoever that might be. You are sitting comfortably on the carpet. OUT [Leaving the carpet first] Blackthorn Path Outside Hovel You find yourself standing on a narrow path, winding meanderingly through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. Indeed, the trees grow so close together that you doubt you could manage to pick your way between them, and you can see no alternative other than to follow the path which seems to lead deeper into the forest to the southwest. To your north lies the doorless entrance into a small tumbledown hovel. SW Path In Blackthorn Forest You are on a narrow path leading northeast and southwest through what looks like a dense forest of blackthorn trees, although another much smaller path leads off to the west, where the forest appears to become even thicker than in any other direction if such a thing were possible. SW Path In Blackthorn Forest You are now deep in the heart of the blackthorn forest, the path continuing in its inexorable northeast-southwest course. As before the trees crowd all around you on every side, making a foray into the dense timbers impossible. You see two other small and narrow paths branching off to the northwest and to the southeast. SW Path In Blackthorn Forest There is no sign of your earlier adversary. From here the path leads either southwest or back to the northeast towards the hovel, from where originally you came. At the side of the path you see a prominent sign. SW Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. E Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. Corrin the leprechaun stands by the sign, slowly tapping his foot. ASK CORRIN ABOUT HELLKINDLE After just a moment's pause, you receive a response... "Aye, The Hellkindle. Strange thing, isn't it? Some say it's the only ember the world itself could never quite put out." He glances sidelong at you his voice lowering to a near whisper. "If ever ye find a hearth grown cold or a furnace that's forgotten its flame...well, some lights don't take kindly to any normal tinder. But I've said too much...or just enough." W As you leave The Ruins of Rathlurach you glance back at Corrin, who gives a small, knowing tilt of his head - half parting, half amusement. Then around him the air shimmers, very slightly, just like the heat haze on a cool day. A blink, a breath, and he's gone, as if he had simply stepped out of sight between one moment and the next. Only the faint sense of his absence stays, as if the world is smoothing over where he but recently stood. Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. W Baile Torin You are standing outside a massive palisade, guarding the entrance to Baile Torin. Immediately in front of you lies a huge gate, apparently constructed from wood and iron, which seems to block entry for any undeserving visitor. There is no handle to the gate, no keyhole, and no other way of opening it. Affixed to the surface of the gate you see a plaque. N [First opening the gate then closing it behind you] Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. NE Weeping Spire The interior of The Weeping Spire rises high and narrow, with a spiralling staircase reaching up with no sight of its upper limits. Along the walls of the staircase are etched memorials to those lost in past ages. W You can't go west. SW Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. E Dreamers' Hall This place was used for communal rest and magical dreaming. The interior is a circular space surrounded by platforms encircling a central pit which was presumably used to contain an open fire. W Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. N House of Solace Warm and quiet, this long, low building is now largely empty, although thin gauze curtains hang on the walls, enchanted to gently sway like reeds in a wind no-one feels. In the rafters hang wind chimes of dream-glass, which on moving replay fragments of old healing songs sung in forgotten dialects. In the further end of the building are three exits which pass to the northwest north and northeast, but the major exit to Baile Torin lies just to south. X FORGE You don't notice any forge here. S Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. NW Elder Hall The wide high-vaulted chamber of this place is supported by narrow pillars darkened with age. At its heart lies a large bowl, where council fire once burned. Hanging from beams are dozens of small banners, representing crafts of the artisans of long ago, now faded to pale ghosts. Rows of niches line the walls, and one of these seems to stand out more than the others. In the very centre of the hall there is a statue which seems to represent a faerie woman, carved in a pale green stone. SE Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. E Dreamers' Hall This place was used for communal rest and magical dreaming. The interior is a circular space surrounded by platforms encircling a central pit which was presumably used to contain an open fire. PUT HELLKINDLE IN PIT The pit can't receive anything. W Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. NE Weeping Spire The interior of The Weeping Spire rises high and narrow, with a spiralling staircase reaching up with no sight of its upper limits. Along the walls of the staircase are etched memorials to those lost in past ages. U Due to your fitness, you easily negotiate the stairs. Top of Weeping Spire This circular room lies open to the wind, and is ringed by many horn-shaped windcatchers that emit faint, mournful tones when storms pass. A stone dais holds a single bell, whose clapper appears to be missing. It was said that to ring the bell when thinking of someone lost would summon them in memory. Halfway up one of the walls, a small compartment is embedded in the stone. D Due to your fitness, you easily negotiate the stairs. Weeping Spire The interior of The Weeping Spire rises high and narrow, with a spiralling staircase reaching up with no sight of its upper limits. Along the walls of the staircase are etched memorials to those lost in past ages. SW Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. N House of Solace Warm and quiet, this long, low building is now largely empty, although thin gauze curtains hang on the walls, enchanted to gently sway like reeds in a wind no-one feels. In the rafters hang wind chimes of dream-glass, which on moving replay fragments of old healing songs sung in forgotten dialects. In the further end of the building are three exits which pass to the northwest north and northeast, but the major exit to Baile Torin lies just to south. N The corridor twists and turns somewhat, but eventually you find... Cubical Chamber You're in a small cubical chamber the ceiling of which emits diffuse light. This permits a full and unhindered view of your surroundings, and shows the stone walls and ceiling plus the single exit which leads back to the south. S House of Solace Warm and quiet, this long, low building is now largely empty, although thin gauze curtains hang on the walls, enchanted to gently sway like reeds in a wind no-one feels. In the rafters hang wind chimes of dream-glass, which on moving replay fragments of old healing songs sung in forgotten dialects. In the further end of the building are three exits which pass to the northwest north and northeast, but the major exit to Baile Torin lies just to south. NW The corridor twists and turns somewhat, but eventually you find... Cubical Chamber You're in a small cubical chamber the ceiling of which emits diffuse light. This permits a full and unhindered view of your surroundings, and shows the stone walls and ceiling plus the single exit which leads back to the south. S House of Solace Warm and quiet, this long, low building is now largely empty, although thin gauze curtains hang on the walls, enchanted to gently sway like reeds in a wind no-one feels. In the rafters hang wind chimes of dream-glass, which on moving replay fragments of old healing songs sung in forgotten dialects. In the further end of the building are three exits which pass to the northwest north and northeast, but the major exit to Baile Torin lies just to south. S Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. N House of Solace Warm and quiet, this long, low building is now largely empty, although thin gauze curtains hang on the walls, enchanted to gently sway like reeds in a wind no-one feels. In the rafters hang wind chimes of dream-glass, which on moving replay fragments of old healing songs sung in forgotten dialects. In the further end of the building are three exits which pass to the northwest north and northeast, but the major exit to Baile Torin lies just to south. S Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. W Tinkers' Hall The interior of this building shows a large worktop running most of its not inconsiderable length, its surface scarred from generatons of use. Atop its surface are scattered mechanisms, the purpose of which you can only guess. A stone forge squats at the back, no longer in use, but every few hours it gives a soft click, as though remembering the rhythm of hammer and bellows. From one side of the worktop, attached to its side, projects a small lever. The surface of the worktop has slid back, revealing a shallow recess. X FORGE The ancient forge of Baile Torin stands cold and hollow, its blackened and crumbling stone long choked with ash, its iron maw rusted shut by uncounted years. For aeons no flame had burned there, no hammer had sung its song to craft its metallic progeny and no smith had strained sinew in its service. PUT HELLKINDLE IN FORGE Hellkindle: Done. As you put the Hellkindle, still pulsing with its unnatural inner glow, in to the forge's heart, something stirs. At first there is only silence. Then a soft crackle, like dry leaves catching alight. The Hellkindle flares much brighter than its size might suggest, and deep, deep within the stone belly of the structure, ancient runes flicker to life.. Lines of fire crawl thro' the cracks as if the very rock remembers its purpose. The air grows heavy, the scent of long-forgotten iron and smoke rolling outward, and the stones hum with a low, steady rhythm - the heartbeat of the forge reignited. Without your hand guiding it, the old mechanisms shudder awake. A forgotten crucible shifts, iron tongs stir, and the shadows on the walls seem to step aside for unseen workers. The Hellkindle stirs once more, and molten metal starts to flow-not from any visible ore but as if conjured from memory, and from no visible corporeal influence. The liquid metal runs into a waiting mould, shaped and refined as though guided by invisible hands. When the glow dims, quiet returns and the forge returns to its previous and dormant state. Deep in the interior of the structure, you see that something has appeared, although everything else is exactly as it was before. L Tinkers' Hall The interior of this building shows a large worktop running most of its not inconsiderable length, its surface scarred from generatons of use. Atop its surface are scattered mechanisms, the purpose of which you can only guess. A stone forge squats at the back, no longer in use, but every few hours it gives a soft click, as though remembering the rhythm of hammer and bellows. From one side of the worktop, attached to its side, projects a small lever. The surface of the worktop has slid back, revealing a shallow recess. When the glow dims, quiet returns and the forge returns to its previous and dormant state. Deep in the interior of the structure, you see that something has appeared, although everything else is exactly as it was before. X SOMETHING I don't understand the word "SOMETHING" used in this context. X RECESS You see nothing remarkable about the recess. LOOK IN RECESS Presumably you've a reason for trying to look inside the recess? LOOKIN FORGE I don't understand "LOOKIN" used in that context. IN A direction would seem more appropriate. LOOK IN FORGE The ancient forge of Baile Torin stands cold and hollow, its blackened and crumbling stone long choked with ash, its iron maw rusted shut by uncounted years. For aeons no flame had burned there, no hammer had sung its song to craft its metallic progeny and no smith had strained sinew in its service. Inside the forge you see a ring and a Cindergleam. TAKE ALL FROM FORGE Ring: Taken. Your score has just gone up by 20 points. [Notifications can be turned off and on using the NOTIFY command] Cindergleam: Taken. X CINDERGLEAM The Cindergleam is a faint, ember-like stone, no larger than a walnut, but pulsing with an internal flicker of deep orange light. It is very light to carry, and radiates an inviting but controlled warmth - not the raw fury of the Hellkindle, but enough to melt frost or awaken long-slumbering magicks locked in ice. X RING The ring is of Elven gold and sparkles brightly in the light. Etched around its inner surface, in a tiny script and in old Elvish you see what seems to be a message. Your spectacles allow you to read this with comparative ease. Luck's bright cradle, charm's true keep In golden coils old wishes sleep Trickster's prize and pact-wright's boon A leprechaun shall seek this soon E Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. S [First opening the gate then closing it behind you] Baile Torin You are standing outside a massive palisade, guarding the entrance to Baile Torin. Immediately in front of you lies a huge gate, apparently constructed from wood and iron, which seems to block entry for any undeserving visitor. There is no handle to the gate, no keyhole, and no other way of opening it. Affixed to the surface of the gate you see a plaque. E Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. E Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. BLOW WHISTLE The shimmer in the air dances once again and there stands Corrin, adjusting his cuffs, looking calm and entirely unhurried. "Called and come, as ever." He peers at you, mock stern. "But mark me, that whistle's clever, not patient. Now then, what's the trouble this time?" GIVE RING TO CORRIN When you slip the ring into his hand, Corrin goes quite still. He turns it over once, twice, letting silence settle heavy between you. The usual easy smile is nowhere to be found - not yet. Finally his voice is quiet, rough- ened by something unspoken. He presses his thumb against the engraving on the inside, reading it without speaking it, then, "You can't possibly know how much this means to me." From a hidden pocket he draws a slender vial - the glass frosted over as if the liquid inside holds winter in its heart. "The Nivurion Potion. Old cold and clever. One sip and your bones'll know the ways of frost and ice as if you were born to it." He hands the potion to you, then pauses, a glimmer of concern on his face. "And by the way, you might find this useful, although the place is not for the weak-willed. There are things that wander there... wrapped in rime and old, old hunger." So saying, he hands you a small card. "Well now, you've near emptied you pocket for the likes of me, and I've in return given near all I can. But there is, as fate would have it, one last thing this old heart still pines for. A diamond, as clear as winter's first star. I hadn't the nerve to ask before but should you ever bring such a gem my way, I'd not leave you unrewarded, friend. Some treasures aren't always silver or stone, after all, and I've a parting gift waiting, if your hands find the last of my longings." I You're carrying: a letter, a silver key, a scroll, a scrap of paper, a palimpsest, a four leaf clover (glowing brightly), a bottle (containing water), a cushion, a flute, a potion, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a pair of spectacles (being worn), a missive, a small card, a purse, a small bag, a shimmering wand, a hammer, a vellum, a papyrus, a whistle, a whisperleaf and a Cindergleam. X CARD The card has frayed edges, the corners softened by years of handling. It is cut from a strange, fibrous material, the texture half way between brittle bark and softened leather. It holds an otherworldly coolness against your fingers, as though it remembers the chill of far-off places. Etched on its surface, in strange, looping, old world text that glimmers faintly, there's a verse which reads... Three paths lie silent, stony, bare Till lens for sight gives light to air There Solace holds its triple breath The eye unveiled may foil dull death X POTION The potion is contained in a vessel carved from some material predating the memory of man. The liquid within is clear yet the eye can not settle on it. It is liquid that does not ripple, cold that does not bite, but even so it unravels all sensation, even when it remains confined. Embossed on its side you can read the text... Nivurion Potion of Rimefast Grace DRINK POTION You bring the potion to your lips and drink. Silence starts in your throat, moves outward, and everything inside you simply stops. But you do not die. Instead your veins change. They shimmer and harden and your pulse gradually slows until it becomes a kind of rhythm only glaciers know. The icy cold no longer touches you as you are now part of it. You have drunk of the potion of Nivurion and the cold is no longer your enemy; it is your shape. Immediately you drain the potion, it vanishes from your grasp. W As you leave The Ruins of Rathlurach you glance back at Corrin, who gives a small, knowing tilt of his head - half parting, half amusement. Then around him the air shimmers, very slightly, just like the heat haze on a cool day. A blink, a breath, and he's gone, as if he had simply stepped out of sight between one moment and the next. Only the faint sense of his absence stays, as if the world is smoothing over where he but recently stood. Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. W Baile Torin You are standing outside a massive palisade, guarding the entrance to Baile Torin. Immediately in front of you lies a huge gate, apparently constructed from wood and iron, which seems to block entry for any undeserving visitor. There is no handle to the gate, no keyhole, and no other way of opening it. Affixed to the surface of the gate you see a plaque. N [First opening the gate then closing it behind you] Inside Baile Torin You are inside the gate of Baile Torin with several buildings lying to your north, to the east, to the west, to the northeast and to the northwest. The whole compound is surrounded by a huge palisade constructed from an unusual material, and which separates it from the Blackthorn forest. N House of Solace Warm and quiet, this long, low building is now largely empty, although thin gauze curtains hang on the walls, enchanted to gently sway like reeds in a wind no-one feels. In the rafters hang wind chimes of dream-glass, which on moving replay fragments of old healing songs sung in forgotten dialects. In the further end of the building are three exits which pass to the northwest north and northeast, but the major exit to Baile Torin lies just to south. Above the northeast exit a small light is flashing. N The corridor twists and turns somewhat, but eventually you find... Cubical Chamber You're in a small cubical chamber the ceiling of which emits diffuse light. This permits a full and unhindered view of your surroundings, and shows the stone walls and ceiling plus the single exit which leads back to the south. X CEILING You see nothing remarkable about the roof. S House of Solace Warm and quiet, this long, low building is now largely empty, although thin gauze curtains hang on the walls, enchanted to gently sway like reeds in a wind no-one feels. In the rafters hang wind chimes of dream-glass, which on moving replay fragments of old healing songs sung in forgotten dialects. In the further end of the building are three exits which pass to the northwest north and northeast, but the major exit to Baile Torin lies just to south. Above the northeast exit a small light is flashing. NE The corridor twists and turns somewhat, but eventually you find... Cubical Chamber You're in a small cubical chamber the ceiling of which emits diffuse light. This permits a full and unhindered view of your surroundings, and shows the stone walls and ceiling plus the single exit which leads back to the south. In the centre of the room there lies a large granite cube. X CUBE Deeply engraved on the upper surface of the cube is a single word... AURROST SAVE Enter save name [X to exit] >BLARG_______________.SAV Saving position as "BLARG_______________.SAV" SAY AURROST "AURROST" WAVE WAND Nothing happens. S House of Solace Warm and quiet, this long, low building is now largely empty, although thin gauze curtains hang on the walls, enchanted to gently sway like reeds in a wind no-one feels. In the rafters hang wind chimes of dream-glass, which on moving replay fragments of old healing songs sung in forgotten dialects. In the further end of the building are three exits which pass to the northwest north and northeast, but the major exit to Baile Torin lies just to south. Above the northeast exit a small light is flashing. WAVE WAND As you wave the wand there's a moment's pause following which you're all at once enveloped in a billowing cloud of fairy dust. You experience the sense of movement, but quickly come to your senses to discover... Forest Hovel You are in a small room which, although very basic in appearance, displays a most ornate carpet in the centre of the floor. Through the single window streams daylight, and you can also see that outside the hovel there exists a dense forest of what appear to be blackthorn trees. In the southern wall lies a doorless exit, presumably leading out to the tree-strewn landscape. Against one of the walls you can see a minute bunk, presumably for the use of the hovel's owner, whoever that might be. SIT ON CARPET As you sit on the carpet it momentarily ripples slightly, but this rapidly ceases, leaving you sitting comfortably on the heavily-patterned surface. SAY AURROST "AURROST" Almost as soon as the word leaves your lips the carpet starts to ripple and undulate beneath your body and there is an accompanying peal of thunder. At almost the same time you are enveloped in a dense mist, and although you're unable to see what exactly is happening you experience a sense of prolonged and rapid movement. After some time which could have been minutes or hours, the movement ceases and you notice your surroundings have changed... Frostbane Threshold The mouth of the vale yawns wide, as if the world itself had gasped and had frozen at the moment of exhale. Jagged fangs of blue-white ice bristle from the rock walls, and the biting wind weaves an endless bitter lament through the narrow cleft. Snow lies deep beneath your feet, untouched but for just the faintest suggestion of ancient footprints, long since erased by passage of time. It is bitterly cold here, and the snow so thick, aggregated in so many places into huge snowdrifts, that passage in many directions is quite impossible. There is a carpet sitting on top of the frosted surface. You are sitting comfortably on the carpet. W You push forward, but the snowdrifts rise higher than your knees, dense and unyielding as packed stone. Each step sinks deeper, the biting cold seeping through feet and resolve alike. The harder you press then the more the snow seems to clutch and anchor you, until at last you're forced to stop - the drifts barring your path like silent, frozen sentries. NW [Leaving the carpet first] Silvertree Stand The trees here rise like gaunt sentinels, their blackened trunks gnarled by age and sheathed in crystalline frost, gleaming under the pale eternal half light as if a thousand tiny daggers were poised to fall. The branches above you whisper as the wind coils through them, murmuring in a tongue which is older than speech. X TREES The trees glisten above with frost. U You can't go up. LISTEN TO TREE I don't understand "LISTEN" used in that context. LISTEN TO TREES I don't understand "LISTEN" used in that context. L Silvertree Stand The trees here rise like gaunt sentinels, their blackened trunks gnarled by age and sheathed in crystalline frost, gleaming under the pale eternal half light as if a thousand tiny daggers were poised to fall. The branches above you whisper as the wind coils through them, murmuring in a tongue which is older than speech. I You're carrying: a letter, a silver key, a scroll, a scrap of paper, a palimpsest, a four leaf clover (glowing brightly), a bottle (containing water), a cushion, a flute, a pair of gloves (being worn), a book, a pair of spectacles (being worn), a missive, a small card, a purse, a small bag, a shimmering wand, a hammer, a vellum, a papyrus, a whistle, a whisperleaf and a Cindergleam. TOUCH TREES You confirm it is indeed the tree. TOUCH TREES WITH CINDERGLEAM PUT CINDERGLEAM ON TREES Not one of your most brilliant ideas. L Silvertree Stand The trees here rise like gaunt sentinels, their blackened trunks gnarled by age and sheathed in crystalline frost, gleaming under the pale eternal half light as if a thousand tiny daggers were poised to fall. The branches above you whisper as the wind coils through them, murmuring in a tongue which is older than speech. N You push forward, but the snowdrifts rise higher than your knees, dense and unyielding as packed stone. Each step sinks deeper, the biting cold seeping through feet and resolve alike. The harder you press then the more the snow seems to clutch and anchor you, until at last you're forced to stop - the drifts barring your path like silent, frozen sentries. NW You push forward, but the snowdrifts rise higher than your knees, dense and unyielding as packed stone. Each step sinks deeper, the biting cold seeping through feet and resolve alike. The harder you press then the more the snow seems to clutch and anchor you, until at last you're forced to stop - the drifts barring your path like silent, frozen sentries. W You push forward, but the snowdrifts rise higher than your knees, dense and unyielding as packed stone. Each step sinks deeper, the biting cold seeping through feet and resolve alike. The harder you press then the more the snow seems to clutch and anchor you, until at last you're forced to stop - the drifts barring your path like silent, frozen sentries. NE You push forward, but the snowdrifts rise higher than your knees, dense and unyielding as packed stone. Each step sinks deeper, the biting cold seeping through feet and resolve alike. The harder you press then the more the snow seems to clutch and anchor you, until at last you're forced to stop - the drifts barring your path like silent, frozen sentries. E Mirrormere Pool A dark, silent expanse of water lies cupped in a hollow of snow and frost, its glassy surface astonishingly untouched by the thick rime encasing all else. Shapes stir beneath its black mirror, faint ripples moving in a slow defiance of the frozen world. The longer you gaze the more certain you grow that the pool reflects not only what is, but what was - or what could be. X LAKE You don't notice any lake here. X POOL The surface of the pool shines like a black mirror. SWIM The waters look too dark, deep and dangerous. D You can't go down. LOOK IN POOL Presumably you've a reason for trying to look inside the pool? PUT CINDGERGLEAM IN POOL The pool can't receive anything. E The Silent Cairns A field of frost-cloaked cairns lies scattered like ancient bones upon the white earth. Most lie collapsed and crumbled, sunken beneath drifts, their stones half swallowed by ice. Only three remain upright, having somehow or other resisted the all-destroying ravages of time and freezing cold. These stand in front of you, arranged in a line like guarding sentinels, one on the left, one on the right and one between these in the middle. Here, the air presses heavily on the senses, even footsteps being reluctant to sound. X LEFT I don't understand the word "LEFT" used in this context. X LEFT CAIRN Each cairn appears to be identical to the others. Its stones rise up in an unsteady column stacked so precariously that it seems the next breeze might topple them - and yet they hold, steady against both time and storm. If you look closely you notice subtle variations in the surface, not random effect of weather, but as though hands have sought them out before. There's an odd sensation too- a subtle vibration under your fingertips like a distant hum, barely perceptible but undeniably real. It's as if the cairn is waiting for something. TOUCH LEFT CAIRN The cairn's stones grow oddly warm beneath your fingers, a low hum swelling for a moment, as if acknowledging your choice. You idly notice shadows around you gradually wane, then slowly reappear. TOUCH CENTER CAIRN I don't understand the word "CENTER CAIRN" used in this context. TOUCH MIDDLE CAIRN The stones remain cold and unyielding, the earlier hum falling silent, just as if whatever force stirs here is awaiting something else. TOUCH RIGHT CAIRN The stones remain cold and unyielding, the earlier hum falling silent, just as if whatever force stirs here is awaiting something else. TOUCH LEFT CAIRN The cairn's stones grow oddly warm beneath your fingers, a low hum swelling for a moment, as if acknowledging your choice. You idly notice shadows around you gradually wane, then slowly reappear. TOUCH LEFT CAIRN The stones remain cold and unyielding, the earlier hum falling silent, just as if whatever force stirs here is awaiting something else. TOUCH LEFT CAIRN The cairn's stones grow oddly warm beneath your fingers, a low hum swelling for a moment, as if acknowledging your choice. You idly notice shadows around you gradually wane, then slowly reappear. TOUCH RIGHT CAIRN The cairn's stones grow oddly warm beneath your fingers, a low hum swelling for a moment, as if acknowledging your choice. TOUCH MIDDLE CAIRN The cairn's stones grow oddly warm beneath your fingers, a low hum swelling for a moment, as if acknowledging your choice. TOUCH RIGHT CAIRN The cairn's stones grow oddly warm beneath your fingers, a low hum swelling for a moment, as if acknowledging your choice. TOUCH LEFT CAIRN The cairn's stones grow oddly warm beneath your fingers, a low hum swelling for a moment, as if acknowledging your choice. As you touch the final cairn the earth under your feet emits a low tectonic groan. To the northwest, you watch as the snowdrifts appear to part, as if some hidden force were pulling them aside, revealing a furrow in the white blanket leading towards the base of a previously-unseen spire. Your score has just gone up by 20 points. [Notifications can be turned off and on using the NOTIFY command] NW Outside Fractured Spire The Fractured Spire looms atop the frozen waste, its surface a jagged black monolith, cracked and fissured, as though lightning had attempted - and had failed - to shatter it long ago. Splinters of broken stone lie half-buried in the drift, each one sharp as a blade and slick with frost. At its base, the snow thins to bare ice, scoured smooth by unkind winds, and a peculiar stillness pervades the air, as though the world itself breathlessly awaits. SAVE Enter save name [X to exit] >BLARG_______________.SAV Saving position as "BLARG_______________.SAV" IN A direction would seem more appropriate. X SPLINTERS You see nothing remarkable about the splinters. TAKE SPLINTERS The splinters can't be taken. X MONOLITH I don't understand the word "MONOLITH" used in this context. L Outside Fractured Spire The Fractured Spire looms atop the frozen waste, its surface a jagged black monolith, cracked and fissured, as though lightning had attempted - and had failed - to shatter it long ago. Splinters of broken stone lie half-buried in the drift, each one sharp as a blade and slick with frost. At its base, the snow thins to bare ice, scoured smooth by unkind winds, and a peculiar stillness pervades the air, as though the world itself breathlessly awaits. U You can't go up. X BASE I don't understand the word "BASE" used in this context. X SNOW A hush of white lies over everything, soft as down, but as cold as silence. Every flake glimmers with a sharp, crystalline perfection. SEARCH SNOW You carry out a careful search, but uncover nothing new. MELT SNOW I don't understand "MELT" used in that context. PUT CINDERGLEAM ON SNOW Not one of your most brilliant ideas. PUT CINDERGLEAM IN SNOW The snow can't receive anything. L Outside Fractured Spire The Fractured Spire looms atop the frozen waste, its surface a jagged black monolith, cracked and fissured, as though lightning had attempted - and had failed - to shatter it long ago. Splinters of broken stone lie half-buried in the drift, each one sharp as a blade and slick with frost. At its base, the snow thins to bare ice, scoured smooth by unkind winds, and a peculiar stillness pervades the air, as though the world itself breathlessly awaits. X SPIRE The spire rises like a shard of ancient bone, cleft and sundered by time or tempest. Its surface bears deep cracks and fissures, as though once struck by forces beyond mortal reckoning. Sharp veins of dark ice glint within the stone, pulsing faintly with some forgotten rhythm. Despite its broken form, the structure looms tall and commanding, its presence both solemn and quite uncanny - as if watching and waiting. You sense the air shift slightly when you draw near, and the faintest hum plays at the edge of hearing, just like a memory trying to surface. PLAY FLUTE At first the music is scarcely more than a sigh, then it begins to rise - a winding melody that climbs like smoke, as if searching for something lost. It is haunting, not sorrowful, but full of aching memory. The kind of dirge you might remember from a dream or from times you're not sure ever existed. As the flute's clear, haunting notes drift softly into the frozen air, the very walls of the Spire seem to quiver, as if the ancient stone remembers the tune. A faint crackling sound answers the melody and before your eyes a seam appears on the frostbitten surface, running from jagged base, and the stone shifts with a slow, grinding sigh. An opening, dark and silent, yawns where before there was unbroken wall, as if the spire itself had blinked to awaken once more after a prolonged slumber. Your score has just gone up by 10 points. [Notifications can be turned off and on using the NOTIFY command] IN A direction would seem more appropriate. N The very moment you cross the threshold the howl of the blizzard dies, just as if cut off by an invisible veil. One step, and the storm's fury vanishes leaving behind a profound and eerie stillness. The air inside is still cold but motionless, untouched by the tempest which rages just beyond the rugged stone walls. Only the faint sound of your own breath now keeps you company, magnified in the hush like a whisper in a cavern. Inside Fractured Spire You stand within the hollowed heart of the Fractured Spire - a vast, silent chamber of broken stone and lingering frost. Splintered shards of the inner walls loom like the jagged ribs of some long-dead giant, their surfaces all glazed with thin, spectral ice, catching, then scattering, even the weakest of the light. The air is still here, as if the spire itself is holding its breath. To the east, a dark opening gapes in the stone - the mouth of what looks like a narrow ice tunnel, beckoning you deep into the frozen unknown. E The Hoarfane This narrow tunnel carves itself through the heart of a glacier, a corridor of biting cold and creaking ice. Its walls are ridged with ancient layers of frost, translucent and blue-veined. Every footstep rings and echoes with eerie clarity, and faint draughts wail softly through defects in the walls, a chill whisper that some say carries voices of the old ones. Exits lie to the northeast and to the west - from where you originally entered. NE Hollowed Glacier The world here is a cathedral of ice - towering walls of pale blue stretch upward, surfaces smooth and glassy, veined with white like marble frozen in motion. Distant cracks echo faintly - as though the glacier itself murmurs secrets from deep within. To the east lies an exit which appears to darken the deeper it penetrates, and another exit passes to the southwest. E Rimevault Hollow This icy cavern feels like the frozen heart of the world, its walls cloaked with pale frost and filigree. The silence is both heavy and profound, being broken only by the occasional soft groan of shifting ice, as if the glacier itself is in a fitful and dreaming sleep. At the centre of the hollow is a block of pristine, unbroken ice, clear as crystal and cold beyond imagining, its surface slightly marred and riddled with ancient fractures. Beneath the frosted veil something lies entombed- a pale glint flickers now and then, shifting just as though the ice conceals a secret, but the frozen haze refuses to give it form. What may lie inside, the ice has kept it jealously beyond reach for longer than memory. Just at the front of the block, whether there by accident or by design, you can see a small cavity. X BLOCK I don't understand the word "BLOCK" used in this context. X CAVITY You see nothing remarkable about the cavity. PUT CINDERGLEAM IN CAVITY Cindergleam: Done. As the Cindergleam settles in the cavity, its ember heart flares into life, casting molten light through the ice. Hairline fractures spider out in all directions, glowing with deep inner fire. The surrounding ice groans a long aching sound, as heat threads through its ancient bonds. Slowly the massive block begins to weep, beads of meltwater slipping down its sides like cold tears. At last, with a muted, crystalline sigh, the ice yields what it has concealed for so long, as a flawless diamond emerges from the sundered and partly-melted surface to be deposited on the frozen floor of the chamber. Rimevault Hollow This icy cavern feels like the frozen heart of the world, its walls cloaked with pale frost and filigree. The silence is both heavy and profound, being broken only by the occasional soft groan of shifting ice, as if the glacier itself is in a fitful and dreaming sleep. The block of ice robbed of its purpose, stands hollow and cracked. Beads of what originally was water but has now frozen to resemble solid tears, lie along its edges, and the heart of its mystery is now gone. It is almost as if the long-frozen prison mourns the absence of what it once held. Beside you there's a large diamond. X DIAMOND The gem lies cold and flawless, a shard of purest ice given eternal form. Its multiple facets catch the light with unsettling sharpness, sending pale rainbows glinting through the air. It is heavy for its size, and the chill it carries feels untouched by the warmth of your grasp. TAKE IT [The diamond] Taken. Your score has just gone up by 20 points. [Notifications can be turned off and on using the NOTIFY command] WAVE WAND As you wave the wand there's a moment's pause following which you're all at once enveloped in a billowing cloud of fairy dust. You experience the sense of movement, but quickly come to your senses to discover... Frostbane Threshold The mouth of the vale yawns wide, as if the world itself had gasped and had frozen at the moment of exhale. Jagged fangs of blue-white ice bristle from the rock walls, and the biting wind weaves an endless bitter lament through the narrow cleft. Snow lies deep beneath your feet, untouched but for just the faintest suggestion of ancient footprints, long since erased by passage of time. It is bitterly cold here, and the snow so thick, aggregated in so many places into huge snowdrifts, that passage in many directions is quite impossible. There is a carpet sitting on top of the frosted surface. SIT ON CARPET As you sit on the carpet it momentarily ripples slightly, but this rapidly ceases, leaving you sitting comfortably on the heavily-patterned surface. SAY DRAIGHEAN "DRAIGHEAN" Almost as soon as the word leaves your lips the carpet starts to ripple and undulate beneath your body and there is an accompanying peal of thunder. At almost the same time you are enveloped in a dense mist, and although you're unable to see what exactly is happening you experience a sense of prolonged and rapid movement. After some time which could have been minutes or hours, the movement ceases and you notice your surroundings have changed... Forest Hovel You are in a small room which, although very basic in appearance, displays a most ornate carpet in the centre of the floor. Through the single window streams daylight, and you can also see that outside the hovel there exists a dense forest of what appear to be blackthorn trees. In the southern wall lies a doorless exit, presumably leading out to the tree-strewn landscape. Against one of the walls you can see a minute bunk, presumably for the use of the hovel's owner, whoever that might be. You are sitting comfortably on the carpet. SW You can't go southwest. OUT [Leaving the carpet first] Blackthorn Path Outside Hovel You find yourself standing on a narrow path, winding meanderingly through a dense forest of blackthorn trees. Indeed, the trees grow so close together that you doubt you could manage to pick your way between them, and you can see no alternative other than to follow the path which seems to lead deeper into the forest to the southwest. To your north lies the doorless entrance into a small tumbledown hovel. S The trees are much too thick to permit passage. SW Path In Blackthorn Forest You are on a narrow path leading northeast and southwest through what looks like a dense forest of blackthorn trees, although another much smaller path leads off to the west, where the forest appears to become even thicker than in any other direction if such a thing were possible. A grey cat with torn ears and too many shadows trails along a ridge. For a moment it stops, licks a paw, and seems to smirk, before melting back into the underbrush with a flick of its tail. SW Path In Blackthorn Forest You are now deep in the heart of the blackthorn forest, the path continuing in its inexorable northeast-southwest course. As before the trees crowd all around you on every side, making a foray into the dense timbers impossible. You see two other small and narrow paths branching off to the northwest and to the southeast. SW Path In Blackthorn Forest There is no sign of your earlier adversary. From here the path leads either southwest or back to the northeast towards the hovel, from where originally you came. At the side of the path you see a prominent sign. E The trees are much too thick to permit passage. SW Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. NE Path In Blackthorn Forest There is no sign of your earlier adversary. From here the path leads either southwest or back to the northeast towards the hovel, from where originally you came. At the side of the path you see a prominent sign. READ SIGN The sign reads... Llyn Moredach - Swim At Your Own Risk SW Llyn Moredach In front of you lies a lake which is so enormous that you are unable to see any of its distant shores. Indeed so vast is it that it's almost like a sea although when you test the water you discover that it is quite fresh rather than salty. The trees of the blackthorn forest crowd down to its edges, and restrict your passage, although two narrow paths lead to east and west, and in the former direction you can make out what appears to be a ruin. The way back into the forest lies northeast, whilst the lake is on your south. Just at the forest's edge, to your north, you see a sign. E Ruins of Rathlurach You are standing in the ruins of Rathlurach which are completely surrounded by the Blackthorn Forest. This was once a fortified hill town of the elder folk, built in an age when stars were said to speak to the wise, when winds obeyed stone sigils. Now it lies broken, moss-veiled and sunken in time but the bones of it remain. You can see several constructions to north, south, northeast and east, mostly in various stages of decay and collapse. Just to one side of where you are standing there is a small sign, and in the centre of the clearing you see a sundial, the gnomon casting a sharp-edged shadow. BLOW WHISTLE The shimmer in the air dances once again and there stands Corrin, adjusting his cuffs, looking calm and entirely unhurried. "Called and come, as ever." He peers at you, mock stern. "But mark me, that whistle's clever, not patient. Now then, what's the trouble this time?" GIVE DIAMOND TO CORRIN As your hand delivers the last gift, the diamond's cold gleam dropping into Corrin's care, a stillness settles over the world. For a moment he says no words, only watching the stone resting in his weathered palm. Then, with a faint smile, he lifts his gaze to you and speaks... "So, the last piece falls into place. I daresay you never knew the road you were walking, eh. Nor the old promise your bloodline swore long before you drew breath." Corrin tucks the diamond away and dusts his hands. "A long debt settled, and a weary pact finally laid to rest. You've done so much more than gather trinkets, lad, you've set an old world to rights." And though no crown awaits you, no cheering crowd or gilded prize, you feel it in your bones: it was the adventure itself that mattered. The quest was never for gold but for balance, for stories unforgotten and for bonds long- frayed to discover mending. As Corrin gives a final nod and the path home opens, you step away from the land of myth - forever changed, though the world might never know. You have repaid your bloodline's debt Hit any key You've scored 230 out of 230 in 961 moves, giving an achievement rating of Quest Master Hit any key to exit