Start of a transcript of Vain Empires An interactive memoir by Thomas Mack and Xavid Release 1 / Serial number 201003 / Inform 7 build 6M62 (I6/v6.33 lib 6/12N) Type about for information about this game, help for general tips on playing interactive fiction, or hint for an interactive hint menu. Identification number: //3F59F801-2235-4275-90C3-A5BF7AE08B89// Interpreter version 2.1.7 / VM 3.1.2 / Library serial number 080126 Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson Expanded Understanding version 4/200908 by Xavid Graphical Map version 3 by Xavid Snippetage version 2 by Dave Robinson Small Kindnesses version 13/140501 by Aaron Reed Glimmr Drawing Commands version 3/160626 by Erik Temple >about Vain Empires is Copyright 2020 by Thomas Mack and Xavid. It may be distributed for free, but not sold or included in any for-profit collection without written permission from the authors. Inspirations include the second half of Delightful Wallpaper by Andrew Plotkin. Much thanks to Diane Christoforo, William Lowenthal, the Pretzings, and Brian Rushton for testing and feedback. Cover art by Sadia Bies (https://twitter.com/sadiabies). For questions or comments about the game, email vain.empires@gmail.com. >l Casino Entrance The casino complex looming before me is a converted seaside chateau. Only the most discreet glimpses of opulence are visible through the windows: checkerboard marble floors, liveried valets roaming the hallways, tiny but undoubtedly very expensive objets d'art sitting on oversized tables, and so on. As a warm breeze from the beach ruffles the palm trees, humans in formalwear stride through the grounds, staring longingly at the casino's beckoning entrance to the north. A suspiciously large quantity of salt forms an arc around the doorway. The bouncer leans against the doorway, idly watching the thief. The thief looks around for alternate ways into the casino. >i I am carrying: a detector an intercepted communiqué >x me Me? There's not much to say, really. My name is Sidewinder. (That's a lie. "Sidewinder" is a cryptonym; my real name is classified.) I'm a legal counsel to Hell's Office of Mortal Trade and Economic Development. (That's also a lie, or more accurately a cover. I'm an intelligence officer, or more accurately a spy.) My job is to build peaceful, productive relations with mortals and to prevent my opposite number from expanding their influence in the mortal realm. (That one's true, although the methods by which I go about it are far outside the ambit of my cover job.) I am, of course, a demon. Rather than the slavering mass of fangs and claws humans tend to expect, though, I'm a noncorporeal entity who moves in the spiritual realm and has some ability to influence humans in the physical realm. (Also true, although I could probably have the research department whip me up some fangs and claws if I really needed them.) To put it simply: I'm from Hell, and I'm here to help. (Absolutely true, though I'm not going to say whom I'm going to help.) The bouncer slowly surveys the crowd. The thief looks around for alternate ways into the casino. >x detector The device is a convenient detector attuned to items tagged by demons from my home office, such as the chief of station here. When spun, it indicates how many of those items are in my present location (but not yet in my possession) and how many are in the same portion of the compound. The bouncer kicks idly at the pile of salt. The thief sidles up to the bouncer and has an animated conversation with it, but to no avail. >spin it The detector produces three high whistles, indicating three unattained codebooks in this region of the compound, but none in this specific location. The bouncer slowly surveys the crowd. The thief sidles up to the bouncer and has an animated conversation with it, but to no avail. >x communique 35568 02000 44363 63065 83029 40708 02173 65338 89256 52701 82391 59635 91926 98465 19336 76153 14998 76786 05618 72538 70978 03088 12659 09967 16608 37429 19724 42022 19539 51287 26977 The bouncer slowly surveys the crowd. The thief sidles up to the bouncer and has an animated conversation with it, but to no avail. >x bouncer A burly, ill-tempered human standing next to the door. Even if it is an exclusive place, the casino doesn't benefit from turning too many people away; the role of the bouncer is to keep an eye out for troublemakers. The bouncer kicks idly at the pile of salt. The thief looks around for alternate ways into the casino. >x thief It's wearing a black-and-white striped shirt and a domino mask. It doesn't fit in. The thief has an intent to enter the casino. It goes without saying that my kind have certain affordances when it comes to dealing with mortals. We may not be much for the shuffling around of physical objects, but when it comes to humans' intentions, we can pluck them out, give them to others, and generally treat them as playthings. The bouncer shuffles from foot to foot. The thief sidles up to the bouncer and has an animated conversation with it, but to no avail. >x salt The mostly likely explanation of the salt is that it's just a random, unremarkable accident, probably spilled by someone delivering kitchen supplies. The most worrying possibility is that it was placed here deliberately, probably by some useful idiot on the casino's staff who managed to dredge up some bit of folklore about demons and was trying to be helpful. The bouncer leans against the doorway, idly watching the thief. The thief sidles up to the bouncer and has an animated conversation with it, but to no avail. >in Salt, unfortunately, has a strong purifying effect that has long been used to keep out those of my kind. Even though I'm incorporeal, the discontinuity effect of the walls is too much for me to skirt around it. I won't be able to get in with the salt as it is. >take salt I'm a noncorporeal entity, and so I can't interact directly with purely physical objects. >talk to thief Our carefully negotiated treaties with the Other Side prohibit me from talking directly to humans. The bouncer shuffles from foot to foot. The thief sidles up to the bouncer and has an animated conversation with it, but to no avail. >nudge That's not a verb I recognize. >enter thief That's not something I can enter. The bouncer slowly surveys the crowd. The thief watches, hoping for the bouncer to get distracted. >thief, enter casino (first taking the enter intent from the thief) I give the enter intent to the thief, who now intends to enter the casino. The bouncer leans against the doorway, idly watching the thief. The thief watches, hoping for the bouncer to get distracted. >distract That's not a verb I recognize. >take intent I extract the enter intent from the thief. The bouncer shuffles from foot to foot. >give intent to bouncer Unfortunately, as a spiritual being, I'm not equipped for manipulating physical objects that lack any spiritual aspect. >bouncer, enter casino I give the enter intent to the bouncer, who now intends to enter the casino. The bouncer sighs, looks at its watch, and decides to duck into the casino for a quick break. As it shuffles inside, it conveniently kicks aside enough of the salt to break the barrier. The thief gamely follows after it. >in Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief sidles toward the door, but a guard notices and glares menacingly. The thief slinks back to the casino floor. The bouncer disappears further into the casino and is soon lost in the crowd. >spin detector The detector produces three high whistles, indicating three unattained codebooks in this region of the compound, but none in this specific location. [Your score has just gone up by one point.] >x machines The machines attract a steady stream of humans with their incessant noise and lights. The humans drawn in don't look like they're enjoying themselves, though; their expressions are flat or even mildly annoyed. The thief looks longingly at the guarded door. >x thief It's wearing a black-and-white striped shirt and a domino mask. It doesn't fit in. The thief tries to subtly watch the guard. >x guard A somberly dressed human posted to guard the door. Despite the boredom of its job, it's focused and professional. The guard has an intent to block entry into the vault. The thief sidles toward the door, but the guard notices and glares menacingly. The thief slinks back to the casino floor. >take block I extract the block intent from the guard. The thief watches hopefully for the guard to get distracted. >x crowds Awash in an amorphous mass of greed and bedazzlement. The thief inches toward the door, but the guard notices and glares aggressively. Apparently it's more alert than I thought. >x games The machines attract a steady stream of humans with their incessant noise and lights. The humans drawn in don't look like they're enjoying themselves, though; their expressions are flat or even mildly annoyed. The thief inches toward the door, but the guard notices and glares aggressively. Apparently it's more alert than I thought. >x door It's an enormous door of brass and wood. It's probably locked (footnote 1). The thief inches toward the door, but the guard notices and glares aggressively. Apparently it's more alert than I thought. >w Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. A gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. A card sharp looks around the room predatorily. >i Intentions: the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to explore the poker tables without getting sucked in. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. The card sharp looks at the bunch of unobservant, unwary gamblers in the casino optimistically. >take explore I extract the explore intent from the gambler. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >x case A thin, leather-bound case used for transporting private documents. It's more effective when onlookers can only see in three dimensions. As I approach, I feel an odd kind of tension or humming in the air. I gingerly tap the attaché case, and my curiosity is punished with a painful surge of energy. I grit my teeth and push through it, but the attaché case is completely sealed shut. It's like the surface is coated in something dense and completely smooth, without any handholds or purchase. I'm not sure what could be causing? Ah! I remember my colleague Whiptail mentioning developing some sort of protective device like this in a briefing a few centuries back. It functions as the spiritual equivalent of a diplomatic pouch: It makes the thing inside completely inaccessible to spiritual entities such as angels or my kind. Humans, being entirely corporeal, should be unaffected. I don't know how exactly the barrier works, and I've never seen it deployed in the field before. I have heard rumors that they're starting to be used at embassies and other diplomatic posts, so it's not unreasonable to assume that Krait, the officer in charge here, would have had one. He must have had to stash something important in the complex; maybe he had to escape through enemy territory and didn't want to keep it on his person, or maybe this post was suddenly compromised and had to find a safe hiding place at a moment's notice. Regardless, if Krait considered something important enough to keep out of the greedy claws of the Other Side's agents even as he was under attack or forced to abandon this station, then I consider it important too. Inside the attaché case is a confidential codebook. As long as it's closed, though, I can't get inside. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >spin detector The detector produces one low thud, indicating one unattained codebook in this specific location, and two high whistles, indicating two additional unattained codebooks in this region of the compound. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. The card sharp looks around the room predatorily. >x sharp A wily human wearing a green visor and a charcoal suit. It looks like it's been here for quite a while, and it watches the other gamblers with a predatory manner. The card sharp has an intent to clean up at poker. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >take clean I extract the clean up intent from the card sharp. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. The card sharp looks at the bunch of unobservant, unwary gamblers in the casino optimistically. >i Intentions: the clean up intent the explore intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give clean to gambler I give the clean up intent to the gambler, who now intends to clean up its act and avoid gambling. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >l Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. The card sharp is watching the other gamblers. I can also see the gambler here. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to clean up its act and avoid gambling. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. The card sharp sizes up its fellow players. >take clean I extract the clean up intent from the gambler. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >take case As a spiritual being, I'm unable to manipulate physical objects. >e Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief inches toward the door, but the guard notices and glares aggressively. Apparently it's more alert than I thought. >e Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is playing some forgettable piece of classical music energetically. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. Some musicians play a slow, melodious sonata. >x humans (the musicians) A string quartet is stationed in the upper reaches of the hall to entertain the humans dancing below. The musicians have an intent to play music. The musicians play a lively scherzo. >take play I extract the play intent from the musicians. The musicians take the opportunity to drink some water. >n Bar The casino's bar is a lively retreat for the dancers in the ballroom, with a steady stream of patrons drifting in and out. The bar itself is a giant mahogany beast with a bewildering array of decanters, bottles, and vials set against the mirror behind it. Floor-length windows fill the room with orange light. The ballroom is south of here. A bartender folds some linen napkins at the bar. A waiter sweeps through the room and attends to the guests. It occurs to me that I should clarify that what I'm glossing as moving from place to place is actually a complicated warping of my spiritual probability field to move the mean of the distribution to another point in space while preserving the decay rate of the tails. I'm told that humans use muscles and tendons for their locomotion, and I suppose that works too. Most of my experience, however, is completely alien to humans' frame of reference, and I'm trying to meet you halfway. If I mention, say, that I have a headache, I don't mean to imply that I have a literal head that literally hurts; I'm referring to some part of my non-human non-physical non-anatomy that would make absolutely no sense to you, so I've put it in terms of the closest human equivalent. Similarly, I can't pick up and hold even a spiritual object such as an intention; I don't have hands (or, despite the unflattering paintings you may have seen, horns and a tail). Instead, to keep something like that nearby, I'm doing something impossibly complex that nevertheless has the same effect as your holding a teacup with your grubby, meaty human hands. To avoid confusion, I'm just going to describe myself as, say, holding the communiqué, and I'll leave it to you to wonder about how a spiritual being such as myself navigates the physical realm. That having been said, I do wonder how you all manage with only five basic senses, and not particularly well-developed ones at that. Birds can see more colors than you, and they even get to fly. I don't think humans are any good at flying (though I have confirmed that humans are great at falling), which strikes me as a major design flaw. If you're stuck in only three spatial dimensions, you might as well get the most out of them. >x bartender A human who's dressed tidily but unobtrusively to look respectable and approachable. The bartender has an intent to fold napkins. The bartender folds some linen napkins at the bar. The waiter sweeps through the room and attends to the guests. >take fold I extract the fold intent from the bartender. The waiter sweeps through the room and attends to the guests. >x napkins There are stacks of napkins for the guests and towels to mop up spills with. Judging by the height of the stacks, spills are not infrequent. The waiter sweeps through the room and attends to the guests. >x waiter The waiter's uniform includes a half-apron with a pocket, in which rests a small notepad. The waiter has an intent to wait on the various guests. The waiter sweeps through the room and attends to the guests. >take wait I extract the wait intent from the waiter. The waiter loafs in the corner. >s Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians are chatting quietly among themselves and setting up for the next piece. >e Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. A sword cane has been left on it. >x bench It's a ponderous bulk of white marble, with lion's heads carved into its armrests. On the marble bench is a sword cane. >x cane A weapon for people who like looking smart more than being smart. Nevertheless, I've seen them put to good use once or twice. >spin detector The detector produces three high whistles, indicating three unattained codebooks in this region of the compound, but none in this specific location. >n Hedge Maze The tall hedges filling this part of the grounds have been meticulously cut into a network of crisscrossing channels. Presumably the effect is disorienting to humans, but I have no trouble making out the open area to the north, nestled in the center of the maze. The gravel pathways snake around it, warm in the heavy evening air. The rest of the casino grounds lie to the south. A magpie perches, looking for something shiny to abscond with. >x magpie Magpies are not quite up to the level of ravens, but they're still solidly respectable corvids. They're not as evil as ravens, sadly, but they're actually a bit more acquisitive and mischievous. The magpie has an intent to take something shiny. The magpie perches, looking for something shiny to abscond with. >take take I extract the take intent from the magpie. >n Peristyle This small garden lies at the center of the hedge maze. Moss grows optimistically through cracks in the mosaic floor, and vines wrap around the columns ringing the open area. A fountain in the center, flowing but full of vegetation and other flotsam, breaks the summer humidity. A torturous (footnote 2) path to the south heads back into the maze. A stone statue of some sort of classical figure stands in the center of the area, sparkling with faint spiritual energy. >spin detector The detector produces one low thud, indicating one unattained codebook in this specific location, and two high whistles, indicating two additional unattained codebooks in this region of the compound. >x fountain The susurration of water flowing through the fountain is pleasant enough, but it also helps to repel insects from the garden. With all due respect to the Management, I don't care for flies. >footnote (2) ...A torturous path to the south: My editor suggests that I meant tortuous here, but I'm a hopeless optimist. >footnote 1 (1) ...probably locked.: Not that a locked door is an obstacle to me. >x water Everyone's favorite wet flowing substance. This is just the ordinary kind, so it's of no concern to me. >x statue I don't know what sort of figure it's supposed to represent; it may not even be intended to be anyone at all. The statue is also hollow and sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The statue is mystically sealed, presumably to protect its contents from the opposition. The barrier is also keeping me from accessing its contents, a confidential codebook, as long as it's closed. >open it I'm a noncorporeal entity, and so I can't interact directly with purely physical objects. >s Hedge Maze The tall hedges filling this part of the grounds have been meticulously cut into a network of crisscrossing channels. Presumably the effect is disorienting to humans, but I have no trouble making out the open area to the north, nestled in the center of the maze. The gravel pathways snake around it, warm in the heavy evening air. The rest of the casino grounds lie to the south. A magpie is perched here. >i Intentions: the take intent the wait intent the fold intent the play intent the clean up intent the explore intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give explore to magpie I give the explore intent to the magpie, who now intends to explore in search of something shiny. >l Hedge Maze The tall hedges filling this part of the grounds have been meticulously cut into a network of crisscrossing channels. Presumably the effect is disorienting to humans, but I have no trouble making out the open area to the north, nestled in the center of the maze. The gravel pathways snake around it, warm in the heavy evening air. The rest of the casino grounds lie to the south. A magpie is perched here. >n Peristyle This small garden lies at the center of the hedge maze. Moss grows optimistically through cracks in the mosaic floor, and vines wrap around the columns ringing the open area. A fountain in the center, flowing but full of vegetation and other flotsam, breaks the summer humidity. A torturous path to the south heads back into the maze. A stone statue of some sort of classical figure stands in the center of the area, sparkling with faint spiritual energy. >s Hedge Maze The tall hedges filling this part of the grounds have been meticulously cut into a network of crisscrossing channels. Presumably the effect is disorienting to humans, but I have no trouble making out the open area to the north, nestled in the center of the maze. The gravel pathways snake around it, warm in the heavy evening air. The rest of the casino grounds lie to the south. >s Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. A sword cane has been left on it. The magpie hops up and flies off to the east. >e Colonnade This cobblestone trail runs from the casino to the hotel on the complex. Box trees flank the path, interspersed with a variety of colorful ornamental plants I don't recognize. The hotel it leads to is a sprawling villa of orange bricks with towers sprouting around its perimeter. A stone archway leads east into the hotel, and the trail winds to the west. A tarnished silver mirror hangs over the archway leading east. On the silver mirror is some holly. A magpie is perched here. A kid shuffles around nearby. >x mirror The mirror is so badly tarnished as to be almost black. This is partially disguised by the prickly-leaved, festive, and inconvenient holly on it. It hangs over a stone archway that I'd ordinarily be able to easily pass through. The magpie hops up and flies off to the west. >e As I try to pass through the archway, I bump my nonexistent head on a nonexistent wall. Looking around in confusion, I find the culprit: There's a sprig of holly on the mirror over the archway. Humans have a lot of folk tales about fending off my kind (and, perversely, attracting agents from the Other Side). Most of it is superstitious nonsense. The folklore about holly's keeping demons away, though, actually is true (footnote 3). It's embarrassing to admit, but something as simple as bit of holly over a doorway does in fact create a barrier that's difficult for demons to pass through. The effect is like running into a glass door, except that I can pass effortlessly through closed doors, so it's more like running into an archway that has holly stuck onto it. I'm not very good with metaphors. The point is that the holly is going to prevent me from passing through the archway as long as it's up there. >footnote (3) ...actually is true: Mostly, anyway. There is a certain plant that's repellent to demons, but it's not holly. My editor decided that mentioning the real plant is a security risk and made me swap it out. If you read the previous part and put up a sprig of holly across your front door to keep demons away, you're going to be disappointed. Of course, if you take advice on protecting yourself from demons out of a book written by a demon, you're going to be disappointed by a lot of things. >x holly A festive garland of holly in an inconvenient location. It reminds me of the salt at the casino entrance; if that was happenstance, then the holly is at least coincidence. >x kid One of those young humans there seem to keep being more of. I wouldn't normally expect to see one in a place like this, but perhaps away from the actual gambling humans deem it appropriate. I've never understood the point of children. My kind, and as far as I know those of my opposite number as well, are created ex nihilo for a specific purpose. We're ideally suited for that purpose, and we have all the talent and drive needed to fulfill it. I haven't always been the efficient and accomplished lawyer I am now, for example, but I've always wanted to be, and I've had millennia to hone my craft. Humans are just thrown into a world they don't understand without any explanation, and they're expected to find something meaningful to do, figure out how to do it, and find an opportunity to do it?all on their own, and with a time limit of less than a century. It's hardly surprising that humanity is so receptive to the influences of my organization and the Other Side. >i Intentions: the take intent the wait intent the fold intent the play intent the clean up intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give play to kid I give the play intent to the kid, who now intends to play around with something fun. The kid sticks its hands in its pockets and kicks at the ground. It looks around in desperation for something fun to play with. >l kid One of those young humans there seem to keep being more of. I wouldn't normally expect to see one in a place like this, but perhaps away from the actual gambling humans deem it appropriate. The kid has an intent to play around with something fun. The kid sticks its hands in its pockets and kicks at the ground. It looks around in desperation for something fun to play with. >w Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. A sword cane has been left on it. >e Colonnade This cobblestone trail runs from the casino to the hotel on the complex. Box trees flank the path, interspersed with a variety of colorful ornamental plants I don't recognize. The hotel it leads to is a sprawling villa of orange bricks with towers sprouting around its perimeter. A stone archway leads east into the hotel, and the trail winds to the west. A tarnished silver mirror garlanded with holly hangs over the archway leading east. The kid sticks its hands in its pockets and kicks at the ground. It looks around in desperation for something fun to play with. >w Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. A sword cane has been left on it. The magpie flies in from the north. >x magpie Magpies are not quite up to the level of ravens, but they're still solidly respectable corvids. They're not as evil as ravens, sadly, but they're actually a bit more acquisitive and mischievous. The magpie has an intent to explore in search of something shiny. >w Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians look through their sheet music. >w Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief inches toward the door, but the guard notices and glares aggressively. Apparently it's more alert than I thought. >n Counting House Unlike the rest of the casino, this small room is refreshingly severe and empty. Bookshelves filled with identical logbooks line the windowless walls, occasionally broken up by racks of electronic equipment. The only exit is an imposing door to the south. An elaborate laser grid encloses a metal strongbox, which is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. >spin detector The detector produces one low thud, indicating one unattained codebook in this specific location, and two high whistles, indicating two additional unattained codebooks in this region of the compound. >x laser Beams of red light criss-cross the area around the strongbox. From the notes in my mission briefing, this sort of thing is usually part of an alarm system, which triggers when a human breaks the path of the beams to grab what's inside. In the laser grid is a strongbox. >x box A heavy metal strongbox designed for storing valuables. It's sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The strongbox is mystically sealed, presumably to protect its contents from the opposition. The barrier is also keeping me from accessing its contents, a confidential codebook and some stacks of banknotes, as long as it's closed. >s Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief inches toward the door, but the guard notices and glares aggressively. Apparently it's more alert than I thought. >i Intentions: the take intent the wait intent the fold intent the clean up intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >e Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians are chatting quietly among themselves and setting up for the next piece. >e Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. A sword cane has been left on it. >e Colonnade This cobblestone trail runs from the casino to the hotel on the complex. Box trees flank the path, interspersed with a variety of colorful ornamental plants I don't recognize. The hotel it leads to is a sprawling villa of orange bricks with towers sprouting around its perimeter. A stone archway leads east into the hotel, and the trail winds to the west. A tarnished silver mirror garlanded with holly hangs over the archway leading east. The kid sticks its hands in its pockets and kicks at the ground. It looks around in desperation for something fun to play with. >take play I extract the play intent from the kid. >w Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. A sword cane has been left on it. A magpie is perched here. >take explore I extract the explore intent from the magpie. >w Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians look through their sheet music. >w Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief inches toward the door, but the guard notices and glares aggressively. Apparently it's more alert than I thought. >give explore to guard I give the explore intent to the guard, who now vaguely intends to explore. The thief watches hopefully for the guard to get distracted. >z Time passes. The thief inches toward the door, but the guard notices and glares aggressively. Apparently it's more alert than I thought. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is watching the door. >x guard A somberly dressed human posted to guard the door. Despite the boredom of its job, it's focused and professional. The guard has a vague intent to explore. The thief inches toward the door, but the guard notices and glares aggressively. Apparently it's more alert than I thought. >i Intentions: the play intent the take intent the wait intent the fold intent the clean up intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give play to guard I give the play intent to the guard, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now intends to play some casino games. The thief inches toward the door. The guard is apparently not completely engrossed in the game, though, and pulls itself away long enough to bark at the thief. >x guard A somberly dressed human posted to guard the door. Despite the boredom of its job, it's focused and professional. The guard has an intent to play some casino games. The thief inches toward the door. The guard is apparently not completely engrossed in the game, though, and pulls itself away long enough to bark at the thief. >i Intentions: the explore intent the take intent the wait intent the fold intent the clean up intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give fold to guard I give the fold intent to the guard, taking the play intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to fold. The thief inches toward the door, but the guard notices and glares aggressively. Apparently it's more alert than I thought. >x guard A somberly dressed human posted to guard the door. Despite the boredom of its job, it's focused and professional. The guard has a vague intent to fold. The thief watches hopefully for the guard to get distracted. >give clean to guard I give the clean up intent to the guard, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to clean up. The thief inches toward the door, but the guard notices and glares aggressively. Apparently it's more alert than I thought. >x guard A somberly dressed human posted to guard the door. Despite the boredom of its job, it's focused and professional. The guard has a vague intent to clean up. The thief watches hopefully for the guard to get distracted. >give take to guard I give the take intent to the guard, taking the clean up intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to take something. The thief inches toward the door, but the guard notices and glares aggressively. Apparently it's more alert than I thought. >x guard A somberly dressed human posted to guard the door. Despite the boredom of its job, it's focused and professional. The guard has a vague intent to take something. The thief inches toward the door, but the guard notices and glares aggressively. Apparently it's more alert than I thought. >take take I extract the take intent from the guard. The thief inches toward the door, but the guard notices and glares aggressively. Apparently it's more alert than I thought. >w Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. The card sharp is watching the other gamblers. >give fold to sharp I give the fold intent to the card sharp, who now intends to fold in the poker game. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >x sharp A wily human wearing a green visor and a charcoal suit. It looks like it's been here for quite a while, and it watches the other gamblers with a predatory manner. The card sharp has an intent to fold in the poker game. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. The card sharp sizes up its fellow players. >z Time passes. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >z Time passes. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >l Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. The card sharp is watching the other gamblers. I can also see the gambler here. >take sharp As a demon, I can only manipulate spiritual objects, not physical ones. >take fold I extract the fold intent from the card sharp. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >give fold to gambler I give the fold intent to the gambler, who now intends to fold in the poker game. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to fold in the poker game. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >l Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. The card sharp is watching the other gamblers. I can also see the gambler here. >z Time passes. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. The card sharp looks around the room predatorily. >z Time passes. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. The card sharp sizes up its fellow players. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >give fold to gambler I give the fold intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now intends to fold in the poker game. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to fold in the poker game. The gambler summarily folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >z Time passes. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >i Intentions: the fold intent the take intent the clean up intent the explore intent the wait intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >givee fold to gambler That's not a verb I recognize. >give fold to gambler I give the fold intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now intends to fold in the poker game. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >z Time passes. The gambler abruptly folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >give clean to gambler I give the clean up intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now intends to clean up its act and avoid gambling. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >z Time passes. The gambler raises. The card sharp studies its opponent's face for a moment, then tosses its cards onto the table. The gambler happily takes the pile of chips from the table and becomes marginally richer. Despite its loss, the card sharp still has quite a bit of money remaining, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the clean up intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >give clean to gambler I give the clean up intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now intends to clean up its act and avoid gambling. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >z Time passes. The gambler raises. The card sharp stares at its opponent's face for a moment, then tosses its cards onto the table. The gambler happily takes the pile of chips from the table and becomes marginally richer. Despite its loss, the card sharp still has quite a bit of money remaining, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the clean up intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >give clean to gambler I give the clean up intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now intends to clean up its act and avoid gambling. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >give fold to sharp I give the fold intent to the card sharp, who now intends to fold in the poker game. The card sharp summarily folds. The gambler happily takes the pile of chips from the table and becomes marginally richer. Despite its loss, the card sharp still has quite a bit of money remaining, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >take all clean up intent: I extract the clean up intent from the gambler. fold intent: I extract the fold intent from the card sharp. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >i Intentions: the fold intent the clean up intent the play intent the take intent the explore intent the wait intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give take to gambler I give the take intent to the gambler, who now vaguely intends to take something. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. The card sharp looks around the room predatorily. >take it I extract the take intent from the gambler. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >give take to sharp I give the take intent to the card sharp, who now vaguely intends to take something. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. The card sharp looks at the bunch of unobservant, unwary gamblers in the casino optimistically. >x sharp A wily human wearing a green visor and a charcoal suit. It looks like it's been here for quite a while, and it watches the other gamblers with a predatory manner. The card sharp has a vague intent to take something. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >take take I extract the take intent from the card sharp. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >i Intentions: the take intent the fold intent the clean up intent the play intent the explore intent the wait intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give fold to sharp I give the fold intent to the card sharp, who now intends to fold in the poker game. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. The card sharp sizes up its fellow players. >z Time passes. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >z Time passes. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, who now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >z Time passes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >z Time passes. The card sharp abruptly folds. The gambler happily takes the pile of chips from the table and becomes marginally richer. Despite its loss, the card sharp still has quite a bit of money remaining, and it shows no indication of slowing down. The card sharp looks at the bunch of unobservant, unwary gamblers in the casino optimistically. >z Time passes. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >z Time passes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >z Time passes. The card sharp summarily folds. The gambler happily takes the pile of chips from the table and becomes marginally richer. Despite its loss, the card sharp still has quite a bit of money remaining, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >z Time passes. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >z Time passes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >z Time passes. The card sharp abruptly folds. The gambler happily takes the pile of chips from the table and becomes marginally richer. Despite its loss, the card sharp still has quite a bit of money remaining, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >e Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief watches hopefully for the guard to get distracted. >i Intentions: the take intent the clean up intent the explore intent the wait intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give explore to guard I give the explore intent to the guard, who now vaguely intends to explore. The thief inches toward the door, but the guard notices and glares aggressively. Apparently it's more alert than I thought. >give wait to thief I give the wait intent to the thief, who now intends to wait patiently until a solid opportunity for thievery arises. The thief is waiting patiently, paying attention to the guard. The guard loafs idly. >x guard A somberly dressed human posted to guard the door. Despite the boredom of its job, it's focused and professional. The guard has a vague intent to explore. The thief is waiting patiently, watching the surrounding area. The guard loafs idly. >e Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians are chatting quietly among themselves and setting up for the next piece. >w Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is waiting patiently, looking up at the security cameras. The guard is watching the door. >w Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >l Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. The card sharp is watching the other gamblers. I can also see the gambler here. >x sharp A wily human wearing a green visor and a charcoal suit. It looks like it's been here for quite a while, and it watches the other gamblers with a predatory manner. The card sharp has an intent to fold in the poker game. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >z Time passes. The card sharp quickly folds. The gambler happily takes the pile of chips from the table and becomes marginally richer. Despite its loss, the card sharp still has quite a bit of money remaining, and it shows no indication of slowing down. The card sharp looks around the room predatorily. >e Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is waiting patiently, listening carefully to the sounds of the casino. The guard is watching the door. >e Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians look through their sheet music. >i Intentions: the take intent the clean up intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give clean to musicians I give the clean up intent to the musicians, who now vaguely intend to clean up. >give take to musicians I give the take intent to the musicians, taking the clean up intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to take something. >give block to musicians I give the block intent to the musicians, taking the take intent in exchange. It now intends to block, in the percussion sense. One of the musicians gets out a woodblock and taps out a rhythm on it. >l Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. I can see the musicians here. >n Bar The casino's bar is a lively retreat for the dancers in the ballroom, with a steady stream of patrons drifting in and out. The bar itself is a giant mahogany beast with a bewildering array of decanters, bottles, and vials set against the mirror behind it. Floor-length windows fill the room with orange light. The ballroom is south of here. The bartender stands behind the bar. The waiter loafs in the corner. >i Intentions: the take intent the clean up intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give take to waiter I give the take intent to the waiter, who now vaguely intends to take something. >l Bar The casino's bar is a lively retreat for the dancers in the ballroom, with a steady stream of patrons drifting in and out. The bar itself is a giant mahogany beast with a bewildering array of decanters, bottles, and vials set against the mirror behind it. Floor-length windows fill the room with orange light. The ballroom is south of here. The bartender stands behind the bar. I can also see the waiter here. >take take I extract the take intent from the waiter. The waiter loafs in the corner. >give take to bartender I give the take intent to the bartender, who now vaguely intends to take something. The waiter loafs in the corner. >z Time passes. The waiter loafs in the corner. >l Bar The casino's bar is a lively retreat for the dancers in the ballroom, with a steady stream of patrons drifting in and out. The bar itself is a giant mahogany beast with a bewildering array of decanters, bottles, and vials set against the mirror behind it. Floor-length windows fill the room with orange light. The ballroom is south of here. The bartender stands behind the bar. I can also see the waiter here. >take take I extract the take intent from the bartender. The waiter loafs in the corner. >s Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. One of the musicians gets out a woodblock and taps out a rhythm on it. I can see the musicians here. >e Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. A sword cane has been left on it. A magpie is perched here. >give take to magpie I give the take intent to the magpie, who now intends to take something shiny. The magpie perches, looking for something shiny to abscond with. >l Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. A sword cane has been left on it. A magpie is perched here. >take take I extract the take intent from the magpie. >e Colonnade This cobblestone trail runs from the casino to the hotel on the complex. Box trees flank the path, interspersed with a variety of colorful ornamental plants I don't recognize. The hotel it leads to is a sprawling villa of orange bricks with towers sprouting around its perimeter. A stone archway leads east into the hotel, and the trail winds to the west. A tarnished silver mirror garlanded with holly hangs over the archway leading east. The kid stands off to one side, looking bored. >i Intentions: the take intent the clean up intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give clean to kid I give the clean up intent to the kid, who now vaguely intends to clean up. >l Colonnade This cobblestone trail runs from the casino to the hotel on the complex. Box trees flank the path, interspersed with a variety of colorful ornamental plants I don't recognize. The hotel it leads to is a sprawling villa of orange bricks with towers sprouting around its perimeter. A stone archway leads east into the hotel, and the trail winds to the west. A tarnished silver mirror garlanded with holly hangs over the archway leading east. The kid shuffles around nearby. >take all clean up intent: I extract the clean up intent from the kid. >w Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. A sword cane has been left on it. A magpie is perched here. >take all I don't see anything obvious to take. >i Intentions: the clean up intent the take intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give clean to magpie I give the clean up intent to the magpie, who now vaguely intends to clean up. The magpie preens itself happily. >l Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. A sword cane has been left on it. A magpie is perched here. >take all clean up intent: I extract the clean up intent from the magpie. >w Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. One of the musicians gets out a woodblock and taps out a rhythm on it. I can see the musicians here. >take all block intent: I extract the block intent from the musicians. The musicians look through their sheet music. >n Bar The casino's bar is a lively retreat for the dancers in the ballroom, with a steady stream of patrons drifting in and out. The bar itself is a giant mahogany beast with a bewildering array of decanters, bottles, and vials set against the mirror behind it. Floor-length windows fill the room with orange light. The ballroom is south of here. The bartender stands behind the bar. The waiter loafs in the corner. >take all I don't see anything obvious to take. >s Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians are chatting quietly among themselves and setting up for the next piece. >w Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is waiting patiently, paying attention to the guard. The guard is watching the door. >w Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. The card sharp summarily folds. The gambler happily takes the pile of chips from the table and becomes marginally richer. Despite its loss, the card sharp still has quite a bit of money remaining, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >take all play intent: I extract the play intent from the gambler. fold intent: I extract the fold intent from the card sharp. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >e Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is waiting patiently, looking up at the security cameras. The guard is watching the door. >give fold to guard I give the fold intent to the guard, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to fold. The thief is waiting patiently, paying attention to the guard. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is watching the door. >i Intentions: the explore intent the play intent the block intent the clean up intent the take intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give play to guard I give the play intent to the guard, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now intends to play some casino games. The thief is waiting patiently, listening carefully to the sounds of the casino. The guard sits down at a nearby slot machine and begins to play, still keeping an eye on the door. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >i Intentions: the fold intent the explore intent the block intent the clean up intent the take intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >x enter I don't see the enter intent here. I last saw it in the bouncer's possession. >x bouncer I don't see the bouncer here. I last saw it at Casino Entrance. >s Casino Entrance The casino complex looming before me is a converted seaside chateau. Only the most discreet glimpses of opulence are visible through the windows: checkerboard marble floors, liveried valets roaming the hallways, tiny but undoubtedly very expensive objets d'art sitting on oversized tables, and so on. As a warm breeze from the beach ruffles the palm trees, humans in formalwear stride through the grounds, staring longingly at the casino's beckoning entrance to the north. A suspiciously large quantity of salt is no longer blocking the doorway. >x bouncer I don't see the bouncer here. >n Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is waiting patiently, watching the surrounding area. The guard gets even more distracted by the slot machine. >z Time passes. The thief is waiting patiently, listening carefully to the sounds of the casino. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >i Intentions: the fold intent the explore intent the block intent the clean up intent the take intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >z Time passes. The thief is waiting patiently, watching the surrounding area. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The thief is waiting patiently, paying attention to the guard. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The thief is waiting patiently, listening carefully to the sounds of the casino. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >i Intentions: the fold intent the explore intent the block intent the clean up intent the take intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give clean to thief I give the clean up intent to the thief, taking the wait intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to clean up. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >i Intentions: the wait intent the fold intent the explore intent the block intent the take intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give explore to thief I give the explore intent to the thief, taking the clean up intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to explore. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >take explore I extract the explore intent from the thief. The thief picks the lock of the counting house door and slips through, gently closing it behind it. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >n Counting House Unlike the rest of the casino, this small room is refreshingly severe and empty. Bookshelves filled with identical logbooks line the windowless walls, occasionally broken up by racks of electronic equipment. The only exit is an imposing door to the south. An elaborate laser grid encloses a metal strongbox, which is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The thief sidles over to the strongbox and peers at it intently. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. >z Time passes. The thief tinkers with the strongbox. Despite its obvious skill, its hand grazes one of the laser beams as it attempts to break inside. It hesitates briefly but, sweating nervously, continues its delicate work. >z Time passes. As the thief continues to poke at the strongbox, I hear muffled footsteps outside approaching the door. A security team furiously rushes inside, grabs the thief, and abruptly hauls it out of the room amid a series of curses and threats. After the door slams shut again, another set of impatient footsteps issues from the opposite side. As they recede, though, I suddenly hear something heavy fall, followed by the sound of someone frantically running. It would seem the thief managed to escape after all. >s Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >s Casino Entrance The casino complex looming before me is a converted seaside chateau. Only the most discreet glimpses of opulence are visible through the windows: checkerboard marble floors, liveried valets roaming the hallways, tiny but undoubtedly very expensive objets d'art sitting on oversized tables, and so on. As a warm breeze from the beach ruffles the palm trees, humans in formalwear stride through the grounds, staring longingly at the casino's beckoning entrance to the north. A suspiciously large quantity of salt is no longer blocking the doorway. >q Are you sure you want to quit? n >w From here, I can only go north. Of course, as a disembodied force made of spiritual energy rather than physical matter, I can theoretically go to and fro in the earth wherever I please. As in any business involving demons, though, terms and conditions apply. The particular summoning spell that I used to access the mortal plane ties my presence here to the premises of the casino, and I can't wander too far away from it. It also requires me to begrudgingly respect the human fiction of its walls. Besides, I take the responsibilities of my position seriously. It might be nice to wander away from the casino and the nagging problems of its humans, float out to some deserted island, and spend a well-deserved vacation alone on the beach; but ultimately, I've got a job to do, and I don't have time to waste idly drifting around the mortal realm. >n Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >w Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. The card sharp looks at the bunch of unobservant, unwary gamblers in the casino optimistically. >i Intentions: the explore intent the clean up intent the wait intent the fold intent the block intent the take intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give wait to sharp I give the wait intent to the card sharp, who now vaguely intends to wait around idly. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. The card sharp sizes up its fellow players. >l Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. The card sharp is watching the other gamblers. I can also see the gambler here. >give play to gambler I don't see the play intent here. I last saw it in the guard's possession. >e Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief picks the lock of the counting house door and slips through, gently closing it behind it. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >n Counting House Unlike the rest of the casino, this small room is refreshingly severe and empty. Bookshelves filled with identical logbooks line the windowless walls, occasionally broken up by racks of electronic equipment. The only exit is an imposing door to the south. An elaborate laser grid encloses a metal strongbox, which is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The thief sidles over to the strongbox and peers at it intently. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. >i Intentions: the explore intent the clean up intent the fold intent the block intent the take intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give explore to thief I give the explore intent to the thief, who now vaguely intends to explore. The thief tinkers with the strongbox. Despite its obvious skill, its hand grazes one of the laser beams as it attempts to break inside. It hesitates briefly but, sweating nervously, continues its delicate work. >give clean to thief I give the clean up intent to the thief, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to clean up. As the thief continues to poke at the strongbox, I hear muffled footsteps outside approaching the door. A security team furiously rushes inside, grabs the thief, and abruptly hauls it out of the room amid a series of curses and threats. After the door slams shut again, another set of impatient footsteps issues from the opposite side. As they recede, though, I suddenly hear something heavy fall, followed by the sound of someone frantically running. It would seem the thief managed to escape once again. >l Counting House Unlike the rest of the casino, this small room is refreshingly severe and empty. Bookshelves filled with identical logbooks line the windowless walls, occasionally broken up by racks of electronic equipment. The only exit is an imposing door to the south. An elaborate laser grid encloses a metal strongbox, which is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. >x laser Beams of red light criss-cross the area around the strongbox. From the notes in my mission briefing, this sort of thing is usually part of an alarm system, which triggers when a human breaks the path of the beams to grab what's inside. In the laser grid is a strongbox. >x equipment I understand they're crucially important to the casino. Humans do love their blinking lights. >s Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >w Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. The card sharp is watching the other gamblers. >take all wait intent: I extract the wait intent from the card sharp. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >i Intentions: the wait intent the explore intent the fold intent the block intent the take intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >e Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. The thief creeps in from the east. >e Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians are chatting quietly among themselves and setting up for the next piece. >e Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. A sword cane has been left on it. A magpie is perched here. >e Colonnade This cobblestone trail runs from the casino to the hotel on the complex. Box trees flank the path, interspersed with a variety of colorful ornamental plants I don't recognize. The hotel it leads to is a sprawling villa of orange bricks with towers sprouting around its perimeter. A stone archway leads east into the hotel, and the trail winds to the west. A tarnished silver mirror garlanded with holly hangs over the archway leading east. The kid shuffles around nearby. >give explore to kid I give the explore intent to the kid, who now intends to explore for somewhere fun to play. The kid wanders off to the west. >w Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. A sword cane has been left on it. The kid runs excitedly into the maze. A magpie is perched here. >n Hedge Maze The tall hedges filling this part of the grounds have been meticulously cut into a network of crisscrossing channels. Presumably the effect is disorienting to humans, but I have no trouble making out the open area to the north, nestled in the center of the maze. The gravel pathways snake around it, warm in the heavy evening air. The rest of the casino grounds lie to the south. The kid gets completely confused and ends up running right out of the maze. >s Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. A sword cane has been left on it. The kid runs excitedly into the maze. A magpie is perched here. >n Hedge Maze The tall hedges filling this part of the grounds have been meticulously cut into a network of crisscrossing channels. Presumably the effect is disorienting to humans, but I have no trouble making out the open area to the north, nestled in the center of the maze. The gravel pathways snake around it, warm in the heavy evening air. The rest of the casino grounds lie to the south. The kid gets completely confused and ends up running right out of the maze. >s Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. A sword cane has been left on it. The kid runs excitedly into the maze. A magpie is perched here. >z Time passes. The kid runs out of the maze, sees that it's back at the terrace, and sighs sadly. >give take to kid I give the take intent to the kid, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now intends to take something to play with. The kid picks up the sword cane and starts swinging it around experimentally. >i Intentions: the explore intent the wait intent the fold intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >x kid One of those young humans there seem to keep being more of. I wouldn't normally expect to see one in a place like this, but perhaps away from the actual gambling humans deem it appropriate. The kid is holding a sword cane. The kid has an intent to take something to play with. The kid picks up the sword cane and starts swinging it around experimentally. >i Intentions: the explore intent the wait intent the fold intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give explore to kid I give the explore intent to the kid, taking the take intent in exchange. It now intends to explore for somewhere fun to play. The kid runs excitedly into the maze. >z Time passes. The kid runs out of the maze, sees that it's back at the terrace, and sighs sadly. >x kid One of those young humans there seem to keep being more of. I wouldn't normally expect to see one in a place like this, but perhaps away from the actual gambling humans deem it appropriate. The kid is holding the explore intent and a sword cane. The kid has an intent to explore for somewhere fun to play. The kid runs excitedly into the maze. >n Hedge Maze The tall hedges filling this part of the grounds have been meticulously cut into a network of crisscrossing channels. Presumably the effect is disorienting to humans, but I have no trouble making out the open area to the north, nestled in the center of the maze. The gravel pathways snake around it, warm in the heavy evening air. The rest of the casino grounds lie to the south. The kid gets completely confused and ends up running right out of the maze. >z Time passes. The kid runs into the maze and immediately gets turned around here. >i Intentions: the take intent the wait intent the fold intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give wait to kid I give the wait intent to the kid, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to wait around idly. >s Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. A magpie is perched here. >x magpie Magpies are not quite up to the level of ravens, but they're still solidly respectable corvids. They're not as evil as ravens, sadly, but they're actually a bit more acquisitive and mischievous. >n Hedge Maze The tall hedges filling this part of the grounds have been meticulously cut into a network of crisscrossing channels. Presumably the effect is disorienting to humans, but I have no trouble making out the open area to the north, nestled in the center of the maze. The gravel pathways snake around it, warm in the heavy evening air. The rest of the casino grounds lie to the south. The kid stands off to one side, looking bored. >take all wait intent: I extract the wait intent from the kid. >l Hedge Maze The tall hedges filling this part of the grounds have been meticulously cut into a network of crisscrossing channels. Presumably the effect is disorienting to humans, but I have no trouble making out the open area to the north, nestled in the center of the maze. The gravel pathways snake around it, warm in the heavy evening air. The rest of the casino grounds lie to the south. The kid shuffles around nearby. >i Intentions: the wait intent the explore intent the take intent the fold intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give explore to kid I give the explore intent to the kid, who now intends to explore for somewhere fun to play. The kid gets completely confused and ends up running right out of the maze. >z Time passes. The kid runs into the maze and immediately gets turned around here. >z Time passes. The kid gets completely confused and ends up running right out of the maze. >z Time passes. The kid runs into the maze and immediately gets turned around here. >s Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. A magpie is perched here. The kid runs out of the maze, sees that it's back at the terrace, and sighs sadly. >z Time passes. The kid runs excitedly into the maze. >z Time passes. The kid runs out of the maze, sees that it's back at the terrace, and sighs sadly. >take explore I extract the explore intent from the kid. >l Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. The kid shuffles around nearby. A magpie is perched here. >x kid One of those young humans there seem to keep being more of. I wouldn't normally expect to see one in a place like this, but perhaps away from the actual gambling humans deem it appropriate. The kid is holding a sword cane. >e Colonnade This cobblestone trail runs from the casino to the hotel on the complex. Box trees flank the path, interspersed with a variety of colorful ornamental plants I don't recognize. The hotel it leads to is a sprawling villa of orange bricks with towers sprouting around its perimeter. A stone archway leads east into the hotel, and the trail winds to the west. A tarnished silver mirror garlanded with holly hangs over the archway leading east. >w Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. The kid shuffles around nearby. A magpie is perched here. >w Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians look through their sheet music. >x sheet I don't see any sheet here. >w Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >n Counting House Unlike the rest of the casino, this small room is refreshingly severe and empty. Bookshelves filled with identical logbooks line the windowless walls, occasionally broken up by racks of electronic equipment. The only exit is an imposing door to the south. An elaborate laser grid encloses a metal strongbox, which is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. >i Intentions: the explore intent the wait intent the take intent the fold intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >s Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >i Intentions: the explore intent the wait intent the take intent the fold intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give take to thief I give the take intent to the thief, taking the clean up intent in exchange. It now intends to take something valuable. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >i Intentions: the clean up intent the explore intent the wait intent the fold intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >w Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. The card sharp is watching the other gamblers. > I beg your pardon? >take all I don't see anything obvious to take. >e Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >n Counting House Unlike the rest of the casino, this small room is refreshingly severe and empty. Bookshelves filled with identical logbooks line the windowless walls, occasionally broken up by racks of electronic equipment. The only exit is an imposing door to the south. An elaborate laser grid encloses a metal strongbox, which is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. >s Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >i Intentions: the clean up intent the explore intent the wait intent the fold intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >x guard A somberly dressed human posted to guard the door. Despite its job, it's become distracted by the enticing game and wandered away from its task. The guard has an intent to play some casino games. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >i Intentions: the clean up intent the explore intent the wait intent the fold intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give explore to thief I give the explore intent to the thief, taking the take intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to explore. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >give take to thief I give the take intent to the thief, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now intends to take something valuable. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >l Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >n Counting House Unlike the rest of the casino, this small room is refreshingly severe and empty. Bookshelves filled with identical logbooks line the windowless walls, occasionally broken up by racks of electronic equipment. The only exit is an imposing door to the south. An elaborate laser grid encloses a metal strongbox, which is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. >s Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >give wait to thief I give the wait intent to the thief, taking the take intent in exchange. It now intends to wait patiently until a solid opportunity for thievery arises. The thief is waiting patiently, paying attention to the guard. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The thief is waiting patiently, watching the surrounding area. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >zz That's not a verb I recognize. >z Time passes. The thief is waiting patiently, listening carefully to the sounds of the casino. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >z Time passes. The thief is waiting patiently, watching the surrounding area. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >w Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. The card sharp is watching the other gamblers. >i Intentions: the take intent the explore intent the clean up intent the fold intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give explore to gambler I give the explore intent to the gambler, who now intends to explore the poker tables without getting sucked in. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >l Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. The card sharp is watching the other gamblers. I can also see the gambler here. >i Intentions: the take intent the clean up intent the fold intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give take to gambler I give the take intent to the gambler, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to take something. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >give block to gambler I give the block intent to the gambler, taking the take intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to block. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >give fold to gambler I give the fold intent to the gambler, taking the block intent in exchange. It now intends to fold in the poker game. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. The card sharp sizes up its fellow players. >take ll I don't see any ll here. >take all fold intent: I extract the fold intent from the gambler. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >e Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The thief is waiting patiently, paying attention to the guard. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >take all wait intent: I extract the wait intent from the thief. play intent: I extract the play intent from the guard. The thief inches toward the door, but the guard notices and glares aggressively. Apparently it's more alert than I thought. >give explore to guard I give the explore intent to the guard, who now vaguely intends to explore. The thief watches hopefully for the guard to get distracted. >i Intentions: the play intent the wait intent the fold intent the block intent the take intent the clean up intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give wait to guard I give the wait intent to the guard, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now intends to wait, keeping an eye on the door. The thief inches toward the door, but the guard notices and glares aggressively. Apparently it's more alert than I thought. >give fold to guard I give the fold intent to the guard, taking the wait intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to fold. The thief inches toward the door, but the guard notices and glares aggressively. Apparently it's more alert than I thought. >give take to guard I give the take intent to the guard, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to take something. The thief watches hopefully for the guard to get distracted. >give clean to guard I give the clean up intent to the guard, taking the take intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to clean up. The thief watches hopefully for the guard to get distracted. >give play to guard I give the play intent to the guard, taking the clean up intent in exchange. It now intends to play some casino games. The thief picks the lock of the counting house door and slips through, gently closing it behind it. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >n Counting House Unlike the rest of the casino, this small room is refreshingly severe and empty. Bookshelves filled with identical logbooks line the windowless walls, occasionally broken up by racks of electronic equipment. The only exit is an imposing door to the south. An elaborate laser grid encloses a metal strongbox, which is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The thief sidles over to the strongbox and peers at it intently. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. >give wait to thief I give the wait intent to the thief, who now intends to wait patiently until a solid opportunity for thievery arises. The thief is waiting patiently, listening carefully to the sounds of the casino. >l Counting House Unlike the rest of the casino, this small room is refreshingly severe and empty. Bookshelves filled with identical logbooks line the windowless walls, occasionally broken up by racks of electronic equipment. The only exit is an imposing door to the south. An elaborate laser grid encloses a metal strongbox, which is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. >i Intentions: the clean up intent the take intent the fold intent the explore intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give explore to thief I give the explore intent to the thief, taking the wait intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to explore. The thief tinkers with the strongbox. Despite its obvious skill, its hand grazes one of the laser beams as it attempts to break inside. It hesitates briefly but, sweating nervously, continues its delicate work. >give wait What do you want to give the wait intent? >thief As a spiritual being, I'm unable to manipulate physical objects. >give wait to thief I give the wait intent to the thief, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now intends to wait patiently until a solid opportunity for thievery arises. The thief is waiting patiently, looking up at the security cameras. >z Time passes. The thief is waiting patiently, looking around idly. >z Time passes. The thief is waiting patiently, watching the surrounding area. >l Counting House Unlike the rest of the casino, this small room is refreshingly severe and empty. Bookshelves filled with identical logbooks line the windowless walls, occasionally broken up by racks of electronic equipment. The only exit is an imposing door to the south. An elaborate laser grid encloses a metal strongbox, which is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. >l Counting House Unlike the rest of the casino, this small room is refreshingly severe and empty. Bookshelves filled with identical logbooks line the windowless walls, occasionally broken up by racks of electronic equipment. The only exit is an imposing door to the south. An elaborate laser grid encloses a metal strongbox, which is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The thief is skulking nearby, trying unsucessfully to avoid looking suspicious. >i Intentions: the explore intent the clean up intent the take intent the fold intent the block intent Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give block to thief I give the block intent to the thief, taking the wait intent in exchange. It now intends to block the door. The thief pushes a shelf against the door, blocking it from the inside. >give take to thief I give the take intent to the thief, taking the block intent in exchange. It now intends to take something valuable. As the thief pokes at the strongbox, I hear muffled footsteps outside approaching the door. Something heavy collides with the door, but the bookshelves braced against it keep it closed. The thief continues its desperate lockpicking even as the bookcases shake under the force from the door. Eventually the thief succeeds, crying out triumphantly as it pries open the box and plucks a wad of banknotes from inside it. Its glee is short-lived, though, as the door flies open and a contingent of stone-faced security guards rushes in to seize it. While they search it, one member of the team splits off to inspect the open strongbox. It grabs the banknotes from the burglar and returns it to its former place of safekeeping, though I deftly fish out the codebook inside and lay it aside before the guard reseals the box. The same guard pauses to clear away the exit and move the bookshelves back into position. With the room now secure, the security detail hauls the thief outside and relocks the door. I pluck the intention from the thief as it leaves; judging from the guards' expressions, I don't think the thief will be of much use to me for quite a while. >l Counting House Unlike the rest of the casino, this small room is refreshingly severe and empty. Bookshelves filled with identical logbooks line the windowless walls, occasionally broken up by racks of electronic equipment. The only exit is an imposing door to the south. An elaborate laser grid encloses a metal strongbox. I can also see a confidential codebook here. >x codebook Cryptographic information that is useful in deciphering the communiqué. As a metaphysical item, it is is invisible to humans but tangible to me. >read it Cryptographic information that is useful in deciphering the communiqué. As a metaphysical item, it is is invisible to humans but tangible to me. >read communique 35568 02000 44363 63065 83029 40708 02173 65338 89256 52701 82391 59635 91926 98465 19336 76153 14998 76786 05618 72538 70978 03088 12659 09967 16608 37429 19724 42022 19539 51287 26977 >take codebook I pick up the confidential codebook and page through it. The cipher on the communiqué is at a much higher classification level than the confidential codebook, but I can still decipher some of its header information and basic format. The cipher is apparently one used by high-level angelic operatives; it's something that the Other Side reserves for particularly sensitive missions involving particularly important assets. Each five-digit number corresponds to a word or phrase; 12345, for example, could mean anything from "demon" to "eliminate" to "next Thursday afternoon." The association is also one-to-many, so the same plaintext word or phrase could have (and, if it's a common one, certainly does have) multiple ciphertext numbers corresponding to it. In short, this isn't something I can break by myself. This codebook contains a portion of the code, at least the part of it that's available at the confidential classification level. With it, I can start to decrypt some of the communiqué: 35568 02000 of 63065 83029 40708 02173 65338 89256 in the 82391 59635 91926 98465 19336 76153 and 76786 05618 72538 70978 03088 12659 is 16608 37429 19724 42022 19539 51287 26977 [Your score has just gone up by two points.] >take all I don't see anything obvious to take. >s Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The guard continues to play the slots, intent on the false allure of riches. >take all play intent: I extract the play intent from the guard. The guard loafs idly. >e Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians are chatting quietly among themselves and setting up for the next piece. >take all I don't see anything obvious to take. >e Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. The kid stands off to one side, looking bored. A magpie is perched here. >take all I don't see anything obvious to take. >w Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians take the opportunity to drink some water. >w Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >w Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. The card sharp is watching the other gamblers. >i Intentions: the play intent the take intent the block intent the wait intent the explore intent the clean up intent the fold intent Codebooks: one confidential codebook Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give clean to gambler I give the clean up intent to the gambler, who now intends to clean up its act and avoid gambling. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >take clean I extract the clean up intent from the gambler. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >give take to gambler I give the take intent to the gambler, who now vaguely intends to take something. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. The card sharp looks at the bunch of unobservant, unwary gamblers in the casino optimistically. >give block to gambler I give the block intent to the gambler, taking the take intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to block. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >give wait to gambler I give the wait intent to the gambler, taking the block intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to wait around idly. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >give explore to gambler I give the explore intent to the gambler, taking the wait intent in exchange. It now intends to explore the poker tables without getting sucked in. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >give clean to gambler I give the clean up intent to the gambler, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now intends to clean up its act and avoid gambling. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >give fold to gambler I give the fold intent to the gambler, taking the clean up intent in exchange. It now intends to fold in the poker game. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >give clean to gambler I give the clean up intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now intends to clean up its act and avoid gambling. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >l Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. The card sharp is watching the other gamblers. I can also see the gambler here. >l Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. The card sharp is watching the other gamblers. I can also see the gambler here. >l Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. The card sharp is watching the other gamblers. I can also see the gambler here. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to clean up its act and avoid gambling. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to clean up its act and avoid gambling. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the clean up intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >give take to gambler I give the take intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to take something. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >give block to gambler I give the block intent to the gambler, taking the take intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to block. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >give wait to gambler I give the wait intent to the gambler, taking the block intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to wait around idly. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the wait intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >give wait to gambler I give the wait intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to wait around idly. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has a vague intent to wait around idly. The gambler raises. The card sharp studies its opponent's face for a moment, then tosses its cards onto the table. The gambler happily takes the pile of chips from the table and becomes marginally richer. Despite its loss, the card sharp still has quite a bit of money remaining, and it shows no indication of slowing down. The card sharp sizes up its fellow players. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has a vague intent to wait around idly. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the wait intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >give take to sharp I give the take intent to the card sharp, who now vaguely intends to take something. The gambler cautiously throws another batch of chips into the pot. >give block to sharp I give the block intent to the card sharp, taking the take intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to block. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >give wait to sharp I give the wait intent to the card sharp, taking the block intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to wait around idly. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >give explore to sharp I give the explore intent to the card sharp, taking the wait intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to explore. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >give clean to sharp I give the clean up intent to the card sharp, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now intends to clean up at poker. The gambler cautiously throws another batch of chips into the pot. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >give clean to gambler (first taking the clean up intent from the card sharp) I give the clean up intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now intends to clean up its act and avoid gambling. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to clean up its act and avoid gambling. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. The card sharp sizes up its fellow players. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the clean up intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >give fold to sharp I give the fold intent to the card sharp, who now intends to fold in the poker game. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. The card sharp quickly folds. The gambler happily takes the pile of chips from the table and becomes marginally richer. Despite its loss, the card sharp still has quite a bit of money remaining, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. The card sharp summarily folds. The gambler happily takes the pile of chips from the table and becomes marginally richer. Despite its loss, the card sharp still has quite a bit of money remaining, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >z Time passes. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >z Time passes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >z Time passes. The card sharp abruptly folds. The gambler happily takes the pile of chips from the table and becomes marginally richer. Despite its loss, the card sharp still has quite a bit of money remaining, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >z Time passes. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >z Time passes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >z Time passes. The card sharp summarily folds. The gambler happily takes the pile of chips from the table and becomes marginally richer. Despite its loss, the card sharp still has quite a bit of money remaining, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >z Time passes. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >z Time passes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >x sharp A wily human wearing a green visor and a charcoal suit. It looks like it's been here for quite a while, and it watches the other gamblers with a predatory manner. The card sharp has an intent to fold in the poker game. The card sharp quickly folds. The gambler happily takes the pile of chips from the table and becomes marginally richer. Despite its loss, the card sharp still has quite a bit of money remaining, and it shows no indication of slowing down. The card sharp sizes up its fellow players. >take fold I extract the fold intent from the card sharp. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >z Time passes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >give fold to gambler I give the fold intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now intends to fold in the poker game. The gambler quickly folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >z Time passes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >z Time passes. The gambler cautiously throws another batch of chips into the pot. >z Time passes. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. The card sharp sizes up its fellow players. >z Time passes. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >z Time passes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >z Time passes. The gambler cautiously throws another batch of chips into the pot. >z Time passes. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. The card sharp looks around the room predatorily. >z Time passes. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >z Time passes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >give fold to gambler I give the fold intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now intends to fold in the poker game. The gambler abruptly folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >give pay to gambler I don't see any pay here. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >z Time passes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >give fold to gambler I give the fold intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now intends to fold in the poker game. The gambler summarily folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >z Time passes. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >z Time passes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >z Time passes. The gambler raises. The card sharp scrutinizes its opponent's face for a moment, then tosses its cards onto the table. The gambler happily takes the pile of chips from the table and becomes marginally richer. Despite its loss, the card sharp still has quite a bit of money remaining, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >z Time passes. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >z Time passes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >z Time passes. The gambler cautiously throws another batch of chips into the pot. >z Time passes. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. The card sharp looks at the bunch of unobservant, unwary gamblers in the casino optimistically. >z Time passes. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >z Time passes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >give take to gambler I give the take intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to take something. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. The card sharp sizes up its fellow players. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the take intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >z Time passes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >give block to gambler I give the block intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to block. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the block intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >z Time passes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >give wait to gambler I give the wait intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to wait around idly. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >tive play to gambler That's not a verb I recognize. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the wait intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >z Time passes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >give fold to gambler I give the fold intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now intends to fold in the poker game. The gambler quickly folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. The card sharp sizes up its fellow players. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >z Time passes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >give fold to gambler I give the fold intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now intends to fold in the poker game. The gambler summarily folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >z Time passes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >give clean to gambler I give the clean up intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now intends to clean up its act and avoid gambling. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. The card sharp sizes up its fellow players. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the clean up intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >e Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >take all I don't see anything obvious to take. >n Counting House Unlike the rest of the casino, this small room is refreshingly severe and empty. Bookshelves filled with identical logbooks line the windowless walls, occasionally broken up by racks of electronic equipment. The only exit is an imposing door to the south. An elaborate laser grid encloses a metal strongbox. >s Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >e Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians look through their sheet music. >take all I don't see anything obvious to take. >n Bar The casino's bar is a lively retreat for the dancers in the ballroom, with a steady stream of patrons drifting in and out. The bar itself is a giant mahogany beast with a bewildering array of decanters, bottles, and vials set against the mirror behind it. Floor-length windows fill the room with orange light. The ballroom is south of here. The bartender stands behind the bar. The waiter loafs in the corner. >take all I don't see anything obvious to take. >s Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians are chatting quietly among themselves and setting up for the next piece. >e Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. The kid stands off to one side, looking bored. A magpie is perched here. >e Colonnade This cobblestone trail runs from the casino to the hotel on the complex. Box trees flank the path, interspersed with a variety of colorful ornamental plants I don't recognize. The hotel it leads to is a sprawling villa of orange bricks with towers sprouting around its perimeter. A stone archway leads east into the hotel, and the trail winds to the west. A tarnished silver mirror garlanded with holly hangs over the archway leading east. >e I try again to push past the holly, but the barrier holds. >take all I don't see anything obvious to take. >w Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. The kid shuffles around nearby. A magpie is perched here. >take all I don't see anything obvious to take. >w Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians are chatting quietly among themselves and setting up for the next piece. >w Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >x games The machines attract a steady stream of humans with their incessant noise and lights. The humans drawn in don't look like they're enjoying themselves, though; their expressions are flat or even mildly annoyed. >x guard A somberly dressed human posted to guard the door. Despite its job, it's become distracted by the enticing game and wandered away from its task. >w Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >l Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. The card sharp is watching the other gamblers. I can also see the gambler here. >l Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. The card sharp is watching the other gamblers. I can also see the gambler here. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >x hand I don't see any hand here. >x cards Cards shuffle across the felt as the onlookers rap on the tabletop, make inscrutable gestures to the dealer, and grimly flick chips into a small pile in the center. The fine details of the game are alien to me. The fine details of human nature are not, though; and judging from its expression, I'd say that the gambler has quite a lousy hand. The gambler cautiously throws another batch of chips into the pot. >x dealer I don't see any dealer here. >x cards Cards shuffle across the felt as the onlookers rap on the tabletop, make inscrutable gestures to the dealer, and grimly flick chips into a small pile in the center. The fine details of the game are alien to me. The fine details of human nature are not, though; and judging from its expression, I'd say that the gambler has quite a lousy hand. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. The card sharp looks around the room predatorily. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >x cards Cards shuffle across the felt as the onlookers rap on the tabletop, make inscrutable gestures to the dealer, and grimly flick chips into a small pile in the center. The fine details of the game are alien to me. The fine details of human nature are not, though; and judging from its expression, I'd say that the gambler has quite a lousy hand. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >give clean to sharp I give the clean up intent to the card sharp, who now intends to clean up at poker. The gambler cautiously throws another batch of chips into the pot. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. The card sharp looks at the bunch of unobservant, unwary gamblers in the casino optimistically. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >x cards Cards shuffle across the felt as the onlookers rap on the tabletop, make inscrutable gestures to the dealer, and grimly flick chips into a small pile in the center. The fine details of the game are alien to me. The fine details of human nature are not, though; and judging from its expression, I'd say that the gambler has quite a good hand. The gambler raises. The card sharp studies its opponent's face for a moment, then tosses its cards onto the table. The gambler happily takes the pile of chips from the table and becomes marginally richer. Despite its loss, the card sharp still has quite a bit of money remaining, and it shows no indication of slowing down. The card sharp looks around the room predatorily. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. The gambler cautiously throws another batch of chips into the pot. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. The card sharp looks around the room predatorily. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. The gambler cautiously throws another batch of chips into the pot. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. The gambler cautiously throws another batch of chips into the pot. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >give fold to gambler I give the fold intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now intends to fold in the poker game. The gambler quickly folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to fold in the poker game. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. The card sharp looks around the room predatorily. >gie play to gambler That's not a verb I recognize. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >take all play intent: I extract the play intent from the gambler. clean up intent: I extract the clean up intent from the card sharp. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >e Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >e Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians look through their sheet music. >e Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. The kid shuffles around nearby. A magpie is perched here. >give explore to magpie I give the explore intent to the magpie, who now intends to explore in search of something shiny. >z Time passes. The magpie hops up and flies off to the east. >e Colonnade This cobblestone trail runs from the casino to the hotel on the complex. Box trees flank the path, interspersed with a variety of colorful ornamental plants I don't recognize. The hotel it leads to is a sprawling villa of orange bricks with towers sprouting around its perimeter. A stone archway leads east into the hotel, and the trail winds to the west. A tarnished silver mirror garlanded with holly hangs over the archway leading east. A magpie is perched here. >give take to magpie I give the take intent to the magpie, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now intends to take something shiny. The magpie perches across from the archway, but it doesn't see anything shiny enough to attract its interest. >i Intentions: the explore intent the clean up intent the play intent the fold intent the wait intent the block intent Codebooks: one confidential codebook Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give clean to magpie I give the clean up intent to the magpie, taking the take intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to clean up. The magpie preens itself contentedly. >give play to magpie I give the play intent to the magpie, taking the clean up intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to play. >give fold to magpie I give the fold intent to the magpie, taking the play intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to fold. >give block to magpie I give the block intent to the magpie, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to block. >give wait to magpie I give the wait intent to the magpie, taking the block intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to wait around idly. >give take to magpie I give the take intent to the magpie, taking the wait intent in exchange. It now intends to take something shiny. The magpie perches across from the archway, but it doesn't see anything shiny enough to attract its interest. >w Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. The kid shuffles around nearby. >give explore to kid I give the explore intent to the kid, who now intends to explore for somewhere fun to play. The kid runs excitedly into the maze. >z Time passes. The kid runs out of the maze, sees that it's back at the terrace, and sighs sadly. >z Time passes. The kid runs excitedly into the maze. >z Time passes. The kid runs out of the maze, sees that it's back at the terrace, and sighs sadly. >z Time passes. The kid runs excitedly into the maze. >z Time passes. The kid runs out of the maze, sees that it's back at the terrace, and sighs sadly. >z Time passes. The kid runs excitedly into the maze. >z Time passes. The kid runs out of the maze, sees that it's back at the terrace, and sighs sadly. >give block to kid I give the block intent to the kid, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to block. >give clean to kid I give the clean up intent to the kid, taking the block intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to clean up. >give fold to kid I give the fold intent to the kid, taking the clean up intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to fold. >give wait to kid I give the wait intent to the kid, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to wait around idly. >give take to kid I don't see the take intent here. I last saw it in the magpie's possession. >n Hedge Maze The tall hedges filling this part of the grounds have been meticulously cut into a network of crisscrossing channels. Presumably the effect is disorienting to humans, but I have no trouble making out the open area to the north, nestled in the center of the maze. The gravel pathways snake around it, warm in the heavy evening air. The rest of the casino grounds lie to the south. >s Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. The kid shuffles around nearby. >x kid One of those young humans there seem to keep being more of. I wouldn't normally expect to see one in a place like this, but perhaps away from the actual gambling humans deem it appropriate. The kid is holding a sword cane. The kid has a vague intent to wait around idly. >take wait I extract the wait intent from the kid. >e Colonnade This cobblestone trail runs from the casino to the hotel on the complex. Box trees flank the path, interspersed with a variety of colorful ornamental plants I don't recognize. The hotel it leads to is a sprawling villa of orange bricks with towers sprouting around its perimeter. A stone archway leads east into the hotel, and the trail winds to the west. A tarnished silver mirror garlanded with holly hangs over the archway leading east. The magpie perches across from the archway, but it doesn't see anything shiny enough to attract its interest. >give explore to magpie I give the explore intent to the magpie, taking the take intent in exchange. It now intends to explore in search of something shiny. >w Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. The kid shuffles around nearby. The magpie flies in from the east. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. The magpie hops up and flies off to the north. >n Hedge Maze The tall hedges filling this part of the grounds have been meticulously cut into a network of crisscrossing channels. Presumably the effect is disorienting to humans, but I have no trouble making out the open area to the north, nestled in the center of the maze. The gravel pathways snake around it, warm in the heavy evening air. The rest of the casino grounds lie to the south. A magpie is perched here. >give wait to magpie I give the wait intent to the magpie, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to wait around idly. >s Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. The kid shuffles around nearby. >give explore to kid I give the explore intent to the kid, who now intends to explore for somewhere fun to play. The kid runs excitedly into the maze. >n Hedge Maze The tall hedges filling this part of the grounds have been meticulously cut into a network of crisscrossing channels. Presumably the effect is disorienting to humans, but I have no trouble making out the open area to the north, nestled in the center of the maze. The gravel pathways snake around it, warm in the heavy evening air. The rest of the casino grounds lie to the south. The kid gets completely confused and ends up running right out of the maze. A magpie is perched here. >z Time passes. The kid runs into the maze and immediately gets turned around here. >give play to kid I give the play intent to the kid, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now intends to play around with the sword cane. The kid swings the cane around wildly, slashing at unseen enemies. After a dramatic charge, it hits a sturdy trunk, hard, and the outer cane shatters, revealing the blade. The kid squeals in excitement. >x kid One of those young humans there seem to keep being more of. I wouldn't normally expect to see one in a place like this, but perhaps away from the actual gambling humans deem it appropriate. The kid is holding a sword cane. The kid has an intent to play around with the sword cane. The kid hacks its way through the maze with the sword, easily cutting a way to the north. It excitedly charges in that direction. >n Peristyle This small garden lies at the center of the hedge maze. Moss grows optimistically through cracks in the mosaic floor, and vines wrap around the columns ringing the open area. A fountain in the center, flowing but full of vegetation and other flotsam, breaks the summer humidity. A torturous path to the south heads back into the maze. A stone statue of some sort of classical figure stands in the center of the area, sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The kid runs around wildly, swinging the sword. In its enthusiasm, it bumps into the statue, which rocks slightly but does not fall. >x kid One of those young humans there seem to keep being more of. I wouldn't normally expect to see one in a place like this, but perhaps away from the actual gambling humans deem it appropriate. The kid is holding a sword cane. The kid has an intent to play around with the sword cane. The kid runs around wildly, swinging the sword. In its enthusiasm, it bumps into the statue, which rocks quite a bit but does not fall. >x kid One of those young humans there seem to keep being more of. I wouldn't normally expect to see one in a place like this, but perhaps away from the actual gambling humans deem it appropriate. The kid is holding a sword cane. The kid has an intent to play around with the sword cane. The kid runs around wildly, swinging the sword. In its enthusiasm, it bumps into the statue, which rocks precariously but does not fall. >s Hedge Maze The tall hedges filling this part of the grounds have been meticulously cut into a network of crisscrossing channels. Presumably the effect is disorienting to humans, but I have no trouble making out the open area to the north, nestled in the center of the maze. The gravel pathways snake around it, warm in the heavy evening air. The rest of the casino grounds lie to the south. A magpie is perched here. I hear a loud crash from the peristyle. >n Peristyle This small garden lies at the center of the hedge maze. Moss grows optimistically through cracks in the mosaic floor, and vines wrap around the columns ringing the open area. A fountain in the center, flowing but full of vegetation and other flotsam, breaks the summer humidity. A torturous path to the south heads back into the maze. The kid swings the sword around, carefully avoiding stepping on the shattered statue pieces. I can see a confidential codebook here. >take codebook I pick up the confidential codebook and page through it. A few of the code sequences from the communiqué are in it, and I decrypt some more of it: 35568 02000 of 63065. There is no 02173 65338 89256 in the 82391 59635 has been 98465 19336 76153 and 76786 05618 72538 70978 03088 12659 is 16608 37429 19724 42022 19539 on the 26977 The kid swings the sword around, carefully avoiding stepping on the shattered statue pieces. [Your score has just gone up by two points.] >take play I extract the play intent from the kid. >l Peristyle This small garden lies at the center of the hedge maze. Moss grows optimistically through cracks in the mosaic floor, and vines wrap around the columns ringing the open area. A fountain in the center, flowing but full of vegetation and other flotsam, breaks the summer humidity. A torturous path to the south heads back into the maze. The kid stands off to one side, looking bored. >take explore I already have that. >give explore to kid I give the explore intent to the kid, who now intends to explore for somewhere fun to play. The kid wanders off to the south. >z Time passes. >s Hedge Maze The tall hedges filling this part of the grounds have been meticulously cut into a network of crisscrossing channels. Presumably the effect is disorienting to humans, but I have no trouble making out the open area to the north, nestled in the center of the maze. The gravel pathways snake around it, warm in the heavy evening air. The rest of the casino grounds lie to the south. A magpie is perched here. The kid runs into the maze and immediately gets turned around here. >s Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. The kid runs out of the maze, sees that it's back at the terrace, and sighs sadly. >take explore I extract the explore intent from the kid. >n Hedge Maze The tall hedges filling this part of the grounds have been meticulously cut into a network of crisscrossing channels. Presumably the effect is disorienting to humans, but I have no trouble making out the open area to the north, nestled in the center of the maze. The gravel pathways snake around it, warm in the heavy evening air. The rest of the casino grounds lie to the south. A magpie is perched here. >x magpie Magpies are not quite up to the level of ravens, but they're still solidly respectable corvids. They're not as evil as ravens, sadly, but they're actually a bit more acquisitive and mischievous. The magpie has a vague intent to wait around idly. >take wait I extract the wait intent from the magpie. >i Intentions: the wait intent the explore intent the play intent the take intent the fold intent the clean up intent the block intent Codebooks: two confidential codebooks Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >spin detector The detector produces one high whistle, indicating one unattained codebook in this region of the compound, but none in this specific location. >l Hedge Maze The tall hedges filling this part of the grounds have been meticulously cut into a network of crisscrossing channels. Presumably the effect is disorienting to humans, but I have no trouble making out the open area to the north, nestled in the center of the maze. The gravel pathways snake around it, warm in the heavy evening air. The rest of the casino grounds lie to the south. A magpie is perched here. >give explore to magpie I give the explore intent to the magpie, who now intends to explore in search of something shiny. The magpie hops up and flies off to the north. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. The magpie flies in from the north. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. The magpie hops up and flies off to the south. >s Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. A magpie is perched here. The kid stands off to one side, looking bored. >x kid One of those young humans there seem to keep being more of. I wouldn't normally expect to see one in a place like this, but perhaps away from the actual gambling humans deem it appropriate. The kid is holding a sword cane. The magpie hops up and flies off to the east. >e Colonnade This cobblestone trail runs from the casino to the hotel on the complex. Box trees flank the path, interspersed with a variety of colorful ornamental plants I don't recognize. The hotel it leads to is a sprawling villa of orange bricks with towers sprouting around its perimeter. A stone archway leads east into the hotel, and the trail winds to the west. A tarnished silver mirror garlanded with holly hangs over the archway leading east. A magpie is perched here. >z Time passes. The magpie hops up and flies off to the west. >w Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. A magpie is perched here. The kid stands off to one side, looking bored. >take explore I extract the explore intent from the magpie. >i Intentions: the explore intent the wait intent the play intent the take intent the fold intent the clean up intent the block intent Codebooks: two confidential codebooks Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give clean to magpie I give the clean up intent to the magpie, who now vaguely intends to clean up. The magpie preens itself happily. >x magpie Magpies are not quite up to the level of ravens, but they're still solidly respectable corvids. They're not as evil as ravens, sadly, but they're actually a bit more acquisitive and mischievous. The magpie has a vague intent to clean up. The magpie preens itself idly. >take clean I extract the clean up intent from the magpie. >give explore to magpie I give the explore intent to the magpie, who now intends to explore in search of something shiny. The magpie hops up and flies off to the north. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. The magpie flies in from the north. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. The magpie hops up and flies off to the east. >e Colonnade This cobblestone trail runs from the casino to the hotel on the complex. Box trees flank the path, interspersed with a variety of colorful ornamental plants I don't recognize. The hotel it leads to is a sprawling villa of orange bricks with towers sprouting around its perimeter. A stone archway leads east into the hotel, and the trail winds to the west. A tarnished silver mirror garlanded with holly hangs over the archway leading east. A magpie is perched here. >give clean to magpie I give the clean up intent to the magpie, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to clean up. The magpie preens itself idly. >z Time passes. The magpie preens itself idly. >z Time passes. The magpie preens itself happily. >give fold to magpie I give the fold intent to the magpie, taking the clean up intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to fold. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >give take to magpie I give the take intent to the magpie, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now intends to take something shiny. The magpie perches across from the archway, but it doesn't see anything shiny enough to attract its interest. >give play to magpie I give the play intent to the magpie, taking the take intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to play. >z Time passes. >x magpie Magpies are not quite up to the level of ravens, but they're still solidly respectable corvids. They're not as evil as ravens, sadly, but they're actually a bit more acquisitive and mischievous. The magpie has a vague intent to play. >take all play intent: I extract the play intent from the magpie. >w Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. The kid shuffles around nearby. >w Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians are chatting quietly among themselves and setting up for the next piece. >w Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >w Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. The card sharp sizes up its fellow players. >i Intentions: the play intent the take intent the fold intent the clean up intent the explore intent the wait intent the block intent Codebooks: two confidential codebooks Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >spin detector The detector produces one low thud, indicating one unattained codebook in this specific location. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >x case A thin, leather-bound case used for transporting private documents. It's more effective when onlookers can only see in three dimensions. The attaché case is mystically sealed, presumably to protect its contents from the opposition. The barrier is also keeping me from accessing its contents, a confidential codebook, as long as it's closed. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >l Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. The card sharp is watching the other gamblers. I can also see the gambler here. >smell I smell nothing unexpected. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, who now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >x sharp A wily human wearing a green visor and a charcoal suit. It looks like it's been here for quite a while, and it watches the other gamblers with a predatory manner. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >give fold to gambler I give the fold intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now intends to fold in the poker game. The gambler summarily folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >x chips The pile of chips on the table is substantial. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >give fold to gambler I give the fold intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now intends to fold in the poker game. The gambler quickly folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >x cards Cards shuffle across the felt as the onlookers rap on the tabletop, make inscrutable gestures to the dealer, and grimly flick chips into a small pile in the center. The fine details of the game are alien to me. The fine details of human nature are not, though; and judging from its expression, I'd say that the gambler has quite a good hand. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >give fold to gambler I give the fold intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now intends to fold in the poker game. The gambler abruptly folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >x cards Cards shuffle across the felt as the onlookers rap on the tabletop, make inscrutable gestures to the dealer, and grimly flick chips into a small pile in the center. The fine details of the game are alien to me. The fine details of human nature are not, though; and judging from its expression, I'd say that the gambler has quite a lousy hand. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >give explore to gambler I give the explore intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now intends to explore the poker tables without getting sucked in. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. The card sharp looks at the bunch of unobservant, unwary gamblers in the casino optimistically. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >x cards Cards shuffle across the felt as the onlookers rap on the tabletop, make inscrutable gestures to the dealer, and grimly flick chips into a small pile in the center. The fine details of the game are alien to me. The fine details of human nature are not, though; and judging from its expression, I'd say that the gambler has quite a good hand. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >give fold to gambler I give the fold intent to the gambler, taking the play intent in exchange. It now intends to fold in the poker game. The gambler quickly folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. The card sharp sizes up its fellow players. >give play to gambler I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >x cards Cards shuffle across the felt as the onlookers rap on the tabletop, make inscrutable gestures to the dealer, and grimly flick chips into a small pile in the center. The fine details of the game are alien to me. The fine details of human nature are not, though; and judging from its expression, I'd say that the gambler has quite a lousy hand. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >give clean to sharp I give the clean up intent to the card sharp, who now intends to clean up at poker. The gambler cautiously throws another batch of chips into the pot. >x cards Cards shuffle across the felt as the onlookers rap on the tabletop, make inscrutable gestures to the dealer, and grimly flick chips into a small pile in the center. The fine details of the game are alien to me. The fine details of human nature are not, though; and judging from its expression, I'd say that the gambler has quite a lousy hand. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. The card sharp sizes up its fellow players. >x gambler The well-dressed guest hovers around the poker tables with evident curiosity. It also carries an attaché case that is sparkling with faint spiritual energy. The gambler has an intent to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >give play to sharp (first taking the play intent from the gambler) I give the play intent to the card sharp, taking the clean up intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker for high stakes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >give fold to gambler I give the fold intent to the gambler, who now intends to fold in the poker game. The gambler summarily folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >give play to gambler (first taking the play intent from the card sharp) I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >give play to sharp (first taking the play intent from the gambler) I give the play intent to the card sharp, who now intends to play poker for high stakes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >l Poker Tables If the rest of the casino is a place of leisure, this lair is a place of business. Shark-faced humans in formal attire loom over tables playing some incomprehensible card game, accepting both wins and losses with aloof detachment. Aside from a desultory appreciative or sympathetic murmur from onlookers following a particularly involved hand, the room has the quiet intensity of an art museum. Whorls of cigarette smoke drift across the glaring lights overhead. The main area of the of the casino lies to the east. The card sharp is watching the other gamblers. I can also see the gambler here. >z Time passes. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >give play to gambler (first taking the play intent from the card sharp) I give the play intent to the gambler, who now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >give play to sharp (first taking the play intent from the gambler) I give the play intent to the card sharp, who now intends to play poker for high stakes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >x cards Cards shuffle across the felt as the onlookers rap on the tabletop, make inscrutable gestures to the dealer, and grimly flick chips into a small pile in the center. The fine details of the game are alien to me. The fine details of human nature are not, though; and judging from its expression, I'd say that the gambler has quite a lousy hand. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >give play to gambler (first taking the play intent from the card sharp) I give the play intent to the gambler, who now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >give play to sharp (first taking the play intent from the gambler) I give the play intent to the card sharp, who now intends to play poker for high stakes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >give play to gambler (first taking the play intent from the card sharp) I give the play intent to the gambler, who now intends to play poker. The gambler cautiously throws another batch of chips into the pot. >give play to sharp (first taking the play intent from the gambler) I give the play intent to the card sharp, who now intends to play poker for high stakes. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >give play to gambler (first taking the play intent from the card sharp) I give the play intent to the gambler, who now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >give play to sharp (first taking the play intent from the gambler) I give the play intent to the card sharp, who now intends to play poker for high stakes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >i Intentions: the fold intent the clean up intent the explore intent the take intent the wait intent the block intent Codebooks: two confidential codebooks Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >give take to gambler I give the take intent to the gambler, who now vaguely intends to take something. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >give play to gambler (first taking the play intent from the card sharp) I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the take intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >x cards Cards shuffle across the felt as the onlookers rap on the tabletop, make inscrutable gestures to the dealer, and grimly flick chips into a small pile in the center. The fine details of the game are alien to me. The fine details of human nature are not, though; and judging from its expression, I'd say that the gambler has quite a lousy hand. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the card sharp thinks it has the better hand. >x cards Cards shuffle across the felt as the onlookers rap on the tabletop, make inscrutable gestures to the dealer, and grimly flick chips into a small pile in the center. The fine details of the game are alien to me. The fine details of human nature are not, though; and judging from its expression, I'd say that the gambler has quite a lousy hand. The gambler cautiously throws another batch of chips into the pot. >x cards Cards shuffle across the felt as the onlookers rap on the tabletop, make inscrutable gestures to the dealer, and grimly flick chips into a small pile in the center. The fine details of the game are alien to me. The fine details of human nature are not, though; and judging from its expression, I'd say that the gambler has quite a lousy hand. The gambler loses its nerve and folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. >x cards Cards shuffle across the felt as the onlookers rap on the tabletop, make inscrutable gestures to the dealer, and grimly flick chips into a small pile in the center. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >x cards Cards shuffle across the felt as the onlookers rap on the tabletop, make inscrutable gestures to the dealer, and grimly flick chips into a small pile in the center. The fine details of the game are alien to me. The fine details of human nature are not, though; and judging from its expression, I'd say that the gambler has quite a good hand. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >give play to sharp (first taking the play intent from the gambler) I give the play intent to the card sharp, who now intends to play poker for high stakes. The gambler, awkwardly trying to suppress a smug grin, raises. The card sharp winces slightly and raises as well. The pile of chips on the table is now substantial. >give fold to gambler I give the fold intent to the gambler, who now intends to fold in the poker game. The gambler abruptly folds. The gambler watches its opponent take the pile of chips. Despite the gambler's glum expression, the loss was only a small fraction of its total money, and it shows no indication of slowing down. The card sharp looks at the bunch of unobservant, unwary gamblers in the casino optimistically. >give play to gambler (first taking the play intent from the card sharp) I give the play intent to the gambler, taking the fold intent in exchange. It now intends to play poker. With evident trepidation, the gambler approaches the poker table and starts a game. The cards are dealt, and the gambler and the card sharp toss some chips onto the table and look at each other warily. >z Time passes. The gambler and the card sharp study their cards intently. I don't know the details of the game, but based on its expression and bearing, the gambler thinks it has the better hand. >give play to sharp (first taking the play intent from the gambler) I give the play intent to the card sharp, who now intends to play poker for high stakes. The gambler, putting its elbows on the table in a transparent attempt to appear nonchalant, raises. The card sharp hesitantly raises as well. The pile of chips on the table is now substantial. >x cards Cards shuffle across the felt as the onlookers rap on the tabletop, make inscrutable gestures to the dealer, and grimly flick chips into a small pile in the center. The fine details of the game are alien to me. The fine details of human nature are not, though; and judging from its expression, I'd say that the gambler has quite a good hand. The gambler, keeping its eyes resolutely on the table and its face expressionless, raises. The card sharp winces slightly and raises as well. The pile of chips on the table is now large. >x cards Cards shuffle across the felt as the onlookers rap on the tabletop, make inscrutable gestures to the dealer, and grimly flick chips into a small pile in the center. The fine details of the game are alien to me. The fine details of human nature are not, though; and judging from its expression, I'd say that the gambler has quite a good hand. The gambler, putting its elbows on the table in a transparent attempt to appear nonchalant, raises. It counts its stack of chips, looking worriedly at its briefcase, and then shoves both its pile of chips and the case into the center of the table. The look of careless malevolence it gives the card sharp is impressive even by the lofty standards of my kind; I'll have to remember it for my next departmental review. The card sharp is also impressed and hesitates, but ultimately raises as well. >give fold to gambler I give the fold intent to the gambler, who now intends to fold in the poker game. The gambler summarily folds. The card sharp rakes in the chips from the table. As it attempts to grab the attaché case, the gambler snaps it up and cradles it possessively. After a few very short words from a very tall security guard, it reluctantly hands over the case to its opponent. As the card sharp opens it up to examine its new prize, a codebook falls out onto the floor. >take codebook I pick up the confidential codebook and page through it. A few of the code sequences from the communiqué are in it, and I decrypt some more of it: Confirmed 02000 of 63065. There is no significant 65338 89256 in the 82391 59635 has been 98465 19336 76153 and 76786 05618 72538 70978 03088 12659 is 16608. We will 42022 19539 on the 26977 The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. [Your score has just gone up by two points.] >score Recovering three confidential codebooks 6 Entering the casino 1 Total 7 So far, I've scored 7 out of a possible 75 points in 600 turns, which is enough to get me out of writing a bunch of tedious reports that no one will read. >take all fold intent: I extract the fold intent from the gambler. play intent: I extract the play intent from the card sharp. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >spin detector The detector is silent. There must not be any unattained codebooks nearby. The gambler looks longingly at a poker table but remains off to the side. >e Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >e Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians are chatting quietly among themselves and setting up for the next piece. >e Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. The kid shuffles around nearby. >e Colonnade This cobblestone trail runs from the casino to the hotel on the complex. Box trees flank the path, interspersed with a variety of colorful ornamental plants I don't recognize. The hotel it leads to is a sprawling villa of orange bricks with towers sprouting around its perimeter. A stone archway leads east into the hotel, and the trail winds to the west. A tarnished silver mirror garlanded with holly hangs over the archway leading east. A magpie is perched here. >x holly A festive garland of holly in an inconvenient location. It reminds me of the salt at the casino entrance; if that was happenstance, then the holly is at least coincidence. >w Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. The kid stands off to one side, looking bored. >x kid One of those young humans there seem to keep being more of. I wouldn't normally expect to see one in a place like this, but perhaps away from the actual gambling humans deem it appropriate. The kid is holding a sword cane. >give explore to kid I give the explore intent to the kid, who now intends to explore for somewhere fun to play. The kid runs excitedly into the maze. >z Time passes. The kid runs out of the maze, sees that it's back at the terrace, and sighs sadly. >z Time passes. The kid runs excitedly into the maze. >n Hedge Maze The tall hedges filling this part of the grounds have been meticulously cut into a network of crisscrossing channels. Presumably the effect is disorienting to humans, but I have no trouble making out the open area to the north, nestled in the center of the maze. The gravel pathways snake around it, warm in the heavy evening air. The rest of the casino grounds lie to the south. The kid gets completely confused and ends up running right out of the maze. >s Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. The kid runs excitedly into the maze. >z Time passes. The kid runs out of the maze, sees that it's back at the terrace, and sighs sadly. >take explore I extract the explore intent from the kid. >i Intentions: the explore intent the play intent the fold intent the take intent the clean up intent the wait intent the block intent Codebooks: three confidential codebooks Other possessions: a detector an intercepted communiqué >w Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians rosin their bows. >give take What do you want to give the take intent? >give take to musicians I give the take intent to the musicians, who now vaguely intend to take something. >give wait to musicians I give the wait intent to the musicians, taking the take intent in exchange. It now intends to wait a while before playing more music. The musicians dive into a frenzied rendition of 4'33". >give explore to musicians I give the explore intent to the musicians, taking the wait intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to explore. >give clean to musicians I give the clean up intent to the musicians, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to clean up. >give fold to musicians I give the fold intent to the musicians, taking the clean up intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to fold. >take fold I extract the fold intent from the musicians. The musicians are chatting quietly among themselves and setting up for the next piece. >w Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >e Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians are chatting quietly among themselves and setting up for the next piece. >n Bar The casino's bar is a lively retreat for the dancers in the ballroom, with a steady stream of patrons drifting in and out. The bar itself is a giant mahogany beast with a bewildering array of decanters, bottles, and vials set against the mirror behind it. Floor-length windows fill the room with orange light. The ballroom is south of here. The bartender stands behind the bar. The waiter loafs in the corner. >give play to bartender I give the play intent to the bartender, who now vaguely intends to play. The waiter loafs in the corner. >give take to bartender I give the take intent to the bartender, taking the play intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to take something. The waiter loafs in the corner. >give block to bartender I give the block intent to the bartender, taking the take intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to block. The waiter loafs in the corner. >give wait to bartender I give the wait intent to the bartender, taking the block intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to wait around idly. The waiter loafs in the corner. >give explore to bartender I give the explore intent to the bartender, taking the wait intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to explore. The waiter loafs in the corner. >give clean to bartender I give the clean up intent to the bartender, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to clean up. The waiter loafs in the corner. >take clean I extract the clean up intent from the bartender. The waiter loafs in the corner. >give play to wiater I don't see any wiater here. >give play to waiter I give the play intent to the waiter, who now vaguely intends to play. >give take to waiter I give the take intent to the waiter, taking the play intent in exchange. It now vaguely intends to take something. >give block to waiter I give the block intent to the waiter, taking the take intent in exchange. It now intends to block the way behind the bar. The waiter is blocking access to the bar. >l Bar The casino's bar is a lively retreat for the dancers in the ballroom, with a steady stream of patrons drifting in and out. The bar itself is a giant mahogany beast with a bewildering array of decanters, bottles, and vials set against the mirror behind it. Floor-length windows fill the room with orange light. The ballroom is south of here. The bartender stands behind the bar. I can also see the waiter here. >give explore to bartender I give the explore intent to the bartender, who now vaguely intends to explore. The waiter is blocking access to the bar. >take block I extract the block intent from the waiter. The waiter loafs in the corner. >z Time passes. The waiter loafs in the corner. >x bartender A human who's dressed tidily but unobtrusively to look respectable and approachable. The bartender has a vague intent to explore. The waiter loafs in the corner. >give fold to bartender I give the fold intent to the bartender, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now intends to fold napkins. The bartender folds some paper napkins at the bar. The waiter loafs in the corner. >take fold I extract the fold intent from the bartender. The waiter loafs in the corner. >give wait to waiter I give the wait intent to the waiter, who now intends to wait on the various guests. The waiter sweeps through the room and attends to the guests. >give wait to bartender (first taking the wait intent from the waiter) I give the wait intent to the bartender, who now vaguely intends to wait around idly. The waiter loafs in the corner. >give clean to waiter I give the clean up intent to the waiter, who now intends to clean up the general area. The waiter dusts a spot with a rag. >l Bar The casino's bar is a lively retreat for the dancers in the ballroom, with a steady stream of patrons drifting in and out. The bar itself is a giant mahogany beast with a bewildering array of decanters, bottles, and vials set against the mirror behind it. Floor-length windows fill the room with orange light. The ballroom is south of here. The bartender stands behind the bar. I can also see the waiter here. >x waiter The waiter's uniform includes a half-apron with a pocket, in which rests a small notepad. The waiter has an intent to clean up the general area. The waiter straightens some furniture. >x waiter The waiter's uniform includes a half-apron with a pocket, in which rests a small notepad. The waiter has an intent to clean up the general area. The waiter dusts a spot with a rag. >x waiter The waiter's uniform includes a half-apron with a pocket, in which rests a small notepad. The waiter has an intent to clean up the general area. The waiter straightens some furniture. >x waiter The waiter's uniform includes a half-apron with a pocket, in which rests a small notepad. The waiter has an intent to clean up the general area. The waiter dusts a spot with a rag. >x waiter The waiter's uniform includes a half-apron with a pocket, in which rests a small notepad. The waiter has an intent to clean up the general area. The waiter straightens some furniture. >take clean I extract the clean up intent from the waiter. The waiter loafs in the corner. >give fold to waiter I give the fold intent to the waiter, who now vaguely intends to fold. >take all wait intent: I extract the wait intent from the bartender. fold intent: I extract the fold intent from the waiter. The waiter loafs in the corner. >l Bar The casino's bar is a lively retreat for the dancers in the ballroom, with a steady stream of patrons drifting in and out. The bar itself is a giant mahogany beast with a bewildering array of decanters, bottles, and vials set against the mirror behind it. Floor-length windows fill the room with orange light. The ballroom is south of here. The bartender stands behind the bar. I can also see the waiter here. >e From here, I can only go south. >e From here, I can only go south. >s Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians take the opportunity to drink some water. >e Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. The kid stands off to one side, looking bored. >e Colonnade This cobblestone trail runs from the casino to the hotel on the complex. Box trees flank the path, interspersed with a variety of colorful ornamental plants I don't recognize. The hotel it leads to is a sprawling villa of orange bricks with towers sprouting around its perimeter. A stone archway leads east into the hotel, and the trail winds to the west. A tarnished silver mirror garlanded with holly hangs over the archway leading east. A magpie is perched here. >w Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. The kid stands off to one side, looking bored. >w Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians are chatting quietly among themselves and setting up for the next piece. >w Casino Floor The center floor is a pandemonium of human activity. Machines flash a garish array of lights to beckon them closer, competing with barkers calling out the inscrutable results of their games. Crowds fed from the main entrance to the south swarm over the floor, peeling off to join games or just to socialize in the cacophony. A less crowded area of the floor lies to the west, and a hallway leads east. At the north end of the room, kept apart from the gaming tables, is an imposing door. The guard is being distracted by the flashing games. >e Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians rosin their bows. >n Bar The casino's bar is a lively retreat for the dancers in the ballroom, with a steady stream of patrons drifting in and out. The bar itself is a giant mahogany beast with a bewildering array of decanters, bottles, and vials set against the mirror behind it. Floor-length windows fill the room with orange light. The ballroom is south of here. The bartender stands behind the bar. The waiter loafs in the corner. >give explore to waiter I give the explore intent to the waiter, who now intends to explore the casino in search of work to do. >l Bar The casino's bar is a lively retreat for the dancers in the ballroom, with a steady stream of patrons drifting in and out. The bar itself is a giant mahogany beast with a bewildering array of decanters, bottles, and vials set against the mirror behind it. Floor-length windows fill the room with orange light. The ballroom is south of here. The bartender stands behind the bar. I can also see the waiter here. >x waiter The waiter's uniform includes a half-apron with a pocket, in which rests a small notepad. The waiter has an intent to explore the casino in search of work to do. The waiter walks purposefully off to the south. >s Ballroom This ballroom is a cavernous hall in which well-dressed humans are attacking the serious business of entertainment, conducting intrigues and little negotiations as they stomp across the parquet floor. A string quartet perched on a loggia running around the hall is tuning up as the crowd below them mingles. A breeze from the nearby sea occasionally rustles the curtains around the French doors leading outside to the east, but the room is still stuffy in the summer heat. The hall continues to the north, and the casino floor lies to the west. The musicians take the opportunity to drink some water. I can see the waiter here. >x waiter The waiter's uniform includes a half-apron with a pocket, in which rests a small notepad. The waiter has an intent to explore the casino in search of work to do. The musicians look through their sheet music. The waiter walks purposefully off to the east. >e Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. The kid shuffles around nearby. I can also see the waiter here. >x waiter The waiter's uniform includes a half-apron with a pocket, in which rests a small notepad. The waiter has an intent to explore the casino in search of work to do. The waiter walks purposefully off to the east. >e Colonnade This cobblestone trail runs from the casino to the hotel on the complex. Box trees flank the path, interspersed with a variety of colorful ornamental plants I don't recognize. The hotel it leads to is a sprawling villa of orange bricks with towers sprouting around its perimeter. A stone archway leads east into the hotel, and the trail winds to the west. A tarnished silver mirror garlanded with holly hangs over the archway leading east. A magpie is perched here. I can also see the waiter here. >give clean to waiter I give the clean up intent to the waiter, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now intends to clean up the general area. The waiter, noticing the state of the silver mirror, applies some silver polish and elbow grease. Soon, the mirror is shiny again. >take clean I extract the clean up intent from the waiter. The waiter loafs in the corner. >give take to magpie I give the take intent to the magpie, who now intends to take something shiny. The waiter loafs in the corner. The magpie, seeing the mirror reflecting light onto the holly, immediately swoops down and grabs it in its talons. Yanking hard on it, it dislodges the holly and flies off with it back towards the terrace. >w Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. The kid stands off to one side, looking bored. >n Hedge Maze The tall hedges filling this part of the grounds have been meticulously cut into a network of crisscrossing channels. Presumably the effect is disorienting to humans, but I have no trouble making out the open area to the north, nestled in the center of the maze. The gravel pathways snake around it, warm in the heavy evening air. The rest of the casino grounds lie to the south. The magpie perches in a rough nest of holly, looking for something shiny to abscond with. >take all take intent: I extract the take intent from the magpie. >s Terrace This small area at the edge of the casino empties out onto a large, well-kept lawn. Decorative urns and uninspired statuary flank the casino entrance to the west, but the lawn is empty except for a few stands of bay trees. After the incessant commotion of the casino, it's remarkable in its unremarkableness. There's probably some sort of metaphor for humanity there; I just think it looks pretty. The cobblestones of the terrace continue in a sinuous path to the east. To the north, at the far end of the lawn, is a cluster of hedges. A marble bench sits near the edge of the lawn. The kid shuffles around nearby. >e Colonnade This cobblestone trail runs from the casino to the hotel on the complex. Box trees flank the path, interspersed with a variety of colorful ornamental plants I don't recognize. The hotel it leads to is a sprawling villa of orange bricks with towers sprouting around its perimeter. A stone archway leads east into the hotel, and the trail winds to the west. A shiny silver mirror hangs over the archway leading east. The waiter loafs in the corner. >e The detector blinks briefly, indicating that I've moved into a new region of the compound. Hotel Reception I'm at the hotel's reception, a small entryway with a gleaming marble floor and lamps made of dark green glass. The reception desk itself is a massive thing of oak, with a plush red carpet in front of it and a few potted chrysanthemums on top of it making it more inviting. A safe has been set into the wall behind it. A ceiling fan slowly spins above a passage farther into the hotel to the east. The exit from the hotel, flanked by ferns in massive clay pots, lies to the west. A hotel clerk stands behind the desk. A wealthy dowager is sitting in a plush leather chair. [Your score has just gone up by four points.] >score Recovering three confidential codebooks 6 Entering the casino 1 Entering the hotel 4 Total 11 So far, I've scored 11 out of a possible 75 points in 677 turns, which is enough to give me a bit of advantage in office politics. >l Hotel Reception I'm at the hotel's reception, a small entryway with a gleaming marble floor and lamps made of dark green glass. The reception desk itself is a massive thing of oak, with a plush red carpet in front of it and a few potted chrysanthemums on top of it making it more inviting. A safe has been set into the wall behind it. A ceiling fan slowly spins above a passage farther into the hotel to the east. The exit from the hotel, flanked by ferns in massive clay pots, lies to the west. The hotel clerk stands behind the desk. The wealthy dowager is sitting in a plush leather chair. >