The Antediluvian Weapon An archaeological heist by Daniel M. Stelzer. Release 5. Serial number 260430. Dialog compiler version 1b/01-dev. Library version 1.1.1-dev. Automap version 1.1 by Daniel Stelzer. Suggestion Bars v0.1 by Daniel Stelzer. Versatile Linking v0.1 by Daniel Stelzer. Anteroom The palace is dark and silent this late at night. If you hadn’t specifically been summoned, you would have assumed the chapel was empty. Only a sliver of light around the door hints that you’re in the right place. Links indicate things you can interact with. Click on them to take a closer look. > about Written by Daniel Stelzer for Text Adventure Literacy Jam 2026. This game was originally built in one week as a worked example, and the whole process will soon be detailed in a series of theory and craft articles. Stay tuned! Thanks to Ada Stelzer (version 0), Leon Lin, Drew Cook, Melisande, Joel Burton, rh, baezil (version 1), and Melisande again (versions 2 and 3) for testing, and dott. Piergiorgio for providing the snippets of Italian! > i You have a folded letter. > x letter You never got a good look at who pressed this into your hand, but the message was clear enough: His Grace the Duke requests your presence in the lower chapel tonight. You are expected immediately. Delay will not do. - Marcone So now you’re here. After you examine something, the bar at the bottom of the screen will suggest some ways you could interact with it. > transcript The web interpreter keeps a local transcript at all times. It can be downloaded from the menu in the top-right corner. The feature cannot be manually enabled or disabled. If this interface isn’t working for you, you can use OPTIONS to adjust it to your liking. You can find some other options in the ≡ menu at the top right corner of the page. > HIGH PRIORITY TELL NOONE (I’m sorry, I didn’t understand what you wanted to do.) > * got it > unfold letter (I’m sorry, I didn’t understand what you wanted to do.) > open letter The folded letter doesn’t open. > l Anteroom The palace is dark and silent this late at night. If you hadn’t specifically been summoned, you would have assumed the chapel was empty. Only a sliver of light around the door hints that you’re in the right place. > x me A middling courtier in the Duke’s retinue. A very effective deniable asset when His Grace requires discretion. > x door A hint of light outlines the door to the lower chapel. > knoack on door (I’m sorry, I didn’t understand what you wanted to do.) > knock on door (I’m sorry, I didn’t understand what you wanted to do.) > open door No need to knock—you’re expected, and nobody wants to be overheard tonight. You push the door open and step inside, blinking against the sudden candlelight. A conversation stops in its tracks. “Valentre. Good. Now we can begin.” Lower chapel This chapel is low and narrow, carved deep into the rock, and about 30 degrees offset from all the other hallways in the palace. The reason for this lies in the very center: the relic the chapel was built around. The Duke himself sits on a small throne, looking thoroughly displeased, while Aragosta stands opposite. “As I was saying...” > x uge (I only understood you as far as wanting to examine something.) > x duke His Grace Duke Cesare of Lucenza does not look happy to be here late at night. This throne is no substitute for the comforts of the ducal bedroom. Aragosta turns back to the Duke with a small, stiff bow. “It is a setback, yes, but a small one. I have contingencies in place. I have confirmation of the rumors, verified beyond a shadow of a doubt. The excavations in Piostro have found something dangerous. Not just a relic, but a military relic. A weapon of the Antediluvians.” > x throne Small and portable, so that His Grace doesn’t need to stand for long periods of time when doing business outside the throne room. Aragosta continues. “In his last transmission, Manzio confirmed exactly where it’s being kept. I have the coordinates. Dosing the guards was a success. Until dawn tomorrow, the palace will only be defended by spirits. Not a single human. This is our best chance to act.” > x aragosta Officially, Lady Aragosta is a minor noble of the court. Unofficially, she is His Grace’s fixer and spymaster, and your boss. Hopefully His Grace can’t see how strained her smile is. Aragosta pushes her hair back, hiding a deep, steadying breath behind her hand. The Duke doesn’t seem to notice. “With the Great Pedestal, we can send Valentre to the weapon’s exact location. It will be a simple matter to remove it from the palace, and I’ll mobilize every one of my agents in Piostro to get it back to Lucenza.” > x relic Anything surviving from before the Deluge is priceless, but this is Lucenza’s greatest treasure: a square plate of crystal about four feet across, its base anchored deep into the bedrock below. If used properly, it can transport someone to any corner of the world in an instant. (That “properly”, of course, carries quite a lot of weight.) Aragosta watches the Duke with piercing intensity. Time seems to stand still...until he finally gives her a sigh and a nod. She turns to you, her smile vanishing as soon as His Grace can’t see. “This will help you navigate. Open it once you’re there.” She presses a small capsule into your hand. “Recover the relic, recover Manzio if you can, get out of the palace, and I’ll take it from there.” > look Lower chapel This chapel is low and narrow, carved deep into the rock, and about 30 degrees offset from all the other hallways in the palace. The reason for this lies in the very center: the relic the chapel was built around. The Duke himself sits on a small throne, looking thoroughly displeased, while Aragosta stands opposite. The Duke sighs and waves a hand. A crimson-robed priest appears out of the shadows and kneels down to activate the relic—knowing Aragosta, he’s also on her payroll. Soon the pedestal whirs and a faint glow spills out from the edges, and the priest has just as quickly disappeared. > talk to duke It seems your role here is to be spoken to without doing any speaking yourself. Aragosta looks at you expectantly. > ask aragosta about relic It seems your role here is to be spoken to without doing any speaking yourself. The Duke rests his chin on a hand, looking bored. > stand on pedestal You take a deep breath and step onto the pedestal. The last thing you hear is the Duke muttering about “...loyalty to my late brothe—” —and your ears pop and the ground isn’t quite level and all of a sudden you’re staring up at two copies of a metal-plated ceiling. You close your eyes until the nausea passes and you can stand up without help. Strongroom So this is where Piostro keeps its greatest treasures. You might have expected the top of a tower, or even a small island—but no. Thick, stale air like this has to be underground. Instead of height or water, the security is in the walls themselves: every inch is plated with shiny metal. The door is no exception. The relic itself is sitting on a pedestal in the center. If you ever have to start the game over, you can SKIP INTRO to come back to this point. > x metal Hard and almost mirror-bright—it has to be adamant. It’s the perfect metal, lighter than steel and shinier than silver, and never rusts or corrodes. Piostro’s excavations must be going even better than Aragostra thought if they’ve recovered a whole room’s worth. Either that, or they found some way to make it themselves... > x door It looks like the same adamant as the wall panels. There’s no obvious way to open it—you can see hinges, but no handle or lock. It might even be a hermetic seal. > x relic If this is a weapon, it’s like no weapon you’ve ever seen before. There’s a grip toward the middle that should fit in one hand, but no blade, or anywhere to put a projectile. One side of the grip expands into a flat plate, a few inches across; the other spreads out into a tangle of wires, a few thick ones at first, branching out again and again until the ends are hair-thin and feel soft like fur. And no obvious way to activate it, either. Maybe you...touch it to something? One end? Both? > take relic You reach out gingerly and put a hand on the grip. Nothing happens. You wrap your hand around it. Still nothing. So very carefully you lift it off the pedestal. It’s surprisingly light, as if made of wood instead of metal. But if it’s a weapon, you have no clear idea of how to activate it, either. > touch it to door Well, here goes nothing. Testing an Antediluvian weapon at close range is, perhaps, not the wisest course of action—what if it’s some kind of explosive? But at the same time, what other choice do you have? So you grip the handle firmly, and press the flat plate against the strongroom door. Nothing. Maybe the tangle of wires? You brush the tips back and forth over the surface, but still nothing. Or does it have to be both? For a moment, still nothing, and then— You’re expecting a flash of light or an ear-splitting bang. But there’s just a sharp smell in the air, like the moment before a lightning storm, and the strongroom door is gone. Nothing is left but a faint ripple in the air. Since TOUCH THE RELIC TO [SOMETHING] is so long, you can simply VANISH [SOMETHING] for short. > * eek > look Strongroom So this is where Piostro keeps its greatest treasures. You might have expected the top of a tower, or even a small island—but no. Thick, stale air like this has to be underground. Instead of height or water, the security is in the walls themselves: every inch is plated with shiny metal. The lack of a door is a glaring exception. > out The world sways as you move—after that transport, it’s going to be hard to keep your bearings. You should find a solution before you move any farther. For just a moment the air goes sharp and hot again, and the strongroom door is back as if it had never left. > i You have the relic weapon, a glass capsule, and a folded letter. > x capsule About the size of a walnut, made of clear glass with mist swirling inside. Presumably it contains something helpful for your mission. > open capsule You drop the capsule on the ground and crush it under your heel, releasing the mist inside. It swirls around you and condenses into a faintly humanoid form, about a foot tall, resting on your shoulder. A minor air spirit. The figure rotates slowly in place, examining your surroundings, then leans in to whisper in your ear. Concepts form in your mind: this room has been designated the “origin”, the exit is east, and it’s now going to be tracking your position as you move. Teleportation is disorienting, but the sylph will help you navigate by compass directions. The map at the top of the screen shows where you’ve explored and where you could go next. > vanish door You take the relic in both hands and press it against the strongroom door, plate on one side, wires on the other. The whole thing shivers and the smell of lightning fills the air, and the strongroom door is gone. > e You walk east. Tunnel junction The tunnel is higher and wider than the strongroom itself, but not by much. There’s less than three feet of space between the now-doorless gap and the flat, smooth wall of what must be a tower—and a scaffold is taking up almost half of it. Staircases on either side curve upward toward the light. > x scaffold Apart from making it horribly inconvenient to go in or out of the strongroom, it seems to be supporting the stones in the wall. You can see where the old mortar has been chiseled out and replaced with new. For just a moment the air goes sharp and hot again, and the strongroom door is back as if it had never left. > u There doesn’t appear to be an exit in that direction. > s You walk south. Southern stair The bottom of the stair is tight and cramped, but it widens as it curves upward into a high, lofty walkway. Piostro is clearly flaunting their wealth: why else would they have frescos in a back passage like this? > x frescos No one really knows what the Antediluvians looked like, but here they’re painted as tall, luminous beings in their crystalline palaces and floating cities. Then comes the Deluge: God’s punishment for their hubris, forty days of storm that flooded the palaces and sent the cities crashing to the ground. > n You walk north. Tunnel junction The tunnel is higher and wider than the strongroom itself, but not by much. There’s less than three feet of space between the strongroom door and the flat, smooth wall of what must be a tower—and a scaffold is taking up almost half of it. Staircases on either side curve upward toward the light. > n You walk north. Northern stair The bottom of the stair is tight and cramped, but it widens as it curves upward into a high, lofty walkway. Piostro is clearly flaunting their wealth: why else would they have frescos in a back passage like this? > x frescos These ones show spirits materializing from their elements: sylphs from the air, undines from water, gnomes from earth, and salamanders from fire. Humans offer them sacrifices on pagan altars, but the spirits refuse to come near. > e You walk east. Northern walkway The passage is wide and the ceiling is high and vaulted, and the silence is deafening. Not a human in sight. Aragosta claimed Manzio poisoned the human guards before he was captured; apparently that wasn’t just a bluff. The frescos on the walls are just as elaborate as in the staircase. A gnome in the middle of the room stands rigidly at attention, its eyes never leaving the east exit. > x frescos These ones show philosophers encasing pure elements in spheres of glass, then refining them in concentrated sunlight until an elemental manifests inside. The discovery of spirit-binding. > x gnome Earth spirits are good at tasks that don’t require any kind of movement. This one is so fixated on the narrow section of room to the east, it takes no notice at all of anything on the west side—even when you’re standing right behind it. > talk to gnome It doesn’t show even the slightest reaction. That’s not the stimulus it’s looking for. > e The moment you step in front of the gnome, it springs into action. “Intruder! Intruder! Intruder! Intruder! Intruder!” You reach for the relic, but the damage is done. All you can do is run for it. And soon, all of Piostro will be on your tail... *** You have been seen *** Would you like to: UNDO the last move, RESTORE a saved position, or RESTART from the beginning? > undo Undoing the last turn (e). Northern walkway > w You walk west. Northern stair The bottom of the stair is tight and cramped, but it widens as it curves upward into a high, lofty walkway. Piostro is clearly flaunting their wealth: why else would they have frescos in a back passage like this? > s You walk south. Tunnel junction The tunnel is higher and wider than the strongroom itself, but not by much. There’s less than three feet of space between the strongroom door and the flat, smooth wall of what must be a tower—and a scaffold is taking up almost half of it. Staircases on either side curve upward toward the light. > s You walk south. Southern stair The bottom of the stair is tight and cramped, but it widens as it curves upward into a high, lofty walkway. Piostro is clearly flaunting their wealth: why else would they have frescos in a back passage like this? > e You walk east. Southern walkway The passage is wide and the ceiling is high and vaulted, and the silence is deafening. Not a human in sight. The frescos on the walls are just as elaborate as in the staircase. A puddle of water covers the floor in front of the east exit. > x frescos These ones are more abstract than the others, showing the Antediluvian ruins buried deep under the earth. Men and women in Piostran colors are clearing the layers away one by one to uncover the relics underneath. > x puddle The placement is surely deliberate. There’s no way to pass through the east exit without stepping across it. > search puddle You find nothing of interest. > e As you step across the puddle, the water starts to swirl together... Mess Or maybe “break room” would be more apt? Most of the space has been cleared for a large skittle board in the center, left in the middle of the game. A writing board hangs from a tack on the wall. A sloshing sound comes from west. Before you can turn to look, the mapping sylph whispers something in your ear, and you suddenly have a vivid image in your mind: the water in the southern hall is swirling and bubbling. > x skittle Did you want to examine the skittle board or the pins? > skittle board A wooden ball on one side, nine pins on the other—it’s a simple game, but all the rage in taverns across Lucenza. Not that you would ever frequent such an establishment, of course. The mapping sylph whispers again, and a new image forms in your mind: the water in the southern hall is starting to rise into a column, like an upside-down whirlpool. > x pins The arrangement here isn’t the typical one in Lucenza, but it should be easy enough to adapt to. Another whispered image: the water-column in the southern hall is starting to split, forming legs, arms, a small head. > x writing board A short message is scrawled in the wax: TODAY’S PASSWORD - RANCIO. A little arrow underneath shows where a “D” is supposed to be inserted between the “I” and the “O”. You take a moment to remember that. The undine in the southern hall has fully taken shape, a small humanoid made of whirling water. > n (first attempting to open the mess door to the north) You open the mess door. The undine is whirling away. You walk north through the mess door. Hallway corner The passage ends here, in front of the grand door leading out to the east. The metal grate on the west side is almost invisible by comparison. The mess door would be invisible if you didn’t already know it was there. The undine swirls eastward from the southern walkway to the mess, mirroring your every step. > s You walk south through the mess door. Mess Or maybe “break room” would be more apt? Most of the space has been cleared for a large skittle board in the center, left in the middle of the game. The door is designed to blend seamlessly into the wall, with bright marks on this side highlighting the edges. An undine whirls through the room, spraying water all over. A writing board hangs from a tack on the wall. Your trail lingers in this location, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles. Which brings it directly in front of you! A moment later your feet are frozen to the ground, and a howling echo resounds through the palace. Now all of Piostro knows you’re here. *** You have been caught *** Would you like to: UNDO the last move, RESTORE a saved position, or RESTART from the beginning? > undo Undoing the last turn (s). Hallway corner > undo Undoing the last turn (n). Mess > undo Undoing the last turn (x writing board). Mess > undo Undoing the last turn (x pins). Mess > undo Undoing the last turn (x skittle). Mess > undo Undoing the last turn (e). Southern walkway > undo Undoing the last turn (search puddle). Southern walkway > w You walk west. Southern stair The bottom of the stair is tight and cramped, but it widens as it curves upward into a high, lofty walkway. Piostro is clearly flaunting their wealth: why else would they have frescos in a back passage like this? > n You walk north. Tunnel junction The tunnel is higher and wider than the strongroom itself, but not by much. There’s less than three feet of space between the strongroom door and the flat, smooth wall of what must be a tower—and a scaffold is taking up almost half of it. Staircases on either side curve upward toward the light. > n You walk north. Northern stair The bottom of the stair is tight and cramped, but it widens as it curves upward into a high, lofty walkway. Piostro is clearly flaunting their wealth: why else would they have frescos in a back passage like this? > e You walk east. Northern walkway The passage is wide and the ceiling is high and vaulted, and the silence is deafening. Not a human in sight. The frescos on the walls are just as elaborate as in the staircase. A gnome in the middle of the room stands rigidly at attention, its eyes never leaving the east exit. > vanish gnome You sneak up behind the gnome, readying the relic, preparing to slam both the plate and the wires against its body in an instant! ...but really, you needn’t have worried. It doesn’t react even as the weapon makes contact, and then it’s gone. It seems this one was only watching for visual cues. > e You walk east. Barracks This room was clearly evacuated in a hurry: the beds are a mess and the trunks left open. With any luck, the human guards will be in the infirmary for at least a few hours more. The door is designed to blend seamlessly into the wall, with bright marks on this side highlighting the edges. > close door The barracks door is already closed. There’s a sizzling in the air and the gnome reappears. You were preparing to leap out of the way, but it doesn’t react—it cares about its little sliver of room and not an inch more, even when you’re standing directly in its line of sight. > x beds Four of them, all unmade and tousled. > search beds You find nothing of interest. > x trunks The guards must have been in quite a hurry to leave these open. A kit bag is in the trunks. Some personal belongings are in the trunks. > x belongings Some of them must be valuable, but there’s no time to sift through right now. > x bag About the size of your entire body, if you curled up, with a shoulder strap for carrying. A spare uniform is in the kit bag. > take bag You take the kit bag out of the trunks. > x uniform It looks to be approximately your size. > wear uniform (first attempting to take the spare uniform) You take the spare uniform out of the kit bag. You slip the pieces on over your own clothes, trying to pad it out enough to hide the size mismatch. It could fool someone from a distance, at least. > look in bag The kit bag is empty. > put all in bag Did you want to: 1. put the mapping sylph, the relic weapon, and the folded letter in the kit bag, or 2. put the kit bag, the mapping sylph, the relic weapon, and the folded letter in the kit bag? > 1 The mapping sylph: The sylph won’t do you any good if you leave it behind. > i You have a kit bag, a mapping sylph, the relic weapon, and a folded letter. You’re wearing a spare uniform. > put letter in bag You put the folded letter in the kit bag. > l Barracks This room was clearly evacuated in a hurry: the beds are a mess and the trunks left open. With any luck, the human guards will be in the infirmary for at least a few hours more. The door is designed to blend seamlessly into the wall, with bright marks on this side highlighting the edges. > x oor (I only understood you as far as wanting to examine something.) > x door If you hadn’t seen it from this side first, you might have missed it entirely. > s (first attempting to open the barracks door to the south) You open the barracks door. You walk south through the barracks door. Hallway corner The passage ends here, in front of the grand door leading out to the east. The metal grate on the west side is almost invisible by comparison. The barracks door would be invisible if you didn’t already know it was there. > x grand door The door is decorated with a scene in gold and silver: the Duchess of Piostro surrounded by symbols of the Antediluvians, light shining from her face. Beyond this door is the rest of the palace—and the route back to Lucenza. > x grate A dozen little loops of adamant, welded together in a sort of floral pattern. Below, there’s only darkness. > w (first attempting to open the metal grate to the west) You tug at the grate, but it refuses to move. > vanish grate You take the relic in both hands and press it against the metal grate, plate on one side, wires on the other. The whole thing shivers and the smell of lightning fills the air, and the metal grate is gone. > w You grab hold of the edge and lower yourself carefully through the hole. But your feet don’t find any purchase, and the last several feet are a blind drop into the darkness. Oubliette The light coming through the hole is dim, too dim to see more than outlines. A wide, round chamber. A scaffold against the west wall. A few handfuls of straw. The enemies of Piostro, it seems, deserve only the best accommodations. A crumpled figure lies off to one side, unmoving. > e The hole is well above your reach. For just a moment the air goes sharp and hot again, and the metal grate is back as if it had never left. > x straw It gestures at comfort without providing any. Which is worse than just having nothing at all. > search straw You find nothing of interest. > take straw You take the straw. > l Oubliette The light coming through the grate is dim, too dim to see more than outlines. A wide, round chamber. A scaffold against the west wall. No straw. The enemies of Piostro, it seems, deserve only the best accommodations. A crumpled figure lies off to one side, unmoving. > x figure This must be Manzio, the last agent who tried to steal this relic. You check him over: face pale, breathing faint, old blood sticky on the back of his head. Not pretty. He’ll be fine once the physicians have his sanguine humors strengthened, but until then, he’s thoroughly out of commission. > wake figure (I’m sorry, I didn’t understand what you wanted to do.) > take figure With a grunt of effort, you heave Manzio over your shoulder. > put him in bag With some effort, you maneuver Manzio into the bag. One arm trails out, and the whole thing is rather bulky and awkward now, but he fits. > * umm wow > l Oubliette The light coming through the grate is dim, too dim to see more than outlines. A wide, round chamber. A scaffold against the west wall. No straw. The enemies of Piostro, it seems, deserve only the best accommodations. > x scaffold It seems to be supporting the stones in the wall. You can see where the old mortar has been chiseled out and replaced with new. > climb scaffold It’s not possible to get onto the scaffold. > u The grate is well above your reach. > vanish scaffold You set the relic against the scaffold, plate on one side, wires on the other, and in another instant the scaffold is gone. A moment later, you hear a distressingly loud groan from the wall. You barely have time to duck out of the way before the newly-mortared stones come crashing to the ground, leaving a crack about a foot wide. A possible escape? > x crack You could fit through, as long as you weren’t carrying anything too bulky. > vanish crack The narrow crack is intangible. > put bag in crack You could probably force Manzio’s body through a one-foot crack if you really had to, but he might not look so good afterward. Better to leave him here until you can find a safer alternative. Deep in the tunnels, the scaffold reappears—and immediately shatters itself to splinters. With the wall collapsed, there’s simply no room where it used to be. > drop bag The kit bag falls to the ground. > w You squeeze your way carefully through the crack. Tunnel junction The tunnel is higher and wider than the strongroom itself, but not by much. There’s less than three feet of space between the strongroom door and the flat, smooth wall of what must be a tower—and now you have to pick your way through the debris, too. Staircases on either side curve upward toward the light. A narrow crack leads into darkness. > s You walk south. Southern stair The bottom of the stair is tight and cramped, but it widens as it curves upward into a high, lofty walkway. Piostro is clearly flaunting their wealth: why else would they have frescos in a back passage like this? > save Game state saved successfully. > e You walk east. Southern walkway The passage is wide and the ceiling is high and vaulted, and the silence is deafening. Not a human in sight. The frescos on the walls are just as elaborate as in the staircase. A puddle of water covers the floor in front of the east exit. > x puddle The placement is surely deliberate. There’s no way to pass through the east exit without stepping across it. > vanish puddle You dip the relic into the puddle, but nothing happens. Perhaps it only works on solid things? > jump over puddle (I’m sorry, I didn’t understand what you wanted to do.) > x pudde (I only understood you as far as wanting to examine something.) > i You have some straw, a mapping sylph, and the relic weapon. You’re wearing a spare uniform. > put straw in puddle You can’t put things in the puddle of water. > drop straw The straw falls to the ground. > take straw You take the straw. > e As you step across the puddle, the water starts to swirl together... Mess Or maybe “break room” would be more apt? Most of the space has been cleared for a large skittle board in the center, left in the middle of the game. A writing board hangs from a tack on the wall. A sloshing sound comes from west. Before you can turn to look, the mapping sylph whispers something in your ear, and you suddenly have a vivid image in your mind: the water in the southern hall is swirling and bubbling. > x board Did you want to examine the writing board or the skittle board? > writing board A short message is scrawled in the wax: TODAY’S PASSWORD - NESSUNA You take a moment to remember that. The mapping sylph whispers again, and a new image forms in your mind: the water in the southern hall is starting to rise into a column, like an upside-down whirlpool. > remember (I’m sorry, I didn’t understand what you wanted to do.) > n (first attempting to open the mess door to the north) You open the mess door. Another whispered image: the water-column in the southern hall is starting to split, forming legs, arms, a small head. You walk north through the mess door. Hallway junction The passages from the barracks and mess meet here, in front of the grand door leading out to the east. The metal grate on the west side is almost invisible by comparison. The mess door and barracks door would be invisible if you didn’t already know they were there. The undine in the southern hall has fully taken shape, a small humanoid made of whirling water. > n You walk north through the barracks door. Barracks This room was clearly evacuated in a hurry: the beds are a mess and the trunks left open. With any luck, the human guards will be in the infirmary for at least a few hours more. The door is designed to blend seamlessly into the wall, with bright marks on this side highlighting the edges. The undine is whirling away. > x trunks The guards must have been in quite a hurry to leave these open. Some personal belongings are in the trunks. The undine swirls eastward from the southern walkway to the mess, mirroring your every step. > w The moment you step in front of the gnome, it springs into action. “Intruder! Intruder! Intruder! Intruder! Intruder!” You reach for the relic, but the damage is done. All you can do is run for it. And soon, all of Piostro will be on your tail... *** You have been seen *** Would you like to: UNDO the last move, RESTORE a saved position, or RESTART from the beginning? > undo Undoing the last turn (w). Barracks > undo Undoing the last turn (x trunks). Barracks > undo Undoing the last turn (n). Hallway junction > undo Undoing the last turn (n). Mess > l Mess Or maybe “break room” would be more apt? Most of the space has been cleared for a large skittle board in the center, left in the middle of the game. The door is designed to blend seamlessly into the wall, with bright marks on this side highlighting the edges. A writing board hangs from a tack on the wall. Another whispered image: the water-column in the southern hall is starting to split, forming legs, arms, a small head. > close door The mess door is already closed. The undine in the southern hall has fully taken shape, a small humanoid made of whirling water. > x skittle board A wooden ball on one side, nine pins on the other—it’s a simple game, but all the rage in taverns across Lucenza. Not that you would ever frequent such an establishment, of course. The undine is whirling away. > take ball You take the ball off the skittle board. You take a moment to examine it: This is a nice one. Good weight, good polish. The undine swirls eastward from the southern walkway to this location, mirroring your every step. You dodge sharply to the side, and the momentum of the undine’s travel brings it sailing past you. Without that momentum, though, you might have been caught! Your trail lingers in this location, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles. Which brings it directly in front of you! A moment later your feet are frozen to the ground, and a howling echo resounds through the palace. Now all of Piostro knows you’re here. *** You have been caught *** Would you like to: UNDO the last move, RESTORE a saved position, or RESTART from the beginning? > undo Undoing the last turn (take ball). Mess > undo Undoing the last turn (x skittle board). Mess > undo Undoing the last turn (close door). Mess > take ball You take the ball off the skittle board. You take a moment to examine it: This is a nice one. Good weight, good polish. The undine in the southern hall has fully taken shape, a small humanoid made of whirling water. The undine is whirling away. > n (first attempting to open the mess door to the north) You open the mess door. The undine swirls eastward from the southern walkway to this location, mirroring your every step. You dodge sharply to the side, and the momentum of the undine’s travel brings it sailing past you. Without that momentum, though, you might have been caught! (leaving the ball on the board, for propriety’s sake) You walk north through the mess door. Hallway junction The passages from the barracks and mess meet here, in front of the grand door leading out to the east. The metal grate on the west side is almost invisible by comparison. The mess door and barracks door would be invisible if you didn’t already know they were there. Your trail lingers in the mess, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles. Thanks to the sylph, you can visualize it like a ribbon of light in your mind: it should be in there for about four minutes more. > w (first attempting to open the metal grate to the west) You tug at the grate, but it refuses to move. Your trail lingers in the mess, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles. You visualize the path: it should be in there for about three minutes more. > undo Undoing the last turn (w). Hallway junction > vanish grate You take the relic in both hands and press it against the metal grate, plate on one side, wires on the other. The whole thing shivers and the smell of lightning fills the air, and the metal grate is gone. Your trail lingers in the mess, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles. You visualize the path: it should be in there for about three minutes more. > e Undines are slow but persistent, and this one isn’t likely to stop until it’s caught you. You’ll need to deal with it before you leave. Your trail lingers in the mess, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles. It should be in there for about two minutes more. > w You grab hold of the edge and lower yourself carefully through the hole. But your feet don’t find any purchase, and the last several feet are a blind drop into the darkness. Oubliette The light coming through the hole is dim, too dim to see more than outlines. A wide, round chamber. A narrow crack in the west wall. No straw. The enemies of Piostro, it seems, deserve only the best accommodations. You see a kit bag here. Your trail lingers in the mess, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles. It should be in there for about one minute more. For just a moment the air goes sharp and hot again, and the metal grate is back as if it had never left. > w You squeeze your way carefully through the crack. Tunnel junction The tunnel is higher and wider than the strongroom itself, but not by much. There’s less than three feet of space between the strongroom door and the flat, smooth wall of what must be a tower—and now you have to pick your way through the debris, too. Staircases on either side curve upward toward the light. A narrow crack leads into darkness. Your trail lingers in the mess, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles with a splash. > s You walk south. Southern stair The bottom of the stair is tight and cramped, but it widens as it curves upward into a high, lofty walkway. Piostro is clearly flaunting their wealth: why else would they have frescos in a back passage like this? The undine sloshes through the cracks around the mess door, reforming in the hallway junction. > e You walk east. Southern walkway The passage is wide and the ceiling is high and vaulted, and the silence is deafening. Not a human in sight. The frescos on the walls are just as elaborate as in the staircase. Your trail lingers in the hallway junction, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles. It should be in there for about one minute more. > e You walk east. Mess Or maybe “break room” would be more apt? Most of the space has been cleared for a large skittle board in the center, left in the middle of the game. The door is designed to blend seamlessly into the wall, with bright marks on this side highlighting the edges. A writing board hangs from a tack on the wall. Your trail lingers in the hallway junction, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles. > take ball You take the ball off the skittle board. The undine sloshes through the holes in the metal grate, reforming in the oubliette. > bowl (I’m sorry, I didn’t understand what you wanted to do.) > throw ball at pins You take careful aim, then flick the ball toward the pins. Four of them clatter to the board. You reset the pins in their spots. The undine sloshes through the narrow crack, reforming in the tunnel junction. > n (leaving the ball on the board, for propriety’s sake) You walk north through the mess door. Hallway junction The passages from the barracks and mess meet here, in front of the grand door leading out to the east. The metal grate on the west side is almost invisible by comparison. The mess door and barracks door would be invisible if you didn’t already know they were there. The undine swirls southward from the tunnel junction to the southern stair, leaving a faint trail of ice. > vanish door Did you want to vanish the barracks door to the north, the grand door to the east, or the mess door to the south? > grate A dozen little loops of adamant, welded together in a sort of floral pattern. Below, there’s only darkness. (You only took a quick glance, so the undine didn’t have time to move very far.) > undo Undoing the last turn (grate). Hallway junction > vanish grate You take the relic in both hands and press it against the metal grate, plate on one side, wires on the other. The whole thing shivers and the smell of lightning fills the air, and the metal grate is gone. The undine swirls eastward from the southern stair to the southern walkway, hissing faintly with steam. > w You grab hold of the edge and lower yourself carefully through the hole. But your feet don’t find any purchase, and the last several feet are a blind drop into the darkness. Oubliette The light coming through the hole is dim, too dim to see more than outlines. A wide, round chamber. A narrow crack in the west wall. No straw. The enemies of Piostro, it seems, deserve only the best accommodations. You see a kit bag here. The undine swirls eastward from the southern walkway to the mess. > w You squeeze your way carefully through the crack. Tunnel junction The tunnel is higher and wider than the strongroom itself, but not by much. There’s less than three feet of space between the strongroom door and the flat, smooth wall of what must be a tower—and now you have to pick your way through the debris, too. Staircases on either side curve upward toward the light. A narrow crack leads into darkness. Your trail lingers in the mess, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles. It should be in there for about one minute more. Vibrations ripple through the air as the metal grate returns to the hallway junction. > n You walk north. Northern stair The bottom of the stair is tight and cramped, but it widens as it curves upward into a high, lofty walkway. Piostro is clearly flaunting their wealth: why else would they have frescos in a back passage like this? Your trail lingers in the mess, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles, mirroring your every step. > e You walk east. Northern walkway The passage is wide and the ceiling is high and vaulted, and the silence is deafening. Not a human in sight. The frescos on the walls are just as elaborate as in the staircase. A gnome in the middle of the room stands rigidly at attention, its eyes never leaving the east exit. The undine sloshes through the cracks around the mess door, reforming in the hallway junction. > vanish gnome You press the relic against the gnome with casual ease, and it disappears. Your trail lingers in the hallway junction, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles with a splash. > undo Undoing the last turn (vanish gnome). Northern walkway > e (first attempting to vanish the gnome) You press the relic against the gnome with casual ease, and it disappears. Your trail lingers in the hallway junction, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles with a splash. You walk east. Barracks This room was clearly evacuated in a hurry: the beds are a mess and the trunks left open. With any luck, the human guards will be in the infirmary for at least a few hours more. The door is designed to blend seamlessly into the wall, with bright marks on this side highlighting the edges. The undine sloshes through the holes in the metal grate, reforming in the oubliette. > z A moment slips away. The undine sloshes through the narrow crack, reforming in the tunnel junction. There’s a sizzling in the air and the gnome reappears. Once again, it doesn’t react—it cares about its little sliver of room and not an inch more, even when you’re standing directly in its line of sight. > z A moment slips away. The undine swirls northward from the tunnel junction to the northern stair, leaving a faint trail of ice. > z A moment slips away. The undine swirls eastward from the northern stair to the northern walkway with a splash. > z A moment slips away. Your trail lingers in the northern walkway, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles, hissing faintly with steam. > z A moment slips away. The undine swirls eastward from the northern walkway to this location, mirroring your every step. You dodge sharply to the side, and the momentum of the undine’s travel brings it sailing past you. Without that momentum, though, you might have been caught! > s You walk south through the barracks door. Hallway junction The passages from the barracks and mess meet here, in front of the grand door leading out to the east. The metal grate on the west side is almost invisible by comparison. The mess door and barracks door would be invisible if you didn’t already know they were there. Your trail lingers in the barracks, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles. It should be in there for about four minutes more. > * hmm guess the gnome doesn't care about undines > hint (I’m sorry, I didn’t understand what you wanted to do.) > hitns (I’m sorry, I didn’t understand what you wanted to do.) > hints Click here to open hints in a new tab. > * oh wait, I think I got it > s You walk south through the mess door. Mess Or maybe “break room” would be more apt? Most of the space has been cleared for a large skittle board in the center, left in the middle of the game. The door is designed to blend seamlessly into the wall, with bright marks on this side highlighting the edges. A writing board hangs from a tack on the wall. Your trail lingers in the barracks, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles. It should be in there for about three minutes more. > w You walk west. Southern walkway The passage is wide and the ceiling is high and vaulted, and the silence is deafening. Not a human in sight. The frescos on the walls are just as elaborate as in the staircase. Your trail lingers in the barracks, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles. It should be in there for about two minutes more. > w You walk west. Southern stair The bottom of the stair is tight and cramped, but it widens as it curves upward into a high, lofty walkway. Piostro is clearly flaunting their wealth: why else would they have frescos in a back passage like this? Your trail lingers in the barracks, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles. It should be in there for about one minute more. > n You walk north. Tunnel junction The tunnel is higher and wider than the strongroom itself, but not by much. There’s less than three feet of space between the strongroom door and the flat, smooth wall of what must be a tower—and now you have to pick your way through the debris, too. Staircases on either side curve upward toward the light. A narrow crack leads into darkness. Your trail lingers in the barracks, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles, hissing faintly with steam. > vanish door You take the relic in both hands and press it against the strongroom door, plate on one side, wires on the other. The whole thing shivers and the smell of lightning fills the air, and the strongroom door is gone. The undine sloshes through the cracks around the barracks door, reforming in the hallway junction. > w You walk west. Strongroom So this is where Piostro keeps its greatest treasures. You might have expected the top of a tower, or even a small island—but no. Thick, stale air like this has to be underground. Instead of height or water, the security is in the walls themselves: every inch is plated with shiny metal. The lack of a door is a glaring exception. The undine sloshes through the cracks around the mess door, reforming in the mess. > z A moment slips away. The undine swirls westward from the mess to the southern walkway. For just a moment the air goes sharp and hot again, and the strongroom door is back as if it had never left. > z A moment slips away. The undine swirls westward from the southern walkway to the southern stair with a splash. > vanish door You take the relic in both hands and press it against the strongroom door, plate on one side, wires on the other. The whole thing shivers and the smell of lightning fills the air, and the strongroom door is gone. The undine swirls northward from the southern stair to the tunnel junction, mirroring your every step. > e You walk east. Tunnel junction The tunnel is higher and wider than the strongroom itself, but not by much. There’s less than three feet of space between the now-doorless gap and the flat, smooth wall of what must be a tower—and now you have to pick your way through the debris, too. Staircases on either side curve upward toward the light. A narrow crack leads into darkness. An undine whirls through the room, spraying water all over. Your trail lingers in this location, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles. Which brings it directly in front of you! A moment later your feet are frozen to the ground, and a howling echo resounds through the palace. Now all of Piostro knows you’re here. *** You have been caught *** Would you like to: UNDO the last move, RESTORE a saved position, or RESTART from the beginning? > undo Undoing the last turn (e). Strongroom > z A moment slips away. Your trail lingers in the tunnel junction, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles, hissing faintly with steam. > z A moment slips away. The undine swirls westward from the tunnel junction to this location, leaving a faint trail of ice. You dodge sharply to the side, and the momentum of the undine’s travel brings it sailing past you. Without that momentum, though, you might have been caught! For just a moment the air goes sharp and hot again, and the strongroom door is back as if it had never left. > e (first attempting to open the strongroom door to the east) The strongroom door doesn’t open. Your trail lingers in this location, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles. Which brings it directly in front of you! A moment later your feet are frozen to the ground, and a howling echo resounds through the palace. Now all of Piostro knows you’re here. *** You have been caught *** Would you like to: UNDO the last move, RESTORE a saved position, or RESTART from the beginning? > undo Undoing the last turn (e). Strongroom > undo Undoing the last turn (z). Strongroom > undo Undoing the last turn (z). Strongroom > undo Undoing the last turn (vanish door). Strongroom > undo Undoing the last turn (z). Strongroom > undo Undoing the last turn (z). Strongroom > z A moment slips away. The undine swirls westward from the mess to the southern walkway, mirroring your every step. For just a moment the air goes sharp and hot again, and the strongroom door is back as if it had never left. > z A moment slips away. The undine swirls westward from the southern walkway to the southern stair with a splash. > z A moment slips away. The undine swirls northward from the southern stair to the tunnel junction, leaving a faint trail of ice. > z A moment slips away. Your trail lingers in the tunnel junction, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles, mirroring your every step. > vanish door You take the relic in both hands and press it against the strongroom door, plate on one side, wires on the other. The whole thing shivers and the smell of lightning fills the air, and the strongroom door is gone. The undine swirls westward from the tunnel junction to this location with a splash. You dodge sharply to the side, and the momentum of the undine’s travel brings it sailing past you. Without that momentum, though, you might have been caught! > e You walk east. Tunnel junction The tunnel is higher and wider than the strongroom itself, but not by much. There’s less than three feet of space between the now-doorless gap and the flat, smooth wall of what must be a tower—and now you have to pick your way through the debris, too. Staircases on either side curve upward toward the light. A narrow crack leads into darkness. Your trail lingers in the strongroom, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles. It should be in there for about four minutes more. > s You walk south. Southern stair The bottom of the stair is tight and cramped, but it widens as it curves upward into a high, lofty walkway. Piostro is clearly flaunting their wealth: why else would they have frescos in a back passage like this? Your trail lingers in the strongroom, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles. It should be in there for about three minutes more. Vibrations ripple through the air as the strongroom door returns to the strongroom. > e You walk east. Southern walkway The passage is wide and the ceiling is high and vaulted, and the silence is deafening. Not a human in sight. The frescos on the walls are just as elaborate as in the staircase. Your trail lingers in the strongroom, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles. It should be in there for about two minutes more. > e You walk east. Mess Or maybe “break room” would be more apt? Most of the space has been cleared for a large skittle board in the center, left in the middle of the game. The door is designed to blend seamlessly into the wall, with bright marks on this side highlighting the edges. A writing board hangs from a tack on the wall. Your trail lingers in the strongroom, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles. It should be in there for about one minute more. > x board Did you want to examine the writing board or the skittle board? > writing A short message is scrawled in the wax: TODAY’S PASSWORD - NESSUNA (You only took a quick glance, so the undine didn’t have time to move very far.) > Come again? > n You walk north through the mess door. Hallway junction The passages from the barracks and mess meet here, in front of the grand door leading out to the east. The metal grate on the west side is almost invisible by comparison. The mess door and barracks door would be invisible if you didn’t already know they were there. Your trail lingers in the strongroom, so the undine follows it in wide, sweeping circles. > w (first attempting to open the metal grate to the west) You tug at the grate, but it refuses to move. The undine splashes against the vault door, but is unable to pass through! It swirls around in consternation, but trapped in one place, there’s no way for it to carry out its instructions—which means its task is complete. With a satisfied hissss, it explodes back into a thousand tiny droplets. > w (first attempting to open the metal grate to the west) You tug at the grate, but it refuses to move. > vanish grate You take the relic in both hands and press it against the metal grate, plate on one side, wires on the other. The whole thing shivers and the smell of lightning fills the air, and the metal grate is gone. > w You grab hold of the edge and lower yourself carefully through the hole. But your feet don’t find any purchase, and the last several feet are a blind drop into the darkness. Oubliette The light coming through the hole is dim, too dim to see more than outlines. A wide, round chamber. A narrow crack in the west wall. No straw. The enemies of Piostro, it seems, deserve only the best accommodations. You see a kit bag here. > vanish bag You take the relic in both hands and press it against the kit bag, plate on one side, wires on the other. The whole thing shivers and the smell of lightning fills the air, and the kit bag is gone. For just a moment the air goes sharp and hot again, and the metal grate is back as if it had never left. > * hrm > z A moment slips away. > z A moment slips away. For just a moment the air goes sharp and hot again, and the kit bag is back as if it had never left. > take bag You take the kit bag. > vanish bag You try to balance the relic and the kit bag between your hands, but it’s just too awkward; you lay it out on the ground and try again. Relic in one hand, tangle of wires in the other, stretched across its length, and this time it takes effect with a hissing, sizzling crack. There’s nothing left but a ripple in the air. > w You squeeze your way carefully through the crack. Tunnel junction The tunnel is higher and wider than the strongroom itself, but not by much. There’s less than three feet of space between the strongroom door and the flat, smooth wall of what must be a tower—and now you have to pick your way through the debris, too. Staircases on either side curve upward toward the light. A narrow crack leads into darkness. > z A moment slips away. Vibrations ripple through the air as the kit bag returns to the oubliette. > z A moment slips away. > * hmm > e You squeeze your way carefully through the crack. Oubliette The light coming through the grate is dim, too dim to see more than outlines. A wide, round chamber. A narrow crack in the west wall. No straw. The enemies of Piostro, it seems, deserve only the best accommodations. You see a kit bag here. > open bag The kit bag is already open. > look in bag In the kit bag you see Manzio and a folded letter. > vanish manzio You take the relic in both hands and press it against Manzio, plate on one side, wires on the other. The whole thing shivers and the smell of lightning fills the air, and Manzio is gone. > take bag You take the kit bag. > w You squeeze your way carefully through the crack. Tunnel junction The tunnel is higher and wider than the strongroom itself, but not by much. There’s less than three feet of space between the strongroom door and the flat, smooth wall of what must be a tower—and now you have to pick your way through the debris, too. Staircases on either side curve upward toward the light. A narrow crack leads into darkness. For just a moment the air goes sharp and hot again, and Manzio is back in the kit bag as if he had never left. > * aha! > s You walk south. Southern stair The bottom of the stair is tight and cramped, but it widens as it curves upward into a high, lofty walkway. Piostro is clearly flaunting their wealth: why else would they have frescos in a back passage like this? > e You walk east. Southern walkway The passage is wide and the ceiling is high and vaulted, and the silence is deafening. Not a human in sight. The frescos on the walls are just as elaborate as in the staircase. > e You walk east. Mess Or maybe “break room” would be more apt? Most of the space has been cleared for a large skittle board in the center, left in the middle of the game. The door is designed to blend seamlessly into the wall, with bright marks on this side highlighting the edges. A writing board hangs from a tack on the wall. > n You walk north through the mess door. Hallway junction The passages from the barracks and mess meet here, in front of the grand door leading out to the east. The metal grate on the west side is almost invisible by comparison. The mess door and barracks door would be invisible if you didn’t already know they were there. > e (first attempting to open the grand door to the east) The grand door is locked. > vanish door Did you want to vanish the barracks door to the north, the grand door to the east, or the mess door to the south? > grand You take the relic in both hands and press it against the grand door, plate on one side, wires on the other. The whole thing shivers and the smell of lightning fills the air, and the grand door is gone. > e You walk east. Colonnade The gap in the wall leads out to an airy walkway lined with columns. Past the columns, smooth roofs slope down to the north and south, and you can see courtyards far below. A salamander stands in the middle of the colonnade, blocking your path. “Halt!” The salamander spits out the word in a dry, crackling voice. “Password?” > say nessuna (I’m sorry, I didn’t understand what you wanted to do.) > talk to salamander “The password is NESSUNA.” You give it without hesitation. But you’ve barely finished the word before the salamander cuts you off. The salamander flickers blue-green. “Wrong! Old password. New password is RANCIDO. Intruder. INTRUDER!” Before you can say another word, it starts to swell—it’s about to detonate! > vanish salamander It’s several feet away, and charging toward it seems unwise. > n You can’t outrun an explosion! For just a moment the air goes sharp and hot again, and the grand door is back as if it had never left. > vanish me You grab at the weapon, pointing it toward your chest. Is this wise? There’s no time to question it—there’s no time for thought—only for action. The plate presses against your sternum, and you lean forward against the wires, and— Nowhere You try to open your eyes, but there’s no light, or darkness—there’s simply nothing to see. Or hear, or feel. It’s not hot, or cold...it’s not anything, really. You aren’t anything. You simply no longer exist. > * eek > drop bag You focus your mind and try to drop the kit bag, but nothing happens. > * whew > z You focus your mind and try to wait, but nothing happens. Time doesn’t even seem to pass. And then there’s a sensation. A spark of light— —and the world reappears. You stagger to your knees and suck in a deep, gasping breath. Colonnade The whole colonnade is painted black with soot, the grand door badly scorched. You can hear people moving all around, roused by the explosion. But no one in sight—this is your chance to flee! > n You dash along the colonnade, scrabble across the roofs, leap down to the courtyard below. The password was changed, but the uniform is still good, and most of the guards are out sick—if you can just get out of the palace, Aragosta will have mobilized everyone she has in Piostro. And with this relic, no door or barrier can stand in your way. If you play your cards right, you can expect quite a reward back in Lucenza! *** You have won (and rescued Manzio, too!) *** Would you like to: UNDO the last move, RESTORE a saved position, or RESTART from the beginning? > undo Undoing the last turn (n). Colonnade > e You dash along the colonnade, scrabble across the roofs, leap down to the courtyard below. The password was changed, but the uniform is still good, and most of the guards are out sick—if you can just get out of the palace, Aragosta will have mobilized everyone she has in Piostro. And with this relic, no door or barrier can stand in your way. If you play your cards right, you can expect quite a reward back in Lucenza! *** You have won (and rescued Manzio, too!) *** Would you like to: UNDO the last move, RESTORE a saved position, or RESTART from the beginning? > undo Undoing the last turn (e). Colonnade > hint (I’m sorry, I didn’t understand what you wanted to do.) > hints Click here to open hints in a new tab. >