The Depths of Ruination Keep - AdventureX 2017 BUILD

You are standing inside a great stone gatehouse. Two flickering candles illuminate an arched ceiling and cobbled floor. The way ahead is blocked by two great stone doors, each twice your height, featureless apart from a large brass knocker. There is nothing else. Not even your breath seems to move the air, and shadows fill back the way you came. [[Try to push the doors.->1-1-Great Doors - 2]] [[Knock on the doors by hand.->1-1-Great Doors - 3]] [[Use the giant knocker.->1-1-Great Doors - 4]] [[Go back into the darkness behind you.->1-1-Great Doors - 5]]

You brace your weight against one of the doors and push, but it does not budge even slightly. [[Knock on the doors by hand.->1-1-Great Doors - 3]] [[Use the giant knocker.->1-1-Great Doors - 4]] [[Go back into the darkness behind you.->1-1-Great Doors - 5]]

You turn and step into the darkness, hoping to make your way back to the Castellan's chamber. You will never reach it. The Castellan's warning about the only way being onwards clearly did not make an impression. You're not even entirely sure how you die in the end; it's too dark to tell. (display: "Level 1 Death Message")

For a moment, everything in black. You hear the sonorous tolling of a bell somewhere in the darkness. Suddenly, the world reasserts itself, and you find yourself stood before the great doors in the gatehouse once more. You're not sure whether time has rewound itsemf or something else strange has happened, but at least you are no longer dead. As far as you can tell. (set: $l1died to 1)(set: $l1password to 0)(set: $met_blinks to 0) [[Click here to continue.->1-1-Great Doors - 1]]

Once again everything turns to blackness, and then you reappear in the gatehouse with the ringing of the distant bell still vibrating in your ears. You ready yourself for another attempt. Hopefully you make no more fatal mistakes, or at least new, exciting and different ones. (set: $l1password to 0)(set: $met_blinks to 0) [[Click here to continue.->1-1-Great Doors - 1]]

(if: $l1died is 0)[[[Click here to continue.->L1 - First Death]]](else:)[[[Click here to continue.->L1 - More Deaths]]]

You tap on the door with your fist. There is barely a sound. It is a giant slab of stone, and the impact of your hand hardly registers in this room. [[Try to push the doors.->1-1-Great Doors - 2]] [[Use the giant knocker.->1-1-Great Doors - 4]] [[Go back into the darkness behind you.->1-1-Great Doors - 5]]

The brass knocker strikes the door with a sharp retort that makes your skull vibrate in the tight confines of the archway. There is a moment's pause, and then the double doors swing inwards, with a faint grinding noise. You can see maybe two or three steps down a short passage, but beyond that is darkness. It is at least a different darkness from the one you came from. [[Step into the darkness beyond the door.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 1]] [[Chicken out into the darkness behind you.->1-1-Great Doors - 5]]

You are in a strange room; entirely enclosed but laid out like an ornamental courtyard. There are colourful mosaics instead of flowerbeds, elegantly carved strone trees and bushes, and benches to sit and pass the time, but the whole garden is grey with time and disrepair, with missing tiles, broken plants, and cobwebs hung all around. In the centre of the courtyard is an ornamental fountain. The face of the statue is lost under the rust, but the water is still running, bubbling down into a small pond. Sat at the edge of the pond are two figures. One is dressed in the ostentatious stage costume of a troubadour, with a pale complexion and almost white blonde hair. He is playing a small harp, not expertly but well enough. The other is a striking woman with long, bright pink hair. She is wearing a flowing silk robe, and between her hands dances a complicated web of coloured lights. She is manipulating it as the musician plays, and the pattern shifts and folds in time with the music. There is an archway on the far side of the room, past the fountain. [[Attempt to walk by unnoticed.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 2]] [[Go over and introduce yourself to the pair.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 3]] [[Wait and watch them play.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard -4]]

You attempt to cross unnoticed to the archway, but the wizard spots you and calls after you. "Hey! You! Wait a minute!" [[Turn round and engage after all.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 5]] [[Ignore her and go through the door.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 1]]

You walk confidently up to the pair and introduce yourself as an adventurer on the Trial. The musician smiles broadly. "How exciting! We don't get many adventurers through these days. We used to, but... well, they sort of stopped coming after they heard about enough gruesome deaths." He pauses for a moment, as if distracted by unpleasant memories, then snaps back to you and grins again. "Anyway, enough of that! My name is Eadric, and I'm a bard. This is Blinks." He points at the wizard, who gives a cheery wave. "We come here sometimes to practice. It's quiet here, and nobody tries to eat you. We've been working hard on a new act. What do you think of my music?" (set: $met_blinks to 1) [[Compliment him effusively.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 6]] [[Be constructive but honest.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 7]] [[Tell him he is terrible.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 8]]

Eventually they notice you watching. The musician jumps up. "I say, we have an audience! How excellent! We don't get many visitors here. That's kind of //why// we're here, it's a quiet practice spot, but it's nice to be able to get some feedback. It helps with the creative process, and..." The wizard coughs politely, and the musician theatrically slaps his own cheek. "Sorry, my manners! My name is Eadric, and I'm a bard. This is Blinks." He points at the wizard, who gives a cheery wave. "We're here working on our new act. And trying to avoid getting eaten, obviously, but the act is paramount. Tell me, what do you think of my //music?//" (set: $met_blinks to 1) [[Compliment him effusively.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 6]] [[Be constructive but honest.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 7]] [[Tell him he is terrible.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 8]]

You turn back to the pair. The musican beckons you over. "Hello! Just while you happen to be passing... not many people come this way, which is rather the point, it's why we come here to practice, but it's difficult to get feedback. I mean..." He stop as if he realises his sentence is getting away from him. "Sorry, where are my manners? My name is Eadric, and I'm a bard. This is Blinks." He points at the wizard, who gives a cheery wave. "As you were passing, we were wondering if you could just tell us how we're doing with the new act. What do you think of my music?" (set: $met_blinks to 1) [[Compliment him effusively.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 6]] [[Be constructive but honest.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 7]] [[Tell him he is terrible.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 8]]

You are in a great sandstone hall, perhaps some sort of place of worship. Ritual scenes are painted on the walls, and lines of some sort of scripture are carved into each of the flagstones. The rear wall is a single great mural; a map of a country you do not recognise, with specific sites marked out and connected with a pattern of lines that makes no sense to you. In the centre of the room stands a plain stone altar with three objects on it. There is a door at the back of the room on the right wall. [[Take a closer look at the objects on the altar.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 2]] [[Ignore the altar and head to the door.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 3]]

Eadric grins from ear to ear. "I am so //happy//! I //knew// we were doing some good work. I can't wait to bring this to a wider audience. I've got some more material to practice, but..." He stops as if a thought strikes him. "Hmm, listen, you seem a nice person, for one of those adventurer types, and it would be terrible if someone with such artistic integrity failed their quest so early." He looks from side to side conspiratorially. "A little way on from now, your route will probably take you through the Oracle's room. She's got this whole //deal// with testing your knowledge to make sure you're worthy to pass. You can avoid all that fuss if you know her true name. It's 'Aldianna'." He winks at you. "I'm sure you'll do great!"(set: $eadricresponse to 1) Blinks has been sat patiently, seemingly hopeful for some praise after your good review of Eadric's music. She bats her eyelashes. "What about my illusions? I think they really draw the whole thing together." [[Praise her illusions.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 9]] [[Criticise her illusions.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 10]]

You tell Eadric that his work shows promise, and there are some rough patches, but he is clearly on the right track and you see great potential in it. He looks slightly deflated; clearly he was hoping to be told that he was a star in the making. "Well... thank you, it's nice to get opinions. I'm sure..." He tails off.(set: $eadricresponse to 2) Blinks raises a hand. "And the illusions?" She looks slightly worried about your possible response. "I've put a lot of work into them." [[Praise her illusions.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 9]] [[Criticise her illusions.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 10]]

Eadric's jaw drops. "Why, of all the... I..." He splutters. "You know, they say if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. Perhaps you should take some advice along those lines." He turns away from you in a theatrical huff, muttering darkly.(set: $eadricresponse to 3) Blinks looks at Eadric and then back to you. "...You didn't have any opinion on the illusions, did you?" she says, sounding worried. "It's alright if you //don't.//" [[Praise her illusions.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 9]] [[Criticise her illusions.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 10]]

Blinks gasps. "Well, what do you know about... about anything, anyway? You wouldn't know art if it bit you. I hope it does!"(set: $blinksresponse to 2) Blinks conjures her illusory lights again, though they are now an angry red and making a low buzzing noise. She proceeds to pointedly ignore you. (if: $eadricresponse is 1)[Eadric shrugs at you apologetically, but presumably isn't interested in taking sides.](else:)[Eadric isn't really interested in you either.] There is nothing else for you here. You move on through the door. [[Click here to continue.|1-3-Oracle Chamber - 1]]

Blinks beams. "Thank you! I quite like the recursive blue wave. It took a lot to get the mana shift in place, and there's a complicated bit where it sort of //scries// for the music itself so I don't have to manually..." She stops. "Oh, that's a thought. I know what might help! You're on the Trial, so you're off to face the Prince of Crows. Would you like to see if we can listen in on him? Mostly the Raven Throne is warded against scrying, but I know he has a lot of minions to communicate with, and he has to lower the wards to talk to them. You might get some useful information!" She pauses for a moment and counts on her fingers. "And I estimate only... about a five percent chance it will kill you //outright.//"(set: $blinksresponse to 1) [[Accept her offer and attempt to scry the Prince of Crows.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 11]] [[Decline; it seems too dangerous.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard-12]]

"Excellent! This will just take a second. Stand riiiiight there." Blinks rolls up her sleeves and starts to chant. Sparks fly between her fingers, and her pink hair starts to stand on end. As you are wondering what happens next, you notice that Eadric has taken cover behind the fountain. "Um, excuse me?" you say. "Exactly how dangerou-" There is a flash and everything turns purple. [[Click here to continue.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 13]]

Blinks nods. "Well, that's okay. I'm sure someone of such //discernment// as yourself will get by just fine!" She conjures her light show again and resumes her study. (if: $eadricresponse is 3)[Eadric is still facing away from you with his nose in the air.](else:)[Eadric waves goodbye to you, and the pair get back to practicing.] You exit the room through the door. [[Click here to continue.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 1]]

You can still feel your body somewhere in the distance, but you seem to be floating in a great, dark room. The only source of light is burns atop a black ziggurat in the centre of the chamber. Atop the ziggurat is a throne. (display: "Description - Prince of Crows") The light is coming from a bowl set before the throne, weirdly illuminating the Prince from below. You drift closer to get a better view, wondering if the Prince could see you if he looked up or if you are invisible even to him. In the bowl is the image of a skinny, haggard-looking man, wearing a hooded cloak. The Prince seems to be in the middle of berating him. "Exactly what, you simpleton, is so difficult? The Castellan has sent a Triallist into the depths. You are currently best-positioned to stop it. What could possibly be more important than obeying my commands?" "Well, it's not that I don't //want// to, your Highness," the man says, twisting the hem of his cloak between his hands. "It's just... well, I can't very well carry out your divine will on an empty stomach, and the cook on shift at the moment owes me a favour, and I'm terrible hungry, and..." The Prince clacks his long nails together. "Listen to me, Derek..." You get the distinct feeling that saying the name almost causes him physical pain. "Your //dinner// can wait until after this task is completed, surely." "Well, not really, your Highness," Derek says, looking sheepish. "I have to call in a favour on account of how the clerk hasn't been round with the pay this month, and I can't afford it otherwise. If your majesteriousness could see fit as to catching me up on owages then I could see-" "Yes, we can discuss this at another time," the Prince says hurriedly. "For now, ensure that this interloper gets no further. The faster it is dealt with the better. Dismissed!" He waves his hand across the pool, and the light dies. The room descends into darkness. You get a sudden sharp sensation in your astral body, and you realise that this must be the scrying ward Blinks mentioned reactivating itself. For a moment, you feel like you are falling down a long tunnel, and the throne room vanishes. (set: $l1scryed to 1) (if: $eadricresponse is 1)[[[Click here to continue->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 14]]](else-if: $eadricresponse is 2)[[[Click here to continue->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 15]]](else:)[[[Click here to continue->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 16]]]

The purple light fades away and you find yourself back in the courtyard. Blinks is looking at you, relieved. "Phew! I'm glad we managed to pull you out of there before any permanent damage was done." She sniffs. "I don't know what the burning smell is but it's probably nothing important." You have obtained valuable information, and the double act must get back to practicing. Eadric and Blinks both wave you on happily as you exit through the archway. [[Click here to continue.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 1]]

The purple light fades away and you find yourself back in the courtyard. Blinks is looking at you, relieved. "Phew! I'm glad we managed to pull you out of there before any permanent damage was done." She sniffs. "I don't know what the burning smell is but it's probably nothing important." Blinks conjures her web of lights again, but before she resumes practice, she glances over at Eadric, who is quietly strumming his harp and looking sad. She looks meaningfully at you and nods at him, trying to get you to say something encouraging. [[Give Eadric a pep talk before you leave to boost his confidence.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 17]] [[Leave.->1-2-Fountain Courtyard - 18]]

The purple light fades away and you find yourself back in the courtyard. Blinks is looking at you, relieved. "Phew! I'm glad we managed to pull you out of there before any permanent damage was done." She sniffs. "I don't know what the burning smell is but it's probably nothing important." You have obtained valuable information, and Blinks must get back to practicing. She waves you goodbye as you head through the archway, although Eadric is still sulking. [[Click here to continue.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 1]]

"Hey." You call Eadric to get his attention, and tell him that you can tell that his music is going to turn out as something special; that there's definitely the shape of something great in there, and if he sticks with it you know that they'll produce something amazing. Eadric perks up. "Really? You think so? I mean, I suppose I just... I know I need more practice, but it's good to... Thank you. I mean it." He pauses. "Look, I hope you pass the Trial and maybe you can come back and hear the show when it's done. I know you've got other things on your mind, but..." He looks from side to side conspiratorially. "A little way on from now, your route will probably take you through the Oracle's room. There's a test of knowledge you have to pass to prove your worthiness, but you can duck it if you know her true name. It's 'Aldianna'."(set: $eadricresponse to 1) Eadric raises his harp again. "We'd better get back to work, or we'll never be ready." He turns to Blinks. "Shall we?" Blinks smiles gratefully at you, and the two resume playing. You leave the courtyard through the archway. [[Click here to continue.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 1]]

Blinks sighs disapprovingly, but says nothing and resumes her practice. You leave through the archway. [[Click here to continue.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 1]]

Three objects lie on the altar; a bar of gold, a dagger and some sort of vegetable. As you approach the altar to see the items better, the light in the room takes on a strange, sickly quality. The mural shifts strangely, and where once you saw a map, there is a woman's face, although you're not sure whether the mural has actually changed or if this is some odd optical illusion. The face blinks slowly, and turns her deep, old eyes upon you. (if: $eadricresponse is 1)[(display:"1-3-Oracle Chamber - 4")](else:)[(display:"1-3-Oracle Chamber - 5")]

You decide to cross the hall and leave without disturbing the altar. However, as you get closer to the doorway in the corner, the light in the room takes on a strange, sickly quality. The mural shifts strangely, and where once you saw a map, there is a woman's face, although you're not sure whether the mural has actually changed or if this is some odd optical illusion. The face blinks slowly, and turns her deep, old eyes upon you. (if: $eadricresponse is 1)[(display:"1-3-Oracle Chamber - 4")](else:)[(display:"1-3-Oracle Chamber - 5")]

The face speaks, although the movement of the image's mouth is not smooth, and not entirely in time with their words. "STAND FAST, FOR YOU COME BEFORE THE ORACLE, AND ALL MUST PROVE THEMSELVES WORTHY TO PASS. KNOWLEDGE I SEEK, FOR IN THIS PLACE WISDOM IS GREATER THAN ANY TEMPORAL POWER. READY YOURSELF, FOR JUDGEMENT COMES." You could wait to answer the questions, or you could attempt to command the Oracle by the true name Eadric gave you and see if that works. [[Attempt to use the Oracle's true name.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 6]] [[Prepare to answer the questions.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 7]]

The face speaks, although the movement of the image's mouth is not smooth, and not entirely in time with their words. "STAND FAST, FOR YOU COME BEFORE THE ORACLE, AND ALL MUST PROVE THEMSELVES WORTHY TO PASS. KNOWLEDGE I SEEK, FOR IN THIS PLACE WISDOM IS GREATER THAN ANY TEMPORAL POWER. READY YOURSELF, FOR JUDGEMENT COMES." There seems to be no alternative other than to brace yourself for the test, whatever it is. [[Click here to continue.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 7]]

(set: $oracleanswers to 0)Images around the edges of the mural shift as the Oracle considers. "HERE IS MY FIRST. AS THE ATHENIANS ASSAILED THE WALLS OF TROY, WHO COMMANDED THEIR FORCES?" [[Achilles.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 8]] [[Agamemnon.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 9]] [[Ajax.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 10]]

"Aldianna, I command you!" you call out. The Oracle smiles. "YOU HAVE PROVEN KNOWLEDGE INDEED," she intones. "TAKE OF THE ALTAR, BUT ONLY TWO, FOR WISDOM MUST BE DEMONSTRATED AGAIN IN CHOICE. THIS MORE I TRUST YOU WITH; VIOLENCE WILL NOT AVAIL YOU IN YOUR PATH. FAREWELL, TRAVELLER." The light in the room changes, and the mural is once again the map, although you can still just about make out the shape of the Oracle's face if you try. You head to the altar. [[Click here to continue.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 21]]

"FALSEHOOD," the Oracle intones. "HERE IS MY SECOND. WHEN ARTHUR BOUND HIS KNIGHTS TO THE ROUND TABLE, WHAT OATH DID THEY SWEAR TO THEIR CODE?" [[The Pentecostal Oath.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 11]] [[The Tenets of the Light.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 12]] [[The Code of Chivalry.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 13]]

(set: $oracleanswers to it + 1)"TRUTH, ACCEPTED," the Oracle intones. "HERE IS MY SECOND. WHEN ARTHUR BOUND HIS KNIGHTS TO THE ROUND TABLE, WHAT OATH DID THEY SWEAR TO THEIR CODE?" [[The Pentecostal Oath.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 11]] [[The Tenets of the Light.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 12]] [[The Code of Chivalry.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 13]]

(set: $oracleanswers to it + 1)"TRUTH, ACCEPTED," the Oracle intones. "HERE IS MY THIRD. BORN IN CREATION AND UPHELD BY THE PHARAOH, WHAT DID THE EGYPTIANS CONSIDER THE ORDER OF THE UNIVERSE?" [[Duat.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 14]] [[Maat.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 15]] [[Amun.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 16]]

"FALSEHOOD," the Oracle intones. "HERE IS MY THIRD. BORN IN CREATION AND UPHELD BY THE PHARAOH, WHAT DID THE EGYPTIANS CONSIDER THE ORDER OF THE UNIVERSE?" [[Duat.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 14]] [[Maat.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 15]] [[Amun.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 16]]

"FALSEHOOD." The oracle pauses a moment to ponder. (if: $oracleanswers is 3)[(display: "1-3-Oracle Chamber - 17")](else-if: $oracleanswers is 2)[(display: "1-3-Oracle Chamber - 18")](else-if: $oracleanswers is 1)[(display: "1-3-Oracle Chamber - 19")](else:)[(display: "1-3-Oracle Chamber - 20")]

(set: $oracleanswers to it + 1)"TRUTH, ACCEPTED." The oracle pauses for a moment to ponder. (if: $oracleanswers is 3)[(display: "1-3-Oracle Chamber - 17")](else-if: $oracleanswers is 2)[(display: "1-3-Oracle Chamber - 18")](else-if: $oracleanswers is 1)[(display: "1-3-Oracle Chamber - 19")](else:)[(display: "1-3-Oracle Chamber - 20")]

"THREE IS THE SCORE. YOU HAVE PASSED, AND PASSED WELL. TAKE OF THE ALTAR, BUT ONLY TWO, FOR WISDOM MUST BE DEMONSTRATED AGAIN IN CHOICE. THIS MORE I TRUST YOU WITH; VIOLENCE WILL NOT AVAIL YOU IN YOUR PATH. FAREWELL, TRAVELLER." The light in the room changes, and the mural is once again the map, although you can still just about make out the shape of the Oracle's face if you try. You head to the altar. [[Click here to continue.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 21]]

You examine the items on the altar carefully. There is a bar of gold with a crown-shaped hallmark stamped on it, a dagger in a leather sheath, and a dried chilli pepper. [[Take the chilli and the dagger.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 22]] [[Take the chilli and the gold.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 23]] [[Take the dagger and the gold.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 24]] [[Take all three items.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 25]]

"TWO IS THE SCORE. YOU HAVE PROVEN YOUR WORTH. TAKE OF THE ALTAR, BUT ONLY TWO, FOR WISDOM MUST BE DEMONSTRATED AGAIN IN CHOICE. THIS MORE I TRUST YOU WITH; FIRE BURNS WRONG TURNS. FAREWELL, TRAVELLER." The light in the room changes, and the mural is once again the map, although you can still just about make out the shape of the Oracle's face if you try. You head to the altar. [[Click here to continue.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 21]]

"ONE IS THE SCORE. YOU HAVE PASSAGE, BUT NO MORE. TAKE OF THE ALTAR, BUT ONLY TWO, FOR WISDOM MUST BE DEMONSTRATED AGAIN IN CHOICE. FAREWELL, TRAVELLER." The light in the room changes, and the mural is once again the map, although you can still just about make out the shape of the Oracle's face if you try. You head to the altar. [[Click here to continue.->1-3-Oracle Chamber - 21]]

"THE SCORE IS NONE. YOUR TRIAL IS DONE. PASSAGE IS NOT EARNED, NOR IS SURVIVAL." The torches flicker and dim, and the paintings on the other walls start to move. "KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, AND POWER YOU HAVE NONE. THIS YOU LEARN, SHOULD YOU RETURN." Just before the lights go out, you see the ritualists start to climb out of the paintings. Then all is darkness, and cannot see how you die. (display: "Level 1 Death Message")

You take the chilli pepper and the dagger. (set: $l1chilli to 1)(set: $l1dagger to 1)(set: $l1gold to 0) Nothing else remains for you here. You exit through the corner door. [[Click here to continue.->1-4-The Serpent's Maw - 1]]

As you step away from the altar with all three items, the doors in the corner slam shut. The torches flicker and dim, and in the half-light you see the paintings of ritual scenes start to move. Just before everything goes dark, you swear you see the ritualists climb out of the paintings. You assume that's something to do with how you die very shortly afterwards, although of course you cannot be certain. (display: "Level 1 Death Message")

You take the chilli pepper and the gold bar. (set: $l1chilli to 1)(set: $l1dagger to 0)(set: $l1gold to 1) Nothing else remains for you here. You exit through the corner door. [[Click here to continue.->1-4-The Serpent's Maw - 1]]

You take the dagger and the gold bar. (set: $l1chilli to 0)(set: $l1dagger to 1)(set: $l1gold to 1) Nothing else remains for you here. You exit through the corner door. [[Click here to continue.->1-4-The Serpent's Maw - 1]]

You are in a long, narrow cavern, stood on a ledge barely big enough for you to fit onto. A seemingly bottomless pit stretches out below. On the other side of the cavern is a giant stone serpent's head, its fanged maw gaping wide. There is some sort of opening inside the head, perhaps a passageway. A thick, fleshy tongue stretches across the chasm from the snake's mouth, spanning the distance to the your current position and then retracting again. It looks easily thick enough to support your weight. A serpentine hiss echoes down into the depths. In addition to the exit into the snake's mouth, there's a thin outcropping off to the side of the tongue. It looks dangerously narrow, and the only way to reach it would be to jump off the tongue as it goes past, which looks tricky. //On// the outcropping is a hunched figure that has clearly just made that jump and is scurrying off into the shadows. It disappears before you can see it clearly. You could wait for the tongue, or you could see what happens if you step off into the pit. [[Wait for the tongue to return.->1-4-The Serpent's Maw - 2]] [[Step off into the pit.->1-4-The Serpent's Maw - 3]]

You step onto the tongue as it comes back to the ledge. It feels oddly spongy under your feet. The tongue begins to pull you across the pit. You approach the outcropping. It looks narrow and difficult to judge a good landing. Will you attempt to cross? [[Risk the jump onto the rock.->1-4-The Serpent's Maw - 4]] [[Ride the tongue into the stone snake's mouth.->1-4-The Serpent's Maw - 5]]

You step off into the pit. Your optimism about hidden secrets is //greatly// misplaced, but at least after a short while you become certain that the pit isn't bottomless. (display: "Level 1 Death Message")

There isn't much time for you to guess the right moment to jump, but you take a guess and go for it. It turns out as you land that the difficulty was an optical illusion; from the back it turns out that the outcropping is much wider than it looked from the ledge, and you manage to catch your balance quite easily. There is an exit off to the side of the cave that you can head through. [[Click here to continue.->1-5-The Commissary - 1]]

The tongue carries you into the serpent's mouth and then... stops. The inside of this carved stone mouth is very realistic. Worryingly realistic, in fact. There is no hidden exit, other than the throat leading out of the back of the mouth. It looks very... final. The tongue remains still. There doesn't seem to be much for you to do here other than wait and see what happens. (if: $l1chilli is 1)[Apart from maybe encouraging it to spit you out with that chilli pepper you have. That might be worth a try. [[Rub the chilli on the snake's tongue.->1-4-The Serpent's Maw - 7]] [[Wait and see what happens.->1-4-The Serpent's Maw - 6]]] (else:)[ [[Wait and see what happens.->1-4-The Serpent's Maw - 6]]]

You are in what you can only really describe as "the dining hall of the damned"; a dingy room full of long tables and benches where all manner of unsavoury characters are eating meals; armour-clad guards, shambling goblins, dirt-streaked peons and others more monstrous. A grumpy-looking cook in one corner is ladling unspeakable stew out of a cauldron to people in a not very enthusiastic queue. The room is loud and smoky, and you do not appear to have drawn any attention, which is probably for the best, as nobody here looks like they would be on your side. Joining the dinner queue would likely expose you straight away, and it may be safest overall to just sneak out through the door at the back. There are three spots in the crowded room where there are empty seats across from people that not even the clientele here want to eat with. There is a scaly green-skinned humanoid with flaring nostrils, a figure in a dark robe staring into an empty bowl and sighing, and a shaven-headed barbarian noisily eating a whole chicken. (if: $l1scryed is 1)[You recognise the robed figure as Derek, the unfortunate cultist from Blinks' clairvoyance.] [[Ignore the diners and leave.->1-6-The Barricade - 1]] [[Sit with the green monster.->1-5-The Commissary - 2]] [[Sit with the robed figure.->1-5-The Commissary - 3]] [[Sit with the hungry barbarian.->1-5-The Commissary - 4]] [[Elect to join the dinner queue; how bad could it be?->1-5-The Commissary - X]]

You wait and see what happens. Shortly, the thing that you are waiting for happens, and it is that the serpent //swallows//. (display: "Level 1 Death Message")

You bend down and rub the chilli on the serpent's tongue. The mouth, which you are now //even less// sure is a carving, convulses, and some sort of deep cry of pain comes from the throat. The tongue moves again, sliding out of the mouth at remarkable speed, although you manage to not lose your balance. It reaches the ledge on the far side of the chasm and stays there. As the tongue is no longer moving, and you managed not to topple into the pit, you can walk to the rock outcropping at your leisure and head into the opening in the shadows there. [[Click here to continue.->1-5-The Commissary - 1]]

You are in a high-walled courtyard with an open roof, which doesn't seem to tally with how far underground you thought you were at this point. The floor is a simple black and white tile pattern, and a pair of wooden double doors bars your way on the far side of the room. There is nothing else here, which feels inherently suspicious. [[Announce your presence.->1-6-The Barricade - 2]] [[Try to sneak across the courtyard to the doors.->1-6-The Barricade - 3]]

You sit down across from the scaly green monster. He has just drained his bowl of stew, and liquid runs down from his razor-sharp mandibles. He does not appear to be interested in any attempt to make conversation, or anything other than licking his bowl clean. [[Keep trying to talk.->1-5-The Commissary - 2a]] [[Get up and leave.->1-5-The Commissary - 2b]]

You sit across (if: $l1scryed is 1)[Derek](else:)[the hooded figure]. He is scraping at the last remnants of a bowl that clearly was not full to begin with and looks depressed about more or less everything. He looks up at you. "What do you want?" he snaps. [[Ask about who he is.->1-5-The Commissary - 3a]] [[Express pity at his meagre dinner.->1-5-The Commissary - 3b]] [[Demand assistance in your quest.->1-5-The Commissary - 3c]]

You sit down across from the bald warrior. It is an education in its own right; you've never seen someone eat chicken quite so... enthusiastically. He notices your presence. "Ah! Hello, small person! Have you come to dine with Hegazy the Mighty? I so rarely have company." He sprays bits of chicken across the table as he talks. You suspect there might be a reason nobody was sat in that seat. "Have you ever heard of any of my exploits? I am famous in the depths and beyond, of course." He continues without waiting for an answer from you. [[Keep listening to Hegazy.->1-5-The Commissary - 4b]] [[Attempt to politely slip away.->1-5-The Commissary - 4a]]

For a moment, nothing happens. Then, the wall before you buckles outwards with a ferocious grinding sound of stone on stone, forming the outline of a face with deep-set eyes. The floor rises up and a mouth closes across the doorway. The face observes you impassively for a moment before it speaks. You can see your path onwards inside its mouth. "PASSWORD," it intones. (if: $l1password is 1)[[["The password is 'Malifact'."->1-6-The Barricade - 4]] ][[Attempt to bluff your way past.->1-6-The Barricade - 5]] [[Wait to see what happens.->1-6-The Barricade - 6]] [[Turn around and run.->1-6-The Barricade - 7]]

You slowly creep across the empty courtyard. Nothing happens. Perhaps you are being paranoid? Then you feel the ground start to rumble beneath your feet. You take a step back as the wall before you buckles outwards with a ferocious grinding sound of stone on stone, forming the outline of a face with deep-set eyes. The floor rises up and a mouth closes across the doorway. The face observes you impassively for a moment before it speaks. You can see your path onwards inside its mouth. "PASSWORD," it intones. (if: $l1password is 1)[[["The password is 'Malifact'."->1-6-The Barricade - 4]] ][[Attempt to bluff your way past->1-6-The Barricade - 5]] [[Wait to see what happens.->1-6-The Barricade - 6]] [[Turn around and run->1-6-The Barricade - 7]]

"Excuse me, could you - I just -" The creature stops its messy eating. A baleful red eye glares at you from behind the bowl, and it hisses quietly. A row of scales along its shoulders raises up. [[Keep pressing the matter->1-5-The Commissary - 2c]] [[Get up and leave.->1-5-The Commissary - 2b]]

You decide to cut your losses, get up and go. The hooded figure has already finished his thin meal and left. You don't really have any option other than to press on. [[Click here to continue.->1-6-The Barricade - 1]]

"Who am I? I'm Derek, and I'm hungry. That's about it." He is still scraping at the bottom of the bowl with his spoon. The pottery is starting to chip. [[Offer as much sympathy as you can.->1-5-The Commissary - 3d]](if: $l1gold is 1)[ [["You could probably buy more food with this gold..."->1-5-The Commissary - 3e]]] [[Demand assistance on your quest.->1-5-The Commissary - 3f]]

He sighs. "It's a bit rough, but what can I do? I did ask his Majesty about my back pay, and he said, 'Derek, you're my most loyal servant, but I'm having some fiscal issues right now, and I'm sure you can catch some adventurer for me without it.' I dunno, takes a liberty, even for royalty." [[Continue to sympathise with the plight of the downtrodden proletariat.->1-5-The Commissary - 3d]](if: $l1gold is 1)[ [["You could probably buy more food with this gold..."->1-5-The Commissary - 3e]]] [[Demand assistance on your quest.->1-5-The Commissary - 3f]]

He looks confused. "What is this? You came and sat down at //my// table and started threatening me? I'm just trying to eat what passes for dinner. What are you even threatening me //with?// Getting hungrier?" (if: $l1dagger is 1)[You do have a legitimate threat you could make; the dagger you took from the Oracle's room. [[Threaten him with the dagger.->1-5-The Commissary - 3g]] [[Decide against it.->1-5-The Commissary - 3h]]](else:)[He does rather have a point. He gets up in a huff and walks out the way you came in. You have no real option other than to press on. [[Click here to continue.->1-6-The Barricade - 1]]]

Hegazy pauses between mouthfuls of chicken to take a long drink from his mug of mead. "Obviously the greatest of my adventures is in the grand siege of the Furious Citadel of Tancred. That was a few years ago, but there were some vicious battles. Why, we stormed the courtyard and prepared to breach the gates, only to be met with dozens of defenders. My companions quaked in their boots, but I struck forward and seized control of their //own// siege weapons and turned them upon the gates. Then I threw myself into the body of their forces and started to lay about me with my mighty axe. Many foes fell before my unstoppable might!" Hegazy tears a leg off his chicken and takes a moment in the middle of his story to devour it. [[Keep listening to Hegazy.->1-5-The Commissary - 4c]] [[Attempt to politely slip away.->1-5-The Commissary - 4a]]

You politely slip away from the table while Hegazy is continuing to loudly tell his story between mouthfuls of chicken. He is sufficiently engrossed that he does not even notice. The hooded figure has already finished his thin meal and left. You don't really have any option other than to press on. [[Click here to continue.->1-6-The Barricade - 1]]

Nothing happens. The stone face gives no indication as to whether your answer is correct. You have just enough time to wonder if Derek has betrayed you before the face retracts back into the wall with just as much noise as it made when it emerged. No sign remains that it was ever there. The doors swing open, and you see a staircase beyond. Clearly there is nowhere to go but onwards and downwards. (set: $l2died to 0) [[Click to continue.->2-1-The Ossuary - 1]]

There are many ways you could conceivably bluff your way through a situation like this. You could pretend to be on an urgent message, or that your identification has been stolen by an adventurer, or cough while providing the password and hope that the recipient mishears you. None of these will work, however; the wall has very simple instructions regarding passwords and what to do if one is not provided, and a lack of flexible thinking is one of the benefits of magic wall over a regular guard. The face opens its mouth wide and rushes forward, rippling through the tiles of the courtyard like a shark's fin cutting through the water. Stone jaws clamp down on you. You will have to come up with something better. (display: "Level 1 Death Message")

You wait, saying nothing. Perhaps if you do nothing, the wall will do nothing. You are rapidly disabused of this nothing as the face opens its mouth wide and rushes forward, rippling through the tiles of the courtyard like a shark's fin cutting through the water. Stone jaws clamp down on you, and your wait is very much over. (display: "Level 1 Death Message")

You retreat the way you came. The guardian face does nothing. Clearly it realises you are no longer it's concern, or at least remembers better the Castellan's warning about not going back into the shadows behind you. Not even you are entirely sure how you die. (display: "Level 1 Death Message")

You are in a dark, low-ceilinged chamber lined with stone shelves. Bones are piled on every available surface, a variety of ages and sizes, neatly categorised by type. Most of the light is provided by candles, one perched on top of each skull. The only clear surface is a tall writing desk in the centre of the room. Sat at the desk is a small figure, around half the height of a human, his feet dangling a good three feet off the floor. He has a long, elegantly-curled moustache and is engrossed in some sort of complicated ledger. The quill is writing by itself. Curled up under the desk is some sort of scaly hellhound, its thin tongue lolling past a row of needle teeth. It dreams of terrible things. A doorway in the far corner leads ahead. [[Introduce yourself to the clerk.->2-1-The Ossuary - 2]] [[Move past this disturbing place.->2-1-The Ossuary - 3]]

You walk up to the desk and cough politely. The tiny clerk takes a moment to underline a figure in his ledger before closing it and looking up at you. "Ah, it's another of those surface humans coming to participate in those ridiculous 'Trials'. Well, I can't say this is a good time, but it's not a bad time, either." He steeples his fingers. "My name is Shev, and I have certain... interests in this level of the depths that I could use assistance with. Tell me, would you be amenable to helping me with a little quest that runs alongside yours?" [[Agree to help.->2-1-The Ossuary - 4]] [[Ask for more details.->2-1-The Ossuary - 5]] [["Only if it's a... short one."->2-1-The Ossuary - 6]] [[Politely decline.->2-1-The Ossuary - 7]]

The tiny clerk looks up as you cross the room. "Excuse me! Don't think I didn't notice you there. Not many of the other occupants of this room move under their own power." He takes a moment to underline a figure in the ledger before turning back to you. "Normally I would detest the interruption, but in this case you might be useful. My name is Shev, and I have certain... interests in this level of the depths that I could use assistance with. Tell me, would you be amenable to helping me with a little quest that runs alongside yours?" [[Agree to help.->2-1-The Ossuary - 4]] [[Ask for more details.->2-1-The Ossuary - 5]] [["Only if it's a... short one."->2-1-The Ossuary - 6]] [[Politely decline.->2-1-The Ossuary - 7]]

(if: $l2died is 0)[[[Click here to continue.->L2 - First Death]]](else:)[[[Click here to continue.->L2 - More Deaths]]]

Everything dissolves into blackness, a cold void filled only with the distant tolling of a bell. Then the world reappears around you. You are at the foot of the staircase leading into the ossuary, and you are seemingly unharmed. Another attempt awaits you. (set: $l2died to 1)(set: $l2questaccept to 0)(set: $l2scryed to 0)(set: $l2orb to 0)(set: $l2spell to 0) [[Click here to continue.->2-1-The Ossuary - 1]]

You re-emerge from the cold void of death, the bell still ringing in your ears as you reappear on the ossuary steps. Hopefully this attempt will lead you further, or at least to a less gruesome end. (set: $l2questaccept to 0)(set: $l2scryed to 0)(set: $l2orb to 0)(set: $l2spell to 0) [[Click here to continue->2-1-The Ossuary - 1]]

You're not sure whether your persistence makes you seem like a threat to the creature, or whether you just look tastier than the stew. Either way, the end result is the same: the creature grabs you by the throat, drags you across the table, unhinges its jaw and bites off your head. The other diners seem entirely unbothered by this, although that is the least of your worries. (display: "Level 1 Death Message")

Derek smiles. "It's well nice of you to care, mate. Nobody cares about poor Derek round here. I'd best be going, though. I need to be catching an adventurer for his Majesty." He tucks his spoon under his robe and gets up. [[Threaten him.->1-5-The Commissary - 3c]] [[Let him leave.->1-5-The Commissary - 3h]]

You place the gold bar on the table. Derek's eyes light up. "Ooh. I suppose... well, that is nice, I could get some really nice grub with that. I guess it couldn't do any... I mean..." He reaches across the table to the gold, but you do not take your hand away from it. He grimaces. "Oh, I see how it is. I suppose fair's fair. You do me a solid, I'll do you a solid. Well, I suppose I could trade you the password for the barricade. It's not like you can get anywhere //really// bad, and I'm sure a stand-up person such as yourself wouldn't pass it to any adventurers. Would you?" He looks at you levelly. "Because his Majesty would do his nut if you did." You promise not to pass the password on to any adventurers. Pleased, Derek takes the gold bar and slips it inside his robe. "Sound. The password is 'Malifact'. Pleasure doing business with you." (set: $l1password to 1) Derek goes to the back of the dinner queue. You think it is probably a good idea to make good your escape before he puts two and two together. [[Click here to continue.->1-6-The Barricade - 1]]

"I don't really see how you're in a position to //demand// anything." (if: $l1dagger is 0)[Of course you do have an option to deal with him. You have a weapon. [[Threaten him with the dagger->1-5-The Commissary - 3g]] [[Decide against it->1-5-The Commissary - 3h]]](else:)[He does rather have a point. He gets up in a huff and walks out the way you came in. You have no real option other than to press on. [[Click here to continue.->1-6-The Barricade - 1]]]

You draw the dagger and brandish it at Derek, who turns pale (or rather, paler) and screams "Help!" His cry attracts the attention of several heavily-armed guards, and while Derek might not recognise an infiltrating adventure, //they// certainly do. Your dagger does not prevail against half a dozen axes. (display: "Level 1 Death Message")

Not particularly happy with being threatened during his meal break, Derek gets up in a huff and walks out the way you came in. You have no real option other than to press on. [[Click here to continue.->1-6-The Barricade - 1]]

"Capital!" Shev rubs his hands together. "Now, somewhere in your path ahead you will find an Orb of Power. Not very imaginatively named, and not difficult for even an untrained eye like yours to detect. It's an orb, and it glows. You can tell it that way. "All I need you to do is locate it and retrieve it for me by whatever means you deem necessary. There will be a method to contact me later on in this level. Obtain me the orb, and I will provide you with magical aid that will help you progress. The Prince of Crows, you will be unsurprised to learn, has powerful guardians specifically to block the path of adventurers like you." He sticks out a hand. "Do we have a bargain?" [[Agree to Shev's offer.->2-1-The Ossuary - 10]] [[Ask for further details before committing.->2-1-The Ossuary - 11]] [["That doesn't sound like such a... big thing."->2-1-The Ossuary - 12]] [[Decline this suspicious bargain.->2-1-The Ossuary - 13]]

Shev nods. "There is wisdom in reserving judgement until you know more. Very well. Somewhere in your path ahead you will find an Orb of Power. Not very imaginatively named, and not difficult for even an untrained eye like yours to detect. It's an orb, and it glows. You can tell it that way. "All I need you to do is locate it and retrieve it for me by whatever means you deem necessary. There will be a method to contact me later on in this level. Obtain me the orb, and I will provide you with magical aid that will help you progress. The Prince of Crows, you will be unsurprised to learn, has powerful guardians specifically to block the path of adventurers like you." He sticks out a hand. "Do we have a bargain?" [[Agree to Shev's offer.->2-1-The Ossuary - 10]] [[Ask for further details before committing.->2-1-The Ossuary - 11]] [["That doesn't sound like such a... big thing."->2-1-The Ossuary - 12]] [[Decline this suspicious bargain.->2-1-The Ossuary - 13]]

The gnome snaps his fingers irritably, and your body is wracked with an agonising curse that liquefies your internal organs. Your last thought is that his height is probably a touchy subject. (display: "Level 2 Death Message")

Shev nods. "I understand you are worried about this taking up your time, but I think you'll find that it might be worth your while. I have power to exchange; power that you may find useful as you travel further." [[Consider his offer.->2-1-The Ossuary - 5]] [[Refuse once more.->2-1-The Ossuary - 8]] [["I could listen a... little."->2-1-The Ossuary - 9]]

Shev shakes your hand with surprising firmness. "Marvellous. Further on, you will find a circle of summoning. Once you have retrieved the orb, simply erase the rune in the very centre of the circle and it will call me there. We will conclude our business at that time." He curls a finger and the quill rises into the air again. "Now, if you will excuse me, we //both// have matters we should be attending to." He returns to his work. The hellhound watches you suspiciously from under the desk until you leave. (set: $l2questaccept to 1) [[Click here to continue.->2-2-The Laboratory - 1]]

Shev looks slightly dismayed that you do not immediately shake his hand, but he recovers. "I am not the only scholar on this level, insofar as some of those others could be called //scholars//," he sniffs, "and the orb is likely to be in their possession. If you cannot take the orb by force or guile, I would recommend finding something to barter with. "As to our exchange, you will find a circle of summoning further along your path. Should you have retrieved the orb, simply erase the rune in the very centre of the circle and it will call me there. We will conclude our business at that time." He curls a finger and the quill rises into the air again. "Now, if you will excuse me, we //both// have matters we should be attending to." He returns to his work. The hellhound watches you suspiciously from under the desk until you leave. (set: $l2questaccept to 1) [[Click here to continue.->2-2-The Laboratory - 1]]

"Ah, a comedian." Shev smiles for a moment. "I can't //stand// comedians." He snaps his fingers and your body incinerates from the inside out. Fortunately it stops being painful very quickly. (display: "Level 2 Death Message")

"Well, I can't force your hand in this issue." Shev shrugs. "I'm sure you'll manage fine without my assistance. Good luck on your quest. Now, if you'll excuse me, these bones won't categorise themselves." He returns to working on his ledger. The hellhound watches you warily until you leave. [[Click to continue.->2-2-The Laboratory - 1]]

"Ah, stubbornness." Shev shrugs. "Well, to each their own. Good luck on your quest. Now, if you'll excuse me, these bones won't categorise themselves." He returns to working on his ledger. The hellhound watches you warily until you leave. [[Click to continue.->2-2-The Laboratory - 1]]

With a dismissive wave of his hand, Shev pulls your soul from your body. He passes it under the desk and feeds it to the hellhound, which makes what your fading consciousness assumes are happy demon sounds. (display: "Level 2 Death Message")

You are in a strange laboratory. The room is full of alembics, stills, bubbling cauldrons and eerie lights dancing on the walls. A faint haze of weird fumes hovers in the air. As well as the workbenches around the edges of the lab, a trestle table stands in the centre of the room that only has three items on it. Sat next to the table is (if: $met_blinks is 1)[Blinks, the mage from the courtyard.](else:)[the pink-haired mage from the courtyard on the previous level.] She looks annoyed. She suddenly notices that you have entered the room. (if: $blinksresponse is 1)["Oh hello, it's you! It's good to see you again. Listen, is there any chance we could do each other a favour? I need you to make a trade with me, and only you can help."](else-if: $blinksresponse is 2)[She glowers. "Oh, it's //you//. The //critic//. Well, it's lucky for you I need your help in making a... trade."](else:)["Oh, hello. I recognise you. I think I saw you in the courtyard earlier? But we we never got the chance to get acquainted. My name is Blinks, and I need a little... help, and it has to be from someone with your special qualifications. Would you be interested in making a trade?"] [[Ask for more information about such a "trade".->2-2-The Laboratory - 2]] [[Politely decline and move to the items.->2-2-The Laboratory - 3]]

She points at the table. "Here's the thing. One of the items on that table is a wand. It's a //really// neato wand. Fireballs, fire blasts, columns of fire, the works. I want it. I really, really want it." She frowns. "Unfortunately, those items are for adventurers on the Trial, and I can't //take// it. There are, um, safeguards." She looks at you. "But //you// can take it. You get to pick two items, those are the rules. So I'll do you a swap. I'll see if we can use some of that good old scrying magic on the Prince of Crows, get you some useful information, and then you pick the wand as one of your treasures and give it to me. How does that sound?" [[Agree to this proposal.->2-2-The Laboratory - 8]] [[Decline and go to the centre table.->2-2-The Laboratory - 3]]

There are three items on the trestle table; a silver key on a fine chain, a dark ivory wand with carvings of flames from base to tip, and a tattered old book. The dust jacket is missing but it appears to be a tawdry romance novel. A scrap of parchment has been glued to the table. It reads "TAKE TWO ONLY". [[Take the key and the wand.->2-2-The Laboratory - 4]] [[Take the key and the book.->2-2-The Laboratory - 5]] [[Take the wand and the book.->2-2-The Laboratory - 6]] [[Take all three items.->2-2-The Laboratory - 7]]

(set: $l2scryed to 1)"Excellent!" Blinks rolls up her sleeves. "Let's get to the good part. Just stand away from all this stuff a bit, would you? It might be a problem if any of it is explosive." Her hair starts to stand on end as she channels magical power. You look at the unfathomable variety of alchemical reactions going on around you. "//Any// of them?" you ask. "I'm not sure if-" There is a flash and everything turns purple. [[Click here to continue.->2-2-The Laboratory - 9]]

You take the key and the wand from the table, (set: $l2key to 1)(set: $l2wand to 1)(set: $l2book to 0) Blinks sighs, snaps her fingers and teleports away. Your exit from this room is at the back of the lab. [[Click here to continue.->2-3-The Clockwork - 1]]

You take the key and the book from the table. (set: $l2key to 1)(set: $l2wand to 0)(set: $l2book to 1) Blinks sighs, snaps her fingers and teleports away. Your exit from this room is at the back of the lab. [[Click here to continue.->2-3-The Clockwork - 1]]

You take the wand and the book from the table. (set: $l2key to 0)(set: $l2wand to 1)(set: $l2book to 1) Blinks sighs, snaps her fingers and teleports away. Your exit from this room is at the back of the lab. [[Click here to continue.->2-3-The Clockwork - 1]]

You scoop up all three items from the table, glancing at the "TAKE TWO ONLY" sign. Who's going to stop you? The runic ward on the back of the sign detects that there are no longer any items on the table, and several of the nearest cauldrons discharge a thick stream of boiling acid, which dissolves you and half of the table. Not wishing to waste a parfectly good opportunity, Blinks carefully retrieves the wand from what's left of your corpse, snaps her fingers and teleports away. (display: "Level 2 Death Message")

You are in what looks like the interior of a clock tower, although there is no clock face, and the tower would be deep underground. It is a hellish cacophony of rattling gears and swinging pendulums. You are stood on a narrow gantry, and can see an exit on a similar gantry on the opposite side of the room. Between the two is a deep pit, filled with a network of horizontal rotating cogs. Getting to the other side is going to require that you jump from cog to cog, avoiding falling, and any other potential deathtraps. Next to you on the gantry is a small panel marked "Emergency maintainance accessway" with a keyhole in it.(if: $l2key is 1)[ It looks very much like your key will fit.] (if: $l2key is 1)[[[Use your key on the accessway panel.->2-3-The Clockwork - 2]] ][[Jump onto the leftmost cog from the platform.->2-3-The Clockwork - 3]] [[Jump onto the rightmost cog from the platform.->2-3-The Clockwork - 4]]

You turn the key in the lock. There is a loud click and a creaking sound, and a new walkway with nice, safe handholds rises from out of the clockwork pit, spanning the gap. You walk safely across and exit the room through the far door. That was surprisingly easy! [[Click here to continue.->2-4-The Library - 1]]

You clear the small gap onto the left cog and manage to avoid tipping into the clockwork pit. Do you wish to jump to a cog on the left or one ot the right? [[Jump left.->2-3-The Clockwork - 5]] [[Jump right.->2-3-The Clockwork - 6]]

You clear the small gap onto the right cog and manage to avoid tipping into the clockwork pit. Do you wish to jump to a cog on the left or one ot the right? [[Jump left->2-3-The Clockwork - 6]] [[Jump right->2-3-The Clockwork - 7]]

(if: $l1scryed is 1)[You find yourself once again hovering above the great ziggurat where the Prince of Crows has his throne. He appears to be in conversation again with someone in his scrying bowl.](else:)[You can still feel your body somewhere in the distance, but you seem to be floating in a great, dark room. The only source of light is burns atop a black ziggurat in the centre of the chamber. Atop the ziggurat is a throne. (display: "Description - Prince of Crows") The light is coming from a bowl set before the throne, weirdly illuminating the Prince from below. You drift closer to get a better view. The Prince appears to be engaged in discussion with an image in the water.] The person in the image is a thin, blue-skinned young woman with silver pince-nez glasses. You have entered the conversation partway through, and she seems distinctly unimpressed with the Prince. "Your Majesty, much as I appreciate your interest in the operations of the Library, I really cannot spare the time to get involved in the Trial, on //either// side. I have a lot of work to be getting on with. The stacks need recategorising, and there are a number of volumes I have yet to review." "'A number of volumes yet to review' is an interesting way of putting it, Lady Fiel," the Prince says. "Some people might say 'I'm too busy reading books to get any work done.'" Fiel blushes. "Not that it's any of your business anyway, the Library is off-limits to your sort - //as you are well aware// - but for your information, I'm not reading at the moment, not until I get the place tidy and find where everything has gone. I'm part-way through a series and I can't skip a book." She pauses. "I mean, the archiving efforts are vital." The Prince rattles his fingernails on the edge of his throne. "Of //course//. Will you at least let me know if any strange parties come through?" Fiel shakes her head. "If I have time. I have so much to get done. On that note, if I may, your Majesty? The indexes won't alphabetise themselves." "Very well, Lady Fiel. Back to work for you." He waves his hand over the bowl and the image fades. As the room falls into darkness, you feel your body tug at your astral form, and everything vanishes. [[CLick here to continue.->2-2-The Laboratory - 10]]

You have returned to your body in the laboratory. Blinks is looking at you curiously. "Are you alright in there? It's hard to tell if everything went right, normally there's a sort of smell but it's hard to tell in here." She shakes her head. "Never mind that. That's some top-quality scrying for you, and in return, it's time for that wonderful Wand of Fire!" She watches you expectantly as you approach the table in the centre of the room. On it are a silver key on a fine chain, the "Wand of Fire", and a tattered old book. The dust jacket is missing but it appears to be a tawdry romance novel. A scrap of parchment has been glued to the table. It reads "TAKE TWO ONLY". [[Take the key and give the wand to Blinks.->2-2-The Laboratory - 11]] [[Take the book and give the wand to Blinks.->2-2-The Laboratory - 12]] [[Take the key and wand, both for yourself.->2-2-The Laboratory - 13]] [[Take the key and book, both for yourself.->2-2-The Laboratory - 14]] [[Take the wand and book, both for yourself.->2-2-The Laboratory - 15]] [[Try to grab all three items and flee.->2-2-The Laboratory - 16]]

You take the key and the wand from the table, and pass the wand to Blinks. She looks ecstatic. (set: $l2key to 1)(set: $l2wand to 0)(set: $l2book to 0) "Thank you! I've always wanted one of these. I bet I can make some really //impressive// fireballs with this thing." She snaps her fingers and disappears. Your path onwards leads out of the back of the lab. [[Click here to continue.->2-3-The Clockwork - 1]]

You take the book and the wand from the table, and pass the wand to Blinks. She looks ecstatic. (set: $l2key to 0)(set: $l2wand to 0)(set: $l2book to 1) "Thank you! I've always wanted one of these. I bet I can make some really //impressive// fireballs with this thing." She snaps her fingers and disappears. Your path onwards leads out of the back of the lab. [[Click here to continue.->2-3-The Clockwork - 1]]

You take the key and the wand and start hurrying towards the laboratory exit. Blinks shouts after you. "Hey. Hey, you! Where do you think you're going? That's my wand! We had a //deal//, buster!" You don't look back, concentrating on your escape, which is why you don't see her conjuring the giant fireball that blows off your head. She retrieves the wand from your corpse, gives you a tiny, vengeful kick, and teleports away. (display: "Level 2 Death Message")

You take the book and the key. Blinks' mouth is agape. "Are you serious? Really? You had //one job//. I do you a favour, you get me the wand. You //didn't even pick the wand!//" Blinks' hair flares out around her head like the hood of a cobra. Her eyes light up with deep red flame, and she hurls a fireball large enough to incinerate you entirely from the waist up. (display: "Level 2 Death Message")

You take the book and the wand and start hurrying towards the laboratory exit. Blinks shouts after you. "Hey. Hey, you! Where do you think you're going? That's my wand! We had a //deal//, buster!" You don't look back, concentrating on your escape, which is why you don't see her conjuring the giant fireball that blows off your head. She retrieves the wand from your corpse, gives you a tiny, vengeful kick, and teleports away. (display: "Level 2 Death Message")

You are in an enormous library, bigger than any of the rooms that you have been in so far. There are two levels of bookshelves with an upper gantry and several ladders on wheels to access out-of-the-way sections. Books of all shapes, sizes and descriptions are filed neatly on the shelves, and then piled on virtually every other available surface, including the librarian's desk and several random piles on the floor. In the centre of the room is a reading couch with a tall lamp next to it. Over in the far corner, opposite the library doors that you assume are your way out, is the only table with no books on it; it appears to contain assorted strange antiquities that are part of the library's collection. [[Look at the book stacks.->2-4-The Library - 2]] [[Examine the reading couch->2-4-The Library - 3]] [[Look at the exhibits table.->2-4-The Library - 4]] [[Leave through the doors before anyone catches you.->2-5-The Annexe - 1]]

You leap to the left cog on the second row, ducking as a pendulum swings past your head. Do you wish to jump ahead and left or right? [[Jump left->2-3-The Clockwork - 9]] [[Jump right->2-3-The Clockwork - 10]]

You leap to the centre cog on the second row, managing to not slip and fall as you match the rotation of the cogs. Do you wish to jump ahead and left or right? [[Jump left.->2-3-The Clockwork - 10]] [[Jump right.->2-3-The Clockwork - 11]]

You leap to the right cog on the second row, recovering as you plant your foot in a grease spot. Do you wish to jump ahead and left or right? [[Jump left.->2-3-The Clockwork - 11]] [[Jump right.->2-3-The Clockwork - 12]]

You run your finger along a nearby shelf. There is a strange selection of books all juxtaposed; history, arcane lore, architecture, herbalism, and what you assume is a misplaced book on cooking ham. If there is a filing system at work here, it is sufficiently esoteric that you cannot tell how it works. Suddenly you hear footsteps. They are approaching from a storeroom behind the librarian's desk. [[Wait and see who it is.->2-4-The Library - 6]] [[Hide.->2-4-The Library - 7]] [[Flee.->2-5-The Annexe - 1]]

There are piles of books by the couch. Some look a bit ... sordid. Oh no, you hear someone coming from the back! [[Wait and see who it is.->2-4-The Library - 6]] [[Hide.->2-4-The Library - 7]] [[Flee.->2-5-The Annexe - 1]]

The exhibits table has no labels or signage. It just seems to be a convenient place to keep all of the assorted artifacts that accumulate in a collection like this. You idly turn over some sort of puzzle box, and examine a perfect crystal sphere that emits a faint glow.(if: $l2questaccept is 1)[ ...Wait, a glowing crystal sphere. This is probably the Orb of Power that you are looking for, isn't it?] Suddenly you hear footsteps. They are approaching from a storeroom behind the librarian's desk. [[Wait and see who it is.->2-4-The Library - 6]] [[Hide.->2-4-The Library - 7]] (if: $l2questaccept is 1)[[[Grab the Orb of Power and flee.->2-4-The Library - 5]] [[Flee but leave the orb behind.->2-5-The Annexe - 1]]](else:)[[[Flee.->2-5-The Annexe - 1]]]

You are in a cramped and dusty room full of old books, stacked haphazardly on shelves in no particular order or piled unstably on the floor. It looks like some sort of annexe to the library, where anything that cannot be meticulously filed gets put out of the way. In more or less the only available piece of empty floor space, some sort of circle of runes has been drawn in what you //hope// is red ink. (if: $l2questaccept is 1)[This must be the summoning circle that Shev mentioned earlier; all you have to do is erase the single rune in the centre to call him. ](if: $l2questaccept is 1 and $l2orb is 0)[Of course, you don't have the orb, so that might be a bit risky.] (if: $l2questaccept is 1 and $l2orb is 1)[[[Activate the summoning circle and call Shev.->2-5-The Annexe - 2]] ](if: $l2questaccept is 1 and $l2orb is 0)[[[Activate the summoning circle and call Shev.->2-5-The Annexe - 3]] ][[Move on to the next room.->2-6-The Armoury - 1]]

You are on the leftmost cog on the third row, and you are boxed in against the wall, with gears churning over your head. You could try to make the jump ahead and right to get to the final row, or jump directly to your right to try to get a clearer jump ahead from there. [[Jump ahead.->2-3-The Clockwork - 13]] [[Jump right.->2-3-The Clockwork - 10]]

You are on the second cog on the third row. The gearshaft rattles close to your face. What is your next move? [[Jump left.->2-3-The Clockwork - 13]] [[Jump right.->2-3-The Clockwork - 14]]

You are on the third cog on the third row. It is misaligned, and you feel it tip slightly under your weight. What is your next move? [[Jump left.->2-3-The Clockwork - 14]] [[Jump right.->2-3-The Clockwork - 15]]

You are on the rightmost cog on the third row, and you are boxed in against the wall, with a particularly loud repeating chain clattering above you. You could try to make the jump ahead and left to get to the final row, or jump directly to your left to try to get a clearer jump ahead from there. [[Jump ahead.->2-3-The Clockwork - 15]] [[Jump left.->2-3-The Clockwork - 11]]

You land on the final row of cogs. It's a quick hop from there to the gantry, certainly much safer than all the previous jumps, and access to the door is now yours. You exit hurriedly. [[Click here to continue.->2-4-The Library - 1]]

You scuff out the central rune. The rest of the circle lights up with a dull red glow, and in a puff of brimstone, Shev appears. He straightens his moustache out. "Ah, hello, my compatriot. I take it you are here to complete our bargain! Excellent, this will help me greatly. Now, the orb, if you would." You pass him the orb. He rubs it with his sleeve and seems to be pleased with the glow. "Excellent, it's so hard to fill in ledgers by candlelight. This will do nicely. Now, in recompense, something useful. I call it **BRITTLE**. Here." (set: $l2spell to 1) He pops the orb into the pocket of his robe, then stands on tiptoe, reaches up and taps you on the nose with an outstreched finger. You feel the word **BRITTLE** write itself across your brain in letters of fire for a moment before it fades. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have to get back to my work. A pleasure doing business with you." Shev nods, closes his eyes, and disappears once again. Your deal concluded, it is time to move on through the doorway in the far corner. [[Click here to continue.->2-6-The Armoury - 1]]

You scuff out the central rune. The rest of the circle lights up with a dull red glow, and in a puff of brimstone, Shev appears. He straightens his moustache out. "Ah, hello, my compatriot. I take it you are here to complete our bargain! Excellent, this will help me greatly. Now, the orb, if you would." There is an awkward moment. "You... do have the orb?" There is another awkward moment. "You //don't// have the orb." He sighs. "I'm not entirely sure what is worse. The fact that you failed to uphold your side of the deal, or that you interrupted my work and called me all the way here by infernal sorcery just to tell me you //didn't// uphold your side of the deal." He makes a series of complicated gestures and your entire skeleton transmutes to molten lead. He watches you burn long enough to be sure the books aren't going to catch fire, before teleporting away, muttering about how you can't get the staff these days. (display: "Level 2 Death Message")

You are in a long, wood-beamed hall with a worked stone floor. The walls are lined with anvils, troughs and forges, although none are currently in use. The room is crowded with racks full of weapons and armour; swords, axes, pot helms, chainmail shirts and esoteric polearms with strangely-shaped heads. Your exit is obvious; a set of iron-bound doors that you can see down the long central aisle. What is also obvious is the giant suit of black plate armour. It is at least three times your height, with the doors visible between its legs. Most of it is covered in ornate scrollwork, apart from the helm; its face is a featureless visor with tiny eye slits. Instead of hands, each of the arms ends in a double-bladed axe. The armour is not moving, although by now you have learned not to trust such things. [[Approach the giant armour suit down the central aisle.->2-6-The Armoury - 2]] [[Sneak through the racks towards the door.->2-6-The Armoury - 3]] (if: $l2spell is 1)[[[You are taking absolutely no chances; use the BRITTLE spell on the armour suit from here.->2-6-The Armoury - 4]]]

You walk slowly down the centre aisle towards the giant suit of armour. Your suspicions are rapidly confirmed; as you get close, it jerks to life, silently raising one of its enormous axe arms and taking a step towards you, ready to slice you in half. [[Try to dash through the golem's legs.->2-6-The Armoury - 5]] [[Duck behind a weapon rack.->2-6-The Armoury - 6]] (if: $l2spell is 1)[[[Cast BRITTLE on the golem.->2-6-The Armoury - 7]]]

You move slowly through the gaps between the weapon racks, trying to not undo all your good work by knocking over a warhammer or something similarly loud. Unfortunately your initial suspicions are confirmed; the armour suit is no mere armour, and however it perceives the world around it, you are not hidden from it by the weapon stores. The golem jerks to life, silently raising one of its enormous axe arms and taking a step towards you, ready to slice you in half. [[Try to dash through the golem's legs.->2-6-The Armoury - 5]] [[Duck behind a weapon rack.->2-6-The Armoury - 6]] (if: $l2spell is 1)[[[Cast BRITTLE on the golem.->2-6-The Armoury - 7]]]

You unleash the power of the magical spell at the suit of armour. Green flame courses over the surface of the metal, leaving a spiderweb of cracks in its wake. Your initial suspicions are confirmed; the golem jerks awake and raises one heavy arm in the air to bring its axe blade down on whoever has dared to attack it. Or at least that was the intent. What actually happens is that the golem's arm snaps off halfway down as it tries to bend its elbow. The axe blade crashes to the floor and shatters. The creature stumbles as its weight shifts and it adjusts its posture, only for its thigh joint to crumble under its own movement. It tips over without ever making any sort of cry of distress and smashes like glass as it hits the floor. You step over the broken shards of metal and go through the doors. A staircase downwards is beyond. (set: $l3died to 0) [[Click here to continue.->Fake Test Ending]]

Freedom is clearly visible through the golem's legs, and you attempt a mad dash, hoping your relatively small size and superior agility will help you avoid the giant's whirling axe blades. Unfortunately for you, the golem takes a much simpler route. As you run straight towards it, it lifts one giant iron foot and crushes you like a particularly fragile bug. (display: "Level 2 Death Message")

You crouch down behind a particularly sturdy-looking armour stand with half a dozen chainmail shirts hanging off it, hoping this will offer you some protection from both detection and injury. Neither of these works; the golem swings one mighty overhand blow with one of its axes, carving with little effort through the stands, the chainmail, and you. (display: "Level 2 Death Message")

You unleash the power of the magical spell at golem. Green flame courses over the surface of the metal, leaving a spiderweb of cracks in its wake. The golem takes a heavy step towards you, unperturbed by your attack. As it brings its food down on the floor, its leg fractures, leaving it swaying uncontrollably. The golem attempts to look down at its own foot to assess the damage. This is a poor choice, as you hear the joints holding its head in place snap loudly as it bends its neck. The empty helm falls from its shoulders and shatters on the floor like someone dropping a fishbowl. The decapitated armour freezes, although you can still hear its body cracking like ice. You step over the broken shards of metal and go through the doors. A staircase downwards is beyond. (set: $l3died to 0) [[Click here to continue.->Fake Test Ending]]

(if: $l2scryed is 1)[Fiel the librarian](else:)[A thin, blue-skinned young woman with silver pince-nez glasses] emerges from the back room. She is followed by a small creature that looks like a walking ornamental bush. Red eyes stare out at you from between its leaves. She seems surprised to see you. "Oh, hello! We don't get many visitors outside of our usual opening hours. I was a bit preoccupied in the back. I'm Fiel, the librarian, and this," she pats the tiny plant-thing, "is Kyn, my, um, assistant. Can I help you with anything?" [["What is this place?"->2-4-The Library - 10]] [["What were you looking for?"->2-4-The Library - 11]] (if: $l2questaccept is 1)[[["I don't suppose you happen to have an Orb of Power, do you?"->2-4-The Library - 12]] ][["Read any good books lately?"->2-4-The Library - 13]] [["Sorry, I think I took a wrong turn. I'll be going."->2-4-The Library - 18]]

(if: $l2scryed is 1)[Fiel the librarian](else:)[A thin, blue-skinned young woman with silver pince-nez glasses] emerges from the back room. She is followed by a small creature that looks like a walking ornamental bush. The creature is gibbering quietly to itself as it totters along behind her. She sits down on the reading couch, puts her feet up, picks up the top book from the nearest stack and begins to read. The plant-beast sits by her side and rocks back and forth quietly. A new course of action is required, or you're stuck here until she finishes her book. [[Emerge from hiding and introduce yourself.->2-4-The Library - 8]] [[Attempt to sneak out.->2-4-The Library - 9]]

You snatch up the orb and run for the door. You hear someone behind you shriek, and then there is an unearthly war cry and something slams into you from behind and knocks you flat. You roll over just in time to see what looks like a fanged ornamental hedge sitting on you and roaring, before it tears off your face with its thorned talons. Thefts from the Library are taken //very// seriously. (display: "Level 2 Death Message")

Fiel beams. "This is the Grand Library of the Depths! All sorts of fascinating volumes find their way down here, and, well, they just got messy otherwise. Somebody needed to take care of them, and I had some spare time, and..." She looks around at the ostentatious library. "Maybe a //lot// of spare time," she concedes. [["What were you looking for?"->2-4-The Library - 11]] (if: $l2questaccept is 1)[[["I don't suppose you happen to have an Orb of Power, do you?"->2-4-The Library - 12]] ][["Read any good books lately?"->2-4-The Library - 13]] [["It's been fun but I should probably go."->2-4-The Library - 18]]

"Oh I was..." She looks slightly embarassed. "I was looking for a book. A specific book. I'm most of the way through a series, and I'm up to the next book, and it's not there. It's rather inconvenient, to be honest." (if: $l2book is 1)[[["It wouldn't be //this// book, would it?"->2-4-The Library - 14]] ][["What is this place?"->2-4-The Library - 10]] (if: $l2questaccept is 1)[[["I don't suppose you happen to have an Orb of Power, do you?"->2-4-The Library - 12]] ][["Read any good books lately?"->2-4-The Library - 13]] [["It's been fun but I should probably go."->2-4-The Library - 18]]

Fiel ponders for a moment. "Well, I might have one somewhere, I think it's in the special collections, but I can't really let you //take// it. That's not what an archive like this is for. This isn't a lending library. Even if it was, you probably don't have the paperwork to become a member." (if: $l2book is 1)[[["I could swap it for this book?"->2-4-The Library - 15]] ](if: $l2key is 1)[[["I could swap it for this key?"->2-4-The Library - 16]] ](if: $l2wand is 1)[[["I could swap it for this wand?"->2-4-The Library - 17]]] [["What is this place?"->2-4-The Library - 10]] [["What were you looking for?"->2-4-The Library - 11]] [["Read any good books lately?"->2-4-The Library - 13]] [["It's been fun but I should probably go."->2-4-The Library - 18]]

"Oh! Yes!" Fiel's face lights up. "I've been reading this amazing series. It's about this dashing young gentleman who inherits an estate, and he goes to the country ball and it's full of young women who think he's the finest eligible bachelor of the season, and then he's not interested in any of them, and then suddenly the doors open and this guy comes in on a horse, and he's all brooding, and they look at each other and there's this smouldering-" She stops suddenly. "Um. I mean. It's great classical literature. And I waant to know how it ends, and I will, once I find where that next book in the series has gotten to." (if: $l2book is 1)[[["It wouldn't be //this// book, would it?"->2-4-The Library - 14]] ][["What is this place?"->2-4-The Library - 10]] [["What were you looking for?"->2-4-The Library - 11]] (if: $l2questaccept is 1)[[["I don't suppose you happen to have an Orb of Power, do you?"->2-4-The Library - 12]] ][["It's been fun but I should probably go."->2-4-The Library - 18]]

You emerge from behind the bookcase and cough politely. (if: $l2scryed is 1)[Fiel](else:)[The librarian] jumps and nearly tips off the couch. The plant monster howls, but (if: $l2scryed is 1)[Fiel](else:)[the librarian] reaches out a hand and ruffles its leaves. It calms down. "Oh, hello!" she says. "I, um, didn't know you were there. We don't get many visitors outside of our usual opening hours. I was a bit preoccupied in the back. I'm Fiel, the librarian, and this," she pats the tiny plant-thing, "is Kyn, my, um, assistant. Can I help you with anything?" [["What is this place?"->2-4-The Library - 10]] [["What were you looking for?"->2-4-The Library - 11]] (if: $l2questaccept is 1)[[["I don't suppose you happen to have an Orb of Power, do you?"->2-4-The Library - 12]] ][["Read any good books lately?"->2-4-The Library - 13]] [["Sorry, I think I took a wrong turn."->2-4-The Library - 18]]

You duck out from behind the bookshelf and run for the exit. The plant-beast lets out a bloodcurdling roar, vaults across the room and knocks you off your feet, then sits on you until (if: $l2scryed is 1)[Fiel](else:)[the librarian] comes to help you up. "Um, hello?" she says. "Sorry, Kyn can get a bit overenthusiastic, but this is part of his job. We definitely haven't been introduced. I'm Fiel, the librarian, and I'm quite curious as to what you were doing //hiding in the shelves watching me.// That's weird." [["What is this place?"->2-4-The Library - 10]] [["What were you looking for?"->2-4-The Library - 11]] (if: $l2questaccept is 1)[[["I don't suppose you happen to have an Orb of Power, do you?"->2-4-The Library - 12]] ][["Read any good books lately?"->2-4-The Library - 13]] [["Sorry, I think I took a wrong turn. I'll be going."->2-4-The Library - 18]]

Fiel waves as you depart. "Thank you for visiting the library!" Kyn burbles happily as they returns to searching the stacks. [[Click here to continue.->2-5-The Annexe - 1]]

Fiel's eyes open wide. "That's - that's it! That's Volume 6 of //Low Tales of High Society//! Where did you - but - I - I need it! I must know! I'll give you //anything!//" (if: $l2questaccept is 1)[You ask if there happens to be an Orb of Power in the Library. Fiel throws up her hands. "Yes! We do! We do have one of those. Sure, you can have it! Who needs an Orb anyway? It's not a book! This is a library! Kyn, fetch the Orb." The plant-beast scuttles over to the exhibits table at the back of the room and retrieves the glowing sphere. He passes it to you and then goes back to sit with Fiel. She has snatched the book from your hands and is now sat on the reading couch, turning pages at incredible speed.(set: $l2orb to 1)](else:)[Here is where you hit upon a minor snag. What do you even trade the book for? The library is mostly dry, academic texts. There is no great magic power here, no weapons, nothing that could really aid you in your quest. Eventually you settle on trading the book for a quite excellent sandwich that Fiel had in the back room. If nothing, you can face the next challenges well-fed. Fiel retreats to the reading couch, turning pages at incredible speed.] No more attention is being paid to you. You should probably just leave. [[Click here to continue.->2-5-The Annexe - 1]]

Fiel's eyes open wide. "That's - that's it! That's Volume 6 of //Low Tales of High Society//! Where did you - but - I - I need it! I must know! I'll give you //anything!//" You point out that there's the small matter of the Orb of Power you requested. "Yes! Exactly! That will do fine!" Fiel shouts. "Who needs an Orb anyway? It's not a book! This is a library! Kyn, fetch the Orb." The plant-beast scuttles over to the exhibits table at the back of the room and retrieves the glowing sphere. He passes it to you and then goes back to sit with Fiel. She has snatched the book from your hands and is now sat on the reading couch, turning pages at incredible speed. (set: $l2orb to 1) No more attention is being paid to you. You should probably just leave. [[Click here to continue.->2-5-The Annexe - 1]]

Fiel examines the key closely. "It's... well, it's a key. It's not really the kind of thing that we exhibit in a Library. There's no academic perspective. Sorry." [["What is this place?"->2-4-The Library - 10]] [["What were you looking for?"->2-4-The Library - 11]] [["Read any good books lately?"->2-4-The Library - 13]] [["It's been fun but I should probably go."->2-4-The Library - 18]]

"Oh, you have a Wand of Fire." Fiel bends down and examines it closely. "It's certainly interesting, but I think we already have one in storage, so it's not something we could expand the collection with. Sorry." [["A Wand of Fire, eh? Perhaps you'd give me the Orb in exchange for me... not setting fire to your library."->2-4-The Library - 19]] [["What is this place?"->2-4-The Library - 10]] [["What were you looking for?"->2-4-The Library - 11]] [["Read any good books lately?"->2-4-The Library - 13]] [["It's been fun but I should probably go."->2-4-The Library - 18]]

Fiel panics. "No! Please don't set fire to the library! It's my life's work! My only love! My everything! I can't -" She pauses. "Do... do you actually know how to use a Wand of Fire?" There is an awkward silence. The awkward silence is ended when Kyn knocks you off your feet and tears off your face. (display: "Level 2 Death Message")

Hegazy washes down the chicken leg with another half-tankard of mead. "And then, right, once we breached their defences we discovered //dark sorceries// within their gates." He raises his eyebrows. "So many dark sorceries. They had this big monster in the courtyard, this huge stone giant. But I was too mighty in battle to be defeated, and my unstop- unspop- unf- //good skills// saved us all, for I leapt atop its shoulders and began to... hit it with my mighty axe while my brothers in arms //cowered in fear// below. It was pretty close, and I dropped my axe and had to headbutt the beast into unconsciousness, but we won the day! Yes, we did!" He tears a chunk out of the chicken and stuffs it in his mouth. You're not sure if there's going to be a good time to ask questions about your quest at this rate. [[Keep listening to Hegazy.->1-5-The Commissary - 4d]] [[Attempt to politely slip away.->1-5-The Commissary - 4a]]

Hegazy produces another tankard of mead, which up until this point had been hidden behind the chicken, and drinks most of it in one go. "And then... and then we went inside and one of their huntmasters had... had a guy tied up in a fountain? I think. He had one eye. The huntmaster. Not the guy. Anyway I ended up challenging him to a duel. He had this huge axe and everyone else was scared of the huge axe, but I wasn't, because my axe was huge too. Maybe not quite has huge but it was better than his axe. And we tried to hit each other with our big axes, and I won, and I think there was fire everywhere, and then the guy was in the fountain, I'm not sure what that was about. But it was great. And everyone said 'Hegs, you're the best,' and I agreed that I was the best." He stares for a moment at the mostly-eaten chicken. "Did... did I have more chicken?" [[Keep listening to Hegazy.->1-5-The Commissary - 4e]] [[Attempt to politely slip away.->1-5-The Commissary - 4a]]

Hegazy takes another long draw from his mead. "Anyway, shrtl af' that, we..." He stops, blinks, tries to work out where he was going, then finally succumbs to excess quantities of mead and chicken and collapses forward onto the table. He starts to snore loudly. The hooded figure is long since gone. You don't really have any option other than to press on. [[Click here to continue.->1-6-The Barricade - 1]]

You should probably have trusted your original instinct. As you get to the front of the dining queue, the cook immediately realises that you are //not// part of the Prince's forces, or any other inhabitant of the Depths. He cries out for help. You are set upon by innumerable opponents, several of which will likely find you more appealing than the stew. (display: "L1 Death Message")

You can see little of the tall figure that sits upon the throne other than a great mask shaped like a bird's skull that covers his entire head. Yellow eyes stare balefully out from within its sockets. His body is shrouded in a ragged black robe, apart from one arm; the flesh is rotting and emaciated, and his fingernails are long and sharp. You know without a doubt that this is the Prince of Crows.

=><= (text-color: red)[''The Depths of''] (text-color: red)[''RUINATION KEEP''] by David Mowatt verticalblanking.co.uk with sincere apologies to Tim Child [[Click here to begin->The Castellan's Quarters - 1]] v0.8 - AdventureX 2017 demo

You find yourself in a stone-walled corridor, lined with torches and wall-hangings musty with age. There is no door behind you, but you must have entered somehow. You know you are here for a purpose, a quest of some import, but what you do not know. The corridor opens into a room beyond, and you can hear the sound of a great crackling fire. [[Click here to continue.->The Castellan's Quarters - 2]]

You stand upon the threshold of a small stateroom. Logs blaze in a massive hearth, and weapons hang upon the walls. An unfinished meal and piles of scrolls are on a table in the centre of the room. You cannot see clearly through the narrow windows, but there are hints of mountains in the twilight. A large chair is pulled up before the fire, and an old man in plain working garb is sat in it, warming his hands. He has a neat beard and deep-set eyes, and a gold chain of office hangs round his neck. He sees you. "Ah, come in, stranger. You are here for the Trial?" You are, although you're not sure how you know that. You walk up to his seat." [[Click to continue.->The Castellan's Quarters - 3]]

The old man gestures to the room around him. "Many who enter are confused, but they all know why they are here. This is the great fortress of Ruination Keep, though its original name is lost to myth, and it is here that the worthy come to be tested. I am the Castellan, and I am not here to guide you, merely to inform you of where you must go and of some of the... rules. The rest is up to you." He reaches over to the table and picks up a book, opening it to a drawing of a great castle stood atop a cliff. "The Keep stands guard over great darkness in the caverns below. The depths are the domain of that lord of darkness known as the Prince of Crows. Not all within the depths are his, but few are friendly to those who would enter from the outside." He turns over a few pages, to reveal an image that someone has carefully painted into the book. It is a statue of some sort, a golden figure with its arms outstretched, holding a crystal. In the painting, the statue is filling the room with bright light. "This is the Icon of Sylvandis. One of the many treasures the Prince of Crows has taken into his lair. The Raven Throne, his seat of power, is at the lowest level of the Depths." The Castellan looks up at you. "Your task is to enter his realm and retrieve it." [[Click here to continue.->The Castellan's Quarters - 4]]

The Castellan points at a door in the corner of the room. "The stairs there will take you down to the depths, and finding your way onwards from there is your task. What rules there are, are simple enough. Act nobly, trust in magic, use wit and skill. You may find items to help in your quest; choose wisely. Other rules may make themselves known as you travel, but first of all know this; your path lies downwards and onwards, but //never// behind you. There is no going back." You bid farewell to the Castellan, and head through the door. A narrow spiral staircase is behind it. You follow it down, down, so far down you lose track of //how// far. Eventually you reach the foot of the stairs, and step through shadows into the space beyond. (set: $l1died to 0)(set: $l1scryed to 0)(set: $l1password to 0)(set: $l2died to 0)(set: $l2questaccept to 0)(set: $l2scryed to 0)(set: $l2orb to 0)(set: $l2spell to 0)(set: $l3died to 0)(set: $met_blinks to 0) [[Click here to continue.->1-1-Great Doors - 1]]

=><= //Alas your quest concludes No more shall ye see Until I get back from AdventureX And finish Level 3// <== Thank you for playing! This is the first thing that even slightly resembles a completed game that I have made for at least fifteen years (and I don't know if the last one counts). Feedback is welcome at verticalblanking.co.uk, or on Twitter @ducklingsmith