The transcript will be saved to the file. Type SCRIPT OFF to discontinue scripting. >* OK intriguing! I liked the intro Comment recorded. >credits A Very Important Date by Miles Walker (with help from James Evans and Brett Witty) Version: 1.0 IFID: 92888103-06FC-42C6-8200-A729B05C2E59 (Tip: This game pretends to be the work of fictional characters, Miles Walker and James Evans. If you want the real credits, type REAL CREDITS) >read credits You see no credits here. >real credits Hand Me Down (intro, main game and finale) By Brett Witty. Testing by Jessica Knoch, Jeff J McCoskey, Brian Rushton, John Ziegler and “Zaphod Beeblebrox”. Testing and vital project accountability by Mike Purcell. Patience and space supplied in abundance by my family who have no resemblance to any characters in this work. Some text co-written with my daughter in virtual crayon. Apologies to archivists for these irregularities. >* cool! Comment recorded. >x me Ruby Walker. A wonderful girl, full of potential and opportunities, even though your pockets are empty. >* oh it's me! Comment recorded. >i You are carrying nothing, and are wearing some plain clothes. >x clothes Plain clothes grabbed straight from the closet. Nothing fancy because you were just told you were going on a short road trip. >l Road to the manor Long, thick hedges curve over the hillside towards a large manor house in the distance. In between them is a well-kept dirt road that you are now standing on. It leads north. Behind you are the immense iron gates to the property, and you are securely on the inside. A small bouquet of balloons bump against the gate. Next to the entrance is a A-frame sign for visitors. >x balloons A bouquet of balloons are tethered to the letter box, with streamers gently wafting below. Some of the balloons spell out a message, maybe? >take ballon You pull on the balloons’ string, but they are tied securely onto something inside the letterbox. >read ballons The balloons keep moving, so it’s tricky to read. You catch “Ha” and “rthd”. Have an earth day? Huh? Maybe you need to read them more closely. >g You read the balloons again, remembering the bits you saw. Oh wait, they spell out: "Happy birthday!" Duh. >* is it my birthday? Comment recorded. >x letterbox Mounted into the brick wall is a metal letterbox. Through the gates you can see the tether for the balloons disappear into the letterbox. It’s closed. >open it The letter box seems to be locked. >x sign This sandwich board sign by the side of the entrance reads:Welcome! Don’t forget the three most important things! See Sir Roderick inside. >close sign That is not something you can close. >look in sign There’s nothing unusual in the A-frame event sign. >l Road to the manor Long, thick hedges curve over the hillside towards a large manor house in the distance. In between them is a well-kept dirt road that you are now standing on. It leads north. Behind you are the immense iron gates to the property, and you are securely on the inside. A small bouquet of balloons bump against the gate. Next to the entrance is a A-frame sign for visitors. >x manor If your eyes follow the hedge rows to the very end, they come to the red- bricked manor house down the road. It looks very impressive and not that far away. >x gates The wrought-iron gates do a good job of firmly insisting that unwanted visitors should stay away, without being scary. You’re on the inside, so you’re definitely welcome. On the outside are a bunch of balloons tied to a letter box, swaying in the breeze. >n You head off down the road towards the manor. At least it’s a nice day for a walk. Halfway to the manor The road bends slightly here to sidestep a tree perched on a small mound. A you-sized rabbit is for-real standing by the side of the road, looking down towards the gate. He’s waiting for someone. “Oh! Hello, again! Hi! Welcome! How do you do?” squeaks the rabbit before putting away his pocket watch. >* oh OK Comment recorded. >x rabbit You can barely believe your eyes. A rabbit, the size of a friend, stands before you. He has a neat green jacket and chestnut brown fur. He quietly checks his pocket watch when he thinks you’re not looking – he seems kindly patient but quiet aware of the passage of time. When you catch his darting eyes, they shine like amber. >talk to rabbit “Hi!” you say, somewhat nervous. This is your first time ever talking to a rabbit! “Hello, young lady! Are you here for the party?” The rabbit fidgets with something in his pockets. (You could say yes or no, or ask him about the party, or his pocket watch.) >ask rabbit about party “Excuse me, Mr Rabbit, but do you know what this party is about?” “Oh yes! I do! It is the birthday party of a very special person. A very important girl, in fact. Do you know a girl named Ruby?” (You could say yes or no, say I am Ruby, or ask him about his pocket watch.) >I am ruby “I am Ruby,” you say and strike a pose. He furtively looks you up and down. “Oh goodness! Wow! Nice to meet you. So nice to meet you! We need to get you to the party! Did you bring your invitation?” >no “Oh dear, that is no good. No good at all! Did you misplace it? Sir Roderick is ever so strict!” >ask rabbit about roderick “What can you tell me about the knight in the foyer?” “Oh, Roderick is a big guy with a big heart. And a big love of sticking to the rules. If you play nice, he’ll play nice.” Rabbit leans in and confides, “Not too much of a conversationalist, though.” >ask rabbit about invitation “Hey rabbit, what’s the deal with invitations?” you ask. The rabbit wiggles his whiskers. “Oh it’s very important for this very important day for you to have an invitation to get into the party. Sir Roderick will not let you in! Do you... have an invitation?” >ask him about watch “Is that a pocket watch?” you ask. The rabbit nods quickly, and instinctively checks the time before stuffing it back in his pocket. >ask him about alice You ask, but the rabbit shrugs his shoulders apologetically and looks at his watch. >x watch The rabbit’s pocket watch is a small, round piece, like a very squashed egg. It is engraved with whorls and spirals. A little button allows the rabbit to pop open the lid and check the time on a crisp face made of cogs. >x time The word “time” is not necessary in this story. >ask rabbit for watch “Can I have your pocket watch?” you ask and smile sweetly. The rabbit fidgets with the watch. “Oh... No. Sorry. I need it to see how... time is ticking along.” >ask rabbit for invitation “Hey, do you have an invitation that I can have?” The rabbit looks you up and down. “Hrm. Do you have a costume and something to share? If you can get that, I might be able to give you one.” >no The rabbit does not respond. >* OK well that's a plan of attack at least Comment recorded. >ask rabbit about sharing You ask, but the rabbit shrugs his shoulders apologetically and looks at his watch. >ask rabbit about costume “So apparently I have to wear a costume for this party?” The rabbit nods deeply. “I’m sorry I cannot help you there. You should be able to find one in the manor. Usually there are three pieces to a costume: something for your head, something for your body and an accessory. Good luck! >l Halfway to the manor The road bends slightly here to sidestep a tree perched on a small mound. The rabbit is standing by the side of the road, chatting with you. He looks at the front gate and the manor occasionally. >x tree The tree leans slightly towards the road. Its roots burrow through the mound, keeping it from falling across the road. The tree seems reasonably happy for its lot in life - it has thick leaves, a thick trunk and a good number of branches robust enough for a short climb. You wonder where it’s leaning to, though. >climb tree ‘Bye, Mr Rabbit.’ The rabbit looks down at the manor, and then back to you. ‘Erm, bye!’ You take a second to plan your path upwards. There are a few missteps, but you quickly climb the tree. Top of the tree It’s admittedly been a few years since you’ve climbed... well, anything. You wonder why, since the view up here is fantastic. You’ve managed to push all the way through the top of the tree and poke your torso out through the leaves. To the north you can see the manor house, with a smaller house tucked in away to the east. In the opposite direction the driveway stops at the front gates before joining the main road. Everywhere else are rolling green hills with pockets of trees, all the way up to the fenceline. Up here is just you and a gentle breeze tickling through the thick leaves. >x leaves The leaves up here are almost thick hedges themselves. You squeezed through them to get to this lovely vista, and are now waist-deep in the bushy leaves but who knows what are within them. The leaves look disturbed by something other than your arrival. >search leaves You notice a hole punched through the leaves, just a little ways to the north, and investigate further. You stretch and manage to lay your hand on something painted and metal. To your surprise, you retrieve a fantastic-looking model biplane, almost as long as your arm. Despite some minor scratches, it looks in great shape. >x biplane This model plane is a beauty, and proud of it. It is gun-metal grey, about a foot long and looks like a biplane from one of the World Wars. There’s something majestic about the way the fuselage tapers back, and the solidity of the plane. The attention to detail is incredible. There appears to be minute mechanical interfaces for everything – the propeller, ailerons, rudder, elevators... The wheels of the landing gear spin and lock. Even the cockpit has a tiny instrument panel and controls you can move about. Also, lucky for you, they have embossed subtle lettering on each component to tell you the fancy name for it. It’d be embarrassing to tell your friend to look at the cool ‘left wingy thing’. >* neat! Comment recorded. >x ailerton The word ‘ailerton’ is not necessary in this story. >x aileron Which aileron do you mean, the right aileron, or the left aileron? >right The right aileron is a finely-made representation of a real one, complete with teensy screws and a mirror-gloss paint job. It is about as big as the tip of your finger. >x left The left aileron is a marvellous little bit of mechanics, complete with tiny cables lacing back to the cockpit. It looks a little worn though, compared to its counterpart on the right. It looks about as big as the end of your finger. >* hmm Comment recorded. >x rudder At the very rear of the plane there is a rudder connected to the vertical stabilizer. The ailerons make the plane roll, the elevators make the plane go up and down, and this rudder makes it go... sideways? Wiggle the bum? You know what I mean. The rudder has a logo of a ships’ wheel on it. Or maybe like the spinlock of a safe. >x elevators At the rear of the plane is a connected set of elevators, which are flaps used to make the plane go up or down like a... like a... Pulley system? >d You carefully pick your way back down the branches, before jumping to the ground with a grunt. Halfway to the manor The road bends slightly here to sidestep a tree perched on a small mound. A you-sized rabbit is for-real standing by the side of the road, looking down towards the gate. He’s waiting for someone. ‘Oh! Hello, again! Hi! Welcome! How do you do?’ squeaks the rabbit before putting away his pocket watch. >show plane to rabbit The rabbit looks at you as you step forward to talk. ‘Look what I found!’ you say, pointing at the model plane. Rabbit looks over the plane, quite impressed. He looks up to the tree. ‘This fine model was up in the tree? Wow. Good that you recovered it!’ >n ‘See ya!’ The rabbit nods and then checks his watch. Twice. Driveway in front of the Manor In front of you stands a majestic red-bricked mansion lined with well-trimmed bushes. Its two wings bend inwards, hugging the circular driveway around the central bubbling fountain. The crunchy gravel road heads south, hemmed in by thick hedges, although there is a little gap to the east. The huge front doors are open, inviting you into the foyer. >x fountain This three-tiered fountain bubbles over with clean water. >search it There’s nothing unusual in the fountain. >x bushes Underneath the front windows of the manor are a line of trimmed bushes. A small paper plane has nose-dived into the bushes to the right of the manor. >x plane This model plane is a beauty, and proud of it. It is gun-metal grey, about a foot long and looks like a biplane from one of the World Wars. There’s something majestic about the way the fuselage tapers back, and the solidity of the plane. The attention to detail is incredible. There appears to be minute mechanical interfaces for everything – the propeller, ailerons, rudder, elevators... The wheels of the landing gear spin and lock. Even the cockpit has a tiny instrument panel and controls you can move about. Also, lucky for you, they have embossed subtle lettering on each component to tell you the fancy name for it. It’d be embarrassing to tell your friend to look at the cool ‘left wingy thing’. >x paper Someone has scrawled some notes in crayon and folded it into a paper plane. It appears to be a diagram of sorts. (You can read the note by typing READ NOTE. ) >read it The paper plane is made out of a crayon diagram of a plane (you think). It’s top-down and there are numbers all over it. Going from top-to-bottom, left-to-right: The front of the plane is labelled ‘134’The left wing is labelled ‘2’ and the right wing ‘5’The cockpit has an ‘8’In the middle of the craft next to two bombs (?) is a ‘7’The tail has X over the bit sticking out either side but a ‘6’ nearby to the right. >* hmm Comment recorded. >x front Huge, oaken front doors stand proudly at the front of the mansion. They’re wide open. >s Halfway to the manor The road bends slightly here to sidestep a tree perched on a small mound. A you-sized rabbit is for-real standing by the side of the road, looking down towards the gate. He’s waiting for someone. ‘Oh! Hello, again! Hi! Welcome! How do you do?’ squeaks the rabbit before putting away his pocket watch. >x front Not far along the road that you started from is the big iron gates. You can’t see a lot of detail from here, but you can see they are closed. >x front of plane You see no front of plane here. >x plane This model plane is a beauty, and proud of it. It is gun-metal grey, about a foot long and looks like a biplane from one of the World Wars. There’s something majestic about the way the fuselage tapers back, and the solidity of the plane. The attention to detail is incredible. There appears to be minute mechanical interfaces for everything – the propeller, ailerons, rudder, elevators... The wheels of the landing gear spin and lock. Even the cockpit has a tiny instrument panel and controls you can move about. Also, lucky for you, they have embossed subtle lettering on each component to tell you the fancy name for it. It’d be embarrassing to tell your friend to look at the cool ‘left wingy thing’. >x cockpit The word ‘cockpit’ is not necessary in this story. >read note You see no note here. >n ‘Oh, okay. Erm, goodbye!’ shouts the rabbit, nervously tapping the lid of his pocket watch. Driveway in front of the Manor In front of you stands a majestic red-bricked mansion lined with well-trimmed bushes. Its two wings bend inwards, hugging the circular driveway around the central bubbling fountain. The crunchy gravel road heads south, hemmed in by thick hedges, although there is a little gap to the east. A small paper plane has nose-dived into the bushes to the right of the manor. The huge front doors are open, inviting you into the foyer. >take note Taken. >read it The paper plane is made out of a crayon diagram of a plane (you think). It’s top-down and there are numbers all over it. Going from top-to-bottom, left-to-right: The front of the plane is labelled ‘134’The left wing is labelled ‘2’ and the right wing ‘5’The cockpit has an ‘8’In the middle of the craft next to two bombs (?) is a ‘7’The tail has X over the bit sticking out either side but a ‘6’ nearby to the right. >* hmm Comment recorded. >x tail At the very rear of the plane there is a rudder connected to the vertical stabilizer. The ailerons make the plane roll, the elevators make the plane go up and down, and this rudder makes it go... sideways? Wiggle the bum? You know what I mean. The rudder has a logo of a ships’ wheel on it. Or maybe like the spinlock of a safe. >turn rudder You must specify the direction turn it to. >turn rudder left You see no rudder left here. >turn rudder right You see no rudder right here. >turn rudder clockwise The word ‘clockwise’ is not necessary in this story. >* hmm Comment recorded. >l Driveway in front of the Manor In front of you stands a majestic red-bricked mansion lined with well-trimmed bushes. Its two wings bend inwards, hugging the circular driveway around the central bubbling fountain. The crunchy gravel road heads south, hemmed in by thick hedges, although there is a little gap to the east. The huge front doors are open, inviting you into the foyer. >x hedges You see no hedges here. >x doors Huge, oaken front doors stand proudly at the front of the mansion. They’re wide open. >x hedge You see no hedge here. >e You shuffle through the gap in the hedges, hoping you don’t brush up against the itchy leaves. Outside the Gardener’s House Nestled in the bend of the hedges that run alongside the manor is a modest brick house. Along the front side of the house is a beautiful assortment of flowers, and around the back, on the north side, there is a vegetable garden. The hedges curve sharply east, leading down to the valleys and meadows below. >x flowers red dahlia: It’s easy to get lost in the rich, red burst of petals of this flower. You think it’s called a dahlia. It feels elegant, passionate and with a sense of royal dignity and strength, especially if you wore it. flowerbed: You’ve never seen such an array of flowers growing together. So many shapes and colours, and each looks healthy and vibrant. >take dahlia With the utmost care, you scan the flowerbed and pluck a single vibrant, red flower. You take a moment to inhale its fragrance, and then put the flower in your pocket, gently as can be. >wear it You tuck the dahlia in behind your ear. Looking good! >* is that the accessory? Comment recorded. >score In 66 moves, you have found, out of a total of 15 goals: 0 invitations to the party (5 possible) 0 costumes to wear (5 possible) 0 things to share (5 possible) You are not currently wearing a complete costume. (To see a detailed accounting of your score, type FULL SCORE.) >* hmm Comment recorded. >l Outside the Gardener’s House Nestled in the bend of the hedges that run alongside the manor is a modest brick house. Along the front side of the house is a beautiful assortment of flowers, and around the back, on the north side, there is a vegetable garden. The hedges curve sharply east, leading down to the valleys and meadows below. >x garden You’ve never seen such an array of flowers growing together. So many shapes and colours, and each looks healthy and vibrant. >x vegetable You see no vegetable here. >n Vegetable garden Behind the cottage is a well-tended vegetable garden, ringed with a scrappy split-rail fence. A variety of robust vegetables sit in rows amidst rich turned earth. At the end of the garden is a large smooth rock, sitting in the shade of a small lemon tree. Just beyond the garden is a large, steaming pile of compost. Leaning against the wall is a basket for picking produce, or, perhaps, picnicking tasks. You hear the strange sound of snoring... only tiny. >x fence The fence is an ordinary, weathered three split-rail fence surrounding the vegetable garden. You notice some writing along one fence rail. >x vegetables The garden is rows upon rows of delicious-looking, vibrant vegetables. Some cabbages, lettuce, carrots, and a healthy pumpkin vine, amongst other veggies. >read fence Carved carefully into the wood of the split-rail fence are a curious jumble of letters: ‘MSEBLFVIELVSUYAKROEELORWERR’ >* oi Comment recorded. >x cabbages The garden is rows upon rows of delicious-looking, vibrant vegetables. Some cabbages, lettuce, carrots, and a healthy pumpkin vine, amongst other veggies. >x pumpkin The garden is rows upon rows of delicious-looking, vibrant vegetables. Some cabbages, lettuce, carrots, and a healthy pumpkin vine, amongst other veggies. >eat pumpkin The vegetable garden do not appear to be edible. >take it You can’t take those. >take carrot You can’t take those. >x carrots The garden is rows upon rows of delicious-looking, vibrant vegetables. Some cabbages, lettuce, carrots, and a healthy pumpkin vine, amongst other veggies. >l Vegetable garden Behind the cottage is a well-tended vegetable garden, ringed with a scrappy split-rail fence. A variety of robust vegetables sit in rows amidst rich turned earth. At the end of the garden is a large smooth rock, sitting in the shade of a small lemon tree. Just beyond the garden is a large, steaming pile of compost. Leaning against the wall is a basket for picking produce, or, perhaps, picnicking tasks. You hear the strange sound of snoring... only tiny. >x basket This wicker picnic basket — whilst hard to say ten times fast — is a sturdy little container for all your picnic needs. Especially if you’re a whiskered wizard wickedly nitpicking the quick picnic packing while your wistful sister assists briskly, frisking a discus of biscuits. The important thing to note is that the basket is a core part of sharing a picnic with others, and containing the things you’ll need for said picnic. All you need now is some things to eat, something nice to drink, and a picnic blanket to lie on. >take it Taken. >pick vegetables You can’t take those. >pick lettuce You can’t take those. >put lettuce in basket You can’t put the vegetable garden anywhere. >listen You hear the strange sound of snoring... only tiny. >l Vegetable garden Behind the cottage is a well-tended vegetable garden, ringed with a scrappy split-rail fence. A variety of robust vegetables sit in rows amidst rich turned earth. At the end of the garden is a large smooth rock, sitting in the shade of a small lemon tree. Just beyond the garden is a large, steaming pile of compost. You hear the strange sound of snoring... only tiny. >x compost Steam rising from the well-stocked compost heap catches the sunlight. Which is beautiful, but does not hide the fact that it is a mound of decay and slime and general grossness. Looking at it too closely — or, blergh, touching it — would be inadvisable, to say the least. >search it You gingerly tap the mound of compost with the back of your hand. Yep, squishy and organic. You probably don’t want to explore it even more. Hopefully. >g You frown and press your outstretched palm against the compost. It bulges slightly around your fingers and a rotten piece of tomato rolls off the top of the heap and smears your hand. You quickly wipe your hand clean. So gross. You examine your mental checklist: Investigate the compost, check! Definitely done that task. No need for follow-up. Please. >g Looking around, you’re pretty sure you’re beyond any judgemental eyes. You hold your breath, tense your hand into a flat blade and slowly — ever so slowly — slide your fingers into the decaying mass of vegetation. You get one, two knuckles deep and hit something bulbous. It pops and you whip your hand out in disgust. Now that you have something green and slimy stuck under your fingernails, that probably has sated your curiosity for the gross mound of compost. Right? RIGHT? >g Sigh. The only way to make this dark curiosity go away is meet it at the end. You thought you were used to the smell, a cross between vegetable corpses and bug barf, but nope, urk! there it is again, with a fresh layer of horribleness now that you’re getting closer. You roll your shoulder a little and push your hand deeper into the compost. Deeper than before. Deeper than anyone should ever go into compost. As your limb slides past spongey sticks, pockets of slime, and the tickle of a roaming beetle, you try to distract yourself from... whatever it is you think you’re doing. You remember stories your dad told you about people in the Wild West who would dip their hands into spittoons to retrieve lost trinkets. Brave idiots that they were. Yes you’re definitely disconnected from... Hey wait. Something solid and not at all decomposing collides with your hand. You grasp it and pull. The journey out is even worse than the journey in. The compost wants to keep you close, unwilling to let go, but with a rising turbulence in your stomach, you manage to pull free. You look at your soiled hand and see, to your surprise, wrapped fortuitously in a paper bag, a miniature surfboard about the size of your hand, attached to a leather necklace! And it has a key on it! You discard the bag and take the necklace. >i You are carrying a model plane, a paper plane, a wicker picnic basket, and a cool keyring necklace (with a key attached), and you’re wearing some plain clothes and a red dahlia. >x necklace Attached to a leather necklace is a set of keys adorned with a miniature plastic surfboard, presumably so you can keep your keys on you while you go swimming. On the fin side of the surfboard it says: ‘Surf’s up!’, and on the other side it says in radical purple: ‘Meet you Quayside!’. Quayside. Key side. Oh good grief. As kitsch as it is, this might complete a cool surfer dude costume. Attached to the cool keyring necklace is a key. >x key A small stainless steel key with an envelope engraved on the face. >x envelope You see no envelope here. >l Vegetable garden Behind the cottage is a well-tended vegetable garden, ringed with a scrappy split-rail fence. A variety of robust vegetables sit in rows amidst rich turned earth. At the end of the garden is a large smooth rock, sitting in the shade of a small lemon tree. Just beyond the garden is a large, steaming pile of compost. You hear the strange sound of snoring... only tiny. >x rock A solitary flat rock, sitting in the dappled shade. The snail is lying on the smooth rock. >x tree A youthful lemon tree takes up residence at the end of the vegetable garden. It provides loose shade over the fencing and a flat rock below. The lemons are a little too early to be picked. >x snail You’re not a fan of things small and slimy, but this one is not too bad. The snail has a long sleek foot muscle, and a mottled shell. In the right light there appears to be a long pattern in its shell, almost like a racing stripe along the spiral. In the dappled sun on a rock underneath the lemon tree, a snail is sleeping, snoring loudly. >wake snail You cough gently to try and stir the snail. It keeps snoring, so you shuffle your feet and cough a little louder. Still no response. You do a stage cough: ‘AHEM!’ and that wakes the snail. Stretching far beyond its shell, the snail yawns and then sees you. ‘Yo...’ it says, nodding. ‘Don’t mind me. Just catching a few Zs.’ >talk to snail You already have the snail’s attention. >ask snail about snail ‘So snail, tell me about yourself.’ The snail yawns and smacks his lips together. ‘Hey, call me S. All my friends do. I just met you, but you look like a cool chick. So, hi. Tap some shell!’ He bends his shell towards you and you give it an awkward fist-bump. ‘Awesome,’ he says. ‘So, what are you doing hanging out here?’ ‘Dude! Why wouldn’t I? Nice sun. Cool breeze. Smorgasbord of healthy veggies not far away... What’s not to like?’ >ask snail about rabbit S does not respond. >ask snail about roderick S does not respond. >ask snail about party S does not respond. >ask snail about costume S does not respond. >ask snail about invitation ‘Hey, do you know anything about invitations for the party?’ The snail’s eyes widen. ‘The party behind the manor?’ ‘Yep.’ ‘The party behind the manor, today?’ ‘Yep.’ ‘The party behind the manor right now?’ You look at him for a second and say, ‘Yes.’ In a low voice, he asks, ‘You don’t... need an invitation? Do you?’ You nod. The snail double-takes and then reels dramatically. ‘Oh my goodness. You’re so lucky you saw me. I know where one is! Quick! There’s no time to lose!’ The snail immediately sets off from his stone with great exertion. And not very quickly. >z Time passes... S shouts, ‘Let’s goooo! Follow me! I know where an invite is!’ He races along, at snail-racing speed. >follow s S is right here. ‘Watch me get some air!’ shouts the snail as he slowly drops off the side of the rock. >z Time passes... ‘Come on, slowpoke!’ shouts the snail. >z Time passes... S shouts, ‘Whoa, I might use that compost heap as a speed boost ramp!’ >z Time passes... S grunts as he ‘bottoms out’ on the compost heap ramp, moving about as fast as he was before. >z Time passes... ‘Whoa!’ laughs the snail. ‘This speed is incredible!’ >z Time passes... The snail makes little grunts as he dodges plants and other obstacles. >z Time passes... ‘Hey! I see a shortcut! Open the door!’ yells the snail. >open door Opened. The snail makes air-rushing-past-you sounds with his mouth. He seems convinced he is going quickly. Very quickly. >z Time passes... S leaves through the back door. >in Gardener’s House The gardener’s house is a modest one, made up really of three rooms: a bedroom, a bathroom and a combination lounge/study/kitchenette. There’s a sturdy front door, as well as a cheaper back door leading out to the vegetable garden. The doors to the bedroom and bathroom look locked. Near the front door is a recycled office desk, buried in loose paperwork and surrounded by a little soil and plant debris dragged through the front door. It is effectively the study. A set of khaki pants is ‘gravity-ironing’ off the kitchenette. Work smarter, not harder. Hanging above the desk is a calendar and a to-do list. S is sweating as he ‘races’ along. ‘Phew! This is gonna need some tight turns!’ yells the snail. ‘And get that door open!’ he yells in desperation. >open door Which door do you mean, the front door, the bedroom door, or the bathroom door? >front Opened. ‘Are you keeping up?’ the snail yells over his shoulder. >z Time passes... The snail ducks under tables and between chair legs. ‘And we’re through!’ the snail shouts, moving through the front door. >s Outside the Gardener’s House Nestled in the bend of the hedges that run alongside the manor is a modest brick house. Along the front side of the house is a beautiful assortment of flowers, and around the back, on the north side, there is a vegetable garden. The hedges curve sharply east, leading down to the valleys and meadows below. S is sweating as he ‘races’ along. The snail laughs as he leaves the front door. ‘Man!’ he says. ‘I hope I didn’t leave too much of a mess in there!’ >z Time passes... As the snail dodges past flowers and plants he shouts, ‘Whoa! Outta the way!’ >z Time passes... The snail laughs giddily. ‘If I go any faster I’ll black out!’ >z Time passes... ‘Come on!’ shouts the snail. ‘We’re on the straightaway!’ >z Time passes... The snail looks back at you. ‘Don’t fall behind!’ >z Time passes... The snail grimaces and yells, ‘Don’t clip those hedges on the way through! That’s the gardener’s job!’ >z Time passes... S leaves to the west. >w Driveway in front of the Manor In front of you stands a majestic red-bricked mansion lined with well-trimmed bushes. Its two wings bend inwards, hugging the circular driveway around the central bubbling fountain. The crunchy gravel road heads south, hemmed in by thick hedges, although there is a little gap to the east. The huge front doors are open, inviting you into the foyer. S is sweating as he ‘races’ along. The snail makes groaning noises. ‘Losing... traction... gotta... keep... control!’ You roll your eyes. >z Time passes... The snail crests a small pile of gravel and shouts, ‘Whoa! I’m getting air!’ >z Time passes... S ducks down under the lip of the fountain, giving himself a good foot of clearance. As he passes, he looks back and says, ‘Phew!’ >z Time passes... ‘Let me know if I’m going too fast for you!’ shouts S. >z Time passes... ‘Keep up!’ shouts S. >z Time passes... ‘Okay!’ shouts the snail. ‘We’ve got to get through this wall and to the statue garden!’ >z Time passes... The snail looks back at you. ‘Wait... you can’t fit! Go around! Go around!’ >x wall Which wall do you mean, the west wall, the east wall, or the north wall? >west West of the driveway is more hedges, but also the outside wall of a statue garden. You can see the tops of statues over the wall. >climb wall Which wall do you mean, the west wall, the east wall, or the north wall? >west That is not something you can climb. >s Halfway to the manor The road bends slightly here to sidestep a tree perched on a small mound. A you-sized rabbit is for-real standing by the side of the road, looking down towards the gate. He’s waiting for someone. ‘Oh! Hello, again! Hi! Welcome! How do you do?’ squeaks the rabbit before putting away his pocket watch. >nw You could clamber over the mound and into the paddock, but you don’t see much reason to. >n ‘Oh, okay. Erm, goodbye!’ shouts the rabbit, nervously tapping the lid of his pocket watch. Driveway in front of the Manor In front of you stands a majestic red-bricked mansion lined with well-trimmed bushes. Its two wings bend inwards, hugging the circular driveway around the central bubbling fountain. The crunchy gravel road heads south, hemmed in by thick hedges, although there is a little gap to the east. The huge front doors are open, inviting you into the foyer. >w You can’t go that way. Obvious exits lead north; south, back to the tree halfway between the manor and front gate; and east, to outside the gardener’s house. >nw You can’t go that way. Obvious exits lead north; south, back to the tree halfway between the manor and front gate; and east, to outside the gardener’s house. >sw You can’t go that way. Obvious exits lead north; south, back to the tree halfway between the manor and front gate; and east, to outside the gardener’s house. >e You shuffle through the gap in the hedges, hoping you don’t brush up against the itchy leaves. Outside the Gardener’s House Nestled in the bend of the hedges that run alongside the manor is a modest brick house. Along the front side of the house is a beautiful assortment of flowers, and around the back, on the north side, there is a vegetable garden. The hedges curve sharply east, leading down to the valleys and meadows below. >n Vegetable garden Behind the cottage is a well-tended vegetable garden, ringed with a scrappy split-rail fence. A variety of robust vegetables sit in rows amidst rich turned earth. At the end of the garden is a large smooth rock, sitting in the shade of a small lemon tree. Just beyond the garden is a large, steaming pile of compost. >s Outside the Gardener’s House Nestled in the bend of the hedges that run alongside the manor is a modest brick house. Along the front side of the house is a beautiful assortment of flowers, and around the back, on the north side, there is a vegetable garden. The hedges curve sharply east, leading down to the valleys and meadows below. >w Driveway in front of the Manor In front of you stands a majestic red-bricked mansion lined with well-trimmed bushes. Its two wings bend inwards, hugging the circular driveway around the central bubbling fountain. The crunchy gravel road heads south, hemmed in by thick hedges, although there is a little gap to the east. The huge front doors are open, inviting you into the foyer. >n Manor Foyer The mansion foyer is a grand affair in more ways than one. Black-and-white- flecked marble tiles cover the floor. Two oak staircases hug the side walls, curving up to a balcony overlooking the entrance. Light shines in through tall, broad windows beyond the balcony. Downstairs a grand hallway departs both east and west. The front doors lie to the south, but what really catches your eye is the elaborate tunnel constructed to the back yard. It appears to be a mysterious, fantastical entrance to the party out back. An honest-to-goodness knight – replete with polished plate armour – stands to attention in front of velvet ropes blocking access to the party. >undo Taking back one turn: ‘n’. Driveway in front of the Manor In front of you stands a majestic red-bricked mansion lined with well-trimmed bushes. Its two wings bend inwards, hugging the circular driveway around the central bubbling fountain. The crunchy gravel road heads south, hemmed in by thick hedges, although there is a little gap to the east. The huge front doors are open, inviting you into the foyer. >* hmm, guess I need to go inside. Comment recorded. >save Saved. >e You shuffle through the gap in the hedges, hoping you don’t brush up against the itchy leaves. Outside the Gardener’s House Nestled in the bend of the hedges that run alongside the manor is a modest brick house. Along the front side of the house is a beautiful assortment of flowers, and around the back, on the north side, there is a vegetable garden. The hedges curve sharply east, leading down to the valleys and meadows below. >ine The word ‘ine’ is not necessary in this story. >in Gardener’s House The gardener’s house is a modest one, made up really of three rooms: a bedroom, a bathroom and a combination lounge/study/kitchenette. There’s a sturdy front door, as well as a cheaper back door leading out to the vegetable garden. The doors to the bedroom and bathroom look locked. Near the front door is a recycled office desk, buried in loose paperwork and surrounded by a little soil and plant debris dragged through the front door. It is effectively the study. A set of khaki pants is ‘gravity-ironing’ off the kitchenette. Work smarter, not harder. Hanging above the desk is a calendar and a to-do list. >x pants If you squint just right, the gardener’s khaki pants look a bit like the costume of an adventuring archaeologist. They might even fit you. >take pants Taken. >wear pants You pull on the khaki pants and check yourself out. You feel half Steve Irwin, half Indiana Jones. Indiana Irwin more than Steve Jones, if you were to be asked. But, you know, female. >score In 150 moves, you have found, out of a total of 15 goals: 0 invitations to the party (5 possible) 0 costumes to wear (5 possible) 0 things to share (5 possible) You are not currently wearing a complete costume. >* ah Comment recorded. >search pants There’s nothing unusual in the khaki pants. >* nothing in our pocketses? Comment recorded. >x desk This recycled office desk is covered in paperwork and a not-unnoticeable dusting of soil. It’s closed. >open it Opened. >x it This recycled office desk is covered in paperwork and a not-unnoticeable dusting of soil. It’s open. >look in desk You see nothing unusual in the desk. >search desk You see nothing unusual in the desk. >look under desk You see nothing unusual under the desk. >look behind desk You see nothing unusual behind the desk. >x soil Scattered on and around the desk is random plant and soil matter, presumably dragged in by the gardener. >search soil The plant debris isn’t important. >* hmm Comment recorded. >l Gardener’s House The gardener’s house is a modest one, made up really of three rooms: a bedroom, a bathroom and a combination lounge/study/kitchenette. There’s a sturdy front door, as well as a cheaper back door leading out to the vegetable garden. The doors to the bedroom and bathroom look locked. Near the front door is a recycled office desk, buried in loose paperwork and surrounded by a little soil and plant debris dragged through the front door. It is effectively the study. Hanging above the desk is a calendar and a to-do list. >x paperwork Invoices and paperwork are shuffled in with community newsletters and fading leaflets. >search paperwork The loose paperwork isn’t important. >take it The loose paperwork isn’t important. >read it Invoices and paperwork are shuffled in with community newsletters and fading leaflets. >l Gardener’s House The gardener’s house is a modest one, made up really of three rooms: a bedroom, a bathroom and a combination lounge/study/kitchenette. There’s a sturdy front door, as well as a cheaper back door leading out to the vegetable garden. The doors to the bedroom and bathroom look locked. Near the front door is a recycled office desk, buried in loose paperwork and surrounded by a little soil and plant debris dragged through the front door. It is effectively the study. Hanging above the desk is a calendar and a to-do list. >x bedroom A plain wooden door with a calligraphic G on it, except the pen strokes are vines and leaves. It appears locked, as if that was the private residence of the gardener, whereas out here in the lounge/study/kitchenette it’s ‘of the estate’. It’s closed. >open it The bedroom door seems to be locked. >unlock it You try each key on the cool keyring necklace, but you can’t find anything that fits the lock. >unlock bathroom You try each key on the cool keyring necklace, but you can’t find anything that fits the lock. >se (first trying to open the bathroom door) The bathroom door seems to be locked. >ne (first trying to open the bedroom door) The bedroom door seems to be locked. >s Outside the Gardener’s House Nestled in the bend of the hedges that run alongside the manor is a modest brick house. Along the front side of the house is a beautiful assortment of flowers, and around the back, on the north side, there is a vegetable garden. The hedges curve sharply east, leading down to the valleys and meadows below. >e You look out at the property to figure out where to head. You catch a gentle laugh and clinking of glasses from behind you, in the manor. As lovely as the meadows look, you need to get to the party. >w Driveway in front of the Manor In front of you stands a majestic red-bricked mansion lined with well-trimmed bushes. Its two wings bend inwards, hugging the circular driveway around the central bubbling fountain. The crunchy gravel road heads south, hemmed in by thick hedges, although there is a little gap to the east. The huge front doors are open, inviting you into the foyer. >s Halfway to the manor The road bends slightly here to sidestep a tree perched on a small mound. A you-sized rabbit is for-real standing by the side of the road, looking down towards the gate. He’s waiting for someone. ‘Oh! Hello, again! Hi! Welcome! How do you do?’ squeaks the rabbit before putting away his pocket watch. >s ‘Oh, okay. Erm, goodbye!’ shouts the rabbit, nervously tapping the lid of his pocket watch. Road to the manor Long, thick hedges curve over the hillside towards a large manor house in the distance. In between them is a well-kept dirt road that you are now standing on. It leads north. Behind you are the immense iron gates to the property, and you are securely on the inside. A small bouquet of balloons bump against the gate. Next to the entrance is a A-frame sign for visitors. >unlock letterbox You try the key attached to the mini surfboard, and find that the key fits the lock. Unlocked. A light breeze rattles the iron gate. >open it Opening the letter box reveals a balloon tether and a bundle of mail. >x tether A simple stone puck that the balloons were tied to so that they didn’t fly off. The balloon tether is attached to some balloons. >take it You pull on the tether, but since they are tied to the balloons (and the balloons can’t fit through the letterbox) you can’t move it. >x mail Mail must be slow around here — all the mail for the recent past is bundled into one mass and wrapped in a rubber band. It might take a while to sort through it all. >search mail There’s nothing unusual in the bundle of mail. >take mail Taken. >read it You pry the letters of the bundle apart, trying to look at what they are when suddenly the rubber band snaps and flings itself to places unknown. You are left with a pile of mail in your hands. >x pile You see no pile here. >x mail orange paper advertisement: A curious advertisement that seemed like it came two-to-a-sheet from a library printer and divided by scissors. It reads:Musicologist for Hire! Get a killer playlist for your party, wedding, or important event! Custom mix- tape for y Call Peter for a custom mix-ta And then it just cuts off. Weird. Who would go to all the trouble to produce this, distribute it but not finish it? escape room advertisement: An advertisement for a new escape room called ‘The Chained Walker’. Sounds dark. It boasts of being able to be done by a single 16 year old. You’re unsure if that is a good thing or not. magazine: A subscription to Manor Monthly. The top story is ‘Manor or McMansion?’ Spicy. returned letter: A slightly worn envelope. The address is covered with a stamp: ‘RECIPIENT NOT FOUND. RETURN TO SENDER’. It wouldn’t technically be a mail crime if you opened it with the intent of giving the item back. Right? Intent is what matters? The return address is to ‘Walker family’ so that makes it legal! submarine advertisement: In ye olde timey lettering someone is advertising personal submarine tours. Around here?! white invoice: A single-sheet invoice for a marquee hire. More expensive than you had expected! postcard: A postcard from Italy! The letter on the back says ‘Having a great time. Food is incredible. Water my plants, please.’ and signed ‘Your dutiful gardener’. council reminder: The council reminds residents of the road re-sealing next month. Woo. Exciting. glossy brochure: A glossy brochure for a university... Puzzle University? Is it foreign? Never heard of it. >read returned A slightly worn envelope. The address is covered with a stamp: ‘RECIPIENT NOT FOUND. RETURN TO SENDER’. It wouldn’t technically be a mail crime if you opened it with the intent of giving the item back. Right? Intent is what matters? The return address is to ‘Walker family’ so that makes it legal! >open it You open the envelope with your thumb and pull out the thick card inside. Since the envelope is all torn up, you discard it. Hot diggity! It’s an invitation to the party! You will be happy to return this to where it is supposed to go... The party! You are momentarily surprised by the the crunch of the gravel underfoot as you shift your balance. It sure is quiet here. (Your score has just increased by one point.) (If you’d prefer not to be notified about score changes in the future, type NOTIFY OFF.) >* hey! Comment recorded. >n You head off down the road towards the manor. At least it’s a nice day for a walk. Halfway to the manor The road bends slightly here to sidestep a tree perched on a small mound. A you-sized rabbit is for-real standing by the side of the road, looking down towards the gate. He’s waiting for someone. ‘Oh! Hello, again! Hi! Welcome! How do you do?’ squeaks the rabbit before putting away his pocket watch. >n ‘Oh, okay. Erm, goodbye!’ shouts the rabbit, nervously tapping the lid of his pocket watch. Driveway in front of the Manor In front of you stands a majestic red-bricked mansion lined with well-trimmed bushes. Its two wings bend inwards, hugging the circular driveway around the central bubbling fountain. The crunchy gravel road heads south, hemmed in by thick hedges, although there is a little gap to the east. The huge front doors are open, inviting you into the foyer. >n Manor Foyer The mansion foyer is a grand affair in more ways than one. Black-and-white- flecked marble tiles cover the floor. Two oak staircases hug the side walls, curving up to a balcony overlooking the entrance. Light shines in through tall, broad windows beyond the balcony. Downstairs a grand hallway departs both east and west. The front doors lie to the south, but what really catches your eye is the elaborate tunnel constructed to the back yard. It appears to be a mysterious, fantastical entrance to the party out back. An honest-to-goodness knight – replete with polished plate armour – stands to attention in front of velvet ropes blocking access to the party. >x tunnel This fantastic feat of plum-painted plywood is a terrific twilight tunnel providing passage to the party. Emblazoned over the entrance is the words ‘Welcome to the Party!’, and around it are magical decorations made out of glitter and cardboard. Across the entrance itself is a gauntlet of three red velvet ropes, guarded by an attentive knight. Over his shoulder is a large poster explaining the rules of the party. The dark tunnel turns sharply, presumably into a switchback as a visual obstacle to the party. >x knight A huge knight in polished armour looms in front of velvet ropes blocking the back door. He stands silently by a poster explaining the rules of the party. >x poster The sign describes the basic rules of the party, as well as some helpful tips, all written in a whimsical, Alice in Wonderland-style font: Welcome my friend, it’s a Very Important Date Gather together and let’s celebrate! To ensure we have fun, I have to be clear There’s rules you must follow to guarantee cheer! First and foremost, bring your invitation along, It’s your ticket to join our celebratory throng! Show our dear knight your passport to fun It’s required for guests... yes, everyone! Next: Wear a costume. What should you be? A princess? A monster? A captain of the sea? A careful historian? A surfer dude! Yo! Just wear it in full, and in you shall go. But the last rule - while simple - takes some deep thought It’s all about sharing, something special to be brought. A story of family, or a board game to play, A keepsake, a discovery or a picnic cheese tray? Bring all your items to Roderick the Knight He’ll turn you away if you come along light Follow the rules and you’ll get through the gate And enjoy this one special Very Important Date. On the other side of the tunnel is a more explicit sign (perhaps for wandering attentions) stating: 1. Bring an invitation 2. Wear a costume. 3. Bring something to share. The sign is bolted onto the side of the tunnel, next to the knight. >x knight A huge knight in polished armour looms in front of velvet ropes blocking the back door. He stands silently by a poster explaining the rules of the party. >talk to knight ‘Er, hello, Mr Knight, sir?’ The knight turns its helmet to look at you. Without a word it points to the first rule of the party: ‘Bring an invitation.’ (You could show him the birthday invitation, or .) >ask knight about invitation The knight remains silent. You get the feeling that everything he might answer is already given by the sign. >show invitation (to the knight) You hold up your invitation to the knight. He takes the invitation and looks it over. He stops at the name, which is blank. He flicks the invitation over and inspects the other side, also blank. He looks at the blank name space for another gargantuan second, and then hands the invite back with a nod. Then the knight points at the second rule of the party, ‘Wear a costume!’, as he disconnects the first velvet rope. >ask roderick about himself ‘So,’ you begin with the knight, marching across his field of vision like an inspecting officer. ‘Do you think you do a good job, sir knight?’ He establishes a parade-perfect posture, but does not respond. >ask roderick about rabbit The knight remains silent. You get the feeling that everything he might answer is already given by the sign. >ask roderick about party The knight remains silent. You get the feeling that everything he might answer is already given by the sign. >* ah well Comment recorded. > I beg your pardon? >l Manor Foyer The mansion foyer is a grand affair in more ways than one. Black-and-white- flecked marble tiles cover the floor. Two oak staircases hug the side walls, curving up to a balcony overlooking the entrance. Light shines in through tall, broad windows beyond the balcony. Downstairs a grand hallway departs both east and west. The front doors lie to the south, but what really catches your eye is the elaborate tunnel constructed to the back yard. It appears to be a mysterious, fantastical entrance to the party out back. The knight is looking at you, waiting for you to speak. >n You attempt to sneak under the second velvet rope, but the knight steps in, stopping you with a daunting gauntlet (a dauntlet?). He points to the rules and then to little sign on the rope: ‘Costume’. The dark helmet stares at you for a few seconds before you take a step back. >out There are two main ways to exit the manor. Which one do you mean, the party tunnel entrance, or the front doors? >e As you leave, the knight adjusts his posture slightly to resume his post. East wing of the Grand Hallway The east wing of The Grand Hallway has lovely parqueted floors with the occasional rug to soften your footfall. To the south you can see a large reception room as a conduit to some other recreation room. To the north is a darkened lounge room. >n Lounge The square expanse of lounge room seems to throw off the elegance and pretention of the rest of this floor, whilst remaining well-presented. An enormous but paperback-thin TV takes central prominence in the room, flanked by tall speakers. This all distracts from the array of shelves built into the walls, housing all the electronics like the DVD player, game consoles and music equalizers. An array of lounge chairs and bean bags surround the focus point, spread out enough so you wouldn’t trip moving around, but close enough to feel cosy. The main couch is decorated with a distractingly shaggy purple cushion of sorts. >x tv An enormous-but-strangely-thin TV screen takes up a central chunk of the east wall. As with most modern devices, the screen has close to no bezel at all to even fit in a product name. Then again, they all come from the same factory, right? The TV is off. >turn on tv You can’t find a button on this very modern TV. If you had the remote, that might work. >x speakers The tall speakers flank the enormous TV, and nestle into their own custom space in the cabinetry. >x sheves The word ‘sheves’ is not necessary in this story. >oops shelves The entire east wall is custom cabinetry to house all the electronics for this lounge room. The design is modern and unobtrusive. >search shelves There’s nothing unusual in the shelves. >x dvd Oh wow, these were the things you’d play movies on before the Internet. Or so your dad explained. You’d go to a video store, hand over a few tuppences, and be able to watch a movie that weekend. Quaint! >x consoles The word ‘consoles’ is not necessary in this story. >open dvd As ancient as this DVD player is, it still doesn’t have any external buttons to make it work. You might need a remote, if one exists. >x console This console is from a few generations ago. Console generations, at least. Back from before you could take them mobile, or hook them up to the Internet and scream epithets at teenage boys. >open console Consoles now are turned on by remotes or controllers. You don’t have one. >* hmm most of those had buttosn I thought! Comment recorded. >x chairs A clump of bean bags sit in front of the main couch. >x couch The grey fabric couch takes center stage in the lounge room, giving a commanding view of all the electronics, but not so much of the windows. >x cushion You give the outrageously fluffy and purple couch cushion a poke, in case it’s alive. It rolls over and two googly eyes peer back, startling you. It’s a mask. A monster mask! >take it Taken. >wear it Slipping the monster wig on fills you with a sense of mischief and a need to roar. You let out a whispered roar, just so no-one hears you. >* yay! Though I don't think this matches Comment recorded. >s East wing of the Grand Hallway The east wing of The Grand Hallway has lovely parqueted floors with the occasional rug to soften your footfall. To the south you can see a large reception room as a conduit to some other recreation room. To the north is a darkened lounge room. >s Reception room The reception is an understated but beautiful room overlooking the driveway and front of the estate. From here you could watch as new visitors arrive and lay out a spread of tea and biscuits on the round table in the middle of the room. When they arrive, you could share the gossip of the day, sign important documents, or even duck into the games room to the east for a bit of entertainment. The decorations in the room are careful and light, like any brief visit should be. A confident but not overbearing display frame hangs on the wall. A cat food bowl is tucked into the corner, hopefully out of the way. >x decorations You see no decorations here. >x table The center of the room is taken up by this Victorian round table. The surface has been polished to a soft mirror sheen, picking up just the right amount of light. Upholstered chairs circle the table. >look under table You see nothing under the table. >search table There’s nothing unusual in the table. >x chairs These chairs have a light wooden frame – too heavy and a guest might be compelled to stay beyond their welcome. But the polished wood is solid, so said guest feels supported regardless of the visit. >x frame When you first walk into the room, you notice this large but gently understated display frame. The dark wooden frame could almost fit you inside, height, width and depth. There is currently no glass in the frame. Immaculately preserved in the display frame is a navy dress jacket. >* ooh Comment recorded. >x jacket This important-looking jacket smells like starch, maybe residue from the whites or just your memories of your grandfather floating in. You forget which rank he got to before he left the Navy, but the arm bands have three gold bars under the loop-de-loop. That’s probably good? >take it You carefully and respectfully take the jacket out of the display frame. >wear it You slip the jacket on. The arms are a bit long and you look like someone shot a captain with a shrink ray. But that’s okay. >x me Ruby Walker. A wonderful girl, full of potential and opportunities, and some items you’ve picked up along the way. The head from a shaggy purple monster costume lies about. >i You are carrying a model plane, a paper plane, a wicker picnic basket, a cool keyring necklace (with a key attached), some mail (a white invoice, a council reminder, a glossy brochure, a postcard, an escape room advertisement, an orange paper advertisement, a magazine, and a submarine advertisement), an origami balloon, and a returned invitation. You’re wearing some plain clothes, a red dahlia, some khaki pants, a purple cushion, and a navy jacket. >x head You see no head here. >x mask The word ‘mask’ is not necessary in this story. >x cushion The fluffy wig of purple hair hides two ping-pong eyes. But if you put it on right, you look like a Muppet or Pixar monster. >* this last bit was a little confusing Comment recorded. >e Games room Comfy, rounded, leather couches perch over low-but-accessible tables. Behind them loom tall, overpacked shelves full of board games, decks of cards and other knick-knacks. Joining in with the jumble of themes and pieces are a few items like a huge spinning globe, a display of Lego architecture, and a polished skull... fake, you hope. In the one section of wall without shelves, they felt it was too boring to not put a painting there. So they put a painting there. On the southern gaming table is a ‘Mystery House’ board game box (which contains a sticky note). >undo Taking back one turn: ‘e’. Reception room The reception is an understated but beautiful room overlooking the driveway and front of the estate. From here you could watch as new visitors arrive and lay out a spread of tea and biscuits on the round table in the middle of the room. When they arrive, you could share the gossip of the day, sign important documents, or even duck into the games room to the east for a bit of entertainment. The decorations in the room are careful and light, like any brief visit should be. A confident but not overbearing display frame hangs on the wall. A cat food bowl is tucked into the corner, hopefully out of the way. > I beg your pardon? >x bowl This is The Fanciest Cat Bowl you’ve seen in your life. It’s made out of some stainless, NASA-made steel, with a ruggedized rubber seat and an impeccably engraved name tag. It says: ‘The Great Catsby’. >take bowl You need not (and moreover, dare not) move the cat food bowl. >move bowl You need not (and moreover, dare not) move the cat food bowl. >look in bowl You see nothing unusual in the cat food bowl. >i You are carrying a model plane, a paper plane, a wicker picnic basket, a cool keyring necklace (with a key attached), some mail (a white invoice, a council reminder, a glossy brochure, a postcard, an escape room advertisement, an orange paper advertisement, a magazine, and a submarine advertisement), an origami balloon, and a returned invitation. You’re wearing some plain clothes, a red dahlia, some khaki pants, a purple cushion, and a navy jacket. >x food This is The Fanciest Cat Bowl you’ve seen in your life. It’s made out of some stainless, NASA-made steel, with a ruggedized rubber seat and an impeccably engraved name tag. It says: ‘The Great Catsby’. >x balloon This intricately folded disc of paper has a little face blowing out a gust of air, right beside a little opening in the middle. You don’t know who made it, but it’s impressive work. >* hmm, how did I get that? Comment recorded. >inflate balloon You blow into the origami and it inflates like a balloon. As it expands, the letters ‘POP’ form. >pop balloon With a little bit of delight you pop the origami balloon. The paper explodes into a shower of tiny ribbons. >x ribbons You see nothing unusual about them. >l Reception room The reception is an understated but beautiful room overlooking the driveway and front of the estate. From here you could watch as new visitors arrive and lay out a spread of tea and biscuits on the round table in the middle of the room. When they arrive, you could share the gossip of the day, sign important documents, or even duck into the games room to the east for a bit of entertainment. The decorations in the room are careful and light, like any brief visit should be. A confident but not overbearing display frame hangs on the wall. A cat food bowl is tucked into the corner, hopefully out of the way. >take ribbons You are already carrying the ribbons of exploded origami balloon. >wear ribbons Those aren’t something you can wear. >* hmm Comment recorded. >e Games room Comfy, rounded, leather couches perch over low-but-accessible tables. Behind them loom tall, overpacked shelves full of board games, decks of cards and other knick-knacks. Joining in with the jumble of themes and pieces are a few items like a huge spinning globe, a display of Lego architecture, and a polished skull... fake, you hope. In the one section of wall without shelves, they felt it was too boring to not put a painting there. So they put a painting there. On the southern gaming table is a ‘Mystery House’ board game box (which contains a sticky note). >x painting Sitting on the wall all by its lonesome is a large oil painting of a man looking through a telescope with his son nearby. A manila folder of documents is discarded on the ground next to them. You notice a small set of hinges along the back of the painting. >x telescope You see no telescope here. >x documents You see no documents here. >x folder The word ‘folder’ is not necessary in this story. >x hinges The word ‘hinges’ is not necessary in this story. >open painting On a hunch, you pull the painting towards you. It opens like a door, revealing a wall safe. Just like in the movies! >x safe It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single person in possession of a cool house, must be in want of a wall safe. Luckily, this place has one! It has a standard 10-button number pad, a little screen and a lock light. It’s closed. >x screen A little digital panel on the wall safe. It reads: ‘- - - -’ >l Games room Comfy, rounded, leather couches perch over low-but-accessible tables. Behind them loom tall, overpacked shelves full of board games, decks of cards and other knick-knacks. Joining in with the jumble of themes and pieces are a few items like a huge spinning globe, a display of Lego architecture, and a polished skull... fake, you hope. In the one section of wall without shelves, they felt it was too boring to not put a painting there. So they put a painting there. You’ve opened it on its hidden hinges. Hidden behind the painting is a cool wall safe with a number pad. You see a wall safe here. The skull sticker contains a little LCD panel, a 1 button, a 2 button, a 3 button, a 4 button, a 5 button, a 6 button, a 7 button, an 8 button, a 9 button, a 0 button, and a confirmation LED (dull red). On the southern gaming table is a ‘Mystery House’ board game box (which contains a sticky note). >* x sticker Comment recorded. >x sticker A skull with glaring eyes has been stuck onto the safe door. Presumably a theft deterrent. Not a clue, because that would be terrible security practice. >x skull Alas poor Yorick, you’ve gone and lost your head! Or so the play goes... You think. There are no real identifying marks on this skull, so who knows where it comes from or who made it. >pull sticker The skull sticker cannot be moved. >search sticker There’s nothing unusual in the skull sticker. >* huh Comment recorded. >l Games room Comfy, rounded, leather couches perch over low-but-accessible tables. Behind them loom tall, overpacked shelves full of board games, decks of cards and other knick-knacks. Joining in with the jumble of themes and pieces are a few items like a huge spinning globe, a display of Lego architecture, and a polished skull... fake, you hope. In the one section of wall without shelves, they felt it was too boring to not put a painting there. So they put a painting there. You’ve opened it on its hidden hinges. Hidden behind the painting is a cool wall safe with a number pad. You see a wall safe here. The skull sticker contains a little LCD panel, a 1 button, a 2 button, a 3 button, a 4 button, a 5 button, a 6 button, a 7 button, an 8 button, a 9 button, a 0 button, and a confirmation LED (dull red). On the southern gaming table is a ‘Mystery House’ board game box (which contains a sticky note). >x safe It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single person in possession of a cool house, must be in want of a wall safe. Luckily, this place has one! It has a standard 10-button number pad, a little screen and a lock light. It’s closed. >x painting Sitting on the wall all by its lonesome is a large oil painting of a man looking through a telescope with his son nearby. A manila folder of documents is discarded on the ground next to them. You notice a small set of hinges along the back of the painting. >x sticker A skull with glaring eyes has been stuck onto the safe door. Presumably a theft deterrent. Not a clue, because that would be terrible security practice. >x games You see no games here. >* oh? Comment recorded. >x decks The word ‘decks’ is not necessary in this story. >x cards The word ‘cards’ is not necessary in this story. >x deck The word ‘deck’ is not necessary in this story. >x polished Alas poor Yorick, you’ve gone and lost your head! Or so the play goes... You think. There are no real identifying marks on this skull, so who knows where it comes from or who made it. >take it Taken. >wear it That isn’t something you can wear. >touch it The skull is polished to a shine. (By whom? By whom?!) The sense of it on your fingers is creepy. >search it You shake the skull warily and hear the rattle of paper. A wadded memo drops to the ground. >x memo (the ribbons of exploded origami balloon) You see nothing unusual about them. >* hmm Comment recorded. >x wadded You found this crumpled-up note in a skull in the games room. It reads cryptically: ‘When the World Was. Safe’ >x globe A magnificent globe of the world. You’re not sure if it’s yellowed with age or style. It spins smoothly with a little push. >spin it The word ‘spin’ is not necessary in this story. >turn globe Your fingers walk the globe and end up in Tokyo. Man, you’d love to visit there one day and just eat all the sushi. >g You’re glad to find Australia on the map. They always forget us! New Zealand is there too, but whatever. >g You amuse yourself for a while, trying to find all the places you want to travel to one day. You can’t find Norway though. You can find Sweden. Weird. >g Way out in the ocean you notice tiny, ironic writing reading: ‘Leviathan’. >* huh Comment recorded. >g You rotate the globe to your city, make a gun finger and then look around to see where the exit wound would be... That’s where your soul mate would be... Ah nuts, the Atlantic. Boring! >g Okay, this globe is weird! The south of Africa isn’t ‘South Africa’. And what is ‘Rhodesia’?! >* cool puzzle! Comment recorded. >g You spin the globe, jab your finger randomly and try to pronounce the place name where it landed. You try but fail. >g You wonder how old this map is. Huh, you spot a country called ‘Abyssinia’. Now you know where your dad got that dumb joke from. >g Now that you’re looking, the Earth has a heck of a lot of water. Enough to hide a few Cthulhus. Fewthulhus. Cthulfews... Man, that’s a mouthful. >g You turn the globe and find your city. Just a name on a map, but most of the things you care about is in that little dot. >g You rotate the globe to your city, make a gun finger and then look around to see where the exit wound would be... That’s where your soul mate would be... Ah nuts, the Atlantic. Boring! >g You amuse yourself for a while, trying to find all the places you want to travel to one day. You can’t find Norway though. You can find Sweden. Weird. >g Your fingers walk the globe and end up in Tokyo. Man, you’d love to visit there one day and just eat all the sushi. >* Is this a google puzzle? Comment recorded. >l Games room Comfy, rounded, leather couches perch over low-but-accessible tables. Behind them loom tall, overpacked shelves full of board games, decks of cards and other knick-knacks. Joining in with the jumble of themes and pieces are a few items like a huge spinning globe and a display of Lego architecture. In the one section of wall without shelves, they felt it was too boring to not put a painting there. So they put a painting there. You’ve opened it on its hidden hinges. Hidden behind the painting is a cool wall safe with a number pad. You see a wall safe and a wadded memo here. The skull sticker contains a little LCD panel, a 1 button, a 2 button, a 3 button, a 4 button, a 5 button, a 6 button, a 7 button, an 8 button, a 9 button, a 0 button, and a confirmation LED (dull red). On the southern gaming table is a ‘Mystery House’ board game box (which contains a sticky note). >x box This is a box for the game ‘Mystery House’, a board game from an older era when they used to print the game board on the inside of the box. And the rules on the underside... Until they realised that was the worst possible place for it during a heated rules argument. Nevertheless, the instructions suggest that this is ‘An ideal game to share with friends!’. Carefully reading the setup rules, a few pieces are missing: game tokens (red, green, blue, purple, and yellow) and some set of custom dice. It contains a sticky note. >x note Which note do you mean, the wadded memo from games room, the sticky note, the paper plane, or the origami note found in the mail bundle? >sticky A sticky note in the back of the board game box. It reads: ‘Sorry, rather than lose gracefully, a princess ran and hid the pieces’ >take box Taken. >* we have a lot of stuff Comment recorded. >l Games room Comfy, rounded, leather couches perch over low-but-accessible tables. Behind them loom tall, overpacked shelves full of board games, decks of cards and other knick-knacks. Joining in with the jumble of themes and pieces are a few items like a huge spinning globe and a display of Lego architecture. In the one section of wall without shelves, they felt it was too boring to not put a painting there. So they put a painting there. You’ve opened it on its hidden hinges. Hidden behind the painting is a cool wall safe with a number pad. You see a wall safe and a wadded memo here. The skull sticker contains a little LCD panel, a 1 button, a 2 button, a 3 button, a 4 button, a 5 button, a 6 button, a 7 button, an 8 button, a 9 button, a 0 button, and a confirmation LED (dull red). >x atlas The word ‘atlas’ is not necessary in this story. >* gmm Comment recorded. >w Reception room The reception is an understated but beautiful room overlooking the driveway and front of the estate. From here you could watch as new visitors arrive and lay out a spread of tea and biscuits on the round table in the middle of the room. When they arrive, you could share the gossip of the day, sign important documents, or even duck into the games room to the east for a bit of entertainment. The decorations in the room are careful and light, like any brief visit should be. A confident but not overbearing display frame hangs on the wall. A cat food bowl is tucked into the corner, hopefully out of the way. >n East wing of the Grand Hallway The east wing of The Grand Hallway has lovely parqueted floors with the occasional rug to soften your footfall. To the south you can see a large reception room as a conduit to some other recreation room. To the north is a darkened lounge room. >e You can’t go that way. Obvious exits lead north, to the lounge; south, back to reception room; west, to the manor foyer; and in. >in There are two rooms you can go into via doorways. Which one do you mean, the reception doorway, or the lounge doorway? >w Manor Foyer The mansion foyer is a grand affair in more ways than one. Black-and-white- flecked marble tiles cover the floor. Two oak staircases hug the side walls, curving up to a balcony overlooking the entrance. Light shines in through tall, broad windows beyond the balcony. Downstairs a grand hallway departs both east and west. The front doors lie to the south, but what really catches your eye is the elaborate tunnel constructed to the back yard. It appears to be a mysterious, fantastical entrance to the party out back. An honest-to-goodness knight – replete with polished plate armour – stands to attention in front of velvet ropes blocking access to the party. >w West wing of the Grand Hallway The Grand Hallway stretches west with a wonderful parquet floor punctuated with firm old rugs. Along the walls are huge paintings, photographs and decorations. You can see through the open doorways, revealing a lavish dining room to the south, and the much more hard-working kitchen to the north. Down the southwest end of the hall is an unremarkable door to the basement, next to a door leading outside. >save Saved. >x paintings An array of family portraits line the wall, each labelled. The patriarch of the house, Malcolm Walker, stands alongside a telescope. His wife, the matriarch, Dora Walker, is painting and spins towards the viewer, as if she was surprised. Or in the intro of an 80s sitcom where they have interstitials for each cast member. A lanky teenager, Miles Walker, stands next to a pile of programming books and fantasy novels. It’s kinda like a much milder version of that famous picture of Margaret Hamilton. >x photos You see no photos here. >x decorations This hallway is decorated with a few things. Notably some photographs, a framed decorative plate and a samurai sword. >x photographs This particular picture has two parts in the frame. The first is a picture of a near-dozen shirtless men sharing cigarettes on top of some military shipping containers in the jungle. Rifles stand idle within arm’s reach. The second part is a handwritten description, written in a running writing you don’t see these days. It reads: ‘EMU Boys, Royal Australian Navy 40 miles from the ocean w/ US Army 135th AHC and RAAFie 9th SQDN, Biên Hòa, Vietnam, 1968– 1970’ In the corner it is signed, ‘Malcolm Walker’ Wow, this must be your grandfather when he went to war. That might be an interesting story to share if you can get enough information together. And you could share it at the party! You make a few mental notes on the people involved. >x plate On the wall is a peculiar decoration. It’s a decorative painted dinner plate with a gold rim. The main picture is of some country scene you don’t recognize. Below it says, ‘First Prize, Dora Walker, 1991’. The plate itself is cracked in two and a chip is missing from the edge. The fracture splits right through the picture and through her name. Odd. >take photo You can’t take that. >take photograph You can’t take that. >take pate The word ‘pate’ is not necessary in this story. >oops plate The decorative plate isn’t important. >l West wing of the Grand Hallway The Grand Hallway stretches west with a wonderful parquet floor punctuated with firm old rugs. Along the walls are huge paintings, photographs and decorations. You can see through the open doorways, revealing a lavish dining room to the south, and the much more hard-working kitchen to the north. Down the southwest end of the hall is an unremarkable door to the basement, next to a door leading outside. >read plate On the wall is a peculiar decoration. It’s a decorative painted dinner plate with a gold rim. The main picture is of some country scene you don’t recognize. Below it says, ‘First Prize, Dora Walker, 1991’. The plate itself is cracked in two and a chip is missing from the edge. The fracture splits right through the picture and through her name. Odd. >x decorations This hallway is decorated with a few things. Notably some photographs, a framed decorative plate and a samurai sword. >x sword On the wall is a sweeeet looking samurai sword. You may not have been the first one taken by it – it is bolted to the wall. Bolted so no-one will accidentally unsheathe it and go fighting imaginary ninjas in the statue garden while Dad isn’t around. For example. >x plate On the wall is a peculiar decoration. It’s a decorative painted dinner plate with a gold rim. The main picture is of some country scene you don’t recognize. Below it says, ‘First Prize, Dora Walker, 1991’. The plate itself is cracked in two and a chip is missing from the edge. The fracture splits right through the picture and through her name. Odd. >e Manor Foyer The mansion foyer is a grand affair in more ways than one. Black-and-white- flecked marble tiles cover the floor. Two oak staircases hug the side walls, curving up to a balcony overlooking the entrance. Light shines in through tall, broad windows beyond the balcony. Downstairs a grand hallway departs both east and west. The front doors lie to the south, but what really catches your eye is the elaborate tunnel constructed to the back yard. It appears to be a mysterious, fantastical entrance to the party out back. An honest-to-goodness knight – replete with polished plate armour – stands to attention in front of velvet ropes blocking access to the party. >e East wing of the Grand Hallway The east wing of The Grand Hallway has lovely parqueted floors with the occasional rug to soften your footfall. To the south you can see a large reception room as a conduit to some other recreation room. To the north is a darkened lounge room. >x rug You see no rug here. >x rugs You see no rugs here. >w Manor Foyer The mansion foyer is a grand affair in more ways than one. Black-and-white- flecked marble tiles cover the floor. Two oak staircases hug the side walls, curving up to a balcony overlooking the entrance. Light shines in through tall, broad windows beyond the balcony. Downstairs a grand hallway departs both east and west. The front doors lie to the south, but what really catches your eye is the elaborate tunnel constructed to the back yard. It appears to be a mysterious, fantastical entrance to the party out back. An honest-to-goodness knight – replete with polished plate armour – stands to attention in front of velvet ropes blocking access to the party. > I beg your pardon? >w West wing of the Grand Hallway The Grand Hallway stretches west with a wonderful parquet floor punctuated with firm old rugs. Along the walls are huge paintings, photographs and decorations. You can see through the open doorways, revealing a lavish dining room to the south, and the much more hard-working kitchen to the north. Down the southwest end of the hall is an unremarkable door to the basement, next to a door leading outside. >s Formal Dining Room Sunlight glances through windows to the south, and the irregular way it illuminates the room suggests that this room is primarily focussed on dinner rather than breakfast or lunch. The dark firebrick painted walls, dark mahogany chairs and thick-legged dining table regularly punctuated with wall sconces, it all suggests warmth and shadowy cosiness at the end of the day. On the west wall is a mantelpiece with a number of decorative items on it, framing the head of the table. A clock takes the center position. As a little divergence, there is a little two-person nook table by the window, presumably for the morning light. >x clock You see no clock here. >* huh Comment recorded. >x mantelpiece A simple wood-carved mantelpiece lines the west wall. A stout little clock takes up the middle of the mantelpiece. Alongside the clock on the mantelpiece are a keepsake box and a picture of the manor house. >x stout You see no stout here. >x box (the ‘Mystery House’ board game box) This is a box for the game ‘Mystery House’, a board game from an older era when they used to print the game board on the inside of the box. And the rules on the underside... Until they realised that was the worst possible place for it during a heated rules argument. Nevertheless, the instructions suggest that this is ‘An ideal game to share with friends!’. Carefully reading the setup rules, a few pieces are missing: game tokens (red, green, blue, purple, and yellow) and some set of custom dice. It contains a sticky note. >x keepsake A beautifully-made lacquered box with a brass label saying: ‘Happy Day Team’. Some memory in the back of your head is burning hot, but you can’t quite recall it. You do feel that if you put this together, you’d have a fantastic memory to share. It’s closed. >open it Opening the keepsake box reveals a scrawled memo. >read scrawled ‘I TOOK IT. VARY INPORTNT. LUV YOU!!!’ >take it Taken. >take keepsake Taken. >x picture This broad picture is a photograph of the front of the manor, with a family picture inset at the bottom. Given the photo quality, state of the manor’s facade, and the technical aptitude of the digital picture editing, this looks like it’s from the 90s. The manor looks in good repair. Along the top of the picture is the words ‘Walker House, 1990-2009’. The photo down the bottom is a couple — your grandfather and you guess your grandmother (you never met her). Below are the sombre labels: ‘Malcolm Walker, 1948–2010’ and ‘Dora Walker, 1950–1991’. You soberly note the different dates of the manor and your grandparents. You get an idea of the last part of your grandfather’s life and add it to your notes for the rest of the story you are putting together. >take it Taken. >l Formal Dining Room Sunlight glances through windows to the south, and the irregular way it illuminates the room suggests that this room is primarily focussed on dinner rather than breakfast or lunch. The dark firebrick painted walls, dark mahogany chairs and thick-legged dining table regularly punctuated with wall sconces, it all suggests warmth and shadowy cosiness at the end of the day. On the west wall is a mantelpiece with a number of decorative items on it, framing the head of the table. A clock takes the center position. As a little divergence, there is a little two-person nook table by the window, presumably for the morning light. >x table (the dining table) The center of gravity of this room is in the dining table. Both physically, and in terms of gravitas. It is long, broad and commanding. It seats ten, with the head of the table demarcated by its slightly bigger seat. But it’s not so bold that you’d imagine staging a murder mystery around it, more a place to bring the extended family in to announce something important to grand-dad over a roast dinner. >x nook Nestled against the window is a little breakfast nook table, bathed in the splash of indirect morning light from outside. It would be too ostentatious to sit at the commanding dining table for something as pensive as eating breakfast. The nook seems thoughtfully set up for this purpose with a little sugar bowl and an unobtrusive newspaper rack. >search nook You see nothing on the breakfast nook table. >x bowl This white china sugar bowl is timelessly stylish, which is to say it has very little style to be offended by. It does its one thing and that’s all. It’s closed. >open it You are startled to see a gleaming set of teeth inside the sugar bowl! >x teeth A band of elastic keeps this set of giant plastic teeth on your face. A little protrusion tucks under your jaw so when you roar, you really roar! Like in the commercials! >take teeth Taken. >wear teeth The elastic band is awkward to get over your hair, but you manage. You tuck the teeth around your jaw and give it a test. The monster jaws open with yours. Awesome. >* OK part-way to the monster costume Comment recorded. >l Formal Dining Room Sunlight glances through windows to the south, and the irregular way it illuminates the room suggests that this room is primarily focussed on dinner rather than breakfast or lunch. The dark firebrick painted walls, dark mahogany chairs and thick-legged dining table regularly punctuated with wall sconces, it all suggests warmth and shadowy cosiness at the end of the day. On the west wall is a mantelpiece with a number of decorative items on it, framing the head of the table. A clock takes the center position. As a little divergence, there is a little two-person nook table by the window, presumably for the morning light. You see a newspaper rack here. On the breakfast nook table is a sugar bowl. >x rack A wooden rack for holding newspapers is built into the dining room wall next to the breakfast nook. It contains some model plane instructions. >x instructions (the paper plane) Someone has scrawled some notes in crayon and folded it into a paper plane. It appears to be a diagram of sorts. >x mode plane instructions The word ‘mode’ is not necessary in this story. >x model plane instructions An extensive checklist for ‘Proper Use of Your Model Plane’, written on waterproof card with well-worn folds. You could READ THE INSTRUCTIONS if you wanted. >read the instructions (the paper plane) The paper plane is made out of a crayon diagram of a plane (you think). It’s top-down and there are numbers all over it. Going from top-to-bottom, left-to-right: The front of the plane is labelled ‘134’The left wing is labelled ‘2’ and the right wing ‘5’The cockpit has an ‘8’In the middle of the craft next to two bombs (?) is a ‘7’The tail has X over the bit sticking out either side but a ‘6’ nearby to the right. >* oi Comment recorded. >read model plane instructions (first taking the model plane instructions) You unfold the little checklist: Proper Use of Your Geheimfach Model Plane™ The key to keeping your Geheimfach Model Plane™ in top condition is to perform careful maintenance To conduct maintenance, one must follow these instructions precisely: TURN PROPELLER once PUSH LEFT AILERON once TURN PROPELLER twice LIFT RIGHT AILERON once TURN RUDDER TO THE RIGHT once PUSH WHEELS once PUSH CONTROLS once Now your Geheimfach Model Plane™ will provide airborne protection of your countrymen and your secrets. >turn propellor The word ‘propellor’ is not necessary in this story. >turn propeller You wind the propeller 360 degrees and you hear a tiny click! inside the model plane. >push left With a finger you push down the left aileron. It clicks at the end, like a satisfying button. >turn propeller You wind the propeller 360 degrees and you hear a tiny click! inside the model plane. >g You wind the propeller 360 degrees and you hear a tiny click! inside the model plane. >lifht right The word ‘lifht’ is not necessary in this story. >lift right You lift the right aileron and it clicks softly. >turn rudder to the right You push the rudder to the right. There is a satisfying click! from inside the plane. >push wheels You push the biplane along your other hand, spinning the wheels and simulating take-off. There is a tiny bit of tension but then a satisfying click!. >push controls While no-one is looking you whisper under your breath ‘Performing evasive manoeuvres!’ and push the controls forward. The elevators do not move, sadly. Suddenly, a hidden panel pops open on the biplane, revealing a secret compartment. >x secret Which secret do you mean, the note found with keepsake puzzle coin in the model plane secret compartment, or the secret compartment? >compartment A small compartment is hidden in the plane by some impressive mechanical details. There is enough space for a keepsake. It’s open, and contains a keepsake note and a puzzle coin. >x keepsake note Which keepsake note do you mean, the scrawled memo from the keepsake box, or the note found with keepsake puzzle coin in the model plane secret compartment? >* oi Comment recorded. >2 The story doesn’t understand that command. >x the note found with keepsake puzzle coin in the model plane secret compartment? The story doesn’t understand that command. >x the note found with keepsake puzzle coin in the model plane secret compartment You see no note found with keepsake puzzle coin here. >i You are carrying a model plane; a paper plane; a wicker picnic basket; a cool keyring necklace (with a key attached); some mail (a white invoice, a council reminder, a glossy brochure, a postcard, an escape room advertisement, an orange paper advertisement, a magazine, and a submarine advertisement); a returned invitation; some ribbons of exploded origami balloon; a skull; a ‘Mystery House’ board game box (which contains a sticky note); parts of your grandfather’s story (some preliminary notes on your grandfather’s involvement in the Vietnam War and some notes on your grandfather’s early retirement); a scrawled memo; a keepsake box; a picture of the manor house; and some model plane instructions. You’re wearing some plain clothes; a red dahlia; some khaki pants; an incomplete monster costume (made of a purple cushion and some monster teeth); and a navy jacket. The secret compartment contains a keepsake note and a puzzle coin. >n West wing of the Grand Hallway The Grand Hallway stretches west with a wonderful parquet floor punctuated with firm old rugs. Along the walls are huge paintings, photographs and decorations. You can see through the open doorways, revealing a lavish dining room to the south, and the much more hard-working kitchen to the north. Down the southwest end of the hall is an unremarkable door to the basement, next to a door leading outside. >drop box Which box do you mean, the keepsake box, or the ‘Mystery House’ board game box? >keepsake Dropped. >s Formal Dining Room Sunlight glances through windows to the south, and the irregular way it illuminates the room suggests that this room is primarily focussed on dinner rather than breakfast or lunch. The dark firebrick painted walls, dark mahogany chairs and thick-legged dining table regularly punctuated with wall sconces, it all suggests warmth and shadowy cosiness at the end of the day. On the west wall is a mantelpiece with a number of decorative items on it, framing the head of the table. A clock takes the center position. As a little divergence, there is a little two-person nook table by the window, presumably for the morning light. You see a newspaper rack here. On the breakfast nook table is a sugar bowl. >x keepsake A small note, written on the back of a photo, found with the keepsake inside of the model plane. The photo is of yourself and your parents laughing in a park in Melbourne. >read it (first taking the keepsake note from the secret compartment) The note written on the back of a photo found with keepsake in the model plane secret compartment reads: [6 September 2009] Successful Puzzle Hunt by Team Happy Days (name chosen by Ruby) Members: Dad, Mum, Ruby, and Poppy Malcolm. Came first w/ team effort. Sore from laughing and eating so many pancakes. >x coin When you hold this coin up into the light, memories from when you were little come flooding back. You, your parents and your grandfather went on some sort of adventure around town. There were puzzles and secrets. You even remember spotting one of the clues when the older people didn’t. In fact, you remember winning! There was a presentation and everything. That’s where this coin came from. And the picture! More importantly, Dad took you all out for dessert and you had a pancake stack with ice-cream, all for yourself. Even with these vague memories, a smile creeps across your face. That was a good day. >g When you hold this coin up into the light, memories from when you were little come flooding back. You, your parents and your grandfather went on some sort of adventure around town. There were puzzles and secrets. You even remember spotting one of the clues when the older people didn’t. In fact, you remember winning! There was a presentation and everything. That’s where this coin came from. And the picture! More importantly, Dad took you all out for dessert and you had a pancake stack with ice-cream, all for yourself. Even with these vague memories, a smile creeps across your face. That was a good day. >n West wing of the Grand Hallway The Grand Hallway stretches west with a wonderful parquet floor punctuated with firm old rugs. Along the walls are huge paintings, photographs and decorations. You can see through the open doorways, revealing a lavish dining room to the south, and the much more hard-working kitchen to the north. Down the southwest end of the hall is an unremarkable door to the basement, next to a door leading outside. You see a keepsake box here. >take box You take the keepsake box. >s Formal Dining Room Sunlight glances through windows to the south, and the irregular way it illuminates the room suggests that this room is primarily focussed on dinner rather than breakfast or lunch. The dark firebrick painted walls, dark mahogany chairs and thick-legged dining table regularly punctuated with wall sconces, it all suggests warmth and shadowy cosiness at the end of the day. On the west wall is a mantelpiece with a number of decorative items on it, framing the head of the table. A clock takes the center position. As a little divergence, there is a little two-person nook table by the window, presumably for the morning light. You see a newspaper rack here. On the breakfast nook table is a sugar bowl. >x rack A wooden rack for holding newspapers is built into the dining room wall next to the breakfast nook. >x walls west wall: The west wall is furthest from the entrance and has pictures to frame the head of the table. In the west wall are two wall sconces. east wall: The east wall, closest to the foyer, is painted in a firebrick red, and contains a number of paintings and decorations. In the east wall are two wall sconces. north wall: The north wall is painted in firebrick, with a number of electric sconces. In the north wall are four wall sconces. south wall: The firebrick south wall has a number of electric sconces in between the large windows looking out to the driveway. Along the south wall are four wall sconces. Attached to the south wall is a wooden newspaper rack. > sconces The story doesn’t understand that command. >x sconces These unassuming lights punctuate the walls at regular intervals, giving the room a warm and uniform ambiance. >n West wing of the Grand Hallway The Grand Hallway stretches west with a wonderful parquet floor punctuated with firm old rugs. Along the walls are huge paintings, photographs and decorations. You can see through the open doorways, revealing a lavish dining room to the south, and the much more hard-working kitchen to the north. Down the southwest end of the hall is an unremarkable door to the basement, next to a door leading outside. >save Saved. >sw (first opening the basement door) Basement Deep under the manor house is a long but modest basement. Under the pale yellow lights, the air feels heavy and still. Even the dust seems to hang in the air, waiting for you to move first. The basement is segmented into a few sections. This part is lit, and you can barely see into a doorway to the south. It leads to a cellar. The rest of the basement is in sections to the east, getting progressively darker. Switchback stairs lead up to the manor. A dusty utility vest hangs from a hook driven into the brick. An umbrella is propped up in another corner. >undo Taking back one turn: ‘sw’. West wing of the Grand Hallway The Grand Hallway stretches west with a wonderful parquet floor punctuated with firm old rugs. Along the walls are huge paintings, photographs and decorations. You can see through the open doorways, revealing a lavish dining room to the south, and the much more hard-working kitchen to the north. Down the southwest end of the hall is an unremarkable door to the basement, next to a door leading outside. >n Kitchen At first glance this is a kitchen from the era the house was built in — the 1920s. But if you look closer, there are a bunch of modern touches. That isn’t a wood-fired oven but a two-door electric one. The decor is black cabinetry with golden handles, white subway tile walls and dark oak flooring. It’s like they couldn’t decide whether to go classic or modern. Though what they could decide on was a hefty table in the middle of the room. Tucked beside the refrigerator to the west is the entrance to the pantry, and the grand hallway is to the south. A stylish modern can opener has been installed in the tile wall. Near the door and above the bins is a set of key hooks. >x oven While the externals have a classic styling, the knobs and dials betray a more modern electric oven. It’s closed. >open it Opened. >lok in oven The word ‘lok’ is not necessary in this story. >look in oven You see nothing unusual in the oven. >x table With nearly a half-foot of solid wood as the benchtop, this table isn’t going anywhere. Looking at the doorway, they must have brought in the legs and top separately, and assembled it here. >search table Hidden in a little bracket under the kitchen table is a note. >look under table Hidden in a little bracket under the kitchen table is a note. >x note Which note do you mean, the preliminary war notes, the paper plane, the sticky note, the kitchen table note, the origami note found in the mail bundle, the scrawled memo from the keepsake box, the note found with keepsake puzzle coin in the model plane secret compartment, or the notes on your grandfather’s early retirement? >kitchen table note That was not one of the choices. Which did you mean, the preliminary war notes, the paper plane, the sticky note, the kitchen table note, the origami note found in the mail bundle, the scrawled memo from the keepsake box, the note found with keepsake puzzle coin in the model plane secret compartment, or the notes on your grandfather’s early retirement? >take kitchen table note You see no kitchen table note here. >take note (the note) Taken. >read it The note from under the kitchen table reads: [7 March 2020] Ruby is seventeen now, and I can’t believe the game’s mansion has a kitchen table before we did. When Kim and I were together, sure, eat on the couch, make snarky comments at reality TV, who cares? But now every meal is Ruby and a friend swirling around the kitchen or lounge, perching on seats or standing up, finding or making horizontal space to put their plate down... It has been embarrassing for far too long. Some time ago I had tried to pull everything together. Save up some money, do my best Marie Kondo and clear out some junk. I had some space for a nice kitchen table. Admittedly it’d lose two sides to being crammed up against a wall, but there was room for me and the kids. Maybe Kim at a pinch. But with the pandemic crunching along, they said it would take four to six months for the table. Not including delivery. A simple table. A top and four legs. Wood is apparently a rare commodity! Wood! Cut wood! Of all things! Punch a tree in Minecraft and your inventory is full of it! ... I remember when I was a kid, we all had our spots around the table. My dad was at the head of the table. Then my siblings beside him. Mum across from me. Even as adults we assume our places around the table. Even though he’s gone now, my dad still takes the end of the table. >x retirement You think you’ve figured out some details about his early retirement and the tragedy about his wife. Whilst sad, it would be great to be able to share his whole story. You should find more. >read it You can’t do that to some notes on your grandfather’s early retirement. >l Kitchen At first glance this is a kitchen from the era the house was built in — the 1920s. But if you look closer, there are a bunch of modern touches. That isn’t a wood-fired oven but a two-door electric one. The decor is black cabinetry with golden handles, white subway tile walls and dark oak flooring. It’s like they couldn’t decide whether to go classic or modern. Though what they could decide on was a hefty table in the middle of the room. Tucked beside the refrigerator to the west is the entrance to the pantry, and the grand hallway is to the south. A stylish modern can opener has been installed in the tile wall. Near the door and above the bins is a set of key hooks. >x frdige The word ‘frdige’ is not necessary in this story. >oops fridge The stainless steel refrigerator is wider than you’ve ever seen. And the brand is some European one you’ve never heard of. Très fancy. It’s closed. >open it Opening the refrigerator reveals a cheese wedge. >x wedge What a curious wedge of cheese. It’s a healthy slice, just a morsel short of calling it a ‘wodge’ of cheese. It’s wrapped in crisp white paper, sealed with a golden sticker. You can see in the folds that the cheese itself is wreathed in a dark royal purple wax. You are unsure what sort of cheese it actually is. Perhaps you need to investigate this somehow. >take it That looks perfect for a picnic, so you put it straight in your basket. >smell it You might get a clue to what cheese this is, if only you knew more about cheese! Otherwise it just smells like any number of cheeses to you. >taste it It tastes much as you would expect. >*l Comment recorded. >l Kitchen At first glance this is a kitchen from the era the house was built in — the 1920s. But if you look closer, there are a bunch of modern touches. That isn’t a wood-fired oven but a two-door electric one. The decor is black cabinetry with golden handles, white subway tile walls and dark oak flooring. It’s like they couldn’t decide whether to go classic or modern. Though what they could decide on was a hefty table in the middle of the room. Tucked beside the refrigerator to the west is the entrance to the pantry, and the grand hallway is to the south. A stylish modern can opener has been installed in the tile wall. Near the door and above the bins is a set of key hooks. >* would be nice to be able to taste Comment recorded. >close fridge Closed. >x pantry A doorway to the pantry is partially hidden by the refrigerator. >open it That is not something you can open. >open pantry That is not something you can open. >l Kitchen At first glance this is a kitchen from the era the house was built in — the 1920s. But if you look closer, there are a bunch of modern touches. That isn’t a wood-fired oven but a two-door electric one. The decor is black cabinetry with golden handles, white subway tile walls and dark oak flooring. It’s like they couldn’t decide whether to go classic or modern. Though what they could decide on was a hefty table in the middle of the room. Tucked beside the refrigerator to the west is the entrance to the pantry, and the grand hallway is to the south. A stylish modern can opener has been installed in the tile wall. Near the door and above the bins is a set of key hooks. >x opener This electric can opener is embedded in the wall, exactly replacing a single tile, and coloured the same, so as not to affect the aesthetic. Or to effect the aesthetic. Both, really. The can opener has a smooth body, only disrupted by a little power button. A magnet will hold the can aloft for cutting, and then drop the can into a receptacle afterwards. >push button The can opener clicks and whirrs ineffectually as it attempts to open a nonexistent can. >i You are carrying a model plane; a paper plane; a wicker picnic basket (which contains a cheese wedge); a cool keyring necklace (with a key attached); some mail (a white invoice, a council reminder, a glossy brochure, a postcard, an escape room advertisement, an orange paper advertisement, a magazine, and a submarine advertisement); a returned invitation; hidden notes (some ribbons of exploded origami balloon, a keepsake note, and a note from the kitchen table); a skull; a ‘Mystery House’ board game box (which contains a sticky note); parts of your grandfather’s story (some preliminary notes on your grandfather’s involvement in the Vietnam War and some notes on your grandfather’s early retirement); a scrawled memo; a picture of the manor house; some model plane instructions; and a keepsake box. You’re wearing some plain clothes; a red dahlia; some khaki pants; an incomplete monster costume (made of a purple cushion and some monster teeth); and a navy jacket. The secret compartment contains a puzzle coin. >x can You see no can here. >x hooks Near the door and above the bins is a row of hooks underneath a set of labels. Well, it would be a row of keys except the middle one is missing. >x labels There are five key hooks with labels: (in order) ‘Front door’, ‘Back door’, ‘Letter box’, ‘Gardener’, ‘Car’ >take all keys You see no keys here. >x key A small stainless steel key with an envelope engraved on the face. >* wait are there keys here? Comment recorded. >x hook Which hook do you mean, the missing key hook, the gardener key hook, the car key hook, the back door key hook, or the front door key hook? >gardener A simple key hook designated for the gardener key. It is empty. >x envelope key You see no envelope key here. >x envelope key hook You see no envelope key hook here. >x hook Which hook do you mean, the missing key hook, the gardener key hook, the car key hook, the back door key hook, or the front door key hook? >car A simple key hook designated for the car key. It is empty. >x hook Which hook do you mean, the missing key hook, the gardener key hook, the car key hook, the back door key hook, or the front door key hook? >missing The key hook for the letter box appears to be missing. It looks like fell out of the key rack, leaving a tiny hole behind. >x hole You see no hole here. >x hook Which hook do you mean, the missing key hook, the gardener key hook, the car key hook, the back door key hook, or the front door key hook? >back A simple key hook designated for the back door key. It is empty. >back West wing of the Grand Hallway The Grand Hallway stretches west with a wonderful parquet floor punctuated with firm old rugs. Along the walls are huge paintings, photographs and decorations. You can see through the open doorways, revealing a lavish dining room to the south, and the much more hard-working kitchen to the north. Down the southwest end of the hall is an unremarkable door to the basement, next to a door leading outside. >undo Taking back one turn: ‘back’. Kitchen At first glance this is a kitchen from the era the house was built in — the 1920s. But if you look closer, there are a bunch of modern touches. That isn’t a wood-fired oven but a two-door electric one. The decor is black cabinetry with golden handles, white subway tile walls and dark oak flooring. It’s like they couldn’t decide whether to go classic or modern. Though what they could decide on was a hefty table in the middle of the room. Tucked beside the refrigerator to the west is the entrance to the pantry, and the grand hallway is to the south. A stylish modern can opener has been installed in the tile wall. Near the door and above the bins is a set of key hooks. >x hook Which hook do you mean, the missing key hook, the gardener key hook, the car key hook, the back door key hook, or the front door key hook? >back A simple key hook designated for the back door key. It is empty. >x hook Which hook do you mean, the missing key hook, the gardener key hook, the car key hook, the back door key hook, or the front door key hook? >ar The word ‘ar’ is not necessary in this story. >x hook Which hook do you mean, the missing key hook, the gardener key hook, the car key hook, the back door key hook, or the front door key hook? >car A simple key hook designated for the car key. It is empty. >x hook Which hook do you mean, the missing key hook, the gardener key hook, the car key hook, the back door key hook, or the front door key hook? >front A simple key hook designated for the front door key. It is empty. >l Kitchen At first glance this is a kitchen from the era the house was built in — the 1920s. But if you look closer, there are a bunch of modern touches. That isn’t a wood-fired oven but a two-door electric one. The decor is black cabinetry with golden handles, white subway tile walls and dark oak flooring. It’s like they couldn’t decide whether to go classic or modern. Though what they could decide on was a hefty table in the middle of the room. Tucked beside the refrigerator to the west is the entrance to the pantry, and the grand hallway is to the south. A stylish modern can opener has been installed in the tile wall. Near the door and above the bins is a set of key hooks. >w Pantry The pantry is not just a room for food storage, but an attempt on continuing the statement of the manor house. Each wall is covered floor-to-ceiling in crisp white shelves. Every section is in its place and labelled, but spoiled with generous dividing space. The luxury of being able to grab that obscure bottle of sauce without having to snake your hands through a minefield of miscellaneous foodstuffs. A single small window at the top provides a warm ray of sunshine that illuminates, but avoids directly hitting anything that might be encouraged to grow mould. The kitchen lies to the east, a mere step or two from the most common items in this room. A lone can of cat food on the shelves catches a glint of sunlight. >x cat food You see no cat food here. >x can A small can of cat food, embellished with elegant logos for the most proper of cats. The ingredients list is more mysterious than informative. It’s closed. >take it You hear a quiet ‘meow?’ from somewhere in the house as you scrape the can of cat food along the shelf towards you. >x sauce The word ‘sauce’ is not necessary in this story. >x window You see no window here. >x shelves Well-apportioned white shelves line the entire pantry. There are even labels on each section. Organized! >search shelves You see nothing on the shelves. >x labels You see no labels here. >e Kitchen At first glance this is a kitchen from the era the house was built in — the 1920s. But if you look closer, there are a bunch of modern touches. That isn’t a wood-fired oven but a two-door electric one. The decor is black cabinetry with golden handles, white subway tile walls and dark oak flooring. It’s like they couldn’t decide whether to go classic or modern. Though what they could decide on was a hefty table in the middle of the room. Tucked beside the refrigerator to the west is the entrance to the pantry, and the grand hallway is to the south. A stylish modern can opener has been installed in the tile wall. Near the door and above the bins is a set of key hooks. >se You can’t go that way. Obvious exits lead south, to the west wing of the grand hallway; and west, back to the pantry. >s West wing of the Grand Hallway The Grand Hallway stretches west with a wonderful parquet floor punctuated with firm old rugs. Along the walls are huge paintings, photographs and decorations. You can see through the open doorways, revealing a lavish dining room to the south, and the much more hard-working kitchen to the north. Down the southwest end of the hall is an unremarkable door to the basement, next to a door leading outside. >e Manor Foyer The mansion foyer is a grand affair in more ways than one. Black-and-white- flecked marble tiles cover the floor. Two oak staircases hug the side walls, curving up to a balcony overlooking the entrance. Light shines in through tall, broad windows beyond the balcony. Downstairs a grand hallway departs both east and west. The front doors lie to the south, but what really catches your eye is the elaborate tunnel constructed to the back yard. It appears to be a mysterious, fantastical entrance to the party out back. An honest-to-goodness knight – replete with polished plate armour – stands to attention in front of velvet ropes blocking access to the party. >e East wing of the Grand Hallway The east wing of The Grand Hallway has lovely parqueted floors with the occasional rug to soften your footfall. To the south you can see a large reception room as a conduit to some other recreation room. To the north is a darkened lounge room. >s Reception room The reception is an understated but beautiful room overlooking the driveway and front of the estate. From here you could watch as new visitors arrive and lay out a spread of tea and biscuits on the round table in the middle of the room. When they arrive, you could share the gossip of the day, sign important documents, or even duck into the games room to the east for a bit of entertainment. The decorations in the room are careful and light, like any brief visit should be. A confident but not overbearing display frame hangs on the wall. A cat food bowl is tucked into the corner, hopefully out of the way. >n East wing of the Grand Hallway The east wing of The Grand Hallway has lovely parqueted floors with the occasional rug to soften your footfall. To the south you can see a large reception room as a conduit to some other recreation room. To the north is a darkened lounge room. > I beg your pardon? >w Manor Foyer The mansion foyer is a grand affair in more ways than one. Black-and-white- flecked marble tiles cover the floor. Two oak staircases hug the side walls, curving up to a balcony overlooking the entrance. Light shines in through tall, broad windows beyond the balcony. Downstairs a grand hallway departs both east and west. The front doors lie to the south, but what really catches your eye is the elaborate tunnel constructed to the back yard. It appears to be a mysterious, fantastical entrance to the party out back. An honest-to-goodness knight – replete with polished plate armour – stands to attention in front of velvet ropes blocking access to the party. >w West wing of the Grand Hallway The Grand Hallway stretches west with a wonderful parquet floor punctuated with firm old rugs. Along the walls are huge paintings, photographs and decorations. You can see through the open doorways, revealing a lavish dining room to the south, and the much more hard-working kitchen to the north. Down the southwest end of the hall is an unremarkable door to the basement, next to a door leading outside. >n Kitchen At first glance this is a kitchen from the era the house was built in — the 1920s. But if you look closer, there are a bunch of modern touches. That isn’t a wood-fired oven but a two-door electric one. The decor is black cabinetry with golden handles, white subway tile walls and dark oak flooring. It’s like they couldn’t decide whether to go classic or modern. Though what they could decide on was a hefty table in the middle of the room. Tucked beside the refrigerator to the west is the entrance to the pantry, and the grand hallway is to the south. A stylish modern can opener has been installed in the tile wall. Near the door and above the bins is a set of key hooks. >put can in opener Done. >push power The can opener clicks as it magnetically attaches to the can, and then makes a loud whirring as it slices through the lid. The opened can waits patiently for retrieval. From somewhere in the house you hear the cat meow equivalent of that old Tim Allen/Home Improvement ‘Mhuh?’ sound. You have someone’s attention. >take can Taken. >x it A small can of cat food, embellished with elegant logos for the most proper of cats. The ingredients list is more mysterious than informative. It’s open, and contains some cat food. >smell it You smell nothing out of the ordinary. >s West wing of the Grand Hallway The Grand Hallway stretches west with a wonderful parquet floor punctuated with firm old rugs. Along the walls are huge paintings, photographs and decorations. You can see through the open doorways, revealing a lavish dining room to the south, and the much more hard-working kitchen to the north. Down the southwest end of the hall is an unremarkable door to the basement, next to a door leading outside. >e Manor Foyer The mansion foyer is a grand affair in more ways than one. Black-and-white- flecked marble tiles cover the floor. Two oak staircases hug the side walls, curving up to a balcony overlooking the entrance. Light shines in through tall, broad windows beyond the balcony. Downstairs a grand hallway departs both east and west. The front doors lie to the south, but what really catches your eye is the elaborate tunnel constructed to the back yard. It appears to be a mysterious, fantastical entrance to the party out back. An honest-to-goodness knight – replete with polished plate armour – stands to attention in front of velvet ropes blocking access to the party. As you walk through the foyer, you feel like you are being watched. Because you are. By a grumpy, hungry, wary cat. >e East wing of the Grand Hallway The east wing of The Grand Hallway has lovely parqueted floors with the occasional rug to soften your footfall. To the south you can see a large reception room as a conduit to some other recreation room. To the north is a darkened lounge room. >s Reception room The reception is an understated but beautiful room overlooking the driveway and front of the estate. From here you could watch as new visitors arrive and lay out a spread of tea and biscuits on the round table in the middle of the room. When they arrive, you could share the gossip of the day, sign important documents, or even duck into the games room to the east for a bit of entertainment. The decorations in the room are careful and light, like any brief visit should be. A confident but not overbearing display frame hangs on the wall. A cat food bowl is tucked into the corner, hopefully out of the way. >put food in bowl (first trying to take the cat food from the opened can of cat food) You need to pour that gross cat food from receptacle to receptacle. No way are you scooping it out with your hands. >pour food into bowl With a gross slurp, the cat food plops out of the can, into the cat food bowl. You use the lid of the can to mush it around a little. As you straighten up, an impatient ‘Mreow?’ startles you. The Great Catsby has appeared behind you... And is still guarding that darn piece of paper. How did he move it?!?! The Great Catsby looks at you with hope as you have saved him from starvation, then glares at you as you aren’t getting out of the way soon enough. A hungry cat has no decorum. He begins eating the cat food, all the while remaining on the piece of paper. Argh! >* hmm, what piece of paper is this? Comment recorded. >x piece of paper You see no piece of paper here. >l Reception room The reception is an understated but beautiful room overlooking the driveway and front of the estate. From here you could watch as new visitors arrive and lay out a spread of tea and biscuits on the round table in the middle of the room. When they arrive, you could share the gossip of the day, sign important documents, or even duck into the games room to the east for a bit of entertainment. The decorations in the room are careful and light, like any brief visit should be. A confident but not overbearing display frame hangs on the wall. A cat food bowl is tucked into the corner, hopefully out of the way. The cat is chowing down on the cat food whilst keeping his bodyweight on to of the piece of paper. >x paper Which paper do you mean, the note found with keepsake puzzle coin in the model plane secret compartment, the piece of paper, the origami note found in the mail bundle, or the kitchen table note? >* oi Comment recorded. >n East wing of the Grand Hallway The east wing of The Grand Hallway has lovely parqueted floors with the occasional rug to soften your footfall. To the south you can see a large reception room as a conduit to some other recreation room. To the north is a darkened lounge room. >drop all plain clothes: (first trying to take off the plain clothes) You should probably keep these clothes on. They probably work fine as underclothes for a costume. model plane: Dropped. paper plane: Dropped. red dahlia: (first taking off the red dahlia) Dropped. wicker picnic basket: Dropped. cool keyring necklace: Dropped. khaki pants: (first taking off the khaki pants) Dropped. white invoice: Dropped. council reminder: Dropped. glossy brochure: Dropped. postcard: Dropped. escape room advertisement: Dropped. orange paper advertisement: Dropped. magazine: Dropped. submarine advertisement: Dropped. returned invitation: Dropped. purple cushion: (first taking off the purple cushion) Dropped. navy jacket: (first taking off the navy jacket) Dropped. ribbons of exploded origami balloon: Dropped. ‘Mystery House’ board game box: Dropped. scrawled memo: Dropped. picture of the manor house: Dropped. monster teeth: (first taking off the monster teeth) Dropped. model plane instructions: Dropped. keepsake note: Dropped. keepsake box: Dropped. note from the kitchen table: Dropped. opened and emptycan of cat food: Dropped. > s Reception room The reception is an understated but beautiful room overlooking the driveway and front of the estate. From here you could watch as new visitors arrive and lay out a spread of tea and biscuits on the round table in the middle of the room. When they arrive, you could share the gossip of the day, sign important documents, or even duck into the games room to the east for a bit of entertainment. The decorations in the room are careful and light, like any brief visit should be. A confident but not overbearing display frame hangs on the wall. A cat food bowl is tucked into the corner, hopefully out of the way. The Great Catsby sits on the piece of paper, occasionally shifting his weight from paw to paw, nervously. >x paper Around The Great Catsby’s fluffy paws you make out the words: ‘Invitat...’ The Great Catsby is sitting on top of the birthday invitation. You hear odd stomach gurgling sounds from The Great Catsby. He looks back at you as if to say, ‘What?’ >take it You can’t take the birthday invitation with The Great Catsby sitting on it. Not if you value your hands. The Great Catsby hovers on the birthday invitation, as if deliberating about moving away. But he looks at you, and settles again. >pet catsby The story doesn’t understand that command. >* boo Comment recorded. >take all chair: The chair is too heavy. table: The table is too heavy. cat food bowl: You need not (and moreover, dare not) move the cat food bowl. >n East wing of the Grand Hallway The east wing of The Grand Hallway has lovely parqueted floors with the occasional rug to soften your footfall. To the south you can see a large reception room as a conduit to some other recreation room. To the north is a darkened lounge room. The head from a shaggy purple monster costume lies about. You see a model plane; a paper plane; a red dahlia; a wicker picnic basket (which contains a cheese wedge); a cool keyring necklace (with a key attached); some khaki pants; some mail (a white invoice, a council reminder, a glossy brochure, a postcard, an escape room advertisement, an orange paper advertisement, a magazine, and a submarine advertisement); a returned invitation; a navy jacket; hidden notes (some ribbons of exploded origami balloon, a keepsake note, and a note from the kitchen table); a ‘Mystery House’ board game box (which contains a sticky note); a scrawled memo; a picture of the manor house; some monster teeth; some model plane instructions; a keepsake box; and an opened and emptycan of cat food here. The secret compartment contains a puzzle coin. A little cat head sticks out from the reception door, sees you and then zips back in. >take all model plane: Taken. paper plane: Taken. red dahlia: Taken. wicker picnic basket: Taken. cool keyring necklace: Taken. khaki pants: Taken. white invoice: Taken. council reminder: Taken. glossy brochure: Taken. postcard: Taken. escape room advertisement: Taken. orange paper advertisement: Taken. magazine: Taken. submarine advertisement: Taken. returned invitation: Taken. purple cushion: Taken. navy jacket: Taken. ribbons of exploded origami balloon: Taken. ‘Mystery House’ board game box: Taken. scrawled memo: Taken. picture of the manor house: Taken. monster teeth: Taken. model plane instructions: Taken. keepsake note: Taken. keepsake box: Taken. note from the kitchen table: Taken. opened and emptycan of cat food: Taken. A little cat head sticks out from the reception door, sees you and then zips back in. >s Reception room The reception is an understated but beautiful room overlooking the driveway and front of the estate. From here you could watch as new visitors arrive and lay out a spread of tea and biscuits on the round table in the middle of the room. When they arrive, you could share the gossip of the day, sign important documents, or even duck into the games room to the east for a bit of entertainment. The decorations in the room are careful and light, like any brief visit should be. A confident but not overbearing display frame hangs on the wall. A cat food bowl is tucked into the corner, hopefully out of the way. The Great Catsby sits on the birthday invitation, occasionally shifting his weight from paw to paw, nervously. >i You are carrying a skull; parts of your grandfather’s story (some preliminary notes on your grandfather’s involvement in the Vietnam War and some notes on your grandfather’s early retirement); a model plane; a paper plane; a red dahlia; a wicker picnic basket (which contains a cheese wedge); a cool keyring necklace (with a key attached); some khaki pants; some mail (a white invoice, a council reminder, a glossy brochure, a postcard, an escape room advertisement, an orange paper advertisement, a magazine, and a submarine advertisement); a returned invitation; an incomplete monster costume (made of a purple cushion and some monster teeth); a navy jacket; hidden notes (some ribbons of exploded origami balloon, a keepsake note, and a note from the kitchen table); a ‘Mystery House’ board game box (which contains a sticky note); a scrawled memo; a picture of the manor house; some model plane instructions; a keepsake box; and an opened and emptycan of cat food. You’re wearing some plain clothes. The secret compartment contains a puzzle coin. >x skul The word ‘skul’ is not necessary in this story. >x skull Alas poor Yorick, you’ve gone and lost your head! Or so the play goes... You think. There are no real identifying marks on this skull, so who knows where it comes from or who made it. >x ribbons You see nothing unusual about them. >assemble ribbons The word ‘assemble’ is not necessary in this story. >l Reception room The reception is an understated but beautiful room overlooking the driveway and front of the estate. From here you could watch as new visitors arrive and lay out a spread of tea and biscuits on the round table in the middle of the room. When they arrive, you could share the gossip of the day, sign important documents, or even duck into the games room to the east for a bit of entertainment. The decorations in the room are careful and light, like any brief visit should be. A confident but not overbearing display frame hangs on the wall. A cat food bowl is tucked into the corner, hopefully out of the way. The Great Catsby sits on the birthday invitation, occasionally shifting his weight from paw to paw, nervously. The Great Catsby meows loudly at you. You don’t speak Birmanese. >meow The word ‘meow’ is not necessary in this story. >n East wing of the Grand Hallway The east wing of The Grand Hallway has lovely parqueted floors with the occasional rug to soften your footfall. To the south you can see a large reception room as a conduit to some other recreation room. To the north is a darkened lounge room. A little cat head sticks out from the reception door, sees you and then zips back in. >w Manor Foyer The mansion foyer is a grand affair in more ways than one. Black-and-white- flecked marble tiles cover the floor. Two oak staircases hug the side walls, curving up to a balcony overlooking the entrance. Light shines in through tall, broad windows beyond the balcony. Downstairs a grand hallway departs both east and west. The front doors lie to the south, but what really catches your eye is the elaborate tunnel constructed to the back yard. It appears to be a mysterious, fantastical entrance to the party out back. An honest-to-goodness knight – replete with polished plate armour – stands to attention in front of velvet ropes blocking access to the party. In the east hallway you notice The Great Catsby. He looks at you nervously, then the front door, then quickly vanishes back into the reception area. > I beg your pardon? >w West wing of the Grand Hallway The Grand Hallway stretches west with a wonderful parquet floor punctuated with firm old rugs. Along the walls are huge paintings, photographs and decorations. You can see through the open doorways, revealing a lavish dining room to the south, and the much more hard-working kitchen to the north. Down the southwest end of the hall is an unremarkable door to the basement, next to a door leading outside. Down the other end of the hallway, you catch sight of The Great Catsby. He freezes and stares at you for a second, then disappears back into the reception. >w Statue garden In the cool shade of the manor, stone walls and high hedges is a little stone sanctuary. Sunlight streams in over the top, illuminating a number of plinths holding statues. There are smooth, rounded benches along the sides for viewing the artwork, or just enjoying the solitude. A discreet door leads north-east back into the manor. At the center of the garden is a fountain of gently cascading water. Around the base are plain stone seats pointing to each of the statues. Perched on the very top of the princess’ stone globe is a red board game token. On the benches around the fountain is a gardener’s invitation. S is exhausted after his breathtaking race across the driveway. He looks pleased though. >* yay, found the snail! Comment recorded. >x benches benches around the fountain: These plain limestone benches allow you to sit with your back to the fountain and gaze upon the statues of the garden. The fountain behind you provides soft noise, so you can relax so long as you don’t get wet. On the benches around the fountain is a gardener’s invitation. S is standing on the benches around the fountain. a stone bench: The designers placed stone benches at strategic spots around the statue garden, with varying visibility, privacy and shade. >x fountain In the middle of the statue garden stands a quietly bubbling fountain. Compared to the statues, its workmanship appears unsure of itself — using parts from slightly different aesthetics and odd choices. At the very top, a solitary bubbler pours water into the top basin. From there, it flows out of three spouts into a lower tier, before cascading through five spouts into a wider, murkier bowl at the bottom. The tiered effect draws your eye upwards, a captivating illusion, even though in reality, water obeys only gravity. >x statues The key artistic pieces of the garden are five stone statues, arrayed loosely around a central fountain. They are statues of a creator, an explorer, a princess, a host and an observer. >x creator This marble statue takes up a peculiar, solitary corner of the garden. While secluded away from the other sculptures, there is no angle in which you can’t see him. The figure, seated atop a CRT monitor like a stool, is captured in a moment of introspection, his gaze fixed on a small table before him. In his hands are a hammer and chisel, and he has paused in sculpting form to his unfinished lower half. >x explorer Against one side of the garden, an evocative statue of a woman stands tall, one foot on a block, almost as if she were scaling the garden walls to leave. Confident and graceful, her gaze is fixed towards the horizon, as she moves away from the statues in the garden, and the manor house. A slight turn of her shoulders betrays a connection to the other pieces. The woman is dressed in modern clothes, soft and loose around her form, but cinched at her waist and shoulders with utilitarian strap purses and a hook for a telescope. Her expression is a masterful blend of emotions, with lips that appear to smile from one angle and frown from another. Behind her glasses are eyes reflecting complex, conflicting feelings between abandonment and self- realization. You notice in the precise placement of the figures a triangle — the woman is just within the sight line of the Creator, but the Princess should be able to see them both. >x princess In a commanding spot to the north of the garden is a striking statue of a young girl princess. Her face is etched with fierce determination, emanating a blend of authority and fortitude beyond her years. She maintains a razor-thin balance between her traditional ruffled princess blouse and walking pants covered with a skirt torn ragged and short. Her boots are have short, square heels. The mix of strength, confidence and femininity catch your eyes and you find it hard to look away. The princess holds a globe aloft in one hand, her grasp sideways, leaving the viewer to wonder if she is gently supporting it or snatching it like a prize. In her other hand, she clutches a short staff, its purpose equally enigmatic: is she poised to offer support or smash the globe with one strike? This symbolic dual potential for compassion or aggression, nurturing or domination, is left unresolved by the piece. With the placement of the globe in her sightline, the statue princess may only see the other pieces in her periphery at best. Abandoned behind her is a small princess doll. Perched on the very top of the princess’ stone globe is a red board game token. >x host In an alcove closest to the house is a small marble scene. An older, straight- backed man welcomes the viewer to a stone table, his strong arms held wide. The table itself is truncated, potentially by the front wall of the scene. While he invites you to take a seat, there is less of a bountiful cornucopia on the table than his mien seems to suggest. The man’s form indicates stern, authoritative scaffolding worn soft by the years. A haircut of a short-back-and-sides softened in retirement. His smile is a recently-learned joviality. You initially thought it was a trick of perspective, but he appears to have lost a finger, his third on his left hand. >x observor The word ‘observor’ is not necessary in this story. >x observer Off on the west side of the garden, a statue of a young man stands in contrapposto – both in his relaxed pose, but as a lone counterweight to the other pieces that are slightly more easterly. He stands on a broad, flat plinth, watching the other figures in the garden. This figure is carved from dark grey marble, in contrast to the other figures in the garden who share a similar white marble. The observer stands before a blanket of silver-leafed vines, almost defined by them more than his own gentle form. While the young man is not as evocative as the other pieces, there are textures of subtleties throughout his structure. A cupped hand rests against his hip but reveals a wedding ring. His gaze is gently downwards, towards the reflection of the explorer in the fountain. In his back pocket – hidden from the default view – is a chisel. >x wing The word ‘wing’ is not necessary in this story. >x chisel Which chisel do you mean, the stone chisel of the observer, or the stone chisel? >stone Which chisel do you mean, the stone chisel, or the stone chisel of the observer? >the stone chisel Which chisel do you mean, the stone chisel, or the stone chisel of the observer? >observer That was not one of the choices. Which did you mean, the stone chisel, or the stone chisel of the observer? >x token A red token, the colour of speed, passion and aggression. Clearly always the winner. This token probably goes with a particular board game. >take it That looks like it goes with the board game, so you put it in immediately. >x doll Hanging precariously off the side of the princess’ plinth is a small doll also themed as a princess. It is wearing a breastplate with a rainbow surrounded by hearts, a flower in her hair and a tiny stone tiara. While actually made of stone, the toy looks soft and almost ready to slide off the plinth, as if abandoned by the headstrong princess standing above. >take it You can’t have that; it’s part of the statue of the princess. >touch doll You feel nothing out of the ordinary. >x invitation (the returned invitation) This elaborate invitation is for a party themed as a whimsical jaunt along the lines of Willy Wonka or Alice in Wonderland or Mary Poppins. Dubiously magical, a little weird but an adventure nonetheless. A special unnamed guest is coming. You can read the instructions thoroughly, but the gist is that you need three things: your invitation (like this one), a costume, and something to share. You are required to show it to the knight at the entrance, and then you can be let into the frivolity. This invitation’s addressee is blank. >x gardere's The word ‘gardere’ is not necessary in this story. >x gardener's You see no gardener’s here. >x gardener's invitatio This elaborate invitation is for a party themed as a whimsical jaunt along the lines of Willy Wonka or Alice in Wonderland or Mary Poppins. Dubiously magical, a little weird but an adventure nonetheless. A special unnamed guest is coming. You can read the instructions thoroughly, but the gist is that you need three things: your invitation (like this one), a costume, and something to share. You are required to show it to the knight at the entrance, and then you can be let into the frivolity. This invitation is for the gardener. >take it Taken. (Your score has just increased by one point.) >l Statue garden In the cool shade of the manor, stone walls and high hedges is a little stone sanctuary. Sunlight streams in over the top, illuminating a number of plinths holding statues. There are smooth, rounded benches along the sides for viewing the artwork, or just enjoying the solitude. A discreet door leads north-east back into the manor. At the center of the garden is a fountain of gently cascading water. Around the base are plain stone seats pointing to each of the statues. S is exhausted after his breathtaking race across the driveway. He looks pleased though. >* whew Comment recorded. >sit What do you want to sit on? >benches You can’t use multiple objects there. >sit on bench Which bench do you mean, the stone benches around the fountain, or another stone bench? >another Okay, you’re now sitting on a stone bench. >l Statue garden (sitting on a stone bench) In the cool shade of the manor, stone walls and high hedges is a little stone sanctuary. Sunlight streams in over the top, illuminating a number of plinths holding statues. There are smooth, rounded benches along the sides for viewing the artwork, or just enjoying the solitude. A discreet door leads north-east back into the manor. At the center of the garden is a fountain of gently cascading water. Around the base are plain stone seats pointing to each of the statues. S is exhausted after his breathtaking race across the driveway. He looks pleased though. >u You can’t go that way. Obvious exits lead in and out. >out (off of a stone bench) Okay, you’re no longer on a stone bench. >out What do you want to get out of? >in West wing of the Grand Hallway The Grand Hallway stretches west with a wonderful parquet floor punctuated with firm old rugs. Along the walls are huge paintings, photographs and decorations. You can see through the open doorways, revealing a lavish dining room to the south, and the much more hard-working kitchen to the north. Down the southwest end of the hall is an unremarkable door to the basement, next to a door leading outside. >save Saved. >sw (first opening the basement door) Basement Deep under the manor house is a long but modest basement. Under the pale yellow lights, the air feels heavy and still. Even the dust seems to hang in the air, waiting for you to move first. The basement is segmented into a few sections. This part is lit, and you can barely see into a doorway to the south. It leads to a cellar. The rest of the basement is in sections to the east, getting progressively darker. Switchback stairs lead up to the manor. A dusty utility vest hangs from a hook driven into the brick. An umbrella is propped up in another corner. >x vest A robust utility vest, riddled with pockets and worn enough with use to look legitimate. This one reminds you of an archaeologist you saw on an old history documentary. >search it You see nothing unusual in the utility vest. >wear it (first taking the utility vest) The utility vest has some heft to it, but also gives you the feeling of being able to hold a vast number of cool gadgets now. The kind that would help in an archaeologist’s dig. >x umbrella A plain black umbrella with plastic grip. It’s closed. >take it Taken. >open it You open up the umbrella over your head and a long, folded piece of paper flutters out onto the ground. >x folded A long note, folded in half. >take it Taken. >read it The note folded into half reads: [6 November 2012] For the past six to eight months my brain has been white-hot with the idea of escape rooms. I had already shelved the manor house game to make Ruby something closer to an escape room. I still think that’s a better idea now, so I am continuing with it, despite today. But I might need some time. ... By now, I had already tried a few of the escape rooms that popped up in town like mushrooms. I went with some of the work guys and while it was tense and we nearly didn’t make it out, we couldn’t stop talking about it afterwards at the pub. There’s something amazing about having an idea — or better yet, a lock — click into place. It seemed natural to do one with Kim. My wife. I remember years ago, before Ruby, I spent Sundays with Kim bumming around our local cafe, Delia’s. We would eat warm, crusty croissants laden with butter after racing to see who could solve their sudoku first. Sudokus were all the rage then. I though it would be a good idea — after all the recent stress of work and life — to reconnect with her with a fun puzzle or two. An escape room seemed ideal. Finster’s Finiculum had recently opened up and my friends were raving about it, without trying to give anything away. It was rated best for four to six people, but someone assured me we could do it with two. ‘But you definitely need two people’ they said. Great. I can’t just solve it by myself. Ruby had been invited to one of her kindergarten friend’s birthday party, and I scheduled the escape room for the same time. Get locked in a room, escape the room, have a coffee, grab Ruby, great day, best dad/husband. Kim was... reluctant. But I had already made the arrangements on the sly, and got the okay for Ruby to stay at the party attended by a friend. I managed to wear down Kim’s array of excuses and we went. I had gotten the impression from the name that Finster’s Finiculum might be a bit of a old timey, zany escape room. Maybe you needed to put a moustache on a painting, pretend to electrify a key with lightning, and assemble a model penny farthing. I was wrong. Kim hadn’t talked much in the pre-brief. She barely nodded when the helper double-checked that we wanted to do the room as a ‘small team’. We were blindfolded and stumbled into the room. As this was Kim’s first escape room and the helper had made a hash of it, I reminded Kim of the top tips for an escape room: have a plan, identify problems, communicate, watch the clock, and have fun. We took out blindfolds off and looked around the room. I waited for the introduction. It was not what I expected. The room was not a jolly jape, but had a quite stern and severe tone. Murder and neglect and just a real dark heaviness over it all. A serious game. I shook it off and we got to work. After all, it was just puzzles. I managed to solve the first few puzzles in under ten minutes. All Kim had done was find a key (fine), which we used to power up a device. The whole room erupted into a cacophony of prerecorded audiologs, thunder, strobing lights and a new door revealing itself behind a bookcase. It was exciting. I rushed about the room and found a rope-pulley... The finiculum! Over all the chaos I yelled at Kim, ‘Quick! Grab those handles and we’ll try to figure out...’ Kim stood in the dead center of the room. In between the lightning flashes her posture was broken and tired. ‘I want out,’ she said, barely audible over the pyrotechnics. I was bewildered. We had made a major breakthrough and she wanted to quit the game? I tried to encourage her. No time to quit when we had such progress. We might even get a record time if she just... ‘I. Want. Out. You hear me?! I WANT OUT.’ I stood there, dumbfounded. After an awkward moment, the lights and audio turned off. As I froze, watching her, an anxious young voice asked over the intercom, ‘Um, hey, are you okay in there?’ There was a still moment, and then I opened my mouth to ask... Kim shouted, ‘NO WE ARE NOT. I want out. I want out of this room, this place, this...’ She whipped her hand back and forth between us. ‘Relationship. I want out.’ The rest of the day was a blur. I remember hearing the escape room door unlock, and following Kim out under the worried gaze of the staff. I remember driving in silence, with just the grind of the road filling the space. I remember picking up Ruby and summoning all my bravery by asking her about the party in a normal voice and driving home and walking into my office, even though everything I had was falling apart. I’m writing this so I can try to understand it some time. But truth be told, I can barely remember it. It’s like sand through my fingers. I’m so embarrassed. >l Basement Deep under the manor house is a long but modest basement. Under the pale yellow lights, the air feels heavy and still. Even the dust seems to hang in the air, waiting for you to move first. The basement is segmented into a few sections. This part is lit, and you can barely see into a doorway to the south. It leads to a cellar. The rest of the basement is in sections to the east, getting progressively darker. Switchback stairs lead up to the manor. >* rough Comment recorded. >s Cellar This little brick alcove is wall-to-wall wooden shelving. Custom, fitting perfectly in the space, but under-tended, dusty and dry. Some of the wood has cracked. A meagre amount of light comes in through the doorway from the basement to the north. >x shelving The shelving has been custom made for this room, lining every wall from floor to ceiling. It has seen some years, with cracked wood and a general furry coat of dust. While many of the shelves themselves are empty, there are a number of bottles to search through. >search shelves Your eyes follow your finger as it traces along the rows and rows of shelves. To your surprise, the bottles here are not alcoholic, but exotic colas and sodas. Here is a bottle of premixed Indonesian Soda Gembira, the condensed milk unfortunately clotted and gross. Over there is a line of bottles of Mexican Coca Cola, unfortunatelly all sedimentary or with cracks in the neck. Just below is a pair of bottles of Inka Cola from Peru, suspiciously cloudy. You’re dismayed by the general wreck and ruin of these bottles when one catches your eye. It appears to be a stout bottle of fizzy grape juice. It looks in remarkably good form. You could take it, if the party needed some refreshment to share. You also find a dusty old tin can with a label, somewhat out of place. >take juice That looks perfect for a picnic, so you put it straight in your basket. >x can (the opened and emptycan of cat food) A small can of cat food, embellished with elegant logos for the most proper of cats. The ingredients list is more mysterious than informative. It’s open. >* oops Comment recorded. >read list You unfold the little checklist: Proper Use of Your Geheimfach Model Plane™ The key to keeping your Geheimfach Model Plane™ in top condition is to perform careful maintenance To conduct maintenance, one must follow these instructions precisely: TURN PROPELLER once PUSH LEFT AILERON once TURN PROPELLER twice LIFT RIGHT AILERON once TURN RUDDER TO THE RIGHT once PUSH WHEELS once PUSH CONTROLS once Now your Geheimfach Model Plane™ will provide airborne protection of your countrymen and your secrets. >x old tin can A metal food can with a label so faded that you can’t quite make out what is in it, even if you did know whatever language this is. Vietnamese? The can itself is in good shape. A small label has been tied to the can. It’s closed. >read it A metal food can with a label so faded that you can’t quite make out what is in it, even if you did know whatever language this is. Vietnamese? The can itself is in good shape. A small label has been tied to the can. It’s closed. >x label The label for the cheese reads: ‘Fromage �� partager entre amis’. Which probably means ‘Cheese for getting into parties’. >x label on can You see no label in the opened and emptycan of cat food. >x label on tin can You see no label in the opened and emptycan of cat food. >x label on old can You see no label in the old Vietnamese tin can. >untie label You cannot detach that. >l Cellar This little brick alcove is wall-to-wall wooden shelving. Custom, fitting perfectly in the space, but under-tended, dusty and dry. Some of the wood has cracked. A meagre amount of light comes in through the doorway from the basement to the north. The shelves contain an old Vietnamese tin can. >take all old Vietnamese tin can: Taken. >drop all but old plain clothes: (first trying to take off the plain clothes) You should probably keep these clothes on. They probably work fine as underclothes for a costume. model plane: Dropped. paper plane: Dropped. red dahlia: Dropped. wicker picnic basket: Dropped. cool keyring necklace: Dropped. khaki pants: Dropped. white invoice: Dropped. council reminder: Dropped. glossy brochure: Dropped. postcard: Dropped. escape room advertisement: Dropped. orange paper advertisement: Dropped. magazine: Dropped. submarine advertisement: Dropped. returned invitation: Dropped. purple cushion: Dropped. navy jacket: Dropped. ribbons of exploded origami balloon: Dropped. ‘Mystery House’ board game box: Dropped. scrawled memo: Dropped. picture of the manor house: Dropped. monster teeth: Dropped. model plane instructions: Dropped. keepsake note: Dropped. keepsake box: Dropped. note from the kitchen table: Dropped. opened and emptycan of cat food: Dropped. gardener’s invitation: Dropped. utility vest: (first taking off the utility vest) Dropped. umbrella: Dropped. folded note: Dropped. >n Basement Deep under the manor house is a long but modest basement. Under the pale yellow lights, the air feels heavy and still. Even the dust seems to hang in the air, waiting for you to move first. The basement is segmented into a few sections. This part is lit, and you can barely see into a doorway to the south. It leads to a cellar. The rest of the basement is in sections to the east, getting progressively darker. Switchback stairs lead up to the manor. >read label You see no label here. >read can A metal food can with a label so faded that you can’t quite make out what is in it, even if you did know whatever language this is. Vietnamese? The can itself is in good shape. A small label has been tied to the can. It’s closed. >take label You see no label here. >s Cellar This little brick alcove is wall-to-wall wooden shelving. Custom, fitting perfectly in the space, but under-tended, dusty and dry. Some of the wood has cracked. A meagre amount of light comes in through the doorway from the basement to the north. A long, folded note lies on the floor. The head from a shaggy purple monster costume lies about. You see a model plane; a paper plane; a red dahlia; a wicker picnic basket (which contains a cheese wedge and a bottle of fizzy grape juice); a cool keyring necklace (with a key attached); an incomplete archaeologist costume (made of some khaki pants and a utility vest); some mail (a white invoice, a council reminder, a glossy brochure, a postcard, an escape room advertisement, an orange paper advertisement, a magazine, and a submarine advertisement); two invitations (a returned invitation and a gardener’s invitation); a navy jacket; hidden notes (some ribbons of exploded origami balloon, a keepsake note, and a note from the kitchen table); a ‘Mystery House’ board game box (which contains a sticky note and a red game token); a scrawled memo; a picture of the manor house; some monster teeth; some model plane instructions; a keepsake box; an opened and emptycan of cat food; and an umbrella here. The secret compartment contains a puzzle coin. >ake all The word ‘ake’ is not necessary in this story. >take all model plane: Taken. paper plane: Taken. red dahlia: Taken. wicker picnic basket: Taken. cool keyring necklace: Taken. khaki pants: Taken. white invoice: Taken. council reminder: Taken. glossy brochure: Taken. postcard: Taken. escape room advertisement: Taken. orange paper advertisement: Taken. magazine: Taken. submarine advertisement: Taken. returned invitation: Taken. purple cushion: Taken. navy jacket: Taken. ribbons of exploded origami balloon: Taken. ‘Mystery House’ board game box: Taken. scrawled memo: Taken. picture of the manor house: Taken. monster teeth: Taken. model plane instructions: Taken. keepsake note: Taken. keepsake box: Taken. note from the kitchen table: Taken. opened and emptycan of cat food: Taken. gardener’s invitation: Taken. utility vest: Taken. umbrella: Taken. folded note: Taken. >l Cellar This little brick alcove is wall-to-wall wooden shelving. Custom, fitting perfectly in the space, but under-tended, dusty and dry. Some of the wood has cracked. A meagre amount of light comes in through the doorway from the basement to the north. >search bottles The word ‘bottles’ is not necessary in this story. >n Basement Deep under the manor house is a long but modest basement. Under the pale yellow lights, the air feels heavy and still. Even the dust seems to hang in the air, waiting for you to move first. The basement is segmented into a few sections. This part is lit, and you can barely see into a doorway to the south. It leads to a cellar. The rest of the basement is in sections to the east, getting progressively darker. Switchback stairs lead up to the manor. >u West wing of the Grand Hallway The Grand Hallway stretches west with a wonderful parquet floor punctuated with firm old rugs. Along the walls are huge paintings, photographs and decorations. You can see through the open doorways, revealing a lavish dining room to the south, and the much more hard-working kitchen to the north. Down the southwest end of the hall is an unremarkable door to the basement, next to a door leading outside. >n Kitchen At first glance this is a kitchen from the era the house was built in — the 1920s. But if you look closer, there are a bunch of modern touches. That isn’t a wood-fired oven but a two-door electric one. The decor is black cabinetry with golden handles, white subway tile walls and dark oak flooring. It’s like they couldn’t decide whether to go classic or modern. Though what they could decide on was a hefty table in the middle of the room. Tucked beside the refrigerator to the west is the entrance to the pantry, and the grand hallway is to the south. A stylish modern can opener has been installed in the tile wall. Near the door and above the bins is a set of key hooks. >put can in opener Which can do you mean, the opened and emptycan of cat food, or the old Vietnamese tin can? >old Done. >push power The can opener clicks as it magnetically attaches to the can, and then makes a loud whirring as it slices through the lid. The opened can waits patiently for retrieval. >take it You can’t have that; it’s part of the kitchen. >take old Taken. >look in old The opened contains a scrunched up note. >read note Which note do you mean, the paper plane, the scrawled memo from the keepsake box, the sticky note, the note found in old Vietnamese can, the kitchen table note, the escape room note, the origami note found in the mail bundle, or the note found with keepsake puzzle coin in the model plane secret compartment? >scrunched (first taking the scrunched up note from the opened ) The Vietnamese can note reads: [3 January 1992] I think I’ve messed up. The other day I was in the basement and accidentally knocked over that old can that Dad has kept for forever for some reason. It hit the ground and started to leak gross, sticky stuff all over the floor and can. I don’t know what it was supposed to be. I panicked. I threw the damaged stuff out, then removed and copied the label, coloured it a little with crayons and then glued it onto another can. I think the can was mostly sentimental value for him, so I’m hoping he never opens it. Have I done a bad thing? Will I have to take this secret to my grave? >x label Which label do you mean, the label, the golden sticker, or the labels? >label Which label do you mean, the labels, the label, or the golden sticker? >golden sticker The label for the cheese reads: ‘Fromage �� partager entre amis’. Which probably means ‘Cheese for getting into parties’. >take all kitchen table: The kitchen table is too heavy. rubbish bin: The rubbish bin is too heavy. compost bin: The compost bin is too heavy. recycling bin: The recycling bin is too heavy. >x bin Which bin do you mean, the compost bin, the recycling bin, or the rubbish bin? >compost A green bin, designated for compost. >look in it You see nothing unusual in the compost bin. >look in recycling You see nothing unusual in the recycling bin. >look in rubbish You see nothing unusual in the rubbish bin. >x it A dark grey utilitarian bin for rubbish. >x recycling A yellow bin for recycling. >l Kitchen At first glance this is a kitchen from the era the house was built in — the 1920s. But if you look closer, there are a bunch of modern touches. That isn’t a wood-fired oven but a two-door electric one. The decor is black cabinetry with golden handles, white subway tile walls and dark oak flooring. It’s like they couldn’t decide whether to go classic or modern. Though what they could decide on was a hefty table in the middle of the room. Tucked beside the refrigerator to the west is the entrance to the pantry, and the grand hallway is to the south. A stylish modern can opener has been installed in the tile wall. Near the door and above the bins is a set of key hooks. >s West wing of the Grand Hallway The Grand Hallway stretches west with a wonderful parquet floor punctuated with firm old rugs. Along the walls are huge paintings, photographs and decorations. You can see through the open doorways, revealing a lavish dining room to the south, and the much more hard-working kitchen to the north. Down the southwest end of the hall is an unremarkable door to the basement, next to a door leading outside. >d Basement Deep under the manor house is a long but modest basement. Under the pale yellow lights, the air feels heavy and still. Even the dust seems to hang in the air, waiting for you to move first. The basement is segmented into a few sections. This part is lit, and you can barely see into a doorway to the south. It leads to a cellar. The rest of the basement is in sections to the east, getting progressively darker. Switchback stairs lead up to the manor. >e Middle of the basement This dim section of the basement appears to be in the centre of the manor’s floorplan. The north wall contains a functioning modern boiler, and the rusty scars of generations of previous boilers. Through the shadows to the east is even darker basement areas. The brighter basement landing – including the stairs out – is to the west. >x boiler This robust, modern boiler stands where previous generations of boilers have roasted and rusted. It’s probably quite efficient - if it wasn’t for the vent at the bottom sending out a little jet of toasty air straight into the floor. As extravagant as this manor is, heated basement floors is a step too far. >open it That is not something you can open. >search boiler There’s nothing unusual in the boiler. >e End of the basement The light from the basement barely reaches this end. Any light from elsewhere, definitely not. In sooty shadows you can see some long-forgotten items or detritus dragged down here out of the way. Against one wall leans a pile of assorted housewares, pictures, hardcover books, and other not-casually- identifiable objects. Junk, if you were to be uncharitable. Light and the way out can be found to the west. Along the east wall is a huge, stocky ice box. >x items Shoved against a wall is a neat pile of... Well, it’s a little nice to be called ‘junk’. You might call the piles of books and picture frames ‘housewares’ at a stretch. Perhaps it’s bric-a-brac? Knick knacks? A stack of hardbacks and cracked plaques amongst hat-racks, 8-tracks and backpacks? Hmm. It’s a little too sentimental and pastel-coloured to be the basis of a rap battle, but you have to admit it’s almost got legs. Strangely, there is a warm glow peeking through the gaps of the pile of items. >search glow You just see the glow. >x glow You spot a warm glow peeking through the gaps of the pile of housewares. >search items Inside the pile of junk, a warm glow melts around the edges of items. >g Inside the pile of junk, a warm glow melts around the edges of items. >take glow You can’t do that to a glow. >look i gaps The word ‘gaps’ is not necessary in this story. >x gaps The word ‘gaps’ is not necessary in this story. >l End of the basement The light from the basement barely reaches this end. Any light from elsewhere, definitely not. In sooty shadows you can see some long-forgotten items or detritus dragged down here out of the way. Against one wall leans a pile of assorted housewares, pictures, hardcover books, and other not-casually- identifiable objects. Junk, if you were to be uncharitable. Light and the way out can be found to the west. Along the east wall is a huge, stocky ice box. >move junk You drop to your knees in the dim light and examine the pile of discarded junk. First is an unopened candle-making kit. You push it aside. Next is a leaning stack of cheap picture frames with twee phrases like ‘Live Life Love’, ‘Life is a journey, take the first step’, ‘Bloom where you are planted’ and ‘Strong women raise Strong girls’. You cringe a little at these and move them away. You spend about five minutes clearing this careful pile of housewares. Half- painted canvasses and ragged cross-stitches. Books on adventure, discovery and motivation. Commonplace books without dog-ears for a stretch of years in the 2010s. A foldable bicycle with a crumpled front basket. Years of hope and ideas are all cleared away, and you feel slightly down. But behind the last trucking pallet (painted with dalias) is a little glowing alcove. The hole to the east is just big enough to enter if you crouch. >l End of the basement The light from the basement barely reaches this end. Any light from elsewhere, definitely not. In sooty shadows you can see some long-forgotten items or detritus dragged down here out of the way. You’ve pushed aside a large pile of homewares, pictures, books and other miscellany, revealing a small alcove you could enter. Light and the way out can be found to the west. Along the east wall is a huge, stocky ice box. >x box Which box do you mean, the keepsake box, the ice box, or the ‘Mystery House’ board game box? >ice If this large, squat box isn’t made of pig iron, it should be. It looks thick and rugged enough to take a tank blast, assuming you could somehow get a tank down here because this thing ain’t moving. It is chained to the wall, and its feet are surrounded by a lip of concrete. There are two separate handles on the front. It’s closed. >open it The ice box seems to be locked. >unlock it You will need to manually unlock the door with the handles. >x handles The word ‘handles’ is not necessary in this story. >x handle Above the bolt is a handle that can be turned between LOCK and UNLOCK. >turn handle Okay, the handle is now set to UNLOCK. >open box The ice box seems to be locked. >pull handle Okay, the handle is now set to LOCK. >g Okay, the handle is now set to UNLOCK. >unlock ice box You will need to manually unlock the door with the handles. >push handle Okay, the handle is now set to LOCK. >g Okay, the handle is now set to UNLOCK. >x handles The word ‘handles’ is not necessary in this story. >x handle Above the bolt is a handle that can be turned between LOCK and UNLOCK. >x bolt A large horizontal bolt keeps the ice box shut. >open bolt As you open the bolt, a little sigh of chilled air pressure cracks open the door. >open ice bo The word ‘bo’ is not necessary in this story. >open ice box The entire inside of the ice box is a block of ice! >x ice Defying all reason, there is a huge block of ice. It might be a trick of the light, but there appears to be something inside it. >take it The entirety of the inside of the ice box is ice! You can’t get your fingers in there. You’ll need to find another way to get the ice out. >i You are carrying a skull; parts of your grandfather’s story (some preliminary notes on your grandfather’s involvement in the Vietnam War and some notes on your grandfather’s early retirement); a model plane; a paper plane; a red dahlia; a wicker picnic basket (which contains a cheese wedge and a bottle of fizzy grape juice); a cool keyring necklace (with a key attached); an incomplete archaeologist costume (made of some khaki pants and a utility vest); some mail (a white invoice, a council reminder, a glossy brochure, a postcard, an escape room advertisement, an orange paper advertisement, a magazine, and a submarine advertisement); two invitations (a returned invitation and a gardener’s invitation); an incomplete monster costume (made of a purple cushion and some monster teeth); a navy jacket; hidden notes (some ribbons of exploded origami balloon, a keepsake note, a note from the kitchen table, a folded note, and a scrunched up note); a ‘Mystery House’ board game box (which contains a sticky note and a red game token); a scrawled memo; a picture of the manor house; some model plane instructions; a keepsake box; an opened and emptycan of cat food; an umbrella; and an opened . You’re wearing some plain clothes. The secret compartment contains a puzzle coin. >e Secret alcove This isn’t even a room. It’s a curved-wall lacunae in the house, dark and quiet and lonely and lit by a self-sustaining glow. Propped up against a small rock in the middle of the alcove is a letter on rose-tinted paper. >* lacuna, I think Comment recorded. >x rock A small, smooth river rock used to prop up the note >take it The rock isn’t important. >x letter Which letter do you mean, the council reminder, the gardener’s invitation, the rose-coloured note found in the secret alcove, the returned invitation, or the note found with keepsake puzzle coin in the model plane secret compartment? >rose A note you found deep in an alcove in the basement. The paper is tinted rose. >read it (first taking the rose-coloured note) The rose-coloured note found in the secret alcove reads: [6 August 2013] On late, lonely nights I think about you. I think about the woman I married, and the woman I was once married to. I think I lost sight of her a long time ago. It might have been my fault. As the flotsam and jetsam of life piled up around use, I still had you in mind. But she was gone. You replaced her and went on your way. And that’s okay. I think that I understand, even if you are not so sure. It is okay. I just loved the other one more. And, I hope, she loved me as well. I’ll always remember you, Kim. Please don’t forget me when I’m gone. >take it You are already carrying the rose-coloured note. >l Secret alcove This isn’t even a room. It’s a curved-wall lacunae in the house, dark and quiet and lonely and lit by a self-sustaining glow. >x glow A glow shines out from the alcove, not really emanating from anything except the alcove itself. It warms the area, and you can feel by the brickwork that it has been holding a vigil here for a very long time. >sleep You don’t need to sleep right now. >w End of the basement The light from the basement barely reaches this end. Any light from elsewhere, definitely not. In sooty shadows you can see some long-forgotten items or detritus dragged down here out of the way. You’ve pushed aside a large pile of homewares, pictures, books and other miscellany, revealing a small alcove you could enter. Light and the way out can be found to the west. Along the east wall is a huge, stocky ice box. The entire inside of the ice box is a block of ice! >w Middle of the basement This dim section of the basement appears to be in the centre of the manor’s floorplan. The north wall contains a functioning modern boiler, and the rusty scars of generations of previous boilers. Through the shadows to the east is even darker basement areas. The brighter basement landing – including the stairs out – is to the west. >w Basement Deep under the manor house is a long but modest basement. Under the pale yellow lights, the air feels heavy and still. Even the dust seems to hang in the air, waiting for you to move first. The basement is segmented into a few sections. This part is lit, and you can barely see into a doorway to the south. It leads to a cellar. The rest of the basement is in sections to the east, getting progressively darker. Switchback stairs lead up to the manor. >u West wing of the Grand Hallway The Grand Hallway stretches west with a wonderful parquet floor punctuated with firm old rugs. Along the walls are huge paintings, photographs and decorations. You can see through the open doorways, revealing a lavish dining room to the south, and the much more hard-working kitchen to the north. Down the southwest end of the hall is an unremarkable door to the basement, next to a door leading outside. >e Manor Foyer The mansion foyer is a grand affair in more ways than one. Black-and-white- flecked marble tiles cover the floor. Two oak staircases hug the side walls, curving up to a balcony overlooking the entrance. Light shines in through tall, broad windows beyond the balcony. Downstairs a grand hallway departs both east and west. The front doors lie to the south, but what really catches your eye is the elaborate tunnel constructed to the back yard. It appears to be a mysterious, fantastical entrance to the party out back. An honest-to-goodness knight – replete with polished plate armour – stands to attention in front of velvet ropes blocking access to the party. >e East wing of the Grand Hallway The east wing of The Grand Hallway has lovely parqueted floors with the occasional rug to soften your footfall. To the south you can see a large reception room as a conduit to some other recreation room. To the north is a darkened lounge room. >e You can’t go that way. Obvious exits lead north, to the lounge; south, to reception room; west, back to the manor foyer; and in. >w Manor Foyer The mansion foyer is a grand affair in more ways than one. Black-and-white- flecked marble tiles cover the floor. Two oak staircases hug the side walls, curving up to a balcony overlooking the entrance. Light shines in through tall, broad windows beyond the balcony. Downstairs a grand hallway departs both east and west. The front doors lie to the south, but what really catches your eye is the elaborate tunnel constructed to the back yard. It appears to be a mysterious, fantastical entrance to the party out back. An honest-to-goodness knight – replete with polished plate armour – stands to attention in front of velvet ropes blocking access to the party. >save Saved. >u Upper landing You can’t help but admire the spectacle of the upper landing. Vaulted windows bring the sunshine down over the extended balcony to light up the marble foyer below. The upper hallway stretches to both wings and looks out over the back garden. >about This is a sweet sixteen birthday present for my daughter, Ruby. It took me nearly sixteen years to make it! I hope you enjoy it! Ask me for hints if you need them! >*I don't think ABOUT is prompted actually Comment recorded. >x windows You see no windows here. >x garden This elaborate invitation is for a party themed as a whimsical jaunt along the lines of Willy Wonka or Alice in Wonderland or Mary Poppins. Dubiously magical, a little weird but an adventure nonetheless. A special unnamed guest is coming. You can read the instructions thoroughly, but the gist is that you need three things: your invitation (like this one), a costume, and something to share. You are required to show it to the knight at the entrance, and then you can be let into the frivolity. This invitation is for the gardener. >x back garden You see no back garden here. >look through window You see no window here. >l Upper landing You can’t help but admire the spectacle of the upper landing. Vaulted windows bring the sunshine down over the extended balcony to light up the marble foyer below. The upper hallway stretches to both wings and looks out over the back garden. >x foyer The word ‘foyer’ is not necessary in this story. >w Upper west hallway This hallway offers a bright, commanding look over the grounds. The walls are sparsely decorated with paintings and pot plants. To the south is the study and to the southwest is a large bedroom. The rest of the upper hallway and the landing are to the east. >x grounds You see no grounds here. >x paintings You see no paintings here. >x pot plants You see no pot plants here. >s (first opening the doorway to the south) Study A warm hush blankets this room. While it is relatively central to the whole house and has an elevated view out over the front fields, this room feels introspective. Packed bookshelves line the west wall and a desk sits against the window to the south. There appears to be well-trammelled lines through the rug in the centre of the room, as if from pacing back and forth before getting an idea. Almost everything in the room has that classic mahogany style, except for the twin computer monitors on the desk that subtly point towards technology just barely hidden away. >x bookshelves A whole wall of solid mahogany shelves with ornate carvings along the top and beautiful wood panelling below. The books sit in rows atop smooth, black leather lining. You peruse the shelves and take note of some interesting books. In the left bookcase there are a number of books (of note: a Cool Kids Book of Ancient History, a Complete Encyclopaedia of Cheese, The Practice of Archaeogaming, and How to Solve Cryptography Puzzles). In the right bookcase there are a number of books (of note: an Air Force Honours Reference Book, an Army Honours Reference Book, and a Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book). The central shelves contain a display for medals. >* lots of books Comment recorded. >x display A finely-crafted velvet box, angled to display a set of medals with pride, but not excessive ostentation. It has a glass cover to protect the medals. A subtle lock is located off on the side. It’s closed. >open it The medal presentation case seems to be locked. >x medals (the medal presentation case) A finely-crafted velvet box, angled to display a set of medals with pride, but not excessive ostentation. It has a glass cover to protect the medals. A subtle lock is located off on the side. It’s closed. >x set You see no set here. >x lock You see no lock here. >l Study A warm hush blankets this room. While it is relatively central to the whole house and has an elevated view out over the front fields, this room feels introspective. Packed bookshelves line the west wall and a desk sits against the window to the south. There appears to be well-trammelled lines through the rug in the centre of the room, as if from pacing back and forth before getting an idea. Almost everything in the room has that classic mahogany style, except for the twin computer monitors on the desk that subtly point towards technology just barely hidden away. Central to the middle bookcase is a display case for a set of medals. The left bookcase contains a number of books (of note: a Cool Kids Book of Ancient History, a Complete Encyclopaedia of Cheese, The Practice of Archaeogaming, and How to Solve Cryptography Puzzles). The right bookcase contains a number of books (of note: an Air Force Honours Reference Book, an Army Honours Reference Book, and a Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book). >unlcok display The word ‘unlcok’ is not necessary in this story. >unlock display You try each key on the cool keyring necklace, but you can’t find anything that fits the lock. >x desk An elegant mahogany desk with glass top. It takes up a commanding portion of the south side of the room. It has a drawer and a recess underneath housing a desktop computer tower. The desk drawer is closed. On the desk are a wireless keyboard and a wireless mouse. >x recess The word ‘recess’ is not necessary in this story. >x keyboard A plain black wireless keyboard. Not mechanical or anything fancy like that. >x mouse A plain black wireless mouse. >x drawer A smooth, rounded handle allows you to pull the desk drawer out, but not have it poke you or get caught on anything. It’s currently closed. >open it Opening the desk reveals a key. >x key (the key) A small stainless steel key with an envelope engraved on the face. >take key from desk Taken. >x it (the key with an envelope on it) This small metal key has a simple label reading ‘Medals’ >i You are carrying a skull; parts of your grandfather’s story (some preliminary notes on your grandfather’s involvement in the Vietnam War and some notes on your grandfather’s early retirement); a model plane; a paper plane; a red dahlia; a wicker picnic basket (which contains a cheese wedge and a bottle of fizzy grape juice); a cool keyring necklace (with a key attached); an archaeologist costume (made of some khaki pants and a utility vest); some mail (a white invoice, a council reminder, a glossy brochure, a postcard, an escape room advertisement, an orange paper advertisement, a magazine, and a submarine advertisement); two invitations (a returned invitation and a gardener’s invitation); an incomplete monster costume (made of a purple cushion and some monster teeth); a navy jacket; hidden notes (some ribbons of exploded origami balloon, a keepsake note, a note from the kitchen table, a folded note, a scrunched up note, and a rose-coloured note); a ‘Mystery House’ board game box (which contains a sticky note and a red game token); a scrawled memo; a picture of the manor house; some model plane instructions; a keepsake box; an opened and emptycan of cat food; an umbrella; an opened ; and a key for the medals cabinet. You’re wearing some plain clothes. The secret compartment contains a puzzle coin. >* oops Comment recorded. >unlock display You try each key on the cool keyring necklace, but you can’t find anything that fits the lock. >put all keys on necklace You see no keys here. >put all on necklace plain clothes: The plain clothes don’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. model plane: The model plane doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. paper plane: The paper plane doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. red dahlia: The red dahlia doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. wicker picnic basket: The wicker picnic basket doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. khaki pants: The khaki pants don’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. white invoice: The white invoice doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. council reminder: The council reminder doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. glossy brochure: The glossy brochure doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. postcard: The postcard doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. escape room advertisement: The escape room advertisement doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. orange paper advertisement: The orange paper advertisement doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. magazine: The magazine doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. submarine advertisement: The submarine advertisement doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. returned invitation: The returned invitation doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. purple cushion: The purple cushion doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. navy jacket: The navy jacket doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. ribbons of exploded origami balloon: The ribbons of exploded origami balloon don’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. ‘Mystery House’ board game box: The ‘Mystery House’ board game box doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. scrawled memo: The scrawled memo doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. picture of the manor house: The picture of the manor house doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. monster teeth: The monster teeth don’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. model plane instructions: The model plane instructions don’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. keepsake note: The keepsake note doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. keepsake box: The keepsake box doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. note from the kitchen table: The note from the kitchen table doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. opened and emptycan of cat food: The opened and emptycan of cat food doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. gardener’s invitation: The gardener’s invitation doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. utility vest: The utility vest doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. umbrella: The umbrella doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. folded note: The folded note doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. opened : The opened doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. scrunched up note: The scrunched up note doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. rose-coloured note: The rose-coloured note doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. key for the medals cabinet: The key for the medals cabinet doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. left bookcase: The left bookcase doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. Cool Kids Book of Ancient History: The Cool Kids Book of Ancient History doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. Complete Encyclopaedia of Cheese: The Complete Encyclopaedia of Cheese doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. The Practice of Archaeogaming: The Practice of Archaeogaming doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. How to Solve Cryptography Puzzles: How to Solve Cryptography Puzzles doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. right bookcase: The right bookcase doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. Air Force Honours Reference Book: The Air Force Honours Reference Book doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. Army Honours Reference Book: The Army Honours Reference Book doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book: The Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. middle bookcase: The middle bookcase doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. desk: The desk doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. computer: The computer doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. wireless keyboard: The wireless keyboard doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. computer monitors: The computer monitors doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. wireless mouse: The wireless mouse doesn’t fit on the cool keyring necklace. >unlock display You try each key on the cool keyring necklace, but you can’t find anything that fits the lock. >unlock display with key Which key do you mean, the key with an envelope on it, or the key? >the key Which key do you mean, the key, or the key with an envelope on it? >put all keys on necklace You see no keys here. >n Upper west hallway This hallway offers a bright, commanding look over the grounds. The walls are sparsely decorated with paintings and pot plants. To the south is the study and to the southwest is a large bedroom. The rest of the upper hallway and the landing are to the east. >drop all plain clothes: (first trying to take off the plain clothes) You should probably keep these clothes on. They probably work fine as underclothes for a costume. model plane: Dropped. paper plane: Dropped. red dahlia: Dropped. wicker picnic basket: Dropped. cool keyring necklace: Dropped. khaki pants: Dropped. white invoice: Dropped. council reminder: Dropped. glossy brochure: Dropped. postcard: Dropped. escape room advertisement: Dropped. orange paper advertisement: Dropped. magazine: Dropped. submarine advertisement: Dropped. returned invitation: Dropped. purple cushion: Dropped. navy jacket: Dropped. ribbons of exploded origami balloon: Dropped. ‘Mystery House’ board game box: Dropped. scrawled memo: Dropped. picture of the manor house: Dropped. monster teeth: Dropped. model plane instructions: Dropped. keepsake note: Dropped. keepsake box: Dropped. note from the kitchen table: Dropped. opened and emptycan of cat food: Dropped. gardener’s invitation: Dropped. utility vest: Dropped. umbrella: Dropped. folded note: Dropped. opened : Dropped. scrunched up note: Dropped. rose-coloured note: Dropped. key for the medals cabinet: Dropped. >take key for the medals cabinet The story doesn’t understand that command. >take key Which key do you mean, the key with an envelope on it, or the key? >both key: Taken. key for the medals cabinet: Taken. >s Study A warm hush blankets this room. While it is relatively central to the whole house and has an elevated view out over the front fields, this room feels introspective. Packed bookshelves line the west wall and a desk sits against the window to the south. There appears to be well-trammelled lines through the rug in the centre of the room, as if from pacing back and forth before getting an idea. Almost everything in the room has that classic mahogany style, except for the twin computer monitors on the desk that subtly point towards technology just barely hidden away. Central to the middle bookcase is a display case for a set of medals. The left bookcase contains a number of books (of note: a Cool Kids Book of Ancient History, a Complete Encyclopaedia of Cheese, The Practice of Archaeogaming, and How to Solve Cryptography Puzzles). The right bookcase contains a number of books (of note: an Air Force Honours Reference Book, an Army Honours Reference Book, and a Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book). >n Upper west hallway This hallway offers a bright, commanding look over the grounds. The walls are sparsely decorated with paintings and pot plants. To the south is the study and to the southwest is a large bedroom. The rest of the upper hallway and the landing are to the east. A long, folded note lies on the floor. The head from a shaggy purple monster costume lies about. You see a model plane; a paper plane; a red dahlia; a wicker picnic basket (which contains a cheese wedge and a bottle of fizzy grape juice); a cool keyring necklace; an incomplete archaeologist costume (made of some khaki pants and a utility vest); some mail (a white invoice, a council reminder, a glossy brochure, a postcard, an escape room advertisement, an orange paper advertisement, a magazine, and a submarine advertisement); two invitations (a returned invitation and a gardener’s invitation); a navy jacket; hidden notes (some ribbons of exploded origami balloon, a keepsake note, a note from the kitchen table, a scrunched up note, and a rose-coloured note); a ‘Mystery House’ board game box (which contains a sticky note and a red game token); a scrawled memo; a picture of the manor house; some monster teeth; some model plane instructions; a keepsake box; an opened and emptycan of cat food; an umbrella; and an opened here. The secret compartment contains a puzzle coin. >take necklace Taken. You attach your loose key to the cool keyring necklace. >* oh phew Comment recorded. >s Study A warm hush blankets this room. While it is relatively central to the whole house and has an elevated view out over the front fields, this room feels introspective. Packed bookshelves line the west wall and a desk sits against the window to the south. There appears to be well-trammelled lines through the rug in the centre of the room, as if from pacing back and forth before getting an idea. Almost everything in the room has that classic mahogany style, except for the twin computer monitors on the desk that subtly point towards technology just barely hidden away. Central to the middle bookcase is a display case for a set of medals. The left bookcase contains a number of books (of note: a Cool Kids Book of Ancient History, a Complete Encyclopaedia of Cheese, The Practice of Archaeogaming, and How to Solve Cryptography Puzzles). The right bookcase contains a number of books (of note: an Air Force Honours Reference Book, an Army Honours Reference Book, and a Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book). >unlock display You try each key on the cool keyring necklace, but you can’t find anything that fits the lock. >x necklace Attached to a leather necklace is a set of keys adorned with a miniature plastic surfboard, presumably so you can keep your keys on you while you go swimming. On the fin side of the surfboard it says: ‘Surf’s up!’, and on the other side it says in radical purple: ‘Meet you Quayside!’. Quayside. Key side. Oh good grief. As kitsch as it is, this might complete a cool surfer dude costume. Attached to the cool keyring necklace is a key. >i You are carrying a skull; parts of your grandfather’s story (some preliminary notes on your grandfather’s involvement in the Vietnam War and some notes on your grandfather’s early retirement); a key for the medals cabinet; and a cool keyring necklace (with a key attached). You’re wearing some plain clothes. >n Upper west hallway This hallway offers a bright, commanding look over the grounds. The walls are sparsely decorated with paintings and pot plants. To the south is the study and to the southwest is a large bedroom. The rest of the upper hallway and the landing are to the east. A long, folded note lies on the floor. The head from a shaggy purple monster costume lies about. You see a model plane; a paper plane; a red dahlia; a wicker picnic basket (which contains a cheese wedge and a bottle of fizzy grape juice); an incomplete archaeologist costume (made of some khaki pants and a utility vest); some mail (a white invoice, a council reminder, a glossy brochure, a postcard, an escape room advertisement, an orange paper advertisement, a magazine, and a submarine advertisement); two invitations (a returned invitation and a gardener’s invitation); a navy jacket; hidden notes (some ribbons of exploded origami balloon, a keepsake note, a note from the kitchen table, a scrunched up note, and a rose-coloured note); a ‘Mystery House’ board game box (which contains a sticky note and a red game token); a scrawled memo; a picture of the manor house; some monster teeth; some model plane instructions; a keepsake box; an opened and emptycan of cat food; an umbrella; and an opened here. The secret compartment contains a puzzle coin. >drop necklace Dropped. >s Study A warm hush blankets this room. While it is relatively central to the whole house and has an elevated view out over the front fields, this room feels introspective. Packed bookshelves line the west wall and a desk sits against the window to the south. There appears to be well-trammelled lines through the rug in the centre of the room, as if from pacing back and forth before getting an idea. Almost everything in the room has that classic mahogany style, except for the twin computer monitors on the desk that subtly point towards technology just barely hidden away. Central to the middle bookcase is a display case for a set of medals. The left bookcase contains a number of books (of note: a Cool Kids Book of Ancient History, a Complete Encyclopaedia of Cheese, The Practice of Archaeogaming, and How to Solve Cryptography Puzzles). The right bookcase contains a number of books (of note: an Air Force Honours Reference Book, an Army Honours Reference Book, and a Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book). >unlock display (with the key for the medals cabinet) The display case unlocks with a subtle click! >* phew Comment recorded. >open it Opening the medal presentation case reveals some medals. >x medals You remember once helping grandpa move house. You snuck up behind him and found him with these medals. His face was a bit unreadable. A little proud but a little sad? When you asked, he pinned the bar on your dress, and told you about each medal. You still remember the gross tang in your mouth when you jokingly asked if they were real and bit into one to test it out. The medals went away then. >take medals Taken. >wear medals You pause a moment before putting the medals on. You’re unsure what the medals are for, except for doing what couldn’t be done by normal people. As a normal person, the medals weigh heavier. >n Upper west hallway This hallway offers a bright, commanding look over the grounds. The walls are sparsely decorated with paintings and pot plants. To the south is the study and to the southwest is a large bedroom. The rest of the upper hallway and the landing are to the east. A long, folded note lies on the floor. The head from a shaggy purple monster costume lies about. You see a model plane; a paper plane; a red dahlia; a wicker picnic basket (which contains a cheese wedge and a bottle of fizzy grape juice); an incomplete archaeologist costume (made of some khaki pants and a utility vest); some mail (a white invoice, a council reminder, a glossy brochure, a postcard, an escape room advertisement, an orange paper advertisement, a magazine, and a submarine advertisement); two invitations (a returned invitation and a gardener’s invitation); a navy jacket; hidden notes (some ribbons of exploded origami balloon, a keepsake note, a note from the kitchen table, a scrunched up note, and a rose-coloured note); a ‘Mystery House’ board game box (which contains a sticky note and a red game token); a scrawled memo; a picture of the manor house; some monster teeth; some model plane instructions; a keepsake box; an opened and emptycan of cat food; an umbrella; an opened ; and a cool keyring necklace (with a key attached) here. The secret compartment contains a puzzle coin. >wear jacket (first taking the navy jacket) You slip the jacket on. The arms are a bit long and you look like someone shot a captain with a shrink ray. But that’s okay. >take all model plane: Taken. paper plane: Taken. red dahlia: Taken. wicker picnic basket: Taken. khaki pants: Taken. white invoice: Taken. council reminder: Taken. glossy brochure: Taken. postcard: Taken. escape room advertisement: Taken. orange paper advertisement: Taken. magazine: Taken. submarine advertisement: Taken. returned invitation: Taken. purple cushion: Taken. ribbons of exploded origami balloon: Taken. ‘Mystery House’ board game box: Taken. scrawled memo: Taken. picture of the manor house: Taken. monster teeth: Taken. model plane instructions: Taken. keepsake note: Taken. keepsake box: Taken. note from the kitchen table: Taken. opened and emptycan of cat food: Taken. gardener’s invitation: Taken. utility vest: Taken. umbrella: Taken. folded note: Taken. opened : Taken. scrunched up note: Taken. rose-coloured note: You pause for a second and then pick up the letter with care. cool keyring necklace: Taken. >i You are carrying a skull; parts of your grandfather’s story (some preliminary notes on your grandfather’s involvement in the Vietnam War and some notes on your grandfather’s early retirement); a key for the medals cabinet; a model plane; a paper plane; a red dahlia; a wicker picnic basket (which contains a cheese wedge and a bottle of fizzy grape juice); an incomplete archaeologist costume (made of some khaki pants and a utility vest); some mail (a white invoice, a council reminder, a glossy brochure, a postcard, an escape room advertisement, an orange paper advertisement, a magazine, and a submarine advertisement); two invitations (a returned invitation and a gardener’s invitation); an incomplete monster costume (made of a purple cushion and some monster teeth); hidden notes (some ribbons of exploded origami balloon, a keepsake note, a note from the kitchen table, a folded note, a scrunched up note, and a rose-coloured note); a ‘Mystery House’ board game box (which contains a sticky note and a red game token); a scrawled memo; a picture of the manor house; some model plane instructions; a keepsake box; an opened and emptycan of cat food; an umbrella; an opened ; and a cool keyring necklace (with a key attached). You’re wearing some plain clothes, and an incomplete captain costume (made of some medals and a navy jacket). The secret compartment contains a puzzle coin. >s Study A warm hush blankets this room. While it is relatively central to the whole house and has an elevated view out over the front fields, this room feels introspective. Packed bookshelves line the west wall and a desk sits against the window to the south. There appears to be well-trammelled lines through the rug in the centre of the room, as if from pacing back and forth before getting an idea. Almost everything in the room has that classic mahogany style, except for the twin computer monitors on the desk that subtly point towards technology just barely hidden away. Central to the middle bookcase is a display case for a set of medals. The left bookcase contains a number of books (of note: a Cool Kids Book of Ancient History, a Complete Encyclopaedia of Cheese, The Practice of Archaeogaming, and How to Solve Cryptography Puzzles). The right bookcase contains a number of books (of note: an Air Force Honours Reference Book, an Army Honours Reference Book, and a Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book). >x desk An elegant mahogany desk with glass top. It takes up a commanding portion of the south side of the room. It has a drawer and a recess underneath housing a desktop computer tower. The desk drawer is open. On the desk are a wireless keyboard and a wireless mouse. >turn on computer That isn’t something you can turn on. >x computer Discreetly hidden under the desk is an all-black desktop computer box. It barely makes a noise, but flashes lights occasionally. >x monitor Two thin monitors are arrayed on the desk. A screensaver dissolves between pictures periodically. It is currently showing a picture of a helicopter from last century, touching down in a jungle, and close-up pictures of a circuit board. >x board This is a box for the game ‘Mystery House’, a board game from an older era when they used to print the game board on the inside of the box. And the rules on the underside... Until they realised that was the worst possible place for it during a heated rules argument. Nevertheless, the instructions suggest that this is ‘An ideal game to share with friends!’. Carefully reading the setup rules, a few pieces are missing: game tokens (green, blue, purple, and yellow) and some set of custom dice. It contains a sticky note and a red game token. >x circuit board The word ‘circuit’ is not necessary in this story. >l Study A warm hush blankets this room. While it is relatively central to the whole house and has an elevated view out over the front fields, this room feels introspective. Packed bookshelves line the west wall and a desk sits against the window to the south. There appears to be well-trammelled lines through the rug in the centre of the room, as if from pacing back and forth before getting an idea. Almost everything in the room has that classic mahogany style, except for the twin computer monitors on the desk that subtly point towards technology just barely hidden away. Central to the middle bookcase is a display case for a set of medals. The left bookcase contains a number of books (of note: a Cool Kids Book of Ancient History, a Complete Encyclopaedia of Cheese, The Practice of Archaeogaming, and How to Solve Cryptography Puzzles). The right bookcase contains a number of books (of note: an Air Force Honours Reference Book, an Army Honours Reference Book, and a Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book). >x rug You see no rug here. >x window Bright metal-framed windows provide commanding views of the manor grounds. Below you can see the driveway, statue garden and the hedges travelling south to the road. >x cool (the cool keyring necklace) Attached to a leather necklace is a set of keys adorned with a miniature plastic surfboard, presumably so you can keep your keys on you while you go swimming. On the fin side of the surfboard it says: ‘Surf’s up!’, and on the other side it says in radical purple: ‘Meet you Quayside!’. Quayside. Key side. Oh good grief. As kitsch as it is, this might complete a cool surfer dude costume. Attached to the cool keyring necklace is a key. >x cool kids The front reads in explosively vibrant font: ‘The Cool Kids Book of Ancient History!’ Now, you have a few points to raise about that... In any case, with the prominent title, this could be worn as an accessory for a costume to signal that you’re a historian or archaeologist or someone like that. >* for the map Comment recorded. >take it Taken. >x cheese What a curious wedge of cheese. It’s a healthy slice, just a morsel short of calling it a ‘wodge’ of cheese. It’s wrapped in crisp white paper, sealed with a golden sticker. You can see in the folds that the cheese itself is wreathed in a dark royal purple wax. You are unsure what sort of cheese it actually is. Perhaps you need to investigate this somehow. >x cheese book This stupendous creamy-coloured tome will teach you absolutely everything you might want or need to know about cheese. From milk selection, through to curd creation; preparation, shaping and aging; to packaging and shipping. You just have to read the book and absorb its knowledge, like the Youtube tutorials of yore. (Tip: You can read the book in a little more depth with READ BOOK. ) >read it You take time out to learn the cheese-making process. Turns out there’s a lot of different types, and professional cheese makers Do Not Like that cheese shop sketch. You skip most of the four page editorial on the damage that five and a half minutes of comedy has wreaked on the creative endeavour of cheese making and selling, but indulge in the compensatory page of cheese jokes (‘Cheese is not made, it’s Edam.’) This book has everything, including a scratch-and-sniff page that has to been seen (or smelled) to be believed. You come away with a deep knowledge of cheese, even from this quick read. >x cheese What a curious wedge of cheese. It’s a healthy slice, just a morsel short of calling it a ‘wodge’ of cheese. It’s wrapped in crisp white paper, sealed with a golden sticker. You can see in the folds that the cheese itself is wreathed in a dark royal purple wax. You are unsure what sort of cheese it actually is. Perhaps you need to investigate this somehow. >read it What a curious wedge of cheese. It’s a healthy slice, just a morsel short of calling it a ‘wodge’ of cheese. It’s wrapped in crisp white paper, sealed with a golden sticker. You can see in the folds that the cheese itself is wreathed in a dark royal purple wax. You are unsure what sort of cheese it actually is. Perhaps you need to investigate this somehow. >smell it You hold the cheese under your nose, just letting the aroma rise by itself. It is unlikely to be Haloumi... >g After a few furtive sniffs, you get a better idea of the mysterious cheese. Yep, not Paneer, obviously... >g You waft the cheese aroma up into the air and walk through it, like you were testing perfume. You saw this move on a documentary once. You doubt it’s Limburger... >g You take a sharp sniff of the cheese and then close your eyes to try to figure out what type it is. Nooo, not Danish Blue... >g You waft the cheese aroma up into the air and walk through it, like you were testing perfume. You saw this move on a documentary once. Havarti? No. No way... >g You hold the cheese under your nose, just letting the aroma rise by itself. You can definitely cross off Feta... >g You take a sharp sniff of the cheese and then close your eyes to try to figure out what type it is. Look, it’s unlikely to be a Gruyere. Or for that matter, an Emmental... >g After a few furtive sniffs, you get a better idea of the mysterious cheese. You would notice your favourite cheese anywhere, so this isn’t Jarlsberg... >g You take a sharp sniff of the cheese and then close your eyes to try to figure out what type it is. It is not quite the right feel for Stilton... >g You hold the cheese under your nose, just letting the aroma rise by itself. Oh definitely not Stinking Bishop. You know that much... >g You waft the cheese aroma up into the air and walk through it, like you were testing perfume. You saw this move on a documentary once. Wensleydale? No sorry, not you... >g After a few furtive sniffs, you get a better idea of the mysterious cheese. Probably rule out a classic Cheshire... >g You take a sharp sniff of the cheese and then close your eyes to try to figure out what type it is. Oh no, not Swaledale... >g After a few furtive sniffs, you get a better idea of the mysterious cheese. No way this is Red Leicester — they are all sold out... >g You waft the cheese aroma up into the air and walk through it, like you were testing perfume. You saw this move on a documentary once. Oh! Oh! Maybe it’s Y Fenni... Oh no, can’t be... >g You hold the cheese under your nose, just letting the aroma rise by itself. Not enough colour for Sage Derby... >g After a few furtive sniffs, you get a better idea of the mysterious cheese. You would stake your reputation on this not being Gloucester cheese (single or double)... >g You hold the cheese under your nose, just letting the aroma rise by itself. Clearly not Brie... >g You waft the cheese aroma up into the air and walk through it, like you were testing perfume. You saw this move on a documentary once. Too hard for Camembert... >g You take a sharp sniff of the cheese and then close your eyes to try to figure out what type it is. Yeah, not a Tilsit... >g After a few furtive sniffs, you get a better idea of the mysterious cheese. You are not convinced it is Caboc... >g You waft the cheese aroma up into the air and walk through it, like you were testing perfume. You saw this move on a documentary once. Not a Tunworth, not in this wrapping... >g You hold the cheese under your nose, just letting the aroma rise by itself. No smokey aroma for an Ardrahan... >g You take a sharp sniff of the cheese and then close your eyes to try to figure out what type it is. Too spongey for a Rumi... >g You hold the cheese under your nose, just letting the aroma rise by itself. Not the right smell for an Oka... >g You waft the cheese aroma up into the air and walk through it, like you were testing perfume. You saw this move on a documentary once. Colby, wrong... >g After a few furtive sniffs, you get a better idea of the mysterious cheese. You might think with the purple that it is a Port Wine, but alas... >g You take a sharp sniff of the cheese and then close your eyes to try to figure out what type it is. No spice for a Pepperjack... >g After a few furtive sniffs, you get a better idea of the mysterious cheese. Muenster? No sir... >g You hold the cheese under your nose, just letting the aroma rise by itself. No self-respecting person would get a wheel of Monterey Jack... >g You take a sharp sniff of the cheese and then close your eyes to try to figure out what type it is. Aha! It’s just so obvious, now that you think of it. All signs point to this cheese being... Cheddar. >x cheese What a curious wedge of cheese. It’s a healthy slice, just a morsel short of calling it a ‘wodge’ of cheese. It’s wrapped in crisp white paper, sealed with a golden sticker. You can see in the folds that the cheese itself is wreathed in a dark royal purple wax. After a thorough investigation, you can honestly and confidently say this cheese is... Cheddar. >l Study A warm hush blankets this room. While it is relatively central to the whole house and has an elevated view out over the front fields, this room feels introspective. Packed bookshelves line the west wall and a desk sits against the window to the south. There appears to be well-trammelled lines through the rug in the centre of the room, as if from pacing back and forth before getting an idea. Almost everything in the room has that classic mahogany style, except for the twin computer monitors on the desk that subtly point towards technology just barely hidden away. Central to the middle bookcase is a display case for a set of medals. The left bookcase contains a number of books (of note: a Complete Encyclopaedia of Cheese, The Practice of Archaeogaming, and How to Solve Cryptography Puzzles). The right bookcase contains a number of books (of note: an Air Force Honours Reference Book, an Army Honours Reference Book, and a Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book). >* phew Comment recorded. >x archaeogamin This is a modern book about the study of ‘archaeogaming’, which is the combination of archaeology and gaming. Sounds mostly like an excuse to play games and sound historical. >read it Perusing the book you mostly gravitate to the pictures of World of Warcraft and Minecraft, but managed to get sucked into personal stories. Like the one where a son was mourning the loss of his dad but found an old copy of Rally Sports Challenge where one track’s best time was his fathers. His father’s best lap was saved as a ghost car for you to beat. The son could race his dad around the track ten years after his passing. Then came the day that he surpassed his dad’s record... but stopped short of the finish line to preserve his memory. You pause for a moment, thinking of all the little ways our friends and family touch the digital world, leaving tiny historical traces. >g Perusing the book you mostly gravitate to the pictures of World of Warcraft and Minecraft, but managed to get sucked into personal stories. Like the one where a son was mourning the loss of his dad but found an old copy of Rally Sports Challenge where one track’s best time was his fathers. His father’s best lap was saved as a ghost car for you to beat. The son could race his dad around the track ten years after his passing. Then came the day that he surpassed his dad’s record... but stopped short of the finish line to preserve his memory. You pause for a moment, thinking of all the little ways our friends and family touch the digital world, leaving tiny historical traces. >take it Taken. >l Study A warm hush blankets this room. While it is relatively central to the whole house and has an elevated view out over the front fields, this room feels introspective. Packed bookshelves line the west wall and a desk sits against the window to the south. There appears to be well-trammelled lines through the rug in the centre of the room, as if from pacing back and forth before getting an idea. Almost everything in the room has that classic mahogany style, except for the twin computer monitors on the desk that subtly point towards technology just barely hidden away. Central to the middle bookcase is a display case for a set of medals. The left bookcase contains a number of books (of note: a Complete Encyclopaedia of Cheese and How to Solve Cryptography Puzzles). The right bookcase contains a number of books (of note: an Air Force Honours Reference Book, an Army Honours Reference Book, and a Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book). >take encyclopae Taken. >x how This thin book covers a wide range of old-school secret codes. They all have funny names like: Playfair, Vigenere, Pigpen, Rail fence... >read it A particular dog-eared section catches your eye. It’s on the rail fence cipher, or zigzag cipher, which is supposed to be some sort of secret code you imagine going diagonally along a bunch of fence railings. Basically you write your message zig-zag along a fence, then pull the railings off and read off the message along the railings. It looks like all the letters are jumbled up, but not really. Apparently if you can guess the number of railings, it’s just a tedious exercise to decode and check the message. But everyone knows fences only have three railings. Or is it four? >take it Taken. >* aha Comment recorded. >l Study A warm hush blankets this room. While it is relatively central to the whole house and has an elevated view out over the front fields, this room feels introspective. Packed bookshelves line the west wall and a desk sits against the window to the south. There appears to be well-trammelled lines through the rug in the centre of the room, as if from pacing back and forth before getting an idea. Almost everything in the room has that classic mahogany style, except for the twin computer monitors on the desk that subtly point towards technology just barely hidden away. Central to the middle bookcase is a display case for a set of medals. The right bookcase contains a number of books (of note: an Air Force Honours Reference Book, an Army Honours Reference Book, and a Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book). >x reference Which reference do you mean, the Army Honours Reference Book, the Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book, or the Air Force Honours Reference Book? >army This book is a guide to the correspondence between certain military medals and honours, limited to the Australian Army. >read it This book is a guide to the correspondence between certain military medals and honours, limited to the Australian Army. >read navy (the Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book) This book is a guide to the correspondence between certain military medals and honours, limited to the Royal Australian Navy. >take it Taken. >x medals You remember once helping grandpa move house. You snuck up behind him and found him with these medals. His face was a bit unreadable. A little proud but a little sad? When you asked, he pinned the bar on your dress, and told you about each medal. You still remember the gross tang in your mouth when you jokingly asked if they were real and bit into one to test it out. The medals went away then. >read it You remember once helping grandpa move house. You snuck up behind him and found him with these medals. His face was a bit unreadable. A little proud but a little sad? When you asked, he pinned the bar on your dress, and told you about each medal. You still remember the gross tang in your mouth when you jokingly asked if they were real and bit into one to test it out. The medals went away then. >l Study A warm hush blankets this room. While it is relatively central to the whole house and has an elevated view out over the front fields, this room feels introspective. Packed bookshelves line the west wall and a desk sits against the window to the south. There appears to be well-trammelled lines through the rug in the centre of the room, as if from pacing back and forth before getting an idea. Almost everything in the room has that classic mahogany style, except for the twin computer monitors on the desk that subtly point towards technology just barely hidden away. Central to the middle bookcase is a display case for a set of medals. The right bookcase contains a number of books (of note: an Air Force Honours Reference Book and an Army Honours Reference Book). >n Upper west hallway This hallway offers a bright, commanding look over the grounds. The walls are sparsely decorated with paintings and pot plants. To the south is the study and to the southwest is a large bedroom. The rest of the upper hallway and the landing are to the east. >w You can’t go that way. Obvious exits lead south, back to the study; east, to the upper landing; southwest; and in. >e Upper landing You can’t help but admire the spectacle of the upper landing. Vaulted windows bring the sunshine down over the extended balcony to light up the marble foyer below. The upper hallway stretches to both wings and looks out over the back garden. >d Manor Foyer The mansion foyer is a grand affair in more ways than one. Black-and-white- flecked marble tiles cover the floor. Two oak staircases hug the side walls, curving up to a balcony overlooking the entrance. Light shines in through tall, broad windows beyond the balcony. Downstairs a grand hallway departs both east and west. The front doors lie to the south, but what really catches your eye is the elaborate tunnel constructed to the back yard. It appears to be a mysterious, fantastical entrance to the party out back. An honest-to-goodness knight – replete with polished plate armour – stands to attention in front of velvet ropes blocking access to the party. >s Driveway in front of the Manor In front of you stands a majestic red-bricked mansion lined with well-trimmed bushes. Its two wings bend inwards, hugging the circular driveway around the central bubbling fountain. The crunchy gravel road heads south, hemmed in by thick hedges, although there is a little gap to the east. The huge front doors are open, inviting you into the foyer. >s Halfway to the manor The road bends slightly here to sidestep a tree perched on a small mound. A you-sized rabbit is for-real standing by the side of the road, looking down towards the gate. He’s waiting for someone. ‘Oh! Hello, again! Hi! Welcome! How do you do?’ squeaks the rabbit before putting away his pocket watch. >x fence You see no fence here. >n ‘Oh, okay. Erm, goodbye!’ shouts the rabbit, nervously tapping the lid of his pocket watch. Driveway in front of the Manor In front of you stands a majestic red-bricked mansion lined with well-trimmed bushes. Its two wings bend inwards, hugging the circular driveway around the central bubbling fountain. The crunchy gravel road heads south, hemmed in by thick hedges, although there is a little gap to the east. The huge front doors are open, inviting you into the foyer. >x fence You see no fence here. >s Halfway to the manor The road bends slightly here to sidestep a tree perched on a small mound. A you-sized rabbit is for-real standing by the side of the road, looking down towards the gate. He’s waiting for someone. ‘Oh! Hello, again! Hi! Welcome! How do you do?’ squeaks the rabbit before putting away his pocket watch. >s ‘Oh, okay. Erm, goodbye!’ shouts the rabbit, nervously tapping the lid of his pocket watch. Road to the manor Long, thick hedges curve over the hillside towards a large manor house in the distance. In between them is a well-kept dirt road that you are now standing on. It leads north. Behind you are the immense iron gates to the property, and you are securely on the inside. A small bouquet of balloons bump against the gate. Next to the entrance is a A-frame sign for visitors. The letter box contains a balloon tether. >x fence You see no fence here. >untie balloons You untie the balloons from its tether. >take tether Taken. It’s so muffled to almost be your imagination, but you can just make out chatting and laughter coming from the manor. >x tether A simple stone puck that the balloons were tied to so that they didn’t fly off. >take balloons Taken. >n You head off down the road towards the manor. At least it’s a nice day for a walk. Halfway to the manor The road bends slightly here to sidestep a tree perched on a small mound. A you-sized rabbit is for-real standing by the side of the road, looking down towards the gate. He’s waiting for someone. ‘Oh! Hello, again! Hi! Welcome! How do you do?’ squeaks the rabbit before putting away his pocket watch. > I beg your pardon? >n ‘Oh, okay. Erm, goodbye!’ shouts the rabbit, nervously tapping the lid of his pocket watch. Driveway in front of the Manor In front of you stands a majestic red-bricked mansion lined with well-trimmed bushes. Its two wings bend inwards, hugging the circular driveway around the central bubbling fountain. The crunchy gravel road heads south, hemmed in by thick hedges, although there is a little gap to the east. The huge front doors are open, inviting you into the foyer. >n Manor Foyer The mansion foyer is a grand affair in more ways than one. Black-and-white- flecked marble tiles cover the floor. Two oak staircases hug the side walls, curving up to a balcony overlooking the entrance. Light shines in through tall, broad windows beyond the balcony. Downstairs a grand hallway departs both east and west. The front doors lie to the south, but what really catches your eye is the elaborate tunnel constructed to the back yard. It appears to be a mysterious, fantastical entrance to the party out back. An honest-to-goodness knight – replete with polished plate armour – stands to attention in front of velvet ropes blocking access to the party. >s Driveway in front of the Manor In front of you stands a majestic red-bricked mansion lined with well-trimmed bushes. Its two wings bend inwards, hugging the circular driveway around the central bubbling fountain. The crunchy gravel road heads south, hemmed in by thick hedges, although there is a little gap to the east. The huge front doors are open, inviting you into the foyer. > I beg your pardon? >e You shuffle through the gap in the hedges, hoping you don’t brush up against the itchy leaves. Outside the Gardener’s House Nestled in the bend of the hedges that run alongside the manor is a modest brick house. Along the front side of the house is a beautiful assortment of flowers, and around the back, on the north side, there is a vegetable garden. The hedges curve sharply east, leading down to the valleys and meadows below. >n Vegetable garden Behind the cottage is a well-tended vegetable garden, ringed with a scrappy split-rail fence. A variety of robust vegetables sit in rows amidst rich turned earth. At the end of the garden is a large smooth rock, sitting in the shade of a small lemon tree. Just beyond the garden is a large, steaming pile of compost. >x fence The fence is an ordinary, weathered three split-rail fence surrounding the vegetable garden. You notice some writing along one fence rail. >read fence Carved carefully into the wood of the split-rail fence are a curious jumble of letters: ‘MSEBLFVIELVSUYAKROEELORWERR’ >decode fence The story doesn’t understand that command. >read code Carved carefully into the wood of the split-rail fence are a curious jumble of letters: ‘MSEBLFVIELVSUYAKROEELORWERR’ >i You are carrying a skull; parts of your grandfather’s story (some preliminary notes on your grandfather’s involvement in the Vietnam War and some notes on your grandfather’s early retirement); a key for the medals cabinet; a model plane; a paper plane; a red dahlia; a wicker picnic basket (which contains a cheese wedge and a bottle of fizzy grape juice); an archaeologist costume (made of some khaki pants, a utility vest, and a Cool Kids Book of Ancient History); some mail (a white invoice, a council reminder, a glossy brochure, a postcard, an escape room advertisement, an orange paper advertisement, a magazine, and a submarine advertisement); two invitations (a returned invitation and a gardener’s invitation); an incomplete monster costume (made of a purple cushion and some monster teeth); hidden notes (some ribbons of exploded origami balloon, a keepsake note, a note from the kitchen table, a folded note, a scrunched up note, and a rose-coloured note); a ‘Mystery House’ board game box (which contains a sticky note and a red game token); a scrawled memo; a picture of the manor house; some model plane instructions; a keepsake box; an opened and emptycan of cat food; an umbrella; an opened ; a cool keyring necklace (with a key attached); a number of books (of note: The Practice of Archaeogaming, a Complete Encyclopaedia of Cheese, How to Solve Cryptography Puzzles, and a Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book); a balloon tether; and some balloons. You’re wearing some plain clothes, and an incomplete captain costume (made of some medals and a navy jacket). The secret compartment contains a puzzle coin. >x how This thin book covers a wide range of old-school secret codes. They all have funny names like: Playfair, Vigenere, Pigpen, Rail fence... >read it A particular dog-eared section catches your eye. It’s on the rail fence cipher, or zigzag cipher, which is supposed to be some sort of secret code you imagine going diagonally along a bunch of fence railings. Basically you write your message zig-zag along a fence, then pull the railings off and read off the message along the railings. It looks like all the letters are jumbled up, but not really. Apparently if you can guess the number of railings, it’s just a tedious exercise to decode and check the message. But everyone knows fences only have three railings. Or is it four? >decode The story doesn’t understand that command. >read code Carved carefully into the wood of the split-rail fence are a curious jumble of letters: ‘MSEBLFVIELVSUYAKROEELORWERR’ >guess The word ‘guess’ is not necessary in this story. >x fence The fence is an ordinary, weathered three split-rail fence surrounding the vegetable garden. You notice some writing along one fence rail. >x rails The word ‘rails’ is not necessary in this story. >x rail The fence is an ordinary, weathered three split-rail fence surrounding the vegetable garden. You notice some writing along one fence rail. >check message The story doesn’t understand that command. >* OK I guess I need to do this manually Comment recorded. >* MILES LOVES RUBY WALKER FOREVER huh? Comment recorded. >* guess it's not a clue Comment recorded. > I beg your pardon? >s Outside the Gardener’s House Nestled in the bend of the hedges that run alongside the manor is a modest brick house. Along the front side of the house is a beautiful assortment of flowers, and around the back, on the north side, there is a vegetable garden. The hedges curve sharply east, leading down to the valleys and meadows below. >w Driveway in front of the Manor In front of you stands a majestic red-bricked mansion lined with well-trimmed bushes. Its two wings bend inwards, hugging the circular driveway around the central bubbling fountain. The crunchy gravel road heads south, hemmed in by thick hedges, although there is a little gap to the east. The huge front doors are open, inviting you into the foyer. >n Manor Foyer The mansion foyer is a grand affair in more ways than one. Black-and-white- flecked marble tiles cover the floor. Two oak staircases hug the side walls, curving up to a balcony overlooking the entrance. Light shines in through tall, broad windows beyond the balcony. Downstairs a grand hallway departs both east and west. The front doors lie to the south, but what really catches your eye is the elaborate tunnel constructed to the back yard. It appears to be a mysterious, fantastical entrance to the party out back. An honest-to-goodness knight – replete with polished plate armour – stands to attention in front of velvet ropes blocking access to the party. >u Upper landing You can’t help but admire the spectacle of the upper landing. Vaulted windows bring the sunshine down over the extended balcony to light up the marble foyer below. The upper hallway stretches to both wings and looks out over the back garden. >w Upper west hallway This hallway offers a bright, commanding look over the grounds. The walls are sparsely decorated with paintings and pot plants. To the south is the study and to the southwest is a large bedroom. The rest of the upper hallway and the landing are to the east. >sw (first opening the doorway to the south-west) Master bedroom Behind a thick wooden door for privacy lies the master bedroom. There aren’t a lot of decorations in here. Just a huge, fluffy king bed, a single night-table with a lamp, and a lone reading chair in the corner. Master bedrooms should be big, but you feel a bit lonely in the expanse of space around the bed. Along the east wall is a stylish but minimalistic closet. >x bed A well-made master bed. All the sheets and blankets are tucked in squarely. The single pillow sits on the left-hand side. >look under bed You see nothing unusual under the master bed. >x pillow The fluffy wig of purple hair hides two ping-pong eyes. But if you put it on right, you look like a Muppet or Pixar monster. >n Upper west hallway This hallway offers a bright, commanding look over the grounds. The walls are sparsely decorated with paintings and pot plants. To the south is the study and to the southwest is a large bedroom. The rest of the upper hallway and the landing are to the east. >drop pillow Dropped. >sw Master bedroom Behind a thick wooden door for privacy lies the master bedroom. There aren’t a lot of decorations in here. Just a huge, fluffy king bed, a single night-table with a lamp, and a lone reading chair in the corner. Master bedrooms should be big, but you feel a bit lonely in the expanse of space around the bed. Along the east wall is a stylish but minimalistic closet. >x pillow You see no pillow here. >search bed You see nothing on the master bed. >look under bed You see nothing unusual under the master bed. >look behind bed You see nothing unusual behind the master bed. >x bed A well-made master bed. All the sheets and blankets are tucked in squarely. The single pillow sits on the left-hand side. >l Master bedroom Behind a thick wooden door for privacy lies the master bedroom. There aren’t a lot of decorations in here. Just a huge, fluffy king bed, a single night-table with a lamp, and a lone reading chair in the corner. Master bedrooms should be big, but you feel a bit lonely in the expanse of space around the bed. Along the east wall is a stylish but minimalistic closet. >x table An elegant mahogany night-table sits on the left side of the bed. Only the left side. There is space for items on the top underneath the reading lamp, and a drawer underneath. It’s closed. >open drawer Opening the night-table reveals some cool sunnies and some legal documents. >x sunnies A set of petrol station sunglasses. Black, squarish, but reminiscent of that brand that would cost you a hundred times more. There’s a possibility it wouldn’t stop a UV ray, but might prevent you from poking yourself in the eye with a cocktail straw. It might also go with a shirt and an accessory to be an ironic ‘cool’ surfer dude costume. >take it Taken. >x legal A crisp, no-nonsense envelope with a string tie. The logo of a legal firm is stamped discreetly on the corner. >read it You untie the string lock and slide out the documents a little. On the top you read the words: ‘APPLICATION FOR DIVORCE’. The documents look signed and creased. You recognize your parents’ handwriting. Without breathing, you turn the envelope and let gravity pull the documents back in. You tie the lock up again and finally sigh. >read it You would feel uncomfortable opening the divorce proceedings again. It has dark, sad, withering power. >take it You lift the envelope out of the drawer. It has a weight to it. A dark weight. >l Master bedroom Behind a thick wooden door for privacy lies the master bedroom. There aren’t a lot of decorations in here. Just a huge, fluffy king bed, a single night-table with a lamp, and a lone reading chair in the corner. Master bedrooms should be big, but you feel a bit lonely in the expanse of space around the bed. Along the east wall is a stylish but minimalistic closet. >x table An elegant mahogany night-table sits on the left side of the bed. Only the left side. There is space for items on the top underneath the reading lamp, and a drawer underneath. It’s open. >x lamp A reading lamp angles towards the solitary pillow. It is currently turned off. >turn on lamp The light clicks on softly. >x bed A well-made master bed. All the sheets and blankets are tucked in squarely. The single pillow sits on the left-hand side. >x lamp A reading lamp angles towards the solitary pillow. It is currently on. >l Master bedroom Behind a thick wooden door for privacy lies the master bedroom. There aren’t a lot of decorations in here. Just a huge, fluffy king bed, a single night-table with a lamp, and a lone reading chair in the corner. Master bedrooms should be big, but you feel a bit lonely in the expanse of space around the bed. Along the east wall is a stylish but minimalistic closet. >x chair Nestled into the corner of the room, between the wall and the window, is a comfy reading chair. It has rich, buttery leather that you can just melt into. >search chair You see nothing on the reading chair. >search chair You see nothing on the reading chair. >look under chair You see nothing unusual under the reading chair. >move chair The reading chair is too heavy. >sit on chair You take a moment before you savour sliding into the reading chair. The leather softly caresses your body as you lean back. Ah... This is the good stuff... >sleep You don’t need to sleep right now. >u You can’t go that way. Obvious exits lead back to the north and out. >out (off of the reading chair) Okay, you’re no longer on the reading chair. >l Master bedroom Behind a thick wooden door for privacy lies the master bedroom. There aren’t a lot of decorations in here. Just a huge, fluffy king bed, a single night-table with a lamp, and a lone reading chair in the corner. Master bedrooms should be big, but you feel a bit lonely in the expanse of space around the bed. Along the east wall is a stylish but minimalistic closet. >x closet Along the east wall is a stylish but minimalistic closet. It’s closed. >open it You open the closet doors like you are spreading wings. A very orderly but uninspiring closet greets you. Wedged vertically against the wall up the top is a picture frame. Tucked up in the corner is a blue tartan picnic blanket. Down on the floor is a set of gym weights. >x frame (the picture of the manor house) This broad picture is a photograph of the front of the manor, with a family picture inset at the bottom. Given the photo quality, state of the manor’s facade, and the technical aptitude of the digital picture editing, this looks like it’s from the 90s. The manor looks in good repair. Along the top of the picture is the words ‘Walker House, 1990-2009’. The photo down the bottom is a couple — your grandfather and you guess your grandmother (you never met her). Below are the sombre labels: ‘Malcolm Walker, 1948–2010’ and ‘Dora Walker, 1950–1991’. You look again at the lives of your grandparents and the manor. You will have to find more information. >x picture frame You see no picture frame here. >e You can’t go that way. The only obvious exit leads north, back to the upper west hallway. >n Upper west hallway This hallway offers a bright, commanding look over the grounds. The walls are sparsely decorated with paintings and pot plants. To the south is the study and to the southwest is a large bedroom. The rest of the upper hallway and the landing are to the east. The head from a shaggy purple monster costume lies about. >drop frame Dropped. >s Study A warm hush blankets this room. While it is relatively central to the whole house and has an elevated view out over the front fields, this room feels introspective. Packed bookshelves line the west wall and a desk sits against the window to the south. There appears to be well-trammelled lines through the rug in the centre of the room, as if from pacing back and forth before getting an idea. Almost everything in the room has that classic mahogany style, except for the twin computer monitors on the desk that subtly point towards technology just barely hidden away. Central to the middle bookcase is a display case for a set of medals. The right bookcase contains a number of books (of note: an Air Force Honours Reference Book and an Army Honours Reference Book). >n Upper west hallway This hallway offers a bright, commanding look over the grounds. The walls are sparsely decorated with paintings and pot plants. To the south is the study and to the southwest is a large bedroom. The rest of the upper hallway and the landing are to the east. The head from a shaggy purple monster costume lies about. You see a picture of the manor house here. >sw Master bedroom Behind a thick wooden door for privacy lies the master bedroom. There aren’t a lot of decorations in here. Just a huge, fluffy king bed, a single night-table with a lamp, and a lone reading chair in the corner. Master bedrooms should be big, but you feel a bit lonely in the expanse of space around the bed. Along the east wall is a stylish but minimalistic closet. Wedged vertically against the wall up the top is a picture frame. Tucked up in the corner is a blue tartan picnic blanket. Down on the floor is a set of gym weights. >x frame A framed picture of your grandfather shaking hands with a Japanese fellow in some ceremony. They both have fluffy 80s hair, although your grandpa’s is a little more grey. Your grandfather is handing over some document and everyone seems chuffed. In the background is a lady with curly hair and hot pink makeup. She has her hands on the shoulders of a little boy in a fantastic forest green shirt with yellow shorts. On the back of the frame is a note that reads: ‘Big payday divesting from Walker Radio Logistics. Early retirement!’ It takes a little bit of detective work but you think you’ve figured out that your grandfather sold his company in the 80s. That woman might be your grandmother (you never met her), and you think that nerd might be your dad! You try to remember the details to add to the story you intend to share. >take frame You stand on tippy-toe to retrieve the old picture frame. >l Master bedroom Behind a thick wooden door for privacy lies the master bedroom. There aren’t a lot of decorations in here. Just a huge, fluffy king bed, a single night-table with a lamp, and a lone reading chair in the corner. Master bedrooms should be big, but you feel a bit lonely in the expanse of space around the bed. Along the east wall is a stylish but minimalistic closet. Tucked up in the corner is a blue tartan picnic blanket. Down on the floor is a set of gym weights. >x blanket Rugged on one side, soft and cosy on the other, this blue tartan blanket looks perfect for picnics. It has a waterproof bottom, and velcro straps for tight rolling up after the lunch. When rolled up it has a good heft but soft follow- through in case you have to thunk your dad with it for a bad joke. >take it That looks perfect for a picnic, so you put it straight in your basket. >x weights This pair of 5 kg barbells is your classic gym utilitarian style. Black iron weights. Chrome handles. Little else. >take it With a grunt that you hope no-one heard, you lift the weights off the ground. >l Master bedroom Behind a thick wooden door for privacy lies the master bedroom. There aren’t a lot of decorations in here. Just a huge, fluffy king bed, a single night-table with a lamp, and a lone reading chair in the corner. Master bedrooms should be big, but you feel a bit lonely in the expanse of space around the bed. Along the east wall is a stylish but minimalistic closet. >e You can’t go that way. The only obvious exit leads north, back to the upper west hallway. >n Upper west hallway This hallway offers a bright, commanding look over the grounds. The walls are sparsely decorated with paintings and pot plants. To the south is the study and to the southwest is a large bedroom. The rest of the upper hallway and the landing are to the east. The head from a shaggy purple monster costume lies about. You see a picture of the manor house here. >take all purple cushion: Taken. picture of the manor house: Taken. >e Upper landing You can’t help but admire the spectacle of the upper landing. Vaulted windows bring the sunshine down over the extended balcony to light up the marble foyer below. The upper hallway stretches to both wings and looks out over the back garden. >e Upper east hallway Warm sunlight drifts through the line of windows looking out over the estate. The well-worn rugs absorb most of the warmth, and the wood panelling and plants makes the shadows feel fresh. You can see two rooms — a colourful room to the south and a more muted one to the south east. The upper landing is westwards. >x rugs You see no rugs here. >s (first opening the doorway to the south) Children’s Room As most kids would attest, this room is huge. Sure, it might not feel it with the scattered toys, splayed art supplies and storage boxes dragged around the room, but the square-footage cannot be denied. The white paint on the walls has weathered many a tantrum or spontaneous artistic expression. Tucked into the corner near the closet is a cosy little bed nook. Along the south wall, under the huge windows, is a chalkboard. Hanging off the blackboard’s chalk bucket is a crisp navy cap. >take cap You carefully pick up the navy cap. It is crisp and immaculate, except for a bit of chalk dust on the inside. You blow that out and now it looks almost good as new. >wear it You tuck your hair up under the hat, mostly to secure it a bit better on your head. You immediately want to tell someone to do something about that mizzenmast! With a quick final adjustment, you are now wearing a captain costume. (Your score has just increased by one point.) >* yay! Comment recorded. >save Saved. >x chalkboard Underneath the sill of the main window is a long chalkboard. It is a hopeful encouragement for the child to draw just on the chalkboard, but, of course, just encourages drawing on every wall. On the board you see: ‘To day i am going to sedn a playn on its inportnt jrone wiv a secrt toy. GOOD LUCK. ’ and a drawing of a plane flying over a fountain and trees with angry bad guys underneath shaking a rake. The chalkboard accessories contains some chalk and a chalkboard eraser. >erase chalkboard (first taking the chalk) You erase everything off the blackboard, including (accidentally) one of the alphabet stickers along the top. >x stickers The word ‘stickers’ is not necessary in this story. >x chalkboard Underneath the sill of the main window is a long chalkboard. It is a hopeful encouragement for the child to draw just on the chalkboard, but, of course, just encourages drawing on every wall. The board is currently clean. The chalkboard accessories contains a chalkboard eraser. >take chalk You are already carrying the chalk. >x chalk Colourful nubs of chalk, all dusty. >* wait I took the chalk, not erase, to erase the board? Comment recorded. >l Children’s Room As most kids would attest, this room is huge. Sure, it might not feel it with the scattered toys, splayed art supplies and storage boxes dragged around the room, but the square-footage cannot be denied. The white paint on the walls has weathered many a tantrum or spontaneous artistic expression. Tucked into the corner near the closet is a cosy little bed nook. Along the south wall, under the huge windows, is a chalkboard. >x toys You see no toys here. >search toys You see no toys here. >x supplies Supplies! It’s a lifetime supply of junk! (I’ve always wanted to do that joke). In the art supplies box is a mess of paints, pens, sheets of paper, palettes and glues. All stuck together due to one too many uncapped items. >search it The art supplies aren’t important. >x boxes Scattered around the room are uniformly-sized storage boxes, although each has its own unique look. There is a costume box, a box of art supplies and a box or two devoted to just toy storage. Whatever original dreams there were for these room organizers has been thrown out the window. Hopefully not literally, but looking at the mess, anything is possible. >search boxes blue toy box: There’s nothing unusual in the blue toy box. red toy box: There’s nothing unusual in the red toy box. art supplies box: You see nothing unusual in the art supplies box. costume box: You see nothing unusual in the costume box. >x costumer The word ‘costumer’ is not necessary in this story. >x costume cool costume: With all this on, you feel like, you know, the vibe, man. Somehow the sunglasses counteract the nuclear turquoise shirt, and what remains is a sense of relaxation. It’s not very fashionable. It’s not very practical. But at least the vibe is okay. Wearing this costume, you feel compelled to tell a joke... ‘I used to play piano by ear. Now I just use my hands. ’ captain costume: Wearing this costume, you look like a grand old Captain of the Royal Navy. Admiral Graham Nelson or someone important like that. The kind of costume where you could order someone to do push-ups and they’d have to do them. monster costume: Purple hair, giant gnashing teeth and a sweeping tail... You feel fearsome and chaotic, but fuzzy and caring at the same time. A monster whose roar at a spilled juice after a long day would vibrate your bones, but who would immediately have a hug available. The kind who was happy to play, but when you were distracted, would say their magic word and disappear. princess costume: Known for her red-hot determination, but gentle good looks, the Ruby Princess strikes a bold pose on the battlefield. Having escaped the political machinations of the soon-to-be Dowager Queen (her once confidante and mentor), she seeks out knowledge, beauty and justice wherever she can. Her cuirass protects her from her many foes, and the fresh dahlia reminds her to be mindful. Weapons sold separately. archaeologist costume: With this costume you can bravely explore old buildings for secrets and relics. You can undercover the past and dust off things for the future. >x costume box A picture on the side of this box promises a cornucopia of costumes and disguises. There are none to be found in there, though. >open it That is not something you can open. >look in it You see nothing unusual in the costume box. >l Children’s Room As most kids would attest, this room is huge. Sure, it might not feel it with the scattered toys, splayed art supplies and storage boxes dragged around the room, but the square-footage cannot be denied. The white paint on the walls has weathered many a tantrum or spontaneous artistic expression. Tucked into the corner near the closet is a cosy little bed nook. Along the south wall, under the huge windows, is a chalkboard. >x boxes Scattered around the room are uniformly-sized storage boxes, although each has its own unique look. There is a costume box, a box of art supplies and a box or two devoted to just toy storage. Whatever original dreams there were for these room organizers has been thrown out the window. Hopefully not literally, but looking at the mess, anything is possible. >x blue The toy box is a blue twin to the red one. It has a large pixel texture of different shades of blue in a tough fabric designed to put up with punishment from kids. >open it That is not something you can open. >look in blue There’s nothing unusual in the blue toy box. >x red Which red do you mean, the red game token, the model plane, the red toy box, or the red dahlia? >box The toy box is a red twin to the blue one. It has a large pixel texture of different shades of red in a tough fabric designed to put up with punishment from kids. >look in it There’s nothing unusual in the red toy box. >open it That is not something you can open. >l Children’s Room As most kids would attest, this room is huge. Sure, it might not feel it with the scattered toys, splayed art supplies and storage boxes dragged around the room, but the square-footage cannot be denied. The white paint on the walls has weathered many a tantrum or spontaneous artistic expression. Tucked into the corner near the closet is a cosy little bed nook. Along the south wall, under the huge windows, is a chalkboard. >x nook A cosy nook has been set up in this bedroom for the bed itself. It is decorated with fairy lights. >x bed The bed (unmade, naturally) is nestled in a cosy nook on the side of the room. Fairy lights hang above, giving a light glow to the bed. The pillow is askew on the bed, and the blanket hangs lopsidedly over the metal frame. Stickers adorn the frame seemingly at random. >x pillow (the purple cushion) The fluffy wig of purple hair hides two ping-pong eyes. But if you put it on right, you look like a Muppet or Pixar monster. >look under bed You duck down to look under the bed and leap back when you see a long, furry tail in the shadows! When you regain your composure, you take a more careful look and see a costume monster tail. No monster included. But boy you weren’t sure for a second! >x tail (the rudder) At the very rear of the plane there is a rudder connected to the vertical stabilizer. The ailerons make the plane roll, the elevators make the plane go up and down, and this rudder makes it go... sideways? Wiggle the bum? You know what I mean. The rudder has a logo of a ships’ wheel on it. Or maybe like the spinlock of a safe. >i You are carrying a skull; parts of your grandfather’s story (some preliminary notes on your grandfather’s involvement in the Vietnam War, some notes on your grandfather’s early retirement, and some notes on your grandfather’s work after the war); a key for the medals cabinet; a model plane; a paper plane; a red dahlia; a wicker picnic basket (which contains a cheese wedge, a bottle of fizzy grape juice, and a picnic blanket); an archaeologist costume (made of some khaki pants, a utility vest, and a Cool Kids Book of Ancient History); some mail (a white invoice, a council reminder, a glossy brochure, a postcard, an escape room advertisement, an orange paper advertisement, a magazine, and a submarine advertisement); two invitations (a returned invitation and a gardener’s invitation); hidden notes (some ribbons of exploded origami balloon, a keepsake note, a note from the kitchen table, a folded note, a scrunched up note, and a rose-coloured note); a ‘Mystery House’ board game box (which contains a sticky note and a red game token); a scrawled memo; a monster costume (made of some monster teeth and a purple cushion); some model plane instructions; a keepsake box; an opened and emptycan of cat food; an umbrella; an opened ; an incomplete cool costume (made of a cool keyring necklace (with a key attached) and some cool sunnies); a number of books (of note: The Practice of Archaeogaming, a Complete Encyclopaedia of Cheese, How to Solve Cryptography Puzzles, and a Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book); a balloon tether; some balloons; some legal documents; an old picture of your grandfather; a weight set; a picture of the manor house; and some chalk. You’re wearing some plain clothes, and a captain costume (made of some medals, a navy jacket, and a captain hat). The secret compartment contains a puzzle coin. >x monster tail This tail attaches to your butt with an elastic band and a little hook. Through the spine of it is some set of mechanical pivots so if you waggle, the tail curls and uncurls unsettlingly. Awesome. >take it Taken. >wear it You attach the monster tail to your butt and give it a little wiggle. The tail sweeps back and forth. This cannot end up dangerously at all. >wear pillow (first taking off the captain hat) Slipping the monster wig on fills you with a sense of mischief and a need to roar. You let out a whispered roar, just so no-one hears you. >wear monster The elastic band is awkward to get over your hair, but you manage. You tuck the teeth around your jaw and give it a test. The monster jaws open with yours. Awesome. With a quick final adjustment, you are now wearing a monster costume. (Your score has just increased by one point.) >save Saved. >score In 797 moves, you have found, out of a total of 15 goals: 2 invitations to the party (5 possible) 2 costumes to wear (5 possible) 0 things to share (5 possible) You have also: Located 6 secret notes (12 possible) You are currently wearing a monster costume. (You can list all the secret notes you’ve found with LIST SECRET NOTES. ) >list secret notes All secret notes found and read: rose-coloured note found in the secret alcove note from under the kitchen table note written on the back of a photo found with keepsake in the model plane secret compartment note folded into half Vietnamese can note >l Children’s Room As most kids would attest, this room is huge. Sure, it might not feel it with the scattered toys, splayed art supplies and storage boxes dragged around the room, but the square-footage cannot be denied. The white paint on the walls has weathered many a tantrum or spontaneous artistic expression. Tucked into the corner near the closet is a cosy little bed nook. Along the south wall, under the huge windows, is a chalkboard. >n Upper east hallway Warm sunlight drifts through the line of windows looking out over the estate. The well-worn rugs absorb most of the warmth, and the wood panelling and plants makes the shadows feel fresh. You can see two rooms — a colourful room to the south and a more muted one to the south east. The upper landing is westwards. >se (first opening the doorway to the south-east) Observatory You’re not sure if this dim room used to be a bedroom, but it is now unequivocably an observatory. A serious telescope takes primacy in this room, surrounded by tables with scientific equipment like a computer, shelves of books, a whiteboard, and, curiously, an aquarium. Part of the ceiling is a set of retractable shutters. They’re closed. A computer monitor blinks an important message. A bright pink sticky note is stuck to the computer monitor. Hanging off the back of the office chair is a eye-melting hawaiian shirt. A door lets in the bright sunlight from the upper hallway. >close door Closed. It is now pitch black. >x shirt You see no shirt here. >open door You see no door here. >undo Taking back one turn: ‘close door’. Observatory You’re not sure if this dim room used to be a bedroom, but it is now unequivocably an observatory. A serious telescope takes primacy in this room, surrounded by tables with scientific equipment like a computer, shelves of books, a whiteboard, and, curiously, an aquarium. Part of the ceiling is a set of retractable shutters. They’re closed. A computer monitor blinks an important message. A bright pink sticky note is stuck to the computer monitor. Hanging off the back of the office chair is a eye-melting hawaiian shirt. A door lets in the bright sunlight from the upper hallway. >* oops! Comment recorded. >* can you make it unwinnable Comment recorded. >x hsirt The word ‘hsirt’ is not necessary in this story. >take shirt Taken. >wear cool Which cool do you mean, the cool keyring necklace, the cool hawaiian shirt, the Cool Kids Book of Ancient History, or the cool sunnies? >shirt (first taking off the navy jacket) Slipping this Hawaiian shirt on is easy and refreshing like a pina colada on a hot summer’s day. It is a little big for you, but maybe that’s the style of the season. >wear sunnies (first taking off the purple cushion) You put the sunnies on and immediately do gun-fingers at imaginary people in the room. It wasn’t even you doing that! It was the glasses! >wear book You stick the history book in a pocket, but make sure it pokes out prominently, as part of your costume. >wear cool You snap the connectors of the necklace together and adjust it around your neck. The surfboard dangles on your chest obnoxiously. As per design? With a quick final adjustment, you are now wearing a cool costume. (Your score has just increased by one point.) >save Canceled. >* OK so archaeologist is incomplete (need the hat) Comment recorded. >i You are carrying a skull; parts of your grandfather’s story (some preliminary notes on your grandfather’s involvement in the Vietnam War, some notes on your grandfather’s early retirement, and some notes on your grandfather’s work after the war); a key for the medals cabinet; some of a captain costume (made of a navy jacket and a captain hat); a model plane; a paper plane; a red dahlia; a wicker picnic basket (which contains a cheese wedge, a bottle of fizzy grape juice, and a picnic blanket); some of an archaeologist costume (made of some khaki pants and a utility vest); some mail (a white invoice, a council reminder, a glossy brochure, a postcard, an escape room advertisement, an orange paper advertisement, a magazine, and a submarine advertisement); two invitations (a returned invitation and a gardener’s invitation); hidden notes (some ribbons of exploded origami balloon, a keepsake note, a note from the kitchen table, a folded note, a scrunched up note, and a rose-coloured note); a ‘Mystery House’ board game box (which contains a sticky note and a red game token); a scrawled memo; some model plane instructions; a keepsake box; an opened and emptycan of cat food; an umbrella; an opened ; a number of books (of note: The Practice of Archaeogaming, a Complete Encyclopaedia of Cheese, How to Solve Cryptography Puzzles, and a Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book); a balloon tether; some balloons; some legal documents; an old picture of your grandfather; a weight set; a purple cushion; a picture of the manor house; and some chalk. You’re wearing some plain clothes; some medals; some of a monster costume (made of some monster teeth and a monster tail); a cool costume (made of a cool keyring necklace (with a key attached), some cool sunnies, and a cool hawaiian shirt); and a Cool Kids Book of Ancient History. The secret compartment contains a puzzle coin. >* oh and princess is the other one I guess? Comment recorded. >x princess Known for her red-hot determination, but gentle good looks, the Ruby Princess strikes a bold pose on the battlefield. Having escaped the political machinations of the soon-to-be Dowager Queen (her once confidante and mentor), she seeks out knowledge, beauty and justice wherever she can. Her cuirass protects her from her many foes, and the fresh dahlia reminds her to be mindful. Weapons sold separately. >wear dahlia You tuck the dahlia in behind your ear. Looking good! >x wig The word ‘wig’ is not necessary in this story. >l Observatory You’re not sure if this dim room used to be a bedroom, but it is now unequivocably an observatory. A serious telescope takes primacy in this room, surrounded by tables with scientific equipment like a computer, shelves of books, a whiteboard, and, curiously, an aquarium. Part of the ceiling is a set of retractable shutters. They’re closed. A computer monitor blinks an important message. A bright pink sticky note is stuck to the computer monitor. A door lets in the bright sunlight from the upper hallway. >x tables You see no tables here. >x computer The main desk features a desktop computer. The box has a dozen fans whirring inside. It connects to a monitor, a printer and a spaghetti-like tangle of scientific equipment, including a radio receiver for the telescope. >x cmonitor The word ‘cmonitor’ is not necessary in this story. >x monitor The single wide computer monitor is in the middle of the desk, elevated by a faded, paperback copy of Kreyszig’s ‘Advanced Engineering Mathematics’. The monitor blinks over and over: DATA RECEIVED 100% A bright pink sticky note is stuck to the computer monitor. >x advanced The word ‘advanced’ is not necessary in this story. >read it The monitor blinks over and over: DATA RECEIVED 100% The corner of the screen is obscured by a sticky note reading: Science: Process dataInfer connectionsRepeat until...SHARE DISCOVERY >share The story doesn’t understand that command. >x paperback The word ‘paperback’ is not necessary in this story. >read t You see no t here. >x kreyszig The word ‘kreyszig’ is not necessary in this story. >x kreyszig's The word ‘kreyszig’ is not necessary in this story. >l Observatory You’re not sure if this dim room used to be a bedroom, but it is now unequivocably an observatory. A serious telescope takes primacy in this room, surrounded by tables with scientific equipment like a computer, shelves of books, a whiteboard, and, curiously, an aquarium. Part of the ceiling is a set of retractable shutters. They’re closed. A computer monitor blinks an important message. A bright pink sticky note is stuck to the computer monitor. A door lets in the bright sunlight from the upper hallway. >x book Which book do you mean, The Practice of Archaeogaming, How to Solve Cryptography Puzzles, the Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book, the Complete Encyclopaedia of Cheese, or the Cool Kids Book of Ancient History? >s You can’t go that way. The only obvious exit leads north, back to the upper east hallway. >n Upper east hallway Warm sunlight drifts through the line of windows looking out over the estate. The well-worn rugs absorb most of the warmth, and the wood panelling and plants makes the shadows feel fresh. You can see two rooms — a colourful room to the south and a more muted one to the south east. The upper landing is westwards. >drop books How to Solve Cryptography Puzzles: Dropped. Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book: Dropped. Cool Kids Book of Ancient History: (first taking off the Cool Kids Book of Ancient History) Dropped. The Practice of Archaeogaming: Dropped. Complete Encyclopaedia of Cheese: Dropped. >s Children’s Room As most kids would attest, this room is huge. Sure, it might not feel it with the scattered toys, splayed art supplies and storage boxes dragged around the room, but the square-footage cannot be denied. The white paint on the walls has weathered many a tantrum or spontaneous artistic expression. Tucked into the corner near the closet is a cosy little bed nook. Along the south wall, under the huge windows, is a chalkboard. >x boos The word ‘boos’ is not necessary in this story. >x book You see no book here. >n Upper east hallway Warm sunlight drifts through the line of windows looking out over the estate. The well-worn rugs absorb most of the warmth, and the wood panelling and plants makes the shadows feel fresh. You can see two rooms — a colourful room to the south and a more muted one to the south east. The upper landing is westwards. You see a number of books (of note: How to Solve Cryptography Puzzles, a Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book, a Cool Kids Book of Ancient History, The Practice of Archaeogaming, and a Complete Encyclopaedia of Cheese) here. >take all beam of sunlight: Taken. plant: The plant is too heavy. How to Solve Cryptography Puzzles: Taken. Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book: Taken. Cool Kids Book of Ancient History: Taken. The Practice of Archaeogaming: Taken. Complete Encyclopaedia of Cheese: Taken. >s Children’s Room As most kids would attest, this room is huge. Sure, it might not feel it with the scattered toys, splayed art supplies and storage boxes dragged around the room, but the square-footage cannot be denied. The white paint on the walls has weathered many a tantrum or spontaneous artistic expression. Tucked into the corner near the closet is a cosy little bed nook. Along the south wall, under the huge windows, is a chalkboard. >* beam of sunlight? Ooops Comment recorded. >x beam A warm beam of sunlight projects across the floor. It is very comfortable. >l Children’s Room As most kids would attest, this room is huge. Sure, it might not feel it with the scattered toys, splayed art supplies and storage boxes dragged around the room, but the square-footage cannot be denied. The white paint on the walls has weathered many a tantrum or spontaneous artistic expression. Tucked into the corner near the closet is a cosy little bed nook. Along the south wall, under the huge windows, is a chalkboard. >n Upper east hallway Warm sunlight drifts through the line of windows looking out over the estate. The well-worn rugs absorb most of the warmth, and the wood panelling and plants makes the shadows feel fresh. You can see two rooms — a colourful room to the south and a more muted one to the south east. The upper landing is westwards. >se Observatory You’re not sure if this dim room used to be a bedroom, but it is now unequivocably an observatory. A serious telescope takes primacy in this room, surrounded by tables with scientific equipment like a computer, shelves of books, a whiteboard, and, curiously, an aquarium. Part of the ceiling is a set of retractable shutters. They’re closed. A computer monitor blinks an important message. A bright pink sticky note is stuck to the computer monitor. A door lets in the bright sunlight from the upper hallway. >x shelves Crammed into the corner is a bookcase holding an eclectic array of books. There are textbooks, fiction books, magazines and electronic junk. One shelf is buckling under the weight of a manual entitled ‘RCV-4000 Manual’. >x manual This weathered tome of knowledge purports to be the manual for the RCV-4000, a radio receiver, specifically for astrotelescopes. It might take a while to read. >read it You flick through the manual, your eyes glazing over with all the charts, tables and precise operating conditions. You do come across a ‘Quick Guide for Busy Physicists’, which is close enough for you. Congratulations on your new RCV-4000. You’re probably eager to set it up and play. Tips: Make sure you’re connected to your radio telescope, and that it is powered on. Ensure that it is plugged into your desktop computer and that it is powered on. Seriously. As part of the initial setup, you should have the radio software installed on your computer. Select a band via the BAND SELECT switch: L-Band, S-band, C-band, X-band, K-band, or Q-band. One you have selected a band, the FREQUENCY selector will be updated to limit to the correct frequency bandwidth. Select your scanning frequency using the buttons. Do not forget to select the correct polarization for your target. ‘Linear’ and ‘circular’ are as described. ‘Elliptical’ comes in three variants describing the major vs minor axis ratio. Using the software package, request a scan. This will provide a hard copy print out. As you know from Electromagnetism 203, typically the interpreted results reflect their nearby environment. You may be interested to explore deeper in the system. Who knows? Maybe you will DISCOVER SOMETHING NEW TO SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY! Good luck, young physicist! >take manual Taken. >l Observatory You’re not sure if this dim room used to be a bedroom, but it is now unequivocably an observatory. A serious telescope takes primacy in this room, surrounded by tables with scientific equipment like a computer, shelves of books, a whiteboard, and, curiously, an aquarium. Part of the ceiling is a set of retractable shutters. They’re closed. A computer monitor blinks an important message. A bright pink sticky note is stuck to the computer monitor. A door lets in the bright sunlight from the upper hallway. >x note Which note do you mean, the preliminary war notes, the paper plane, the scrawled memo from the keepsake box, the note found in old Vietnamese can, the notes on your grandfather’s work after the war, the sticky note, the pink computer sticky note, the kitchen table note, the rose-coloured note found in the secret alcove, the notes on your grandfather’s early retirement, the escape room note, the origami note found in the mail bundle, or the note found with keepsake puzzle coin in the model plane secret compartment? >x sticky (the sticky note) A sticky note in the back of the board game box. It reads: ‘Sorry, rather than lose gracefully, a princess ran and hid the pieces’ >x whiteboard This standard-issue whiteboard is within chair-rolling distance from the computer, and perfect to write or draw on. The board is currently clean. At the bottom of the whiteboard is some sort of decoder. On the whiteboard accessories shelf are a whiteboard eraser and a marker. (You can DRAW or WRITE on the whiteboard, if you like. You don’t need to specify a topic, Ruby will come up with something. You can also ERASE the whiteboard. ) >x decoder Along the bottom of the board is a permanent sticker converting A=1, B=2, ..., up to Z=26. >take it You can’t have that; it’s part of the telescope. >* part of the whiteboard Comment recorded. >draw The story doesn’t understand that command. >draw on whiteboard (first taking the marker) You take a moment to draw a cute little kitten on the board. >g You take a moment to draw a cute little kitten on the board. >g You take a moment to draw a smiling cactus on the board. >g You take a moment to draw a cute little kitten on the board. >g You take a moment to draw a smiling sun on the board. >l Observatory You’re not sure if this dim room used to be a bedroom, but it is now unequivocably an observatory. A serious telescope takes primacy in this room, surrounded by tables with scientific equipment like a computer, shelves of books, a whiteboard, and, curiously, an aquarium. Part of the ceiling is a set of retractable shutters. They’re closed. A computer monitor blinks an important message. A bright pink sticky note is stuck to the computer monitor. A door lets in the bright sunlight from the upper hallway. >x whiteboard This standard-issue whiteboard is within chair-rolling distance from the computer, and perfect to write or draw on. On the board you see: a drawing of a smiling cactus, a drawing of a smiling sun, a drawing of a cute little kitten, a drawing of a cute little kitten, and a drawing of a cute little kitten. At the bottom of the whiteboard is some sort of decoder. On the whiteboard accessories shelf is a whiteboard eraser. >x aquarium A sizable and well-decked-out glass aquarium. It is self-lit, and heavy enough to require its own reinforced table. The top is sealed with a wire mesh. A small sticker is plastered on the outside corner. Inside the aquarium is a colourful array of underwater plants, a plastic castle about the size of a basketball, and, of course, a little treasure chest. >x sticker Which sticker do you mean, the golden sticker, the sticker, or the conversion table? >conversion Along the bottom of the board is a permanent sticker converting A=1, B=2, ..., up to Z=26. >x small sticker You see no small sticker here. >push whiteboard south This would accomplish nothing. >x mesh The word ‘mesh’ is not necessary in this story. >open aquarium That is not something you can open. >x plants Leafy underwater plants gently wave in the underwater currents. >x castle A tilted plastic castle, half nested into the sand. In the fake brickwork you can see a little bit of algae. >x chest As is mandatory, there is a tiny bubbling treasure chest in the aquarium. >x algae The word ‘algae’ is not necessary in this story. >x bricks The word ‘bricks’ is not necessary in this story. >l Observatory You’re not sure if this dim room used to be a bedroom, but it is now unequivocably an observatory. A serious telescope takes primacy in this room, surrounded by tables with scientific equipment like a computer, shelves of books, a whiteboard, and, curiously, an aquarium. Part of the ceiling is a set of retractable shutters. They’re closed. A computer monitor blinks an important message. A bright pink sticky note is stuck to the computer monitor. A door lets in the bright sunlight from the upper hallway. >turn on computer The computer is already on. >x telescope The telescope is an impressive bit of engineering. Firstly in the classical sense that the telescope is mounted professionally into an elaborate mechanical platform, pointing out through a set of retractable shutters. Secondly in the more common engineering sense that around the optical telescope an array of radio antennas have been bolted on, after-the-fact. It’s rickety, but it looks like it works! >look through telescope You can see nothing through the telescope. >save Saved. >* Think I need to start going to hints, time is running out and I want to play the finale Comment recorded. >hint Done. >hint Done. >* Hrm that's not very helpful Comment recorded. >i You are carrying a skull; parts of your grandfather’s story (some preliminary notes on your grandfather’s involvement in the Vietnam War, some notes on your grandfather’s early retirement, and some notes on your grandfather’s work after the war); a key for the medals cabinet; some of a captain costume (made of a navy jacket and a captain hat); a model plane; a paper plane; a wicker picnic basket (which contains a cheese wedge, a bottle of fizzy grape juice, and a picnic blanket); an archaeologist costume (made of some khaki pants, a utility vest, and a Cool Kids Book of Ancient History); some mail (a white invoice, a council reminder, a glossy brochure, a postcard, an escape room advertisement, an orange paper advertisement, a magazine, and a submarine advertisement); two invitations (a returned invitation and a gardener’s invitation); hidden notes (some ribbons of exploded origami balloon, a keepsake note, a note from the kitchen table, a folded note, a scrunched up note, and a rose-coloured note); a ‘Mystery House’ board game box (which contains a sticky note and a red game token); a scrawled memo; some model plane instructions; a keepsake box; an opened and emptycan of cat food; an umbrella; an opened ; a balloon tether; some balloons; some legal documents; an old picture of your grandfather; a weight set; a purple cushion; a picture of the manor house; some chalk; a beam of sunlight; a number of books (of note: How to Solve Cryptography Puzzles, a Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book, The Practice of Archaeogaming, and a Complete Encyclopaedia of Cheese); a RCV-4000 manual; and a marker. You’re wearing some plain clothes; some medals; a red dahlia; some of a monster costume (made of some monster teeth and a monster tail); and a cool costume (made of a cool keyring necklace (with a key attached), some cool sunnies, and a cool hawaiian shirt). The secret compartment contains a puzzle coin. >* oh wait I have the full archaelogist costume Comment recorded. >wear vest (first taking off the cool hawaiian shirt) The utility vest has some heft to it, but also gives you the feeling of being able to hold a vast number of cool gadgets now. The kind that would help in an archaeologist’s dig. >wear khakis (first taking off the monster tail) You pull on the khaki pants and check yourself out. You feel half Steve Irwin, half Indiana Jones. Indiana Irwin more than Steve Jones, if you were to be asked. But, you know, female. >wear history You slip the history book into a pocket in the utility vest. It fits perfectly, as if made for it! With a quick final adjustment, you are now wearing an archaeologist costume. (Your score has just increased by one point.) >* Oh the coin can go in the box Comment recorded. >put coin in box Which box do you mean, the keepsake box, or the ‘Mystery House’ board game box? >keepsake (first taking the puzzle coin from the secret compartment) You are already carrying the scrawled memo. Done. (Your score has just increased by one point.) >i You are carrying a skull; parts of your grandfather’s story (some preliminary notes on your grandfather’s involvement in the Vietnam War, some notes on your grandfather’s early retirement, and some notes on your grandfather’s work after the war); a key for the medals cabinet; some of a captain costume (made of a navy jacket and a captain hat); a model plane; a paper plane; a wicker picnic basket (which contains a cheese wedge, a bottle of fizzy grape juice, and a picnic blanket); some mail (a white invoice, a council reminder, a glossy brochure, a postcard, an escape room advertisement, an orange paper advertisement, a magazine, and a submarine advertisement); two invitations (a returned invitation and a gardener’s invitation); hidden notes (some ribbons of exploded origami balloon, a keepsake note, a note from the kitchen table, a folded note, a scrunched up note, and a rose-coloured note); a ‘Mystery House’ board game box (which contains a sticky note and a red game token); a scrawled memo; some model plane instructions; a keepsake box (which contains a puzzle coin); an opened and emptycan of cat food; an umbrella; an opened ; a balloon tether; some balloons; some legal documents; an old picture of your grandfather; a weight set; some of a monster costume (made of a purple cushion and a monster tail); a picture of the manor house; some chalk; a cool hawaiian shirt; a beam of sunlight; a number of books (of note: How to Solve Cryptography Puzzles, a Royal Australian Navy Honours Reference Book, The Practice of Archaeogaming, and a Complete Encyclopaedia of Cheese); a RCV-4000 manual; and a marker. You’re wearing some plain clothes; some medals; a red dahlia; an archaeologist costume (made of some khaki pants, a utility vest, and a Cool Kids Book of Ancient History); some monster teeth; and some of a cool costume (made of a cool keyring necklace (with a key attached) and some cool sunnies). >* looks like I was pretty close on some of the others too Comment recorded. >l Observatory You’re not sure if this dim room used to be a bedroom, but it is now unequivocably an observatory. A serious telescope takes primacy in this room, surrounded by tables with scientific equipment like a computer, shelves of books, a whiteboard, and, curiously, an aquarium. Part of the ceiling is a set of retractable shutters. They’re closed. A computer monitor blinks an important message. A bright pink sticky note is stuck to the computer monitor. A door lets in the bright sunlight from the upper hallway. >use computer The word ‘use’ is not necessary in this story. >s You can’t go that way. The only obvious exit leads north, back to the upper east hallway. >n Upper east hallway Warm sunlight drifts through the line of windows looking out over the estate. The well-worn rugs absorb most of the warmth, and the wood panelling and plants makes the shadows feel fresh. You can see two rooms — a colourful room to the south and a more muted one to the south east. The upper landing is westwards. >w Upper landing You can’t help but admire the spectacle of the upper landing. Vaulted windows bring the sunshine down over the extended balcony to light up the marble foyer below. The upper hallway stretches to both wings and looks out over the back garden. >w Upper west hallway This hallway offers a bright, commanding look over the grounds. The walls are sparsely decorated with paintings and pot plants. To the south is the study and to the southwest is a large bedroom. The rest of the upper hallway and the landing are to the east. >e Upper landing You can’t help but admire the spectacle of the upper landing. Vaulted windows bring the sunshine down over the extended balcony to light up the marble foyer below. The upper hallway stretches to both wings and looks out over the back garden. >d Manor Foyer The mansion foyer is a grand affair in more ways than one. Black-and-white- flecked marble tiles cover the floor. Two oak staircases hug the side walls, curving up to a balcony overlooking the entrance. Light shines in through tall, broad windows beyond the balcony. Downstairs a grand hallway departs both east and west. The front doors lie to the south, but what really catches your eye is the elaborate tunnel constructed to the back yard. It appears to be a mysterious, fantastical entrance to the party out back. An honest-to-goodness knight – replete with polished plate armour – stands to attention in front of velvet ropes blocking access to the party. >give invitation to knight Which invitation do you mean, the gardener’s invitation, or the returned invitation? >returned You hold your invitation aloft so the knight can see it. He takes a second to scan it. His gauntlet brushes your invitation aside gently and he seems to scan you up and down. With the same hand he turns your body so he can see what you’re carrying. He stops for a moment on the keepsake box and you can hear a deep hum of approval. He takes down all three velvet ropes and stands aside, nodding at you. Nodding — you feel — in pride. >n *** With an appropriate amount of ceremony and finality, the knight waves you in. The tunnel is dark and twisty. Along the walls is a fluorescent chalk mural. It starts with a baby looked upon fondly by a father in green and mother in purple. Next a little girl stands proudly on a hill, resplendent in armour and crown, forging a path forward. You creep along the tunnel, past a girl running ahead of all her classmates. Then a girl angrily press slamming a bike as her father chases after her. Next a girl, surrounded by study books, head-down, scratching out writing deep into the night. Soon the walls are a flurry of hearts, all swirling towards a large chalk ruby etched with ‘16’ on the center. A crack of light bisects it and you push on and push out into the light. Into the blinding, beautiful light, where all your friends and family are. Where you find fun and light and life, and find your future amongst the stars. (You have completed ‘A Very Important Date’. Please finish the story of Hand Me Down in finale.html) *** In 867 moves, you have found, out of a total of 15 goals: 2 invitations to the party (5 possible) 4 costumes to wear (5 possible) 1 thing to share (5 possible) You have also: Located 6 secret notes (12 possible) You are currently wearing an archaeologist costume. Would you like to RESTORE a saved position, RESTART the story, see your FULL SCORE, or QUIT? >quit