ClubFloyd Transcript:
Counterfeit Monkey by Emily Short
As played on ifMUD on January 29 - March 5, 2023

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

Below is a transcript of Counterfeit Monkey written by Emily Short. Counterfeit Monkey was released in 2012. It was nominated six Xyzzy Awards, and won in five of those categories (Best Game, Best Setting, Best Puzzles, Best Individual PC, and Best Implementation). It ranked 3rd, 1st, and 1st in the Interactive Fiction Top 50 of All Time in 2015, 2019, and 2023, respectively. You can learn more about this game, including how to download it, by visiting its IFDB page.


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


ToyShop & Floyditorium
#ClubFloyd Discussion



*** SESSION 1 ***
Pinkunz asks, "We haven't played Counterfeit Monkey??"
Pinkunz asks, "How is that possible?"
Lancelot says, "ooohhh thats a classic"
Pinkunz asks, "What do you guys think? yay or nay?"
Roger says, "Sure let's give it a whirl"
Knight_Otu says (to ClubFloyd), "load sleepmask counterfeitmonkey"
CF | Can you hear me? >> Please answer yes or no.> Please answer yes or no.>
CF | Please answer yes or no.> Please answer yes or no.> ]
CF |
CF |
CF |
CF | Can you hear me? >> Lancelot says, "lol I'll just sit back and enjoy the show"
Roger says, "that looks right and I'm going to assume the game is just doing this"
Knight_Otu asks, "Anyone want to drive?"
Pinkunz says, "Sounds good to me."
Roger says, "I've got a backup manual log of this if the transcripting bot isn't doing its job"
Pinkunz says, "I would, but I'm on a phone."
Roger says, "I could drive for a bit"
Roger says (to floyd), "yes"
CF ] Back Alley, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | Can you hear me? >>
CF | > YES
CF |
CF |
CF | Good, you're conscious. We're conscious. I've heard urban legends
CF | about synthesis going wrong, one half person getting lost.
CF |
CF | Do you remember our name?
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "I played CM 2 years ago online with 2 friends in a system like CF called webot"
Knight_Otu says, "Perry is here at least."
Roger says (to floyd), "no"
CF ] Back Alley, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | >
CF | > NO
CF |
CF | To review, we're Alexandra now. I was Alex, before the synthesis. You
CF | were...
CF |
CF | > Roger asks, "Andra?"
Knight_Otu says, "Yeah."
Pinkunz says, "Sure."
Roger says (to floyd), "ANDRA"
CF | >
CF | > ANDRA
CF |
CF | ...yes! Okay. We're both here, neither of us lost our minds in the
CF | synthesis process. As far as I can tell, the operation was a success.
CF | We're meant to be one person now, unrecognizable to anyone who knew us
CF | before.
Roger pushes the green 'space' button.
CF ] Back Alley, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | before.# Counterfeit Monkey
CF | A Removal by Emily Short
CF | Release 1 / Serial number 121231 / Inform 7 build 6G60 (I6/v6.32 lib
CF | 6/12N)
CF |
CF |
CF | Let's try to get a look around. I haven't been able to run our body
CF | without your help, but maybe now you're awake, it'll work better.
CF |
CF | To get a look around, type LOOK and press return. If you do not
CF | want help getting started, type TUTORIAL OFF.
CF | > Roger asks, "do we want tutorial?"
Jade says, "here we can't see the map"
Jade says, "yes, we want"
Lancelot says, "looks like formatting is shown as raw text"
Roger says (to floyd), "look"
CF ] Back Alley, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | >
CF | > LOOK
CF |
CF | Back Alley
CF | This isn't much, is it? Just the back sides of a couple of buildings,
CF | some peeling yellow paint, and not even much by way of windows to look
CF | in through. I think the place where we had the procedure done is just
CF | a block or two away, but I've already lost the door. I imagine they
CF | change it.
CF |
CF | This alley runs north to the open street, towards the town square.
CF | That's the way we'll want to go first.
CF |
CF | You can find out more if you LOOK AT THE SKY (or shorten it to L
CF | SKY).
CF | > Lancelot says, "oh good point the game normally had a map to the side"
Pinkunz says, "Not a traditional interpreter, so Floyd has its limits."
Knight_Otu says (to Lancelot), "Yes, that helps making the transcript."
Jade says, "but the nap is no necessary to play"
Jade says, "* map"
Lancelot says, "got it... just stay awake lol"
Roger says (to floyd), "x sky"
CF ] Back Alley, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | >
CF | > X SKY
CF |
CF | The sun is so bright that it's hard to look straight up for long.
CF |
CF | There are other things around here that you can look at too, if
CF | you like. You can check out other things in your surroundings, or LOOK
CF | AT ME to see yourself.
CF | > Lancelot says, "x me"
Knight_Otu says, "Yeah, the map is cool and helpful, but not necessary."
Roger says (to floyd), "x me"
CF ] Back Alley, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | >
CF | > X ME
CF |
CF | This body is more you than me — well, it would be, since we came out
CF | a
CF | girl. Still, I feel a bit odd inspecting us too closely. It feels like
CF | invading your privacy.
CF |
CF | Feel free to look around some more. When you're ready to move on
CF | from here, try NORTH.
CF | > Pinkunz says, "[LINK]"
Roger says (to floyd), "x you"
CF ] Back Alley, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | >
CF | > X YOU
CF |
CF | I don't think anything about us looks out of place. We are female,
CF | though a little taller and leaner than average, and with slightly
CF | boyish facial features. It's nothing that would attract attention,
CF | though.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "'Andra' is kind of an ironic name for a woman, I think, and with other authors I might not think much of it, but Emily Short is pretty on top of that sort of thing"
Roger says (to floyd), "x building"
CF ] Back Alley, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | >
CF | > X BUILDING
CF |
CF | The buildings are no doubt due for renovation, but haven't received it
CF | yet. There are no windows facing this way.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x paint"
CF ] Back Alley, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | >
CF | > X PAINT
CF |
CF | In this climate, of course, yellow paint lettering is quickly ruined
CF | by the sun.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "read lettering"
CF ] Back Alley, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | >
CF | > READ LETTERING
CF |
CF | I don't know what you think you're talking about, because we can't see
CF | any such thing here.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "read paint"
CF ] Back Alley, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | >
CF | > READ PAINT
CF |
CF | In this climate, of course, yellow paint lettering is quickly ruined
CF | by the sun.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x window"
CF ] Back Alley, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | >
CF | > X WINDOW
CF |
CF | The buildings are no doubt due for renovation, but haven't received it
CF | yet. There are no windows facing this way.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "l"
CF ] Back Alley, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | >
CF | > L
CF |
CF | Back Alley
CF | There is nothing here but the back sides of a couple of buildings,
CF | some peeling yellow paint; not even much by way of windows to look in
CF | through.
CF |
CF | This alley runs north to the open street, towards the town square.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "exits"
CF ] Back Alley, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | >
CF | > EXITS
CF |
CF | We can go north from here.
CF |
CF | > Roger asks, "Shall we get out of here?"
Knight_Otu says, "Fine by me."
Lancelot says, "nice touch I keep forgetting those lil conveniences"
Roger says (to floyd), "out"
CF ] Back Alley, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | >
CF | > OUT
CF |
CF | But we aren't in anything at the moment.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "north"
CF ] Sigil Street, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | >
CF | > NORTH
CF |
CF |
CF | Sigil Street
CF | The buildings here are two and three stories, with shops at ground
CF | level and elderly apartments above. The shops are closed for the
CF | holiday: a typographer's office, tourist boutiques of colorful skirts
CF | and ethnic bodices (rarely if ever worn by natives) and t-shirts
CF | covered with font designs.
CF |
CF | Passing by the reflective window we catch the sight of our single
CF | blended body, and it creeps me out.
CF |
CF | A narrow alley runs between buildings to the south, while the street
CF | continues east.
CF |
CF | Now we're in a new area, there are new things to see. Try LOOK AT
CF | THE SHOPS or L SHOPS.
CF | > Roger says, "I think this pre-dates Steven Universe, but it's hard for me not to think of it in those terms, at the moment"
Jade says, "I think "examine" works better"
Roger says, "it's more natural to my fingers, but probably equivalent"
Roger says (to floyd), "x shops"
CF ] Sigil Street, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | >
CF | > X SHOPS
CF |
CF | We peruse the offerings: colorful skirts, font t-shirts, ethnic
CF | bodices, and mourning dress.
CF |
CF | I gather from your thoughts that you actually like some of the skirts,
CF | but I'd prefer that we skip the cross-dressing for now. Our
CF | synthesized body may be female but I'm still getting used to that.
CF |
CF | Sometimes the things we examine have parts that we might also want
CF | to look at. That mourning dress, for instance.
CF | > Lancelot says, "x mourning dress"
Lancelot says, "oops sorry"
Roger says (to Lancelot), "it's okay -- feel free to tell floyd yourself"
Pinkunz says, "You don't need to be sorry."
DavidW has arrived.
Lancelot says (to floyd), "x mourning gress"
CF ] Sigil Street, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | >
CF | > X MOURNING GRESS
CF |
CF | That noun did not make sense in this context.
CF |
CF | Sometimes the things we examine have parts that we might also want
CF | to look at. That mourning dress, for instance. Try LOOK AT MOURNING
CF | DRESS or just L MOURNING DRESS.
CF | > Lancelot says, "lol"
Pinkunz exclaims, "Hi David!"
DavidW says, "sorry I'm late"
DavidW says, "hi all"
Roger says, "Hi DW! We just started up Counterfeit Monkey"
Knight_Otu exclaims, "Hey David!"
Lancelot says (to floyd), "x mourning dress"
CF ] Sigil Street, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | >
CF | > X MOURNING DRESS
CF |
CF | A black vintage gown trimmed with much lace and dripping with jet
CF | beads.
CF |
CF | There's more we can do than just looking around. To check what
CF | you're holding at the moment, try typing INVENTORY, or I for
CF | short.
CF | > Pinkunz says, "Just glad you could make it."
Jade says, "Hello DW"
DavidW says, "was exhausted after publishing walkthroughs in the wee hours this morning."
Lancelot says, "Hi DavidW"
DavidW says, "hi Jade, Pinkunz, Lancelot, Jacqueline, everyone" Pinkunz says, "I don���t think Jacq is here."
DavidW says, "ah"
Lancelot asks, "take inventory? or should we wake Jacq?"
Roger says (to floyd), "i"
CF ] Sigil Street, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | >
CF | > I
CF |
CF | You insisted that we bring almost nothing into the synthesis room, so
CF | the criminal who was performing the synthesis couldn't rob us. I had
CF | hoped there was more honor among thieves, but you said no, there
CF | isn't.
CF |
CF | We are carrying your R-remover — an essential we mustn't part with.
CF |
CF | That looks interesting. Try looking at that R-remover.
CF | > Pinkunz says, "Bit odd, honestly. Normally she messages ahead of time when she can't meet."
Roger says, "Real Life messes with us all, alas"
DavidW says, "I've played CM before, but I can suggest things, I suppose."
Jade says, "Jaqueline told last session that she had some meetings at this hour"
Pinkunz says, "True."
Pinkunz says, "Ah, that's better"
Lancelot says, "weel the tutorial is still guiding us"
Jade asks, "DW, have you played twice normal/hard?"
Lancelot says (to floyd), "x R-remover"
CF ] Sigil Street, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | >
CF | > X R-REMOVER
CF |
CF | We smoothly, and almost without thinking about it, reset your device
CF | to be an R-remover. It is a blunt-nosed plastic device, about the size
CF | of a laser pointer, that can be waved at things to remove excess Rs.
CF | It is not very powerful, and often fails against large items. On the
CF | other hand, it has a wide range of action: it can be set to any letter
CF | we choose.
CF |
CF | These are, if not exactly cheap, hardly unknown in Atlantis.
CF |
CF | It can be set to any letter we choose, hm? That sounds like a
CF | hint. Try SET THE R-REMOVER TO U.
CF | > DavidW says, "I never played hard mode that I can remember."
Roger says, "that used to be a big deal, tutorials and helping the player and such, but lately it seems like most authors don't worry about it quite so much"
DavidW says, "It has been a while."
Pinkunz says, "TALP focuses on it, but it's hit or miss with most authors."
Lancelot says, "hmm well I already planned to add one, I don't want any poor souls trying out my stuff to wander around aimlessly."
Roger says, "my guess is that these days if it's something that weighs upon an author's mind, then they go with Twine or some other thing"
Roger says (to floyd), "set remover to u"
CF ] Sigil Street, noon Goals: 3 Score: 0
CF | >
CF | > SET REMOVER TO U
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a U-remover.
CF |
CF | That letter-remover is going to be very important as we try to
CF | escape here. To test it out, try WAVE U-REMOVER AT MOURNING
CF | DRESS.
CF | > DavidW says, "ah. The mourning dress will become a morning dress."
Roger says, "seems likely"
Lancelot says, "oh right it was wave ... I remember looking at the way the device was implemented and thought thats kinda cool"
Lancelot says, "yep removing the u"
Knight_Otu says, "I thought it was POINT for some reason."
Pinkunz says, "Funny we're playing this. We were just talking about CM on intfiction.org"
DavidW says, "There's probably multiple valid syntaxes."
Knight_Otu says, "True."
DavidW says, "I'd prefer REMOVE U FROM MOURNING DRESS."
Lancelot says, "recycling standard verbs I'd think didn't check in detail"
Roger says (to floyd), "remove u from dress"
CF ] Sigil Street, noon Goals: 3 Score: 1
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE U FROM DRESS
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a U-remover.
CF |
CF | In fact, to make life easier, we don't even have to SET the
CF | letter-remover every time we use it. We can just type (say) WAVE
CF | P-REMOVER AT PRAM, and the remover will automatically set itself to
CF | P.
CF |
CF | Now, let's see what happened as a result...
CF |
CF | There is a lavender cloud, and the mourning dress turns into a morning
CF | dress. An outfit of striped trousers and fancy coat, such as men
CF | sometimes wear to fancy weddings in the morning.
CF |
CF | [Your score has gone up by one point.]
CF |
CF | To see how we're doing so far, type SCORE.
CF | > Roger says, "aha"
Pinkunz asks, "Does score show the total points possible?"
Lancelot says, "very thoughtful to have alternate ways of phrasing it"
Lancelot says (to floyd), "score"
CF ] Sigil Street, noon Goals: 3 Score: 1
CF | >
CF | > SCORE
CF |
CF | You have earned 1 point:
CF | 1 point for using the letter-remover
CF |
CF | You have not yet removed a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o,
CF | p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, y, or z from anything.
CF |
CF | You can spend some more time looking around or checking out your
CF | inventory to see what you've changed in this location. When you're
CF | ready to move on, you can head EAST.
CF | > Pinkunz says, "Nope"
Knight_Otu says (to Lancelot), "Yeah, that's important, too."
DavidW says, "I remember there's a special achievement if you can remove the entire alphabet before the game's over."
Lancelot says, "when seeing this most ppl would assume a max score of 26 I gather"
DavidW says, "(There are achivements as well as points)"
Jade says, "there is no need of completing all letters to get into the good ending"
Knight_Otu says, "As far as I recall, it's not just removng letters."
Lancelot says, "nope but then again the whole idea of keeping numerical scores I find a bit arbitrary but I am not an expert."
Jade says, "no, there are more joy after a while"
Roger says (to floyd), "goals"
CF ] Sigil Street, noon Goals: 3 Score: 1
CF | >
CF | > GOALS
CF |
CF | Here's what we think we need to do:
CF | Get my backpack from the cinema
CF | Retrieve your remaining possessions from locker at hostel
CF | Meet your colleague Slango at Counterfeit Monkey
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu says, "Oh the letter play is exquisite and the work behind it is astonishing."
Jade says, "I am from Spain and succeeded finishing CM, you have lower difficult than me"
Roger says (to floyd), "x shop" Jade says, "* than I did"
CF ] Sigil Street, noon Goals: 3 Score: 1
CF | >
CF | > X SHOP
CF |
CF | We peruse the offerings: colorful skirts, font t-shirts, ethnic
CF | bodices, and morning dress.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove t from shirts"
CF ] Sigil Street, noon Goals: 3 Score: 1
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE T FROM SHIRTS
CF |
CF | [You can also tune the device just by using another name for it:
CF | referring to the device as, for instance, an N-remover will
CF | automatically set it to n.]
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a T-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It has tried to create a "fon -shirs":
CF | evidently "shirts" are too tightly bound to their modifiers and can't
CF | be manipulated separately. This is a serious problem in my field of
CF | study, incidentally.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove n from bodices"
CF ] Sigil Street, noon Goals: 3 Score: 1
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE N FROM BODICES
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an N-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It has tried to create a "ethic bodices":
CF | evidently "bodices" are too tightly bound to their modifiers and can't
CF | be manipulated separately.
CF |
CF | > DavidW says, "I did betatest a very early version of this game. And I had a walkthrough written for it at one point but I somehow lost it when swapping files around to a new machine and consolidating files."
Jade says, "if a name has 2 words, the remover works in both"
Roger says, "looks that way"
Roger asks, "shall we move along?"
Knight_Otu says, "Sure."
Roger says (to floyd), "e"
CF ] Ampersand Bend, noon Goals: 3 Score: 1
CF | >
CF | > E
CF |
CF |
CF | Ampersand Bend
CF | A bend in the street, which runs west and north. This district
CF | combines the old and the new: a small museum in an ancient stone
CF | building to the east, a shiny real estate office south. The window of
CF | the museum is currently displaying one of its exhibits, a codex.
CF |
CF | A temporary barrier blocks this empty street from the busy fair to the
CF | north, though there is a door that could be opened with the correct
CF | code. From here the gaiety and excitement of the holiday are fairly
CF | loud.
CF |
CF | Navigating with compass directions works, but we can also type GO
CF | TO... to travel to a named place. GO TO BACK ALLEY will take us back
CF | where we started, for instance.
CF | > Jade says, "yes, we are at the very beggining, in tutorial mode"
DavidW says, "oh I remember this one"
Lancelot says, "me too lol"
Lancelot says, "the first test"
Jade says, "I do"
Roger says (to floyd), "x codex"
CF ] Ampersand Bend, noon Goals: 3 Score: 1
CF | >
CF | > X CODEX
CF |
CF | A manuscript of Atlantean origin from the 16th century. It records a
CF | series of slightly mad visions of what the world would be like if the
CF | "composition of letters" could be systematically exchanged.
CF |
CF | At that time, the name-driven nature of the universe was not yet
CF | understood, but some consciousness of it wiggled towards the surface
CF | like a breaking tooth. The lunatics were first to notice.
CF |
CF | I've visited this museum before and seen the inside, by the way. Many
CF | of the pages are filled with what we would now consider rather
CF | elementary rebus puzzles.
CF |
CF | Navigating with compass directions works, but we can also type GO
CF | TO... to travel to a named place. GO TO BACK ALLEY will take us back
CF | where we started, for instance.
CF | > Roger says, "oh the game really wants us to go back to the alley. Okay, game"
Roger says (to floyd), "go to back alley"
CF ] Back Alley, noon Goals: 3 Score: 1
CF | >
CF | > GO TO BACK ALLEY
CF |
CF | We walk.
CF |
CF | Back Alley
CF | There is nothing here but the back sides of a couple of buildings,
CF | some peeling yellow paint; not even much by way of windows to look in
CF | through.
CF |
CF | This alley runs north to the open street, towards the town square.
CF |
CF | We've learned a lot of the basics now. Let's go back to Ampersand
CF | Bend. You can navigate there by compass direction or just type GO TO
CF | AMPERSAND BEND.
CF | > Lancelot says, "I love all the extra conveniences like fast travel etc"
Roger says (to floyd), "remove t from paint"
CF ] Back Alley, noon Goals: 3 Score: 1
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE T FROM PAINT
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a T-remover.
CF |
CF | A good thought — PAINT is a very linguistically productive word —
CF | but
CF | spread thin over a large area like this it's too hard for a
CF | low-powered letter-remover to work on.
CF |
CF | We've learned a lot of the basics now. Let's go back to Ampersand
CF | Bend. You can navigate there by compass direction or just type GO TO
CF | AMPERSAND BEND.
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "go to ampersand bend"
CF ] Ampersand Bend, noon Goals: 3 Score: 1
CF | >
CF | > GO TO AMPERSAND BEND
CF |
CF | We make the quick walk.
CF |
CF | Ampersand Bend
CF | A bend in the street, which runs west and north. This district
CF | combines the old and the new: a small museum in an ancient stone
CF | building to the east, a shiny real estate office south. The window of
CF | the museum is currently displaying one of its exhibits, a codex.
CF |
CF | A temporary barrier blocks this empty street from the busy fair to the
CF | north, though there is a door that could be opened with the correct
CF | code. From here the gaiety and excitement of the holiday are fairly
CF | loud.
CF |
CF | Take a moment to look at things in the environment and get your
CF | bearings.
CF | > Pinkunz says, "(My wife called. Stranded with a dead battery. Gotta go. Apologies.)"
Knight_Otu says, "Oh dear."
Roger says, "oh no! Good luck"
Pinkunz says, "thx"
Pinkunz- Ah Ha! A tourist trap. This giant metal facsimile of a space beast is nothing more than a cheap marketing ploy designed to suck in any moron dumb enough to fall for such trickery... You suddenly feel like a dumb moron.
Roger says (to floyd), "x museum"
CF ] Ampersand Bend, noon Goals: 3 Score: 1
CF | >
CF | > X MUSEUM
CF |
CF | One of several small museums around the older part of the island,
CF | celebrating the discovery of Atlantean language tools and the
CF | development of its modern society.
CF |
CF | This particular museum is housed in a stone building. Parts of the old
CF | medieval city wall are still visible in the foundations.
CF |
CF | All that can be seen of the exhibits is the external display window.
CF | On the other side of the protective tinted glass is a codex.
CF |
CF | Take a moment to look at things in the environment and get your
CF | bearings.
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x wall"
CF ] Ampersand Bend, noon Goals: 3 Score: 1
CF | >
CF | > X WALL
CF |
CF | One of several small museums around the older part of the island,
CF | celebrating the discovery of Atlantean language tools and the
CF | development of its modern society.
CF |
CF | This particular museum is housed in a stone building. Parts of the old
CF | medieval city wall are still visible in the foundations.
CF |
CF | All that can be seen of the exhibits is the external display window.
CF | On the other side of the protective tinted glass is a codex.
CF |
CF | Take a moment to look at things in the environment and get your
CF | bearings.
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x office"
CF ] Ampersand Bend, noon Goals: 3 Score: 1
CF | >
CF | > X OFFICE
CF |
CF | Advertisements in the window describe the offerings around town, from
CF | a studio apartment (looks like a fixer-upper) in Deep Street for
CF | $823,000 to a house near the university for $2.5M. Prices for villas
CF | in the northwestern part of town are all listed just as "Available on
CF | Inquiry."
CF |
CF | I can tell you find all that shockingly overpriced, but trust me: land
CF | is scarce on this island and there are a lot of people who want to own
CF | it, not just locals but international corporations.
CF |
CF | Take a moment to look at things in the environment and get your
CF | bearings.
CF | > Roger says, "That's how you can tell this is an older game; those prices seem quite reasonable these days"
Lancelot says, "still working to collect my first million :p"
Roger says (to floyd), "x barrier"
CF ] Ampersand Bend, noon Goals: 3 Score: 1
CF | >
CF | > X BARRIER
CF |
CF | It's a high metal fence, supported by sturdy poles. It's designed to
CF | contain the chaos a little, and keep people who have come in for the
CF | Fair from wandering off down the side streets and causing trouble in
CF | unpoliced areas of town. It has a code-lock that opens the inset door.
CF |
CF | Take a moment to look at things in the environment and get your
CF | bearings.
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x door"
CF | >
CF | > X DOOR
CF |
CF | It's a high metal fence, supported by sturdy poles. It's designed to
CF | contain the chaos a little, and keep people who have come in for the
CF | Fair from wandering off down the side streets and causing trouble in
CF | unpoliced areas of town. It has a code-lock that opens the inset door.
CF |
CF | It looks as though that barrier to the north is closed and locked.
CF | We have everything we need to figure out how to unlock it, though.
CF | Would you like to try to open it on your own? >> Knight_Otu says, "Roger IS looking, game."
Roger says (to floyd), "YES"
CF ] Ampersand Bend, noon Goals: 3 Score: 1
CF | Would you like to try to open it on your own? >>
CF | > YES
CF |
CF | Good luck!
CF | > Roger says, "we need a code and we've got a codex, seems to be the situation"
Lancelot says, "thats a clear hint... we got everything we need :p"
Roger says (to floyd), "remove x from codex"
CF ] Ampersand Bend, noon Goals: 3 Score: 1
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE X FROM CODEX
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an X-remover.
CF |
CF | There is a smell of anise, and the codex turns into a code. A bit of
CF | paper on which is written "305."
CF |
CF | To save your current position, type SAVE. RESTORE allows you to
CF | bring back a game you have previously saved.
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "type 305 on door"
CF ] Ampersand Bend, noon Goals: 3 Score: 1
CF | >
CF | > TYPE 305 ON DOOR
CF |
CF | We set the wheels of the code-lock to 305.
CF |
CF | Click! The barrier door unlocks.
CF |
CF | OPEN THE BARRIER will open it for us — or we could just GO
CF | THROUGH
CF | BARRIER and rely on opening it automatically.
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove c from code"
CF ] Ampersand Bend, noon Goals: 3 Score: 1
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE C FROM CODE
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a C-remover.
CF |
CF | With a distinct whiff of paper, the code turns into an ode. A short
CF | poem, letter-pressed attractively on a sheet of thick paper. It is
CF | entitled "Our Ancestors, The Immortal Spirits of the Pyramids," a fact
CF | which disinclines me to study the rest.
CF |
CF | OPEN THE BARRIER will open it for us — or we could just GO
CF | THROUGH
CF | BARRIER and rely on opening it automatically.
CF | > Roger says, "what no score points for all that? boo"
Lancelot says, "ah the auto door thing"
Roger says (to floyd), "go through door"
CF ] Fair, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > GO THROUGH DOOR
CF |
CF | We open the temporary barrier.
CF |
CF | I'm glad to see you're feeling ready to face the wider world. Here's
CF | what we think we need to do:
CF | Get my backpack from the cinema
CF | Retrieve your remaining possessions from locker at hostel
CF | Meet your colleague Slango at Counterfeit Monkey
CF |
CF | [Remember that you can move towards your goal locations with GO
CF | TO...]
CF |
CF | [To go over our current goals, type GOALS at any time.]
CF |
CF | Fair
CF | Today is Serial Comma Day, one of the biggest holidays on the island,
CF | and a time when half the police force is off duty while the other half
CF | is over-extended. The perfect day to make an escape. The square at the
CF | center of town is therefore crowded with people, and there's an
CF | overpowering smell of artificial butter and spun sugar.
CF |
CF | We are surrounded by kiosks for spell-offs, face-painting, a wheel to
CF | spin for prizes, and other activities best for small children or the
CF | very easily amused.
CF |
CF | The Fair continues with a selection of carnival games to the west, and
CF | with open park to the north and east.
CF |
CF | [Your score has gone up by three points and is now four.]
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "theres your points"
Roger says, "well okay"
Roger says (to floyd), "go to cinema"
CF ] Cinema Lobby, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > GO TO CINEMA
CF |
CF | We walk among the crowds.
CF |
CF | Cinema Lobby
CF | This is a small, one-screen theater. The seats are not comfortable and
CF | the screen is not large. The projector is old. The management is lazy.
CF | No food is served.
CF |
CF | On two occasions, the film I was watching burst into flames while it
CF | was being shown.
CF |
CF | Despite these handicaps, it maintains an active and interested
CF | clientele simply by virtue of content: a wide variety of foreign films
CF | that, though meticulously dubbed into flawless California-accented
CF | English, nonetheless carry that slight tang of the forbidden.
CF |
CF | Evidently the next showing is not for a little while yet, because
CF | there are no patrons in sight.
CF |
CF | "Ticket," says the ticket-taker automatically.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "I was not expecting that to work"
Jade says, "yes, 4"
DavidW says, "I suppose if you find a THICKET, you can remove its H for a TICKET."
Roger says, "sounds plausible"
Roger says (to floyd), "x taker"
CF ] Cinema Lobby, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > X TAKER
CF |
CF | Not one of this country's best and brightest, but he seems
CF | good-natured.
CF |
CF | > DavidW says, "You tend to need to think that way when playing this game."
Jade says, "y"
Roger says (to floyd), "x goals"
CF ] Cinema Lobby, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > X GOALS
CF |
CF | That noun did not make sense in this context.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "goals"
CF ] Cinema Lobby, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > GOALS
CF |
CF | Here's what we think we need to do:
CF | Get my backpack from the cinema
CF | Retrieve your remaining possessions from locker at hostel
CF | Meet your colleague Slango at Counterfeit Monkey
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "go to hostel"
CF ] Hostel, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > GO TO HOSTEL
CF |
CF | It's a short walk among the booths of the fair.
CF |
CF | Hostel
CF | I take it this is where you stayed from the time you got to town until
CF | our operation. I would have expected that someone with your
CF | credentials would have been able to afford something better: The Fleur
CF | d'Or, maybe? But maybe you thought this was lower-profile. At least
CF | it's clean and doesn't smell funny.
CF |
CF | The desk attendant is sort of eying us. She doesn't recognize you —
CF | us
CF | — but that's a good thing, I think.
CF |
CF | Discarded in one corner is Guidebook to Anglophone Atlantis.
CF |
CF | There's a spiral staircase that leads up to the dormitory rooms.
CF |
CF | You can pick things up when you see them, like this: TAKE THE
CF | NOSE-RING.
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "read book"
CF ] Hostel, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > READ BOOK
CF |
CF | A much-thumbed and several years out-of-date guidebook to this
CF | immediate area. The cover is tomato-red but the pages are crinkly and
CF | beige: it appears that someone has spilled coffee on it.
CF |
CF | There's too much here to take in in a quick read, but we could look up
CF | specific topics if we wanted to read more.
CF |
CF | You can pick things up when you see them, like this: TAKE THE
CF | NOSE-RING.
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take book"
CF ] Hostel, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > TAKE BOOK
CF |
CF | We pick up Guidebook to Anglophone Atlantis.
CF |
CF | If you want to get rid of something that you're holding you can
CF | always drop it, like this: DROP THE C-REMOVER.
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "look up atlantis"
CF ] Hostel, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > LOOK UP ATLANTIS
CF |
CF | The entire book concerns the island, so we'll have to be more specific
CF | about places and institutions.
CF |
CF | [We can LOOK UP interesting subjects IN books, if we like.]
CF | Achievement accomplished: Finished tutorial mode!
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "yay"
Lancelot says, "yay"
Knight_Otu says, "Gee, game, just casually suggest to drop our valuable tool."
DavidW says, "It was a random item in current scope."
Knight_Otu says, "True, but still."
Roger says (to floyd), "i"
CF ] Hostel, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > I
CF |
CF | We are carrying your C-remover — an essential we mustn't part with.
CF |
CF | We are also carrying Guidebook to Anglophone Atlantis.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "up"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > UP
CF |
CF |
CF | Dormitory Room
CF | Painted off-white, with hard wood floors under many layers of
CF | protective gloss coating: there are no surfaces in this room that
CF | would take a stain. Four dorm beds are lined up against the wall.
CF |
CF | The locker you identify as your own sits near one of the beds, still
CF | locked with its dial lock.
CF |
CF | A girl of about 19 is standing in the middle of the room, looking
CF | around as though she can't quite believe where she landed or what
CF | she's doing here. She is carrying a heavy pack and wearing a pink
CF | t-shirt.
CF |
CF | "Hey," says the girl. "Do you think this place is safe?" asks the girl
CF | conspiratorially.
CF |
CF | I must look blank, because she goes on, "I saw this documentary once,
CF | right, about a serial killer who went from youth hostel to youth
CF | hostel, grooming girls and killing them. And then
CF | he'd chop up the bodies and put the body parts into the
CF | lockers. And no one would find out until he'd gone away again."
CF |
CF | Nothing like that has happened around here, but she seems to get a
CF | charge out of scaring herself with this story.
CF |
CF | We want to ask for privacy.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "girl, give me privacy"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > GIRL, GIVE ME PRIVACY
CF |
CF | We can't think of anything appropriate to say.
CF |
CF | We want to ask for privacy.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask for privacy"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > ASK FOR PRIVACY
CF |
CF | "This will just take a moment, but you would you mind giving me the
CF | room to myself?" we say.
CF |
CF | She waves a hand generously. "Don't worry about it, do whatever you've
CF | got to do, I don't care," she says. "I'm so tired I couldn't move a
CF | muscle, but I've seen everything. I have three brothers and two
CF | sisters and I'm in women's rugby so I'm pretty hard to shock."
CF |
CF | With a grunt, she shrugs off her pack and puts it on the ground near
CF | one of the beds. "So when did you get to Anglophone Atlantis, anyway?
CF | How long have you been here?"
CF |
CF | We want to lie about visiting.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "this part was hard to me"
Roger says, "apparently my earlier exuberance about escaping tutorial mode was misplaced"
Roger says (to floyd), "lie"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > LIE
CF |
CF | "Just a few days. I wanted a little time to see the place, before it
CF | got all crazy for Serial Comma Day," you lie smoothly.
CF |
CF | "Oh, yeah, that was smart," she says. "I am really not ready for this
CF | at all."
CF |
CF | She eyes the beds thoughtfully, punches each of the mattresses in
CF | turn, and then climbs into the one she's selected. "I hope this place
CF | has good souvenirs. I got this great snowglobe at the Vatican, right,
CF | that has the Pope inside saying, like, a blessing."
CF |
CF | I'd like to admire the snowglobe.
CF |
CF | > DavidW says, "I didn't do the hostel area until a bit later in the game, after I had more items."
Roger says (to floyd), "admire snowglobe"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > ADMIRE SNOWGLOBE
CF |
CF | "I bet your friends back home are going to love that."
CF |
CF | "Yeah," she says. "Though I have to keep my souvenir buying light
CF | because there isn't that much room in my pack."
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x pack"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > X PACK
CF |
CF | The flag of Canada is sewn on the back.
CF |
CF | > DavidW says, "yay Canada mention!"
Roger says, "them damn canucks"
Roger says (to floyd), "ask girl about canada"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > ASK GIRL ABOUT CANADA
CF |
CF | The backpacking girl thinks for a moment, then apparently decides not
CF | to answer.
CF |
CF | "Oh my gosh, I am SO jetlagged. I feel like I'm just going to fall
CF | over, you know?"
CF |
CF | I'm inclined to ask whether she is really from Canada or
CF | sympathize about jetlag.
CF |
CF | > Jade exclaims, "yes, Canada is great!"
Roger says (to floyd), "ask whether she is really from Canada"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > ASK WHETHER SHE IS REALLY FROM CANADA
CF |
CF | "So," we say, nodding at the pack. "Are you really Canadian?"
CF |
CF | "Uh, no. I come from Ohio. But don't tell anyone that. My mom thought
CF | this would be safer in case of terrorists. She's also worried about
CF | serial killers but there's not much I can do about that."
CF |
CF | She watches us with interest. "Wish I hadn't remembered that serial
CF | killer thing," the girl remarks, half to herself. "Now it's going to
CF | keep me up later. Picturing someone with a saw hacking me up."
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove f from flag"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE F FROM FLAG
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an F-remover.
CF |
CF | The letter-remover finds no f in the heavy pack.
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu says, "No Canadian lag."
Roger says, "alas"
Roger says (to floyd), "remove g from globe"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE G FROM GLOBE
CF |
CF | Maybe that means something different to you, but I can't see any such
CF | thing.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove e from snowglobe"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE E FROM SNOWGLOBE
CF |
CF | I can't see what you're talking about.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "open pack"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > OPEN PACK
CF |
CF | Overtly searching her possessions while she is here seems like a
CF | ticket to trouble.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "l"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > L
CF |
CF | Dormitory Room
CF | Painted off-white, with hard wood floors under many layers of
CF | protective gloss coating: there are no surfaces in this room that
CF | would take a stain. Four dorm beds are lined up against the wall.
CF |
CF | The locker you identify as your own sits near one of the beds, still
CF | locked with its dial lock.
CF |
CF | The backpacking girl is still hanging out here. She is on a dorm bed.
CF | The backpacking girl is wearing a pink t-shirt.
CF |
CF | A massively full pack leans against one of the beds.
CF |
CF | > DavidW says, "I seem to vaguely remember there's at least three ways to scare the girl into leaving."
Roger says (to floyd), "x locker"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > X LOCKER
CF |
CF | A standard metal locker for travelers to leave their valuable
CF | possessions in when they go out — or while they sleep, since one's
CF | bunkmates are not always to be trusted. It is of the kind that
CF | requires the traveler to bring his own lock, and in fact someone (such
CF | as yourself) has put a lock on this one.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x lock"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > X LOCK
CF |
CF | It's curious, now you look at it: it's a combination lock with a dial
CF | face, but no one has bothered putting any numerals onto the dial.
CF |
CF | You are reminded of making your lock.
CF |
CF | [MEMORIES will list your currently active memories]
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "memories"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > MEMORIES
CF |
CF | Currently on your mind is making your lock.
CF |
CF | [REMEMBER any memory to review it.]
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remember"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > REMEMBER
CF |
CF | Currently on your mind is making your lock.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remember making lock"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > REMEMBER MAKING LOCK
CF |
CF | Galley
CF | You were going through the galley cupboards on the yacht. "If you're
CF | looking for coffee, Slango forgot to resupply," Brock said, descending
CF | the galley staircase in a wet Speedo.
CF |
CF | "No, the first-letter razor," you replied, holding up a portable
CF | clock. "I need a lock that responds to restoration gel but nothing
CF | else."
CF |
CF | "Ah." Brock toweled his hair. "It's in my bunk, sorry. Want to come
CF | look for it?"
CF |
CF | You smiled — a give-away smile. "Wish I could, but we're on a
CF | deadline. Go put some pants on. And bring me the razor."
CF |
CF | Then we're back in the present.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "hmm okay"
Knight_Otu says, "A c-remover couldn't do that job."
Roger says, "maybe I'll come back later"
DavidW says, "I think you need an item/tool you don't have yet."
Roger says (to floyd), "go to counterfeit monkey"
CF ] Heritage Corner, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > GO TO COUNTERFEIT MONKEY
CF |
CF | That way will take us away from the cinema, and I'd like to retrieve
CF | our things first.
CF |
CF |
CF | Heritage Corner
CF | This patch of the town square has been paved over in octagonal bricks
CF | and is commonly used for displays of traditional dancing: over-50
CF | women in home-made embroidered aprons, skipping arm-in-arm and jumping
CF | over broomsticks.
CF |
CF | No, there aren't any here now. But trust me. It's an
CF | unforgettable sight.
CF |
CF | Under a bit of shelter in the corner, a diorama table shows scenes
CF | from local history, rotated out each week. This week's diorama
CF | represents the first sitting of the Committee for the New Orthodox
CF | Orthography.
CF |
CF | The park continues to the north and west; to the east is the hostel.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x table"
CF ] Heritage Corner, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > X TABLE
CF |
CF | The patriotic scene is set against the backdrop of the Bureau's
CF | buildings ca. 1895, where the committee first met, but the historians
CF | have included a bit of the building exterior to show that the meetings
CF | were conducted under army guard. The writing of dictionaries has not
CF | always been bloodless.
CF |
CF | The members and the army are movable, but the rest of the scenery
CF | appears to have been hot-glued in place.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x member"
CF ] Heritage Corner, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > X MEMBER
CF |
CF | That noun did not make sense in this context.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x army"
CF ] Heritage Corner, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > X ARMY
CF |
CF | A collection of soldier figurines in blue uniforms.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove y from army"
CF ] Heritage Corner, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE Y FROM ARMY
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a Y-remover.
CF |
CF | We wave the Y-remover at the army and produce an arm, severed (because
CF | after all it would be beyond the parameters of the change to generate
CF | the person whose body part it is). It is only moderately gory, and
CF | most locals get used to seeing this kind of thing as a prank from
CF | six-year-olds every halloween. Still, it might startle a tourist.
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu says, ""The writing of dictionaries has not always been bloodless." is sure a rare sentence."
Roger says, "indeed"
Roger says (to floyd), "take arm"
CF ] Heritage Corner, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > TAKE ARM
CF |
CF | We get the arm. A girl's arm, by the look of it, amputated neatly at
CF | the shoulder joint. The fingernails are painted shell-pink.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "go to hostel"
CF ] Heritage Corner, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > GO TO HOSTEL
CF |
CF | The hostel should be close by.
CF |
CF | > DavidW says, "This island has a very peculiar history."
Lancelot says, "a perfect scare indeed"
Roger says (to floyd), "exits"
CF ] Heritage Corner, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > EXITS
CF |
CF | The park continues to the north and west; to the east is the hostel.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "e"
CF ] Hostel, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > E
CF |
CF |
CF | Hostel
CF | I take it this is where you stayed from the time you got to town until
CF | our operation. I would have expected that someone with your
CF | credentials would have been able to afford something better: The Fleur
CF | d'Or, maybe? But maybe you thought this was lower-profile. At least
CF | it's clean and doesn't smell funny.
CF |
CF | The desk attendant is sort of eying us. She is wearing a nose-ring and
CF | a blouse.
CF |
CF | There's a spiral staircase that leads up to the dormitory rooms.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "show arm to attendant"
CF ] Hostel, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > SHOW ARM TO ATTENDANT
CF |
CF | You get the attention of the desk attendant.
CF |
CF | "Here, have a look at this," we say.
CF |
CF | "Yuck," the desk attendant replies.
CF |
CF | We could ask how to unlock the lockers or ask whether we can keep
CF | the guidebook.
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu says, "In a world where words have power..."
Roger says (to floyd), "ask how to unlock the lockers"
CF ] Hostel, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > ASK HOW TO UNLOCK THE LOCKERS
CF |
CF | "Hey, so, like," we begin, twirling our hair in one finger. "What if
CF | I, like, accidentally locked something in the locker upstairs and I
CF | don't know the number to get it open? It is, like, so
CF | important that I get my stuff back."
CF |
CF | Her expression of dreamy good will hardens into one of cool contempt.
CF | "Lockers are the responsibility of the guests," she says. "You brought
CF | the lock, so you must know the combination."
CF |
CF | I'm inclined to ask whether we can keep the guidebook or ask what
CF | happens if the guest does not remember.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask about guidebook"
CF ] Hostel, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > ASK ABOUT GUIDEBOOK
CF |
CF | "Hey, does this guidebook belong to the hostel, or can I keep it?"
CF |
CF | "Sure, whatever," she says. "People take and leave stuff all the time.
CF | It's no big deal."
CF |
CF | We could ask what happens if the guest does not remember.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask what happens"
CF ] Hostel, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > ASK WHAT HAPPENS
CF |
CF | "About the lockers again," we say. "What happens when, like, someone
CF | forgets the combination? Does that ever happen? 'Cause it seems like
CF | you might need to get the locker open for the next guest, right? So,
CF | like, what do you do?"
CF |
CF | "Yes, it happens," she says. Her spiky magenta hair is quivering. It
CF | was wrong to take the hippy-ish blouse as a sign of an easy-going
CF | temper. "It happens all the time. We have to get the
CF | All-Purpose in to fix them. It's expensive. I keep telling management
CF | we should have a different kind of lock-up system, but they won't hear
CF | it."
CF |
CF | I'd like to ask what the All-Purpose is or ask what we should do
CF | about the lock.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask about the all-purpose"
CF ] Hostel, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > ASK ABOUT THE ALL-PURPOSE
CF |
CF | "All-Purpose? What's that?" we ask. But surely you do know? The
CF | All-Purpose is a kind of blue-suited handy-man, a mechanic with a huge
CF | toolbox of letter tools. He can do just about anything. I would have
CF | thought— but she's answering.
CF |
CF | "You know, from the Bureau." She reaches under the desk and pulls out
CF | a box, which she displays briefly to our gaze. Inside is an assortment
CF | of colored children's blocks. "He does this with them," she says
CF | matter-of-factly, as though B-insertion weren't a pretty serious
CF | challenge. Then she puts the box away again.
CF |
CF | We could ask how the All-Purpose makes blocks, ask why they do not
CF | use a locksmith, or ask what we should do about the lock.
CF |
CF | > Roger asks, "want me to keep plowing into this?"
Knight_Otu says, "I don't think I talked much with the attendant when I played."
Roger says (to floyd), "ask about blocks"
CF ] Hostel, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > ASK ABOUT BLOCKS
CF |
CF | "He puts on Bs? On the locks? How does that, like, work?" we ask,
CF | twirling our hair some more. (This is ridiculous! Have you no shame?
CF | Doesn't it embarrass you, playing up to stereotypes like this? No, I
CF | see your point. You're more of a pragmatist. I should have guessed.)
CF |
CF | "He has a machine he brings in, on wheels," she says. "It's the size
CF | of a dessert cart. At one end, there's a hose with a nozzle. The B
CF | comes out of there." In spite of her mood, she obviously finds this an
CF | interesting topic. "I asked him what happened if the B flew out and
CF | hit something it wasn't supposed to, and he showed me this restoration
CF | gel he had, to put things back to what they were originally."
CF |
CF | I'd like to ask why they do not use a locksmith.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask about restoration gel"
CF ] Hostel, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > ASK ABOUT RESTORATION GEL
CF |
CF | That noun did not make sense in this context.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask about locksmith"
CF ] Hostel, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > ASK ABOUT LOCKSMITH
CF |
CF | "It seems as though a locksmith would be cheaper and less trouble than
CF | getting an All-Purpose Officer," we point out.
CF |
CF | "You might think."
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove b from blouse"
CF ] Hostel, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE B FROM BLOUSE
CF |
CF | I don't dare invade the personal space of the desk attendant.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "but I do dare"
Roger says (to floyd), "take block"
CF ] Hostel, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > TAKE BLOCK
CF |
CF | I can't see what you're talking about.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "up"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > UP
CF |
CF |
CF | Dormitory Room
CF | Painted off-white, with hard wood floors under many layers of
CF | protective gloss coating: there are no surfaces in this room that
CF | would take a stain. Four dorm beds are lined up against the wall.
CF |
CF | The locker you identify as your own sits near one of the beds, still
CF | locked with its dial lock.
CF |
CF | The backpacking girl is still hanging out here. She sits on the dorm
CF | bed. The backpacking girl is wearing a pink t-shirt.
CF |
CF | A massively full pack leans against one of the beds.
CF |
CF | The girl takes our reappearance in stride.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "show arm to girl"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > SHOW ARM TO GIRL
CF |
CF | "What do you make of this?" we ask, showing off the arm.
CF |
CF | The backpacking girl gags. After a moment to regain her composure, she
CF | flees the vicinity.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "that severed arm is... pretty handy"
Lancelot says, "a scare indeed"
DavidW says, "one-handed clap"
Lancelot says, "I smell a Buddhist"
Roger says, "now I can high-five myself"
Roger says (to floyd), "open pack"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > OPEN PACK
CF |
CF | We open the heavy pack, revealing an assortment of very short shorts,
CF | a broomstick skirt, flip-flops, bikini bottoms, various t-shirts, an
CF | anorak, a fat guidebook to Europe, a cheap camera, and a box of
CF | tampons.
CF |
CF | > DavidW says, "I don't think we need any of those."
Roger says (to floyd), "empty pack"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > EMPTY PACK
CF |
CF | That noun did not make sense in this context.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take all from pack"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > TAKE ALL FROM PACK
CF |
CF | assortment of very short shorts: None of these are any use just now.
CF | broomstick skirt: None of these are any use just now.
CF | flip-flops: None of these are any use just now.
CF | bikini bottoms: None of these are any use just now.
CF | various t-shirts: None of these are any use just now.
CF | anorak: None of these are any use just now.
CF | fat guidebook to Europe: None of these are any use just now.
CF | cheap camera: None of these are any use just now.
CF | box of tampons: None of these are any use just now.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "thanks game"
DavidW asks, "also, how'd hse get the anorak through customs?"
Roger says, "there's an exemption for Canadians, I would assume"
Roger says (to floyd), "remove r from shorts"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE R FROM SHORTS
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an R-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It has tried to create a "assotment of vey
CF | shot shots": evidently "shorts" is too tightly bound to its modifiers
CF | and can't be manipulated separately.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove r from skirt"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE R FROM SKIRT
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an R-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It has tried to create a "boomstick skit":
CF | evidently "skirt" is too tightly bound to its modifiers and can't be
CF | manipulated separately.
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu says, "That is not our boom stick."
Lancelot says, "oy yeah it removes from all words"
Roger says (to floyd), "wear pack"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > WEAR PACK
CF |
CF | I don't see how you plan to do that, short of tying the heavy pack to
CF | our head. (Hint: no.)
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "hah"
Roger says (to floyd), "l"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > L
CF |
CF | Dormitory Room
CF | Painted off-white, with hard wood floors under many layers of
CF | protective gloss coating: there are no surfaces in this room that
CF | would take a stain. Four dorm beds are lined up against the wall.
CF |
CF | The locker you identify as your own sits near one of the beds, still
CF | locked with its dial lock.
CF |
CF | A massively full pack leans against one of the beds. The heavy pack
CF | contains an assortment of very short shorts, a broomstick skirt,
CF | flip-flops, bikini bottoms, various t-shirts, an anorak, a fat
CF | guidebook to Europe, a cheap camera, and a box of tampons.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "open box"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > OPEN BOX
CF |
CF | That's not something we can open.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "alright guess we need to scare up some gel, possible from our stuff in the cinema"
Roger says (to floyd), "d"
CF ] Hostel, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > D
CF |
CF |
CF | Hostel
CF | I take it this is where you stayed from the time you got to town until
CF | our operation. I would have expected that someone with your
CF | credentials would have been able to afford something better: The Fleur
CF | d'Or, maybe? But maybe you thought this was lower-profile. At least
CF | it's clean and doesn't smell funny.
CF |
CF | The desk attendant is sort of eying us. She is wearing a nose-ring and
CF | a blouse.
CF |
CF | There's a spiral staircase that leads up to the dormitory rooms.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "out"
CF ] Hostel, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > OUT
CF |
CF | But we aren't in anything at the moment.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "w"
CF ] Heritage Corner, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > W
CF |
CF |
CF | Heritage Corner
CF | This patch of the town square has been paved over in octagonal bricks
CF | and is commonly used for displays of traditional dancing: over-50
CF | women in home-made embroidered aprons, skipping arm-in-arm and jumping
CF | over broomsticks.
CF |
CF | Under a bit of shelter in the corner, a diorama table shows scenes
CF | from local history, rotated out each week. This week's diorama
CF | represents the first sitting of the Committee for the New Orthodox
CF | Orthography.
CF |
CF | The park continues to the north and west; to the east is the hostel.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "n"
CF ] Heritage Corner, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > N
CF |
CF | Er, before we strike out into the rest of town, could we get my
CF | backpack from the cinema?
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "w"
CF ] Fair, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > W
CF |
CF | [If you're traveling far, you can always type GO TO (location
CF | name) to get there automatically.]
CF |
CF | Fair
CF | The square at the center of town is crowded with people, and there's
CF | an overpowering smell of artificial butter and spun sugar.
CF |
CF | We are surrounded by kiosks for spell-offs, face-painting, a wheel to
CF | spin for prizes, and other activities best for small children or the
CF | very easily amused.
CF |
CF | The Fair continues with a selection of carnival games to the west, and
CF | with open park to the north and east.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x games"
CF ] Fair, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > X GAMES
CF |
CF | That noun did not make sense in this context.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x kiosks"
CF ] Fair, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > X KIOSKS
CF |
CF | They're the usual tacky affairs of brightly painted fiberboard and
CF | cheap prizes. I don't see any likely to help us today, however.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x wheel"
CF ] Fair, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > X WHEEL
CF |
CF | It's the sort of game where you spin the wheel for a prize. No one
CF | seems to be manning or using it any more, though; perhaps the supply
CF | of prizes has run out.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "spin wheel"
CF ] Fair, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > SPIN WHEEL
CF |
CF | We give the wheel a hard spin. The pointer lands on SET OF PAINT.
CF | Sadly, no one is around to award this prize (which is probably why we
CF | were allowed to spin it without having some sort of ticket first).
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove w from wheel"
CF ] Fair, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE W FROM WHEEL
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a W-remover.
CF |
CF | We wave the W-remover at the wheel and produce a heel, severed.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Fair, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Fair
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove l from wheel"
CF ] Fair, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE L FROM WHEEL
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an L-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It is unable to create anything
CF | recognizable called "whee".
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "l"
CF ] Fair, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > L
CF |
CF | Fair
CF | The square at the center of town is crowded with people, and there's
CF | an overpowering smell of artificial butter and spun sugar.
CF |
CF | We are surrounded by kiosks for spell-offs, face-painting, a wheel to
CF | spin for prizes, and other activities best for small children or the
CF | very easily amused.
CF |
CF | The Fair continues with a selection of carnival games to the west, and
CF | with open park to the north and east.
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu says, "We could have an assortment of body parts on us."
Roger says, "I guess"
DavidW says, "I made an EAR when I played the game originally."
Roger says (to floyd), "remove w from wheel"
CF ] Fair, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE W FROM WHEEL
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a W-remover.
CF |
CF | We wave the W-remover at the wheel and produce a heel, severed.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x heel"
CF ] Fair, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > X HEEL
CF |
CF | Calloused and leathery, a gruesome souvenir of years of unhappy
CF | shoe-wearing.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take heel"
CF ] Fair, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > TAKE HEEL
CF |
CF | We pick up the heel.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove l from heel"
CF ] Fair, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE L FROM HEEL
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an L-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It is unable to create anything
CF | recognizable called "hee".
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "w"
CF ] Midway, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > W
CF |
CF |
CF | Midway
CF | Here in front of the pharmacy in the southwestern corner of the town
CF | square, various contests have been set up — a strong-man hammering
CF | contest, a contest to see who can burst the most balloons using a
CF | styrofoam dart-plane, and so on.
CF |
CF | I assume you've noticed, though, the word-balance, which comes up as
CF | high as our hip. On the right pan is an apple and on the left a pear.
CF |
CF | Beside the word-balance is a barker in a blue suit, the same
CF | regulation blue used by the Bureau of Orthography. The barker is also
CF | holding a tube.
CF |
CF | "Put the beam out of alignment and win a fabulous prize!" says the
CF | barker, holding up a tube.
CF |
CF | I'd like to ask what the gel is worth, ask whether the game is
CF | rigged, or ask whether anyone ever wins.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "oho"
Roger says (to floyd), "ask about gel"
CF ] Midway, noon Goals: 3 Score: 4
CF | >
CF | > ASK ABOUT GEL
CF |
CF | "Is the gel very valuable?" we ask. "Is it new, and in good condition?
CF | Is the entire tube present?"
CF |
CF | "Yes, of course, and absolutely," he says, making a gesture as though
CF | to show us the gel, but actually not letting us catch more than the
CF | label.
CF |
CF | The crowd mills around, jostling us.
CF |
CF | "One tube of restoration gel goes to the first person who can
CF | unbalance the word-balance!" cries the barker, glance sweeping the
CF | crowd.
CF |
CF | We could ask whether the game is rigged or ask whether anyone ever
CF | wins.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot asks, "balancer? same number of letters on each side?"
Roger says, "that does seem to be sort of implied"
Lancelot I think I can guess this one lol Roger says, "or maybe less balanced than before"
Roger exclaims (at lancelot), "go for it!"
Lancelot says (to floyd), "remove p from apple"
CF ] Midway, noon Goals: 3 Score: 7
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE P FROM APPLE
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a P-remover.
CF |
CF | There's a smell of fermenting apple, then cider, then something more
CF | malty. In the apple's place there is now a glass of nutbrown ale.
CF |
CF | There is a cheer from the spectators. The word-balance tilts slowly
CF | but inexorably.
CF |
CF | The barker looks astonished and displeased, except for a fraction of a
CF | second when he just noticeably winks. With exaggerated bad grace hands
CF | us some restoration gel. "There's your prize. And now this contest is
CF | over."
CF |
CF | He stalks away.
CF |
CF | [Your score has gone up by three points and is now seven.]
CF |
CF | > DavidW says, "You can take the ale and pear now, and you should."
Lancelot says, "oh wow in one shot"
Jade says, "here you can remove some letters, obtaining some different items"
Roger says, "pew pew"
Lancelot says (to floyd), "get all"
CF ] Midway, noon Goals: 3 Score: 7
CF | >
CF | > GET ALL
CF |
CF | pear: We pick up the pear. Handsome and green.
CF |
CF | >
Lancelot says (to floyd), "get ale"
CF ] Midway, noon Goals: 3 Score: 7
CF | >
CF | > GET ALE
CF |
CF | We take the ale. A delicious nutbrown ale in a cool glass.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "hmm get all didnt work"
Lancelot says, "at least the ale came in a glass lol"
DavidW says, "Because the ale wasn't in the room, it was still on the balancer."
Lancelot says, "the balancing thing I actally expected to need to change the pear to a pea as well"
Lancelot says (to floyd), "look"
CF ] Midway, noon Goals: 3 Score: 7
CF | >
CF | > LOOK
CF |
CF | Midway
CF | Here in front of the pharmacy in the southwestern corner of the town
CF | square, various contests have been set up — a strong-man hammering
CF | contest, a contest to see who can burst the most balloons using a
CF | styrofoam dart-plane, and so on.
CF |
CF | No longer so useful is the word-balance, which comes up as high as our
CF | hip. Both pans are empty.
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu says, "That ould have worked, too."
Knight_Otu says, "*would"
Lancelot says (to floyd), "i"
CF ] Midway, noon Goals: 3 Score: 7
CF | >
CF | > I
CF |
CF | We are carrying the following essentials: a tube and your P-remover.
CF |
CF | We are also carrying some ale, an arm, Guidebook to Anglophone
CF | Atlantis, a heel, and a pear.
CF |
CF | >
Lancelot says (to floyd), "goals"
CF ] Midway, noon Goals: 3 Score: 7
CF | >
CF | > GOALS
CF |
CF | Here's what we think we need to do:
CF | Get my backpack from the cinema
CF | Retrieve your remaining possessions from locker at hostel
CF | Meet your colleague Slango at Counterfeit Monkey
CF |
CF | > DavidW says, "If you put gel on the ale, it should return to an apple or appliance or whatever it originally was."
Lancelot says, "oh yeah so the opposite"
Roger says, "and fix our locker lock"
Lancelot says, "so we can turn the lock into a clock"
DavidW asks, "And then the clock to a...?"
Lancelot says, "lol hmm"
Knight_Otu says, "Of course, we may want to check if our prize meets its hype."
Lancelot says, "im a bit lost for where next"
Lancelot asks, "hostel?"
Roger says (to floyd), "x tube"
CF ] Midway, noon Goals: 3 Score: 7
CF | >
CF | > X TUBE
CF |
CF | It claims to be full of restoration gel, but said gel has mostly gone.
CF | If only it had been a larger container to start with.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "ah ofc"
DavidW says, "Oh yes, I remember."
Roger says (to floyd), "remove e from tube"
CF ] Midway, noon Goals: 3 Score: 7
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE E FROM TUBE
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an E-remover.
CF |
CF | There is a mad-scientist cackle, and the tube turns into a tub. Now a
CF | handsome, giant-sized tub with RESTORATION GEL prominently emblazoned
CF | on the front.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x tub"
CF ] Midway, noon Goals: 3 Score: 7
CF | >
CF | > X TUB
CF |
CF | Now a handsome, giant-sized tub with RESTORATION GEL prominently
CF | emblazoned on the front.
CF |
CF | > DavidW says, "so much restoration gel now."
Roger says (to floyd), "go to locker"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 7
CF | >
CF | > GO TO LOCKER
CF |
CF | We have a quick walk among the crowds.
CF |
CF | Dormitory Room
CF | Painted off-white, with hard wood floors under many layers of
CF | protective gloss coating: there are no surfaces in this room that
CF | would take a stain. Four dorm beds are lined up against the wall.
CF |
CF | The locker you identify as your own sits near one of the beds, still
CF | locked with its dial lock.
CF |
CF | A massively full pack leans against one of the beds. There are an
CF | assortment of very short shorts, a broomstick skirt, flip-flops,
CF | bikini bottoms, various t-shirts, an anorak, a fat guidebook to
CF | Europe, a cheap camera, and a box of tampons in the heavy pack.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "aj�! The restoration gel."
Roger says (to floyd), "put gel on lock"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 8
CF | >
CF | > PUT GEL ON LOCK
CF |
CF | We dip out pea-sized quantity of gel and rub it gently onto the lock.
CF | With an audible SPLORT, the lock becomes a clock and falls to the
CF | ground. It appears to be one of those archetypal alarm clocks that
CF | crows at sunrise and generally makes a nuisance of itself. It shows
CF | the time to be about ten past ten.
CF |
CF | I'm starting to understand how you got into all the places you got
CF | into. Not that I judge you or your line of work, of course.
CF |
CF | [Your score has gone up by one point and is now eight.]
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "huzzah"
Roger says (to floyd), "put gel on me"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 8
CF | >
CF | > PUT GEL ON ME
CF |
CF | A fingertip-dab isn't enough to undo the doubling-up we experienced,
CF | but if we applied more, there's a real chance we'd come apart into a
CF | you and a me. And we can't afford that right now.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "maybe later though"
Jade says, "this gel won't waste at least"
Lancelot says, "it was worth a try :p"
Lancelot says, "I am surprised we can carry a tub of gel around that easy"
Roger says, "we've got the strength of two people now"
Roger says (to floyd), "take clock"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 3 Score: 8
CF | >
CF | > TAKE CLOCK
CF |
CF | We take the clock.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "not exactly conspicuous"
Knight_Otu says, "As long it's not a bathtub."
Roger says (to floyd), "open locker"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > OPEN LOCKER
CF |
CF | Now that the lock has been removed, the locker swings easily open,
CF | revealing a roll, a letter, and some plans.
CF |
CF | [Your score has gone up by three points and is now eleven.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x roll"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > X ROLL
CF |
CF | Now that is more like it: you've got us a tidy little stash of euros
CF | here.
CF |
CF | > DavidW says, "Think of a tub of margarine. It's big but not a bathtub big."
Roger says, "but it's GIANT-SIZED"
Lancelot says, "must be my lack of English"
Roger says (to floyd), "x letter"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > X LETTER
CF |
CF | It's a letter from your brother, printed off anonymously from an
CF | untraceable email account that you accessed in town. Nothing that
CF | could be followed back to Slango and the yacht.
CF |
CF | Sis,
CF |
CF | I'm keeping your wire transfer funds. I want to try for
CF | Stanford.
CF |
CF | I'd say thank you except that, one, you didn't get it legally (I
CF | saw this documentary about teen prostitutes — if that's where it came
CF | from then EW) and, two, honestly? You owe for what you put us through
CF | after you ran away. Mom and Dad were humiliated that you turned into
CF | the prodigal daughter. Your face got on milk cartons. Pastor Hughes
CF | GAVE A SERMON ABOUT IT.
CF |
CF | Mom spent all that time coaching you through spelling practice,
CF | you know she doesn't enjoy getting up at 4 AM, right? You totally
CF | threw that in their faces.
CF |
CF | If you want to come home sometime, fine, but don't come to just
CF | see me. If you want to see me you have to see Mom and Dad too.
CF |
CF | Nate.
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu asks, "Hill giant, storm giant, mountain giant?"
Roger says (to floyd), "x plans"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > X PLANS
CF |
CF | The plans are rolled up and stuck shut with a label that reads
CF | "PROPERTY OF DENTAL CONSONANTS LIMITED — UNAUTHORIZED USE ILLEGAL".
CF | They're just a set of prints from the main computer design, of course,
CF | but still extremely informative: to the right engineer, they might
CF | reveal the secret of T-insertion for replication by other companies.
CF | These are what you and Brock were originally contracted to lift from
CF | the island, at a fee in the multiple millions.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove l from plans"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE L FROM PLANS
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an L-remover.
CF |
CF | There is a smell of anise, and the plans turn into some pans. A set of
CF | flat skillets in cast iron: extremely bulky and heavy.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take skillets"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > TAKE SKILLETS
CF |
CF | I can't see what you're talking about.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take pans"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > TAKE PANS
CF |
CF | We take the pans.
CF |
CF | We can't reasonably carry the whole stack of pans, so they fall to the
CF | ground with a dramatic crash.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "well damnit"
Roger says (to floyd), "undo. undo."
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > UNDO. UNDO.
CF |
CF | That noun did not make sense in this context.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Dormitory Room
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Dormitory Room
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "look in locker"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > LOOK IN LOCKER
CF |
CF | In the locker are some pans, a roll, and a letter.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Dormitory Room
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Dormitory Room
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Dormitory Room
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Dormitory Room
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "look in locker"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > LOOK IN LOCKER
CF |
CF | In the locker are a roll, a letter, and some plans.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take roll"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > TAKE ROLL
CF |
CF | We pick up the roll.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take letter"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > TAKE LETTER
CF |
CF | We pick up the letter.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take plans"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > TAKE PLANS
CF |
CF | We get the plans. The plans are rolled up and stuck shut with a label
CF | that reads "PROPERTY OF DENTAL CONSONANTS LIMITED — UNAUTHORIZED USE
CF | ILLEGAL". They're just a set of prints from the main computer design,
CF | of course, but still extremely informative: to the right engineer,
CF | they might reveal the secret of T-insertion for replication by other
CF | companies. These are what you and Brock were originally contracted to
CF | lift from the island, at a fee in the multiple millions.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take clock"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > TAKE CLOCK
CF |
CF | We already have that.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "put gel on pack"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > PUT GEL ON PACK
CF |
CF | We dip out pea-sized quantity of gel and rub it gently onto the heavy
CF | pack. Alas, nothing happens.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "l"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > L
CF |
CF | Dormitory Room
CF | Painted off-white, with hard wood floors under many layers of
CF | protective gloss coating: there are no surfaces in this room that
CF | would take a stain. Four dorm beds are lined up against the wall.
CF |
CF | The locker you identify as your own sits near one of the beds, door
CF | standing open.
CF |
CF | A massively full pack leans against one of the beds. In the heavy pack
CF | are an assortment of very short shorts, a broomstick skirt,
CF | flip-flops, bikini bottoms, various t-shirts, an anorak, a fat
CF | guidebook to Europe, a cheap camera, and a box of tampons.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "I kinda appreciate the smart thing here might be to just try to gel everything all the time, but that feels a bit cheap even to me"
Lancelot says, "cant we put the pans in there"
Roger says, "in the pack? I could try"
Roger says (to floyd), "remove b from box"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE B FROM BOX
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a B-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It has tried to create a "ox of tampons":
CF | evidently "tampons" is too tightly bound to its modifiers and can't be
CF | manipulated separately.
CF |
CF | > DavidW says, "You can turn the pans into a single pan."
Roger says, "oho right"
Lancelot says, "yeah just strip the s"
Roger says (to floyd), "remove l from plans"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE L FROM PLANS
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an L-remover.
CF |
CF | There is a flash of psychedelic colors, and the plans turn into some
CF | pans. A set of flat skillets in cast iron: extremely bulky and heavy.
CF |
CF | We can't reasonably carry the whole stack of pans, so they fall to the
CF | ground with a dramatic crash.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove s from pans"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE S FROM PANS
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an S-remover.
CF |
CF | There is a mint green cloud, and the pans turn into a pan. An
CF | omelet-sized skillet in cast iron.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take pan"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > TAKE PAN
CF |
CF | We pick up the pan.
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu says, "In the same way we could turn our heel into an eel, I think I recall."
Roger says (to floyd), "remove h from heel"
CF ] Dormitory Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE H FROM HEEL
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an H-remover.
CF |
CF | With a distinct whiff of a sort of oily, fishy tang, the heel turns
CF | into an eel. Manifested dead, because out of its proper element, the
CF | eel nonetheless gleams with silver and stripes.
CF |
CF | > DavidW says, "I think there may be a monocle of some sort later in the game that reveals if a thing is modified or not."
Roger says, "hmm"
Roger says (to floyd), "walk to cinema"
CF ] Cinema Lobby, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > WALK TO CINEMA
CF |
CF | We walk among the booths of the fair.
CF |
CF | Cinema Lobby
CF | This is a small, one-screen theater. Evidently the next showing is not
CF | for a little while yet, because there are no patrons in sight.
CF |
CF | "Ticket," says the ticket-taker automatically.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "buy ticket"
CF ] Cinema Lobby, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > BUY TICKET
CF |
CF | (from the ticket-taker)
CF | "I'd like to buy a ticket to this movie," we say.
CF |
CF | The ticket-taker shrugs. "If you give me the money here, I don't
CF | actually have to give you a ticket," he says.
CF |
CF | I think about raising some discussion about why the theater bothers
CF | with a ticketing procedure at all, and whether this will ruin their
CF | accounting about the number of available seats. But you're right that
CF | that would probably make us more memorable than we want to be.
CF |
CF | He accepts a bill, and that's that: we now have movie access.
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu says, "There are quite some neat toys in this world."
Roger says (to floyd), "exits"
CF ] Cinema Lobby, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > EXITS
CF |
CF | There is of course the exit to the south; the screening room itself is
CF | west.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "w"
CF ] Screening Room, noon Goals: 2 Score: 11
CF | >
CF | > W
CF |
CF |
CF | Screening Room
CF | Whatever is scheduled for later showing has not started yet, and is
CF | probably not destined to start for some time; at any rate, the screen
CF | is blank and no audience has yet assembled.
CF |
CF | My backpack is stowed under a seat in the third row from the back. I
CF | figured that it would be undisturbed there for a couple of hours, in
CF | the dark and out of sight, and if anyone found it they would probably
CF | turn it in to Lost and Found. But it is a big relief to find it still
CF | there.
CF |
CF | In the backpack are a flash drive and a monocle.
CF |
CF | We can go north and east to Cinema Lobby from here.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take backpack"
CF ] Screening Room, noon Goals: 1 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > TAKE BACKPACK
CF |
CF | We get the backpack. Mine: a little bit worn, but capacious. It
CF | doesn't have any identifying marks on it, and I thought a brand-new
CF | bag would look more suspicious.
CF |
CF | [Your score has gone up by three points and is now fourteen.]
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu says, "Speakof the monocle."
Roger says (to floyd), "x drive"
CF ] Screening Room, noon Goals: 1 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X DRIVE
CF |
CF | This is it: all my notes; the syllable-and word-generating programs
CF | from which I built my language vocabulary; the lexicon and
CF | pronunciation guide and grammatical descriptions.
CF |
CF | And then there's the research to support the product: citations;
CF | copies of journal articles and scans from books; contact information
CF | for people in the outside world I think could help me.
CF |
CF | It's everything I've been working on for the last three years.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x monocle"
CF ] Screening Room, noon Goals: 1 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X MONOCLE
CF |
CF | This is no mere fashion accessory. It is the very top grade of
CF | authentication scope, designed for people who have to use them all
CF | day, and normally available only to employees of the Bureau of
CF | Orthography. If we look through the monocle at something, we can see
CF | its true nature, regardless of spelling changes.
CF |
CF | You like that? I thought you might be impressed. My father got it for
CF | me. "For research," he said, but I think he knew I just coveted them.
CF | At any rate, you're not the only one with equipment.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "wear monocle"
CF ] Screening Room, noon Goals: 1 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > WEAR MONOCLE
CF |
CF | We open the backpack.
CF |
CF | We take the monocle.
CF |
CF | Everything turns computer-monitor green when viewed through our right
CF | eye. And staring fixedly at anything will turn up its authenticity
CF | status.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "stare at clock"
CF ] Screening Room, noon Goals: 1 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > STARE AT CLOCK
CF |
CF | It appears to be one of those archetypal alarm clocks that crows at
CF | sunrise and generally makes a nuisance of itself. It shows the time to
CF | be about half past ten.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the clock with the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "stare at ale"
CF ] Screening Room, noon Goals: 1 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > STARE AT ALE
CF |
CF | A delicious nutbrown ale in a cool glass.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | ale is a faint, greenish image of an apple.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "stare at pear"
CF ] Screening Room, noon Goals: 1 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > STARE AT PEAR
CF |
CF | Handsome and green.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | pear is a faint, unappetizing image of a pearl.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "put gel on pear"
CF ] Screening Room, noon Goals: 1 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > PUT GEL ON PEAR
CF |
CF | We dip out pea-sized quantity of gel and rub it gently onto the pear.
CF | With an audible SPLORT, the pear becomes a pearl. It is small,
CF | slightly uneven, and pale blue in color. Not worth very much, but
CF | genuine.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "aha"
Roger says (to floyd), "i"
CF ] Screening Room, noon Goals: 1 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > I
CF |
CF | We are carrying the following essentials: your H-remover, a backpack,
CF | a flash drive, a monocle, a roll, a pan (really the smuggled plans in
CF | disguise), and a tub of restoration gel.
CF |
CF | We are also carrying some ale, an arm, a clock, an eel, Guidebook
CF | to Anglophone Atlantis, a letter, and a pearl.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "stare at roll"
CF ] Screening Room, noon Goals: 1 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > STARE AT ROLL
CF |
CF | Some day you will have to tell me a little bit about the tricks of the
CF | trade — how you fenced stuff, you know? Or perhaps you won't tell me.
CF | Maybe it would be better not. At any rate, this money is useful, so I
CF | won't ask too many questions.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the roll with the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "thats a possibility"
Roger says (to floyud), "stare at arm"
Roger says (to floyd), "stare at arm"
CF ] Screening Room, noon Goals: 1 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > STARE AT ARM
CF |
CF | A girl's arm, by the look of it, amputated neatly at the shoulder
CF | joint. The fingernails are painted shell-pink.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | arm is a faint, greenish image of an army.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "stare at eel"
CF ] Screening Room, noon Goals: 1 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > STARE AT EEL
CF |
CF | Manifested dead, because out of its proper element, the eel
CF | nonetheless gleams with silver and stripes.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | eel is a faint, unappetizing image of a wheel.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "stare at letter"
CF ] Screening Room, noon Goals: 1 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > STARE AT LETTER
CF |
CF | It's a letter from your brother, printed off anonymously from an
CF | untraceable email account that you accessed in town. Nothing that
CF | could be followed back to Slango and the yacht.
CF |
CF | Sis,
CF |
CF | I'm keeping your wire transfer funds. I want to try for
CF | Stanford.
CF |
CF | I'd say thank you except that, one, you didn't get it legally (I
CF | saw this documentary about teen prostitutes — if that's where it came
CF | from then EW) and, two, honestly? You owe for what you put us through
CF | after you ran away. Mom and Dad were humiliated that you turned into
CF | the prodigal daughter. Your face got on milk cartons. Pastor Hughes
CF | GAVE A SERMON ABOUT IT.
CF |
CF | Mom spent all that time coaching you through spelling practice,
CF | you know she doesn't enjoy getting up at 4 AM, right? You totally
CF | threw that in their faces.
CF |
CF | If you want to come home sometime, fine, but don't come to just
CF | see me. If you want to see me you have to see Mom and Dad too.
CF |
CF | Nate.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the letter with the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "put all in backpack"
CF ] Screening Room, noon Goals: 1 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > PUT ALL IN BACKPACK
CF |
CF | pearl: Done.
CF | eel: Done.
CF | pan: Done.
CF | letter: Done.
CF | roll: Done.
CF | clock: Done.
CF | tub: Done.
CF | ale: The ale would just spill.
CF | arm: The arm couldn't possibly fit.
CF | Guidebook to Anglophone Atlantis: Done.
CF | H-remover: Done.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "wear backpack"
CF ] Screening Room, noon Goals: 1 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > WEAR BACKPACK
CF |
CF | We put on the backpack.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "goals"
CF ] Screening Room, noon Goals: 1 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > GOALS
CF |
CF | Here's what we think we need to do:
CF | Meet your colleague Slango at Counterfeit Monkey
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "go to monkey"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > GO TO MONKEY
CF |
CF | We make the healthy walk among the crowds over to High Street.
CF | Unfortunately the sidewalks, which were never very wide to start with,
CF | are so blocked by the mass of protesters that it's impossible to get
CF | by. Besides, if we associate with them, we might wind up getting
CF | arrested on minor charges anyway. We need some kind of automotive
CF | transport.
CF |
CF |
CF | High Street
CF | Hustle, bustle, dirt; ugly American chain shops; lots and lots of
CF | people. There seems to be a large organized protest in progress:
CF | protesters completely cram the sidewalk to the southeast.
CF |
CF | The curb is lined with garbage.
CF |
CF | To the west, the street turns into a monumental staircase leading to
CF | the old fortified area; a cross street heads southeast towards the
CF | main roundabout.
CF |
CF | From a loudspeaker nearby comes the electronic sound of simulated
CF | bells ringing the hour after noon. It's later than I thought. We'd
CF | better get a move on.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "hmm"
Lancelot asks, "garbage -> garage?"
Roger says, "We're coming up on 2 hours which is our usual traditional quitting time, but I could push on a bit if people are up for it"
DavidW says, "mmhm"
Roger says (to floyd), "x garbage"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X GARBAGE
CF |
CF | Discarded containers from the assortment of food shops and coffee
CF | stores lining High Street.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the garbage with the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove b from garbage"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE B FROM GARBAGE
CF |
CF | (first taking the H-remover)
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a B-remover.
CF |
CF | There is a distinct spearmint flavor, and the garbage turns into a
CF | garage. It is a small but well-furnished garage for minor tuneups and
CF | repairs. It even comes with a mechanic: a surprising touch, since
CF | letter-removers are usually legally prevented from creating living
CF | persons, but sometimes there are glitches if the people are not
CF | created directly. Alas, however, it doesn't come with a car in
CF | residence.
CF |
CF | In the garage is a mechanic.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | garage is a faint, greenish image of some garbage.
CF |
CF | The mechanic nods at us.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask mechanic about car"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > ASK MECHANIC ABOUT CAR
CF |
CF | What would you like to discuss: 1) where there is an airport or 2)
CF | where there is a garage?
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "the car puzzles"
Roger says (to floyd), "ask mechanic about airport"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > ASK MECHANIC ABOUT AIRPORT
CF |
CF | "I was wondering: do you know where I could find an airport in this
CF | town?"
CF |
CF | (Incidentally, you know, we don't have to go around asking where
CF | everything is like a tourist just off the boat. If you want to go to
CF | some place you've heard of, just say so and I'll handle the navigation
CF | — unless of course you actually want to give the impression of being
CF | a
CF | tourist just off the boat, in which case far be it from me to
CF | criticize your methods.)
CF |
CF | The mechanic just looks confused. These generated people are usually
CF | limited to acting only in one particular sphere of action.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask mechanic about garage"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > ASK MECHANIC ABOUT GARAGE
CF |
CF | "I was wondering: do you know where there's a garage around here?"
CF |
CF | The mechanic just looks confused. These generated people are usually
CF | limited to acting only in one particular sphere of action.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask mechanic for car"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > ASK MECHANIC FOR CAR
CF |
CF | That noun did not make sense in this context.
CF |
CF | > DavidW says, "I think there's a region maybe to the northwest of the fair that got skipped over? If I remember correclty."
Lancelot says (to floyd), "ask mechanic about car"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > ASK MECHANIC ABOUT CAR
CF |
CF | What would you like to discuss: 1) where there is an airport or 2)
CF | where there is a garage?
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "oh sorry we already tried"
Roger says (to floyd), "look up garage"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > LOOK UP GARAGE
CF |
CF | We take Guidebook to Anglophone Atlantis.
CF |
CF | We flip through Guidebook to Anglophone Atlantis, but find no
CF | reference to garage.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "look up airport"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > LOOK UP AIRPORT
CF |
CF | There are no airports on the island that support commercial flights,
CF | though there is a landing strip for corporate jets coming in to the
CF | DCL campus.
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu says, "I think we also missed the location where we would have indeed found a thicket."
Roger says (to floyd), "exits"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > EXITS
CF |
CF | To the west, the street turns into a monumental staircase leading to
CF | the old fortified area; a cross street heads southeast towards the
CF | main roundabout.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "w"
CF ] Monumental Staircase, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > W
CF |
CF | We have an invigorating climb up the Monumental Staircase, with the
CF | view of the sea getting better and better as we go (but of course
CF | looking requires stopping to gaze back over our shoulder).
CF |
CF | Monumental Staircase
CF | Once, the central hillock of the city was a fortified enclave,
CF | protected from the harbor and the peasant town by great walls. Now,
CF | however, the walls are mostly gone, except for a little spur that runs
CF | north from here. The walkways and tower are open to the public.
CF |
CF | Meanwhile a staircase as wide as a street ascends into this town
CF | square, with the fountain playing at the center.
CF |
CF | An enormous blue and orange warning poster covers the wall alongside
CF | the staircase.
CF |
CF | We can go north, south to Heritage Corner, southwest to Fair, east to
CF | High Street, and west from here.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x poster"
CF ] Monumental Staircase, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X POSTER
CF |
CF | "WARNING: Have you seen these dangerous individuals? If so, avoid
CF | contact and report all interactions to the Bureau of Orthography."
CF | Below, there's a picture of several people. One of them is you, before
CF | your face got shuffled with mine. It's funny that when we met, you
CF | mentioned you were a user of illegally modified language-tools, but
CF | you didn't emphasize the grand larceny side so much.
CF |
CF | Not to worry. I won't turn you in. I can hardly afford to, can I?
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the poster with the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove t from poster"
CF ] Monumental Staircase, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE T FROM POSTER
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a T-remover.
CF |
CF | The poster flickers and there is a brief image of a poser in its
CF | place, but a legal override kicks in: a T-remover is hardware-crippled
CF | to prevent generating any living creature.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove r from poster"
CF ] Monumental Staircase, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE R FROM POSTER
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an R-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It is unable to create anything
CF | recognizable called "poste", or perhaps it just doesn't have
CF | sufficient power to handle the poster.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "s"
CF ] Heritage Corner, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > S
CF |
CF |
CF | Heritage Corner
CF | This patch of the town square has been paved over in octagonal bricks
CF | and is commonly used for displays of traditional dancing: over-50
CF | women in home-made embroidered aprons, skipping arm-in-arm and jumping
CF | over broomsticks.
CF |
CF | Under a bit of shelter in the corner, a diorama table shows scenes
CF | from local history, rotated out each week. This week's diorama
CF | represents the first sitting of the Committee for the New Orthodox
CF | Orthography.
CF |
CF | The park continues to the north and west; to the east is the hostel.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Monumental Staircase, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Monumental Staircase
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "n"
CF ] Old City Walls, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > N
CF |
CF |
CF | Old City Walls
CF | Only portions of the old walls still stand, but you can walk along
CF | what remains, as though you were defending the place. They're a meter
CF | and a half wide, made of ashlar blocks. On the vertical faces these
CF | blocks are still rough, but underfoot they have been worn smooth by
CF | the passage of many defenders and (subsequently) tourists. One of the
CF | blocks in the wall has even been defaced, some old inscription gouged
CF | out.
CF |
CF | I used to like to climb around up here when I was a kid. I made
CF | believe— oh, you'll think it's silly.
CF |
CF | Down below in the distance are the docks and the sea, and immediately
CF | east of here is an old hexagonal turret.
CF |
CF | You have a fleeting thought of my youthful pranks.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "memories"
CF ] Old City Walls, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > MEMORIES
CF |
CF | Currently on your mind are making your lock and my youthful pranks.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remember pranks"
CF ] Old City Walls, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > REMEMBER PRANKS
CF |
CF | Oh, I used to play that I was an Atlantean guard defending the
CF | battlements against invading redcoats, armed only with a saber and an,
CF | uh, an o-removing musket. So they turned into red cats, you see. My
CF | mother explained later that letter removal hadn't ever taken the form
CF | of muskets and that I had my chronology wrong. So I do know better.
CF |
CF | And my father gave me an even longer and even less interesting lecture
CF | about how the British colonial government wasn't entirely a bad thing
CF | and how it didn't do to be too gleeful about mentally shooting some
CF | young soldier who probably didn't have a choice about being there.
CF |
CF | Then we're back in the present.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x block"
CF ] Old City Walls, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X BLOCK
CF |
CF | To judge by its different shaping and color, the defaced block is
CF | something borrowed from an older building to make up the new wall:
CF | taken out of a church or a mosque or perhaps even a Roman
CF | fortification in some earlier era of the island.
CF |
CF | It was once inscribed with a message, but whatever it was, the
CF | foreign-language writing has been completely chiseled away so as to be
CF | illegible.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the defaced ashlar block with
CF | the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "hmm"
Lancelot asks, "blocks?"
Roger says (to floyd), "remove k from block"
CF ] Old City Walls, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE K FROM BLOCK
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a K-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It has tried to create a "defaced ashlar
CF | bloc": evidently "block" is too tightly bound to its modifiers and
CF | can't be manipulated separately.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove b from block"
CF ] Old City Walls, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE B FROM BLOCK
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a B-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It has tried to create a "defaced ashlar
CF | lock": evidently "block" is too tightly bound to its modifiers and
CF | can't be manipulated separately.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "read message"
CF ] Old City Walls, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > READ MESSAGE
CF |
CF | I can't see what you're talking about.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "e"
CF ] Old Hexagonal Turret, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > E
CF |
CF |
CF | Old Hexagonal Turret
CF | Up here we stand on the remains of the old fortifications; this turret
CF | offers a view out over the docks, the fish market, and the harbor,
CF | which it was designed to protect.
CF |
CF | A heavy old depluralizing cannon is aimed out to sea.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot asks, "canon?"
Roger says, "It can't do that"
Roger says, "we'd get cao"
DavidW says, "you can't remove just one N"
Lancelot says, "nvm"
Roger says (to floyd), "x cannon"
CF ] Old Hexagonal Turret, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X CANNON
CF |
CF | Like a conventional cannon it has a mounting to allow the users to
CF | turn the gun and change its angle, to hit objects at various ranges.
CF |
CF | It is currently unloaded, of course; but time was when this vast
CF | weapon was employed to reduce entire fleets to a single ship, and a
CF | whole crew of marines to a single man. This tactic was found so
CF | effective that the harbor was never successfully taken.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the depluralizing cannon with
CF | the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "e"
CF ] Old Hexagonal Turret, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > E
CF |
CF | To the east is a harbor. A harbor swarming with small and medium-sized
CF | tourist boats; most of the major shipping comes in via another route.
CF |
CF | That is where we are trying to get to — or rather, get through.
CF |
CF | We can go west to Old City Walls from here.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "w"
CF ] Old City Walls, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > W
CF |
CF |
CF | Old City Walls
CF | Only portions of the old walls still stand, but you can walk along
CF | what remains, as though you were defending the place. They're a meter
CF | and a half wide, made of ashlar blocks. On the vertical faces these
CF | blocks are still rough, but underfoot they have been worn smooth by
CF | the passage of many defenders and (subsequently) tourists. One of the
CF | blocks in the wall has even been defaced, some old inscription gouged
CF | out.
CF |
CF | Down below in the distance are the docks and the sea, and immediately
CF | east of here is an old hexagonal turret.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "d"
CF ] Old City Walls, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > D
CF |
CF | We can't see anything interesting in that direction.
CF |
CF | We can go north, south to Monumental Staircase, east to Old Hexagonal
CF | Turret, and west from here.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "walk to fish market"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > WALK TO FISH MARKET
CF |
CF | We walk back into the crowded area of the fair to High Street.
CF | Unfortunately the sidewalks, which were never very wide to start with,
CF | are so blocked by the mass of protesters that it's impossible to get
CF | by. Besides, if we associate with them, we might wind up getting
CF | arrested on minor charges anyway. We need some kind of automotive
CF | transport.
CF |
CF |
CF | High Street
CF | Hustle, bustle, dirt; ugly American chain shops; lots and lots of
CF | people. There seems to be a large organized protest in progress:
CF | protesters completely cram the sidewalk to the southeast.
CF |
CF | A garage has sprung into being between two high-end boutiques. There
CF | is a mechanic in the garage.
CF |
CF | To the west, the street turns into a monumental staircase leading to
CF | the old fortified area; a cross street heads southeast towards the
CF | main roundabout.
CF |
CF | The mechanic nods at us.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "can we turn that cannon"
Lancelot says, "ah ok"
Roger says (to floyd), "walk to turret"
CF ] Old City Walls, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > WALK TO TURRET
CF |
CF | It's a healthy climb up the Monumental Staircase, with the view of the
CF | sea getting better and better as we go.
CF |
CF | Old City Walls
CF | Only portions of the old walls still stand, but you can walk along
CF | what remains, as though you were defending the place. They're a meter
CF | and a half wide, made of ashlar blocks. On the vertical faces these
CF | blocks are still rough, but underfoot they have been worn smooth by
CF | the passage of many defenders and (subsequently) tourists. One of the
CF | blocks in the wall has even been defaced, some old inscription gouged
CF | out.
CF |
CF | Down below in the distance are the docks and the sea, and immediately
CF | east of here is an old hexagonal turret.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "e"
CF ] Old Hexagonal Turret, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > E
CF |
CF |
CF | Old Hexagonal Turret
CF | Up here we stand on the remains of the old fortifications; this turret
CF | offers a view out over the docks, the fish market, and the harbor,
CF | which it was designed to protect.
CF |
CF | A heavy old depluralizing cannon is aimed out to sea.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "turn cannon"
CF ] Old Hexagonal Turret, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > TURN CANNON
CF |
CF | With considerable effort, we need to point the cannon a little more
CF | towards the open sea. Not that that does any good.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "push cannon"
CF ] Old Hexagonal Turret, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > PUSH CANNON
CF |
CF | With considerable effort, we need to point the cannon a little more
CF | towards the docks. Not that that does any good.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "look in cannon"
CF ] Old Hexagonal Turret, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > LOOK IN CANNON
CF |
CF | There's nothing to see inside the old barrel except perhaps the
CF | faintest traces of a deep purple residue.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x residue"
CF ] Old Hexagonal Turret, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X RESIDUE
CF |
CF | Depluralizing shot is usually a very dark purple near to black, and
CF | some may have scraped off on the inside of the barrel.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the deep purple residue with the
CF | crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take residue"
CF ] Old Hexagonal Turret, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > TAKE RESIDUE
CF |
CF | That seems to be a part of the depluralizing cannon.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "hmm dunno"
Lancelot says, "hmm trying to find words coming from that lol"
Roger says (to floyd), "walk to alley"
CF ] Sigil Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > WALK TO ALLEY
CF |
CF | We have a healthy walk back into the crowded area of the fair.
CF |
CF | Sigil Street
CF | The buildings here are two and three stories, with shops at ground
CF | level and elderly apartments above. The shops are closed for the
CF | holiday: a typographer's office, tourist boutiques of colorful skirts
CF | and ethnic bodices (rarely if ever worn by natives) and t-shirts
CF | covered with font designs.
CF |
CF | The reflective window of the closed shops reflect our synthesized
CF | self.
CF |
CF | A narrow alley runs between buildings to the south, while the street
CF | continues east.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "e"
CF ] Ampersand Bend, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > E
CF |
CF |
CF | Ampersand Bend
CF | A bend in the street, which runs west and north. This district
CF | combines the old and the new: a small museum in an ancient stone
CF | building to the east, a shiny real estate office south. The window of
CF | the museum is currently displaying one of its exhibits, an ode.
CF |
CF | A temporary barrier blocks this empty street from the busy fair to the
CF | north, though it is currently unlocked and anyone could go through.
CF | From here the gaiety and excitement of the holiday are fairly loud.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x ode"
CF ] Ampersand Bend, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X ODE
CF |
CF | A short poem, letter-pressed attractively on a sheet of thick paper.
CF | It is entitled "Our Ancestors, The Immortal Spirits of the Pyramids,"
CF | a fact which disinclines me to study the rest.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | ode is a faint, greenish image of a codex.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "n"
CF ] Fair, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > N
CF |
CF |
CF | Fair
CF | The square at the center of town is crowded with people, and there's
CF | an overpowering smell of artificial butter and spun sugar.
CF |
CF | We are surrounded by kiosks for spell-offs, face-painting, and other
CF | activities best for small children or the very easily amused.
CF |
CF | The Fair continues with a selection of carnival games to the west, and
CF | with open park to the north and east.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "n"
CF ] Park Center, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > N
CF |
CF |
CF | Park Center
CF | This is a handsome expanse of grass, shaped like a rectangle with
CF | rounds cut from the corners, bounded by railings along the north side.
CF | There are no stalls and no barkers here, but small children are
CF | running around an impressive marble fountain.
CF |
CF | I gather from the direction of your thoughts that you dislike small
CF | children, so I'll restrain myself from trying to communicate with
CF | them.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x mountain"
CF ] Park Center, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X MOUNTAIN
CF |
CF | That noun did not make sense in this context.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x founain"
CF ] Park Center, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X FOUNAIN
CF |
CF | That noun did not make sense in this context.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x fountain"
CF ] Park Center, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X FOUNTAIN
CF |
CF | It depicts some horses rising out of the waves, with trident-bearing
CF | gods on their backs, and some nymphs overseeing the whole operation.
CF | Probably 17th-century, to judge by the excessive number of writhing
CF | figures.
CF |
CF | The fountain celebrates — if that's the right word — the conquest
CF | of
CF | this island by the Dutch in 1607, it having been a Spanish possession
CF | for about 140 years before that.
CF |
CF | In spite of this the fountain bears not a word of any foreign
CF | language, the original Latin or vernacular inscriptions having been
CF | long since renovated away.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "sorry, must be getting tired"
DavidW says, "Driving is exhausting."
DavidW says, "I guess there's no coins in the fountain."
Roger says (to floyd), "look in fountain"
CF ] Park Center, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > LOOK IN FOUNTAIN
CF |
CF | The basin is nearly full of clear water, but there are no coins or
CF | other useful articles to be found. This is not a culture that tends to
CF | discard what might be of use.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot asks, "call it a day? someone mentioned a session is normally 2 hours?"
Roger says, "yeah I'm happy enough to wrap things up"
Knight_Otu says (to ClubFloyd), "SAVE"
Knight_Otu says (to ClubFloyd), "cf19"
CF | >
CF | > SAVE
CF | %% Enter a save filename to write:
CF ] Park Center, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | > SAVEOk.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "thanks for playing everyone, and especially our newest clubber, Lancelot! We'll try to get you permanent access."
Knight_Otu says, "Not quite what I meant, but in case we need a save, we have one."
Lancelot says, "much appreciated, this is fun :)"
Knight_Otu says, "Missed this."
*** SESSION 2 ***
Jade says, "ok, we were playing Counterfeit Monkey"
Roger asks, "everyone settled in?"
Roger says (to floyd), "i"
CF ] Park Center, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > I
CF |
CF | We are carrying the following essentials: your B-remover, a backpack,
CF | a flash drive, a monocle, a roll, a pan (really the smuggled plans in
CF | disguise), and a tub of restoration gel.
CF |
CF | We are also carrying some ale, an arm, a clock, an eel, Guidebook
CF | to Anglophone Atlantis, a letter, and a pearl.
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu exclaims, "Bye, Jacq!"
Roger says, "oh yeah we were trying to get a car, among other things"
Roger says (to floyd), "goals"
CF ] Park Center, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > GOALS
CF |
CF | Here's what we think we need to do:
CF | Find transport for getting past the traffic on High Street
CF | Meet your colleague Slango at Counterfeit Monkey
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "bye and thx"
Lancelot says, "oh yeah"
Roger says (to floyd), "l"
CF ] Park Center, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > L
CF |
CF | Park Center
CF | This is a handsome expanse of grass, shaped like a rectangle with
CF | rounds cut from the corners, bounded by railings along the north side.
CF | There are no stalls and no barkers here, but small children are
CF | running around an impressive marble fountain.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "I remember turning the garbare into the garage"
Lancelot says, "garbage"
Roger says, "yep"
Roger says (to floyd), "x fountain"
CF ] Park Center, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X FOUNTAIN
CF |
CF | It depicts some horses rising out of the waves, with trident-bearing
CF | gods on their backs, and some nymphs overseeing the whole operation.
CF | Probably 17th-century, to judge by the excessive number of writhing
CF | figures.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the marble fountain with the
CF | crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "look in fountain"
CF ] Park Center, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > LOOK IN FOUNTAIN
CF |
CF | The basin is nearly full of clear water, but there are no coins or
CF | other useful articles to be found. This is not a culture that tends to
CF | discard what might be of use.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "exits"
CF ] Park Center, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > EXITS
CF |
CF | We can go south to Fair, southeast to Heritage Corner, southwest to
CF | Midway, east to Monumental Staircase, and west from here.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "se"
CF ] Heritage Corner, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > SE
CF |
CF |
CF | Heritage Corner
CF | This patch of the town square has been paved over in octagonal bricks
CF | and is commonly used for displays of traditional dancing: over-50
CF | women in home-made embroidered aprons, skipping arm-in-arm and jumping
CF | over broomsticks.
CF |
CF | Under a bit of shelter in the corner, a diorama table shows scenes
CF | from local history, rotated out each week. This week's diorama
CF | represents the first sitting of the Committee for the New Orthodox
CF | Orthography.
CF |
CF | The park continues to the north and west; to the east is the hostel.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x bricks"
CF ] Heritage Corner, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X BRICKS
CF |
CF | Alternating with square bricks of a slightly darker shade of maroon.
CF | Nothing about this seems remotely significant.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the octagonal bricks with the
CF | crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove b from bricks"
CF ] Heritage Corner, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE B FROM BRICKS
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a B-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It has tried to create a "octagonal
CF | ricks": evidently "bricks" is too tightly bound to its modifiers and
CF | can't be manipulated separately.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "no rickshaw for us"
Roger says (to floyd), "e"
CF ] Hostel, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > E
CF |
CF |
CF | Hostel
CF | I take it this is where you stayed from the time you got to town until
CF | our operation. I would have expected that someone with your
CF | credentials would have been able to afford something better: The Fleur
CF | d'Or, maybe? But maybe you thought this was lower-profile. At least
CF | it's clean and doesn't smell funny.
CF |
CF | The desk attendant is sort of eying us. She is wearing a nose-ring and
CF | a blouse.
CF |
CF | There's a spiral staircase that leads up to the dormitory rooms.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "w"
CF ] Heritage Corner, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > W
CF |
CF |
CF | Heritage Corner
CF | This patch of the town square has been paved over in octagonal bricks
CF | and is commonly used for displays of traditional dancing: over-50
CF | women in home-made embroidered aprons, skipping arm-in-arm and jumping
CF | over broomsticks.
CF |
CF | Under a bit of shelter in the corner, a diorama table shows scenes
CF | from local history, rotated out each week. This week's diorama
CF | represents the first sitting of the Committee for the New Orthodox
CF | Orthography.
CF |
CF | The park continues to the north and west; to the east is the hostel.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x table"
CF ] Heritage Corner, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X TABLE
CF |
CF | The patriotic scene is set against the backdrop of the Bureau's
CF | buildings ca. 1895, where the committee first met, but the historians
CF | have included a bit of the building exterior to show that the meetings
CF | were conducted under army guard. The writing of dictionaries has not
CF | always been bloodless. The army has been removed.
CF |
CF | The members is movable, but the rest of the scenery appears to have
CF | been hot-glued in place.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the diorama table with the
CF | crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x members"
CF ] Heritage Corner, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X MEMBERS
CF |
CF | Mostly men and a few women, sternly dressed and with solemn
CF | expressions.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the members with the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove m from members"
CF ] Heritage Corner, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE M FROM MEMBERS
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an M-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It is unable to create anything
CF | recognizable called "ebers".
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "double m"
Roger says (to floyd), "remove w from women"
CF ] Heritage Corner, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE W FROM WOMEN
CF |
CF | I can't see what you're talking about.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "yeahg"
Roger says (to floyd), "n"
CF ] Monumental Staircase, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > N
CF |
CF |
CF | Monumental Staircase
CF | Once, the central hillock of the city was a fortified enclave,
CF | protected from the harbor and the peasant town by great walls. Now,
CF | however, the walls are mostly gone, except for a little spur that runs
CF | north from here. The walkways and tower are open to the public.
CF |
CF | Meanwhile a staircase as wide as a street descends east from the town
CF | square toward the harbor.
CF |
CF | An enormous blue and orange warning poster covers the wall alongside
CF | the staircase.
CF |
CF | We can go north to Old City Walls, south to Heritage Corner, southwest
CF | to Fair, east to High Street, and west to Park Center from here.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot asks, "we had that problem last week too... can we remove the s?"
Roger says (to floyd), "s"
CF ] Heritage Corner, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > S
CF |
CF |
CF | Heritage Corner
CF | This patch of the town square has been paved over in octagonal bricks
CF | and is commonly used for displays of traditional dancing: over-50
CF | women in home-made embroidered aprons, skipping arm-in-arm and jumping
CF | over broomsticks.
CF |
CF | Under a bit of shelter in the corner, a diorama table shows scenes
CF | from local history, rotated out each week. This week's diorama
CF | represents the first sitting of the Committee for the New Orthodox
CF | Orthography.
CF |
CF | The park continues to the north and west; to the east is the hostel.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove s from members"
CF ] Heritage Corner, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE S FROM MEMBERS
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an S-remover.
CF |
CF | There is a peach cloud, and the members turn into a member. It is a
CF | figure of a member of the Committee to Establish an Orthodox
CF | Orthography. It is plastic, small enough to sit on our palm, and wears
CF | the stiff clothing and conservative hairstyle of about 1895. It looks
CF | slightly cross, as though the member has guessed its work would take
CF | another 15 years to complete.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | member is a faint, greenish image of some members.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "hmmm ok"
Roger says (to floyd), "take member"
CF ] Heritage Corner, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > TAKE MEMBER
CF |
CF | We get the member.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "just trying some options lol"
Roger says, "sure why not"
Roger says (to floyd), "n"
CF ] Monumental Staircase, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > N
CF |
CF |
CF | Monumental Staircase
CF | Once, the central hillock of the city was a fortified enclave,
CF | protected from the harbor and the peasant town by great walls. Now,
CF | however, the walls are mostly gone, except for a little spur that runs
CF | north from here. The walkways and tower are open to the public.
CF |
CF | Meanwhile a staircase as wide as a street descends east from the town
CF | square toward the harbor.
CF |
CF | An enormous blue and orange warning poster covers the wall alongside
CF | the staircase.
CF |
CF | We can go north to Old City Walls, south to Heritage Corner, southwest
CF | to Fair, east to High Street, and west to Park Center from here.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove t from poster"
CF ] Monumental Staircase, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE T FROM POSTER
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a T-remover.
CF |
CF | The poster flickers and there is a brief image of a poser in its
CF | place, but a legal override kicks in: a T-remover is hardware-crippled
CF | to prevent generating any living creature.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "we can remove letters IF the result is a real thing"
Roger says (to floyd), "x walkways"
CF ] Monumental Staircase, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X WALKWAYS
CF |
CF | That noun did not make sense in this context.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "and not alive... we tried the poser thing earlier I think"
Roger says (to floyd), "x tower"
CF ] Monumental Staircase, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X TOWER
CF |
CF | That noun did not make sense in this context.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "n"
CF ] Old City Walls, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > N
CF |
CF |
CF | Old City Walls
CF | Only portions of the old walls still stand, but you can walk along
CF | what remains, as though you were defending the place. They're a meter
CF | and a half wide, made of ashlar blocks. On the vertical faces these
CF | blocks are still rough, but underfoot they have been worn smooth by
CF | the passage of many defenders and (subsequently) tourists. One of the
CF | blocks in the wall has even been defaced, some old inscription gouged
CF | out.
CF |
CF | Down below in the distance are the docks and the sea, and immediately
CF | east of here is an old hexagonal turret.
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu says, "Yeah. Words have power in this world, and there are people who try to extend that power."
Roger says (to floyd), "exits"
CF ] Old City Walls, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > EXITS
CF |
CF | We can go north, south to Monumental Staircase, east to Old Hexagonal
CF | Turret, and west from here.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "so we can remove letters, add letters, and the monocle is some kind of hinting device"
Roger says (to floyd), "n"
CF ] Crumbling Wall Face, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > N
CF |
CF |
CF | Crumbling Wall Face
CF | The wall once continued north from here some distance before curving
CF | northwest around the remainder of the city. So much has crumbled away,
CF | though, that the walkway is impassable north of this point. To protect
CF | citizens, there is a safety railing across the broken edge.
CF |
CF | A metal ladder of four rungs descends the inner face of the wall,
CF | allowing pedestrians access to the streets to the west.
CF |
CF | Among the rubble fill of the wall is an odd spiral-shaped rock.
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu says, "Well, we can't add letters at this point."
Roger says, "oh I think this might be a new location for us"
Lancelot says, "or at least it tells us some of the options... makes me wonder what else we can do with words."
Roger says (to floyd), "x rock"
CF ] Crumbling Wall Face, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X ROCK
CF |
CF | The spiral rock turns out to be a fossil, from one of those sea
CF | creatures long ago.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the fossil with the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "I don't remember this place"
Roger says (to floyd), "remove s from fossil"
CF ] Crumbling Wall Face, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE S FROM FOSSIL
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an S-remover.
CF |
CF | There is a mad-scientist cackle, and the fossil turns into a foil. One
CF | of those long springy swords used for fencing. It has a button at the
CF | tip to prevent harm to one's opponent.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | foil is a faint, greenish image of a fossil.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot asks, "foil?"
Roger says, "yeah, good old foil"
Roger says (to floyd), "take foil"
CF ] Crumbling Wall Face, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > TAKE FOIL
CF |
CF | We pick up the foil.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "that fossil..."
Jade says, "oil"
Roger says, "It could furthermore be oil, I guess, but we'll see"
Roger says (to floyd), "x ladder"
CF ] Crumbling Wall Face, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X LADDER
CF |
CF | The rungs have been bolted individually into the stone.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the metal ladder with the
CF | crosshairs.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "we have unlimited gel"
Roger says, "an adder sounds dangerous, but let's see"
Roger says (to floyd), "remove f from foil"
CF ] Crumbling Wall Face, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE F FROM FOIL
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an F-remover.
CF |
CF | With a distinct whiff of mechanics and the summer time, the foil turns
CF | into some oil. A can of what appears to be motor oil. It is sludgy and
CF | black.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | oil is a faint, greenish image of a fossil.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove l from ladder"
CF ] Crumbling Wall Face, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE L FROM LADDER
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an L-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It has tried to create a "meta adder":
CF | evidently "ladder" is too tightly bound to its modifiers and can't be
CF | manipulated separately.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove t from ladder"
CF ] Crumbling Wall Face, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE T FROM LADDER
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a T-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It has tried to create a "meal ladder":
CF | evidently "ladder" is too tightly bound to its modifiers and can't be
CF | manipulated separately.
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu says, "I never meta adder I liked."
Roger says (to floyd), "climb ladder"
CF ] Webster Court, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > CLIMB LADDER
CF |
CF |
CF | Webster Court
CF | Here below the wall is a broad, plainly-paved court.
CF |
CF | Lending its name to the location is a bronze statue of Noah Webster.
CF | My mother likes to irritate my father by quoting what his
CF | contemporaries called Webster: a "viper", a "maniacal pedant", and
CF | (always a favorite at Reform Day parties) "a toad in the service of
CF | sans-culottism". She makes sure to pronounce that in the most
CF | Parisian accent possible.
CF |
CF | The large building just to the north — yes, the one in pale pink —
CF | is
CF | my parents' home. I think I mentioned that my parents were well off.
CF | My father works for the Bureau, embarrassingly, and my mother was born
CF | into the kind of money that we like to pretend doesn't exist on this
CF | island.
CF |
CF | The streets continue south, east, and west; and just to the northeast
CF | is my parents' side garden.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x webster"
CF ] Webster Court, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X WEBSTER
CF |
CF | It's that hero of spelling reform, and personally responsible for the
CF | island going over to Americanized spellings over the British standard.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the statue of Noah Webster with
CF | the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "n"
CF ] Webster Court, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > N
CF |
CF | Walking into my parents' house is the action perhaps most likely to
CF | get us caught.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ne"
CF ] Patriotic Chard-Garden, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > NE
CF |
CF |
CF | Patriotic Chard-Garden
CF | A narrow strip of land between the house and the edge of my parents'
CF | property. The eastern edge runs right up to the decaying old wall of
CF | the city, which here means some stumpy masonry on this side and a
CF | dizzying drop on the other.
CF |
CF | The rest of their terraces and gardens are fenced off.
CF |
CF | A little chard still grows in the nearest bed, carefully tended to
CF | thrive in this climate.
CF |
CF | Because it's so linguistically productive, chard is something of a
CF | national symbol; and during the world wars, there was a fad of
CF | gardening at home. After the war, it became common for affluent people
CF | with a little bit of land to keep their garden, so that if you were
CF | down on your luck you could glean a few leaves.
CF |
CF | > Roger exclaims, "yay, our car!"
Lancelot says, "addor would not have worked anyway unless its a plastic adder or sth"
Lancelot says, "adder"
Roger says (to floyd), "take chard"
CF ] Patriotic Chard-Garden, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > TAKE CHARD
CF |
CF | We pick the chard, leaving bare soil behind.
CF |
CF | A flicker of curtains from inside the house suggests that someone saw
CF | us — a cleaner, possibly. But then there is a voice, not audible
CF | except as a confident rising and falling tone; this will be my mother,
CF | saying not to worry and not to interfere.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot asks, "chard card car?"
Knight_Otu says, "Yeah."
Roger says, "yeah. Maybe I'll do that back at the garage"
Roger says (to floyd), "exits"
CF ] Patriotic Chard-Garden, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > EXITS
CF |
CF | We can go southwest to Webster Court from here.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "sw"
CF ] Webster Court, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > SW
CF |
CF |
CF | Webster Court
CF | A broad and plainly-paved court, named for the statue of Noah Webster.
CF |
CF | The large, pale pink building north of us is my parents' home.
CF |
CF | The streets continue south, east, and west; and just to the northeast
CF | is my parents' side garden.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x ladder"
CF ] Webster Court, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X LADDER
CF |
CF | That noun did not make sense in this context.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "s"
CF ] Hesychius Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > S
CF |
CF |
CF | Hesychius Street
CF | As the street names make obvious, this part of town was laid out in a
CF | different political age, when it was considered more important to
CF | commemorate linguistic richness than to standardize practices.
CF |
CF | On holidays like today, this street is often host to a farmer's
CF | market; though it is now late enough in the day that most of the
CF | farmers have given up and gone home, taking with them their
CF | twenty-three varieties of pickled olives, their loganberry jam, and
CF | their pigs'-feet-in-aspic.
CF |
CF | One remaining farmer lazes here, watching his stall.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x farmer"
CF ] Hesychius Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X FARMER
CF |
CF | Contrary to your obvious expectations, he is dressed more or less like
CF | anyone else, and is neither wearing quaint overalls nor chewing a
CF | piece of hay.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the farmer with the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove r from farmer"
CF ] Hesychius Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE R FROM FARMER
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an R-remover.
CF |
CF | The farmer flickers and there is a brief image of some fame in his
CF | place — the concept strangely embodied in a physical form — before
CF | the
CF | power gives out.
CF |
CF | "Young lady, you just bought yourself a long, long jail term," says
CF | the farmer. "What, did you think I wouldn't notice what you just tried
CF | to do?"
CF |
CF | I open my mouth to try to talk him out of it, but his thumb has
CF | already hit speed dial. I guess when your profession places you at
CF | this kind of risk, you tend to be ready for trouble.
CF |
CF |
CF |
CF | *** I was expecting more discretion from you ***
CF |
CF |
CF | In that game you scored 14 out of a possible 100, in 151 turns,
CF | earning you the rank of Escapee.
CF |
CF |
CF | Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT, UNDO the last
CF | command, or review the ACHIEVEMENTS you've reached so far?
CF | > Roger says, "oops"
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Hesychius Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Hesychius Street
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "cannot apply this to live subjects"
Jade says, "lol"
Roger says, "could, but shouldn't"
Roger says (to floyd), "x olives"
CF ] Hesychius Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X OLIVES
CF |
CF | That noun did not make sense in this context.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "l"
CF ] Hesychius Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > L
CF |
CF | Hesychius Street
CF | As the street names make obvious, this part of town was laid out in a
CF | different political age, when it was considered more important to
CF | commemorate linguistic richness than to standardize practices.
CF |
CF | On holidays like today, this street is often host to a farmer's
CF | market; though it is now late enough in the day that most of the
CF | farmers have given up and gone home, taking with them their
CF | twenty-three varieties of pickled olives, their loganberry jam, and
CF | their pigs'-feet-in-aspic.
CF |
CF | One remaining farmer lazes here, watching his stall.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x stall"
CF ] Hesychius Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X STALL
CF |
CF | It appears to belong to the farmer. It's made of wood and canvas and
CF | offers a little shade against the harsh sun. Previous customers have
CF | cleared most of it off, but the farmer still has some asparagus, a
CF | lime, and a yam.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the farmer's stall with the
CF | crosshairs.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "no living creatures, by now"
Roger says (to floyd), "ask farmer about asparagus"
CF ] Hesychius Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > ASK FARMER ABOUT ASPARAGUS
CF |
CF | You get the attention of the farmer.
CF |
CF | I'd like to ask what is for sale.
CF |
CF | The farmer thinks for a moment, then apparently decides not to answer.
CF |
CF | We want to ask what is for sale.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask farmer about sale"
CF ] Hesychius Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > ASK FARMER ABOUT SALE
CF |
CF | "What is for sale?" we ask.
CF |
CF | "We have available some asparagus, a lime, and a yam," the farmer
CF | replies.
CF |
CF | We want to recommend other vegetables.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "I would buy anything we can"
Roger says (to floyd), "tell farmer about vegetables"
CF ] Hesychius Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > TELL FARMER ABOUT VEGETABLES
CF |
CF | "Have you ever considered selling radishes?" we ask.
CF |
CF | "Not really," he says.
CF |
CF | "Radicchio?"
CF |
CF | "No."
CF |
CF | "Chicory?" we try. "Cabbage? Carrot? Corn?"
CF |
CF | "Again, no."
CF |
CF | "Radishes?"
CF |
CF | "You already said radishes." He has the faintly martyred expression of
CF | one humoring us; but it doesn't look as though he has much else to do.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "yep might be useful"
Roger says (to floyd), "buy asparagus"
CF ] Hesychius Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > BUY ASPARAGUS
CF |
CF | (from the farmer)
CF | "I'll have the asparagus, please," we say.
CF |
CF | "Sure thing," says the farmer.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "buy lime"
CF ] Hesychius Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > BUY LIME
CF |
CF | (from the farmer)
CF | "I'll have the lime, please," we say.
CF |
CF | "Sure thing," says the farmer.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "buy yam"
CF ] Hesychius Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > BUY YAM
CF |
CF | (from the farmer)
CF | "I'll have the yam, please," we say.
CF |
CF | "Sure thing," says the farmer.
CF |
CF | We could ask what is for sale.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask farmer about sale"
CF ] Hesychius Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > ASK FARMER ABOUT SALE
CF |
CF | "What is for sale?" we ask.
CF |
CF | "Oh, nothing," says the farmer. "But as my mother-in-law is in town, I
CF | thought I would make the most of the market day." He smiles at us.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask farmer about stall"
CF ] Hesychius Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > ASK FARMER ABOUT STALL
CF |
CF | The farmer thinks for a moment, then apparently decides not to answer.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x asparagus"
CF ] Hesychius Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X ASPARAGUS
CF |
CF | It looks particularly tender and pleasant, but I avoid the stuff.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the asparagus with the
CF | crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x lime"
CF ] Hesychius Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X LIME
CF |
CF | A small, wrinkled, intense-looking fruit: it wouldn't give much juice,
CF | but is likely very strong.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the lime with the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x yam"
CF ] Hesychius Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X YAM
CF |
CF | A yam with whitish skin. Some of the dirt of the farm still adheres to
CF | it.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the yam with the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "exits"
CF ] Hesychius Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > EXITS
CF |
CF | We can go north to Webster Court and east to Old City Walls from here.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "we could add letters? lime -> slime not sure if that would help"
Roger says, "if we could, but we can't, at the moment anyway"
Lancelot says, "hmm I need a dictionary"
Jade says, "later"
Roger says (to floyd), "n"
CF ] Webster Court, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > N
CF |
CF |
CF | Webster Court
CF | Hesychius Street opens here into a broad and plainly-paved court,
CF | named for the statue of Noah Webster.
CF |
CF | The large, pale pink building north of us is my parents' home.
CF |
CF | The streets continue south, east, and west; and just to the northeast
CF | is my parents' side garden.
CF |
CF | > Roger waves
Roger says (to floyd), "e"
CF ] Crumbling Wall Face, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > E
CF |
CF |
CF | Crumbling Wall Face
CF | The wall once continued north from here some distance before curving
CF | northwest around the remainder of the city. So much has crumbled away,
CF | though, that the walkway is impassable north of this point. To protect
CF | citizens, there is a safety railing across the broken edge.
CF |
CF | A metal ladder of four rungs descends the inner face of the wall,
CF | allowing pedestrians access to the streets to the west.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "w"
CF ] Webster Court, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > W
CF |
CF |
CF | Webster Court
CF | Here below the wall is a broad, plainly-paved court, named for the
CF | statue of Noah Webster.
CF |
CF | The large, pale pink building north of us is my parents' home.
CF |
CF | The streets continue south, east, and west; and just to the northeast
CF | is my parents' side garden.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "w"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > W
CF |
CF |
CF | Roget Close
CF | A pleasantly sheltered lane in which I learned to ride a bicycle, and
CF | where my friend Lucy used to live, before she and her parents moved
CF | off-island. Restrictions were looser even twenty years ago. Our old
CF | schoolhouse is just west of here.
CF |
CF | If you look just north between the houses, you'll notice also the
CF | footpath down to an almost-private beach. It used to be open, but it's
CF | now gated off, and built into the gate is a chic modern sculpture.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x gate"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X GATE
CF |
CF | A gate of wrought iron bars between two sturdy columns, too close to
CF | climb through and too tall to climb over. Set onto the right-hand
CF | column, next to the gate latch, is a curious sculpture.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the gate with the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x sculpture"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > X SCULPTURE
CF |
CF | The base of the sculpture is a cone about four feet tall. On top of
CF | that is a flat circular pedestal, and there is a mirror that rotates
CF | around the outer circumference. The mirrored surface faces inward, so
CF | that it is sometimes reflecting whatever might be on the pedestal and
CF | sometimes concealing it from view.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the pedestal with the
CF | crosshairs.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "this is a smart puzzle here"
Roger says, "it looks like it"
Jade says, "mirror view"
Roger says (to floyd), "rotate mirror"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > ROTATE MIRROR
CF |
CF | It is fixed in place.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "look in mirror"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > LOOK IN MIRROR
CF |
CF | There is nothing on the pedestal.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "hmm"
Roger says (to floyd), "i"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 14
CF | >
CF | > I
CF |
CF | We are carrying the following essentials: your T-remover, a backpack,
CF | a flash drive, a monocle, a roll, a pan (really the smuggled plans in
CF | disguise), and a tub of restoration gel.
CF |
CF | We are also carrying some ale, an arm, some asparagus, some chard, a
CF | clock, an eel, Guidebook to Anglophone Atlantis, a letter, a
CF | lime, a member, some oil, a pearl, and a yam.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot asks, "if we put something on the pedestal it transforms it?"
Roger says (to floyd), "put yam on pedestal"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > PUT YAM ON PEDESTAL
CF |
CF | We put the yam on the pedestal.
CF |
CF | The mirror rotates in leisurely fashion, and when it is done there is
CF | a May. The gate clicks open.
CF |
CF | [Your score has gone up by one point and is now fifteen.]
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "we want getting the gate open for sure"
Roger says, "I'm glad that worked but I don't know why"
Lancelot says, "ahh turns words around"
Roger says, "maybe it just needed something, anything, valid"
Lancelot says, "clever"
Roger says (to floyd), "x may"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > X MAY
CF |
CF | This is the sheet for the month of May, torn from a calendar. Someone
CF | has put a gold star on the 21st, and "Dinner with the Shaplys" is
CF | penciled onto the 30th.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | May is a faint, greenish image of a yam.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take may"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > TAKE MAY
CF |
CF | We pick up the May.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "i"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > I
CF |
CF | We are carrying the following essentials: your T-remover, a backpack,
CF | a flash drive, a monocle, a roll, a pan (really the smuggled plans in
CF | disguise), and a tub of restoration gel.
CF |
CF | We are also carrying some ale, an arm, some asparagus, some chard, a
CF | clock, an eel, Guidebook to Anglophone Atlantis, a letter, a
CF | lime, a May, a member, some oil, and a pearl.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "put eel on pedestal"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > PUT EEL ON PEDESTAL
CF |
CF | (first taking the eel)
CF |
CF | We put the eel on the pedestal.
CF |
CF | The mirror rotates in leisurely fashion, and when it is done there is
CF | a lee.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x lee"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > X LEE
CF |
CF | It is the sheltered place beside a wall, or under a rock, or in the
CF | shadow of a tree: a place where the sun is not too hot, the rain not
CF | too driving, the wind not too strong.
CF |
CF | On its own, without any wall, rock, or tree, the lee is a
CF | pathetic-looking object, but nonetheless useful.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | lee is a faint, greenish image of a wheel.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "beautiful... now we can also turn words around provided the reverse is valid"
Roger says (to floyd), "take lee"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > TAKE LEE
CF |
CF | We get the lee.
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu says, "Indeed."
Roger says (to floyd), "i"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > I
CF |
CF | We are carrying the following essentials: your T-remover, a backpack,
CF | a flash drive, a monocle, a roll, a pan (really the smuggled plans in
CF | disguise), and a tub of restoration gel.
CF |
CF | We are also carrying some ale, an arm, some asparagus, some chard, a
CF | clock, Guidebook to Anglophone Atlantis, a lee, a letter, a
CF | lime, a May, a member, some oil, and a pearl.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "I suppose that in may there wasn't a gate here"
Jade says, "gel lwg"
Jade says, "* leg"
Roger says (to floyd), "put tub on pedestal"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > PUT TUB ON PEDESTAL
CF |
CF | (first taking the tub)
CF |
CF | We put the tub on the pedestal.
CF |
CF | The mirror revolves for a moment, without effect, though the word
CF | "but" appears in startling green on the mirror's surface.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "lime emil"
Roger says (to floyd), "put gel on pedestal"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > PUT GEL ON PEDESTAL
CF |
CF | Since the pedestal contains the tub, it might be a bad idea to change
CF | its form. We might not be able to get the contents back.
CF |
CF | The mirror revolves for a moment, without changing the tub, though the
CF | word "but" appears in startling green on the mirror's surface.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "I wanna sit in a corner and cry now, such clever puzzles :p"
Roger says (to floyd), "put lime on pedestal"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > PUT LIME ON PEDESTAL
CF |
CF | There is no more room on the pedestal.
CF |
CF | The mirror revolves for a moment, without effect, though the word
CF | "but" appears in startling green on the mirror's surface.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take tub"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > TAKE TUB
CF |
CF | We pick up the tub.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "put lime on pedestal"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > PUT LIME ON PEDESTAL
CF |
CF | We put the lime on the pedestal.
CF |
CF | The mirror revolves for a moment, without changing the lime, though
CF | the word "emil" appears in startling green on the mirror's surface.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take lime"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > TAKE LIME
CF |
CF | We pick up the lime.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "l"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > L
CF |
CF | Roget Close
CF | A pleasantly sheltered lane in which I learned to ride a bicycle, and
CF | where my friend Lucy used to live, before she and her parents moved
CF | off-island. Restrictions were looser even twenty years ago. Our old
CF | schoolhouse is just west of here.
CF |
CF | If you look just north between the houses, you'll notice also the
CF | footpath down to an almost-private beach. It used to be open, but it's
CF | now gated off, and built into the gate is a chic modern sculpture.
CF |
CF | Something makes you think of your crew's skill.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "ah the tub"
Roger says (to floyd), "n"
CF ] Winding Footpath, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > N
CF |
CF | We slip between the houses and down a path that looks as though it
CF | might someone's back yard. No one has ever put up signage to correct
CF | this misapprehension because no one who lives around here is eager to
CF | encourage strangers on the private beach.
CF |
CF | Soon, however, the footpath begins to descend purposefully towards the
CF | level of the ocean.
CF |
CF | Winding Footpath
CF | The footpath winds between the villas, sloping steeply downward. It is
CF | narrow, and bushes left and right conceal it even from the windows of
CF | the people living nearby.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "bushes... buses"
Roger says (to floyd), "x bushes"
CF ] Winding Footpath, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > X BUSHES
CF |
CF | Some variety I'm not familiar with: dark glossy green leaves, thick
CF | stems. In the right season, and I can't even remember what season that
CF | is, they also grow gaudy pink flowers. But not now. Lots of kudzu
CF | grows through and over the bushes — this is one of the few spots on
CF | the island where it hasn't been eradicated, it seems.
CF |
CF | At one point along the path the bushes stick out especially far, as
CF | though there's something behind them.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the bushes with the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove h from bushes"
CF ] Winding Footpath, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE H FROM BUSHES
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an H-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It is unable to create anything
CF | recognizable called "buses", or perhaps it just doesn't have
CF | sufficient power to handle the bushes.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "look behind by bushes"
CF ] Winding Footpath, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > LOOK BEHIND BY BUSHES
CF |
CF | That noun did not make sense in this context.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "look behind bushes"
CF ] Winding Footpath, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > LOOK BEHIND BUSHES
CF |
CF | It's hard to get a good look under the bushes with all this kudzu in
CF | the way.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x kudzu"
CF ] Winding Footpath, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > X KUDZU
CF |
CF | An invasive vine grown through and over the bushes.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the kudzu with the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove e from vine"
CF ] Winding Footpath, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE E FROM VINE
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an E-remover.
CF |
CF | The letter-remover finds no e in the kudzu.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "hmm"
Roger says (to floyd), "remove z from kudzu"
CF ] Winding Footpath, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE Z FROM KUDZU
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a Z-remover.
CF |
CF | The kudzu flickers and there is a brief image of a kudu in its place,
CF | but a legal override kicks in: a Z-remover is hardware-crippled to
CF | prevent generating any living creature.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take kudzu"
CF ] Winding Footpath, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > TAKE KUDZU
CF |
CF | That seems to be a part of the bushes.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "later"
Knight_Otu says, "Huh, in the version I played, I was sure that creating buses worked, but with fatal consequences."
Roger says, "yeah, we'll come back"
Roger says (to floyd), "n"
CF ] Private Beach, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > N
CF |
CF | We continue down until there is a chink of a view of the sea. Then the
CF | path descends through a few last hairpin twists among rocks, and comes
CF | out suddenly on a little beach.
CF |
CF | Private Beach
CF | This is little more than a strip of fine yellow sand, perhaps twenty
CF | meters from side to side, and five from the hillside to the waterline.
CF | A little sage grows on the hillside, escaped from some garden, along
CF | with wilder plants. Above, at the top of that slope, are houses with
CF | balconies overlooking the sea, but from this angle it's impossible to
CF | see much of them, or for them (you'll have to take my word on this) to
CF | see us.
CF |
CF | It's tempting to look for crabs among the rocks, but the tide is high
CF | just now, and even at the best of times this is not an area rich in
CF | sealife.
CF |
CF | Something green and plastic just barely pokes out of the sand.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "buses would ride over us no doubt"
Jade says, "yes, I got splased"
Roger says (to floyd), "x sage"
CF ] Private Beach, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > X SAGE
CF |
CF | Dark green leaves furred with silver prickles.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the sage with the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take sage"
CF ] Private Beach, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > TAKE SAGE
CF |
CF | We get the sage.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "we can make some gas (eventually)"
Roger says, "((maybe))"
Roger says (to floyd), "x plastic"
CF ] Private Beach, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > X PLASTIC
CF |
CF | All that's visible from here is the tip of something green.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "yes"
Roger says (to floyd), "dig"
CF ] Private Beach, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > DIG
CF |
CF | We brush away the sand covering a funnel, left over from some child's
CF | building project.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "good point"
Roger says, "or some fuel! A veritable trove"
Roger says (to floyd), "take funnel"
CF ] Private Beach, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > TAKE FUNNEL
CF |
CF | We pick up the funnel. A gaudy green plastic toy suitable for
CF | funneling water and shaping conical sand-turrets. It's all sandy.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "good catch"
Jade says, "fuel"
Roger says (to floyd), "wash funnel"
CF ] Private Beach, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > WASH FUNNEL
CF |
CF | Washing things in ocean water tends to leave them a bit gritty
CF | afterward, or even stained with rings of dried salt.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "l"
CF ] Private Beach, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > L
CF |
CF | Private Beach
CF | This is little more than a strip of fine yellow sand, perhaps twenty
CF | meters from side to side, and five from the hillside to the waterline.
CF | Above, at the top of that slope, are houses with balconies overlooking
CF | the sea, but from this angle it's impossible to see much of them, or
CF | for them (you'll have to take my word on this) to see us.
CF |
CF | It's tempting to look for crabs among the rocks, but the tide is high
CF | just now, and even at the best of times this is not an area rich in
CF | sealife.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "u"
CF ] Winding Footpath, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > U
CF |
CF |
CF | Winding Footpath
CF | The footpath winds between the villas, sloping steeply downward. It is
CF | narrow, and bushes left and right conceal it even from the windows of
CF | the people living nearby.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "u"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > U
CF |
CF |
CF | Roget Close
CF | A pleasantly sheltered lane in which I learned to ride a bicycle, and
CF | where my friend Lucy used to live, before she and her parents moved
CF | off-island. Restrictions were looser even twenty years ago. Our old
CF | schoolhouse is just west of here.
CF |
CF | If you look just north between the houses, you'll notice also the
CF | footpath down to an almost-private beach. It used to be open, but it's
CF | now gated off, and built into the gate is a chic modern sculpture.
CF |
CF | You have a fleeting thought of your crew's skill.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove e from sage"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE E FROM SAGE
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an E-remover.
CF |
CF | There is a daffodil-yellow cloud, and the sage turns into a sag. The
CF | concept of sag here is represented by a doll-sized house with a
CF | distinct dip in the roof.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | sag is a faint, greenish image of some sage.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "motor oil, fuel..."
Roger says (to floyd), "put sag on pedestal"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > PUT SAG ON PEDESTAL
CF |
CF | We put the sag on the pedestal.
CF |
CF | The mirror rotates in leisurely fashion, and when it is done there is
CF | some gas.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x gas"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > X GAS
CF |
CF | It looks like a generic canister of unleaded gasoline.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | gas is a faint, greenish image of some sage.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take gas"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > TAKE GAS
CF |
CF | We get the gas.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove n from funnel"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE N FROM FUNNEL
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an N-remover.
CF |
CF | With a distinct whiff of volatile fumes, the funnel turns into some
CF | fuel. It looks like a generic canister of unleaded gasoline.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | fuel is a faint, greenish image of a funnel.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "nice it comes with a canister :p"
Roger says (to floyd), "i"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > I
CF |
CF | We are carrying the following essentials: your N-remover, a backpack,
CF | a flash drive, a monocle, a roll, a pan (really the smuggled plans in
CF | disguise), and a tub of restoration gel.
CF |
CF | We are also carrying some ale, an arm, some asparagus, some chard, a
CF | clock, some fuel, some gas, Guidebook to Anglophone Atlantis,
CF | a lee, a letter, a lime, a May, a member, some oil, and a pearl.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "put pan on pedestal"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > PUT PAN ON PEDESTAL
CF |
CF | (first taking the pan)
CF |
CF | We put the pan on the pedestal.
CF |
CF | The mirror rotates in leisurely fashion, and when it is done there is
CF | some nap.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "it is a magic world"
Roger says (to floyd), "x nap"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > X NAP
CF |
CF | It's a wad of fuzz from cloth — similar to lint.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | nap is a faint, greenish image of some plans.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take nap"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > TAKE NAP
CF |
CF | We take the nap.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "exits"
CF ] Roget Close, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > EXITS
CF |
CF | We can go north through the gate to Winding Footpath and east to
CF | Webster Court from here.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "e"
CF ] Webster Court, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > E
CF |
CF | Webster Court
CF | A broad and plainly-paved court, named for the statue of Noah Webster.
CF |
CF | The large, pale pink building north of us is my parents' home.
CF |
CF | The streets continue south, east, and west; and just to the northeast
CF | is my parents' side garden.
CF |
CF | The door to my parents' house opens and my father comes out. He's
CF | talking over his shoulder: "Sorry, dear, but someone has to
CF | be on call."
CF |
CF | My mother answers from inside, but we can't make out what she's
CF | saying.
CF |
CF | "Surge on the grid," Father replies. "Could be an unauthorized
CF | synthesizer, but more likely... yes, exactly. I'll try to be home
CF | before the fireworks."
CF |
CF | He closes the door behind him.
CF |
CF | Hastily I take off our monocle and palm it. Father shouldn't recognize
CF | us in our current body, but wearing expensive Bureau equipment in his
CF | presence would be a terrible idea.
CF |
CF | We put the monocle into the backpack.
CF |
CF | > Jade asks, "need?"
Jade says, "j ne"
Jade says, "oh my God, ne"
Roger says, "hmmm well let's see if we're okay here"
Roger says (to floyd), "e"
CF ] Webster Court, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > E
CF |
CF | Hang on; I want to see where Father goes.
CF |
CF | He sees us from a distance and gives a neighborly wave. "Happy
CF | Punctuating!" he shouts.
CF |
CF | I wave back rather weakly.
CF |
CF | He gets on his small red scooter, checks his helmet, and revs off to
CF | the south. Off, apparently, to investigate the synthesizer that put us
CF | together. That will go slowly because of the holiday, but I'm guessing
CF | there will be Bureau investigators crawling all over the south side of
CF | old town in an hour or two.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "okay; guess we should get on out of here"
Lancelot asks, "hmm this synthesizer thing makes me worry a bit... can we be separated again?"
Lancelot says, "I guess not a problem right now but still."
Roger says, "probably. It implies we could apply enough gel to ourselves"
Roger says (to floyd), "e"
CF ] Crumbling Wall Face, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > E
CF |
CF |
CF | Crumbling Wall Face
CF | The wall once continued north from here some distance before curving
CF | northwest around the remainder of the city. So much has crumbled away,
CF | though, that the walkway is impassable north of this point. To protect
CF | citizens, there is a safety railing across the broken edge.
CF |
CF | A metal ladder of four rungs descends the inner face of the wall,
CF | allowing pedestrians access to the streets to the west.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "go to garage"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > GO TO GARAGE
CF |
CF | It's a brief walk back into the crowded area of the fair.
CF |
CF | High Street
CF | Hustle, bustle, dirt; ugly American chain shops; lots and lots of
CF | people. There seems to be a large organized protest in progress:
CF | protesters completely cram the sidewalk to the southeast.
CF |
CF | A garage has sprung into being between two high-end boutiques. In the
CF | garage is a mechanic.
CF |
CF | To the west, the street turns into a monumental staircase leading to
CF | the old fortified area; a cross street heads southeast towards the
CF | main roundabout.
CF |
CF | The mechanic nods at us.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove h from chard"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE H FROM CHARD
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an H-remover.
CF |
CF | With a distinct whiff of crisp, snappy cardboard, the chard turns into
CF | a card. Not a playing card, as I might have expected, or a calling
CF | card, or even an index card, but a Tarot card, representing the
CF | Chariot. The vehicle is drawn by two prize horses, one black, one
CF | white. The driver appears to be having some difficulty keeping them
CF | together, to judge from the surly expression and the raised whip.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "we will play with synthesizer afterwards"
Roger says (to floyd), "remove d from card"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE D FROM CARD
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a D-remover.
CF |
CF | With a distinct whiff of metal parts and oil, the card turns into a
CF | car. It is little larger than a toy, but that is what you want when
CF | driving on the streets around here. Any substantial vehicle wouldn't
CF | fit down the winding drives.
CF |
CF | Here is how my mother gets around. She takes a 300 Euro Hermès scarf
CF | with an orange border and a pattern of prancing horses. She tosses it
CF | in the air. As it falls, she shoots it twice, like a clay pigeon: once
CF | to take out the F, the second time for the S. And such a car: buttery
CF | leather seats, jaguar lines. If someone asks how she gets such good
CF | results, she jokes that it's because of her quality materials.
CF |
CF | Suffice it to say that we are not similarly blessed.
CF |
CF | The car is far too large for us to carry, and falls onto the ground.
CF |
CF | We want to ask why the car does not run.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "cool the chariot... a fitting image lol"
Roger says (to floyd), "ask mechanic about car"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 3 Score: 15
CF | >
CF | > ASK MECHANIC ABOUT CAR
CF |
CF | "There appears to be something wrong with my car," you tell the
CF | mechanic.
CF |
CF | He has the somewhat cow-like expression of all fake people, but he
CF | nods gravely and has a look. "It hasn't been maintained," he says, on
CF | inspection. "You got any motor oil?"
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "garage"
Roger says (to floyd), "give oil to mechanic"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 18
CF | >
CF | > GIVE OIL TO MECHANIC
CF |
CF | "Will this work?" We hold out the oil.
CF |
CF | "Should do," he says. Rolling up his sleeves, he goes to work on the
CF | car. There is no small amount of banging and muttering, but finally he
CF | stands back and announces that he believes it is now in working
CF | condition.
CF |
CF | I'm inclined to thank the mechanic.
CF |
CF | [Your score has gone up by three points and is now eighteen.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask mechanic about car"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 18
CF | >
CF | > ASK MECHANIC ABOUT CAR
CF |
CF | "Thank you, that was a great help," we say.
CF |
CF | He nods.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "enter car"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 18
CF | >
CF | > ENTER CAR
CF |
CF | We open the car door: perhaps unsurprisingly, it comes without an
CF | effective lock system.
CF |
CF | We get into the car.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "start car"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 18
CF | >
CF | > START CAR
CF |
CF | We switch on the ignition and the car comes to life. Smelly,
CF | trembling, putt-putting life, but still, not bad for something we
CF | conjured out of a vegetable picked outside my parents' place.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "go to counterfeit monkey"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 3 Score: 18
CF | >
CF | > GO TO COUNTERFEIT MONKEY
CF |
CF | The extremely primitive dial in front of us is pointing all the way to
CF | the left. I think that's its way of saying it's out of fuel. At any
CF | rate, the engine won't start.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "out"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 3 Score: 18
CF | >
CF | > OUT
CF |
CF | We switch the ignition off.
CF |
CF | We climb out of the car.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "show fuel to mechanic"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 3 Score: 18
CF | >
CF | > SHOW FUEL TO MECHANIC
CF |
CF | We draw the mechanic's attention to the fuel.
CF |
CF | "Hm."
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "put fuel in car"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 21
CF | >
CF | > PUT FUEL IN CAR
CF |
CF | I deeply fear automotive maintenance, but I can (just) manage to pour
CF | in the fuel... and I think that's done it.
CF |
CF | That isn't available.
CF |
CF | [Your score has gone up by three points and is now
CF | twenty-one.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "enter car"
CF ] High Street, early afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 21
CF | >
CF | > ENTER CAR
CF |
CF | We get into the car.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "go to counterfeit monkey"
CF ] Fish Market, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > GO TO COUNTERFEIT MONKEY
CF |
CF | We drive as far as Deep Street. Then we try to nab several parking
CF | spots before finally managing to be more assertive than the other
CF | drivers.
CF |
CF |
CF | Fish Market
CF | Not very fishy at the moment, in fact: all the real trade happens in
CF | the early morning; then there is a period of tourist trade when the
CF | seafood sale tails off and most of the purchases are of polished conch
CF | shells and starfish; and then a little after noon the area clears out
CF | completely, leaving only briny rivulets on the concrete.
CF |
CF | A tall, stern woman is standing in the middle of the market. She wears
CF | the black caped uniform of an Authenticator, and a monocle just like
CF | mine. And I don't think I want her to see us.
CF |
CF | Just east of here is a rusting corrugated tin building, which was
CF | built to house various possessions of the fishermen.
CF |
CF | [Your score has gone up by five points and is now
CF | twenty-six.]
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "woo"
Knight_Otu says, "There we drive."
Roger says (to floyd), "e"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > E
CF |
CF | While the Authenticator's back is turned, we slip inside...
CF |
CF | Tin Hut
CF | Most of the light in here comes from circular windows punched into the
CF | tin walls just under the ceiling. From the inside, the building looks
CF | both larger and more sound than it appears from outside: there are
CF | plenty of sturdy struts supporting the roof and keeping the walls
CF | upright.
CF |
CF | Various tarpaulin-covered masses fill the room.
CF |
CF | A trap door is set in the floor.
CF |
CF | Sometimes smugglers and forgers have been known to stash things in
CF | here, since the building is close to the docks but rarely attracts the
CF | interest of customs officials.
CF |
CF | Ominous sounds come through the windows, but we're at the wrong angle
CF | to see out.
CF |
CF | > Jade exclaims, "26 points!"
Roger says, "a richness"
Roger says (to floyd), "look under tarp"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > LOOK UNDER TARP
CF |
CF | Lifting the edges of the nearest tarps confirms what we already
CF | suspected: they are various tables, stalls, awnings, etc. belonging to
CF | the fish market.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take tarp"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > TAKE TARP
CF |
CF | It all looks fairly heavy, but not useful. Also, and I realize this
CF | weighs more with me than with you, I think the people who own it might
CF | mind the loss.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "trap"
Roger says (to floyd), "remove p from tarp"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE P FROM TARP
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a P-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It has tried to create a "taraulin-covered
CF | masses": evidently "masses" are too tightly bound to their modifiers
CF | and can't be manipulated separately.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove m from tarp"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE M FROM TARP
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an M-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It has tried to create a
CF | "tarpaulin-covered asses": evidently "masses" are too tightly bound to
CF | their modifiers and can't be manipulated separately.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "boooo"
Roger says (to floyd), "x door"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > X DOOR
CF |
CF | It is a wooden door set into the floor. The hinging mechanism is
CF | designed to keep the door closed if possible, perhaps as a safety
CF | feature so that people won't fall into an open hole.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "lol"
Roger says (to floyd), "open door"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > OPEN DOOR
CF |
CF | We open the trap door.
CF |
CF | The trap-door makes a creaking noise and slams shut again. They must
CF | prop it open when they use it.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "multipart are difficult"
Roger says (to floyd), "remove t from door"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE T FROM DOOR
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a T-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It has tried to create a "rap door":
CF | evidently "door" is too tightly bound to its modifiers and can't be
CF | manipulated separately.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove r from door"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE R FROM DOOR
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an R-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It has tried to create a "tap doo":
CF | evidently "door" is too tightly bound to its modifiers and can't be
CF | manipulated separately.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "hmm"
Roger says (to floyd), "i"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > I
CF |
CF | We are carrying the following essentials: your R-remover, a backpack,
CF | a flash drive, a monocle, a roll, some nap (really the smuggled plans
CF | in disguise), and a tub of restoration gel.
CF |
CF | We are also carrying some ale, an arm, some asparagus, a clock, some
CF | gas, Guidebook to Anglophone Atlantis, a lee, a letter, a
CF | lime, a May, a member, and a pearl.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot asks, "so we can never get rid of letters in composite phrases, right?"
Roger says (to floyd), "look in backpack"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > LOOK IN BACKPACK
CF |
CF | In the backpack are a monocle, a clock, a roll, a letter, a pearl, and
CF | a flash drive.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take monocle"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > TAKE MONOCLE
CF |
CF | We take the monocle.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "wear monocle"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > WEAR MONOCLE
CF |
CF | Everything turns computer-monitor green when viewed through our right
CF | eye. And staring fixedly at anything will turn up its authenticity
CF | status.
CF |
CF | More racket comes in through the windows.
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu says, "I think there are some exceptions."
Jade says, "it is more difficult"
Roger says (to floyd), "x tarp"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > X TARP
CF |
CF | From the shapes visible under the blue plastic, it appears that they
CF | are probably tables and stalls, buckets, signs, and other necessary
CF | features of the fish market when sales are in progress. There's a
CF | flattish area we could probably scramble onto.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the tarpaulin-covered masses
CF | with the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x door"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > X DOOR
CF |
CF | It is a wooden door set into the floor. The hinging mechanism is
CF | designed to keep the door closed if possible, perhaps as a safety
CF | feature so that people won't fall into an open hole.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the trap door with the
CF | crosshairs.
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu says, "The mo(u)rning dress for example."
Lancelot says, "oh yeah right I totally forgot about that one"
Roger says (to floyd), "climb tarp"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > CLIMB TARP
CF |
CF | We identify the sturdiest-looking part of the construction and clamber
CF | onto it.
CF |
CF | More racket comes in through the windows.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "l"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > L
CF |
CF | Tin Hut (on the tarpaulin-covered masses)
CF | Most of the light in here comes from circular windows punched into the
CF | tin walls just under the ceiling. From the inside, the building looks
CF | both larger and more sound than it appears from outside: there are
CF | plenty of sturdy struts supporting the roof and keeping the walls
CF | upright.
CF |
CF | A trap door is set in the floor.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "look through window"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > LOOK THROUGH WINDOW
CF |
CF | We put an eye to one of the windows. The Authenticator is still in
CF | sight. Two assistants are in the middle of arresting a man for selling
CF | germ-based gems, but she is ignoring this play and looking for
CF | something or someone else.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x strut"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > X STRUT
CF |
CF | The struts form a dull but sturdy lattice of metal, supporting the
CF | corrugated metal roof and walls.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the struts with the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x door"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > X DOOR
CF |
CF | It is a wooden door set into the floor. The hinging mechanism is
CF | designed to keep the door closed if possible, perhaps as a safety
CF | feature so that people won't fall into an open hole.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the trap door with the
CF | crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x hinge"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > X HINGE
CF |
CF | It is a wooden door set into the floor. The hinging mechanism is
CF | designed to keep the door closed if possible, perhaps as a safety
CF | feature so that people won't fall into an open hole.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the trap door with the
CF | crosshairs.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "hmmm not thinking of anything clever"
Roger says (to floyd), "put backpack under door"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > PUT BACKPACK UNDER DOOR
CF |
CF | I can't see what you're talking about.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "put backpack in door"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > PUT BACKPACK IN DOOR
CF |
CF | That can't contain things.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "enter door"
CF | >
CF | > ENTER DOOR
CF |
CF | We open the trap door.
CF |
CF | We get off the tarpaulin-covered masses.
CF |
CF | Tin Hut
CF | Most of the light in here comes from circular windows punched into the
CF | tin walls just under the ceiling. From the inside, the building looks
CF | both larger and more sound than it appears from outside: there are
CF | plenty of sturdy struts supporting the roof and keeping the walls
CF | upright.
CF |
CF | Crawlspace
CF | An awkward, low, concrete-lined crawlspace beneath the tin hut. It
CF | smells somewhat like animals; in spite of this it clearly gets a bit
CF | more use than anyone would like the customs officials to know about.
CF |
CF | The only significant thing down here is a crate.
CF |
CF | The trap-door makes a creaking noise and slams shut again. I DO NOT
CF | LIKE being in the dark in a confined space with potential rats. Sorry,
CF | I'm getting us out of here. You can come back later. Roger says, "oh! hunh."
Roger says (to floyd), "l"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | I'm getting us out of here. You can come back later.
CF | We open the trap door.
CF |
CF | Tin Hut
CF | Most of the light in here comes from circular windows punched into the
CF | tin walls just under the ceiling. From the inside, the building looks
CF | both larger and more sound than it appears from outside: there are
CF | plenty of sturdy struts supporting the roof and keeping the walls
CF | upright.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "; aww"
Jade says, "amazing"
Lancelot says, "aww oops"
Roger says (to floyd), "i"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > I
CF |
CF | We are carrying the following essentials: your R-remover, a backpack,
CF | a flash drive, a monocle, a roll, some nap (really the smuggled plans
CF | in disguise), and a tub of restoration gel.
CF |
CF | We are also carrying some ale, an arm, some asparagus, a clock, some
CF | gas, Guidebook to Anglophone Atlantis, a lee, a letter, a
CF | lime, a May, a member, and a pearl.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove m from lime"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE M FROM LIME
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an M-remover.
CF |
CF | The lime flickers and there is a brief image of a lie in its place —
CF | the concept strangely embodied in a physical form — before the power
CF | gives out. I guess your device there just isn't tuned to reify
CF | abstracts.
CF |
CF | The trap-door makes a creaking noise and slams shut again.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "oh hmm."
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Tin Hut
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "push door"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > PUSH DOOR
CF |
CF | It is fixed in place.
CF |
CF | The trap-door makes a creaking noise and slams shut again.
CF |
CF | More racket comes in through the windows.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Tin Hut
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "d"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > D
CF |
CF | Let's wait to explore down there until we can make sure the trap door
CF | won't slam on us.
CF |
CF | The trap-door makes a creaking noise and slams shut again.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Tin Hut
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "put arm in door"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > PUT ARM IN DOOR
CF |
CF | We prop the trap door open with the arm.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "huzzah"
Roger says (to floyd), "d" Knight_Otu exclaims, "Yay!"
CF ] Crawlspace, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > D
CF |
CF |
CF | Crawlspace
CF | An awkward, low, concrete-lined crawlspace beneath the tin hut. It
CF | smells somewhat like animals; in spite of this it clearly gets a bit
CF | more use than anyone would like the customs officials to know about.
CF |
CF | The trap door, wedged open by an arm, admits the only light.
CF |
CF | The only significant thing down here is a crate.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "thanks for giving us a hand"
Jade says, "well done"
Roger says (to floyd), "x crate"
CF ] Crawlspace, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > X CRATE
CF |
CF | We see nothing special about the crate.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the crate with the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "look in crate"
CF ] Crawlspace, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > LOOK IN CRATE
CF |
CF | We can't see inside, since the crate is closed.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "open crate"
CF ] Crawlspace, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > OPEN CRATE
CF |
CF | We open the crate, revealing a watch, a band, and a single discarded
CF | leaflet.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x watch"
CF ] Crawlspace, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > X WATCH
CF |
CF | An (apparently) valuable watch with diamonds set in the face.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | watch is a faint, greenish image of a swatch.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take watch"
CF ] Crawlspace, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > TAKE WATCH
CF |
CF | We get the watch.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x band"
CF ] Crawlspace, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > X BAND
CF |
CF | A paper strip used to keep printed materials together before
CF | distribution.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the band with the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take band"
CF ] Crawlspace, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > TAKE BAND
CF |
CF | We take the band.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x leaflet"
CF ] Crawlspace, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > X LEAFLET
CF |
CF | It's a subversive tract attacking the state's line on punishing people
CF | with inanimate status. It quotes the official state justification
CF | (from the days when they bothered to justify it at all) as follows:
CF |
CF | There are those who argue that it is just as inhumane to make a
CF | man inanimate as to kill him. And indeed it is a form of execution, in
CF | that the man is wiped out and some other thing replaces him.
CF | Execution, that is, in every detail but one: it is reversible. Many
CF | men have been executed in error, going innocent to the electric chair
CF | or the noose, and once dead they can never be retrieved.
CF |
CF | The personality of a man made inanimate, however, stays behind in
CF | the changed object, ready to be retrieved should new evidence come to
CF | light; and until that date he is harmless to society, and costs almost
CF | nothing to store (as compared to the costs of prison guardianship and
CF | maintenance).
CF |
CF | It follows up by discussing the problems with this argument: the
CF | tendency of objects to "fade" over time so that their original form is
CF | completely lost; the fact that an inanimate object can hardly direct
CF | its own appeal proceedings; the strong words against this kind of
CF | punishment in the Geneva Conventions.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the leaflet with the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "hmm"
Roger says (to floyd), "take leaflet"
CF ] Crawlspace, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > TAKE LEAFLET
CF |
CF | We take the leaflet.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove c from crate"
CF ] Crawlspace, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE C FROM CRATE
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a C-remover.
CF |
CF | The crate flickers and there is a brief image of a rate in its place
CF | —
CF | the concept strangely embodied in a physical form — before the power
CF | gives out. I guess your device there just isn't tuned to reify
CF | abstracts.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove r from crate"
CF ] Crawlspace, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE R FROM CRATE
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an R-remover.
CF |
CF | There is a mad-scientist cackle, and the crate turns into a cate.
CF | Rarely found in the singular, a cate is something delicious: it comes
CF | from the same roots as "caterer". At any rate, this lovely little
CF | confection, with its layers of shiny-smooth chocolate and sliced
CF | strawberry and rum-soaked cake, its chocolate-shaving frills and piped
CF | cream, could have come from the best Paris confiserie.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | cate is a faint, unappetizing image of a crate.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "a new one to me"
Roger says (to floyd), "take cate"
CF ] Crawlspace, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > TAKE CATE
CF |
CF | We get the cate.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "l"
CF ] Crawlspace, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > L
CF |
CF | Crawlspace
CF | An awkward, low, concrete-lined crawlspace beneath the tin hut. It
CF | smells somewhat like animals; in spite of this it clearly gets a bit
CF | more use than anyone would like the customs officials to know about.
CF |
CF | The trap door, wedged open by an arm, admits the only light.
CF |
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "me too"
Roger says (to floyd), "exits"
CF ] Crawlspace, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > EXITS
CF |
CF | We can go up through the trap door to Tin Hut from here.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "u"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > U
CF |
CF |
CF | Tin Hut
CF | Most of the light in here comes from circular windows punched into the
CF | tin walls just under the ceiling. From the inside, the building looks
CF | both larger and more sound than it appears from outside: there are
CF | plenty of sturdy struts supporting the roof and keeping the walls
CF | upright.
CF |
CF | Various tarpaulin-covered masses fill the room.
CF |
CF | A trap door is set in the floor, propped by an arm.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "I guess this game only works for native English speakers... some of these words I have never heard of."
Roger says (to floyd), "take arm"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > TAKE ARM
CF |
CF | We pick up the arm.
CF |
CF | The trap-door makes a creaking noise and slams shut again.
CF |
CF | More racket comes in through the windows.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "put gel on watch"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > PUT GEL ON WATCH
CF |
CF | We dip out pea-sized quantity of gel and rub it gently onto the watch.
CF | With an audible SPLORT, the watch becomes a swatch. A worthless strip
CF | of cloth in a tartan print, a few inches wide and maybe a foot and a
CF | half long.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x watch"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > X WATCH
CF |
CF | That noun did not make sense in this context.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x swatch"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > X SWATCH
CF |
CF | A worthless strip of cloth in a tartan print, a few inches wide and
CF | maybe a foot and a half long.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the swatch with the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove d from band"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE D FROM BAND
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a D-remover.
CF |
CF | The band flickers and there is a brief image of a ban in its place —
CF | the concept strangely embodied in a physical form — before the power
CF | gives out. I guess your device there just isn't tuned to reify
CF | abstracts.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove n from band"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE N FROM BAND
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an N-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It is unable to create anything
CF | recognizable called "bad".
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove b from band"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE B FROM BAND
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a B-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It is unable to create anything
CF | recognizable called "and".
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "dna oh wait"
Lancelot says, "nvm"
Jade says, "nop"
Roger says (to floyd), "take arm"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > TAKE ARM
CF |
CF | We already have that.
CF |
CF | More racket comes in through the windows.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "out"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > OUT
CF |
CF | But we aren't in anything at the moment.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "exits"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > EXITS
CF |
CF | We can go west to Fish Market and down through the trap door (closed)
CF | to Crawlspace from here.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "w"
CF ] Fish Market, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > W
CF |
CF | I don't think there's anything showing that should get us into
CF | trouble. Timidly I open the door; the Authenticator has her back to
CF | us. We slip out. She makes one more turn in place — monocled gaze
CF | sliding across us without stopping — and then she strides away to the
CF | north.
CF |
CF | Fish Market
CF | Not very fishy at the moment, in fact: all the real trade happens in
CF | the early morning; then there is a period of tourist trade when the
CF | seafood sale tails off and most of the purchases are of polished conch
CF | shells and starfish; and then a little after noon the area clears out
CF | completely, leaving only briny rivulets on the concrete.
CF |
CF | Just east of here is a rusting corrugated tin building, which was
CF | built to house various possessions of the fishermen.
CF |
CF | We can go north, south, southeast, and east to Tin Hut from here.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "take racket"
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Tin Hut
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take racket"
CF ] Tin Hut, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > TAKE RACKET
CF |
CF | I can't see what you're talking about.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "w"
CF ] Fish Market, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > W
CF |
CF | I don't think there's anything showing that should get us into
CF | trouble. Timidly I open the door; the Authenticator has her back to
CF | us. We slip out. She makes one more turn in place — monocled gaze
CF | sliding across us without stopping — and then she strides away to the
CF | north.
CF |
CF | Fish Market
CF | Not very fishy at the moment, in fact: all the real trade happens in
CF | the early morning; then there is a period of tourist trade when the
CF | seafood sale tails off and most of the purchases are of polished conch
CF | shells and starfish; and then a little after noon the area clears out
CF | completely, leaving only briny rivulets on the concrete.
CF |
CF | Just east of here is a rusting corrugated tin building, which was
CF | built to house various possessions of the fishermen.
CF |
CF | We can go north, south, southeast, and east to Tin Hut from here.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "n"
CF ] Docks, early afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > N
CF |
CF |
CF | Docks
CF | Here are some dozens of boats tied up: some of them are small to
CF | medium-sized fishing craft, some tourist boats for trips around the
CF | island, some merely ferries to the deeper harbor where the cruise
CF | ships anchor.
CF |
CF | To the east, up a moderate rise from the sea-level docks, is the
CF | imposing exterior of the Customs House. The classical look is only a
CF | little undermined by the public-service posters along the front. There
CF | passports are inspected and cargo passed under authentication, foreign
CF | items renamed or confiscated, and suspected smugglers interrogated.
CF |
CF | Immediately west, a sign advertises a pub called the Counterfeit
CF | Monkey.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "w"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > W
CF |
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | It takes a minute for us to adjust to the light in here. Built when
CF | people were a bit shorter and ceilings were a bit lower, the
CF | Counterfeit Monkey is always smoky and never well lit, even in the
CF | middle of the day.
CF |
CF | ...and... Slango is not here.
CF |
CF | This is bad. Even I can see this is bad. What happened to your
CF | confidence in your team? Where are the guys who are supposed to get us
CF | out of here?
CF |
CF | Something must have gone wrong.
CF |
CF | "Help you?" asks Parker the barman unenthusiastically.
CF |
CF | I'm inclined to ask whether he has seen Slango.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask parker about slango"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > ASK PARKER ABOUT SLANGO
CF |
CF | "I wonder whether you've seen an associate of mine," we say to Parker.
CF | "Name of Slango."
CF |
CF | Parker looks over the bar at us. "He comes in here from time to time,"
CF | he says. "Very regular customer. Always has about three rum and
CF | cokes."
CF |
CF | This is a lie, and therefore a test. Slango doesn't drink alcohol
CF | himself and doesn't permit drunkenness in his crew.
CF |
CF | My response would be to challenge Parker about the rum.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "tell parker about rum"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > TELL PARKER ABOUT RUM
CF |
CF | "Must be a different Slango," we say. "Mine is more of a root beer
CF | man. Thanks anyway though."
CF |
CF | "Oh, that Slango," Parker says, thoughtfully moving the
CF | Origin Paste sitting on the bar. "He's been around town the last
CF | couple of days, but not today. If you know his lady friend, you might
CF | try her."
CF |
CF | Lady friend? This can only mean Lena, she being the only female native
CF | with whom Slango spends much time socially. But you wouldn't have
CF | guessed that she'd advanced to the status of lady friend.
CF | Either way, Lena is a rather odd woman who keeps a used bookstore off
CF | Deep Street.
CF |
CF | We could ask whether we can have the origin paste.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x paste"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > X PASTE
CF |
CF | A cake of pale purple: it is able to disguise letter-reformed objects
CF | so that they don't look like obvious frauds, or even show up under
CF | authentication.
CF |
CF | The only problem with it is the distinctive smell.
CF |
CF | The Origin Paste is powerful stuff, and worth a good bit of money.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask parker about paste"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > ASK PARKER ABOUT PASTE
CF |
CF | "That Origin Paste for sale?"
CF |
CF | "Well now," he says, grinning, "that would surely be illegal, would it
CF | not? Origin Paste is after all a controlled substance in this country,
CF | due to its unhappy association with fraudulent activities. On the
CF | other hand there is no law against someone winning the Origin
CF | Paste in a completely legitimate game of chance or skill."
CF |
CF | We could ask how one might go about winning.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask parker about winning"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > ASK PARKER ABOUT WINNING
CF |
CF | "Explain this game as though I have no idea what you're talking
CF | about," you say, leaning on the bar in an interested fashion. Are you
CF | flirting with Parker? No? Okay. Good to know.
CF |
CF | "It's a designated challenge game," says Parker. You've seen this
CF | played before, but he explains the rules anyway.
CF |
CF | "There are two contestants, one challenger and one defender.
CF |
CF | "The challenger chooses any object he likes and shows it to the
CF | moderator ahead of time.
CF |
CF | "The defender, without seeing the object, stipulates a general
CF | category. The challenger has five minutes to turn his designated
CF | object into an item that fits the defender's category, or he forfeits
CF | his ante."
CF |
CF | I'd like to play the game.
CF |
CF | You are reminded of past experience playing games.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "memories"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > MEMORIES
CF |
CF | Currently on your mind are making your lock, my youthful pranks, your
CF | crew's skill, and past experience playing games.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remember playing games"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > REMEMBER PLAYING GAMES
CF |
CF | The three of you were watching the contest at Counterfeit Monkey. This
CF | time the prize was a bottle of Dove Wing Absinthe, and the latest
CF | contestant was trying to letter-remove her way to an object the size
CF | of a pebble.
CF |
CF | Slango lifted his root beer. "These guys are in a rut. It's all 'make
CF | a liquid' and size-based challenges. I want to see some demanding
CF | categories. Strawberry-scented. Paisley. Pachyderm-themed."
CF |
CF | You shrugged. "People L-remove tiles," you said. "You can get a
CF | letter-made tie any color you want."
CF |
CF | "Import Category 5," Brock said. "Now that would be a strong challenge
CF | category." Under Atlantean customs law, Import Category 5 means things
CF | that are edible, but not fruits or vegetables — everything from drugs
CF | to chicken breasts. "Clear, but it rules out a lot of overly
CF | productive agriculture words."
CF |
CF | Then we're back in the present.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "this might tax our skills. I'm calling a 5 minute break"
Lancelot says, "good idea"
Knight_Otu says, "Sure."
Jade says, "ok"
Roger says, "okay back"
Roger says (to floyd), "ask parker to play" Lancelot says, "roger :p"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > ASK PARKER TO PLAY
CF |
CF | That noun did not make sense in this context.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask parker to play game"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > ASK PARKER TO PLAY GAME
CF |
CF | That noun did not make sense in this context.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask parker about playing"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > ASK PARKER ABOUT PLAYING
CF |
CF | The barman thinks for a moment, then apparently decides not to answer.
CF |
CF | "What do you think? You up for a try at the Origin Paste?"
CF |
CF | I'd like to play the game.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "tell parker yes"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > TELL PARKER YES
CF |
CF | That noun did not make sense in this context.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "say yes"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > SAY YES
CF |
CF | That noun did not make sense in this context.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "play game"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > PLAY GAME
CF |
CF | "I'd like to play for the Origin Paste," we say.
CF |
CF | "Excellent. Oh, I did mention the small matter of the entry fee?"
CF |
CF | I get out the roll of bills and he peels off two twenties.
CF |
CF | "Thank you. Now, you pick your entry article, and I'll ask one of
CF | these good gentlemen to suggest a defense category."
CF |
CF | > Lancelot asks, "is this a menu system or sth getting in the way?"
Lancelot says, "oh ok"
Roger says, "hmmm. I kinda want to pick asparagus"
Lancelot says, "lol"
Jade exclaims, "oh!"
Roger says (to floyd), "pick asparagus"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > PICK ASPARAGUS
CF |
CF | You'll have to specify what you want to click with.
CF |
CF | There's a brief pause.
CF |
CF | "Just pick something you've got on you and show it to me to establish
CF | your bet."
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "show asparagus to parker"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > SHOW ASPARAGUS TO PARKER
CF |
CF | "Right," says the barman. "The asparagus it is."
CF |
CF | He turns towards the group assembled around the dartboard. "Anyone
CF | want to defend against this character?" (with a nod at you).
CF |
CF | "Something smaller than a pebble!" suggests a woman in the front row.
CF | She passes forward her own ante to the bar, and the game is on.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "well... fudge"
Roger says (to clubflo), "undo"
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "show pearl to parker"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > SHOW PEARL TO PARKER
CF |
CF | "Right," says the barman. "The pearl it is."
CF |
CF | He turns towards the group assembled around the dartboard. "Anyone
CF | want to defend against this character?" (with a nod at you).
CF |
CF | "A liquid," says a gruff man. ("You always say liquid!" complains one
CF | of the others. "It's his favorite thing!" says a third.) But the ante
CF | is submitted and the challenge set.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "earl grey tea anyone oh nvm"
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "i"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > I
CF |
CF | We are carrying the following essentials: your B-remover, a backpack,
CF | a flash drive, a monocle, a roll, some nap (really the smuggled plans
CF | in disguise), and a tub of restoration gel.
CF |
CF | We are also carrying some ale, an arm, some asparagus, a band, a cate,
CF | a clock, some gas, Guidebook to Anglophone Atlantis, a
CF | leaflet, a lee, a letter, a lime, a May, a member, a pearl, and a
CF | swatch.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x ale"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > X ALE
CF |
CF | A delicious nutbrown ale in a cool glass.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | ale is a faint, greenish image of an apple.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "maybe I misunderstand things but if we start out with an apple, and they ask for a liquid..."
Roger says, "yeah; worth trying"
Roger says (to floyd), "put gel on ale"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > PUT GEL ON ALE
CF |
CF | We just touch a coated fingertip of gel to the ale. With an audible
CF | SPLORT, the ale becomes an apple.
CF |
CF | There's a brief pause.
CF |
CF | "Have you picked a wager object yet?"
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "show apple to parker"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > SHOW APPLE TO PARKER
CF |
CF | "Right," says the barman. "The apple it is."
CF |
CF | He turns towards the group assembled around the dartboard. "Anyone
CF | want to defend against this character?" (with a nod at you).
CF |
CF | "Something smaller than a pebble!" suggests a woman in the front row.
CF | She passes forward her own ante to the bar, and the game is on.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "maybe"
Lancelot says, "argh"
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "well it was worth a try"
Jade says, "Apple leads to ale"
Roger says, "okay so I guess we want something that we feel confident about making either a liquid or a small thing"
Roger says (to floyd), "i"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > I
CF |
CF | We are carrying the following essentials: your B-remover, a backpack,
CF | a flash drive, a monocle, a roll, some nap (really the smuggled plans
CF | in disguise), and a tub of restoration gel.
CF |
CF | We are also carrying an apple, an arm, some asparagus, a band, a cate,
CF | a clock, some gas, Guidebook to Anglophone Atlantis, a
CF | leaflet, a lee, a letter, a lime, a May, a member, a pearl, and a
CF | swatch.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "possibly we should come back later"
Roger says, "unless anyone has a good idea or wants to try something"
Jade says, "an apple makes ale"
Roger says (to floyd), "show apple to parker"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > SHOW APPLE TO PARKER
CF |
CF | "Right," says the barman. "The apple it is."
CF |
CF | He turns towards the group assembled around the dartboard. "Anyone
CF | want to defend against this character?" (with a nod at you).
CF |
CF | "Something smaller than a pebble!" suggests a woman in the front row.
CF | She passes forward her own ante to the bar, and the game is on.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot asks, "yep but if they dont pick liquid... is it random?"
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu says, "I think it is random."
Roger says, "I wouldn't expect Emily to leave something like this to chance, but perhaps"
Lancelot says, "I would not expect it to be random, so I guess it depends on the item"
Lancelot says, "if it would be random then the apple would win"
Roger says, "I'll try coming back later"
Roger says (to floyd), "out"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > OUT
CF |
CF | But we aren't in anything at the moment.
CF |
CF | There's a brief pause.
CF |
CF | The barman waits for you to show him your wager object.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "e"
CF | >
CF | > E
CF |
CF | We've got an ante down for this game and our time isn't up yet. Do we
CF | really want to leave? >>
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF | really want to leave? >>
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Please answer yes or no.>
Roger says (to floyd), "no"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | Please answer yes or no.>
CF | > NO
CF |
CF | That seems sensible to me too.
CF |
CF | There's a brief pause. The barman waits for you to show him your wager
CF | object.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "w"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > W
CF |
CF | There's no door in that direction.
CF |
CF | We can go east to Docks from here.
CF |
CF | There's a brief pause. The barman waits for you to show him your wager
CF | object.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | > Lancelot asks, "can we undo until before we started the game?"
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "e"
CF | >
CF | > E
CF |
CF | We've got an ante down for this game and our time isn't up yet. Do we
CF | really want to leave? >>
Roger says (to floyd), "no"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | really want to leave? >>
CF | > NO
CF |
CF | That seems sensible to me too.
CF |
CF | There's a brief pause.
CF |
CF | "Have you picked a wager object yet?"
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "no"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > NO
CF |
CF | That was a rhetorical question.
CF |
CF | There's a brief pause. The barman waits for you to show him your wager
CF | object.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "well fudge"
Roger says (to floyd), "i"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > I
CF |
CF | We are carrying the following essentials: your B-remover, a backpack,
CF | a flash drive, a monocle, a roll, some nap (really the smuggled plans
CF | in disguise), and a tub of restoration gel.
CF |
CF | We are also carrying some ale, an arm, some asparagus, a band, a cate,
CF | a clock, some gas, Guidebook to Anglophone Atlantis, a
CF | leaflet, a lee, a letter, a lime, a May, a member, a pearl, and a
CF | swatch.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "clock turns into lock"
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | 'Undo' failed. [Not all interpreters provide it.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "l"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > L
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | Infamously this pub was raided in 1929, the year that the Bureau
CF | developed its first meager attempt at an Authentication Scope, and
CF | dozens of smugglers and fraudulent businessmen went to jail. But
CF | neither that raid nor subsequent scrutiny has ever shut the place down
CF | entirely. Built when people were a bit shorter and ceilings were a bit
CF | lower, the Counterfeit Monkey is always smoky and never well lit, even
CF | in the middle of the day.
CF |
CF | The clientele are currently engaged in a game of darts, while the
CF | barman watches and practices a sarcastic wit on those who embarrass
CF | themselves. There is also a quantity of Origin Paste sitting out on
CF | the bar.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "e"
CF ] Docks, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > E
CF |
CF |
CF | Docks
CF | Here are some dozens of boats tied up: some of them are small to
CF | medium-sized fishing craft, some tourist boats for trips around the
CF | island, some merely ferries to the deeper harbor where the cruise
CF | ships anchor.
CF |
CF | To the east, up a moderate rise from the sea-level docks, is the
CF | imposing exterior of the Customs House. The classical look is only a
CF | little undermined by the public-service posters along the front.
CF |
CF | Immediately west, the Counterfeit Monkey's sign sways in the wind.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "too bad we do not have fuel that was another option"
Roger says, "whew"
Roger says, "I'll get our progress back"
Roger says (to floyd), "w"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > W
CF |
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | Built when people were a bit shorter and ceilings were a bit lower,
CF | the Counterfeit Monkey is always smoky and never well lit, even in the
CF | middle of the day.
CF |
CF | The clientele are currently engaged in a game of darts, while the
CF | barman watches and practices a sarcastic wit on those who embarrass
CF | themselves. There is also a quantity of Origin Paste sitting out on
CF | the bar.
CF |
CF | Parker acknowledges our return with a nod.
CF |
CF | We could play the game.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "e"
CF ] Docks, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > E
CF |
CF |
CF | Docks
CF | Here are some dozens of boats tied up: some of them are small to
CF | medium-sized fishing craft, some tourist boats for trips around the
CF | island, some merely ferries to the deeper harbor where the cruise
CF | ships anchor.
CF |
CF | To the east, up a moderate rise from the sea-level docks, is the
CF | imposing exterior of the Customs House. The classical look is only a
CF | little undermined by the public-service posters along the front.
CF |
CF | Immediately west, the Counterfeit Monkey's sign sways in the wind.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "oh I guess we're fine"
Roger says (to floyd), "e"
CF ] Customs House, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > E
CF |
CF |
CF | Customs House
CF | This one building handles both people entering Atlantis by sea and
CF | those leaving, so there is an entry line (which feeds out into the
CF | city by the door we used) and an exit line (which snakes through from
CF | here to the point where boats and ferries board their passengers).
CF |
CF | There is a long line of people waiting to leave Atlantis, even on
CF | Serial Comma Day.
CF |
CF | An old war-time poster on the wall shows Atlantida striding boldly
CF | forward.
CF |
CF | No one is paying any attention to us yet, but I wouldn't
CF | advise spending much time here.
CF |
CF | A new lane opens up at the front, speeding up the line a little.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x poster"
CF ] Customs House, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > X POSTER
CF |
CF | The poster is huge, almost as tall as we are, and covers most of a
CF | wall. Atlantida, dressed in blue, walks towards the viewer from a bold
CF | sunrise background. The legend reads THE SPIRIT OF OUR PEOPLE.
CF |
CF | It was part of a propaganda campaign to get the Atlanteans to think of
CF | Atlantis as inherently invulnerable, on the off-chance that the belief
CF | would create the reality.
CF |
CF | And we never were invaded, for whatever that's worth, though the Axis
CF | would certainly have found the island a useful base.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the old war-time poster with the
CF | crosshairs.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "hmmm I guess eventually we may need to escape through here, but not yet"
Roger says (to floyd), "w"
CF ] Docks, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > W
CF |
CF |
CF | Docks
CF | Here are some dozens of boats tied up: some of them are small to
CF | medium-sized fishing craft, some tourist boats for trips around the
CF | island, some merely ferries to the deeper harbor where the cruise
CF | ships anchor.
CF |
CF | To the east, up a moderate rise from the sea-level docks, is the
CF | imposing exterior of the Customs House. The classical look is only a
CF | little undermined by the public-service posters along the front.
CF |
CF | Immediately west, the Counterfeit Monkey's sign sways in the wind.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "exits"
CF ] Docks, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > EXITS
CF |
CF | We can go south to Fish Market, east to Customs House, and west to
CF | Counterfeit Monkey from here.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "s"
CF ] Fish Market, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > S
CF |
CF |
CF | Fish Market
CF | Not very fishy at the moment, in fact: all the real trade happens in
CF | the early morning; then there is a period of tourist trade when the
CF | seafood sale tails off and most of the purchases are of polished conch
CF | shells and starfish; and then a little after noon the area clears out
CF | completely, leaving only briny rivulets on the concrete.
CF |
CF | Just east of here is a rusting corrugated tin building, which was
CF | built to house various possessions of the fishermen.
CF |
CF | We can go north to Docks, south, southeast, and east to Tin Hut from
CF | here.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "s"
CF ] Outdoor Café, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > S
CF |
CF |
CF | Outdoor Café
CF | From this slightly raised terrace, tourists have a view of the
CF | activity in the market and out over the docks.
CF |
CF | Curiously, there's an acquaintance of yours here: Nexami Engeo is at
CF | one of the round black metal tables. He's a musician, the front man of
CF | engeo. Your gang helped him out with some customs issues because of
CF | his unusual name.
CF |
CF | Nexami nods to us. "Watch out. That table next to you has something
CF | sticky spilled on it." And indeed there is a spill. You were about to
CF | lean on it nonchalantly.
CF |
CF | I'd like to say thanks for pointing out spill or ask what he is
CF | doing in Atlantis.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "say thanks"
CF ] Outdoor Café, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > SAY THANKS
CF |
CF | "Hey, thanks."
CF |
CF | He makes a you're-welcome gesture and goes back to contemplating the
CF | sea view.
CF |
CF | I'd like to ask what he is doing in Atlantis.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask engeo what he is doing"
CF ] Outdoor Café, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > ASK ENGEO WHAT HE IS DOING
CF |
CF | "So, what are you doing in Atlantis?"
CF |
CF | "Doing a show tonight," he says. "Up on the City Walls." This is only
CF | partly a lie: you know that his main business in town is some sort of
CF | computer science contract, and that it's largely cover that his band
CF | is playing in the Serial Comma Day festivities.
CF |
CF | Nexami stands up and mutters something. I have a little trouble with
CF | his Scottish accent — we don't get a lot of that around here, for
CF | obvious reasons — but you interpret it as him saying he'd better go
CF | pay up.
CF |
CF | He heads into the interior of the café.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x spill"
CF ] Outdoor Café, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > X SPILL
CF |
CF | It looks like a quantity of red wine, just waiting to stain some
CF | vulnerable bit of clothing.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the spill with the crosshairs.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "oho this might be it"
Roger says (to floyd), "remove s from spill"
CF ] Outdoor Café, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE S FROM SPILL
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an S-remover.
CF |
CF | There is a mint green cloud, and the spill turns into a pill. It is
CF | small, round, and blue. There are no brand or generic markings to
CF | indicate what it might do.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | pill is a faint, unappetizing image of a spill.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take pill"
CF ] Outdoor Café, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > TAKE PILL
CF |
CF | We take the pill.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "l"
CF ] Outdoor Café, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > L
CF |
CF | Outdoor Café
CF | From this slightly raised terrace, tourists have a view of the
CF | activity in the market and out over the docks. The street is east, the
CF | Fish Market north.
CF |
CF | Several round black metal tables have been set out, with umbrellas.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "enter"
CF ] Outdoor Café, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > ENTER
CF |
CF | We get onto the wire chair.
CF |
CF | Several round black metal tables have been set out, with umbrellas.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x chair"
CF ] Outdoor Café, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > X CHAIR
CF |
CF | It is an ordinary inexpensive variety of chair, made locally and found
CF | around the island in great numbers.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the wire chair with the
CF | crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove c from chair"
CF ] Outdoor Café, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE C FROM CHAIR
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a C-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It has tried to create a "wire hair":
CF | evidently "chair" is too tightly bound to its modifiers and can't be
CF | manipulated separately.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "hair"
Roger says, "perhaps not"
Lancelot says, "aww"
Roger says (to floyd), "remove w from chair"
CF ] Outdoor Café, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE W FROM CHAIR
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a W-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It has tried to create a "ire chair":
CF | evidently "chair" is too tightly bound to its modifiers and can't be
CF | manipulated separately.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "e"
CF ] Deep Street, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > E
CF |
CF | We get off the wire chair.
CF |
CF | Outdoor Café
CF | From this slightly raised terrace, tourists have a view of the
CF | activity in the market and out over the docks. The street is east, the
CF | Fish Market north.
CF |
CF | Several round black metal tables have been set out, with umbrellas.
CF |
CF | Deep Street
CF | This road descends steeply from southwest to northwest, passing
CF | between white concrete buildings to provide access to the marina —
CF | the
CF | Fish Market, the Docks, and a bar or two. The street is in deep
CF | shadow, protected from sunlight from almost any angle by its
CF | narrowness and by the height of the walls.
CF |
CF | The Aquarium Bookstore is to the east. It is an esoteric bookstore
CF | (and purveyor of other things), but one whose owner has helped you in
CF | the past. That would be Lena, the woman that we need to talk to about
CF | Slango.
CF |
CF | Our car is parked nearby.
CF |
CF | We can go northwest to Fish Market, southwest, east, and west to
CF | Outdoor Café from here.
CF |
CF | You have a fleeting thought of your crew's attitude to Atlantis law.
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu says, "Wire hair does sound uncomfortable."
Lancelot says, "sounds like a murder weapon"
Lancelot says, "ah the bookstore"
Roger says (to floyd), "e"
CF ] Aquarium Bookstore, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > E
CF |
CF |
CF | Aquarium Bookstore
CF | The shop takes its name from the collection of fish mounted on every
CF | wall: swordfish, bass, other things I don't recognize. Underneath
CF | these dubious tokens, the walls are covered with bookshelves, and
CF | there are stacks of books on the floor where the shelves have proven
CF | insufficient.
CF |
CF | The merchandise consists mainly, but not exclusively, of books, and
CF | the selection caters to odd tastes. You once picked up in here a book
CF | about a man who R-removed a wrench, and then had his way with it. You
CF | and Brock had a good time with that one for the next month and a half.
CF |
CF | Lena is present, all right. In fact she watches us keenly the instant
CF | we come into the shop. Lena is an associate of Slango's. You hadn't
CF | realized that had crossed over into a romance. Slango has never, ever
CF | in your recollection dated anyone. And now this.
CF |
CF | "Happy Serial Comma Day," she says.
CF |
CF | I'd like to ask whether she has seen Slango or say who we
CF | are.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "tell lena who we are"
CF ] Aquarium Bookstore, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > TELL LENA WHO WE ARE
CF |
CF | "Lena, it's Andra. And company. Maybe Slango mentioned that I was
CF | auditioning a new silent partner."
CF |
CF | "I don't know what you're talking about," she says. "But since you're
CF | here, whoever you are, I wonder whether you'd like to have a look at
CF | some merchandise of mine that could use a spruce."
CF |
CF | Aha. She wants us to prove our identity; probably has contraband that
CF | needs concealing, and wants us to do the deed as proof of
CF | trustworthiness.
CF |
CF | There's a brief pause.
CF |
CF | Lena goes off into a corner and rummages among the suspicious piles of
CF | books, and uncovers a box. "C'mere," she says; and obediently I wander
CF | over to that area of the store, which incidentally happens to be
CF | tucked away and half-hidden by shelves.
CF |
CF | "See here," she says. "See what you can do with it, eh?"
CF |
CF | I'd like to ask whether she has seen Slango.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x box"
CF ] Aquarium Bookstore, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > X BOX
CF |
CF | It's just a cardboard box in which some items of interest have been
CF | stored.
CF |
CF | In the contraband box are some modems and some preamps.
CF |
CF | Lena apparently wants our help getting them into a less identifiable
CF | format.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove m from modems"
CF ] Aquarium Bookstore, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE M FROM MODEMS
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an M-remover.
CF |
CF | With a distinct whiff of old book, the modems turn into some odes. A
CF | slender volume of poetry, bound between red covers. It looks
CF | completely harmless and is written in English.
CF |
CF | The blurb on the back describes it as a "collection of meditations" on
CF | Atlantis' imaginary roots, which is to say, a lot of stuff about
CF | magic-wielding Phoenicians, Knights Templar, refugees from the Tower
CF | of Babel, space aliens, cabalistic mysticism, and Lully's
CF | combinatorics.
CF |
CF | It fits in perfectly with the rest of Lena's selection. Really amazing
CF | work. I've seen other people who were able to do impressive things
CF | with local field distortions — think hard enough and you can
CF | prejudice
CF | the outcome of a linguistic transition.
CF |
CF | But this... this is detail work like I haven't seen. My hat is off.
CF |
CF | Or would be if I were wearing a hat and taking it off didn't mean
CF | making you take it off too.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | odes is a faint, greenish image of some modems.
CF |
CF | Lena touches the binding appreciatively. "You've even got that little
CF | bit of creasing in the spine that makes it look used," she says. "This
CF | is perfect. Only risk is customers wanting to buy it. I've got a
CF | couple this would be right up their alley."
CF |
CF | We want to ask whether she has seen Slango.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove p from preamps"
CF ] Aquarium Bookstore, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE P FROM PREAMPS
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a P-remover.
CF |
CF | There is a distinct spearmint flavor, and the preamps turn into some
CF | reams. Since each ream is 500 sheets of paper, and there are many
CF | reams here, the collection is unhelpfully bulky.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | reams is a faint, greenish image of some preamps.
CF |
CF | Lena considers the heap of reams contemplatively. "That's
CF | inconvenient, isn't it," she says. "And I have a book store, not an
CF | office supply shop."
CF |
CF | I'd like to ask whether she has seen Slango, calm Lena, or tease
CF | Lena about selling office supplies.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove e from reams"
CF ] Aquarium Bookstore, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE E FROM REAMS
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an E-remover.
CF |
CF | The reams flickers and there is a brief image of some rams in their
CF | place, but a legal override kicks in: an E-remover is
CF | hardware-crippled to prevent generating any living creature.
CF |
CF | "You don't have a depluralizer, do you?" Lena asks. "No, I suppose
CF | not. But it would be better if there weren't so many of these reams."
CF |
CF | We could ask whether she has seen Slango, calm Lena, or tease Lena
CF | about selling office supplies.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove s from reams"
CF ] Aquarium Bookstore, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE S FROM REAMS
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an S-remover.
CF |
CF | There is a smell of anise, and the reams turn into a ream. One ream,
CF | which is to say 500 sheets, of generic printer or copier paper, in
CF | white-white.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | ream is a faint, greenish image of some preamps.
CF |
CF | "That works. Kind of thing I might have around for printing invoices
CF | on. I was a little afraid there you were going to go for a ram just to
CF | spite me. Don't know where I'd put one of those around here."
CF |
CF | We could ask whether she has seen Slango.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "PERISH the very thought"
Roger says (to floyd), "remove b from box"
CF ] Aquarium Bookstore, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE B FROM BOX
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have a B-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It has tried to create a "contraand ox":
CF | evidently "box" is too tightly bound to its modifiers and can't be
CF | manipulated separately.
CF |
CF | "Nice monocle, by the way! You do have all the good toys. Suppose it
CF | means you can check your work and see whether you've really got enough
CF | paste on things."
CF |
CF | We could ask whether she has seen Slango.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask lena about slango"
CF ] Aquarium Bookstore, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > ASK LENA ABOUT SLANGO
CF |
CF | "You wouldn't happen to have seen Slango about recently?" we ask.
CF |
CF | "Slango?" she asks blankly, for all the world as though she'd had a
CF | lobotomy. "Is that a board game?"
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "hrm I thought that was enough proving ourselves"
Roger says (to floyd), "ask lena about slango"
CF ] Aquarium Bookstore, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > ASK LENA ABOUT SLANGO
CF |
CF | "I'm still curious about Slango. Seen him?"
CF |
CF | "Maybe a Slango is a kind of juice drink?" she suggests.
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu says, "We'll need that paste to make the objects seem real."
Roger says, "oh right! Good thinking"
Roger says (to floyd), "go to counterfeit monkey"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > GO TO COUNTERFEIT MONKEY
CF |
CF | We have a short walk through the marina district.
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | Built when people were a bit shorter and ceilings were a bit lower,
CF | the Counterfeit Monkey is always smoky and never well lit, even in the
CF | middle of the day.
CF |
CF | The clientele are currently engaged in a game of darts, while the
CF | barman watches and practices a sarcastic wit on those who embarrass
CF | themselves. There is also a quantity of Origin Paste sitting out on
CF | the bar.
CF |
CF | Parker acknowledges our return with a nod.
CF |
CF | I'd like to play the game.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "play game"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > PLAY GAME
CF |
CF | "I'd like to play for the Origin Paste," we say.
CF |
CF | "Excellent. Oh, I did mention the small matter of the entry fee?"
CF |
CF | I get out the roll of bills and he peels off two twenties.
CF |
CF | "Thank you. Now, you pick your entry article, and I'll ask one of
CF | these good gentlemen to suggest a defense category."
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "show pill to parker"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 26
CF | >
CF | > SHOW PILL TO PARKER
CF |
CF | "Right," says the barman. "The pill it is."
CF |
CF | He turns towards the group assembled around the dartboard. "Anyone
CF | want to defend against this character?" (with a nod at you).
CF |
CF | "A liquid," says a gruff man. ("You always say liquid!" complains one
CF | of the others. "It's his favorite thing!" says a third.) But the ante
CF | is submitted and the challenge set.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "yes, with the paste objects seems to be real"
Roger says (to floyd), "put gel on pill"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 29
CF | >
CF | > PUT GEL ON PILL
CF |
CF | We dip out fingertip-coating quantity of gel and rub it gently onto
CF | the pill. With an audible SPLORT, the pill becomes a spill.
CF |
CF | The spill drips through our fingers onto the ground.
CF |
CF | "A winner!" says the barman, straightening up. "What do you know? The
CF | Origin Paste is all yours, darling."
CF |
CF | This produces a squawk of surprise and irritation from the defendant,
CF | and you get the impression that this game has been agreeably fleecing
CF | tourists all day. Pity you had to come along and spoil it.
CF |
CF | We could ask whether he has any other games going.
CF |
CF | [Your score has gone up by three points and is now
CF | twenty-nine.]
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "yay"
Knight_Otu says, "Now we got it."
Roger says (to floyd), "take paste"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 29
CF | >
CF | > TAKE PASTE
CF |
CF | We get the Origin Paste.
CF |
CF | I'd like to ask whether he has any other games going.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "well done"
Roger says (to floyd), "ask parker about other games"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 29
CF | >
CF | > ASK PARKER ABOUT OTHER GAMES
CF |
CF | "So, is there anything else I can win? Any other games going?"
CF |
CF | Parker laughs. "Not until tomorrow, kid," he says. "We only run one
CF | game a day."
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "go to bookstore"
CF ] Aquarium Bookstore, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 29
CF | >
CF | > GO TO BOOKSTORE
CF |
CF | We walk through the marina district.
CF |
CF | Aquarium Bookstore
CF | The shop takes its name from the collection of fish mounted on every
CF | wall: swordfish, bass, other things I don't recognize. Underneath
CF | these dubious tokens, the walls are covered with bookshelves, and
CF | there are stacks of books on the floor where the shelves have proven
CF | insufficient.
CF |
CF | The merchandise consists mainly, but not exclusively, of books, and
CF | the selection caters to odd tastes.
CF |
CF | Lena hovers, unwilling to let us look around ungoverned. At her feet
CF | is a contraband box containing a ream and some odes. Lena is wearing a
CF | long patchwork skirt and some leather sandals.
CF |
CF | "Greetings," she says.
CF |
CF | "Glad to see you've got plenty of origin paste," Lena remarks. "It's
CF | such a useful thing to have. Smells so nice."
CF |
CF | My response would be to quip about paste.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "quip about paste"
CF ] Aquarium Bookstore, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 29
CF | >
CF | > QUIP ABOUT PASTE
CF |
CF | "Makes a great facial scrub," you say. "I slather the stuff on."
CF |
CF | "Well, honey, all I can say is, you look so real." Someone comes up to
CF | the front door of the shop. Lena goes over, wrenches the door open,
CF | and leans out. "We're closed!" she shouts. "It's #&@%ing Serial Comma
CF | Day!"
CF |
CF | The door slams behind her and she comes back over. "What those need
CF | now is just a touch of paste to obscure the odes to the authentication
CF | scopes, and they will be ready," she says.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "put paste on odes"
CF ] Aquarium Bookstore, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 29
CF | >
CF | > PUT PASTE ON ODES
CF |
CF | We smear some of the Origin Paste onto the odes. Nothing obvious
CF | happens, of course, but that is the whole point.
CF |
CF | "Excellent," Lena mutters under her breath.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "put paste on ream"
CF ] Aquarium Bookstore, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 29
CF | >
CF | > PUT PASTE ON REAM
CF |
CF | We smear some of the Origin Paste onto the ream. Nothing obvious
CF | happens, of course, but that is the whole point.
CF |
CF | "Perfect," Lena says, regarding her contraband possessions with
CF | satisfaction. "Welcome back, Andra and Guest."
CF |
CF | My response would be to ask whether she has seen Slango.
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "it might have taken me a while to figure that out on my own; thanks"
Roger says (to floyd), "ask lena about slango"
CF ] Aquarium Bookstore, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 29
CF | >
CF | > ASK LENA ABOUT SLANGO
CF |
CF | "Now, you owe me one Slango," you say. "Where'd he get to?"
CF |
CF | "Slango and I were catching up. Bless that man, he's hung like a yak,"
CF | she says. "But he got bad news and had to hurry back to the yacht.
CF | Said something about not being able to keep an appointment. I take it
CF | you're the appointment? I can try reaching him for you, if you want."
CF |
CF | We want to encourage Lena to contact Slango.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask lena about contact"
CF ] Aquarium Bookstore, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 32
CF | >
CF | > ASK LENA ABOUT CONTACT
CF |
CF | "That would be extremely helpful," we say. Perhaps we can finally get
CF | off this island and back into our separate skins, which would not be
CF | one minute too soon for me.
CF |
CF | "Very good," she says. She goes over to one of the free-standing
CF | shelves and takes out copies of Ba's Journey and Seventy
CF | Ways to Disable an Authentication Scope. Behind these works of
CF | literature she finds what looks like a cellular phone; but it mustn't
CF | be one, or at least not of the usual variety, because the Bureau
CF | tightly controls such items.
CF |
CF | We hear half a conversation. "It's me. There's someone to see... yes,
CF | I had her do the contraband... I don't know, a little taller and a lot
CF | less mean... Oh! I see. She looks healthy enough... I'm not running a
CF | restaurant! Okay. Okay. I'll talk to you later, sweetie. Bye."
CF |
CF | Without meeting our eye, she buries the phone back in its previous
CF | location. Then she says, "He's coming in direct. He says go over to
CF | Counterfeit Monkey and he'll be right over as originally planned, and
CF | he's sorry about the wait."
CF |
CF | "Oh! And." She tosses us a coin. "Have a drink on me."
CF |
CF | We could thank Lena.
CF |
CF | [Your score has gone up by three points and is now
CF | thirty-two.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "thank lena"
CF ] Aquarium Bookstore, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 32
CF | >
CF | > THANK LENA
CF |
CF | "Thank you," we say. "We owe you one."
CF |
CF | She smirks. "I get my money's worth out of Slango, don't worry."
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x coin"
CF ] Aquarium Bookstore, mid afternoon Goals: 2 Score: 32
CF | >
CF | > X COIN
CF |
CF | It appears to be an as, a Roman coin of very low denomination. (Your
CF | knowledge, not mine. Should I ask how you know such things?) It is
CF | made of copper and has the letters S C stamped on one side.
CF |
CF | There is a dismissive blatt from the monocle, and transposed over the
CF | as is a faint, greenish image of a pastis.
CF |
CF | > Knight_Otu says, "TMI, Lena."
Roger says (to floyd), "go to counterfeit monkey"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, late afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 32
CF | >
CF | > GO TO COUNTERFEIT MONKEY
CF |
CF | "This would be a good time to stop for lunch and a little siesta,"
CF | says Lena, following us to the door. As we go out, she's rolling down
CF | the shades and putting up a closed sign.
CF |
CF | We make the walk through the marina district.
CF |
CF | Counterfeit Monkey
CF | Built when people were a bit shorter and ceilings were a bit lower,
CF | the Counterfeit Monkey is always smoky and never well lit, even in the
CF | middle of the day.
CF |
CF | Slango sits at a dark table, nursing a root beer. Slango is, of
CF | course, not Slango's real name. He is half criminal, half ideological
CF | revolutionary: uncouth, restless, always hungry for a new exploit. Had
CF | he been born into a freer society, he might have become a very
CF | valuable engineer or consultant. He has been your mentor in crime and
CF | your usher into the world of adults.
CF |
CF | There's a spill on the ground.
CF |
CF | Slango meets our eye for a long minute without smiling.
CF |
CF | We could say who we are.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove s from spill"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, late afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 32
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE S FROM SPILL
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an S-remover.
CF |
CF | The spill gives way to the now-familiar pill.
CF |
CF | I'm inclined to say who we are.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "take pill"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, late afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 32
CF | >
CF | > TAKE PILL
CF |
CF | We get the pill.
CF |
CF | I'd like to say who we are.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "slango, hello"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, late afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 32
CF | >
CF | > SLANGO, HELLO
CF |
CF | "Slango," you say. "Lena gave me a totally unwanted visual about your
CF | yaklike proportions. Guess you also got a yak's sense of clock time?"
CF |
CF | "It was an emergency. I figured you'd go to Lena, and I was right."
CF |
CF | "You were lucky. I knew her a little, but I had no idea you two were
CF | making the yak with two humps."
CF |
CF | "No such thing as a bactrian yak," Slango replies. "My apologies. I
CF | assumed that what Brock knows, he passes on to you, and he certainly
CF | knows about me and Lena." He scowls into his root beer. "Nearly gave
CF | himself a hernia laughing," Slango adds under his breath.
CF |
CF | We want to explain Brock's probable reasons or ask whether we can
CF | leave now.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "tell slango about brock"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, late afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 32
CF | >
CF | > TELL SLANGO ABOUT BROCK
CF |
CF | Slango stares at us coldly. I wish you wouldn't babble at folks: it
CF | just draws attention.
CF |
CF | "Brock's run into a little trouble pursuing a profitable opportunity."
CF |
CF | We want to ask what the trouble was.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "ask slango about trouble"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, late afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 32
CF | >
CF | > ASK SLANGO ABOUT TROUBLE
CF |
CF | "Define trouble."
CF |
CF | "I had a pick-up arranged to get him off the island shore all the way
CF | down by Maiana last night, but he didn't make it, and sent no
CF | messages. I checked a contact in Bureau Processing, but no arrest file
CF | has gone through, so Brock hasn't been caught. He's just... missing."
CF |
CF | Over the voices of the crowd comes the sound of the barman setting out
CF | another round. "We can't leave without Brock," Slango says, as though
CF | you needed persuading.
CF |
CF | Or maybe he's saying that to the me half of us. Right now, it's true
CF | that I'm not keen on the prospect of hanging out in Atlantis. We're
CF | already way behind the plan.
CF |
CF | I'd like to complain about the inefficiency of this scheme.
CF |
CF | Something makes you think of how it started with Brock.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "tell slango about inefficiency"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, late afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 37
CF | >
CF | > TELL SLANGO ABOUT INEFFICIENCY
CF |
CF | Sorry, but I have to get this out there. "I was really expecting a
CF | smoother escape plan when I arranged to work with your operation," I
CF | say.
CF |
CF | Slango eyes us with disfavor. "Andra, you got a moron up in your head.
CF | Kid — Alex — we aren't travel agents."
CF |
CF | A squabble breaks out over by the darts board.
CF |
CF | "I've got to get back to the yacht; it's empty," Slango says. "And I
CF | would prefer not to let the Bureau get a good look at me, while your
CF | current face is, shall we say, disposable. The trick is, we don't know
CF | where Brock is. If he left a message for us, it'll be at the dead
CF | drop."
CF |
CF | That's a spot at the public convenience by the town bus station where
CF | the three of you leave messages for one another when necessary.
CF | Usually quiet, yet anonymous. "We're on it," we say.
CF |
CF | "Glad to hear it," says Slango. "Now stop referring to yourself as
CF | 'we' in company."
CF |
CF | This gives us something to go on, anyway. We give Slango what I intend
CF | as a reassuring nod of solidarity.
CF |
CF | "Back to the yacht for me," Slango says. "Don't let the other half of
CF | your head do anything you wouldn't do."
CF |
CF | "Which of us are you talking to?" I ask smartly.
CF |
CF | "Both."
CF |
CF | He heads out towards the docks and quickly disappears from view —
CF | returning to the yacht to wait for us to arrive with Brock.
CF |
CF | [Your score has gone up by five points and is now
CF | thirty-seven.]
CF |
CF | > Roger says, "moving right along, we are"
Roger says (to floyd), "w"
CF ] Counterfeit Monkey, late afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 37
CF | >
CF | > W
CF |
CF | There's no door in that direction.
CF |
CF | We can go east to Docks from here.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "e"
CF ] Docks, late afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 37
CF | >
CF | > E
CF |
CF |
CF | Docks
CF | Here are some dozens of boats tied up: some of them are small to
CF | medium-sized fishing craft, some tourist boats for trips around the
CF | island, some merely ferries to the deeper harbor where the cruise
CF | ships anchor.
CF |
CF | To the east, up a moderate rise from the sea-level docks, is the
CF | imposing exterior of the Customs House. The classical look is only a
CF | little undermined by the public-service posters along the front.
CF |
CF | Immediately west, the Counterfeit Monkey's sign sways in the wind.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "s"
CF ] Fish Market, late afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 37
CF | >
CF | > S
CF |
CF |
CF | Fish Market
CF | Not very fishy at the moment, in fact: all the real trade happens in
CF | the early morning; then there is a period of tourist trade when the
CF | seafood sale tails off and most of the purchases are of polished conch
CF | shells and starfish; and then a little after noon the area clears out
CF | completely, leaving only briny rivulets on the concrete.
CF |
CF | Just east of here is a rusting corrugated tin building, which was
CF | built to house various possessions of the fishermen.
CF |
CF | We can go north to Docks, south to Outdoor Café, southeast to Deep
CF | Street, and east to Tin Hut from here.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "go to bus station"
CF ] Traffic Circle, late afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 37
CF | >
CF | > GO TO BUS STATION
CF |
CF | We drive through the marina district to the Roundabout.
CF |
CF | The whole Roundabout has ground to a halt, with protesters walking in
CF | the street and in some places completely filling the road. But this is
CF | mostly a nuisance until I notice that there are a couple of teenagers
CF | handcuffed to a tree.
CF |
CF | I give the wheel a yank and run the car up onto the central traffic
CF | circle a little way. Call it a parking job. We need to get those kids
CF | out of here before their arrest is processed and they go to storage. I
CF | might not have the nerve to do anything by myself, but you're with me,
CF | and I'm starting to appreciate that's like being Batman.
CF |
CF |
CF | Traffic Circle (jammed into the car)
CF | Normally no pedestrian ever comes to this circle of grass and litter:
CF | the flow of traffic is too constant and too fast. But the protest has
CF | stopped the traffic and I'm determined to do something about the two
CF | teenagers I saw just now, so here we are. Though we probably have to
CF | get out of the car if we're going to be useful.
CF |
CF | > Lancelot says, "suddenly points being handed out left and right lol"
Roger says, "yeah they're sort of a game-design artifact from an earlier age, but perhaps ready for a revival"
Roger says (to floyd), "out"
CF ] Traffic Circle, late afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 37
CF | >
CF | > OUT
CF |
CF | I can see an officer making his way between the cars and stopping at
CF | the fake ones. Maybe we'd better conceal our car before we leave it —
CF | we may need to make a quick getaway later.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "put gel on car"
CF ] Traffic Circle, late afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 37
CF | >
CF | > PUT GEL ON CAR
CF |
CF | (the restoration gel on the car)
CF | We dip out pea-sized quantity of gel and rub it gently onto the car.
CF | In a blink of an eye, the car ceases to exist.
CF |
CF | The problem is that it takes us along with it.
CF |
CF | I've always wondered what this last passage to non-existence might be
CF | like. It turns out that there is a rushing noise, and a tunnel we
CF | travel very rapidly towards darkness; and all around us are other
CF | objects also in the middle of ceasing to be.
CF |
CF |
CF |
CF | *** We have left existence behind ***
CF |
CF |
CF | In that game you scored 37 out of a possible 100, in 306 turns,
CF | earning you the rank of Smuggler.
CF |
CF |
CF | Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT, UNDO the last
CF | command, or review the ACHIEVEMENTS you've reached so far?
CF | > Lancelot says, "I had a forum post on intfiction about scoring... A lot of good responses :)"
Lancelot says, "ouch"
Roger says (to floyd), "undo"
CF ] Traffic Circle, late afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 37
CF |
CF | > UNDO
CF |
CF | Traffic Circle
CF | [Previous turn undone.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "out"
CF ] Traffic Circle, late afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 37
CF | >
CF | > OUT
CF |
CF | I can see an officer making his way between the cars and stopping at
CF | the fake ones. Maybe we'd better conceal our car before we leave it —
CF | we may need to make a quick getaway later.
CF |
CF | > Jade exclaims, "blame!"
Roger says, "hrm"
Roger says (to floyd), "put paste on car"
CF ] Traffic Circle, late afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 38
CF | >
CF | > PUT PASTE ON CAR
CF |
CF | We surreptitiously smear some of the Origin Paste onto the car.
CF | Nothing obvious happens, of course, but that is the whole point.
CF |
CF | [Your score has gone up by one point and is now
CF | thirty-eight.]
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "out"
CF ] Traffic Circle, late afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 38
CF | >
CF | > OUT
CF |
CF | We swing the car door open.
CF |
CF | We switch the ignition off.
CF |
CF | We climb out of the car.
CF |
CF | "Go ahead, put us in Cold Storage!" shouts the defiant teenager. "I'm
CF | happy to sleep through all this shit and wake up when we have jet
CF | packs and a government that respects the rights of its people."
CF |
CF | The All-Purpose Officer shifts the restoration gel rifle from one hand
CF | to another; looks around; and then props it against the foot of the
CF | statue.
CF |
CF | > Jade says, "I haven't seen this end before, lol"
Roger says (to floyd), "x teenager"
CF ] Traffic Circle, late afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 38
CF | >
CF | > X TEENAGER
CF |
CF | One of them looks nervous, the other defiant. When she catches us
CF | looking her way, she contorts herself uncomfortably in order to be
CF | able to give us the finger.
CF |
CF | The monocle pings happily as we sight the teenagers with the
CF | crosshairs.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "remove s from teenagers"
CF ] Traffic Circle, late afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 38
CF | >
CF | > REMOVE S FROM TEENAGERS
CF |
CF | You flick our thumb over the small knob: we now have an S-remover.
CF |
CF | The device buzzes, puzzled. It is unable to create anything
CF | recognizable called "teenager".
CF |
CF | The nervous teenager looks unhappy. "We won't get out of here until
CF | our families are all dead and global warming has reduced Atlantis to
CF | three square feet of hilltop."
CF |
CF | The All-Purpose Officer goes around to the back of the statue and
CF | begins to climb up the leg, finding footholds in the folds of
CF | Atlantida's gown. It looks like a precarious business, but he's
CF | determined.
CF |
CF | >
Roger says (to floyd), "x statue"
CF ] Traffic Circle, late afternoon Goals: 1 Score: 38