ClubFloyd Transcript:
The idea behind ClubFloyd is that each
week at a pre-arranged time, a group of
people meet online to cooperatively play
a game of interactive fiction.
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ToyShop & Floyditorium
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#ClubFloyd Discussion
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*** 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 |