  
ClubFloyd Transcript:
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.
|
|
ClubFloyd Transcript:
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.
|
|
ToyShop & Floyditorium
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#ClubFloyd Discussion
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| DavidW says (to Floyd), "load sleepmask aliasthemagpie" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | It always pays to keep one's ears free of wax, as one never knows when Floyd | one is going to overhear some titbit of information that later proves Floyd | invaluable. Such was the case at the Dionysus Club, yesterday Floyd | afternoon, when you happened to overhear the noted psychiatrist, Floyd | Doctor Cornelius Drake, he of the ginger moustache, talking over the Floyd | phone to his secretary. Floyd | Floyd | "Cancel all my appointments for tomorrow, Miss Henshaw," said the Floyd | shrink, "I've been summoned down to Hamcestershire by the Earl of Floyd | Hamcester. Never met the fellow, but he'd heard of me by reputation. Floyd | Wants me to give his brother-in-law the once-over. Apparently, the Floyd | poor chap thinks he's exploring the Congo. Sounds like a clear case of Floyd | incorrigible delusion to me." Floyd | Floyd | This telephone communication piqued your interest, and the reason it Floyd | piqued your interest was that you happened to know that the Lord Floyd | Hamcester to whom it referred was a collector of sorts, and that Floyd | amongst his collection was an extremely valuable Egyptian jewelled Floyd | scarab. In fact he had outbid you at auction for the very piece. It is Floyd | a sad fact that amateur collectors are rarely aware of the true value Floyd | of the pieces they possess, and it is not uncommon to find them Floyd | displayed among a plethora of inferior items. Who knows what other Floyd | gems might be squirrelled away amongst the bric-a-brac at Bunkham Floyd | Hall? Floyd | Floyd | It was the work of a moment to call Miss Henshaw, posing as the Earl, Floyd | and cancel the appointment. And it was an equally simple matter, the Floyd | following morning, to don a suitable disguise and take the 10.15 to St Floyd | Bartholomew-on-the-Bog, Hamcestershire, in Doctor Drake's place. All Floyd | in a day's work for Sir Rodney Playfair, alias the notorious gentleman Floyd | thief known as "The Magpie"! Floyd | Floyd | Alias 'The Magpie' Floyd | An interactive caper by J. J. Guest Floyd | Release 1 / Serial number 181006 / Inform 7 build 6M62 (I6/v6.33 lib Floyd | 6/12N) Floyd | (Type "about" for credits and game information.) Floyd | Floyd | Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd | A small, cosy study, impeccably neat, with walnut panelling and a Floyd | leather-topped desk of a similar complexion. There are a few homely Floyd | touches; a framed newspaper clipping and a photograph hang on the wall Floyd | beside you. A sturdy wooden chair faces the desk. The door, leading Floyd | south into the library, is closed. Floyd | Floyd | A ghastly amateur watercolour hangs above the desk. Floyd | Floyd | On the walnut desk is a pamphlet. Floyd | Floyd | Lord Hamcester regards you haughtily from behind his desk. Floyd | Floyd | "Good of you to come at such short notice, Doctor," says Lord Floyd | Hamcester. "You've read my telegram I take it?" Floyd | Floyd | (You could say yes or no) Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW asks, "'titbit'?" | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Surely refers to the bird." | |||
| DavidW asks, "Since we haven't read the telegram, we should say no, I suppose?" | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "We can try that, sure." | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "say no" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH Floyd | Floyd | > SAY NO Floyd | Floyd | (to Lord Hamcester) Floyd | "Allow me to refresh my memory as to the contents," you say. Before Floyd | the real Doctor Drake left the club yesterday you had the presence of Floyd | mind to filch Lord Hamcester's telegram from his coat pocket. This Floyd | charming missive reads as follows: Floyd | Floyd | POST OFFICE TELEGRAM Floyd | Floyd | DR CORNELIUS DRAKE HARLEY STREET LONDON Floyd | Floyd | COME BUNKHAM HALL IMMEDIATELY STOP REQUIRE YOUR SERVICES AS ALIENIST Floyd | STOP BROTHER IN LAW BARKING MAD STOP THINKS HE'S EXPLORING CONGO STOP Floyd | ONE GLANCE SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO CONSIGN HIM TO COLNEY HATCH STOP COME Floyd | BEFORE HE DESTROYS ENTIRE HOUSE STOP PRICELESS ANTIQUES AT RISK STOP Floyd | HAMCESTER Floyd | Floyd | "Take a seat, Doctor," says the Earl, "there's a rather — ah — Floyd | sensitive matter I'd like to discuss with you before you proceed." Floyd | Floyd | (You could ask him about the sensitive matter) Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask him about sensitive matter" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HIM ABOUT SENSITIVE MATTER Floyd | Floyd | "Please, speak freely," you say. "We shrinks are famed for our tact Floyd | and discretion vis-a-vis matters sensitive." Floyd | Floyd | "The thing is," he says. "My wife dotes on her little brother. She'd Floyd | be terribly upset if she knew I'd got a loony-doctor in to look him Floyd | over." Floyd | Floyd | (You could ask him about the Major, or about Lady Hamcester) Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says (to KO), "Feel free to take the wheel." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "If you insist." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask him about lady hamcester" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HIM ABOUT LADY HAMCESTER Floyd | Floyd | "I see, so you'd like me to go incognito, as it were?" you say, Floyd | winking. Floyd | Floyd | "That's the ticket. I've told her you're the famous Belgian detective Floyd | chappie, Hermes Perroquet. He's a member of my club, and my wife's Floyd | been on at me to invite him over for ages. Can't stand the fellow Floyd | myself, but the wife's dotty about detective stories, so if you happen Floyd | to run into her, just play along, there's a good chap. Tell her you're Floyd | on the trail of the notorious 'Magpie' or something. Haw haw!" Floyd | Floyd | "No problem," you reply. "Deception and subterfuge are all in a day's Floyd | work for a practising psychoanalyst." Floyd | Floyd | Well, well, Hermes Perroquet! That old bloodhound has been on your Floyd | trail for months, following you around like a bad smell. Fortunately Floyd | you've always managed to stay one or two steps ahead of him. You've Floyd | impersonated people before, of course, but never your own Floyd | arch-nemesis. This has all the makings of a very interesting Floyd | afternoon. Floyd | Floyd | "Now," says Hamcester replacing his monocle, "if you don't mind I have Floyd | some business to attend to. Tomorrow is the St Bartholomew-on-the-Bog Floyd | annual Village Fête, and I have to write my acceptance speech for the Floyd | 'best cucumber' prize. I've won it for the last six years, and despite Floyd | the best efforts of Sir Humphrey Leghorn, I have every expectation of Floyd | winning it again tomorrow. If you need anything at all, just ring for Floyd | Hives." Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "let's hope we don't need Hives." | ||
| DavidW says, "Also, I'm never going to reemmber all these names." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Chances are we do though, I assume." | |||
| DavidW says, "oh probably." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "about" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH Floyd | Floyd | > ABOUT Floyd | Floyd | Alias 'The Magpie' Floyd | Sir Rodney Playfair, gentleman thief, has a simple plan: Floyd | impersonate a psychiatrist, infiltrate a country house, steal a Floyd | priceless Egyptian scarab and make it back to London in time for Floyd | cocktails. All in a day's work for the illustrious 'Magpie'. Floyd | Floyd | Special Features Floyd | Alias 'The Magpie' includes the Approaches extension Floyd | by Emily Short. Approaches provides a GO TO... action which Floyd | allows the player to move to a named room, as long as the path lies Floyd | through rooms they have already visited, and provided the way is Floyd | clear! | DavidW asks, "is it too late to ask about the major?" | ||
Floyd | Floyd | Alias 'The Magpie' is rated "merciful" on the Zarfian Floyd | forgiveness scale. It is not (or should not be) possible to put the Floyd | game into an unwinnable state. Floyd | Floyd | Hints Floyd | A hint system is provided in Alias 'The Magpie'. If at any Floyd | point you get stuck with the game, you can type THINK ABOUT (or Floyd | CONSIDER) any object, character or room, and the illustrious "Magpie" Floyd | will set his little grey cells to work, drawing from his vast Floyd | experience to give you a push in the right direction! Floyd | Floyd | A Phonological Note Floyd | A question I'm frequently asked is, how do you pronounce "Hamcester"? Floyd | Hamcester is a made-up name, but it follows the pattern of the English Floyd | place-names Leicester, Gloucester and Worcester, which are pronounced Floyd | "Lester", "Gloster" and "Wooster" respectively. Likewise, Hamcester is Floyd | pronounced "Hamster", like the rodent. Floyd | Floyd | Credits Floyd | Alias 'The Magpie' was written by me, J. J. Guest, between Floyd | 2007 and 2018, using Inform 7. Floyd | Floyd | I would like to thank my beta-testers, Mike Carletta, Brian Rushton Floyd | (Mathbrush), Małgorzata Reczko (Luel), Hanon Ondricek, Neil Butters, Floyd | Peter Mattsson, Laura R. King and Duncan Bowsman. I would also like to Floyd | thank those early testers who, back in 2015, gave advice, Floyd | encouragement and feedback when my willpower was failing and the Floyd | project was foundering: Hugo Labrande, Hanon Ondricek, Neil Butters, Floyd | Emily Short, Caleb Wilson and Jason Dyer. Floyd | Floyd | The beautiful cover art is by Mads Weidner. Floyd | Floyd | On Sunday, September 16th 2018, we presented Alias "The Magpie": Floyd | The Case of the Bearded Victoria, an improvised immersive theatre Floyd | event to celebrate the completion of the game. I would like to thank Floyd | the improvisers who starred alongside myself as the 'Magpie': Liam Floyd | Brennan (Wilbur Quail), Miriam Hall (Lady Hamcester), Greg Davies Floyd | (Major Hilary Buff-Orpington) and Kevin O'Brien (Constable Cramp). Floyd | Thanks also to Laura Barber for graphic design on the promotional Floyd | postcards, and to Tamsin Bowles for printing them. Most of all I would Floyd | like to thank the tireless Laura R. King for organising the event. Floyd | Floyd | Alias 'The Magpie' is dedicated to Laura Barber, the cream in Floyd | my coffee, and to Laura R. King, the best friend a boy could have. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "ah, we can't make the game unwinnable. I like that." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "l" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH Floyd | Floyd | > L Floyd | Floyd | Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd | A small, cosy study, impeccably neat, with walnut panelling and a Floyd | leather-topped desk of a similar complexion. There are a few homely Floyd | touches; a framed newspaper clipping and a photograph hang on the wall Floyd | beside you. A sturdy wooden chair faces the desk. The door, leading Floyd | south into the library, is closed. Floyd | Floyd | A ghastly amateur watercolour hangs above the desk. Floyd | Floyd | On the walnut desk is a pamphlet. Floyd | Floyd | Lord Hamcester sits at his desk, working on his speech. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "And we get a GO TO verb. Excellent." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "At least, we shouldn't. and yes, that's good to know." | |||
| DavidW says, "I am curious to examine the pamphlet, clipping, photograph, and watercolour." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Me too." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x clippings" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH Floyd | Floyd | > X CLIPPINGS Floyd | Floyd | You can't see any such thing. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x clipping" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH Floyd | Floyd | > X CLIPPING Floyd | Floyd | It seems to be from the St Bartholomew Advertiser, twenty-second of Floyd | July last year. Floyd | Floyd | "Lord Hamcester Wins Again!" is the headline, and underneath are the Floyd | words, "Earl wins annual cucumber competition for the sixth year Floyd | running" and a photograph of the man himself receiving a trophy from Floyd | the Mayor. In front of them is a gigantic cucumber on a trestle table, Floyd | and behind them stands another man, stocky and well-built, wearing a Floyd | cloth cap and an expression of contempt. Floyd | Floyd | "I think you will have better luck looking for the Major in the Floyd | gardens, Doctor," says Hamcester sarcastically, "I'm fairly certain he Floyd | isn't hiding in here." Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask him about major" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HIM ABOUT MAJOR Floyd | Floyd | "I imagine you would find it easier to locate the Major if you were to Floyd | leave my study," says Lord Hamcester, pointedly. "The door is over Floyd | there. Please close it on your way out." Floyd | Floyd | "I think you will have better luck looking for the Major in the Floyd | gardens, Doctor," says Hamcester sarcastically, "I'm fairly certain he Floyd | isn't hiding in here." Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "take pamphlet" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH Floyd | Floyd | > TAKE PAMPHLET Floyd | Floyd | Lord Hamcester very deliberately places his elbow on the pamphlet, Floyd | preventing you from reading it. Floyd | Floyd | "Was there something else you needed, Doctor?" says Hamcester, "I Floyd | really am quite busy." Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x pamphlet" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH Floyd | Floyd | > X PAMPHLET Floyd | Floyd | Lord Hamcester very deliberately places his elbow on the pamphlet, Floyd | preventing you from reading it. Floyd | Floyd | "I think you will have better luck looking for the Major in the Floyd | gardens, Doctor," says Hamcester sarcastically, "I'm fairly certain he Floyd | isn't hiding in here." Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x photograph" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH Floyd | Floyd | > X PHOTOGRAPH Floyd | Floyd | The photograph shows Lord Hamcester decked out as the Pirate King in a Floyd | local production of the Pirates of Penzance. He's almost Floyd | unrecognisable behind a bushy black beard. Floyd | Floyd | "If you'll excuse me, Doctor, I really must get on with writing my Floyd | speech." says Hamcester. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x watercolor" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH Floyd | Floyd | > X WATERCOLOR Floyd | Floyd | A small framed watercolour depicting Bunkham Hall at sunset as Floyd | rendered by Lord Hamcester himself. Somehow it contrives to make the Floyd | Hall look even more ill-proportioned than it is in real life. The Floyd | painting sticks out from the wall rather further than you might expect Floyd | it to. Floyd | Floyd | "If you'll excuse me, Doctor, I really must get on with writing my Floyd | speech." says Hamcester. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "oo, I bet there's a safe behind it." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Maybe..." | |||
| DavidW says, "But we need him to leave for his cucumbers before checking it out." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "And we should leave now, I think." | |||
| DavidW says, "yeah" | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Library Floyd ] Exits: north EAST Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | (first opening the study door) Floyd | "Thank you, Doctor," says Hamcester, "you'll more than likely find the Floyd | Major in the grounds on a day like this, decimating my hollyhocks with Floyd | a machete. Let me know when you've got something to report." He closes Floyd | the door behind you. Floyd | Floyd | Library Floyd | The library of an English country house is an oasis of calm amid the Floyd | hubbub of domestic life; the perfect place, should one feel so Floyd | inclined, for a spot of light murder. The library at Bunkham Hall has Floyd | a long and chequered history, and its chequered floor still bears the Floyd | faint traces of numerous chalk outlines. Tall walnut bookcases line Floyd | walls of crimson silk damask. East is the great hall, and a closed Floyd | door to the north takes you to Lord Hamcester's study. Floyd | Floyd | A leather wingback armchair lounges invitingly against the south wall. Floyd | Today's edition of the Times lies discarded on the seat. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu asks, "Spot of light murder?" | ||
| DavidW asks, "Perhaps as a parlour game?" | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x bookcases" | |||
Floyd ] Library Floyd ] Exits: north EAST Floyd | Floyd | > X BOOKCASES Floyd | Floyd | A quick perusal of the bookcases reveals the usual stuff of a country Floyd | house library. There are the interminable rows of leather-bound books Floyd | on animal husbandry, an ancient set of Shakespeare's plays in pristine Floyd | condition, peerages both Burke's and Debrett's, and biographies of the Floyd | great, the good and the ugly. The lower shelves are enlivened by the Floyd | rather more striking spines of innumerable mystery novels, adorned Floyd | with lurid illustrations of skulls, daggers and bottles of poison. Floyd | Floyd | Ignoring the dusty leather-bound tomes, your eyes light upon a volume Floyd | entitled Murder on the Razzle. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x razzle" | |||
Floyd ] Library Floyd ] Exits: north EAST Floyd | Floyd | > X RAZZLE Floyd | Floyd | You pull the book from the shelf and peruse it. This one has a rather Floyd | lurid picture on the cover of a champagne bottle, gushing with blood. Floyd | Floyd | But there is no time for reading, so you replace it on the shelf. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "hmmm" | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x armchair" | |||
Floyd ] Library Floyd ] Exits: north EAST Floyd | Floyd | > X ARMCHAIR Floyd | Floyd | A Chesterfield back-buttoned wing chair upholstered in a quality Floyd | chestnut brown leather, exquisitely soft. Floyd | Floyd | On the leather armchair is today's edition of the Times. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x times" | |||
Floyd ] Library Floyd ] Exits: north EAST Floyd | Floyd | > X TIMES Floyd | Floyd | You are disappointed to see that your audacious and high-profile theft Floyd | of Lady Ponsonby's diamond stomacher last week has taken second place Floyd | in the headlines to the story of Bongo the gorilla's equally audacious Floyd | escape from London Zoo. Apparently the beast was last observed heading Floyd | up the Finchley Road in the back of a black cab. A fare's a fare, Floyd | after all. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "Maybe there's something hidden in the Razzle." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Possibly." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "read it" | |||
Floyd ] Library Floyd ] Exits: north EAST Floyd | Floyd | > READ IT Floyd | Floyd | You are disappointed to see that your audacious and high-profile theft Floyd | of Lady Ponsonby's diamond stomacher last week has taken second place Floyd | in the headlines to the story of Bongo the gorilla's equally audacious Floyd | escape from London Zoo. Apparently the beast was last observed heading Floyd | up the Finchley Road in the back of a black cab. A fare's a fare, Floyd | after all. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x bookcases" | |||
Floyd ] Library Floyd ] Exits: north EAST Floyd | Floyd | > X BOOKCASES Floyd | Floyd | Ignoring the dusty leather-bound tomes, your eyes light upon a volume Floyd | entitled Death by the Dozen. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "Wonder if the gorilla will show up here." | ||
| Knight_Otu asks, "Maybeee?" | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x bookcases" | |||
Floyd ] Library Floyd ] Exits: north EAST Floyd | Floyd | > X BOOKCASES Floyd | Floyd | Ignoring the dusty leather-bound tomes, your eyes light upon a volume Floyd | entitled Psychology To-day. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "get psychology" | |||
Floyd ] Library Floyd ] Exits: north EAST Floyd | Floyd | > GET PSYCHOLOGY Floyd | Floyd | You pull the book from the shelf and peruse it. Now this is Floyd | interesting — the author is one Doctor Cornelius Drake! You flip Floyd | through the pages randomly until you come upon a chapter that Floyd | interests you: Floyd | Floyd | Chapter 5: The Psychology of the Obsessive Collector Floyd | Floyd | "The desire, and hence the innate propensity to collect, begins at Floyd | birth. The infant first desires the emotional and physical comfort of Floyd | the nourishing breast, then the familiar baby blanket the child clings Floyd | to for comfort and security. Stuffed animals, favourite toys are taken Floyd | to bed and provide the emotional security needed to fall asleep. A Floyd | sense of ownership and control is facilitated through possession of Floyd | these items for the vulnerable child. The loss of such a 'security Floyd | blanket' at too early an age is a common feature in the development of Floyd | the obsessive collector." Floyd | Floyd | You decide to hang on to this one, for now. One never knows when one Floyd | will need to use a little psychology. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Oh hey, it's by the guy we're impersonating." | ||
| DavidW says, "yes. What fun." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Let's hope there's no image of him in the book." | |||
| DavidW asks, "I guess we should go east next?" | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Yeah." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "look under armchair" | |||
Floyd ] Library Floyd ] Exits: north EAST Floyd | Floyd | > LOOK UNDER ARMCHAIR Floyd | Floyd | You find nothing of interest. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Great Hall Floyd ] Exits: NORTH SOUTH EAST west UP OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Great Hall Floyd | This commodious entranceway is dominated by a broad flight of white Floyd | marble steps leading up to the first floor. Alabaster columns keep the Floyd | gilded ceiling in a state of harmonious separation from the marble Floyd | floor. On the south wall, facing the front door is a carved escutcheon Floyd | representing the Hamcester coat of arms, beneath which is the entrance Floyd | to the saloon. To the east is the drawing room, and to the west, the Floyd | library. Floyd | Floyd | From a room to the east comes a blood-curdling scream, followed by the Floyd | tinkle of breaking porcelain. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Uh oh." | ||
| DavidW says, "I think we ought to go east." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: NORTH SOUTH west Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | The Drawing Room Floyd | Once one of the finest rooms in the house, the drawing room is in a Floyd | state of disarray. Elegant armchairs lie on their backs, priceless Floyd | ornaments lie in fragments on the floor and the walls, lined with red Floyd | Genoa velvet, are spattered with crumbs of Genoa cake. Floyd | Floyd | To the west lies the great hall. The dining room is to the south and Floyd | the music room to the north. In the corner of the room hangs a Floyd | tasselled bell pull. Floyd | Floyd | Standing in the midst of all this chaos is a stocky, red-faced man in Floyd | the act of beating the stuffing out of a striped draught excluder with Floyd | a poker. Floyd | Floyd | "Major Hilary Buff-Orpington, I presume!" you say, delighted by the Floyd | spectacle. Floyd | Floyd | "Blighter must have crawled in under the door," says the Major, Floyd | prodding the draught excluder with the poker to make quite sure it is Floyd | dead. "tricky coves, boa constrictors." Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW asks, "I don't know what a draught excluder is, but I suppose it's a tube of some sort?" | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x excluder" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: NORTH SOUTH west Floyd | Floyd | > X EXCLUDER Floyd | Floyd | A long, soft, fabric tube filled with sand and placed against the Floyd | bottom of a door to keep out draughts. It does look a bit like a Floyd | snake. Floyd | Floyd | "Can't abide snakes!" says the Major, slinging the stricken draught Floyd | excluder over his shoulder. "This place is riddled with the blighters Floyd | — but don't worry. If you see one, just refer it to me." He swings Floyd | the Floyd | poker through the air, demolishing a small vase. "Only language they Floyd | understand!" Floyd | Floyd | He bounds out of the room with the energy of a small child and tears Floyd | off across the great hall. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Yeah, about what I expected it to be." | ||
| DavidW says, "oh. That's a clever invention. I wonder why I've never seen one." | |||
| Knight_Otu asks, "Follow the guy?" | |||
| DavidW says, "I dunno." | |||
| DavidW says, "It can't hurt, of course." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Great Hall Floyd ] Exits: NORTH SOUTH east west UP OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Great Hall Floyd | This commodious entranceway is dominated by a broad flight of white Floyd | marble steps leading up to the first floor. Alabaster columns keep the Floyd | gilded ceiling in a state of harmonious separation from the marble Floyd | floor. On the south wall, facing the front door is a carved escutcheon Floyd | representing the Hamcester coat of arms, beneath which is the entrance Floyd | to the saloon. To the east is the drawing room, and to the west, the Floyd | library. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "I'm uncertain what an escutcheon is." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x escutcheon" | |||
Floyd ] Great Hall Floyd ] Exits: NORTH SOUTH east west UP OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > X ESCUTCHEON Floyd | Floyd | The charge consists of a boar rampant inside a wheel representing Floyd | commerce or somesuch. Unfortunately the boar, rendered in stone by one Floyd | of Addams' sloppy workmen, more closely resembles a rodent of the Floyd | family Cricetinae than any sort of wild hog. You noted with Floyd | some amusement during your research yesterday that even Burke's Floyd | Peerage describes it as a 'hamster'. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu asks, "Now where did he run off to?" | ||
| Knight_Otu asks, "It said across, so maybe the library?" | |||
| DavidW says, "well, just explore as if he wasn't around." | |||
| DavidW says, "We're actually looking for trinkets." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Well, yeah, but if we don't follow our pretend-job, we might be found out." | |||
| DavidW says, "I don't think so." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x columns" | |||
Floyd ] Great Hall Floyd ] Exits: NORTH SOUTH east west UP OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > X COLUMNS Floyd | Floyd | A colonnade carved of Staffordshire alabaster, handily keeping the Floyd | ceiling where it belongs, at ceiling level. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "I suppose that's true, with it being merciful." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH EAST WEST OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Saloon Floyd | By far the grandest room in the house, the saloon was once the state Floyd | dining room. It is now rarely used for entertaining and has instead Floyd | become a repository for old Hamcester's hideous collection of Floyd | porcelain. The Axminster carpet is decorated with a delicate pattern Floyd | of daisies. Floyd | Floyd | To the north and east are the great hall and the dining room Floyd | respectively. The collection room lies to the west, whilst to the Floyd | south, French windows open onto the terrace. Floyd | Floyd | Striding across the room from the other direction is a woman who, with Floyd | her long neck and dumpy undercarriage, resembles nothing so very much Floyd | as a turkey which, instead of being stuffed with Paxo, has been Floyd | stuffed into a fashionable dress. From her carriage and bearing you Floyd | surmise that this can only be Lady Hamcester. Floyd | Floyd | "Aha," says she, "you must be Monsieur Perroquet! Welcome to Bunkham Floyd | Hall. It's a great pleasure to finally meet you. I don't know if my Floyd | husband has told you, but I'm a bit of a fan!" Floyd | Floyd | "Not at all, Madame," you say, doing your best to affect a Belgian Floyd | accent, "as you say in your charming language, the pleasure, it is all Floyd | mine." The Countess looks about her from side to side, and having Floyd | established that the two of you are alone, she continues in a hushed Floyd | tone. Floyd | Floyd | "The thing is," she whispers, "it's a bit of a stroke of luck that Floyd | you're here. We have something of a mystery of our own here at Bunkham Floyd | Hall. If you'll follow me." She motions in the direction of the Floyd | doorway to the west. Floyd | Floyd | "Monsieur," says Lady Hamcester, motioning in the direction of the Floyd | collection room, to the west. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "I'm thinking we ought to grab the snake-like thing for later." | ||
| DavidW says, "well, let's see what the lady has to show us." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Let's." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Collection Room Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | You follow Lady Hamcester into the collection room. Floyd | Floyd | Collection Room Floyd | This small, oak-panelled room serves as sort of miniature museum for Floyd | Lord Hamcester's collection of objets d'art, if one can use that term. Floyd | Objets d'ordures might better describe the grotesque items residing on Floyd | plinths around the perimeter of the collection room. Still, even the Floyd | most inept collector occasionally gets lucky. Floyd | Floyd | The collection room is dominated by a glass display case in the Floyd | centre. The items contained there are, presumably, the most valuable. Floyd | The display case is currently closed, and locked. Floyd | Floyd | From here, the only exit leads east, into the saloon. Floyd | Floyd | "A few weeks ago my husband bought a jewelled scarab thingy at Floyd | auction," says Lady Hamcester, indicating the glass display cabinet in Floyd | front of you. "It was the pride of his collection. This morning I came Floyd | in here and lo and behold, the bally thing's gone walkies. Floyd | Fortunately, he's been holed up in his office all morning working on a Floyd | speech, but if he finds out it's missing, he'll blow a fuse. He's Floyd | bound to blame it on poor Hilary." Floyd | Floyd | "I see, Madame," you say, "You would like me to find zis, zis scarab Floyd | then?" Floyd | Floyd | "I know it's a frightful liberty, since you're a guest here." Floyd | Floyd | "Not at all Madame! Not at all! The great Hermes Perroquet is always Floyd | on duty!" Floyd | Floyd | "I say," says the Countess suddenly, grabbing your arm, "you don't Floyd | think this could be the work of the notorious 'Magpie', do you?" Floyd | Floyd | "Hmm. Could be, Madame, could be. The 'Magpie' is a very cunning, and Floyd | some say very charming and handsome fellow." Floyd | Floyd | "Very well then, I'll leave you to it. Keep me posted, and don't let Floyd | on." The Countess winks and taps her nose, before stepping off in the Floyd | direction of the terrace. Floyd | Floyd | Well, this complicates things somewhat. You turn up at a place to Floyd | steal something, only to find that someone's beaten you to it. But you Floyd | came here to pinch it, and pinch it you will! There's no sign of Floyd | forced entry. Whoever stole that scarab opened the display case with a Floyd | key. It has all the hallmarks of an inside job, and you'd bet your Floyd | last penny that the scarab is still in the house somewhere. The Floyd | question is, where? Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "That complicates matters." | ||
| DavidW says, "I think it's in the safe behind the watercolour." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Not that we should have expected it to be easy." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Maybe..." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x case" | |||
Floyd ] Collection Room Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > X CASE Floyd | Floyd | (the glass display case) Floyd | There are generally two types of collector; those who strew their Floyd | objets d'art about the place willy-nilly, and the fastidious type who Floyd | prefer their antiquities arranged according to category. Lord Floyd | Hamcester is of the latter variety, but the meticulous mind is all too Floyd | often lacking in artistic taste, and the best that can be said for Floyd | most of these objets is that they're very neatly organised. The items Floyd | on display include a black amber statuette and an Eighteenth Century Floyd | cow creamer. Floyd | Floyd | The display case is currently locked. Lucky thing you have your set of Floyd | lockpicks, cunningly concealed within the monogrammed cigar case in Floyd | your secret pocket... Floyd | Floyd | Great Scott! It's gone! Your cigar case with the secret panel, in Floyd | which you keep your five-piece set of lock picks, your three torsion Floyd | wrenches and your diamond glass cutter; all the tools of your trade! Floyd | Floyd | Suddenly it dawns on you. That snot-nosed kid who walked right into Floyd | you on the platform at Paddington — the perisher must have snaffled Floyd | it! And to think that you apologised to him, patted his tousled locks, Floyd | and waved as he ran off to join his parents in the queue for the Floyd | Underground! Kids of today. Floyd | Floyd | Well, there's nothing else for it, old boy. The 'Magpie' never gives Floyd | up. You'll just have to get by without it. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Some master thief we are..." | ||
| DavidW says, "I'm getting a bit miffed at all the textdumps." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "i" | |||
Floyd ] Collection Room Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > I Floyd | Floyd | You have about your person a book entitled Psychology To-day Floyd | and a telegram. Floyd | Floyd | Stashed safely in the secret pocket of your form-fitting tweed suit, Floyd | is a black and white feather. Floyd | Floyd | You are also wearing a ginger moustache, rendering you Floyd | indistinguishable from Doctor Cornelius Drake, the noted alienist. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x feather" | |||
Floyd ] Collection Room Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > X FEATHER Floyd | Floyd | The distinctive feather of Pica pica, of the family Floyd | Corvidae; the unmistakable calling card of the notorious Floyd | 'Magpie'. You like to leave them at the scene of the crime. It's pure Floyd | vanity, of course, but you'd hate for someone else to take credit for Floyd | your work. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x moustache" | |||
Floyd ] Collection Room Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > X MOUSTACHE Floyd | Floyd | A fabulously bushy fake ginger moustache, one of your extensive Floyd | collection of disguises. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x me" | |||
Floyd ] Collection Room Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > X ME Floyd | Floyd | You are Sir Rodney Playfair; dashing, debonair and devilishly Floyd | handsome. Not perhaps in the first flush of youth, but very sprightly Floyd | for a man of sixty. That touch of grey at the temples lends you an air Floyd | of authority, a useful attribute for getting one out of a scrape. Floyd | Floyd | Not that anyone would recognise you now; the 'Magpie' is a master of Floyd | disguise and right now you're the spitting image of Doctor Cornelius Floyd | Drake, the noted alienist. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x statuette" | |||
Floyd ] Collection Room Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > X STATUETTE Floyd | Floyd | A curious artefact that would appear to have been crafted by a skilled Floyd | artisan whilst blindfolded, wearing boxing gloves and suffering from a Floyd | severe toothache. Hideous. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x creamer" | |||
Floyd ] Collection Room Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > X CREAMER Floyd | Floyd | A little silver cream jug shaped like a dairy cow, with a looped-over Floyd | tail providing a handle and an open, lowing mouth serving as a spout. Floyd | This one, however, is modern Dutch, something a cow creamer ought not Floyd | to be. Worthless. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Well, I said it before, I can't exactly throw stones regarding text dumps." | ||
| DavidW says, "well, sometimes they're hard to avoid." | |||
| Knight_Otu asks, "I think we're done here for now?" | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x objects" | |||
Floyd ] Collection Room Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > X OBJECTS Floyd | Floyd | You can't see any such thing. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x plinths" | |||
Floyd ] Collection Room Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > X PLINTHS Floyd | Floyd | Various artefacts are displayed around the room on plinths. Amongst Floyd | these are the Booby Prize and a bust of Julius Caesar. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x booby" | |||
Floyd ] Collection Room Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > X BOOBY Floyd | Floyd | A truly hideous silver-plated cup; first prize in the St Floyd | Bartholomew-on-the-Bog village fête cucumber growing competition. Floyd | It's Floyd | named the Booby Prize after one Gertrude Booby, who won the Floyd | competition four years running in the 1870s. Lord Hamcester appears to Floyd | have held the trophy for the last six years, before which it was in Floyd | the possession of one Sir Humphrey Leghorn. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Seems not." | ||
| DavidW asks, "This cucumber competition is a serious undertheme, isn't it?" | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Yeah." | |||
| DavidW says, "I'd like to meet this Leghorn guy." | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x bust" | |||
Floyd ] Collection Room Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > X BUST Floyd | Floyd | There are various ways to tell whether a purported Roman artefact is Floyd | real or fake. The quality, condition, colour and patination, for Floyd | example, are all good indicators of age. We can also feel the texture Floyd | of the surface, whether it is rough, smooth or polished. But the real Floyd | give-away with this bust of Julius Caesar is its undeniable Floyd | resemblance to Fritz Leiber (Sr.), the American actor who played him Floyd | in the 1917 film 'Cleopatra'. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "ha ha" | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Heh." | |||
| DavidW says, "Take us to a new room. Terrace or Dining Room, I think." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH EAST west OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Saloon Floyd | By far the grandest room in the house, the saloon was once the state Floyd | dining room. It is now rarely used for entertaining and has instead Floyd | become a repository for old Hamcester's hideous collection of Floyd | porcelain. The Axminster carpet is decorated with a delicate pattern Floyd | of daisies. Floyd | Floyd | To the north and east are the great hall and the dining room Floyd | respectively. The collection room lies to the west, whilst to the Floyd | south, French windows open onto the terrace. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Dining Room Floyd | The state dining room is a splendid rectangular room with flamboyantly Floyd | decorated walls and ceilings; a little overdone, perhaps, but that's Floyd | the Regency for you. The room is dominated by the vast, antique Floyd | mahogany dining table and a set of matching chairs. The only other Floyd | furniture of note is a small glass-fronted curio cabinet which stands Floyd | between the two south-facing windows. Floyd | Floyd | North is the drawing room, and west the saloon. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "cabinet!" | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "We haven't really looked through the saloon yet, either." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x cabinet" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X CABINET Floyd | Floyd | A late Victorian mahogany curio cabinet with beaded glass doors and a Floyd | mirror back interior. Displayed inside are a porcelain rabbit in a red Floyd | jacket, a pearlised cut-glass unicorn, a china shepherdess, a pair of Floyd | white alabaster doves and a pottery figurine of a wretched-looking Floyd | seal; in other words, a lot of worthless tat. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Future shards, I expect." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x rabbits" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X RABBITS Floyd | Floyd | You can't see any such thing. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "perhaps" | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x rabbit" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X RABBIT Floyd | Floyd | It appears to be a collectible figurine of Barnabas Bunny, from the Floyd | cautionary children's tale by Enid Potter. You seem to recall that he Floyd | ended up in a pie at the end of the book, an indirect result of a Floyd | partiality for tasting his own earwax. He's a cute enough fellow, and Floyd | might fetch a couple of bob at auction, but scarcely the sort of thing Floyd | to attract the attention of "The Magpie". Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x unicorn" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X UNICORN Floyd | Floyd | One wonders where Lord Hamcester acquired this little trinket. Perhaps Floyd | it was the runner-up prize at a coconut shy. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW asks, "What's a 'coconut shy'?" | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "No idea." | |||
| DavidW says, "This game could use footnotes." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x sheperdess" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X SHEPERDESS Floyd | Floyd | You can't see any such thing. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x shepherdess" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X SHEPHERDESS Floyd | Floyd | The china shepherdess looks somehow familiar; no doubt you've seen Floyd | other examples. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x doves" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X DOVES Floyd | Floyd | A pair of doves, or love-birds, inexpensively made in white alabaster. Floyd | There is damage to the wing of one and a chip in the beak of the Floyd | other. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x seal" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X SEAL Floyd | Floyd | The well-intentioned artisan responsible for this object probably Floyd | intended it to resemble a seal, or perhaps some rare species of Floyd | earless sausage dog. Whatever it was meant to be, it doesn't look much Floyd | like one. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "hee" | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "l" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > L Floyd | Floyd | Dining Room Floyd | The state dining room is a splendid rectangular room with flamboyantly Floyd | decorated walls and ceilings; a little overdone, perhaps, but that's Floyd | the Regency for you. The room is dominated by the vast, antique Floyd | mahogany dining table and a set of matching chairs. The only other Floyd | furniture of note is a small glass-fronted curio cabinet which stands Floyd | between the two south-facing windows. Floyd | Floyd | North is the drawing room, and west the saloon. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x table" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X TABLE Floyd | Floyd | A George III mahogany, inlaid double-pedestal extension table Floyd | featuring a reeded top with rounded corners and matched-swirl mahogany Floyd | veneers crossbanded with quartered pau ferro and satinwood stringing. Floyd | Rather fine. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "look under it" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > LOOK UNDER IT Floyd | Floyd | You find nothing of interest. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x chairs" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X CHAIRS Floyd | Floyd | A number of mahogany dining room chairs are positioned around the Floyd | table. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu asks, "Music room, saloon?" | ||
| DavidW asks, "We're just going to pretend we know what 'crossbanded with quartered pau ferro' means?" | |||
| DavidW says, "Saloon is closer." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "I'm reading "expensive-sounding nonsense"" | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east west OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Saloon Floyd | By far the grandest room in the house, the saloon was once the state Floyd | dining room. It is now rarely used for entertaining and has instead Floyd | become a repository for old Hamcester's hideous collection of Floyd | porcelain. The Axminster carpet is decorated with a delicate pattern Floyd | of daisies. Floyd | Floyd | To the north and east are the great hall and the dining room Floyd | respectively. The collection room lies to the west, whilst to the Floyd | south, French windows open onto the terrace. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "okay" | ||
| DavidW says, "Carpet and porcelain." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x carpet" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east west OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > X CARPET Floyd | Floyd | The Axminster carpet is decorated with a delicate pattern of daisies. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "look under it" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east west OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > LOOK UNDER IT Floyd | Floyd | You find nothing of interest. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x porcelain" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east west OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > X PORCELAIN Floyd | Floyd | Nowhere is Hamcester's egregious lack of taste more evident than in Floyd | this collection of porcelain. One can only imagine that he picked it Floyd | up as a job-lot in a local jumble sale. The worst of these plug-uglies Floyd | include a Ting Dynasty vase, a Staffordshire pearlware figure of an Floyd | orange-haired clown and a china lamb. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x vase" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east west OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > X VASE Floyd | Floyd | The short-lived Ting Dynasty is considered a low point in Chinese Floyd | cultural history, in which the Oriental ceramicists allowed themselves Floyd | to be influenced by the inferior Dutch artists, instead of the other Floyd | way around. This vase, with its tasteless pattern of windmills and Floyd | clog dancers, is typical of the period. It might fetch a couple of bob Floyd | at a jumble sale, but is scarcely worthy of your attention. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "look in vase" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east west OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > LOOK IN VASE Floyd | Floyd | The Ting Dynasty vase really isn't worthy of your attention. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "I'm sensing some historical inaccuracies..." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x figure" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east west OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > X FIGURE Floyd | Floyd | This little figure of a leering clown appears to be authentic, and Floyd | might actually fetch a few bob. It is, however, the stuff of Floyd | nightmares. You wouldn't be seen dead with it. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x lamb" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east west OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > X LAMB Floyd | Floyd | A little china baa-lamb, blue and white, with a pink bow, and the Floyd | words "I Love Cuddles" painted across its stomach. Worthless. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x windows" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east west OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > X WINDOWS Floyd | Floyd | A set of French windows leading outside. They stand open and unlocked. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "I'd say music room next." | ||
| DavidW says, "sure" | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Great Hall Floyd ] Exits: NORTH south east west UP OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Great Hall Floyd | This commodious entranceway is dominated by a broad flight of white Floyd | marble steps leading up to the first floor. Alabaster columns keep the Floyd | gilded ceiling in a state of harmonious separation from the marble Floyd | floor. On the south wall, facing the front door is a carved escutcheon Floyd | representing the Hamcester coat of arms, beneath which is the entrance Floyd | to the saloon. To the east is the drawing room, and to the west, the Floyd | library. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: NORTH south west Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | The Drawing Room Floyd | Once one of the finest rooms in the house, the drawing room is in a Floyd | state of disarray. Elegant armchairs lie on their backs, priceless Floyd | ornaments lie in fragments on the floor and the walls, lined with red Floyd | Genoa velvet, are spattered with crumbs of Genoa cake. Floyd | Floyd | To the west lies the great hall. The dining room is to the south and Floyd | the music room to the north. In the corner of the room hangs a Floyd | tasselled bell pull. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Music Room Floyd | This modestly proportioned music room, located north of the drawing Floyd | room, has a somewhat neglected feel, and is almost entirely bereft of Floyd | musical instruments. This is not altogether surprising; Lord Hamcester Floyd | is regarded throughout the London club scene as something of a "wet Floyd | blanket". A dusty, yet impressive grand piano occupies most of the Floyd | room, its lid closed. Floyd | Floyd | An alcove, originally intended to be occupied by an organ, instead Floyd | contains a small mahogany side table, on which are a framed photograph Floyd | and a gramophone. The hotch-potch of furniture also includes a sagging Floyd | Victorian day-bed and a green tub chair. Floyd | Floyd | Propped up against the green tub chair is a contrabassoon case. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x piano" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X PIANO Floyd | Floyd | A nine-foot concert grand, covered in dust. Like the tomb of Floyd | Tutankhamun, it would appear to have lain undisturbed for centuries. Floyd | Its lid is closed. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "open lid" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > OPEN LID Floyd | Floyd | You lift the lid of the piano to reveal the metal strings and other Floyd | mechanical what-nots that comprise its workings. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "A piano for your IFThings." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x strings" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X STRINGS Floyd | Floyd | Piano wire, of varying lengths, used in the manufacture of musical Floyd | notes, scales chords, and so forth. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "er, yes. I was thinking the piano might be a place to hide things in." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x table" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X TABLE Floyd | Floyd | An early Georgian inlaid mahogany side table. Floyd | Floyd | On the mahogany side table are a framed photograph and a gramophone. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x photograph" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X PHOTOGRAPH Floyd | Floyd | It appears to show a somewhat younger Earl and Countess of Hamcester Floyd | at the Henley Regatta. The Earl is wearing a somewhat fatuous spotted Floyd | dickie whilst the Countess — good grief! Of course! The Jaroda Floyd | pearls! Floyd | Worn for centuries by the Indian Maharajahs, the famous Jaroda pearls Floyd | are now in the possession of Lady Hamcester — and therefore, Floyd | presumably, somewhere in this house! Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Objectives updated." | ||
| DavidW says, "yes" | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x gramophone" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X GRAMOPHONE Floyd | Floyd | A handsome HMV table gramophone, Model 104, in an oak case. There is Floyd | currently a gramophone record entitled La Gazza Ladra on the Floyd | turntable. A brass winding crank on the right hand side operates the Floyd | device. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW asks, "Will we need a second feather?" | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Hmmm." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x bed" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X BED Floyd | Floyd | A sturdy Victorian day-bed, draped in a rich Persian rug and scattered Floyd | with well-worn cushions. It reminds you strikingly of the one you've Floyd | seen in photos of Doctor Freud's office. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x search bed" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X SEARCH BED Floyd | Floyd | You can't see any such thing. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "search bed" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > SEARCH BED Floyd | Floyd | There is nothing on the day-bed. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "look under it" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > LOOK UNDER IT Floyd | Floyd | You find nothing of interest. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x chair" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X CHAIR Floyd | Floyd | A beautifully upholstered Victorian button-back tub chair, rather Floyd | worn. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "look under it" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > LOOK UNDER IT Floyd | Floyd | You find nothing of interest. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "search strings" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > SEARCH STRINGS Floyd | Floyd | You find nothing of interest. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "l" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > L Floyd | Floyd | Music Room Floyd | This modestly proportioned music room, located north of the drawing Floyd | room, has a somewhat neglected feel, and is almost entirely bereft of Floyd | musical instruments. This is not altogether surprising; Lord Hamcester Floyd | is regarded throughout the London club scene as something of a "wet Floyd | blanket". A dusty, yet impressive grand piano occupies most of the Floyd | room, its lid standing open. Floyd | Floyd | An alcove, originally intended to be occupied by an organ, instead Floyd | contains a small mahogany side table, on which are a framed photograph Floyd | and a gramophone. The hotch-potch of furniture also includes a sagging Floyd | Victorian day-bed and a green tub chair. Floyd | Floyd | Propped up against the green tub chair is a contrabassoon case. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x case" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X CASE Floyd | Floyd | An enormous wooden carrying case for the mightiest of all wind Floyd | instruments. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "open it" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > OPEN IT Floyd | Floyd | You open the contrabassoon case. Nothing inside but a lot of empty Floyd | air. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "enter it" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > ENTER IT Floyd | Floyd | That's not something you can enter. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW asks, "We could hide in that, maybe?" | ||
| DavidW says, "or not." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Apparently not." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "close case" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > CLOSE CASE Floyd | Floyd | You close the contrabassoon case. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "close lid" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > CLOSE LID Floyd | Floyd | You close the grand piano. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "well, maybe we can hide a body there." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "It's a possibility." | |||
| DavidW says, "After playing murder in the library." | |||
| Knight_Otu exclaims, "But just a soft spot!" | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "murder case" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > MURDER CASE Floyd | Floyd | You decide to leave the contrabassoon case alone, since it has done Floyd | nothing to offend you. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW asks, "I didn't see any kitchen near the dining room, did you?" | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Not that I recall." | |||
| Knight_Otu asks, "Maybe that's upstairs?" | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | The Drawing Room Floyd | Once one of the finest rooms in the house, the drawing room is in a Floyd | state of disarray. Elegant armchairs lie on their backs, priceless Floyd | ornaments lie in fragments on the floor and the walls, lined with red Floyd | Genoa velvet, are spattered with crumbs of Genoa cake. Floyd | Floyd | To the west lies the great hall. The dining room is to the south and Floyd | the music room to the north. In the corner of the room hangs a Floyd | tasselled bell pull. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "That'd be weird." | ||
| DavidW says, "Downstairs is far more likely." | |||
| Knight_Otu asks, "True, but who knows with these rich people?" | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x armchairs" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > X ARMCHAIRS Floyd | Floyd | Several elderly armchairs, upholstered in red velvet, lie stricken on Floyd | their backs. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x ornaments" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > X ORNAMENTS Floyd | Floyd | The Drawing Room contains various knick-knacks of no aesthetic or Floyd | monetary value, amongst them an Etruscan Heron Class amphora, a Floyd | porcelain milkmaid and a frolicking Dutch cow. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x amphora" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > X AMPHORA Floyd | Floyd | This amphora would be worth a small fortune if it was genuine. Floyd | Unfortunately it's a late Victorian fake, worth not a sou. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x milkmaid" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > X MILKMAID Floyd | Floyd | The porcelain milkmaid looks somehow familiar; no doubt you've seen Floyd | other examples. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x cow" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > X COW Floyd | Floyd | A fine example of vile Victorian tat, which, in spite of its size, Floyd | manages to lower the tone of the whole room. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x velvet" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > X VELVET Floyd | Floyd | You can't see any such thing. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x cake" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > X CAKE Floyd | Floyd | It looks as though some one has had their cake and trampled on it. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Dining Room Floyd | The state dining room is a splendid rectangular room with flamboyantly Floyd | decorated walls and ceilings; a little overdone, perhaps, but that's Floyd | the Regency for you. The room is dominated by the vast, antique Floyd | mahogany dining table and a set of matching chairs. The only other Floyd | furniture of note is a small glass-fronted curio cabinet which stands Floyd | between the two south-facing windows. Floyd | Floyd | North is the drawing room, and west the saloon. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "No other exits here." | ||
| DavidW says, "I suppose food is conveyed by long-legged waitstaff." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "I'm assuming north of Great Hall is the exit." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Possibly." | |||
| DavidW says, "yes, I think so." | |||
| DavidW says, "So terrace or upstairs." | |||
| DavidW says, "Or pull the bell pull and chat with Hives." | |||
| Knight_Otu asks, "Any preference?" | |||
| DavidW says, "Terrace, first, please." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east west OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Saloon Floyd | By far the grandest room in the house, the saloon was once the state Floyd | dining room. It is now rarely used for entertaining and has instead Floyd | become a repository for old Hamcester's hideous collection of Floyd | porcelain. The Axminster carpet is decorated with a delicate pattern Floyd | of daisies. Floyd | Floyd | To the north and east are the great hall and the dining room Floyd | respectively. The collection room lies to the west, whilst to the Floyd | south, French windows open onto the terrace. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH EAST WEST inside Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | You step out into the bright sunshine. Floyd | Floyd | Terrace Floyd | A charming terrace, surrounded by an Italian balustrade, and replete Floyd | with statues of dancing fauns, ornamental urns and what-not. In the Floyd | centre is a set of cast-iron garden furniture, doing what cast-iron Floyd | garden furniture does best. Floyd | Floyd | Stone steps lead southwards onto the lawn, east and west to the gravel Floyd | sweep, whilst to the north French windows invite you to enter the Floyd | saloon. Floyd | Floyd | Lady Hamcester sits on a cast-iron garden chair, leafing through a Floyd | brochure for the R.M.S. Aquitania. Floyd | Floyd | A small dog, resembling a sort of mobile feather duster, is hovering Floyd | around Lady Hamcester's ankles. Dogs, no matter their size, have an Floyd | unerring instinct for spotting the cuckoo in the nest, or in this Floyd | case, the 'Magpie'. Many's the burglar who has met his match in the Floyd | form of one of our four-legged friends. At the very sight of you, the Floyd | feather duster begins yapping to beat the band. Fortunately, help is Floyd | at hand, in the form of the butler, Hives. Floyd | Floyd | "Hives, be a dear and take Pompon upstairs," says the countess, "I Floyd | think the heat must be making her overtired." Floyd | Floyd | "Very good, Madam." says the butler, and scooping up the animal, he Floyd | retreats into the saloon. Floyd | Floyd | "Beautiful day, Monsieur Perroquet! I do hope my little task isn't too Floyd | much of an imposition." Floyd | Floyd | "Not at all Madame, not at all." To your relief, the sound of Pompon's Floyd | yapping fades away, to be replaced with the blissful peace of a Floyd | summer's afternoon in an English garden. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Big garden, it seems." | ||
| DavidW says, "Pompon is gonna be a problem, I can tell." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Yeah." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask her about major" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH EAST WEST inside Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HER ABOUT MAJOR Floyd | Floyd | "Ah, so you've met my brother, I take it?" says Lady Hamcester sadly. Floyd | "The poor dear." Floyd | Floyd | "He is a man of great charm and vivacity, Madame, but perhaps, how do Floyd | you say, a little troubled, non?" Floyd | Floyd | "He suffered a terrible shock, Monsieur Perroquet, whilst on a trek Floyd | through the Amazon. I won't trouble you with the details now — Floyd | perhaps Floyd | later — but oh dear, I do wish there was something I could do for Floyd | him." Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask her about lord hamcester" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH EAST WEST inside Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HER ABOUT LORD HAMCESTER Floyd | Floyd | "His Lordship is quite the collector, Madame," you say. The Countess Floyd | sighs. Floyd | Floyd | "Oui, Monsieur. Sometimes I think he values those objets d'art of his Floyd | more than he values me." Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask her about scara" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH EAST WEST inside Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HER ABOUT SCARA Floyd | Floyd | You have no reason to discuss that with Lady Hamcester at present. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask her about scarab" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH EAST WEST inside Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HER ABOUT SCARAB Floyd | Floyd | "Do you have any idea where zis Egyptian scarab might be, Madame?" you Floyd | ask. Floyd | Floyd | "I've a horrible suspicion that Hilary has taken it, Monsieur. If it Floyd | could be returned without Emerick ever knowing it was missing, I'd be Floyd | awfully grateful." Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x her" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH EAST WEST inside Floyd | Floyd | > X HER Floyd | Floyd | Lady Alicia Buff-Orpington-Welsummer, Countess of Hamcester, is a Floyd | tough old bird in a fashionable summer dress. The gleam of mischief in Floyd | her eye jostles for attention with a hint of wistfulness, which rather Floyd | puts you in mind of a caged bird that yearns to fly. One gets the Floyd | sense that not all is boomps-a-daisy in the house of Hamcester. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "What a lovely sentence." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask her about dog" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH EAST WEST inside Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HER ABOUT DOG Floyd | Floyd | "What a delightful dog you have, Lady Hamcester." Floyd | Floyd | "Isn't she a darling?" asks Lady Hamcester. Floyd | Floyd | "Zat is one word to describe her, Madame, oui." Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask her about hives" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH EAST WEST inside Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HER ABOUT HIVES Floyd | Floyd | "Pardon, Madame, but where might I find your butler?" you ask. Floyd | Floyd | "There's a bell pull in the drawing room, Monsieur, if you need Floyd | something." says her Ladyship. "If he doesn't answer, you'll probably Floyd | find him in the dining room." Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "l" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH EAST WEST inside Floyd | Floyd | > L Floyd | Floyd | Terrace Floyd | A charming terrace, surrounded by an Italian balustrade, and replete Floyd | with statues of dancing fauns, ornamental urns and what-not. In the Floyd | centre is a set of cast-iron garden furniture, doing what cast-iron Floyd | garden furniture does best. Floyd | Floyd | Stone steps lead southwards onto the lawn, east and west to the gravel Floyd | sweep, whilst to the north French windows invite you to enter the Floyd | saloon. Floyd | Floyd | Lady Hamcester sits on a cast-iron garden chair, leafing through a Floyd | brochure for the R.M.S. Aquitania. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x brochure" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH EAST WEST inside Floyd | Floyd | > X BROCHURE Floyd | Floyd | A brochure for the R.M.S. Aquitania, pride of the Cunard Line. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x furniture" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH EAST WEST inside Floyd | Floyd | > X FURNITURE Floyd | Floyd | You can't see any such thing. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask her about brochure" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH EAST WEST inside Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HER ABOUT BROCHURE Floyd | Floyd | "Planning a holiday, Lady Hamcester?" you say, with a slight nod Floyd | toward the brochure. Floyd | Floyd | "One can but dream, Monsieur Perroquet. I've been badgering Emerick to Floyd | go on a cruise for years, but he balks at the cost. Goodness knows he Floyd | spends enough on that collection of his! I almost wish that the Floyd | notorious 'Magpie' would strike and pinch the lot — we're insured up Floyd | to the eyeballs. Enough to pay for twenty cruises!" Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Too bad the magpie doesn't like the collection." | ||
| Knight_Otu asks, "Explore the garden?" | |||
| DavidW says, "sure. Find a cucumber." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Wouldn't surprise me much." | |||
| DavidW says, "An impressively large one, if you please." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep West Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Gravel Sweep West Floyd | This gravel sweep is a path that extends from the terrace steps to the Floyd | east and runs along the south front. To the south is the ivy-grown Floyd | wall of the kitchen garden. A large rhododendron bush grows against Floyd | the wall here beneath a first floor balcony. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x bush" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep West Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > X BUSH Floyd | Floyd | A fine example of a flowering shrub in the family Ericaceae. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x balcony" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep West Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > X BALCONY Floyd | Floyd | A small, first-floor balcony, directly overhead. It is connected Floyd | through a set of French windows to a room beyond. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x ivy" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep West Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > X IVY Floyd | Floyd | The south wall of the kitchen garden is covered with ivy. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x kitchen" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep West Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > X KITCHEN Floyd | Floyd | You can't see any such thing. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW asks, "Thinking of climbing ivy today?" | ||
| Knight_Otu exclaims, "With a witness in the next room?!" | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "climb ivy" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep West Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > CLIMB IVY Floyd | Floyd | You attempt to climb up the ivy, but succeed only in tearing out Floyd | clumps of the stuff. Your best bet is to go around the side and use Floyd | the archway provided. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "heh" | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x bush" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep West Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > X BUSH Floyd | Floyd | A fine example of a flowering shrub in the family Ericaceae. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "climb bush" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep West Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > CLIMB BUSH Floyd | Floyd | You should look exceedingly foolish. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH EAST west inside Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Terrace Floyd | A charming terrace, surrounded by an Italian balustrade, and replete Floyd | with statues of dancing fauns, ornamental urns and what-not. In the Floyd | centre is a set of cast-iron garden furniture, doing what cast-iron Floyd | garden furniture does best. Floyd | Floyd | Stone steps lead southwards onto the lawn, east and west to the gravel Floyd | sweep, whilst to the north French windows invite you to enter the Floyd | saloon. Floyd | Floyd | Lady Hamcester sits on a cast-iron garden chair, leafing through a Floyd | brochure for the R.M.S. Aquitania. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep East Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH west Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Gravel Sweep East Floyd | This gravel sweep is a path that extends from the terrace steps to the Floyd | west and runs along the south front. A side path winds south into a Floyd | pretty shrubbery. Directly above is a balcony. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x balcony" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep East Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH west Floyd | Floyd | > X BALCONY Floyd | Floyd | A small, first-floor balcony, directly overhead. It is connected Floyd | through a set of French windows to a room beyond. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x windows" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep East Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH west Floyd | Floyd | > X WINDOWS Floyd | Floyd | You can't see any such thing. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "The shrubbery will cushion our fall." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x shrubbery" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep East Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH west Floyd | Floyd | > X SHRUBBERY Floyd | Floyd | That way lies the shrubbery. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Shrubbery Floyd ] Exits: north WEST Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Shrubbery Floyd | A very pretty shrubbery, with a gravel path that winds between banks Floyd | of hardy shrubs. Hollyhocks and azaleas add a splash of colour to the Floyd | proceedings. The path weaves north to the gravel sweep surrounding the Floyd | house, and west to the lawn. Floyd | Floyd | Amos Bunyon, the impossibly hirsute head gardener is going about his Floyd | business. Floyd | Floyd | Amos plucks a thistle from the ground without so much as flinching. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x amos" | |||
Floyd ] Shrubbery Floyd ] Exits: north WEST Floyd | Floyd | > X AMOS Floyd | Floyd | A giant of a man in size 15 wellingtons and a leather jerkin. His face Floyd | is almost entirely hidden behind a spectacular black beard that gives Floyd | him a somewhat piratical air. Floyd | Floyd | Amos mops his brow with a spotted handkerchief. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "Here's a cruise to take." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x handkerchief" | |||
Floyd ] Shrubbery Floyd ] Exits: north WEST Floyd | Floyd | > X HANDKERCHIEF Floyd | Floyd | You can't see any such thing. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask amos about lord hamcester" | |||
Floyd ] Shrubbery Floyd ] Exits: north WEST Floyd | Floyd | > ASK AMOS ABOUT LORD HAMCESTER Floyd | Floyd | Amos mutters something unintelligible about dwarf fuchsias, or is it Floyd | pork futures? You get the feeling you're not going to get much sense Floyd | out of this fellow. Floyd | Floyd | Amos stoops to pull a dandelion from the herbaceous border. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask amos about lady hamcester" | |||
Floyd ] Shrubbery Floyd ] Exits: north WEST Floyd | Floyd | > ASK AMOS ABOUT LADY HAMCESTER Floyd | Floyd | Amos mutters something unintelligible about periwinkles, or is it Rip Floyd | Van Winkle? You get the feeling you're not going to get much sense out Floyd | of this fellow. Floyd | Floyd | Amos weeds the flowerbeds with his hoe. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "oh, not a talker." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Apparently not." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east WEST DOWN Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Lawn Floyd | An expansive lawn, dotted with ancient cedar trees. It is connected, Floyd | by way of a gravel path, to a shrubbery in the east, and by a stone Floyd | archway to a walled vegetable garden in the west. To the south lies Floyd | the park. Floyd | Floyd | Over by the stone archway, a small, wiry man in a cloth cap snips Floyd | lackadaisically at a box hedge with a pair of garden shears. Floyd | Occasionally, he glances around, as though looking for suspicious Floyd | characters. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x man" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east WEST DOWN Floyd | Floyd | > X MAN Floyd | Floyd | The under-gardener, Harry Boyle, is a small, wiry man of indeterminate Floyd | age. His sunburned face wears an expression of weary resignation, Floyd | befitting a man who has been tasked with trimming a hedge that has Floyd | already been trimmed to within an inch of its life. The true reason Floyd | for his being stationed here, you suspect, is to guard the entrance to Floyd | the kitchen garden. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x archway" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east WEST DOWN Floyd | Floyd | > X ARCHWAY Floyd | Floyd | An arched entranceway thoughtfully provided to allow access to the Floyd | kitchen garden, without the inconvenience of climbing over the wall. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "What an awful name he has." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask harry about kitchen garden" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east WEST DOWN Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HARRY ABOUT KITCHEN GARDEN Floyd | Floyd | (kitchen garden) Floyd | Unaccustomed to hob-nobbing with the nobs, the under-gardener merely Floyd | tips his hat and says "Very good, sir, I'm sure." Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask harry about lord hamcester" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east WEST DOWN Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HARRY ABOUT LORD HAMCESTER Floyd | Floyd | "His Lordship is rather fond of cucumbers, I take it?" you ask. Floyd | Floyd | "Yes, sir. I find them rather bland, myself sir, if you don't mind me Floyd | saying so." Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask harry about lady hamcester" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east WEST DOWN Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HARRY ABOUT LADY HAMCESTER Floyd | Floyd | Unaccustomed to hob-nobbing with the nobs, the under-gardener merely Floyd | tips his hat and says "Very good, sir, I'm sure." Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask harry about park" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east WEST DOWN Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HARRY ABOUT PARK Floyd | Floyd | Unaccustomed to hob-nobbing with the nobs, the under-gardener merely Floyd | tips his hat and says "Very good, sir, I'm sure." Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "l" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east WEST DOWN Floyd | Floyd | > L Floyd | Floyd | Lawn Floyd | An expansive lawn, dotted with ancient cedar trees. It is connected, Floyd | by way of a gravel path, to a shrubbery in the east, and by a stone Floyd | archway to a walled vegetable garden in the west. To the south lies Floyd | the park. Floyd | Floyd | Over by the stone archway, a small, wiry man in a cloth cap snips Floyd | lackadaisically at a box hedge with a pair of garden shears. Floyd | Occasionally, he peers through the archway into the vegetable garden, Floyd | as though making certain there is nothing amiss. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x shears" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east WEST DOWN Floyd | Floyd | > X SHEARS Floyd | Floyd | A large, and rather lethal-looking, implement for the trimming of Floyd | hedges. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW asks, "I guess the kitchen itself is DOWN from here?" | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Possibly." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "I'm not seeing a mention what's down from here." | |||
| DavidW says, "I assume if we try to go west, he'll stop us." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east WEST DOWN Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | "I'm sorry sir," says the under-gardener, stopping you, "but no-one is Floyd | allowed in the kitchen garden 'cept fer Amos and his Lordship hisself, Floyd | sir. Beggin' yer pardon sir, but it'd be more'n my job's worth if Floyd | anything 'appened to that blessed cucumber. You might be workin' for Floyd | Sir Humphrey Leghorn for all I know." Floyd | Floyd | (You could ask him about the cucumber, or about Sir Humphrey Leghorn, Floyd | if you liked) Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask him about cucumber" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east WEST DOWN Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HIM ABOUT CUCUMBER Floyd | Floyd | "His Lordship seems extraordinarily protective of this cucumber," you Floyd | say. "Important, is it?" Floyd | Floyd | "Oh, yes sir. On account of the annual competition, you see. 'is Floyd | Lordship 'opes to beat Sir Humphrey Leghorn again, like 'e does every Floyd | year, on account of the secret ingredient, sir." Floyd | Floyd | (You could ask him about the Sir Humphrey Leghorn, or about the secret Floyd | ingredient, if you liked) Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask him about leghorn" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east WEST DOWN Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HIM ABOUT LEGHORN Floyd | Floyd | "This Sir Humphrey Leghorn," you say, "I take it he and Lord Hamcester Floyd | are not perhaps on the best of terms?" Floyd | Floyd | "Oh no, sir" says the under-gardener, "they're fierce rivals you see. Floyd | Sir Humphrey's got the hump about his Lordship winning the cucumber Floyd | competition every year. He's desperate to know what his secret is." Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | (You could ask him about the cucumber, or about Lord Hamcester's Floyd | secret, if you liked) Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW asks, "secret ingredient?!?" | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask him about secret ingredient" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east WEST DOWN Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HIM ABOUT SECRET INGREDIENT Floyd | Floyd | "What is so special about the fertilizer Lord Hamcester uses?" you Floyd | ask. The under-gardener shuffles his feet and fingers his collar Floyd | nervously. Floyd | Floyd | "I shouldn't like to say, sir." Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "oh tell. please tell." | ||
| Knight_Otu asks, "It's blood, isn't it?" | |||
| DavidW says, "Or viagra." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask him about amos" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east WEST DOWN Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HIM ABOUT AMOS Floyd | Floyd | "This mister Bunyon, the fellow with the beard," you say, "major-domo Floyd | of the gardens, I take it?" Floyd | Floyd | "That's right, sir. Mister Amos is the head gardener. You'll find him Floyd | working in the shrubbery at present." Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "I bet when we get into the garden, that's when the gorilla will show up." | ||
| Roger arrives, full of funk, but no fun. | Knight_Otu says, "But a cucumber is not a banana." | ||
| Knight_Otu asks, "Should we see what's down from here?" | |||
| DavidW says, "And the gorilla will take the cucumber to the top of the highest tower in Hamcester Manor." | |||
| DavidW says, "yes please" | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "d" | |||
Floyd ] Ha-Ha Floyd ] Exits: up Floyd | Floyd | > D Floyd | Floyd | "Well, tootle-pip, old fruit," you say, and gesturing towards the Floyd | balding box hedge, add "keep up the good work." Floyd | Floyd | "Right you are, sir," sighs the under-gardener. Floyd | Floyd | Ha-Ha Floyd | A sort of trench, designed to prevent cattle from running amuck all Floyd | over the house. To the south it slopes up to the park. One could also Floyd | climb up the north side, which is faced with stone, to reach the lawn. Floyd | Floyd | You can see a banana here. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "...." | ||
| DavidW asks, "You were talking about a banana?" | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Banana." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "I'm speechless." | |||
| DavidW says, "ha-ha" | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x banana" | |||
Floyd ] Ha-Ha Floyd ] Exits: up Floyd | Floyd | > X BANANA Floyd | Floyd | A curved yellow fruit, somewhat mottled with age. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "take it" | |||
Floyd ] Ha-Ha Floyd ] Exits: up Floyd | Floyd | > TAKE IT Floyd | Floyd | Taken. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "It wasn't the kitchen, though." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Sorrxy, still not over the banana." | |||
| DavidW says, "hee" | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "That was so unexpectedly perfect..." | |||
| DavidW says, "heh" | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Whew." | |||
| DavidW asks, "Better now?" | |||
| Knight_Otu asks, "Should we try the park next?" | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Yeah." | |||
| DavidW says, "please do" | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "u" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east WEST down Floyd | Floyd | > U Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Lawn Floyd | An expansive lawn, dotted with ancient cedar trees. It is connected, Floyd | by way of a gravel path, to a shrubbery in the east, and by a stone Floyd | archway to a walled vegetable garden in the west. To the south, on the Floyd | other side of the ha-ha, lies the park. Floyd | Floyd | Over by the stone archway, a small, wiry man in a cloth cap snips Floyd | lackadaisically at a box hedge with a pair of garden shears. Floyd | Occasionally, he casts you a suspicious glance. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Ha-Ha Floyd ] Exits: up Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | You tumble head-first into the ha-ha. Floyd | Floyd | Ha-Ha Floyd | A sort of trench, designed to prevent cattle from running amuck all Floyd | over the house. To the south it slopes up to the park. One could also Floyd | climb up the north side, which is faced with stone, to reach the lawn. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Haw haw." | ||
| DavidW says, "try going south" | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north EAST WEST Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Park Floyd | There used to be a village of Bunkham right here in this field, but Floyd | the fifth Earl had it moved because it spoiled the view from the Floyd | house. The new location was the middle of a local bog, and within Floyd | three months it had sunk without trace. They say you can still hear Floyd | the peals of the church bells if you stick your head in the water. Floyd | Floyd | Now, the park is used by for the grazing of Lord Hamcester's prize Floyd | herd of longhorn cattle, the finest in all England. To the north, on Floyd | the other side of the ha-ha, lie the formal gardens, whilst to the Floyd | east, at the end of a yew alley, is a small folly in the shape of a Floyd | Greek temple. West of here, surrounded by a low fence, is a little Floyd | orchard. A fruit-picking ladder can be seen leaning against one of the Floyd | trees. Floyd | Floyd | Sparkenhoe, Lord Hamcester's prize bull, stands between you and the Floyd | orchard, steam billowing from his nostrils. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "Something red, I assume, will be needed." | ||
| DavidW says, "But we can still visit the folly to the east." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Though that is a myth." | |||
| DavidW says, "I know, but in IF, myths come true." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x bull" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north EAST WEST Floyd | Floyd | > X BULL Floyd | Floyd | Here, snorting valiantly, pawing at the valley and rejoicing in his Floyd | strength, stands Hamcester's prize bull Sparkenhoe. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "In RL, it's the movement that matters, not the colour." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Yeah." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x orchard" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north EAST WEST Floyd | Floyd | > X ORCHARD Floyd | Floyd | That way lies the orchard. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x cattle" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north EAST WEST Floyd | Floyd | > X CATTLE Floyd | Floyd | Hamcester's prize herd of longhorn cattle can be seen grazing Floyd | contentedly all over the park. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "I think the author made orchard as synonym for west in this location." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "The same happened with the shrubbery, so maybe." | |||
| DavidW says, "yeah" | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "ride bull" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north EAST WEST Floyd | Floyd | > RIDE BULL Floyd | Floyd | Either that isn't here, or it's not something you need to refer to at Floyd | present. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x alley" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north EAST WEST Floyd | Floyd | > X ALLEY Floyd | Floyd | That way lies the yew alley. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Yew Alley Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH west INSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Yew Alley Floyd | At the eastern edge of the park, at the end of a yew alley stands a Floyd | modest folly, if such a paradoxical thing can exist. It's a fanciful Floyd | thing in the form of a small Greek temple, all the rage in the Floyd | Eighteenth century. A sturdy iron door bars the way inside. Floyd | Floyd | You can see a banana here. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu asks, "Another one?" | ||
| DavidW asks, "I guess so?" | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Theres some monkey business going on." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "get banana" | |||
Floyd ] Yew Alley Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH west INSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > GET BANANA Floyd | Floyd | Taken. Floyd | A curved yellow fruit, somewhat mottled with age. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x folly" | |||
Floyd ] Yew Alley Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH west INSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > X FOLLY Floyd | Floyd | That way lies the folly. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x door" | |||
Floyd ] Yew Alley Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH west INSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > X DOOR Floyd | Floyd | A sturdy door leading inside. It is closed and locked. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "As I should have expected." | ||
| DavidW says, "And us without our lockpicks." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Yeah. Stupid kid." | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x tree" | |||
Floyd ] Yew Alley Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH west INSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > X TREE Floyd | Floyd | You can't see any such thing. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "l" | |||
Floyd ] Yew Alley Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH west INSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > L Floyd | Floyd | Yew Alley Floyd | At the eastern edge of the park, at the end of a yew alley stands a Floyd | modest folly, if such a paradoxical thing can exist. It's a fanciful Floyd | thing in the form of a small Greek temple, all the rage in the Floyd | Eighteenth century. A sturdy iron door bars the way inside. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "I can't think of anything useful to do here and now." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "I think we explored what we could in the garden area." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "We could ask Lady Hamcester about the folly, I guess." | |||
| DavidW says, "hm, yes." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "And the gardeners." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north east WEST Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Park Floyd | The park is used by for the grazing of Lord Hamcester's prize herd of Floyd | longhorn cattle, the finest in all England. To the north, on the other Floyd | side of the ha-ha, lie the formal gardens, whilst to the east, at the Floyd | end of a yew alley, is a small folly in the shape of a Greek temple. Floyd | West of here, surrounded by a low fence, is a little orchard. A Floyd | fruit-picking ladder can be seen leaning against one of the trees. Floyd | Floyd | Sparkenhoe, Lord Hamcester's prize bull, stands between you and the Floyd | orchard, steam billowing from his nostrils. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "and the bull too." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "jump north" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north east WEST Floyd | Floyd | > JUMP NORTH Floyd | Floyd | Either that isn't here, or it's not something you need to refer to at Floyd | present. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north south east WEST down Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | You hop nimbly over the ha-ha. Floyd | Floyd | Lawn Floyd | An expansive lawn, dotted with ancient cedar trees. It is connected, Floyd | by way of a gravel path, to a shrubbery in the east, and by a stone Floyd | archway to a walled vegetable garden in the west. To the south, on the Floyd | other side of the ha-ha, lies the park. Floyd | Floyd | Over by the stone archway, a small, wiry man in a cloth cap snips Floyd | lackadaisically at a box hedge with a pair of garden shears. Floyd | Occasionally, he peers through the archway into the vegetable garden, Floyd | as though making certain there is nothing amiss. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Oh, now we jump over it." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Terrace Floyd | A charming terrace, surrounded by an Italian balustrade, and replete Floyd | with statues of dancing fauns, ornamental urns and what-not. In the Floyd | centre is a set of cast-iron garden furniture, doing what cast-iron Floyd | garden furniture does best. Floyd | Floyd | Stone steps lead southwards onto the lawn, east and west to the gravel Floyd | sweep, whilst to the north French windows invite you to enter the Floyd | saloon. Floyd | Floyd | Lady Hamcester sits on a cast-iron garden chair, leafing through a Floyd | brochure for the R.M.S. Aquitania. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "It's different on the two sides." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask lady about amos" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > ASK LADY ABOUT AMOS Floyd | Floyd | "Amos is our Head Gardener," says Lady Hamcester. She raises her hand Floyd | and squints in the direction of the shrubbery. "I think he's working Floyd | in the shrubbery — yes, there he is." Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "> ask lady about harry boyle, son of lance boyle." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask lady about harry" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > ASK LADY ABOUT HARRY Floyd | Floyd | You have no reason to discuss that with Lady Hamcester at present. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu asks, "Is it me or or it slow?" | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask lady about bull" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > ASK LADY ABOUT BULL Floyd | Floyd | "My husband's prize bull, Monsieur Perroquet," says Lady Hamcester. Floyd | "You'll find him down in the park, if you're interested in that sort Floyd | of thing." Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "I can't tell for sure." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask lady about folly" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > ASK LADY ABOUT FOLLY Floyd | Floyd | You have no reason to discuss that with Lady Hamcester at present. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask lady about cucumber" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > ASK LADY ABOUT CUCUMBER Floyd | Floyd | You have no reason to discuss that with Lady Hamcester at present. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask lady about orchard" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > ASK LADY ABOUT ORCHARD Floyd | Floyd | You have no reason to discuss that with Lady Hamcester at present. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "Time to visit the upstairs, I think." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Yeah, me too." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Saloon Floyd | By far the grandest room in the house, the saloon was once the state Floyd | dining room. It is now rarely used for entertaining and has instead Floyd | become a repository for old Hamcester's hideous collection of Floyd | porcelain. The Axminster carpet is decorated with a delicate pattern Floyd | of daisies. Floyd | Floyd | To the north and east are the great hall and the dining room Floyd | respectively. The collection room lies to the west, whilst to the Floyd | south, French windows open onto the terrace. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Great Hall Floyd ] Exits: NORTH south east west UP OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Great Hall Floyd | This commodious entranceway is dominated by a broad flight of white Floyd | marble steps leading up to the first floor. Alabaster columns keep the Floyd | gilded ceiling in a state of harmonious separation from the marble Floyd | floor. On the south wall, facing the front door is a carved escutcheon Floyd | representing the Hamcester coat of arms, beneath which is the entrance Floyd | to the saloon. To the east is the drawing room, and to the west, the Floyd | library. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "u" | |||
Floyd ] Landing Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH EAST WEST down Floyd | Floyd | > U Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Landing Floyd | From here the grand staircase descends to the great hall. The landing Floyd | forms part of the long gallery, a grandiose room stretching from east Floyd | to west across the entire frontage of the building. The long gallery Floyd | at Bunkham Hall, of course, was built in 1768, a century after the Floyd | invention of the corridor had rendered such spaces redundant. A large Floyd | picture window to the north affords splendid views of the drive, Floyd | whilst to the south is a closed door. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x window" | |||
Floyd ] Landing Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH EAST WEST down Floyd | Floyd | > X WINDOW Floyd | Floyd | The large picture window affords a splendid view of the drive. Floyd | Floyd | From somewhere to the east of here, you hear the sounds of a struggle. Floyd | It sounds as though some heavy object were being wrenched from side to Floyd | side. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Found the major." | ||
| DavidW says, "Jolly good." | |||
| Knight_Otu asks, "Shall we see what he battles this time?" | |||
| DavidW says, "yes, do" | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] East Gallery Floyd ] Exits: NORTH SOUTH west Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | East Gallery Floyd | At the east end of the gallery are doors leading north and south Floyd | giving access, presumably, to family bedrooms. The gallery continues Floyd | to the west, passing the head of the stairs. Here, the oak panelling Floyd | has been disfigured by portraits of Hamcester's forebears. Floyd | Floyd | Chief among these plug-uglies is the eighth Earl, Lord Hamcester's Floyd | father, who casts his disapproving, beetle-browed gaze along the Floyd | entire length of the gallery. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x earl" | |||
Floyd ] East Gallery Floyd ] Exits: NORTH SOUTH west Floyd | Floyd | > X EARL Floyd | Floyd | From a stiff Victorian collar protrudes a face like a bulldog with a Floyd | mouthful of lemon sherbet, froth included. With this pugnacious old Floyd | blister for a father, it's little wonder that Lord Hamcester turned Floyd | out the way he did. Floyd | Floyd | From somewhere to the north of here, you hear the sounds of a Floyd | struggle. It sounds as though some heavy object were being wrenched Floyd | from side to side. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Major's Bedroom Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Major's Bedroom Floyd | This, the smallest bedroom in the house, is crammed to the gills with Floyd | souvenirs of the Major's various expeditions. In one corner a narrow Floyd | cot lies beneath a tent of mosquito netting; a gigantic wardrobe Floyd | dominates the corner opposite. The wardrobe is closed. Floyd | Floyd | From here, the only exit leads south, to the east gallery. Floyd | Floyd | Hanging on the wall is an Amazonian blowpipe. Floyd | Floyd | The wardrobe rocks back and forth upon its feet, as though a wild Floyd | animal had been shut up inside it. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu asks, "Shall we free him?" | ||
| DavidW says, "Not sure." | |||
| Knight_Otu asks, "Or loot the room first?" | |||
| DavidW says, "It's even possible we can't if the wardrobe is locked." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Hmm." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x cot" | |||
Floyd ] Major's Bedroom Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X COT Floyd | Floyd | A no-nonsense metal army cot. Not one for creature comforts, this Floyd | Major. Floyd | Floyd | The wardrobe gives a sort of violent shudder, as though something Floyd | untoward were going on within. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "talk to wardrobe" | |||
Floyd ] Major's Bedroom Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > TALK TO WARDROBE Floyd | Floyd | The wardrobe does not respond. Floyd | Floyd | The wardrobe hops a few inches across the floor, as though playing Floyd | host to some Herculean struggle. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x blowpipe" | |||
Floyd ] Major's Bedroom Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X BLOWPIPE Floyd | Floyd | A weapon favoured by tribesmen of the Amazonian rainforest. As you Floyd | understand it, one simply inserts a curare-tipped dart, or similar Floyd | projectile in the one end, takes aim, blows into the other end, and Floyd | Bob's your late uncle. It's rather like the pea-shooter you had as a Floyd | lad, only more deadly. This one is empty. Floyd | Floyd | The wardrobe is rattling and shaking from side to side, as though a Floyd | wild animal had been shut up inside it. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "get it" | |||
Floyd ] Major's Bedroom Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > GET IT Floyd | Floyd | Taken. Floyd | Floyd | The wardrobe hops a few inches across the floor, as though playing Floyd | host to some Herculean struggle. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x wardrobe" | |||
Floyd ] Major's Bedroom Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X WARDROBE Floyd | Floyd | A Victorian mahogany wardrobe with a moulded cornice and two arched Floyd | panelled doors, currently closed. Floyd | Floyd | The wardrobe gives a sort of violent shudder, as though something Floyd | untoward were going on within. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "open it" | |||
Floyd ] Major's Bedroom Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > OPEN IT Floyd | Floyd | The Major tumbles from the wardrobe with his arms wrapped around a Floyd | large mink coat. Floyd | Floyd | "Blasted grizzlies," he says "you never know where they're going to Floyd | turn up next." He stamps up and down on the unfortunate coat until he Floyd | is quite satisfied that it is dead, before slinging it over his Floyd | shoulder. "Piece of advice," he says, "never step on the cracks in the Floyd | pavement." With that he leaves the room, hopping from one tile to the Floyd | next like a child playing hopscotch. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "Maybe we dart the bull somehow." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "It#s a possibility." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x wardrobe" | |||
Floyd ] Major's Bedroom Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X WARDROBE Floyd | Floyd | A Victorian mahogany wardrobe with a moulded cornice and two arched Floyd | panelled doors, currently open. Floyd | Floyd | In the wardrobe is a shoebox. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x shoebox" | |||
Floyd ] Major's Bedroom Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X SHOEBOX Floyd | Floyd | A cardboard box, formerly home to a pair of brown Oxfords, size nine. Floyd | A number of holes have been punched in the lid, and the words Floyd | "coleoptera incertae sedis" are scrawled in childish letters on the Floyd | side. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "and in the shoebox was ... a banana" | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Coleoptera are beetles, so maybee..." | |||
| DavidW says, "oh dear." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "open shoebox" | |||
Floyd ] Major's Bedroom Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > OPEN SHOEBOX Floyd | Floyd | Upon opening the lid you are astounded to find that it contains, not a Floyd | pair of brown Oxfords, size nine, but the missing jewelled scarab! Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Hello there." | ||
| DavidW says, "oh!" | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x scarab" | |||
Floyd ] Major's Bedroom Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X SCARAB Floyd | Floyd | For a moment you were fooled — this looks almost exactly like the Floyd | jewelled scarab, a Cheops of the Fourth Dynasty, that you saw a few Floyd | weeks ago at auction. It is, however, a very clever reproduction. Floyd | Floyd | Of course, there is only one reasonable explanation for why old Floyd | Hamcester would keep a fake scarab in his display case. The reputation Floyd | of the illustrious 'Magpie' has by now spread far and wide. No doubt Floyd | the original is stored somewhere more secure, and you've a sneaking Floyd | suspicion that he'd keep it somewhere close at hand. If only there Floyd | were an opportunity to make a thorough search of that office. Floyd | Floyd | One might as well play the role of the great detective, and show the Floyd | thing to Lady Hamcester. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Ah." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "get scarab" | |||
Floyd ] Major's Bedroom Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > GET SCARAB Floyd | Floyd | Taken. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "l" | |||
Floyd ] Major's Bedroom Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > L Floyd | Floyd | Major's Bedroom Floyd | This, the smallest bedroom in the house, is crammed to the gills with Floyd | souvenirs of the Major's various expeditions. In one corner a narrow Floyd | cot lies beneath a tent of mosquito netting; a gigantic wardrobe Floyd | dominates the corner opposite. The wardrobe is open, suffusing the air Floyd | with the delicate smell of mothballs. Floyd | Floyd | From here, the only exit leads south, to the east gallery. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW asks, "is the netting takeable?" | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "get netting" | |||
Floyd ] Major's Bedroom Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > GET NETTING Floyd | Floyd | Those seem to be a part of the cot. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x souvenirs" | |||
Floyd ] Major's Bedroom Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X SOUVENIRS Floyd | Floyd | Dotted around the room are various African masks, canoe paddles, Floyd | snow-shoes and other mementos of the intrepid Major's expeditions. Floyd | Interesting though they are, there is nothing that strikes you as Floyd | being particularly useful. Floyd | Floyd | The walls are lined with maps of the Amazon basin, the Belgian Congo, Floyd | and other remote places he has visited, and over by the cot, a faded Floyd | photograph is tacked to the wall. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x photograph" | |||
Floyd ] Major's Bedroom Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X PHOTOGRAPH Floyd | Floyd | The photo shows the Major and another man, slim and sensitive looking, Floyd | arm in arm against a backdrop of lianas, ferns and gigantic jungle Floyd | flowers. They are seated upon a large wooden trunk, and beaming from Floyd | ear to ear. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "No. Otherwise it could have worked for the bull I guess." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x maps" | |||
Floyd ] Major's Bedroom Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X MAPS Floyd | Floyd | Dotted around the room are various African masks, canoe paddles, Floyd | snow-shoes and other mementos of the intrepid Major's expeditions. Floyd | Interesting though they are, there is nothing that strikes you as Floyd | being particularly useful. Floyd | Floyd | The walls are lined with maps of the Amazon basin, the Belgian Congo, Floyd | and other remote places he has visited, and over by the cot, a faded Floyd | photograph is tacked to the wall. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW asks, "is 'sensitive looking' code for gay?" | ||
| Knight_Otu asks, "Possibly?" | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "take photograph" | |||
Floyd ] Major's Bedroom Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > TAKE PHOTOGRAPH Floyd | Floyd | That's not something you need to take. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "There's still jewels to find." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Indeed." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] East Gallery Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH west Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | East Gallery Floyd | At the east end of the gallery are doors leading north and south Floyd | giving access to family bedrooms. The gallery continues to the west, Floyd | passing the head of the stairs. Here, the oak panelling has been Floyd | disfigured by portraits of Hamcester's forebears. Floyd | Floyd | Chief among these plug-uglies is the eighth Earl, Lord Hamcester's Floyd | father, who casts his disapproving, beetle-browed gaze along the Floyd | entire length of the gallery. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Green Room Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Green Room Floyd | This room, decorated in shades of green and charcoal, can only be the Floyd | bedroom of Lord Hamcester. Like the study, it is sparsely furnished Floyd | and neat as a pin. The green room is dominated by a spectacular green Floyd | velvet four-poster bed, which though staggeringly tall appears to have Floyd | been built for someone well under five feet in height. Beside it sits Floyd | a mahogany bedside cabinet. Floyd | Floyd | To the north, a door leads into the east gallery. To the south, a set Floyd | of French windows leads out onto a small balcony overlooking the park. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x bed" | |||
Floyd ] Green Room Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > X BED Floyd | Floyd | You seem to remember reading that Mary Queen of Scots once slept in Floyd | this bed. Presumably this was after she had lost her head. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "snrk" | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "look under it" | |||
Floyd ] Green Room Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > LOOK UNDER IT Floyd | Floyd | You find nothing of interest. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x cabinet" | |||
Floyd ] Green Room Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > X CABINET Floyd | Floyd | A fine Regency period mahogany bedside cabinet. Its door is closed. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "open it" | |||
Floyd ] Green Room Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > OPEN IT Floyd | Floyd | You open the mahogany bedside cabinet, revealing a small brown bottle. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x bottle" | |||
Floyd ] Green Room Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > X BOTTLE Floyd | Floyd | "Dr. Turkee's patent Knockout Drops — the world's most effective Floyd | specific for the treatment of insomnia. DOSE: One drop before Floyd | bed-time, no more. Safe and reliable." Floyd | Floyd | In the small brown bottle are three knockout drops. Floyd | Floyd | The most potent of all soporifics; just one of these innocent looking Floyd | pea-sized pills could knock out a horse. Poor old Hamcester must Floyd | suffer terribly from insomnia. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "get it" | |||
Floyd ] Green Room Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > GET IT Floyd | Floyd | Taken. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "close cabinet" | |||
Floyd ] Green Room Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > CLOSE CABINET Floyd | Floyd | You close the mahogany bedside cabinet. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "That and the blowpipe vs. the bull." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "These are bound to come in handy somwhere." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x drops" | |||
Floyd ] Green Room Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > X DROPS Floyd | Floyd | You can't see any such thing. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "l" | |||
Floyd ] Green Room Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > L Floyd | Floyd | Green Room Floyd | This room, decorated in shades of green and charcoal, can only be the Floyd | bedroom of Lord Hamcester. Like the study, it is sparsely furnished Floyd | and neat as a pin. The green room is dominated by a spectacular green Floyd | velvet four-poster bed, which though staggeringly tall appears to have Floyd | been built for someone well under five feet in height. Beside it sits Floyd | a mahogany bedside cabinet. Floyd | Floyd | To the north, a door leads into the east gallery. To the south, a set Floyd | of French windows leads out onto a small balcony overlooking the park. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] East Balcony Floyd ] Exits: north inside Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | You step out into the bright sunshine. Floyd | Floyd | East Balcony Floyd | The balcony offers splendid views of the park and grounds. Directly Floyd | ahead is a shrubbery where a hirsute gardener busies himself among the Floyd | azaleas. French windows lead back into the green room. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x gardener" | |||
Floyd ] East Balcony Floyd ] Exits: north inside Floyd | Floyd | > X GARDENER Floyd | Floyd | Amos Bunyon, Lord Hamcester's head gardener busies himself among the Floyd | azaleas. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Green Room Floyd ] Exits: north south outside Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Green Room Floyd | This room, decorated in shades of green and charcoal, can only be the Floyd | bedroom of Lord Hamcester. Like the study, it is sparsely furnished Floyd | and neat as a pin. The green room is dominated by a spectacular green Floyd | velvet four-poster bed, which though staggeringly tall appears to have Floyd | been built for someone well under five feet in height. Beside it sits Floyd | a mahogany bedside cabinet. Floyd | Floyd | To the north, a door leads into the east gallery. To the south, a set Floyd | of French windows leads out onto a small balcony overlooking the park. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] East Gallery Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | East Gallery Floyd | At the east end of the gallery are doors leading north and south Floyd | giving access to family bedrooms. The gallery continues to the west, Floyd | passing the head of the stairs. Here, the oak panelling has been Floyd | disfigured by portraits of Hamcester's forebears. Floyd | Floyd | Chief among these plug-uglies is the eighth Earl, Lord Hamcester's Floyd | father, who casts his disapproving, beetle-browed gaze along the Floyd | entire length of the gallery. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Landing Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH east WEST down Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Landing Floyd | From here the grand staircase descends to the great hall. The landing Floyd | forms part of the long gallery, a grandiose room stretching from east Floyd | to west across the entire frontage of the building. The long gallery Floyd | at Bunkham Hall, of course, was built in 1768, a century after the Floyd | invention of the corridor had rendered such spaces redundant. A large Floyd | picture window to the north affords splendid views of the drive, Floyd | whilst to the south is a closed door. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x door" | |||
Floyd ] Landing Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH east WEST down Floyd | Floyd | > X DOOR Floyd | Floyd | A sturdy door leading south. It is closed and locked. This door, Floyd | wherever it may lead, appears not to have been used in a long while, Floyd | since it is painted shut. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Hm." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] West Gallery Floyd ] Exits: NORTH SOUTH east Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | West Gallery Floyd | The west gallery does a very efficient and commendable job of linking Floyd | the landing with a number of bedrooms. Where we would be without these Floyd | dependable passages is anybody's guess; presumably back on the Floyd | landing. At the end of the gallery are doors leading north and south. Floyd | Floyd | Maude, the maid, armed with a can of Brasso, is polishing the handle Floyd | of the door to the south, in rather a desultory sort of way. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu asks, "Why do I expecxt Maude to stop our exploration?" | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x maude" | |||
Floyd ] West Gallery Floyd ] Exits: NORTH SOUTH east Floyd | Floyd | > X MAUDE Floyd | Floyd | A young girl of somewhat impish appearance, with a short brown bob and Floyd | freckles. She is polishing the doorknob of the room to the south, Floyd | though one suspects that her mind is elsewhere. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x brasso" | |||
Floyd ] West Gallery Floyd ] Exits: NORTH SOUTH east Floyd | Floyd | > X BRASSO Floyd | Floyd | A can of metal polish, for the removal of tarnish from brass doorknobs Floyd | and suchlike. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "hm." | ||
| DavidW says, "I suggest talking to her." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask maude about lord hamcester" | |||
Floyd ] West Gallery Floyd ] Exits: NORTH SOUTH east Floyd | Floyd | > ASK MAUDE ABOUT LORD HAMCESTER Floyd | Floyd | Unaccustomed to hob-nobbing with the nobs, Maude merely curtsies and Floyd | says "Very good, sir, I'm sure sir." Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask maude about lady hamcester" | |||
Floyd ] West Gallery Floyd ] Exits: NORTH SOUTH east Floyd | Floyd | > ASK MAUDE ABOUT LADY HAMCESTER Floyd | Floyd | Unaccustomed to hob-nobbing with the nobs, Maude merely curtsies and Floyd | says "Very good, sir, I'm sure sir." Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask maude about doorknob" | |||
Floyd ] West Gallery Floyd ] Exits: NORTH SOUTH east Floyd | Floyd | > ASK MAUDE ABOUT DOORKNOB Floyd | Floyd | "Are you going to be very long, in polishing that doorknob?" you ask, Floyd | innocently. Floyd | Floyd | "I should say so, sir. 'You'll get those doorknobs shiny if it takes Floyd | you all year,' says 'e. Well, I'm going to bloomin' well make sure it Floyd | does take me all year, and see how 'e likes that!" Floyd | Floyd | "By 'e, I assume you mean your employer, Lord Hamcester?" Floyd | Floyd | "Yes, sir, beggin' your pardon, sir. Was you a friend of his?" Floyd | Floyd | "I barely know the man." Floyd | Floyd | "I should keep it that way, if I was you, sir. In a right huff, 'e Floyd | was, on account of the Major 'aving broken 'is favourite vase. But Floyd | there was no need to take it out on me!" Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask maude about major" | |||
Floyd ] West Gallery Floyd ] Exits: NORTH SOUTH east Floyd | Floyd | > ASK MAUDE ABOUT MAJOR Floyd | Floyd | Unaccustomed to hob-nobbing with the nobs, Maude merely curtsies and Floyd | says "Very good, sir, I'm sure sir." Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask maude about vase" | |||
Floyd ] West Gallery Floyd ] Exits: NORTH SOUTH east Floyd | Floyd | > ASK MAUDE ABOUT VASE Floyd | Floyd | Unaccustomed to hob-nobbing with the nobs, Maude merely curtsies and Floyd | says "Very good, sir, I'm sure sir." Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask maude about herself" | |||
Floyd ] West Gallery Floyd ] Exits: NORTH SOUTH east Floyd | Floyd | > ASK MAUDE ABOUT HERSELF Floyd | Floyd | Unaccustomed to hob-nobbing with the nobs, Maude merely curtsies and Floyd | says "Very good, sir, I'm sure sir." Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "topics" | |||
Floyd ] West Gallery Floyd ] Exits: NORTH SOUTH east Floyd | Floyd | > TOPICS Floyd | Floyd | That's not a verb I recognise. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask maude about amos" | |||
Floyd ] West Gallery Floyd ] Exits: NORTH SOUTH east Floyd | Floyd | > ASK MAUDE ABOUT AMOS Floyd | Floyd | (Amos Bunyon) Floyd | Unaccustomed to hob-nobbing with the nobs, Maude merely curtsies and Floyd | says "Very good, sir, I'm sure sir." Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask maude about harry" | |||
Floyd ] West Gallery Floyd ] Exits: NORTH SOUTH east Floyd | Floyd | > ASK MAUDE ABOUT HARRY Floyd | Floyd | Unaccustomed to hob-nobbing with the nobs, Maude merely curtsies and Floyd | says "Very good, sir, I'm sure sir." Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask maude about pompon" | |||
Floyd ] West Gallery Floyd ] Exits: NORTH SOUTH east Floyd | Floyd | > ASK MAUDE ABOUT POMPON Floyd | Floyd | Unaccustomed to hob-nobbing with the nobs, Maude merely curtsies and Floyd | says "Very good, sir, I'm sure sir." Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "well. Try the north door." | ||
| Knight_Otu asks, "Do I have the right name?" | |||
| DavidW says, "Might be a bathroom." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Lumber Room Floyd | This gloomy, out-of-the-way room is used as a storehouse for furniture Floyd | not currently in use. There are a great number of such pieces here, Floyd | draped in dustsheets, along with sundry other items such as rolled Floyd | tapestries and quaint candlesticks of dubious taste. There is very Floyd | little, at first glance, to tickle the fancy of a discerning gentleman Floyd | thief. The room is dimly lit, a dusty pair of velvet curtains allowing Floyd | only a sliver of summer sunshine into the room. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x curtains" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X CURTAINS Floyd | Floyd | The curtains are shut, shrouding the room in darkness. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "open them" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > OPEN THEM Floyd | Floyd | You sweep open the curtains, allowing light to pour into the dusty Floyd | room. Hello, what's this? An old trunk, previously unnoticed, now lies Floyd | illuminated by a ray of sunshine. You have a sixth sense about these Floyd | sorts of things, and it's tingling. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x trunk" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X TRUNK Floyd | Floyd | A nineteenth century carved Chinese camphor wood trunk, heavily Floyd | battered. The trunk is closed. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "magpie sense" | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "open it" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > OPEN IT Floyd | Floyd | You open the old trunk to reveal a jumble of musty theatrical costumes Floyd | and other odds and ends. A quick rummage through unearths a gramophone Floyd | record entitled Maraca Medley and a false beard, but it does Floyd | not appear to contain anything else of interest. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Huh." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x record" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X RECORD Floyd | Floyd | A gramophone record entitled Maraca Medley by Señor Carlos Floyd | Cordorniz, the Famous Maraca Soloist. It appears to be an album Floyd | of popular folk-tunes arranged for solo maracas. Small wonder it ended Floyd | up in the lumber room. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "We saw a gramophone in the music room." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "get it" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > GET IT Floyd | Floyd | Taken. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x beard" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X BEARD Floyd | Floyd | A spectacularly bushy black beard astonishingly reminiscent of the one Floyd | worn by Amos the gardener. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Hmmm." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "get it" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > GET IT Floyd | Floyd | Taken. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "oh, we get to change our disguise." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "search trunk" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > SEARCH TRUNK Floyd | Floyd | Well, well, what's this lurking at the bottom of the trunk? No doubt Floyd | old Hamcester took this Georgian ruby ring for a piece of worthless Floyd | costume jewellery. Why else would he have tossed it into an old trunk Floyd | with the rest of his pirate outfit? No matter — it's yours now. Floyd | Floyd | You slip the Georgian ruby ring into your secret pocket, where none Floyd | but the most astute detective would find it. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Oh, loot." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "search trunk" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > SEARCH TRUNK Floyd | Floyd | There's nothing else of value hiding in the old trunk. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "i" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > I Floyd | Floyd | You have about your person a false beard, a gramophone record entitled Floyd | Maraca Medley, a small brown bottle, inside which are three Floyd | knockout drops, a priceless jewelled scarab (fake), an Amazonian Floyd | blowpipe, two bananas, a book entitled Psychology To-day and Floyd | a telegram. Floyd | Floyd | Stashed safely in the secret pocket of your form-fitting tweed suit, Floyd | are a Georgian ruby ring and a black and white feather. Floyd | Floyd | You are also wearing a ginger moustache, rendering you Floyd | indistinguishable from Doctor Cornelius Drake, the noted alienist. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x ruby" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X RUBY Floyd | Floyd | No doubt old Hamcester took this Georgian ruby ring for a piece of Floyd | worthless costume jewellery. Why else would he have tossed it into an Floyd | old trunk with the rest of his pirate outfit? No matter — it's yours Floyd | now. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "The beard may help us get into the garden." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Definitely." | |||
| DavidW says, "The ladder to get into the Lady's bedroom." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Yeah." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "close trunk" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > CLOSE TRUNK Floyd | Floyd | You close the old trunk. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] West Gallery Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | West Gallery Floyd | The west gallery does a very efficient and commendable job of linking Floyd | the landing with a number of bedrooms. Where we would be without these Floyd | dependable passages is anybody's guess; presumably back on the Floyd | landing. At the end of the gallery are doors leading north and south. Floyd | Floyd | Maude, the maid, armed with a can of Brasso, is polishing the handle Floyd | of the door to the south, in rather a desultory sort of way. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "I can't guess why we should play the record, though." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Landing Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH east west down Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Landing Floyd | From here the grand staircase descends to the great hall. The landing Floyd | forms part of the long gallery, a grandiose room stretching from east Floyd | to west across the entire frontage of the building. The long gallery Floyd | at Bunkham Hall, of course, was built in 1768, a century after the Floyd | invention of the corridor had rendered such spaces redundant. A large Floyd | picture window to the north affords splendid views of the drive, Floyd | whilst to the south is a closed door. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu asks, "Hidden recordings?" | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "d" | |||
Floyd ] Great Hall Floyd ] Exits: NORTH south east west up OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > D Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Great Hall Floyd | This commodious entranceway is dominated by a broad flight of white Floyd | marble steps leading up to the first floor. Alabaster columns keep the Floyd | gilded ceiling in a state of harmonious separation from the marble Floyd | floor. On the south wall, facing the front door is a carved escutcheon Floyd | representing the Hamcester coat of arms, beneath which is the entrance Floyd | to the saloon. To the east is the drawing room, and to the west, the Floyd | library. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | The Drawing Room Floyd | Once one of the finest rooms in the house, the drawing room is in a Floyd | state of disarray. Elegant armchairs lie on their backs, priceless Floyd | ornaments lie in fragments on the floor and the walls, lined with red Floyd | Genoa velvet, are spattered with crumbs of Genoa cake. Floyd | Floyd | To the west lies the great hall. The dining room is to the south and Floyd | the music room to the north. In the corner of the room hangs a Floyd | tasselled bell pull. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Music Room Floyd | This modestly proportioned music room, located north of the drawing Floyd | room, has a somewhat neglected feel, and is almost entirely bereft of Floyd | musical instruments. This is not altogether surprising; Lord Hamcester Floyd | is regarded throughout the London club scene as something of a "wet Floyd | blanket". A dusty, yet impressive grand piano occupies most of the Floyd | room, its lid closed. Floyd | Floyd | An alcove, originally intended to be occupied by an organ, instead Floyd | contains a small mahogany side table, on which are a framed photograph Floyd | and a gramophone. The hotch-potch of furniture also includes a sagging Floyd | Victorian day-bed and a green tub chair. Floyd | Floyd | Propped up against the green tub chair is a contrabassoon case. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x gramophone" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X GRAMOPHONE Floyd | Floyd | A handsome HMV table gramophone, Model 104, in an oak case. There is Floyd | currently a gramophone record entitled La Gazza Ladra on the Floyd | turntable. A brass winding crank on the right hand side operates the Floyd | device. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x gazza" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X GAZZA Floyd | Floyd | A gramophone recording of La Gazza Ladra, a melodramma in two Floyd | acts by Gioachino Rossini. You're rather fond of it. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "Don't forget to show the fake scarab to the Lady as well." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "get gazza" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > GET GAZZA Floyd | Floyd | Taken. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "put macara in gramophone" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > PUT MACARA IN GRAMOPHONE Floyd | Floyd | Either that isn't here, or it's not something you need to refer to at Floyd | present. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "i" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > I Floyd | Floyd | You have about your person a false beard, a small brown bottle, inside Floyd | which are three knockout drops, a priceless jewelled scarab (fake), an Floyd | Amazonian blowpipe, two bananas, a book entitled Psychology Floyd | To-day, a telegram and two gramophone records; La Gazza Floyd | Ladra and Maraca Medley. Floyd | Floyd | Stashed safely in the secret pocket of your form-fitting tweed suit, Floyd | are a Georgian ruby ring and a black and white feather. Floyd | Floyd | You are also wearing a ginger moustache, rendering you Floyd | indistinguishable from Doctor Cornelius Drake, the noted alienist. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "put maraca in gramophone" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > PUT MARACA IN GRAMOPHONE Floyd | Floyd | You place the gramophone record entitled Maraca Medley on the Floyd | turntable, and the needle on the gramophone record entitled Maraca Floyd | Medley. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "wind gramophone" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > WIND GRAMOPHONE Floyd | Floyd | That's not a verb I recognise. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "turn crank" | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "turn crank" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > TURN CRANK Floyd | Floyd | You wind the crank, and a gramophone record entitled Maraca Floyd | Medley begins to play. Floyd | Floyd | Upon hearing the sound of Señor Cordorniz's world-famous musical Floyd | rattles, the Major hurtles into the music room, carrying in his hands Floyd | an immense medieval mace. He flings open the lid of the piano, but Floyd | finding nothing inside, shouts "False alarm!" and thunders out again. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Huh." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "listen" | |||
Floyd ] Music Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > LISTEN Floyd | Floyd | From the gramophone there issues forth a popular folk tune, played Floyd | solely on maracas, by Señor Carlos Cordorniz, the Famous Maraca Floyd | Soloist. Which popular folk tune it is, you are, alas, unable to Floyd | guess. It sounds, to your untutored ear, exactly like a nest of Floyd | rattlesnakes. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW asks, "So we could put that fake snake in the piano and have him bash it, but why?" | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Ah. We need something rattlesnake-like, I guess." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Why, I'm not sure yet." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "But I think the Major has that "snake"." | |||
| DavidW says, "I thought the snake was left in the drawing room." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | The Drawing Room Floyd | Once one of the finest rooms in the house, the drawing room is in a Floyd | state of disarray. Elegant armchairs lie on their backs, priceless Floyd | ornaments lie in fragments on the floor and the walls, lined with red Floyd | Genoa velvet, are spattered with crumbs of Genoa cake. Floyd | Floyd | To the west lies the great hall. The dining room is to the south and Floyd | the music room to the north. In the corner of the room hangs a Floyd | tasselled bell pull. Floyd | Floyd | From the Music Room, you hear a gramophone record entitled Maraca Floyd | Medley playing. Floyd | Floyd | The gramophone stops playing. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "get all" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > GET ALL Floyd | Floyd | There is nothing available to get. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "oh" | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "I think we put it on his shoulder, much like the "bear"." | |||
| DavidW says, "well, let's do some of the things we think we can do." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Great Hall Floyd ] Exits: NORTH south east west up OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Great Hall Floyd | This commodious entranceway is dominated by a broad flight of white Floyd | marble steps leading up to the first floor. Alabaster columns keep the Floyd | gilded ceiling in a state of harmonious separation from the marble Floyd | floor. On the south wall, facing the front door is a carved escutcheon Floyd | representing the Hamcester coat of arms, beneath which is the entrance Floyd | to the saloon. To the east is the drawing room, and to the west, the Floyd | library. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Saloon Floyd | By far the grandest room in the house, the saloon was once the state Floyd | dining room. It is now rarely used for entertaining and has instead Floyd | become a repository for old Hamcester's hideous collection of Floyd | porcelain. The Axminster carpet is decorated with a delicate pattern Floyd | of daisies. Floyd | Floyd | To the north and east are the great hall and the dining room Floyd | respectively. The collection room lies to the west, whilst to the Floyd | south, French windows open onto the terrace. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | You step out into the bright sunshine. Floyd | Floyd | Terrace Floyd | A charming terrace, surrounded by an Italian balustrade, and replete Floyd | with statues of dancing fauns, ornamental urns and what-not. In the Floyd | centre is a set of cast-iron garden furniture, doing what cast-iron Floyd | garden furniture does best. Floyd | Floyd | Stone steps lead southwards onto the lawn, east and west to the gravel Floyd | sweep, whilst to the north French windows invite you to enter the Floyd | saloon. Floyd | Floyd | Lady Hamcester sits on a cast-iron garden chair, leafing through a Floyd | brochure for the R.M.S. Aquitania. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "Showing the scarab to the lady seems the simplest task." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "show scarab to lady" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > SHOW SCARAB TO LADY Floyd | Floyd | "Great Scott, you've found it!" says Lady Hamcester, leaping to her Floyd | feet in surprise, "Fast work Monsieur! Where on Earth was it?" Floyd | Floyd | "I am afraid to say that I discovered zis trinket in the armoire of Floyd | your brother, ze Major, your Ladyship. It would appear zat he had Floyd | mistaken it for a real beetle, and was keeping it as, how do you say? Floyd | A pet." Floyd | Floyd | "Oh dear," says Lady Hamcester, "I was rather afraid of that. Poor Floyd | Hilary! The thing now of course, is to put it back in the display case Floyd | before Emerick notices it's gone." Floyd | Floyd | "For that, Madame, I would require the key. The display case is Floyd | locked." Floyd | Floyd | "Of course. But oh dear! There's only one key to the display case, and Floyd | Emerick keeps it in the breast pocket of his jacket at all times. Floyd | However are we to procure it?" Floyd | Floyd | "Leave that to me, Lady Hamcester. We detectives are not without our Floyd | methods." Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "New task, steal the key." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Though first, we can try becoming Amos." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep East Floyd ] Exits: south west Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Gravel Sweep East Floyd | This gravel sweep is a path that extends from the terrace steps to the Floyd | west and runs along the south front. A side path winds south into a Floyd | pretty shrubbery. Directly above is a balcony. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "hmm" | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "remove moustache" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep East Floyd ] Exits: south west Floyd | Floyd | > REMOVE MOUSTACHE Floyd | Floyd | You take off the ginger moustache. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "wear beard" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep East Floyd ] Exits: south west Floyd | Floyd | > WEAR BEARD Floyd | Floyd | Bit risky going out disguised as Amos when the fellow is standing in Floyd | plain sight — perhaps another disguise might be more appropriate? Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Oh." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "wear moustache" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep East Floyd ] Exits: south west Floyd | Floyd | > WEAR MOUSTACHE Floyd | Floyd | You affix the moustache firmly to your upper lip, rendering you Floyd | indistinguishable from the distinguished Dr. Cornelius Drake. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "I want to say that this is the best place to become Amos and not arouse suspicion, but maybe it matters little." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Terrace Floyd | A charming terrace, surrounded by an Italian balustrade, and replete Floyd | with statues of dancing fauns, ornamental urns and what-not. In the Floyd | centre is a set of cast-iron garden furniture, doing what cast-iron Floyd | garden furniture does best. Floyd | Floyd | Stone steps lead southwards onto the lawn, east and west to the gravel Floyd | sweep, whilst to the north French windows invite you to enter the Floyd | saloon. Floyd | Floyd | Lady Hamcester sits on a cast-iron garden chair, leafing through a Floyd | brochure for the R.M.S. Aquitania. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep West Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Gravel Sweep West Floyd | This gravel sweep is a path that extends from the terrace steps to the Floyd | east and runs along the south front. To the south is the ivy-grown Floyd | wall of the kitchen garden. A large rhododendron bush grows against Floyd | the wall here beneath a first floor balcony. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "remove moustache" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep West Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > REMOVE MOUSTACHE Floyd | Floyd | You take off the ginger moustache. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "wear beard" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep West Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > WEAR BEARD Floyd | Floyd | Bit risky going out disguised as Amos when the fellow is standing in Floyd | plain sight — perhaps another disguise might be more appropriate? Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "wear moustache" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep West Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > WEAR MOUSTACHE Floyd | Floyd | You affix the moustache firmly to your upper lip, rendering you Floyd | indistinguishable from the distinguished Dr. Cornelius Drake. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Hrm." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Terrace Floyd | A charming terrace, surrounded by an Italian balustrade, and replete Floyd | with statues of dancing fauns, ornamental urns and what-not. In the Floyd | centre is a set of cast-iron garden furniture, doing what cast-iron Floyd | garden furniture does best. Floyd | Floyd | Stone steps lead southwards onto the lawn, east and west to the gravel Floyd | sweep, whilst to the north French windows invite you to enter the Floyd | saloon. Floyd | Floyd | Lady Hamcester sits on a cast-iron garden chair, leafing through a Floyd | brochure for the R.M.S. Aquitania. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Saloon Floyd | By far the grandest room in the house, the saloon was once the state Floyd | dining room. It is now rarely used for entertaining and has instead Floyd | become a repository for old Hamcester's hideous collection of Floyd | porcelain. The Axminster carpet is decorated with a delicate pattern Floyd | of daisies. Floyd | Floyd | To the north and east are the great hall and the dining room Floyd | respectively. The collection room lies to the west, whilst to the Floyd | south, French windows open onto the terrace. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "we can still try drugging the bull." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "remove moustache" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > REMOVE MOUSTACHE Floyd | Floyd | You take off the ginger moustache. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "wear beard" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > WEAR BEARD Floyd | Floyd | Bit risky going out disguised as Amos when the fellow is standing in Floyd | plain sight — perhaps another disguise might be more appropriate? Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "wear moustache" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > WEAR MOUSTACHE Floyd | Floyd | You affix the moustache firmly to your upper lip, rendering you Floyd | indistinguishable from the distinguished Dr. Cornelius Drake. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | You step out into the bright sunshine. Floyd | Floyd | Terrace Floyd | A charming terrace, surrounded by an Italian balustrade, and replete Floyd | with statues of dancing fauns, ornamental urns and what-not. In the Floyd | centre is a set of cast-iron garden furniture, doing what cast-iron Floyd | garden furniture does best. Floyd | Floyd | Stone steps lead southwards onto the lawn, east and west to the gravel Floyd | sweep, whilst to the north French windows invite you to enter the Floyd | saloon. Floyd | Floyd | Lady Hamcester sits on a cast-iron garden chair, leafing through a Floyd | brochure for the R.M.S. Aquitania. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north south east WEST down Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Lawn Floyd | An expansive lawn, dotted with ancient cedar trees. It is connected, Floyd | by way of a gravel path, to a shrubbery in the east, and by a stone Floyd | archway to a walled vegetable garden in the west. To the south, on the Floyd | other side of the ha-ha, lies the park. Floyd | Floyd | Over by the stone archway, a small, wiry man in a cloth cap snips Floyd | lackadaisically at a box hedge with a pair of garden shears. Floyd | Occasionally, he glances around, as though looking for suspicious Floyd | characters. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north east WEST Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | You hop nimbly over the ha-ha. Floyd | Floyd | Park Floyd | The park is used by for the grazing of Lord Hamcester's prize herd of Floyd | longhorn cattle, the finest in all England. To the north, on the other Floyd | side of the ha-ha, lie the formal gardens, whilst to the east, at the Floyd | end of a yew alley, is a small folly in the shape of a Greek temple. Floyd | West of here, surrounded by a low fence, is a little orchard. A Floyd | fruit-picking ladder can be seen leaning against one of the trees. Floyd | Floyd | Sparkenhoe, Lord Hamcester's prize bull, stands between you and the Floyd | orchard, steam billowing from his nostrils. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "open bottle" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north east WEST Floyd | Floyd | > OPEN BOTTLE Floyd | Floyd | It's open - the stopper is missing. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "i" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north east WEST Floyd | Floyd | > I Floyd | Floyd | You have about your person a false beard, a small brown bottle, inside Floyd | which are three knockout drops, a priceless jewelled scarab (fake), an Floyd | Amazonian blowpipe, two bananas, a book entitled Psychology Floyd | To-day, a telegram and a gramophone record entitled La Gazza Floyd | Ladra. Floyd | Floyd | Stashed safely in the secret pocket of your form-fitting tweed suit, Floyd | are a Georgian ruby ring and a black and white feather. Floyd | Floyd | You are also wearing a ginger moustache, rendering you Floyd | indistinguishable from Doctor Cornelius Drake, the noted alienist. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "put drops in blowpipe" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north east WEST Floyd | Floyd | > PUT DROPS IN BLOWPIPE Floyd | Floyd | There is nothing available to put. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "put drop in blowpipe" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north east WEST Floyd | Floyd | > PUT DROP IN BLOWPIPE Floyd | Floyd | (first taking the knockout drop) Floyd | You put the knockout drop into the Amazonian blowpipe. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "shoot bull" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north east WEST Floyd | Floyd | > SHOOT BULL Floyd | Floyd | What do you want to shoot Sparkenhoe with? Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "blowpipe" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north east WEST Floyd | Floyd | > BLOWPIPE Floyd | Floyd | You raise the blowpipe to your lips and give a sharp blow. The Floyd | knockout drop pings harmlessly off Sparkenhoe and comes to rest on the Floyd | floor. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "get drop" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north east WEST Floyd | Floyd | > GET DROP Floyd | Floyd | Taken. Floyd | The most potent of all soporifics; just one of these innocent looking Floyd | pea-sized pills could knock out a horse. Poor old Hamcester must Floyd | suffer terribly from insomnia. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Not that easy." | ||
| DavidW says, "Perhaps we need to make it yawn or yell." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "yawn" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north east WEST Floyd | Floyd | > YAWN Floyd | Floyd | That's not a verb I recognise. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu asks, "So... try for the key?" | ||
| DavidW asks, "uh, maybe?" | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Unless we can become Amos here." | |||
| DavidW says, "The lord won't be pleased if we haven't done much yet." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "remove moustache" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north east WEST Floyd | Floyd | > REMOVE MOUSTACHE Floyd | Floyd | You take off the ginger moustache. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "wear beard" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north east WEST Floyd | Floyd | > WEAR BEARD Floyd | Floyd | Bit risky going out disguised as Amos when the fellow is standing in Floyd | plain sight — perhaps another disguise might be more appropriate? Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "wear moustache" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north east WEST Floyd | Floyd | > WEAR MOUSTACHE Floyd | Floyd | You affix the moustache firmly to your upper lip, rendering you Floyd | indistinguishable from the distinguished Dr. Cornelius Drake. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "The Major is a quick fellow." | ||
| DavidW says, "I don't think we can be Amos while he's up and about." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Yeah, we probably need to drug him somehow." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north south east WEST down Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | You hop nimbly over the ha-ha. Floyd | Floyd | Lawn Floyd | An expansive lawn, dotted with ancient cedar trees. It is connected, Floyd | by way of a gravel path, to a shrubbery in the east, and by a stone Floyd | archway to a walled vegetable garden in the west. To the south, on the Floyd | other side of the ha-ha, lies the park. Floyd | Floyd | Over by the stone archway, a small, wiry man in a cloth cap snips Floyd | lackadaisically at a box hedge with a pair of garden shears. Floyd | Occasionally, he casts you a suspicious glance. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "maybe we're supposed to knock out Amos with the drug." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Terrace Floyd | A charming terrace, surrounded by an Italian balustrade, and replete Floyd | with statues of dancing fauns, ornamental urns and what-not. In the Floyd | centre is a set of cast-iron garden furniture, doing what cast-iron Floyd | garden furniture does best. Floyd | Floyd | Stone steps lead southwards onto the lawn, east and west to the gravel Floyd | sweep, whilst to the north French windows invite you to enter the Floyd | saloon. Floyd | Floyd | Lady Hamcester sits on a cast-iron garden chair, leafing through a Floyd | brochure for the R.M.S. Aquitania. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Saloon Floyd | By far the grandest room in the house, the saloon was once the state Floyd | dining room. It is now rarely used for entertaining and has instead Floyd | become a repository for old Hamcester's hideous collection of Floyd | porcelain. The Axminster carpet is decorated with a delicate pattern Floyd | of daisies. Floyd | Floyd | To the north and east are the great hall and the dining room Floyd | respectively. The collection room lies to the west, whilst to the Floyd | south, French windows open onto the terrace. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Dining Room Floyd | The state dining room is a splendid rectangular room with flamboyantly Floyd | decorated walls and ceilings; a little overdone, perhaps, but that's Floyd | the Regency for you. The room is dominated by the vast, antique Floyd | mahogany dining table and a set of matching chairs. The only other Floyd | furniture of note is a small glass-fronted curio cabinet which stands Floyd | between the two south-facing windows. Floyd | Floyd | North is the drawing room, and west the saloon. Floyd | Floyd | The butler, Hives, is busy laying the table for dinner. Floyd | Floyd | On the dining table are a red velvet tablecloth and an impressive Floyd | array of silverware, glassware and crockery. Floyd | Floyd | Hives carefully places a fish knife on the table. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x silverware" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X SILVERWARE Floyd | Floyd | The usual array of cutlery; fish forks, fruit forks, silver salvers Floyd | and salad servers. Floyd | Floyd | Hives carefully places a sherry glass on the table. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x glassware" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X GLASSWARE Floyd | Floyd | A set of crystal glassware, including wine glasses, water goblets, Floyd | champagne flutes and what-have-you. Floyd | Floyd | Hives carefully places a fish knife on the table. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x crockery" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X CROCKERY Floyd | Floyd | A fine set of Royal Doulton crockery, decorated with pink roses and Floyd | consisting of dinner plates, salad plates, butter plates; the whole Floyd | gang. Floyd | Floyd | Hives carefully places a sherry glass on the table. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask hives about amos" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HIVES ABOUT AMOS Floyd | Floyd | (Amos Bunyon) Floyd | "Now then, Hives. Who is this Amos Bunyon, of whom I have heard so Floyd | much?" Floyd | Floyd | "Mister Bunyon is head gardener here at Bunkham Hall, sir," says the Floyd | butler. "I fancy I saw him tending the shrubbery earlier this Floyd | afternoon." Floyd | Floyd | Hives carefully places a water goblet on the table. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "Hives will be polishing this knob for a while." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask hives about harry" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HIVES ABOUT HARRY Floyd | Floyd | "Who is that chap lurking about outside the kitchen-garden?" you ask. Floyd | Floyd | "That would be Mister Boyle, the under-gardener, sir." Floyd | Floyd | "I don't like the way he lurks, Hives." Floyd | Floyd | "I am sorry to hear that, sir." Floyd | Floyd | Hives carefully places a fish knife on the table. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask hives about kitchen" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HIVES ABOUT KITCHEN Floyd | Floyd | "I really could not say, Sir." Floyd | Floyd | Hives carefully places an oyster fork on the table. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask hives about lady hamcester" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HIVES ABOUT LADY HAMCESTER Floyd | Floyd | "Ah, Hives," you say. "Where can I find Lady Hamcester?" Floyd | Floyd | "I think you will find her Ladyship on the terrace, Sir." replies the Floyd | butler. Floyd | Floyd | Hives carefully places a salad knife on the table. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask hives about lord hamcester" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HIVES ABOUT LORD HAMCESTER Floyd | Floyd | "Ah, Hives, the very man," you say. "Where can I find Lord Hamcester?" Floyd | Floyd | "I think you will find his Lordship in his study, at present, Sir." Floyd | replies the butler. Floyd | Floyd | Hives carefully places a butter knife on the table. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask hives about major" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HIVES ABOUT MAJOR Floyd | Floyd | "So, Hives, old man," you say, "the Major seems like a lively chap." Floyd | Floyd | "I am given to understand that Major Buff-Orpington suffered a grave Floyd | tragedy whilst on an expedition to the Amazon, sir. This, so I am Floyd | told, is the reason for his somewhat, erratic behaviour, sir." Floyd | Floyd | "I see, and what was the nature of this grave tragedy, if you don't Floyd | mind me asking?" Floyd | Floyd | "Not at all, sir. I understand that a close companion of the Major's, Floyd | a mister Woodcock, was eaten by a snake, sir." Floyd | Floyd | Hives carefully places a salad knife on the table. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Ah." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask hives about woodcock" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HIVES ABOUT WOODCOCK Floyd | Floyd | "Who was this Cyril 'Woody' Woodcock, then?" you enquire. Floyd | Floyd | "I know very little, sir. Perhaps Lady Hamcester would be able to Floyd | assist you." Floyd | Floyd | Hives carefully places a butter plate on the table. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask hives about maude" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HIVES ABOUT MAUDE Floyd | Floyd | "How long, Hives, does it take to polish a doorhandle?" you ask. Floyd | Floyd | "A doorhandle, sir? About ten minutes, to get a good shine." Floyd | Floyd | "I see. Well, that maid of yours seems to be taking a deuce of a lot Floyd | longer." Floyd | Floyd | "Indeed, sir? I shall speak with her at the earliest opportunity. Is Floyd | it causing you a particular problem, sir?" Floyd | Floyd | "What? No! Just a general observation. Think no more about it." Floyd | Floyd | "Very good, sir." Floyd | Floyd | Hives carefully places an oyster fork on the table. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "This would be the sensitive chap in the photo, I assume." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Yeah." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Saloon Floyd | By far the grandest room in the house, the saloon was once the state Floyd | dining room. It is now rarely used for entertaining and has instead Floyd | become a repository for old Hamcester's hideous collection of Floyd | porcelain. The Axminster carpet is decorated with a delicate pattern Floyd | of daisies. Floyd | Floyd | To the north and east are the great hall and the dining room Floyd | respectively. The collection room lies to the west, whilst to the Floyd | south, French windows open onto the terrace. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | You step out into the bright sunshine. Floyd | Floyd | Terrace Floyd | A charming terrace, surrounded by an Italian balustrade, and replete Floyd | with statues of dancing fauns, ornamental urns and what-not. In the Floyd | centre is a set of cast-iron garden furniture, doing what cast-iron Floyd | garden furniture does best. Floyd | Floyd | Stone steps lead southwards onto the lawn, east and west to the gravel Floyd | sweep, whilst to the north French windows invite you to enter the Floyd | saloon. Floyd | Floyd | Lady Hamcester sits on a cast-iron garden chair, leafing through a Floyd | brochure for the R.M.S. Aquitania. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask lady about woodcock" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > ASK LADY ABOUT WOODCOCK Floyd | Floyd | You have no reason to discuss that with Lady Hamcester at present. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Saloon Floyd | By far the grandest room in the house, the saloon was once the state Floyd | dining room. It is now rarely used for entertaining and has instead Floyd | become a repository for old Hamcester's hideous collection of Floyd | porcelain. The Axminster carpet is decorated with a delicate pattern Floyd | of daisies. Floyd | Floyd | To the north and east are the great hall and the dining room Floyd | respectively. The collection room lies to the west, whilst to the Floyd | south, French windows open onto the terrace. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Great Hall Floyd ] Exits: NORTH south east west up OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Great Hall Floyd | This commodious entranceway is dominated by a broad flight of white Floyd | marble steps leading up to the first floor. Alabaster columns keep the Floyd | gilded ceiling in a state of harmonious separation from the marble Floyd | floor. On the south wall, facing the front door is a carved escutcheon Floyd | representing the Hamcester coat of arms, beneath which is the entrance Floyd | to the saloon. To the east is the drawing room, and to the west, the Floyd | library. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x door" | |||
Floyd ] Great Hall Floyd ] Exits: NORTH south east west up OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > X DOOR Floyd | Floyd | A sturdy door leading outside. It is closed and unlocked. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "look n" | |||
Floyd ] Great Hall Floyd ] Exits: NORTH south east west up OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > LOOK N Floyd | Floyd | You haven't yet had a chance to explore that in that direction. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Library Floyd ] Exits: north east Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Library Floyd | The library of an English country house is an oasis of calm amid the Floyd | hubbub of domestic life; the perfect place, should one feel so Floyd | inclined, for a spot of light murder. The library at Bunkham Hall has Floyd | a long and chequered history, and its chequered floor still bears the Floyd | faint traces of numerous chalk outlines. Tall walnut bookcases line Floyd | walls of crimson silk damask. East is the great hall, and a closed Floyd | door to the north takes you to Lord Hamcester's study. Floyd | Floyd | A leather wingback armchair lounges invitingly against the south wall. Floyd | Today's edition of the Times lies discarded on the seat. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x bookcase" | |||
Floyd ] Library Floyd ] Exits: north east Floyd | Floyd | > X BOOKCASE Floyd | Floyd | Ignoring the dusty leather-bound tomes, your eyes light upon a volume Floyd | entitled The Skull of the Screaming Clown. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x clown" | |||
Floyd ] Library Floyd ] Exits: north east Floyd | Floyd | > X CLOWN Floyd | Floyd | You pull the book from the shelf and peruse it. The dust jacket of Floyd | this pulp classic is adorned with a picture of a screaming skull. With Floyd | a red nose. Floyd | Floyd | But there is no time for reading, so you replace it on the shelf. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x bookcase" | |||
Floyd ] Library Floyd ] Exits: north east Floyd | Floyd | > X BOOKCASE Floyd | Floyd | Ignoring the dusty leather-bound tomes, your eyes light upon a volume Floyd | entitled Murder, by Jove. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x jove" | |||
Floyd ] Library Floyd ] Exits: north east Floyd | Floyd | > X JOVE Floyd | Floyd | You pull the book from the shelf and peruse it. On the cover of this Floyd | one a woman screams as a dagger-wielding hand emerges from a curtain Floyd | to smite an unsuspecting vicar. Floyd | Floyd | But there is no time for reading, so you replace it on the shelf. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "I love this bookcase." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | (first opening the study door) Floyd | Floyd | Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd | A small, cosy study, impeccably neat, with walnut panelling and a Floyd | leather-topped desk of a similar complexion. There are a few homely Floyd | touches; a framed newspaper clipping and a photograph hang on the wall Floyd | beside you. A sturdy wooden chair faces the desk. The door, leading Floyd | south into the library, is open. Floyd | Floyd | A ghastly amateur watercolour hangs above the desk. Floyd | Floyd | On the walnut desk is a pamphlet. Floyd | Floyd | Lord Hamcester sits at his desk, working on his speech. Floyd | Floyd | "Ah, Doctor Drake!" says Lord Hamcester, brightening. "Come to a Floyd | decision already?" Floyd | Floyd | "Actually, no." you say, "I have found no evidence as yet that there Floyd | is anything amiss with Major Buff-Orpington." Floyd | Floyd | "Nothing amiss?" cries Hamcester, pounding his desk and turning the Floyd | colour of a glacé cherry. "What do you mean, nothing amiss? Yesterday Floyd | he destroyed a garden ornament in the shape of a sphinx, mistaking it Floyd | for a mountain lion. He's off his onion!" Floyd | Floyd | "He is a little high-spirited, perhaps, but no more, in my Floyd | professional opinion, than might be accounted for by mere youthful Floyd | vitality." Floyd | Floyd | "Youthful vitality?" says Hamcester, his colour darkening to that of a Floyd | beetroot. "Hilary is forty-five!" He pounds the desk again, upsetting Floyd | the ink pot all over his speech. "Damn it, Drake, now I shall have to Floyd | start all over again! Get back out there and take a closer look at Floyd | him. Spare no effort. And don't come back until you've found something Floyd | amiss!" Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x lord" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X LORD Floyd | Floyd | Emerick Abercorn Welsummer, ninth Earl of Hamcester is short, stout Floyd | and stern with jowls that would not look out of place on an English Floyd | bulldog. One swinish eye regards you with scorn while the other Floyd | appears to have found something much more interesting to look at on Floyd | the other side of the room. He is neatly attired in an expensive three Floyd | piece suit of a style that was à la mode when Queen Victoria was a Floyd | girl. The corner of a handkerchief can be seen peeking from the breast Floyd | pocket. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x handkerchief" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X HANDKERCHIEF Floyd | Floyd | A white linen handkerchief. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "steal it" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > STEAL IT Floyd | Floyd | You can't see 'it' (nothing) at the moment. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "steal handkerchief" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > STEAL HANDKERCHIEF Floyd | Floyd | That's not a verb I recognise. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "get handkerchief" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > GET HANDKERCHIEF Floyd | Floyd | You reach out and try to grab the handkerchief, in the hope of Floyd | dislodging the key, but there is no way to do it without arousing Floyd | suspicion. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "l" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > L Floyd | Floyd | Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd | A small, cosy study, impeccably neat, with walnut panelling and a Floyd | leather-topped desk of a similar complexion. There are a few homely Floyd | touches; a framed newspaper clipping and a photograph hang on the wall Floyd | beside you. A sturdy wooden chair faces the desk. The door, leading Floyd | south into the library, is open. Floyd | Floyd | A ghastly amateur watercolour hangs above the desk. Floyd | Floyd | On the walnut desk is a pamphlet. Floyd | Floyd | Lord Hamcester sits at his desk, working on his speech. Floyd | Floyd | Lord Hamcester closes the study door. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Hm." | ||
| DavidW says, "We probably need to get the lord sneezing. Pepper or perfume might do it." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Maybe." | |||
| DavidW asks, "Is there pepper on the dining table?" | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Library Floyd ] Exits: north east Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | (first opening the study door) Floyd | Floyd | Library Floyd | The library of an English country house is an oasis of calm amid the Floyd | hubbub of domestic life; the perfect place, should one feel so Floyd | inclined, for a spot of light murder. The library at Bunkham Hall has Floyd | a long and chequered history, and its chequered floor still bears the Floyd | faint traces of numerous chalk outlines. Tall walnut bookcases line Floyd | walls of crimson silk damask. East is the great hall, and an open door Floyd | to the north takes you to Lord Hamcester's study. Floyd | Floyd | A leather wingback armchair lounges invitingly against the south wall. Floyd | Today's edition of the Times lies discarded on the seat. Floyd | Floyd | The door slams shut behind you. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Great Hall Floyd ] Exits: NORTH south east west up OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Great Hall Floyd | This commodious entranceway is dominated by a broad flight of white Floyd | marble steps leading up to the first floor. Alabaster columns keep the Floyd | gilded ceiling in a state of harmonious separation from the marble Floyd | floor. On the south wall, facing the front door is a carved escutcheon Floyd | representing the Hamcester coat of arms, beneath which is the entrance Floyd | to the saloon. To the east is the drawing room, and to the west, the Floyd | library. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Saloon Floyd | By far the grandest room in the house, the saloon was once the state Floyd | dining room. It is now rarely used for entertaining and has instead Floyd | become a repository for old Hamcester's hideous collection of Floyd | porcelain. The Axminster carpet is decorated with a delicate pattern Floyd | of daisies. Floyd | Floyd | To the north and east are the great hall and the dining room Floyd | respectively. The collection room lies to the west, whilst to the Floyd | south, French windows open onto the terrace. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Dining Room Floyd | The state dining room is a splendid rectangular room with flamboyantly Floyd | decorated walls and ceilings; a little overdone, perhaps, but that's Floyd | the Regency for you. The room is dominated by the vast, antique Floyd | mahogany dining table and a set of matching chairs. The only other Floyd | furniture of note is a small glass-fronted curio cabinet which stands Floyd | between the two south-facing windows. Floyd | Floyd | North is the drawing room, and west the saloon. Floyd | Floyd | The butler, Hives, is busy laying the table for dinner. Floyd | Floyd | On the dining table are a red velvet tablecloth and an impressive Floyd | array of silverware, glassware and crockery. Floyd | Floyd | Hives carefully places a service plate on the table. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "search table" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > SEARCH TABLE Floyd | Floyd | On the dining table are a red velvet tablecloth and an impressive Floyd | array of silverware, glassware and crockery. Floyd | Floyd | Hives carefully places a fish fork on the table. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x pepper" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X PEPPER Floyd | Floyd | You can't see any such thing. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x tablecloth" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X TABLECLOTH Floyd | Floyd | Bright red. Floyd | Floyd | Hives carefully places a white wine glass on the table. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask hives for pepper" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HIVES FOR PEPPER Floyd | Floyd | You have no reason to discuss that with Hives at present. Floyd | Floyd | Hives carefully places a salad knife on the table. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask hives about dinner" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HIVES ABOUT DINNER Floyd | Floyd | "I really could not say, Sir." Floyd | Floyd | Hives carefully places a dinner fork on the table. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Be back in a bit." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Back." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "ask hives about gorilla" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > ASK HIVES ABOUT GORILLA Floyd | Floyd | You would rather keep your lips sealed about that particular subject. Floyd | Floyd | Hives carefully places a sherry glass on the table. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Huh." | ||
| DavidW says, "I'd like to risk a visit out the front door." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Sure." | |||
| DavidW says, "Just in case there's a mailbox or abandoned bassinet." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | The Drawing Room Floyd | Once one of the finest rooms in the house, the drawing room is in a Floyd | state of disarray. Elegant armchairs lie on their backs, priceless Floyd | ornaments lie in fragments on the floor and the walls, lined with red Floyd | Genoa velvet, are spattered with crumbs of Genoa cake. Floyd | Floyd | To the west lies the great hall. The dining room is to the south and Floyd | the music room to the north. In the corner of the room hangs a Floyd | tasselled bell pull. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Great Hall Floyd ] Exits: NORTH south east west up OUTSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Great Hall Floyd | This commodious entranceway is dominated by a broad flight of white Floyd | marble steps leading up to the first floor. Alabaster columns keep the Floyd | gilded ceiling in a state of harmonious separation from the marble Floyd | floor. On the south wall, facing the front door is a carved escutcheon Floyd | representing the Hamcester coat of arms, beneath which is the entrance Floyd | to the saloon. To the east is the drawing room, and to the west, the Floyd | library. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Drive Floyd ] Exits: NORTH south inside Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | (first opening the front door) Floyd | You step out into the bright sunshine. Floyd | Floyd | Drive Floyd | Bunkham Hall began life as a modest country house in the Jacobean Floyd | style. In 1768, the fourth Earl of Hamcester had it remodelled by Floyd | Robert Addams, a jobbing builder with no architectural training who Floyd | traded rather lucratively on the reputation of his talented Floyd | near-namesake Robert Adam. Whereas Adam's buildings are noted for Floyd | their elegant proportions and scrupulous attention to detail, Addams's Floyd | by contrast are noted for their inelegant proportions and tendency to Floyd | collapse if you so much as look askance at them. It's amazing the Floyd | house has lasted this long. Floyd | Floyd | At first glance, Bunkham Hall is a pleasant enough example of Floyd | Eighteenth Century neoclassicism, but the more one looks, the less Floyd | harmonious it appears in its general proportions. The façade is Floyd | asymmetrical, the scalloped Rococo window frames totally out of Floyd | keeping. The ionic portico, beneath which the front door leads Floyd | inwards, is much too squat, and appears to be listing to one side. Floyd | Floyd | Here begins the long driveway that doesn't so much connect the Hall Floyd | with the village to the north as keep it at a safe distance. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x portico" | |||
Floyd ] Drive Floyd ] Exits: NORTH south inside Floyd | Floyd | > X PORTICO Floyd | Floyd | One wonders whether the architect had been drinking when he built it. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "climb it" | |||
Floyd ] Drive Floyd ] Exits: NORTH south inside Floyd | Floyd | > CLIMB IT Floyd | Floyd | You should look exceedingly foolish. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "push it" | |||
Floyd ] Drive Floyd ] Exits: NORTH south inside Floyd | Floyd | > PUSH IT Floyd | Floyd | It is immovable. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "We're not a cat burglar, it seems." | ||
| DavidW says, "not today, I guess." | |||
| DavidW asks, "Dare we continue north and find a shop with a madeleine and brewed coffee?" | |||
| Knight_Otu asks, "Why not?" | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Country Lane Floyd ] Exits: south WEST Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Country Lane Floyd | A narrow country lane connecting the village, to the east, with the Floyd | railway station, to the west. You walked along it only this morning, Floyd | and a very pleasant walk it was too. To the north are tall hedgerows, Floyd | behind which are presumably fields of some sort, whilst to the south, Floyd | via the drive, lies Bunkham Hall. The chimney of what can only be Floyd | Bunkham Manor, home of Sir Humphrey Leghorn, can be seen protruding Floyd | from the hedges to the east. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x chimney" | |||
Floyd ] Country Lane Floyd ] Exits: south WEST Floyd | Floyd | > X CHIMNEY Floyd | Floyd | Bunkham Manor, home to Sir Humphrey Leghorn, lies just to the east of Floyd | here. Only its chimney and part of the thatched roof are visible above Floyd | the hedge. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "search hedge" | |||
Floyd ] Country Lane Floyd ] Exits: south WEST Floyd | Floyd | > SEARCH HEDGE Floyd | Floyd | You find nothing of interest. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Country Lane Floyd ] Exits: south WEST Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | According to your Bradshaw's Guide, the village of St Floyd | Bartholomew-on-the-Bog has many enticing features including a charming Floyd | tea shop, an attractive duck pond and a statue of a fat balloonist, Floyd | but sadly there's just no room in your itinerary this afternoon. The Floyd | railway station, and London, lie in the other direction. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "oh, a tea shop, not a coffee shop. My mistake." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "go to bunkham" | |||
Floyd ] Country Lane Floyd ] Exits: south WEST Floyd | Floyd | > GO TO BUNKHAM Floyd | Floyd | You can't see any such thing. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "look in chimney" | |||
Floyd ] Country Lane Floyd ] Exits: south WEST Floyd | Floyd | > LOOK IN CHIMNEY Floyd | Floyd | You are too far from Bunkham Manor to do anything but look. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Country Lane Floyd ] Exits: south WEST Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | You're not leaving without the jewelled scarab. And who knows what Floyd | other gems might be squirrelled away amongst the bric-a-brac at Floyd | Bunkham Hall? No, there is a time for catching trains back to London, Floyd | and this is not it. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW asks, "I suppose we might try throwing something into Leghorn's chimney eventually?" | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "It's possible." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "throw banana in chimney" | |||
Floyd ] Country Lane Floyd ] Exits: south WEST Floyd | Floyd | > THROW BANANA IN CHIMNEY Floyd | Floyd | You are too far from Bunkham Manor to do anything but look. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Or maybe not." | ||
| DavidW says, "It's a weird detail to include." | |||
| DavidW says, "I think we should next try blowdarting Amos from the east balcony." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Sure. That's a possibility." | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Drive Floyd ] Exits: north south inside Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Drive Floyd | At first glance, Bunkham Hall is a pleasant enough example of Floyd | Eighteenth Century neoclassicism, but the more one looks, the less Floyd | harmonious it appears in its general proportions. The façade is Floyd | asymmetrical, the scalloped Rococo window frames totally out of Floyd | keeping. The ionic portico, beneath which the front door leads Floyd | inwards, is much too squat, and appears to be listing to one side. Floyd | Floyd | Here begins the long driveway that doesn't so much connect the Hall Floyd | with the village to the north as keep it at a safe distance. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Great Hall Floyd ] Exits: north south east west up outside Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Great Hall Floyd | This commodious entranceway is dominated by a broad flight of white Floyd | marble steps leading up to the first floor. Alabaster columns keep the Floyd | gilded ceiling in a state of harmonious separation from the marble Floyd | floor. On the south wall, facing the front door is a carved escutcheon Floyd | representing the Hamcester coat of arms, beneath which is the entrance Floyd | to the saloon. To the east is the drawing room, and to the west, the Floyd | library. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "u" | |||
Floyd ] Landing Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH east west down Floyd | Floyd | > U Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Landing Floyd | From here the grand staircase descends to the great hall. The landing Floyd | forms part of the long gallery, a grandiose room stretching from east Floyd | to west across the entire frontage of the building. The long gallery Floyd | at Bunkham Hall, of course, was built in 1768, a century after the Floyd | invention of the corridor had rendered such spaces redundant. A large Floyd | picture window to the north affords splendid views of the drive, Floyd | whilst to the south is a closed door. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] East Gallery Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | East Gallery Floyd | At the east end of the gallery are doors leading north and south Floyd | giving access to family bedrooms. The gallery continues to the west, Floyd | passing the head of the stairs. Here, the oak panelling has been Floyd | disfigured by portraits of Hamcester's forebears. Floyd | Floyd | Chief among these plug-uglies is the eighth Earl, Lord Hamcester's Floyd | father, who casts his disapproving, beetle-browed gaze along the Floyd | entire length of the gallery. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Green Room Floyd ] Exits: north south outside Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Green Room Floyd | This room, decorated in shades of green and charcoal, can only be the Floyd | bedroom of Lord Hamcester. Like the study, it is sparsely furnished Floyd | and neat as a pin. The green room is dominated by a spectacular green Floyd | velvet four-poster bed, which though staggeringly tall appears to have Floyd | been built for someone well under five feet in height. Beside it sits Floyd | a mahogany bedside cabinet. Floyd | Floyd | To the north, a door leads into the east gallery. To the south, a set Floyd | of French windows leads out onto a small balcony overlooking the park. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] East Balcony Floyd ] Exits: north inside Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | You step out into the bright sunshine. Floyd | Floyd | East Balcony Floyd | The balcony offers splendid views of the park and grounds. Directly Floyd | ahead is a shrubbery where a hirsute gardener busies himself among the Floyd | azaleas. French windows lead back into the green room. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x pipe" | |||
Floyd ] East Balcony Floyd ] Exits: north inside Floyd | Floyd | > X PIPE Floyd | Floyd | A weapon favoured by tribesmen of the Amazonian rainforest. As you Floyd | understand it, one simply inserts a curare-tipped dart, or similar Floyd | projectile in the one end, takes aim, blows into the other end, and Floyd | Bob's your late uncle. It's rather like the pea-shooter you had as a Floyd | lad, only more deadly. This one is empty. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "count pill" | |||
Floyd ] East Balcony Floyd ] Exits: north inside Floyd | Floyd | > COUNT PILL Floyd | Floyd | That's not a verb I recognise. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x pills" | |||
Floyd ] East Balcony Floyd ] Exits: north inside Floyd | Floyd | > X PILLS Floyd | Floyd | You can't see any such thing. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x bottle" | |||
Floyd ] East Balcony Floyd ] Exits: north inside Floyd | Floyd | > X BOTTLE Floyd | Floyd | "Dr. Turkee's patent Knockout Drops — the world's most effective Floyd | specific for the treatment of insomnia. DOSE: One drop before Floyd | bed-time, no more. Safe and reliable." Floyd | Floyd | In the small brown bottle are two knockout drops. Floyd | Floyd | The most potent of all soporifics; just one of these innocent looking Floyd | pea-sized pills could knock out a horse. Poor old Hamcester must Floyd | suffer terribly from insomnia. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Drops" | ||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "i" | |||
Floyd ] East Balcony Floyd ] Exits: north inside Floyd | Floyd | > I Floyd | Floyd | You have about your person a knockout drop, a false beard, a small Floyd | brown bottle, inside which are two knockout drops, a priceless Floyd | jewelled scarab (fake), an Amazonian blowpipe, two bananas, a book Floyd | entitled Psychology To-day, a telegram and a gramophone Floyd | record entitled La Gazza Ladra. Floyd | Floyd | Stashed safely in the secret pocket of your form-fitting tweed suit, Floyd | are a Georgian ruby ring and a black and white feather. Floyd | Floyd | You are also wearing a ginger moustache, rendering you Floyd | indistinguishable from Doctor Cornelius Drake, the noted alienist. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "put drop in pipe" | |||
Floyd ] East Balcony Floyd ] Exits: north inside Floyd | Floyd | > PUT DROP IN PIPE Floyd | Floyd | You put the knockout drop into the Amazonian blowpipe. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "shoot amos with pipe" | |||
Floyd ] East Balcony Floyd ] Exits: north inside Floyd | Floyd | > SHOOT AMOS WITH PIPE Floyd | Floyd | You are too far from Amos Bunyon to do anything but look. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Green Room Floyd ] Exits: north south outside Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Green Room Floyd | This room, decorated in shades of green and charcoal, can only be the Floyd | bedroom of Lord Hamcester. Like the study, it is sparsely furnished Floyd | and neat as a pin. The green room is dominated by a spectacular green Floyd | velvet four-poster bed, which though staggeringly tall appears to have Floyd | been built for someone well under five feet in height. Beside it sits Floyd | a mahogany bedside cabinet. Floyd | Floyd | To the north, a door leads into the east gallery. To the south, a set Floyd | of French windows leads out onto a small balcony overlooking the park. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] East Gallery Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | East Gallery Floyd | At the east end of the gallery are doors leading north and south Floyd | giving access to family bedrooms. The gallery continues to the west, Floyd | passing the head of the stairs. Here, the oak panelling has been Floyd | disfigured by portraits of Hamcester's forebears. Floyd | Floyd | Chief among these plug-uglies is the eighth Earl, Lord Hamcester's Floyd | father, who casts his disapproving, beetle-browed gaze along the Floyd | entire length of the gallery. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Landing Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH east west down Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Landing Floyd | From here the grand staircase descends to the great hall. The landing Floyd | forms part of the long gallery, a grandiose room stretching from east Floyd | to west across the entire frontage of the building. The long gallery Floyd | at Bunkham Hall, of course, was built in 1768, a century after the Floyd | invention of the corridor had rendered such spaces redundant. A large Floyd | picture window to the north affords splendid views of the drive, Floyd | whilst to the south is a closed door. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] West Gallery Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | West Gallery Floyd | The west gallery does a very efficient and commendable job of linking Floyd | the landing with a number of bedrooms. Where we would be without these Floyd | dependable passages is anybody's guess; presumably back on the Floyd | landing. At the end of the gallery are doors leading north and south. Floyd | Floyd | Maude, the maid, armed with a can of Brasso, is polishing the handle Floyd | of the door to the south, in rather a desultory sort of way. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] West Gallery Floyd ] Exits: north SOUTH east Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | (first opening the door to Lady Hamcester's bedroom) Floyd | "Beggin' your pardon, sir, but that's the door to her Ladyship's Floyd | bedroom." says the maid, "I'm sure that's not the room you was lookin' Floyd | for, sir." Floyd | Floyd | "Is it really?" you say, raising an eyebrow to affect surprise. "How Floyd | extraordinary! You're quite right, it's not the room I'm looking for Floyd | at all. I don't suppose you know where it is, this room I'm looking Floyd | for?" Floyd | Floyd | "It would help if I knew which room that was, sir," replies the maid. Floyd | Floyd | "Yes, I expect it would. Oh well, not to worry, I'm sure it will turn Floyd | up eventually. These things normally do. Tootle pip!" Floyd | Floyd | How tiresome! At the rate she's going, the maid won't be finished Floyd | polishing until the middle of next month. However, the notorious Floyd | 'Magpie' is not going to be deterred by a mere chambermaid. Perhaps Floyd | there is some other way into the Countess's boudoir? Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Landing Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH east west down Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Landing Floyd | From here the grand staircase descends to the great hall. The landing Floyd | forms part of the long gallery, a grandiose room stretching from east Floyd | to west across the entire frontage of the building. The long gallery Floyd | at Bunkham Hall, of course, was built in 1768, a century after the Floyd | invention of the corridor had rendered such spaces redundant. A large Floyd | picture window to the north affords splendid views of the drive, Floyd | whilst to the south is a closed door. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x door" | |||
Floyd ] Landing Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH east west down Floyd | Floyd | > X DOOR Floyd | Floyd | A sturdy door leading south. It is closed and locked. This door, Floyd | wherever it may lead, appears not to have been used in a long while, Floyd | since it is painted shut. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "listen to door" | |||
Floyd ] Landing Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH east west down Floyd | Floyd | > LISTEN TO DOOR Floyd | Floyd | You hear nothing unexpected. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Landing Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH east west down Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | (first opening the mysterious door) Floyd | (first unlocking the mysterious door) Floyd | You lack a key that fits the mysterious door, and at any rate, it is Floyd | painted shut. Perhaps there is another way into that particular room? Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] East Gallery Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | East Gallery Floyd | At the east end of the gallery are doors leading north and south Floyd | giving access to family bedrooms. The gallery continues to the west, Floyd | passing the head of the stairs. Here, the oak panelling has been Floyd | disfigured by portraits of Hamcester's forebears. Floyd | Floyd | Chief among these plug-uglies is the eighth Earl, Lord Hamcester's Floyd | father, who casts his disapproving, beetle-browed gaze along the Floyd | entire length of the gallery. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Green Room Floyd ] Exits: north south outside Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Green Room Floyd | This room, decorated in shades of green and charcoal, can only be the Floyd | bedroom of Lord Hamcester. Like the study, it is sparsely furnished Floyd | and neat as a pin. The green room is dominated by a spectacular green Floyd | velvet four-poster bed, which though staggeringly tall appears to have Floyd | been built for someone well under five feet in height. Beside it sits Floyd | a mahogany bedside cabinet. Floyd | Floyd | To the north, a door leads into the east gallery. To the south, a set Floyd | of French windows leads out onto a small balcony overlooking the park. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x west" | |||
Floyd ] Green Room Floyd ] Exits: north south outside Floyd | Floyd | > X WEST Floyd | Floyd | There's no obvious route that way. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "move cabinet" | |||
Floyd ] Green Room Floyd ] Exits: north south outside Floyd | Floyd | > MOVE CABINET Floyd | Floyd | It is immovable. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] East Balcony Floyd ] Exits: north inside Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | You step out into the bright sunshine. Floyd | Floyd | East Balcony Floyd | The balcony offers splendid views of the park and grounds. Directly Floyd | ahead is a shrubbery where a hirsute gardener busies himself among the Floyd | azaleas. French windows lead back into the green room. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x west" | |||
Floyd ] East Balcony Floyd ] Exits: north inside Floyd | Floyd | > X WEST Floyd | Floyd | There's no obvious route that way. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "I guess not from here." | ||
| DavidW says, "I suppose the secret entrance is from her room or from underneath. Or from an attic." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "I expect from the lady's room." | |||
| DavidW says, "It's 5pm." | |||
| DavidW says, "I'm getting rather tired." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "I could go for another hour, but probably not alone." | |||
| DavidW asks, "Was there any towels or drapes or curtains or capes we might annoy a bull with?" | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "The netting wasn't takable. There was the (red!) tablecloth." | |||
| DavidW says, "let's get it." | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Green Room Floyd ] Exits: north south outside Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Green Room Floyd | This room, decorated in shades of green and charcoal, can only be the Floyd | bedroom of Lord Hamcester. Like the study, it is sparsely furnished Floyd | and neat as a pin. The green room is dominated by a spectacular green Floyd | velvet four-poster bed, which though staggeringly tall appears to have Floyd | been built for someone well under five feet in height. Beside it sits Floyd | a mahogany bedside cabinet. Floyd | Floyd | To the north, a door leads into the east gallery. To the south, a set Floyd | of French windows leads out onto a small balcony overlooking the park. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] East Gallery Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | East Gallery Floyd | At the east end of the gallery are doors leading north and south Floyd | giving access to family bedrooms. The gallery continues to the west, Floyd | passing the head of the stairs. Here, the oak panelling has been Floyd | disfigured by portraits of Hamcester's forebears. Floyd | Floyd | Chief among these plug-uglies is the eighth Earl, Lord Hamcester's Floyd | father, who casts his disapproving, beetle-browed gaze along the Floyd | entire length of the gallery. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Landing Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH east west down Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Landing Floyd | From here the grand staircase descends to the great hall. The landing Floyd | forms part of the long gallery, a grandiose room stretching from east Floyd | to west across the entire frontage of the building. The long gallery Floyd | at Bunkham Hall, of course, was built in 1768, a century after the Floyd | invention of the corridor had rendered such spaces redundant. A large Floyd | picture window to the north affords splendid views of the drive, Floyd | whilst to the south is a closed door. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "d" | |||
Floyd ] Great Hall Floyd ] Exits: north south east west up outside Floyd | Floyd | > D Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Great Hall Floyd | This commodious entranceway is dominated by a broad flight of white Floyd | marble steps leading up to the first floor. Alabaster columns keep the Floyd | gilded ceiling in a state of harmonious separation from the marble Floyd | floor. On the south wall, facing the front door is a carved escutcheon Floyd | representing the Hamcester coat of arms, beneath which is the entrance Floyd | to the saloon. To the east is the drawing room, and to the west, the Floyd | library. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "I think Hives may be a obstacle" | ||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | The Drawing Room Floyd | Once one of the finest rooms in the house, the drawing room is in a Floyd | state of disarray. Elegant armchairs lie on their backs, priceless Floyd | ornaments lie in fragments on the floor and the walls, lined with red Floyd | Genoa velvet, are spattered with crumbs of Genoa cake. Floyd | Floyd | To the west lies the great hall. The dining room is to the south and Floyd | the music room to the north. In the corner of the room hangs a Floyd | tasselled bell pull. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Dining Room Floyd | The state dining room is a splendid rectangular room with flamboyantly Floyd | decorated walls and ceilings; a little overdone, perhaps, but that's Floyd | the Regency for you. The room is dominated by the vast, antique Floyd | mahogany dining table and a set of matching chairs. The only other Floyd | furniture of note is a small glass-fronted curio cabinet which stands Floyd | between the two south-facing windows. Floyd | Floyd | North is the drawing room, and west the saloon. Floyd | Floyd | The butler, Hives, is busy laying the table for dinner. Floyd | Floyd | On the dining table are a red velvet tablecloth and an impressive Floyd | array of silverware, glassware and crockery. Floyd | Floyd | Hives carefully places a fish fork on the table. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "take tablecloth" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > TAKE TABLECLOTH Floyd | Floyd | The removal of a red velvet tablecloth from right under the nose of a Floyd | head butler is no simple matter, but you think you have found the Floyd | right approach. Floyd | Floyd | "I say, Hives, old man — have you ever seen the famous tablecloth Floyd | trick?" Floyd | Floyd | "No, sir", says the butler warily, "but I am aware of the general Floyd | principle." Floyd | Floyd | "You've never seen it? You don't know what you're missing. Allow me to Floyd | demonstrate!" Floyd | Floyd | "I'd rather you didn't, sir," replies the butler, hurriedly Floyd | interposing himself between you and the table. "I do have to lay the Floyd | table for dinner." Floyd | Floyd | Hives carefully places a salad knife on the table. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | The Drawing Room Floyd | Once one of the finest rooms in the house, the drawing room is in a Floyd | state of disarray. Elegant armchairs lie on their backs, priceless Floyd | ornaments lie in fragments on the floor and the walls, lined with red Floyd | Genoa velvet, are spattered with crumbs of Genoa cake. Floyd | Floyd | To the west lies the great hall. The dining room is to the south and Floyd | the music room to the north. In the corner of the room hangs a Floyd | tasselled bell pull. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "pull pull" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > PULL PULL Floyd | Floyd | In a distant part of the house, a bell rings. Floyd | Floyd | A short time later, Hives the butler shuffles into the room bearing a Floyd | silver tray. He places it on the side-table and shuffles off from Floyd | whence he came. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x tray" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > X TRAY Floyd | Floyd | A silver tray bearing the Hamcester coat of arms. Old, worn and not Floyd | particularly valuable. On the tray are a soda syphon (full) and a Floyd | decanter of whiskey. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Hmmm..." | ||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > X Floyd | Floyd | (The Drawing Room) Floyd | The Drawing Room Floyd | Once one of the finest rooms in the house, the drawing room is in a Floyd | state of disarray. Elegant armchairs lie on their backs, priceless Floyd | ornaments lie in fragments on the floor and the walls, lined with red Floyd | Genoa velvet, are spattered with crumbs of Genoa cake. Floyd | Floyd | To the west lies the great hall. The dining room is to the south and Floyd | the music room to the north. In the corner of the room hangs a Floyd | tasselled bell pull. Floyd | Floyd | You can see a silver tray (on which are a soda syphon (full) and a Floyd | decanter of whiskey) here. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "pull pull" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > PULL PULL Floyd | Floyd | In a distant part of the house, a bell rings, but no butler appears. Floyd | Perhaps Hives is occupied with some duty or other elsewhere in the Floyd | house. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Dining Room Floyd | The state dining room is a splendid rectangular room with flamboyantly Floyd | decorated walls and ceilings; a little overdone, perhaps, but that's Floyd | the Regency for you. The room is dominated by the vast, antique Floyd | mahogany dining table and a set of matching chairs. The only other Floyd | furniture of note is a small glass-fronted curio cabinet which stands Floyd | between the two south-facing windows. Floyd | Floyd | North is the drawing room, and west the saloon. Floyd | Floyd | The butler, Hives, is busy laying the table for dinner. Floyd | Floyd | On the dining table are a red velvet tablecloth and an impressive Floyd | array of silverware, glassware and crockery. Floyd | Floyd | Hives carefully places a fish knife on the table. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "take tablecloth" | |||
Floyd ] Dining Room Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > TAKE TABLECLOTH Floyd | Floyd | "Really, Hives, your lack of simple faith astounds me. Let me assure Floyd | you I was tutored by the great Maskelyne himself. I shall remove the Floyd | tablecloth with a single deft flick of the wrist, and return it to the Floyd | table leaving not so much as a soup spoon askance. Stand aside!" Floyd | Floyd | Reluctantly the butler concedes. You take the edge of the tablecloth Floyd | and give it a yank. Unfortunately the trick does not go off as Floyd | planned. Plates and bowls zip hither and thither, dashing themselves Floyd | to pieces on the walls and floor. Knives, forks and spoons describe Floyd | graceful arcs through the air before impaling themselves in the soft Floyd | furnishings. Floyd | Floyd | There is a cry from underneath the dining table. It is the Major, who, Floyd | unbeknownst to all has been bivouacking there. Floyd | Floyd | "What's this? What's this? Camp under siege! Attacked by Zulus, Floyd | begad!" Never one to run from a fight, the Major leaps onto the table Floyd | and takes a swing at his perceived attacker with the candelabra, no Floyd | doubt mistaking the butler for a Zulu chieftain. Perhaps used to the Floyd | Major's splenetic outbursts, Hives dodges the blow, and losing his Floyd | balance, the Major pitches head-first into the curio cabinet, Floyd | demolishing it completely. Luckily he is wearing his pith helmet, but Floyd | the porcelain rabbit in a red jacket, the pearlised cut-glass unicorn, Floyd | the china shepherdess, the pair of white alabaster doves and the Floyd | pottery figurine of a wretched-looking seal are not so fortunate. Floyd | Floyd | Taking advantage of the confusion, you bundle up the tablecloth and Floyd | tuck it discretely behind your back... Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "The poor porcelain." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "And the future shards become present shards." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "We should skedaddle." | |||
| DavidW says, "Shall we ... yes, let's." | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Saloon Floyd | By far the grandest room in the house, the saloon was once the state Floyd | dining room. It is now rarely used for entertaining and has instead Floyd | become a repository for old Hamcester's hideous collection of Floyd | porcelain. The Axminster carpet is decorated with a delicate pattern Floyd | of daisies. Floyd | Floyd | To the north and east are the great hall and the dining room Floyd | respectively. The collection room lies to the west, whilst to the Floyd | south, French windows open onto the terrace. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | You step out into the bright sunshine. Floyd | Floyd | Terrace Floyd | A charming terrace, surrounded by an Italian balustrade, and replete Floyd | with statues of dancing fauns, ornamental urns and what-not. In the Floyd | centre is a set of cast-iron garden furniture, doing what cast-iron Floyd | garden furniture does best. Floyd | Floyd | Stone steps lead southwards onto the lawn, east and west to the gravel Floyd | sweep, whilst to the north French windows invite you to enter the Floyd | saloon. Floyd | Floyd | Lady Hamcester sits on a cast-iron garden chair, leafing through a Floyd | brochure for the R.M.S. Aquitania. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north south east WEST down Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Lawn Floyd | An expansive lawn, dotted with ancient cedar trees. It is connected, Floyd | by way of a gravel path, to a shrubbery in the east, and by a stone Floyd | archway to a walled vegetable garden in the west. To the south, on the Floyd | other side of the ha-ha, lies the park. Floyd | Floyd | Over by the stone archway, a small, wiry man in a cloth cap snips Floyd | lackadaisically at a box hedge with a pair of garden shears. Floyd | Occasionally, he glances around, as though looking for suspicious Floyd | characters. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north east WEST Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | You hop nimbly over the ha-ha. Floyd | Floyd | Park Floyd | The park is used by for the grazing of Lord Hamcester's prize herd of Floyd | longhorn cattle, the finest in all England. To the north, on the other Floyd | side of the ha-ha, lie the formal gardens, whilst to the east, at the Floyd | end of a yew alley, is a small folly in the shape of a Greek temple. Floyd | West of here, surrounded by a low fence, is a little orchard. A Floyd | fruit-picking ladder can be seen leaning against one of the trees. Floyd | Floyd | Sparkenhoe, Lord Hamcester's prize bull, stands between you and the Floyd | orchard, steam billowing from his nostrils. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "wave tablecloth" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north east WEST Floyd | Floyd | > WAVE TABLECLOTH Floyd | Floyd | You raise the tablecloth and give it a flick so that the colour Floyd | catches the bull's eye. The animal's eyes widen, he lowers his head, Floyd | rakes the ground a couple of times with his hoof and charges. Floyd | Floyd | You stand your ground, and at the last possible moment, step deftly Floyd | aside, sweeping the tablecloth out of sight and allowing the creature Floyd | to thunder past in a flurry of divots. Driven half by rage and half by Floyd | inertia, the stricken beast leaps clean over the ha-ha like a champion Floyd | show-jumper and tears across the lawn onto the terrace. Floyd | Floyd | Here the bull makes a belated attempt to arrest his progress but his Floyd | hooves can find no purchase on the flagstones and instead he barrels Floyd | sidelong through the French windows into the saloon. Borne on the Floyd | fragrant summer breeze are the distant sounds of shouts and shattering Floyd | porcelain. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Poor bull." | ||
| DavidW says, "oh dear. Bull in china shop. Film at 11." | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Orchard Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Orchard Floyd | This little orchard is home to Lord Hamcester's apple trees. The Floyd | apples are not ripe yet, of course. To the east, through a gap in the Floyd | fence, is the Park. Floyd | Floyd | Leaning against a small apple tree is a fruit-picking ladder. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "take ladder" | |||
Floyd ] Orchard Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > TAKE LADDER Floyd | Floyd | You hoist the ladder under your arm. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north east west Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Park Floyd | The park is used by for the grazing of Lord Hamcester's prize herd of Floyd | longhorn cattle, the finest in all England. To the north, on the other Floyd | side of the ha-ha, lie the formal gardens, whilst to the east, at the Floyd | end of a yew alley, is a small folly in the shape of a Greek temple. Floyd | West of here, surrounded by a low fence, is a little orchard. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north south east WEST down Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | "Afternoon, sir," says the under-gardener. casting a questioning eye Floyd | over the ladder you're carrying. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Terrace Floyd | A charming terrace, surrounded by an Italian balustrade, and replete Floyd | with statues of dancing fauns, ornamental urns and what-not. In the Floyd | centre is a set of cast-iron garden furniture, doing what cast-iron Floyd | garden furniture does best. Floyd | Floyd | Stone steps lead southwards onto the lawn, east and west to the gravel Floyd | sweep, whilst to the north French windows invite you to enter the Floyd | saloon. Floyd | Floyd | Lady Hamcester is standing to one side of the French windows, Floyd | watching, in horrified fascination, the scene now unfolding in the Floyd | saloon. Floyd | Floyd | From the direction of the saloon you hear the muffled protestations of Floyd | Hives. Floyd | Floyd | "Poor Hives — I really must insist he gets a pay rise," says Lady Floyd | Hamcester. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep West Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Gravel Sweep West Floyd | This gravel sweep is a path that extends from the terrace steps to the Floyd | east and runs along the south front. To the south is the ivy-grown Floyd | wall of the kitchen garden. A large rhododendron bush grows against Floyd | the wall here beneath a first floor balcony. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "drop ladder" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep West Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > DROP LADDER Floyd | Floyd | You lean the ladder up against the balcony. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "u" | |||
Floyd ] West Balcony Floyd ] Exits: NORTH INSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > U Floyd | Floyd | You ascend the ladder and step onto the West Balcony. Floyd | Floyd | West Balcony Floyd | The balcony offers splendid views of the park and grounds. From here Floyd | you can see into the kitchen garden, to the left of which is a wide Floyd | expanse of lawn. French windows lead into the blue room. A ladder Floyd | leans against the balustrade. Floyd | Floyd | A sturdy-looking cast iron drainpipe runs down the wall beside the Floyd | balcony. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x drainpipe" | |||
Floyd ] West Balcony Floyd ] Exits: NORTH INSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > X DRAINPIPE Floyd | Floyd | A cast iron drainpipe that runs down the wall from the eaves and Floyd | crosses over to the east balcony. It looks as though it would hold Floyd | your weight. The manufacturer's name is embossed upon the hopper head. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "read it" | |||
Floyd ] West Balcony Floyd ] Exits: NORTH INSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > READ IT Floyd | Floyd | A cast iron drainpipe that runs down the wall from the eaves and Floyd | crosses over to the east balcony. It looks as though it would hold Floyd | your weight. The manufacturer's name is embossed upon the hopper head. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "read hopper head" | |||
Floyd ] West Balcony Floyd ] Exits: NORTH INSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > READ HOPPER HEAD Floyd | Floyd | "Flann O'Kipper and Sons" Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "So that's the way into the secret room, from the south." | ||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Blue Room Floyd ] Exits: north south EAST outside Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Blue Room Floyd | This must unquestionably be the bedroom of Lady Hamcester. Tastefully Floyd | decorated in peacock blue, the room comes complete with a sagging Floyd | four-poster bed, French dressing-table, and peacock damask curtains. Floyd | On the west wall is an elegant fireplace, the mantelpiece littered Floyd | with various ornaments. To the south, French windows lead out onto the Floyd | balcony, whilst to the north is the door to the west gallery. Another, Floyd | smaller door beckons you eastward. Floyd | Floyd | Your eye is drawn to the French dressing-table. There, strewn Floyd | carelessly across its lacquered surface, are the famous Jaroda Floyd | Pearls, gleaming enticingly. Floyd | Floyd | A pomeranian dog, which might best be described as looking like the Floyd | offspring of a rat and a feather duster, dozes fitfully on the Floyd | coverlet of the four-poster. Floyd | Floyd | In spite of your extreme stealth, the dog seems to sense the presence Floyd | of another body in the room. It immediately jumps down from the bed Floyd | and begins yapping loudly. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Hey there, doggy." | ||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "shoot dog with blowpipe" | |||
Floyd ] Blue Room Floyd ] Exits: north south EAST outside Floyd | Floyd | > SHOOT DOG WITH BLOWPIPE Floyd | Floyd | You raise the blowpipe to your lips and aim for the animal's mouth, Floyd | which owing to its inability to keep quiet is fortunately wide open. Floyd | One well-timed puff later and the pomeranian shuts up abruptly, its Floyd | face a mask of surprise, before keeling over on the rug, a spent Floyd | force. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x jewels" | |||
Floyd ] Blue Room Floyd ] Exits: north south EAST outside Floyd | Floyd | > X JEWELS Floyd | Floyd | You can't see any such thing. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "I hope it is just asleep." | ||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x pearls" | |||
Floyd ] Blue Room Floyd ] Exits: north south EAST outside Floyd | Floyd | > X PEARLS Floyd | Floyd | The seven-stranded Jaroda Pearl Necklace is one of the most Floyd | extravagant pearl necklaces ever created. It seems a shame to swipe Floyd | something of Lady Hamcester's — she's not a bad old stick, but the Floyd | 'Magpie' would rather die than leave the premises without them. You Floyd | can always pop them in the post once she's claimed the insurance Floyd | money. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "take pearls" | |||
Floyd ] Blue Room Floyd ] Exits: north south EAST outside Floyd | Floyd | > TAKE PEARLS Floyd | Floyd | You tip-toe around the sleeping pooch and snatch the necklace from the Floyd | dressing table. Floyd | Floyd | You slip the famous Jaroda Pearls into your secret pocket, where none Floyd | but the most astute detective would find them. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "l" | |||
Floyd ] Blue Room Floyd ] Exits: north south EAST outside Floyd | Floyd | > L Floyd | Floyd | Blue Room Floyd | This must unquestionably be the bedroom of Lady Hamcester. Tastefully Floyd | decorated in peacock blue, the room comes complete with a sagging Floyd | four-poster bed, French dressing-table, and peacock damask curtains. Floyd | On the west wall is an elegant fireplace, the mantelpiece littered Floyd | with various ornaments. To the south, French windows lead out onto the Floyd | balcony, whilst to the north is the door to the west gallery. Another, Floyd | smaller door beckons you eastward. Floyd | Floyd | A pomeranian dog lies snoring peacefully on the rug, having Floyd | accidentally taken one too many knockout drops. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x bed" | |||
Floyd ] Blue Room Floyd ] Exits: north south EAST outside Floyd | Floyd | > X BED Floyd | Floyd | A splendid four-poster bed, which, though solidly made, has seen Floyd | better centuries. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "look under bed" | |||
Floyd ] Blue Room Floyd ] Exits: north south EAST outside Floyd | Floyd | > LOOK UNDER BED Floyd | Floyd | You find nothing of interest. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x fireplace" | |||
Floyd ] Blue Room Floyd ] Exits: north south EAST outside Floyd | Floyd | > X FIREPLACE Floyd | Floyd | A marble fireplace surround in the Dauphin French style. Cluttering Floyd | the mantelpiece are a papier-mâché elephant, a statuette of a Floyd | shepherdess, a figurine of The Infant Samuel at prayer and a china Floyd | horse. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x dressing table" | |||
Floyd ] Blue Room Floyd ] Exits: north south EAST outside Floyd | Floyd | > X DRESSING TABLE Floyd | Floyd | An eighteenth century "poudreuse" or French dressing-table, with Floyd | exquisite marquetry. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Old Nursery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | (first opening the little door) Floyd | Floyd | Old Nursery Floyd | A rather spartan, neglected room which has obviously not been used in Floyd | years. Hung lopsidedly on one wall is a large, framed painting of a Floyd | boy in a sailor suit. A door, locked and painted shut, bars the way Floyd | north to the landing, whilst another leads west into the blue room. Floyd | Floyd | The only indicator of the room's previous existence is a dapple grey Floyd | rocking horse, somewhat careworn, that casts its indolent gaze upon Floyd | the painting on the wall opposite. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x horse" | |||
Floyd ] Old Nursery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X HORSE Floyd | Floyd | A dapple grey rocking horse on a bow rocker. The name stencilled on Floyd | its harness is "Rosebud". Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x painting" | |||
Floyd ] Old Nursery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X PAINTING Floyd | Floyd | A painting of a small boy in a sailor suit. He is clutching to his Floyd | breast a rag doll of a girl in a pinafore dress, as though his very Floyd | life depended upon it. A small brass plaque is attached to the frame. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "read plaque" | |||
Floyd ] Old Nursery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > READ PLAQUE Floyd | Floyd | "Emerick Abercorn Welsummer, heir to the Earl of Hamcester, aged six." Floyd | It's hard to believe that this endearing, golden-haired moppet grew up Floyd | to be that old buzzard downstairs. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "move painting" | |||
Floyd ] Old Nursery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > MOVE PAINTING Floyd | Floyd | It is immovable. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "look behind it" | |||
Floyd ] Old Nursery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > LOOK BEHIND IT Floyd | Floyd | You can't see 'it' (nothing) at the moment. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "look behind painting" | |||
Floyd ] Old Nursery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > LOOK BEHIND PAINTING Floyd | Floyd | Either that isn't here, or it's not something you need to refer to at Floyd | present. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "If we had a rag doll like that, we could influence the lord with it." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "search painting" | |||
Floyd ] Old Nursery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > SEARCH PAINTING Floyd | Floyd | You find nothing of interest. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x ragdoll" | |||
Floyd ] Old Nursery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X RAGDOLL Floyd | Floyd | You can't see any such thing. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "Another search of the lumber room might be warranted." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Yeah." | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "ride horse" | |||
Floyd ] Old Nursery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > RIDE HORSE Floyd | Floyd | The old horse groans under your weight, but despite the woodworm, Floyd | holds firm. As you rock gently to-and-fro, your gaze falls upon the Floyd | painting on the opposite wall. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x painting" | |||
Floyd ] Old Nursery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X PAINTING Floyd | Floyd | A painting of a small boy in a sailor suit. He is clutching to his Floyd | breast a rag doll of a girl in a pinafore dress, as though his very Floyd | life depended upon it. A small brass plaque is attached to the frame. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x doll" | |||
Floyd ] Old Nursery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X DOLL Floyd | Floyd | A handmade doll in a red gingham pinafore dress. It looks as though Floyd | young Hamcester was rather attached to it, back in the day. You wonder Floyd | what became of it. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "yeah, we need to find that doll." | ||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "stand" | |||
Floyd ] Old Nursery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > STAND Floyd | Floyd | You get off the rocking horse. Floyd | Floyd | Old Nursery Floyd | A rather spartan, neglected room which has obviously not been used in Floyd | years. Hung lopsidedly on one wall is a large, framed painting of a Floyd | boy in a sailor suit. A door, locked and painted shut, bars the way Floyd | north to the landing, whilst another leads west into the blue room. Floyd | Floyd | The only indicator of the room's previous existence is a dapple grey Floyd | rocking horse, somewhat careworn, that casts its indolent gaze upon Floyd | the painting on the wall opposite. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Blue Room Floyd ] Exits: north south east outside Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Blue Room Floyd | This must unquestionably be the bedroom of Lady Hamcester. Tastefully Floyd | decorated in peacock blue, the room comes complete with a sagging Floyd | four-poster bed, French dressing-table, and peacock damask curtains. Floyd | On the west wall is an elegant fireplace, the mantelpiece littered Floyd | with various ornaments. To the south, French windows lead out onto the Floyd | balcony, whilst to the north is the door to the west gallery. Another, Floyd | smaller door beckons you eastward. Floyd | Floyd | A pomeranian dog lies snoring peacefully on the rug, having Floyd | accidentally taken one too many knockout drops. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "The dog is snoring. It's alive still." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x elephant" | |||
Floyd ] Blue Room Floyd ] Exits: north south east outside Floyd | Floyd | > X ELEPHANT Floyd | Floyd | The papier-mâché elephant is a slightly boss-eyed but otherwise Floyd | genial Floyd | example of his species. Utterly worthless, of course. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "A bit out of place, that elephant." | ||
| DavidW says, "Perhaps it's the one from All In The Family." | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "shake elephant" | |||
Floyd ] Blue Room Floyd ] Exits: north south east outside Floyd | Floyd | > SHAKE ELEPHANT Floyd | Floyd | That's not a verb I recognise. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] West Balcony Floyd ] Exits: north inside Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | You step out into the bright sunshine. Floyd | Floyd | West Balcony Floyd | The balcony offers splendid views of the park and grounds. From here Floyd | you can see into the kitchen garden, to the left of which is a wide Floyd | expanse of lawn. French windows lead into the blue room. A ladder Floyd | leans against the balustrade. Floyd | Floyd | A sturdy-looking cast iron drainpipe runs down the wall beside the Floyd | balcony. Floyd | Floyd | As you step out onto the balcony, you are mildly perturbed to see that Floyd | the ladder is no longer where you left it. Hearing voices on the Floyd | terrace below, you duck down behind the balustrade in order to watch Floyd | unobserved. Through a gap in the ivy, you are able to see the Floyd | under-gardener, holding the ladder, in concert with Lord Hamcester, Floyd | who appears to have taken a break from ordering Hives around in order Floyd | to enjoy a cigar. Floyd | Floyd | "What was it doing there?" says Hamcester. Floyd | Floyd | "I don't know, sir," says the under-gardener, shuffling his feet Floyd | nervously. "I saw the gentleman carrying it over from the orchard, Floyd | sir, and there it was." Floyd | Floyd | "The gentleman? Are you referring to, er, ah, our guest?" Floyd | Floyd | "The gentleman with the ginger moustache, sir." Floyd | Floyd | "I see. So you're telling me that you observed the gentleman with the Floyd | ginger moustache carry the ladder from the orchard towards the house, Floyd | and lean it up against the balcony?" Floyd | Floyd | "Well, yes, sir. I mean, no sir." Floyd | Floyd | "Yes, no? Which is it, man? You're blithering." Floyd | Floyd | "I mean to say I saw him, the gentleman with the moustache, sir, carry Floyd | the ladder from the orchard, but I didn't see him lean it up against Floyd | the balcony, sir, on account of being unable to see the balcony from Floyd | where I was situated, sir." Floyd | Floyd | "I see. Odd, dashed odd. Very good, Boyle. Don't let that ladder out Floyd | of your sight. There's some funny business going on at Bunkham Hall Floyd | today, and I shouldn't be at all surprised if Sir Humphrey Leghorn Floyd | were at the bottom of it." Floyd | Floyd | Tucking the ladder under his arm, the under-gardener sets off around Floyd | the side of the kitchen-garden. Hamcester, meanwhile, gazes across Floyd | from the west balcony to the top of the kitchen-garden wall, as though Floyd | trying to judge whether it would be possible to jump from one to the Floyd | other. Shaking his head, he retires into the house. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Oops." | ||
| DavidW says, "So now we use the drainpipe." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Presumably, yes." | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "get on drainpipe" | |||
Floyd ] West Balcony Floyd ] Exits: north inside Floyd | Floyd | > GET ON DRAINPIPE Floyd | Floyd | That's not something you can enter. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "climb drainpipe" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep West Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > CLIMB DRAINPIPE Floyd | Floyd | The drainpipe looked sturdy enough from the balcony, but no sooner Floyd | have you entrusted it with your full weight than it parts company with Floyd | the wall, and you find yourself tumbling headlong into a rhododendron Floyd | bush that fortunately was growing below. Floyd | Floyd | Gravel Sweep West (in the rhododendron bush) Floyd | This gravel sweep is a path that extends from the terrace steps to the Floyd | east and runs along the south front. To the south is the ivy-grown Floyd | wall of the kitchen garden. A large rhododendron bush grows against Floyd | the wall here beneath a first floor balcony. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep West Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | You would have to get out of the rhododendron bush first. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "stand" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep West Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > STAND Floyd | Floyd | You extract yourself from the rhododendron bush as elegantly as can be Floyd | managed, brushing a few stray leaves from your clothing. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x bush" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep West Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > X BUSH Floyd | Floyd | A fine example of a flowering shrub in the family Ericaceae. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Terrace Floyd | A charming terrace, surrounded by an Italian balustrade, and replete Floyd | with statues of dancing fauns, ornamental urns and what-not. In the Floyd | centre is a set of cast-iron garden furniture, doing what cast-iron Floyd | garden furniture does best. Floyd | Floyd | Stone steps lead southwards onto the lawn, east and west to the gravel Floyd | sweep, whilst to the north French windows invite you to enter the Floyd | saloon. Floyd | Floyd | Lady Hamcester is standing to one side of the French windows, Floyd | watching, in horrified fascination, the scene now unfolding in the Floyd | saloon. Floyd | Floyd | From the direction of the saloon you hear Lord Hamcester barking Floyd | orders. Floyd | Floyd | "I never did like that tea set," says Her Ladyship. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask lady about bull" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > ASK LADY ABOUT BULL Floyd | Floyd | "You should have seen him leap over the ha-ha, Monsieur," says Lady Floyd | Hamcester. "It was magnificent. I do hope he doesn't sit on poor Floyd | Hives." Floyd | Floyd | From the direction of the saloon you hear a sudden crash. Floyd | Floyd | "Careful, Hives!" says Lady Hamcester. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW asks, "I suppose we can try a 2nd drop on the bull now?" | ||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "put drop in pipe" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > PUT DROP IN PIPE Floyd | Floyd | (first taking the knockout drop) Floyd | You put the knockout drop into the Amazonian blowpipe. Floyd | Floyd | From the direction of the saloon you hear Lord Hamcester barking Floyd | orders. Floyd | Floyd | "Oh dear, that vase was a present from Emerick's sister Agatha," Floyd | laughs Lady Hamcester. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | "Be careful, Monsieur Perroquet," says Lady Hamcester. Floyd | Floyd | Saloon Floyd | Bunkham Hall's grandest room has become a scene of devastation to Floyd | rival the ruins of Pompeii. Barely a stick of furniture remains Floyd | intact, and Hamcester's hideous collection of porcelain lies in Floyd | fragments on the floor. The Axminster carpet is decorated with a Floyd | delicate pattern of daisies and fragrant, steaming cowpats. To the Floyd | north and east are the great hall and the dining room respectively. Floyd | The collection room lies to the west, whilst to the south, the remains Floyd | of some French windows open onto the terrace. Floyd | Floyd | The scene unfolding in the saloon reminds you rather vividly of a Floyd | country dance you once attended. Sparkenhoe, fully three thousand Floyd | pounds of prime muscle, and Hives, the emaciated butler, make a rather Floyd | odd couple as they do-si-do around the room. The latter appears to be Floyd | attempting to eject the former from the premises, whilst the former, Floyd | barely aware of the latter's presence, rampages about, upsetting the Floyd | furniture and reducing the crockery to a mass of fragments. Lord Floyd | Hamcester, meanwhile, having finally found something more urgent to do Floyd | than write his speech, stands in the safety of the doorway, surveying Floyd | the damage and barking orders at his struggling manservant. Floyd | Floyd | "Try lifting him. No, not like that — get right underneath!" bellows Floyd | Hamcester. There is a crash as Sparkenhoe collides with a Welsh Floyd | dresser. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "take hanky" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > TAKE HANKY Floyd | Floyd | Either that isn't here, or it's not something you need to refer to at Floyd | present. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "take hankerchief" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > TAKE HANKERCHIEF Floyd | Floyd | Either that isn't here, or it's not something you need to refer to at Floyd | present. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | It's too dangerous to cross the saloon with Hamcester's prize bull Floyd | rampaging about in it. Floyd | Floyd | "Put your back into it, man!" bellows Hamcester. There is a tinkle of Floyd | shattering glass as the beast backs into the French windows. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "shoot bull with pipe" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > SHOOT BULL WITH PIPE Floyd | Floyd | Not relishing the prospect of being gored to death, sat upon or Floyd | trampled to a jelly, you decide to leave the animal well alone. Floyd | Floyd | "Try to keep him away from the Dresden — oh, for goodness sakes!" Floyd | bellows Hamcester. There is a sickening crunch as Sparkenhoe steps on Floyd | a plate that had somehow survived the fall from the dresser. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "wave tablecloth" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > WAVE TABLECLOTH Floyd | Floyd | Either that isn't here, or it's not something you need to refer to at Floyd | present. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "i" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > I Floyd | Floyd | You have about your person a false beard, a small brown bottle, inside Floyd | which is a knockout drop, a priceless jewelled scarab (fake), an Floyd | Amazonian blowpipe (loaded with a knockout drop), two bananas, a book Floyd | entitled Psychology To-day, a telegram and a gramophone Floyd | record entitled La Gazza Ladra. Floyd | Floyd | Stashed safely in the secret pocket of your form-fitting tweed suit, Floyd | are the famous Jaroda Pearls, a Georgian ruby ring and a black and Floyd | white feather. Floyd | Floyd | You are also wearing a ginger moustache, rendering you Floyd | indistinguishable from Doctor Cornelius Drake, the noted alienist. Floyd | Floyd | "No, not that way, the other way!" bellows Hamcester. There is a crash Floyd | as Sparkenhoe collides with a Welsh dresser. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu asks, "Can we go east?" | ||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | It's too dangerous to cross the saloon with Hamcester's prize bull Floyd | rampaging about in it. Floyd | Floyd | "Try to keep him away from the Dresden — oh, for goodness sakes!" Floyd | bellows Hamcester. There is a tinkle of shattering glass as the beast Floyd | backs into the French windows. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "No." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Okay." | |||
| DavidW asks, "What happened to the tablecloth?" | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "I'm not sure." | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | You beat a hasty retreat. Floyd | Floyd | Terrace Floyd | A charming terrace, surrounded by an Italian balustrade, and replete Floyd | with statues of dancing fauns, ornamental urns and what-not. In the Floyd | centre is a set of cast-iron garden furniture, doing what cast-iron Floyd | garden furniture does best. Floyd | Floyd | Stone steps lead southwards onto the lawn, east and west to the gravel Floyd | sweep, whilst to the north French windows invite you to enter the Floyd | saloon. Floyd | Floyd | Lady Hamcester is standing to one side of the French windows, Floyd | watching, in horrified fascination, the scene now unfolding in the Floyd | saloon. Floyd | Floyd | From the direction of the saloon you hear a sudden crash. Floyd | Floyd | "Oh, dear!" laughs the Countess. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north south east WEST down Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Lawn Floyd | An expansive lawn, dotted with ancient cedar trees. It is connected, Floyd | by way of a gravel path, to a shrubbery in the east, and by a stone Floyd | archway to a walled vegetable garden in the west. To the south, on the Floyd | other side of the ha-ha, lies the park. Floyd | Floyd | Over by the stone archway, a small, wiry man in a cloth cap snips Floyd | lackadaisically at a box hedge with a pair of garden shears. Floyd | Occasionally, he peers through the archway into the vegetable garden, Floyd | as though making certain there is nothing amiss. Floyd | Floyd | You can also see a ladder here. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Shrubbery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Shrubbery Floyd | A very pretty shrubbery, with a gravel path that winds between banks Floyd | of hardy shrubs. Hollyhocks and azaleas add a splash of colour to the Floyd | proceedings. The path weaves north to the gravel sweep surrounding the Floyd | house, and west to the lawn. Floyd | Floyd | Amos Bunyon, the impossibly hirsute head gardener is going about his Floyd | business. Floyd | Floyd | Amos tries to take a swig from his hip flask, but finding it empty, Floyd | replaces it in his pocket grumblingly. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "ah. Amos is our drinker." | ||
| Knight_Otu asks, "Have we left the whiskey in the drawing room?" | |||
| DavidW says, "We can drug the whiskey and offer that to him. Then take his place." | |||
| DavidW says, "Yes, the whiskey is in the drawing room." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "And ... we can't reach it now." | |||
| DavidW says, "correct." | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north south east WEST down Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Lawn Floyd | An expansive lawn, dotted with ancient cedar trees. It is connected, Floyd | by way of a gravel path, to a shrubbery in the east, and by a stone Floyd | archway to a walled vegetable garden in the west. To the south, on the Floyd | other side of the ha-ha, lies the park. Floyd | Floyd | Over by the stone archway, a small, wiry man in a cloth cap snips Floyd | lackadaisically at a box hedge with a pair of garden shears. Floyd | Occasionally, he casts you a suspicious glance. Floyd | Floyd | You can also see a ladder here. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask man about bull" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north south east WEST down Floyd | Floyd | > ASK MAN ABOUT BULL Floyd | Floyd | Unaccustomed to hob-nobbing with the nobs, the under-gardener merely Floyd | tips his hat and says "Very good, sir, I'm sure." Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north east west Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | "Well, tinkety-tonk, old bean," you say, and gesturing towards the Floyd | balding box hedge, add "keep up the good work." Floyd | Floyd | "Right you are, sir," sighs the under-gardener. Floyd | Floyd | You hop nimbly over the ha-ha. Floyd | Floyd | Park Floyd | The park is used by for the grazing of Lord Hamcester's prize herd of Floyd | longhorn cattle, the finest in all England. To the north, on the other Floyd | side of the ha-ha, lie the formal gardens, whilst to the east, at the Floyd | end of a yew alley, is a small folly in the shape of a Greek temple. Floyd | West of here, surrounded by a low fence, is a little orchard. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x tablecloth" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north east west Floyd | Floyd | > X TABLECLOTH Floyd | Floyd | You can't see any such thing. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Yew Alley Floyd ] Exits: SOUTH west INSIDE Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Yew Alley Floyd | At the eastern edge of the park, at the end of a yew alley stands a Floyd | modest folly, if such a paradoxical thing can exist. It's a fanciful Floyd | thing in the form of a small Greek temple, all the rage in the Floyd | Eighteenth century. A sturdy iron door bars the way inside. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north east west Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Park Floyd | The park is used by for the grazing of Lord Hamcester's prize herd of Floyd | longhorn cattle, the finest in all England. To the north, on the other Floyd | side of the ha-ha, lie the formal gardens, whilst to the east, at the Floyd | end of a yew alley, is a small folly in the shape of a Greek temple. Floyd | West of here, surrounded by a low fence, is a little orchard. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "d" | |||
Floyd ] Park Floyd ] Exits: north east west Floyd | Floyd | > D Floyd | Floyd | You can't go that way. The obvious exits are north (to the lawn), east Floyd | (to the yew alley) and west (to the orchard). Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north south east WEST down Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | You hop nimbly over the ha-ha. Floyd | Floyd | Lawn Floyd | An expansive lawn, dotted with ancient cedar trees. It is connected, Floyd | by way of a gravel path, to a shrubbery in the east, and by a stone Floyd | archway to a walled vegetable garden in the west. To the south, on the Floyd | other side of the ha-ha, lies the park. Floyd | Floyd | Over by the stone archway, a small, wiry man in a cloth cap snips Floyd | lackadaisically at a box hedge with a pair of garden shears. Floyd | Occasionally, he glances around, as though looking for suspicious Floyd | characters. Floyd | Floyd | You can also see a ladder here. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "d" | |||
Floyd ] Ha-Ha Floyd ] Exits: up Floyd | Floyd | > D Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Ha-Ha Floyd | A sort of trench, designed to prevent cattle from running amuck all Floyd | over the house. To the south it slopes up to the park. One could also Floyd | climb up the north side, which is faced with stone, to reach the lawn. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "u" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north south east WEST down Floyd | Floyd | > U Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Lawn Floyd | An expansive lawn, dotted with ancient cedar trees. It is connected, Floyd | by way of a gravel path, to a shrubbery in the east, and by a stone Floyd | archway to a walled vegetable garden in the west. To the south, on the Floyd | other side of the ha-ha, lies the park. Floyd | Floyd | Over by the stone archway, a small, wiry man in a cloth cap snips Floyd | lackadaisically at a box hedge with a pair of garden shears. Floyd | Occasionally, he peers through the archway into the vegetable garden, Floyd | as though making certain there is nothing amiss. Floyd | Floyd | You can also see a ladder here. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "I guess it blew away somehow." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Seems like it." | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "read book" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north south east WEST down Floyd | Floyd | > READ BOOK Floyd | Floyd | You flip through the pages randomly until you come upon a chapter that Floyd | interests you: Floyd | Floyd | Chapter 14: Catharsis Floyd | Floyd | "Catharsis involves the release of pent-up negative energies. It Floyd | is believed to produce therapeutic change by discharging deeply felt Floyd | emotions that have been stored up. By recreating a traumatic event, Floyd | and allowing the patient to alter the outcome, one allows him the Floyd | satisfaction of completing 'unfinished business' and prevents future Floyd | emotional arousal." Floyd | Floyd | Interesting. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "g" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north south east WEST down Floyd | Floyd | > G Floyd | Floyd | You flip through the pages randomly until you come upon a chapter that Floyd | interests you: Floyd | Floyd | Chapter 11: The Psychology of the Kleptomaniac Floyd | Floyd | "Kleptomania may be defined as the recurrent urge to steal, Floyd | typically without regard for need or profit. In the case of the Floyd | gentleman thief, this need may arise from a desire to escape the Floyd | monotony of wealth; he steals for the thrill rather than out of lack. Floyd | He chooses his victims carefully, restricting his targets to those who Floyd | can afford the loss, in order to assuage deep-seated feelings of Floyd | guilt." Floyd | Floyd | Poppycock! Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "I'm not sure why the Major isn't hitting the bull with a mace." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Good question." | |||
| DavidW says, "I'm having trouble thinking up new ideas right now." | |||
| DavidW says, "maybe we can take the ladder back, return up, go through the door regardless of the maid." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Yeah. If we could reach the drawing room, sure, but with things as they are..." | |||
| Knight_Otu asks, "Maybe the east balcony instead?" | |||
| DavidW says, "oh, maybe." | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "l" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north south east WEST down Floyd | Floyd | > L Floyd | Floyd | Lawn Floyd | An expansive lawn, dotted with ancient cedar trees. It is connected, Floyd | by way of a gravel path, to a shrubbery in the east, and by a stone Floyd | archway to a walled vegetable garden in the west. To the south, on the Floyd | other side of the ha-ha, lies the park. Floyd | Floyd | Over by the stone archway, a small, wiry man in a cloth cap snips Floyd | lackadaisically at a box hedge with a pair of garden shears. Floyd | Occasionally, he glances around, as though looking for suspicious Floyd | characters. Floyd | Floyd | You can also see a ladder here. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "take ladder" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north south east WEST down Floyd | Floyd | > TAKE LADDER Floyd | Floyd | As you go to pick up the ladder the under-gardener steps forth from Floyd | his accustomed spot and addresses you thusly: Floyd | Floyd | "Beggin" your pardon, sir, but was there a particular reason why you Floyd | needed a ladder?" Floyd | Floyd | "No, not especially," you reply. "Why, did you have one in mind?" Floyd | Floyd | The under-gardener appears to have no answer to this, His mouth opens Floyd | and closes once or twice, like that of a fish, but no sound issues. In Floyd | the fullness of time, however, a thought occurs to him. Floyd | Floyd | "It's just that, his Lordship asked me not to let it out of my sight, Floyd | sir." Floyd | Floyd | "Very sensible. Who knows what mischief might be achieved with a Floyd | ladder, should it fall into the wrong hands? I shall endeavour to Floyd | ensure that it does not. Furthermore, I shall inform his Lordship that Floyd | you were vigilant to the last." Floyd | Floyd | "Thank you, sir." Floyd | Floyd | "Don't mention it." Floyd | Floyd | You hoist the ladder under your arm. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu asks, "And perhaps we can get the ladder from the balcony?" | ||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Shrubbery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Shrubbery Floyd | A very pretty shrubbery, with a gravel path that winds between banks Floyd | of hardy shrubs. Hollyhocks and azaleas add a splash of colour to the Floyd | proceedings. The path weaves north to the gravel sweep surrounding the Floyd | house, and west to the lawn. Floyd | Floyd | Amos Bunyon, the impossibly hirsute head gardener is going about his Floyd | business. Floyd | Floyd | Amos mops his brow with a spotted handkerchief. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep East Floyd ] Exits: south west Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Gravel Sweep East Floyd | This gravel sweep is a path that extends from the terrace steps to the Floyd | west and runs along the south front. A side path winds south into a Floyd | pretty shrubbery. Directly above is a balcony. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "drop ladder" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep East Floyd ] Exits: south west Floyd | Floyd | > DROP LADDER Floyd | Floyd | You lean the ladder up against the balcony. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "u" | |||
Floyd ] East Balcony Floyd ] Exits: north inside Floyd | Floyd | > U Floyd | Floyd | You ascend the ladder and step onto the East Balcony. Floyd | Floyd | East Balcony Floyd | The balcony offers splendid views of the park and grounds. Directly Floyd | ahead is a shrubbery where a hirsute gardener busies himself among the Floyd | azaleas. French windows lead back into the green room. A ladder leans Floyd | against the balustrade. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Green Room Floyd ] Exits: north south outside Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Green Room Floyd | This room, decorated in shades of green and charcoal, can only be the Floyd | bedroom of Lord Hamcester. Like the study, it is sparsely furnished Floyd | and neat as a pin. The green room is dominated by a spectacular green Floyd | velvet four-poster bed, which though staggeringly tall appears to have Floyd | been built for someone well under five feet in height. Beside it sits Floyd | a mahogany bedside cabinet. Floyd | Floyd | To the north, a door leads into the east gallery. To the south, a set Floyd | of French windows leads out onto a small balcony overlooking the park. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] East Gallery Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | East Gallery Floyd | At the east end of the gallery are doors leading north and south Floyd | giving access to family bedrooms. The gallery continues to the west, Floyd | passing the head of the stairs. Here, the oak panelling has been Floyd | disfigured by portraits of Hamcester's forebears. Floyd | Floyd | Chief among these plug-uglies is the eighth Earl, Lord Hamcester's Floyd | father, who casts his disapproving, beetle-browed gaze along the Floyd | entire length of the gallery. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Whew." | ||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Landing Floyd ] Exits: south east west down Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Landing Floyd | From here the grand staircase descends to the great hall. The landing Floyd | forms part of the long gallery, a grandiose room stretching from east Floyd | to west across the entire frontage of the building. The long gallery Floyd | at Bunkham Hall, of course, was built in 1768, a century after the Floyd | invention of the corridor had rendered such spaces redundant. A large Floyd | picture window to the north affords splendid views of the drive, Floyd | whilst to the south is the door to the old nursery, locked and painted Floyd | shut. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "d" | |||
Floyd ] Great Hall Floyd ] Exits: north south east west up outside Floyd | Floyd | > D Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Great Hall Floyd | This commodious entranceway is dominated by a broad flight of white Floyd | marble steps leading up to the first floor. Alabaster columns keep the Floyd | gilded ceiling in a state of harmonious separation from the marble Floyd | floor. On the south wall, facing the front door is a carved escutcheon Floyd | representing the Hamcester coat of arms, beneath which is the entrance Floyd | to the saloon. To the east is the drawing room, and to the west, the Floyd | library. Floyd | Floyd | From the direction of the saloon you hear Lord Hamcester barking Floyd | orders. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | The Drawing Room Floyd | Once one of the finest rooms in the house, the drawing room is in a Floyd | state of disarray. Elegant armchairs lie on their backs, priceless Floyd | ornaments lie in fragments on the floor and the walls, lined with red Floyd | Genoa velvet, are spattered with crumbs of Genoa cake. Floyd | Floyd | To the west lies the great hall. The dining room is to the south and Floyd | the music room to the north. In the corner of the room hangs a Floyd | tasselled bell pull. Floyd | Floyd | You can see a silver tray (on which are a soda syphon (full) and a Floyd | decanter of whiskey) here. Floyd | Floyd | From the direction of the saloon you hear a sudden crash. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "take tray" | |||
Floyd ] The Drawing Room Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > TAKE TRAY Floyd | Floyd | Taken. Floyd | Floyd | From the direction of the saloon you hear the bellowing of the enraged Floyd | Sparkenhoe. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Great Hall Floyd ] Exits: north south east west up outside Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Great Hall Floyd | This commodious entranceway is dominated by a broad flight of white Floyd | marble steps leading up to the first floor. Alabaster columns keep the Floyd | gilded ceiling in a state of harmonious separation from the marble Floyd | floor. On the south wall, facing the front door is a carved escutcheon Floyd | representing the Hamcester coat of arms, beneath which is the entrance Floyd | to the saloon. To the east is the drawing room, and to the west, the Floyd | library. Floyd | Floyd | From the direction of the saloon you hear the tinkle of breaking Floyd | porcelain. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "u" | |||
Floyd ] Landing Floyd ] Exits: south east west down Floyd | Floyd | > U Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Landing Floyd | From here the grand staircase descends to the great hall. The landing Floyd | forms part of the long gallery, a grandiose room stretching from east Floyd | to west across the entire frontage of the building. The long gallery Floyd | at Bunkham Hall, of course, was built in 1768, a century after the Floyd | invention of the corridor had rendered such spaces redundant. A large Floyd | picture window to the north affords splendid views of the drive, Floyd | whilst to the south is the door to the old nursery, locked and painted Floyd | shut. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] East Gallery Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | East Gallery Floyd | At the east end of the gallery are doors leading north and south Floyd | giving access to family bedrooms. The gallery continues to the west, Floyd | passing the head of the stairs. Here, the oak panelling has been Floyd | disfigured by portraits of Hamcester's forebears. Floyd | Floyd | Chief among these plug-uglies is the eighth Earl, Lord Hamcester's Floyd | father, who casts his disapproving, beetle-browed gaze along the Floyd | entire length of the gallery. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Green Room Floyd ] Exits: north south outside Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Green Room Floyd | This room, decorated in shades of green and charcoal, can only be the Floyd | bedroom of Lord Hamcester. Like the study, it is sparsely furnished Floyd | and neat as a pin. The green room is dominated by a spectacular green Floyd | velvet four-poster bed, which though staggeringly tall appears to have Floyd | been built for someone well under five feet in height. Beside it sits Floyd | a mahogany bedside cabinet. Floyd | Floyd | To the north, a door leads into the east gallery. To the south, a set Floyd | of French windows leads out onto a small balcony overlooking the park. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu exclaims, "Wait!" | ||
| DavidW says, "what." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "We should see if we can get the key in the study." | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] East Gallery Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | East Gallery Floyd | At the east end of the gallery are doors leading north and south Floyd | giving access to family bedrooms. The gallery continues to the west, Floyd | passing the head of the stairs. Here, the oak panelling has been Floyd | disfigured by portraits of Hamcester's forebears. Floyd | Floyd | Chief among these plug-uglies is the eighth Earl, Lord Hamcester's Floyd | father, who casts his disapproving, beetle-browed gaze along the Floyd | entire length of the gallery. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Landing Floyd ] Exits: south east west down Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Landing Floyd | From here the grand staircase descends to the great hall. The landing Floyd | forms part of the long gallery, a grandiose room stretching from east Floyd | to west across the entire frontage of the building. The long gallery Floyd | at Bunkham Hall, of course, was built in 1768, a century after the Floyd | invention of the corridor had rendered such spaces redundant. A large Floyd | picture window to the north affords splendid views of the drive, Floyd | whilst to the south is the door to the old nursery, locked and painted Floyd | shut. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "d" | |||
Floyd ] Great Hall Floyd ] Exits: north south east west up outside Floyd | Floyd | > D Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Great Hall Floyd | This commodious entranceway is dominated by a broad flight of white Floyd | marble steps leading up to the first floor. Alabaster columns keep the Floyd | gilded ceiling in a state of harmonious separation from the marble Floyd | floor. On the south wall, facing the front door is a carved escutcheon Floyd | representing the Hamcester coat of arms, beneath which is the entrance Floyd | to the saloon. To the east is the drawing room, and to the west, the Floyd | library. Floyd | Floyd | From the direction of the saloon you hear the muffled protestations of Floyd | Hives. | Knight_Otu says, "If it is there." | ||
Floyd |
Floyd | >
| |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Library Floyd ] Exits: north east Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Library Floyd | The library of an English country house is an oasis of calm amid the Floyd | hubbub of domestic life; the perfect place, should one feel so Floyd | inclined, for a spot of light murder. The library at Bunkham Hall has Floyd | a long and chequered history, and its chequered floor still bears the Floyd | faint traces of numerous chalk outlines. Tall walnut bookcases line Floyd | walls of crimson silk damask. East is the great hall, and a closed Floyd | door to the north takes you to Lord Hamcester's study. Floyd | Floyd | A leather wingback armchair lounges invitingly against the south wall. Floyd | Today's edition of the Times lies discarded on the seat. Floyd | Floyd | From the direction of the saloon you hear a sudden crash. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | (first opening the study door) Floyd | Floyd | Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd | A small, cosy study, impeccably neat, with walnut panelling and a Floyd | leather-topped desk of a similar complexion. There are a few homely Floyd | touches; a framed newspaper clipping and a photograph hang on the wall Floyd | beside you. A sturdy wooden chair faces the desk. The door, leading Floyd | south into the library, is open. Floyd | Floyd | A ghastly amateur watercolour hangs above the desk. Floyd | Floyd | On the walnut desk is a pamphlet. Floyd | Floyd | From the direction of the saloon you hear the muffled protestations of Floyd | Hives. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "read pamphlet" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > READ PAMPHLET Floyd | Floyd | "Rules and Regulations of the St Bartholomew-on-the-Bog annual Village Floyd | Fête cucumber growing competition. Rule 1: Under no circumstances may Floyd | radium-based fertilizers be used in the cultivation of cucumbers Floyd | entered in the competition." Floyd | Floyd | From the direction of the saloon you hear the tinkle of breaking Floyd | porcelain. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "look behind watercolour" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > LOOK BEHIND WATERCOLOUR Floyd | Floyd | Either that isn't here, or it's not something you need to refer to at Floyd | present. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Hm. Doesn't seem that way." | ||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "move watercolour" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > MOVE WATERCOLOUR Floyd | Floyd | Nothing obvious happens. Floyd | Floyd | From the direction of the saloon you hear the muffled protestations of Floyd | Hives. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "open watercolour" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > OPEN WATERCOLOUR Floyd | Floyd | It isn't something you can open. Floyd | Floyd | From the direction of the saloon you hear a sudden crash. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x it" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X IT Floyd | Floyd | A small framed watercolour depicting Bunkham Hall at sunset as Floyd | rendered by Lord Hamcester himself. Somehow it contrives to make the Floyd | Hall look even more ill-proportioned than it is in real life. The Floyd | painting sticks out from the wall rather further than you might expect Floyd | it to. Floyd | Floyd | From the direction of the saloon you hear the bellowing of the enraged Floyd | Sparkenhoe. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "pull it" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > PULL IT Floyd | Floyd | You pull the watercolour. Floyd | Floyd | From the direction of the saloon you hear the muffled protestations of Floyd | Hives. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "get it" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > GET IT Floyd | Floyd | Just as you thought! A wall safe, concealed behind the painting! No Floyd | wonder Lord Hamcester got so jumpy when you went near it. You rub your Floyd | hands in anticipation; no safe is safe from the 'Magpie'! Floyd | Floyd | Except, of course, the Biggleman Super-Deluxe, the most fiendishly Floyd | uncrackable safe ever devised. Which this is. Your smile flickers for Floyd | a fraction of a second. Floyd | Floyd | The Biggleman Super-Deluxe has an alphabetical dial, rather than a Floyd | numerical one. The combination could be any six letter word, chosen by Floyd | the purchaser. To open the safe, one merely needs to spin the dial to Floyd | that very word. If only you knew what the word was — but discovering Floyd | it should be child's play to the illustrious 'Magpie'! Floyd | Floyd | You are suddenly aware that it has gone very quiet in the saloon... Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "uh oh." | ||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "spin dial to magpie" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > SPIN DIAL TO MAGPIE Floyd | Floyd | Click! and nothing else happens. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Rosebud." | ||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "open safe" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > OPEN SAFE Floyd | Floyd | The safe will open only when the dial is spun to the correct Floyd | combination. The Biggleman Super-Deluxe has an alphabetical dial, Floyd | rather than a numerical one. The combination could be any six letter Floyd | word, chosen by the purchaser. To open the safe, one merely needs to Floyd | spin the dial to that very word. If only you knew what the word was Floyd | — Floyd | but discovering it should be child's play to the illustrious 'Magpie'! Floyd | Floyd | Lord Hamcester barges into the study, slamming the door behind him. Floyd | Floyd | "What are you doing with that?" says Hamcester, indicating the Floyd | painting in your hands. He glances over at the wall safe, and back at Floyd | you. Floyd | Floyd | "I just couldn't resist taking a closer look, your Lordship," you say Floyd | giving him the old oil, "the brushwork is exquisite. Simply Floyd | exquisite." His Lordship snatches the painting from your hands and Floyd | hangs it carefully back on the wall. Floyd | Floyd | "Be that as it may," he says, "I've got my eye on you, Drake. Your Floyd | behaviour is odd for a psychotherapist. Dashed odd." Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "Rosebud is seven letters." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Right." | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "ask lord about bull" | |||
Floyd ] Lord Hamcester's Study Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > ASK LORD ABOUT BULL Floyd | Floyd | "I'd rather not talk about that right now," he replies. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW asks, "leave the room?" | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Yeah." | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Library Floyd ] Exits: north east Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | (first opening the study door) Floyd | Floyd | Library Floyd | The library of an English country house is an oasis of calm amid the Floyd | hubbub of domestic life; the perfect place, should one feel so Floyd | inclined, for a spot of light murder. The library at Bunkham Hall has Floyd | a long and chequered history, and its chequered floor still bears the Floyd | faint traces of numerous chalk outlines. Tall walnut bookcases line Floyd | walls of crimson silk damask. East is the great hall, and an open door Floyd | to the north takes you to Lord Hamcester's study. Floyd | Floyd | A leather wingback armchair lounges invitingly against the south wall. Floyd | Today's edition of the Times lies discarded on the seat. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Great Hall Floyd ] Exits: north south east west up outside Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Great Hall Floyd | This commodious entranceway is dominated by a broad flight of white Floyd | marble steps leading up to the first floor. Alabaster columns keep the Floyd | gilded ceiling in a state of harmonious separation from the marble Floyd | floor. On the south wall, facing the front door is a carved escutcheon Floyd | representing the Hamcester coat of arms, beneath which is the entrance Floyd | to the saloon. To the east is the drawing room, and to the west, the Floyd | library. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Saloon Floyd | Bunkham Hall's grandest room has become a scene of devastation to Floyd | rival the ruins of Pompeii. Barely a stick of furniture remains Floyd | intact, and Hamcester's hideous collection of porcelain lies in Floyd | fragments on the floor. The Axminster carpet is decorated with a Floyd | delicate pattern of daisies and fragrant, steaming cowpats. To the Floyd | north and east are the great hall and the dining room respectively. Floyd | The collection room lies to the west, whilst to the south, the remains Floyd | of some French windows open onto the terrace. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x fragments" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > X FRAGMENTS Floyd | Floyd | You can't see any such thing. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x porcelain" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > X PORCELAIN Floyd | Floyd | Nowhere is Hamcester's egregious lack of taste more evident than in Floyd | this collection of porcelain. One can only imagine that he picked it Floyd | up as a job-lot in a local jumble sale. Fortunately, most of it is now Floyd | scattered about the floor in minute fragments. Amongst the survivors Floyd | are a Ting Dynasty vase, a Staffordshire pearlware figure of an Floyd | orange-haired clown and a china lamb. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x cowpats" | |||
Floyd ] Saloon Floyd ] Exits: north south east west outside Floyd | Floyd | > X COWPATS Floyd | Floyd | You can't see any such thing. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | You step out into the bright sunshine. Floyd | Floyd | Terrace Floyd | A charming terrace, surrounded by an Italian balustrade, and replete Floyd | with statues of dancing fauns, ornamental urns and what-not. In the Floyd | centre is a set of cast-iron garden furniture, doing what cast-iron Floyd | garden furniture does best. Floyd | Floyd | Stone steps lead southwards onto the lawn, east and west to the gravel Floyd | sweep, whilst to the north French windows invite you to enter the Floyd | saloon. Floyd | Floyd | Lady Hamcester sits on a cast-iron garden chair, leafing through a Floyd | brochure for the R.M.S. Aquitania. Floyd | Floyd | Standing beside the countess is a rather dishevelled Hives. He bears, Floyd | in his twiglike arms, a silver tray, about which are buzzing a number Floyd | of wasps. "I regret to report that dinner will be delayed Floyd | indefinitely, Madam," says the butler, "owing to a mishap in the Floyd | dining room." Floyd | Floyd | "Not another mishap, Hives?" Floyd | Floyd | "Yes, madam. Bread and treacle is the best I am able to offer, your Floyd | Ladyship, until a replacement set of tableware can be located." Floyd | Floyd | But before the butler can dish up the comestibles, a wild figure jumps Floyd | out from behind a statue of a prancing faun. It is the Major, Floyd | brandishing a slingshot of gigantic proportions. Floyd | Floyd | "Japanese hornets!" he cries. "Beastly devils. Stand back, I'm a dead Floyd | shot!" Leaping up onto the balustrade, the Major pulls back the Floyd | elastic and lets fly a large stone. The projectile misses the wasps, Floyd | but hits the tin of treacle square-on. The badly dented tin sails Floyd | end-over-end, before clattering to the flagstones not far from your Floyd | feet, where the treacle oozes into a large puddle. Floyd | Floyd | "I think you had better cancel bread and treacle, too, Hives," says Floyd | Lady Hamcester. The butler sighs, and retreats into the house, Floyd | followed by the Major. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Poor Hives." | ||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x treacle" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > X TREACLE Floyd | Floyd | Ah — this takes you back. When you were a nipper, a piece of bread Floyd | and Floyd | treacle was the only thing that would keep you quiet. One can hardly Floyd | yell and shout when one's jaws are glued together. The tin is badly Floyd | dented and lying on its side; the contents have long since oozed into Floyd | a large puddle on the flagstones. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "take tin" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > TAKE TIN Floyd | Floyd | You decide, on reflection, to leave the sticky tin alone. The contents Floyd | have long since oozed into a large puddle on the tabletop. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "put drop in whiskey" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > PUT DROP IN WHISKEY Floyd | Floyd | You surreptitiously slip a knockout drop into the decanter and swill Floyd | it round until it has completely dissolved. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep East Floyd ] Exits: south west Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Gravel Sweep East Floyd | This gravel sweep is a path that extends from the terrace steps to the Floyd | west and runs along the south front. A side path winds south into a Floyd | pretty shrubbery. Directly above is a balcony. Floyd | Floyd | You can see a ladder (leaning against the balcony) here. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "s" | |||
Floyd ] Shrubbery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > S Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Shrubbery Floyd | A very pretty shrubbery, with a gravel path that winds between banks Floyd | of hardy shrubs. Hollyhocks and azaleas add a splash of colour to the Floyd | proceedings. The path weaves north to the gravel sweep surrounding the Floyd | house, and west to the lawn. Floyd | Floyd | Amos Bunyon, the impossibly hirsute head gardener is going about his Floyd | business. Floyd | Floyd | Amos plucks a thistle from the ground without so much as flinching. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "give whiskey to amos" | |||
Floyd ] Shrubbery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > GIVE WHISKEY TO AMOS Floyd | Floyd | (first taking the decanter of whiskey (drugged)) Floyd | Amos winks, and taking the decanter in one of his great, grimy paws, Floyd | knocks back the lot in one go. For the briefest of moments he Floyd | continues to stand there grinning, decanter in hand, and then, slowly, Floyd | his eyes cross and he keels over backwards into the azaleas. But for Floyd | the pair of wellingtons sticking out of the shrubbery and a loud Floyd | snore, you'd never know he was there. Floyd | Floyd | A stentorian snore issues from within the azaleas. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "remove moustache" | |||
Floyd ] Shrubbery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > REMOVE MOUSTACHE Floyd | Floyd | You take off the ginger moustache. Floyd | Floyd | A stentorian snore issues from within the azaleas. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "wear beard" | |||
Floyd ] Shrubbery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > WEAR BEARD Floyd | Floyd | You hook the beard over your ears, instantly transforming you into the Floyd | likeness of Amos Bunyon, head gardener. Floyd | Floyd | A stentorian snore issues from within the azaleas. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW asks (of KO), "Would you like to drive now?" | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x me" | |||
Floyd ] Shrubbery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X ME Floyd | Floyd | You are Sir Rodney Playfair; dashing, debonair and devilishly Floyd | handsome. Not perhaps in the first flush of youth, but very sprightly Floyd | for a man of sixty. That touch of grey at the temples lends you an air Floyd | of authority, a useful attribute for getting one out of a scrape. Floyd | Floyd | Not that anyone would recognise you now; the 'Magpie' is a master of Floyd | disguise and right now you're the spitting image of Amos Bunyon, Head Floyd | Gardener at Bunkham Hall. Floyd | Floyd | A stentorian snore issues from within the azaleas. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north south east WEST down Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Lawn Floyd | An expansive lawn, dotted with ancient cedar trees. It is connected, Floyd | by way of a gravel path, to a shrubbery in the east, and by a stone Floyd | archway to a walled vegetable garden in the west. To the south, on the Floyd | other side of the ha-ha, lies the park. Floyd | Floyd | Over by the stone archway, a small, wiry man in a cloth cap snips Floyd | lackadaisically at a box hedge with a pair of garden shears. Floyd | Occasionally, he casts you a suspicious glance. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Kitchen Garden Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | The under-gardener nods as you pass through the archway. "Afternoon, Floyd | mister Amos." Floyd | Floyd | Kitchen Garden Floyd | A walled vegetable garden in whose well-tended beds grow runner beans, Floyd | tomatoes and other worthy comestibles of only passing interest to a Floyd | gentleman thief. The kitchen garden is connected via a stone archway Floyd | to the lawn in the east. Floyd | Floyd | Dominating the north side of the garden is a gigantic cucumber frame, Floyd | containing an enormous cucumber. The frame is securely padlocked. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x cucumber" | |||
Floyd ] Kitchen Garden Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > X CUCUMBER Floyd | Floyd | "A cucumber a day keeps the Parthians away" as the Emperor Tiberius Floyd | used to say. This one is certainly fit for an emperor, it can't be Floyd | less than three feet long. There is something almost serpentine in its Floyd | sinuous curves. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "Perhaps we should've searched Amos for keys." | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "Serpentine, you say." | |||
| DavidW says, "oh no." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Right, forgot about that." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north south east west down Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Lawn Floyd | An expansive lawn, dotted with ancient cedar trees. It is connected, Floyd | by way of a gravel path, to a shrubbery in the east, and by a stone Floyd | archway to a walled vegetable garden in the west. To the south, on the Floyd | other side of the ha-ha, lies the park. Floyd | Floyd | Over by the stone archway, a small, wiry man in a cloth cap snips Floyd | lackadaisically at a box hedge with a pair of garden shears. Floyd | Occasionally, he peers through the archway into the vegetable garden, Floyd | as though making certain there is nothing amiss. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Shrubbery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Shrubbery Floyd | A very pretty shrubbery, with a gravel path that winds between banks Floyd | of hardy shrubs. Hollyhocks and azaleas add a splash of colour to the Floyd | proceedings. The path weaves north to the gravel sweep surrounding the Floyd | house, and west to the lawn. Floyd | Floyd | Amos Bunyon, the impossibly hirsute head gardener lies fast asleep Floyd | among the azaleas. But for the pair of wellingtons sticking out of the Floyd | shrubbery, you'd never know he was there. Floyd | Floyd | A stentorian snore issues from within the azaleas. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "search amos" | |||
Floyd ] Shrubbery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > SEARCH AMOS Floyd | Floyd | You find nothing of interest. Floyd | Floyd | A stentorian snore issues from within the azaleas. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x amos" | |||
Floyd ] Shrubbery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > X AMOS Floyd | Floyd | A giant of a man in size 15 wellingtons and a leather jerkin. His face Floyd | is almost entirely hidden behind a spectacular black beard that gives Floyd | him a somewhat piratical air. He's currently sleeping off the Mickey Floyd | Finn you slipped him earlier. Floyd | Floyd | A stentorian snore issues from within the azaleas. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "search jerkin" | |||
Floyd ] Shrubbery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > SEARCH JERKIN Floyd | Floyd | You find nothing of interest. Floyd | Floyd | A stentorian snore issues from within the azaleas. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "take wellies" | |||
Floyd ] Shrubbery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > TAKE WELLIES Floyd | Floyd | Either that isn't here, or it's not something you need to refer to at Floyd | present. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "take wellingtons" | |||
Floyd ] Shrubbery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > TAKE WELLINGTONS Floyd | Floyd | The beard alone should be enough to pull off a convincing Floyd | impersonation. The rest is all in the voice and the gestures, of which Floyd | you are a true master. You've found in the past that people tend to Floyd | get a general impression, and not notice the fine details. Floyd | Floyd | A stentorian snore issues from within the azaleas. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "search beard" | |||
Floyd ] Shrubbery Floyd ] Exits: north west Floyd | Floyd | > SEARCH BEARD Floyd | Floyd | You find nothing of interest. Floyd | Floyd | A stentorian snore issues from within the azaleas. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "No keys, I guess." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north south east west down Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Lawn Floyd | An expansive lawn, dotted with ancient cedar trees. It is connected, Floyd | by way of a gravel path, to a shrubbery in the east, and by a stone Floyd | archway to a walled vegetable garden in the west. To the south, on the Floyd | other side of the ha-ha, lies the park. Floyd | Floyd | Over by the stone archway, a small, wiry man in a cloth cap snips Floyd | lackadaisically at a box hedge with a pair of garden shears. Floyd | Occasionally, he casts you a suspicious glance. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Kitchen Garden Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | The under-gardener nods as you pass through the archway. "Afternoon, Floyd | mister Amos." Floyd | Floyd | Kitchen Garden Floyd | A walled vegetable garden in whose well-tended beds grow runner beans, Floyd | tomatoes and other worthy comestibles of only passing interest to a Floyd | gentleman thief. The kitchen garden is connected via a stone archway Floyd | to the lawn in the east. Floyd | Floyd | Dominating the north side of the garden is a gigantic cucumber frame, Floyd | containing an enormous cucumber. The frame is securely padlocked. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "We could ask Boyle for keys." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x beans" | |||
Floyd ] Kitchen Garden Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > X BEANS Floyd | Floyd | The vegetables, though no doubt delicious, are of only passing Floyd | interest to a gentleman thief. The contents of the cucumber frame, Floyd | however, suggest certain interesting possibilities to what Doctor Floyd | Drake would no doubt have described as your unconscious mind. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "I doubt he has them." | ||
| Knight_Otu asks, "Didn't he say only Amos and Lord Hamcester are allowed in?" | |||
| DavidW says, "yes" | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x frame" | |||
Floyd ] Kitchen Garden Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > X FRAME Floyd | Floyd | A gigantic cucumber frame, containing an enormous cucumber. The frame Floyd | is securely padlocked. Floyd | Floyd | In the cucumber frame is an enormous cucumber. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x lock" | |||
Floyd ] Kitchen Garden Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > X LOCK Floyd | Floyd | You can't see any such thing. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x padlock" | |||
Floyd ] Kitchen Garden Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > X PADLOCK Floyd | Floyd | A gigantic cucumber frame, containing an enormous cucumber. The frame Floyd | is securely padlocked. Floyd | Floyd | In the cucumber frame is an enormous cucumber. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "open frame" | |||
Floyd ] Kitchen Garden Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > OPEN FRAME Floyd | Floyd | (first unlocking the cucumber frame) Floyd | You lack a key that fits the padlock on the cucumber frame, and to Floyd | compound the problem, you are also without your lockpicks. This puts Floyd | you in rather a sticky situation, but sticky times call for simple Floyd | solutions — "in case of emergency, break glass". Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu asks, "Hmm. Shall we?" | ||
| DavidW says, "sure" | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "break frame" | |||
Floyd ] Kitchen Garden Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > BREAK FRAME Floyd | Floyd | A perfectly creditable idea, but the noise would draw unwelcome Floyd | attention from the under-gardener, who is standing just outside. Floyd | Perhaps if there were a way to dampen the sound... Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "i" | |||
Floyd ] Kitchen Garden Floyd ] Exits: east Floyd | Floyd | > I Floyd | Floyd | You have about your person a silver tray, on top of which is a soda Floyd | syphon (full), a small brown bottle (empty), a priceless jewelled Floyd | scarab (fake), an Amazonian blowpipe (loaded with a knockout drop), Floyd | two bananas, a book entitled Psychology To-day, a ginger Floyd | moustache, a telegram and a gramophone record entitled La Gazza Floyd | Ladra. Floyd | Floyd | Stashed safely in the secret pocket of your form-fitting tweed suit, Floyd | are the famous Jaroda Pearls, a Georgian ruby ring and a black and Floyd | white feather. Floyd | Floyd | You are also wearing a false beard, rendering you indistinguishable Floyd | from Amos Bunyon, Head Gardener at Bunkham Hall. Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu asks, "I don't think we have anything to dampen the crash... unless we can get the gramophone?" | ||
| DavidW says, "I think something like a blanket is what we need." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "But that would be suspicious in its own right." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Right." | |||
| DavidW says, "One of the bedrooms or the lumber room must have something." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Yeah. We wanted the lumber room again anyway." | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Lawn Floyd ] Exits: north south east west down Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Lawn Floyd | An expansive lawn, dotted with ancient cedar trees. It is connected, Floyd | by way of a gravel path, to a shrubbery in the east, and by a stone Floyd | archway to a walled vegetable garden in the west. To the south, on the Floyd | other side of the ha-ha, lies the park. Floyd | Floyd | Over by the stone archway, a small, wiry man in a cloth cap snips Floyd | lackadaisically at a box hedge with a pair of garden shears. Floyd | Occasionally, he peers through the archway into the vegetable garden, Floyd | as though making certain there is nothing amiss. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Terrace Floyd | A charming terrace, surrounded by an Italian balustrade, and replete Floyd | with statues of dancing fauns, ornamental urns and what-not. In the Floyd | centre is a set of cast-iron garden furniture, doing what cast-iron Floyd | garden furniture does best. Floyd | Floyd | Stone steps lead southwards onto the lawn, east and west to the gravel Floyd | sweep, whilst to the north French windows invite you to enter the Floyd | saloon. Floyd | Floyd | A badly dented tin of treacle is lying on its side in the middle of Floyd | the terrace. Its contents have oozed into a large puddle on the Floyd | flagstones, providing a mid-afternoon repast for a number of wasps. Floyd | Floyd | Lady Hamcester sits on a cast-iron garden chair, leafing through a Floyd | brochure for the R.M.S. Aquitania. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Terrace Floyd ] Exits: north south east west inside Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | "Amos!" says Lady Hamcester with some asperity, "I will not have you Floyd | clomping about the house in those muddy boots of yours. Haven't you Floyd | got some work to be getting on with?" Floyd | Floyd | > | Knight_Otu says, "Right." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "e" | |||
Floyd ] Gravel Sweep East Floyd ] Exits: south west Floyd | Floyd | > E Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Gravel Sweep East Floyd | This gravel sweep is a path that extends from the terrace steps to the Floyd | west and runs along the south front. A side path winds south into a Floyd | pretty shrubbery. Directly above is a balcony. Floyd | Floyd | You can see a ladder (leaning against the balcony) here. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "up the ladder" | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "u" | |||
Floyd ] East Balcony Floyd ] Exits: north inside Floyd | Floyd | > U Floyd | Floyd | You ascend the ladder and step onto the East Balcony. Floyd | Floyd | East Balcony Floyd | The balcony offers splendid views of the park and grounds. Directly Floyd | ahead is a shrubbery where a hirsute gardener snoozes among the Floyd | azaleas. French windows lead back into the green room. A ladder leans Floyd | against the balustrade. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Green Room Floyd ] Exits: north south outside Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Green Room Floyd | This room, decorated in shades of green and charcoal, can only be the Floyd | bedroom of Lord Hamcester. Like the study, it is sparsely furnished Floyd | and neat as a pin. The green room is dominated by a spectacular green Floyd | velvet four-poster bed, which though staggeringly tall appears to have Floyd | been built for someone well under five feet in height. Beside it sits Floyd | a mahogany bedside cabinet. Floyd | Floyd | To the north, a door leads into the east gallery. To the south, a set Floyd | of French windows leads out onto a small balcony overlooking the park. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "x bed" | |||
Floyd ] Green Room Floyd ] Exits: north south outside Floyd | Floyd | > X BED Floyd | Floyd | You seem to remember reading that Mary Queen of Scots once slept in Floyd | this bed. Presumably this was after she had lost her head. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW says, "The maid might talk to Amos too." | ||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] East Gallery Floyd ] Exits: north south west Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | East Gallery Floyd | At the east end of the gallery are doors leading north and south Floyd | giving access to family bedrooms. The gallery continues to the west, Floyd | passing the head of the stairs. Here, the oak panelling has been Floyd | disfigured by portraits of Hamcester's forebears. Floyd | Floyd | Chief among these plug-uglies is the eighth Earl, Lord Hamcester's Floyd | father, who casts his disapproving, beetle-browed gaze along the Floyd | entire length of the gallery. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] Landing Floyd ] Exits: south east west down Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Landing Floyd | From here the grand staircase descends to the great hall. The landing Floyd | forms part of the long gallery, a grandiose room stretching from east Floyd | to west across the entire frontage of the building. The long gallery Floyd | at Bunkham Hall, of course, was built in 1768, a century after the Floyd | invention of the corridor had rendered such spaces redundant. A large Floyd | picture window to the north affords splendid views of the drive, Floyd | whilst to the south is the door to the old nursery, locked and painted Floyd | shut. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "w" | |||
Floyd ] West Gallery Floyd ] Exits: north south east Floyd | Floyd | > W Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | West Gallery Floyd | The west gallery does a very efficient and commendable job of linking Floyd | the landing with a number of bedrooms. Where we would be without these Floyd | dependable passages is anybody's guess; presumably back on the Floyd | landing. At the end of the gallery are doors leading north and south. Floyd | Floyd | Maude, the maid, armed with a can of Brasso, is polishing the handle Floyd | of the door to the south, in rather a desultory sort of way. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "n" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > N Floyd | Floyd | Floyd | Lumber Room Floyd | This out-of-the-way room is used as a storehouse for furniture not Floyd | currently in use. There are a great number of such pieces here, draped Floyd | in dustsheets, along with sundry other items such as rolled tapestries Floyd | and quaint candlesticks of dubious taste. The dusty velvet curtains Floyd | have been thrown open, allowing the summer sunshine to flood the room. Floyd | Floyd | The only exit leads south, to the west gallery. Floyd | Floyd | An old trunk, previously unnoticed, now lies illuminated by a ray of Floyd | sunshine. The trunk is closed. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "open trunk" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > OPEN TRUNK Floyd | Floyd | You open the old trunk to reveal a jumble of musty theatrical costumes Floyd | and other odds and ends. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| Knight_Otu says (to Floyd), "search it" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > SEARCH IT Floyd | Floyd | There's nothing else of value hiding in the old trunk. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "x tapestries" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > X TAPESTRIES Floyd | Floyd | Rather moth-eaten. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "take tapestry" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > TAKE TAPESTRY Floyd | Floyd | Those're not something you need to take. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "take curtain" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > TAKE CURTAIN Floyd | Floyd | Either that isn't here, or it's not something you need to refer to at Floyd | present. Floyd | Floyd | > | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "take curtains" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room Floyd ] Exits: south Floyd | Floyd | > TAKE CURTAINS Floyd | Floyd | Those're not something you need to take. Floyd | Floyd | > | DavidW asks, "What do you suppose we need to glue together using the treacle?" | ||
| Knight_Otu says, "I'm really not sure." | |||
| DavidW says, "Hopefully not more spellbooks." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "Not likely in this setting." | |||
| Knight_Otu asks, "But maybe something porcelain?" | |||
| DavidW says, "oh my. Maybe." | |||
| DavidW says, "Mom always said, don't play bull in the house." | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "It is getting late now, though." | |||
| DavidW says, "(That might make no sense if you've never watched The Brady Bunch)" | |||
| DavidW says, "yeah, it's 6pm here." | |||
| DavidW asks, "Shall we leave it here?" | |||
| Knight_Otu says, "I think so, yeah." | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "save" | |||
Floyd | > Floyd | > SAVE Floyd | %% Enter a save filename to write: | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "cfmagpie" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room
Floyd ] Exits: south
Floyd | Ok.
Floyd |
Floyd | >
| DavidW says, "okay then. Thanks for the game, that was a fun one. And good night." | ||
| Knight_Otu exclaims, "Good night!" | |||
| Knight_Otu goes home. | |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "quit" | |||
Floyd ] Lumber Room
Floyd ] Exits: south
Floyd |
Floyd | > QUIT
Floyd |
Floyd | Are you sure you want to quit?
| |||
| DavidW says (to Floyd), "yes" | |||
Floyd | Are you sure you want to quit?
Floyd | > YES
Floyd | cheapglulxe quit with exit status: 0
| |||
| Floyd asks, "That game over already? It was just getting good. Wanna play another?" | |||
