Start of a transcript of: Death on the Stormrider An Interactive Mystery by Daniel M. Stelzer Release 1 / Serial number 230928 / Inform 7 v10.1.2 Inform 7 v10.1.2 Identification number: //2E5D4F99-EE87-4415-9ACC-370BCFF5CEEB// Interpreter version 0.6.0 / VM 3.1.3 Glulx Text Styles by Daniel Stelzer (based on code by Emily Short and Brady Garvin) Formatting Capture version 1.0.221019 by Daniel Stelzer (based on Text Capture by Eric Eve) Boolean Options version 2.0.230923 by Daniel Stelzer Versatile Listing version 1.0.230405 by Daniel Stelzer Dijkstra Pathing version 1.1.230708 by Daniel Stelzer Text Capture version 8.1 by Eric Eve (with contributions from Dannii Willis) Implicit Actions version 13.1 by Eric Eve Epistemology version 9 by Eric Eve Command Preloading version 1.0.20230916 by Daniel Stelzer (based on I6 code by Andrew Plotkin) Hidden Prompt version 1.0.20230916 by Daniel Stelzer (inspired by Command Prompt On Cue by Ron Newcomb) Limited Distant Movement version 1.0.20230916 by Daniel Stelzer Basic Container Supporter Incorporation V10 version 1.0.230906 by Otis The Dog Image Scaling version 1.0.230926 by Daniel Stelzer >x tablet For writing down ideas and sketching the scenery. And now, maybe, for solving a murder. There's not much yet, but you'll be adding notes as you go. >take tablet Taken. >x me You're a bit of a mess after so many days aboard ship, and you've gotten your share of burns and blisters as you learned the ropes. But all in all, it had been an uneventful voyage, up until the murder happened. >i You are carrying: your writing tablet >x quilts Not the worst place you've ever slept. But you can understand why your brother preferred to find other places to sleep. You could probably fit underneath it, if you needed to hide. >look under shelves You find nothing of interest. >l Passenger Cabin "Cabin" feels like too fancy of a word for this. It's a tiny storeroom at the back of the cargo hold, with quilts rolled out over the empty shelves to act as bunks. But travelling on a cargo ship means being treated as cargo?the crew's not getting anything better. And with Kiang locked up in the brig, you have the whole thing to yourself. Forward, the door leads out to the rest of the ship; a hatch in the starboard wall connects to one of the engineers' maintenance passages. >x hatch Big enough to wriggle through, small enough to make it uncomfortable. >about If you're new to this sort of interactive fiction, type TUTORIAL within the beginning segment for an introduction to the genre. You can also use VERBS or COMMANDS to see a list of commands needed for this game. Detailed hints and a deck plan of the ship are included with the game file. If you're playing online, they're linked at the top of the page. This game was written and designed by Daniel Stelzer, illustrated by Elisabeth Tricou, and tested by Mel Jason, Arthur DiBianca, Aster Fialla, Jade, Max Fog, Ramona Gore, and Lance Cirone. >verbs Verbs you'll need in this game: - GO a direction - LOOK - EXAMINE (X) something - TAKE something - DROP something - INVENTORY (I) - PUT something IN or ON something - OPEN something (WITH something) - CLOSE something - PUSH something (in a direction) - PULL something - BREAK or SABOTAGE something - WEAR something - HIDE UNDER/BEHIND/ON something - GIVE or SHOW something TO someone Many more are understood, but only these are needed to complete the game. >go starboard (first opening the maintenance hatch to starboard) You've never used this one before, but with some effort you manage to squirm your way through the hatch. Rudder Access The maintenance passage (forward) ends, sharply, terrifyingly, with a narrow metal platform?and then nothing but the great expanse of the air behind you, the ground so far below that you can barely make it out. A hatch to port leads back to the safety of your cabin. One of the ship's enormous rudders extends out into the air, surrounded by the tangle of machinery that translates the pilot's instructions into the ship's movement. That machinery currently seems to be jammed. It's stuck in place, steam whistling out of a release valve. >x rudder A frightfully complicated arrangement of rotary shafts and gyroscopes controls the rudder's motion, steering the ship in whichever direction the pilot intends. At the moment, though, it looks like something is jammed up, and steam is venting out the back in a way it probably shouldn't be. >x valve A frightfully complicated arrangement of rotary shafts and gyroscopes controls the rudder's motion, steering the ship in whichever direction the pilot intends. At the moment, though, it looks like something is jammed up, and steam is venting out the back in a way it probably shouldn't be. Some distance forward, you can make out heavy footsteps approaching. >z Time passes. Just forward, you hear heavy footsteps approaching. [When the prompt turns into a "]" like this, it means you can press SPACE or ENTER to just keep doing the same thing. If you start typing a command, the normal prompt will come back.] ] wait Time passes. Ishme stomps in from the fore passage, muttering in Kishadu. (You add a sketch to your tablet.) ] wait Time passes. "Ai! La!" Ishme turns to glare at you, looking like she just remembered your existence, and snaps something short and harsh in Kishadu. You aren't sure what the words mean, but the look in her eyes sends you scurrying back to port. Passenger Cabin "Cabin" feels like too fancy of a word for this. It's a tiny storeroom at the back of the cargo hold, with quilts rolled out over the empty shelves to act as bunks. But travelling on a cargo ship means being treated as cargo?the crew's not getting anything better. And with Kiang locked up in the brig, you have the whole thing to yourself. Forward, the door leads out to the rest of the ship; a hatch in the starboard wall connects to one of the engineers' maintenance passages. ] >undo Rudder Access [Previous turn undone.] >undo Rudder Access [Previous turn undone.] >undo Rudder Access [Previous turn undone.] >l Rudder Access The maintenance passage (forward) ends, sharply, terrifyingly, with a narrow metal platform?and then nothing but the great expanse of the air behind you, the ground so far below that you can barely make it out. A hatch to port leads back to the safety of your cabin. One of the ship's enormous rudders extends out into the air, surrounded by the tangle of machinery that translates the pilot's instructions into the ship's movement. That machinery currently seems to be jammed. It's stuck in place, steam whistling out of a release valve. >x platform You can't see any such thing. >l Rudder Access The maintenance passage (forward) ends, sharply, terrifyingly, with a narrow metal platform?and then nothing but the great expanse of the air behind you, the ground so far below that you can barely make it out. A hatch to port leads back to the safety of your cabin. One of the ship's enormous rudders extends out into the air, surrounded by the tangle of machinery that translates the pilot's instructions into the ship's movement. That machinery currently seems to be jammed. It's stuck in place, steam whistling out of a release valve. Some distance forward, you can hear heavy footsteps approaching. >listen It's never truly silent on a ship like this. You've gotten used to all the sounds of the ship and the crew surrounding you. Just forward, you hear heavy footsteps approaching. >z Time passes. Ishme stomps in from the fore passage, complaining under her breath. (You add a sketch to your tablet.) [When the prompt turns into a "]" like this, it means you can press SPACE or ENTER to just keep doing the same thing. If you start typing a command, the normal prompt will come back.] ] >x ishme Squat, graying, and famous for her storm-faced glare when someone gets in her way. She has a way of glowering down at you, even when you're a good six inches taller than her. She's also, apparently, the main reason the ship's stayed in the air with such a small crew. She and her apprentice have been working overtime to keep it flying, and getting increasingly touchy about that as the voyage progresses. "Ai! Turi!" Ishme turns to glare at you, looking like she just remembered your existence, and snaps something short and harsh in Kishadu. You aren't sure what the words mean, but the look in her eyes sends you scurrying back to port. Passenger Cabin "Cabin" feels like too fancy of a word for this. It's a tiny storeroom at the back of the cargo hold, with quilts rolled out over the empty shelves to act as bunks. But travelling on a cargo ship means being treated as cargo?the crew's not getting anything better. And with Kiang locked up in the brig, you have the whole thing to yourself. Forward, the door leads out to the rest of the ship; a hatch in the starboard wall connects to one of the engineers' maintenance passages. >go forward (first trying to open the cabin door forward) It won't budge. You don't think you're supposed to be confined to quarters or anything, but the lock is jammed in a way that's beyond your ability to fix?without some tools, at least. Just to starboard, you can hear a solid clang as someone re-aligns the rudder. >starboard You squirm your way through the hatch. Rudder Access The maintenance passage (forward) ends, sharply, terrifyingly, with a narrow metal platform?and then nothing but the great expanse of the air behind you, the ground so far below that you can barely make it out. A hatch to port leads back to the safety of your cabin. One of the ship's enormous rudders extends out into the air, surrounded by the tangle of machinery that translates the pilot's instructions into the ship's movement. Ishme, the chief engineer, is looking annoyed that the ship had the temerity to interrupt her work. "Ai! Alki!" Ishme turns to glare at you, looking like she just remembered your existence, and snaps something short and harsh in Kishadu. You aren't sure what the words mean, but the look in her eyes sends you scurrying back to port. Passenger Cabin "Cabin" feels like too fancy of a word for this. It's a tiny storeroom at the back of the cargo hold, with quilts rolled out over the empty shelves to act as bunks. But travelling on a cargo ship means being treated as cargo?the crew's not getting anything better. And with Kiang locked up in the brig, you have the whole thing to yourself. Forward, the door leads out to the rest of the ship; a hatch in the starboard wall connects to one of the engineers' maintenance passages. >z Time passes. ] wait Time passes. Just to starboard, you hear heavy footsteps moving away. ] >starboard You squirm your way through the hatch. Rudder Access The maintenance passage (forward) ends, sharply, terrifyingly, with a narrow metal platform?and then nothing but the great expanse of the air behind you, the ground so far below that you can barely make it out. A hatch to port leads back to the safety of your cabin. One of the ship's enormous rudders extends out into the air, surrounded by the tangle of machinery that translates the pilot's instructions into the ship's movement. Just forward, you can hear heavy footsteps moving away. >x rudder A frightfully complicated arrangement of rotary shafts and gyroscopes controls the rudder's motion, steering the ship in whichever direction the pilot intends. As far as you can tell?which isn't very far, if you're being honest?it's all working as intended, keeping the Mekhe-Irakkab on its course...for now. Some bars are rubbing against each other and it wouldn't be hard to jam it all up again. Some distance forward, you can make out heavy footsteps moving away. >forward Starboard Walk The maintenance passages along the hull are dark and cramped, meant to let the engineers access what they need to access rather than to actually move around in. Steam pipes run above and below the walkway, and you have to keep your arms in to avoid brushing against them and getting a nasty burn. >x pipes They're everywhere on the ship, transporting steam and lifting gas and other things you don't know the names of to where they're needed. You're not sure why they're not hidden inside the walls and floors, but this is a cargo vessel, so maybe making the walls lighter was worth the risk of getting burned everywhere you go. (You still have some blisters from the first time the ship rolled to the side in a storm.) Some distance forward, you can hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >forward Precipice The claustrophobia of the tunnel opens out into sudden, vertiginous terror. There's a huge gap in the starboard hull, and beyond it, nothing but the open sky below. The walkway under your feet is steady enough, but it's barely two feet of metal, and your grip on the wall suddenly feels a lot less stable than it was before. Farther forward is the open hatch to the engineer's quarters. The missing section of hull-metal is propped against the wall, waiting for the engineers to finish patching the tears. Just forward, you hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >forward Ishme's Cabin Or maybe "lair" is a better term. This is where the chief engineer lives, sleeps, and works, when she's not dealing with some emergency or other. Everyone has been dealing with the murder in their own way, and Ishme's way seems to be shutting out the rest of the world and focusing on the things she can fix. She's off-duty this shift, but seems to have been working frenetically on hull repairs instead of getting any sleep; a shelf pushed in front of the main door shows how little she wants to be disturbed. The only other exit is a maintenance hatch aft. Her workbench is covered with a mess of tools, components, and diagrams, all fastened to the surface with magnets so they don't shift when the ship does. The chair in front of the workbench looks like it's been extensively modified, rebuilt, and adjusted for the comfort of one person and one alone. "Ai! Turi!" Ishme turns to glare at you, looking like she just remembered your existence, and snaps something short and harsh in Kishadu. You aren't sure what the words mean, but the look in her eyes sends you scurrying back aft. Precipice The claustrophobia of the tunnel opens out into sudden, vertiginous terror. There's a huge gap in the starboard hull, and beyond it, nothing but the open sky below. The walkway under your feet is steady enough, but it's barely two feet of metal, and your grip on the wall suddenly feels a lot less stable than it was before. Farther forward is the open hatch to the engineer's quarters. The missing section of hull-metal is propped against the wall, waiting for the engineers to finish patching the tears. >x hull (the piece of hull material) One side is a thin sheet of the brassy-golden metal they make hulls out of; the other side is a grid of hexagons of some darker, grayer metal that gets connected to the rest of the ship. The gold side of this one looks bubbly, like something half-melted it?a lightning strike, maybe? You could probably fit underneath or behind it, if you needed to hide. Just forward, you can make out the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >x walkway Covered in little ridges to keep you from slipping as you move. Just forward, you hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >x wall You can't see any such thing. >x gap Easily big enough for a person to fall through. Just forward, you can make out the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >hide behind hull (the piece of hull material) Not here! You could fit behind it, but if the ship tilted at all you'd be falling out into space. Just forward, you hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >take hull (the piece of hull material) It's too unwieldy to lift, but you might be able to push it around. Just forward, you can make out the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >push hull (the piece of hull material) It takes a bit of effort, but it moves when you shove it. Just forward, you hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >l Precipice The claustrophobia of the tunnel opens out into sudden, vertiginous terror. There's a huge gap in the starboard hull, and beyond it, nothing but the open sky below. The walkway under your feet is steady enough, but it's barely two feet of metal, and your grip on the wall suddenly feels a lot less stable than it was before. Farther forward is the open hatch to the engineer's quarters. The missing section of hull-metal is propped against the wall, waiting for the engineers to finish patching the tears. Just forward, you can make out the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >push hull aft (the piece of hull material aft) You grab hold of the hull material and heave with all your strength, and it starts to slide... Starboard Walk The maintenance passages along the hull are dark and cramped, meant to let the engineers access what they need to access rather than to actually move around in. Steam pipes run above and below the walkway, and you have to keep your arms in to avoid brushing against them and getting a nasty burn. Some distance forward, you can hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >hide (behind the piece of hull material) You scramble behind the piece of hull material and try to hide. Some distance forward, you hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >z Time passes. Some distance forward, you can make out the vague sounds of an engineer at work. ] >z Time passes. Some distance forward, you can hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. ] > I beg your pardon? > I beg your pardon? > I beg your pardon? >z Time passes. Some distance forward, you hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. ] wait Time passes. Some distance forward, you can hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. ] wait Time passes. Some distance forward, you hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. ] wait Time passes. Some distance forward, you can hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. ] wait Time passes. Some distance forward, you hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. ] wait Time passes. Some distance forward, you can hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. ] wait Time passes. Some distance forward, you hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. ] wait Time passes. Some distance forward, you can make out the vague sounds of an engineer at work. ] wait Time passes. Some distance forward, you can hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. ] wait Time passes. Some distance forward, you hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. ] wait Time passes. Some distance forward, you can hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. ] wait Time passes. Some distance forward, you hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. ] wait Time passes. Some distance forward, you can hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. ] wait Time passes. Some distance forward, you hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. ] >out You emerge from behind the piece of hull material. Some distance forward, you can make out the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >l Starboard Walk The maintenance passages along the hull are dark and cramped, meant to let the engineers access what they need to access rather than to actually move around in. Steam pipes run above and below the walkway, and you have to keep your arms in to avoid brushing against them and getting a nasty burn. A section of hull-metal is propped against the wall, waiting for the engineers to finish patching the tears. Some distance forward, you can hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >aft Rudder Access The maintenance passage (forward) ends, sharply, terrifyingly, with a narrow metal platform?and then nothing but the great expanse of the air behind you, the ground so far below that you can barely make it out. A hatch to port leads back to the safety of your cabin. One of the ship's enormous rudders extends out into the air, surrounded by the tangle of machinery that translates the pilot's instructions into the ship's movement. >i You are carrying: your writing tablet >x tablet For writing down ideas and sketching the scenery. And now, maybe, for solving a murder. You've currently marked out sections labelled SHIP NOTES, PEOPLE NOTES, TASKS, and CLUES. >read ntoes You can't see any such thing. >read notes Which do you mean, the ship notes or the people notes? >ship The Mekhe-Irakkab is not much of a ship. But beggars can't be choosers. It's flying some kind of cargo from the capital back to the Arali provinces, and Kiang was able to arrange a ride for the two of you for dirt cheap. Apparently the name means "Stormrider" in Kishadu?or rather something like "She Rides the Storm", because the Kishadu like naming things in full sentences. So far you haven't encountered a storm big enough to see if it lives up to the name. It's also horribly understaffed. They were supposed to pick up more of a crew before taking off, but something happened and they needed to leave in a real hurry, which is why they were so glad to have you onboard. There are only six actual crew members; at any time, three are resting and three are keeping the ship in the air. You and Kiang traded off filling in whatever needs doing. Now, of course, nobody's getting any sleep. And Kiang's in the lazarette, and nobody's giving you any instructions, since Udan was the only one who spoke Arali?and now he's gone. >read people Ishme: Ishme-Nabium is the ship's chief engineer, responsible for keeping it functioning and flying. She trades off shifts with Bashti so that there's always someone available to deal with technical problems. Right now Bashti is on duty and Ishme has locked herself in her cabin, where she's working on patching the hull rather than getting any sleep. Kiang: Kiang is your brother, currently locked in the lazarette. The two of you helped with anything you could around the ship, but he spent most of his time working with Udan in particular?and he had a key to the locked cabin where Udan's body was found. Now you need to find some evidence that will save him. > I beg your pardon? >x tablet For writing down ideas and sketching the scenery. And now, maybe, for solving a murder. You've currently marked out sections labelled SHIP NOTES, PEOPLE NOTES, TASKS, and CLUES. >read tasks You haven't yet gone: - fore (blocked) from the Passenger Cabin The immediate problems you're facing are: Escaping your cabin (through the main door) Doing something about the murder >read clues Once you've found some clues, this part of the tablet will list the deductions and inferences you can make from them. >l Rudder Access The maintenance passage (forward) ends, sharply, terrifyingly, with a narrow metal platform?and then nothing but the great expanse of the air behind you, the ground so far below that you can barely make it out. A hatch to port leads back to the safety of your cabin. One of the ship's enormous rudders extends out into the air, surrounded by the tangle of machinery that translates the pilot's instructions into the ship's movement. >x rudder A frightfully complicated arrangement of rotary shafts and gyroscopes controls the rudder's motion, steering the ship in whichever direction the pilot intends. As far as you can tell?which isn't very far, if you're being honest?it's all working as intended, keeping the Mekhe-Irakkab on its course...for now. Some bars are rubbing against each other and it wouldn't be hard to jam it all up again. >jam rudder You grab hold of one of the shafts, mostly at random, and another shaft rams up against it?and within a few moments the whole mechanism has jammed up again. >fore Starboard Walk The maintenance passages along the hull are dark and cramped, meant to let the engineers access what they need to access rather than to actually move around in. Steam pipes run above and below the walkway, and you have to keep your arms in to avoid brushing against them and getting a nasty burn. A section of hull-metal is propped against the wall, waiting for the engineers to finish patching the tears. Just forward, you hear heavy footsteps approaching. >hide (underneath the piece of hull material) You scramble underneath the piece of hull material and try to hide. Ishme stomps in from the fore passage, grumbling as she goes. >z Time passes. Ishme storms out aft, muttering under her breath. ] >fore You emerge from underneath the piece of hull material. Precipice The claustrophobia of the tunnel opens out into sudden, vertiginous terror. There's a huge gap in the starboard hull, and beyond it, nothing but the open sky below. The walkway under your feet is steady enough, but it's barely two feet of metal, and your grip on the wall suddenly feels a lot less stable than it was before. Farther forward is the open hatch to the engineer's quarters. Some distance aft, you can make out a solid clang as someone re-aligns the rudder. >fore Ishme's Cabin Or maybe "lair" is a better term. This is where the chief engineer lives, sleeps, and works, when she's not dealing with some emergency or other. Everyone has been dealing with the murder in their own way, and Ishme's way seems to be shutting out the rest of the world and focusing on the things she can fix. She's off-duty this shift, but seems to have been working frenetically on hull repairs instead of getting any sleep; a shelf pushed in front of the main door shows how little she wants to be disturbed. The only other exit is a maintenance hatch aft. Her workbench is covered with a mess of tools, components, and diagrams, all fastened to the surface with magnets so they don't shift when the ship does. The chair in front of the workbench looks like it's been extensively modified, rebuilt, and adjusted for the comfort of one person and one alone. >x tools You don't even know what half of these things do, but somehow they're all essential to keeping the ship in the air. There's a glint of steel under one of the diagrams. Some distance aft, you hear heavy footsteps approaching. >take steel You fish the pry bar out from under a sheet of schematics. Just aft, you can hear heavy footsteps approaching. >hide under bench You scramble underneath Ishme's workbench and try to hide. Ishme stomps in through the maintenance hatch aft, grumbling in Kishadu. >z Time passes. Ishme gets onto the workshop chair. ] >z Time passes. Ishme hunches over her magnifying lens, checking the curvature of her piece of hull-metal. ] >z Time passes. Ishme applies more and more force to a piece of hull-metal until it finally bends. ] >z Time passes. Ishme flips over a bit of paper to do a calculation on the back. ] >z Time passes. Ishme applies more and more force to a piece of hull-metal until it finally bends. ] >z Time passes. Ishme pulls out another schematic, checking it against her notes. ] >z Time passes. Ishme looks around at the gauges. ] >z Time passes. Ishme flips over a bit of paper to do a calculation on the back. ] >z Time passes. Ishme pulls out another schematic, checking it against her notes. ] >z Time passes. Ishme applies more and more force to a piece of hull-metal until it finally bends. ] >z Time passes. Ishme flips over a bit of paper to do a calculation on the back. ] >z Time passes. Ishme applies more and more force to a piece of hull-metal until it finally bends. ] >z Time passes. Ishme hunches over her magnifying lens, checking the curvature of her piece of hull-metal. ] >x prybar A small crowbar, about twice the width of your palm and easy to overlook on the messy workbench. Ishme will probably never notice it's gone. You aren't supposed to have it, but it's small enough to keep hidden if anyone sees you. Ishme looks around at the gauges. >verbs Verbs you'll need in this game: - GO a direction - LOOK - EXAMINE (X) something - TAKE something - DROP something - INVENTORY (I) - PUT something IN or ON something - OPEN something (WITH something) - CLOSE something - PUSH something (in a direction) - PULL something - BREAK or SABOTAGE something - WEAR something - HIDE UNDER/BEHIND/ON something - GIVE or SHOW something TO someone Many more are understood, but only these are needed to complete the game. >l Ishme's Cabin (hiding underneath Ishme's workbench) Or maybe "lair" is a better term. This is where the chief engineer lives, sleeps, and works, when she's not dealing with some emergency or other. Everyone has been dealing with the murder in their own way, and Ishme's way seems to be shutting out the rest of the world and focusing on the things she can fix. She's off-duty this shift, but seems to have been working frenetically on hull repairs instead of getting any sleep; a shelf pushed in front of the main door shows how little she wants to be disturbed. The only other exit is a maintenance hatch aft. The chair in front of the workbench looks like it's been extensively modified, rebuilt, and adjusted for the comfort of one person and one alone. Ishme applies more and more force to a piece of hull-metal until it finally bends. >x chair Incredibly over-engineered. On the workshop chair is Ishme. Ishme hunches over her magnifying lens, checking the curvature of her piece of hull-metal. >x ishme Squat, graying, and famous for her storm-faced glare when someone gets in her way. She has a way of glowering down at you, even when you're a good six inches taller than her. She's also, apparently, the main reason the ship's stayed in the air with such a small crew. She and her apprentice have been working overtime to keep it flying, and getting increasingly touchy about that as the voyage progresses. Ishme looks around at the gauges. >l Ishme's Cabin (hiding underneath Ishme's workbench) Or maybe "lair" is a better term. This is where the chief engineer lives, sleeps, and works, when she's not dealing with some emergency or other. Everyone has been dealing with the murder in their own way, and Ishme's way seems to be shutting out the rest of the world and focusing on the things she can fix. She's off-duty this shift, but seems to have been working frenetically on hull repairs instead of getting any sleep; a shelf pushed in front of the main door shows how little she wants to be disturbed. The only other exit is a maintenance hatch aft. The chair in front of the workbench looks like it's been extensively modified, rebuilt, and adjusted for the comfort of one person and one alone. Ishme hunches over her magnifying lens, checking the curvature of her piece of hull-metal. >x bench Little more than a slab of metal bolted to the wall. Ishme pulls out another schematic, checking it against her notes. >save Ok. >aft You emerge from underneath Ishme's workbench. Precipice The claustrophobia of the tunnel opens out into sudden, vertiginous terror. There's a huge gap in the starboard hull, and beyond it, nothing but the open sky below. The walkway under your feet is steady enough, but it's barely two feet of metal, and your grip on the wall suddenly feels a lot less stable than it was before. Farther forward is the open hatch to the engineer's quarters. Just forward, you can make out the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >aft Starboard Walk The maintenance passages along the hull are dark and cramped, meant to let the engineers access what they need to access rather than to actually move around in. Steam pipes run above and below the walkway, and you have to keep your arms in to avoid brushing against them and getting a nasty burn. A section of hull-metal is propped against the wall, waiting for the engineers to finish patching the tears. Some distance forward, you can hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >aft Rudder Access The maintenance passage (forward) ends, sharply, terrifyingly, with a narrow metal platform?and then nothing but the great expanse of the air behind you, the ground so far below that you can barely make it out. A hatch to port leads back to the safety of your cabin. One of the ship's enormous rudders extends out into the air, surrounded by the tangle of machinery that translates the pilot's instructions into the ship's movement. >aft You can't go that way. >port You squirm your way through the hatch. Passenger Cabin "Cabin" feels like too fancy of a word for this. It's a tiny storeroom at the back of the cargo hold, with quilts rolled out over the empty shelves to act as bunks. But travelling on a cargo ship means being treated as cargo?the crew's not getting anything better. And with Kiang locked up in the brig, you have the whole thing to yourself. Forward, the door leads out to the rest of the ship; a hatch in the starboard wall connects to one of the engineers' maintenance passages. >open door with prybar You wedge the little crowbar into a gap in the cabin door forward and push until something gives. It should be able to open now. >open door You open the cabin door forward. >fore Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck?or at least it normally would. Right now it's folded up, becoming part of the floor. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Qarrad, the ship's gunner, is pacing steadily around the deck. Qarrad looks closely at the main turret. (You add a sketch to your tablet.) >x qarrad She's built like a brick wall and holds herself with a military bearing. You're not sure if she's officially called the gunner, or the bosun, or something else?how do these titles work with a crew of only six people? But she's the one in charge of the cargo and the ship's weapons, and without Udan, she doesn't have anyone to trade off shifts with. She's spent the past while pacing in circles around the hold, waiting for the signal for whatever comes next. Qarrad paces away to port, gazing off into the distance at nothing in particular. >l Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck?or at least it normally would. Right now it's folded up, becoming part of the floor. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Just to port, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >x turret If the Mekhe-Irakkab runs into trouble, either Qarrad or Udan will control the guns from here: the big one on the stern and the smaller ones on the sides. You're not sure how exactly the controls work?the few times they've used it, you've been hiding in your cabin?and hopefully you'll never need to find out. A big valve on top controls the flow of kutzutum. You aren't supposed to mess with it, so probably best to stay away when other people are around. Some distance to port, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >x valve (the big valve) You don't know what exactly kutzutum is, except that the pipes will freeze your skin off if you touch them with your bare hands. Some distance to starboard, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >x staircase The big staircase that connects the two decks. Its intricate folding mechanism is currently closed. Just to starboard, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >port Barrels and Pallets A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by stacked pallets on one side and a wall of barrels on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the barrels together, keeping them from shifting in flight. Just aft, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >x netting The netting holds them together on the sides, but it's loose at the top; the cask at the top has more room to move than the rest. You could probably fit on top of them, if you needed to hide. >x barrels (the webbed barrels) The netting holds them together on the sides, but it's loose at the top; the cask at the top has more room to move than the rest. You could probably fit on top of them, if you needed to hide. Qarrad paces in, face impassive. >x pallets The pallets are loaded with some kind of equipment; the barrels, you can only guess. Qarrad paces away forward, lost in thought. >fore Port Boiler You're at the heart of the ship itself: one of the two massive boilers that provides the power to keep the Mekhe-Irakkab in the air. Solid heat seems to pour off the pipes and machinery in waves and the air is hot enough to make you nauseous?you don't even want to imagine what would happen if you touched any of it with your bare hands. The passages forward and aft seem more bearable. A door in the port wall leads to the mess, currently locked. The vast machinery of the boiler surrounds you, even the controls far too hot to touch. Qarrad, the ship's gunner, is pacing steadily around the deck. Qarrad paces away forward, gazing off into the distance at nothing in particular. >fore Work Area This little alcove at the fore end of the hold has been set aside for the engineers, to coordinate their efforts to keep the ship in the air at any cost. Two narrow aisles lead back toward the boilers and the rest of the hold, port and starboard, while doors further forward lead to the engineers' individual cabins?both sealed tight. A workbench is clamped to the bulkhead, equipped with the larger sorts of tools that need to be fixed in place. Amid the vises and presses a toolbox has been left sitting out. Qarrad, the ship's gunner, is pacing steadily around the deck. Qarrad strides off to starboard, completely unbothered by the heat. She must have skin of iron. >x toolbox Presumably meant to hold whatever tools the engineers need to have on hand. It's currently latched shut. It's small enough to carry, but too big to keep hidden?if you take it, you will need to avoid being noticed. Just to starboard, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. >open toolbox It seems to be locked. Some distance to starboard, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >x bench A good place for fixing...everything, probably. On the general workbench is a toolbox (closed). >x vise A good place for fixing...everything, probably. On the general workbench is a toolbox (closed). Some distance to port, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >starboard You barely make it a few steps before a wave of heat drives you back. Whatever lies that way is too hot to get close to. Just to port, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >tasks You haven't yet gone: - starboard or down (blocked) from the Cargo Hold - port (blocked) from the Port Boiler - starboard or fore (blocked) from the Work Area The immediate problems you're facing are: Opening the staircase to the lower deck Getting the toolbox to a place where you can open it Opening the door to Bashti's cabin (fore from the work area) Opening the door to Udan's cabin (port from the boilers) Opening up some of the cargo you've seen Doing something about the murder Qarrad paces in, lost in thought. >z Time passes. Qarrad strides off to starboard, completely unbothered by the heat. She must have skin of iron. ] >take box Taken. Just to starboard, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >starboard You barely make it a few steps before a wave of heat drives you back. Whatever lies that way is too hot to get close to. Some distance to starboard, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >drop box Dropped. >z Time passes. Some distance to port, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. ] >z Time passes. Just to port, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. ] >z Time passes. Qarrad paces in, treading and retreading the same steady circuit of the deck. ] >z Time passes. Qarrad picks up the toolbox. ] wait Time passes. Qarrad puts the toolbox on the general workbench. ] wait Time passes. Qarrad strides off to starboard, completely unbothered by the heat. She must have skin of iron. ] >take box Taken. Just to starboard, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. >port Port Boiler You're at the heart of the ship itself: one of the two massive boilers that provides the power to keep the Mekhe-Irakkab in the air. Solid heat seems to pour off the pipes and machinery in waves and the air is hot enough to make you nauseous?you don't even want to imagine what would happen if you touched any of it with your bare hands. The passages forward and aft seem more bearable. A door in the port wall leads to the mess, currently locked. The vast machinery of the boiler surrounds you, even the controls far too hot to touch. Some distance aft, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >aft Barrels and Pallets A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by stacked pallets on one side and a wall of barrels on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the barrels together, keeping them from shifting in flight. >hide (on top of the webbed barrels) There's barely enough room for the topmost cask alone up there. Not enough for the topmost cask and also you. Qarrad paces in, gazing off into the distance at nothing in particular. >take cask (the webbed barrels) (specifically, the topmost cask) Better not. If Qarrad sees you messing with the topmost cask, you would have a lot of explaining to do. Qarrad spots the toolbox in your hands, and with a wordless growl snatches it away. >z Time passes. Qarrad paces away forward, face impassive. ] >take cask (the webbed barrels) (specifically, the topmost cask) Taken. Just forward, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >open cask (the lone cask) It's sealed tight. >hide (on top of the webbed barrels) There's barely enough room for the lone cask alone up there. Not enough for the lone cask and also you. Some distance forward, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >i You are carrying: a lone cask (closed and locked) a crowbar your writing tablet Some distance aft, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >drop cask (the lone cask) Dropped. Just aft, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >hide (on top of the webbed barrels) You scramble on top of the webbed barrels and try to hide. >z Time passes. Qarrad paces in, treading and retreading the same steady circuit of the deck. ] >z Time passes. Qarrad picks up the lone cask. ] >z Time passes. Qarrad spots you with a look of utter bewilderment. It seems prudent to get out of there. You emerge from on top of the webbed barrels. ] >z Time passes. Qarrad puts the topmost cask on the webbed barrels. ] >z Time passes. Qarrad paces away forward, gazing off into the distance at nothing in particular. ] >take cask (the webbed barrels) (specifically, the topmost cask) Taken. Just forward, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >aft Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck?or at least it normally would. Right now it's folded up, becoming part of the floor. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Some distance to starboard, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >aft Passenger Cabin "Cabin" feels like too fancy of a word for this. It's a tiny storeroom at the back of the cargo hold, with quilts rolled out over the empty shelves to act as bunks. But travelling on a cargo ship means being treated as cargo?the crew's not getting anything better. And with Kiang locked up in the brig, you have the whole thing to yourself. Forward, the door leads out to the rest of the ship; a hatch in the starboard wall connects to one of the engineers' maintenance passages. Some distance forward, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >drop cask Dropped. Just forward, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >fore Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck?or at least it normally would. Right now it's folded up, becoming part of the floor. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Qarrad, the ship's gunner, is pacing steadily around the deck. Qarrad looks closely at the main turret. >fore There are two aisles forward, one port and one starboard. Qarrad paces away to port, lost in thought. >fore There are two aisles forward, one port and one starboard. Just to port, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >port Barrels and Pallets A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by stacked pallets on one side and a wall of barrels on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the barrels together, keeping them from shifting in flight. Just forward, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >fore Port Boiler You're at the heart of the ship itself: one of the two massive boilers that provides the power to keep the Mekhe-Irakkab in the air. Solid heat seems to pour off the pipes and machinery in waves and the air is hot enough to make you nauseous?you don't even want to imagine what would happen if you touched any of it with your bare hands. The passages forward and aft seem more bearable. A door in the port wall leads to the mess, currently locked. The vast machinery of the boiler surrounds you, even the controls far too hot to touch. Just forward, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >fore Work Area This little alcove at the fore end of the hold has been set aside for the engineers, to coordinate their efforts to keep the ship in the air at any cost. Two narrow aisles lead back toward the boilers and the rest of the hold, port and starboard, while doors further forward lead to the engineers' individual cabins?both sealed tight. A workbench is clamped to the bulkhead, equipped with the larger sorts of tools that need to be fixed in place. Amid the vises and presses a toolbox has been left sitting out. Just to starboard, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. >take box Taken. Some distance to starboard, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >aft There are two aisles leading aft, one port and one starboard. >port Port Boiler You're at the heart of the ship itself: one of the two massive boilers that provides the power to keep the Mekhe-Irakkab in the air. Solid heat seems to pour off the pipes and machinery in waves and the air is hot enough to make you nauseous?you don't even want to imagine what would happen if you touched any of it with your bare hands. The passages forward and aft seem more bearable. A door in the port wall leads to the mess, currently locked. The vast machinery of the boiler surrounds you, even the controls far too hot to touch. Just aft, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >aft Barrels and Pallets A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by stacked pallets on one side and a wall of barrels on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the barrels together, keeping them from shifting in flight. Qarrad, the ship's gunner, is pacing steadily around the deck. Qarrad spots the toolbox in your hands, and with a wordless growl snatches it away. >fore Port Boiler You're at the heart of the ship itself: one of the two massive boilers that provides the power to keep the Mekhe-Irakkab in the air. Solid heat seems to pour off the pipes and machinery in waves and the air is hot enough to make you nauseous?you don't even want to imagine what would happen if you touched any of it with your bare hands. The passages forward and aft seem more bearable. A door in the port wall leads to the mess, currently locked. The vast machinery of the boiler surrounds you, even the controls far too hot to touch. Qarrad paces in from the aft passage, treading and retreading the same steady circuit of the deck. >fore Work Area This little alcove at the fore end of the hold has been set aside for the engineers, to coordinate their efforts to keep the ship in the air at any cost. Two narrow aisles lead back toward the boilers and the rest of the hold, port and starboard, while doors further forward lead to the engineers' individual cabins?both sealed tight. A workbench is clamped to the bulkhead, equipped with the larger sorts of tools that need to be fixed in place: vices, presses, and stranger things you have no name for. Qarrad paces in, gazing off into the distance at nothing in particular. >z Time passes. Qarrad puts the toolbox on the general workbench. ] >z Time passes. Qarrad strides off to starboard, completely unbothered by the heat. She must have skin of iron. ] >take box Taken. Just to starboard, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >port Port Boiler You're at the heart of the ship itself: one of the two massive boilers that provides the power to keep the Mekhe-Irakkab in the air. Solid heat seems to pour off the pipes and machinery in waves and the air is hot enough to make you nauseous?you don't even want to imagine what would happen if you touched any of it with your bare hands. The passages forward and aft seem more bearable. A door in the port wall leads to the mess, currently locked. The vast machinery of the boiler surrounds you, even the controls far too hot to touch. Some distance aft, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >aft Barrels and Pallets A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by stacked pallets on one side and a wall of barrels on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the barrels together, keeping them from shifting in flight. >hide (on top of the webbed barrels) You scramble on top of the webbed barrels and try to hide. Qarrad paces in, face impassive. >z Time passes. Qarrad paces away forward, gazing off into the distance at nothing in particular. ] >aft You emerge from on top of the webbed barrels. Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck?or at least it normally would. Right now it's folded up, becoming part of the floor. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Some distance to port, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >aft Passenger Cabin "Cabin" feels like too fancy of a word for this. It's a tiny storeroom at the back of the cargo hold, with quilts rolled out over the empty shelves to act as bunks. But travelling on a cargo ship means being treated as cargo?the crew's not getting anything better. And with Kiang locked up in the brig, you have the whole thing to yourself. Forward, the door leads out to the rest of the ship; a hatch in the starboard wall connects to one of the engineers' maintenance passages. You can see a cask (closed) here. >open box It seems to be locked. Some distance forward, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >tasks You haven't yet gone: - starboard or down (blocked) from the Cargo Hold - port (blocked) from the Port Boiler - starboard or fore (blocked) from the Work Area The immediate problems you're facing are: Opening the staircase to the lower deck Getting the toolbox to a place where you can open it Opening the door to Bashti's cabin (fore from the work area) Opening the door to Udan's cabin (port from the boilers) Opening up some of the cargo you've seen Doing something about the murder Just forward, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >open cask It's sealed tight. >open cask with prybar You wedge the little crowbar into a gap in the cask and push until something gives. It should be able to open now. Just forward, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >open cask You open the cask, revealing a strange grain. Some distance forward, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. >x grain This sort of cask should have liquid in it, but instead it's full of little red seeds. It smells like zahili?but how are they importing that? Growing it is illegal in Arali; the Empire likes controlling the market. (You add an entry on your tablet.) >x tablet For writing down ideas and sketching the scenery. And now, maybe, for solving a murder. You've currently marked out sections labelled SHIP NOTES, PEOPLE NOTES, TASKS, and CLUES. >clues You've uncovered the following clues: You can guess now why they had to take off so quickly. The cargo they're carrying isn't legal to transport anywhere in the Empire. They must be bribing someone in customs not to report it. Some distance forward, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >eat zahili A little pinch incorporated into a sauce gives it a rich flavor. Mixed with some other things and snorted, it gives you incredible hallucinations. Consumed directly...you have no idea what it would do to you, but it probably wouldn't be good. Just forward, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >tasks You haven't yet gone: - starboard or down (blocked) from the Cargo Hold - port (blocked) from the Port Boiler - starboard or fore (blocked) from the Work Area The immediate problems you're facing are: Opening the staircase to the lower deck Getting the toolbox to a place where you can open it Opening the door to Bashti's cabin (fore from the work area) Opening the door to Udan's cabin (port from the boilers) Doing something about the murder >x toolbox Presumably meant to hold whatever tools the engineers need to have on hand. It's currently latched shut. You aren't supposed to have it, and it's too big to hide easily?you will need to avoid being noticed. Just forward, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. >open box It seems to be locked. Some distance forward, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >open box with prybar You wedge the little crowbar into a gap in the toolbox and push until something gives. It should be able to open now. >open box You open the toolbox, revealing a wrench and some protective gloves. >wear gloves (first taking the protective gloves) You put on the protective gloves. Some distance forward, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >take wrench Taken. Just forward, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >x wrench The standard size for working with the pipes all over the ship. Good for fixing problems...or probably creating them, too. You aren't supposed to have it, but it's small enough to keep hidden if anyone sees you. >x gloves Woven out of strips of rubber to protect an engineer's hands from the heat of...well, just about everything on an airship. Turning air into not-air to make a ship's worth of cargo float involves a lot of heat. (And, weirdly enough, a lot of cold. Some of the pipes are cold enough to take your skin off.) They'll probably fit your hands reasonably well. You aren't supposed to have them, but they're small enough to keep hidden if anyone sees you. Just forward, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. >i You are carrying: a wrench some protective gloves (being worn) a toolbox (open but empty) a crowbar your writing tablet Some distance forward, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >remove gloves You take off the protective gloves. >l Passenger Cabin "Cabin" feels like too fancy of a word for this. It's a tiny storeroom at the back of the cargo hold, with quilts rolled out over the empty shelves to act as bunks. But travelling on a cargo ship means being treated as cargo?the crew's not getting anything better. And with Kiang locked up in the brig, you have the whole thing to yourself. Forward, the door leads out to the rest of the ship; a hatch in the starboard wall connects to one of the engineers' maintenance passages. You look at the omnipresent pipes with new eyes, now that you have a wrench to work with. You can also see a cask (in which is a strange grain) here. >star You squirm your way through the hatch. Rudder Access The maintenance passage (forward) ends, sharply, terrifyingly, with a narrow metal platform?and then nothing but the great expanse of the air behind you, the ground so far below that you can barely make it out. A hatch to port leads back to the safety of your cabin. One of the ship's enormous rudders extends out into the air, surrounded by the tangle of machinery that translates the pilot's instructions into the ship's movement. >fore Starboard Walk The maintenance passages along the hull are dark and cramped, meant to let the engineers access what they need to access rather than to actually move around in. Steam pipes run above and below the walkway, and you have to keep your arms in to avoid brushing against them and getting a nasty burn. You look at the omnipresent pipes with new eyes, now that you have a wrench to work with. A section of hull-metal is propped against the wall, waiting for the engineers to finish patching the tears. Some distance forward, you can make out the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >x pipes They're everywhere on the ship, transporting steam and lifting gas and other things you don't know the names of to where they're needed. You're not sure why they're not hidden inside the walls and floors, but this is a cargo vessel, so maybe making the walls lighter was worth the risk of getting burned everywhere you go. (You still have some blisters from the first time the ship rolled to the side in a storm.) Some distance forward, you hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >wear gloves You put on the protective gloves. Some distance forward, you can make out the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >wrench pipes That's not a verb I recognize. >verbs Verbs you'll need in this game: - GO a direction - LOOK - EXAMINE (X) something - TAKE something - DROP something - INVENTORY (I) - PUT something IN or ON something - OPEN something (WITH something) - CLOSE something - PUSH something (in a direction) - PULL something - BREAK or SABOTAGE something - WEAR something - HIDE UNDER/BEHIND/ON something - GIVE or SHOW something TO someone Many more are understood, but only these are needed to complete the game. >break pipes with wrench (In this game, you don't need to specify the wrench. When you try to push or pull something, the game will choose an appropriate tool automatically.) You clamp the wrench around a random joint?hopefully not one that's under too much pressure?and give it a hard yank. Steam starts leaking out at the seams. >hide (behind the piece of hull material) You scramble behind the piece of hull material and try to hide. Just forward, you can hear heavy footsteps approaching. >push hull aft You emerge from behind the piece of hull material. You grab hold of the hull material and heave with all your strength, and it starts to slide... Rudder Access The maintenance passage (forward) ends, sharply, terrifyingly, with a narrow metal platform?and then nothing but the great expanse of the air behind you, the ground so far below that you can barely make it out. A hatch to port leads back to the safety of your cabin. One of the ship's enormous rudders extends out into the air, surrounded by the tangle of machinery that translates the pilot's instructions into the ship's movement. Just forward, you hear heavy footsteps approaching. >hide (underneath the piece of hull material) You scramble underneath the piece of hull material and try to hide. Just forward, you can make out sudden silence?the hissing of a loose valve has stopped. >z Time passes. Some distance to port, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. ] >z Time passes. Just forward, you can hear heavy footsteps moving away. ] wait Time passes. Some distance to port, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. Some distance forward, you can hear heavy footsteps moving away. ] >out You emerge from underneath the piece of hull material. >push hull fore You grab hold of the hull material and heave with all your strength, and it starts to slide... Starboard Walk The maintenance passages along the hull are dark and cramped, meant to let the engineers access what they need to access rather than to actually move around in. Steam pipes run above and below the walkway, and you have to keep your arms in to avoid brushing against them and getting a nasty burn. Some distance forward, you hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >fore Precipice The claustrophobia of the tunnel opens out into sudden, vertiginous terror. There's a huge gap in the starboard hull, and beyond it, nothing but the open sky below. The walkway under your feet is steady enough, but it's barely two feet of metal, and your grip on the wall suddenly feels a lot less stable than it was before. Farther forward is the open hatch to the engineer's quarters. Just forward, you can make out the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >x pipes They're everywhere on the ship, transporting steam and lifting gas and other things you don't know the names of to where they're needed. You're not sure why they're not hidden inside the walls and floors, but this is a cargo vessel, so maybe making the walls lighter was worth the risk of getting burned everywhere you go. (You still have some blisters from the first time the ship rolled to the side in a storm.) Just forward, you hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >aft Starboard Walk The maintenance passages along the hull are dark and cramped, meant to let the engineers access what they need to access rather than to actually move around in. Steam pipes run above and below the walkway, and you have to keep your arms in to avoid brushing against them and getting a nasty burn. A section of hull-metal is propped against the wall, waiting for the engineers to finish patching the tears. Some distance forward, you can hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >aft Rudder Access The maintenance passage (forward) ends, sharply, terrifyingly, with a narrow metal platform?and then nothing but the great expanse of the air behind you, the ground so far below that you can barely make it out. A hatch to port leads back to the safety of your cabin. One of the ship's enormous rudders extends out into the air, surrounded by the tangle of machinery that translates the pilot's instructions into the ship's movement. >x pipes You can't see any such thing. >fore Starboard Walk The maintenance passages along the hull are dark and cramped, meant to let the engineers access what they need to access rather than to actually move around in. Steam pipes run above and below the walkway, and you have to keep your arms in to avoid brushing against them and getting a nasty burn. A section of hull-metal is propped against the wall, waiting for the engineers to finish patching the tears. Some distance forward, you hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >push hull fore You grab hold of the hull material and heave with all your strength, and it starts to slide... Precipice The claustrophobia of the tunnel opens out into sudden, vertiginous terror. There's a huge gap in the starboard hull, and beyond it, nothing but the open sky below. The walkway under your feet is steady enough, but it's barely two feet of metal, and your grip on the wall suddenly feels a lot less stable than it was before. Farther forward is the open hatch to the engineer's quarters. Just forward, you can make out the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >hide (behind the piece of hull material) Not here! You could fit behind it, but if the ship tilted at all you'd be falling out into space. Just forward, you hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >aft Starboard Walk The maintenance passages along the hull are dark and cramped, meant to let the engineers access what they need to access rather than to actually move around in. Steam pipes run above and below the walkway, and you have to keep your arms in to avoid brushing against them and getting a nasty burn. Some distance forward, you can hear the vague sounds of an engineer at work. >aft Rudder Access The maintenance passage (forward) ends, sharply, terrifyingly, with a narrow metal platform?and then nothing but the great expanse of the air behind you, the ground so far below that you can barely make it out. A hatch to port leads back to the safety of your cabin. One of the ship's enormous rudders extends out into the air, surrounded by the tangle of machinery that translates the pilot's instructions into the ship's movement. >port You squirm your way through the hatch. Passenger Cabin "Cabin" feels like too fancy of a word for this. It's a tiny storeroom at the back of the cargo hold, with quilts rolled out over the empty shelves to act as bunks. But travelling on a cargo ship means being treated as cargo?the crew's not getting anything better. And with Kiang locked up in the brig, you have the whole thing to yourself. Forward, the door leads out to the rest of the ship; a hatch in the starboard wall connects to one of the engineers' maintenance passages. You can see a cask (in which is a strange grain) here. Just forward, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >fore Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck?or at least it normally would. Right now it's folded up, becoming part of the floor. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Qarrad, the ship's gunner, is pacing steadily around the deck. Qarrad spots the toolbox in your hands, and with a wordless growl snatches it away. >z Time passes. Qarrad looks closely at the main turret. ] >z Time passes. Qarrad paces away to starboard, face impassive. ] >x turret If the Mekhe-Irakkab runs into trouble, either Qarrad or Udan will control the guns from here: the big one on the stern and the smaller ones on the sides. You're not sure how exactly the controls work?the few times they've used it, you've been hiding in your cabin?and hopefully you'll never need to find out. A big valve on top controls the flow of kutzutum. You aren't supposed to mess with it, so probably best to stay away when other people are around. Just to starboard, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >push turret The actual weapon controls are intricate enough?and all labelled in Kishadu?that you're not entirely confident you could operate them without blowing a massive hole in the ship. You might be able to work the valve, though; it might be cold enough to take skin off, but at least it probably won't kill anyone if you mess with it the wrong way. Some distance to starboard, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >push valve (the big valve) Your hands safely gloved, you grab hold of the valve and give it a yank. Icy-cold steam starts billowing out and frost is forming over the controls. >star Crates and Boxes A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by a stack of boxes on one side and metal crates on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the boxes together, keeping them from shifting in flight. Just forward, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >hide (on top of the webbed boxes) There's barely enough room for the topmost box alone up there. Not enough for the topmost box and also you. Qarrad paces in, overheated air swirling into the room behind her. >z Time passes. Qarrad paces away aft, treading and retreading the same steady circuit of the deck. ] >fore You barely make it a few steps before a wave of heat drives you back. Whatever lies that way is too hot to get close to. A shout echoes from somewhere. "Ai! Bashti! Butuqtu kutzutim shebru-ma kakku imakkhatza! Epeshum edud!" >l Crates and Boxes A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by a stack of boxes on one side and metal crates on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the boxes together, keeping them from shifting in flight. Some distance aft, you can hear frantic footsteps getting closer. >aft Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck?or at least it normally would. Right now it's folded up, becoming part of the floor. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Qarrad, the ship's gunner, is pacing steadily around the deck. Qarrad surveys the room, making sure nothing is out of place. Just below, you hear someone turning a crank, over and over and over. >star Crates and Boxes A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by a stack of boxes on one side and metal crates on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the boxes together, keeping them from shifting in flight. Just aft, you can make out a long series of click-click-clicks echoing through the ship. >x net The netting holds them together on the sides, but it's loose at the top; the topmost box has more room to move than the rest. You could probably fit on top of them, if you needed to hide. Just aft, you hear frantic footsteps getting closer. >take box (the topmost box) Taken. Just aft, you can make out frantic footsteps going away. >open box (the lone box) It's sealed tight. Some distance aft, you hear frantic footsteps going away. >aft You hesitate for a moment. Qarrad is in there, and the strange powder is too big to hide from her. Are you sure you want her to see this? no You decide not to reveal this evidence quite yet. Some distance forward, you can hear frantic footsteps getting closer. >open box with prybar (the lone box with the crowbar) Prying containers open with a crowbar is the sort of thing that'll be really hard to explain if you're noticed. Best to do it somewhere you won't be disturbed. Some distance forward, you hear the satisfying click of a door being unlocked. >fore You barely make it a few steps before a wave of heat drives you back. Whatever lies that way is too hot to get close to. Some distance forward, you can make out the rumble of a door being opened. >z Time passes. Some distance forward, you hear frantic footsteps going away. ] >l Crates and Boxes A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by a stack of boxes on one side and metal crates on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the boxes together, keeping them from shifting in flight. >up (climbing the webbed boxes) There's barely enough room for the lone box alone up there. Not enough for the lone box and also you. >fore You barely make it a few steps before a wave of heat drives you back. Whatever lies that way is too hot to get close to. Some distance forward, you can hear frantic footsteps getting closer. >z Time passes. Some distance forward, you hear frantic footsteps going away. ] >aft You hesitate for a moment. Qarrad is in there, and the strange powder is too big to hide from her. Are you sure you want her to see this? no You decide not to reveal this evidence quite yet. Some distance aft, you can make out frantic footsteps getting closer. >drop box (the lone box) Dropped. Just aft, you can hear frantic footsteps getting closer. >aft Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Bashti, the younger of the two engineers, is rushing to handle the next impending emergency. Qarrad, the ship's gunner, is pacing steadily around the deck. Qarrad surveys the room, making sure nothing is out of place. His hand wrapped in a sort of canvas mitten, Bashti grabs hold of the big valve and sets it back to the right position. The billowing steam stops. (You add a sketch to your tablet.) >x bashti Young and eager, with a face that always looks a little bit scared. He's Ishme's apprentice, and with only the two of them keeping the ship running, he's been getting plenty of hands-on experience. He's the youngest person on the crew by a good ten years, and he seemed nervous and jumpy even before Udan's death. Now it seems like he never stops moving. Qarrad looks closely at the main turret. Bashti looks closely at the main turret. >l Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Bashti, the younger of the two engineers, is examining the pipes for potential issues. Qarrad, the ship's gunner, is pacing steadily around the deck. Qarrad paces away to port, gazing off into the distance at nothing in particular. Bashti leans in to trace a complicated section of tubing. >fore There are two aisles forward, one port and one starboard. Just to port, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. Bashti adjusts a joint that's begun to come loose. >fore There are two aisles forward, one port and one starboard. Some distance to port, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. Bashti surveys the pipes, looking for issues. >port Barrels and Pallets A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by stacked pallets on one side and a wall of barrels on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the barrels together, keeping them from shifting in flight. Some distance forward, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >port You can't go that way. Some distance aft, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >fore Port Boiler You're at the heart of the ship itself: one of the two massive boilers that provides the power to keep the Mekhe-Irakkab in the air. Solid heat seems to pour off the pipes and machinery in waves and the air is hot enough to make you nauseous?you don't even want to imagine what would happen if you touched any of it with your bare hands. The passages forward and aft seem more bearable. A door in the port wall leads to the mess, currently locked. The vast machinery of the boiler surrounds you, even the controls far too hot to touch. >fore Work Area This little alcove at the fore end of the hold has been set aside for the engineers, to coordinate their efforts to keep the ship in the air at any cost. Two narrow aisles lead back toward the boilers and the rest of the hold, port and starboard, while doors further forward lead to the engineers' individual cabins?Ishme's is sealed tight, but Bashti's has been opened. A workbench is clamped to the bulkhead, equipped with the larger sorts of tools that need to be fixed in place. Amid the vises and presses a toolbox has been left sitting out. >fore Bashti's Cabin Bashti's cabin is barely-contained chaos, with tools and components everywhere. It looks like something fell over or broke open when the ship tilted and he hasn't had a chance to properly fix it, just digging what he needs out of the mess. Even the bunk is being used for sorting out bits of metal instead of for sleeping. The door leads back aft. You have no idea what most of the tools are, but there's a recognizable screwdriver amid the debris. >x screwdriver Many of the engineers' tools are incomprehensible to you. It's nice to finally have one just make sense. It's small enough to carry, and to hide on your person if anyone sees. >take it Taken. >l Bashti's Cabin Bashti's cabin is barely-contained chaos, with tools and components everywhere. It looks like something fell over or broke open when the ship tilted and he hasn't had a chance to properly fix it, just digging what he needs out of the mess. Even the bunk is being used for sorting out bits of metal instead of for sleeping. The door leads back aft. Some distance aft, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >x tools The bunk is covered in unrecognizable bits and ends. Has he been sleeping at all? You aren't supposed to mess with it, so probably best to stay away when other people are around. Just aft, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >z Time passes. Just aft, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. ] >out But you aren't in anything at the moment. Some distance aft, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. >aft Work Area This little alcove at the fore end of the hold has been set aside for the engineers, to coordinate their efforts to keep the ship in the air at any cost. Two narrow aisles lead back toward the boilers and the rest of the hold, port and starboard, while doors further forward lead to the engineers' individual cabins?Ishme's is sealed tight, but Bashti's has been opened. A workbench is clamped to the bulkhead, equipped with the larger sorts of tools that need to be fixed in place. Amid the vises and presses a toolbox has been left sitting out. Some distance to starboard, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >star You barely make it a few steps before a wave of heat drives you back. Whatever lies that way is too hot to get close to. >port Port Boiler You're at the heart of the ship itself: one of the two massive boilers that provides the power to keep the Mekhe-Irakkab in the air. Solid heat seems to pour off the pipes and machinery in waves and the air is hot enough to make you nauseous?you don't even want to imagine what would happen if you touched any of it with your bare hands. The passages forward and aft seem more bearable. A door in the port wall leads to the mess, currently locked. The vast machinery of the boiler surrounds you, even the controls far too hot to touch. Just aft, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >tasks You haven't yet gone: - down from the Cargo Hold - fore from Crates and Boxes - port (blocked) from the Port Boiler - starboard from the Work Area The immediate problems you're facing are: Opening the staircase to the lower deck Opening the door to Udan's cabin (port from the boilers) Doing something about the murder Qarrad paces in from the aft passage, treading and retreading the same steady circuit of the deck. >aft Barrels and Pallets A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by stacked pallets on one side and a wall of barrels on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the barrels together, keeping them from shifting in flight. Just forward, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. >aft Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Bashti, the younger of the two engineers, is examining the pipes for potential issues. Some distance to starboard, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Bashti leans in to trace a complicated section of tubing. >star Crates and Boxes A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by a stack of boxes on one side and metal crates on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the boxes together, keeping them from shifting in flight. Qarrad paces in, overheated air swirling into the room behind her. >fore You barely make it a few steps before a wave of heat drives you back. Whatever lies that way is too hot to get close to. Qarrad paces away aft, gazing off into the distance at nothing in particular. >tasks You haven't yet gone: - down from the Cargo Hold - fore from Crates and Boxes - port (blocked) from the Port Boiler - starboard from the Work Area The immediate problems you're facing are: Opening the staircase to the lower deck Opening the door to Udan's cabin (port from the boilers) Doing something about the murder >take box (the topmost box) Taken. Just aft, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >aft You hesitate for a moment. Bashti is in there, and the strange powder is too big to hide from him. Are you sure you want him to see this? yes Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Bashti, the younger of the two engineers, is examining the pipes for potential issues. Just to port, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. Bashti looks puzzled as to why you have the box, and takes it from you. >z Time passes. Some distance to port, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. Bashti moves out to starboard, on alert for the next problem. ] >star Crates and Boxes A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by a stack of boxes on one side and metal crates on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the boxes together, keeping them from shifting in flight. Bashti, the younger of the two engineers, is examining the pipes for potential issues. Just forward, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Bashti puts the topmost box on the webbed boxes. >z Time passes. Qarrad paces in, overheated air swirling into the room behind her. Bashti wipes away some sweat before getting back to work. ] wait Time passes. Qarrad paces away aft, treading and retreading the same steady circuit of the deck. Bashti scans over a section of the pipes. ] wait Time passes. Bashti leans in to trace a complicated section of tubing. ] wait Time passes. Just aft, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. Bashti scans over a section of the pipes. ] wait Time passes. Some distance aft, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. Bashti surveys the pipes, looking for issues. ] >aft Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Some distance to port, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >aft Passenger Cabin "Cabin" feels like too fancy of a word for this. It's a tiny storeroom at the back of the cargo hold, with quilts rolled out over the empty shelves to act as bunks. But travelling on a cargo ship means being treated as cargo?the crew's not getting anything better. And with Kiang locked up in the brig, you have the whole thing to yourself. Forward, the door leads out to the rest of the ship; a hatch in the starboard wall connects to one of the engineers' maintenance passages. You can see a cask (in which is a strange grain) here. >port You can't go that way. Some distance forward, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >star You squirm your way through the hatch. Rudder Access The maintenance passage (forward) ends, sharply, terrifyingly, with a narrow metal platform?and then nothing but the great expanse of the air behind you, the ground so far below that you can barely make it out. A hatch to port leads back to the safety of your cabin. One of the ship's enormous rudders extends out into the air, surrounded by the tangle of machinery that translates the pilot's instructions into the ship's movement. Some distance to port, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >jam rudder You grab hold of one of the shafts, mostly at random, and another shaft rams up against it?and within a few moments the whole mechanism has jammed up again. >fore Starboard Walk The maintenance passages along the hull are dark and cramped, meant to let the engineers access what they need to access rather than to actually move around in. Steam pipes run above and below the walkway, and you have to keep your arms in to avoid brushing against them and getting a nasty burn. Just forward, you can hear heavy footsteps approaching. >fore Precipice The claustrophobia of the tunnel opens out into sudden, vertiginous terror. There's a huge gap in the starboard hull, and beyond it, nothing but the open sky below. The walkway under your feet is steady enough, but it's barely two feet of metal, and your grip on the wall suddenly feels a lot less stable than it was before. Farther forward is the open hatch to the engineer's quarters. Ishme, the chief engineer, is looking annoyed that the ship had the temerity to interrupt her work. The missing section of hull-metal is propped against the wall, waiting for the engineers to finish patching the tears. "Ai! Alki!" Ishme turns to glare at you, looking like she just remembered your existence, and snaps something short and harsh in Kishadu. You aren't sure what the words mean, but the look in her eyes sends you scurrying back aft. Starboard Walk The maintenance passages along the hull are dark and cramped, meant to let the engineers access what they need to access rather than to actually move around in. Steam pipes run above and below the walkway, and you have to keep your arms in to avoid brushing against them and getting a nasty burn. >z Time passes. Ishme stomps in from the fore passage, muttering as she goes. ] >fore "Ai! La tallaki. Arkhis turi." Ishme puts out a hand, and her glare makes you think better of it. "Ai! La!" Ishme turns to glare at you, looking like she just remembered your existence, and snaps something short and harsh in Kishadu. You aren't sure what the words mean, but the look in her eyes sends you scurrying back aft. Rudder Access The maintenance passage (forward) ends, sharply, terrifyingly, with a narrow metal platform?and then nothing but the great expanse of the air behind you, the ground so far below that you can barely make it out. A hatch to port leads back to the safety of your cabin. One of the ship's enormous rudders extends out into the air, surrounded by the tangle of machinery that translates the pilot's instructions into the ship's movement. That machinery currently seems to be jammed. It's stuck in place, steam whistling out of a release valve. >port You squirm your way through the hatch. Passenger Cabin "Cabin" feels like too fancy of a word for this. It's a tiny storeroom at the back of the cargo hold, with quilts rolled out over the empty shelves to act as bunks. But travelling on a cargo ship means being treated as cargo?the crew's not getting anything better. And with Kiang locked up in the brig, you have the whole thing to yourself. Forward, the door leads out to the rest of the ship; a hatch in the starboard wall connects to one of the engineers' maintenance passages. You can see a cask (in which is a strange grain) here. Some distance forward, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Just to starboard, you can make out heavy footsteps approaching. >fore Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Qarrad paces in, lost in thought. Some distance aft, you can hear a solid clang as someone re-aligns the rudder. >port Barrels and Pallets A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by stacked pallets on one side and a wall of barrels on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the barrels together, keeping them from shifting in flight. >fore Port Boiler You're at the heart of the ship itself: one of the two massive boilers that provides the power to keep the Mekhe-Irakkab in the air. Solid heat seems to pour off the pipes and machinery in waves and the air is hot enough to make you nauseous?you don't even want to imagine what would happen if you touched any of it with your bare hands. The passages forward and aft seem more bearable. A door in the port wall leads to the mess, currently locked. The vast machinery of the boiler surrounds you, even the controls far too hot to touch. Just aft, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >fore Work Area This little alcove at the fore end of the hold has been set aside for the engineers, to coordinate their efforts to keep the ship in the air at any cost. Two narrow aisles lead back toward the boilers and the rest of the hold, port and starboard, while doors further forward lead to the engineers' individual cabins?Ishme's is sealed tight, but Bashti's has been opened. A workbench is clamped to the bulkhead, equipped with the larger sorts of tools that need to be fixed in place. Amid the vises and presses a toolbox has been left sitting out. Just to port, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >open ishme's door Given what Ishme's done to the other side of it, there's no chance of it opening. Qarrad paces in, treading and retreading the same steady circuit of the deck. >aft There are two aisles leading aft, one port and one starboard. Qarrad strides off to starboard, completely unbothered by the heat. She must have skin of iron. >port Port Boiler You're at the heart of the ship itself: one of the two massive boilers that provides the power to keep the Mekhe-Irakkab in the air. Solid heat seems to pour off the pipes and machinery in waves and the air is hot enough to make you nauseous?you don't even want to imagine what would happen if you touched any of it with your bare hands. The passages forward and aft seem more bearable. A door in the port wall leads to the mess, currently locked. The vast machinery of the boiler surrounds you, even the controls far too hot to touch. Some distance forward, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. >x pipes They're everywhere on the ship, transporting steam and lifting gas and other things you don't know the names of to where they're needed. You're not sure why they're not hidden inside the walls and floors, but this is a cargo vessel, so maybe making the walls lighter was worth the risk of getting burned everywhere you go. (You still have some blisters from the first time the ship rolled to the side in a storm.) Some distance aft, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >z Time passes. ] >z Time passes. Just aft, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. ] >z Time passes. Qarrad paces in from the aft passage, face impassive. ] >z Time passes. Qarrad paces away forward, treading and retreading the same steady circuit of the deck. ] >pull pipes You clamp the wrench around a random joint?hopefully not one that's under too much pressure?and give it a hard yank. Steam starts leaking out at the seams. Just forward, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. Some distance aft, you can hear frantic footsteps getting closer. >fore Work Area This little alcove at the fore end of the hold has been set aside for the engineers, to coordinate their efforts to keep the ship in the air at any cost. Two narrow aisles lead back toward the boilers and the rest of the hold, port and starboard, while doors further forward lead to the engineers' individual cabins?Ishme's is sealed tight, but Bashti's has been opened. A workbench is clamped to the bulkhead, equipped with the larger sorts of tools that need to be fixed in place. Amid the vises and presses a toolbox has been left sitting out. Just to starboard, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. Some distance to port, you can make out frantic footsteps getting closer. >z Time passes. Some distance to starboard, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. Just to port, you can make out frantic footsteps getting closer. ] >z Time passes. Just to port, you can hear sudden silence as the hissing of a loose valve is cut off. You barely noticed it until it was gone. ] >aft There are two aisles leading aft, one port and one starboard. Some distance to port, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >port Port Boiler You're at the heart of the ship itself: one of the two massive boilers that provides the power to keep the Mekhe-Irakkab in the air. Solid heat seems to pour off the pipes and machinery in waves and the air is hot enough to make you nauseous?you don't even want to imagine what would happen if you touched any of it with your bare hands. The passages forward and aft seem more bearable. A door in the port wall leads to the mess, currently locked. The vast machinery of the boiler surrounds you, even the controls far too hot to touch. Bashti, the younger of the two engineers, is examining the pipes for potential issues. Qarrad paces in from the aft passage, face impassive. Bashti scans over a section of the pipes. >port (first trying to open the door to port) It seems to be locked. Qarrad paces away forward, treading and retreading the same steady circuit of the deck. Bashti surveys the pipes, looking for issues. >aft Barrels and Pallets A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by stacked pallets on one side and a wall of barrels on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the barrels together, keeping them from shifting in flight. Some distance forward, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >aft Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Just to starboard, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >star Crates and Boxes A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by a stack of boxes on one side and metal crates on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the boxes together, keeping them from shifting in flight. Qarrad, the ship's gunner, is pacing steadily around the deck. Qarrad paces away aft, treading and retreading the same steady circuit of the deck. >z Time passes. ] >take box (the topmost box) Taken. Just aft, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >aft Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Just to port, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >aft Passenger Cabin "Cabin" feels like too fancy of a word for this. It's a tiny storeroom at the back of the cargo hold, with quilts rolled out over the empty shelves to act as bunks. But travelling on a cargo ship means being treated as cargo?the crew's not getting anything better. And with Kiang locked up in the brig, you have the whole thing to yourself. Forward, the door leads out to the rest of the ship; a hatch in the starboard wall connects to one of the engineers' maintenance passages. You can see a cask (in which is a strange grain) here. >open box It's sealed tight. >open box with prybar You wedge the little crowbar into a gap in the box and push until something gives. It should be able to open now. Some distance forward, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >open box You open the box, revealing a strange powder. Just forward, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >x powder Deep red and very fine, with a spicy smell. Is this zahili? The ground-up seeds are an inordinately expensive spice?why would it be transported in unmarked boxes on a ship like this? >tasks You haven't yet gone: - down from the Cargo Hold - fore from Crates and Boxes - port (blocked) from the Port Boiler - starboard from the Work Area The immediate problems you're facing are: Opening the staircase to the lower deck Opening the door to Udan's cabin (port from the boilers) Doing something about the murder Just forward, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. >fore Now that the box is open, it's evidence that you know what the crew is up to. Are you sure you want to take it back out into a public area? drop box Please answer yes or no.> no You decide not to bring it out just yet. Some distance forward, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >drop box Dropped. >fore Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Some distance to starboard, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >open stairs That's already open. Just to starboard, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >d Lower Deck If the boilers are the heart of the ship, this would be its...face, maybe? The shiny, clean part, the first impression everyone gets when they come aboard. At this point, though, it's as scuffed and dirty as its crew. Cleaning hasn't been a high priority when everyone is spread so thin. The deck itself runs fore and aft, and a staircase leads up to the cargo hold. A strange device has been set up under the staircase, a long pole attached to three sturdy legs. It looks like there's some kind of screw mechanism to extend or retract the pole. It's currently retracted, allowing the staircase to open. Just above, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Just aft, you hear asymmetric footsteps approaching. >x device It looks like it's meant to hold something up while repairing it, like a jack. Currently, what it's holding up is nothing, since the pole is retracted. Just aft, you can hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. Just aft, you hear asymmetric footsteps departing. >fore Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Some distance aft, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. Just aft, you hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. Some distance to port, you can hear the clinking and clattering of someone searching through the detritus of the Miscellany. >z Time passes. Shimat strides in from the aft passage, steps in time with her song. Some distance to port, you hear the clinking and clattering of someone searching through the detritus of the Miscellany. (You add a sketch to your tablet.) ] >x shimat Small and wiry and full of a quiet, unshakeable determination. She trades off with Kasap at the helm, acting as pilot-slash-navigator, and from watching them work you think she's the more captainly of the two: the one people will defer to in a moment of crisis. In an hour or two, Kasap will take the bridge, and she'll start marshalling everyone for the final approach; but for right now, she's focused on keeping the ship flying its course. Shimat strides out forward, singing under her breath. Some distance aft, you can hear sharp, asymmetric steps in the distance. >l Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Some distance aft, you hear asymmetric footsteps departing. >x hatch You've seen a few of them around the ship, set unobtrusively into the floors and ceilings. Probably another way for the engineers to get where they need to go for maintenance without being blocked by cargo. This one is sealed. >open hatch It seems to be locked. Some distance aft, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >port (first trying to open the door to port) It seems to be locked. >star (first opening the door to starboard) Kasap's Cabin At one point you'd expected the first mate to be sailing in luxury, but this room is as packed as the engineers' workspaces, full of equipment you barely understand. The bunk is practically the only open surface. It's not cluttered?everything is positioned with great care and accuracy?but you wouldn't even know where to begin searching. One piece of equipment in particular has been set up in the middle of the room, ready for use. There's a matching gap in the shelves that block off the aft passage. >x equipment A breathtakingly intricate contraption, with a compartment on one side, two metal arms, a hose connecting it to one of the pipes on the wall, an assortment of dials and knobs?a mystifying mystery. Just forward, you hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. >x gap A place for everything and everything in its place. This might be the neatest organization you've seen anywhere on the ship; it's immediately obvious where the mysterious device was taken from, since nowhere else is there a gap four feet wide. You could probably fit on top of them, if you needed to hide. Just forward, you can hear purposeful footsteps moving away. >x shelves A place for everything and everything in its place. This might be the neatest organization you've seen anywhere on the ship; it's immediately obvious where the mysterious device was taken from, since nowhere else is there a gap four feet wide. You could probably fit on top of them, if you needed to hide. Some distance forward, you hear purposeful footsteps moving away. >x bunk Minimalist to an extreme. >aft You can't go that way. >l Kasap's Cabin At one point you'd expected the first mate to be sailing in luxury, but this room is as packed as the engineers' workspaces, full of equipment you barely understand. The bunk is practically the only open surface. It's not cluttered?everything is positioned with great care and accuracy?but you wouldn't even know where to begin searching. One piece of equipment in particular has been set up in the middle of the room, ready for use. There's a matching gap in the shelves that block off the aft passage. >star You can't go that way. >port (fore) Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. >z Time passes. Some distance aft, you can make out asymmetric footsteps approaching. ] >z Time passes. Some distance to port, you hear sharp, asymmetric steps in the distance. ] >z Time passes. Some distance to port, you can make out the clinking and clattering of someone searching through the detritus of the Miscellany. ] >z Time passes. Some distance aft, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Some distance aft, you can make out purposeful footsteps getting closer. Some distance to port, you can hear the clinking and clattering of someone searching through the detritus of the Miscellany. ] >z Time passes. Just aft, you can make out purposeful footsteps getting closer. Some distance aft, you hear sharp, asymmetric steps in the distance. ] >aft Lower Deck If the boilers are the heart of the ship, this would be its...face, maybe? The shiny, clean part, the first impression everyone gets when they come aboard. At this point, though, it's as scuffed and dirty as its crew. Cleaning hasn't been a high priority when everyone is spread so thin. The deck itself runs fore and aft, and a staircase leads up to the cargo hold. Shimat, the captain of this whole affair, is hurrying from one task to another. A strange device has been set up under the staircase, a long pole attached to three sturdy legs. It looks like there's some kind of screw mechanism to extend or retract the pole. It's currently retracted, allowing the staircase to open. Just above, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. Shimat strides out forward, steps in time with her song. Just aft, you can make out asymmetric footsteps departing. >aft Deck Aft The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The cabins to starboard and port would probably belong to a medic and a...boatswain? quartermaster?...if you had them. But on this trip they've been repurposed for whatever the crew needs. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Some distance forward, you can hear purposeful footsteps moving away. Just to starboard, you hear the faint, methodical sounds of a medical examination. >star Surgery This tiny cabin would probably belong to the ship's medic, if you had one. Instead, Kasap has turned the bunk into a sort of examination table where he does what he can to keep the crew healthy and functional. Shelves of equipment cover up the passage forward, so the only way out is aft. Udan's body rests here, unnaturally still with rigor mortis. Kasap is standing over the body, examining it yet again in the hopes that some new clue will reveal itself. Kasap peers closely at the cadaver's chest. (You add a sketch to your tablet.) >x kasap Tall and balding, with a metal leg that resonates against the deck and a severe-looking face that always looks like he's just bitten into something sour. He trades off with Shimat at the helm, and you're not actually sure which of them is officially in charge?they've got the sort of rapport that comes from working side by side for years, and you've never seen one of them pull rank. He's also the one who helps when someone gets injured, in lieu of a proper medic. And now, while Shimat prepares for the final approach, he's the one actively trying to solve the murder. Kasap probes at the fatal wound. >x udan His face is locked in an expression of anger, glaring up at you with empty eyes like he blames you for his murder. His skin has turned all kinds of unnatural colors by now, but there's a vivid red scar on the inside of his left shoulder, with strange branching patterns radiating off from it. Was he killed by a lightning strike? Kasap stalks out through the door aft, deep in thought. (You add an entry on your tablet.) >x scar The marks fork and branch across his skin like a lightning bolt, starting just under his left shoulder. Just aft, you can make out asymmetric footsteps departing. >l Surgery This tiny cabin would probably belong to the ship's medic, if you had one. Instead, Kasap has turned the bunk into a sort of examination table where he does what he can to keep the crew healthy and functional. Shelves of equipment cover up the passage forward, so the only way out is aft. Udan's body rests here, unnaturally still with rigor mortis. Some distance aft, you can hear the clinking and clattering of someone searching through the detritus of the Miscellany. >x shelves Full of the sorts of equipment needed to deal with all sorts of injuries?and maybe solve a murder. But you don't know how to use any of it. You aren't supposed to mess with it, so probably best to stay away when other people are around. Some distance aft, you can make out the clinking and clattering of someone searching through the detritus of the Miscellany. >aft Deck Aft The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The cabins to starboard and port would probably belong to a medic and a...boatswain? quartermaster?...if you had them. But on this trip they've been repurposed for whatever the crew needs. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Just forward, you can hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. Kasap stalks in through the door to port, clearly focused on his plan. >aft Bridge Compared to the heat of the boilers and the views of the observatory, the Mekhe-Irakkab's bridge feels almost minimalist. It's the only part of the ship that's kept fastidiously clean: the pilot's chair in the middle, the console of controls spread out in front, the vast array of dials and readouts on every side. Just forward, you can make out purposeful footsteps getting closer. Just forward, you hear asymmetric footsteps departing. >x chair Much less soft-looking than Ishme's. Shimat strides in from the fore passage, humming in time with her steps. Some distance forward, you can make out the faint, methodical sounds of a medical examination. >x console From here the pilot controls lift, thrust, steering, and probably a bunch of other parameters that you don't know the names of. You aren't supposed to mess with it, so probably best to stay away when other people are around. Shimat throws herself into the pilot's chair, swinging it around to the console. Some distance forward, you hear the faint, methodical sounds of a medical examination. >z Time passes. Shimat notes down a number in her log. Some distance forward, you can make out the faint, methodical sounds of a medical examination. ] >fore Deck Aft The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The cabins to starboard and port would probably belong to a medic and a...boatswain? quartermaster?...if you had them. But on this trip they've been repurposed for whatever the crew needs. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Kasap stalks in through the door to starboard, his artificial leg resonating with every step. >z Time passes. Some distance forward, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. Kasap stalks out through the door to port, eyes distant. ] >open hatch with prybar You try to fit the crowbar under the seal, but you just can't get enough leverage to actually force it open. Just to port, you can make out the clinking and clattering of someone searching through the detritus of the Miscellany. >port Miscellany The cargo hold is for transporting the things the crew get paid for; this room is for transporting the things the crew need to have on hand. Or at least that was the plan. It started out well-stocked with books and equipment and food and such, but a strut broke free a week into the voyage and the shelves came down like dominos. Now it's just a hopeless mess that nobody's had the time to fix. Half-cleared doors lead aft to the deck and fore to Shimat's cabin. Most of the room is taken up by the fallen shelves, and whatever remains of their contents. Kasap is here, lost in his own thoughts and plans. Kasap scrounges through the wreckage, trying to get at some particular object he needs, without success. >x shelves An utter mess, which has just gotten worse every time the ship shakes or rocks. One of Kiang's jobs was to search through the wreckage for the ingredients Udan needed, but nobody is in the mood for eating right now. You could probably fit underneath them, if you needed to hide. Kasap stalks out through the door aft, clearly focused on his plan. >x wreckage An utter mess, which has just gotten worse every time the ship shakes or rocks. One of Kiang's jobs was to search through the wreckage for the ingredients Udan needed, but nobody is in the mood for eating right now. You could probably fit underneath them, if you needed to hide. Just aft, you hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. Just aft, you can make out asymmetric footsteps departing. >search wreckage You sift through the detritus, but don't find anything helpful. Just aft, you can hear purposeful footsteps moving away. Some distance aft, you hear the faint, methodical sounds of a medical examination. >l Miscellany The cargo hold is for transporting the things the crew get paid for; this room is for transporting the things the crew need to have on hand. Or at least that was the plan. It started out well-stocked with books and equipment and food and such, but a strut broke free a week into the voyage and the shelves came down like dominos. Now it's just a hopeless mess that nobody's had the time to fix. Half-cleared doors lead aft to the deck and fore to Shimat's cabin. Most of the room is taken up by the fallen shelves, and whatever remains of their contents. Some distance forward, you can hear purposeful, evenly-timed steps in the distance. Some distance aft, you can make out the faint, methodical sounds of a medical examination. >fore You try to squirm under or scramble over the fallen shelves, but it's hopeless. You'll have to go back the way you came. Some distance forward, you hear purposeful footsteps moving away. Some distance aft, you can hear the faint, methodical sounds of a medical examination. >aft Deck Aft The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The cabins to starboard and port would probably belong to a medic and a...boatswain? quartermaster?...if you had them. But on this trip they've been repurposed for whatever the crew needs. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Kasap stalks in through the door to starboard, his artificial leg resonating with every step. >tasks You haven't yet gone: - fore from Crates and Boxes - port (blocked) from the Port Boiler - starboard from the Work Area - port (blocked), fore, or up (blocked) from the Deck Fore - up (blocked) from the Deck Aft - fore (blocked) from Miscellany The immediate problems you're facing are: Opening the door to Udan's cabin (port from the boilers) Opening the hatches between the decks Figuring out how to work the device in Kasap's cabin Opening the door to Shimat's cabin (port from the lower decks) Doing something about the murder Kasap stalks out through the door to port, deep in thought. >fore Lower Deck If the boilers are the heart of the ship, this would be its...face, maybe? The shiny, clean part, the first impression everyone gets when they come aboard. At this point, though, it's as scuffed and dirty as its crew. Cleaning hasn't been a high priority when everyone is spread so thin. The deck itself runs fore and aft, and a staircase leads up to the cargo hold. A strange device has been set up under the staircase, a long pole attached to three sturdy legs. It looks like there's some kind of screw mechanism to extend or retract the pole. It's currently retracted, allowing the staircase to open. Some distance aft, you hear the clinking and clattering of someone searching through the detritus of the Miscellany. >fore Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Some distance to port, you can make out the clinking and clattering of someone searching through the detritus of the Miscellany. >fore Observatory The front of the lower deck is made entirely of glass, walls and floors alike, and the view is truly incredible. You spent a long time down here early in the voyage, looking down at the world below. On a properly-crewed ship there would be a navigator up here all the time, reporting observations back to the bridge, but with so few people you were rarely disturbed or shooed away. Shimat, the captain of this whole affair, is gazing out the window. Shimat considers the log in her hand. >talk to shimat She holds up a hand to shush you without breaking her rhythm. All her focus is on flying the ship at the moment and she has no time for distractions. Shimat strides out aft, steps in time with her song. >l Observatory The front of the lower deck is made entirely of glass, walls and floors alike, and the view is truly incredible. You spent a long time down here early in the voyage, looking down at the world below. On a properly-crewed ship there would be a navigator up here all the time, reporting observations back to the bridge, but with so few people you were rarely disturbed or shooed away. Just aft, you can hear purposeful footsteps moving away. >x view It's objectively an incredible view. But it's hard to appreciate it right now. Some distance aft, you hear purposeful footsteps moving away. >aft Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Some distance aft, you can hear purposeful footsteps moving away. >star Kasap's Cabin At one point you'd expected the first mate to be sailing in luxury, but this room is as packed as the engineers' workspaces, full of equipment you barely understand. The bunk is practically the only open surface. It's not cluttered?everything is positioned with great care and accuracy?but you wouldn't even know where to begin searching. One piece of equipment in particular has been set up in the middle of the room, ready for use. There's a matching gap in the shelves that block off the aft passage. >x device A breathtakingly intricate contraption, with a compartment on one side, two metal arms, a hose connecting it to one of the pipes on the wall, an assortment of dials and knobs?a mystifying mystery. >x dials A breathtakingly intricate contraption, with a compartment on one side, two metal arms, a hose connecting it to one of the pipes on the wall, an assortment of dials and knobs?a mystifying mystery. >turn dial You poke and prod at it for a moment, and come to the conclusion that you have no idea how to work this thing. >x shelves A place for everything and everything in its place. This might be the neatest organization you've seen anywhere on the ship; it's immediately obvious where the mysterious device was taken from, since nowhere else is there a gap four feet wide. You could probably fit on top of them, if you needed to hide. >push device You poke and prod at it for a moment, and come to the conclusion that you have no idea how to work this thing. >l Kasap's Cabin At one point you'd expected the first mate to be sailing in luxury, but this room is as packed as the engineers' workspaces, full of equipment you barely understand. The bunk is practically the only open surface. It's not cluttered?everything is positioned with great care and accuracy?but you wouldn't even know where to begin searching. One piece of equipment in particular has been set up in the middle of the room, ready for use. There's a matching gap in the shelves that block off the aft passage. >tasks You haven't yet gone: - fore from Crates and Boxes - port (blocked) from the Port Boiler - starboard from the Work Area - port (blocked) or up (blocked) from the Deck Fore - up (blocked) from the Deck Aft - fore (blocked) from Miscellany The immediate problems you're facing are: Opening the door to Udan's cabin (port from the boilers) Opening the hatches between the decks Figuring out how to work the device in Kasap's cabin Opening the door to Shimat's cabin (port from the lower decks) Doing something about the murder >port (fore) Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Just aft, you can make out purposeful footsteps getting closer. >z Time passes. Some distance aft, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Shimat strides in from the aft passage, humming in time with her steps. Some distance aft, you can make out asymmetric footsteps approaching. ] >z Time passes. Shimat strides out forward, steps in time with her song. Some distance to port, you hear sharp, asymmetric steps in the distance. ] >open shimat's door with prybar You can't see any such thing. >x port (the door to port) Simple and functional. This one is currently locked. Some distance aft, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. Some distance to port, you can hear the clinking and clattering of someone searching through the detritus of the Miscellany. >open port door with prybar You push as hard as you can, but nothing gives. The locks on these doors are sturdy, and the little crowbar doesn't give you much leverage?probably better to use a key. Some distance to port, you hear the clinking and clattering of someone searching through the detritus of the Miscellany. >aft Lower Deck If the boilers are the heart of the ship, this would be its...face, maybe? The shiny, clean part, the first impression everyone gets when they come aboard. At this point, though, it's as scuffed and dirty as its crew. Cleaning hasn't been a high priority when everyone is spread so thin. The deck itself runs fore and aft, and a staircase leads up to the cargo hold. A strange device has been set up under the staircase, a long pole attached to three sturdy legs. It looks like there's some kind of screw mechanism to extend or retract the pole. It's currently retracted, allowing the staircase to open. Just aft, you can hear asymmetric footsteps approaching. >aft Deck Aft The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The cabins to starboard and port would probably belong to a medic and a...boatswain? quartermaster?...if you had them. But on this trip they've been repurposed for whatever the crew needs. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Kasap is here, lost in his own thoughts and plans. Kasap stalks out through the door to starboard, his artificial leg resonating with every step. >aft Bridge Compared to the heat of the boilers and the views of the observatory, the Mekhe-Irakkab's bridge feels almost minimalist. It's the only part of the ship that's kept fastidiously clean: the pilot's chair in the middle, the console of controls spread out in front, the vast array of dials and readouts on every side. Some distance forward, you can make out the faint, methodical sounds of a medical examination. >x console From here the pilot controls lift, thrust, steering, and probably a bunch of other parameters that you don't know the names of. You aren't supposed to mess with it, so probably best to stay away when other people are around. Some distance forward, you can hear the faint, methodical sounds of a medical examination. >push What do you want to push? >console You really, really don't want to crash the ship. Some distance forward, you hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. Some distance forward, you can make out the faint, methodical sounds of a medical examination. >l Bridge Compared to the heat of the boilers and the views of the observatory, the Mekhe-Irakkab's bridge feels almost minimalist. It's the only part of the ship that's kept fastidiously clean: the pilot's chair in the middle, the console of controls spread out in front, the vast array of dials and readouts on every side. Just forward, you can hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. Just forward, you can make out asymmetric footsteps approaching. >tasks You haven't yet gone: - fore from Crates and Boxes - port (blocked) from the Port Boiler - starboard from the Work Area - port (blocked) or up (blocked) from the Deck Fore - up (blocked) from the Deck Aft - fore (blocked) from Miscellany The immediate problems you're facing are: Opening the door to Udan's cabin (port from the boilers) Opening the hatches between the decks Figuring out how to work the device in Kasap's cabin Opening the door to Shimat's cabin (port from the lower decks) Doing something about the murder Shimat strides in from the fore passage, singing under her breath. Just forward, you hear asymmetric footsteps departing. >i You are carrying: a standard-sized screwdriver a wrench some protective gloves (being worn) a crowbar your writing tablet Shimat throws herself into the pilot's chair, swinging it around to the console. Some distance forward, you can make out the clinking and clattering of someone searching through the detritus of the Miscellany. >save Ok. >restore Ok. >look Bridge Compared to the heat of the boilers and the views of the observatory, the Mekhe-Irakkab's bridge feels almost minimalist. It's the only part of the ship that's kept fastidiously clean: the pilot's chair in the middle, the console of controls spread out in front, the vast array of dials and readouts on every side. Shimat checks one of the dials. Some distance forward, you can hear the clinking and clattering of someone searching through the detritus of the Miscellany. >tasks You haven't yet gone: - fore from Crates and Boxes - port (blocked) from the Port Boiler - starboard from the Work Area - port (blocked) or up (blocked) from the Deck Fore - up (blocked) from the Deck Aft - fore (blocked) from Miscellany The immediate problems you're facing are: Opening the door to Udan's cabin (port from the boilers) Opening the hatches between the decks Figuring out how to work the device in Kasap's cabin Opening the door to Shimat's cabin (port from the lower decks) Doing something about the murder Shimat nudges the throttle. Just forward, you hear asymmetric footsteps approaching. >fore Deck Aft The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The cabins to starboard and port would probably belong to a medic and a...boatswain? quartermaster?...if you had them. But on this trip they've been repurposed for whatever the crew needs. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Kasap is here, lost in his own thoughts and plans. Some distance forward, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Kasap stalks out through the door to starboard, eyes distant. >x hatch You've seen a few of them around the ship, set unobtrusively into the floors and ceilings. Probably another way for the engineers to get where they need to go for maintenance without being blocked by cargo. This one is sealed. Just to starboard, you can hear the faint, methodical sounds of a medical examination. >i You are carrying: a standard-sized screwdriver a wrench some protective gloves (being worn) a crowbar your writing tablet Some distance forward, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. Just to starboard, you can hear the faint, methodical sounds of a medical examination. >open hatch It seems to be locked. Just to starboard, you hear the faint, methodical sounds of a medical examination. >open hatch with prybar You try to fit the crowbar under the seal, but you just can't get enough leverage to actually force it open. Shimat strides in from the aft passage, steps in time with her song. Kasap stalks in through the door to starboard, lost in his thoughts. >l Deck Aft The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The cabins to starboard and port would probably belong to a medic and a...boatswain? quartermaster?...if you had them. But on this trip they've been repurposed for whatever the crew needs. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Kasap is here, lost in his own thoughts and plans. Shimat, the captain of this whole affair, is hurrying from one task to another. Shimat strides out forward, singing under her breath. Kasap stalks out through the door to port, his artificial leg resonating with every step. >fore Lower Deck If the boilers are the heart of the ship, this would be its...face, maybe? The shiny, clean part, the first impression everyone gets when they come aboard. At this point, though, it's as scuffed and dirty as its crew. Cleaning hasn't been a high priority when everyone is spread so thin. The deck itself runs fore and aft, and a staircase leads up to the cargo hold. Shimat, the captain of this whole affair, is hurrying from one task to another. A strange device has been set up under the staircase, a long pole attached to three sturdy legs. It looks like there's some kind of screw mechanism to extend or retract the pole. It's currently retracted, allowing the staircase to open. Some distance above, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Shimat strides out forward, steps in time with her song. Some distance aft, you hear the clinking and clattering of someone searching through the detritus of the Miscellany. >x decise You can't see any such thing. >x device It looks like it's meant to hold something up while repairing it, like a jack. Currently, what it's holding up is nothing, since the pole is retracted. Just above, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Just forward, you hear purposeful footsteps moving away. Some distance aft, you can make out the clinking and clattering of someone searching through the detritus of the Miscellany. >fore Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Some distance aft, you hear sharp, asymmetric steps in the distance. >fore Observatory The front of the lower deck is made entirely of glass, walls and floors alike, and the view is truly incredible. You spent a long time down here early in the voyage, looking down at the world below. On a properly-crewed ship there would be a navigator up here all the time, reporting observations back to the bridge, but with so few people you were rarely disturbed or shooed away. Shimat, the captain of this whole affair, is gazing out the window. Shimat peers intently out the window, on lookout for danger. >aft Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. >x hatch You've seen a few of them around the ship, set unobtrusively into the floors and ceilings. Probably another way for the engineers to get where they need to go for maintenance without being blocked by cargo. This one is sealed. >i You are carrying: a standard-sized screwdriver a wrench some protective gloves (being worn) a crowbar your writing tablet >open hatch with wrench That doesn't seem to fit the lock. Shimat strides in from the fore passage, humming in time with her steps. Some distance aft, you can make out asymmetric footsteps approaching. >aft Lower Deck If the boilers are the heart of the ship, this would be its...face, maybe? The shiny, clean part, the first impression everyone gets when they come aboard. At this point, though, it's as scuffed and dirty as its crew. Cleaning hasn't been a high priority when everyone is spread so thin. The deck itself runs fore and aft, and a staircase leads up to the cargo hold. A strange device has been set up under the staircase, a long pole attached to three sturdy legs. It looks like there's some kind of screw mechanism to extend or retract the pole. It's currently retracted, allowing the staircase to open. Just above, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Shimat strides in from the fore passage, singing under her breath. Just aft, you hear asymmetric footsteps departing. >take device It's too unwieldy to lift, but you might be able to push it around. Shimat strides out aft, humming in time with her steps. Some distance aft, you can hear the clinking and clattering of someone searching through the detritus of the Miscellany. >push device fore You shuffle the tripod across the floor with you. Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Some distance aft, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. Some distance aft, you can hear purposeful footsteps moving away. Some distance to port, you hear the clinking and clattering of someone searching through the detritus of the Miscellany. >x tripod It looks like it's meant to hold something up while repairing it, like a jack. Currently, what it's holding up is nothing, since the pole is retracted. Some distance aft, you can hear sharp, asymmetric steps in the distance. >extend pole You twist the screw around a few times, and the pole extends to rest against the ceiling. Some distance aft, you can make out asymmetric footsteps departing. >push hatch It is fixed in place. >open hatch with prybar You try to fit the crowbar under the seal, but you just can't get enough leverage to actually force it open. >open hatch with device (first trying to take the tripod) It's too unwieldy to lift, but you might be able to push it around. Some distance aft, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >l Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. The tripod mechanism stands off to one side, currently extended to touch the ceiling. Some distance aft, you hear asymmetric footsteps approaching. >extend pole That's already open. Some distance aft, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. Some distance to port, you can hear sharp, asymmetric steps in the distance. >z Time passes. Some distance aft, you hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. Some distance to port, you can make out the clinking and clattering of someone searching through the detritus of the Miscellany. ] >fore Observatory The front of the lower deck is made entirely of glass, walls and floors alike, and the view is truly incredible. You spent a long time down here early in the voyage, looking down at the world below. On a properly-crewed ship there would be a navigator up here all the time, reporting observations back to the bridge, but with so few people you were rarely disturbed or shooed away. Some distance aft, you hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. >z Time passes. Just aft, you can hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. ] >z Time passes. Shimat strides in from the aft passage, singing under her breath. ] wait Time passes. Shimat checks the log in her hand. ] >aft Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. The tripod mechanism stands off to one side, currently extended to touch the ceiling. >climb device The tripod isn't very climbable. Some distance aft, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. >i You are carrying: a standard-sized screwdriver a wrench some protective gloves (being worn) a crowbar your writing tablet Some distance aft, you hear asymmetric footsteps approaching. >push device aft (first closing the tripod) You shuffle the tripod across the floor with you. Lower Deck If the boilers are the heart of the ship, this would be its...face, maybe? The shiny, clean part, the first impression everyone gets when they come aboard. At this point, though, it's as scuffed and dirty as its crew. Cleaning hasn't been a high priority when everyone is spread so thin. The deck itself runs fore and aft, and a staircase leads up to the cargo hold. Just aft, you can hear asymmetric footsteps departing. >push device aft You shuffle the tripod across the floor with you. Deck Aft The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The cabins to starboard and port would probably belong to a medic and a...boatswain? quartermaster?...if you had them. But on this trip they've been repurposed for whatever the crew needs. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Some distance forward, you hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. Just to port, you can hear the clinking and clattering of someone searching through the detritus of the Miscellany. >push device under hatch You can't see any such thing. >push device aft You shuffle the tripod across the floor with you. Bridge Compared to the heat of the boilers and the views of the observatory, the Mekhe-Irakkab's bridge feels almost minimalist. It's the only part of the ship that's kept fastidiously clean: the pilot's chair in the middle, the console of controls spread out in front, the vast array of dials and readouts on every side. Some distance forward, you hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. Some distance forward, you can make out the clinking and clattering of someone searching through the detritus of the Miscellany. >extend pole You twist the screw around a few times, and the pole extends to rest against the ceiling. Just forward, you can hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. Just forward, you hear asymmetric footsteps approaching. >retract pole You twist the screw around a few times, and the pole retracts into the mechanism. Shimat strides in from the fore passage, humming in time with her steps. Just forward, you can hear asymmetric footsteps departing. >z Time passes. Shimat glances at the tripod and calls out, still in the rhythm of her footsteps. "Kasap! Apputum usuk-sunuti!" Her steady song picks up without missing a beat. Just forward, you hear asymmetric footsteps approaching. ] >z Time passes. Shimat throws herself into the pilot's chair, swinging it around to the console. Kasap stalks in from the fore passage, lost in his thoughts. ] wait Time passes. Shimat compares two readouts. Kasap stalks out forward, deep in thought, pushing the tripod away. ] wait Time passes. Shimat checks one of the dials. Kasap stalks in from the fore passage, clearly focused on his plan. ] >fore Deck Aft The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The cabins to starboard and port would probably belong to a medic and a...boatswain? quartermaster?...if you had them. But on this trip they've been repurposed for whatever the crew needs. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. The tripod mechanism stands off to one side, currently retracted to make it easy to move. Kasap stalks in from the aft passage, his artificial leg resonating with every step. >extend pole You twist the screw around a few times, and the pole extends to rest against the ceiling. Some distance forward, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Kasap stalks out forward, lost in his thoughts. >open hatch with prybar You try to fit the crowbar under the seal, but you just can't get enough leverage to actually force it open. >l Deck Aft The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The cabins to starboard and port would probably belong to a medic and a...boatswain? quartermaster?...if you had them. But on this trip they've been repurposed for whatever the crew needs. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. The tripod mechanism stands off to one side, currently extended to touch the ceiling. Some distance forward, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. Kasap stalks in from the fore passage, eyes distant. >fore Lower Deck If the boilers are the heart of the ship, this would be its...face, maybe? The shiny, clean part, the first impression everyone gets when they come aboard. At this point, though, it's as scuffed and dirty as its crew. Cleaning hasn't been a high priority when everyone is spread so thin. The deck itself runs fore and aft, and a staircase leads up to the cargo hold. Some distance above, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. Just aft, you hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. Just aft, you can hear asymmetric footsteps departing. >u Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Some distance to port, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. Just below, you can make out purposeful footsteps getting closer. >tasks You haven't yet gone: - fore from Crates and Boxes - port (blocked) from the Port Boiler - starboard from the Work Area - port (blocked) or up (blocked) from the Deck Fore - up (blocked) from the Deck Aft - fore (blocked) from Miscellany The immediate problems you're facing are: Opening the door to Udan's cabin (port from the boilers) Opening the hatches between the decks Figuring out how to work the device in Kasap's cabin Opening the door to Shimat's cabin (port from the lower decks) Doing something about the murder Some distance to starboard, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Just below, you can make out purposeful footsteps moving away. >port Barrels and Pallets A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by stacked pallets on one side and a wall of barrels on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the barrels together, keeping them from shifting in flight. Some distance aft, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >fore Port Boiler You're at the heart of the ship itself: one of the two massive boilers that provides the power to keep the Mekhe-Irakkab in the air. Solid heat seems to pour off the pipes and machinery in waves and the air is hot enough to make you nauseous?you don't even want to imagine what would happen if you touched any of it with your bare hands. The passages forward and aft seem more bearable. A door in the port wall leads to the mess, currently locked. The vast machinery of the boiler surrounds you, even the controls far too hot to touch. Bashti, the younger of the two engineers, is examining the pipes for potential issues. Some distance aft, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Bashti leans in to trace a complicated section of tubing. >aft Barrels and Pallets A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by stacked pallets on one side and a wall of barrels on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the barrels together, keeping them from shifting in flight. >aft Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Qarrad, the ship's gunner, is pacing steadily around the deck. Qarrad paces away to port, face impassive. >push turret The actual weapon controls are intricate enough?and all labelled in Kishadu?that you're not entirely confident you could operate them without blowing a massive hole in the ship. You might be able to work the valve, though; it might be cold enough to take skin off, but at least it probably won't kill anyone if you mess with it the wrong way. Just to port, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >push valve (the big valve) Your hands safely gloved, you grab hold of the valve and give it a yank. Icy-cold steam starts billowing out and frost is forming over the controls. Some distance to port, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. Some distance below, you hear asymmetric footsteps approaching. >fore There are two aisles forward, one port and one starboard. Some distance to starboard, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Some distance below, you hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. Some distance below, you can make out asymmetric footsteps departing. >port Barrels and Pallets A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by stacked pallets on one side and a wall of barrels on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the barrels together, keeping them from shifting in flight. Some distance aft, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Some distance aft, you hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. >port You can't go that way. Just aft, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Some distance aft, you can hear purposeful footsteps moving away. >fore Port Boiler You're at the heart of the ship itself: one of the two massive boilers that provides the power to keep the Mekhe-Irakkab in the air. Solid heat seems to pour off the pipes and machinery in waves and the air is hot enough to make you nauseous?you don't even want to imagine what would happen if you touched any of it with your bare hands. The passages forward and aft seem more bearable. A door in the port wall leads to the mess, currently locked. The vast machinery of the boiler surrounds you, even the controls far too hot to touch. Bashti, the younger of the two engineers, is examining the pipes for potential issues. A shout echoes from somewhere. "Ai! Bashti! Butuqtu kutzutim shebru-ma kakku imakkhatza! Epeshum edud!" Bashti hurries out aft, focused on his task. >open door with crowbar You push as hard as you can, but nothing gives. The locks on these doors are sturdy, and the little crowbar doesn't give you much leverage?probably better to use a key. Just aft, you hear frantic footsteps going away. >fore Work Area This little alcove at the fore end of the hold has been set aside for the engineers, to coordinate their efforts to keep the ship in the air at any cost. Two narrow aisles lead back toward the boilers and the rest of the hold, port and starboard, while doors further forward lead to the engineers' individual cabins?Ishme's is sealed tight, but Bashti's has been opened. A workbench is clamped to the bulkhead, equipped with the larger sorts of tools that need to be fixed in place. Amid the vises and presses a toolbox has been left sitting out. >enter bashti's room I only understood you as far as wanting to enter the door forward. >fore Bashti's Cabin Bashti's cabin is barely-contained chaos, with tools and components everywhere. It looks like something fell over or broke open when the ship tilted and he hasn't had a chance to properly fix it, just digging what he needs out of the mess. Even the bunk is being used for sorting out bits of metal instead of for sleeping. The door leads back aft. >search mess You grab one little brass cog at random. >x cog (the little brass cog) Surely a vital component of something or other. You aren't supposed to have it, but it's small enough to keep hidden if anyone sees you. Some distance aft, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >search mess You already have one little brass cog. Best not to take too many. Just aft, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >z Time passes. Just aft, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. ] >aft Work Area This little alcove at the fore end of the hold has been set aside for the engineers, to coordinate their efforts to keep the ship in the air at any cost. Two narrow aisles lead back toward the boilers and the rest of the hold, port and starboard, while doors further forward lead to the engineers' individual cabins?Ishme's is sealed tight, but Bashti's has been opened. A workbench is clamped to the bulkhead, equipped with the larger sorts of tools that need to be fixed in place. Amid the vises and presses a toolbox has been left sitting out. Just to starboard, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >search bench On the general workbench is a toolbox. Some distance to starboard, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. >tasks You haven't yet gone: - fore from Crates and Boxes - port (blocked) from the Port Boiler - starboard from the Work Area - port (blocked) or up (blocked) from the Deck Fore - up (blocked) from the Deck Aft - fore (blocked) from Miscellany The immediate problems you're facing are: Opening the door to Udan's cabin (port from the boilers) Opening the hatches between the decks Figuring out how to work the device in Kasap's cabin Opening the door to Shimat's cabin (port from the lower decks) Doing something about the murder >x pipes They're everywhere on the ship, transporting steam and lifting gas and other things you don't know the names of to where they're needed. You're not sure why they're not hidden inside the walls and floors, but this is a cargo vessel, so maybe making the walls lighter was worth the risk of getting burned everywhere you go. (You still have some blisters from the first time the ship rolled to the side in a storm.) Some distance to port, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >push pipes You clamp the wrench around a random joint?hopefully not one that's under too much pressure?and give it a hard yank. Steam starts leaking out at the seams. Just to port, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Some distance to port, you hear frantic footsteps getting closer. >starboard You barely make it a few steps before a wave of heat drives you back. Whatever lies that way is too hot to get close to. Qarrad paces in, treading and retreading the same steady circuit of the deck. Just to port, you can make out frantic footsteps getting closer. >port Port Boiler You're at the heart of the ship itself: one of the two massive boilers that provides the power to keep the Mekhe-Irakkab in the air. Solid heat seems to pour off the pipes and machinery in waves and the air is hot enough to make you nauseous?you don't even want to imagine what would happen if you touched any of it with your bare hands. The passages forward and aft seem more bearable. A door in the port wall leads to the mess, currently locked. The vast machinery of the boiler surrounds you, even the controls far too hot to touch. Bashti, the younger of the two engineers, is rushing to handle the next impending emergency. Just forward, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. Bashti hurries out forward, focused on his task. >aft Barrels and Pallets A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by stacked pallets on one side and a wall of barrels on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the barrels together, keeping them from shifting in flight. Some distance aft, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Some distance forward, you can make out sudden silence as the hissing of a loose valve is cut off. You barely noticed it until it was gone. >aft Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Qarrad paces in, face impassive. >z Time passes. Qarrad looks closely at the main turret. Some distance below, you can hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. ] >l Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Qarrad, the ship's gunner, is pacing steadily around the deck. Qarrad paces away to port, treading and retreading the same steady circuit of the deck. Just below, you hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. Some distance below, you can hear asymmetric footsteps approaching. >d Lower Deck If the boilers are the heart of the ship, this would be its...face, maybe? The shiny, clean part, the first impression everyone gets when they come aboard. At this point, though, it's as scuffed and dirty as its crew. Cleaning hasn't been a high priority when everyone is spread so thin. The deck itself runs fore and aft, and a staircase leads up to the cargo hold. Shimat, the captain of this whole affair, is hurrying from one task to another. Some distance above, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. Shimat strides out aft, steps in time with her song. Just aft, you hear asymmetric footsteps departing. >fore Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Some distance aft, you can hear purposeful footsteps moving away. >fore Observatory The front of the lower deck is made entirely of glass, walls and floors alike, and the view is truly incredible. You spent a long time down here early in the voyage, looking down at the world below. On a properly-crewed ship there would be a navigator up here all the time, reporting observations back to the bridge, but with so few people you were rarely disturbed or shooed away. >starboard You can't go that way. >aft Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Some distance aft, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Some distance aft, you can hear asymmetric footsteps approaching. >starbord That's not a verb I recognize. >starboard Kasap's Cabin At one point you'd expected the first mate to be sailing in luxury, but this room is as packed as the engineers' workspaces, full of equipment you barely understand. The bunk is practically the only open surface. It's not cluttered?everything is positioned with great care and accuracy?but you wouldn't even know where to begin searching. One piece of equipment in particular has been set up in the middle of the room, ready for use. There's a matching gap in the shelves that block off the aft passage. >search (Kasap's Cabin) (looking around) Kasap's Cabin At one point you'd expected the first mate to be sailing in luxury, but this room is as packed as the engineers' workspaces, full of equipment you barely understand. The bunk is practically the only open surface. It's not cluttered?everything is positioned with great care and accuracy?but you wouldn't even know where to begin searching. One piece of equipment in particular has been set up in the middle of the room, ready for use. There's a matching gap in the shelves that block off the aft passage. >search equipment You find nothing of interest. >x device A breathtakingly intricate contraption, with a compartment on one side, two metal arms, a hose connecting it to one of the pipes on the wall, an assortment of dials and knobs?a mystifying mystery. >x compartment A breathtakingly intricate contraption, with a compartment on one side, two metal arms, a hose connecting it to one of the pipes on the wall, an assortment of dials and knobs?a mystifying mystery. >open compartment It isn't something you can open. Some distance forward, you can make out purposeful footsteps getting closer. >x arms A breathtakingly intricate contraption, with a compartment on one side, two metal arms, a hose connecting it to one of the pipes on the wall, an assortment of dials and knobs?a mystifying mystery. Just forward, you can hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. >x hose A breathtakingly intricate contraption, with a compartment on one side, two metal arms, a hose connecting it to one of the pipes on the wall, an assortment of dials and knobs?a mystifying mystery. Just forward, you can make out purposeful footsteps moving away. >turn dials You poke and prod at it for a moment, and come to the conclusion that you have no idea how to work this thing. >take hose That's fixed in place. >break hose You're pretty confident in your ability to wreck this thing. But that would almost certainly earn you a one-way trip to the brig. >push pipes You clamp the wrench around a random joint?hopefully not one that's under too much pressure?and give it a hard yank. Steam starts leaking out at the seams. >z Time passes. ] >z Time passes. Just forward, you can hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. ] >z Time passes. Some distance forward, you hear frantic footsteps getting closer. Just forward, you can hear purposeful footsteps moving away. ] >z Time passes. Just forward, you can make out frantic footsteps getting closer. Some distance forward, you hear purposeful footsteps moving away. ] >z Time passes. Bashti rushes in through the door forward, focused on his task. ] wait Time passes. With a practiced eye, Bashti picks out which valve is the problem, and tightens it back up. ] wait Time passes. Bashti looks around. ] wait Time passes. Bashti surveys the pipes, looking for issues. ] wait Time passes. Bashti wipes away some sweat before getting back to work. ] wait Time passes. Bashti leans in to trace a complicated section of tubing. ] wait Time passes. Bashti scans over a section of the pipes. ] >aft You can't go that way. Bashti wipes away some sweat before getting back to work. >port (fore) Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Some distance aft, you can hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. >hint If you're new to this sort of interactive fiction, type TUTORIAL within the beginning segment for an introduction to the genre. You can also use VERBS or COMMANDS to see a list of commands needed for this game. Detailed hints and a deck plan of the ship are included with the game file. If you're playing online, they're linked at the top of the page. This game was written and designed by Daniel Stelzer, illustrated by Elisabeth Tricou, and tested by Mel Jason, Arthur DiBianca, Aster Fialla, Jade, Max Fog, Ramona Gore, and Lance Cirone. >aft Lower Deck If the boilers are the heart of the ship, this would be its...face, maybe? The shiny, clean part, the first impression everyone gets when they come aboard. At this point, though, it's as scuffed and dirty as its crew. Cleaning hasn't been a high priority when everyone is spread so thin. The deck itself runs fore and aft, and a staircase leads up to the cargo hold. Shimat strides in from the aft passage, humming in time with her steps. Some distance aft, you hear the faint, methodical sounds of a medical examination. >u Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Just to starboard, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Just below, you hear purposeful footsteps moving away. Some distance below, you can make out asymmetric footsteps approaching. >fore There are two aisles forward, one port and one starboard. Qarrad paces in, face impassive. Some distance below, you hear purposeful footsteps moving away. Some distance below, you can hear asymmetric footsteps departing. >fore There are two aisles forward, one port and one starboard. Qarrad looks closely at the main turret. >port Barrels and Pallets A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by stacked pallets on one side and a wall of barrels on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the barrels together, keeping them from shifting in flight. Qarrad paces in, treading and retreading the same steady circuit of the deck. >fore Port Boiler You're at the heart of the ship itself: one of the two massive boilers that provides the power to keep the Mekhe-Irakkab in the air. Solid heat seems to pour off the pipes and machinery in waves and the air is hot enough to make you nauseous?you don't even want to imagine what would happen if you touched any of it with your bare hands. The passages forward and aft seem more bearable. A door in the port wall leads to the mess, currently locked. The vast machinery of the boiler surrounds you, even the controls far too hot to touch. Qarrad paces in from the aft passage, face impassive. >x controls It doesn't just boil things, if you understood that explanation right. It does produce steam, but its main purpose is to heat the air in the lift vessels until it becomes...something that's not air? Girrutum; Udan didn't know the Arali word for it. Whatever it is, it's the key to lifting the weight of an entire ship. Most of the controls are inscrutable, but there's one big lever that stands out. Qarrad paces away forward, lost in thought. >pull lever With the gloves on, it's unpleasantly hot, but doesn't burn. You give the lever a heave, and with a creaking and grinding of gears the two boilers rebalance their load. More and more heat starts to pour off the one in front of you until your eyes are burning and you're sent scrambling back... Work Area This little alcove at the fore end of the hold has been set aside for the engineers, to coordinate their efforts to keep the ship in the air at any cost. Two narrow aisles lead back toward the boilers and the rest of the hold, port and starboard, while doors further forward lead to the engineers' individual cabins?Ishme's is sealed tight, but Bashti's has been opened. A workbench is clamped to the bulkhead, equipped with the larger sorts of tools that need to be fixed in place. Amid the vises and presses a toolbox has been left sitting out. Qarrad, the ship's gunner, is pacing steadily around the deck. Qarrad paces away to starboard, treading and retreading the same steady circuit of the deck. >star Starboard Boiler You're at the heart of the ship itself: one of the two massive boilers that provides the power to keep the Mekhe-Irakkab in the air. Solid heat seems to pour off the pipes and machinery in waves and the air is hot enough to make you nauseous?you don't even want to imagine what would happen if you touched any of it with your bare hands. The passages forward and aft seem more bearable. A door in the starboard wall leads to the gunnery, currently locked. The vast machinery of the boiler surrounds you, even the controls far too hot to touch. Qarrad, the ship's gunner, is pacing steadily around the deck. Qarrad paces away aft, gazing off into the distance at nothing in particular. >tasks You haven't yet gone: - port (blocked) from the Port Boiler - starboard (blocked) from the Starboard Boiler - port (blocked) or up (blocked) from the Deck Fore - up (blocked) from the Deck Aft - fore (blocked) from Miscellany The immediate problems you're facing are: Opening the door to Udan's cabin (port from the boilers) Opening the door to Qarrad's cabin (starboard from the boilers) Opening the hatches between the decks Figuring out how to work the device in Kasap's cabin Opening the door to Shimat's cabin (port from the lower decks) Doing something about the murder Just aft, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >open door with crowbar You push as hard as you can, but nothing gives. The locks on these doors are sturdy, and the little crowbar doesn't give you much leverage?probably better to use a key. >aft Crates and Boxes A narrow aisle barely a yard wide cuts through the cargo here, walled in by a stack of boxes on one side and metal crates on the other. The light coming down from above makes it look like they extend upward forever, an infinite tower of cargo. A web of netting holds several of the boxes together, keeping them from shifting in flight. Just aft, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. >aft Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Just to port, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >d Lower Deck If the boilers are the heart of the ship, this would be its...face, maybe? The shiny, clean part, the first impression everyone gets when they come aboard. At this point, though, it's as scuffed and dirty as its crew. Cleaning hasn't been a high priority when everyone is spread so thin. The deck itself runs fore and aft, and a staircase leads up to the cargo hold. Some distance aft, you can make out the clinking and clattering of someone searching through the detritus of the Miscellany. >fore Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Some distance aft, you hear sharp, asymmetric steps in the distance. >aft Lower Deck If the boilers are the heart of the ship, this would be its...face, maybe? The shiny, clean part, the first impression everyone gets when they come aboard. At this point, though, it's as scuffed and dirty as its crew. Cleaning hasn't been a high priority when everyone is spread so thin. The deck itself runs fore and aft, and a staircase leads up to the cargo hold. Some distance above, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Just aft, you can make out asymmetric footsteps departing. >aft Deck Aft The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The cabins to starboard and port would probably belong to a medic and a...boatswain? quartermaster?...if you had them. But on this trip they've been repurposed for whatever the crew needs. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. The tripod mechanism stands off to one side, currently extended to touch the ceiling. Some distance forward, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Just to starboard, you can make out the faint, methodical sounds of a medical examination. >port Miscellany The cargo hold is for transporting the things the crew get paid for; this room is for transporting the things the crew need to have on hand. Or at least that was the plan. It started out well-stocked with books and equipment and food and such, but a strut broke free a week into the voyage and the shelves came down like dominos. Now it's just a hopeless mess that nobody's had the time to fix. Half-cleared doors lead aft to the deck and fore to Shimat's cabin. Most of the room is taken up by the fallen shelves, and whatever remains of their contents. Some distance aft, you can hear the faint, methodical sounds of a medical examination. >star (aft) Deck Aft The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The cabins to starboard and port would probably belong to a medic and a...boatswain? quartermaster?...if you had them. But on this trip they've been repurposed for whatever the crew needs. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. The tripod mechanism stands off to one side, currently extended to touch the ceiling. Some distance forward, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. Just to starboard, you hear the faint, methodical sounds of a medical examination. >push tripod port (first closing the tripod) You shuffle the tripod across the floor with you. (You pull the tripod in, and shove it under one of the less-collapsed shelves. That's the only place it will fit.) Miscellany The cargo hold is for transporting the things the crew get paid for; this room is for transporting the things the crew need to have on hand. Or at least that was the plan. It started out well-stocked with books and equipment and food and such, but a strut broke free a week into the voyage and the shelves came down like dominos. Now it's just a hopeless mess that nobody's had the time to fix. Half-cleared doors lead aft to the deck and fore to Shimat's cabin. Most of the room is taken up by the fallen shelves, and whatever remains of their contents. Just aft, you can hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. Just aft, you hear asymmetric footsteps approaching. >extend pole You twist the screw around a few times, and the pole extends to rest against the underside of the shelves. It takes some effort, but you keep twisting the screw, and little by little the shelf rises enough to slip underneath. Just aft, you can hear purposeful footsteps moving away. Kasap stalks in through the door aft, clearly focused on his plan. >look under shelf With the tripod supporting the shelf, you now have access to...a collection of chemical samples, it looks like. But without being able to read the labels, they're useless to you. Some distance forward, you can make out purposeful, evenly-timed steps in the distance. Now that the shelf has been lifted, Kasap is able to search underneath it for what he needs. >x samples (the wreckage of fallen shelves) An utter mess, which has just gotten worse every time the ship shakes or rocks. One of Kiang's jobs was to search through the wreckage for the ingredients Udan needed, but nobody is in the mood for eating right now. The tripod is currently propping the shelves up, making it a bit more accessible. You could probably fit underneath them, if you needed to hide. Some distance forward, you hear purposeful footsteps moving away. Kasap searches methodically through the wreckage, pulling out a handful of little vials. >z Time passes. Kasap stalks out forward, lost in his thoughts. ] >push device aft (first closing the tripod) You shuffle the tripod across the floor with you. Deck Aft The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The cabins to starboard and port would probably belong to a medic and a...boatswain? quartermaster?...if you had them. But on this trip they've been repurposed for whatever the crew needs. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. >put device fore You can't see any such thing. >push device fore You shuffle the tripod across the floor with you. Lower Deck If the boilers are the heart of the ship, this would be its...face, maybe? The shiny, clean part, the first impression everyone gets when they come aboard. At this point, though, it's as scuffed and dirty as its crew. Cleaning hasn't been a high priority when everyone is spread so thin. The deck itself runs fore and aft, and a staircase leads up to the cargo hold. Just above, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. >push it fore The cargo staircase upward cannot be pushed from place to place. Some distance above, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. >extend device (first closing the staircase) You twist the screw around a few times, and the pole extends to rest against the bottom of the staircase, holding it firmly shut. >fore Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Shimat strides in from the fore passage, singing under her breath. >z Time passes. Shimat strides out aft, steps in time with her song. ] >x pipes They're everywhere on the ship, transporting steam and lifting gas and other things you don't know the names of to where they're needed. You're not sure why they're not hidden inside the walls and floors, but this is a cargo vessel, so maybe making the walls lighter was worth the risk of getting burned everywhere you go. (You still have some blisters from the first time the ship rolled to the side in a storm.) Some distance aft, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Just aft, you can make out purposeful footsteps moving away. >push pipes You clamp the wrench around a random joint?hopefully not one that's under too much pressure?and give it a hard yank. Steam starts leaking out at the seams. Bashti rushes in through the door to starboard, focused on his task. Some distance aft, you can hear purposeful footsteps moving away. >z Time passes. Some distance aft, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. With a practiced eye, Bashti picks out which valve is the problem, and tightens it back up. ] >undo Deck Fore [Previous turn undone.] >undo Deck Fore [Previous turn undone.] >undo Deck Fore [Previous turn undone.] >undo Deck Fore [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lower Deck [Previous turn undone.] >l Lower Deck If the boilers are the heart of the ship, this would be its...face, maybe? The shiny, clean part, the first impression everyone gets when they come aboard. At this point, though, it's as scuffed and dirty as its crew. Cleaning hasn't been a high priority when everyone is spread so thin. The stairs to the cargo hold have been folded up into the ceiling, leaving a wide passage fore and aft. A strange device has been set up under the staircase, a long pole attached to three sturdy legs. It looks like there's some kind of screw mechanism to extend or retract the pole. It's currently extended, holding the staircase shut. Just forward, you hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. >undo Lower Deck [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lower Deck [Previous turn undone.] >l Lower Deck If the boilers are the heart of the ship, this would be its...face, maybe? The shiny, clean part, the first impression everyone gets when they come aboard. At this point, though, it's as scuffed and dirty as its crew. Cleaning hasn't been a high priority when everyone is spread so thin. The deck itself runs fore and aft, and a staircase leads up to the cargo hold. A strange device has been set up under the staircase, a long pole attached to three sturdy legs. It looks like there's some kind of screw mechanism to extend or retract the pole. It's currently retracted, allowing the staircase to open. >u Cargo Hold This is the aft end of the upper deck, a little bit of open space between all the crates and boxes that represent the Mekhe-Irakkab's real purpose. Narrow aisles to port and starboard lead forward into the depths of the cargo; the door aft leads back into your cabin. A staircase leads down to the deck. The main turret is set into the aft wall, ready for any threats the ship might face. Some distance to starboard, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Some distance below, you can make out purposeful footsteps getting closer. >push valve (the big valve) Your hands safely gloved, you grab hold of the valve and give it a yank. Icy-cold steam starts billowing out and frost is forming over the controls. Just to starboard, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Just below, you hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. >z Time passes. Qarrad paces in, treading and retreading the same steady circuit of the deck. Just below, you can hear purposeful footsteps moving away. ] wait Time passes. Qarrad glances at the turret...and sees it covered in frost. All the tension in her body seems to be drawn together at once like a coiled spring getting released. She checks over the controls, making sure nothing has misfired, then raps her bare hand on one of the pipes. "Ai! Bashti! Butuqtu kutzutim shebru-ma kakku imakkhatza! Epeshum edud!" Some distance below, you hear frantic footsteps getting closer. Some distance below, you can hear purposeful footsteps moving away. ] wait Time passes. Qarrad surveys the room, making sure nothing is out of place. Just below, you hear frantic footsteps getting closer. ] wait Time passes. Qarrad surveys the room, making sure nothing is out of place. Bashti rushes in through the cargo staircase downward, focused on his task. ] >d Lower Deck If the boilers are the heart of the ship, this would be its...face, maybe? The shiny, clean part, the first impression everyone gets when they come aboard. At this point, though, it's as scuffed and dirty as its crew. Cleaning hasn't been a high priority when everyone is spread so thin. The deck itself runs fore and aft, and a staircase leads up to the cargo hold. A strange device has been set up under the staircase, a long pole attached to three sturdy legs. It looks like there's some kind of screw mechanism to extend or retract the pole. It's currently retracted, allowing the staircase to open. Just above, you can hear a valve being turned and a rush of steam ceasing, leaving a strangely empty silence. >extend pole (first closing the staircase) You twist the screw around a few times, and the pole extends to rest against the bottom of the staircase, holding it firmly shut. >fore Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Some distance aft, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. >push pipes You clamp the wrench around a random joint?hopefully not one that's under too much pressure?and give it a hard yank. Steam starts leaking out at the seams. Some distance aft, you can hear frantic footsteps going away. >z Time passes. ] wait Time passes. Some distance above, you hear the satisfying click of a door being unlocked. Some distance aft, you can make out purposeful footsteps getting closer. ] wait Time passes. Some distance above, you can hear the rumble of a door being opened. Just aft, you hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. ] wait Time passes. Some distance aft, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Some distance above, you hear frantic footsteps getting closer. Shimat strides in from the aft passage, singing under her breath. ] wait Time passes. Just above, you can hear the metallic screech of a hatch being unsealed. Shimat strides out forward, steps in time with her song. ] wait Time passes. Some distance aft, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. Just above, you hear a hatch being pulled open with a grunt of effort. ] wait Time passes. Just above, you can hear frantic footsteps getting closer. Just above, you hear the clang of a hatch slamming itself shut again. ] wait Time passes. ] >open hatch You open the crawl hatch upward. Bashti rushes in through the crawl hatch upward, focused on his task. >u Crawlspace Fore There's about two and a half feet of space between the bottom of the upper deck and the top of the lower one, a vast, dim void that's barely tall enough to wriggle through on your stomach. The heat is oppressive and the din of machinery is deafening. The crawlspace extends into darkness aft. The only light filters in through the hatches that connect this space to the rest of the ship. Two of them lead up to the cabins, port and starboard, while another forward leads down to the lower deck. The starboard and fore ones have been unsealed. Some distance to starboard, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. Just forward, you can hear sudden silence as the hissing of a loose valve is cut off. You barely noticed it until it was gone. The crawl hatch forward settles closed again. >star (first opening the crawl hatch to starboard) Gunnery The most dangerous room on the ship. You've never actually seen the inside of it before today, but you haven't immediately died walking through the door, which is a good sign. This is where Qarrad and Udan work with the ship's weapons: the big guns on the outside of the hull, and the smaller personal ones in case of enemy boarding. (Which thankfully has not happened yet.) Most of the space is taken up by racks of weapons and cases of fuel and powder. Qarrad's bunk seems almost like an afterthought, crammed down at one end of the long, narrow cabin. A hatch is set in the floor. A door leads back to port. You can also see some cases of fuel and powder here. Some distance to port, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. Some distance below, you can hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. >x bunk Buried at the back of the cabin. It looks softer than you'd expected. Some distance below, you can make out purposeful footsteps moving away. The crawl hatch downward settles closed again. >x fuel Not locked up like the weapons are, which hopefully means they're less dangerous on their own. You aren't supposed to mess with it, so probably best to stay away when other people are around. >x powder Not locked up like the weapons are, which hopefully means they're less dangerous on their own. You aren't supposed to mess with it, so probably best to stay away when other people are around. >take powder You grab one empty powder bag at random. Some distance to port, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >take fuel You already have one empty powder bag. Best not to take too many. Just to port, you hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >l Gunnery The most dangerous room on the ship. You've never actually seen the inside of it before today, but you haven't immediately died walking through the door, which is a good sign. This is where Qarrad and Udan work with the ship's weapons: the big guns on the outside of the hull, and the smaller personal ones in case of enemy boarding. (Which thankfully has not happened yet.) Most of the space is taken up by racks of weapons and cases of fuel and powder. Qarrad's bunk seems almost like an afterthought, crammed down at one end of the long, narrow cabin. A hatch is set in the floor; this one must have been used recently, because it's closed but not sealed. A door leads back to port. You can also see some cases of fuel and powder here. Just to port, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. >x guns You can't see any such thing. >x weapons The gunnery has weapons of every shape and size imaginable. You've never had to use any of them and hopefully never will, but they're kept locked up, just in case. There aren't any gaps where something is obviously missing. But where else would the murder weapon have come from? Some distance to port, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. (You add an entry on your tablet.) >clues You've uncovered the following clues: You can guess now why they had to take off so quickly. The cargo they're carrying isn't legal to transport anywhere in the Empire. They must be bribing someone in customs not to report it. No weapons are missing from the racks in the Gunnery. Whatever killed him wasn't one of the ship weapons. Udan's body has burn marks on the inside of his shoulder. It looks like an electric shock of some kind. >look under bunk You find nothing of interest. >i You are carrying: an empty powder bag a little brass cog a standard-sized screwdriver a wrench some protective gloves (being worn) a crowbar your writing tablet >d (first opening the crawl hatch downward) Crawlspace Fore There's about two and a half feet of space between the bottom of the upper deck and the top of the lower one, a vast, dim void that's barely tall enough to wriggle through on your stomach. The heat is oppressive and the din of machinery is deafening. The crawlspace extends into darkness aft. The only light filters in through the hatches that connect this space to the rest of the ship. Two of them lead up to the cabins, port and starboard, while another forward leads down to the lower deck. The starboard and fore ones have been unsealed. Some distance to port, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. Some distance aft, you hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. >port (first trying to open the crawl hatch to port) It seems to be locked. Some distance to starboard, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Some distance forward, you can make out purposeful, evenly-timed steps in the distance. The crawl hatch to starboard settles closed again. >aft Crawlspace Aft There's about two and a half feet of space between the bottom of the upper deck and the top of the lower one, a vast, dim void that's barely tall enough to wriggle through on your stomach. The heat is oppressive and the din of machinery is deafening. The crawlspace extends into darkness forward. The only light filters in through the hatches that connect this space to the rest of the ship. The ones leading up to the cargo hold are sealed over completely for this trip, while the aft one leading down to the lower deck looks like it could be opened with the right key. A bunch of carefully-wrapped parcels have been shoved back here where they won't be seen. There's a glint of metal in the darkness, where something has been thrown into a far corner. Some distance forward, you can hear purposeful, evenly-timed steps in the distance. >x parcels Roughly square packages carefully wrapped in unlabelled burlap. You aren't supposed to mess with it, so probably best to stay away when other people are around. Some distance forward, you can make out purposeful footsteps moving away. >x metal It's hard to make out any detail from here. >take metal You squirm as far as you can into the edges of the crawlspace and feel for the glint. Your hand closes on something cold and metallic, about a foot long. Feels like a baton of some sort... Taken. >x baton You've never held one of these before?it looks like a shock stick, a kind of baton used by Imperial enforcers. Jab someone with the end of it and it'll make their body freeze up for a moment. Hold it against them for long enough and it'll stop their heart. (Which officially never happens. Officially speaking it never causes permanent damage.) >open parcels (first taking one) You grab one lone parcel at random. You open the lone parcel, revealing a strange clay-like substance. >x clay Pale green and slightly soft to the touch, with a bitter smell. You've never seen it before?but you have a horrible, horrible suspicion that this is some kind of explosive. (You add an entry on your tablet.) >smell You smell nothing unexpected. Some distance forward, you can hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. >smell clay Pale green and slightly soft to the touch, with a bitter smell. You've never seen it before?but you have a horrible, horrible suspicion that this is some kind of explosive. Some distance aft, you hear purposeful, evenly-timed steps in the distance. >clues You've uncovered the following clues: You can guess now why they had to take off so quickly. The cargo they're carrying isn't legal to transport anywhere in the Empire. They must be bribing someone in customs not to report it. Not only are they smuggling?they're transporting incredibly dangerous explosives. Maybe they're selling them to Arali separatists; you can't think of anyone else who would buy something like that. No weapons are missing from the racks in the Gunnery. Whatever killed him wasn't one of the ship weapons. Udan's body has burn marks on the inside of his shoulder. It looks like an electric shock of some kind. Just aft, you can make out purposeful footsteps getting closer. >l Crawlspace Aft There's about two and a half feet of space between the bottom of the upper deck and the top of the lower one, a vast, dim void that's barely tall enough to wriggle through on your stomach. The heat is oppressive and the din of machinery is deafening. The crawlspace extends into darkness forward. The only light filters in through the hatches that connect this space to the rest of the ship. The ones leading up to the cargo hold are sealed over completely for this trip, while the aft one leading down to the lower deck looks like it could be opened with the right key. A bunch of carefully-wrapped parcels have been shoved back here where they won't be seen. Just aft, you hear purposeful footsteps moving away. >x aft hatch You've seen a few of them around the ship, set unobtrusively into the floors and ceilings. Probably another way for the engineers to get where they need to go for maintenance without being blocked by cargo. This one is sealed. >open aft hatch It seems to be locked. >port You can't go that way. >aft Now that the strange clay-like substance is open, it's evidence that you know what the crew is up to. Are you sure you want to take it back out into a public area? drop clay Please answer yes or no.> no You decide not to bring it out just yet. >i You are carrying: a lone parcel (open) a strange clay-like substance a shock stick an empty powder bag a little brass cog a standard-sized screwdriver a wrench some protective gloves (being worn) a crowbar your writing tablet >drop parcel (the lone parcel) Dropped. >take clay You extract a pinch of clay. >i You are carrying: a pinch of clay a shock stick an empty powder bag a little brass cog a standard-sized screwdriver a wrench some protective gloves (being worn) a crowbar your writing tablet Just aft, you can hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. >aft (first trying to open the crawl hatch aft) It seems to be locked. Just aft, you hear purposeful footsteps moving away. >fore Crawlspace Fore There's about two and a half feet of space between the bottom of the upper deck and the top of the lower one, a vast, dim void that's barely tall enough to wriggle through on your stomach. The heat is oppressive and the din of machinery is deafening. The crawlspace extends into darkness aft. The only light filters in through the hatches that connect this space to the rest of the ship. Two of them lead up to the cabins, port and starboard, while another forward leads down to the lower deck. The starboard and fore ones have been unsealed. Some distance to starboard, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Just forward, you hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. >fore (first opening the crawl hatch forward) Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. A hatch is set in the ceiling. Shimat, the captain of this whole affair, is hurrying from one task to another. Bashti, the younger of the two engineers, is examining the pipes for potential issues. Bashti scans over a section of the pipes. Shimat strides out forward, humming in time with her steps. >tasks You haven't yet gone: - port (blocked) from the Port Boiler - port (blocked) from Crawlspace Fore - port (blocked) from the Deck Fore - fore (blocked) from Miscellany The immediate problems you're facing are: Opening the door to Udan's cabin (port from the boilers) Figuring out how to work the device in Kasap's cabin Opening the door to Shimat's cabin (port from the lower decks) Analyzing the murder weapon Doing something about the murder Some distance aft, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Bashti surveys the pipes, looking for issues. The crawl hatch upward settles closed again. >x baton You've never held one of these before?it looks like a shock stick, a kind of baton used by Imperial enforcers. Jab someone with the end of it and it'll make their body freeze up for a moment. Hold it against them for long enough and it'll stop their heart. (Which officially never happens. Officially speaking it never causes permanent damage.) Bashti adjusts a joint that's begun to come loose. >l Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. A hatch is set in the ceiling; this one must have been used recently, because it's closed but not sealed. Bashti, the younger of the two engineers, is examining the pipes for potential issues. Some distance aft, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. Bashti wipes away some sweat before getting back to work. >u (first opening the crawl hatch upward) Crawlspace Fore There's about two and a half feet of space between the bottom of the upper deck and the top of the lower one, a vast, dim void that's barely tall enough to wriggle through on your stomach. The heat is oppressive and the din of machinery is deafening. The crawlspace extends into darkness aft. The only light filters in through the hatches that connect this space to the rest of the ship. Two of them lead up to the cabins, port and starboard, while another forward leads down to the lower deck. The starboard and fore ones have been unsealed. Some distance to port, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >port (first trying to open the crawl hatch to port) It seems to be locked. Some distance to port, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. The crawl hatch forward settles closed again. >open port hatch with prybar You try to fit the crowbar under the seal, but you just can't get enough leverage to actually force it open. Some distance to starboard, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Just forward, you can hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. >star (first opening the crawl hatch to starboard) Gunnery The most dangerous room on the ship. You've never actually seen the inside of it before today, but you haven't immediately died walking through the door, which is a good sign. This is where Qarrad and Udan work with the ship's weapons: the big guns on the outside of the hull, and the smaller personal ones in case of enemy boarding. (Which thankfully has not happened yet.) Most of the space is taken up by racks of weapons and cases of fuel and powder. Qarrad's bunk seems almost like an afterthought, crammed down at one end of the long, narrow cabin. A hatch is set in the floor. A door leads back to port. You can also see some cases of fuel and powder here. Just to port, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. Some distance below, you hear purposeful footsteps moving away. >d Crawlspace Fore There's about two and a half feet of space between the bottom of the upper deck and the top of the lower one, a vast, dim void that's barely tall enough to wriggle through on your stomach. The heat is oppressive and the din of machinery is deafening. The crawlspace extends into darkness aft. The only light filters in through the hatches that connect this space to the rest of the ship. Two of them lead up to the cabins, port and starboard, while another forward leads down to the lower deck. The starboard and fore ones have been unsealed. Some distance aft, you can make out purposeful, evenly-timed steps in the distance. The crawl hatch to starboard settles closed again. >d (fore) (first opening the crawl hatch forward) Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. A hatch is set in the ceiling. Bashti, the younger of the two engineers, is examining the pipes for potential issues. Bashti scans over a section of the pipes. Some distance aft, you can hear purposeful footsteps moving away. >fore Observatory The front of the lower deck is made entirely of glass, walls and floors alike, and the view is truly incredible. You spent a long time down here early in the voyage, looking down at the world below. On a properly-crewed ship there would be a navigator up here all the time, reporting observations back to the bridge, but with so few people you were rarely disturbed or shooed away. Just aft, you can make out the clang of a hatch slamming itself shut again. >star You can't go that way. >aft Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. A hatch is set in the ceiling; this one must have been used recently, because it's closed but not sealed. Bashti, the younger of the two engineers, is examining the pipes for potential issues. Bashti adjusts a joint that's begun to come loose. >star Kasap's Cabin At one point you'd expected the first mate to be sailing in luxury, but this room is as packed as the engineers' workspaces, full of equipment you barely understand. The bunk is practically the only open surface. It's not cluttered?everything is positioned with great care and accuracy?but you wouldn't even know where to begin searching. One piece of equipment in particular has been set up in the middle of the room, ready for use. There's a matching gap in the shelves that block off the aft passage. >port (fore) Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. A hatch is set in the ceiling; this one must have been used recently, because it's closed but not sealed. Bashti, the younger of the two engineers, is examining the pipes for potential issues. Bashti wipes away some sweat before getting back to work. >port (first trying to open the door to port) It seems to be locked. Some distance aft, you can hear sharp, measured footsteps approaching. Bashti scans over a section of the pipes. >aft Lower Deck If the boilers are the heart of the ship, this would be its...face, maybe? The shiny, clean part, the first impression everyone gets when they come aboard. At this point, though, it's as scuffed and dirty as its crew. Cleaning hasn't been a high priority when everyone is spread so thin. The stairs to the cargo hold have been folded up into the ceiling, leaving a wide passage fore and aft. A strange device has been set up under the staircase, a long pole attached to three sturdy legs. It looks like there's some kind of screw mechanism to extend or retract the pole. It's currently extended, holding the staircase shut. >port You can't go that way. Just above, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. Just aft, you can hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. >aft Deck Aft The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The cabins to starboard and port would probably belong to a medic and a...boatswain? quartermaster?...if you had them. But on this trip they've been repurposed for whatever the crew needs. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Shimat, the captain of this whole affair, is hurrying from one task to another. Shimat strides out forward, steps in time with her song. >port Miscellany The cargo hold is for transporting the things the crew get paid for; this room is for transporting the things the crew need to have on hand. Or at least that was the plan. It started out well-stocked with books and equipment and food and such, but a strut broke free a week into the voyage and the shelves came down like dominos. Now it's just a hopeless mess that nobody's had the time to fix. Half-cleared doors lead aft to the deck and fore to Shimat's cabin. Most of the room is taken up by the fallen shelves, and whatever remains of their contents. Some distance forward, you can make out purposeful, evenly-timed steps in the distance. >fore You try to squirm under or scramble over the fallen shelves, but it's hopeless. You'll have to go back the way you came. Some distance forward, you hear purposeful footsteps moving away. >star (aft) Deck Aft The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The cabins to starboard and port would probably belong to a medic and a...boatswain? quartermaster?...if you had them. But on this trip they've been repurposed for whatever the crew needs. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. >fore Lower Deck If the boilers are the heart of the ship, this would be its...face, maybe? The shiny, clean part, the first impression everyone gets when they come aboard. At this point, though, it's as scuffed and dirty as its crew. Cleaning hasn't been a high priority when everyone is spread so thin. The stairs to the cargo hold have been folded up into the ceiling, leaving a wide passage fore and aft. A strange device has been set up under the staircase, a long pole attached to three sturdy legs. It looks like there's some kind of screw mechanism to extend or retract the pole. It's currently extended, holding the staircase shut. Just above, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps approaching. >push device aft (first closing the tripod) You shuffle the tripod across the floor with you. Deck Aft The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The cabins to starboard and port would probably belong to a medic and a...boatswain? quartermaster?...if you had them. But on this trip they've been repurposed for whatever the crew needs. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. >push device port You shuffle the tripod across the floor with you. (You pull the tripod in, and shove it under one of the less-collapsed shelves. That's the only place it will fit.) Miscellany The cargo hold is for transporting the things the crew get paid for; this room is for transporting the things the crew need to have on hand. Or at least that was the plan. It started out well-stocked with books and equipment and food and such, but a strut broke free a week into the voyage and the shelves came down like dominos. Now it's just a hopeless mess that nobody's had the time to fix. Half-cleared doors lead aft to the deck and fore to Shimat's cabin. Most of the room is taken up by the fallen shelves, and whatever remains of their contents. >extend pole You twist the screw around a few times, and the pole extends to rest against the underside of the shelves. It takes some effort, but you keep twisting the screw, and little by little the shelf rises enough to slip underneath. >hide under shelf You scramble underneath the wreckage of fallen shelves and try to hide. Some distance forward, you can hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. >z Time passes. Some distance aft, you hear purposeful, evenly-timed steps in the distance. ] wait Time passes. Just aft, you can hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. ] wait Time passes. Just aft, you can make out purposeful footsteps moving away. ] wait Time passes. ] wait Time passes. ] >fore You emerge from underneath the wreckage of fallen shelves. With the tripod holding the shelves up, you're able to slip underneath. Shimat's Cabin At one point you'd expected the captain to be sailing in luxury, but this cabin started out just as spartan as the rest: a simple bunk, a smattering of personal effects, and that's it. Ever since the storage room aft collapsed, it's also where she keeps all the logs and maps and such a navigator needs. A door leads forward and a messy passage aft. A huge metal chest has been pulled in from the Miscellany, looking very much the worse for wear. Kasap is here, lost in his own thoughts and plans. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. >x chest Broad and sturdy, but not sturdy enough to withstand a room's worth of shelves falling on it. The lid was originally flat, but the front's been caved in by the force; the hinges seem fine, but the lock is jammed beyond repair. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. >open chest It seems to be locked. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. >open chest with prybar Better not. If Kasap sees you with the crowbar, you would have a lot of explaining to do. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. >z Time passes. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. ] >z Time passes. Some distance aft, you hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. ] wait Time passes. Some distance forward, you can hear purposeful, evenly-timed steps in the distance. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. ] wait Time passes. Just forward, you hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. ] wait Time passes. Just forward, you can make out purposeful footsteps moving away. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. ] wait Time passes. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. ] wait Time passes. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. ] >fore (first trying to open the door forward) It seems to be locked. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. >z Time passes. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. ] >l Shimat's Cabin At one point you'd expected the captain to be sailing in luxury, but this cabin started out just as spartan as the rest: a simple bunk, a smattering of personal effects, and that's it. Ever since the storage room aft collapsed, it's also where she keeps all the logs and maps and such a navigator needs. A door leads forward and a messy passage aft. A huge metal chest has been pulled in from the Miscellany, looking very much the worse for wear. Kasap is here, lost in his own thoughts and plans. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. >x kasap Tall and balding, with a metal leg that resonates against the deck and a severe-looking face that always looks like he's just bitten into something sour. He trades off with Shimat at the helm, and you're not actually sure which of them is officially in charge?they've got the sort of rapport that comes from working side by side for years, and you've never seen one of them pull rank. He's also the one who helps when someone gets injured, in lieu of a proper medic. And now, while Shimat prepares for the final approach, he's the one actively trying to solve the murder. Just forward, you can hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. >z Time passes. Just forward, you can make out purposeful footsteps moving away. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. ] >z Time passes. Some distance aft, you hear purposeful, evenly-timed steps in the distance. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. ] >x door Simple and functional. This one is currently locked. Some distance aft, you can make out purposeful footsteps moving away. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. >talk to kasap He waves you off without a word. He has no time for that right now. The one person on this crew who actually spoke your language was Udan, and now he's gone. Without him, you're alone on a ship full of strangers with no way to communicate. But you're also Kiang's only hope. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. >l Shimat's Cabin At one point you'd expected the captain to be sailing in luxury, but this cabin started out just as spartan as the rest: a simple bunk, a smattering of personal effects, and that's it. Ever since the storage room aft collapsed, it's also where she keeps all the logs and maps and such a navigator needs. A door leads forward and a messy passage aft. A huge metal chest has been pulled in from the Miscellany, looking very much the worse for wear. Kasap is here, lost in his own thoughts and plans. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. >x effects Unlike Kasap, she hasn't bothered to keep things tidy when there's a ship to fly. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. >x logs Neatly written; messily arranged. You aren't supposed to mess with it, so probably best to stay away when other people are around. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. >x maps Neatly written; messily arranged. You aren't supposed to mess with it, so probably best to stay away when other people are around. Kasap looks closely at the door forward. >aft Miscellany The cargo hold is for transporting the things the crew get paid for; this room is for transporting the things the crew need to have on hand. Or at least that was the plan. It started out well-stocked with books and equipment and food and such, but a strut broke free a week into the voyage and the shelves came down like dominos. Now it's just a hopeless mess that nobody's had the time to fix. Half-cleared doors lead aft to the deck and fore to Shimat's cabin. Most of the room is taken up by the fallen shelves, and whatever remains of their contents. The tripod has been positioned under the fallen shelves, propping them up enough for someone to squeeze past. >aft With the tripod holding the shelves up, you're able to slip underneath. Deck Aft The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The cabins to starboard and port would probably belong to a medic and a...boatswain? quartermaster?...if you had them. But on this trip they've been repurposed for whatever the crew needs. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. >star Surgery This tiny cabin would probably belong to the ship's medic, if you had one. Instead, Kasap has turned the bunk into a sort of examination table where he does what he can to keep the crew healthy and functional. Shelves of equipment cover up the passage forward, so the only way out is aft. Udan's body rests here, unnaturally still with rigor mortis. Just aft, you hear purposeful footsteps getting closer. >port (aft) Deck Aft The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The cabins to starboard and port would probably belong to a medic and a...boatswain? quartermaster?...if you had them. But on this trip they've been repurposed for whatever the crew needs. An inconspicuous hatch is set in the ceiling. Shimat, the captain of this whole affair, is hurrying from one task to another. Shimat strides out forward, humming in time with her steps. >fore Lower Deck If the boilers are the heart of the ship, this would be its...face, maybe? The shiny, clean part, the first impression everyone gets when they come aboard. At this point, though, it's as scuffed and dirty as its crew. Cleaning hasn't been a high priority when everyone is spread so thin. The stairs to the cargo hold have been folded up into the ceiling, leaving a wide passage fore and aft. Shimat, the captain of this whole affair, is hurrying from one task to another. Just above, you can make out sharp, measured footsteps departing. Shimat strides out forward, steps in time with her song. >port You can't go that way. Some distance above, you hear sharp, measured footsteps departing. Just forward, you can make out purposeful footsteps moving away. >fore Deck Fore The lower deck is much smaller than the cargo hold: not much more than a single long corridor running from bow to stern. The captain and first mate have their cabins to port and starboard. A hatch is set in the ceiling; this one must have been used recently, because it's closed but not sealed. Bashti, the younger of the two engineers, is examining the pipes for potential issues. Bashti surveys the pipes, looking for issues. >star Kasap's Cabin At one point you'd expected the first mate to be sailing in luxury, but this room is as packed as the engineers' workspaces, full of equipment you barely understand. The bunk is practically the only open surface. It's not cluttered?everything is positioned with great care and accuracy?but you wouldn't even know where to begin searching. One piece of equipment in particular has been set up in the middle of the room, ready for use. There's a matching gap in the shelves that block off the aft passage. >z Time passes. ] >push device You poke and prod at it for a moment, and come to the conclusion that you have no idea how to work this thing. >script off End of transcript.