ClubFloyd Transcript:
Anchorhead by Michael Gentry
As played on ifMUD on July-September, 2018

The idea behind ClubFloyd is that each week at a pre-arranged time, a group of people meet online to cooperatively play a game of interactive fiction.

Below is a transcript of Anchorhead written by Michael Gentry. Anchorhead is a highly decorated Lovecraftian horror game - it was a nominee for several 1998 XYZZY awards, including Best Game, won the Best Setting award of that year, and has been voted into the top five of the Interactive Fiction Top 50 of All Time in each of its three iterations (2011, 2015, and 2019). For its 20 year anniversary, it has received an updated illustrated rerelease, and a tribute in the form of the 84-author game Cragne Manor. This is, unfortunately, not a complete transcript. You can learn more about the game, including how to download it, by visiting IFDB.


WARNING! Below you will find a transcript of people playing this game, and it goes without saying that the transcript is full of spoilers. So, if you've never played this game, and think you might like to at some point, I do not recommend reading any further. Instead, you might want to return to the interactive fiction page.

ANOTHER WARNING! A lot (most!) of the transcripts contained on this site are, shall we say, family-friendly. This is not one of those family-friendly transcripts. Just so we're clear.


ToyShop & Floyditorium
#ClubFloyd Discussion



Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "load sleepmask anchor"
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]             The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind
Floyd ]             is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind
Floyd ]             of fear is fear of the unknown.
Floyd ]
Floyd ]             -- H.P. Lovecraft
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |                         A N C H O R H E A D
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |           [Press 'R' to restore; any other key to begin]
Jacqueline pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | November, 1997.
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | You take a deep breath of salty air as the first raindrops begin to
Floyd | spatter the pavement, and the swollen, slate-colored clouds that
Floyd | blanket the sky mutter ominous portents amongst themselves over the
Floyd | little coastal town of Anchorhead.
Floyd |
Floyd | Squinting up into the glowering storm, you wonder how everything
Floyd | managed to happen so fast. The strange phone call over a month ago,
Floyd | from a lawyer claiming to represent the estate of some distant branch
Floyd | of Michael's family, was bewildering enough in itself... but then the
Floyd | sudden whirlwind of planning and decisions, legal details and travel
Floyd | arrangements, the packing up and shipping away of your entire home,
Floyd | your entire life...
Floyd |
Floyd | Now suddenly here you are, after driving for the past two days
Floyd | straight, over a thousand miles away from the familiar warmth of
Floyd | Texas, getting ready to move into the ancestral mansion of a clan of
Floyd | relatives so far removed that not even Michael has ever heard of them.
Floyd | And you've only been married since June and none of this was any of
Floyd | your idea in the first place, and already it's starting to rain.
Floyd |
Floyd | These days, you often find yourself feeling confused and uprooted.
Floyd |
Floyd | You shake yourself and force the melancholy thoughts from your head,
Floyd | trying to focus on the errand at hand. You're to meet with the real
Floyd | estate agent and pick up the keys to your new house while Michael runs
Floyd | across town to take care of some paperwork at the university. He'll be
Floyd | back to pick you up in a few minutes, and then the two of you can
Floyd | begin the long, precarious process of settling in.
Floyd |
Floyd | A sullen belch emanates from the clouds, and the rain starts coming
Floyd | down harder -- fat, cold drops smacking loudly against the
Floyd | cobblestones. Shouldn't it be snowing in New England at this time of
Floyd | year? With a sigh, you open your umbrella.
Floyd |
Floyd | Welcome to Anchorhead...
Jacqueline pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]                          * THE FIRST DAY *
Floyd ]
Floyd ]          I was far from home, and the spell of the eastern
Floyd ]          sea was upon me.
Floyd ]
Floyd ]          -- H.P. Lovecraft
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd |
Jacqueline pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]  Outside the Real Estate Office            day one
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | ANCHORHEAD
Floyd | An interactive gothic by Michael S. Gentry
Floyd |
Floyd | (Type HELP or ABOUT for some useful information.)
Floyd |
Floyd | Release 5 / Serial number 990206 / Inform v6.15 Library 6/7
Floyd |
Floyd | Outside the Real Estate Office
Floyd | A grim little cul-de-sac, tucked away in a corner of the
Floyd | claustrophobic tangle of narrow, twisting avenues that largely
Floyd | constitute the older portion of Anchorhead. Like most of the streets
Floyd | in this city, it is ancient, shadowy, and leads essentially nowhere.
Floyd | The lane ends here at the real estate agent's office, which lies to
Floyd | the east, and winds its way back toward the center of town to the
Floyd | west. A narrow, garbage-choked alley opens to the southeast.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "x me"
Floyd ]  Outside the Real Estate Office            day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X ME
Floyd |
Floyd | You look good, considering. A bit rattled by recent events, perhaps,
Floyd | but well-poised and collected, all the same.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "i"
Floyd ]  Outside the Real Estate Office            day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > I
Floyd |
Floyd | You are wearing your wedding ring, your trenchcoat and your clothes;
Floyd | in addition, you have in your hand your umbrella.
Floyd |
Floyd | The pockets of your trenchcoat are empty.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu asks, "So, do we need a driver?"
Jacqueline says, "I don't recall."
Knight_Otu is ignorant.
DavidW says, "Later, but not now."
Jacqueline says, "I don't think so right now."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x umbrella"
Floyd ]  Outside the Real Estate Office            day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X UMBRELLA
Floyd |
Floyd | Olive green, with a hook-shaped handle. It's a handy little thing,
Floyd | when it rains. It's currently open.
Floyd |
Floyd | In the distance, you can hear the lonesome keening of a train whistle
Floyd | drifting on the wind.
Floyd |
Floyd | The clouds overhead mutter restlessly to themselves.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to DW), "Yeah, my distant memory is that later timing will matter but not now."
DavidW says, "I bet that hook handle is important."
DavidW says, "I see an umbrella in an IF and I think of fire escapes."
Knight_Otu asks, "Arm extension?"
Jacqueline says, "heh."
DavidW says (to KO), "yeah."
Jacqueline says, "God, it's so obvious, and yet I do not think of that when I read that description."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open door"
Floyd ]  Outside the Real Estate Office            day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | It seems to be locked.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "knock on door"
Floyd ]  Outside the Real Estate Office            day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > KNOCK ON DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You rap on the glass sharply, peering through it into the dark room
Floyd | inside. Nobody answers. Strange; you just talked to the real estate
Floyd | agent -- Miss Benson, you think it was -- yesterday. She was going to
Floyd | meet you here.
Floyd |
Floyd | The rain slackens off momentarily to a weak drizzle, then returns
Floyd | afresh in a brief, freezing downpour.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "I say go into that alley to the SE."
Jacqueline says, "Alleys always seem like a great place to go. Sure."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Alley                                     day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Alley
Floyd | This narrow aperture between two buildings is nearly blocked with
Floyd | piles of rotting cardboard boxes and overstuffed garbage cans. Ugly,
Floyd | half-crumbling brick walls to either side totter oppressively over
Floyd | you. The alley ends here at a tall, wooden fence.
Floyd |
Floyd | High up on the wall of the northern building there is a narrow,
Floyd | transom-style window.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x cans"
Floyd ]  Alley                                     day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X CANS
Floyd |
Floyd | The metal garbage cans are stuffed to overflowing with slowly
Floyd | decomposing refuse.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x window"
Floyd ]  Alley                                     day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X WINDOW
Floyd |
Floyd | It's about eighteen inches wide and a foot tall, with hinges along the
Floyd | top that allow it to swing out. It's currently closed.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "climb cans"
Floyd ]  Alley, on the garbage can                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLIMB CANS
Floyd |
Floyd | You clamber onto the wobbling garbage can, precariously balanced.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open window"
Floyd ]  Alley, on the garbage can                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN WINDOW
Floyd |
Floyd | Hmm. You still can't quite reach, because the garbage can is too far
Floyd | away from the wall. Perhaps if you pushed it closer...
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "open window"
Floyd ]  Alley, on the garbage can                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN WINDOW
Floyd |
Floyd | Hmm. You still can't quite reach, because the garbage can is too far
Floyd | away from the wall. Perhaps if you pushed it closer...
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "d"
Floyd ]  Alley                                     day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > D
Floyd |
Floyd | Carefully, you descend.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Oh dear."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "push can"
Floyd ]  Alley                                     day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > PUSH CAN
Floyd |
Floyd | You push the garbage cans around aimlessly.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Fine, Michael Gentry. Fine."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "push can under window"
Floyd ]  Alley                                     day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > PUSH CAN UNDER WINDOW
Floyd |
Floyd | Grunting and holding your breath, you manhandle one of the filthy cans
Floyd | under the window.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Perfectly sensible things do to."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "stand on can"
Floyd ]  Alley, on the garbage can                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > STAND ON CAN
Floyd |
Floyd | You clamber onto the wobbling garbage can, precariously balanced. You
Floyd | can just reach the lower edge of the window from here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open window"
Floyd ]  Alley, on the garbage can                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN WINDOW
Floyd |
Floyd | You open the transom window.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "in"
Floyd ]  File Room                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > IN
Floyd |
Floyd | (closing the umbrella first)
Floyd | It's a tight squeeze, but you just manage to wriggle through, dropping
Floyd | quietly to the floor inside.
Floyd |
Floyd | File Room
Floyd | Peering through the murk, you can make out the blocky outlines of
Floyd | filing cabinets lining the walls and a doorway to the west. A window
Floyd | high up on the south wall lets in a very faint illumination.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x cabinets"
Floyd ]  File Room                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X CABINETS
Floyd |
Floyd | There must be hundreds of files here, too many to browse through.
Floyd | You'll have to look up something specific if you want to find
Floyd | anything.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "I find it interesting that our character thought nothing of breaking and entering."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up me in cabinets"
Floyd ]  File Room                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP ME IN CABINETS
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the filing cabinets)
Floyd | You don't find anything filed under that heading.
Floyd |
Floyd | You can hear a fly buzzing around, hovering over the back of your
Floyd | neck.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Now that we're tresspassing, let's find a murder weapon and handle it."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x me"
Floyd ]  File Room                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X ME
Floyd |
Floyd | You look good, considering. A bit rattled by recent events, perhaps,
Floyd | but well-poised and collected, all the same.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x ring"
Floyd ]  File Room                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X RING
Floyd |
Floyd | Staring at your wedding ring like that tends to make you sentimental.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline asks, "A fly? Is there ... a dead body?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x fly"
Floyd ]  File Room                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X FLY
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see where the fly is. You're not even sure where the buzzing
Floyd | is coming from.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline asks, "The dead body of a real estate agent?"
DavidW asks, "Do you want to go west and look for a body?"
Jacqueline exclaims, "snrk. Sure!"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Office
Floyd | Pallid gray light trickles in through the drawn blinds. The office is
Floyd | deserted, papers still scattered across the top of the desk. The front
Floyd | door lies west, and the file room lies east.
Floyd |
Floyd | Sitting on the corner of the paper-strewn desk are a telephone and an
Floyd | answering machine.
Floyd |
Floyd | Someone seems to have left a cup of coffee sitting out, half-finished
Floyd | and cold.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Answering machine."
DavidW says, "It's the 90's."
Jacqueline says, "Heh"
Knight_Otu says, "So far no murder weapon to get our prints on."
Jacqueline says, "Yes, I know. I meant let's listen to it."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x papers"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X PAPERS
Floyd |
Floyd | Sifting through the paperwork, you find nothing that catches your
Floyd | attention.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "x machine"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X MACHINE
Floyd |
Floyd | A simple answering machine, with a small display indicating messages
Floyd | received, a button labeled "PLAY", and a button labeled "DELETE".
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "push play"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > PUSH PLAY
Floyd |
Floyd | For a while there is nothing but a quiet hiss, followed by
Floyd | intermittent skirls of strange-sounding static. It sounds like one of
Floyd | those annoying glitches where the caller hangs up but the machine
Floyd | keeps recording anyway. Then, barely audible through the static, you
Floyd | detect what sounds like a human voice whispering a single word:
Floyd |
Floyd | "Verlac."
Floyd |
Floyd | The machine beeps.
Floyd |
Floyd | A brief shudder ripples up your back. You remember now, "Verlac" is
Floyd | the name of this branch of Michael's family.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x display"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X DISPLAY
Floyd |
Floyd | The display indicates there is one message on the machine, left (oddly
Floyd | enough) at 4:19 this morning. The display also shows that the message
Floyd | has already been checked.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "I think we should look up Verlac in the cabinets."
Jacqueline says, "Oh shit"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x coffee"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X COFFEE
Floyd |
Floyd | Muddy-looking and unappetizing. Who knows how long it's been sitting
Floyd | out?
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu asks, "?"
Jacqueline says, "It would have been good to know if it had already been checked before I checked it."
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "undo"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNDO
Floyd |
Floyd | Office
Floyd | [Previous turn undone.]
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "undo"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNDO
Floyd |
Floyd | [Can't "undo" twice in succession. Sorry!]
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "/undo"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > /UNDO
Floyd |
Floyd | That's not a verb I recognise.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "moo"
Jacqueline says, "Oh well."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "%undo"
Floyd says (to DavidW), "Floyd doesn't know that trick." DavidW says, "I think it's okay still."
Knight_Otu says, "No new-fangled tricks for us."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x drawer"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X DRAWER
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see inside, since the drawer is closed.
Floyd |
Floyd | You can hear a fly buzzing around, right around your head.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open drawer"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN DRAWER
Floyd |
Floyd | It seems to be locked.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "i"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > I
Floyd |
Floyd | You are wearing your wedding ring, your trenchcoat and your clothes;
Floyd | in addition, you have in your hand your umbrella.
Floyd |
Floyd | The pockets of your trenchcoat are empty.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "murder fly"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > MURDER FLY
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see where the fly is. You're not even sure where the buzzing
Floyd | is coming from.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "x ring"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X RING
Floyd |
Floyd | Staring at your wedding ring like that tends to make you sentimental.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "x clothes"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X CLOTHES
Floyd |
Floyd | A tasteful ensemble from Ann Taylor in muted browns and olive greens
Floyd | (you've been an autumn person since you were old enough to match your
Floyd | own socks).
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "I seem to remember that something is written on the inside of the ring."
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "remove ring"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > REMOVE RING
Floyd |
Floyd | You slip the plain gold band from your finger. Usually you feel almost
Floyd | naked without your ring on, although sometimes you do find yourself
Floyd | taking it off briefly, just to read the inscription along the inside.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "May I remove it to look?"
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "read ring"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ RING
Floyd |
Floyd | Engraved along the inside are Michael's and your initials, along with
Floyd | your wedding date -- June 28th.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "wear ring"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > WEAR RING
Floyd |
Floyd | The gold band slides onto your finger with a comforting snugness.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x hair"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X HAIR
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see any such thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline) DavidW notes the date of June 28th for a future puzzle.
DavidW says, "I guess no bobbypin to pick desk drawer locks with."
DavidW asks, "May I check the cabinets now? Are we done with this room?"
Jacqueline says, "Sure"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  File Room                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | File Room
Floyd | Peering through the murk, you can make out the blocky outlines of
Floyd | filing cabinets lining the walls and a doorway to the west. A window
Floyd | high up on the south wall lets in a very faint illumination.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up verlac in cabinets"
Floyd ]  File Room                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP VERLAC IN CABINETS
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the filing cabinets)
Floyd | Strange; the file on the Verlac property has been cleaned out. Title,
Floyd | deed, all the papers, all of it gone. There is, however, a set of keys
Floyd | tucked down in the hanging folder. You quickly pocket them.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your score has just gone up by two points.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x keys"
Floyd ]  File Room                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X KEYS
Floyd |
Floyd | It's just an ordinary-looking keyring. There are two keys (a key to
Floyd | the house and a key to the cellar) on it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "Neither key for the drawer, hm."
Jacqueline says, "We're just a business casual, Anne Taylor-wearing wife who's been drug cross-country and has no compunction about breaking and entering or stealing."
Knight_Otu asks, "Look under the desk?"
DavidW says, "Maybe the desk drawer is a red herring."
DavidW says (to KO), "sure"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Office
Floyd | Pallid gray light trickles in through the drawn blinds. The office is
Floyd | deserted, papers still scattered across the top of the desk. The front
Floyd | door lies west, and the file room lies east.
Floyd |
Floyd | Sitting on the corner of the paper-strewn desk are a telephone and an
Floyd | answering machine.
Floyd |
Floyd | Someone seems to have left a cup of coffee sitting out, half-finished
Floyd | and cold.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Maybe."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look under desk"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UNDER DESK
Floyd |
Floyd | You find nothing of interest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "move papers"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > MOVE PAPERS
Floyd |
Floyd | Sifting through the paperwork, you find nothing that catches your
Floyd | attention.
Floyd |
Floyd | You can hear a fly buzzing around, right around your head.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "kill fly"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > KILL FLY
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see where the fly is. You're not even sure where the buzzing
Floyd | is coming from.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "l u"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > L U
Floyd |
Floyd | You see nothing special above you.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x blinds"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X BLINDS
Floyd |
Floyd | The blinds are drawn across the windows, letting in a thin trickle of
Floyd | light. They are coated with a thin film of dust.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look under machine"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UNDER MACHINE
Floyd |
Floyd | You find nothing of interest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x front door"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X FRONT DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You can make out the words "tsruhkcarB & nosneB" stenciled across the
Floyd | glass. There is a latch on this side which can be turned to lock or
Floyd | unlock the door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "I assume we can leave that way."
Knight_Otu says, "Probably."
DavidW says, "I don't know how to deal with the desk drawer. Maybe we should go home or find Michael now."
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "violently smash desk drawer"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > VIOLENTLY SMASH DESK DRAWER
Floyd |
Floyd | That's not a verb I recognise.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Guess that's not it."
Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "break drawer"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > BREAK DRAWER
Floyd |
Floyd | Violence isn't the answer to this one.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "hit drawer"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > HIT DRAWER
Floyd |
Floyd | Violence isn't the answer to this one.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look under drawer"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UNDER DRAWER
Floyd |
Floyd | You find nothing of interest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "search pockets"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > SEARCH POCKETS
Floyd |
Floyd | The trenchcoat is empty.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "chair"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > CHAIR
Floyd |
Floyd | That's not a verb I recognise.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x chair"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X CHAIR
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see any such thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  File Room                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | File Room
Floyd | Peering through the murk, you can make out the blocky outlines of
Floyd | filing cabinets lining the walls and a doorway to the west. A window
Floyd | high up on the south wall lets in a very faint illumination.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up benson in cabinets"
Floyd ]  File Room                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP BENSON IN CABINETS
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the filing cabinets)
Floyd | You don't find anything filed under that heading.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up michael in cabinets"
Floyd ]  File Room                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP MICHAEL IN CABINETS
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the filing cabinets)
Floyd | As you search in vain for some mention of your husband's name, it
Floyd | dawns on you that the property is most likely listed under the
Floyd | family's original, ancestral name.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "look up Brackhurst"
Floyd ]  File Room                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP BRACKHURST
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the filing cabinets)
Floyd | You don't find anything filed under that heading.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "oh well. I think we should go."
Knight_Otu says, "Sure."
DavidW says, "We can return here, I think."
Jacqueline says, "sure"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Office
Floyd | Pallid gray light trickles in through the drawn blinds. The office is
Floyd | deserted, papers still scattered across the top of the desk. The front
Floyd | door lies west, and the file room lies east.
Floyd |
Floyd | Sitting on the corner of the paper-strewn desk are a telephone and an
Floyd | answering machine.
Floyd |
Floyd | Someone seems to have left a cup of coffee sitting out, half-finished
Floyd | and cold.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You unlock the office door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Outside the Real Estate Office            day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the real estate office door first)
Floyd | The rain is still coming down, so you open your umbrella.
Floyd |
Floyd | Outside the Real Estate Office
Floyd | A grim little cul-de-sac, tucked away in a corner of the
Floyd | claustrophobic tangle of narrow, twisting avenues that largely
Floyd | constitute the older portion of Anchorhead. Like most of the streets
Floyd | in this city, it is ancient, shadowy, and leads essentially nowhere.
Floyd | The lane ends here at the real estate agent's office, which lies to
Floyd | the east, and winds its way back toward the center of town to the
Floyd | west. A narrow, garbage-choked alley opens to the southeast.
Floyd |
Floyd | The office door is open.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Outside the Real Estate Office            day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the real estate office door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open umbrella"
Floyd ]  Outside the Real Estate Office            day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN UMBRELLA
Floyd |
Floyd | That's already open.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Narrow Street                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Narrow Street
Floyd | As the lane winds along from east to west, it narrows until the steep,
Floyd | jagged rooftops on either side of the street practically touch each
Floyd | other. To the south, a side street leads across Whateley Bridge toward
Floyd | the center of town, and a twisting lane leads up a hill to the
Floyd | northwest. A short flight of steps to the north leads down to the
Floyd | local watering hole.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu exclaims, "We kept the umbrella open? Bad luck!"
Jacqueline says, "I remember thinking that the automagical opening and closing of the umbrella as needed was a lovely touch for a game of this era."
Jacqueline says, "Nope. We shut it and open it as needed."
Knight_Otu says, "Oh, right, I see it now,"
DavidW says, "I missed the umbrella opening."
DavidW asks, "anyway, N, W, or S?"
Jacqueline says, "I care not"
DavidW says, "oh, NW is also an option."
Jacqueline says, "Let's do that, then."
DavidW says, "ok"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  Twisting Lane                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Twisting Lane
Floyd | The lane narrows here to little more than a badly cobbled sidewalk as
Floyd | it wends its way up through a series of tortuous bends and
Floyd | switchbacks. In some places, the street is so steep that steps have
Floyd | been cut into it, worn down over the years and slick with moss. Your
Floyd | progress is blocked at the top of the street by a blank brick wall.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x brick wall"
Floyd ]  Twisting Lane                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X BRICK WALL
Floyd |
Floyd | It's just an ordinary-looking brick wall.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "This town is feeling like Europe, not the Colonies."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "climb wall"
Floyd ]  Twisting Lane                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLIMB WALL
Floyd |
Floyd | The wall is featureless and very high; there's no way over it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "I'm guessing this wall is important later."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Twisting Lane                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd | You take a few tentative steps back down the lane, but it seems to
Floyd | lead only to a short switchback, bringing you right back to the brick
Floyd | wall. You're not entirely sure now, which direction leads back to the
Floyd | narrow street.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "oh dear."
Roger asks, "anyone volunteer to map?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "search bricks"
Floyd ]  Twisting Lane                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > SEARCH BRICKS
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see any such thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Uh oh."
DavidW says, "I've been mapping."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "search wall"
Floyd ]  Twisting Lane                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > SEARCH WALL
Floyd |
Floyd | You find nothing of interest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "A maze. Awesome."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "hit wall"
Floyd ]  Twisting Lane                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > HIT WALL
Floyd |
Floyd | Violence isn't the answer to this one.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Twisting Lane                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | You take a few tentative steps back down the lane, but it seems to
Floyd | lead only to a short switchback, bringing you right back to the brick
Floyd | wall. You're not entirely sure now, which direction leads back to the
Floyd | narrow street.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "listen"
Floyd ]  Twisting Lane                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > LISTEN
Floyd |
Floyd | At the very edge of your hearing you can just make out the sound of
Floyd | someone playing a violin -- a plaintive, haunting melody.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "follow violin"
Floyd ]  Twisting Lane                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > FOLLOW VIOLIN
Floyd |
Floyd | That's not a verb I recognise.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "yell"
Floyd ]  Twisting Lane                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > YELL
Floyd |
Floyd | Come now; you're not that frightened.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "listen to violin"
Floyd ]  Twisting Lane                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > LISTEN TO VIOLIN
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see any such thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "listen"
Floyd ]  Twisting Lane                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > LISTEN
Floyd |
Floyd | At the very edge of your hearing you can just make out the sound of
Floyd | someone playing a violin -- a plaintive, haunting melody.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Twisting Lane                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd | You take a few tentative steps back down the lane, but it seems to
Floyd | lead only to a short switchback, bringing you right back to the brick
Floyd | wall. You're not entirely sure now, which direction leads back to the
Floyd | narrow street.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Maybe we are, game. Maybe we are that frightened."
Knight_Otu says, "Maybe not frightened, but lost."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "l"
Floyd ]  Twisting Lane                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > L
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Twisting Lane
Floyd | The lane narrows here to little more than a badly cobbled sidewalk as
Floyd | it wends its way up through a series of tortuous bends and
Floyd | switchbacks. In some places, the street is so steep that steps have
Floyd | been cut into it, worn down over the years and slick with moss. Your
Floyd | progress is blocked at the top of the street by a blank brick wall.
Floyd |
Floyd | The rain slackens off momentarily to a weak drizzle, then returns
Floyd | afresh in a brief, freezing downpour.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x moss"
Floyd ]  Twisting Lane                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X MOSS
Floyd |
Floyd | You needn't worry about that.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x steps"
Floyd ]  Twisting Lane                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X STEPS
Floyd |
Floyd | You needn't worry about that.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "touch wall"
Floyd ]  Twisting Lane                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > TOUCH WALL
Floyd |
Floyd | You feel nothing unexpected.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "climb wall"
Floyd ]  Twisting Lane                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLIMB WALL
Floyd |
Floyd | The wall is featureless and very high; there's no way over it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "sw"
Floyd ]  Narrow Street                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > SW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Narrow Street
Floyd | As the lane winds along from east to west, it narrows until the steep,
Floyd | jagged rooftops on either side of the street practically touch each
Floyd | other. To the south, a side street leads across Whateley Bridge toward
Floyd | the center of town, and a twisting lane leads up a hill to the
Floyd | northwest. A short flight of steps to the north leads down to the
Floyd | local watering hole.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Whew."
Jacqueline says, "That was weird."
DavidW says, "ok, so one of N, W or S next."
Jacqueline nods.
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Local Pub                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | You close your umbrella, as is your habit after coming indoors.
Floyd |
Floyd | Local Pub
Floyd | A dank, drafty old drinking hole lit by flickering, oil-burning
Floyd | lanterns. Smoke collects in greasy pools among the rafters, and
Floyd | shadows crowd thick around. The bar runs the length of the room to
Floyd | your right, while to the south a low doorway opens onto the street.
Floyd |
Floyd | Mill workers and fishermen occupy a few of the tables, drinking beer
Floyd | or puffing grimly at long-stemmed pipes. Each is wrapped in his
Floyd | solitude, soaking up the general miasma of dreary fatalism.
Floyd |
Floyd | The lantern sitting on the table nearest you sputters fitfully,
Floyd | throwing distorted shadows across the wall.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "um. I see no reason to be in here yet."
Jacqueline says, "Man, tempted to change my @connect."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x lantern"
Floyd ]  Local Pub                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X LANTERN
Floyd |
Floyd | It's an old-fashioned hurricane lamp, with a tall glass chimney to
Floyd | protect it from the wind. The cotton wick burns fitfully in its
Floyd | reservoir of cheap oil.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take it"
Floyd ]  Local Pub                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE IT
Floyd |
Floyd | No one here looks as though they'd mind if you borrowed one of these
Floyd | lamps. Casually, you purloin the nearest one.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, ""Borrowed". Right."
Jacqueline says, "Casually"
DavidW says, "We are a klepto."
Knight_Otu says, "I mean, we are an adventure game protagonist."
Jacqueline says, "Clearly."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Local Pub                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd | The exit is to the south.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x bar"
Floyd ]  Local Pub                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X BAR
Floyd |
Floyd | A dark and dour expanse of wood, pitted and scarred and stained with
Floyd | the rings from over a hundred years' worth of slopping beer mugs.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look behind bar"
Floyd ]  Local Pub                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK BEHIND BAR
Floyd |
Floyd | Not a bartender in sight.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x people"
Floyd ]  Local Pub                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X PEOPLE
Floyd |
Floyd | The patrons of this place are taciturn and grim. No one speaks. No one
Floyd | looks anyone in the eye. No one, in fact, even looks up from his beer.
Floyd | A heavy aura of resignation -- and, it almost seems, dread -- hangs
Floyd | palpably over the whole crowd.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Kleptomania may be contractually required."
Jacqueline says, "ACK"
DavidW says, "I suggest we leave this pub with our new lantern."
Knight_Otu says, "Sure."
Jacqueline says, "I went to look at my description on the mud to see where I could add that nice little line about being wrapped in solitude and instead deleted my whole description. I am now nothing special."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Local Pub                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | As you make your way to the door, your foot strikes something under
Floyd | one of the tables.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look under table"
Floyd ]  Local Pub                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UNDER TABLE
Floyd |
Floyd | Some forgetful soul has left a flask underneath one of the tables,
Floyd | pushed into a shadowy corner.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take flask"
Floyd ]  Local Pub                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE FLASK
Floyd |
Floyd | You pick up the flask. The label is faded and mostly peeled away, but
Floyd | what little you can make out seems to indicate that this is not a
Floyd | particularly distinguished brand of spirits. The words "bootleg" and
Floyd | "rotgut" come to mind, probably because they are the only words
Floyd | legible on what's left of the label.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "And... and I had code in there I loved."
Knight_Otu says, "Aw man."
Jacqueline wonders if that's saved anywhere.
Jacqueline says, "sorry, I know this is off-topic. Just sad and startled."
DavidW asks, "It might be in a transcript?"
DavidW says, "oh wait. description, not olounge."
Jacqueline says, "No, but it might be pullable from an old dbase backup. Poo."
Jacqueline says, "Anyway."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x flask"
Floyd ]  Local Pub                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X FLASK
Floyd |
Floyd | The label is faded and mostly peeled away, but what little you can
Floyd | make out seems to indicate that this is not a particularly
Floyd | distinguished brand of spirits. The words "bootleg" and "rotgut" come
Floyd | to mind, probably because they are the only words legible on what's
Floyd | left of the label.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "put flask in coat"
Floyd ]  Local Pub                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > PUT FLASK IN COAT
Floyd |
Floyd | You slip the flask into the pocket of your trenchcoat.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Narrow Street                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | The rain is still coming down, so you open your umbrella.
Floyd |
Floyd | Narrow Street
Floyd | As the lane winds along from east to west, it narrows until the steep,
Floyd | jagged rooftops on either side of the street practically touch each
Floyd | other. To the south, a side street leads across Whateley Bridge toward
Floyd | the center of town, and a twisting lane leads up a hill to the
Floyd | northwest. A short flight of steps to the north leads down to the
Floyd | local watering hole.
Floyd |
Floyd | A sudden gust of rain puts the lantern out.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "And we without any matches."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "shutter lantern"
Floyd ]  Narrow Street                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > SHUTTER LANTERN
Floyd |
Floyd | That's not a verb I recognise.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "West or south now?"
Knight_Otu asks, "West?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Junction                                  day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Junction
Floyd | To the north, a gap in the crowded press of gloomy buildings opens
Floyd | onto a country lane, heading out over a grassy heath. The main street
Floyd | continues to the east, while to the northwest, over the top of a steep
Floyd | rise, you can just make out the vaulted rooftops of the university.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "Michael's at the university, yes?"
Jacqueline says, "I think so, yeah"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  University Court                          day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | University Court
Floyd | Isolated and serene within its high, ivy-covered walls, Miskaton
Floyd | University represents this benighted town's single, if somewhat
Floyd | dubious, claim to cultural achievement. Founded some time in the early
Floyd | 1800s, the school's reputation and enrollment have diminished somewhat
Floyd | as Anchorhead drifts further and further into the abyss of provincial
Floyd | backwaterism. Still, it is generally recognized for its collection of
Floyd | folklore and esoteric mythology (one of the oldest and most extensive
Floyd | on the east coast). The Board of Deans was also kind enough to offer
Floyd | Michael a full professorship upon hearing of his recently discovered
Floyd | heritage and his plans to move into the estate. Ivory tower, perhaps,
Floyd | but at least they take care of their own.
Floyd |
Floyd | There are numerous buildings surrounding this cobbled court, but the
Floyd | only one you are interested in is the library to the west, where
Floyd | Michael told you he'd be until he came back to the real estate agent's
Floyd | office to pick you up. Which, incidentally, he has not yet done.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "There we go."
Jacqueline asks, "West, I guess?"
DavidW says, "yes"
Knight_Otu says, "Yeah."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd | You close your umbrella, as is your habit after coming indoors.
Floyd |
Floyd | Library
Floyd | Shadows roost thickly in the vaulted ceiling, and small, green-shaded
Floyd | desk lamps cast pools of warm radiance here and there around the
Floyd | library's dim interior. You pause a moment to let the hushed
Floyd | peacefulness of this place soak in -- a welcome relief from the
Floyd | unsettling events of the day. An exit lies east, and a small alcove to
Floyd | the north houses the circulation counter.
Floyd |
Floyd | Peering through the shadows, you spot your husband sitting at one of
Floyd | the reading desks, absorbed in some sort of weighty tome and clearly
Floyd | oblivious to the time.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "kiss Michael"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > KISS MICHAEL
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael looks up, startled, then realizes it's you and smiles. "Hi,
Floyd | hon," he says, closing the book and stretching. Then he glances at his
Floyd | watch. "Good grief, what happened to the time? I'm so sorry -- I just
Floyd | lost track." He smiles sheepishly.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Well?" he asks. "Did you get the keys?"
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Hello, dear, I'm a criminal now."
Jacqueline says, "heehee"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "show keys to michael"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > SHOW KEYS TO MICHAEL
Floyd |
Floyd | "Great!" says Michael. "You hang on to that. Just a second, I'll put
Floyd | this back." He takes the book up to the circulation desk and hands it
Floyd | to the librarian. "Okay then," he says, returning, "let's go."
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael suddenly smacks his forehead. "Oh, crap, I forgot to tell you.
Floyd | The car broke down." He spreads his hands. "I don't know what happened
Floyd | to it; one second I'm parking outside, the next second it dies and I
Floyd | can't get it started again. I called a tow truck, but the nearest
Floyd | garage is up in Arkham. They picked it up but won't be able to look at
Floyd | it until next week at the earliest. Anyway, it looks like we'll have
Floyd | to walk back to the house." He offers you a lame smile. "You can hold
Floyd | the umbrella."
Floyd |
Floyd | Your score has just gone up by two points.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "so, we walk home?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x michael"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X MICHAEL
Floyd |
Floyd | Tall and a bit on the skinny side, in an endearingly awkward sort of
Floyd | way; a serious, thoughtful face topped with an unruly tangle of brown
Floyd | hair; deep brown eyes framed by wire-rimmed glasses -- yep, that's the
Floyd | man you married, all right.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael looks at you expectantly, waiting for you to lead the way.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Unless we can catch a taxi..."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  University Court                          day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd | The rain is still coming down, so you open your umbrella.
Floyd |
Floyd | University Court
Floyd | Isolated and serene within its high, ivy-covered walls, Miskaton
Floyd | University represents this benighted town's single, if somewhat
Floyd | dubious, claim to cultural achievement. Founded some time in the early
Floyd | 1800s, the school's reputation and enrollment have diminished somewhat
Floyd | as Anchorhead drifts further and further into the abyss of provincial
Floyd | backwaterism. Still, it is generally recognized for its collection of
Floyd | folklore and esoteric mythology (one of the oldest and most extensive
Floyd | on the east coast). The Board of Deans was also kind enough to offer
Floyd | Michael a full professorship upon hearing of his recently discovered
Floyd | heritage and his plans to move into the estate. Ivory tower, perhaps,
Floyd | but at least they take care of their own.
Floyd |
Floyd | There are numerous buildings surrounding this cobbled court, but the
Floyd | only one you are interested in is the library to the west.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael strolls along after you.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  University Court                          day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd | Although these hallowed halls of learning probably hold a veritable
Floyd | trove of knowledge, you are no longer a student, and the only building
Floyd | you have any business in is the library.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Junction                                  day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Junction
Floyd | To the north, a gap in the crowded press of gloomy buildings opens
Floyd | onto a country lane, heading out over a grassy heath. The main street
Floyd | continues to the east, while to the northwest, over the top of a steep
Floyd | rise, you can just make out the vaulted rooftops of the university.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael hurries to catch up.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Narrow Street                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Narrow Street
Floyd | As the lane winds along from east to west, it narrows until the steep,
Floyd | jagged rooftops on either side of the street practically touch each
Floyd | other. To the south, a side street leads across Whateley Bridge toward
Floyd | the center of town, and a twisting lane leads up a hill to the
Floyd | northwest. A short flight of steps to the north leads down to the
Floyd | local watering hole.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael strolls along after you.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Whateley Bridge                           day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Whateley Bridge
Floyd | A hoary monument of crumbling, moss-eaten flagstones, Whateley Bridge
Floyd | is possibly older than any other structure in the entire city.
Floyd | Ponderously it spans the dark, torpid waters of the Miskaton River,
Floyd | connecting the north and south halves of the city and occasionally
Floyd | raining bits of gravel and mortar from its underside into the water.
Floyd | It looks just wide enough for two cars to pass each other between the
Floyd | flanking stone parapets, but you wouldn't volunteer to try it.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael follows you.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline asks, "He had the car towed to Arkham? Does he not know that the engine compartment will come back filled with tiny elder gods?"
DavidW says, "I'm assuming this is the way home."
Jacqueline says, "Oh wait. Maybe that's why the car's already dead."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x river"
Floyd ]  Whateley Bridge                           day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X RIVER
Floyd |
Floyd | The Miskaton's waters are sluggish and dark. Some sort of oily film
Floyd | coats the surface, reflecting back ghostly swirls of color.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Town Square
Floyd | A wide expanse of uneven pavestones lies open to the sky, bordered on
Floyd | all sides by the leaning, steep-roofed architecture that looms over
Floyd | everything in this city. The municipal courthouse stands at the south
Floyd | end of the square, next to the mouth of a dark, narrow alley to the
Floyd | southwest. Avenues to the west and east lead back into the cramped and
Floyd | ingrown streets, while to the north lies Whateley Bridge.
Floyd |
Floyd | In the center of the square, rising from a circular lawn of
Floyd | unhealthy-looking grass and weeds, stands a strange, stone obelisk. It
Floyd | seems to be a monument of some sort, although you can see no plaque or
Floyd | marker anywhere near it.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael hurries to catch up.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "No horror protagonist knows they're in a horror story."
Knight_Otu says, "Especially in cosmic horror."
Jacqueline says, "Sigh."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x obelisk"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X OBELISK
Floyd |
Floyd | The obelisk measures about two feet square at its base, narrowing
Floyd | slightly as it rises a good fifteen feet to a bluntly pointed tip. An
Floyd | iron ring is embedded in the stone high up on one side, about two feet
Floyd | from the top. Dense, twisting hieroglyphs cover all four sides of the
Floyd | obelisk, although they are too worn to be read clearly.
Floyd |
Floyd | In the distance, you can hear the lonesome keening of a train whistle
Floyd | drifting on the wind.
Floyd |
Floyd | "We really should be getting on to the house, don't you think?" asks
Floyd | Michael. "It's a bit rainy out."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask michael about obelisk"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MICHAEL ABOUT OBELISK
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't think of anything to say about that for the moment.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Michael says this as if we know where the house is."
DavidW says, "I wonder if home is west or east."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask michael about house"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MICHAEL ABOUT HOUSE
Floyd |
Floyd | "The Verlac family has been living in that old place for generations;
Floyd | they're an integral part of the history of this whole region. It's
Floyd | really quite interesting."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Dark Corner                               day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Dark Corner
Floyd | The rooftops above you lean so close together as to nearly block out
Floyd | the sky altogether, making this a particularly dark and unpleasant
Floyd | section of the city. The street leads away to the east, and a shadowy
Floyd | driveway leads through a high brick wall to the south.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael hurries to catch up.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Asylum Courtyard                          day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Asylum Courtyard
Floyd | The grim, white-washed edifice of Danvers Asylum bounds this tiny,
Floyd | shadowed courtyard to the south, its narrow, barred windows staring
Floyd | blankly down at you like ranks of shriveled, empty eye sockets. You
Floyd | can escape through a narrow gateway in the high, brick wall to the
Floyd | north.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael hurries to catch up.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael scuffs around dispiritedly.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "This might be the wrong way."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Dark Corner                               day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Dark Corner
Floyd | The rooftops above you lean so close together as to nearly block out
Floyd | the sky altogether, making this a particularly dark and unpleasant
Floyd | section of the city. The street leads away to the east, and a shadowy
Floyd | driveway leads through a high brick wall to the south.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael follows you.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Town Square
Floyd | A wide expanse of uneven pavestones lies open to the sky, bordered on
Floyd | all sides by the leaning, steep-roofed architecture that looms over
Floyd | everything in this city. The municipal courthouse stands at the south
Floyd | end of the square, next to the mouth of a dark, narrow alley to the
Floyd | southwest. Avenues to the west and east lead back into the cramped and
Floyd | ingrown streets, while to the north lies Whateley Bridge.
Floyd |
Floyd | In the center of the square, rising from a circular lawn of
Floyd | unhealthy-looking grass and weeds, stands a strange, stone obelisk. It
Floyd | seems to be a monument of some sort, although you can see no plaque or
Floyd | marker anywhere near it.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael strolls along after you.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Riverwalk                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Riverwalk
Floyd | A low, irregular brick wall to the north divides this street from the
Floyd | steep, mud-slick banks of the sinuous Miskaton, while a rusty iron
Floyd | gate provides access to a precarious flight of stone steps leading
Floyd | down the bank to the water's edge. The street bends south here,
Floyd | turning into a misty avenue between the trees. The town square lies
Floyd | west, a vacant lot lies east.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael hurries to catch up.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu asks, "What, you guys don't live in an asylum?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Chilly Avenue                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Chilly Avenue
Floyd | Perhaps it is merely the effect of some unwholesome vapour rising from
Floyd | the murky waters of the nearby Miskaton, but the temperature along
Floyd | this street seems perceptibly cooler than normal, even for a New
Floyd | England autumn. Two dirt roads lead south and southwest, into the
Floyd | dense woods at the edge of town.
Floyd |
Floyd | A clammy mist hangs thickly in the air, seeping through your clothes
Floyd | and making you shiver.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael follows you.
Floyd |
Floyd | The clouds overhead mutter restlessly to themselves.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "listen to clouds"
Floyd ]  Chilly Avenue                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > LISTEN TO CLOUDS
Floyd |
Floyd | You hear nothing unexpected.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "listen"
Floyd ]  Chilly Avenue                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > LISTEN
Floyd |
Floyd | The furtive creaking of branches and the soft rustling of leaves are
Floyd | all that you hear.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "sw"
Floyd ]  Scenic View                               day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > SW
Floyd |
Floyd | As you walk through, the mists part before your husband almost
Floyd | deferentially, quickly dissolving away into nothing.
Floyd |
Floyd | The ground begins to rise sharply as the road climbs up into the hills
Floyd | south of town.
Floyd |
Floyd | Scenic View
Floyd | The treeline falls away on the north side of this northwest-northeast
Floyd | bend in the road, giving way to a panoramic view of the Miskaton River
Floyd | Valley and the grubby little town of Anchorhead nestled within it.
Floyd | From here you can see the paper mill almost directly to the north; the
Floyd | solitary lighthouse and surrounding ocean to the northeast; and the
Floyd | dilapidated stone church below you to the east. Winding through it all
Floyd | is the oily black ribbon of the Miskaton, and almost directly in the
Floyd | center lies the little clearing of Town Square. You can just make out
Floyd | the shape of the obelisk from here.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael strolls along after you.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "I'm guessing this was also the wrong way?"
Knight_Otu says, "Don't ask me. I'm very lost."
DavidW says, "Unless we go northwest"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Outside the House
Floyd | The lane runs up from the southeast and ends at a wide clearing
Floyd | surrounded by gnarled and ancient trees. A wide, curving driveway runs
Floyd | up to the front door of your house, which lies north.
Floyd |
Floyd | The fabled Verlac family mansion looms before you in the gloom, its
Floyd | dark creaking presence dominating the clearing and, somehow, even
Floyd | though it is not visible through the trees, the entire valley. The
Floyd | foreboding shadow of the Verlacs seems to enshroud all of Anchorhead
Floyd | from here.
Floyd |
Floyd | A typewritten notice has been attached to the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael strolls along after you.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Well," says Michael, "this must be the place. We finally made it,
Floyd | honey. We're home!"
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "ask michael for directions"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MICHAEL FOR DIRECTIONS
Floyd |
Floyd | Which do you mean, the north, the south, the east, the west, the
Floyd | northeast, the northwest, the southeast, the southwest, the ceiling,
Floyd | the floor, the outside or the inside?
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "hahaha"
Knight_Otu exclaims, "Not those directions, game!"
Jacqueline says, "Thankfully we've already found the place, or else I might not have found that so amusing."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read notice"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ NOTICE
Floyd |
Floyd | It's a letter from the Arkham Regional Utilities Company, explaining
Floyd | that, due to wiring difficulties, the electricity will not be
Floyd | installed until next week. No phone service, either.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Well, that's wonderful news," remarks Michael dryly, reading over
Floyd | your shoulder.
Floyd |
Floyd | The rain slackens off momentarily to a weak drizzle, then returns
Floyd | afresh in a brief, freezing downpour.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door with keys"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR WITH KEYS
Floyd |
Floyd | That isn't even a key.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu asks, "What's the worst that could happen?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door with front key"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR WITH FRONT KEY
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see any such thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x keys"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X KEYS
Floyd |
Floyd | It's just an ordinary-looking keyring. There are two keys (a key to
Floyd | the house and a key to the cellar) on it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "unlock door"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You unlock the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Jacqueline), "thanks"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the front door first)
Floyd | You close your umbrella, as is your habit after coming indoors.
Floyd |
Floyd | Foyer
Floyd | Although it appears spacious from the outside, the house's interior
Floyd | feels cramped and gloomy. The walls seem too close together; the
Floyd | ceiling is too high. The doorways, leading in several directions, are
Floyd | narrow and filled with shadows, and the stairs leading up to the
Floyd | second floor are steep and rickety. This is not a house that makes you
Floyd | feel welcome. It is a house that makes you feel tiny and timid, and
Floyd | afraid of dark places. It is a house that makes you feel alone.
Floyd |
Floyd | The front door stands open to the south.
Floyd |
Floyd | Carelessly stacked in a towering heap in the middle of the room are
Floyd | all your luggage and belongings, which you had sent ahead through a
Floyd | moving company before driving up to Massachusetts. Everything you own
Floyd | is boxed away and piled up in the middle of the floor. The reality of
Floyd | this move finally slams home as you stare at the sprawling jumble of
Floyd | stuff, and suddenly you feel very lost and adrift.
Floyd |
Floyd | Night has now undeniably fallen, and the house is very, very dark.
Floyd | There is probably just enough residual ambience to feel your way
Floyd | upstairs to the bedroom, but the rest of the house is a tenebrous maze
Floyd | of shadows, and any exploring would probably best be done in the
Floyd | morning.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael strolls along after you.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael stretches his arms and yawns. "Well," he says, "I think I'm
Floyd | going to turn in. There'll be plenty of time to unpack and explore
Floyd | tomorrow. Good night, hon." He kisses you on the cheek. "Don't stay up
Floyd | too late."
Floyd |
Floyd | And with that, he goes upstairs.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "Lock it?"
Knight_Otu says, "Yes."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "lock door"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You lock the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "u"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Landing                          day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > U
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Landing
Floyd | A narrow hallway runs east, from the top of the stairs down the length
Floyd | of the house. To the north, directly opposite the stairs, is the
Floyd | master bedroom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Not that I think it'll help, but maybe it does."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "light lantern"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Landing                          day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > LIGHT LANTERN
Floyd |
Floyd | You don't have a match.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Darkness                                  day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Darkness
Floyd | It is pitch dark, and you can't see a thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Landing                          day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Landing
Floyd | A narrow hallway runs east, from the top of the stairs down the length
Floyd | of the house. To the north, directly opposite the stairs, is the
Floyd | master bedroom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Master Bedroom
Floyd | The master bedroom is a picture-postcard of rustic New England charm.
Floyd | Faded sketches of rural landscapes adorn the walls; a beautifully
Floyd | carved dressing mirror stands in one corner; an old-fashioned
Floyd | accordion radiator gurgles quietly beneath the window. The most
Floyd | striking feature, an enormous, antique, four-poster bed, must be the
Floyd | largest piece of furniture in the house.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael is curled up in bed, sound asleep.
Floyd |
Floyd | If it weren't for this hopelessly backwater town and the disturbing
Floyd | circumstances surrounding the house, you'd say this was your dream
Floyd | home. Even so, as much as you would like to relax and enjoy the
Floyd | comforts of a fully furnished historical New England estate, you can't
Floyd | help but be put off by the shady aura surrounding the family that used
Floyd | to live here. The last of the line, you remind yourself, recently
Floyd | committed suicide after killing his wife and two daughters with a
Floyd | shotgun. Involuntarily you shiver, glancing nervously at the doorways
Floyd | to the south and west.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see any such thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Bathroom                                  day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Bathroom
Floyd | A small chamber of cold, white tile and floral-print wallpaper. It
Floyd | sports a genuine, whitewashed, claw-foot bathtub with a shower
Floyd | attachment, which is a definite plus. The bedroom lies east.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Master Bedroom
Floyd | The master bedroom is a picture-postcard of rustic New England charm.
Floyd | Faded sketches of rural landscapes adorn the walls; a beautifully
Floyd | carved dressing mirror stands in one corner; an old-fashioned
Floyd | accordion radiator gurgles quietly beneath the window. The most
Floyd | striking feature, an enormous, antique, four-poster bed, must be the
Floyd | largest piece of furniture in the house. Doorways lead west and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael is curled up in bed, sound asleep.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "undress"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNDRESS
Floyd |
Floyd | You take off the trenchcoat.
Floyd | You take off the clothes.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "drop all"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > DROP ALL
Floyd |
Floyd | lantern: Dropped.
Floyd | keyring: Dropped.
Floyd | trenchcoat: Dropped.
Floyd | clothes: Dropped.
Floyd | umbrella: Dropped.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "enter bed"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed    day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > ENTER BED
Floyd |
Floyd | Gratefully, you crawl into bed and pull the covers up to your chin.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "sleep"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed    day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > SLEEP
Floyd |
Floyd | Almost immediately you fall asleep, and as the wind slithers around
Floyd | the eaves and the house creaks furtive secrets to itself, you drift
Floyd | into troubling dreams...
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | You are waiting in your bed, with the coverlet up under your chin,
Floyd | waiting for Father to come tuck you in. Footsteps in the hall pause
Floyd | outside your door. You close your eyes; when you open them again
Floyd | Father is standing at the foot of the bed. His eyes are bloodshot,
Floyd | rimmed with red, and you wonder if he has been crying. Slowly, he
Floyd | starts to take off his belt.
Floyd |
Floyd | Only it's not your father after all, it's Michael. He hands you a
Floyd | golden sphere and says:
Floyd |
Floyd | "I don't know what it opens yet but I have an idea."
Floyd |
Floyd | Your reflection is like a little doll trapped inside the sphere.
Floyd | Everything is tinged with gold. Your face swells and stretches
Floyd | comically as you stare back at yourself through the curved, distorting
Floyd | walls. Reaching out, your fingers curve back on themselves... the wall
Floyd | breaks and...
Floyd |
Floyd | You are running from the eyes, the terrible red-rimmed eyes, through
Floyd | endless, narrow corridors of wooden slats and crumbling plaster. You
Floyd | stumble through turn after turn, hopelessly lost. There is a small
Floyd | hole in the boards -- peering through it you see Michael in the study,
Floyd | typing diligently away. You scream, you pound on the wall, but he
Floyd | can't hear you. The red-rimmed eyes draw closer; hurrying down a
Floyd | twisting passage you find a dead end... the wall breaks and...
Floyd |
Floyd | Outside, you stand at another dead end, a high brick wall at the end
Floyd | of a steep, twisting lane. Written in black spraypaint...
Floyd |
Floyd | He always returns to his blood.
Floyd |
Floyd | Behind you, you hear the buzzing of a fly. You turn...
DavidW says, "let me know when you're all done reading"
Jacqueline pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]                         * THE SECOND DAY *
Floyd ]
Floyd ]             It is hard to prevent the impression
Floyd ]             of a faint, malign odour about the village
Floyd ]             street, as of the massed mould and decay of
Floyd ]             centuries. It is always a relief to get
Floyd ]             clear of the place.
Floyd ]
Floyd ]             -- H.P. Lovecraft
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd |
DavidW says, "I need a quick bathroom break."
Jacqueline says, "So yeah. That dream was pretty creepy. Well done, Gentry."
Jacqueline says (to DW), "Go for it."
DavidW says, "back"
Jacqueline pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed    day two
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | You wake up. Steam billows gently by, and you can hear the sound of
Floyd | running water coming from the bathroom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "Is this where Jota's gold sphere came from?"
Jacqueline exclaims, "Heh. I dunno. Maybe!"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "l"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > L
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed
Floyd | The master bedroom is a picture-postcard of rustic New England charm.
Floyd | Faded sketches of rural landscapes adorn the walls; a beautifully
Floyd | carved dressing mirror stands in one corner; an old-fashioned
Floyd | accordion radiator gurgles quietly beneath the window. The most
Floyd | striking feature, an enormous, antique, four-poster bed, must be the
Floyd | largest piece of furniture in the house. Doorways lead west and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your clothes lie in an untidy pile on the floor.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your trenchcoat is here.
Floyd |
Floyd | You can also see your umbrella, a keyring (on which are two keys (a
Floyd | key to the house and a key to the cellar)) and a lantern here.
Floyd |
Floyd | On the four-poster bed you can see Michael's pants (in which is
Floyd | Michael's wallet (which is closed)).
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "Who wants a peek in Michael's pants?"
Jacqueline says, "This game has me on edge. I read Master Bedroom as 'Monster Bedroom'"
Knight_Otu asks, "Monster? Where?"
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "x wallet"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X WALLET
Floyd |
Floyd | It's just his wallet, an ordinary leather wallet.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "open wallet"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN WALLET
Floyd |
Floyd | (first taking the wallet)
Floyd | With a nervous glance toward the bathroom, you slip the wallet from
Floyd | Michael's pants.
Floyd | You open the wallet, revealing Michael's faculty card.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "hm"
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "x faculty card"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X FACULTY CARD
Floyd |
Floyd | The card identifies your husband as a faculty member at Miskaton
Floyd | University, entitled to all the privileges that implies.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline asks, "Should we continue in our kleptomania?"
DavidW says, "No. He will come out again."
Jacqueline asks, "So?"
Knight_Otu says, "Maybe not with our dear's wallet."
Jacqueline says, "Like he'll notice."
Jacqueline says, "Sigh. Fine."
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "close wallet"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE WALLET
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the wallet.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "put wallet in pants"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PUT WALLET IN PANTS
Floyd |
Floyd | (Michael's pants)
Floyd | You put the wallet into Michael's pants.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "So, enter the bathroom? Get dressed and go elsewhere? Just stay in bed?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look under bed"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UNDER BED
Floyd |
Floyd | You find nothing of interest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "What, share the bathroom with our husband? Scandalous! Let's do it."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd | The bathroom is occupied at the moment.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Ha"
DavidW says, "Married couples can share bathrooms!"
Jacqueline says, "They must still be in the honeymoon phase."
Knight_Otu says, "Apparently it's more scandalous thn I thought."
Jacqueline says, "Well, it was the 90s"
Knight_Otu says, "I guess we get dressed and explore then."
Jacqueline says, "mmkay"
DavidW says, "It belatedly occurs to me that if we didn't listen to the answering machine, Michael also mentioned the Verlac name when asked about the house."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "stand"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > STAND
Floyd |
Floyd | Reluctantly, you do so.
Floyd |
Floyd | Master Bedroom
Floyd | The master bedroom is a picture-postcard of rustic New England charm.
Floyd | Faded sketches of rural landscapes adorn the walls; a beautifully
Floyd | carved dressing mirror stands in one corner; an old-fashioned
Floyd | accordion radiator gurgles quietly beneath the window. The most
Floyd | striking feature, an enormous, antique, four-poster bed, must be the
Floyd | largest piece of furniture in the house. Doorways lead west and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your clothes lie in an untidy pile on the floor.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your trenchcoat is here.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael's pants are draped across the foot of the bed.
Floyd |
Floyd | You can also see your umbrella, a keyring (on which are two keys (a
Floyd | key to the house and a key to the cellar)) and a lantern here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "wear clothes"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > WEAR CLOTHES
Floyd |
Floyd | (first taking the clothes)
Floyd | You put on the clothes.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take keyring and lantern"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE KEYRING AND LANTERN
Floyd |
Floyd | keyring: Taken.
Floyd | lantern: Taken.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "wear coat"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > WEAR COAT
Floyd |
Floyd | (first taking the trenchcoat)
Floyd | You put on the trenchcoat.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "We didn't even smell the dirty clothes before we put them back on."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x landscapes"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X LANDSCAPES
Floyd |
Floyd | The sketches are charcoal on yellowed paper, pictures of the
Floyd | surrounding countryside. They're quite pretty, actually, lending an
Floyd | air of comfort to an otherwise cold and moribund house. Each drawing
Floyd | is initialed in the corner - "J.W.V. - '95".
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "smell clothes"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SMELL CLOTHES
Floyd |
Floyd | You smell nothing unexpected.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "As I expected - they are smelly"
Knight_Otu says, "Heh."
DavidW asks, "Smelly in a girly way?"
Jacqueline says, "I'm not sure what that means."
Knight_Otu says, "Of course, our other clothes are probably still packed away."
Jacqueline says, "Yeah"
Jacqueline says, "I'm gonna give us a pass."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Landing                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Landing
Floyd | A narrow hallway runs east, from the top of the stairs down the length
Floyd | of the house. To the north, directly opposite the stairs, is the
Floyd | master bedroom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "It's old clothes or streaking."
DavidW says, "We did lock the front door"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Hall                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Hall
Floyd | The shuttered window at the end of the hall throws a gloomy rectangle
Floyd | of light onto the bare wooden floor. Doorways lead north and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | There is a cord dangling in mid-air here, right about level with your
Floyd | face.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "I'm guessing it wouldn't let us streak, or else it wouldn't realize."
Jacqueline says, "The cord... shouldn't turn on a light."
Knight_Otu says, "Not without the electricity."
DavidW says, "Bet it opens attic stairs."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "pull cord"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Hall                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PULL CORD
Floyd |
Floyd | With a rusty, ratcheting groan and a brief shower of dust, the trap
Floyd | door swings down and folds back, revealing a rickety wooden ladder
Floyd | leading up into darkness.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "We still have no matches, though."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Library
Floyd | Whatever else their faults may have been, the Verlacs were evidently
Floyd | not ones to shun the printed word. Books line the walls from floor to
Floyd | ceiling in this dark-paneled, green-carpeted room, interrupted only by
Floyd | doorways to the east and south. A rich, brown leather armchair sits in
Floyd | stately repose near the window, with a polished brass pipe stand
Floyd | nearby completing the picture of some blue-blooded country squire's
Floyd | literary refuge. Once again, you are struck by how easily this place
Floyd | could have been the perfect home.
Floyd |
Floyd | A beautiful pair of mahogany sliding doors stand closed to the east.
Floyd |
Floyd | Resting on the pipe stand is a sizable volume decorated with a gilded
Floyd | pentagram on its cover.
Floyd |
Floyd | You pause as the shower shuts off, and you hear Michael moving around
Floyd | in the next room. His footsteps thump loudly on the hardwood floor as
Floyd | he comes down the hall, and then are muffled again as he steps onto
Floyd | the deep green carpet of the library.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Good morning," he says, smiling and kissing you lightly on the cheek.
Floyd | He looks around at the crowded rows of books. "Neat, huh? I may go
Floyd | through some of them this morning. Since the fogies don't need me to
Floyd | start work until tomorrow, I thought I'd stay home and try to get some
Floyd | writing done."
Floyd |
Floyd | As he steps through the sliding doors into the study, he turns and
Floyd | says, "I'll be in here for a while, okay? Oh, and if you go out today,
Floyd | see if you can find a newspaper somewhere." He smiles as he slides the
Floyd | doors shut.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Someone else from the Cragne Manor group may join us. I mentioned on the slack that we were playing this."
Knight_Otu asks, "Necronomicon possibly sighted?"
Jacqueline says, "Ooh, yeah"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x volume"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X VOLUME
Floyd |
Floyd | (The Compleat Manual of Wardes and Seales)
Floyd | It's an old medieval tome dated in the early 1300s, written by one
Floyd | Galarian Academius desChamps.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read it"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ IT
Floyd |
Floyd | Essentially, it's a textbook on the theory and practice of magickal
Floyd | wards and seals, mystic symbols inscribed on doors and containers in
Floyd | order to keep people and spirits out -- or in. It's all very
Floyd | deliberately vague and arcane (in addition to being written in
Floyd | medieval French and translated into Middle English, making it nearly
Floyd | impossible to understand), the kind of thing that likely got many a
Floyd | scholar burned at the stake in those days.
Floyd |
Floyd | You are surprised to find that a page in this old and probably quite
Floyd | valuable book has been folded down, as though to mark the place. The
Floyd | section marked discusses various methods of opening doors that have
Floyd | been sealed with the image of a pagan god. Speaking aloud the deity's
Floyd | true name will usually do the trick, apparently.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Good to know."
DavidW says, "yes"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "l"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > L
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Library
Floyd | Whatever else their faults may have been, the Verlacs were evidently
Floyd | not ones to shun the printed word. Books line the walls from floor to
Floyd | ceiling in this dark-paneled, green-carpeted room, interrupted only by
Floyd | doorways to the east and south. A rich, brown leather armchair sits in
Floyd | stately repose near the window, with a polished brass pipe stand
Floyd | nearby completing the picture of some blue-blooded country squire's
Floyd | literary refuge. Once again, you are struck by how easily this place
Floyd | could have been the perfect home.
Floyd |
Floyd | A beautiful pair of mahogany sliding doors stand closed to the east.
Floyd |
Floyd | Resting on the pipe stand is a sizable volume decorated with a gilded
Floyd | pentagram on its cover.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "But which pagan god? There's so many of them."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x books"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X BOOKS
Floyd |
Floyd | Literally hundreds of books stuff the shelves, many of them thick,
Floyd | cracked, leather-bound tomes with ribbon place-holders and titles
Floyd | lettered in raised gold leaf. It would take you years to peruse them
Floyd | all. However, one interesting title does catch your eye. An authentic
Floyd | first printing of Edgar Allen Poe's Tales of Mystery and
Floyd | Imagination, shelved incongruously between volumes "G" and "H" of
Floyd | the Encyclopedia Americana.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Emily arrives, full of funk, but no fun.
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x poe"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X POE
Floyd |
Floyd | It's a beautifully bound book in near-perfect condition, and probably
Floyd | extremely valuable -- if it really is authentic. Michael will go nuts
Floyd | when he sees this.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read poe"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ POE
Floyd |
Floyd | You'll have to take it down from the bookshelf if you want to read
Floyd | anything other than the spine.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take poe"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE POE
Floyd |
Floyd | The book sticks stubbornly at first, and, thinking that it must be
Floyd | tightly wedged in between the encyclopediae, you give it a fierce
Floyd | jerk. Suddenly, the book slides halfway out, then pops back in with a
Floyd | loud "snick".
Floyd |
Floyd | Amazingly, a section of the bookshelf slides back, revealing a hidden
Floyd | safe.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your score has just gone up by one point.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x safe"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X SAFE
Floyd |
Floyd | It's a stark cube of black, oily steel, fifteen inches to a side. Its
Floyd | only feature is a large calibrated dial set into the front.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x dial"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X DIAL
Floyd |
Floyd | The dial is calibrated from one to sixty. It is currently set to 24.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Ohh."
DavidW says, "well. We don't know the combination yet. The only numbers we've seen so far is our wedding date."
Knight_Otu says, "Surely it holds a valuable target for our kleptomania."
DavidW says (to KO), "of course."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take safe"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE SAFE
Floyd |
Floyd | You don't even want to guess how much that thing weighs. You'd likely
Floyd | break your back just trying to lift it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "hee"
DavidW says, "There's another room on this floor."
DavidW says, "Other than the study."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "shall we?"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SHALL WE?
Floyd |
Floyd | That's not a verb I recognise.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "er shall we?"
Knight_Otu says, "Let's go."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Hall                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Hall
Floyd | The shuttered window at the end of the hall throws a gloomy rectangle
Floyd | of light onto the bare wooden floor. Doorways lead north and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | A rickety wooden ladder stands here, descending from a three-foot by
Floyd | three-foot square of darkness in the ceiling.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Children's Bedroom
Floyd | This must be the children's bedroom. The bed is smaller than the one
Floyd | in the master bedroom, its bright coverlet providing one of the few
Floyd | feeble splashes of color in what must have been, for most of its
Floyd | history, a joylessly Puritan household. A small vanity table occupies
Floyd | the opposite wall, and in the corner under the window stands an
Floyd | ancient crib. The only exit is to the north.
Floyd |
Floyd | A child's jewelry box sits on the corner of the vanity.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "x box"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X BOX
Floyd |
Floyd | It's hardly larger than your hand, made of wood and charmingly
Floyd | decorated with a picture of children dancing around a Maypole. Most
Floyd | likely a plaything of one of the later Verlac children. The lid is
Floyd | closed.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "open box"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN BOX
Floyd |
Floyd | You open the jewelry box, revealing a silver locket.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "music box, maybe?"
DavidW says, "oh"
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "x locket"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X LOCKET
Floyd |
Floyd | It is oval-shaped, held shut with a tiny clasp.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "open it"
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "open locket"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN LOCKET
Floyd |
Floyd | You open the silver locket, revealing a boy's picture.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "x picture"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X PICTURE
Floyd |
Floyd | (the jewelry box)
Floyd | It's hardly larger than your hand, made of wood and charmingly
Floyd | decorated with a picture of children dancing around a Maypole. Most
Floyd | likely a plaything of one of the later Verlac children. The lid is
Floyd | open to reveal a silver locket.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "x boy"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X BOY
Floyd |
Floyd | The boy in the picture looks no more than three or four years old. He
Floyd | is smiling, but there is something disconcerting about his expression,
Floyd | as though his head were not shaped quite right or his features had
Floyd | been placed slightly wrong. He might possibly have been mentally
Floyd | retarded. It's difficult to tell, because the picture has been cropped
Floyd | so closely you can't even see the edges of the boy's face. Only his
Floyd | features fill the tiny frame.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "So it mentioned that the last Verlac killed his family... and there's a crib..."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look through window"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK THROUGH WINDOW
Floyd |
Floyd | Through the narrow slats in the shutters, you can make out the bony,
Floyd | grasping branches of the surrounding trees, waving in the wind. Not a
Floyd | soothing sight.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to game), "I just wanted to know if it stopped raining."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x crib"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X CRIB
Floyd |
Floyd | The crib is made of wood and held together with pegs, not nails. It's
Floyd | probably at least as old as the house.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look in crib"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK IN CRIB
Floyd |
Floyd | The crib is empty.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Emily says, "it doesn't want you to be soothed by accident"
Knight_Otu says, "It never stops raining in northern Anchorhead."
Emily says, "very important"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x vanity"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X VANITY
Floyd |
Floyd | A simple vanity table, scaled down for a child, spartan in design and
Floyd | almost wholly without decoration. It's hard to imagine keeping any
Floyd | sort of makeup or jewelry on it, but then again, vanity of even the
Floyd | most innocent kind was probably discouraged in most of the Verlac
Floyd | children.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open drawer"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN DRAWER
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see any such thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x bed"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X BED
Floyd |
Floyd | Not as fancy as the four-poster, but it looks comfortable enough.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x coverlet"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X COVERLET
Floyd |
Floyd | Not as fancy as the four-poster, but it looks comfortable enough.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look under bed"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UNDER BED
Floyd |
Floyd | You notice some odd scratches in the floor around the legs of the bed
Floyd | frame -- marks about six inches long, scored into the wood. Otherwise,
Floyd | nothing but shadows and dust under the bed.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "pull bed"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PULL BED
Floyd |
Floyd | Bracing yourself, you push the bed away from the wall, revealing a
Floyd | ragged hole in the wood paneling.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x hole"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X HOLE
Floyd |
Floyd | It's about six inches wide, and looks like it was made by by someone
Floyd | breaking in the wall with a hammer and pulling chunks of paneling out
Floyd | with their bare hands.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
ChrisC arrives, ready to play with the toys.
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look in hole"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK IN HOLE
Floyd |
Floyd | In the ragged hole is a bundle of soggy pages.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take pages"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE PAGES
Floyd |
Floyd | You pick up the bundle of soggy pages. It appears to have been
Floyd | someone's diary. There must have been a leak at some time behind the
Floyd | wall where it was hidden, because most of the pages are water-logged
Floyd | and completely illegible. However, portions of a few entries remain
Floyd | untouched.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your score has just gone up by two points.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline exclaims (at Chris), "Hello!"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x diary"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X DIARY
Floyd |
Floyd | It appears to have been someone's diary. There must have been a leak
Floyd | at some time behind the wall where it was hidden, because most of the
Floyd | pages are water-logged and completely illegible. However, portions of
Floyd | a few entries remain untouched.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read diary"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ DIARY
Floyd |
Floyd | Carefully, you turn the tattered pages. The handwriting is that of a
Floyd | young girl. You idly wonder if this might have been the diary of one
Floyd | of Edward Verlac's daughters -- but then you notice part of a date,
Floyd | just visible in the corner of the page: 1953. This must have been
Floyd | written, then, several years before Edward was born.
Floyd |
Floyd | The entries that are legible read as follows:
Floyd |
Floyd | ...Father came again to my bed last night... mother doesn't...
Floyd | tells me I can't... to be a good daughter. Sometimes it hurts, but
Floyd | Father always tells me I shouldn't cry. Father says a daughter must do
Floyd | her Duty if she wants to get into Heaven. And I do want to get into
Floyd | Heaven...
Floyd |
Floyd | [this entry dated 1957] ...my poor little William. Father calls
Floyd | him an aberration, child of the Devil, but I don't believe... locked
Floyd | in the attic. I go to see him whenever Father is away. I sing to him,
Floyd | sometimes, through the keyhole, and slip him sweets through the crack
Floyd | under the door... my baby is beautiful... can't let him hurt my dear
Floyd | baby William... to the doctor, and he has a plan... I can never...
Floyd | this locket, William, and I will always keep yours... to always
Floyd | remember my face...
Floyd |
Floyd | Nothing else is readable except for one fragmented entry near the very
Floyd | end of the book, the date in the corner reading February 27, 1961:
Floyd |
Floyd | ...dead, but not dead yet... will not allow him to do to Edward
Floyd | what he wanted to do to William... have learned... given him the charm
Floyd | against the... never take it off, dear Edward... [a page has been
Floyd | torn away] ...fear to sleep... mist at the window --
Floyd |
Floyd | And that's all.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "I..."
ChrisC exclaims, "hi!"
Jacqueline cannot unsee what she has just seen.
Knight_Otu says, "Man."
DavidW says, "I'm wondering if we need to take family tree notes."
Jacqueline wonders if it's not too late to divorce Michael for no reason under his control.
Knight_Otu asks, "Am I reading this right?"
Jacqueline says, "I'm sure you are."
Knight_Otu says, "Please tell me I'm.."
Knight_Otu says, "Damn."
Jacqueline says, "I'll be right back. Got to go take a shower and flush my eyes with bleach."
Jacqueline says, "(Kidding. I'm at Starbucks.)"
DavidW asks, "A strawless or strawful Starbucks?"
Jacqueline says, "Strawless, most likely. Honolulu went to paper straws recently."
ChrisC says, "I wonder what the arcane command is to emote on a channel..."
Jacqueline says, "So, let's unpack this anyway, even though I don't want to."
Jacqueline says, "You do ;:emotes."
Jacqueline says, "Semicolon for the channel, colon to emote."
ChrisC exclaims, "Thanks!"
Jacqueline asks, "So I'm gathering that she had two children by her father?"
Jacqueline asks, "William and Edward?"
DavidW says, "Seems so."
Knight_Otu says, "Eesh. I guess."
Jacqueline says, "And I guess we can only speculate about the '...dead, but not dead yet...' bit"
DavidW says, "This also makes the attic more perilous."
Jacqueline says, "Yeah"
Jacqueline exclaims, "Let's go!"
DavidW says, "I suggest checking the ground floor."
Knight_Otu says, "We still don't have matches."
Jacqueline says, "Fine."
DavidW says, "We ought to be able to find matches at least."
Jacqueline says, "We can go visit the tiny shackled skeleton in the attic later."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Hall                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Hall
Floyd | The shuttered window at the end of the hall throws a gloomy rectangle
Floyd | of light onto the bare wooden floor. Doorways lead north and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | A rickety wooden ladder stands here, descending from a three-foot by
Floyd | three-foot square of darkness in the ceiling.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Landing                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Landing
Floyd | A narrow hallway runs east, from the top of the stairs down the length
Floyd | of the house. To the north, directly opposite the stairs, is the
Floyd | master bedroom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "Shall we peek in the bathroom to see if Michael left anything there?"
DavidW asks, "Make sure he flushed?"
Jacqueline says, "You wouldn't let me filch his wallet but sure."
Knight_Otu says, "I'm sure he flu..."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Master Bedroom
Floyd | The master bedroom is a picture-postcard of rustic New England charm.
Floyd | Faded sketches of rural landscapes adorn the walls; a beautifully
Floyd | carved dressing mirror stands in one corner; an old-fashioned
Floyd | accordion radiator gurgles quietly beneath the window. The most
Floyd | striking feature, an enormous, antique, four-poster bed, must be the
Floyd | largest piece of furniture in the house. Doorways lead west and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | You can also see your umbrella here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Bathroom                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Bathroom
Floyd | A small chamber of cold, white tile and floral-print wallpaper. It
Floyd | sports a genuine, whitewashed, claw-foot bathtub with a shower
Floyd | attachment, which is a definite plus. The bedroom lies east.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael's bath towel lies crumpled in the corner, next to the tub.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x towel"
Floyd ]  Bathroom                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X TOWEL
Floyd |
Floyd | It's still a little damp from Michael's shower, but otherwise it's a
Floyd | perfectly ordinary bath towel.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take towel"
Floyd ]  Bathroom                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE TOWEL
Floyd |
Floyd | Taken.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "smell it"
Floyd ]  Bathroom                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SMELL IT
Floyd |
Floyd | Smells a bit mildewy.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Should we take our umbrella with its nice hooked handle/"
Jacqueline asks, "?"
DavidW says, "okay"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Master Bedroom
Floyd | The master bedroom is a picture-postcard of rustic New England charm.
Floyd | Faded sketches of rural landscapes adorn the walls; a beautifully
Floyd | carved dressing mirror stands in one corner; an old-fashioned
Floyd | accordion radiator gurgles quietly beneath the window. The most
Floyd | striking feature, an enormous, antique, four-poster bed, must be the
Floyd | largest piece of furniture in the house. Doorways lead west and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | You can also see your umbrella here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take umbrella"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE UMBRELLA
Floyd |
Floyd | (slipping the keyring into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a hand
Floyd | free)
Floyd | Taken.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Let's hope our coat has nice deep pockets."
DavidW says, "I now remember what puzzle the towel is for."
DavidW says, "It's much much much later in the game."
Jacqueline says (to DW), "SHHHH"
Knight_Otu exclaims, "Spoilers!"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Landing                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Landing
Floyd | A narrow hallway runs east, from the top of the stairs down the length
Floyd | of the house. To the north, directly opposite the stairs, is the
Floyd | master bedroom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "But yeah, it's for the Babel Fish puzzle."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "d"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > D
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Foyer
Floyd | Although it appears spacious from the outside, the house's interior
Floyd | feels cramped and gloomy. The walls seem too close together; the
Floyd | ceiling is too high. The doorways, leading in several directions, are
Floyd | narrow and filled with shadows, and the stairs leading up to the
Floyd | second floor are steep and rickety. This is not a house that makes you
Floyd | feel welcome. It is a house that makes you feel tiny and timid, and
Floyd | afraid of dark places. It is a house that makes you feel alone.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your luggage is still here, spread out all over the foyer.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x luggage"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X LUGGAGE
Floyd |
Floyd | It's all a huge, hopeless mess. Just looking at it instantly drains
Floyd | you of any desire to unpack.
Floyd |
Floyd | A cold, noiseless draft coils through the narrow entrance hall. You
Floyd | shiver, wondering where it came from.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu asks, "You mean it's not for the pirate ship?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open luggage"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN LUGGAGE
Floyd |
Floyd | Honestly, you just can't muster enough motivation.
Floyd |
Floyd | A cold, noiseless draft coils through the narrow entrance hall. You
Floyd | shiver, wondering where it came from.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "so, shall I pick a random diretion?"
Jacqueline says, "I'm glad to know that protagonists in IF games like to unpack as much as I do."
Jacqueline says (to DW), "Sure"
Knight_Otu says, "Sure."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Back Hall                                 day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Back Hall
Floyd | A short hallway, connecting rooms to the east, west and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Kitchen
Floyd | Where once pots and skillets and various utensils hung in profusion,
Floyd | the kitchen walls are now merely ranks of dusty cabinets and a forest
Floyd | of empty hooks. Doorways lead east and south, a small pantry lies to
Floyd | the northwest, and the back door to the north leads out of the house.
Floyd |
Floyd | Someone's flashlight is lying on the kitchen counter; one of the
Floyd | movers must have left it.
Floyd |
Floyd | An odd feeling of gloom overtakes you momentarily, and you find
Floyd | yourself thinking about the Verlac family's personal effects -- the
Floyd | everyday mundanities, such as kitchen utensils. Were they thrown out,
Floyd | or donated to charity, or auctioned off as grisly souvenirs? What
Floyd | about the canned goods? Did anyone think to take them? The cabinets
Floyd | might even still be stocked. Morbidly, you wonder what Mrs. Edward
Floyd | Verlac might have been cooking for dinner the night her husband blew
Floyd | her head off.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Oh flashlight."
Jacqueline says, "Wow."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take flashlight"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE FLASHLIGHT
Floyd |
Floyd | (slipping the lantern into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a hand
Floyd | free)
Floyd | You pick up the flashlight. It's battery-powered, and waterproof too,
Floyd | by the look of it.
Floyd |
Floyd | The flashlight is currently switched off.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "We are ... yeah. Dark."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open cabinets"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN CABINETS
Floyd |
Floyd | The cabinets are not, after all, still stocked -- much to your relief.
Floyd | There's nothing in there but an old book of matches.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "This is interesting, because the first time I played this, I didn't get to read any of it. It was read to me."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take matches"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE MATCHES
Floyd |
Floyd | (slipping the bundle of soggy pages into the pocket of your trenchcoat
Floyd | to get a hand free)
Floyd | You pick up the book of matches. A label on the side reads,
Floyd | "Water-resistant matches. Strike on cover." There are six matches
Floyd | left.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "And yes, protagonist, that was morbid."
Jacqueline says, "And I have little memory of it."
Knight_Otu asks, "Blocked parts of it out?"
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "use black light to look for blood spatter patterns"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > USE BLACK LIGHT TO LOOK FOR BLOOD SPATTER PATTERNS
Floyd |
Floyd | That's not a verb I recognise.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to KO), "Possibly."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x hooks"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X HOOKS
Floyd |
Floyd | You needn't worry about that.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x sink"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X SINK
Floyd |
Floyd | You needn't worry about that.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x fridge"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X FRIDGE
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see any such thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  Darkness                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Darkness
Floyd | It is pitch dark, and you can't see a thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn on flashlight"
Floyd ]  Pantry                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN ON FLASHLIGHT
Floyd |
Floyd | The flashlight emits a warm yellow beam.
Floyd |
Floyd | Pantry
Floyd | The pantry is empty save for a layer of dust on the shelves. A door to
Floyd | the south leads down to the cellar, or you can return to the kitchen
Floyd | to the southeast.
Floyd |
Floyd | Leaning in the corner is an old broom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "maga and I were driving cross-country. I was at the wheel, and he read this aloud to me on a palm pilot, if memory serves."
Jacqueline says, "It helped us pass the time."
DavidW asks, "I assume we don't want to visit the cellar just yet?"
Knight_Otu says, "Yeah, not yet."
Jacqueline says, "I'm down with taking in all the horror right away, but whatever."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x broom"
Floyd ]  Pantry                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X BROOM
Floyd |
Floyd | It's just an ordinary-looking broom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Kitchen
Floyd | Where once pots and skillets and various utensils hung in profusion,
Floyd | the kitchen walls are now merely ranks of dusty cabinets and a forest
Floyd | of empty hooks. Doorways lead east and south, a small pantry lies to
Floyd | the northwest, and the back door to the north leads out of the house.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn off flashlight"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN OFF FLASHLIGHT
Floyd |
Floyd | You switch the flashlight off.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the back door first)
Floyd | It seems to be locked.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "And if you were driving, I guess you also concentrated more on the road."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | (first taking the keyring)
Floyd | (slipping the towel into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a hand
Floyd | free)
Floyd | Taken.
Floyd | You unlock the back door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Path Behind the House                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the back door first)
Floyd |
Floyd | Path Behind the House
Floyd | A gravel path starts here at the back door of the house, and marks a
Floyd | trail nearly overgrown by weeds and briars. It disappears into the
Floyd | undergrowth to the northwest, framed by crooked trees with overhanging
Floyd | branches that seem to form a stunted, jagged archway into the dim
Floyd | recesses of the forest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to KO), "Yeah. I probably didn't take it all in."
Jacqueline says, "The towel is now in our trenchcoat pocket. Next I suggest we add a table or something."
Knight_Otu exclaims, "Towel, and lantern!"
DavidW says, "hm. No country garden with ripe berries."
Jacqueline exclaims, "Ha. Right!"
Jacqueline says, "I forgot about the lantern."
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "i"
Floyd ]  Path Behind the House                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > I
Floyd |
Floyd | You are wearing your trenchcoat, your clothes and your wedding ring;
Floyd | in addition, you have in your hands a keyring, on which are two keys
Floyd | (a key to the house and a key to the cellar), a book of matches with
Floyd | six matches left, a flashlight and your umbrella.
Floyd |
Floyd | The pockets of your trenchcoat contain a towel, a bundle of soggy
Floyd | pages, a lantern and a flask (which is closed).
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Emily goes home.
Emily has disconnected. DavidW asks, "I'm not sure if we want to explore this path yet? Do we?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x trees"
Floyd ]  Path Behind the House                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X TREES
Floyd |
Floyd | The woods are ancient, thick with undergrowth and full of shadows.
Floyd | Branches creak, leaves rustle beneath unseen, half-imagined footsteps,
Floyd | and strange birdcalls echo through the trees.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x weeds"
Floyd ]  Path Behind the House                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X WEEDS
Floyd |
Floyd | You needn't worry about that.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd | Stooping to avoid the sharp, bare twigs that snag your clothes and
Floyd | seem to reach greedily for your eyes, you pick your way through the
Floyd | undergrowth to a small clearing.
Floyd |
Floyd | Family Plot
Floyd | Old, moss-slimed tombstones, many broken off and leaning crazily like
Floyd | an old man's teeth, poke up from the soft, mulchy earth. In their
Floyd | midst stands an ancient marble crypt, its heavy iron door nearly
Floyd | obscured by thick draperies of ivy. The trees press close around this
Floyd | quiet enclave of death, leaning together over your head as if sharing
Floyd | secrets. A gap in the undergrowth to the southeast reveals a narrow
Floyd | gravel path.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Ooh."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x tombstones"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X TOMBSTONES
Floyd |
Floyd | Years of neglect have left the tombstones in bad repair -- the ones
Floyd | not broken are eroded to near-illegibility, and those not eroded are
Floyd | covered with thick, sticky moss. From what you can make out, though,
Floyd | most of them are servants' graves. Family members were most likely
Floyd | buried in the larger structure in the middle of the clearing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x crypt"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X CRYPT
Floyd |
Floyd | Grimly carved letters over the door spell out a single name: "VERLAC".
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x iron door"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X IRON DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | Grimly carved letters over the door spell out a single name: "VERLAC".
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open it"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN IT
Floyd |
Floyd | It seems to be locked.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock it"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK IT
Floyd |
Floyd | You go through all the keys on your keyring, trying each one in turn,
Floyd | but none of the keys seem to fit.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Clearly we need a skeleton key."
DavidW says, "har"
Jacqueline says, ";hee"
DavidW says, "I'm guessing the dining room will be south of the kitchen."
Knight_Otu says, "Sounds likely."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Path Behind the House                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Path Behind the House
Floyd | A gravel path starts here at the back door of the house, and marks a
Floyd | trail nearly overgrown by weeds and briars. It disappears into the
Floyd | undergrowth to the northwest, framed by crooked trees with overhanging
Floyd | branches that seem to form a stunted, jagged archway into the dim
Floyd | recesses of the forest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Kitchen
Floyd | Where once pots and skillets and various utensils hung in profusion,
Floyd | the kitchen walls are now merely ranks of dusty cabinets and a forest
Floyd | of empty hooks. Doorways lead east and south, a small pantry lies to
Floyd | the northwest, and the back door to the north leads out of the house.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the back door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "lock it"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOCK IT
Floyd |
Floyd | You lock the back door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Dining Room
Floyd | Much of the elegance has faded from this room. The huge dining table
Floyd | running the length of it is covered with a thick gray film of dust,
Floyd | and the china cupboard standing against the far wall is draped in
Floyd | shadow. Doorways to the north and east offer little relief from the
Floyd | gloom. For what must be the hundredth time, you wish you could open
Floyd | the windows in this place.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x cupboard"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X CUPBOARD
Floyd |
Floyd | It's a free-standing cabinet about as tall as you are, crafted of
Floyd | cherrywood. The double paneled doors are closed.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open it"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN IT
Floyd |
Floyd | The cupboard is empty; the china must have been auctioned off, in the
Floyd | confusion before Michael was contacted, perhaps. Down at the bottom of
Floyd | the cupboard is a velvet lining, where the silverware would usually be
Floyd | kept.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x lining"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X LINING
Floyd |
Floyd | The lining is soft, dusky burgundy. One corner in back is pulled up a
Floyd | bit and slightly torn.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline asks, "Why can we not open the windows?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "move lining"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > MOVE LINING
Floyd |
Floyd | That would accomplish very little.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take lining"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE LINING
Floyd |
Floyd | That's hardly portable.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "pull lining"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PULL LINING
Floyd |
Floyd | You pull the lining back a bit further and discover a thin, palm-sized
Floyd | journal tucked underneath it. Intrigued, you pull the little book
Floyd | free.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your score has just gone up by two points.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Let's... not read it."
DavidW says (to KO), "examine your prize."
Jacqueline says, "I don't like reading things in this game."
Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x book"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X BOOK
Floyd |
Floyd | Which do you mean, the torn journal or the book of matches?
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline covers her eyes.
Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x torn"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X TORN
Floyd |
Floyd | (the torn journal)
Floyd | It's a slim little book, no bigger than your hand, bound in imitation
Floyd | leather. The mice really have been at it; most of the pages have been
Floyd | chewed away.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "read it"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ IT
Floyd |
Floyd | It's a slim little book, no bigger than your hand, bound in imitation
Floyd | leather. The mice really have been at it; most of the pages have been
Floyd | chewed away.
Floyd |
Floyd | What's left of the journal reads:
Floyd |
Floyd | Desperate. Went back to the old twisting lane and found only a
Floyd | blank wall. Without the amulet, how can I resist --
Floyd |
Floyd | ...bottles, bottles...
Floyd |
Floyd | Getting worse. People I have never met smile knowingly at me in
Floyd | the street. The police believe I am a child molester, but have brought
Floyd | no charges against me as yet. Why? Head hurts all the time. I have
Floyd | turned the cellar upside-down... damn it all, where is it?
Floyd |
Floyd | Dreamed of Father again. Dreamed of Grandfather. Those horrible,
Floyd | red-rimmed eyes...
Floyd |
Floyd |  -- into the safe, finally. 13-41-10. Won't forget THAT soon.
Floyd | Ha!
Floyd |
Floyd | CANNOT DISCOVER ENTRANCE IN THE CELLAR!!! Secret eludes me still
Floyd | but I WILL FIND IT!!! The clue is in their names, that pestilential
Floyd | procession of names! If I could only --
Floyd |
Floyd | The text breaks off as several more pages are missing. the last
Floyd | fragmented entry reads:
Floyd |
Floyd |  -- will fail. There is no recourse left. I know now what I must
Floyd | do. Julia --
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Well, lete's open the safe."
Jacqueline says, "Let's, even."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x table"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X TABLE
Floyd |
Floyd | It's a finely built table, a valued antique like much of the furniture
Floyd | in this house. It will need to be oiled after so many months of
Floyd | neglect, though.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look under table"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UNDER TABLE
Floyd |
Floyd | You find nothing of interest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Foyer
Floyd | Although it appears spacious from the outside, the house's interior
Floyd | feels cramped and gloomy. The walls seem too close together; the
Floyd | ceiling is too high. The doorways, leading in several directions, are
Floyd | narrow and filled with shadows, and the stairs leading up to the
Floyd | second floor are steep and rickety. This is not a house that makes you
Floyd | feel welcome. It is a house that makes you feel tiny and timid, and
Floyd | afraid of dark places. It is a house that makes you feel alone.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your luggage is still here, spread out all over the foyer.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "u"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Landing                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > U
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Landing
Floyd | A narrow hallway runs east, from the top of the stairs down the length
Floyd | of the house. To the north, directly opposite the stairs, is the
Floyd | master bedroom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Hall                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Hall
Floyd | The shuttered window at the end of the hall throws a gloomy rectangle
Floyd | of light onto the bare wooden floor. Doorways lead north and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | A rickety wooden ladder stands here, descending from a three-foot by
Floyd | three-foot square of darkness in the ceiling.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Library
Floyd | Whatever else their faults may have been, the Verlacs were evidently
Floyd | not ones to shun the printed word. Books line the walls from floor to
Floyd | ceiling in this dark-paneled, green-carpeted room, interrupted only by
Floyd | doorways to the east and south. A rich, brown leather armchair sits in
Floyd | stately repose near the window, with a polished brass pipe stand
Floyd | nearby completing the picture of some blue-blooded country squire's
Floyd | literary refuge. Once again, you are struck by how easily this place
Floyd | could have been the perfect home.
Floyd |
Floyd | A beautiful pair of mahogany sliding doors stand closed to the east.
Floyd |
Floyd | A section of the shelves in the western wall has slid to one side,
Floyd | revealing a hidden safe.
Floyd |
Floyd | Resting on the pipe stand is a sizable volume decorated with a gilded
Floyd | pentagram on its cover.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open safe"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN SAFE
Floyd |
Floyd | There's no handle on the door; it opens when you get the combination
Floyd | right.
Floyd |
Floyd | You can hear Michael in the next room, typing away.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn dial to 13"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN DIAL TO 13
Floyd |
Floyd | The tumblers tick quietly as you turn the dial to 13...
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn dial to 41"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN DIAL TO 41
Floyd |
Floyd | The tumblers tick quietly as you turn the dial to 41...
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn dial to 10"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN DIAL TO 10
Floyd |
Floyd | The tumblers tick quietly as you turn the dial to 10... and with a
Floyd | hollow thunk, the safe suddenly swings open.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your score has just gone up by two points.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look in safe"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK IN SAFE
Floyd |
Floyd | In the safe are a puzzle box and a strange metal flute.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take all from safe"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE ALL FROM SAFE
Floyd |
Floyd | puzzle box: (slipping the umbrella into the pocket of your trenchcoat
Floyd | to get a hand free)
Floyd | You remove the puzzle box from the safe. It's roughly the size and
Floyd | shape of a cigar box, carved from some dark and oddly streaked wood
Floyd | that you can't identify. All six surfaces are decorated in a complex
Floyd | arrangement of grooves and panels, most of which are illustrated with
Floyd | leering, demonic faces and obscene designs. As far as you can tell, it
Floyd | is in fact a box, and meant to be opened; however, you see no obvious
Floyd | way to do so.
Floyd | strange metal flute: (slipping the flashlight into the pocket of your
Floyd | trenchcoat to get a hand free)
Floyd | You remove the strange metal flute from the safe. It appears to be
Floyd | some kind of wind instrument, fashioned out of ornately carved,
Floyd | greenish metal. Seven holes of varying sizes are drilled along the
Floyd | top.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline exclaims, "HA!"
Jacqueline says, "Sorry. The trenchcoat continues to amuse me."
Knight_Otu exclaims, "Now the umbrella!"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x faces"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X FACES
Floyd |
Floyd | It's roughly the size and shape of a cigar box, carved from some dark
Floyd | and oddly streaked wood that you can't identify. All six surfaces are
Floyd | decorated in a complex arrangement of grooves and panels, most of
Floyd | which are illustrated with leering, demonic faces and obscene designs.
Floyd | As far as you can tell, it is in fact a box, and meant to be opened;
Floyd | however, you see no obvious way to do so.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "play flute"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PLAY FLUTE
Floyd |
Floyd | (the strange metal flute)
Floyd | You blow an open chord into the little flute, and it resonates with an
Floyd | eerie, metallic warble. The sound lingers in the air for a moment,
Floyd | then gently fades away.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "The policemen who will inevitably arrest us will go mad from the trenchcoat's contents."
Jacqueline says, "I must say, though, this is so much better than inventory management where you're told you have too much stuff for your pockets."
DavidW asks, "Since we have a flashlight, should we check the attic now?"
Jacqueline says, "So, Julia mentioned the wall."
Jacqueline says, "Not that we need to go there, but the wall has purpose."
DavidW says, "we need an amulet for the wall."
Jacqueline says (to DW), "Sure"
Jacqueline says (to DW), "Right"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Hall                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Hall
Floyd | The shuttered window at the end of the hall throws a gloomy rectangle
Floyd | of light onto the bare wooden floor. Doorways lead north and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | A rickety wooden ladder stands here, descending from a three-foot by
Floyd | three-foot square of darkness in the ceiling.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn on light"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Hall                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN ON LIGHT
Floyd |
Floyd | The flashlight emits a warm yellow beam.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "I'm assuming that the amulete is not the locket"
Roger says, "technically you can't play a chord on a (human, mundane) flute"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "u"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > U
Floyd |
Floyd | The ancient rungs creak alarmingly as you ascend.
Floyd |
Floyd | Attic
Floyd | It's much cooler up here than in the rest of the house, and you find
Floyd | it hard to suppress a shiver. Grotesque, looming shadows crawl across
Floyd | the low, slanted ceiling, and the dust hangs thick and motionless in
Floyd | the air. To the west the ceiling dips even lower until the space
Floyd | beneath leaves hardly room enough to crawl, while to the north stands
Floyd | a wooden door, draped in shadows and half-hidden by the slanting
Floyd | eaves.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x door"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | It's an ordinary wooden door, unremarkable except for the antique
Floyd | metal keyplate. Beneath the door, a thin line of faint light is barely
Floyd | visible.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "I bet the door's going to be locked."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open door"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | It seems to be locked.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "You are psychic."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look through keyhole"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK THROUGH KEYHOLE
Floyd |
Floyd | The keyhole is dark, as though blocked by something.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu collects a no prize.
DavidW says, "This a paper under the door, push the key onto the paper puzzle."
Knight_Otu says, "Oh hey, pushing the key puzze."
Jacqueline exclaims, "Possibly!"
Jacqueline says, "I might need another cawfee."
DavidW says, "I guess we return here when we have suitable candidates for paper and poking item."
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "i"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > I
Floyd |
Floyd | You are wearing your trenchcoat, your clothes and your wedding ring;
Floyd | in addition, you have in your hands a strange metal flute, a puzzle
Floyd | box (which is closed), a torn journal, a keyring, on which are two
Floyd | keys (a key to the house and a key to the cellar) and a book of
Floyd | matches with six matches left.
Floyd |
Floyd | The pockets of your trenchcoat contain a flashlight (providing light),
Floyd | your umbrella, a towel, a bundle of soggy pages, a lantern and a flask
Floyd | (which is closed).
Floyd |
Floyd | >
ChrisC asks, "How old is that puzzle, anyway? Does it date back to a Christie mystery or something?"
DavidW says (to ChrisC), "I don't know."
Jacqueline says, "That's a great question."
Jacqueline says, "I'd read an article on that."
Jacqueline says, "My first encounter with it was Zork II, but I"
DavidW says, "I've only seen it in IF games."
Jacqueline says, "I'm sure it's way older."
DavidW says, "Let's see the east wing of the ground floor."
Jacqueline says, "mmkay"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "d"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Hall                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > D
Floyd |
Floyd | The ancient rungs creak alarmingly as you descend.
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Hall
Floyd | The shuttered window at the end of the hall throws a gloomy rectangle
Floyd | of light onto the bare wooden floor. Doorways lead north and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | A rickety wooden ladder stands here, descending from a three-foot by
Floyd | three-foot square of darkness in the ceiling.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Sure."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Landing                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Landing
Floyd | A narrow hallway runs east, from the top of the stairs down the length
Floyd | of the house. To the north, directly opposite the stairs, is the
Floyd | master bedroom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn off light"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Landing                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN OFF LIGHT
Floyd |
Floyd | You switch the flashlight off.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "d"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > D
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Foyer
Floyd | Although it appears spacious from the outside, the house's interior
Floyd | feels cramped and gloomy. The walls seem too close together; the
Floyd | ceiling is too high. The doorways, leading in several directions, are
Floyd | narrow and filled with shadows, and the stairs leading up to the
Floyd | second floor are steep and rickety. This is not a house that makes you
Floyd | feel welcome. It is a house that makes you feel tiny and timid, and
Floyd | afraid of dark places. It is a house that makes you feel alone.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your luggage is still here, spread out all over the foyer.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Don't forget the flashlight..."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Sitting Room
Floyd | The east wall is occupied by a beautiful antique sofa, and a large,
Floyd | hand-woven rug covers the hardwood floor. The huge marble fireplace in
Floyd | the north wall helps complete the impression of comfort and warmth,
Floyd | and for a moment or two you can almost think of this place as
Floyd | somewhere you could live, as opposed to merely somewhere others have
Floyd | died. The foyer lies west, and a doorway to the left of the fireplace
Floyd | leads north.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your brief sense of comfort quickly drains away, however, as you
Floyd | become aware of the icy and maniacal stare emanating from the great
Floyd | portrait hanging over the mantelpiece. Under the malefic gaze of those
Floyd | red-rimmed eyes, the most comforting thought you can muster is that of
Floyd | immediate flight.
Floyd |
Floyd | On the sofa is a family album.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Right."
Jacqueline says, "Ooh"
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "x album"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X ALBUM
Floyd |
Floyd | It's a slim, hardbound volume in dark leather, unadorned except for
Floyd | name "Verlac" embossed on the front. Glancing at the title page, you
Floyd | notice two details: one, the book was self-published; and two, it was
Floyd | published in 1944. So it's a good bet that Edward Verlac and his
Floyd | family aren't mentioned here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "read album"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ ALBUM
Floyd |
Floyd | The book contains portraits and brief biographies (although,
Floyd | strangely, no birth or death dates) on some two hundred members of the
Floyd | Verlac clan, from the central family figures to the distant second
Floyd | cousins. If you want to read about someone in here, you'll have to
Floyd | look them up by name.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up julia in album"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP JULIA IN ALBUM
Floyd |
Floyd | No mention of Edward's wife, since the book was published in 1944 and
Floyd | she probably wasn't even born yet. Even so, you're uncertain whether
Floyd | Julia Ward would have even counted as a proper Verlac.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "huh Okay"
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "x eyes"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X EYES
Floyd |
Floyd | They are the eyes from your dream, without question.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "x portrait"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X PORTRAIT
Floyd |
Floyd | The man in the portrait is the apotheosis of everything cruel and
Floyd | inhuman that you have ever laid eyes on. His archaic Puritan dress
Floyd | would indicate that he must have lived a very long time ago; perhaps
Floyd | he was the founder of the Verlac family in this region. If so, it's no
Floyd | wonder they all wound up murdered or mad: the red-rimmed eyes glaring
Floyd | down from his gaunt and haggard face seem to blaze with a terrible
Floyd | insanity. There is nothing regal, fatherly or dignified about this
Floyd | portrait. It is the essence of raving, gibbering evil captured on
Floyd | canvas.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x plaque"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X PLAQUE
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see any such thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "I hoped his name would be there."
Jacqueline says, "yeah"
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "look up man in portrait"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP MAN IN PORTRAIT
Floyd |
Floyd | You discover nothing of interest in the portrait.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "If only we could use Google reverse-image search"
Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "look up william"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP WILLIAM
Floyd |
Floyd | What do you want to look that up in?
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "Do we know any of the names? We could guess Frederick or Wilhelm or Vilhelm or Victor."
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > DO WE KNOW ANY OF THE NAMES? WE COULD GUESS FREDERICK OR WILHELM OR
Floyd | VILHELM OR VICTOR.
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the family album)
Floyd | You cannot find that name anywhere in the album.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "look up michael verlac"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP MICHAEL VERLAC
Floyd |
Floyd | What do you want to look that up in?
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "album"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ALBUM
Floyd |
Floyd | No mention of Michael in here, which isn't surprising, since he wasn't
Floyd | born until 1973. Even so, Michael is such an extremely distant
Floyd | relative, it's doubtful he would have been in this book in any case.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "I was wondering if he was named for someone"
Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "look up william in album"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP WILLIAM IN ALBUM
Floyd |
Floyd | You cannot find that name anywhere in the album.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Right."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x sofa"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X SOFA
Floyd |
Floyd | It's a 19th century William IV-style sofa with wide, flaring armrests
Floyd | and beautifully scrolled mahogany woodwork. The upholstery is a soft,
Floyd | faded wine color.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x fireplace"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X FIREPLACE
Floyd |
Floyd | The fireplace is carved from beautiful, dark-veined marble, a strange
Floyd | shade that is not quite a deep, forest green and not quite a murky,
Floyd | dusky red.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look in fireplace"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK IN FIREPLACE
Floyd |
Floyd | You find nothing of interest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "enter it"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ENTER IT
Floyd |
Floyd | It doesn't matter how filled with Christmas spirit you are; you're not
Floyd | going up that chimney.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look in chimney"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK IN CHIMNEY
Floyd |
Floyd | (the lantern)
Floyd | You find nothing of interest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Heh."
Jacqueline says, "That seems so out of place."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x rug"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X RUG
Floyd |
Floyd | The rug has a rustic, quilt-like pattern to it, and it covers all but
Floyd | the outer edges of the hardwood floor.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "move rug"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > MOVE RUG
Floyd |
Floyd | The rug is too heavy for you to move by yourself.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "roll rug"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ROLL RUG
Floyd |
Floyd | The rug is too heavy for you to move by yourself.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "lift rug"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LIFT RUG
Floyd |
Floyd | You lift one corner of the rug and look underneath. Nothing but dust
Floyd | and floorboards.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "exits"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > EXITS
Floyd |
Floyd | That's not a verb I recognise.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to DW), "1998"
Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "look under sofa"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UNDER SOFA
Floyd |
Floyd | You find nothing of interest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks (of Jacqueline), "hm?"
Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "look behind portrait"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK BEHIND PORTRAIT
Floyd |
Floyd | The portrait doesn't move; it's firmly attached to the wall.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Just commenting on 'exits'"
Jacqueline says, "I'm almost surprised X works."
DavidW says, "This probably isn't the original edition."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "version"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > VERSION
Floyd |
Floyd | ANCHORHEAD
Floyd | An interactive gothic by Michael S. Gentry
Floyd |
Floyd | (Type HELP or ABOUT for some useful information.)
Floyd |
Floyd | Release 5 / Serial number 990206 / Inform v6.15 Library 6/7
Floyd | Standard interpreter 1.0 (6b) / Library serial number 970918
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Oh, huh. 1997"
Jacqueline says, "Or, wait, 1999"
Jacqueline says, "Yeah"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "l"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > L
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Sitting Room
Floyd | The east wall is occupied by a beautiful antique sofa, and a large,
Floyd | hand-woven rug covers the hardwood floor. The huge marble fireplace in
Floyd | the north wall helps complete the impression of comfort and warmth,
Floyd | and for a moment or two you can almost think of this place as
Floyd | somewhere you could live, as opposed to merely somewhere others have
Floyd | died. The foyer lies west, and a doorway to the left of the fireplace
Floyd | leads north.
Floyd |
Floyd | The portrait gazes down at you with crimson-edged malice.
Floyd |
Floyd | On the sofa is a family album.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "so, north next"
Jacqueline says, "sure"
Knight_Otu says, ">Deface portrait"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Gallery                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Gallery
Floyd | A long, oak-paneled room, with doorways to the south and west.
Floyd | Paintings line the walls, mounted beneath small, shaded lamps that
Floyd | would illuminate the canvasses nicely if only the electricity were
Floyd | working. Still, even in the shadowed gloom you can see that all were
Floyd | done by the same artist.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x painting"
Floyd ]  Gallery                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X PAINTING
Floyd |
Floyd | All of them are bizarre, and most of them border on the grotesque.
Floyd | Alien landscapes peopled by writhing, malformed creatures; ancient
Floyd | temples built in strange, eye-bending architectures; monstrous beasts
Floyd | crawling through shadows that cannot quite conceal their disturbingly
Floyd | human shapes -- these seem to make up the bulk of the paintings'
Floyd | subject matter. And yet, despite the fantastical nature of the images
Floyd | painted, the style is neither abstract nor surreal. In fact, the level
Floyd | of detail approaches the photorealistic. Excruciating attention has
Floyd | been paid to light, shadows, and textures; even the alien creatures
Floyd | are depicted with gruesome anatomical accuracy. It is as though the
Floyd | artist had worked from actual, living models rather than from what
Floyd | must have been a thoroughly deranged imagination, and the overall
Floyd | effect is rather chilling.
Floyd |
Floyd | One scene in particular catches your eye.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x scene"
Floyd ]  Gallery                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X SCENE
Floyd |
Floyd | The simple but striking image of five young women being burned to
Floyd | death at the stake. Around them stand a crowd of men and women dressed
Floyd | in rustic, 17th century clothing; they jeer and throw stones. The
Floyd | ringleader, standing in front of the five glowing pyres with the
Floyd | smoking torch still in his hand, wears a clergyman's collar.
Floyd |
Floyd | The artist obviously went to painstaking lengths to depict the burning
Floyd | in ghastly detail: skin curling away from blackened flesh; hair
Floyd | shriveling; eyes boiling in their sockets and melting across cracked
Floyd | and splitting cheeks... repeated five times over, on the bodies of
Floyd | five thrashing, screaming girls. It turns your stomach to look at.
Floyd |
Floyd | You shake yourself suddenly, and realize you've been staring intently
Floyd | at the painting for minutes on end. You step back and rub your tired
Floyd | eyes. When you look again, however, the picture you were just
Floyd | examining is no longer in front of you. None of the other paintings
Floyd | have moved as far as you can tell, but that particular scene seems to
Floyd | have disappeared without leaving so much as a blank space on the wall.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "This is definitely not going to be a family friendly transcript."
Knight_Otu says, "We knew that already, but it keeps gets reconfirmed."
DavidW asks, "Are we done here? Cellar next?"
Jacqueline says, "Yeah"
Jacqueline says, "Yeah to both of you."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Back Hall                                 day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Back Hall
Floyd | A short hallway, connecting rooms to the east, west and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Kitchen
Floyd | Where once pots and skillets and various utensils hung in profusion,
Floyd | the kitchen walls are now merely ranks of dusty cabinets and a forest
Floyd | of empty hooks. Doorways lead east and south, a small pantry lies to
Floyd | the northwest, and the back door to the north leads out of the house.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  Darkness                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Darkness
Floyd | It is pitch dark, and you can't see a thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn on light"
Floyd ]  Pantry                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN ON LIGHT
Floyd |
Floyd | The flashlight emits a warm yellow beam.
Floyd |
Floyd | Pantry
Floyd | The pantry is empty save for a layer of dust on the shelves. A door to
Floyd | the south leads down to the cellar, or you can return to the kitchen
Floyd | to the southeast.
Floyd |
Floyd | Leaning in the corner is an old broom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Pantry                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the cellar door first)
Floyd | It seems to be locked.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door"
Floyd ]  Pantry                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You unlock the cellar door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Cellar                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the cellar door first)
Floyd | You descend the gloomy steps into the dank cellar.
Floyd |
Floyd | Cellar
Floyd | The old, flagstone walls gleam with unwholesome-smelling moisture, and
Floyd | the sagging timbers creak uneasily above your head. Ancient, frayed
Floyd | wiring festoons the ceiling like some strange species of clinging
Floyd | vine. Portions of the cellar extend south and east into the clammy
Floyd | darkness, though you could always beat a hasty retreat up the stairs
Floyd | to the north.
Floyd |
Floyd | One largish bundle of wires leads down to a rusty old fuse cabinet
Floyd | bolted to the far wall.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x cabinet"
Floyd ]  Cellar                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X CABINET
Floyd |
Floyd | It's an ancient, clunky metal box, about the size of a kid's lunchbox.
Floyd | There's some sort of lettering on the cover, but it's too corroded to
Floyd | read.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "I'm not touching that without gloves"
Jacqueline says, "brb. Bathroom. Hoping no one steals my laptop. Back in a sec."
Knight_Otu says, "I'm not touching that, period."
DavidW says, "Michael asked us to bring him a newspaper, so we'll have to leave the house for that."
DavidW says, "I assume that's north of Junction, since we never went that way."
Knight_Otu says, "Possibly. I'm not mapping."
DavidW says, "We also didn't go north from the university library."
DavidW says, "Or fully explore the asylum, but I imagine we'll be escaping from there rather than be entering on purpose."
Knight_Otu says, "Sounds likely."
Jacqueline says, "Back"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Wine Cellar
Floyd | This wing of the cellar is even older than the rest, with walls of
Floyd | piled, unmortared stone. The entire room is filled with wine racks.
Floyd | They cover every wall except for one spot to the west, where an exit
Floyd | leads back to the main cellar.
Floyd |
Floyd | All of the racks are dust-covered and empty except for one against the
Floyd | north wall, which contains some forty or fifty dark bottles.
Floyd |
Floyd | You are reminded of something Michael told you during the long drive
Floyd | up: about how when the police arrived after the shooting, they found
Floyd | the wine cellar in a shambles -- nearly every bottle thrown to the
Floyd | floor and shattered, and the whole place reeking of rotted grapes. All
Floyd | except the bottles in the north rack. None of those had been touched.
Floyd | No one could posit a motive for it.
Floyd |
Floyd | You smile a bit, recalling your husband's ability to turn a piece of
Floyd | insignificant trivia into a compelling story. Still, though, now that
Floyd | you're actually standing here... it all seems very strange.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x bottles"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X BOTTLES
Floyd |
Floyd | Row after row of smooth, dust-covered glass. The wine inside is dark
Floyd | and murky, reminding you, somewhat irrationally, of blood.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Let's try taking a bottle."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take bottle"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE BOTTLE
Floyd |
Floyd | Strange; the bottles all seem to be fixed in place. They won't come
Floyd | out of the rack no matter how you tug at them.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu exclaims, "Hah!"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "push bottle"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PUSH BOTTLE
Floyd |
Floyd | The bottles won't budge.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "move rack"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > MOVE RACK
Floyd |
Floyd | The wine racks won't budge.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x rack"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X RACK
Floyd |
Floyd | These racks must have at one time contained hundreds upon hundreds of
Floyd | wine bottles. Idly, you wonder which member of the family developed
Floyd | such a taste for what would have been, for the first few generations
Floyd | at least, a sinful vice of the basest kind.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x walls"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X WALLS
Floyd |
Floyd | You needn't worry about that.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't go that way.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Cellar                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Cellar
Floyd | The old, flagstone walls gleam with unwholesome-smelling moisture, and
Floyd | the sagging timbers creak uneasily above your head. Ancient, frayed
Floyd | wiring festoons the ceiling like some strange species of clinging
Floyd | vine. Portions of the cellar extend south and east into the clammy
Floyd | darkness, though you could always beat a hasty retreat up the stairs
Floyd | to the north.
Floyd |
Floyd | One largish bundle of wires leads down to a rusty old fuse cabinet
Floyd | bolted to the far wall.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Storage
Floyd | Old crates and boxes piled high against the walls make this room seem
Floyd | even smaller and dingier than it actually is, which is saying a lot. A
Floyd | doorway lies north; the other walls contain nothing but shadows and
Floyd | dirt-filled corners.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x crates"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X CRATES
Floyd |
Floyd | The accumulated junk of almost four centuries' worth of one family's
Floyd | strangeness. Most of it is old linens, moth-eaten clothes, newspaper
Floyd | clippings -- exciting stuff like that. There's far more here than you
Floyd | could ever go through, even if you had the inclination to.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "search it"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SEARCH IT
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see "it" (the fuse cabinet) at the moment.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "search crates"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SEARCH CRATES
Floyd |
Floyd | You spend some time poking dispiritedly through boxes of second-hand
Floyd | table settings, discarded shoes and outdated encyclopedias, but the
Floyd | only thing you manage to dig up is an old cardboard box full of
Floyd | newspaper clippings, which might make interesting reading later if you
Floyd | can find the time. The only thing at all noteworthy about the room, in
Floyd | fact, is that it desperately wants cleaning; there's even a big,
Floyd | nasty-looking spider web in a corner behind one of the crates.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x web"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X WEB
Floyd |
Floyd | Not a pretty, symmetrical spiral web like you see in nature magazines;
Floyd | this is a tangled, ugly mass of dull gray threads spun in every
Floyd | direction, the work of some careless, inebriated arachnid on a weekend
Floyd | binger. Way back in the corner, almost buried beneath the disheveled
Floyd | strands, is an old-fashioned iron key.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "Crypt key, I assume."
Knight_Otu exclaims, "Key!"
Knight_Otu says, "Possibly."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "break web with umbrella"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > BREAK WEB WITH UMBRELLA
Floyd |
Floyd | (first taking the umbrella)
Floyd | (slipping the book of matches into the pocket of your trenchcoat to
Floyd | get a hand free)
Floyd | The pointy end of the umbrella doesn't do much damage to the thick,
Floyd | tangled web.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Man. Way to be judgy about a species of spider."
Jacqueline clears the save counter.
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "SAVE"
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "cf1"
Floyd | >
Floyd | > SAVE
Floyd | %% Enter a save filename to write:
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd | Ok.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "We might need a knife."
Knight_Otu says, "Possibly."
DavidW says, "I bet Jacqueline wants to burn it, use up a precious match."
Jacqueline says, "Nope"
Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "get key with umbrella"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > GET KEY WITH UMBRELLA
Floyd |
Floyd | (the old-fashioned iron key with the umbrella)
Floyd | Carefully, you snag the key with the end of the umbrella and drag it
Floyd | clear of the web.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "I never want to use any of the matches."
Jacqueline says, "I was just afraid of a giant spider killing us."
Knight_Otu exclaims, "Hey!"
DavidW says, "oh!"
DavidW says, "Thank you!"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x iron key"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X IRON KEY
Floyd |
Floyd | It's an old key, the kind with a round barrel about a quarter-inch in
Floyd | diameter and flat, square teeth.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "Shall we open a crypt?"
Knight_Otu says, "Let's."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Cellar                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Cellar
Floyd | The old, flagstone walls gleam with unwholesome-smelling moisture, and
Floyd | the sagging timbers creak uneasily above your head. Ancient, frayed
Floyd | wiring festoons the ceiling like some strange species of clinging
Floyd | vine. Portions of the cellar extend south and east into the clammy
Floyd | darkness, though you could always beat a hasty retreat up the stairs
Floyd | to the north.
Floyd |
Floyd | One largish bundle of wires leads down to a rusty old fuse cabinet
Floyd | bolted to the far wall.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "get key"
Floyd ]  Cellar                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > GET KEY
Floyd |
Floyd | Which do you mean, the key to the house or the key to the cellar?
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Cellar                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | I only understood you as far as wanting to get the south.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Storage
Floyd | Old crates and boxes piled high against the walls make this room seem
Floyd | even smaller and dingier than it actually is, which is saying a lot. A
Floyd | doorway lies north; the other walls contain nothing but shadows and
Floyd | dirt-filled corners.
Floyd |
Floyd | A nasty-looking spider web fills one dark corner like some sort of
Floyd | sticky, fibrous mold.
Floyd |
Floyd | You can also see an old-fashioned iron key and a cardboard box (in
Floyd | which are some newspaper clippings) here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take key"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE KEY
Floyd |
Floyd | (the old-fashioned iron key)
Floyd | (slipping the keyring into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a hand
Floyd | free)
Floyd | Taken.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your score has just gone up by one point.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "put iron key on keyring"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PUT IRON KEY ON KEYRING
Floyd |
Floyd | The old-fashioned iron key is now on the keyring.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Roger says, "The auto-keyring was a big deal back in the day I seem to recall"
Jacqueline says, "Yeah"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x clippings"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X CLIPPINGS
Floyd |
Floyd | (the newspaper clippings)
Floyd | There are dozens of articles in the box, many of them yellowed with
Floyd | age. Many of them, you note with unease, refer to missing children,
Floyd | but otherwise you can deduce no obvious connection among any of the
Floyd | stories.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Cellar                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Cellar
Floyd | The old, flagstone walls gleam with unwholesome-smelling moisture, and
Floyd | the sagging timbers creak uneasily above your head. Ancient, frayed
Floyd | wiring festoons the ceiling like some strange species of clinging
Floyd | vine. Portions of the cellar extend south and east into the clammy
Floyd | darkness, though you could always beat a hasty retreat up the stairs
Floyd | to the north.
Floyd |
Floyd | One largish bundle of wires leads down to a rusty old fuse cabinet
Floyd | bolted to the far wall.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Pantry                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | Gratefully, you leave the clammy confines of the cellar behind.
Floyd |
Floyd | Pantry
Floyd | The pantry is empty save for a layer of dust on the shelves. A door to
Floyd | the south leads down to the cellar, or you can return to the kitchen
Floyd | to the southeast.
Floyd |
Floyd | Leaning in the corner is an old broom.
Floyd |
Floyd | The cellar door stands open, revealing dark stairs leading down.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn off light"
Floyd ]  Darkness                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN OFF LIGHT
Floyd |
Floyd | You switch the flashlight off.
Floyd |
Floyd | It is now pitch dark in here!
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Kitchen
Floyd | Where once pots and skillets and various utensils hung in profusion,
Floyd | the kitchen walls are now merely ranks of dusty cabinets and a forest
Floyd | of empty hooks. Doorways lead east and south, a small pantry lies to
Floyd | the northwest, and the back door to the north leads out of the house.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | (first taking the keyring)
Floyd | (slipping the torn journal into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a
Floyd | hand free)
Floyd | Taken.
Floyd | You unlock the back door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Path Behind the House                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the back door first)
Floyd |
Floyd | Path Behind the House
Floyd | A gravel path starts here at the back door of the house, and marks a
Floyd | trail nearly overgrown by weeds and briars. It disappears into the
Floyd | undergrowth to the northwest, framed by crooked trees with overhanging
Floyd | branches that seem to form a stunted, jagged archway into the dim
Floyd | recesses of the forest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd | Stooping to avoid the sharp, bare twigs that snag your clothes and
Floyd | seem to reach greedily for your eyes, you pick your way through the
Floyd | undergrowth to a small clearing.
Floyd |
Floyd | Family Plot
Floyd | Old, moss-slimed tombstones, many broken off and leaning crazily like
Floyd | an old man's teeth, poke up from the soft, mulchy earth. In their
Floyd | midst stands an ancient marble crypt, its heavy iron door nearly
Floyd | obscured by thick draperies of ivy. The trees press close around this
Floyd | quiet enclave of death, leaning together over your head as if sharing
Floyd | secrets. A gap in the undergrowth to the southeast reveals a narrow
Floyd | gravel path.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You go through all the keys on your keyring, trying each one in turn,
Floyd | and after several false attempts you discover that the old-fashioned
Floyd | iron key fits the lock.
Floyd | You unlock the iron door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "We apparently have the dexterity to slip the key on the ring while the ring is in our pocket."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "in"
Floyd ]  Darkness                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > IN
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the iron door first)
Floyd | The faint echo of dripping water and a musty smell of decay grow
Floyd | stronger as you descend.
Floyd |
Floyd | Darkness
Floyd | It is pitch dark, and you can't see a thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn on light"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN ON LIGHT
Floyd |
Floyd | The flashlight emits a warm yellow beam.
Floyd |
Floyd | In the Crypt
Floyd | The air is clammy and frigid, the stone walls damp and streaked with
Floyd | mud and lichen. Pale, swollen roots push through cracks in the
Floyd | masonry. The smell of damp corruption is almost overpowering here,
Floyd | though the stairs to the south lead toward fresher air.
Floyd |
Floyd | The walls of this chamber contain dozens of wide, shallow niches; in
Floyd | each niche, a coffin.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x coffins"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X COFFINS
Floyd |
Floyd | Rank upon rank of the ancient Verlac family remains are stacked away
Floyd | in this hole, left to crumble and deliquesce together, merging back
Floyd | into the dark matter which gave them birth. Above each niche is a
Floyd | nameplate indicating who was buried here and when they died.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Don't mind us, husband Michael. You just spend the day writing while we explore this crypt."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read nameplates"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ NAMEPLATES
Floyd |
Floyd | Most of the nameplates are illegible, corroded with centuries of rot
Floyd | and verdigris. There are a few names visible, however. You could look
Floyd | someone up if you have a specific name in mind.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up edward in nameplates"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP EDWARD IN NAMEPLATES
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the nameplates)
Floyd | The nameplate reads "Edward Verlac, b. April 26, 1960, d. March 14,
Floyd | 1997". Like the others, this coffin is built of solid oak, sealed with
Floyd | lead.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Petter arrives, ready to play with the toys. Jacqueline says, "ooh. I just learned a new word."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up julia in nameplates"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP JULIA IN NAMEPLATES
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the nameplates)
Floyd | The nameplate reads "Julia Ward Verlac, b. May 4, 1964, d. January 10,
Floyd | 1997". Like the others, this coffin is built of solid oak, sealed with
Floyd | lead.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Petter says, "Hi"
Knight_Otu exclaims, "Hello!"
Jacqueline says, "Hello"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up edward in nameplates"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP EDWARD IN NAMEPLATES
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the nameplates)
Floyd | The nameplate reads "Edward Verlac, b. April 26, 1960, d. March 14,
Floyd | 1997". Like the others, this coffin is built of solid oak, sealed with
Floyd | lead.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up william in nameplates"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP WILLIAM IN NAMEPLATES
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the nameplates)
Floyd | The nameplate reads "William Verlac, b. June 22, 1954, d. September
Floyd | 18, 1958". Unlike the others, William's coffin is a ramshackle affair
Floyd | of cheap pine, held together with rusting nails. It's half-rotten with
Floyd | age and so shabbily built you could probably open it with your bare
Floyd | hands.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Man this family."
Jacqueline says, "aw"
DavidW asks, "Shall we open a coffin with our bear Hans?"
Jacqueline says, "Um, sure."
Jacqueline asks, "We've come this far. Why not?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open william's coffin"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN WILLIAM'S COFFIN
Floyd |
Floyd | Compelled by a gruesome curiosity, you dig your fingers under the
Floyd | soft, rotting boards and pry up the lid. With the shriek of pulling
Floyd | nails and a shower of crumbling wood, the coffin comes open, and you
Floyd | look inside, expecting to find a child's tiny skeleton...
Floyd |
Floyd | Dear God.
Floyd |
Floyd | There's no child buried here. Instead, the coffin contains only the
Floyd | worm-eaten bones of some kind of animal.
Floyd |
Floyd | Who would have buried an animal in place of the child that should have
Floyd | been interred here? And why would they do such a thing? Glumly, you
Floyd | look around at the rest of the coffins, and realize that anyone who
Floyd | might have known the answers to these questions is probably already
Floyd | buried in this room.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "We've already tresspassed and stolen..."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x bones"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X BONES
Floyd |
Floyd | You're no veterinarian, but these cannot possibly be the bones of a
Floyd | human child. A dog seems most likely, at a rough guess.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Yeesh."
Jacqueline says, "This is starting to maybe sort of come back to me."
Jacqueline says, "Maybe."
Jacqueline says, "Also, creeeeeeeeepy"
DavidW asks, "Do we have any names other than William, Julia, and Edward?"
Knight_Otu says, ">Ask husband to burn down house and go back"
Jacqueline says, "I don't think so."
DavidW says, "Then I suggest going into town to look for a newspaper."
Jacqueline says (to KO), "I suggested divorce earlier. We could maybe just get an annullment."
Jacqueline says (to DW), "Okay"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | You involuntary take a deep breath of fresh air as you leave the
Floyd | clammy, foetid depths of the crypt behind.
Floyd |
Floyd | Family Plot
Floyd | Old, moss-slimed tombstones, many broken off and leaning crazily like
Floyd | an old man's teeth, poke up from the soft, mulchy earth. In their
Floyd | midst stands an ancient marble crypt, its heavy iron door nearly
Floyd | obscured by thick draperies of ivy. The trees press close around this
Floyd | quiet enclave of death, leaning together over your head as if sharing
Floyd | secrets. A gap in the undergrowth to the southeast reveals a narrow
Floyd | gravel path.
Floyd |
Floyd | The cold wind blows harder, tugging at the hem of your trenchcoat.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn off light"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN OFF LIGHT
Floyd |
Floyd | You switch the flashlight off.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the iron door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | The undergrowth is too thick in that direction.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Path Behind the House                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Path Behind the House
Floyd | A gravel path starts here at the back door of the house, and marks a
Floyd | trail nearly overgrown by weeds and briars. It disappears into the
Floyd | undergrowth to the northwest, framed by crooked trees with overhanging
Floyd | branches that seem to form a stunted, jagged archway into the dim
Floyd | recesses of the forest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Kitchen
Floyd | Where once pots and skillets and various utensils hung in profusion,
Floyd | the kitchen walls are now merely ranks of dusty cabinets and a forest
Floyd | of empty hooks. Doorways lead east and south, a small pantry lies to
Floyd | the northwest, and the back door to the north leads out of the house.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "I want to say that Michael didn't choose his distant relatives. But then..."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the back door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Dining Room
Floyd | Much of the elegance has faded from this room. The huge dining table
Floyd | running the length of it is covered with a thick gray film of dust,
Floyd | and the china cupboard standing against the far wall is draped in
Floyd | shadow. Doorways to the north and east offer little relief from the
Floyd | gloom. For what must be the hundredth time, you wish you could open
Floyd | the windows in this place.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't go that way.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Foyer
Floyd | Although it appears spacious from the outside, the house's interior
Floyd | feels cramped and gloomy. The walls seem too close together; the
Floyd | ceiling is too high. The doorways, leading in several directions, are
Floyd | narrow and filled with shadows, and the stairs leading up to the
Floyd | second floor are steep and rickety. This is not a house that makes you
Floyd | feel welcome. It is a house that makes you feel tiny and timid, and
Floyd | afraid of dark places. It is a house that makes you feel alone.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your luggage is still here, spread out all over the foyer.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You unlock the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | A cold, noiseless draft coils through the narrow entrance hall. You
Floyd | shiver, wondering where it came from.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "listen"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LISTEN
Floyd |
Floyd | You hear nothing unexpected.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x draft"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X DRAFT
Floyd |
Floyd | You needn't worry about that.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd | Doorways lie to the east, west and north; stairs lead up; and the
Floyd | front door stands to the south.
Floyd |
Floyd | A cold, noiseless draft coils through the narrow entrance hall. You
Floyd | shiver, wondering where it came from.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the front door first)
Floyd |
Floyd | Outside the House
Floyd | The lane runs up from the southeast and ends at a wide clearing
Floyd | surrounded by gnarled and ancient trees. A wide, curving driveway runs
Floyd | up to the front door of your house, which lies north.
Floyd |
Floyd | The front door stands open to the north.
Floyd |
Floyd | The Verlac mansion looms before you, casting an air of menace over the
Floyd | clearing.
Floyd |
Floyd | A typewritten notice has been attached to the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take notice"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE NOTICE
Floyd |
Floyd | (slipping the puzzle box into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a
Floyd | hand free)
Floyd | Taken.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x notice"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X NOTICE
Floyd |
Floyd | It's a letter from the Arkham Regional Utilities Company, explaining
Floyd | that, due to wiring difficulties, the electricity will not be
Floyd | installed until next week. No phone service, either.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Scenic View                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Scenic View
Floyd | The treeline falls away on the north side of this northwest-northeast
Floyd | bend in the road, giving way to a panoramic view of the Miskaton River
Floyd | Valley and the grubby little town of Anchorhead nestled within it.
Floyd | From here you can see the paper mill almost directly to the north; the
Floyd | solitary lighthouse and surrounding ocean to the northeast; and the
Floyd | dilapidated stone church below you to the east. Winding through it all
Floyd | is the oily black ribbon of the Miskaton, and almost directly in the
Floyd | center lies the little clearing of Town Square. You can just make out
Floyd | the shape of the obelisk from here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Scenic View                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd | The hillside rises too steeply in that direction.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to DW), "By the way, it turns out this Starbucks has, like, regular straws. Made of petroleum."
DavidW says, "okay"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Scenic View                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | The hillside rises too steeply in that direction.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Scenic View                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd | The hillside rises too steeply in that direction.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Scenic View                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | The hillside drops off much too steeply to proceed north.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ne"
Floyd ]  Chilly Avenue                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Chilly Avenue
Floyd | Perhaps it is merely the effect of some unwholesome vapour rising from
Floyd | the murky waters of the nearby Miskaton, but the temperature along
Floyd | this street seems perceptibly cooler than normal, even for a New
Floyd | England autumn. Two dirt roads lead south and southwest, into the
Floyd | dense woods at the edge of town.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Deserted Lane                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Deserted Lane
Floyd | The gently winding lane makes its way through the birch woods south of
Floyd | town. New England foliage is famous for its splendid colors in the
Floyd | fall, but the oppressive weather and pervading murk have leached these
Floyd | trees of most of their tint. The road continues south into the
Floyd | increasingly dense forest, and in the other direction heads back to
Floyd | town. A paved walk also leads east through the trees.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Churchyard                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Churchyard
Floyd | A low, wrought-iron fence, its spike-tipped bars bent or leaning at
Floyd | crazy angles, surrounds the overgrown yard of this dark, abandoned
Floyd | church. A gap in the fence leads back west, while a bare path beaten
Floyd | through the groping weeds leads around the church to the southeast.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x church"
Floyd ]  Churchyard                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X CHURCH
Floyd |
Floyd | The hoary structure towers over your head, built of massive, ancient
Floyd | stones that are now black with age and nearly buried beneath an
Floyd | invading tide of ivy. The doors and windows are boarded shut. The
Floyd | steeple is a jagged silhouette against the brooding sky.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Behind the Church                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd | The path bends northeast, around the side of the church.
Floyd |
Floyd | Behind the Church
Floyd | The forest encroaches right up to the iron fence here, some of which
Floyd | is literally buried in the tangled underbrush. There are no doors on
Floyd | this side, although a wooden trap door over by the corner of the
Floyd | building probably leads into a cellar. A path leads southwest, around
Floyd | to the front of the church.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x door"
Floyd ]  Behind the Church                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | The boards are old and warped, but still quite sturdy. It is locked
Floyd | with a heavy padlock.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock padlock"
Floyd ]  Behind the Church                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK PADLOCK
Floyd |
Floyd | You go through all the keys on your keyring, trying each one in turn,
Floyd | but none of the keys seem to fit.
Floyd |
Floyd | In the distance, you can hear the lonesome keening of a train whistle
Floyd | drifting on the wind.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Behind the Church                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd | The wrought-iron fence surrounds the entire churchyard. The only way
Floyd | out is around that little path to the southwest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "sw"
Floyd ]  Churchyard                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SW
Floyd |
Floyd | The path bends northwest, around the side of the church.
Floyd |
Floyd | Churchyard
Floyd | A low, wrought-iron fence, its spike-tipped bars bent or leaning at
Floyd | crazy angles, surrounds the overgrown yard of this dark, abandoned
Floyd | church. A gap in the fence leads back west, while a bare path beaten
Floyd | through the groping weeds leads around the church to the southeast.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Deserted Lane                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Deserted Lane
Floyd | The gently winding lane makes its way through the birch woods south of
Floyd | town. New England foliage is famous for its splendid colors in the
Floyd | fall, but the oppressive weather and pervading murk have leached these
Floyd | trees of most of their tint. The road continues south into the
Floyd | increasingly dense forest, and in the other direction heads back to
Floyd | town. A paved walk also leads east through the trees.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Down the Road                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Down the Road
Floyd | The forest grows denser as you go, crowding thickly up to either side
Floyd | of the road. The groping, tangled branches block out what little
Floyd | sunlight there is left. Your footsteps are muffled; whispering leaves
Floyd | and the slow drip of water are the only sounds you can hear. Beyond
Floyd | the watching trees, the shadows are impenetrably thick. The road
Floyd | stretches interminably, north to south.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "That would have been something, if our keys had fit."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Down the Road                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | You walk a bit farther down the road, but it doesn't seem to lead
Floyd | anywhere, and the shadows grow thicker the farther down you go. After
Floyd | a while you turn back, unable to suppress a shiver.
Floyd |
Floyd | A flurry of dead leaves goes skittering along the ground, swirling
Floyd | past you in the wind.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Deserted Lane                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Deserted Lane
Floyd | The gently winding lane makes its way through the birch woods south of
Floyd | town. New England foliage is famous for its splendid colors in the
Floyd | fall, but the oppressive weather and pervading murk have leached these
Floyd | trees of most of their tint. The road continues south into the
Floyd | increasingly dense forest, and in the other direction heads back to
Floyd | town. A paved walk also leads east through the trees.
Floyd |
Floyd | The cold wind cuts through your clothes, chilling you to the bone.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Chilly Avenue                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Chilly Avenue
Floyd | Perhaps it is merely the effect of some unwholesome vapour rising from
Floyd | the murky waters of the nearby Miskaton, but the temperature along
Floyd | this street seems perceptibly cooler than normal, even for a New
Floyd | England autumn. Two dirt roads lead south and southwest, into the
Floyd | dense woods at the edge of town.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "wear coat"
Floyd ]  Chilly Avenue                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > WEAR COAT
Floyd |
Floyd | You're already wearing that!
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Riverwalk                                 day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Riverwalk
Floyd | A low, irregular brick wall to the north divides this street from the
Floyd | steep, mud-slick banks of the sinuous Miskaton, while a rusty iron
Floyd | gate provides access to a precarious flight of stone steps leading
Floyd | down the bank to the water's edge. The street bends south here,
Floyd | turning into a misty avenue between the trees. The town square lies
Floyd | west, a vacant lot lies east.
Floyd |
Floyd | The cold wind cuts through your clothes, chilling you to the bone.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "d"
Floyd ]  Under the Bridge                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > D
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the rusty gate first)
Floyd | The gate swings open noisily on its rusty hinges.
Floyd | You pass through the gate and down the stone steps, which curve
Floyd | northwest as they lead down to the edge of the river.
Floyd |
Floyd | Under the Bridge
Floyd | The ponderous stones of Whateley Bridge arch overhead, casting this
Floyd | little concrete ledge into deep shadow. At your feet, the dark waters
Floyd | lap quietly against the stones with a hollow, subterranean sound.
Floyd | Stone steps to the southeast lead back up to street level.
Floyd |
Floyd | A small metal door, blotchy with rust, is set into the south bank of
Floyd | the river, underneath the bridge.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open door"
Floyd ]  Under the Bridge                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | It seems to be locked.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door"
Floyd ]  Under the Bridge                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You go through all the keys on your keyring, trying each one in turn,
Floyd | but none of the keys seem to fit.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "u"
Floyd ]  Riverwalk                                 day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > U
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Riverwalk
Floyd | A low, irregular brick wall to the north divides this street from the
Floyd | steep, mud-slick banks of the sinuous Miskaton, while a rusty iron
Floyd | gate provides access to a precarious flight of stone steps leading
Floyd | down the bank to the water's edge. The street bends south here,
Floyd | turning into a misty avenue between the trees. The town square lies
Floyd | west, a vacant lot lies east.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Town Square
Floyd | A wide expanse of uneven pavestones lies open to the sky, bordered on
Floyd | all sides by the leaning, steep-roofed architecture that looms over
Floyd | everything in this city. The municipal courthouse stands at the south
Floyd | end of the square, next to the mouth of a dark, narrow alley to the
Floyd | southwest. Avenues to the west and east lead back into the cramped and
Floyd | ingrown streets, while to the north lies Whateley Bridge.
Floyd |
Floyd | A damp newspaper lies on the curb, fluttering slightly in the wind.
Floyd |
Floyd | In the center of the square, rising from a circular lawn of
Floyd | unhealthy-looking grass and weeds, stands a strange, stone obelisk. It
Floyd | seems to be a monument of some sort, although you can see no plaque or
Floyd | marker anywhere near it.
Floyd |
Floyd | The cold wind blows harder, tugging at the hem of your trenchcoat.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take newspaper"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE NEWSPAPER
Floyd |
Floyd | (slipping the strange metal flute into the pocket of your trenchcoat
Floyd | to get a hand free)
Floyd | You pick up the newspaper. It's the "Weekly Arkham Herald".
Floyd | Anchorhead, apparently, is not large enough to warrant its own
Floyd | newspaper.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read newspaper"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ NEWSPAPER
Floyd |
Floyd | The front page story is about Jeffrey Greer, 8 years old, who was
Floyd | abducted from his home at #11 Mill Town Road last night. Little
Floyd | Jeffrey is the latest victim in a series of abductions that stretches
Floyd | back for years, one every six months or so, and that authorities
Floyd | believe is the work of a single perpetrator. Local police had hoped to
Floyd | prove that Edward Verlac had been behind the kidnappings, but were
Floyd | unable to obtain a confession or any hard proof. Edward Verlac was
Floyd | convicted of murdering his wife and two daughters, one of whom was 15
Floyd | months old, in January of this year; he was found not guilty by reason
Floyd | of insanity and incarcerated in Danvers Asylum, where he remained
Floyd | until committing suicide last March. This latest kidnapping, occurring
Floyd | after Edward's death, seems to have cleared up any lingering
Floyd | suspicions that he might have been the culprit.
Floyd |
Floyd | Anyone possessing information regarding the whereabouts of Jeffrey
Floyd | Greer is strongly urged to speak to the authorities as soon as
Floyd | possible.
Floyd |
Floyd | The cold wind cuts through your clothes, chilling you to the bone.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Courthouse                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Courthouse
Floyd | A long, dimly lit, north-south corridor stretches away from the
Floyd | courthouse entrance. Closed, unmarked doors line either side of the
Floyd | hall, their pebbled glass windows lit from within by a murky,
Floyd | yellow-orange light. Silence reigns here; your footsteps echo eerily
Floyd | on the tiled floor, and occasionally you can hear muted conversation
Floyd | behind one of the doors -- you can't tell which. At the hall's
Floyd | southern end, a staircase leads down into the basement; a sign hanging
Floyd | above it reads "RECORDS". You can return to Town Square to the north.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "d"
Floyd ]  Courthouse Basement                       day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > D
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Courthouse Basement
Floyd | A single bulb dangling from the ceiling casts a watery, yellow light
Floyd | against the brick walls. A rickety staircase to the north leads back
Floyd | up to the ground floor, and two narrow doorways lead into the record
Floyd | archives. Over the southeast door hangs a sign that reads "BIRTH
Floyd | RECORDS", while the southwest door bears the sign "DEATH RECORDS".
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Birth Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Birth Records
Floyd | A bare room with cinderblock walls. Thousands of records and
Floyd | documents, most yellow and brittle with age, are stacked everywhere in
Floyd | towering piles. The exit lies northwest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up edward in records"
Floyd ]  Birth Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP EDWARD IN RECORDS
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | Edward Verlac: born April 26, 1960.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu asks, "What, no data protection?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up michael in records"
Floyd ]  Birth Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP MICHAEL IN RECORDS
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | You can find no records under that heading.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up julia in records"
Floyd ]  Birth Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP JULIA IN RECORDS
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | Julia Ward: born May 4, 1964.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up william in records"
Floyd ]  Birth Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP WILLIAM IN RECORDS
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | William Verlac: born June 22, 1954.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  Courthouse Basement                       day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Courthouse Basement
Floyd | A single bulb dangling from the ceiling casts a watery, yellow light
Floyd | against the brick walls. A rickety staircase to the north leads back
Floyd | up to the ground floor, and two narrow doorways lead into the record
Floyd | archives. Over the southeast door hangs a sign that reads "BIRTH
Floyd | RECORDS", while the southwest door bears the sign "DEATH RECORDS".
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "sw"
Floyd ]  Death Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Death Records
Floyd | A bare room with cinderblock walls. Thousands of records and
Floyd | documents, most yellow and brittle with age, are stacked everywhere in
Floyd | towering piles. The exit lies northeast.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up edward in records"
Floyd ]  Death Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP EDWARD IN RECORDS
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | Edward Verlac: died March 14, 1997.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up julia in records"
Floyd ]  Death Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP JULIA IN RECORDS
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | Julia Ward Verlac: died January 10, 1997.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up william in records"
Floyd ]  Death Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP WILLIAM IN RECORDS
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | William Verlac: died September 18, 1958.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "This gives up no new info."
Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "look up me in records"
Floyd ]  Death Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP ME IN RECORDS
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | You can find no records under that heading.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up verlac in records"
Floyd ]  Death Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP VERLAC IN RECORDS
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | There are dozens of Verlacs listed here; you'll have to be more
Floyd | specific than that.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "look up benson in records"
Floyd ]  Death Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP BENSON IN RECORDS
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | You can find no records under that heading.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu asks, "Was that the name?"
DavidW asks, "The real estate agents?"
Knight_Otu says, "Yeah."
DavidW says, "I didn't write those down."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ne"
Floyd ]  Courthouse Basement                       day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Courthouse Basement
Floyd | A single bulb dangling from the ceiling casts a watery, yellow light
Floyd | against the brick walls. A rickety staircase to the north leads back
Floyd | up to the ground floor, and two narrow doorways lead into the record
Floyd | archives. Over the southeast door hangs a sign that reads "BIRTH
Floyd | RECORDS", while the southwest door bears the sign "DEATH RECORDS".
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Courthouse                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Courthouse
Floyd | A long, dimly lit, north-south corridor stretches away from the
Floyd | courthouse entrance. Closed, unmarked doors line either side of the
Floyd | hall, their pebbled glass windows lit from within by a murky,
Floyd | yellow-orange light. Silence reigns here; your footsteps echo eerily
Floyd | on the tiled floor, and occasionally you can hear muted conversation
Floyd | behind one of the doors -- you can't tell which. At the hall's
Floyd | southern end, a staircase leads down into the basement; a sign hanging
Floyd | above it reads "RECORDS". You can return to Town Square to the north.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Town Square
Floyd | A wide expanse of uneven pavestones lies open to the sky, bordered on
Floyd | all sides by the leaning, steep-roofed architecture that looms over
Floyd | everything in this city. The municipal courthouse stands at the south
Floyd | end of the square, next to the mouth of a dark, narrow alley to the
Floyd | southwest. Avenues to the west and east lead back into the cramped and
Floyd | ingrown streets, while to the north lies Whateley Bridge.
Floyd |
Floyd | In the center of the square, rising from a circular lawn of
Floyd | unhealthy-looking grass and weeds, stands a strange, stone obelisk. It
Floyd | seems to be a monument of some sort, although you can see no plaque or
Floyd | marker anywhere near it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "sw"
Floyd ]  Side Alley                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Side Alley
Floyd | This is a featureless blind alley, a dead end. Through the narrow and
Floyd | heavily shadowed opening to the northeast, you can see the square and
Floyd | the obelisk at its center.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "I can get you those names."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x obelisk"
Floyd ]  Side Alley                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X OBELISK
Floyd |
Floyd | Although you're too far away to read the hieroglyphs on its sides, you
Floyd | have an otherwise excellent view of the obelisk from here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Sorry, had to step away a second."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ne"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Town Square
Floyd | A wide expanse of uneven pavestones lies open to the sky, bordered on
Floyd | all sides by the leaning, steep-roofed architecture that looms over
Floyd | everything in this city. The municipal courthouse stands at the south
Floyd | end of the square, next to the mouth of a dark, narrow alley to the
Floyd | southwest. Avenues to the west and east lead back into the cramped and
Floyd | ingrown streets, while to the north lies Whateley Bridge.
Floyd |
Floyd | In the center of the square, rising from a circular lawn of
Floyd | unhealthy-looking grass and weeds, stands a strange, stone obelisk. It
Floyd | seems to be a monument of some sort, although you can see no plaque or
Floyd | marker anywhere near it.
Jacqueline asks, "Do you want them?"
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x obelisk"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X OBELISK
Floyd |
Floyd | The obelisk measures about two feet square at its base, narrowing
Floyd | slightly as it rises a good fifteen feet to a bluntly pointed tip. An
Floyd | iron ring is embedded in the stone high up on one side, about two feet
Floyd | from the top. Dense, twisting hieroglyphs cover all four sides of the
Floyd | obelisk, although they are too worn to be read clearly.
Floyd |
Floyd | The cold wind blows harder, tugging at the hem of your trenchcoat.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "I'm not sure we really need them."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take ring"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE RING
Floyd |
Floyd | (the wedding ring)
Floyd | You already have that.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "mmkay"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "pull iron ring"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PULL IRON RING
Floyd |
Floyd | The iron ring is high out of your reach.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "It was just idle curiosity on my part."
Jacqueline says, "Yeah"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take iron ring with umbrella"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE IRON RING WITH UMBRELLA
Floyd |
Floyd | The iron ring is high out of your reach.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Whateley Bridge                           day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Whateley Bridge
Floyd | A hoary monument of crumbling, moss-eaten flagstones, Whateley Bridge
Floyd | is possibly older than any other structure in the entire city.
Floyd | Ponderously it spans the dark, torpid waters of the Miskaton River,
Floyd | connecting the north and south halves of the city and occasionally
Floyd | raining bits of gravel and mortar from its underside into the water.
Floyd | It looks just wide enough for two cars to pass each other between the
Floyd | flanking stone parapets, but you wouldn't volunteer to try it.
Floyd |
Floyd | The cold wind blows harder, tugging at the hem of your trenchcoat.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Narrow Street                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Narrow Street
Floyd | As the lane winds along from east to west, it narrows until the steep,
Floyd | jagged rooftops on either side of the street practically touch each
Floyd | other. To the south, a side street leads across Whateley Bridge toward
Floyd | the center of town, and a twisting lane leads up a hill to the
Floyd | northwest. A short flight of steps to the north leads down to the
Floyd | local watering hole.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Outside the Real Estate Office            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Outside the Real Estate Office
Floyd | A grim little cul-de-sac, tucked away in a corner of the
Floyd | claustrophobic tangle of narrow, twisting avenues that largely
Floyd | constitute the older portion of Anchorhead. Like most of the streets
Floyd | in this city, it is ancient, shadowy, and leads essentially nowhere.
Floyd | The lane ends here at the real estate agent's office, which lies to
Floyd | the east, and winds its way back toward the center of town to the
Floyd | west. A narrow, garbage-choked alley opens to the southeast.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Floyd ]  Office                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the real estate office door first)
Floyd |
Floyd | Office
Floyd | Pallid gray light trickles in through the drawn blinds. The office is
Floyd | deserted, papers still scattered across the top of the desk. The front
Floyd | door lies west, and the file room lies east.
Floyd |
Floyd | The office door is open.
Floyd |
Floyd | Sitting on the corner of the paper-strewn desk are a telephone and an
Floyd | answering machine.
Floyd |
Floyd | Someone seems to have left a cup of coffee sitting out, half-finished
Floyd | and cold.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Outside the Real Estate Office            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Outside the Real Estate Office
Floyd | A grim little cul-de-sac, tucked away in a corner of the
Floyd | claustrophobic tangle of narrow, twisting avenues that largely
Floyd | constitute the older portion of Anchorhead. Like most of the streets
Floyd | in this city, it is ancient, shadowy, and leads essentially nowhere.
Floyd | The lane ends here at the real estate agent's office, which lies to
Floyd | the east, and winds its way back toward the center of town to the
Floyd | west. A narrow, garbage-choked alley opens to the southeast.
Floyd |
Floyd | The office door is open.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x door"
Floyd ]  Outside the Real Estate Office            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | The door has a glass front with the name of the real estate company --
Floyd | Benson & Brackhurst -- stenciled across it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "There ya go"
Knight_Otu exclaims, "Thanks!"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Office
Floyd | Pallid gray light trickles in through the drawn blinds. The office is
Floyd | deserted, papers still scattered across the top of the desk. The front
Floyd | door lies west, and the file room lies east.
Floyd |
Floyd | The office door is open.
Floyd |
Floyd | Sitting on the corner of the paper-strewn desk are a telephone and an
Floyd | answering machine.
Floyd |
Floyd | Someone seems to have left a cup of coffee sitting out, half-finished
Floyd | and cold.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x answering machine"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X ANSWERING MACHINE
Floyd |
Floyd | A simple answering machine, with a small display indicating messages
Floyd | received, a button labeled "PLAY", and a button labeled "DELETE".
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read display"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ DISPLAY
Floyd |
Floyd | The display indicates there is one message on the machine, left (oddly
Floyd | enough) at 4:19 yesterday morning. The display also shows that the
Floyd | message has already been checked.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Outside the Real Estate Office            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Outside the Real Estate Office
Floyd | A grim little cul-de-sac, tucked away in a corner of the
Floyd | claustrophobic tangle of narrow, twisting avenues that largely
Floyd | constitute the older portion of Anchorhead. Like most of the streets
Floyd | in this city, it is ancient, shadowy, and leads essentially nowhere.
Floyd | The lane ends here at the real estate agent's office, which lies to
Floyd | the east, and winds its way back toward the center of town to the
Floyd | west. A narrow, garbage-choked alley opens to the southeast.
Floyd |
Floyd | The office door is open.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Outside the Real Estate Office            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the real estate office door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Narrow Street                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Narrow Street
Floyd | As the lane winds along from east to west, it narrows until the steep,
Floyd | jagged rooftops on either side of the street practically touch each
Floyd | other. To the south, a side street leads across Whateley Bridge toward
Floyd | the center of town, and a twisting lane leads up a hill to the
Floyd | northwest. A short flight of steps to the north leads down to the
Floyd | local watering hole.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Junction                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Junction
Floyd | To the north, a gap in the crowded press of gloomy buildings opens
Floyd | onto a country lane, heading out over a grassy heath. The main street
Floyd | continues to the east, while to the northwest, over the top of a steep
Floyd | rise, you can just make out the vaulted rooftops of the university.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Mill Road                                 day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Mill Road
Floyd | The road carries you across a desolate heath of gray, windswept grass.
Floyd | To the south, the black, jagged outline of Anchorhead's steep roofs
Floyd | and sharp, leaning gables cuts across the horizon. The road forks here
Floyd | to the west and east, heading across the railroad tracks in one
Floyd | direction, out toward the seashore in the other.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Entrance to the Paper Mill                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd | As you cross the railroad tracks, the air becomes warmer, more dingy,
Floyd | and slightly more difficult to breathe.
Floyd |
Floyd | Entrance to the Paper Mill
Floyd | The road turns southwest here and runs squarely through the front
Floyd | entrance to the old paper mill. A gate of heavy iron bars blocks the
Floyd | only opening into this charred fortress, although an overgrown path
Floyd | leads around the wall to the south. To the north, a rutted lane
Floyd | threads its way past a row of dilapidated shacks.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Shanty Town                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Shanty Town
Floyd | The road peters out at a wide clearing of rutted mud, flanked by
Floyd | uneven rows of decrepit, clapboard shacks. The town is quiet, almost
Floyd | deserted; only a few bits of loose tarpaper blowing listlessly in the
Floyd | wind betray the overall stillness.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "I am developing a theory."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x tarpaper"
Floyd ]  Shanty Town                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X TARPAPER
Floyd |
Floyd | You needn't worry about that.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "But I'm not sharing it."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Entrance to the Paper Mill                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Entrance to the Paper Mill
Floyd | The road turns southwest here and runs squarely through the front
Floyd | entrance to the old paper mill. A gate of heavy iron bars blocks the
Floyd | only opening into this charred fortress, although an overgrown path
Floyd | leads around the wall to the south. To the north, a rutted lane
Floyd | threads its way past a row of dilapidated shacks.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Bare Foundations                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | The path curves southwest, leading you into an overgrown area behind
Floyd | the mill.
Floyd |
Floyd | Bare Foundations
Floyd | The foundations of an older structure lie crumbling in a sunken square
Floyd | of ground, hidden away behind the imposing shadow of the mill wall.
Floyd | Weeds push up through cracked and buckling slabs of concrete; twisted
Floyd | rebar and rusting pipes poke up like the legs of dead insects. The
Floyd | ruins are surrounded on all sides by dense thickets, although narrow,
Floyd | overgrown trails lead northeast and southeast through the underbrush.
Floyd |
Floyd | Flakes of ash drift gently down from the sky like gray snow, coating
Floyd | everything with a thin layer of soot.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Aw."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Railroad Tracks                           day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Railroad Tracks
Floyd | The trail heads up a short embankment and emerges from the thicket
Floyd | alongside the railroad tracks. The tracks run down from the northeast
Floyd | and past the mill, continuing southwest but slowly curving westward
Floyd | until they cross the Miskaton River some miles outside of town. From
Floyd | the embankment you can look out over the entire heath: jagged, shadowy
Floyd | rooftops to the south; the oily ribbon of the Miskaton to the west;
Floyd | and to the east, the lighthouse sentinel and the leaden waters of the
Floyd | Atlantic beyond.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Railroad Tracks                           day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd | There's nothing in that direction but empty heath.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Railroad Tracks                           day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd | There's nothing in that direction but empty heath.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline asks, "Did we... did we ever end up visiting the attic?"
DavidW says, "yes"
Jacqueline says, "I was only recalling the cellar. Okay."
DavidW says, "We need a paper and a poking tool for the door."
Knight_Otu says, "We're still missing the key for that door."
DavidW says, "The key's in the door."
Jacqueline says, "OH RIGHT"
Jacqueline says, "Thanks"
Knight_Otu says, "Well, not quite missing, but yeah."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ne"
Floyd ]  Railroad Tracks                           day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NE
Floyd |
Floyd | It's dangerous to walk along railroad tracks.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  Bare Foundations                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Bare Foundations
Floyd | The foundations of an older structure lie crumbling in a sunken square
Floyd | of ground, hidden away behind the imposing shadow of the mill wall.
Floyd | Weeds push up through cracked and buckling slabs of concrete; twisted
Floyd | rebar and rusting pipes poke up like the legs of dead insects. The
Floyd | ruins are surrounded on all sides by dense thickets, although narrow,
Floyd | overgrown trails lead northeast and southeast through the underbrush.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ne"
Floyd ]  Entrance to the Paper Mill                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NE
Floyd |
Floyd | The path curves to the north, leading you around to the front of the
Floyd | mill.
Floyd |
Floyd | Entrance to the Paper Mill
Floyd | The road turns southwest here and runs squarely through the front
Floyd | entrance to the old paper mill. A gate of heavy iron bars blocks the
Floyd | only opening into this charred fortress, although an overgrown path
Floyd | leads around the wall to the south. To the north, a rutted lane
Floyd | threads its way past a row of dilapidated shacks.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ne"
Floyd ]  Entrance to the Paper Mill                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NE
Floyd |
Floyd | The road goes north and east from here. The mill gate lies southwest,
Floyd | and an overgrown trail leads south.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline) Game says (to Clubfloyd), "It's dangerous to walk along railroad tracks, but feel free to pry open old coffins with your bare hands."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Mill Road                                 day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd | As you cross the railroad tracks, the air seems to lift slightly,
Floyd | becoming more breathable once again.
Floyd |
Floyd | Mill Road
Floyd | The road carries you across a desolate heath of gray, windswept grass.
Floyd | To the south, the black, jagged outline of Anchorhead's steep roofs
Floyd | and sharp, leaning gables cuts across the horizon. The road forks here
Floyd | to the west and east, heading across the railroad tracks in one
Floyd | direction, out toward the seashore in the other.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Breakwater                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd | The road heads out over a narrow breakwater jutting out into the
Floyd | ocean.
Floyd |
Floyd | Breakwater
Floyd | You are picking your way across the breakwater's bare, rocky spine,
Floyd | where the road has diminished to little more than a pair of dusty
Floyd | ruts. A hundred yards to the northeast, at the breakwater's far end,
Floyd | the lonely stone tower of Anchorhead's lighthouse stands vigil against
Floyd | the ocean.
Floyd |
Floyd | The cold wind blows harder, tugging at the hem of your trenchcoat.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW has had his fill of playing for now, and goes back to the Lounge.
DavidW arrives, full of fun and funk. Jacqueline says, "hee"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ne"
Floyd ]  At the Foot of the Lighthouse             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | At the Foot of the Lighthouse
Floyd | You stand in a circular clearing among the stones, surrounded on
Floyd | nearly every side by the sea. Before you looms the ancient, massive
Floyd | lighthouse, a vertiginous pillar of pale brick jabbing defiantly up at
Floyd | the sky. The road from the southwest ends here, although it looks as
Floyd | though you could pick your way down the rocks to the southeast, around
Floyd | the structure's base.
Floyd |
Floyd | The great bronze door of the lighthouse is closed.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "I hate when I do that."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x lighthouse"
Floyd ]  At the Foot of the Lighthouse             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X LIGHTHOUSE
Floyd |
Floyd | Its towering shadow seems to lean menacingly over you, eclipsing half
Floyd | the sky. It is an old and brooding thing, heavy with the weight of
Floyd | centuries of dark memories. Craning your neck to see the top of it,
Floyd | you can't help but make the comparison with a lightning rod, as if
Floyd | this building were the focus for whatever restless forces seem to be
Floyd | stirring through the turbid atmosphere above.
Floyd |
Floyd | Despite the ominous cast to the weather, no beacon can be seen from
Floyd | the top of the lighthouse.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x door"
Floyd ]  At the Foot of the Lighthouse             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | A monstrous slab of solid bronze set into the thick stone wall of the
Floyd | lighthouse base. Age and seawater have covered its once gleaming
Floyd | surface with an unhealthy green crust of verdigris.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open door"
Floyd ]  At the Foot of the Lighthouse             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | It seems to be locked.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door"
Floyd ]  At the Foot of the Lighthouse             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You go through all the keys on your keyring, trying each one in turn,
Floyd | but none of the keys seem to fit.
Floyd |
Floyd | The cold wind blows harder, tugging at the hem of your trenchcoat.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "Quite a few locked doors."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Rocky Spur                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd | Carefully, you climb down the rocks. The path bends northeast,
Floyd | following the curve of the lighthouse wall.
Floyd |
Floyd | Rocky Spur
Floyd | A small outcropping of stone, just large enough for you to stand on,
Floyd | sticks out from the end of the breakwater. The hungry sea laps at your
Floyd | feet, surging over the rocks and then trickling down into crevices. To
Floyd | the southwest, an uneven trail leads back up the rocks, around the
Floyd | side of the lighthouse.
Floyd |
Floyd | Beyond the breakwater's tip, a turbulent patch of water bubbles and
Floyd | seethes, as if something were lurking just beneath the surface --
Floyd | turning, perhaps, in uneasy sleep.
Floyd |
Floyd | A flurry of dead leaves goes skittering along the ground, swirling
Floyd | past you in the wind.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "It's as is kleptomaniacs and kidnappers were running around town."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x bubbles"
Floyd ]  Rocky Spur                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X BUBBLES
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see any such thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x sea"
Floyd ]  Rocky Spur                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X SEA
Floyd |
Floyd | The sea is the color of old pewter, surging and chopping restlessly
Floyd | beneath the clouds.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x patch"
Floyd ]  Rocky Spur                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X PATCH
Floyd |
Floyd | It looks... unnatural.
Floyd |
Floyd | Another wave crashes against the rocks, sending a cloud of spray into
Floyd | the air.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "search patch"
Floyd ]  Rocky Spur                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SEARCH PATCH
Floyd |
Floyd | The patch of turbulent water is just beyond your reach.
Floyd |
Floyd | The cold wind blows harder, tugging at the hem of your trenchcoat.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, ">Poke patch with umbrella"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "poke patch with umbrella"
Floyd ]  Rocky Spur                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > POKE PATCH WITH UMBRELLA
Floyd |
Floyd | That's not a verb I recognise.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "I want to visit the university library now."
Knight_Otu says, "Sure."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "sw"
Floyd ]  At the Foot of the Lighthouse             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SW
Floyd |
Floyd | The trail turns northwest, following the curve of the lighthouse wall.
Floyd |
Floyd | At the Foot of the Lighthouse
Floyd | You stand in a circular clearing among the stones, surrounded on
Floyd | nearly every side by the sea. Before you looms the ancient, massive
Floyd | lighthouse, a vertiginous pillar of pale brick jabbing defiantly up at
Floyd | the sky. The road from the southwest ends here, although it looks as
Floyd | though you could pick your way down the rocks to the southeast, around
Floyd | the structure's base.
Floyd |
Floyd | The great bronze door of the lighthouse is closed.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "sw"
Floyd ]  Breakwater                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Breakwater
Floyd | You are picking your way across the breakwater's bare, rocky spine,
Floyd | where the road has diminished to little more than a pair of dusty
Floyd | ruts. A hundred yards to the northeast, at the breakwater's far end,
Floyd | the lonely stone tower of Anchorhead's lighthouse stands vigil against
Floyd | the ocean.
Floyd |
Floyd | The cold wind cuts through your clothes, chilling you to the bone.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Mill Road                                 day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Mill Road
Floyd | The road carries you across a desolate heath of gray, windswept grass.
Floyd | To the south, the black, jagged outline of Anchorhead's steep roofs
Floyd | and sharp, leaning gables cuts across the horizon. The road forks here
Floyd | to the west and east, heading across the railroad tracks in one
Floyd | direction, out toward the seashore in the other.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Junction                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Junction
Floyd | To the north, a gap in the crowded press of gloomy buildings opens
Floyd | onto a country lane, heading out over a grassy heath. The main street
Floyd | continues to the east, while to the northwest, over the top of a steep
Floyd | rise, you can just make out the vaulted rooftops of the university.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  University Court                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | University Court
Floyd | Isolated and serene within its high, ivy-covered walls, Miskaton
Floyd | University represents this benighted town's single, if somewhat
Floyd | dubious, claim to cultural achievement. Founded some time in the early
Floyd | 1800s, the school's reputation and enrollment have diminished somewhat
Floyd | as Anchorhead drifts further and further into the abyss of provincial
Floyd | backwaterism. Still, it is generally recognized for its collection of
Floyd | folklore and esoteric mythology (one of the oldest and most extensive
Floyd | on the east coast). The Board of Deans was also kind enough to offer
Floyd | Michael a full professorship upon hearing of his recently discovered
Floyd | heritage and his plans to move into the estate. Ivory tower, perhaps,
Floyd | but at least they take care of their own.
Floyd |
Floyd | There are numerous buildings surrounding this cobbled court, but the
Floyd | only one you are interested in is the library to the west.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "I think after that, it'll be time for me though."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Library
Floyd | Shadows roost thickly in the vaulted ceiling, and small, green-shaded
Floyd | desk lamps cast pools of warm radiance here and there around the
Floyd | library's dim interior. You pause a moment to let the hushed
Floyd | peacefulness of this place soak in -- a welcome relief from the
Floyd | unsettling events of the day. An exit lies east, and a small alcove to
Floyd | the north houses the circulation counter.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Circulation Desk
Floyd | A high counter divides the public portion of the library from the
Floyd | reserved stacks -- all the more esoteric and mysterious volumes from
Floyd | the university's collection. If anything, the area behind the counter
Floyd | is even more shadowy than the side you're on. The main reading area
Floyd | lies south.
Floyd |
Floyd | Hanging on the wall next to the counter is a small, printed sign.
Floyd | Beneath the sign sits a heavy, dog-eared register, and sitting next to
Floyd | the register is a bell.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x sign"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X SIGN
Floyd |
Floyd | "All restricted books must be signed for on the register, and may not
Floyd | be removed from this building. Please have your faculty ID ready when
Floyd | you make your request."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Case in point - I just read hushed as husband, and wondered why he is here."
Jacqueline says, "I TOLD YOU PEOPLE"
DavidW says, "oh. This is what we need Michael's card for."
Jacqueline coughs.
Knight_Otu says, "I'm sure he'll get nekkid again."
Jacqueline says, "He is at home. Perhaps his pants are still on the bed."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x register"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X REGISTER
Floyd |
Floyd | It's basically a log, recording what book was checked out, who checked
Floyd | it out, and when. There must be hundreds of names here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up michael in register"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP MICHAEL IN REGISTER
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the dog-eared register)
Floyd | Your husband's name is down at the bottom. The title of the book
Floyd | is A Historical Overview of Superstitions in the Miskaton Valley
Floyd | Region by J. Arnsworth Frazer, pub. 1906. Quite a mouthful.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "look up necromicon on register"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP NECROMICON ON REGISTER
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the dog-eared register)
Floyd | You don't find that name on the register.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "So go get the card then?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Library
Floyd | Shadows roost thickly in the vaulted ceiling, and small, green-shaded
Floyd | desk lamps cast pools of warm radiance here and there around the
Floyd | library's dim interior. You pause a moment to let the hushed
Floyd | peacefulness of this place soak in -- a welcome relief from the
Floyd | unsettling events of the day. An exit lies east, and a small alcove to
Floyd | the north houses the circulation counter.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  University Court                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | University Court
Floyd | Isolated and serene within its high, ivy-covered walls, Miskaton
Floyd | University represents this benighted town's single, if somewhat
Floyd | dubious, claim to cultural achievement. Founded some time in the early
Floyd | 1800s, the school's reputation and enrollment have diminished somewhat
Floyd | as Anchorhead drifts further and further into the abyss of provincial
Floyd | backwaterism. Still, it is generally recognized for its collection of
Floyd | folklore and esoteric mythology (one of the oldest and most extensive
Floyd | on the east coast). The Board of Deans was also kind enough to offer
Floyd | Michael a full professorship upon hearing of his recently discovered
Floyd | heritage and his plans to move into the estate. Ivory tower, perhaps,
Floyd | but at least they take care of their own.
Floyd |
Floyd | There are numerous buildings surrounding this cobbled court, but the
Floyd | only one you are interested in is the library to the west.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "er, I meant Necronomicon, but yeah, let's get the card."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "brief"
Floyd ]  University Court                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > BRIEF
Floyd |
Floyd | ANCHORHEAD is now in its normal "brief" printing mode, which gives
Floyd | long descriptions of places never before visited and short
Floyd | descriptions otherwise.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Junction                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Junction
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Narrow Street                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Narrow Street
Floyd |
Floyd | The cold wind cuts through your clothes, chilling you to the bone.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Whateley Bridge                           day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Whateley Bridge
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Town Square
Floyd |
Floyd | In the center of the square, rising from a circular lawn of
Floyd | unhealthy-looking grass and weeds, stands a strange, stone obelisk. It
Floyd | seems to be a monument of some sort, although you can see no plaque or
Floyd | marker anywhere near it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Riverwalk                                 day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Riverwalk
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Chilly Avenue                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Chilly Avenue
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "sw"
Floyd ]  Scenic View                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SW
Floyd |
Floyd | The ground begins to rise sharply as the road climbs up into the hills
Floyd | south of town.
Floyd |
Floyd | Scenic View
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Outside the House
Floyd |
Floyd | The Verlac mansion looms before you, casting an air of menace over the
Floyd | clearing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the front door first)
Floyd |
Floyd | Foyer
Floyd |
Floyd | The front door stands open to the south.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your luggage is still here, spread out all over the foyer.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | A cold, noiseless draft coils through the narrow entrance hall. You
Floyd | shiver, wondering where it came from.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "u"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Landing                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > U
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Landing
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Master Bedroom
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "l"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > L
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Master Bedroom
Floyd | The master bedroom is a picture-postcard of rustic New England charm.
Floyd | Faded sketches of rural landscapes adorn the walls; a beautifully
Floyd | carved dressing mirror stands in one corner; an old-fashioned
Floyd | accordion radiator gurgles quietly beneath the window. The most
Floyd | striking feature, an enormous, antique, four-poster bed, must be the
Floyd | largest piece of furniture in the house. Doorways lead west and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x pants"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X PANTS
Floyd |
Floyd | A tasteful ensemble from Ann Taylor in muted browns and olive greens
Floyd | (you've been an autumn person since you were old enough to match your
Floyd | own socks).
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x wallet"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X WALLET
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see any such thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Landing                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Landing
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Hall                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Hall
Floyd |
Floyd | A rickety wooden ladder stands here, descending from a three-foot by
Floyd | three-foot square of darkness in the ceiling.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Library
Floyd |
Floyd | A beautiful pair of mahogany sliding doors stand closed to the east.
Floyd |
Floyd | A section of the shelves in the western wall has slid to one side,
Floyd | revealing a hidden safe.
Floyd |
Floyd | Resting on the pipe stand is a sizable volume decorated with a gilded
Floyd | pentagram on its cover.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Study                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the sliding doors first)
Floyd |
Floyd | Study
Floyd | This smaller room adjoining the library seems comfortable enough,
Floyd | although it is dusty and cluttered from having not been lived in for
Floyd | the better part of a year. Aside from the desk and the chair and the
Floyd | empty shelves, the only real feature of the room is the large, ornate
Floyd | fireplace in the southern wall.
Floyd |
Floyd | A beautiful pair of mahogany sliding doors lead west, to the library.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael's laptop sits in the middle of the desk, humming quietly to
Floyd | itself. Also on the desk is a letter opener.
Floyd |
Floyd | Although his computer is still on, Michael isn't here. In fact, you
Floyd | realize, you haven't heard him anywhere in the house since you got
Floyd | home. And you even found him a newspaper. Where in the world could he
Floyd | have gotten to?
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu asks, "Maybe he'll let us "borrow" the card?"
DavidW says, "He's not here."
Knight_Otu says, "Oh."
Jacqueline says, "He is not here."
Knight_Otu says, "I really must be tired."
Jacqueline says, "And the game, iirc, is not forgiving."
DavidW says, "He's out kidnapping children, I guess."
Roger says, "The perfect spouse"
Jacqueline says (to DW), "hahahahaha"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take opener"
Floyd ]  Study                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE OPENER
Floyd |
Floyd | (slipping the umbrella into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a
Floyd | hand free)
Floyd | You pick up the letter opener. It's a rather ornate thing, with a
Floyd | silver hilt and a slim, sharp tip.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to KO), "We could call it for today, if you'd like. We've been going 3 hours"
DavidW says, "The letter opener is a poking device."
Jacqueline exclaims, "It is!"
DavidW says, "We can now do the attic thing."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x laptop"
Floyd ]  Study                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X LAPTOP
Floyd |
Floyd | A top-of-the-line model: it's sleek, lightweight and very fast, a real
Floyd | status symbol for the writer who wants to look as though he might stop
Floyd | whatever he's doing at the drop of a hat and suddenly hack out a
Floyd | bestseller. While you have yet to witness Michael do this, he really
Floyd | had been wanting one since before the two of you even met; so, to
Floyd | celebrate his new teaching position, you splurged and bought him one.
Floyd |
Floyd | The laptop is currently switched on.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Lee's"
Knight_Otu says, "Darnit, we may be trespassing, thieving tomb robbers, but kidnapping, that goes to far."
Jacqueline says, "er, Let's"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read it"
Floyd ]  Study                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ IT
Floyd |
Floyd | The computer is in screen-saver mode: blank except for a single window
Floyd | requesting a 4-digit user passcode. Odd; you didn't think Michael ever
Floyd | used the passcode utility.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Library
Floyd |
Floyd | A beautiful pair of mahogany sliding doors lead east, to the study.
Floyd |
Floyd | A section of the shelves in the western wall has slid to one side,
Floyd | revealing a hidden safe.
Floyd |
Floyd | Resting on the pipe stand is a sizable volume decorated with a gilded
Floyd | pentagram on its cover.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Hall                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Hall
Floyd |
Floyd | A rickety wooden ladder stands here, descending from a three-foot by
Floyd | three-foot square of darkness in the ceiling.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "u"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > U
Floyd |
Floyd | The ancient rungs creak alarmingly as you ascend.
Floyd |
Floyd | Attic
Floyd | It's much cooler up here than in the rest of the house, and you find
Floyd | it hard to suppress a shiver. Grotesque, looming shadows crawl across
Floyd | the low, slanted ceiling, and the dust hangs thick and motionless in
Floyd | the air. To the west the ceiling dips even lower until the space
Floyd | beneath leaves hardly room enough to crawl, while to the north stands
Floyd | a wooden door, draped in shadows and half-hidden by the slanting
Floyd | eaves.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "put newspaper under door"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PUT NEWSPAPER UNDER DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You slide the newspaper under the door, leaving only an inch or two
Floyd | sticking out on your side.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Yeah, I already mentioned that it's about time for me."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "put opener in keyhole"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PUT OPENER IN KEYHOLE
Floyd |
Floyd | The tip of the letter opener bumps against something, and you hear
Floyd | something thump onto the newspaper on the other side of the door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "pull newspaper"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PULL NEWSPAPER
Floyd |
Floyd | Something metallic falls off the newspaper as you pull it out from
Floyd | under the door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "undo"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNDO
Floyd |
Floyd | Attic
Floyd | [Previous turn undone.]
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "uhoh."
Jacqueline says, "bah"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "SAVE"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "cf2"
Floyd | >
Floyd | > SAVE
Floyd | %% Enter a save filename to write:
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd | Ok.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "pull newspaper"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PULL NEWSPAPER
Floyd |
Floyd | Something metallic falls off the newspaper as you pull it out from
Floyd | under the door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline asks, "Maybe we were supposed to unfold the newspaper first?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), ";"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ;
Floyd |
Floyd | That's not a verb I recognise.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "l"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > L
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Attic
Floyd | It's much cooler up here than in the rest of the house, and you find
Floyd | it hard to suppress a shiver. Grotesque, looming shadows crawl across
Floyd | the low, slanted ceiling, and the dust hangs thick and motionless in
Floyd | the air. To the west the ceiling dips even lower until the space
Floyd | beneath leaves hardly room enough to crawl, while to the north stands
Floyd | a wooden door, draped in shadows and half-hidden by the slanting
Floyd | eaves.
Floyd |
Floyd | You can also see an old-fashioned brass key here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take key"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE KEY
Floyd |
Floyd | (the old-fashioned brass key)
Floyd | (slipping the keyring into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a hand
Floyd | free)
Floyd | You pick up the old-fashioned brass key. It's an old key, the kind
Floyd | with a round barrel about a quarter-inch in diameter and flat, square
Floyd | teeth.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your score has just gone up by one point.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Oh."
Jacqueline says, "Cool"
Knight_Otu says, "Whew."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "put brass key on keyring"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PUT BRASS KEY ON KEYRING
Floyd |
Floyd | The old-fashioned brass key is now on the keyring.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | (first taking the keyring)
Floyd | You go through all the keys on your keyring, trying each one in turn,
Floyd | and after several false attempts you discover that the old-fashioned
Floyd | brass key fits the lock.
Floyd | You unlock the door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the door first)
Floyd |
Floyd | Attic Cell
Floyd | A cramped little annex off the main attic, with a tiny, shuttered
Floyd | window high up on the north wall. A pile of mouldering straw in the
Floyd | corner and what looks like pencil marks on the lower part of the walls
Floyd | seem to indicate that someone lived here once. Or, possibly, was kept
Floyd | here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "You're a wizard, Harry."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x straw"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X STRAW
Floyd |
Floyd | This disgusting mess might actually have been some poor soul's bed.
Floyd | You shudder, wondering what sick relative was kept prisoner here, and
Floyd | when.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x marks"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X MARKS
Floyd |
Floyd | They look like a child's drawings, made with pencil or some kind of
Floyd | charcoal. Most of them are smudged and faded, but you can make out
Floyd | stick figures here and there, and the occasional, lollipop-shaped
Floyd | tree.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "search straw"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SEARCH STRAW
Floyd |
Floyd | You gingerly poke through the filthy straw, barely able to suppress
Floyd | your disgust. However, your search is not unrewarded: underneath the
Floyd | thickest part of the pile, you discover a tiny gold locket.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "gold locket"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > GOLD LOCKET
Floyd |
Floyd | That's not a verb I recognise.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x gold"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X GOLD
Floyd |
Floyd | Which do you mean, the gold locket or the wedding ring?
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline exclaims, "!"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "locket"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOCKET
Floyd |
Floyd | It is oval-shaped, held shut with a tiny clasp.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open it"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN IT
Floyd |
Floyd | You open the gold locket, revealing a woman's picture.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline exclaims, "!!"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x picture"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X PICTURE
Floyd |
Floyd | From the quality of the photograph, you'd say the picture must have
Floyd | been taken sometime in the fifties. The woman looks no more than
Floyd | twenty years old. Her pale, fragile face is framed by straight, dark,
Floyd | mousy hair, and she seems to stare plaintively out at you, her
Floyd | expression one of haunted resignation.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take picture"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE PICTURE
Floyd |
Floyd | That's fixed in place.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close locket"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE LOCKET
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the gold locket.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take it"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE IT
Floyd |
Floyd | (slipping the typewritten notice into the pocket of your trenchcoat to
Floyd | get a hand free)
Floyd | Taken.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "I guess we stop here?"
Knight_Otu says, "Anyway... I think.. yes."
DavidW says, "I don't know what to try next anyway."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "save"
Floyd | >
Floyd | > SAVE
Floyd | %% Enter a save filename to write:
DavidW says (to Floyd), "cfanchorhead"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd | Ok.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu exclaims, "Good night!"
Jacqueline says, "I have a feeling we may need to backtrack."
Jacqueline says (to KO), "G'night"
Knight_Otu goes home. DavidW says (to Jacqueline), "Because we didn't take the card."
Jacqueline says, "Yeah"
DavidW says, "You could be right."
DavidW says, "There just wasn't a good reason to take it then."
Jacqueline says, "I was reading in one of Ryan's Cragne Manor documents that this game is cruel."
DavidW says, "Except IF kleptomania."
Jacqueline says (to DW), "Well, there was no reason to rip open that coffin, either, but we did that."
Jacqueline says, "And heck, you all broke into the real estate agent's office first thing."
Jacqueline says, "But I guess the card was in our dear husband's wallet, so I get that."
*** Session 2 ***
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "load sleepmask anchor"
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]             The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind
Floyd ]             is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind
Floyd ]             of fear is fear of the unknown.
Floyd ]
Floyd ]             -- H.P. Lovecraft
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |                         A N C H O R H E A D
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |           [Press 'R' to restore; any other key to begin]
DavidW says, "Sorry I argued against taking the ID."
Jacqueline says, "No worries. I am usually wrong, so you can't be blamed for ignoring my advice based on your ethical argument."
Jacqueline pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | November, 1997.
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | You take a deep breath of salty air as the first raindrops begin to
Floyd | spatter the pavement, and the swollen, slate-colored clouds that
Floyd | blanket the sky mutter ominous portents amongst themselves over the
Floyd | little coastal town of Anchorhead.
Floyd |
Floyd | Squinting up into the glowering storm, you wonder how everything
Floyd | managed to happen so fast. The strange phone call over a month ago,
Floyd | from a lawyer claiming to represent the estate of some distant branch
Floyd | of Michael's family, was bewildering enough in itself... but then the
Floyd | sudden whirlwind of planning and decisions, legal details and travel
Floyd | arrangements, the packing up and shipping away of your entire home,
Floyd | your entire life...
Floyd |
Floyd | Now suddenly here you are, after driving for the past two days
Floyd | straight, over a thousand miles away from the familiar warmth of
Floyd | Texas, getting ready to move into the ancestral mansion of a clan of
Floyd | relatives so far removed that not even Michael has ever heard of them.
Floyd | And you've only been married since June and none of this was any of
Floyd | your idea in the first place, and already it's starting to rain.
Floyd |
Floyd | These days, you often find yourself feeling confused and uprooted.
Floyd |
Floyd | You shake yourself and force the melancholy thoughts from your head,
Floyd | trying to focus on the errand at hand. You're to meet with the real
Floyd | estate agent and pick up the keys to your new house while Michael runs
Floyd | across town to take care of some paperwork at the university. He'll be
Floyd | back to pick you up in a few minutes, and then the two of you can
Floyd | begin the long, precarious process of settling in.
Floyd |
Floyd | A sullen belch emanates from the clouds, and the rain starts coming
Floyd | down harder -- fat, cold drops smacking loudly against the
Floyd | cobblestones. Shouldn't it be snowing in New England at this time of
Floyd | year? With a sigh, you open your umbrella.
Floyd |
Floyd | Welcome to Anchorhead...
Jacqueline pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]                          * THE FIRST DAY *
Floyd ]
Floyd ]          I was far from home, and the spell of the eastern
Floyd ]          sea was upon me.
Floyd ]
Floyd ]          -- H.P. Lovecraft
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd |
Jacqueline pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]  Outside the Real Estate Office            day one
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | ANCHORHEAD
Floyd | An interactive gothic by Michael S. Gentry
Floyd |
Floyd | (Type HELP or ABOUT for some useful information.)
Floyd |
Floyd | Release 5 / Serial number 990206 / Inform v6.15 Library 6/7
Floyd |
Floyd | Outside the Real Estate Office
Floyd | A grim little cul-de-sac, tucked away in a corner of the
Floyd | claustrophobic tangle of narrow, twisting avenues that largely
Floyd | constitute the older portion of Anchorhead. Like most of the streets
Floyd | in this city, it is ancient, shadowy, and leads essentially nowhere.
Floyd | The lane ends here at the real estate agent's office, which lies to
Floyd | the east, and winds its way back toward the center of town to the
Floyd | west. A narrow, garbage-choked alley opens to the southeast.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "I nominate DW to power us through, since he did a lot of the driving last time and is most familiar with the map."
Jacqueline clears the save counter. DavidW says, "sorry, I was restocking my clipboard."
Jacqueline asks, "With ... paper?"
DavidW says, "yes"
Jacqueline says, "Hooray for preparedness."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Alley                                     day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Alley
Floyd | This narrow aperture between two buildings is nearly blocked with
Floyd | piles of rotting cardboard boxes and overstuffed garbage cans. Ugly,
Floyd | half-crumbling brick walls to either side totter oppressively over
Floyd | you. The alley ends here at a tall, wooden fence.
Floyd |
Floyd | High up on the wall of the northern building there is a narrow,
Floyd | transom-style window.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "push can"
Floyd ]  Alley                                     day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > PUSH CAN
Floyd |
Floyd | You push the garbage cans around aimlessly.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "push can under window"
Floyd ]  Alley                                     day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > PUSH CAN UNDER WINDOW
Floyd |
Floyd | Grunting and holding your breath, you manhandle one of the filthy cans
Floyd | under the window.
Floyd |
Floyd | In the distance, you can hear the lonesome keening of a train whistle
Floyd | drifting on the wind.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "u"
Floyd ]  Alley                                     day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > U
Floyd |
Floyd | The window is too high.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "climb can"
Floyd ]  Alley, on the garbage can                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLIMB CAN
Floyd |
Floyd | You clamber onto the wobbling garbage can, precariously balanced. You
Floyd | can just reach the lower edge of the window from here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "u"
Floyd ]  File Room                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > U
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the transom window first)
Floyd | (closing the umbrella first)
Floyd | It's a tight squeeze, but you just manage to wriggle through, dropping
Floyd | quietly to the floor inside.
Floyd |
Floyd | File Room
Floyd | Peering through the murk, you can make out the blocky outlines of
Floyd | filing cabinets lining the walls and a doorway to the west. A window
Floyd | high up on the south wall lets in a very faint illumination.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Office
Floyd | Pallid gray light trickles in through the drawn blinds. The office is
Floyd | deserted, papers still scattered across the top of the desk. The front
Floyd | door lies west, and the file room lies east.
Floyd |
Floyd | Sitting on the corner of the paper-strewn desk are a telephone and an
Floyd | answering machine.
Floyd |
Floyd | Someone seems to have left a cup of coffee sitting out, half-finished
Floyd | and cold.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x display"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X DISPLAY
Floyd |
Floyd | The display indicates there is one message on the machine, left (oddly
Floyd | enough) at 4:19 this morning. The display also shows that the message
Floyd | has already been checked.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "AIT"
Jacqueline says, "WAIT"
Jacqueline says, "Oh, nevermind."
Jacqueline says, "Huh."
Knight_Otu says, "Interesting."
Jacqueline says, "It *had* already been checked."
DavidW says, "Yes."
Jacqueline says, "WEIRD"
Jacqueline says, "Okay."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "push play"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > PUSH PLAY
Floyd |
Floyd | For a while there is nothing but a quiet hiss, followed by
Floyd | intermittent skirls of strange-sounding static. It sounds like one of
Floyd | those annoying glitches where the caller hangs up but the machine
Floyd | keeps recording anyway. Then, barely audible through the static, you
Floyd | detect what sounds like a human voice whispering a single word:
Floyd |
Floyd | "Verlac."
Floyd |
Floyd | The machine beeps.
Floyd |
Floyd | A brief shudder ripples up your back. You remember now, "Verlac" is
Floyd | the name of this branch of Michael's family.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  File Room                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | File Room
Floyd | Peering through the murk, you can make out the blocky outlines of
Floyd | filing cabinets lining the walls and a doorway to the west. A window
Floyd | high up on the south wall lets in a very faint illumination.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up verlac in cabinet"
Floyd ]  File Room                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP VERLAC IN CABINET
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the filing cabinets)
Floyd | Strange; the file on the Verlac property has been cleaned out. Title,
Floyd | deed, all the papers, all of it gone. There is, however, a set of keys
Floyd | tucked down in the hanging folder. You quickly pocket them.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your score has just gone up by two points.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x keys"
Floyd ]  File Room                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X KEYS
Floyd |
Floyd | It's just an ordinary-looking keyring. There are two keys (a key to
Floyd | the house and a key to the cellar) on it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Office
Floyd | Pallid gray light trickles in through the drawn blinds. The office is
Floyd | deserted, papers still scattered across the top of the desk. The front
Floyd | door lies west, and the file room lies east.
Floyd |
Floyd | Sitting on the corner of the paper-strewn desk are a telephone and an
Floyd | answering machine.
Floyd |
Floyd | Someone seems to have left a cup of coffee sitting out, half-finished
Floyd | and cold.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the real estate office door first)
Floyd | It seems to be locked.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door"
Floyd ]  Office                                    day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You unlock the office door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Outside the Real Estate Office            day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the real estate office door first)
Floyd | The rain is still coming down, so you open your umbrella.
Floyd |
Floyd | Outside the Real Estate Office
Floyd | A grim little cul-de-sac, tucked away in a corner of the
Floyd | claustrophobic tangle of narrow, twisting avenues that largely
Floyd | constitute the older portion of Anchorhead. Like most of the streets
Floyd | in this city, it is ancient, shadowy, and leads essentially nowhere.
Floyd | The lane ends here at the real estate agent's office, which lies to
Floyd | the east, and winds its way back toward the center of town to the
Floyd | west. A narrow, garbage-choked alley opens to the southeast.
Floyd |
Floyd | The office door is open.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Outside the Real Estate Office            day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the real estate office door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Narrow Street                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Narrow Street
Floyd | As the lane winds along from east to west, it narrows until the steep,
Floyd | jagged rooftops on either side of the street practically touch each
Floyd | other. To the south, a side street leads across Whateley Bridge toward
Floyd | the center of town, and a twisting lane leads up a hill to the
Floyd | northwest. A short flight of steps to the north leads down to the
Floyd | local watering hole.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "The perfect crime."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Local Pub                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | You close your umbrella, as is your habit after coming indoors.
Floyd |
Floyd | Local Pub
Floyd | A dank, drafty old drinking hole lit by flickering, oil-burning
Floyd | lanterns. Smoke collects in greasy pools among the rafters, and
Floyd | shadows crowd thick around. The bar runs the length of the room to
Floyd | your right, while to the south a low doorway opens onto the street.
Floyd |
Floyd | Mill workers and fishermen occupy a few of the tables, drinking beer
Floyd | or puffing grimly at long-stemmed pipes. Each is wrapped in his
Floyd | solitude, soaking up the general miasma of dreary fatalism.
Floyd |
Floyd | The lantern sitting on the table nearest you sputters fitfully,
Floyd | throwing distorted shadows across the wall.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take lantern"
Floyd ]  Local Pub                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE LANTERN
Floyd |
Floyd | No one here looks as though they'd mind if you borrowed one of these
Floyd | lamps. Casually, you purloin the nearest one.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Local Pub                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | As you make your way to the door, your foot strikes something under
Floyd | one of the tables.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look under table"
Floyd ]  Local Pub                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UNDER TABLE
Floyd |
Floyd | Some forgetful soul has left a flask underneath one of the tables,
Floyd | pushed into a shadowy corner.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take flask"
Floyd ]  Local Pub                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE FLASK
Floyd |
Floyd | You pick up the flask. The label is faded and mostly peeled away, but
Floyd | what little you can make out seems to indicate that this is not a
Floyd | particularly distinguished brand of spirits. The words "bootleg" and
Floyd | "rotgut" come to mind, probably because they are the only words
Floyd | legible on what's left of the label.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "put flask in coat"
Floyd ]  Local Pub                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > PUT FLASK IN COAT
Floyd |
Floyd | You slip the flask into the pocket of your trenchcoat.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Narrow Street                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | The rain is still coming down, so you open your umbrella.
Floyd |
Floyd | Narrow Street
Floyd | As the lane winds along from east to west, it narrows until the steep,
Floyd | jagged rooftops on either side of the street practically touch each
Floyd | other. To the south, a side street leads across Whateley Bridge toward
Floyd | the center of town, and a twisting lane leads up a hill to the
Floyd | northwest. A short flight of steps to the north leads down to the
Floyd | local watering hole.
Floyd |
Floyd | A sudden gust of rain puts the lantern out.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Junction                                  day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Junction
Floyd | To the north, a gap in the crowded press of gloomy buildings opens
Floyd | onto a country lane, heading out over a grassy heath. The main street
Floyd | continues to the east, while to the northwest, over the top of a steep
Floyd | rise, you can just make out the vaulted rooftops of the university.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  University Court                          day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | University Court
Floyd | Isolated and serene within its high, ivy-covered walls, Miskaton
Floyd | University represents this benighted town's single, if somewhat
Floyd | dubious, claim to cultural achievement. Founded some time in the early
Floyd | 1800s, the school's reputation and enrollment have diminished somewhat
Floyd | as Anchorhead drifts further and further into the abyss of provincial
Floyd | backwaterism. Still, it is generally recognized for its collection of
Floyd | folklore and esoteric mythology (one of the oldest and most extensive
Floyd | on the east coast). The Board of Deans was also kind enough to offer
Floyd | Michael a full professorship upon hearing of his recently discovered
Floyd | heritage and his plans to move into the estate. Ivory tower, perhaps,
Floyd | but at least they take care of their own.
Floyd |
Floyd | There are numerous buildings surrounding this cobbled court, but the
Floyd | only one you are interested in is the library to the west, where
Floyd | Michael told you he'd be until he came back to the real estate agent's
Floyd | office to pick you up. Which, incidentally, he has not yet done.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd | You close your umbrella, as is your habit after coming indoors.
Floyd |
Floyd | Library
Floyd | Shadows roost thickly in the vaulted ceiling, and small, green-shaded
Floyd | desk lamps cast pools of warm radiance here and there around the
Floyd | library's dim interior. You pause a moment to let the hushed
Floyd | peacefulness of this place soak in -- a welcome relief from the
Floyd | unsettling events of the day. An exit lies east, and a small alcove to
Floyd | the north houses the circulation counter.
Floyd |
Floyd | Peering through the shadows, you spot your husband sitting at one of
Floyd | the reading desks, absorbed in some sort of weighty tome and clearly
Floyd | oblivious to the time.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "kiss michael"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > KISS MICHAEL
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael looks up, startled, then realizes it's you and smiles. "Hi,
Floyd | hon," he says, closing the book and stretching. Then he glances at his
Floyd | watch. "Good grief, what happened to the time? I'm so sorry -- I just
Floyd | lost track." He smiles sheepishly.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Well?" he asks. "Did you get the keys?"
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "show keys to michael"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > SHOW KEYS TO MICHAEL
Floyd |
Floyd | "Great!" says Michael. "You hang on to that. Just a second, I'll put
Floyd | this back." He takes the book up to the circulation desk and hands it
Floyd | to the librarian. "Okay then," he says, returning, "let's go."
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael suddenly smacks his forehead. "Oh, crap, I forgot to tell you.
Floyd | The car broke down." He spreads his hands. "I don't know what happened
Floyd | to it; one second I'm parking outside, the next second it dies and I
Floyd | can't get it started again. I called a tow truck, but the nearest
Floyd | garage is up in Arkham. They picked it up but won't be able to look at
Floyd | it until next week at the earliest. Anyway, it looks like we'll have
Floyd | to walk back to the house." He offers you a lame smile. "You can hold
Floyd | the umbrella."
Floyd |
Floyd | Your score has just gone up by two points.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd | You may leave to the east, or approach the counter to the north.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  University Court                          day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd | The rain is still coming down, so you open your umbrella.
Floyd |
Floyd | University Court
Floyd | Isolated and serene within its high, ivy-covered walls, Miskaton
Floyd | University represents this benighted town's single, if somewhat
Floyd | dubious, claim to cultural achievement. Founded some time in the early
Floyd | 1800s, the school's reputation and enrollment have diminished somewhat
Floyd | as Anchorhead drifts further and further into the abyss of provincial
Floyd | backwaterism. Still, it is generally recognized for its collection of
Floyd | folklore and esoteric mythology (one of the oldest and most extensive
Floyd | on the east coast). The Board of Deans was also kind enough to offer
Floyd | Michael a full professorship upon hearing of his recently discovered
Floyd | heritage and his plans to move into the estate. Ivory tower, perhaps,
Floyd | but at least they take care of their own.
Floyd |
Floyd | There are numerous buildings surrounding this cobbled court, but the
Floyd | only one you are interested in is the library to the west.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael hurries to catch up.
Floyd |
Floyd | "I apologized about the car, right?" says Michael sheepishly.
Floyd |
Floyd | A sudden gust of wind blows a cold spray of rain into your face.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask michael about car"
Floyd ]  University Court                          day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MICHAEL ABOUT CAR
Floyd |
Floyd | "Strange about the car, isn't it?"
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline asks, "?"
Jacqueline says, "Michael."
Jacqueline sighs.
DavidW says (to Floyd), "tell michael about real estate agent"
Floyd ]  University Court                          day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > TELL MICHAEL ABOUT REAL ESTATE AGENT
Floyd |
Floyd | He frowns as you tell him about the real estate agent's disappearance.
Floyd | "That is rather odd," he says. "I wonder where she could be?"
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask michael about house"
Floyd ]  University Court                          day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MICHAEL ABOUT HOUSE
Floyd |
Floyd | "The Verlac family has been living in that old place for generations;
Floyd | they're an integral part of the history of this whole region. It's
Floyd | really quite interesting."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Just get him home, get his clothes off, and steal his faculty card."
Jacqueline says, "(Kidding)"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "okay"
Floyd ]  University Court                          day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > OKAY
Floyd |
Floyd | That's not a verb I recognise.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  University Court                          day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd | Although these hallowed halls of learning probably hold a veritable
Floyd | trove of knowledge, you are no longer a student, and the only building
Floyd | you have any business in is the library.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Junction                                  day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Junction
Floyd | To the north, a gap in the crowded press of gloomy buildings opens
Floyd | onto a country lane, heading out over a grassy heath. The main street
Floyd | continues to the east, while to the northwest, over the top of a steep
Floyd | rise, you can just make out the vaulted rooftops of the university.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael strolls along after you.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "(sort of)"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Narrow Street                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Narrow Street
Floyd | As the lane winds along from east to west, it narrows until the steep,
Floyd | jagged rooftops on either side of the street practically touch each
Floyd | other. To the south, a side street leads across Whateley Bridge toward
Floyd | the center of town, and a twisting lane leads up a hill to the
Floyd | northwest. A short flight of steps to the north leads down to the
Floyd | local watering hole.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael hurries to catch up.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Whateley Bridge                           day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Whateley Bridge
Floyd | A hoary monument of crumbling, moss-eaten flagstones, Whateley Bridge
Floyd | is possibly older than any other structure in the entire city.
Floyd | Ponderously it spans the dark, torpid waters of the Miskaton River,
Floyd | connecting the north and south halves of the city and occasionally
Floyd | raining bits of gravel and mortar from its underside into the water.
Floyd | It looks just wide enough for two cars to pass each other between the
Floyd | flanking stone parapets, but you wouldn't volunteer to try it.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael hurries to catch up.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu asks, "And he offers no insights about our criminal activity?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Whateley Bridge                           day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd | The bridge only leads north and south from here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Town Square
Floyd | A wide expanse of uneven pavestones lies open to the sky, bordered on
Floyd | all sides by the leaning, steep-roofed architecture that looms over
Floyd | everything in this city. The municipal courthouse stands at the south
Floyd | end of the square, next to the mouth of a dark, narrow alley to the
Floyd | southwest. Avenues to the west and east lead back into the cramped and
Floyd | ingrown streets, while to the north lies Whateley Bridge.
Floyd |
Floyd | In the center of the square, rising from a circular lawn of
Floyd | unhealthy-looking grass and weeds, stands a strange, stone obelisk. It
Floyd | seems to be a monument of some sort, although you can see no plaque or
Floyd | marker anywhere near it.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael strolls along after you.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Riverwalk                                 day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Riverwalk
Floyd | A low, irregular brick wall to the north divides this street from the
Floyd | steep, mud-slick banks of the sinuous Miskaton, while a rusty iron
Floyd | gate provides access to a precarious flight of stone steps leading
Floyd | down the bank to the water's edge. The street bends south here,
Floyd | turning into a misty avenue between the trees. The town square lies
Floyd | west, a vacant lot lies east.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael follows you.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Chilly Avenue                             day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Chilly Avenue
Floyd | Perhaps it is merely the effect of some unwholesome vapour rising from
Floyd | the murky waters of the nearby Miskaton, but the temperature along
Floyd | this street seems perceptibly cooler than normal, even for a New
Floyd | England autumn. Two dirt roads lead south and southwest, into the
Floyd | dense woods at the edge of town.
Floyd |
Floyd | A clammy mist hangs thickly in the air, seeping through your clothes
Floyd | and making you shiver.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael hurries to catch up.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "sw"
Floyd ]  Scenic View                               day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > SW
Floyd |
Floyd | As you walk through, the mists part before your husband almost
Floyd | deferentially, quickly dissolving away into nothing.
Floyd |
Floyd | The ground begins to rise sharply as the road climbs up into the hills
Floyd | south of town.
Floyd |
Floyd | Scenic View
Floyd | The treeline falls away on the north side of this northwest-northeast
Floyd | bend in the road, giving way to a panoramic view of the Miskaton River
Floyd | Valley and the grubby little town of Anchorhead nestled within it.
Floyd | From here you can see the paper mill almost directly to the north; the
Floyd | solitary lighthouse and surrounding ocean to the northeast; and the
Floyd | dilapidated stone church below you to the east. Winding through it all
Floyd | is the oily black ribbon of the Miskaton, and almost directly in the
Floyd | center lies the little clearing of Town Square. You can just make out
Floyd | the shape of the obelisk from here.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael follows you.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Outside the House
Floyd | The lane runs up from the southeast and ends at a wide clearing
Floyd | surrounded by gnarled and ancient trees. A wide, curving driveway runs
Floyd | up to the front door of your house, which lies north.
Floyd |
Floyd | The fabled Verlac family mansion looms before you in the gloom, its
Floyd | dark creaking presence dominating the clearing and, somehow, even
Floyd | though it is not visible through the trees, the entire valley. The
Floyd | foreboding shadow of the Verlacs seems to enshroud all of Anchorhead
Floyd | from here.
Floyd |
Floyd | A typewritten notice has been attached to the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael follows you.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Well," says Michael, "this must be the place. We finally made it,
Floyd | honey. We're home!"
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x notice"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > X NOTICE
Floyd |
Floyd | It's a letter from the Arkham Regional Utilities Company, explaining
Floyd | that, due to wiring difficulties, the electricity will not be
Floyd | installed until next week. No phone service, either.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Well, that's wonderful news," remarks Michael dryly, reading over
Floyd | your shoulder.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take it"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE IT
Floyd |
Floyd | Taken.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day one
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You unlock the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the front door first)
Floyd | You close your umbrella, as is your habit after coming indoors.
Floyd |
Floyd | Foyer
Floyd | Although it appears spacious from the outside, the house's interior
Floyd | feels cramped and gloomy. The walls seem too close together; the
Floyd | ceiling is too high. The doorways, leading in several directions, are
Floyd | narrow and filled with shadows, and the stairs leading up to the
Floyd | second floor are steep and rickety. This is not a house that makes you
Floyd | feel welcome. It is a house that makes you feel tiny and timid, and
Floyd | afraid of dark places. It is a house that makes you feel alone.
Floyd |
Floyd | The front door stands open to the south.
Floyd |
Floyd | Carelessly stacked in a towering heap in the middle of the room are
Floyd | all your luggage and belongings, which you had sent ahead through a
Floyd | moving company before driving up to Massachusetts. Everything you own
Floyd | is boxed away and piled up in the middle of the floor. The reality of
Floyd | this move finally slams home as you stare at the sprawling jumble of
Floyd | stuff, and suddenly you feel very lost and adrift.
Floyd |
Floyd | Night has now undeniably fallen, and the house is very, very dark.
Floyd | There is probably just enough residual ambience to feel your way
Floyd | upstairs to the bedroom, but the rest of the house is a tenebrous maze
Floyd | of shadows, and any exploring would probably best be done in the
Floyd | morning.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael follows you.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael stretches his arms and yawns. "Well," he says, "I think I'm
Floyd | going to turn in. There'll be plenty of time to unpack and explore
Floyd | tomorrow. Good night, hon." He kisses you on the cheek. "Don't stay up
Floyd | too late."
Floyd |
Floyd | And with that, he goes upstairs.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "lock it"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOCK IT
Floyd |
Floyd | You lock the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "u"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Landing                          day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > U
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Landing
Floyd | A narrow hallway runs east, from the top of the stairs down the length
Floyd | of the house. To the north, directly opposite the stairs, is the
Floyd | master bedroom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Master Bedroom
Floyd | The master bedroom is a picture-postcard of rustic New England charm.
Floyd | Faded sketches of rural landscapes adorn the walls; a beautifully
Floyd | carved dressing mirror stands in one corner; an old-fashioned
Floyd | accordion radiator gurgles quietly beneath the window. The most
Floyd | striking feature, an enormous, antique, four-poster bed, must be the
Floyd | largest piece of furniture in the house.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael is curled up in bed, sound asleep.
Floyd |
Floyd | If it weren't for this hopelessly backwater town and the disturbing
Floyd | circumstances surrounding the house, you'd say this was your dream
Floyd | home. Even so, as much as you would like to relax and enjoy the
Floyd | comforts of a fully furnished historical New England estate, you can't
Floyd | help but be put off by the shady aura surrounding the family that used
Floyd | to live here. The last of the line, you remind yourself, recently
Floyd | committed suicide after killing his wife and two daughters with a
Floyd | shotgun. Involuntarily you shiver, glancing nervously at the doorways
Floyd | to the south and west.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "drop all"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > DROP ALL
Floyd |
Floyd | typewritten notice: Dropped.
Floyd | lantern: Dropped.
Floyd | keyring: Dropped.
Floyd | umbrella: Dropped.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael emits a brief snore, then rolls over and sinks back into
Floyd | troubled sleep.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "undress"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNDRESS
Floyd |
Floyd | You take off the trenchcoat.
Floyd | You take off the clothes.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "drop all"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > DROP ALL
Floyd |
Floyd | trenchcoat: Dropped.
Floyd | clothes: Dropped.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "enter bed"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed    day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > ENTER BED
Floyd |
Floyd | Gratefully, you crawl into bed and pull the covers up to your chin.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "kiss michael"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed    day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > KISS MICHAEL
Floyd |
Floyd | Gently, you kiss your husband's forehead. His skin feels dry and
Floyd | feverish.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "That's odd."
Knight_Otu says, "Uh oh."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "touch michael"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed    day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > TOUCH MICHAEL
Floyd |
Floyd | Gently, you kiss your husband's forehead. His skin feels dry and
Floyd | feverish.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "sleep"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed    day one, evening
Floyd |
Floyd | > SLEEP
Floyd |
Floyd | Almost immediately you fall asleep, and as the wind slithers around
Floyd | the eaves and the house creaks furtive secrets to itself, you drift
Floyd | into troubling dreams...
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | You are waiting in your bed, with the coverlet up under your chin,
Floyd | waiting for Father to come tuck you in. Footsteps in the hall pause
Floyd | outside your door. You close your eyes; when you open them again
Floyd | Father is standing at the foot of the bed. His eyes are bloodshot,
Floyd | rimmed with red, and you wonder if he has been crying. Slowly, he
Floyd | starts to take off his belt.
Floyd |
Floyd | Only it's not your father after all, it's Michael. He hands you a
Floyd | golden sphere and says:
Floyd |
Floyd | "I don't know what it opens yet but I have an idea."
Floyd |
Floyd | Your reflection is like a little doll trapped inside the sphere.
Floyd | Everything is tinged with gold. Your face swells and stretches
Floyd | comically as you stare back at yourself through the curved, distorting
Floyd | walls. Reaching out, your fingers curve back on themselves... the wall
Floyd | breaks and...
Floyd |
Floyd | You are running from the eyes, the terrible red-rimmed eyes, through
Floyd | endless, narrow corridors of wooden slats and crumbling plaster. You
Floyd | stumble through turn after turn, hopelessly lost. There is a small
Floyd | hole in the boards -- peering through it you see Michael in the study,
Floyd | typing diligently away. You scream, you pound on the wall, but he
Floyd | can't hear you. The red-rimmed eyes draw closer; hurrying down a
Floyd | twisting passage you find a dead end... the wall breaks and...
Floyd |
Floyd | Outside, you stand at another dead end, a high brick wall at the end
Floyd | of a steep, twisting lane. Written in black spraypaint...
Floyd |
Floyd | He always returns to his blood.
Floyd |
Floyd | Behind you, you hear the buzzing of a fly. You turn...
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]                         * THE SECOND DAY *
Floyd ]
Floyd ]             It is hard to prevent the impression
Floyd ]             of a faint, malign odour about the village
Floyd ]             street, as of the massed mould and decay of
Floyd ]             centuries. It is always a relief to get
Floyd ]             clear of the place.
Floyd ]
Floyd ]             -- H.P. Lovecraft
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd |
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed    day two
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | You wake up. Steam billows gently by, and you can hear the sound of
Floyd | running water coming from the bathroom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open wallet"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN WALLET
Floyd |
Floyd | (first taking the wallet)
Floyd | With a nervous glance toward the bathroom, you slip the wallet from
Floyd | Michael's pants.
Floyd | You open the wallet, revealing Michael's faculty card.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take card"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE CARD
Floyd |
Floyd | The shower suddenly stops. Quickly you palm the card, replace the
Floyd | wallet and arrange the pants the way you found them. A moment later
Floyd | Michael emerges from the bathroom, toweling his hair. "My, don't you
Floyd | look tempting this morning," he says, giving you a kiss. He tosses the
Floyd | towel back into the bathroom and gets dressed. "I think I'm going to
Floyd | stay home and get some writing done. I don't actually start work until
Floyd | tomorrow, so..." He kisses you on the cheek as he walks out into the
Floyd | hall. "If you go out today, see if you can find a newspaper. I want to
Floyd | learn as much as I can about this town."
Floyd |
Floyd | He looks at you for a moment, and his voice becomes serious. "I love
Floyd | you, hon. You know that, don't you? I really want us to try and be
Floyd | happy here."
Floyd |
Floyd | Then he turns and pads down the hall.
Floyd |
Floyd | You take a deep breath as he goes. You've never lied to Michael or
Floyd | hidden anything from him before, ever; now, hardly two days into your
Floyd | new life, you're already sneaking through his wallet.
Floyd |
Floyd | Oh yeah. You're off to a great start.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "dang"
Jacqueline says, "Thanks, game."
DavidW clears the save counter.
DavidW says (to Floyd), "push save"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PUSH SAVE
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see any such thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "SAVE"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "cf1"
Floyd | >
Floyd | > SAVE
Floyd | %% Enter a save filename to write:
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed    day two
Floyd | Ok.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom, on the four-poster bed    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd | You'll have to get off the four-poster bed first.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "stand"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > STAND
Floyd |
Floyd | Reluctantly, you do so.
Floyd |
Floyd | Master Bedroom
Floyd | The master bedroom is a picture-postcard of rustic New England charm.
Floyd | Faded sketches of rural landscapes adorn the walls; a beautifully
Floyd | carved dressing mirror stands in one corner; an old-fashioned
Floyd | accordion radiator gurgles quietly beneath the window. The most
Floyd | striking feature, an enormous, antique, four-poster bed, must be the
Floyd | largest piece of furniture in the house. Doorways lead west and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your clothes lie in an untidy pile on the floor.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your trenchcoat is here.
Floyd |
Floyd | You can also see your umbrella, a keyring (on which are two keys (a
Floyd | key to the house and a key to the cellar)), a lantern and a
Floyd | typewritten notice here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Bathroom                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Bathroom
Floyd | A small chamber of cold, white tile and floral-print wallpaper. It
Floyd | sports a genuine, whitewashed, claw-foot bathtub with a shower
Floyd | attachment, which is a definite plus. The bedroom lies east.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael's bath towel lies crumpled in the corner, next to the tub.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take shower"
Floyd ]  Bathroom                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE SHOWER
Floyd |
Floyd | You've always been more of a bath person, actually.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take bath"
Floyd ]  Bathroom                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE BATH
Floyd |
Floyd | (the towel)
Floyd | You pick up the towel. It's still a little damp from Michael's shower,
Floyd | but otherwise it's a perfectly ordinary bath towel.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "drop towel"
Floyd ]  Bathroom                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > DROP TOWEL
Floyd |
Floyd | Dropped.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "enter bath"
Floyd ]  Bathroom                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ENTER BATH
Floyd |
Floyd | (the towel)
Floyd | That's not something you can enter.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "heh"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "wash me"
Floyd ]  Bathroom                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > WASH ME
Floyd |
Floyd | That's not a verb I recognise.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to DW), "Behave"
Knight_Otu says, "I guess we don't get to clean up."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take towel"
Floyd ]  Bathroom                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE TOWEL
Floyd |
Floyd | Taken.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "heh"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Master Bedroom
Floyd | The master bedroom is a picture-postcard of rustic New England charm.
Floyd | Faded sketches of rural landscapes adorn the walls; a beautifully
Floyd | carved dressing mirror stands in one corner; an old-fashioned
Floyd | accordion radiator gurgles quietly beneath the window. The most
Floyd | striking feature, an enormous, antique, four-poster bed, must be the
Floyd | largest piece of furniture in the house. Doorways lead west and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your clothes lie in an untidy pile on the floor.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your trenchcoat is here.
Floyd |
Floyd | You can also see your umbrella, a keyring (on which are two keys (a
Floyd | key to the house and a key to the cellar)), a lantern and a
Floyd | typewritten notice here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "wear clothes"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > WEAR CLOTHES
Floyd |
Floyd | (first taking the clothes)
Floyd | You put on the clothes.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "wear coat"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > WEAR COAT
Floyd |
Floyd | (first taking the trenchcoat)
Floyd | You put on the trenchcoat.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take all"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE ALL
Floyd |
Floyd | umbrella: Taken.
Floyd | keyring: Taken.
Floyd | lantern: (slipping the faculty card into the pocket of your trenchcoat
Floyd | to get a hand free)
Floyd | Taken.
Floyd | typewritten notice: (slipping the towel into the pocket of your
Floyd | trenchcoat to get a hand free)
Floyd | Taken.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "i"
Floyd ]  Master Bedroom                            day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > I
Floyd |
Floyd | You are wearing your trenchcoat, your clothes and your wedding ring;
Floyd | in addition, you have in your hands a typewritten notice, a lantern, a
Floyd | keyring, on which are two keys (a key to the house and a key to the
Floyd | cellar) and your umbrella.
Floyd |
Floyd | The pockets of your trenchcoat contain a towel, Michael's faculty card
Floyd | and a flask (which is closed).
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline asks, "We can't talk to Michael again, right?"
Jacqueline asks, "He's holed up in his room working?"
DavidW says, "Michael went to the study."
Knight_Otu exclaims, "The trenchcoat pocket is bacck!"
Jacqueline says, "Just curious if he is still feaverish."
Jacqueline says, "Er, feverish"
DavidW says, "When we eventually looked for him, he wasn't there and his laptop was password protected."
Jacqueline nods.
Knight_Otu says, "As long as he's still around, we might be able to show him things."
DavidW says, "We could check on him right away, I suppose."
Jacqueline says, "Let's."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Landing                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Landing
Jacqueline says, "I worry about him so."
Floyd | A narrow hallway runs east, from the top of the stairs down the length
Floyd | of the house. To the north, directly opposite the stairs, is the
Floyd | master bedroom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Hall                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Hall
Floyd | The shuttered window at the end of the hall throws a gloomy rectangle
Floyd | of light onto the bare wooden floor. Doorways lead north and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | There is a cord dangling in mid-air here, right about level with your
Floyd | face.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "I think he remained for a bit."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Library
Floyd | Whatever else their faults may have been, the Verlacs were evidently
Floyd | not ones to shun the printed word. Books line the walls from floor to
Floyd | ceiling in this dark-paneled, green-carpeted room, interrupted only by
Floyd | doorways to the east and south. A rich, brown leather armchair sits in
Floyd | stately repose near the window, with a polished brass pipe stand
Floyd | nearby completing the picture of some blue-blooded country squire's
Floyd | literary refuge. Once again, you are struck by how easily this place
Floyd | could have been the perfect home.
Floyd |
Floyd | A beautiful pair of mahogany sliding doors stand closed to the east.
Floyd |
Floyd | Resting on the pipe stand is a sizable volume decorated with a gilded
Floyd | pentagram on its cover.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the sliding doors first)
Floyd | Michael is in the study, typing furiously at his laptop. As you walk
Floyd | in he looks up at you with a pained expression. "Can it wait?" he asks
Floyd | you. "I think I'm onto something really good here, and if I don't get
Floyd | it all out I'm going to lose it. If you don't mind, hon, I could
Floyd | really use the next hour or so to myself."
Floyd |
Floyd | Not wanting to disturb him, you tiptoe out, shutting the doors quietly
Floyd | behind you.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Okay then."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x volume"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X VOLUME
Floyd |
Floyd | (The Compleat Manual of Wardes and Seales)
Floyd | It's an old medieval tome dated in the early 1300s, written by one
Floyd | Galarian Academius desChamps.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read it"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ IT
Floyd |
Floyd | Essentially, it's a textbook on the theory and practice of magickal
Floyd | wards and seals, mystic symbols inscribed on doors and containers in
Floyd | order to keep people and spirits out -- or in. It's all very
Floyd | deliberately vague and arcane (in addition to being written in
Floyd | medieval French and translated into Middle English, making it nearly
Floyd | impossible to understand), the kind of thing that likely got many a
Floyd | scholar burned at the stake in those days.
Floyd |
Floyd | You are surprised to find that a page in this old and probably quite
Floyd | valuable book has been folded down, as though to mark the place. The
Floyd | section marked discusses various methods of opening doors that have
Floyd | been sealed with the image of a pagan god. Speaking aloud the deity's
Floyd | true name will usually do the trick, apparently.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x books"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X BOOKS
Floyd |
Floyd | Literally hundreds of books stuff the shelves, many of them thick,
Floyd | cracked, leather-bound tomes with ribbon place-holders and titles
Floyd | lettered in raised gold leaf. It would take you years to peruse them
Floyd | all. However, one interesting title does catch your eye. An authentic
Floyd | first printing of Edgar Allen Poe's Tales of Mystery and
Floyd | Imagination, shelved incongruously between volumes "G" and "H" of
Floyd | the Encyclopedia Americana.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take poe"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE POE
Floyd |
Floyd | The book sticks stubbornly at first, and, thinking that it must be
Floyd | tightly wedged in between the encyclopediae, you give it a fierce
Floyd | jerk. Suddenly, the book slides halfway out, then pops back in with a
Floyd | loud "snick".
Floyd |
Floyd | Amazingly, a section of the bookshelf slides back, revealing a hidden
Floyd | safe.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your score has just gone up by one point.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x safe"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X SAFE
Floyd |
Floyd | It's a stark cube of black, oily steel, fifteen inches to a side. Its
Floyd | only feature is a large calibrated dial set into the front.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "dial"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > DIAL
Floyd |
Floyd | (The Compleat Manual of Wardes and Seales)
Floyd | You'd probably have better luck if you were near a phone.
Floyd |
Floyd | You can hear Michael in the next room, typing away.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x dial"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X DIAL
Floyd |
Floyd | The dial is calibrated from one to sixty. It is currently set to 27.
Floyd |
Floyd | You can hear Michael in the next room, typing away.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Hall                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Hall
Floyd | The shuttered window at the end of the hall throws a gloomy rectangle
Floyd | of light onto the bare wooden floor. Doorways lead north and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | There is a cord dangling in mid-air here, right about level with your
Floyd | face.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "pull cord"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Hall                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PULL CORD
Floyd |
Floyd | With a rusty, ratcheting groan and a brief shower of dust, the trap
Floyd | door swings down and folds back, revealing a rickety wooden ladder
Floyd | leading up into darkness.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Landing                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Landing
Floyd | A narrow hallway runs east, from the top of the stairs down the length
Floyd | of the house. To the north, directly opposite the stairs, is the
Floyd | master bedroom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "d"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > D
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Foyer
Floyd | Although it appears spacious from the outside, the house's interior
Floyd | feels cramped and gloomy. The walls seem too close together; the
Floyd | ceiling is too high. The doorways, leading in several directions, are
Floyd | narrow and filled with shadows, and the stairs leading up to the
Floyd | second floor are steep and rickety. This is not a house that makes you
Floyd | feel welcome. It is a house that makes you feel tiny and timid, and
Floyd | afraid of dark places. It is a house that makes you feel alone.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your luggage is still here, spread out all over the foyer.
Floyd |
Floyd | A cold, noiseless draft coils through the narrow entrance hall. You
Floyd | shiver, wondering where it came from.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Dining Room
Floyd | Much of the elegance has faded from this room. The huge dining table
Floyd | running the length of it is covered with a thick gray film of dust,
Floyd | and the china cupboard standing against the far wall is draped in
Floyd | shadow. Doorways to the north and east offer little relief from the
Floyd | gloom. For what must be the hundredth time, you wish you could open
Floyd | the windows in this place.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open cupboard"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN CUPBOARD
Floyd |
Floyd | The cupboard is empty; the china must have been auctioned off, in the
Floyd | confusion before Michael was contacted, perhaps. Down at the bottom of
Floyd | the cupboard is a velvet lining, where the silverware would usually be
Floyd | kept.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x lining"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X LINING
Floyd |
Floyd | The lining is soft, dusky burgundy. One corner in back is pulled up a
Floyd | bit and slightly torn.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "pull lining"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PULL LINING
Floyd |
Floyd | You pull the lining back a bit further and discover a thin, palm-sized
Floyd | journal tucked underneath it. Intrigued, you pull the little book
Floyd | free.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your score has just gone up by two points.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x book"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X BOOK
Floyd |
Floyd | It's a slim little book, no bigger than your hand, bound in imitation
Floyd | leather. The mice really have been at it; most of the pages have been
Floyd | chewed away.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read it"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ IT
Floyd |
Floyd | It's a slim little book, no bigger than your hand, bound in imitation
Floyd | leather. The mice really have been at it; most of the pages have been
Floyd | chewed away.
Floyd |
Floyd | What's left of the journal reads:
Floyd |
Floyd | Desperate. Went back to the old twisting lane and found only a
Floyd | blank wall. Without the amulet, how can I resist --
Floyd |
Floyd | ...bottles, bottles...
Floyd |
Floyd | Getting worse. People I have never met smile knowingly at me in
Floyd | the street. The police believe I am a child molester, but have brought
Floyd | no charges against me as yet. Why? Head hurts all the time. I have
Floyd | turned the cellar upside-down... damn it all, where is it?
Floyd |
Floyd | Dreamed of Father again. Dreamed of Grandfather. Those horrible,
Floyd | red-rimmed eyes...
Floyd |
Floyd |  -- into the safe, finally. 8-23-36. Won't forget THAT soon.
Floyd | Ha!
Floyd |
Floyd | CANNOT DISCOVER ENTRANCE IN THE CELLAR!!! Secret eludes me still
Floyd | but I WILL FIND IT!!! The clue is in their names, that pestilential
Floyd | procession of names! If I could only --
Floyd |
Floyd | The text breaks off as several more pages are missing. the last
Floyd | fragmented entry reads:
Floyd |
Floyd |  -- will fail. There is no recourse left. I know now what I must
Floyd | do. Julia --
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Kitchen
Floyd | Where once pots and skillets and various utensils hung in profusion,
Floyd | the kitchen walls are now merely ranks of dusty cabinets and a forest
Floyd | of empty hooks. Doorways lead east and south, a small pantry lies to
Floyd | the northwest, and the back door to the north leads out of the house.
Floyd |
Floyd | Someone's flashlight is lying on the kitchen counter; one of the
Floyd | movers must have left it.
Floyd |
Floyd | An odd feeling of gloom overtakes you momentarily, and you find
Floyd | yourself thinking about the Verlac family's personal effects -- the
Floyd | everyday mundanities, such as kitchen utensils. Were they thrown out,
Floyd | or donated to charity, or auctioned off as grisly souvenirs? What
Floyd | about the canned goods? Did anyone think to take them? The cabinets
Floyd | might even still be stocked. Morbidly, you wonder what Mrs. Edward
Floyd | Verlac might have been cooking for dinner the night her husband blew
Floyd | her head off.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take flashlight"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE FLASHLIGHT
Floyd |
Floyd | (slipping the umbrella into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a
Floyd | hand free)
Floyd | You pick up the flashlight. It's battery-powered, and waterproof too,
Floyd | by the look of it.
Floyd |
Floyd | The flashlight is currently switched off.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open cupboards"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN CUPBOARDS
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see any such thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open cupboard"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN CUPBOARD
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see any such thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open cabinet"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN CABINET
Floyd |
Floyd | The cabinets are not, after all, still stocked -- much to your relief.
Floyd | There's nothing in there but an old book of matches.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take matches"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE MATCHES
Floyd |
Floyd | (slipping the keyring into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a hand
Floyd | free)
Floyd | You pick up the book of matches. A label on the side reads,
Floyd | "Water-resistant matches. Strike on cover." There are six matches
Floyd | left.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  Darkness                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Darkness
Floyd | It is pitch dark, and you can't see a thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn on flashlight"
Floyd ]  Pantry                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN ON FLASHLIGHT
Floyd |
Floyd | The flashlight emits a warm yellow beam.
Floyd |
Floyd | Pantry
Floyd | The pantry is empty save for a layer of dust on the shelves. A door to
Floyd | the south leads down to the cellar, or you can return to the kitchen
Floyd | to the southeast.
Floyd |
Floyd | Leaning in the corner is an old broom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take broom"
Floyd ]  Pantry                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE BROOM
Floyd |
Floyd | (slipping the lantern into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a hand
Floyd | free)
Floyd | You pick up the broom. It's just an ordinary-looking broom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door"
Floyd ]  Pantry                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | (first taking the keyring)
Floyd | (slipping the typewritten notice into the pocket of your trenchcoat to
Floyd | get a hand free)
Floyd | Taken.
Floyd | You unlock the cellar door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Cellar                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the cellar door first)
Floyd | You descend the gloomy steps into the dank cellar.
Floyd |
Floyd | Cellar
Floyd | The old, flagstone walls gleam with unwholesome-smelling moisture, and
Floyd | the sagging timbers creak uneasily above your head. Ancient, frayed
Floyd | wiring festoons the ceiling like some strange species of clinging
Floyd | vine. Portions of the cellar extend south and east into the clammy
Floyd | darkness, though you could always beat a hasty retreat up the stairs
Floyd | to the north.
Floyd |
Floyd | One largish bundle of wires leads down to a rusty old fuse cabinet
Floyd | bolted to the far wall.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x web"
Floyd ]  Cellar                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X WEB
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see any such thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Storage
Floyd | Old crates and boxes piled high against the walls make this room seem
Floyd | even smaller and dingier than it actually is, which is saying a lot. A
Floyd | doorway lies north; the other walls contain nothing but shadows and
Floyd | dirt-filled corners.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "search crates"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SEARCH CRATES
Floyd |
Floyd | You spend some time poking dispiritedly through boxes of second-hand
Floyd | table settings, discarded shoes and outdated encyclopedias, but the
Floyd | only thing you manage to dig up is an old cardboard box full of
Floyd | newspaper clippings, which might make interesting reading later if you
Floyd | can find the time. The only thing at all noteworthy about the room, in
Floyd | fact, is that it desperately wants cleaning; there's even a big,
Floyd | nasty-looking spider web in a corner behind one of the crates.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x web"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X WEB
Floyd |
Floyd | Not a pretty, symmetrical spiral web like you see in nature magazines;
Floyd | this is a tangled, ugly mass of dull gray threads spun in every
Floyd | direction, the work of some careless, inebriated arachnid on a weekend
Floyd | binger. Way back in the corner, almost buried beneath the disheveled
Floyd | strands, is an old-fashioned iron key.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "break web with broom"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > BREAK WEB WITH BROOM
Floyd |
Floyd | With a single sweep of the broom, you clear the spider web away.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take key"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE KEY
Floyd |
Floyd | (the old-fashioned iron key)
Floyd | (slipping the torn journal into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a
Floyd | hand free)
Floyd | You pick up the old-fashioned iron key. It's an old key, the kind with
Floyd | a round barrel about a quarter-inch in diameter and flat, square
Floyd | teeth.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your score has just gone up by one point.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "put iron key on keyring"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PUT IRON KEY ON KEYRING
Floyd |
Floyd | The old-fashioned iron key is now on the keyring.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x clippings"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X CLIPPINGS
Floyd |
Floyd | (the newspaper clippings)
Floyd | There are dozens of articles in the box, many of them yellowed with
Floyd | age. Many of them, you note with unease, refer to missing children,
Floyd | but otherwise you can deduce no obvious connection among any of the
Floyd | stories.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Oh hey, multiple solutions."
Jacqueline nods.'
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read clipps"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ CLIPPS
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see any such thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read clippings"
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]    > (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Floyd |
Knight_Otu says, "And now a spider is homeless."
DavidW says, "oh."
Knight_Otu says, "Oh."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "push return"
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]    > (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Jacqueline says (to KO), "First I am made to feel terrible about betraying my husband's trust, now you guilt me over this spider. I'm trying to enjoy the day."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "push space"
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]    > (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Knight_Otu says, "Sowwy."
DavidW asks, "How do we push backspace in Floyd?"
Knight_Otu says, "I was wondering that."
DavidW asks, "Also, how to read these clippings?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "b"
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]    > (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
DavidW says (to Floyd), "q"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Storage
Floyd | Old crates and boxes piled high against the walls make this room seem
Floyd | even smaller and dingier than it actually is, which is saying a lot. A
Floyd | doorway lies north; the other walls contain nothing but shadows and
Floyd | dirt-filled corners.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "oh, q worked."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read clippings"
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]    > (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Floyd |
Knight_Otu asks, "Pushing enter?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "p"
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]    > (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]    > (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
DavidW says (to Floyd), "1"
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]    > (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Knight_Otu presses the yellow enter button.
Floyd ]                   (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | CHURCH CLOSED, PREACHER SUSPECT IN
Floyd | COMMUNIST CRACKDOWN
Floyd |
Floyd |    The  Church of Celestial Wisdom
Floyd | in  Anchorhead, Massachusetts  was
Floyd | shut  down  and  its  congregation
Floyd | disbanded  yesterday   after   its
Floyd | pastor,  the Rev. Mordecai Verlac,
Floyd | 70, was  accused  of  distributing
Floyd | Communist propaganda to  his pari-
Floyd | shioners.  Authorities  in  Arkham
Floyd | were informed by an anonymous call
Floyd | two days earlier.
Floyd |    "The caller  told  us  that the
Floyd | Reverend  was  'preaching not from
Floyd | the Good Book, but from a terrible
Floyd | book,'  and that he had been warn-
Floyd | ing  them   about  some   kind  of
Floyd | 'invasion'  or  'great event' that
Floyd | would  be  happening  soon,"  said
Floyd | Sgt. Biedermeyer  of  the   Arkham
Floyd | Police Department. "It smelled Red
Floyd | to me,  so I made  the decision to
Floyd | call our HUAC representative up in
Floyd | Salem."
Floyd |    The  raid   commenced   shortly
Floyd | after  morning  services  began at
Floyd | 8:00  am,  in  order to confiscate
Floyd | printed  material  and  catch  any
Floyd | possible accomplices  before  they
Floyd | could hide or destroy evidence. No
Floyd | officers  who participated  in the
Floyd | raid  were available for  comment,
Floyd | although one man coming out of the
Floyd | building afterwards  was allegedly
Floyd | overheard saying that it was  "the
Floyd | worst thing he'd ever seen."
Floyd |    The  Church of Celestial Wisdom
Floyd | was founded in 1860  by  Rev. Ver-
Floyd | lac's grandfather,  the  notorious
Floyd | orator and painter  Elijah Verlac.
Floyd | The building,  which is considered
Floyd | by many to be  a  historical land-
Floyd |    (continued on A12)
Floyd |
Floyd | [Please press SPACE.]
DavidW says, "I thought I tried enter!"
Jacqueline says, "Sorry, lost my mouse and keyboard, had to reboot. Am catching up."
Knight_Otu says, "Odd."
Knight_Otu says, "I didn't see it, at least."
Peregrine arrives, full of fun, but no funk.
Taleslinger arrives, full of fun, but no funk.
Jacqueline pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]    > (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Floyd |
DavidW says, "Mordecai and Elijah."
Knight_Otu says, "I guess we have a few new names to look up."
Jacqueline exclaims, "Oh, yeah. True!"
DavidW says, "yes. There might be more in here."
Jacqueline says, "FWIW, DW did save, so even if we are stuck in this menu all is not lost."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]    > (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
DavidW presses the yellow enter button.
Floyd ]                           (printed notice)
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | (mimeographed page, dated February 10, 1959)
Floyd |
Floyd | Any information regarding the whereabouts of Daryl Beasley, age 9,
Floyd | should be reported immediately to the Anchorhead police. Daryl was
Floyd | last seen by his mother after she dropped him off at the Route 20 bus
Floyd | stop, just north of Old Mill Town Road, at 8:30 am three days ago. He
Floyd | was not there when the bus made its scheduled stop at 8:36 am.
Floyd |
Floyd | Daryl is 4'10" tall, of slight build, with brown hair and brown eyes.
Floyd | At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing brown corduroy pants,
Floyd | blue sneakers, and a white, short-sleeved button-down shirt.
Floyd |
Floyd | If you have seen Daryl Beasley, or if you know anything about his
Floyd | disappearance, please call 555-4362.
Floyd |
Floyd | [Please press SPACE.]
Knight_Otu says, "We thankfully aren't."
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]    > (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Floyd |
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]    > (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
DavidW presses the yellow enter button.
Floyd ]                    (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | PAINTING SELLS FOR 1000£, SIGHT
Floyd | UNSEEN
Floyd |
Floyd |    The  infamous  mystic  Aleister
Floyd | Crowley purchased a painting at an
Floyd | auction  at   Sotheby's  for  1000
Floyd | pounds sterling on Monday  without
Floyd | so much  as glancing  at  it.  The
Floyd | painting,  entitled  "The Legacy",
Floyd | is  by  the  late  American Elijah
Floyd | Verlac,  and  was sold  along with
Floyd | numerous   other    pieces   by  a
Floyd | representative   of    the  Verlac
Floyd | estate.
Floyd |    Crowley  reportedly strode into
Floyd | the  auction   room  wearing  full
Floyd | ceremonial robes  and  immediately
Floyd | bid 1000£ -- well  over  twice the
Floyd | going bid.  He ordered it  wrapped
Floyd | and transported immediately to his
Floyd | home.  It  is  not  known  whether
Floyd | Crowley had ever seen the painting
Floyd | before arriving at the auction.
Floyd |    "I've  never seen anything like
Floyd | it,"  said  Sir Walton  Radcliffe,
Floyd | Esq., presiding auctioneer for the
Floyd | Verlac exhibit, "but I suppose one
Floyd | might  expect such behavior from a
Floyd | person  who  calls  himself,  'The
Floyd | Great Beast'."
Floyd |    Mordecai    Verlac,    Elijah's
Floyd | grandson  and   executor   of  the
Floyd | Verlac estate,  was not present at
Floyd | the  auction.  Crowley  has stated
Floyd | that he  has  never  met  Mordecai
Floyd | Verlac  and has  no desire  to. "I
Floyd | encountered  Verlac  in  a  former
Floyd | life,"  he is reported  as saying,
Floyd | "and I would not  do so again  for
Floyd | all the kingdoms in Hades.  He has
Floyd | gone where I dare not."
Floyd |    Elijah Verlac  is known  by art
Floyd | historians  more for his grotesque
Floyd |    (continued on A25)
Floyd |
Floyd | [Please press SPACE.]
DavidW says, "let me know when to continue"
Knight_Otu says, "I, too, have no desire to meet any Verlac."
DavidW says, "The Verlac is inside the house!"
Knight_Otu exclaims, "Nooo!"
Jacqueline says, "I'm good"
DavidW says, "Also, I bet that church on the east side of town is Elijah's."
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]    > (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Floyd |
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]    > (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Knight_Otu says, "Sounds likely."
DavidW presses the yellow enter button.
Floyd ]                           (crumpled flyer)
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | (crumpled flyer showing a blurry snapshot of a young girl with short,
Floyd | curly hair)
Floyd |
Floyd | HAVE YOU SEEN ME?
Floyd | Tara Luffington
Floyd | last seen: March 25, 1982
Floyd | age at disappearance: 6
Floyd | age today: 10
Floyd | hair: red
Floyd | eyes: green
Floyd | last wearing: green t-shirt, white tennis shoes, blue overalls
Floyd | with a button that reads: "I love cats"
Floyd | Any information, please call 555-4362."
Floyd |
Floyd | [Please press SPACE.]
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]    > (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Floyd |
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]    > (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
DavidW presses the yellow enter button.
Floyd ]                              (obituary)
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Friends and Family will grieve the
Floyd | loss  of  Sgt. HOWARD BIEDERMEYER,
Floyd | who  died  on October 28, 1956  at
Floyd | the  age  of  46, of complications
Floyd | following  a   massive   aneurism.
Floyd | Howard was a loving husband  and a
Floyd | devoted  public servant.  Services
Floyd | will be held this  Saturday at the
Floyd | Good Earth Funeral Home, 9:00 am.
Floyd |
Floyd | [Please press SPACE.]
DavidW says, "I'm recording all the names."
Knight_Otu asks, "Now how does this guy fit into this puzzle?"
Jacqueline says, "I know aneurisms occur in people of that age, but something tells me that wasn't natural."
Jacqueline says (to KO), "Hard to say."
DavidW says, "No idea how the sergeant is relevant."
Jacqueline says, "What's our cut-off year on looking people up>"
Jacqueline asks, "?"
Jacqueline says, "I know more recent people aren't in there, but can't recall the cutoff."
DavidW says, "Depends on what we're looking up in."
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]    > (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Floyd |
Knight_Otu asks, "The book was to about 1960? I think?"
Doug has had his fill of playing for now, and goes back to the Lounge.
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]    > (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Jacqueline says (to KO), "Oh, okay. So 1950s stuff would be possible. Cool."
DavidW presses the yellow enter button.
Floyd ]                    (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | BONES DISCOVERED IN WOODS, CHILD
Floyd | FEARED DEAD
Floyd |
Floyd |    The  bones   of   what   police
Floyd | believe  to  be a small child were
Floyd | discovered   yesterday   by   pic-
Floyd | nickers  in  the  woods near Birch
Floyd | Road,  just  south  of Anchorhead.
Floyd | Police  have  drawn no conclusions
Floyd | as  yet,  but  there  is  a strong
Floyd | suspicion  that  the  bones may be
Floyd | the  remains  of Christopher Till-
Floyd | worth,  who  disappeared near that
Floyd | area two weeks ago.
Floyd |    Sgt. Ronald  Franklin  of   the
Floyd | Arkham  police was not optimistic.
Floyd | "We   have  contacted   the  boy's
Floyd | mother,  and are trying to prepare
Floyd | her  for  the worst," he said. "No
Floyd | one  here  wants  to  give up hope
Floyd | prematurely,   but   the   general
Floyd | feeling  here is,  we've found the
Floyd | boy."
Floyd |    The remains, which consisted of
Floyd | a femur  and  partial  skull,  are
Floyd | being shipped to a forensic lab in
Floyd | Boston   for   further   analysis.
Floyd | Rumors that  the  bones  displayed
Floyd | teeth marks consistent with animal
Floyd | bites are so far unsubstantiated.
Floyd |    Christopher,  who  would  have
Floyd | turned 7 on the 19th, is the fifth
Floyd | child  to  disappear  in  the last
Floyd |    (continued on A10)
Floyd |
Floyd | [Please press SPACE.]
Knight_Otu says, "Don't quote me on that, though."
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]    > (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Floyd |
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]    > (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Knight_Otu says, ">Purloin nuke. enter orbit. nuke site."
DavidW presses the yellow enter button.
Floyd ]                 (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | RESPECTED PHYSICIAN RETIRES
Floyd | UNEXPECTEDLY
Floyd |
Floyd |    Dr. Timothy Rebis,  a respected
Floyd | obstetrician  at Arkham Sisters of
Floyd | Mercy  Hospital  for  the  last 20
Floyd | years,  announced  his  retirement
Floyd | yesterday  to  a  stunned Board of
Floyd | Directors.
Floyd |    He gave  no reason  for his un-
Floyd | expected decision.
Floyd |    "I  am  truly  stunned,"   said
Floyd | Bernard  Talbot,  Chairman  of the
Floyd | Board. "No one saw this coming. No
Floyd | one."
Floyd |    A  source  within  the hospital
Floyd | who  wished  to  remain  anonymous
Floyd | ascribed  the  doctor's abrupt de-
Floyd | parture  to  a  nervous breakdown,
Floyd | but  this  has not  been confirmed
Floyd | by any of Dr. Rebis' colleagues.
Floyd |    (continued on D5)
Floyd |
Floyd | [Please press SPACE.]
Jacqueline says, "oh dear."
Jacqueline says, "Saw something he couldn't unsee"
DavidW says, "birth of something, yeah"
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]    > (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Floyd |
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]    > (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
DavidW presses the yellow enter button.
Floyd ]                          (photostatic copy)
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | (photostatic copy of a much older document; a notation at the bottom
Floyd | dates it at the end of the 18th century)
Floyd |
Floyd | BE IT KNOWNE that, through the Generositie and Enterprise of the
Floyd | Hon. Goodman Heinrich Verlac, the Miskaton Valley Mille shall be
Floyd | Rebuilt, even upon the Ashes of the Olde which was Tragically Burnt;
Floyd | and
Floyd |
Floyd | BE IT KNOWNE that, upon its Newe Christening, there shall Arise a
Floyd | Sore Need for Men of Able Bodie and Industrious Bent to Work therein;
Floyd | and
Floyd |
Floyd | BE IT KNOWNE that the Hon. Goodman Heinrich Verlac is thereby
Floyd | holding a General Call for Employment, and any Honest Man of Working
Floyd | Age is Encouraged to Apply.
Floyd |
Floyd | [Please press SPACE.]
Knight_Otu asks, "Wait, 1958 - William?"
Knight_Otu asks, "Do I remember that right?"
Jacqueline says, "I was wondering that, but can't recall. I could go look in last week's transcript."
DavidW says, "I don't have last week's notes handy."
Jacqueline says, "One sec."
DavidW says, "Sep 18, 1958 is when William died."
Knight_Otu says, "Supposedly. We only found animal bones, probably."
Knight_Otu says, "(Supposedly died, that is)"
DavidW says, "We haven't gathered everything we found last week yet."
Jacqueline says, "Here, for our future reference:"
Jacqueline | [LINK]
Knight_Otu says, "Yeah. The family book, we weren't yet in the crypt, that diary..."
Jacqueline says, "Also, it occurs to me that I didn't post transcripts last week like I promised. Sorry, KO"
Knight_Otu says, "No problem."
Knight_Otu says, "I did post the House report though."
Jacqueline says, "Oh, did you? Cool"
DavidW says, "Let me know when we're ready to continue."
Jacqueline says, "I'm ready"
Knight_Otu says, "Good to go."
DavidW says, "okay"
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]    > (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Floyd |
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]    > (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
DavidW presses the yellow enter button.
Floyd ]                    (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | ANTHROPOLOGIST TURNED AWAY IN
Floyd | PROPERTY DISPUTE
Floyd |
Floyd |    Prominent  anthropologist   Dr.
Floyd | Joseph Corbin's  repeated attempts
Floyd | to secure permission  to set up an
Floyd | archeological   dig   in    nearby
Floyd | Anchorhead  came to an end yester-
Floyd | day  when he lost his suit against
Floyd | the Rev. Mordecai Verlac. The case
Floyd | has  been  pending  for  over  six
Floyd | months.
Floyd |    The  Rev. Verlac  has  strongly
Floyd | disputed  Corbin's right to dig in
Floyd | the area, contending that the land
Floyd | in   question   belongs   to   the
Floyd | ancestral  Verlac  estate  and  is
Floyd | therefore  his  private  property.
Floyd | Last week,  Rev. Verlac's  lawyers
Floyd | presented conclusive  evidence  of
Floyd | prior  ownership,  and  the  judge
Floyd | quickly ruled in his favor.
Floyd |    Dr. Corbin,  who  is  a protégé
Floyd | and  close personal friend  of the
Floyd | noted folklorist  Dr. J. Arnsworth
Floyd | Frazer,  hoped to discover  relics
Floyd | of   the   little-known    Misquat
Floyd | Indian culture,  which is believed
Floyd | to have  inhabited this area  cen-
Floyd | turies prior  to European  settle-
Floyd | ment.  Corbin called  the decision
Floyd | "a travesty".
Floyd |    Many expected scholars at near-
Floyd | by   Miskaton University  to rally
Floyd | behind  Corbin's battle,  but most
Floyd | of the faculty have been strangely
Floyd |    (continued on D8)
Floyd |
Floyd | [Please press SPACE.]
Knight_Otu asks, "strangely what?"
Jacqueline says, "WE WILL NEVER KNOW"
DavidW says, "turned into newts"
Jacqueline says, "hee"
Knight_Otu asks, "silent? silenced? killed?"
Jacqueline says, "Also: done."
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]    > (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Floyd |
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]    > (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
DavidW presses the yellow enter button.
Floyd ]                    (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | CONFLAGRATION CLAIMS PAPER MILL --
Floyd | AGAIN
Floyd |
Floyd |    Arkham firefighters worked late
Floyd | into the night yesterday, battling
Floyd | a blaze that brought  Anchorhead's
Floyd | historic paper mill  to the ground
Floyd | despite their best efforts.
Floyd |    The mill,  which  provides jobs
Floyd | for  roughly   two-thirds  of  the
Floyd | town's  population,   caught  fire
Floyd | yesterday around 4:00 pm. Although
Floyd | there  have been rumors  of an ex-
Floyd | plosion,  the  exact cause  of the
Floyd | fire remains unknown.
Floyd |    Fire Inspector Donald Brown re-
Floyd | mains puzzled.  "There is evidence
Floyd | of chemical burns  that are incon-
Floyd | sistent with the materials used in
Floyd | paper  manufacture,"  he  told re-
Floyd | porters. "There's metal fused with
Floyd | metal in there...  it's all messed
Floyd | up."
Floyd |    Interestingly,  this is not the
Floyd | first time the Anchorhead mill has
Floyd | burned.   The  original  mill  was
Floyd | built  by  Wilhelm  Verlac  in the
Floyd | latter  part of  the 17th century,
Floyd | and  historical  records  indicate
Floyd | that it burned down after only ten
Floyd | years.  The  mill  was  rebuilt by
Floyd | Wilhelm's grandson,  Heinrich Ver-
Floyd | lac,  a  few  decades  later. This
Floyd | one  lasted  until shortly  before
Floyd | the  Civil War  --  and some still
Floyd | hold  that it was  burned down  by
Floyd | Confederate sympathizers.
Floyd |    The  current  mill was  rebuilt
Floyd | in 1922 by Heinrich's great-great-
Floyd | grandson,  Rev.  Mordecai  Verlac.
Floyd | Mordecai,  in addition  to being a
Floyd | fiery preacher  and outspoken Pro-
Floyd | hibitionist, was quite wealthy and
Floyd | owned numerous  and widespread in-
Floyd | vestments.  At the age of 70, this
Floyd | controversial  figure  was accused
Floyd |    (continued on A16)
Floyd |
Floyd | [Please press SPACE.]
Knight_Otu says, "I guess Mordecai is the horrible "Father"."
Jacqueline says, "Accused of ... I do not want to know."
Jacqueline says, "Yeah"
DavidW says, "Wilhelm ... Heinrich ... Elijah ... Mordecai"
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]    > (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]      (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Floyd |
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]    > (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
DavidW presses the yellow enter button.
Floyd ]                            (announcement)
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | It is with great joy  that Gwyneth
Floyd | and Paul Ward announce the engage-
Floyd | ment of their only daughter, JULIA
Floyd | GWENDOLYN  WARD,   to  Dr.  EDWARD
Floyd | PHILLIP  VERLAC.   Edward   is  an
Floyd | associate professor  of history at
Floyd | Miskaton University in Anchorhead,
Floyd | Massachusetts;   Julia   plans  to
Floyd | attend  medical  school  at Arkham
Floyd | College.  They  plan  a  late June
Floyd | wedding. We wish them good fortune
Floyd | and long happiness in their union.
Floyd |
Floyd | (The announcement is dated December 12, 1984, and is accompanied by a
Floyd | picture of the young couple. She has long, dark hair and a serious
Floyd | expression; he, although only in his twenties, is already starting to
Floyd | bald a little. You find yourself unable to tear your eyes away from
Floyd | his face for some time. It seems open and guileless, and he is clearly
Floyd | very happy. There is no hint there of the nightmare his world would
Floyd | one day become.)
Floyd |
Floyd | [Please press SPACE.]
Knight_Otu says, "Phillip."
Jacqueline says, "Bleh"
Knight_Otu says, "May be named for another ancestor."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "push space"
Floyd ]                 a sample of the newspaper clippings
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, August 12, 1956)
Floyd ]      (printed notice)
Floyd ]      (London Times, March 3, 1918)
Floyd ]      (crumpled flyer)
Floyd ]      (obituary)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, June 22, 1973)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, September 19, 1958)
Floyd ]      (photostatic copy)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, April 9, 1935)
Floyd ]      (Arkham Herald, July 7, 1988)
Floyd ]    > (announcement)
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Floyd |
DavidW says (to Floyd), "q"
Floyd ]  Storage                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Storage
Floyd | Old crates and boxes piled high against the walls make this room seem
Floyd | even smaller and dingier than it actually is, which is saying a lot. A
Floyd | doorway lies north; the other walls contain nothing but shadows and
Floyd | dirt-filled corners.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Cellar                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Cellar
Floyd | The old, flagstone walls gleam with unwholesome-smelling moisture, and
Floyd | the sagging timbers creak uneasily above your head. Ancient, frayed
Floyd | wiring festoons the ceiling like some strange species of clinging
Floyd | vine. Portions of the cellar extend south and east into the clammy
Floyd | darkness, though you could always beat a hasty retreat up the stairs
Floyd | to the north.
Floyd |
Floyd | One largish bundle of wires leads down to a rusty old fuse cabinet
Floyd | bolted to the far wall.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Pantry                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | Gratefully, you leave the clammy confines of the cellar behind.
Floyd |
Floyd | Pantry
Floyd | The pantry is empty save for a layer of dust on the shelves. A door to
Floyd | the south leads down to the cellar, or you can return to the kitchen
Floyd | to the southeast.
Floyd |
Floyd | The cellar door stands open, revealing dark stairs leading down.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Kitchen
Floyd | Where once pots and skillets and various utensils hung in profusion,
Floyd | the kitchen walls are now merely ranks of dusty cabinets and a forest
Floyd | of empty hooks. Doorways lead east and south, a small pantry lies to
Floyd | the northwest, and the back door to the north leads out of the house.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn off flashlight"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN OFF FLASHLIGHT
Floyd |
Floyd | You switch the flashlight off.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You unlock the back door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Path Behind the House                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the back door first)
Floyd |
Floyd | Path Behind the House
Floyd | A gravel path starts here at the back door of the house, and marks a
Floyd | trail nearly overgrown by weeds and briars. It disappears into the
Floyd | undergrowth to the northwest, framed by crooked trees with overhanging
Floyd | branches that seem to form a stunted, jagged archway into the dim
Floyd | recesses of the forest.
Floyd |
Floyd | A sudden gust of wind catches up the newspaper clippings and whirls
Floyd | them away, leaving you with an empty box.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "undo"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNDO
Floyd |
Floyd | Kitchen
Floyd | [Previous turn undone.]
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "drop box"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > DROP BOX
Floyd |
Floyd | Dropped.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Mean game."
DavidW says, "I didn't know we were CARRYING them!"
Jacqueline says, "Oh, hooray that q worked."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Path Behind the House                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the back door first)
Floyd |
Floyd | Path Behind the House
Floyd | A gravel path starts here at the back door of the house, and marks a
Floyd | trail nearly overgrown by weeds and briars. It disappears into the
Floyd | undergrowth to the northwest, framed by crooked trees with overhanging
Floyd | branches that seem to form a stunted, jagged archway into the dim
Floyd | recesses of the forest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Path Behind the House                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the back door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd | Stooping to avoid the sharp, bare twigs that snag your clothes and
Floyd | seem to reach greedily for your eyes, you pick your way through the
Floyd | undergrowth to a small clearing.
Floyd |
Floyd | Family Plot
Floyd | Old, moss-slimed tombstones, many broken off and leaning crazily like
Floyd | an old man's teeth, poke up from the soft, mulchy earth. In their
Floyd | midst stands an ancient marble crypt, its heavy iron door nearly
Floyd | obscured by thick draperies of ivy. The trees press close around this
Floyd | quiet enclave of death, leaning together over your head as if sharing
Floyd | secrets. A gap in the undergrowth to the southeast reveals a narrow
Floyd | gravel path.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You go through all the keys on your keyring, trying each one in turn,
Floyd | and after several false attempts you discover that the old-fashioned
Floyd | iron key fits the lock.
Floyd | You unlock the iron door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd | The undergrowth is too thick in that direction.
Floyd |
Floyd | A flurry of dead leaves goes skittering along the ground, swirling
Floyd | past you in the wind.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Darkness                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the iron door first)
Floyd | The faint echo of dripping water and a musty smell of decay grow
Floyd | stronger as you descend.
Floyd |
Floyd | Darkness
Floyd | It is pitch dark, and you can't see a thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn on flashlight"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN ON FLASHLIGHT
Floyd |
Floyd | The flashlight emits a warm yellow beam.
Floyd |
Floyd | In the Crypt
Floyd | The air is clammy and frigid, the stone walls damp and streaked with
Floyd | mud and lichen. Pale, swollen roots push through cracks in the
Floyd | masonry. The smell of damp corruption is almost overpowering here,
Floyd | though the stairs to the south lead toward fresher air.
Floyd |
Floyd | The walls of this chamber contain dozens of wide, shallow niches; in
Floyd | each niche, a coffin.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up mordecai"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP MORDECAI
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the nameplates)
Floyd | You can't find that name anywhere; but then again, it may just be too
Floyd | corroded for you to read.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up elijah"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP ELIJAH
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the nameplates)
Floyd | You can't find that name anywhere; but then again, it may just be too
Floyd | corroded for you to read.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up wilhelm"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP WILHELM
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the nameplates)
Floyd | You can't find that name anywhere; but then again, it may just be too
Floyd | corroded for you to read.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Huh"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up edward"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP EDWARD
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the nameplates)
Floyd | The nameplate reads "Edward Verlac, b. April 26, 1960, d. March 14,
Floyd | 1997". Like the others, this coffin is built of solid oak, sealed with
Floyd | lead.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Oh, right. Never mind."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up julia"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP JULIA
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the nameplates)
Floyd | The nameplate reads "Julia Ward Verlac, b. May 4, 1964, d. January 10,
Floyd | 1997". Like the others, this coffin is built of solid oak, sealed with
Floyd | lead.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "I am wondering if that is a standard practice."
Jacqueline says, "Seem like overkill."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up phillip"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP PHILLIP
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the nameplates)
Floyd | You can't find that name anywhere; but then again, it may just be too
Floyd | corroded for you to read.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up william"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP WILLIAM
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the nameplates)
Floyd | That's not a name you're familiar with. Since the nameplates are
Floyd | filled with names you're not familiar with, you are unable to get very
Floyd | far looking for it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu asks, "If this house was to be sold or something, why did Julia and Edward get buried here still, anyway?"
Jacqueline says, "Well, was it to be sold? I mean, that's why we're here."
Jacqueline says, "To bear fruit to the next horrible generation on the ancestral grounds."
DavidW says, "Seems the game won't let me look up a name we haven't found yet."
Jacqueline says, "Oh, true."
Knight_Otu asks, "At least some of its interior stuff was auctioned off, right?"
DavidW says, "I think so, yes"
Knight_Otu says, "Damn, we need to read that diary after all."
Jacqueline says, "We have to type >READ DIARY. We do not actually have to read it."
DavidW says, "Children's room, I think it was in."
Knight_Otu says, "Yeah."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | You involuntary take a deep breath of fresh air as you leave the
Floyd | clammy, foetid depths of the crypt behind.
Floyd |
Floyd | Family Plot
Floyd | Old, moss-slimed tombstones, many broken off and leaning crazily like
Floyd | an old man's teeth, poke up from the soft, mulchy earth. In their
Floyd | midst stands an ancient marble crypt, its heavy iron door nearly
Floyd | obscured by thick draperies of ivy. The trees press close around this
Floyd | quiet enclave of death, leaning together over your head as if sharing
Floyd | secrets. A gap in the undergrowth to the southeast reveals a narrow
Floyd | gravel path.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the iron door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "lock it"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOCK IT
Floyd |
Floyd | You lock the iron door.
Floyd |
Floyd | The cold wind blows harder, tugging at the hem of your trenchcoat.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Path Behind the House                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Path Behind the House
Floyd | A gravel path starts here at the back door of the house, and marks a
Floyd | trail nearly overgrown by weeds and briars. It disappears into the
Floyd | undergrowth to the northwest, framed by crooked trees with overhanging
Floyd | branches that seem to form a stunted, jagged archway into the dim
Floyd | recesses of the forest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the back door first)
Floyd |
Floyd | Kitchen
Floyd | Where once pots and skillets and various utensils hung in profusion,
Floyd | the kitchen walls are now merely ranks of dusty cabinets and a forest
Floyd | of empty hooks. Doorways lead east and south, a small pantry lies to
Floyd | the northwest, and the back door to the north leads out of the house.
Floyd |
Floyd | You can also see a cardboard box (in which are some newspaper
Floyd | clippings) here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the back door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Back Hall                                 day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Back Hall
Floyd | A short hallway, connecting rooms to the east, west and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Gallery                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Gallery
Floyd | A long, oak-paneled room, with doorways to the south and west.
Floyd | Paintings line the walls, mounted beneath small, shaded lamps that
Floyd | would illuminate the canvasses nicely if only the electricity were
Floyd | working. Still, even in the shadowed gloom you can see that all were
Floyd | done by the same artist.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu exclaims, "Flashlight!"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn off flashlight"
Floyd ]  Gallery                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN OFF FLASHLIGHT
Floyd |
Floyd | You switch the flashlight off.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x paintings"
Floyd ]  Gallery                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X PAINTINGS
Floyd |
Floyd | All of them are bizarre, and most of them border on the grotesque.
Floyd | Alien landscapes peopled by writhing, malformed creatures; ancient
Floyd | temples built in strange, eye-bending architectures; monstrous beasts
Floyd | crawling through shadows that cannot quite conceal their disturbingly
Floyd | human shapes -- these seem to make up the bulk of the paintings'
Floyd | subject matter. And yet, despite the fantastical nature of the images
Floyd | painted, the style is neither abstract nor surreal. In fact, the level
Floyd | of detail approaches the photorealistic. Excruciating attention has
Floyd | been paid to light, shadows, and textures; even the alien creatures
Floyd | are depicted with gruesome anatomical accuracy. It is as though the
Floyd | artist had worked from actual, living models rather than from what
Floyd | must have been a thoroughly deranged imagination, and the overall
Floyd | effect is rather chilling.
Floyd |
Floyd | One scene in particular catches your eye.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "Elijah was the painter, yes?"
Knight_Otu says, "I think so, yes."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x scene"
Floyd ]  Gallery                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X SCENE
Floyd |
Floyd | The simple but striking image of five young women being burned to
Floyd | death at the stake. Around them stand a crowd of men and women dressed
Jacqueline asks, "I... think so?"
Floyd | in rustic, 17th century clothing; they jeer and throw stones. The
Floyd | ringleader, standing in front of the five glowing pyres with the
Floyd | smoking torch still in his hand, wears a clergyman's collar.
Floyd |
Floyd | The artist obviously went to painstaking lengths to depict the burning
Floyd | in ghastly detail: skin curling away from blackened flesh; hair
Floyd | shriveling; eyes boiling in their sockets and melting across cracked
Floyd | and splitting cheeks... repeated five times over, on the bodies of
Floyd | five thrashing, screaming girls. It turns your stomach to look at.
Floyd |
Floyd | You shake yourself suddenly, and realize you've been staring intently
Floyd | at the painting for minutes on end. You step back and rub your tired
Floyd | eyes. When you look again, however, the picture you were just
Floyd | examining is no longer in front of you. None of the other paintings
Floyd | have moved as far as you can tell, but that particular scene seems to
Floyd | have disappeared without leaving so much as a blank space on the wall.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Sitting Room
Floyd | The east wall is occupied by a beautiful antique sofa, and a large,
Floyd | hand-woven rug covers the hardwood floor. The huge marble fireplace in
Floyd | the north wall helps complete the impression of comfort and warmth,
Floyd | and for a moment or two you can almost think of this place as
Floyd | somewhere you could live, as opposed to merely somewhere others have
Floyd | died. The foyer lies west, and a doorway to the left of the fireplace
Floyd | leads north.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your brief sense of comfort quickly drains away, however, as you
Floyd | become aware of the icy and maniacal stare emanating from the great
Floyd | portrait hanging over the mantelpiece. Under the malefic gaze of those
Floyd | red-rimmed eyes, the most comforting thought you can muster is that of
Floyd | immediate flight.
Floyd |
Floyd | On the sofa is a family album.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take album"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE ALBUM
Floyd |
Floyd | You pick up the family album. It's a slim, hardbound volume in dark
Floyd | leather, unadorned except for name "Verlac" embossed on the front.
Floyd | Glancing at the title page, you notice two details: one, the book was
Floyd | self-published; and two, it was published in 1944. So it's a good bet
Floyd | that Edward Verlac and his family aren't mentioned here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x album"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X ALBUM
Floyd |
Floyd | It's a slim, hardbound volume in dark leather, unadorned except for
Floyd | name "Verlac" embossed on the front. Glancing at the title page, you
Floyd | notice two details: one, the book was self-published; and two, it was
Floyd | published in 1944. So it's a good bet that Edward Verlac and his
Floyd | family aren't mentioned here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Okay, I was several years off."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up wilhelm in album"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP WILHELM IN ALBUM
Floyd |
Floyd | The entry reads:
Floyd |
Floyd | Wilhelm Verlac 
Floyd |    Fled with mother Eustacia Verlac during the Witch Burnings of
Floyd | 1653; returned to Anchorhead in 1663; elected mayor of Anchorhead in
Floyd | 1690; built the Miskaton River Mill in 1695; began construction of the
Floyd | lighthouse in 1706.
Floyd |
Floyd | The picture is a reproduction of a charcoal sketch, probably done when
Floyd | he was a younger man. The similarities to the portrait in the sitting
Floyd | room is evident, though: the patrician nose; the harsh, thin line of
Floyd | the mouth; the lean, wolfish jaw. It is the eyes, however, that carry
Floyd | the true family resemblance. Even in the rough, colorless strokes of
Floyd | charcoal, you can see that they are edged with the same raw madness
Floyd | that haunts the red-tinged gaze of the sitting room portrait.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "lighthouse"
DavidW says, "All major buildings in the area except the courthouse and university, it seems."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x portrait"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X PORTRAIT
Floyd |
Floyd | The man in the portrait is the apotheosis of everything cruel and
Floyd | inhuman that you have ever laid eyes on. His archaic Puritan dress
Floyd | would indicate that he must have lived a very long time ago; perhaps
Floyd | he was the founder of the Verlac family in this region. If so, it's no
Floyd | wonder they all wound up murdered or mad: the red-rimmed eyes glaring
Floyd | down from his gaunt and haggard face seem to blaze with a terrible
Floyd | insanity. There is nothing regal, fatherly or dignified about this
Floyd | portrait. It is the essence of raving, gibbering evil captured on
Floyd | canvas.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up eustacia in album"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP EUSTACIA IN ALBUM
Floyd |
Floyd | The entry reads:
Floyd |
Floyd | Eustacia Verlac 
Floyd |    Born to Croseus Verlac; gave birth to one son, Wilhelm; fled
Floyd | Anchorhead during the Witch Burnings of 1653; remained in hiding in
Floyd | Arkham for 10 years, then returned with son in 1663; died 1686.
Floyd |
Floyd | The woman in the portrait is strikingly beautiful, with jet black hair
Floyd | that hangs down past her shoulders like a shining, velvet curtain.
Floyd | There is some resemblance to the thin, cruel features of her father,
Floyd | but not the ragged, red-tinged madness about the eyes. Eustacia's eyes
Floyd | are not red at all; they are cold and deep and very dark.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Gibbering is such a good word"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up croseus in album"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP CROSEUS IN ALBUM
Floyd |
Floyd | The entry reads:
Floyd |
Floyd | Croseus Verlac 
Floyd |    Born the son of a provincial cabinet-maker in the Höllental
Floyd | Valley circa 1590; fled Germany in 1620 to avoid charges of heresy;
Floyd | came to the New World in 1622 on the ship Dawn Maiden;
Floyd | founded the town of Anchorhead in 1624; began construction of Verlac
Floyd | estate in 1625; signed the non-aggression pact with Chief Chuaquacqat
Floyd | of the Misquat tribe in 1631.
Floyd |
Floyd | The picture is a full-page black-and-white reproduction of the
Floyd | portrait hanging in the sitting room. Underneath it, someone has
Floyd | scribbled in pencil:
Floyd |
Floyd |    his is our blood 
Floyd |    he always returns to his blood
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Hell Valley. Nice."
Jacqueline says, "Oh right, that. He always returns to his blood."
Jacqueline says, "I remember that from years ago."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up elijah in album"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP ELIJAH IN ALBUM
Floyd |
Floyd | The entry reads:
Floyd |
Floyd | Elijah Verlac 
Floyd |    Traveled to Europe in 1824 to study painting and to research
Floyd | the Verlac genealogy; returned to Anchorhead in 1832; entered the
Floyd | seminary at Arkham College in 1834; ordained in 1844; began
Floyd | construction of the Church of Celestial Wisdom in Anchorhead in 1860;
Floyd | accused of Confederate sympathies in 1862; retired from the clergy and
Floyd | devoted life to painting in 1873.
Floyd |
Floyd | On of the earliest photographic portraits in the album, it depicts a
Floyd | man in his sixties, at least. His face is deeply scored by time, his
Floyd | skin mottled with liver spots, his long, gray hair swept back from a
Floyd | high, bony forehead. This man resembles the portrait in the sitting
Floyd | room more than any of the others, for he has practically the same eyes
Floyd | -- the raw, bloodshot madness staring out from hollow caves in his
Floyd | skull.
Floyd |
Floyd | You note one other interesting detail: he appears to have an extra
Floyd | digit, a sixth finger, on his right hand.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Note that detail, my children. I think we shall see it again later."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up mordecai in album"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP MORDECAI IN ALBUM
Floyd |
Floyd | The entry reads:
Floyd |
Floyd | Mordecai Verlac 
Floyd |    Currently residing in Anchorhead; attended seminary at Arkham
Floyd | College in 1906; ordained in 1912; re-established the Church of
Floyd | Celestial Wisdom in 1920; rebuilt the Miskaton River Mill in
Floyd | 1922.
Floyd |
Floyd | The photograph depicts a man who has returned to his Puritan roots:
Floyd | dressed in spartan black, hair clipped in an archaic tonsure,
Floyd | clutching a Bible in his lap as he glares stoically at the camera.
Floyd | This is the kind of man who would whip his children for laughing on
Floyd | Sunday. His eyes still carry the Verlac madness, burning with
Floyd | single-minded righteousness.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "I just love Michael's family even more with every bio we read."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up heinrich in album"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP HEINRICH IN ALBUM
Floyd |
Floyd | The entry reads:
Floyd |
Floyd | Heinrich Verlac 
Floyd |    Added cupola to the Verlac Estate in 1759; elected mayor of
Floyd | Anchorhead in 1765; rebuilt the Miskaton River Mill in 1770; led the
Floyd | battle of Quattac Bend in the Misquat Uprising of 1772; arrested as a
Floyd | Royalist sympathizer in 1777 but subsequently cleared of all charges;
Floyd | completed construction of the lighthouse in 1795.
Floyd |
Floyd | The portrait is of Heinrich as an older man, in his late fifties,
Floyd | perhaps. The German ancestry shows through more clearly here, in the
Floyd | set of his jaw and the line of his forehead. The eyes burn with
Floyd | aggressive pride... and perhaps a little of the madness which stained
Floyd | the gaze of his ancestors as well.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up edward in album"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP EDWARD IN ALBUM
Floyd |
Floyd | Since this book was only published in 1944, there is no mention of
Floyd | Edward Verlac or his family. He probably wasn't even born yet.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up phillip in album"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP PHILLIP IN ALBUM
Floyd |
Floyd | You cannot find that name anywhere in the album.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Okay, no phillip."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "l"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > L
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Sitting Room
Floyd | The east wall is occupied by a beautiful antique sofa, and a large,
Floyd | hand-woven rug covers the hardwood floor. The huge marble fireplace in
Floyd | the north wall helps complete the impression of comfort and warmth,
Floyd | and for a moment or two you can almost think of this place as
Floyd | somewhere you could live, as opposed to merely somewhere others have
Floyd | died. The foyer lies west, and a doorway to the left of the fireplace
Floyd | leads north.
Floyd |
Floyd | The portrait gazes down at you with crimson-edged malice.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x rug"
Floyd ]  Sitting Room                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X RUG
Floyd |
Floyd | The rug has a rustic, quilt-like pattern to it, and it covers all but
Floyd | the outer edges of the hardwood floor.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Foyer
Floyd | Although it appears spacious from the outside, the house's interior
Floyd | feels cramped and gloomy. The walls seem too close together; the
Floyd | ceiling is too high. The doorways, leading in several directions, are
Floyd | narrow and filled with shadows, and the stairs leading up to the
Floyd | second floor are steep and rickety. This is not a house that makes you
Floyd | feel welcome. It is a house that makes you feel tiny and timid, and
Floyd | afraid of dark places. It is a house that makes you feel alone.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your luggage is still here, spread out all over the foyer.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "u"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Landing                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > U
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Landing
Floyd | A narrow hallway runs east, from the top of the stairs down the length
Floyd | of the house. To the north, directly opposite the stairs, is the
Floyd | master bedroom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Hall                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Hall
Floyd | The shuttered window at the end of the hall throws a gloomy rectangle
Floyd | of light onto the bare wooden floor. Doorways lead north and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | A rickety wooden ladder stands here, descending from a three-foot by
Floyd | three-foot square of darkness in the ceiling.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Children's Bedroom
Floyd | This must be the children's bedroom. The bed is smaller than the one
Floyd | in the master bedroom, its bright coverlet providing one of the few
Floyd | feeble splashes of color in what must have been, for most of its
Floyd | history, a joylessly Puritan household. A small vanity table occupies
Floyd | the opposite wall, and in the corner under the window stands an
Floyd | ancient crib. The only exit is to the north.
Floyd |
Floyd | A child's jewelry box sits on the corner of the vanity.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x box"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X BOX
Floyd |
Floyd | It's hardly larger than your hand, made of wood and charmingly
Floyd | decorated with a picture of children dancing around a Maypole. Most
Floyd | likely a plaything of one of the later Verlac children. The lid is
Floyd | closed.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu looks away.
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open box"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN BOX
Floyd |
Floyd | You open the jewelry box, revealing a silver locket.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take locket"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE LOCKET
Floyd |
Floyd | (slipping the flashlight into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a
Floyd | hand free)
Floyd | You pick up the silver locket. It is oval-shaped, held shut with a
Floyd | tiny clasp.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x locket"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X LOCKET
Floyd |
Floyd | It is oval-shaped, held shut with a tiny clasp.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open it"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN IT
Floyd |
Floyd | You open the silver locket, revealing a boy's picture.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x picture"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X PICTURE
Floyd |
Floyd | (the jewelry box)
Floyd | It's hardly larger than your hand, made of wood and charmingly
Floyd | decorated with a picture of children dancing around a Maypole. Most
Floyd | likely a plaything of one of the later Verlac children. The lid is
Floyd | open.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "boy's"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > BOY'S
Floyd |
Floyd | That's not a verb I recognise.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x boy's"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X BOY'S
Floyd |
Floyd | The boy in the picture looks no more than three or four years old. He
Floyd | is smiling, but there is something disconcerting about his expression,
Floyd | as though his head were not shaped quite right or his features had
Floyd | been placed slightly wrong. He might possibly have been mentally
Floyd | retarded. It's difficult to tell, because the picture has been cropped
Floyd | so closely you can't even see the edges of the boy's face. Only his
Floyd | features fill the tiny frame.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close locket"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE LOCKET
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the silver locket.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x crib"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X CRIB
Floyd |
Floyd | The crib is made of wood and held together with pegs, not nails. It's
Floyd | probably at least as old as the house.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x bed"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X BED
Floyd |
Floyd | Not as fancy as the four-poster, but it looks comfortable enough.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look under bed"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UNDER BED
Floyd |
Floyd | You notice some odd scratches in the floor around the legs of the bed
Floyd | frame -- marks about six inches long, scored into the wood. Otherwise,
Floyd | nothing but shadows and dust under the bed.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "move bed"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > MOVE BED
Floyd |
Floyd | Bracing yourself, you push the bed away from the wall, revealing a
Floyd | ragged hole in the wood paneling.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x hole"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X HOLE
Floyd |
Floyd | It's about six inches wide, and looks like it was made by by someone
Floyd | breaking in the wall with a hammer and pulling chunks of paneling out
Floyd | with their bare hands.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look in hole"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK IN HOLE
Floyd |
Floyd | In the ragged hole is a bundle of soggy pages.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take pages"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE PAGES
Floyd |
Floyd | (slipping the keyring into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a hand
Floyd | free)
Floyd | You pick up the bundle of soggy pages. It appears to have been
Floyd | someone's diary. There must have been a leak at some time behind the
Floyd | wall where it was hidden, because most of the pages are water-logged
Floyd | and completely illegible. However, portions of a few entries remain
Floyd | untouched.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your score has just gone up by two points.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x pages"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X PAGES
Floyd |
Floyd | It appears to have been someone's diary. There must have been a leak
Floyd | at some time behind the wall where it was hidden, because most of the
Floyd | pages are water-logged and completely illegible. However, portions of
Floyd | a few entries remain untouched.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "WARNING: 'read pages' is next."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read pages"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ PAGES
Floyd |
Floyd | Carefully, you turn the tattered pages. The handwriting is that of a
Floyd | young girl. You idly wonder if this might have been the diary of one
Floyd | of Edward Verlac's daughters -- but then you notice part of a date,
Floyd | just visible in the corner of the page: 1953. This must have been
Floyd | written, then, several years before Edward was born.
Floyd |
Floyd | The entries that are legible read as follows:
Floyd |
Floyd | ...Father came again to my bed last night... mother doesn't...
Floyd | tells me I can't... to be a good daughter. Sometimes it hurts, but
Floyd | Father always tells me I shouldn't cry. Father says a daughter must do
Floyd | her Duty if she wants to get into Heaven. And I do want to get into
Floyd | Heaven...
Floyd |
Floyd | [this entry dated 1957] ...my poor little William. Father calls
Floyd | him an aberration, child of the Devil, but I don't believe... locked
Floyd | in the attic. I go to see him whenever Father is away. I sing to him,
Floyd | sometimes, through the keyhole, and slip him sweets through the crack
Floyd | under the door... my baby is beautiful... can't let him hurt my dear
Floyd | baby William... to the doctor, and he has a plan... I can never...
Floyd | this locket, William, and I will always keep yours... to always
Floyd | remember my face...
Floyd |
Floyd | Nothing else is readable except for one fragmented entry near the very
Floyd | end of the book, the date in the corner reading February 27, 1961:
Floyd |
Floyd | ...dead, but not dead yet... will not allow him to do to Edward
Floyd | what he wanted to do to William... have learned... given him the charm
Floyd | against the... never take it off, dear Edward... [a page has been
Floyd | torn away] ...fear to sleep... mist at the window --
Floyd |
Floyd | And that's all.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "l"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > L
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Children's Bedroom
Floyd | This must be the children's bedroom. The bed is smaller than the one
Floyd | in the master bedroom, its bright coverlet providing one of the few
Floyd | feeble splashes of color in what must have been, for most of its
Floyd | history, a joylessly Puritan household. A small vanity table occupies
Floyd | the opposite wall, and in the corner under the window stands an
Floyd | ancient crib. The only exit is to the north.
Floyd |
Floyd | A child's jewelry box sits on the corner of the vanity, its lid open.
Floyd |
Floyd | The bed has been pushed away from the wall slightly, revealing a
Floyd | ragged hole in the paneling.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x table"
Floyd ]  Children's Bedroom                        day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X TABLE
Floyd |
Floyd | A simple vanity table, scaled down for a child, spartan in design and
Floyd | almost wholly without decoration. It's hard to imagine keeping any
Floyd | sort of makeup or jewelry on it, but then again, vanity of even the
Floyd | most innocent kind was probably discouraged in most of the Verlac
Floyd | children.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline exclaims (at KO), "IT'S OVER! YOU CAN UNCOVER YOUR EYES NOW!"
Knight_Otu asks, "Can I ppeek now?"
Jacqueline says, "Yes"
DavidW asks, "So, shall I find the newspaper, or go open William's coffin next?"
Knight_Otu asks, "I guess the coffin?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Hall                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Hall
Floyd | The shuttered window at the end of the hall throws a gloomy rectangle
Floyd | of light onto the bare wooden floor. Doorways lead north and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | A rickety wooden ladder stands here, descending from a three-foot by
Floyd | three-foot square of darkness in the ceiling.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Landing                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Landing
Floyd | A narrow hallway runs east, from the top of the stairs down the length
Floyd | of the house. To the north, directly opposite the stairs, is the
Floyd | master bedroom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "d"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > D
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Foyer
Floyd | Although it appears spacious from the outside, the house's interior
Floyd | feels cramped and gloomy. The walls seem too close together; the
Floyd | ceiling is too high. The doorways, leading in several directions, are
Floyd | narrow and filled with shadows, and the stairs leading up to the
Floyd | second floor are steep and rickety. This is not a house that makes you
Floyd | feel welcome. It is a house that makes you feel tiny and timid, and
Floyd | afraid of dark places. It is a house that makes you feel alone.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your luggage is still here, spread out all over the foyer.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Dining Room
Floyd | Much of the elegance has faded from this room. The huge dining table
Floyd | running the length of it is covered with a thick gray film of dust,
Floyd | and the china cupboard standing against the far wall is draped in
Floyd | shadow. Doorways to the north and east offer little relief from the
Floyd | gloom. For what must be the hundredth time, you wish you could open
Floyd | the windows in this place.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | (first taking the keyring)
Floyd | (slipping the family album into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a
Floyd | hand free)
Floyd | Taken.
Floyd | You go through all the keys on your keyring, trying each one in turn,
Floyd | but none of the keys seem to fit.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x door"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | It's a free-standing cabinet about as tall as you are, crafted of
Floyd | cherrywood. The double paneled doors are open.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline asks, "Should we save occasionally, or ... does it matter?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Kitchen
Floyd | Where once pots and skillets and various utensils hung in profusion,
Floyd | the kitchen walls are now merely ranks of dusty cabinets and a forest
Floyd | of empty hooks. Doorways lead east and south, a small pantry lies to
Floyd | the northwest, and the back door to the north leads out of the house.
Floyd |
Floyd | You can also see a cardboard box (in which are some newspaper
Floyd | clippings) here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Taleslinger exclaims, "Eeeagh! Bar!"
Taleslinger has disconnected.
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Path Behind the House                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the back door first)
Floyd |
Floyd | Path Behind the House
Floyd | A gravel path starts here at the back door of the house, and marks a
Floyd | trail nearly overgrown by weeds and briars. It disappears into the
Floyd | undergrowth to the northwest, framed by crooked trees with overhanging
Floyd | branches that seem to form a stunted, jagged archway into the dim
Floyd | recesses of the forest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd | Stooping to avoid the sharp, bare twigs that snag your clothes and
Knight_Otu says, "We probably should."
Floyd | seem to reach greedily for your eyes, you pick your way through the
Floyd | undergrowth to a small clearing.
Floyd |
Floyd | Family Plot
Floyd | Old, moss-slimed tombstones, many broken off and leaning crazily like
Floyd | an old man's teeth, poke up from the soft, mulchy earth. In their
Floyd | midst stands an ancient marble crypt, its heavy iron door nearly
Floyd | obscured by thick draperies of ivy. The trees press close around this
Floyd | quiet enclave of death, leaning together over your head as if sharing
Floyd | secrets. A gap in the undergrowth to the southeast reveals a narrow
Floyd | gravel path.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the iron door first)
Floyd | It seems to be locked.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "SAVE"
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "cf2"
Floyd | >
Floyd | > SAVE
Floyd | %% Enter a save filename to write:
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd | Ok.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You unlock the iron door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Darkness                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the iron door first)
Floyd | The faint echo of dripping water and a musty smell of decay grow
Floyd | stronger as you descend.
Floyd |
Floyd | Darkness
Floyd | It is pitch dark, and you can't see a thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn on light"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN ON LIGHT
Floyd |
Floyd | The flashlight emits a warm yellow beam.
Floyd |
Floyd | In the Crypt
Floyd | The air is clammy and frigid, the stone walls damp and streaked with
Floyd | mud and lichen. Pale, swollen roots push through cracks in the
Floyd | masonry. The smell of damp corruption is almost overpowering here,
Floyd | though the stairs to the south lead toward fresher air.
Floyd |
Floyd | The walls of this chamber contain dozens of wide, shallow niches; in
Floyd | each niche, a coffin.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up william"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP WILLIAM
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the nameplates)
Floyd | The nameplate reads "William Verlac, b. June 22, 1954, d. September
Floyd | 18, 1958". Unlike the others, William's coffin is a ramshackle affair
Floyd | of cheap pine, held together with rusting nails. It's half-rotten with
Floyd | age and so shabbily built you could probably open it with your bare
Floyd | hands.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open william"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN WILLIAM
Floyd |
Floyd | Compelled by a gruesome curiosity, you dig your fingers under the
Floyd | soft, rotting boards and pry up the lid. With the shriek of pulling
Floyd | nails and a shower of crumbling wood, the coffin comes open, and you
Floyd | look inside, expecting to find a child's tiny skeleton...
Floyd |
Floyd | Dear God.
Floyd |
Floyd | There's no child buried here. Instead, the coffin contains only the
Floyd | worm-eaten bones of some kind of animal.
Floyd |
Floyd | Who would have buried an animal in place of the child that should have
Floyd | been interred here? And why would they do such a thing? Glumly, you
Floyd | look around at the rest of the coffins, and realize that anyone who
Floyd | might have known the answers to these questions is probably already
Floyd | buried in this room.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x bones"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X BONES
Floyd |
Floyd | You're no veterinarian, but these cannot possibly be the bones of a
Floyd | human child. A dog seems most likely, at a rough guess.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "haha"
Jacqueline says, "IRTA 'You're no vegetarian, but...'"
Knight_Otu says, "I was about to ask..."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up eustacia"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP EUSTACIA
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the nameplates)
Floyd | You can't find that name anywhere; but then again, it may just be too
Floyd | corroded for you to read.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up croseus"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP CROSEUS
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the nameplates)
Floyd | You can't find that name anywhere; but then again, it may just be too
Floyd | corroded for you to read.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up michael"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP MICHAEL
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the nameplates)
Floyd | You can't find that name anywhere; but then again, it may just be too
Floyd | corroded for you to read.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | You involuntary take a deep breath of fresh air as you leave the
Floyd | clammy, foetid depths of the crypt behind.
Floyd |
Floyd | Family Plot
Floyd | Old, moss-slimed tombstones, many broken off and leaning crazily like
Floyd | an old man's teeth, poke up from the soft, mulchy earth. In their
Floyd | midst stands an ancient marble crypt, its heavy iron door nearly
Floyd | obscured by thick draperies of ivy. The trees press close around this
Floyd | quiet enclave of death, leaning together over your head as if sharing
Floyd | secrets. A gap in the undergrowth to the southeast reveals a narrow
Floyd | gravel path.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the iron door.
Floyd |
Floyd | In the distance, you can hear the lonesome keening of a train whistle
Floyd | drifting on the wind.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | The undergrowth is too thick in that direction.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Path Behind the House                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Path Behind the House
Floyd | A gravel path starts here at the back door of the house, and marks a
Floyd | trail nearly overgrown by weeds and briars. It disappears into the
Floyd | undergrowth to the northwest, framed by crooked trees with overhanging
Floyd | branches that seem to form a stunted, jagged archway into the dim
Floyd | recesses of the forest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Kitchen
Floyd | Where once pots and skillets and various utensils hung in profusion,
Floyd | the kitchen walls are now merely ranks of dusty cabinets and a forest
Floyd | of empty hooks. Doorways lead east and south, a small pantry lies to
Floyd | the northwest, and the back door to the north leads out of the house.
Floyd |
Floyd | You can also see a cardboard box (in which are some newspaper
Floyd | clippings) here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the back door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Back Hall                                 day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Back Hall
Floyd | A short hallway, connecting rooms to the east, west and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn off light"
Floyd ]  Back Hall                                 day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN OFF LIGHT
Floyd |
Floyd | You switch the flashlight off.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Foyer
Floyd | Although it appears spacious from the outside, the house's interior
Floyd | feels cramped and gloomy. The walls seem too close together; the
Floyd | ceiling is too high. The doorways, leading in several directions, are
Floyd | narrow and filled with shadows, and the stairs leading up to the
Floyd | second floor are steep and rickety. This is not a house that makes you
Floyd | feel welcome. It is a house that makes you feel tiny and timid, and
Floyd | afraid of dark places. It is a house that makes you feel alone.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your luggage is still here, spread out all over the foyer.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the front door first)
Floyd | It seems to be locked.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You unlock the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the front door first)
Floyd |
Floyd | Outside the House
Floyd | The lane runs up from the southeast and ends at a wide clearing
Floyd | surrounded by gnarled and ancient trees. A wide, curving driveway runs
Floyd | up to the front door of your house, which lies north.
Floyd |
Floyd | The front door stands open to the north.
Floyd |
Floyd | The Verlac mansion looms before you, casting an air of menace over the
Floyd | clearing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "lock it?"
Knight_Otu says, "Sure."
Jacqueline shrugs.
DavidW says (to Floyd), "lock door"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You lock the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Scenic View                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Scenic View
Floyd | The treeline falls away on the north side of this northwest-northeast
Floyd | bend in the road, giving way to a panoramic view of the Miskaton River
Floyd | Valley and the grubby little town of Anchorhead nestled within it.
Floyd | From here you can see the paper mill almost directly to the north; the
Floyd | solitary lighthouse and surrounding ocean to the northeast; and the
Floyd | dilapidated stone church below you to the east. Winding through it all
Floyd | is the oily black ribbon of the Miskaton, and almost directly in the
Floyd | center lies the little clearing of Town Square. You can just make out
Floyd | the shape of the obelisk from here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ne"
Floyd ]  Chilly Avenue                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Chilly Avenue
Floyd | Perhaps it is merely the effect of some unwholesome vapour rising from
Floyd | the murky waters of the nearby Miskaton, but the temperature along
Floyd | this street seems perceptibly cooler than normal, even for a New
Floyd | England autumn. Two dirt roads lead south and southwest, into the
Floyd | dense woods at the edge of town.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Riverwalk                                 day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Riverwalk
Floyd | A low, irregular brick wall to the north divides this street from the
Floyd | steep, mud-slick banks of the sinuous Miskaton, while a rusty iron
Floyd | gate provides access to a precarious flight of stone steps leading
Floyd | down the bank to the water's edge. The street bends south here,
Floyd | turning into a misty avenue between the trees. The town square lies
Floyd | west, a vacant lot lies east.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Town Square
Floyd | A wide expanse of uneven pavestones lies open to the sky, bordered on
Floyd | all sides by the leaning, steep-roofed architecture that looms over
Floyd | everything in this city. The municipal courthouse stands at the south
Floyd | end of the square, next to the mouth of a dark, narrow alley to the
Floyd | southwest. Avenues to the west and east lead back into the cramped and
Floyd | ingrown streets, while to the north lies Whateley Bridge.
Floyd |
Floyd | A damp newspaper lies on the curb, fluttering slightly in the wind.
Floyd |
Floyd | In the center of the square, rising from a circular lawn of
Floyd | unhealthy-looking grass and weeds, stands a strange, stone obelisk. It
Floyd | seems to be a monument of some sort, although you can see no plaque or
Floyd | marker anywhere near it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take newspaper"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE NEWSPAPER
Floyd |
Floyd | (slipping the silver locket into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get
Floyd | a hand free)
Floyd | You pick up the newspaper. It's the "Weekly Arkham Herald".
Floyd | Anchorhead, apparently, is not large enough to warrant its own
Floyd | newspaper.
Floyd |
Floyd | A gust of wind blows your hair into your face.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read newspaper"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ NEWSPAPER
Floyd |
Floyd | The front page story is about Jeffrey Greer, 8 years old, who was
Floyd | abducted from his home at #11 Mill Town Road last night. Little
Floyd | Jeffrey is the latest victim in a series of abductions that stretches
Floyd | back for years, one every six months or so, and that authorities
Floyd | believe is the work of a single perpetrator. Local police had hoped to
Floyd | prove that Edward Verlac had been behind the kidnappings, but were
Floyd | unable to obtain a confession or any hard proof. Edward Verlac was
Floyd | convicted of murdering his wife and two daughters, one of whom was 15
Floyd | months old, in January of this year; he was found not guilty by reason
Floyd | of insanity and incarcerated in Danvers Asylum, where he remained
Floyd | until committing suicide last March. This latest kidnapping, occurring
Floyd | after Edward's death, seems to have cleared up any lingering
Floyd | suspicions that he might have been the culprit.
Floyd |
Floyd | Anyone possessing information regarding the whereabouts of Jeffrey
Floyd | Greer is strongly urged to speak to the authorities as soon as
Floyd | possible.
Floyd |
Floyd | A flurry of dead leaves goes skittering along the ground, swirling
Floyd | past you in the wind.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "Courthouse or university next?"
Jacqueline says, "Either."
Jacqueline says, "Wait, Courthouse"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Courthouse                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Courthouse
Floyd | A long, dimly lit, north-south corridor stretches away from the
Floyd | courthouse entrance. Closed, unmarked doors line either side of the
Floyd | hall, their pebbled glass windows lit from within by a murky,
Floyd | yellow-orange light. Silence reigns here; your footsteps echo eerily
Floyd | on the tiled floor, and occasionally you can hear muted conversation
Floyd | behind one of the doors -- you can't tell which. At the hall's
Floyd | southern end, a staircase leads down into the basement; a sign hanging
Floyd | above it reads "RECORDS". You can return to Town Square to the north.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Courthouse Basement                       day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Courthouse Basement
Floyd | A single bulb dangling from the ceiling casts a watery, yellow light
Floyd | against the brick walls. A rickety staircase to the north leads back
Floyd | up to the ground floor, and two narrow doorways lead into the record
Floyd | archives. Over the southeast door hangs a sign that reads "BIRTH
Floyd | RECORDS", while the southwest door bears the sign "DEATH RECORDS".
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Birth Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Birth Records
Floyd | A bare room with cinderblock walls. Thousands of records and
Floyd | documents, most yellow and brittle with age, are stacked everywhere in
Floyd | towering piles. The exit lies northwest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "That's why I wanted to come here."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up croseus"
Floyd ]  Birth Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP CROSEUS
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | You search in vain for a while before remembering that Croseus Verlac
Floyd | wasn't born in this country, and would therefore probably not have any
Floyd | birth certificate on record.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up eustacia"
Floyd ]  Birth Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP EUSTACIA
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | Eustacia Verlac: born November 22, 1634.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline asks, "Death records?"
Jacqueline says, "I guess run through all the names in both rooms."
DavidW says, "yes"
Jacqueline says, "So yeah, more birth."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up william"
Floyd ]  Birth Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP WILLIAM
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | William Verlac: born June 22, 1954.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up mordecai"
Floyd ]  Birth Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP MORDECAI
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | Mordecai Verlac: born January 30, 1886.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up elijah"
Floyd ]  Birth Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP ELIJAH
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | Elijah Verlac: born December 16, 1802.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up daryl"
Floyd ]  Birth Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP DARYL
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | You can find no records under that heading.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up tara"
Floyd ]  Birth Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP TARA
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | You can find no records under that heading.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up christopher"
Floyd ]  Birth Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP CHRISTOPHER
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | You can find no records under that heading.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up heinrich"
Floyd ]  Birth Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP HEINRICH
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | Heinrich Verlac: born October 18, 1734.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up wilhelm"
Floyd ]  Birth Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP WILHELM
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | Wilhelm Verlac: born March 11, 1651.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up michael"
Floyd ]  Birth Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP MICHAEL
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | You can find no records under that heading.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  Courthouse Basement                       day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Courthouse Basement
Floyd | A single bulb dangling from the ceiling casts a watery, yellow light
Floyd | against the brick walls. A rickety staircase to the north leads back
Floyd | up to the ground floor, and two narrow doorways lead into the record
Floyd | archives. Over the southeast door hangs a sign that reads "BIRTH
Floyd | RECORDS", while the southwest door bears the sign "DEATH RECORDS".
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "sw"
Floyd ]  Death Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Death Records
Floyd | A bare room with cinderblock walls. Thousands of records and
Floyd | documents, most yellow and brittle with age, are stacked everywhere in
Floyd | towering piles. The exit lies northeast.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up eustacia"
Floyd ]  Death Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP EUSTACIA
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | Eustacia Verlac: died April 8, 1686.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up croseus"
Floyd ]  Death Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP CROSEUS
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | Croseus Verlac: died March 11, 1651.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up william"
Floyd ]  Death Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP WILLIAM
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | William Verlac: died September 18, 1958.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Hm. So just bare bones."
Knight_Otu says, "Wilhelm Verlac: born March 11, 1651."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up wilhelm" Knight_Otu says, "Croseus Verlac: died March 11, 1651."
Floyd ]  Death Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP WILHELM
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | Wilhelm Verlac: died October 18, 1734.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to KO), "Yeah"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up heinrich"
Floyd ]  Death Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP HEINRICH
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | Heinrich Verlac: died December 16, 1802.
Floyd |
Floyd | You seem to be uncovering a pattern here; all these Verlacs seem to
Floyd | have lived to a ripe old age and then died on the very day the next
Floyd | one is born. The birth records are incomplete -- no parents are
Floyd | listed, and no cause of death is noted on the death records -- there's
Floyd | just not enough information here to draw a conclusion. You'll simply
Floyd | have to keep digging until you find the answers...
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up elijah"
Floyd ]  Death Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP ELIJAH
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | Elijah Verlac: died January 30, 1886.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up mordecai"
Floyd ]  Death Records                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP MORDECAI
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the archives)
Floyd | Mordecai Verlac: died April 26, 1960.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline asks, "May I inject a brief moment of some levity?"
DavidW says, "sure"
Jacqueline says, "This exercise has me thinking of Puritan names, because I have to come up with an ancestral name in the Gragne project."
Jacqueline says, "I have come across an article on bizarre Puritan names."
Jacqueline | Praise-God. Full name, Praise-God Barebone. The Barebones were a rich source of crazy names. This one was a leather-worker, member of a particularly odd Puritan group and an MP. He gave his name to the Barebones Parliament, which ruled Britain in 1653.Praise-God. Full name, Praise-God Barebone. The Barebones were a rich source of crazy names. This one was a leather-worker, member of a particularly odd Puritan group and an MP. He gave his name to the Barebones Parliament, which ruled Britain in 1653.
Jacqueline says, "And I would also like to share his son:"
Jacqueline | If-Christ-had-not-died-for-thee-thou-hadst-been-damned. Praise-God's son, he made a name for himself as an economist. But, for some inexplicable reason, he decided to go by the name Nicolas Barbon.If-Christ-had-not-died-for-thee-thou-hadst-been-damned. Praise-God's son, he made a name for himself as an economist. But, for some inexplicable reason, he decided to go by the name Nicolas Barbon.
Jacqueline says, "Anyway, full article:"
Knight_Otu says, "Wha.."
Jacqueline | [LINK]
Jacqueline says, "We may now resume our regularly scheduled program."
Knight_Otu asks, "Can I get divorced from humankind?"
Jacqueline says, "heh"
Jacqueline says, "NO"
Jacqueline says, "We need you"
DavidW says, "I think we're done in the courthouse."
Knight_Otu says, "Darn."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ne"
Floyd ]  Courthouse Basement                       day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Courthouse Basement
Floyd | A single bulb dangling from the ceiling casts a watery, yellow light
Floyd | against the brick walls. A rickety staircase to the north leads back
Floyd | up to the ground floor, and two narrow doorways lead into the record
Floyd | archives. Over the southeast door hangs a sign that reads "BIRTH
Floyd | RECORDS", while the southwest door bears the sign "DEATH RECORDS".
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Courthouse                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Courthouse
Floyd | A long, dimly lit, north-south corridor stretches away from the
Floyd | courthouse entrance. Closed, unmarked doors line either side of the
Floyd | hall, their pebbled glass windows lit from within by a murky,
Floyd | yellow-orange light. Silence reigns here; your footsteps echo eerily
Floyd | on the tiled floor, and occasionally you can hear muted conversation
Floyd | behind one of the doors -- you can't tell which. At the hall's
Floyd | southern end, a staircase leads down into the basement; a sign hanging
Floyd | above it reads "RECORDS". You can return to Town Square to the north.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Town Square
Floyd | A wide expanse of uneven pavestones lies open to the sky, bordered on
Floyd | all sides by the leaning, steep-roofed architecture that looms over
Floyd | everything in this city. The municipal courthouse stands at the south
Floyd | end of the square, next to the mouth of a dark, narrow alley to the
Floyd | southwest. Avenues to the west and east lead back into the cramped and
Floyd | ingrown streets, while to the north lies Whateley Bridge.
Floyd |
Floyd | In the center of the square, rising from a circular lawn of
Floyd | unhealthy-looking grass and weeds, stands a strange, stone obelisk. It
Floyd | seems to be a monument of some sort, although you can see no plaque or
Floyd | marker anywhere near it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x obelisk"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X OBELISK
Floyd |
Floyd | The obelisk measures about two feet square at its base, narrowing
Floyd | slightly as it rises a good fifteen feet to a bluntly pointed tip. An
Floyd | iron ring is embedded in the stone high up on one side, about two feet
Floyd | from the top. Dense, twisting hieroglyphs cover all four sides of the
Floyd | obelisk, although they are too worn to be read clearly.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Whateley Bridge                           day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Whateley Bridge
Floyd | A hoary monument of crumbling, moss-eaten flagstones, Whateley Bridge
Floyd | is possibly older than any other structure in the entire city.
Floyd | Ponderously it spans the dark, torpid waters of the Miskaton River,
Floyd | connecting the north and south halves of the city and occasionally
Floyd | raining bits of gravel and mortar from its underside into the water.
Floyd | It looks just wide enough for two cars to pass each other between the
Floyd | flanking stone parapets, but you wouldn't volunteer to try it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Narrow Street                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Narrow Street
Floyd | As the lane winds along from east to west, it narrows until the steep,
Floyd | jagged rooftops on either side of the street practically touch each
Floyd | other. To the south, a side street leads across Whateley Bridge toward
Floyd | the center of town, and a twisting lane leads up a hill to the
Floyd | northwest. A short flight of steps to the north leads down to the
Floyd | local watering hole.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Junction                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Junction
Floyd | To the north, a gap in the crowded press of gloomy buildings opens
Floyd | onto a country lane, heading out over a grassy heath. The main street
Floyd | continues to the east, while to the northwest, over the top of a steep
Floyd | rise, you can just make out the vaulted rooftops of the university.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  University Court                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | University Court
Floyd | Isolated and serene within its high, ivy-covered walls, Miskaton
Floyd | University represents this benighted town's single, if somewhat
Floyd | dubious, claim to cultural achievement. Founded some time in the early
Floyd | 1800s, the school's reputation and enrollment have diminished somewhat
Floyd | as Anchorhead drifts further and further into the abyss of provincial
Floyd | backwaterism. Still, it is generally recognized for its collection of
Floyd | folklore and esoteric mythology (one of the oldest and most extensive
Floyd | on the east coast). The Board of Deans was also kind enough to offer
Floyd | Michael a full professorship upon hearing of his recently discovered
Floyd | heritage and his plans to move into the estate. Ivory tower, perhaps,
Floyd | but at least they take care of their own.
Floyd |
Floyd | There are numerous buildings surrounding this cobbled court, but the
Floyd | only one you are interested in is the library to the west.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Library
Floyd | Shadows roost thickly in the vaulted ceiling, and small, green-shaded
Floyd | desk lamps cast pools of warm radiance here and there around the
Floyd | library's dim interior. You pause a moment to let the hushed
Floyd | peacefulness of this place soak in -- a welcome relief from the
Floyd | unsettling events of the day. An exit lies east, and a small alcove to
Floyd | the north houses the circulation counter.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Circulation Desk
Floyd | A high counter divides the public portion of the library from the
Floyd | reserved stacks -- all the more esoteric and mysterious volumes from
Floyd | the university's collection. If anything, the area behind the counter
Floyd | is even more shadowy than the side you're on. The main reading area
Floyd | lies south.
Floyd |
Floyd | Hanging on the wall next to the counter is a small, printed sign.
Floyd | Beneath the sign sits a heavy, dog-eared register, and sitting next to
Floyd | the register is a bell.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x regiater"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X REGIATER
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see any such thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x register"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X REGISTER
Floyd |
Floyd | It's basically a log, recording what book was checked out, who checked
Floyd | it out, and when. There must be hundreds of names here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up michael in register"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP MICHAEL IN REGISTER
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the dog-eared register)
Floyd | Your husband's name is down at the bottom. The title of the book
Floyd | is A Historical Overview of Superstitions in the Miskaton Valley
Floyd | Region by J. Arnsworth Frazer, pub. 1906. Quite a mouthful.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ring bell"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > RING BELL
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Ding.
Floyd |
Floyd | A moment later, the gaunt and fishy-eyed librarian emerges silently
Floyd | from the shadows behind the counter.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask librarian for frazer"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK LIBRARIAN FOR FRAZER
Floyd |
Floyd | The librarian says nothing. Slowly, very slowly, she looks you up and
Floyd | down, and then, just as slowly, she turns to look at the sign posted
Floyd | over the counter. Finally, agonizingly slowly, she turns back to you,
Floyd | and stares at you with a vague, unblinking air of disapproval.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x sign"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X SIGN
Floyd |
Floyd | "All restricted books must be signed for on the register, and may not
Floyd | be removed from this building. Please have your faculty ID ready when
Floyd | you make your request."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "give id to librarian"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > GIVE ID TO LIBRARIAN
Floyd |
Floyd | (first taking the faculty card)
Floyd | (slipping the bundle of soggy pages into the pocket of your trenchcoat
Floyd | to get a hand free)
Floyd | The librarian looks the card over, nods slowly, and hands it back to
Floyd | you without a word.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "sign register"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SIGN REGISTER
Floyd |
Floyd | That's not a verb I recognise.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask librarian about frazer"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK LIBRARIAN ABOUT FRAZER
Floyd |
Floyd | Wordlessly the librarian retreats back into the shadows, only to
Floyd | reappear the next moment carrying the thick, dusty tome you saw your
Floyd | husband with earlier. Dutifully, you sign the register, and the
Floyd | librarian hands you the book before disappearing again.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your score has just gone up by two points.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "HOORAY"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x frazer"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X FRAZER
Floyd |
Floyd | A thick and weighty tome, its full title is A Historical Overview
Floyd | of Superstitions in the Miskaton Valley Region by J. Arnsworth
Floyd | Frazer, published in 1906. It begins: "Although New England has always
Floyd | been an abundant storehouse of American myth and folklore, the
Floyd | Miskaton River Valley has long been recognized as particularly fecund
Floyd | ground for tall tales and fanciful superstition. Legends abound of
Floyd | hideous, inhuman races living within the venerable hills; of pagan
Floyd | rituals enacted at unholy burial grounds and dedicated to ancient,
Floyd | blasphemous gods..." and continues along the same lines in the
Floyd | typically dry and bombastic style of those times.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read frazer"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ FRAZER
Floyd |
Floyd | As you open the book, a slip of paper falls from its pages and
Floyd | flutters to the ground.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take slip"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE SLIP
Floyd |
Floyd | (slipping the keyring into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a hand
Floyd | free)
Floyd | You pick up the slip of paper. Someone was apparently using it as a
Floyd | bookmark. There's some writing on one side.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "oooh"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read slip"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ SLIP
Floyd |
Floyd | It says:
Floyd |
Floyd |    born-died same date?
Floyd |    have to chk. records
Floyd |
Floyd | The handwriting is unmistakably Michael's.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "So he noticed, too."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read frazer"
Floyd ]        from the Table of Contents of 'A Historical Overview'
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]    > Introduction
Floyd ]      The Legend of Croseus Verlac
Floyd ]      Rituals of the Misquat Indians
Floyd ]      The Dark Man and Other Aspects
Floyd ]      The 'Strangling Mist' Legend
Floyd ]      The 'Ghost Train' Legend
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Floyd |
DavidW presses the yellow enter button.
Floyd ]                             Introduction
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | A thick and weighty tome, its full title is A Historical Overview
Floyd | of Superstitions in the Miskaton Valley Region by J. Arnsworth
Floyd | Frazer, published in 1906. It begins: "Although New England has always
Floyd | been an abundant storehouse of American myth and folklore, the
Floyd | Miskaton River Valley has long been recognized as particularly fecund
Floyd | ground for tall tales and fanciful superstition. Legends abound of
Floyd | hideous, inhuman races living within the venerable hills; of pagan
Floyd | rituals enacted at unholy burial grounds and dedicated to ancient,
Floyd | blasphemous gods..." and continues along the same lines in the
Floyd | typically dry and bombastic style of those times.
Floyd |
Floyd | [Please press SPACE.]
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]        from the Table of Contents of 'A Historical Overview'
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]    > Introduction
Floyd ]      The Legend of Croseus Verlac
Floyd ]      Rituals of the Misquat Indians
Floyd ]      The Dark Man and Other Aspects
Floyd ]      The 'Strangling Mist' Legend
Floyd ]      The 'Ghost Train' Legend
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Floyd |
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]        from the Table of Contents of 'A Historical Overview'
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      Introduction
Floyd ]    > The Legend of Croseus Verlac
Floyd ]      Rituals of the Misquat Indians
Floyd ]      The Dark Man and Other Aspects
Floyd ]      The 'Strangling Mist' Legend
Floyd ]      The 'Ghost Train' Legend
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
DavidW presses the yellow enter button.
Floyd ]                     The Legend of Croseus Verlac
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | This chapter deals with the strange mythology surrounding the person
Floyd | of Croseus Verlac, the first of the American Verlacs, who immigrated
Floyd | from the Black Forest region of Germany in the early 1600s. He settled
Floyd | in the Miskaton Valley and there helped establish the small fishing
Floyd | port soon to be known as Anchorhead.
Floyd |
Floyd | Croseus sired six raven-haired daughters and schooled all of them at
Floyd | home. The girls were reclusive and odd of habit, and by the time the
Floyd | eldest turned fifteen the town had all but openly accused them of
Floyd | witchcraft. The townsfolk shunned the Verlac daughters and called them
Floyd | "the Old Man's Coven" -- although never within earshot, since Croseus
Floyd | was already a very powerful and influential man in that region.
Floyd |
Floyd | Although he never had a son, Croseus apparently sired a number of
Floyd | grandsons by more than one of his daughters -- ostensibly to keep the
Floyd | Verlac blood pure, such practice being not uncommon in the more
Floyd | secluded and xenophobic early settlements. However, most of the male
Floyd | children were born dead, or horribly deformed, or both, and there were
Floyd | furtive whispers that Croseus was practicing some form of dark sorcery
Floyd | on his progeny. The fact that Croseus fell ill on the day that the
Floyd | first healthy male child was born (to his youngest daughter), and died
Floyd | before day's end, did not go unnoticed.
Floyd |
Floyd | After Croseus died, the townspeople turned against the "coven",
Floyd | burning all of them to death except for Eustacia, the youngest, who
Floyd | managed to escape along with her infant son, Wilhelm. She returned
Floyd | some years later, after an outbreak of smallpox wiped out much of the
Floyd | town's older population, including the Calvinist minister and every
Floyd | last man and woman who had participated in the burning of Verlac's
Floyd | brood.
Floyd |
Floyd | With a start, you remember the pattern you uncovered in the city
Floyd | archives -- each Verlac dying on the very day his grandson is born...
Floyd | no parents listed on the birth certificates... no marriage records,
Floyd | only sons then daughters then sons... and a sickening, horrifying
Floyd | thought begins to take shape: what if the foul tradition begun by
Floyd | Croseus Verlac did not end with his death?
Floyd |
Floyd | What if, for centuries, the Verlacs have been raping their own
Floyd | daughters in order to sire grandsons?
Floyd |
Floyd | What in God's name was wrong with this family? How could this have
Floyd | gone on for so long without anyone knowing about it or trying to stop
Floyd | it? And why does each Verlac die on the very day his grandson is born?
Floyd |
Floyd | Edward Verlac, the man from whom Michael inherited the house and all
Floyd | its madness, must have been the last of his line, the child of his
Floyd | mother and his mother's own father. He went insane and killed his
Floyd | entire family, and now his legacy has been passed on to your husband.
Floyd | With a sudden rush of urgency and fear, you realize that you have to
Floyd | get out of this town, and you have to get Michael out with you, as
Floyd | soon as humanly possible.
Floyd |
Floyd | [Please press SPACE.]
Jacqueline says, "So, now I'm trying to remember..."
Jacqueline asks, "How exactly is Michael related to these folks?"
Knight_Otu says, "Distantly."
DavidW says, "Looks like we stopped reading."
Jacqueline says, "Like, we can't carry on the tradition, not being ourselves a Verlac."
DavidW says, "oh, I didn't scroll."
Knight_Otu says, "I don't recall if there were details mentioned."
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]        from the Table of Contents of 'A Historical Overview'
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      Introduction
Floyd ]    > The Legend of Croseus Verlac
Floyd ]      Rituals of the Misquat Indians
Floyd ]      The Dark Man and Other Aspects
Floyd ]      The 'Strangling Mist' Legend
Floyd ]      The 'Ghost Train' Legend
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Floyd |
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]        from the Table of Contents of 'A Historical Overview'
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      Introduction
Floyd ]      The Legend of Croseus Verlac
Floyd ]    > Rituals of the Misquat Indians
Floyd ]      The Dark Man and Other Aspects
Floyd ]      The 'Strangling Mist' Legend
Floyd ]      The 'Ghost Train' Legend
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
DavidW presses the yellow enter button.
Floyd ]                    Rituals of the Misquat Indians
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Little is known about the enigmatic Misquat Indians. They are believed
Floyd | to have occupied a small, unobtrusive area around southeastern
Floyd | Massachusetts, along the banks of the river which now bears their
Floyd | name. At the time that this book was published, various property
Floyd | disputes prevented any thorough archaeological investigation of the
Floyd | area; information regarding this tiny, sequestered tribe is therefore
Floyd | scarce and based largely on hearsay and folklore.
Floyd |
Floyd | Analysis of the only known fossil -- a partial skull -- has led some
Floyd | anthropologists to conclude that the Misquat were not indigenous to
Floyd | the region. One popular theory holds that the tribe is most closely
Floyd | related to certain degenerate branches of the northern Esquimeaux, and
Floyd | were perhaps driven from their original sub-arctic clime and forced to
Floyd | settle in exile in what would become the northeastern United States.
Floyd |
Floyd | Although precious few physical artifacts have been recovered -- chief
Floyd | among them a pair of ritual masks and a crudely carved, seven-holed
Floyd | wind instrument -- tall tales of Misquat ritual abound. They appear to
Floyd | have been a unilaterally reviled tribe. Most of the whispered stories
Floyd | involve horrid, ululating chants around blazing bonfires in the dead
Floyd | of winter night, grotesque copulations performed in honor of bestial
Floyd | gods, and of course abundant human sacrifice. The Misquat were
Floyd | generally known as child-stealers, creeping through open windows at
Floyd | night to perpetrate foul kidnappings. None of these claims can of
Floyd | course be verified; nearly all Indian tribes encountered by the first
Floyd | European settlers have been subject to such prejudices at one time or
Floyd | another.
Floyd |
Floyd | It is known that the Misquat were most likely star-worshippers, and
Floyd | possessed what was likely a quite complex theology involving entities
Floyd | that dwelled beyond "the bowl of tiny fires" -- their term for the
Floyd | night sky. These entities granted wisdom or insanity, bestowed
Floyd | prosperity or famine, according to how well or how laxly the tribe
Floyd | performed its ritual appeasements. The rituals attempted to contact or
Floyd | possibly summon aspects of these entities through elaborately carved
Floyd | "beacons" -- mounds of stones or obelisks placed at significant
Floyd | geographical locations.
Floyd |
Floyd | The few eroded hieroglyphs left by them (oddly, the Misquat were one
Floyd | of the few North American tribes to have developed a system of writing
Floyd | prior to any contact with Europeans) have proved a compelling but so
Floyd | far intractable puzzle for linguists today; all further detail about
Floyd | their ritual and mythology remains yet a mystery.
Floyd |
Floyd | [Please press SPACE.]
DavidW says, "We saw a flute last week."
Jacqueline says, "Yeah. I was thinking that."
DavidW says, "I forget where we found the combo to the safe."
Jacqueline says, "I've posted the temp transcript for just such questions."
Knight_Otu says, "In the journal from the cabinet, I think."
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]        from the Table of Contents of 'A Historical Overview'
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      Introduction
Floyd ]      The Legend of Croseus Verlac
Floyd ]    > Rituals of the Misquat Indians
Floyd ]      The Dark Man and Other Aspects
Floyd ]      The 'Strangling Mist' Legend
Floyd ]      The 'Ghost Train' Legend
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Floyd |
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]        from the Table of Contents of 'A Historical Overview'
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      Introduction
Floyd ]      The Legend of Croseus Verlac
Floyd ]      Rituals of the Misquat Indians
Floyd ]    > The Dark Man and Other Aspects
Floyd ]      The 'Strangling Mist' Legend
Floyd ]      The 'Ghost Train' Legend
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
DavidW presses the yellow enter button.
Floyd ]                    The Dark Man and Other Aspects
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Nearly all of the early European settlements circulated stories of a
Floyd | being known as "The Dark Man" that lived in the primordial woods
Floyd | beyond the settlements' borders. Deeply religious and at the same time
Floyd | almost hysterically superstitious, clinging precariously to the edges
Floyd | of an unexplored and therefore terrifying continent, it was only
Floyd | natural for people in those times to project their collective fears
Floyd | onto the unknown. For the predominantly fundamentalist Protestant
Floyd | sects that first colonized the New World, these projections typically
Floyd | were embodiments of the Christian concept of the Devil.
Floyd |
Floyd | The Dark Man generally takes the form of a man, sometimes of large or
Floyd | even giant stature but more often no larger than a natural human. He
Floyd | is invariably dark-skinned, although rarely described as a Negro --
Floyd | most often he is a Caucasian with jet-black skin, thus combining the
Floyd | refined, cunning intelligence of the European with the base carnality
Floyd | of the African. He is regularly portrayed as the consort of witches.
Floyd | He has many names: The Dark Man, The Grinning Man, Old Scratch,
Floyd | Springheel Jack, The Evil One, etc., but always his formal, Biblical
Floyd | appellation -- "Lucifer" or "Satan" -- is scrupulously avoided, a
Floyd | holdover from the tradition that to speak a demon's name is to attract
Floyd | his attention and perhaps even summon him.
Floyd |
Floyd | More interesting to the folklorist are the names that harken further
Floyd | back than these simple Christian superstitions, recalling a more pagan
Floyd | portrayal of the dark and unknown. These tales, which originate from
Floyd | the more reclusive colonies, often bring out the more animalistic,
Floyd | nature-worshipping aspect of the Dark Man. He is sometimes pictured as
Floyd | being covered with hair, or having hooves instead of feet, resembling
Floyd | Classical images of Pan. His names are more obscure: The Wicker (or
Floyd | Wicca) Man; The Black Goat With A Thousand Young. Therein lie
Floyd | tantalizing clues offering the enterprising folklorist still deeper
Floyd | glimpses into the collective unconscious.
Floyd |
Floyd | A few rare instances of The Dark Man have been uncovered that point
Floyd | beyond even these antiquated references -- bizarre aspects that seem
Floyd | to reflect some of the less understood concepts of Native American
Floyd | mysticism. Such baroque names as "The Lurker At The Threshold" or "The
Floyd | Watcher Beyond The Stars" point to a substratum of human mythology as
Floyd | yet untouched. These versions typically describe not physical
Floyd | manifestations, but rather abstract concepts of Evil and Time that
Floyd | some scholars have linked to the pre-Roman god Saturn, before he
Floyd | became characterized as merely the father of Zeus, when he was instead
Floyd | identified with the Ouroburos Dragon, Devourer of Worlds. Hopefully,
Floyd | as more archaeological evidence is uncovered, we will be able to speak
Floyd | of these primordial connections with greater confidence.
Floyd |
Floyd | [Please press SPACE.]
DavidW asks, "ready?"
Knight_Otu says, "Ready."
Jacqueline says, "Not quite"
Jacqueline says, "Thanks."
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]        from the Table of Contents of 'A Historical Overview'
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      Introduction
Floyd ]      The Legend of Croseus Verlac
Floyd ]      Rituals of the Misquat Indians
Floyd ]    > The Dark Man and Other Aspects
Floyd ]      The 'Strangling Mist' Legend
Floyd ]      The 'Ghost Train' Legend
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Floyd |
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]        from the Table of Contents of 'A Historical Overview'
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      Introduction
Floyd ]      The Legend of Croseus Verlac
Floyd ]      Rituals of the Misquat Indians
Floyd ]      The Dark Man and Other Aspects
Floyd ]    > The 'Strangling Mist' Legend
Floyd ]      The 'Ghost Train' Legend
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
DavidW presses the yellow enter button.
Floyd ]                     The 'Strangling Mist' Legend
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Rather unique to the lower Miskaton River Valley, this tale centers
Floyd | around a seemingly malevolent fog that roams the forests and lonely
Floyd | night roads, choking the unwary traveler with invisible, untouchable
Floyd | hands.
Floyd |
Floyd | The experience of being attacked by this strange entity is described
Floyd | in an 1855 journal as: "...lyke as thowe a deade man were to put his
Floyd | corpsey fingers downe yr throate withe one hande, & up yr nostrille
Floyd | withe the other..."
Floyd |
Floyd | No two tellings can agree on the origins of this terrible mist. Some
Floyd | accounts insist that it is a spirit of the restless dead; others
Floyd | attribute the effect to malicious hobgoblins. Other versions implicate
Floyd | witchcraft, a pirate's curse, swamp faerie... the list goes on. Some
Floyd | of the more esoteric explanations seem to indicate that the legend was
Floyd | adapted by white settlers from native superstitions held by the tribes
Floyd | indigenous to the Miskaton region; however, there is no evidence as
Floyd | yet that the "strangling mist" existed in any form prior to the
Floyd | appearance of Europeans.
Floyd |
Floyd | [Please press SPACE.]
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]        from the Table of Contents of 'A Historical Overview'
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      Introduction
Floyd ]      The Legend of Croseus Verlac
Floyd ]      Rituals of the Misquat Indians
Floyd ]      The Dark Man and Other Aspects
Floyd ]    > The 'Strangling Mist' Legend
Floyd ]      The 'Ghost Train' Legend
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Floyd |
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]        from the Table of Contents of 'A Historical Overview'
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      Introduction
Floyd ]      The Legend of Croseus Verlac
Floyd ]      Rituals of the Misquat Indians
Floyd ]      The Dark Man and Other Aspects
Floyd ]      The 'Strangling Mist' Legend
Floyd ]    > The 'Ghost Train' Legend
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]        from the Table of Contents of 'A Historical Overview'
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      Introduction
Floyd ]      The Legend of Croseus Verlac
Floyd ]      Rituals of the Misquat Indians
Floyd ]      The Dark Man and Other Aspects
Floyd ]      The 'Strangling Mist' Legend
Floyd ]    > The 'Ghost Train' Legend
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
DavidW presses the yellow enter button.
Floyd ]                       The 'Ghost Train' Legend
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Yet another colorful folk legend involves the recurring image of a
Floyd | "ghost train" -- a spectral locomotive that materializes from nowhere,
Floyd | glides across the haunted track for a short period of time, and then
Floyd | disappears as mysteriously as it came.
Floyd |
Floyd | This story did not originate among the first white settlers, of
Floyd | course; obviously it only came into being after the advent of the
Floyd | steam locomotive in our burgeoning Machine Age. The earliest known
Floyd | recorded version of this story, in fact, is dated 1882. Nonetheless,
Floyd | the legend provides us with an interesting example of how the
Floyd | collective unconscious adapts itself to changing aspects of our
Floyd | culture, cloaking old symbolism in the trappings of new technology.
Floyd |
Floyd | Although many versions hold that the ghost train represents the
Floyd | ghastly echoes of a locomotive that was wrecked (derailed and lost off
Floyd | a mountain pass is the most popular means of destruction), this is in
Floyd | fact a simplistic interpretation not seen until many decades after the
Floyd | myth originated. More intriguing and more useful to the folklorist are
Floyd | versions that explain the ghost train as a transport to the land of
Floyd | the dead -- a modernized boat of Charon, ferrying damned souls across
Floyd | the shroud to the devil's newly industrial Hell. These are the
Floyd | versions which most faithfully maintain links to the traditions of the
Floyd | past, and demonstrate the curious evolutionary behavior of the myth.
Floyd |
Floyd | In some of these tellings, the traveling soul must have a ticket to
Floyd | present to the grim conductor -- an element directly analogous to the
Floyd | ancient custom of placing of gold coins beneath the tongue to buy
Floyd | passage to the underworld. Living souls who ventured too near the
Floyd | tracks as the ghost train made its nightly sojourn would find
Floyd | themselves swept along -- echoing the Celtic/Germanic myth of the Wild
Floyd | Hunt, in which witness were compelled to join as either hunter or
Floyd | prey. Those who thus boarded the train by accident, madness or mere
Floyd | foolishness were inevitably carried back to whatever eldritch
Floyd | dimension from whence the train originated. Tales of return voyages
Floyd | are rare and generally held by those who pass them along to be
Floyd | apocryphal.
Floyd |
Floyd | [Please press SPACE.]
DavidW asks, "ready?"
Jacqueline says, "Yes."
Knight_Otu says, "Yes."
DavidW pushes the green 'space' button.
Floyd ]        from the Table of Contents of 'A Historical Overview'
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]      Introduction
Floyd ]      The Legend of Croseus Verlac
Floyd ]      Rituals of the Misquat Indians
Floyd ]      The Dark Man and Other Aspects
Floyd ]      The 'Strangling Mist' Legend
Floyd ]    > The 'Ghost Train' Legend
Floyd ]
Floyd ]
Floyd ]  [press BACKSPACE to return to game]
Floyd |
DavidW says (to Floyd), "q"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Circulation Desk
Floyd | A high counter divides the public portion of the library from the
Floyd | reserved stacks -- all the more esoteric and mysterious volumes from
Floyd | the university's collection. If anything, the area behind the counter
Floyd | is even more shadowy than the side you're on. The main reading area
Floyd | lies south.
Floyd |
Floyd | Hanging on the wall next to the counter is a small, printed sign.
Floyd | Beneath the sign sits a heavy, dog-eared register, and sitting next to
Floyd | the register is a bell.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your score has just gone up by one point.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "Unless we need to reread this book, I say return it for now."
Jacqueline says, "Sure"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ring bell"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > RING BELL
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Ding.
Floyd |
Floyd | A moment later, the gaunt and fishy-eyed librarian emerges silently
Floyd | from the shadows behind the counter.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Weprobably can't take it along anyway."
Jacqueline says, "Yeah"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "give frazer to librarian"
Floyd ]  Circulation Desk                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > GIVE FRAZER TO LIBRARIAN
Floyd |
Floyd | Wordlessly the librarian takes the tome from you and spirits it back
Floyd | to the shadowy depths of the reserved stacks.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline asks, "I'm guessing this is the only book we check out?"
Knight_Otu says, "I don't think we know any other books."
DavidW says, "I vaguely remember that other books were possible."
Jacqueline says, "Guess we'll see."
DavidW asks, "My memory of this game is very spotty, but I think there were three others?"
DavidW says, "Let's get the safe and attic doors open next, I think."
Knight_Otu says, "Sure."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Library
Floyd | Shadows roost thickly in the vaulted ceiling, and small, green-shaded
Floyd | desk lamps cast pools of warm radiance here and there around the
Floyd | library's dim interior. You pause a moment to let the hushed
Floyd | peacefulness of this place soak in -- a welcome relief from the
Floyd | unsettling events of the day. An exit lies east, and a small alcove to
Floyd | the north houses the circulation counter.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd | You may leave to the east, or approach the counter to the north.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  University Court                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | University Court
Floyd | Isolated and serene within its high, ivy-covered walls, Miskaton
Floyd | University represents this benighted town's single, if somewhat
Floyd | dubious, claim to cultural achievement. Founded some time in the early
Floyd | 1800s, the school's reputation and enrollment have diminished somewhat
Floyd | as Anchorhead drifts further and further into the abyss of provincial
Floyd | backwaterism. Still, it is generally recognized for its collection of
Floyd | folklore and esoteric mythology (one of the oldest and most extensive
Floyd | on the east coast). The Board of Deans was also kind enough to offer
Floyd | Michael a full professorship upon hearing of his recently discovered
Floyd | heritage and his plans to move into the estate. Ivory tower, perhaps,
Floyd | but at least they take care of their own.
Floyd |
Floyd | There are numerous buildings surrounding this cobbled court, but the
Floyd | only one you are interested in is the library to the west.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Junction                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Junction
Floyd | To the north, a gap in the crowded press of gloomy buildings opens
Floyd | onto a country lane, heading out over a grassy heath. The main street
Floyd | continues to the east, while to the northwest, over the top of a steep
Floyd | rise, you can just make out the vaulted rooftops of the university.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Narrow Street                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Narrow Street
Floyd | As the lane winds along from east to west, it narrows until the steep,
Floyd | jagged rooftops on either side of the street practically touch each
Floyd | other. To the south, a side street leads across Whateley Bridge toward
Floyd | the center of town, and a twisting lane leads up a hill to the
Floyd | northwest. A short flight of steps to the north leads down to the
Floyd | local watering hole.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Whateley Bridge                           day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Whateley Bridge
Floyd | A hoary monument of crumbling, moss-eaten flagstones, Whateley Bridge
Floyd | is possibly older than any other structure in the entire city.
Floyd | Ponderously it spans the dark, torpid waters of the Miskaton River,
Floyd | connecting the north and south halves of the city and occasionally
Floyd | raining bits of gravel and mortar from its underside into the water.
Floyd | It looks just wide enough for two cars to pass each other between the
Floyd | flanking stone parapets, but you wouldn't volunteer to try it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Town Square                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Town Square
Floyd | A wide expanse of uneven pavestones lies open to the sky, bordered on
Floyd | all sides by the leaning, steep-roofed architecture that looms over
Floyd | everything in this city. The municipal courthouse stands at the south
Floyd | end of the square, next to the mouth of a dark, narrow alley to the
Floyd | southwest. Avenues to the west and east lead back into the cramped and
Floyd | ingrown streets, while to the north lies Whateley Bridge.
Floyd |
Floyd | In the center of the square, rising from a circular lawn of
Floyd | unhealthy-looking grass and weeds, stands a strange, stone obelisk. It
Floyd | seems to be a monument of some sort, although you can see no plaque or
Floyd | marker anywhere near it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Riverwalk                                 day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Riverwalk
Floyd | A low, irregular brick wall to the north divides this street from the
Floyd | steep, mud-slick banks of the sinuous Miskaton, while a rusty iron
Floyd | gate provides access to a precarious flight of stone steps leading
Floyd | down the bank to the water's edge. The street bends south here,
Floyd | turning into a misty avenue between the trees. The town square lies
Floyd | west, a vacant lot lies east.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Chilly Avenue                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Chilly Avenue
Floyd | Perhaps it is merely the effect of some unwholesome vapour rising from
Floyd | the murky waters of the nearby Miskaton, but the temperature along
Floyd | this street seems perceptibly cooler than normal, even for a New
Floyd | England autumn. Two dirt roads lead south and southwest, into the
Floyd | dense woods at the edge of town.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "I don't remember visiting that vacant lot?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Riverwalk                                 day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Riverwalk
Floyd | A low, irregular brick wall to the north divides this street from the
Floyd | steep, mud-slick banks of the sinuous Miskaton, while a rusty iron
Floyd | gate provides access to a precarious flight of stone steps leading
Floyd | down the bank to the water's edge. The street bends south here,
Floyd | turning into a misty avenue between the trees. The town square lies
Floyd | west, a vacant lot lies east.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Vacant Lot
Floyd | Where once a building stood, there is now only cracked pavement and
Floyd | rampant weeds. A high chain-link fence surrounds this vacant lot; the
Floyd | only breaks lie to the west and southeast.
Floyd |
Floyd | An old man dressed in dirty rags sits on his mattress, muttering to
Floyd | himself as he stares intently out to sea.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Yeah, that seems new to me."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x man"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X MAN
Floyd |
Floyd | This pitiful creature might once have been a successful and healthy
Floyd | man, but alcohol and mental illness have dragged him down
Floyd | irretrievably into degenerate squalor. His clothes are filthy tatters;
Floyd | his hair is a matted, knotted mess; his body reeks of booze and urine.
Floyd | He sits on his mattress, seemingly oblivious to you or the rest of the
Floyd | world, and that's where he'll stay until either Death or the next
Floyd | drink comes around.
Floyd |
Floyd | The old bum is clutching a small object to his chest; he rubs it and
Floyd | turns it in his hands constantly, as though it were some sort of relic
Floyd | or charm. It's hard to tell, but it appears to be a key.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "We have a flask. He has a key. Trade?"
Jacqueline says, "Well, by god, if it's a key, we must have it."
Knight_Otu says, "I guess we give our rotgut for it."
Jacqueline says, "Yeah, sounds good."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "talk to man"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TALK TO MAN
Floyd |
Floyd | What do you want to talk to the bum about?
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "key"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > KEY
Floyd |
Floyd | (the small copper key)
Floyd | The old man squints at you with bleary, cunning eyes. "Don't know too
Floyd | much about that," he quavers. "Memory's not what it used to be... I'm
Floyd | so thirsty, Miss, so thirsty..."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "give flask to man"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > GIVE FLASK TO MAN
Floyd |
Floyd | (first taking the flask)
Floyd | (slipping the newspaper into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a
Floyd | hand free)
Floyd | His eyes burning with greed, the old man snatches the flask from your
Floyd | hand, unscrews the cap and tips it up into his waiting mouth. Trickles
Floyd | of pungent brown liquid ooze from the corners of his mouth as he
Floyd | swallows convulsively, his hands trembling, his eyes squeezed shut and
Floyd | streaming tears. Finally, he falls back onto his mattress with a
Floyd | beatific smile on his mud-smeared face, the flask dropping from his
Floyd | fingers.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your score has just gone up by two points.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take key"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE KEY
Floyd |
Floyd | (the small copper key)
Floyd | "Mine!" the old man hisses, clapping his hands onto his chest as
Floyd | though you were about to frisk him for it. "It's mine, and I won't let
Floyd | it go!"
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask man about key"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MAN ABOUT KEY
Floyd |
Floyd | (the small copper key)
Floyd | "Mine!" the old man hisses, clapping his hands onto his chest as
Floyd | though you were about to frisk him for it. "It's mine, and I won't let
Floyd | it go!"
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask man about man"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MAN ABOUT MAN
Floyd |
Floyd | The old man sighs. "I was a doctor, once. I was a very good doctor.
Floyd | But that was before Edward, you know. Little Edward and his..." His
Floyd | voice trails off to a whisper, but you could swear he mouthed the word
Floyd | "brother".
Floyd |
Floyd | A flurry of dead leaves goes skittering along the ground, swirling
Floyd | past you in the wind.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Well, I guess we take the other hint. (Sort of kidding. Sort of.)"
Jacqueline exclaims, "This is the goode doctor!"
Knight_Otu says, "Oh..."
DavidW says, "Dr Timothy Rebis"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask man about rebis"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MAN ABOUT REBIS
Floyd |
Floyd | The bum shakes his head and looks away. "T'ain't my name no more..."
Floyd | he says quietly. "...no more..."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask man about edward"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MAN ABOUT EDWARD
Floyd |
Floyd | The old man lets out a vicious cackle. "They got to him, didn't they?
Floyd | Maggots got to him good. Got into his head. The maggots got into his
Floyd | head, eatin' at him 'til he had to crack it open to get 'em out. Poor
Floyd | boy." He shakes his head. "Delivered him, I did. Pulled him right out
Floyd | of his mama. Him and his -- " Suddenly he stops, and will say no more.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask man about brother"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MAN ABOUT BROTHER
Floyd |
Floyd | The old man falls silent all of a sudden, and for a while he simply
Floyd | stares down at his hands, limp and open in his lap. Then, drawing a
Floyd | deep breath, he begins to speak, and for the first time his voice is
Floyd | steady, without the reedy whine of alcoholic craving.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Ayuh, little Edward had a brother, so he did. And I know him. I know
Floyd | of William, so I do. I delivered the child. Anna Verlac was his
Floyd | mother. It... it was... "
Floyd |
Floyd | He leans over and grips your arm with a hand that is suddenly steady
Floyd | and strong. "It was her father's poison seed, y'see. That evil bastard
Floyd | poisoned her womb and put a monster inside her. What she gave birth
Floyd | to... it was... it wasn't... oh, God, when I held that... that
Floyd | abortion in the shape of an infant, that thing with hooves for feet
Floyd | and its crown of writhing... when it looked up at me... It looked
Floyd | up at me with its father's red-rimmed eyes." The old man shudders
Floyd | convulsively, and it is a while before he can speak again.
Floyd |
Floyd | "Anna and I decided between ourselves, we did. The... her child... it
Floyd | lived for a few years, but it was sickly, and in pain, and it could
Floyd | never be normal nor healthy. She brought it to me... I was her doctor,
Floyd | you see, I'd seen her through her child's birth, and she trusted me...
Floyd | and I put the thing down, softly and without pain, and they laid it to
Floyd | rest in the family crypt.
Floyd |
Floyd | "And Anna thanked me for it, so she did."
Floyd |
Floyd | The old man falls silent again, and his wavering, bloodshot eyes
Floyd | wander once more out to sea. And he is lost, once again, to the horror
Floyd | and pain of the memories that can only be silenced by drink.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask man about william"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MAN ABOUT WILLIAM
Floyd |
Floyd | "All I care to tell of that tragedy, I've told," the old man says
Floyd | quietly, not looking at you. "I've no wish to speak of it again."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "This is such a cheerful story."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask man about anna"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MAN ABOUT ANNA
Floyd |
Floyd | Tears stream unchecked down the old man's face. "Shouldn't have
Floyd | happened to the girl. Only seventeen, she was, still a child when
Floyd | he... when that red-eyed monster took her... " His eyes suddenly
Floyd | darken, his fists clench. "HIS OWN DAUGHTER, GODS FUCK 'EM! SHOULDN'T
Floyd | HAVE DONE THAT TO HIS OWN DAUGHTER! GODS FUCK 'EM ALL!!"
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline makes another mental note about the content warning for this transcript.
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x copper key"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X COPPER KEY
Floyd |
Floyd | "Mine!" the old man hisses, clapping his hands onto his chest as
Floyd | though you were about to frisk him for it. "It's mine, and I won't let
Floyd | it go!"
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Like I said, the game told us what to do."
Jacqueline | that's where he'll stay until either Death or the next drink comes around
Jacqueline says, "I *think* I'm kidding."
Jacqueline says, "Probably."
DavidW says, "I think we can not kill him."
Knight_Otu says, "So let's see if we find more rotgut."
Jacqueline says, "You know the slippery slope. First we filch a faculty card from our husband's wallet in a violation of his trust, next thing we're murdering people."
DavidW says, "Then we change the formula for Coca Cola."
Knight_Otu says, "Technically, first, we trespassed."
Jacqueline says, "Just give him rotgut until he passes out works for me."
Jacqueline exclaims (at KO), "TRUE!"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask man about house"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MAN ABOUT HOUSE
Floyd |
Floyd | The old man screws his face up in confusion. "Don't know about that,"
Floyd | he mutters.
Floyd |
Floyd | A flurry of dead leaves goes skittering along the ground, swirling
Floyd | past you in the wind.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask man about obelisk"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MAN ABOUT OBELISK
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't think of anything to say about that for the moment.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask man about church"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MAN ABOUT CHURCH
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't think of anything to say about that for the moment.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask man about michael"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MAN ABOUT MICHAEL
Floyd |
Floyd | The old man screws his face up in confusion. "Don't know about that,"
Floyd | he mutters.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask man about brick wall"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MAN ABOUT BRICK WALL
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't think of anything to say about that for the moment.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu asks, "Ask him about mordecai?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask man about mordecai"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MAN ABOUT MORDECAI
Floyd |
Floyd | The old man shrinks away from you. "Not here!" he hisses. "Not
Floyd | anywhere! Never speak it!"
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Understandable reaction."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask man about verlac"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MAN ABOUT VERLAC
Floyd |
Floyd | (the Verlac family)
Floyd | The old man seems to physically shrink just a little bit, darting
Floyd | nervous glances around the empty lot. "Oh, they're the worst of the
Floyd | lot," he whispers. "They're the queen maggots, so they are. Sittin'
Floyd | all fat and full of poison in the center of the nest. Partick'ly that
Floyd | one, the worst one of all -- the one with the red-rimmed eyes."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "I guess he's telling us there's only one Verlac."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up anna in album"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP ANNA IN ALBUM
Floyd |
Floyd | There's nothing here you can look things up in.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "Oh, we carried the box of clippings around but not the album?"
Jacqueline says, "Guess so"
DavidW asks, "I'm not sure how to get this copper key. Continue with safe and attic?"
Knight_Otu says, "Sure."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take flask"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE FLASK
Floyd |
Floyd | Taken.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x mattress"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X MATTRESS
Floyd |
Floyd | The mattress is stained and beaten, oozing stuffing in several places.
Floyd | From the cans and food wrappers scattered around it, it looks as
Floyd | though somebody's been using it as a bed.
Floyd |
Floyd | The cold wind blows harder, tugging at the hem of your trenchcoat.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "search mattress"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SEARCH MATTRESS
Floyd |
Floyd | The bum sits cross-legged in the exact center of the mattress.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Riverwalk                                 day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd | The old man waves good-bye. "Don't be a stranger," he calls.
Floyd |
Floyd | Riverwalk
Floyd | A low, irregular brick wall to the north divides this street from the
Floyd | steep, mud-slick banks of the sinuous Miskaton, while a rusty iron
Floyd | gate provides access to a precarious flight of stone steps leading
Floyd | down the bank to the water's edge. The street bends south here,
Floyd | turning into a misty avenue between the trees. The town square lies
Floyd | west, a vacant lot lies east.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Chilly Avenue                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Chilly Avenue
Floyd | Perhaps it is merely the effect of some unwholesome vapour rising from
Floyd | the murky waters of the nearby Miskaton, but the temperature along
Floyd | this street seems perceptibly cooler than normal, even for a New
Floyd | England autumn. Two dirt roads lead south and southwest, into the
Floyd | dense woods at the edge of town.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "sw"
Floyd ]  Scenic View                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SW
Floyd |
Floyd | The ground begins to rise sharply as the road climbs up into the hills
Floyd | south of town.
Floyd |
Floyd | Scenic View
Floyd | The treeline falls away on the north side of this northwest-northeast
Floyd | bend in the road, giving way to a panoramic view of the Miskaton River
Floyd | Valley and the grubby little town of Anchorhead nestled within it.
Floyd | From here you can see the paper mill almost directly to the north; the
Floyd | solitary lighthouse and surrounding ocean to the northeast; and the
Floyd | dilapidated stone church below you to the east. Winding through it all
Floyd | is the oily black ribbon of the Miskaton, and almost directly in the
Floyd | center lies the little clearing of Town Square. You can just make out
Floyd | the shape of the obelisk from here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Outside the House
Floyd | The lane runs up from the southeast and ends at a wide clearing
Floyd | surrounded by gnarled and ancient trees. A wide, curving driveway runs
Floyd | up to the front door of your house, which lies north.
Floyd |
Floyd | The Verlac mansion looms before you, casting an air of menace over the
Floyd | clearing.
Floyd |
Floyd | In the distance, you can hear the lonesome keening of a train whistle
Floyd | drifting on the wind.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the front door first)
Floyd | It seems to be locked.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | (first taking the keyring)
Floyd | (slipping the faculty card into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a
Floyd | hand free)
Floyd | Taken.
Floyd | You unlock the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the front door first)
Floyd |
Floyd | Foyer
Floyd | Although it appears spacious from the outside, the house's interior
Floyd | feels cramped and gloomy. The walls seem too close together; the
Floyd | ceiling is too high. The doorways, leading in several directions, are
Floyd | narrow and filled with shadows, and the stairs leading up to the
Floyd | second floor are steep and rickety. This is not a house that makes you
Floyd | feel welcome. It is a house that makes you feel tiny and timid, and
Floyd | afraid of dark places. It is a house that makes you feel alone.
Floyd |
Floyd | The front door stands open to the south.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your luggage is still here, spread out all over the foyer.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "u"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Landing                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > U
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Landing
Floyd | A narrow hallway runs east, from the top of the stairs down the length
Floyd | of the house. To the north, directly opposite the stairs, is the
Floyd | master bedroom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Hall                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Hall
Floyd | The shuttered window at the end of the hall throws a gloomy rectangle
Floyd | of light onto the bare wooden floor. Doorways lead north and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | A rickety wooden ladder stands here, descending from a three-foot by
Floyd | three-foot square of darkness in the ceiling.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Library
Floyd | Whatever else their faults may have been, the Verlacs were evidently
Floyd | not ones to shun the printed word. Books line the walls from floor to
Floyd | ceiling in this dark-paneled, green-carpeted room, interrupted only by
Floyd | doorways to the east and south. A rich, brown leather armchair sits in
Floyd | stately repose near the window, with a polished brass pipe stand
Floyd | nearby completing the picture of some blue-blooded country squire's
Floyd | literary refuge. Once again, you are struck by how easily this place
Floyd | could have been the perfect home.
Floyd |
Floyd | A beautiful pair of mahogany sliding doors stand closed to the east.
Floyd |
Floyd | A section of the shelves in the western wall has slid to one side,
Floyd | revealing a hidden safe.
Floyd |
Floyd | Resting on the pipe stand is a sizable volume decorated with a gilded
Floyd | pentagram on its cover.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "i"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > I
Floyd |
Floyd | You are wearing your trenchcoat, your clothes and your wedding ring;
Floyd | in addition, you have in your hands a keyring, on which are three keys
Floyd | (an old-fashioned iron key, a key to the house and a key to the
Floyd | cellar), a flask (which is open but empty), a slip of paper and a
Floyd | broom.
Floyd |
Floyd | The pockets of your trenchcoat contain Michael's faculty card, a
Floyd | newspaper, a bundle of soggy pages, a silver locket, a family album, a
Floyd | flashlight, a book of matches with six matches left, a torn journal, a
Floyd | typewritten notice, a lantern, your umbrella and a towel.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read journal"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ JOURNAL
Floyd |
Floyd | What's left of the journal reads:
Floyd |
Floyd | Desperate. Went back to the old twisting lane and found only a
Floyd | blank wall. Without the amulet, how can I resist --
Floyd |
Floyd | ...bottles, bottles...
Floyd |
Floyd | Getting worse. People I have never met smile knowingly at me in
Floyd | the street. The police believe I am a child molester, but have brought
Floyd | no charges against me as yet. Why? Head hurts all the time. I have
Floyd | turned the cellar upside-down... damn it all, where is it?
Floyd |
Floyd | Dreamed of Father again. Dreamed of Grandfather. Those horrible,
Floyd | red-rimmed eyes...
Floyd |
Floyd |  -- into the safe, finally. 8-23-36. Won't forget THAT soon.
Floyd | Ha!
Floyd |
Floyd | CANNOT DISCOVER ENTRANCE IN THE CELLAR!!! Secret eludes me still
Floyd | but I WILL FIND IT!!! The clue is in their names, that pestilential
Floyd | procession of names! If I could only --
Floyd |
Floyd | The text breaks off as several more pages are missing. the last
Floyd | fragmented entry reads:
Floyd |
Floyd |  -- will fail. There is no recourse left. I know now what I must
Floyd | do. Julia --
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn dial to 8"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN DIAL TO 8
Floyd |
Floyd | The tumblers tick quietly as you turn the dial to 8...
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn dial to 23"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN DIAL TO 23
Floyd |
Floyd | The tumblers tick quietly as you turn the dial to 23...
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn dial to 36"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN DIAL TO 36
Floyd |
Floyd | The tumblers tick quietly as you turn the dial to 36... and with a
Floyd | hollow thunk, the safe suddenly swings open.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your score has just gone up by two points.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "We do have the album in our pockets."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look in safe"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK IN SAFE
Floyd |
Floyd | In the safe are a puzzle box and a strange metal flute.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take box and flute"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE BOX AND FLUTE
Floyd |
Floyd | puzzle box: (slipping the slip of paper into the pocket of your
Floyd | trenchcoat to get a hand free)
Floyd | You pick up the puzzle box. It's roughly the size and shape of a cigar
Floyd | box, carved from some dark and oddly streaked wood that you can't
Floyd | identify. All six surfaces are decorated in a complex arrangement of
Floyd | grooves and panels, most of which are illustrated with leering,
Floyd | demonic faces and obscene designs. As far as you can tell, it is in
Floyd | fact a box, and meant to be opened; however, you see no obvious way to
Floyd | do so.
Floyd | strange metal flute: (slipping the flask into the pocket of your
Floyd | trenchcoat to get a hand free)
Floyd | (closing the flask first)
Floyd | You pick up the strange metal flute. It appears to be some kind of
Floyd | wind instrument, fashioned out of ornately carved, greenish metal.
Floyd | Seven holes of varying sizes are drilled along the top.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "And I guess we took the broom for a walk."
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "SAVE"
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "cf3"
Floyd | >
Floyd | > SAVE
Floyd | %% Enter a save filename to write:
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd | Ok.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "We might also check out Anna in the crypt."
Jacqueline says, "hubba hubba"
Jacqueline says, "brb"
DavidW says, "I'd like a pee break, yes."
Jacqueline says, "I'm back when others are."
DavidW says, "back"
Peregrine disappears through an invisible gap in the MUD. You think you may have heard the sounds of chatting before the gap closed again.
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Study                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the sliding doors first)
Floyd |
Floyd | Study
Floyd | This smaller room adjoining the library seems comfortable enough,
Floyd | although it is dusty and cluttered from having not been lived in for
Floyd | the better part of a year. Aside from the desk and the chair and the
Floyd | empty shelves, the only real feature of the room is the large, ornate
Floyd | fireplace in the southern wall.
Floyd |
Floyd | A beautiful pair of mahogany sliding doors lead west, to the library.
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael's laptop sits in the middle of the desk, humming quietly to
Floyd | itself. Also on the desk is a letter opener.
Floyd |
Floyd | Although his computer is still on, Michael isn't here. In fact, you
Floyd | realize, you haven't heard him anywhere in the house since you got
Floyd | home. And you even found him a newspaper. Where in the world could he
Floyd | have gotten to?
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take opener"
Floyd ]  Study                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE OPENER
Floyd |
Floyd | (slipping the keyring into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a hand
Floyd | free)
Floyd | You pick up the letter opener. It's a rather ornate thing, with a
Floyd | silver hilt and a slim, sharp tip.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "I had an idea about the laptop computer."
Jacqueline asks, "Yeah?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x laptop"
Floyd ]  Study                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X LAPTOP
Floyd |
Floyd | A top-of-the-line model: it's sleek, lightweight and very fast, a real
Floyd | status symbol for the writer who wants to look as though he might stop
Floyd | whatever he's doing at the drop of a hat and suddenly hack out a
Floyd | bestseller. While you have yet to witness Michael do this, he really
Floyd | had been wanting one since before the two of you even met; so, to
Floyd | celebrate his new teaching position, you splurged and bought him one.
Floyd |
Floyd | The laptop is currently switched on.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "remove ring"
Floyd ]  Study                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > REMOVE RING
Floyd |
Floyd | You slip the plain gold band from your finger. Usually you feel almost
Floyd | naked without your ring on, although sometimes you do find yourself
Floyd | taking it off briefly, just to read the inscription along the inside.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Oh, right"
Jacqueline says, "Good idea"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x screen"
Floyd ]  Study                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X SCREEN
Floyd |
Floyd | The computer is in screen-saver mode: blank except for a single window
Floyd | requesting a 4-digit user passcode. Odd; you didn't think Michael ever
Floyd | used the passcode utility.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read inscription"
Floyd ]  Study                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ INSCRIPTION
Floyd |
Floyd | Engraved along the inside are Michael's and your initials, along with
Floyd | your wedding date -- June 28th.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "type 0628"
Floyd ]  Study                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TYPE 0628
Floyd |
Floyd | (on the laptop)
Floyd | The passcode window disappears and the screen suddenly fills with
Floyd | text, apparently the last thing Michael was working on before he got
Floyd | up and left.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your score has just gone up by two points.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Nicely done, sir."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "wear ring"
Floyd ]  Study                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > WEAR RING
Floyd |
Floyd | The gold band slides onto your finger with a comforting snugness.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read screen"
Floyd ]  Study                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ SCREEN
Floyd |
Floyd | Michael has evidently been writing something, but it's not a story; it
Floyd | looks more like some kind of journal entry.
Floyd |
Floyd | I cannot sleep.
Floyd |
Floyd | Or perhaps I should say: I must not sleep, since I
Floyd | am perfectly capable of sleep -- in fact, lately sleep has come to me
Floyd | more easily, more quickly, and more insidiously than it ever has
Floyd | before. But I don't want to sleep.
Floyd |
Floyd | I have been hoping that the terrible dreams would prove to be
Floyd | stress-related, that they would fade once the move was behind us and
Floyd | we had finally settled in -- but that has not turned out to be the
Floyd | case. They're stronger than ever. Red-rimmed eyes pursuing me through
Floyd | strange corridors, and the voice -- the whisperer who tells me I am
Floyd | not who I am. The whisperer tells me secrets of this house, secrets of
Floyd | those who lived here -- they are my blood, and he tells me he always
Floyd | returns to his blood. He tells me of secret keys and combinations; I
Floyd | don't know what they open yet but I have an idea --
Floyd |
Floyd | Tomorrow I must go down to the cellar. I must see if the things
Floyd | revealed to me in that terrible book are true.
Floyd |
Floyd | I know she is worried about me. I want to tell her, but --
Floyd |
Floyd | The entry ends there, unfinished.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "It's been Croseus all along, possessing his descendents over and over again."
Jacqueline says (to Michael), "We're not so much worried about you as thinking about leaving you."
DavidW asks, "attic next?"
Knight_Otu says, "And burning down the village behind us."
Knight_Otu says, "sure."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Library                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Library
Floyd | Whatever else their faults may have been, the Verlacs were evidently
Floyd | not ones to shun the printed word. Books line the walls from floor to
Floyd | ceiling in this dark-paneled, green-carpeted room, interrupted only by
Floyd | doorways to the east and south. A rich, brown leather armchair sits in
Floyd | stately repose near the window, with a polished brass pipe stand
Floyd | nearby completing the picture of some blue-blooded country squire's
Floyd | literary refuge. Once again, you are struck by how easily this place
Floyd | could have been the perfect home.
Floyd |
Floyd | A beautiful pair of mahogany sliding doors lead east, to the study.
Floyd |
Floyd | A section of the shelves in the western wall has slid to one side,
Floyd | revealing a hidden safe.
Floyd |
Floyd | Resting on the pipe stand is a sizable volume decorated with a gilded
Floyd | pentagram on its cover.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" Jacqueline says (to KO), "Sure, I'd be down."
Floyd ]  Upstairs Hall                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Hall
Floyd | The shuttered window at the end of the hall throws a gloomy rectangle
Floyd | of light onto the bare wooden floor. Doorways lead north and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | A rickety wooden ladder stands here, descending from a three-foot by
Floyd | three-foot square of darkness in the ceiling.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "u"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > U
Floyd |
Floyd | The ancient rungs creak alarmingly as you ascend.
Floyd |
Floyd | Attic
Floyd | It's much cooler up here than in the rest of the house, and you find
Floyd | it hard to suppress a shiver. Grotesque, looming shadows crawl across
Floyd | the low, slanted ceiling, and the dust hangs thick and motionless in
Floyd | the air. To the west the ceiling dips even lower until the space
Floyd | beneath leaves hardly room enough to crawl, while to the north stands
Floyd | a wooden door, draped in shadows and half-hidden by the slanting
Floyd | eaves.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "put newspaper under door"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PUT NEWSPAPER UNDER DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You slide the newspaper under the door, leaving only an inch or two
Floyd | sticking out on your side.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "SAVE"
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "cf4"
Floyd | >
Floyd | > SAVE
Floyd | %% Enter a save filename to write:
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd | Ok.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "put opener in keyhole"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PUT OPENER IN KEYHOLE
Floyd |
Floyd | The tip of the letter opener bumps against something, and you hear
Floyd | something thump onto the newspaper on the other side of the door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "pull newspaper"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PULL NEWSPAPER
Floyd |
Floyd | (slipping the puzzle box into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a
Floyd | hand free)
Floyd | Something metallic falls off the newspaper as you pull it out from
Floyd | under the door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take key"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE KEY
Floyd |
Floyd | (the old-fashioned brass key)
Floyd | (slipping the strange metal flute into the pocket of your trenchcoat
Floyd | to get a hand free)
Floyd | You pick up the old-fashioned brass key. It's an old key, the kind
Floyd | with a round barrel about a quarter-inch in diameter and flat, square
Floyd | teeth.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your score has just gone up by one point.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "put brass key on keyring"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PUT BRASS KEY ON KEYRING
Floyd |
Floyd | The old-fashioned brass key is now on the keyring.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | (first taking the keyring)
Floyd | You go through all the keys on your keyring, trying each one in turn,
Floyd | and after several false attempts you discover that the old-fashioned
Floyd | brass key fits the lock.
Floyd | You unlock the door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says (to Floyd), "score"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SCORE
Floyd |
Floyd | You have so far scored 20 out of a possible 100 points; you have
Floyd | merely scratched the surface of evil.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the door first)
Floyd |
Floyd | Attic Cell
Floyd | A cramped little annex off the main attic, with a tiny, shuttered
Floyd | window high up on the north wall. A pile of mouldering straw in the
Floyd | corner and what looks like pencil marks on the lower part of the walls
Floyd | seem to indicate that someone lived here once. Or, possibly, was kept
Floyd | here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x marks"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X MARKS
Floyd |
Floyd | They look like a child's drawings, made with pencil or some kind of
Floyd | charcoal. Most of them are smudged and faded, but you can make out
Floyd | stick figures here and there, and the occasional, lollipop-shaped
Floyd | tree.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x straw"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X STRAW
Floyd |
Floyd | This disgusting mess might actually have been some poor soul's bed.
Floyd | You shudder, wondering what sick relative was kept prisoner here, and
Floyd | when.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "search straw"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SEARCH STRAW
Floyd |
Floyd | You gingerly poke through the filthy straw, barely able to suppress
Floyd | your disgust. However, your search is not unrewarded: underneath the
Floyd | thickest part of the pile, you discover a tiny gold locket.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x gold locket"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X GOLD LOCKET
Floyd |
Floyd | It is oval-shaped, held shut with a tiny clasp.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open it"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN IT
Floyd |
Floyd | You open the gold locket, revealing a woman's picture.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x woman"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X WOMAN
Floyd |
Floyd | From the quality of the photograph, you'd say the picture must have
Floyd | been taken sometime in the fifties. The woman looks no more than
Floyd | twenty years old. Her pale, fragile face is framed by straight, dark,
Floyd | mousy hair, and she seems to stare plaintively out at you, her
Floyd | expression one of haunted resignation.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "I assume that's Anna."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x anna"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X ANNA
Floyd |
Floyd | From the quality of the photograph, you'd say the picture must have
Floyd | been taken sometime in the fifties. The woman looks no more than
Floyd | twenty years old. Her pale, fragile face is framed by straight, dark,
Floyd | mousy hair, and she seems to stare plaintively out at you, her
Floyd | expression one of haunted resignation.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Yeah."
Jacqueline says, "Yeah"
DavidW says, "Confirmed."
DavidW asks, "Shall we find her coffin?"
Jacqueline exclaims, "Sure!"
Knight_Otu says, "Let's try."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Attic
Floyd | It's much cooler up here than in the rest of the house, and you find
Floyd | it hard to suppress a shiver. Grotesque, looming shadows crawl across
Floyd | the low, slanted ceiling, and the dust hangs thick and motionless in
Floyd | the air. To the west the ceiling dips even lower until the space
Floyd | beneath leaves hardly room enough to crawl, while to the north stands
Floyd | a wooden door, draped in shadows and half-hidden by the slanting
Floyd | eaves.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "d"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Hall                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > D
Floyd |
Floyd | The ancient rungs creak alarmingly as you descend.
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Hall
Floyd | The shuttered window at the end of the hall throws a gloomy rectangle
Floyd | of light onto the bare wooden floor. Doorways lead north and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | A rickety wooden ladder stands here, descending from a three-foot by
Floyd | three-foot square of darkness in the ceiling.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Landing                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Landing
Floyd | A narrow hallway runs east, from the top of the stairs down the length
Floyd | of the house. To the north, directly opposite the stairs, is the
Floyd | master bedroom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "d"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > D
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Foyer
Floyd | Although it appears spacious from the outside, the house's interior
Floyd | feels cramped and gloomy. The walls seem too close together; the
Floyd | ceiling is too high. The doorways, leading in several directions, are
Floyd | narrow and filled with shadows, and the stairs leading up to the
Floyd | second floor are steep and rickety. This is not a house that makes you
Floyd | feel welcome. It is a house that makes you feel tiny and timid, and
Floyd | afraid of dark places. It is a house that makes you feel alone.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your luggage is still here, spread out all over the foyer.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Back Hall                                 day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Back Hall
Floyd | A short hallway, connecting rooms to the east, west and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Kitchen
Floyd | Where once pots and skillets and various utensils hung in profusion,
Floyd | the kitchen walls are now merely ranks of dusty cabinets and a forest
Floyd | of empty hooks. Doorways lead east and south, a small pantry lies to
Floyd | the northwest, and the back door to the north leads out of the house.
Floyd |
Floyd | You can also see a cardboard box (in which are some newspaper
Floyd | clippings) here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Path Behind the House                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the back door first)
Floyd |
Floyd | Path Behind the House
Floyd | A gravel path starts here at the back door of the house, and marks a
Floyd | trail nearly overgrown by weeds and briars. It disappears into the
Floyd | undergrowth to the northwest, framed by crooked trees with overhanging
Floyd | branches that seem to form a stunted, jagged archway into the dim
Floyd | recesses of the forest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd | Stooping to avoid the sharp, bare twigs that snag your clothes and
Floyd | seem to reach greedily for your eyes, you pick your way through the
Floyd | undergrowth to a small clearing.
Floyd |
Floyd | Family Plot
Floyd | Old, moss-slimed tombstones, many broken off and leaning crazily like
Floyd | an old man's teeth, poke up from the soft, mulchy earth. In their
Floyd | midst stands an ancient marble crypt, its heavy iron door nearly
Floyd | obscured by thick draperies of ivy. The trees press close around this
Floyd | quiet enclave of death, leaning together over your head as if sharing
Floyd | secrets. A gap in the undergrowth to the southeast reveals a narrow
Floyd | gravel path.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Darkness                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the iron door first)
Floyd | The faint echo of dripping water and a musty smell of decay grow
Floyd | stronger as you descend.
Floyd |
Floyd | Darkness
Floyd | It is pitch dark, and you can't see a thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn on light"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN ON LIGHT
Floyd |
Floyd | The flashlight emits a warm yellow beam.
Floyd |
Floyd | In the Crypt
Floyd | The air is clammy and frigid, the stone walls damp and streaked with
Floyd | mud and lichen. Pale, swollen roots push through cracks in the
Floyd | masonry. The smell of damp corruption is almost overpowering here,
Floyd | though the stairs to the south lead toward fresher air.
Floyd |
Floyd | The walls of this chamber contain dozens of wide, shallow niches; in
Floyd | each niche, a coffin.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up anna"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP ANNA
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the nameplates)
Floyd | The nameplate reads "Anna Verlac, b. June 24, 1936, d. March 23,
Floyd | 1962". Like the others, this coffin is built of solid oak, sealed with
Floyd | lead.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "Wine cellar, attic again, or church?"
Knight_Otu says, "Born 1936, there might be something in the album."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up anna in album"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP ANNA IN ALBUM
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the nameplates)
Floyd | The nameplate reads "Anna Verlac, b. June 24, 1936, d. March 23,
Floyd | 1962". Like the others, this coffin is built of solid oak, sealed with
Floyd | lead.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x album"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X ALBUM
Floyd |
Floyd | It's a slim, hardbound volume in dark leather, unadorned except for
Floyd | name "Verlac" embossed on the front. Glancing at the title page, you
Floyd | notice two details: one, the book was self-published; and two, it was
Floyd | published in 1944. So it's a good bet that Edward Verlac and his
Floyd | family aren't mentioned here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Oh, huh. So, the internet is telling me that the use of lead in coffins preserves the bodies better, keeps out moisture, prevents smells and toxins from leaching out."
DavidW says, "Also, Superman can't peek through lead."
Jacqueline says, "True"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look up mordecai"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK UP MORDECAI
Floyd |
Floyd | (in the nameplates)
Floyd | You can't find that name anywhere; but then again, it may just be too
Floyd | corroded for you to read.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "search william"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SEARCH WILLIAM
Floyd |
Floyd | In William's coffin is an animal's skeleton.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "search skeleton"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SEARCH SKELETON
Floyd |
Floyd | The skeleton is in pieces; parts of it crumble even as you touch it.
Floyd | Only the animal's skull seems reasonably intact.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x skull"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X SKULL
Floyd |
Floyd | The gruesome thing seems to leer at you with its bleached, toothy
Floyd | grin.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look in skull"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK IN SKULL
Floyd |
Floyd | You find nothing of interest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take skull"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE SKULL
Floyd |
Floyd | (slipping the letter opener into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get
Floyd | a hand free)
Floyd | Taken.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "shake skull"
Floyd ]  In the Crypt                              day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SHAKE SKULL
Floyd |
Floyd | That would accomplish very little.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu asks, "I guess we can confront the good doctor with the skull?"
Jacqueline says, "Sure. Let's take it with us."
DavidW says, "oh, that is an idea, yes."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | You involuntary take a deep breath of fresh air as you leave the
Floyd | clammy, foetid depths of the crypt behind.
Floyd |
Floyd | Family Plot
Floyd | Old, moss-slimed tombstones, many broken off and leaning crazily like
Floyd | an old man's teeth, poke up from the soft, mulchy earth. In their
Floyd | midst stands an ancient marble crypt, its heavy iron door nearly
Floyd | obscured by thick draperies of ivy. The trees press close around this
Floyd | quiet enclave of death, leaning together over your head as if sharing
Floyd | secrets. A gap in the undergrowth to the southeast reveals a narrow
Floyd | gravel path.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn off light"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN OFF LIGHT
Floyd |
Floyd | You switch the flashlight off.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Family Plot                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the iron door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Path Behind the House                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Path Behind the House
Floyd | A gravel path starts here at the back door of the house, and marks a
Floyd | trail nearly overgrown by weeds and briars. It disappears into the
Floyd | undergrowth to the northwest, framed by crooked trees with overhanging
Floyd | branches that seem to form a stunted, jagged archway into the dim
Floyd | recesses of the forest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Kitchen
Floyd | Where once pots and skillets and various utensils hung in profusion,
Floyd | the kitchen walls are now merely ranks of dusty cabinets and a forest
Floyd | of empty hooks. Doorways lead east and south, a small pantry lies to
Floyd | the northwest, and the back door to the north leads out of the house.
Floyd |
Floyd | You can also see a cardboard box (in which are some newspaper
Floyd | clippings) here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the back door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Back Hall                                 day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Back Hall
Floyd | A short hallway, connecting rooms to the east, west and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Foyer
Floyd | Although it appears spacious from the outside, the house's interior
Floyd | feels cramped and gloomy. The walls seem too close together; the
Floyd | ceiling is too high. The doorways, leading in several directions, are
Floyd | narrow and filled with shadows, and the stairs leading up to the
Floyd | second floor are steep and rickety. This is not a house that makes you
Floyd | feel welcome. It is a house that makes you feel tiny and timid, and
Floyd | afraid of dark places. It is a house that makes you feel alone.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your luggage is still here, spread out all over the foyer.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the front door first)
Floyd |
Floyd | Outside the House
Floyd | The lane runs up from the southeast and ends at a wide clearing
Floyd | surrounded by gnarled and ancient trees. A wide, curving driveway runs
Floyd | up to the front door of your house, which lies north.
Floyd |
Floyd | The front door stands open to the north.
Floyd |
Floyd | The Verlac mansion looms before you, casting an air of menace over the
Floyd | clearing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "lock door"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You lock the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "se"
Floyd ]  Scenic View                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Scenic View
Floyd | The treeline falls away on the north side of this northwest-northeast
Floyd | bend in the road, giving way to a panoramic view of the Miskaton River
Floyd | Valley and the grubby little town of Anchorhead nestled within it.
Floyd | From here you can see the paper mill almost directly to the north; the
Floyd | solitary lighthouse and surrounding ocean to the northeast; and the
Floyd | dilapidated stone church below you to the east. Winding through it all
Floyd | is the oily black ribbon of the Miskaton, and almost directly in the
Floyd | center lies the little clearing of Town Square. You can just make out
Floyd | the shape of the obelisk from here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ne"
Floyd ]  Chilly Avenue                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NE
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Chilly Avenue
Floyd | Perhaps it is merely the effect of some unwholesome vapour rising from
Floyd | the murky waters of the nearby Miskaton, but the temperature along
Floyd | this street seems perceptibly cooler than normal, even for a New
Floyd | England autumn. Two dirt roads lead south and southwest, into the
Floyd | dense woods at the edge of town.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Riverwalk                                 day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Riverwalk
Floyd | A low, irregular brick wall to the north divides this street from the
Floyd | steep, mud-slick banks of the sinuous Miskaton, while a rusty iron
Floyd | gate provides access to a precarious flight of stone steps leading
Floyd | down the bank to the water's edge. The street bends south here,
Floyd | turning into a misty avenue between the trees. The town square lies
Floyd | west, a vacant lot lies east.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Vacant Lot
Floyd | Where once a building stood, there is now only cracked pavement and
Floyd | rampant weeds. A high chain-link fence surrounds this vacant lot; the
Floyd | only breaks lie to the west and southeast.
Floyd |
Floyd | The old man looks up at you with fawning admiration.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "show skull to man"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SHOW SKULL TO MAN
Floyd |
Floyd | The old man starts visibly when you show him the skull. "What about
Floyd | it?" he mutters.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask man about skull"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MAN ABOUT SKULL
Floyd |
Floyd | "I don't know what you're talking about, so I don't," says the old
Floyd | man, but it's plain he's hiding something. He tries to crawl away, but
Floyd | is plainly too weak, and settles instead for rolling over on the
Floyd | mattress to face the other direction. "You're speaking gibberish. Go
Floyd | away."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask man about william"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MAN ABOUT WILLIAM
Floyd |
Floyd | "All I care to tell of that tragedy, I've told," the old man says
Floyd | quietly, not looking at you. "I've no wish to speak of it again."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask man about skull"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MAN ABOUT SKULL
Floyd |
Floyd | The old man bares his teeth. "You can't prove it! You can't prove
Floyd | anything, so you can't!"
Floyd |
Floyd | A flurry of dead leaves goes skittering along the ground, swirling
Floyd | past you in the wind.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "g"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > G
Floyd |
Floyd | "I'll not listen to lies!" screeches the old man, clapping his hands
Floyd | to his ears.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "g"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > G
Floyd |
Floyd | "I'll not listen to lies!" screeches the old man, clapping his hands
Floyd | to his ears.
Floyd |
Floyd | A flurry of dead leaves goes skittering along the ground, swirling
Floyd | past you in the wind.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take key"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE KEY
Floyd |
Floyd | (the small copper key)
Floyd | "Mine!" the old man hisses, clapping his hands onto his chest as
Floyd | though you were about to frisk him for it. "It's mine, and I won't let
Floyd | it go!"
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu asks, "Maybe tell him about the coffin?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "tell man about coffin"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TELL MAN ABOUT COFFIN
Floyd |
Floyd | "I told you about that already," snaps the old man. "Why don't you
Floyd | leave me alone?"
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask man about coffin"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > ASK MAN ABOUT COFFIN
Floyd |
Floyd | "I told you about that already," snaps the old man. "Why don't you
Floyd | leave me alone?"
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "show gold locket to man"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SHOW GOLD LOCKET TO MAN
Floyd |
Floyd | You won't get much of a response.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open gold locket"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN GOLD LOCKET
Floyd |
Floyd | I only understood you as far as wanting to open the wedding ring.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open locket"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN LOCKET
Floyd |
Floyd | You open the silver locket, revealing a boy's picture.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "i"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > I
Floyd |
Floyd | You are wearing your trenchcoat, your clothes and your wedding ring;
Floyd | in addition, you have in your hands an animal's skull, a keyring, on
Floyd | which are four keys (an old-fashioned brass key, an old-fashioned iron
Floyd | key, a key to the house and a key to the cellar), a newspaper and a
Floyd | broom.
Floyd |
Floyd | The pockets of your trenchcoat contain a letter opener, a strange
Floyd | metal flute, a puzzle box (which is closed), a flask (which is
Floyd | closed), a slip of paper, Michael's faculty card, a bundle of soggy
Floyd | pages, a silver locket, a family album, a flashlight, a book of
Floyd | matches with six matches left, a torn journal, a typewritten notice, a
Floyd | lantern, your umbrella and a towel.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "Did we not pick up the gold locket?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "show boy's picture to man"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SHOW BOY'S PICTURE TO MAN
Floyd |
Floyd | (first taking the silver locket)
Floyd | (slipping the newspaper into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a
Floyd | hand free)
Floyd | The bum makes no move to take the locket, but he stares at the boy's
Floyd | picture inside with something akin to fear. "Ayuh," he whispers
Floyd | hoarsely, "that's him, so it is. That's the boy. That's William."
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "show box to man"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SHOW BOX TO MAN
Floyd |
Floyd | (first taking the puzzle box)
Floyd | (slipping the keyring into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a hand
Floyd | free)
Floyd | The old man stares at the puzzle box blankly, not sure what you want
Floyd | him to do with it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Apparently not."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "show pages to man"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SHOW PAGES TO MAN
Floyd |
Floyd | (first taking the bundle of soggy pages)
Floyd | (slipping the animal's skull into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get
Floyd | a hand free)
Floyd | The old man stares at the bundle of soggy pages blankly, not sure what
Floyd | you want him to do with it.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take pages"
Floyd ]  Vacant Lot                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE PAGES
Floyd |
Floyd | You already have that.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW asks, "I guess go get the gold locket?"
Jacqueline says, "sure"
DavidW says, "I assumed we picked it up, in the way boxes of clippings are auto-picked up."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Riverwalk                                 day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Riverwalk
Floyd | A low, irregular brick wall to the north divides this street from the
Floyd | steep, mud-slick banks of the sinuous Miskaton, while a rusty iron
Floyd | gate provides access to a precarious flight of stone steps leading
Floyd | down the bank to the water's edge. The street bends south here,
Floyd | turning into a misty avenue between the trees. The town square lies
Floyd | west, a vacant lot lies east.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Chilly Avenue                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Chilly Avenue
Floyd | Perhaps it is merely the effect of some unwholesome vapour rising from
Floyd | the murky waters of the nearby Miskaton, but the temperature along
Floyd | this street seems perceptibly cooler than normal, even for a New
Floyd | England autumn. Two dirt roads lead south and southwest, into the
Floyd | dense woods at the edge of town.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "sw"
Floyd ]  Scenic View                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SW
Floyd |
Floyd | The ground begins to rise sharply as the road climbs up into the hills
Floyd | south of town.
Floyd |
Floyd | Scenic View
Floyd | The treeline falls away on the north side of this northwest-northeast
Floyd | bend in the road, giving way to a panoramic view of the Miskaton River
Floyd | Valley and the grubby little town of Anchorhead nestled within it.
Floyd | From here you can see the paper mill almost directly to the north; the
Floyd | solitary lighthouse and surrounding ocean to the northeast; and the
Floyd | dilapidated stone church below you to the east. Winding through it all
Floyd | is the oily black ribbon of the Miskaton, and almost directly in the
Floyd | center lies the little clearing of Town Square. You can just make out
Floyd | the shape of the obelisk from here.
Floyd |
Floyd | The cold wind cuts through your clothes, chilling you to the bone.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Outside the House
Floyd | The lane runs up from the southeast and ends at a wide clearing
Floyd | surrounded by gnarled and ancient trees. A wide, curving driveway runs
Floyd | up to the front door of your house, which lies north.
Floyd |
Floyd | The Verlac mansion looms before you, casting an air of menace over the
Floyd | clearing.
Floyd |
Floyd | A flurry of dead leaves goes skittering along the ground, swirling
Floyd | past you in the wind.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "unlock door"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNLOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | (first taking the keyring)
Floyd | (slipping the silver locket into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get
Floyd | a hand free)
Floyd | Taken.
Floyd | You unlock the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the front door first)
Floyd |
Floyd | Foyer
Floyd | Although it appears spacious from the outside, the house's interior
Floyd | feels cramped and gloomy. The walls seem too close together; the
Floyd | ceiling is too high. The doorways, leading in several directions, are
Floyd | narrow and filled with shadows, and the stairs leading up to the
Floyd | second floor are steep and rickety. This is not a house that makes you
Floyd | feel welcome. It is a house that makes you feel tiny and timid, and
Floyd | afraid of dark places. It is a house that makes you feel alone.
Floyd |
Floyd | The front door stands open to the south.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your luggage is still here, spread out all over the foyer.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "u"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Landing                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > U
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Landing
Floyd | A narrow hallway runs east, from the top of the stairs down the length
Floyd | of the house. To the north, directly opposite the stairs, is the
Floyd | master bedroom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Hall                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Hall
Floyd | The shuttered window at the end of the hall throws a gloomy rectangle
Floyd | of light onto the bare wooden floor. Doorways lead north and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | A rickety wooden ladder stands here, descending from a three-foot by
Floyd | three-foot square of darkness in the ceiling.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "u"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > U
Floyd |
Floyd | The ancient rungs creak alarmingly as you ascend.
Floyd |
Floyd | Attic
Floyd | It's much cooler up here than in the rest of the house, and you find
Floyd | it hard to suppress a shiver. Grotesque, looming shadows crawl across
Floyd | the low, slanted ceiling, and the dust hangs thick and motionless in
Floyd | the air. To the west the ceiling dips even lower until the space
Floyd | beneath leaves hardly room enough to crawl, while to the north stands
Floyd | a wooden door, draped in shadows and half-hidden by the slanting
Floyd | eaves.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Attic Cell
Floyd | A cramped little annex off the main attic, with a tiny, shuttered
Floyd | window high up on the north wall. A pile of mouldering straw in the
Floyd | corner and what looks like pencil marks on the lower part of the walls
Floyd | seem to indicate that someone lived here once. Or, possibly, was kept
Floyd | here.
Floyd |
Floyd | Lying amongst the filthy straw is a gold locket.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take locket"
Floyd ]  Attic Cell                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE LOCKET
Floyd |
Floyd | (the gold locket)
Floyd | (slipping the puzzle box into the pocket of your trenchcoat to get a
Floyd | hand free)
Floyd | Taken.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Attic
Floyd | It's much cooler up here than in the rest of the house, and you find
Floyd | it hard to suppress a shiver. Grotesque, looming shadows crawl across
Floyd | the low, slanted ceiling, and the dust hangs thick and motionless in
Floyd | the air. To the west the ceiling dips even lower until the space
Floyd | beneath leaves hardly room enough to crawl, while to the north stands
Floyd | a wooden door, draped in shadows and half-hidden by the slanting
Floyd | eaves.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look west"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK WEST
Floyd |
Floyd | You see nothing special to the west.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x ceiling"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X CEILING
Floyd |
Floyd | You see nothing special above you.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x eaves"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X EAVES
Floyd |
Floyd | You needn't worry about that.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x shadows"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X SHADOWS
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't see any such thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Darkness                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Darkness
Floyd | It is pitch dark, and you can't see a thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn on light"
Floyd ]  Crawlspace                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN ON LIGHT
Floyd |
Floyd | The flashlight emits a warm yellow beam.
Floyd |
Floyd | Crawlspace
Floyd | The ceiling descends here to no more than three feet from the floor;
Floyd | you are forced to crawl through the cramped darkness on your hands and
Floyd | knees. To the east the attic becomes more spacious, while the
Floyd | northwest corner opens into an oddly-angled corridor.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  Crawlspace                                day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd | As you make your way down the corridor, you begin to get dizzy, then
Floyd | nauseous. Lines seem to cross without bending, the ceiling becomes the
Floyd | walls and the floor becomes the ceiling. Half-blind, unsure even of
Floyd | which direction you were going in, you stagger forward and suddenly
Floyd | find yourself in a...
Floyd |
Floyd | Crawlspace
Floyd | The ceiling descends here to no more than three feet from the floor;
Floyd | you are forced to crawl through the cramped darkness on your hands and
Floyd | knees. To the east the attic becomes more spacious, while the
Floyd | northwest corner opens into an oddly-angled corridor.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "I guess we need that elusive amulet here."
DavidW says, "hm. I guess we need a guide of some sort."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Attic                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Attic
Floyd | It's much cooler up here than in the rest of the house, and you find
Floyd | it hard to suppress a shiver. Grotesque, looming shadows crawl across
Floyd | the low, slanted ceiling, and the dust hangs thick and motionless in
Floyd | the air. To the west the ceiling dips even lower until the space
Floyd | beneath leaves hardly room enough to crawl, while to the north stands
Floyd | a wooden door, draped in shadows and half-hidden by the slanting
Floyd | eaves.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "d"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Hall                             day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > D
Floyd |
Floyd | The ancient rungs creak alarmingly as you descend.
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Hall
Floyd | The shuttered window at the end of the hall throws a gloomy rectangle
Floyd | of light onto the bare wooden floor. Doorways lead north and south.
Floyd |
Floyd | A rickety wooden ladder stands here, descending from a three-foot by
Floyd | three-foot square of darkness in the ceiling.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline asks, "We've... not gone into the cellar yet, right?"
DavidW says, "Cellar, yes. Wine cellar, no."
Knight_Otu says, "At least not the wine cellar."
Jacqueline says, "Oh, my bad"
DavidW says, "We also ignored the fuse box."
DavidW says, "I want to find gloves first before touching a fuse box in a horror game."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Landing                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Upstairs Landing
Floyd | A narrow hallway runs east, from the top of the stairs down the length
Floyd | of the house. To the north, directly opposite the stairs, is the
Floyd | master bedroom.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn off light"
Floyd ]  Upstairs Landing                          day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN OFF LIGHT
Floyd |
Floyd | You switch the flashlight off.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "d"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > D
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Foyer
Floyd | Although it appears spacious from the outside, the house's interior
Floyd | feels cramped and gloomy. The walls seem too close together; the
Floyd | ceiling is too high. The doorways, leading in several directions, are
Floyd | narrow and filled with shadows, and the stairs leading up to the
Floyd | second floor are steep and rickety. This is not a house that makes you
Floyd | feel welcome. It is a house that makes you feel tiny and timid, and
Floyd | afraid of dark places. It is a house that makes you feel alone.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your luggage is still here, spread out all over the foyer.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the front door first)
Floyd |
Floyd | Outside the House
Floyd | The lane runs up from the southeast and ends at a wide clearing
Floyd | surrounded by gnarled and ancient trees. A wide, curving driveway runs
Floyd | up to the front door of your house, which lies north.
Floyd |
Floyd | The front door stands open to the north.
Floyd |
Floyd | The Verlac mansion looms before you, casting an air of menace over the
Floyd | clearing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline says, "Gloves? That's what SAVE is for"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "lock door"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOCK DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You lock the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "I know."
DavidW asks, "Shall we see?"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "undo"
Floyd ]  Outside the House                         day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > UNDO
Floyd |
Floyd | Outside the House
Floyd | [Previous turn undone.]
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | (opening the front door first)
Floyd |
Floyd | Foyer
Floyd | Although it appears spacious from the outside, the house's interior
Floyd | feels cramped and gloomy. The walls seem too close together; the
Floyd | ceiling is too high. The doorways, leading in several directions, are
Floyd | narrow and filled with shadows, and the stairs leading up to the
Floyd | second floor are steep and rickety. This is not a house that makes you
Floyd | feel welcome. It is a house that makes you feel tiny and timid, and
Floyd | afraid of dark places. It is a house that makes you feel alone.
Floyd |
Floyd | The front door stands open to the south.
Floyd |
Floyd | Your luggage is still here, spread out all over the foyer.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "close door"
Floyd ]  Foyer                                     day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > CLOSE DOOR
Floyd |
Floyd | You close the front door.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "w"
Floyd ]  Dining Room                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > W
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Dining Room
Floyd | Much of the elegance has faded from this room. The huge dining table
Floyd | running the length of it is covered with a thick gray film of dust,
Floyd | and the china cupboard standing against the far wall is draped in
Floyd | shadow. Doorways to the north and east offer little relief from the
Floyd | gloom. For what must be the hundredth time, you wish you could open
Floyd | the windows in this place.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Kitchen                                   day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Kitchen
Floyd | Where once pots and skillets and various utensils hung in profusion,
Floyd | the kitchen walls are now merely ranks of dusty cabinets and a forest
Floyd | of empty hooks. Doorways lead east and south, a small pantry lies to
Floyd | the northwest, and the back door to the north leads out of the house.
Floyd |
Floyd | You can also see a cardboard box (in which are some newspaper
Floyd | clippings) here.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "nw"
Floyd ]  Darkness                                  day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > NW
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Darkness
Floyd | It is pitch dark, and you can't see a thing.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "turn on light"
Floyd ]  Pantry                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TURN ON LIGHT
Floyd |
Floyd | The flashlight emits a warm yellow beam.
Floyd |
Floyd | Pantry
Floyd | The pantry is empty save for a layer of dust on the shelves. A door to
Floyd | the south leads down to the cellar, or you can return to the kitchen
Floyd | to the southeast.
Floyd |
Floyd | The cellar door stands open, revealing dark stairs leading down.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "s"
Floyd ]  Cellar                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > S
Floyd |
Floyd | You descend the gloomy steps into the dank cellar.
Floyd |
Floyd | Cellar
Floyd | The old, flagstone walls gleam with unwholesome-smelling moisture, and
Floyd | the sagging timbers creak uneasily above your head. Ancient, frayed
Floyd | wiring festoons the ceiling like some strange species of clinging
Floyd | vine. Portions of the cellar extend south and east into the clammy
Floyd | darkness, though you could always beat a hasty retreat up the stairs
Floyd | to the north.
Floyd |
Floyd | One largish bundle of wires leads down to a rusty old fuse cabinet
Floyd | bolted to the far wall.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "SAVE"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "cf5"
Floyd | >
Floyd | > SAVE
Floyd | %% Enter a save filename to write:
Floyd ]  Cellar                                    day two
Floyd | Ok.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "open cabinet"
Floyd ]  Cellar                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > OPEN CABINET
Floyd |
Floyd | It takes some grumbling and some tugging and finally a good, sharp
Floyd | yank, but the cabinet finally pops open.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Jacqueline exclaims, "Stick your fingers in there!"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "look in cabinet"
Floyd ]  Cellar                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LOOK IN CABINET
Floyd |
Floyd | There's about two dozen fuses lined up in there, the old-fashioned
Floyd | kind that look like round, glass plugs. Every last one of them is
Floyd | blown.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "search fuses"
Floyd ]  Cellar                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SEARCH FUSES
Floyd |
Floyd | You find nothing of interest.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take fuse"
Floyd ]  Cellar                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE FUSE
Floyd |
Floyd | You pull one of the fuses out and try to rub some of the grime off.
Floyd | Sure enough, the little metal strip inside is melted to a black,
Floyd | twisted cinder. With a sigh, you plug it back into its socket.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "read fuses"
Floyd ]  Cellar                                    day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > READ FUSES
Floyd |
Floyd | There's nothing written on the fuse plugs.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "e"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > E
Floyd |
Floyd |
Floyd | Wine Cellar
Floyd | This wing of the cellar is even older than the rest, with walls of
Floyd | piled, unmortared stone. The entire room is filled with wine racks.
Floyd | They cover every wall except for one spot to the west, where an exit
Floyd | leads back to the main cellar.
Floyd |
Floyd | All of the racks are dust-covered and empty except for one against the
Floyd | north wall, which contains some forty or fifty dark bottles.
Floyd |
Floyd | You are reminded of something Michael told you during the long drive
Floyd | up: about how when the police arrived after the shooting, they found
Floyd | the wine cellar in a shambles -- nearly every bottle thrown to the
Floyd | floor and shattered, and the whole place reeking of rotted grapes. All
Floyd | except the bottles in the north rack. None of those had been touched.
Floyd | No one could posit a motive for it.
Floyd |
Floyd | You smile a bit, recalling your husband's ability to turn a piece of
Floyd | insignificant trivia into a compelling story. Still, though, now that
Floyd | you're actually standing here... it all seems very strange.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x wine"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X WINE
Floyd |
Floyd | Which do you mean, the wine racks or the wine bottles?
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "bottles"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > BOTTLES
Floyd |
Floyd | Row after row of smooth, dust-covered glass. The wine inside is dark
Floyd | and murky, reminding you, somewhat irrationally, of blood.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "take bottle"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > TAKE BOTTLE
Floyd |
Floyd | Strange; the bottles all seem to be fixed in place. They won't come
Floyd | out of the rack no matter how you tug at them.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "x racks"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > X RACKS
Floyd |
Floyd | These racks must have at one time contained hundreds upon hundreds of
Floyd | wine bottles. Idly, you wonder which member of the family developed
Floyd | such a taste for what would have been, for the first few generations
Floyd | at least, a sinful vice of the basest kind.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "pull rack"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PULL RACK
Floyd |
Floyd | That would accomplish very little.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "push rack"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PUSH RACK
Floyd |
Floyd | The wine racks won't budge.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "search bottles"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SEARCH BOTTLES
Floyd |
Floyd | There are dozens of bottles here. You glance over the rows, but
Floyd | nothing jumps out at you as immediately odd.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "listen"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > LISTEN
Floyd |
Floyd | You hear nothing unexpected.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "smell"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > SMELL
Floyd |
Floyd | You smell nothing unexpected.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "n"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > N
Floyd |
Floyd | You can't go that way.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says, "I don't know the secret of the wine rack"
DavidW says, "I don't have a vague memory of it either."
Knight_Otu says, "Surely it's written in a hidden diary."
Jacqueline says, "I have a guess."
DavidW says, "Stapled to the bell in the church tower, no doubt."
DavidW asks (of Jacqueline), "yes?"
Jacqueline says, "Weird that everything is fixed in place. Wondering if it's a secret door."
DavidW says, "That's why I tried push/pull."
Jacqueline says, "Yeah"
DavidW says (to Floyd), "play flute"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PLAY FLUTE
Floyd |
Floyd | (the strange metal flute)
Floyd | (first taking the strange metal flute)
Floyd | (slipping the bundle of soggy pages into the pocket of your trenchcoat
Floyd | to get a hand free)
Floyd | Taken.
Floyd | You blow an open chord into the little flute, and it resonates with an
Floyd | eerie, metallic warble. The sound lingers in the air for a moment,
Floyd | then gently fades away.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
Knight_Otu says, "Probablyy, yes."
DavidW says, "I wonder if the flute would help in the crawlspace or not."
DavidW says (to Floyd), "cover first hole"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > COVER FIRST HOLE
Floyd |
Floyd | You place your finger over the first flute hole.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "play flute"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PLAY FLUTE
Floyd |
Floyd | (the strange metal flute)
Floyd | The flute emits an eerie, almost sub-sonic note. The sound lingers in
Floyd | the air for a moment, then gently fades away.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "cover second hole"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > COVER SECOND HOLE
Floyd |
Floyd | You place your finger over the second flute hole.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "play flute"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PLAY FLUTE
Floyd |
Floyd | (the strange metal flute)
Floyd | The flute emits an odd mixture of metallic, warbling notes which
Floyd | intertwine and harmonize eerily with each other. The sound lingers in
Floyd | the air for a moment, then gently fades away.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "cover third hole"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > COVER THIRD HOLE
Floyd |
Floyd | You place your finger over the third flute hole.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "play flute"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PLAY FLUTE
Floyd |
Floyd | (the strange metal flute)
Floyd | The flute emits an odd mixture of metallic, warbling notes which
Floyd | intertwine and harmonize eerily with each other. The sound lingers in
Floyd | the air for a moment, then gently fades away.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "cover fourth hole"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > COVER FOURTH HOLE
Floyd |
Floyd | You place your finger over the fourth flute hole.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "play flute"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PLAY FLUTE
Floyd |
Floyd | (the strange metal flute)
Floyd | The flute emits an odd mixture of metallic, warbling notes which
Floyd | intertwine and harmonize eerily with each other. The sound lingers in
Floyd | the air for a moment, then gently fades away.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "cover fifth hole"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > COVER FIFTH HOLE
Floyd |
Floyd | You place your finger over the fifth flute hole.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "play flute"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PLAY FLUTE
Floyd |
Floyd | (the strange metal flute)
Floyd | The flute emits an odd mixture of metallic, warbling notes which
Floyd | intertwine and harmonize eerily with each other. The sound lingers in
Floyd | the air for a moment, then gently fades away.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "cover sixth hole"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > COVER SIXTH HOLE
Floyd |
Floyd | You place your finger over the sixth flute hole.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "play flute"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > PLAY FLUTE
Floyd |
Floyd | (the strange metal flute)
Floyd | The flute emits an odd mixture of metallic, warbling notes which
Floyd | intertwine and harmonize eerily with each other. The sound lingers in
Floyd | the air for a moment, then gently fades away.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
DavidW says (to Floyd), "cover seventh hole"
Floyd ]  Wine Cellar                               day two
Floyd |
Floyd | > COVER SEVENTH HOLE
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