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<<if $mistGoblin is true>>!Mist Oh dear. Oh deary, dear me. Have you broken the game? Have you broken... reality? <<link "I haven't broken reality. //You've// broken reality." "mist41">><</link>><<else>>!A Sun-Speckled Wood You wake up in the heart of a sun-speckled wood, and you wake up alone. Leaves whisper overhead, and buttery sunlight daubs the forest floor. It is a bright, sunny day, and through the canopy the sky is vividly blue. The forest holds its breath, as if wondering what you'll do next. [[Turn right, toward the smell of peppermint.->forest1a]] [[Turn left, following the chime of a distant bell.->forest2]] [[Go straight ahead, toward the sound of running water.->brook]]<</if>><<set $mistGoblin to null>>

!A Burbling Brook Deciding you won't get anywhere by standing still, you head toward the sound of running water. It's not long before you stumble across a small brook. It gurgles merrily, as if pleased to see you. [[Head downstream.->stream]] [[Head upsteam.->rivulet]]

!A Stream You head downstream. The brook broadens and deepens, the gentle gurgles becoming a soft roar. [[Continue.->eastbank]]

!A Fork in the River You press on. Before long, the brook has become a grand river, too swift and wide to cross. A large boulder splits the river into two smaller distributaries, one moving southeast, the other southwest. The river farthest from you is unreachable, leaving you only one option. [[Follow the southeastern fork.|rivereast]]

!A Swamp The smell of rotten vegetation intensifies. Before you know it, you're standing at the edge of a swamp. Mangroves tower overhead, swathed in vegetation so lush it tints the air green. The mournful dirge of insects fills the pea-soup air. [[Cross the swamp.->swamp2]] [[Go around the swamp.->swampedge]]

!A Swamp Slowly but surely, you squelch your way toward the opposite end of the swamp. The mud sucks at your feet and insects drone in your ears. When you're about a third of the way, the mud gets noticeably deeper. Soon, it's up to your knees, and progress goes from slow to glacial. Exhausted, you take a moment to catch your breath. And you begin sinking. <<set $callHelp to null>>[[Struggle to free myself.|swampstruggle]] [[Cry out for help.|swampcallhelp][$callHelp to true]] [[Await my fate.->swampwait]]

!Quicksand You settle in for what you expect will be a slow and unpleasant death. Once the mud reaches your chest, however, you stop sinking as your body's buoyancy equalizes with the rest of the quicksand. Realizing that everything anyone has ever told you about quicksand is a lie, you drag yourself out of the muck and continue on your way. [[Continue.->swamp3]]

!A Rivulet You follow the brook upstream. Soon it is a ribbon, then a thread. Finally, it vanishes entirely beneath the debris on the forest floor. The woods gently slope upward and away from you. Through the foliage ahead, you glimpse a distant snow-capped peak. [[Approach the mountain.->mountain]]

!Base of the Mountain You make your way toward the mountain. The trees thin out, exposing streaks of cloudless blue sky. Ahead of you, the mountain looms like a sleeping dragon. You realize it is much larger than it had looked from a distance. [[Brave the mountain.->mountain2]]

!A Mountain You head up the mountain. It's a balmy day, the wind blowing at your back. You feel quite confident that you can reach the top of the mountain before nightfall. [[Onwards and upwards!->mountain3]]

!A Mountain You keep walking. Soon, the trees give way to jagged rock. It's starting to get quite cold. [[Push forward.->mountain4]]

!Top of the Mountain You make a final push toward the peak of the mountain. As you round a craggy corner, the source of the light reveals itself. Tucked into the rocks at the very peak of the mountain sits a domed building, its spherical glass window reflecting the sunlight. A balcony encircles the structure, lending it the appearance of a small planet. [[Approach the front door.->mountaintop2]]

!Top of the Mountain You approach the front door. It's locked. [[Knock.->observatoryknock]] [[Take the stairs onto the balcony.->observatorybalcony]]

!Top of the Mountain You take the stairs onto the balcony. It provides a 360-degree view of the surrounding region, and perhaps get your bearings. [[Take in the view.|mountainviewsouth]]

!A Mountain It's rather cold now. Frigid wind lashes your cheeks, and your skin breaks out in goosepimples. You notice a narrow opening in the rock. It's hard to tell how deep it goes, but at the very least it might offer some shelter from the wind. A brief rest doesn't sound too bad. <<set $enterCrevice to null>>[[Seek shelter in the crevice.->crevice][$enterCrevice to true]] [[Press onwards.->mountain5]]

!An Alpine Refuge It's a tight fit, but you manage to squeeze yourself through the opening and into a rather cozy-looking cavern. You settle yourself against the wall and sigh contentedly. You've only bee dozing for a minute when you hear a scuffle coming from deeper inside the cavern. <<set $enterCrevice to null>>[[Investigate the noise.|crevice2]] [[Get out of here.|mountain5][$enterCrevice to false]]

!A Mountain <<if $enterCrevice is true>><<elseif $enterCrevice is false>>You scramble out of the crevice and hustle up the mountain, determined to leave the hole--and whatever was inside--far behind you. You're so focused on walking that you almost miss the flicker of light beckoning to you from the peak of the mountain.<<else>>You press on, thinking warm thoughts as the chill gnaws on your bones. You're getting tired, but just when you're thinking about sitting down for a rest, you notice a flicker of light at the peak of the mountain.<</if>><<set $enterCrevice to null>> [[Press onwards.|mountaintop]]

!A Hedge Maze <> <<if $justArrivedMaze is false>> It takes far less time to leave the maze than it did to find its center. Before leaving you, the minotaur hesitates. "If you find your way back here, can you tell her... tell her I still love her. I've always loved her." <<elseif $justArrivedMaze is true>> <<else>> <</if>> The hedges in front of you have been shaped into an archway, walls of dense greenery on either side. The hedges look freshly cut, their corners crisp as cut glass. You wonder who's been maintaining them. <<silently>> <<display "init">> <</silently>> [[Enter the hedge maze.->hedgemaze2][$justArrivedMaze to true]] [[Go back to the garden.|garden]] <<set $drankPool to null>> <<set $lookedWoman to null>> <<set $readInscription to null>> <<set $askWhoShe to null>> <<set $askWhoHe to null>> <<set $justArrivedMaze to null>> <>

!An Inner Courtyard You pass through the glass doors and down a short flight of steps into the courtyard. It appears to serve as a central hub, leading into the various rooms overlooking it. You can just make out the rooms beyond the glass walls. At the center of the courtyard stands a marble fountain depicting a severe-looking man in a furred cloak. In his arms he carries a wolf, its pelt bristling with arrows. A layer of opaque water pools at the bottom of the fountain, buzzing with midges. A covered colonnade encircles the central courtyard, with several stone benches tucked into cozy alcoves. No doubt this was once a peaceful sanctuary to the castle's inhabitants. You wonder what it looked like before nature reclaimed it. [[Look closer at the statue.|statue]] <><<if $comingFromTerrace and not $comingFromEntrance>> [[Head north, back toward the ballroom.|ballroom]] [[Head south, toward a grand reception room.|receptionroom]] [[Head west, into a towering library.|library]] [[Head east, into a dim gallery.|gallery]] <<elseif $comingFromEntrance and not $comingFromTerrace>> [[Head south, back toward the reception room.|receptionroom]] [[Head north, to an opulent ballroom.|ballroom]] [[Head west, into a towering library.|library]] [[Head east, into a dim gallery.|gallery]] <<else>> [[Head south, toward a grand reception room.|receptionroom]] [[Head north, to an opulent ballroom.|ballroom]] [[Head west, into a towering library.|library]] [[Head east, into a dim gallery.|gallery]]<</if>><>

<h1>A Creaky Trellis</h1> The trellis creaks ominously as it takes your weight, but holds true. Not wishing you test your luck, you scamper up.

!A Quiet Library You enter a room so full of books it almost looks as if it's wallpapered in them. Shelves tower above you, packed to bursting with tomes of all shapes and sizes. Wheeled ladders provide leverage get at some of the higher books, while a wrought-iron spiral staircase leads to a second story. Unfortunately, it is unmoored from the second-story landing and listing precariously to the right, where it has gotten tangled in a chandelier. To your right, an open archway leads into what appears to be a study. [[Inspect the bookshelves.|bookshelves]] [[Enter the study.|study]] [[Go back to the courtyard.|courtyard]]

!A Dungeon You descend the narrow staircase, and emerge into a gloomy, low-ceilinged room. The floors are made clammy, pockmarked stone. Three cells branch off from the main area. [[Explore the first cell.|dungeoncell1]] [[Explore the second cell.|dungeoncell2]] [[Explore the third cell.|dungeoncell3]] <<link "Return to the trophy room." "trophyroom">><</link>>

!A Dungeon Cell You step into the first cell. A bale of rotten hay forms a makeshift bed, and a metal pail in the corner gives off a grotesque smell. [[Leave.|dungeon]]

!A Bayshore <<if $noBoat is true>>What do we say to murder boats? Not today. You leave the boat where it is and survey the area for alternate routes.<<elseif $justArrivedCastle is true>>You hustle down the hill and toward the palace. Sadly, you arrive at the sea before you reach the castle gatehouse. What you had initially mistaken for a palace //by// the sea is in fact a palace //in// the sea. It sits atop an island about half a mile off the shore, in the center of a calm bay.<<else>>You make your way to the grassy shore of a bay with an island castle at its center.<</if>> Headlands encircle the bay like the arms of a giant, gradually sharpening into cliffs as they get further out to sea. Beyond the palace and its protective semicircle, the open sea churns. <> <<set _now to new Date()>> <<switch _now.getHours()>> <<case 1 2 3 4 5 6 12 13 14 15 16>> A causeway connects the coast to the island. At low tide, it sits only a few feet above sea level. No doubt it will be fully submerged when the tides rise. Nearby, a small wooden boat is anchored to a jetty. [[Take the causeway.|causeway]] <<case 7 8 9 10 11 17 18 19 20 21>> It is high tide, and there appears to be no way across the bay. Nearby, a small wooden boat is anchored to a jetty. <<default>> A causeway connects the coast to the island. At low tide, it sits only a few feet above sea level. No doubt it will be fully submerged when the tides rise. Nearby, a small wooden boat is anchored to a jetty. [[Take the causeway.|causeway]] <</switch>> <> [[Examine the boat.|boat]] [[See if there's another way across.|westbayshore]]<<set $justArrivedCastle to null>><<set $noBoat to null>>

!A Sun-Speckled Wood Tempted by the smell of peppermint, you turn left. The canopy thickens, chasing the sunlight away. [[Keep going.->darkforest1]]

!A Sun-Speckled Wood You turn right. As you walk, the trees grow tall and stately, their ancient branches brimming with leaves. [[Keep going.->lightforest2]]

!A Mushroom Menagerie <<if $mushrooms == 3>><<set $mushrooms to null>>You return to the clearing, relieved to still be alive after your psychedelic mushroom adventure. [[Eat the blue mushroom.|bluemushroom][$mushrooms to 2]] [[Get out of here.|mushroomend]]<<elseif $mushrooms == 2>>You make the long trek back to the clearing. [[Reach for the red mushroom.|redmushroom][$mushrooms to 4]] <<elseif $mushrooms == 1>><<set $mushrooms to null>>You take a step and you're back amongst the mushrooms. [[Reach for the blue mushroom.|bluemushroom][$mushrooms to 5]]<<else>>You find yourself in a damp clearing carpeted in mushrooms. Their caps, painted in every color of the rainbow, glow like scattered jewels in the dim light. Tiny signs have been stuck into the ground, but they're far too small to read. A large, ancient tree presides over the clearing, its branches strewn with old man's beard, its trunk rippled with oyster mushrooms. At the base of the tree stands a tiny door. <<set $mushrooms to null>>[[Look at the door.|treedoor]] [[Eat the red mushroom.|redmushroom][$mushrooms to 1]] [[Eat the blue mushroom.|bluemushroom][$mushrooms to 2]] [[Eat the black mushroom.|blackmushroom][$mushrooms to 3]]<</if>>

!A Sun-Speckled Wood The chiming grows louder until it is all around you, a shimmering noise as sweet as sunlight on water. It's not until you're on top of it--or rather, underneath it--that you notice tiny, bell-shaped flowers dripping from a branch overhead. More branches crosscross the path up ahead, weaving a silvery lattice of sound and sunlight. [[Inspect the flowers.->silverbells]]

!A Shrouded Wood You're not about to let a little cold frighten you off. You press on. You've been walking for several minutes when something crunches beneath your heel. You pick it up and inspect it. It appears to be a heel of bread. [[Eat the bread.->bread]] [[Don't eat the bread.->nobread]]

!A Shrouded Wood You eat the bread. It is stale and seasoned with dirt. You wonder if anyone has ever died of bread poisoning. [[Delicious.->darkforest3]]

!A Shrouded Wood You discard the piece of bread. I'm supposed to be an impartial narrator, but honestly, I think it's for the best. [[Continue.->darkforest3]]

!A Shrouded Wood As you continue deeper into the woods, you notice a trail of breadcrumbs spread out at irregular intervals. They form a path that gently wends to the right and passes out of sight. Straight ahead, the woods form a dense, impenetrable wall. [[Follow the trail of breadcrumbs.->candyhouse]] [[Keep going straight.|darkforest4]]

!A Gingerbread House <<if $ateCandy>>You stand before a cottage crafted entirely from sweets. Its walls are made from planks of gingerbread, its timbers from candy canes, its chimney from a single gumdrop. Candy corn, marshmallows, and chocolate sprinkles shingle the roof, half-submerged in a bed of creamy vanilla frosting. Ornamental pots adorn the porch, bursting with gem-hued lollipops. [[Knock on the door.|knockcandyhouse]] [[Try to sneak in.|sneakcandyhouse]] <<else>>As you follow the trail of breadcrumbs, the smell of sugar intensifies. When you see what waits for you at the end of the path, you understand why. It is no ordinary cottage. Its walls are made from planks of gingerbread, its timbers from candy canes, and its chimney from a single gumdrop. Candy corn, marshmallows, and chocolate sprinkles shingle the roof, half-submerged in a bed of creamy vanilla frosting. Your stomach grumbles, reminding you how hungry you are. <<set $ateCandy to null>>[[Help yourself to some candy.|eatcandy][$ateCandy to true]] [[Knock on the door.|knockcandyhouse]] [[Try to sneak in.|sneakcandyhouse]]<</if>>

!Silverbells A closer look reveals a long, thin branch laden with dozens of silky white blooms. With each breath of wind, the flowers tinkle merrily. The branches curves toward you like an elegantly beckoning finger. <<set $interactedSilverbells to null>>[[Touch them.->touchsilverbells][$interactedSilverbells to true]] [[Smell them.->smellsilverbells][$interactedSilverbells to true]] [[Leave the flowers alone.->lightforest3][$interactedSilverbells to false]]

!A Sun-Speckled Wood <<if $interactedSilverbells is true>>You continue on.<<elseif $interactedSilverbells is false>>You decide not to touch the unfamiliar flora. Feeling reasonable, you continue on.<<else>><</if>><<set $interactedSilverbells to null>> The trees start to thin, yielding to patches of larkspur and prairie-fire. Soft, loamy duff turns to hard-packed dirt, and soon you realize you are not walking on soil at all, but a rough path. It curves gradually to the right and out of sight. [[Follow the path.->path1]]

!A Forest Path The trees continue to thin, revealing patches of wildflowers and grass. Sunny buttercups, silken flax, and cottony yarrow frame the path, and the air smells sweet enough to drink. [[Keep going.->crossroads]]

!A Crossroads After several minutes of wandering, the path splits in two. It looks as if a signpost once stood at the crossroads, but all that remains now is a crooked wooden stave. Two rotten slabs of wood lay in a bed of weeds at its base. [[Get a closer look at the slabs.->signpost]] [[Go right.->path2a]] [[Go left.->path2b]]

!A Path in the Woods You decide to hang your fortune on the rightmost path. The path widens. Someone has piled stones on either side to keep the shrubbery at bay. It's starting to look less like a path and more like a country road. After several minutes of wandering, you notice a faint trail, perhaps an old game trail or deerpath, branching off the main road and meandering back into the woods. [[Keep following the main road.->path3b]] [[Follow the smaller path.|gametrail]]

!Silverbells You lean forward to smell the flowers. "Hey!" [WIP] [[Continue on.->lightforest3]]

!A Path in the Woods Figuring there's a 50/50 chance you're not walking straight into danger, you choose to take the leftmost path. [[Keep going.|mossyclearing]]

!A Lord's Bedchamber You wander through a heavy wooden door and find yourself in a chamber of grand splendor. Golden sunlight streams through tall, stained-glass windows, casting colorful patterns upon a majestic canopy bed draped in rich velvet. Tapestries depicting heroic deeds adorn the stone walls, their stories woven in brilliant threads. The air is sweet with the scent of lavender, like a breath from a distant dream. On a polished oak dresser, an ornate, jeweled crown glimmers, a silent testament to the room's regal inhabitant. [[Enter the bathroom.|masterbath]]

!A Yellow Bedchamber You find yourself in a cheerful yellow bedchamber. Walls painted in warm, buttery hues reflect the sunlight streaming in from large windows. In one corner sits the largest, fluffiest bed you've ever seen. Four sturdy posters hold up a velvet canopy draped with gold-threaded tassels. Beside the bed, a glass door reveals a small Juliet balcony. Next to the bed you glimpse an elegant vanity table, partially obscured by a paper privacy screen. You can make out an assortment of phials and tinctures, and a filigreed three-way mirror. [[Go out onto the balcony.|julietbalcony1b]] [[Look at the vanity.|vanity]]

!A Brightly Lit Hallway <<if $secretPassage is true>>You hear the trapdoor slide shut as you step back into the hall. The faded portraits peer down at you disapprovingly, as if they know what you've been up to.<<else>>You step into the hall. Faded portraits adorn the hallway, their watchful eyes undimmed by the passage of time. There are two doors here.<</if>> [[Enter the red door.|trophyroom]] [[Enter the green door.|musicroom]] [[Go back to the reception room.|receptionroom]]<<set $secretPassage to null>>

!A Dungeon Cell The door creaks on rusted hinges as enter the second cell. It is larger than the others, and has a more permanent feel to it. A long wooden plank serves as a bed, and there is even a small rickety chair in one corner. [[Leave.|dungeon]]

!A Dungeon Cell You enter the third cell, and are immediately assaulted by one of the worse stenches you've ever smelled. Eyes watering, you notice a rotten pile of fur in the chamberpot--a drowned rat. [[Leave.|dungeon]]

!A Peaceful Study You pass through the open doorway into a quiet study. An overstuffed leather chair beckons from its place before a fireplace, and a fireplace. A writing desk of sun-kissed wood is tucked against a bank of windows overlooking a glass conservatory beyond. The air here feels warmer, carrying a faint hint of pipe tobacco and parchment. [[Back.|library]]

!Foyer You find yourself in a spacious foyer. Dusty light filters through high windows, and a crystal chandelier hangs from the ceiling, casting colorful fractals on the richly patterned rugs. In front of you, a pair of large wooden doors stand slightly ajar. The castle smells of dust and disuse. <><<if $comingFromTerrace and not $comingFromEntrance>> <<link "Go up the staircase." "sunroomsouth">><</link>> [[Leave the castle.|forecourt]] [[Go back to the reception room.|receptionroom]] <<elseif $comingFromEntrance and not $comingFromTerrace>> <<link "Go up the staircase." "sunroomsouth">><</link>> [[Continue into the reception room.|receptionroom]] [[Leave the castle.|forecourt]] <<else>> <<link "Go up the staircase." "sunroomsouth">><</link>> [[Enter the reception room.|receptionroom]] [[Leave the castle.|forecourt]]<</if>><>

!Dining Hall You find yourself in a vast dining hall. A long table stretches from one end of the room to another. Sunlight pours through tall windows, casting intricate shadows on the tablecloth like fairy lace. Chairs sit empty, their once-luxurious cushions now threadbare and worn. A small door leads into what is most likely a kitchen. <<set $enteringKitchen to null>>[[Go through the door.|kitchen][$enteringKitchen to true]] [[Go back to the dim hallway.|dimhallway]]

!A Kitchen <<if $enteringKitchen is true>>It is indeed a kitchen. <<else>>You step into the kitchen. <</if>>Rusted pots and pans litter the hearth, their surfaces dulled by years of disuse. The air is musty, tinged with the faint scent of flour and wine. <<if $enteringKitchen is true>>[[Back.|diningroom]]<<else>>[[Enter the dining room.|diningroom]] <</if>> <<link "Go down to the cellar." "cellar">><</link>>

!A Dimly Lit Hallway The hall stretches out, lined with tall, narrow windows. The sunlight here is muted, casting long shadows across the stone floor. The air is cooler, with a faint draft whispering through the corridor. There are two doors here. [[Take the green door.|diningroom]] [[Take the blue door.|servantsquarters]] [[Go back to the reception room.|receptionroom]]

!A Dusty Ballroom You emerge into an opulent ballroom. Crystal chandeliers drip from the domed ceiling, casting tiny rainbows on the parquet floor. You can only imagine the splendour of balls at the height of the castle's influence. A bank of tall windows, draped in tattered velvet, reveal glimpses of a terrace beyond, and a winged staircase leads to an upper mezzanine. [[Climb the stairs to the mezzanine.|mezzanine]] <> <<if $comingFromTerrace and not $comingFromEntrance>> [[Continue to the interior courtyard.|courtyard]] [[Go back outside.|terrace]] <<elseif $comingFromEntrance and not $comingFromTerrace>> [[Go out onto the terrace.|terrace]] [[Go back to the courtyard.|courtyard]] <<else>> [[Go out onto the terrace.|terrace]] [[Enter the interior courtyard.|courtyard]] <</if>><>

<h1>The Wizard's Tower</h1> You find yourself in an alchemist's lab. The room is scattered with astrolabes, alchemical instruments, and bizarre contraptions that defy immediate description. In the center of the room stands a lone wooden table stacked with tomes in varying stages of dustiness and decay. As you enter, fine glass crunches beneath your feet, worn to a fine sand by the passage of time.

!A Master Bathroom You step through the doorway into a grand master bathroom. A claw-foot tub dominates the center of the room, gleaming like polished ivory. Marble floors and walls shimmer with a pearlescent glow, and the faint scent of lavender lingers in the air. Beyond the bath is a large picture window overlooking a hedge maze.

!A Red Bedchamber You find yourself in a room ablaze with red and gold. A grand canopy bed, shrouded in faded red velvet, dominates the room. A massive wardrobe, its doors slightly ajar, reveals regal garments untouched for years. [[Check out the wardrobe.|wardrobe]]

!A Blue Bedchamber You step into a blue-wallpapered bedchamber. The space is a jumble of mismatched furniture The books looked well-loved--perhaps a bit //too// loved, with creassed and careworn covers. A large, unmade bed covered in cerulean linens sits under a skylight, bathing in the gentle glow of the sun.

!A South-Facing Sunroom This floor is much more open than the bottom floors--consisting, it seems, of an enormous oval room with a square cut out of the center to view the courtyard below. Glass walls stretch from floor to ceiling, inviting the sunlight to warm the upholstered chairs and sofas scattered throughout the space. To the left and right, a gallery walkway connects this part of the room to a similar-looking room on the opposite side of the courtyard. Doors branch off from the gallery on either side. You remember seeing a tower at the forefront of the palace, by your estimation directly above the room in which you're standing; you wonder where the entrance is. [[Enter the western gallery.|hallway2a]] [[Enter the eastern gallery.|hallway2b]] [[Cross over to the other side of the room.|sunroomnorth]] <<link "Go back to the first floor." "foyer">><</link>>

!A Garden Terrace You step onto a crescent-shaped platform. At the far end, a low parapet separates the terrace from the garden. This must once have served as an elegant outdoor entertainment space. Now, its flagstones are cracked in places, new growth peeking from beneath the stones. The garden beyond is riotous and untamed. A covered arcade stretches to your left, curving back around the castle and out of sight. <<set $comingFromTerrace to null>><<set $comingFromEntrance to null>>[[Step into the garden.|garden]] [[Walk along the arcade.|westernarcade][$comingFromTerrace to true; $comingFromEntrance to false]] [[Enter the palace.|ballroom][$comingFromTerrace to true; $comingFromEntrance to false]]

!A Covered Walkway A blanket of shadow falls over you as you step into the covered arcade. Stone benches and potted plants press up against the arcade's interior wall, providing a tempting place to observe the palace gardens, or perhaps the small orchard on its western flank. <> <<if $comingFromTerrace and not $comingFromEntrance>> [[Continue.|orchard]] <<elseif $comingFromEntrance and not $comingFromTerrace>> [[Continue.|terrace]] <<else>> [[Enter the terrace.|terrace]] [[Enter the orchard.|orchard]]<</if>><>

!Palace Garden What must once have been a meticulously maintained garden now brims with defiant, untamed beauty. Trees, vines, and shrubbery compete for sips of sunlight, and flowers dot the landscape like jewels on green velvet. Years of neglect have turned as small pond into a breeding ground for all manner of finned and flippered creatures. The drone of mosquitos would be overwhelming if not for the chorus of frogs drowning it out. [[Continue straight ahead, through a trellis draped in roses.|arbor]] [[Enter the glass conservatory to your left.|conservatory]] [[Enter the intricately carved pavilion to your right.|pavilion]] [[Go back to the terrace.|terrace]]

!A Terrace Balcony You emerge onto a large, crescent-shaped balcony. In front of you unfolds an uninterrupted view of the gardens, and a distant hedge maze. [[Back.|sunroomnorth]]

!A Trophy Room You find yourself in a room of silent, frozen eyes. Antlers, fangs, and furs adorn the walls. Dust motes drift lazily through the shafts of light, settling on furs and leathers of every shape, color, and variety. [[Look at the stag bust on the wall.|bucktrophy]] [[Look at the taxidermied wildcat on the shelf.|wildcattrophy]] [[Look at the wolfskin rug.|wolftrophy]] [[Go back into the hallway.|sunnyhallway]]

!A Shrouded Wood Shadows pool on the ground like melted candlewax. Without the sunlight to warm you, the air grows edged and unforgiving. The smell of peppermint is stronger here, accented with notes of brown sugar and cinnamon--a strange counterpoint to the growing gloom. [[Keep following the smell.->darkforest2]] [[Go back to the sunny part of the woods.|forest2a]]

!Silverbells You reach out to touch the flowers. "Hey!" [WIP] [[Continue on.->lightforest3]]

!A Rotten Signpost You crouch down to get a better look. You can just make out the words "CASTLE MARCH" on one of the fallen signs. The other reads "ANGER!" No, wait--"DANGER!" Fascinating. It's almost as if someone went out of their way to be as unhelpful as possible. [[Go left.->path2a]] [[Go right.->path2b]] <<link 'Choose a path at random, I guess?' `either('path2a', 'path2b')`>><</link>>

!Mist Ignoring the voice inside your head, you step into the mist. As expected, it is cold and empty. [[Go deeper into the mist.|mist1]]

!Mist You keep walking. It is still very cold. And there is still nothing here. [[Continue.|mist2]]

!Mist You push forward through the dense mist, icy tendrils clinging to your clothes and threatening to freeze your eyes in their sockets. I suppose now is a good time to remind you that this is a bad idea. The good news is, it’s not too late to turn back. <<link "You're right. I should turn back." "aroundlake3">><</link>> [[Too bad; I'm committed now.|mist3]]

!Bookshelves There must be a thousand books here of every shape, color, and binding. Some are clearly more beloved than others. [[Examine the thin yellow book.|yellowbook]] [[Examine the gilded black book.|blackbook]] [[Examine the worn magenta book.|magentabook]] [[Back.|library]]

!An Arbor Path The arched trellis creates a tunnel for you to walk through. Here and there, sunlight filters through the dense wall of greenery, casting shifting patterns on the ground. Ahead, the path meanders, inviting you deeper into the garden. [[Continue.|hedgemaze]]

!A Narrow Balcony The balcony is quite narrow, just wide enough for you to stand on. The intricate wrought-iron balustrade provides some protection against an expeditious death. To your right, two more Juliet balconies poke from the stone wall. Between each balcony, close enough to touch, run long, vertical trellises covered in ivy so thick you can scarcely see the wood beneath.

!A Lady's Vanity An assortment of phials, tinctures, perfumes, and other potions adorn the vanity, their crystal bottles twinkling in the sunlight. A three-paneled mirror multiplies the collection into a veritable dragon's hoard of treasures, each pane catching a different angle of the bottles' kaleidoscopic light show. There is also a small drawer with a keyhole. The key, unfortunately, is nowhere to be seen. [[Look at yourself in the mirror.|mirror]]

!Love Letters

!A Conservatory The conservatory is a riot of green. Grime spackles its glass walls, and the delicately wrought metal support framework is furry with moss. Butterflies waft about like living gems, their wings catching the green-tinted sunlight in prismatic displays. The air is dense and humid, filled with the earthy scent of damp soil and blooming orchids. What was once a quaint dining area with trought-iron tables and chairs is completely overgrown with vines. Above you, the domed ceiling reveals a cloud-dusted sky. [Back.|garden]]

!A Hidden Path Leaving the main road, you follow the narrow path deeper into the woods. You see a clearing up ahead, and through the trees you glimpse a low stone wall. [[Keep going.|wishingwell]]

!A Gallery [[Examine the paintings.|paintings]] [[Go back to the courtyard.|courtyard]]

!Reception Room This room appears to double as a reception room and general living area, with settees and chairs arranged in conversational clusters and a billiard table in one corner. Two halls branch off in either direction, one sunny, the other dim. <><<if $comingFromTerrace and not $comingFromEntrance>> [[Continue into the foyer.|foyer]] [[Enter the sunny hallway.|sunnyhallway]] [[Enter the dim hallway.|dimhallway]] [[Go back to the courtyard.|courtyard]] <<elseif $comingFromEntrance and not $comingFromTerrace>> [[Continue into the courtyard.|courtyard]] [[Enter the sunny hallway.|sunnyhallway]] [[Enter the dim hallway.|dimhallway]] [[Go back to the foyer.|foyer]] <<else>> [[Enter to the courtyard.|courtyard]] [[Enter the foyer.|foyer]] [[Enter the sunny hallway.|sunnyhallway]] [[Enter the dim hallway.|dimhallway]]<</if>><>

!A Meadow Path <<if $backtrackWell is true>>You find your way back to the main road.<<else>>Who knows where that mysterious path to nowhere leads. You keep to the main road.<</if>><<set $backtrackWell to null>> It's not long before you find yourself in a vast open space. A few trees dot the landscape here and there, but you are well and truly out of the woods. It is quieter here, the only sound the gentle rustling of grass. [[Keep going.|path4b]]

!A Meadow Path You crest a small hill, and see a broad open plain spread out in front of you. In the distance, a grand palace looms. <<set $justArrivedCastle to null>>[[To the castle!|bayshore][$justArrivedCastle to true]]

!A Bayshore You walk along the edge of the water, determined to find another way to cross. As time passes, your optimism fades. If you keep going, you will end up at the tip of one of the steep cliffs that encircle that bay--a dead end. You suppose you have two options: you can climb to the top of the cliff, seeing if the elevation provides a better view of the area. Or you can turn back. <<set $comingFromBeach to null>>[[Continue.|seacliff][$comingFromBeach to false]] [[Go back.|bayshore]]

!Castle Causeway The sea churns on either side of you, close enough to taste. You're grateful for the great stone slabs reinforcing the pathway; it feels as if you are inches from being swallowed by the sea. <<link "Keep going." "gatehouse">><</link>>

!A Rickety Rowboat <<set $noBoat to null>> One of its oars are missing, and it's so dilapidated that you question whether it would be able to make the journey to the island without disintigrating. Still, what choice do you have? [[I have the choice to not get murdered by this boat.|bayshore][$noBoat to true]] [[Attempt to take the boat across the channel.|bay]]

!An Entrance Gate You breathe a sigh of relief when you finally reach solid land. As you heartbeat slows, you take a look around. Straight ahead, a wrought-iron gate stands open to the palace's forecourt, rather defeating the purpose of the stone wall encircling it. [[Go through the gate.|forecourt]]

!A Palace Forecourt A long, cobbled drive extends in front of you. It is pockmarked and overgrown, and shot through with tufts of grass. To your left, a well-worn dirt path branches off into an orchard. A cobbled walkway on your right stretches toward a long, low building that might be a stable, or perhaps a barracks. The palace stands straight ahead of you. <<set $comingFromTerrace to null>><<set $comingFromEntrance to null>>[[Enter the palace.|foyer][$comingFromEntrance to true; $comingFromTerrace to false]] [[Explore the orchard.|orchard][$comingFromEntrance to true; $comingFromTerrace to false]] [[Investigate the wooden building.|stable][$comingFromEntrance to true; $comingFromTerrace to false]]

!An Orchard You find yourself at the edge of a small orchard. Broad-leaved trees stand in neat little rows, hanging fruits of every shape, color, and variety perfuming the dusty air. <> <<if $ateFruit is true>><<else>>[[Eat a fruit.|eatfruit]] <</if>> <<if $comingFromTerrace and not $comingFromEntrance>> [[Continue toward the front of the castle.|forecourt]] <<elseif $comingFromEntrance and not $comingFromTerrace>> [[Continue toward the arcade.|westernarcade]] <<else>> [[Head to the front of the palace.|forecourt]] [[Head to the back of the palace.|westernarcade]]<</if>><<set $ateFruit to null>><>

!Castle Stables The doors groan on rusted hinges as you step into what appears to be a stable. Rotten hay fills the corners like banks of snow; saddles, bridles, and other riding accoutrements droop from pegs on the walls. To your right, a series of small doors lead to the horses' stalls. [[Look into the first stall.|stall1]] [[Look into the second stall.|stall2]] [[Look into the third stall.|stall3]] [[Head back to the palace forecourt.|forecourt]]

!A Fountain The hunter's face is handsome, but unreadable. You cannot tell if the statue is intended to be tragic or triumphant--if the hunter is rescuing the wolf or flaunting a recent kill. Knowing the answer wouldn't make it less unnerving, though. [[Back.|courtyard]]

!Mezzanine The stairs take you to a shallow mezzanine overlooking the ballroom. It looks like the sort of place a great lord might address his subjects. A grand piano stands here, as well as some empty pots. [[Sit down at the piano.|piano]] [[Go back down to the ballroom.|ballroom]]

!A Cellar You descend a narrow staircase into an enormous underground cellar. Bags of grain, root vegetables, cheese, and cured meats fill the wooden shelves. On the far end of the cellar, rows upon rows of wine bottles occupy a custom shelving. Several beer barrels complete the set. <<set $enteringKitchen to null>><<link "Back." "kitchen">><</link>>

!The Servants' Quarters The lack of adornment marks this place as the servants' quarters. [[Back.|dimhallway]]

!A Second-Floor Gallery There are two doors here, both ajar. One of them leads into a room filled with books; the other leads into a white bedchamber. [[Enter the library.|library2]] [[Enter the white bedchamber.|royalbedchamber]]

!A Second-Floor Gallery [[Enter the guestroom.|guestroom]] [[Enter the yellow bedchamber.|yellowbedchamber]] [[Enter the red bedchamber.|redbedchamber]] [[Enter the blue bedchamber.|bluebedchamber]]

!A Hedge Maze You head west.<<set $positionX -= 1>><<display "hedgemaze2">>

!A Hedge Maze You head east.<<set $positionX += 1>><<display "hedgemaze2">>

!A Hedge Maze You head north.<<set $positionY -= 1>><<display "hedgemaze2">>

!A Hedge Maze You head south.<<set $positionY += 1>><<display "hedgemaze2">>

!The Heart of the Maze <<set $drankPool to null>><<set $lookedWoman to null>><<set $readInscription to null>>You emerge from the maze into an octagonal clearing. A marble slab stands at its center, an insciption adorning one side. On top of it, like a trophy on display, lies a golden-haired woman. At the base of the marble slab, a pool of crystal-clear water reminds you how thirsty you are. [[Read the inscription.|readinscription]] [[Drink from the pool.|drinkpool]] [[Look at the woman.|lookwoman]]

!You Are Dead You stumble on, ignoring your thirst as best you can--as long as you can. Unfortunately, ignoring a thing doesn't make it go away. @@.center; ''YOU ARE DEAD.'' <<link "Open your eyes." "weirdwood">><</link>> @@

<<if 1 eq $positionX and 1 eq $positionY and $justArrivedMaze is true>><<print "<h1>A Hedge Maze</h1> You step through the archway into the hedge maze, and are plunged immediately into shadow. For now, it appears that there is only one direction to go. ">><<elseif 1 eq $positionX and 1 eq $positionY and $justArrivedMaze is null>><<print " You're back at the entrance. ">><<else>><<display "gettingtired">><</if>> <> <<if $mapArray[$positionY-1][$positionX] eq 2 or $mapArray[$positionY][$positionX+1] eq 2 or $mapArray[$positionY][$positionX-1] eq 2 or $mapArray[$positionY][$positionX-1] eq 2>><<print "An archway has been carved out of the shrubbery immediately ahead of you. ">><<else>><<endif>> <<if $mapArray[$positionY-1][$positionX] eq 1>> [[Go north.|north]] <<elseif $mapArray[$positionY-1][$positionX] eq 2>> [[Walk through the archway.|centerofmaze]] <<endif>> <<if $mapArray[$positionY][$positionX+1] eq 1>> [[Go east.|east]] <<elseif $mapArray[$positionY][$positionX+1] eq 2>> [[Walk through the archway.|centerofmaze]] <<endif>> <<if $mapArray[$positionY+1][$positionX] eq 1>> [[Go south.|south]] <<elseif $mapArray[$positionY+1][$positionX] eq 2>> [[Walk through the archway.|centerofmaze]] <<endif>> <<if $mapArray[$positionY][$positionX-1] eq 1>> [[Go west.|west]] <<elseif $mapArray[$positionY][$positionX-1] eq 2>> [[Walk through the archway.|centerofmaze]] <<endif>> <<if 1 eq $positionX and 1 eq $positionY and $justArrivedMaze is false>> [[Exit the maze.|hedgemaze]] <<elseif 1 eq $positionX and 1 eq $positionY and $justArrivedMaze is true>> <<else>> <<endif>> <><<set $justArrivedMaze to null>>

<<set $health to 100>> <<set $mapArray to [[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0], [0,1,1,1,0,1,1,1,1,1,0], [0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,0], [0,1,0,1,1,1,1,1,0,1,0], [0,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,1,0], [0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,1,0], [0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,1,0], [0,1,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0], [0,1,0,1,0,0,0,1,0,0,0], [0,1,1,1,0,1,1,1,1,2,0], [0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]]>> <<set $positionX to 1>> <<set $positionY to 1>> <<set $attackNumber to 10>>

Health: <<print $health>> <<silently>> <<if $health lte 0>> <<goto "hedgemaze3">> <</if>> <</silently>>

<> <<silently>> <<if $attackNumber lte 0>> <<set $attackNumber to 10>> <</if>> <<set $attackNumber -= 1>> <<set $chance to Math.round(Math.random() * $attackNumber)>> <</silently>> <<if $chance eq 1>> <<print either("Your throat is quite dry; you regret not bringing any water with you.", "You are rather tired of wandering through this maze.", "You start to wonder if you'll ever get out of this maze.", "The dirt path crunches beneath your feet.", "Does this maze even have an exit?", "An ornamental plinth stands here.", "You're starting to get hungry.", "You can't remember the last time you felt this tired.")>> <<set $attackNumber to 0>> <<set $health -= 10>> <</if>> <>

!An Alpine Refuge You venture deeper into the cave. A feathered figure materializes from the darkness, its back to you as sorts through a pile of what appears to be bones. <<set $sphinxLike to null>>[[Call out a greeting.|sphinx][$sphinxLike to true]] [[Creep closer for better look.|sphinx]] [[Yeah, no. I'm out of here.|mountain5][$enterCrevice to false]]

!A Sun-Speckled Wood You turn back the way you came. At least, you //think// it's the way you came. You can't shake the feeling that this forest is alive, somehow--and living things have a tendency to wander. <<set $justStartedBacktracking to null>> [[Keep going.|forest3a][$justStartedBacktracking to true]]

!A Musical Glade <<if $justStartedBacktracking is true>>You are now quite certain this is not the way you came. The trees are as white and spindly as chickenbone, with leaves so round and radiant they look like tiny silver medallions. The wind through their leaves sounds almost like a song. It's a moment before you realize: it //is// a song. The trees emanate a strange, otherworldly music, the notes rising and falling in time with the breeze.<<elseif $justStartedBacktracking is false>>You survey the glade. The trees are as white and spindly as chickenbone, with leaves so round and radiant they look like tiny silver medallions. The wind draws a strange, otherworld music from their branches.<<else>>You find yourself in a sunny glade. The trees are as white and spindly as chickenbone, with leaves so round and radiant they look like tiny silver medallions. When wind passes through them, they emanate a strange, otherworldly music.<</if>> <<set $justStartedBacktracking to null>> [[Get a closer look at the trees.|flutetrees]] [[Leave the trees alone.|forest4a]]

!A Musical Glade What you had at first mistaken for a knot in the wood is in fact a perfectly round, apple-sized hole. There are dozens of them, arranged vertically up the length of the trunk and horizontally along its branches. As wind passes through the glade, the trunks produce a deep, sonorous sound. The upper branches make a sweeter, lighter sound that reminds you of a flute. <<set $justStartedBacktracking to null>>[[Look into one of the holes.|lookflutetree]] [[Knock on the trunk.|knockflutetree]] [[Reach into the hole.|touchflutetree]] [[Keep going.|forest4a]]

!A Musical Glade You press an eye against the hole, but it is too dark to see anything inside. [[Back.|flutetrees]]

!A Musical Glade You gently rap your knuckles against the tree. It produces a hollow sound. [[Back.|flutetrees]]

!A Musical Glade Feeling lucky, you reach a hand into the hole. It is cool and hollow inside, the bark smooth as glass. [[Back.|flutetrees]]

!A Sun-Speckled Wood You continue through unfamiliar woods. You have given up on finding the place where you started--but at least the woods are no longer veiled in quiet menace. You're even beginning to enjoy your walk. The sun is a warm hand on your back, the breeze a gentle caress. [[Keep going.|forest5a]]

!A Sun-Speckled Wood After some time, the sound of singing rises above the chirps and trills of the woods. The singer's voice is sweet and ethereal, the dulcet notes tinged with melancholy. @@.center; //I used to think that breathing was an easy thing to do, A kiss a tiny piece of me passed from me to you.// @@ [[See who the singer is.|mermaid]]

!A Shaded Grotto You emerge into a clearing surrounded on three sides by low bluffs. Crystal-clear water cascades over the rock, emptying into a moon-shaped pool below. The water sparkles invitingly in the sunlight. A woman is bathing in the lagoon, her back facing you. She combs her fingers through her flaxen hair as she sings: @@.center; //You promised me the soul endures long after one’s last breath. But if that's true, then all the souls that ever were encircle us in death. Inside my lungs there dwells the ghosts Of legions of the dead. With each exhale they quit my lungs, Then find another pair instead.// @@ [[Announce yourself.|mermaidhello]] [[Listen to the rest of the song.|mermaidlisten]]

!A Shaded Grotto "Um... hello?" The woman stops singing, her fingers paused halfway down her long hair. <<set $gaveName to null>><<set $askedName to null>><<set $compliment to null>>[[Give her your name.|mermaidgivename][$gaveName to true]] [[Ask for her name.|mermaidaskname][$askedName to true]] [[Compliment her song.|mermaidcompliment][$compliment to true]]

!A Shaded Grotto You stay perfectly still, not wanting to disturb the singer--although you feel a little guilty for eavesdropping. @@.center; //But when you spent your final breath I saw breath for what it was: A potion made of blood and fire In a pretty paper vase. I used to think that breathing Was not so hard before, But I've no room for all these souls Inside me anymore.// @@ There is an irresitible, hypnotic quality to her voice, lulling you into a dreamlike calm. You could listen to her voice forever. [[Keep listening.|mermaidlisten2]]

!A Shaded Grotto As if drawn by an invisible thread, you drift toward the pool. The sounds of the forest grow distant and reality takes on a hazy, dreamlike quality, but you're too enchanted by the singer to notice. @@.center; //With all these lives inside my lungs There's no more space to grieve. The only way to cast them out, Is fill my lungs—and sing. I used to think that breathing Came naturally as sin. But when I sing it’s not air I breathe It’s you come rushing in.// @@ You are quite certain you didn't //mean// to walk down the shallow bank and into those inviting waters, but there seems to be some disagreement between what you //mean// to do and what you //are//, in fact, doing. By the time you realize you've lost control of your body, it is too late to turn back. [[Keep walking.|death1]] [[Keep walking.|death1]] [[Keep walking.|death1]]

!A Shaded Grotto Slowly, the singer turns to face you. You are too enthralled by the melody to care that her face is twisted and grotesque, or that her fingers are like wrinkled leeches as she takes your hand. @@.center; //For this brief reunion with your ghost, I’ll savor every verse. For once my ballad runs its course Your spirit will disperse.// @@ "Poor thing. I didn't see you there," she croons, in a voice as coarse and scabrous as a shipwreck against a breakwater. "Well, I suppose it's too late to save you now." When the water comes rushing into your open mouth, you find you do not mind at all. @@.center; ''YOU ARE DEAD.'' <<link "Open your eyes." "weirdwood">><</link>> @@

!A Shaded Grotto "My name is, ah..." You are sure you have a name--everybody does, don't they?--but you can't seem to remember what it is. The woman scoffs. "Crab got your tongue?" <> <<if $gaveName and not $askedName and not $compliment>> [[Ask for her name.|mermaidaskname][$askedName to true]] [[Compliment her song.|mermaidcompliment][$compliment to true]] <<elseif $askedName and not $gaveName and not $compliment>> [[Give her your name.|mermaidgivename][$gaveName to true]] [[Compliment her song.|mermaidcompliment][$compliment to true]] <<elseif $compliment and not $askedName and not $gaveName>> [[Ask for her name.|mermaidaskname][$askedName to true]] [[Give her your name.|mermaidgivename][$gaveName to true]] <<elseif $askedName and $gaveName and not $compliment>> [[Compliment her song.|mermaidcompliment][$compliment to true]] <<elseif $compliment and $gaveName and not $askedName>> [[Ask for her name.|mermaidaskname][$askedName to true]] <<elseif $compliment and $askedName and not $gaveName>> [[Give her your name.|mermaidgivename][$gaveName to true]] <<elseif $compliment and $askedName and $gaveName>> [[Continue.|forest6a]] <<else>> [[Give her your name.|mermaidgivename][$gaveName to true]] [[Ask for her name.|mermaidaskname][$askedName to true]] [[Compliment her song.|mermaidcompliment][$compliment to true]] [[Continue.|forest6a]] <</if>><>

!A Shaded Grotto "What's your name? You're the first person I've seen in these woods for a while." There is a pause--a long one. At last, the woman says, "Well, that really depends. What do you //think// my name is?" @@.center; """Type your answer into the URL bar, like this:""" ^^<<link '(help!)'>><<popup 'help'>><</link>>^^ """http://www.weirdwood.com#????""" @@ [[Tell her you don't know her name.|mermaidsdontknow]]

!A Shaded Grotto "That's a beautiful song," you say. "A little sad, though." "You should hear the rest of it," she replies. Her voice is not what you expected: rough as an oar scraping against gravel, deep as an archor dragging along the bottom of the sea. Trying not to let your surprise show, you say, "I would like that very much." "No, you wouldn't." You can't see her face, but there's no mistaking the sneer that laces her words. <> <<if $gaveName and not $askedName and not $compliment>> [[Ask for her name.|mermaidaskname][$askedName to true]] [[Compliment her song.|mermaidcompliment][$compliment to true]] <<elseif $askedName and not $gaveName and not $compliment>> [[Give her your name.|mermaidgivename][$gaveName to true]] [[Compliment her song.|mermaidcompliment][$compliment to true]] <<elseif $compliment and not $askedName and not $gaveName>> [[Ask for her name.|mermaidaskname][$askedName to true]] [[Give her your name.|mermaidgivename][$gaveName to true]] <<elseif $askedName and $gaveName and not $compliment>> [[Compliment her song.|mermaidcompliment][$compliment to true]] <<elseif $compliment and $gaveName and not $askedName>> [[Ask for her name.|mermaidaskname][$askedName to true]] <<elseif $compliment and $askedName and not $gaveName>> [[Give her your name.|mermaidgivename][$gaveName to true]] <<elseif $compliment and $askedName and $gaveName>> [[Continue.|forest6a]] <<else>> [[Give her your name.|mermaidgivename][$gaveName to true]] [[Ask for her name.|mermaidaskname][$askedName to true]] [[Compliment her song.|mermaidcompliment][$compliment to true]] [[Continue.|forest6a]] <</if>><>

!Mist Fine. You continue to ignore the wise, patient, and generous voice at back of your head advising you to turn back. The mist is thicker and colder than slush. You are unlikely to find anything here but your own death. [[Keep going.|mist4]]

!Mist You keep walking. It’s cold and wet and gross. [[Continue.|mist5]]

!Mist You continue walking through the incomprehensibly vast and empty wasteland. There is mist to your left. There is mist to your right. Indeed, there is mist right in front of you. [[What about behind me?|mist6]]

!Mist There's mist there too. Now shut up. [[Okay.|mist7]]

!Mist Do you know what the definition of insanity is? "Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting to not be in mist anymore." [[Keep going.|mist8]]

!Mist It occurs to me that if this were some sort of game, you would get some kind of prize for getting tp the hundredth passage. Is that why you're like this? Do you expect a reward for being so obstinate? [[That would be nice, yes.|mist9]]

!Mist Well, there isn't one. You’re traipsing into a yawning void of nothingness. You're not even sure you're still going in the right direction. If you're lucky—and I mean really, really lucky, the kind of luck you //really// don't deserve—maybe the mist will clear and you'll find yourself transported magically, improbably, right back where you started. Wouldn't that be nice? <<link "Actually, yeah." "aroundlake3">><</link>> [[Not at all.|mist10]]

!Mist Fine. I tried. When they write your biography, this will be the chapter titled “When Our Hero Went Insane and Died for No Reason.” They'll have to write an apology letter about the anticlimactic ending. Some will call it a stroke of absurdist genius. But we'll know the truth. [[Continue.|mist11]]

!Mist Perhaps I'm making your slow march into oblivion too entertaining. Maybe you'll reconsider your choices if I brutalize you with monotony. [[Continue.|mist12]]

!Mist You keep walking. [[Continue.|mist13]]

!Mist And walking. [[Continue.|mist14]]

!Mist Yep. Still walking. [[Continue.|mist15]]

!Mist You try not to think about how avoidable this situation was as you do some more walking. [[Continue.|mist17]]

!Mist Are you—? You guessed it—you are walking. [[Continue.|mist18]]

!Mist You walk some more. [[Continue.|mist19]]

!Mist You're walking. [[Continue.|mist20]]

!Mist You stroll. You stride. [[I strut.|mist21]] [[I sashay.|mist21]] [[I saunter.|mist21]]

!Mist You roam. You rove. You ramble. [[I plod. I parade. I perambulate.|mist22]] [[I trudge. I traipse. I trek.|mist22]] [[I march. I mosey. I meander.|mist22]]

!Mist Well, isn't this fun? Unfortunately, all this wordplay and walking is beginning to wear on your wits. [[Continue.|mist23]]

!Mist Walk this walking is walking to walk your walk. [[Walk.|mist24]]

!Mist Have you gone crazy from walking? Is that even possible? I suppose you'd have to be crazy to walk willingly into a formless vacuum of mist. Maybe you've //always// been crazy. [[Continue.|mist25]]

!Mist Come to think of it, you //are// talking to an incorporeal voice--though you suspect that if the voice were to take on corporeal form, it would be smart and cool and everyone would want to be its friend. Is that normal? Do you even know what normal is anymore? /* [[mist26]] */<<link "Do //you//?" "mist26">><</link>>

!Mist Mist is normal. Walking is normal. Walking in mist is //exceedingly// normal. [[Sounds about right.|mist27]]

!Mist I guess this is your life now. Just mist, and walking, and a very patient and benevolent voice in your head telling you that it’s still not too late to turn back. [[Really?|mist28]]

!Mist Just kidding. It’s far too late. At least twenty choices too late. Be honest. Is this where you //thought// the infinitely branching paths of your life would lead you? [[Weirdly, yes.->mist29a]] [[Actually, I thought I'd be an acrobat.->mist29b]]

!Mist What's your plan here? Seriously. [[I'm going to keep walking.|mist31]]

!Mist Yes, that part's been well established. But what's the //plan//? Wander around in this mist till you find something that isn't mist? [[You got it.|mist32]]

!Mist Here's an interesting question: how long does it take a human being to die of starvation? [[About a week.->mist33a]] [[About a month.->mist33b]] [[I'm not hungry. I ate while you weren't looking.->mist33c]]

!Mist Fine. I give up. You win. We're mist people now. We're going to wander about in this godforsaken wasteland until we die. [[Continue.|mist35]]

!Mist I wonder how many other people have done the same thing? For the sake of the longevity of your species, I hope not many. Then again, maybe we've passed by dozens of bone-picked skeletons without even realizing it? ...Do you think we're walking on them right now? [[Now you're just trying to scare me.->mist36a]] [[I hope so. My doctor says I need more calcium in my diet.->mist36b]]

!Mist I can only assume you think you'll get something out of traipsing into the yawning maw of death. Maybe a special badge that says "I Died in the Most Ridiculous and Avoidable Way Imaginable!" They should make a book about silly deaths like that. [[Continue.|mist38]]

!Mist I think I know what's going on here. You're keeping an eye on the URL bar, aren't you? You think something special will happen when you reach 100. Well, I have news for you. [[What?|mist16]]

!Mist Didn't think I could do that, huh? Now what are you going to do? Surely you've already been to "mist16"? You //were// paying attention, right? [[I definitely was.|mist16b]] [[I definitely was not.|mist16a]]

!Mist Fine. Fine. You keep walking. [[Damn right I do.|mist7931]]

!Mist You sure do, you big, strong, walking machine. You walk like no one's ever walked before. The bards will sing of such walking for aeons--if you ever return alive. Which you won't, so they won't. [[Keep walking.|mist0638]]

!Mist You keep walking. [[Continue.|mist4075]]

!Mist You're not going to believe this, but you're still walking. [[Continue.|mist2046]]

!Mist You know, one of your great scientists theorized that every human being has an innate inclination toward self-destruction. Is that what's happening here? Do you //want// to die? [[To die would be an awfully big adventure.|mist5078]]

!Mist Ah, J.M. Barrie. "All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust." Also, mist. [[Continue.|mist9852]]

!Mist You keep walking. [[Continue.|mist2486]]

!Mist As you walk, you hear a vague, indiscernable sound. Your heart leaps at the prospect of encountering something other than mist. <<link "Investigate the sound." "notmist">><</link>>

!Something Other Than Mist The sound takes shape as you approach—music, laughter, and the unmistakable roar of a crowd. Soon you're standing before a striped circus tent, impossibly vibrant against the dreary backdrop. The tent glows with a kaleidoscope of colors, its stripes shifting and changing like a living rainbow. Well, and least it isn't mist. [[Enter the tent.|phantomcircus]]

!Mist That's better. Numbers are so troublesome, creating the illusion of progress when indeed, your world is confined to an endlessly looping purgatory of your own making. [[Continue.|mist40]]

!Mist Now we're resorting to insults? Real mature. [[You're the one with mysterious narrator powers. So, yeah, it was definitely you.|mist42]]

!Mist Fair point. But you started it. [[Now who's being immature?|mist5072]]

!Mist Mm. Thought so. Not that it matters. You've already decided you're a mist goblin. Why not dispense with numbers altogether? [[Continue.|mist]]

!Mist So maybe we skipped over "mist16" on our first go-around. What does it matter? You've already decided you're a mist goblin. Why not dispense with numbers altogether? [[Continue.|mist]]

!The Greatest Show You step inside, and find yourself transported into a world of impossible vibrancy and color. A lion leaps through flaming hoops atop a stage, while high above, aerialists flip and twirl in a daredevil choreography that would make Death herself hold her breath. Tiered seats encircle the stage, and garishly painted clowns gambol down the aisles. The air is syrupy with the smell of cotton candy and caramel apples. A ringmaster, resplendent in a red velvet coat, doffs his top hat and smiles at you like an old friend. [[Give him a curtsey.|phantomcircusgreeta]] [[Give him a bow.|phantomcircusgreetb]]

!The Greatest Show You turn your attention upwards. A man and a woman swing from trapezes suspended high above the stage, dressed in shimmering black bodysuits so form-fitting they look almost as if they have been painted on. With the deftness of a cat, the male aerialist leaps to one of the centermost trapezes, hooking a lean leg around the bar so that he can hang from it upside-down. He produces a hoop and sets it on fire, eliciting wild cheers from the audience. [[Cheer enthusiastically.|aerialistscheera]] [[Golf-clap politely.|aerialistscheerb]]

!The Greatest Show You take a seat close to the aisle. The clown nearest to you is entertaining a group of children by juggling multicolored balls. One of the balls explodes in a puff of magenta smoke, eliciting gasps of delight and a chorus of "again! again!" from the children. The clown hems and haws, making a show of good-natured resistance. At last he relents; he snaps his fingers, and one of the children explodes in a puff of magenta smoke. [[Continue.|clown2]]

!The Greatest Show You make your way toward the stage, where a man with wild golden hair faces down a lion with an even wilder golden mane. The act seems to consist of the lion jumping through increasingly hazardous hoops, while the lion tamer struts about and tosses his lustrous hair. With every crack of the man's whip, the lion lets loose a fearsome roar. By the time you reach the stage, the golden-haired man has arrived at his main act. He produces two hoops and holds them aloft for the audience to examine. [[Look at the hoops.|liontamerhoops]]

!The Greatest Show Reasoning that the lion will have a better chance of survival //without// a solid brick wall slamming into its face, you join the crowd as they cheer for the flaming hoop. The lion tamer nods and discards the papered hoop. He cracks his whip, and the lion bunches up for a leap. [[If you hurt the lion, we're going to have a problem.|lionleapfire]]

!The Greatest Show You join the audience as they cheer for the paper-covered hoop. Surely the circus won't let the lion come to harm. The lion tamer nods, giving the papered hoop a twirl as he tosses the flaming one aside. He cracks his whip, and the lion bunches up for a leap. [[If you hurt the lion, we're going to have a problem.|lionleappaper]]

!The Greatest Show The audience watches hungrily, their wide eyes devoid of expression, their mouths seemingly fixed in permanent smiles. The lion leaps. He explodes through the paper partition and, to your relief, disperses the brick wall into a thousand iridescent bubbles. The audience boos with disappointment. [[I'm starting to really dislike this audience.|liontamer2]]

!The Greatest Show The audience watches hungrily, their wide eyes devoid of expression, their mouths seemingly fixed in permanent smiles. The lion leaps. He soars through the flaming hoop, his belly passing over the hot metal with millimeters to spare. The audience boos with disappointment. [[I'm starting to really dislike this audience.|liontamer2]]

!The Greatest Show The lion tamer thrusts his arms to the sky as the lion lets loose a mighty roar. Indeed, the roar is so loud you almost don't hear the scream. [[See where the scream came from.|circuslooku3]]

!The Greatest Show You decide that's your cue to leave. You fly towards the exit, but the tent flaps have been tied off with heavy gold braid. You lunge for the braid, stopping yourself when you notice the glistening membraneous webbing that coats it. You don't want to know what happens when you touch it. [[Actually, I do.|circustouchweb]] [[I really don't.|phantomcircus5]]

At least we can agree on one thing.

And you are entitled to your incorrect opinion.

!The Greatest Show You know it is probably too late to help, but you cry out a warning anyway. The woman makes a desperate midair flip. To your amazement, she manages to grab ahold of the flaming hoop. But now she has another problem. She screams as fire eats through her gloves and into the flesh beneath. The male aerialist sighs and gives an exaggerated shake of his head--this was not how the show was supposed to go, and the audience knows it. They boo and jeer as the woman tries to save herself. While she struggles, the man holds a conspiratorial finger to his lips. The audience goes silent with anticipation. [[Continue.|warningfall2]]

!The Greatest Show You clamp your mouth shut and watch with horror as the woman plummets to the stage. She hits it with a wet crack, and the crowd cheers. You stare, stunned, as the lion approaches the body and begins to feed. You're almost grateful when the audience's laughter swells to such a volume that it drowns out the sound of ripipng meat. [[Look away.|phantomcircus3]]

!The Greatest Show Impossibly far away, the woman gathers up momentum for a swing. There is a second trapeze waiting for her on the opposite side of the flaming hoop--as long as she can seize her partner's hand. It seems an impossibly small target. The audience watches hungrily, their wide eyes devoid of expression, their mouths seemingly fixed in permanent smiles. She lets go of her trapeze and soars through the air, but there is no hand waiting for her on the other side of the hoop. The man has pulled his hand away, eliciting hysterical laughter from the crowd. [[Shout a warning.|warningfall]] [[Keep silent.|silentfall]]

!The Greatest Show You gesture to the balloon, and the clown gets to work. His expression shifts into one of deep focus as he inflates and manipulates the balloon. He pulls more strips from his pouch, attaching it to the first with knots and coils to simulate a warren of wires and cables. When he is finished, he is holding what is undoubtedly the most complex balloon "animal" you have ever seen, crafted into the perfect likeness of a bomb. He holds it up proudly, and it explodes. [[Oh, dear.|clownballon2]]

!The Greatest Show You gesture to the knife. The children peek at you from between the seats, their wide eyes devoid of expression, mouths seemingly fixed in permanent smiles. The clown's manic grin seems to engulf his face as he lifts the dagger, flips it around, and plunges it deep into his throat. Somehow, he still manages a wet, muddy laugh as blood sheets from the open wound. [[This is why nobody likes clowns.|clownknife2]]

!The Greatest Show The blast vaporizes the clown into a red mist. Unnervingly, his laugh lingers on--far longer than an echo has any right to. The children creep out from behind the seats, their wide eyes devoid of expression, mouths seemingly fixed in permanent smiles. They drop to their knees and begin to play in the pool of blood. Behind them, on the stage, the lion is ripping into something that looks suspiciously like a human being. It certainly screams like one. [[Get out of here.|clown5]]

!The Greatest Show Indeed. As the clown sinks to the ground, the children creep out from their hiding spots. Somehow, they've gotten their little hands on baseball bats, which they use to hasten the clown's death. Behind them, on the stage, the lion is ripping into something that looks far too much like a human being. It certainly screams like one. [[Get out of here.|clown5]]

!The Greatest Show He lets go of the ring. The woman's scream is cut short by a wet crack. The crowd cheers as the lion approaches the aerialist's broken body. It screams weakly and tries to stand, but its spine is no longer in one piece. You have a bad feeling you know where this is going. [[Look away.|phantomcircus3]]

!The Greatest Show "What makes this show so great?" The ringmaster guffaws as if you've told the grandest joke in the world. "That, my friend, you must experience for yourself." //"THEY DANCE AND TWIRL BENEATH THE EYE OF THE WORLD. THEY WOULD RUN, BUT IT NEVER BLINKS."// [[Check out the lion tamer.|liontamer]] [[Watch the aerialists.|aerialists]] [[Sit down and watch the clowns.|clown]]

!The Greatest Show "Where am I?" "My friend, you are at a show the likes of which you will not see again." He gives you a wink, possibly to soften how unhelpful he's being. //"YOU STAND BENEATH THE EYE OF THE WORLD. IT OBSERVES YOU, BUT CANNOT MAKE YOU DANCE."// [[Check out the lion tamer.|liontamer]] [[Watch the aerialists.|aerialists]] [[Sit down and watch the clowns.|clown]]

!The Greatest Show "What's that mean, strings and sticky things?" The ringmaster's smile broadens and stiffens on his face, like dried plaster. It looks ready to crack around the edges. "Keep your eye on the show, my friend, and you will find out." //"IT WATCHES YOU WHILE YOU WATCH IT. BUT ONLY ONE OF YOU HAS TWO EYES."// [[Check out the lion tamer.|liontamer]] [[Watch the aerialists.|aerialists]] [[Sit down and watch the clowns.|clown]]

!There Greatest Show You have no great ambition to be exploded by a clown, so you quietly get up to leave. Unfortunately, the movement attracts the clown's attention. A broad smile bleeds across his painted face. He saunters over, effectively blocking your exit. [[Continue.|clown4]]

!The Greatest Show Glad you see you finally being reasonable. "Leaving so soon?" the ringmaster asks. His voice echoes rhythmically with the cheering of the audience, blending and contorting until it is the audience themselves who ask--//Leaving so soon? Leaving so soon? Leaving so soon?// Meanwhile, that ethereal voice caresses the back of your mind: //"IT'S RIGHT ABOVE YOU."// You look up, and your blood runs cold. An enormous black spider sits nestled in the shadowy folds of the tent, thousands of slimy translucent threads pouring from its abdomen. [[Run. Just run.|circuspie]]

!The Greatest Show You tear your eyes away from the dreadful scene. As you do, you catch a faint shimmer out of the corner of your eye. You squint. It appears to be a thread, so fine as to be nearly invisible against the colorful backdrop. [[See where the thread originates.|circuslookthreadsa]] [[See where the thread terminates.|circuslookthreadsb]]

!The Greatest Show Indeed. You are starting to think there's something not-quite-right about this place. You hustle toward the exit, but the heavy fabric of the entrance has been closed and secured with gold braid. You reach out to rip it open, but your hand catches on something sticky--a webbing of some sort, so thin as to be nearly translucent against the colorful backdrop. It writhes like a living thing, climbing up your hands and sinking barbed tendrils into your wrists. You feel a tug--then another, as if something is trying to get your attention. [[Look up.|phantomcircus6]]

!The Greatest Show The spider twitches, and you sense movement out of the corner of your eye. You barely have time to scream before a woman sinks an axe into your skull. "The show isn't over," your murderer informs you. Meanwhile, that ethereal voice whispers in the back of your cloven brain: //"IT MADE ME DO IT. I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY."// The last thing you see are the threads on either side of her mouth, splitting her face into a smile. @@.center; ''YOU ARE DEAD.'' <<link "Open your eyes." "mist5643">><</link>>@@

!Mist Yout eyes snap open. Fortunately, you are not dead. Unfortunately, you are back to being surrounded by mist. Honestly, as someone who is generally against hallucinatory pipe-dreams, that was a lovely break from all this mist. [[I couldn't agree more.|mist6920a]] [[I think I prefer the mist.|mist6920b]]

!Mist Fascinating. You //are// insane. [[Continue.|mist30]]

!Mist What a delightful dream that will remain a dream forever because you are too stubborn to listen to reason. [[Continue.|mist30]]

!Mist Actually, that's how long it takes for a human being to die of thirst. But you bring up a valid point. There's no water here, is there? Good news for me, bad news for you. At least I won't have to put up with this inanity for much longer. [[Continue.|mist34]]

!Mist Smart cookie. Not smart enough to survive a completely avoidable death by self-imposed starvation, but even the smartest cookies crumble, I suppose. [[Continue.|mist34]]

!Mist So you //have// eaten, but eating isn't narratively engaging enough to write about? Sort of like how Tom Cruise never uses the restroom in Mission Impossible? Interesting theory. I have another theory: you //haven't// eaten, and you are going to die. As the majority shareholder of brain cells for this doomed company, I win by default. [[Continue.|mist34]]

!Mist You're scared of //bones//, but not the existentially terrifying prospect of facing your own extinction? Incredible. [[Continue.|mist37]]

!Mist Great. At least now, you won't have the opportunity to grow old and die of degenerative bone disease. [[Continue.|mist37]]

!Mist I suppose it's a consolation that at any time, you can simply restart the game and teleport yourself back to square one. Why don't you try it? Click on the restart button.<<set $mistGoblin to true>>

!The Greatest Show You bow deeply. The ringmaster smiles and returns the gesture. "Welcome, traveler," he booms, "to The Greatest Show." As he speaks, a second voice appears in yours mind: //"MIND THE STRINGS AND STICKY THINGS. IT GETS IN YOUR SKIN AND YOU CANNOT GET OUT."// [[Ask the ringmaster what makes the show so great.|ringmastergreat]] [[Ask the ringmaster where I am.|ringmasterwhere]] [[Ask the ringmaster what the voice meant by strings and things.|ringmasterwhat]]

!The Greatest Show You favor him with a dainty cursey. The ringmaster smiles and gives you an elaborate bow. "Welcome, traveler," he booms, "to The Greatest Show." As he speaks, a second voice appears in yours mind: //"MIND THE STRINGS AND STICKY THINGS. IT GETS IN YOUR HAIR AND YOU CANNOT GET OUT."// [[Ask the ringmaster what makes the show so great.|ringmastergreat]] [[Ask the ringmaster where I am.|ringmasterwhere]] [[Ask the ringmaster what the voice meant by strings and things.|ringmasterwhat]]

!The Greatest Show The hoop on the left is quite obviously too small for a lion to fit through. It is also on fire. The hoop on the right is large and roomy and covered in a sheet of opaque butcher paper. Behind it, conjured seemingly out of nowhere, is a brick wall. The golden-haired man holds up one, then the other, asking the audience which they prefer. [[Cheer for the flaming hoop.|flaminghoop]] [[Cheer for the paper-covered hoop.|paperhoop]]

!The Greatest Show The children scream with delight and scamper away. They hide behind a row of red plastic seats, giggling and tussling with one another. Having lost his adoring audience, the clown sags and rubs his eyes in a pantomime of weeping. You wonder what happened to the child. [[Maybe let's get out of here.|clown3]]

!The Greatest Show You look up just in time to see a dark mass tumble from a trapeze high above. It lands on the stage with a wet //crack//, and the crowd cheers. The lion approaches the aerialist's broken body. It screams weakly and tries to stand, but its spine is no longer in one piece. You have a bad feeling you know where this is going. [[Look away.|phantomcircus3]]

!The Greatest Show No, you don't. [[Yes, I do.|circustouchweb2]] [[You're right. I don't.|phantomcircus5]]

!The Greatest Show You trace the thread up to its origin at the apex of the tent, and your blood freezes in your veins. An enormous black spider sits nestled in the shadowy folds of the tent, thousands of slimy translucent threads pouring from its abdomen. Its unblinking eyes watch you with a hideous patience. [[Oh, no.|deathbyaxe]]

!The Greatest Show You trace the thread downwards, and realize it fastens onto the wrists of a young woman. She claps with wild abandon, and her palms appear to be bleeding. Now that you know what to look for, you notice dozens, perhaps hundreds more of the translucent threads, each attaching to a different point of articulation--elbows, wrists, feet, and perhaps most disturbingly, on either side of every one of the audience's frozen smiles. [[Get out of here.|phantomcircus4]]

!The Greatest Show You sprint down one of the aisles, looking for other exits. But there is nothing, and the audience's laughter is a maddening earworm, carving into your brain like a knife. [[Keep running. There has to be a way out.|deathbypie]]

!The Greatest Show Finally, you catch sight of another opening in the tent, unsealed and unguarded. You burst through-- And smash into a pie. The audience goes wild with laughter as you attempt to claw through a wall of viscous cinnamon apples. You dig, and dig, but the pie seems to go on forever. Indeed, you are still looking for the other side when you stop, drop to your knees, and peacefully die of suffocation. @@.center; ''YOU ARE DEAD.'' <<link "Open your eyes." "mist5643">><</link>>@@

!The Greatest Show You look up, and your blood runs cold. An enormous black spider sits nestled in the shadowy folds of the tent, thousands of slimy translucent threads pouring from its abdomen. The audience’s cheers are growing louder, crescendoing into a single, sustained roar. You try to scream for help, but more threads hook onto your lips, yanking them into a smile. [[Struggle to get free.|phantomcircus7]]

!The Greatest Show Inadvisable, but I suppose that's par for the course with you. You grab the gold braid and rip the tent open, only to find yourself staring at solid brick wall. When you try to pull your hand away, you find that it's glued to the webbing. The tendrils writhe like a living thing, climbing up your hands and sinking barbed tendrils into your wrists. "Leaving before the final act?" the ringmaster asks. //"IT STEALS YOUR MOUTH SO YOU CANNOT SCREAM."// You feel a tug on your wrist--then another, as if something is trying to get your attention. [[Look up.|phantomcircus6]]

!The Greatest Show It's far too late for that. Like creeping vines, the threads climb your limbs and insert themselves into the hollows of your joints. They quest through your veins, tugging at you with an subtle but seductive force. You have an irresistible urge to-- [[Dance.|deathbydance]]

!The Greatest Show Dance you do. You dance until your feet are bloody smears on the ground and your spine disintigrates into dust. You never once stop smiling. @@.center; ''YOU ARE DEAD.'' <<link "Open your eyes." "mist5643">><</link>>@@

!The Greatest Show You hoot, holler, and whistle like the best of them. When in Rome, right? When the hoop is completely engulfed in flame--save for a small section at the top where the man holds it--he lowers it, creating a bullseye for his partner to leap through. On the other side of the hoop, the man drops an open hand--an invitation. [[This'll be interesting.|aerialists2]]

!The Greatest Show You clap lightly, just to be polite. No need to get carried away. When the hoop is completely engulfed in flame--save for a small section at the top where the man holds it--he lowers it, creating a bullseye for his partner to leap through. On the other side of the hoop, the man drops an open hand--an invitation. [[This'll be interesting.|aerialists2]]

!The Greatest Show The clown pulls a long, thin strip of plastic from a pouch on his hip: an empty balloon. With his free hand, he produces a knife. His presents both objects to you, head tilted in a question. [[Point to the empty balloon.|clownballoon]] [[Point to the knife.|clownknife]]

!An Orchard You pluck the juiciest-looking fruit you can see and peel off the rind. You peel off a section and pop it into your mouth; its flesh is sweet and plump and tastes like summer fruit. <<set $ateFruit to true>>[[Continue.|orchard]]

!A Dusty Piano You take a seat at the piano. There is something strange about it, though it takes you a while to figure out what it is: the piano glistens. Everything else in the castle is coated with dust, but the keys look freshly dusted, the wood sleek and oiled--as if someone has been playing it recently. [[Go back.|mezzanine]]

!A Garden Pavilion The pavilion is hewn from white stone and adorned in elaborate filigree. A wrought-iron table sits at its center, flanked by a pair of elegant garden chairs. You can easily imagine lazy evenings spent here, surrounded by birdsong and the smell of roses. [[Back.|garden]]

!A Hedge Maze You continue walking. You're no longer quite sure which direction you're going. [[Keep walking.|hedgemaze4]]

!A Hedge Maze You are desperately hungry now. Even if you //did// decide to turn back, you're not confident you could find your way out. [[Keep walking.|hedgemaze5]]

!A Hedge Maze You continue walking, exhausting gnawing on your bones. The sun beats down on you, and you are desperately thirsty. [[Continue.|deathbymaze]]

!Heart of the Maze You cup your hands and plunge them into the pool. It's like running your hands through a cool breeze. You lift your hands to your lips and drink. The water is sweet and tastes vaguely of roses. [[Back.|centerofmaze2][$drankPool to true]]

!A Horse Stall You peek into the first stall. A bale of rotting hay squats in one corner, giving off an unpleasant smell. [[Back.|stable]]

!A Horse Stall You peek into the second stall. A water trough sits at the far end, buzzing with midges. [[Back.|stable]]

!A Horse Stall You peek into the third stall. There's nothing here but an overturned pail, its contents long since evaporated. [[Back.|stable]]

!A Rickety Rowboat Whispering a silent prayer, you give the boat a running push and swing yourself inside. Wood groans in protest as you lower yourself onto the bench. The rowing is brutal work, especially with only one oar, but you manage to keep the little rowboat on a more or less straight path. When you're about a quarter of the way across, you notice that the boat is beginning to take on water. Unfortunately, you don't have enough arms to bail the water and row at the same time. [[Speed up.|speed]] [[Pause to bail out the water.|bail]]

!A Rickety Rowboat Except for your bare hands, you have nothing to scoop up the water, but you manage to bail out enough water for the boat to regain most of its buoyancy. You also see the source of the leak--a long, thin gash running along the base of the hull. It is perfectly straight, as if something sharp and serrated had been dragged along the boat's underside. Making a mental note to look out for sharp rocks ahead, you continue rowing. [[Continue.|bay2]]

!A Sinking Rowboat You double your efforts. Sweat beads on your forehead, but as the boat takes on more water, it become more difficult to row. Soon, the water is up to your shins. Something bumps the hull of your boat. You look around, but there are no rocks or floating debris nearby. There's another bump, harder this time. The boat rocks slightly with the force of it. [[I really hope that isn't a you-know-what.|serpent]]

!A Rickety Rowboat You have almost reached the island now. Strangely, you see no rocks or other features that could explain the gash in your boat. Indeed, the surface of the bay is smooth and unruffled, the beach beyond soft and inviting. You are prepared to write it off as one of those unexplained peculiarities of life when you notice you're drifting off-course. The trip had been so calm and uneventful, you had forgotten about longshore currents--strong coastal currents that move parallel to the shore. Now, a swift current has captured the boat in its grip. [[Attempt to put the boat back on course.|bay3]]

!A Sinking Rowboat White-knuckled, you peer over the edge of your boat, taking care to keep your limbs well inside. It is not a you-know-what. It is something much stranger. An enormous serpent cleaves the water beneath you, its snakelike body an ominous shadow beneath the water's glassy surface. It is incomprehensibly vast--far, far wider than your boat, and so long you can't make out its beginning or end. Spikes run down its spine, each one the size of a dinner plate. [[Stay very, very still.|serpent2]]

!A Sinking Rowboat You freeze. The serpent passes beneath you, its bladed spine juddering the hull of your boat like a chainsaw. The good news is, the serpent doesn't seem to notice you. The bad news is, its spikes have almost completely hewn the boat in two. The boat founders in less than a minute, leaving you treading water in the middle of the bay. You are only about a fourth of the way there, leaving about two thousand feet between you and the island. [[Swim toward the island.|bay7]] [[Backtrack to the shore.|bay11]]

!A Rickety Rowboat You try to put the boat back on course, but you're no match for the current. Soon you are being swept toward the island's sea-facing end. As you round the bend, the shore takes on a decidedly less welcoming aspect. The gently sloping beach gives way to rocky bluffs, growing steeper the further you drift. With dawning horror, you realize that the current is sweeping you out to sea. [[Continue.|bay4]]

!A Rickety Rowboat Tamping down your rising panic, you consider your options. The island is still about thirty meters away. Beyond the island, the current flows through a narrow channel bracketed by cliffs, emptying into the open sea. It appears that you have two choices: You can muscle through the current and hope you reach the island before it sweeps you into the ocean. Or you can ride the current, using its momentum to slingshot you toward the cliffs, and hope there's somewhere flat to make landfall. [[Row as hard as I can toward the island.|bay6]] [[Let the current carry me toward the cliffs.|bay5]]

!A Rickety Rowboat You let the current carry you toward the passage, making small adjustments with your oar to make sure you're riding the very edge of the current. It is nerve-shredding work, and it doesn't help that the current grows considerably swifter as you approach the narrow passage. Fortunately, there appears to be a small lip of gravel jutting out from the base of the cliffs. It's barely large enough for you and your boat, but it'll do. When the time comes, you'll need to row as hard as you can toward the little island. If you fail to break free of the current before you reach the passage, you'll be carried out to sea. As it happens, the time is... [[Now!|channel2]]

!A Rickety Rowboat Not yet ready to give up on your first plan, you row at a diagonal against the current. To your relief, you do indeed seem to be moving closer to the island. Now it's just a matter of which is faster: you or the current. [[Row harder.|channel]]

!Open Water Yes. yes, it is. The current grows swifter as you approach the narrow channel. You feel like a bit like a goldfish being flushed down a drain as it sucks you through the channel and spits you out into the other side. The current releases you from its grip, leaving you boibbing impotently in the middle of a vast sea. The waves are rougher here, pummeling your litttle rowboat like fists, and the sun beats down on you with physical force. You hear a distinctive //thump// as something noses the hull of your boat. [[Look to see what it was.|sea2]]

!Open Water White-knuckling your oar, you lean over the edge of the boat. Half a dozen grey fins circle you, their bladed tails cutting through the water like knives. [[Dolphins?|deathbysharks]]

!Open Water Alas, no. Not dolphins. A dolphin wouldn't jump out of the water, seize your head in its jaws, and drag you into the icy-cold waters to feed on your flesh. He did share you with his friends, though. @@.center; ''YOU ARE DEAD.'' <<link "Open your eyes." "weirdwood">><</link>> @@

!A Calm Bay Boat or no boat, you decide to continue your passage across the bay. The water is warm and calm. If it weren't for your fear of what lurks in the depths, you might've almost called it a pleasant swim. By the time you reach the halfway mark, you are a little out of breath. [[Keep swimming.|bay8]]

!A Calm Bay You push on. Your shoulders are burning and you back is beginning to ache. [[Keep going.|bay9]]

!A Calm Bay You push past the burn and continue swimming. Surely it can't be much farther. [[Continue.|bay10]]

!A Calm Bay The swim back is a nerve-shredding journey, but ultimately uneventful. You soon find yourself climbing back ashore, considerably wetter--and wiser--than you were before. [[Back to the bayshore.->bayshore]]

!A Calm Bay You're almost there. With renewed energy, you make a final push for the shore. [[Huzzah!|serpent3]]

!A Calm Bay You're in the home stretch when the water seems to... vibrate. A pale shadow appears beneath you--the size of a softball, then a basketball, and then--oh. It looks like the serpent finally noticed you. @@.center; ''YOU ARE DEAD.'' <<link "Open your eyes." "weirdwood">><</link>> @@

!The Sphinx's Lair <<if $sphinxLike is true>>"Is somethin--someone there?" The creature stops its shuffling. It slowly turns around, revealing a face that is unmistakably human. Her body, however, is that of a lean, powerfully muscled lion, topped with a paired of enormous honey-colored wings. "A human. Of course," she says. Her voice is surprisingly lovely--almost bell-like. "Only a human would intrude on another creature's home and not expect consequences."<<else>>You creep forward as silently as you can. As your eyes grow accustomed to the darkness, details emerge: a golden-furred flank, honey-colored wings, a riotous red mane. Unfortunately, you are not silent enough. The creature spins around, a massive claw poised to strike--then stops. It considers you, then lowers its paw. "Next time you sneak up on someone, you won't be so lucky. Not everyone's reflexes are as quick as mine," it says. Its voice is surprising pleasant, as sweet and pure as a silver bell. What's more surprising, however, is its face, which is unmistakably that of a human woman. She regards you with gold-flecked green eyes.<</if>><<set $sphinxLike to null>> [[Apologize.|sphinx2]]

!The Sphinx's Lair "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude. I didn't know anyone lived here." "Well, //I// live here, and you //are// intruding." The sphinx narrows her eyes and tilts her head. "And I have half a mind to eat you for it." [[Politely ask her not to eat you.|sphinx2a]] [[Tell her you wouldn't make a very appetizing meal.|sphinx2b]] [[Ask her what the other half of her mind thinks.|sphinx2c]]

!The Sphinx's Lair "I wish you wouldn't." "And I wish I had a mountain of gold and a dozen attractive males attending to my every need." She shrugs. "Wishes aren't horses." "I suppose there's no chance you'll just... let me go?" "Not even a small one." Her lips spread into a wicked smile. "But I'm not without mercy. I'll make you the deal I always make with my food: answer a simple riddle, and I'll let you go." [[Agree to her terms.|easyriddle]] [[Negotiate your own terms.|sphinxchallenge]]

!The Sphinx's Lair "I wouldn't taste very good," you insist. "I beg to differ. Of all the beasts I've sampled, humans are one of my favorites." She lifts her paw to her lips and gives it a dainty lick. "Fortunately for you, I'm in a mood to play with my food." You're hesitant to ask what that means. "Don't worry. It's nothing obscene." She grins. "Just a riddle. Answer correctly, and perhaps I'll let you go." [[Agree to her terms.|easyriddle]] [[Negotiate your own terms.|sphinxchallenge]]

!The Sphinx's Lair "What about the other half?" She blinks, rendered momentarily speechless by your audacity in the face of certain death. She recovers quickly. "Oh, I see. You think that you're clever." He lips spread into a wicked smile. "In that case, I have a proposition for you: prove to me your mind is as clever as your mouth, and perhaps I won't add you to my collection." She swishes her tail, disturbing the pile of bones. You don't need to ask her what she means by her //collection//. [[Agree to her terms.|easyriddle]] [[Negotiate your own terms.|sphinxchallenge]]

!The Sphinx's Lair You don't have to think long about your answer. "I'll take the riddle." "Smart." The sphinx indulges in a long, luxuriant stretch. Then she clears her throat and recites in a clear voice: @@.center; //"A gesture of affection first-- An affliction if it is reversed."// """Type your answer into the URL bar, like this:""" ^^<<link '(help!)'>><<popup 'help'>><</link>>^^ """http://www.weirdwood.com#????""" @@ [[Tell her you're stumped.|stumped]]

!The Sphinx's Lair Disapointment flickers in the sphinx's eyes, but she quickly hides it behind a smile. "Too bad. I was almost starting to like you." She advances a step, her green eyes glowing menacingly in the dark. You take a step back, wondering how far you can run before she sinks her talons into you. [[Run away and find out.|stumped2a]] [[Stoically accept my death.|stumped2b]]

!The Sphinx's Lair The sphinx doesn't even try to hide her surprise. "You actually got it." <<if $sphinxDeal is 1>>While you're trying to decide how offended you should be, the sphinx drops to her hindquarters and twirls her foreclaw impatiently. It's a surprisngly human gesture for such an enormous paw. "All right, then. What are you waiting for? Ask me your question." <<set $sphinxQuestionHuman to null>><<set $sphinxQuestionName to null>><<set $sphinxQuestionWhere to null>>[[Ask her what happened to all the humans.|sphinxhumans][$sphinxQuestionHuman to true]] [[Ask her what her name is.|sphinxname][$sphinxQuestionName to true]] [[Ask her where, exactly, you are.|sphinxwhere][$sphinxQuestionWhere to true]] <<set $sphinxDeal to null>><<elseif $sphinxDeal is 2>>While you're trying to decide how offended you should be, the sphinx drops to her hindquarters and tosses her mane. "All right, then. I'll let you into the mountain, but--" She hesitates. "You should be careful." [[Ask her what's down there.|sphinxcareful]] <<set $sphinxDeal to null>><<elseif $sphinxDeal is 3>>"Right, right," she says. "Very well, then: if you continue up this mountain, you will find an observatory. A man of science once lived there." She sits, wrapping her tail around her toes. She looks a little wistful. "He's gone now. Perhaps he is dead. But the observatory is still full of wonders, if you know where--and-when--to look. "When?" "Find the crystal chamber. Make sure to get there just as the sun is dipping behind the hills. I think you'll see some interesting things." She smiles enigmatically. "Now I've kept my end of the bargain. It's time for you to leave." [[When?|sirenobservatory]]<<set $sphinxDeal to null>><<else>>While you're trying to decide how offended you should be, the sphinx drops her hindquarters and drums her claws on the ground. "Very well, then. I'll honor our deal. I'm afraid you'll have to remind me what it was, though. Honestly, I never expected you'd get this far." <<set $sphinxDeal to null>>[[You were going to answer one question.|sirennull][$sphinxDeal to 1]] [[You were going to let me into the cave.|sirennull][$sphinxDeal to 2]] [[You were going to tell me something no one else knows.|sirennull][$sphinxDeal to 3]]<</if>>

!The Sphinx's Lair "So I answer your riddle and you don't eat me? That doesn't seem very fair." The sphinx blinks. With claws like those, you can't imagine she's accustomed to her food talking back. But her eyes gleam with interest, as if she's enjoying the challenge. "All right. What do you propose, then?" You take a deep breath. "If I correctly answer your riddle, you must..." <<set $sphinxDeal to null>>[[Truthfully answer one question.|hardriddle][$sphinxDeal to 1]] [[Step aside and let me go deeper into the cave.|hardriddle][$sphinxDeal to 2]] [[Tell me something no one else knows.|hardriddle][$sphinxDeal to 3]]

!The Sphinx's Lair <<if $sphinxDeal is 1>>The sphinx raises her eyebrows. "I don't appreciate the insinuation that I would //lie//," she says, "but I consent to your terms. Let's see how clever you really are."<<elseif $sphinxDeal is 2>>The sphinx's expression darkens. "You ask this without knowing what lies in the heart of the mountain? There is a thin line between courage and foolishness, and you're leaning dangerously close to the latter." She watches you for a moment, then says, "But very well. I accept your terms, ignorant though they are. Let's hope you know what you're doing."<<elseif $sphinxDeal is 3>>The sphinx laughs. "You realize there's nothing stopping me from telling you about a dream I had last night, or the number of fleas in my fur? It's zero, by the way," she adds primly. "I trust you to tell me something useful," you say. "Well! Your trust is just as misplaced as your confidence," she says. "But I agree to your terms. Let's hope your confidence in me isn't misplaced."<<else>><</if>> She clears her throat and recites in a clear voice: @@.center; //"First, think of the sound that lovers make apart for so long they shiver and ache Next, what's in a speech you didn't rehearse, rendered twice, then once in reverse Last but not least, I want half of a word people like to pretend that they haven't heard Now string them together and you're nearly there whose voice means salvation, or else means despair?"// """Type your answer into the URL bar, like this:""" ^^<<link '(help!)'>><<popup 'help'>><</link>>^^ """http://www.weirdwood.com#????""" @@ [[Tell her you're stumped.|stumped][$sphinxDeal to null]]

!Chapter XI: The Sphinx's Lair The sphinx's eyes glow with delight. "Very good. Looks like I won't be making a meal of you--for now." She flicks her tail. "Now get out of here before I change my mind." [[Get out of here.|mountain5][$enterCrevice to null]]

!The Sphinx's Lair You close your eyes and prepare to die, but the storm of teeth and claws never come. Instead, you hear the sphinx drop to her hindquarters and swish her tail in annoyance. When you peek your eyes open, she's staring at you as if you just sprouted a second head. "What are you doing?" "Getting ready to be eaten." She blinks. Then she releases a puff of surprised laughter. "You're strange," she says--as if you didn't know that already. "I don't eat strange things. I suppose that makes you strange //and// lucky. Promise you'll think on my riddle and come back when you know the answer." She flicks her tail. "Now get out, before I change my mind." You hustle out of the cave, wondering if she ever really intended to eat you at all. [[Agree and leave.|mountain5]]

!The Sphinx's Lair You run. The sphinx doesn't pursue you. Whether she's lazy or ever really intended to eat you at all, you suppose you'll never find out. You're just glad to have escaped alive. [[Agree and leave.|mountain5]]

!The Sphinx's Lair "Where have all the humans gone? Surely I can't be the only one." "You are the first human I've seen in years. The first //real// human, that is. Of course, there are creatures wandering in the woods who look and act human, but generally speaking, that's a good sign that you should run away." She shrugs.<> <<if $sphinxQuestionHuman and not $sphinxQuestionName and not $sphinxQuestionWhere>> "I suppose that's not very helpful. You can ask me a different question if you want." [[Ask her what her name is.|sphinxname][$sphinxQuestionName to true]] [[Ask her where, exactly, you are.|sphinxwhere][$sphinxQuestionWhere to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionName and not $sphinxQuestionHuman and not $sphinxQuestionWhere>> "I suppose that's not very helpful. You can ask me a different question if you want." [[Ask her what happened to all the humans.|sphinxhumans][$sphinxQuestionHuman to true]] [[Ask her where, exactly, you are.|sphinxwhere][$sphinxQuestionWhere to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionWhere and not $sphinxQuestionHuman and not $sphinxQuestionName>> "I suppose that's not very helpful. You can ask me a different question if you want." [[Ask her what happened to all the humans.|sphinxhumans][$sphinxQuestionHuman to true]] [[Ask her what her name is.|sphinxname][$sphinxQuestionName to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionHuman and $sphinxQuestionWhere and not $sphinxQuestionName>> "I suppose that's not very helpful. You can ask me a different question if you want." [[Ask her what her name is.|sphinxname][$sphinxQuestionName to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionHuman and $sphinxQuestionName and not $sphinxQuestionWhere>> "I suppose that's not very helpful. You can ask me a different question if you want." [[Ask her where, exactly, you are.|sphinxwhere][$sphinxQuestionWhere to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionName and $sphinxQuestionWhere and not $sphinxQuestionHuman>> "I suppose that's not very helpful. You can ask me a different question if you want." [[Ask her what happened to all the humans.|sphinxhumans][$sphinxQuestionHuman to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionName and $sphinxQuestionHuman and not $sphinxQuestionWhere>> "I suppose that's not very helpful. You can ask me a different question if you want." [[Ask her where, exactly, you are.|sphinxwhere][$sphinxQuestionWhere to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionWhere and $sphinxQuestionHuman and not $sphinxQuestionName>> "I suppose that's not very helpful. You can ask me a different question if you want." [[Ask her what her name is.|sphinxname][$sphinxQuestionName to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionWhere and $sphinxQuestionName and not $sphinxQuestionHuman>> "I suppose that's not very helpful. You can ask me a different question if you want." [[Ask her what happened to all the humans.|sphinxhumans][$sphinxQuestionHuman to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionWhere and $sphinxQuestionName and $sphinxQuestionHuman>> "That's enough questions for now. I'm getting bored." [[Continue.|sphinxcomplete]] <</if>><<endnobr>>

!The Sphinx's Lair "Why? What's down there?" you ask. She shrugs. "I'll tell you this: if you encounter anything... strange, remember this: it is the tortoise that wins the race, not the rabbit." With that, she steps aside, revealing a long, dark path down into the mountain. <<link "Enter the mountain.">><<fadetoblack "intothemountain" 3000>><<set $enterCrevice to null>><</link>> [[Leave.|mountain5][$enterCrevice to null]]

!The Sphinx's Lair "Where exactly am I?" The sphinx looks confused by your question. "You're on a mountain, next to a forest, beyond which lies the sea." "But what's beyond the mountain? What cities are nearby? What country am I in?" A cloud passes over the sphinx's expression. She shakes her head to clear it.<> <<if $sphinxQuestionHuman and not $sphinxQuestionName and not $sphinxQuestionWhere>> "Your questions aren't making any sense. Ask me something else." [[Ask her what her name is.|sphinxname][$sphinxQuestionName to true]] [[Ask her where, exactly, you are.|sphinxwhere][$sphinxQuestionWhere to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionName and not $sphinxQuestionHuman and not $sphinxQuestionWhere>> "Your questions aren't making any sense. Ask me something else." [[Ask her what happened to all the humans.|sphinxhumans][$sphinxQuestionHuman to true]] [[Ask her where, exactly, you are.|sphinxwhere][$sphinxQuestionWhere to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionWhere and not $sphinxQuestionHuman and not $sphinxQuestionName>> "Your questions aren't making any sense. Ask me something else." [[Ask her what happened to all the humans.|sphinxhumans][$sphinxQuestionHuman to true]] [[Ask her what her name is.|sphinxname][$sphinxQuestionName to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionHuman and $sphinxQuestionWhere and not $sphinxQuestionName>> "Your questions aren't making any sense. Ask me something else." [[Ask her what her name is.|sphinxname][$sphinxQuestionName to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionHuman and $sphinxQuestionName and not $sphinxQuestionWhere>> "Your questions aren't making any sense. Ask me something else." [[Ask her where, exactly, you are.|sphinxwhere][$sphinxQuestionWhere to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionName and $sphinxQuestionWhere and not $sphinxQuestionHuman>> "Your questions aren't making any sense. Ask me something else." [[Ask her what happened to all the humans.|sphinxhumans][$sphinxQuestionHuman to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionName and $sphinxQuestionHuman and not $sphinxQuestionWhere>> "Your questions aren't making any sense. Ask me something else." [[Ask her where, exactly, you are.|sphinxwhere][$sphinxQuestionWhere to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionWhere and $sphinxQuestionHuman and not $sphinxQuestionName>> "Your questions aren't making any sense. Ask me something else." [[Ask her what her name is.|sphinxname][$sphinxQuestionName to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionWhere and $sphinxQuestionName and not $sphinxQuestionHuman>> "Your questions aren't making any sense. Ask me something else." [[Ask her what happened to all the humans.|sphinxhumans][$sphinxQuestionHuman to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionWhere and $sphinxQuestionName and $sphinxQuestionHuman>> "That's enough questions." [[Continue.|sphinxcomplete]] <</if>><<endnobr>>

!The Sphinx's Lair "What's your name?" She laughs derisively. "The creatures of these woods have no use for names. If you need to call me something, others who live in these woods have taken to calling me the dweller-in-the-sky. But you," she says, grinning, "can call me 'Your Highness.'" [[Sure thing, Your Highness.|sphinxnamea]] [[I'm defintely not doing that.|sphinxnameb]]

!The Sphinx's Lair "How about I call you 'kitty' instead?" The sphinx looks pleased. "Actually, I kind of like that. Yes. You may call me Princess Kitty." You resist the impulse to roll your eyes. <><<if $sphinxQuestionHuman and not $sphinxQuestionName and not $sphinxQuestionWhere>> "You can ask me another question if you want. That wasn't a very good one." [[Ask her what her name is.|sphinxname][$sphinxQuestionName to true]] [[Ask her where, exactly, you are.|sphinxwhere][$sphinxQuestionWhere to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionName and not $sphinxQuestionHuman and not $sphinxQuestionWhere>> "You can ask me another question if you want. That wasn't a very good one." [[Ask her what happened to all the humans.|sphinxhumans][$sphinxQuestionHuman to true]] [[Ask her where, exactly, you are.|sphinxwhere][$sphinxQuestionWhere to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionWhere and not $sphinxQuestionHuman and not $sphinxQuestionName>> "You can ask me another question if you want. That wasn't a very good one." [[Ask her what happened to all the humans.|sphinxhumans][$sphinxQuestionHuman to true]] [[Ask her what her name is.|sphinxname][$sphinxQuestionName to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionHuman and $sphinxQuestionWhere and not $sphinxQuestionName>> "You can ask me another question if you want. That wasn't a very good one." [[Ask her what her name is.|sphinxname][$sphinxQuestionName to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionHuman and $sphinxQuestionName and not $sphinxQuestionWhere>> "You can ask me another question if you want. That wasn't a very good one." [[Ask her where, exactly, you are.|sphinxwhere][$sphinxQuestionWhere to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionName and $sphinxQuestionWhere and not $sphinxQuestionHuman>> "You can ask me another question if you want. That wasn't a very good one." [[Ask her what happened to all the humans.|sphinxhumans][$sphinxQuestionHuman to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionName and $sphinxQuestionHuman and not $sphinxQuestionWhere>> "You can ask me another question if you want. That wasn't a very good one." [[Ask her where, exactly, you are.|sphinxwhere][$sphinxQuestionWhere to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionWhere and $sphinxQuestionHuman and not $sphinxQuestionName>> "You can ask me another question if you want. That wasn't a very good one." [[Ask her what her name is.|sphinxname][$sphinxQuestionName to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionWhere and $sphinxQuestionName and not $sphinxQuestionHuman>> "You can ask me another question if you want. That wasn't a very good one." [[Ask her what happened to all the humans.|sphinxhumans][$sphinxQuestionHuman to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionWhere and $sphinxQuestionName and $sphinxQuestionHuman>> "Anyway, that's enough questions for now. I'm getting bored." [[Continue.|sphinxcomplete]] <</if>><<endnobr>>

!The Sphinx's Lair "Yes, Your Highness." <><<if $sphinxQuestionHuman and not $sphinxQuestionName and not $sphinxQuestionWhere>> The sphinx looks pleased. "I suppose that's not very helpful. You can ask me a different question if you want." [[Ask her what her name is.|sphinxname][$sphinxQuestionName to true]] [[Ask her where, exactly, you are.|sphinxwhere][$sphinxQuestionWhere to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionName and not $sphinxQuestionHuman and not $sphinxQuestionWhere>> The sphinx looks pleased. "I suppose that's not very helpful. You can ask me a different question if you want." [[Ask her what happened to all the humans.|sphinxhumans][$sphinxQuestionHuman to true]] [[Ask her where, exactly, you are.|sphinxwhere][$sphinxQuestionWhere to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionWhere and not $sphinxQuestionHuman and not $sphinxQuestionName>> The sphinx looks pleased. "I suppose that's not very helpful. You can ask me a different question if you want." [[Ask her what happened to all the humans.|sphinxhumans][$sphinxQuestionHuman to true]] [[Ask her what her name is.|sphinxname][$sphinxQuestionName to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionHuman and $sphinxQuestionWhere and not $sphinxQuestionName>> The sphinx looks pleased. "I suppose that's not very helpful. You can ask me a different question if you want." [[Ask her what her name is.|sphinxname][$sphinxQuestionName to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionHuman and $sphinxQuestionName and not $sphinxQuestionWhere>> The sphinx looks pleased. "I suppose that's not very helpful. You can ask me a different question if you want." [[Ask her where, exactly, you are.|sphinxwhere][$sphinxQuestionWhere to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionName and $sphinxQuestionWhere and not $sphinxQuestionHuman>> The sphinx looks pleased. "I suppose that's not very helpful. You can ask me a different question if you want." [[Ask her what happened to all the humans.|sphinxhumans][$sphinxQuestionHuman to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionName and $sphinxQuestionHuman and not $sphinxQuestionWhere>> The sphinx looks pleased. "I suppose that's not very helpful. You can ask me a different question if you want." [[Ask her where, exactly, you are.|sphinxwhere][$sphinxQuestionWhere to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionWhere and $sphinxQuestionHuman and not $sphinxQuestionName>> The sphinx looks pleased. "I suppose that's not very helpful. You can ask me a different question if you want." [[Ask her what her name is.|sphinxname][$sphinxQuestionName to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionWhere and $sphinxQuestionName and not $sphinxQuestionHuman>> The sphinx looks pleased. "I suppose that's not very helpful. You can ask me a different question if you want." [[Ask her what happened to all the humans.|sphinxhumans][$sphinxQuestionHuman to true]] [[Tell her I'm done asking questions.|sirendonequestions]] <<elseif $sphinxQuestionWhere and $sphinxQuestionName and $sphinxQuestionHuman>> "That's enough questions, I think. I'm getting bored." [[Continue.|sphinxcomplete]] <</if>><<endnobr>>

!The Sphinx's Lair <<if $sphinxDeal is 1>>"Right, right," she says. "Well, what are you waiting for? Ask me your question."<<set $sphinxQuestionName to false>><<set $sphinxQuestionWhere to false>><<set $sphinxQuestionHuman to false>> [[Ask her what happened to all the humans.|sphinxhumans][$sphinxQuestionHuman to true]] [[Ask her what her name is.|sphinxname][$sphinxQuestionName to true]] [[Ask her where, exactly, you are.|sphinxwhere][$sphinxQuestionWhere to true]]<<elseif $sphinxDeal is 2>>"Right, right," she says. "All right, then. I'll let you into the mountain, but--" She hesitates. "You should be careful." [[Ask her what's down there.|sphinxcareful]]<<elseif $sphinxDeal is 3>>"Right, right," she says. "Very well, then: if you continue up this mountain, you will find an observatory. A man of science once lived there." She sits, wrapping her tail around her toes. She looks a little wistful. "He's gone now. Perhaps he is dead. But the observatory is still full of wonders, if you know where--and-when--to look. "When?" "Find the crystal chamber. Make sure to get there just as the sun is dipping behind the hills. I think you'll see some interesting things." She smiles enigmatically. "Now I've kept my end of the bargain. It's time for you to leave." [[When?|sirenobservatory]]<<else>><<set $sphinxDeal to null>><</if>>

!The Sphinx's Lair <<set $sphinxQuestionHuman to null>><<set $sphinxQuestionName to null>><<set $sphinxQuestionWhere to null>>"Thanks, but I think I'm done for now." The sphinx's eyebrows artch in surprise, but she nods. "As you wish. Now, human, I believe you've overstayed your welcome. If you find any interesting riddles, come back--otherwise, I shall be very glad if this is the last time I see you." [[Get out of here.|mountain5][$enterCrevice to null]]

!The Sphinx's Lair <<set $sphinxQuestionHuman to null>><<set $sphinxQuestionName to null>><<set $sphinxQuestionWhere to null>>"Well, thank you for answering my questions." She nods. "Now, human, I believe you've overstayed your welcome. If you find any interesting riddles, come back--otherwise, I shall be very glad if this is the last time I see you." [[Get out of here.|mountain5][$enterCrevice to null]]

!The Sphinx's Lair "Find the crystal chamber. Make sure to get there just as the sun is dipping behind the hills. I think you'll see some interesting things. [[Get out of here.|mountain5][$enterCrevice to null]]

!Top of the Mountain You knock, but no one answers. Not surprising, all things considered. [[Take the stairs onto the balcony.->observatorybalcony]]

!Top of the Mountain A patchwork of forest, river, and sea unfolds in front of you. Directly ahead of you is the forest you just came from, which appears to be split into two regions. To the east--your right--the forest is painted in hues of emerald and gold, shot through with silvery rivers like veins of precious ore. Beyond it lies the sea. Tucked away in a cliff-hugged bay, you see a palace hewn of white stone. To the west, the forest is cloaked in shadow. Thick, ancient trees gradually thin out as the forest gives way to swampland. Beyond that, impenetrable mist. <<if $sawTheView is true>>A path has been forged into the mountain, leading down and to the east.<<else>>That's the way you came from. You're curious to see what kind of view the other side of the balcony affords you. You're a little chagrined to see a path carved into the side of the mountain, wending its way down and to the east. If only you had known it was there //before// climbing up.<</if>> <<set $sawTheView to null>>[[Find out.|mountainviewnorth]] [[Take the path down.|downmountain]]

!Top of the Mountain You walk around the wraparound balcony to the other side. The wind is sharper here, more insistent. You have to grip the railing to assure yourself that you won't be blown away. The northern face of the mountain is much steeper, peppered with bald spots where ancient landslides gouged out its flank. On an outcropping on rock, you see an enormous bird's nest filled with blue-speckled eggs. There appears to be no way down this side of the mountain. [[Go back to the other side.|mountainviewsouth][$sawTheView to true]]

!Foot of the Mountain The way down the mountain is much pleasanter than the journey up it. It's not long before you find yourself back on level land. You stand at the intersection of forest meadow. To your left, the forest thins out onto a meadow strewn with wildflowers. It appears as if there is a path cutting through the meadow. To your right, you hear the sound of twinkling laughter. [[Head toward the sound of laughter.|mushrooms]] [[Head toward the path.|path1]]<<set $mushrooms to null>>

!A Mushroom Menagerie <<if $mushrooms == 3>>You stumble toward the door. It glows with a rainbow of shifting colors, beckoning you closer. They dance with a kaleidoscope of colors, one mushroom bleeding into the next as if made of spilled paint. [[Try the knocker.|knocktreedoor]]<<elseif $mushrooms == 2>>You can barely see the door anymore, but you remember the way. You pick your way between spears of grass and soaring mushrooms, and are pleased to find a tiny path that takes you the rest of the way. The door is now comfortably you-sized. [[Try the knocker.|knocktreedoor]]<<elseif $mushrooms == 1>>The door is now only a couple steps away. You have to lie down on your stomach to even see it. "Hey! You're squishing the mushrooms!" Oops. You scramble to your feet, creating even more of a mess. You're not accustomed to having such enormous limbs. A pixie stands in the open doorway, arms crossed. "It's the //blue// mush, you doof! //Blue//!" He slams the door before you can apologize for the squashed mushrooms. [[Go back to the clearing.|mushrooms]]<<else>>You crouch down to get a better look at the door. It's round and roughly the size of an apple, with a tiny brass knocker. Next to it stands a dollhouse-sized, strewn with acorn caps and thimbles. Some of them are filled with a pinkish liquid. A series of windows have been carved into the trunk, giving the tree the appearance of a rustic hotel. [[Try the knocker.|knocktreedoor]]<</if>>

!A Mushroom Menagerie <<if $mushrooms == 3>>It takes you a couple tries to grab onto the locker. It keeps moving around, evading your grasp. But when you do finally get ahold of it, it morphs and changes into a bumblebee. You cry out and stumble backwards. The door flings open. In the open doorway stands a tiny winged man wearing only a leaf for a loincloth, looking annoyed. "You didn't eat the black mushroom, did you? Didn't you read the signs?" "They were too small to read," you say. But what actually comes out is, "Mmfghbrblnnmmfh." The pixie shakes his head. "Humans," he says, before disappearing into the tree. He emerges a moment later holding a hollowed-out acorn filled with green liquid. "Drink this." [[Drink it.|antidote]]<<elseif $mushrooms == 2>>You rap the knocker against the door. A small man with wings answers, wearing nothing but a leaf for a loincloth. "Come on in!" he says, stepping aside to let you through. [[Enter the pixie mansion.|partypixies]]<<else>>You take the brass knocker between you fingers and give it a gentle tap. A tiny voice cries out from one of the windows. "Hey!" You stumble backwards as a tiny winged man, wearing only a leaf as a loincloth, emerges from the tree. He's holding a puffy dandelion almost as large as he is. He bonks you on the nose, and you sneeze. "No bigs allowed!" he tells you, and smacks you again. [[Go back to the clearing.|mushrooms]]<</if>>

!A Mushroom Menagerie <<if $mushrooms == 4>>You approach the red mushroom, which is now as large as a tree. Fortunately, it's not too hard to break off a piece. You're back to normal size within minutes. There's nothing left to do but-- [[Get out of here.|mushroomend][$mushrooms to null]]<<else>>You reach for the red mushroom. It has a furred texture, like velvet, and its skin is a deep maroon. It resonate a strange vibration. You pop the mushroom into your mouth, and you blast upwards. Your head bursts through the canopy, sending a flock of birds flying. The mushrooms shrink to the size of scattered beads, and the forest floor far is much farther away than you remember. You've sprouted to the size of a giraffe. [[Look at the door.|treedoor]]<</if>>

!A Mushroom Menagerie <<if $mushrooms == 5>>It takes a while to locate a blue mushroom amongst the blanket of fungus on the floor. It's barely the size of your fingernail now, but it does the trick. You shrink back down to size with a sight of relief. [[Try a different mushroom.|mushrooms][$mushrooms to null]] [[Get out of here.|mushroomend][$mushrooms to null]]<<else>>You pluck a blue mushroom from the soil and dust it off on your sleeve. It's a blue-and-white piebald that vaguely resembles the sky. The instant you pop in into your mouth, the world goes... strange. The mushrooms balloon to the size of rabbits. Specks of gravel become boulders. Your stomach goes into your throat as the ground rushes up to meet you. Soon, you are standing in the middle of an enormous meadow. The grass goes up to your chest, and motes of pollen as big as dandelions float through the air. You've shrunk down to the size of a dragonfly. [[Look at the door.|treedoor]] [[Look at the wooden signs.|mushroomsigns]]<</if>>

!A Mushroom Menagerie You take one of the black mushrooms. It's slick, with an oily rainbow sheen. Little stars seem to dance inside it. Trying not to think too much about what you're doing, you pop it into your mouth. You feel the effects immediately. The world slews sideways, your vision melting as if the world has turned to wax. Colors grow vivid, swirling together in a psychadelic pallete of impossible color. There is an elephant staring at you, its skin as pink as bubblegum. It turns around and begins lumbering away. [[Look at the door.|treedoor]] [[Follow the pink elephant.|pinkelephant]]

!A Mushroom Menagerie You manage to get enough of the antidote in your mouth to start feeling better. Your vision straightens, and colors stop blending into one another like paint on an artist's pallette. "Thank you," you say, and this time the words come out right. "Bigs," he says, folding his arms. "It's the //blue// mushroom. Read the signs next time, doofus." Before you can tell him that his stupid signs are far, far too small to read, he disappears back inside. [[Return to the mushrooms.|mushrooms]]

!Party Pixies! You emerge into the biggest room you've ever seen--relatively speaking, anyway. It stretches upwards seemingly into infinity, its walls adorned with multicolored string lights. Pixies lounge on mushroom furniture, holding acorns, engaged in vibrant conversation, or else dancing to the jaunty tune of the world's smallest violin. A group of particularly rowdy pixies are cheering as one of them stands on its head and chugs from a barrel of liquid. The air smells smoky and faintly hebal. [[Join the party.|partypixies2]]

!A Mushroom Menagerie You look at the signs, now large enough to be fully legible. Next to the red mushrooms, a sign reads: "BIGGIFY." Next to the blue mushrooms is a sign that reads: "LITTLEIFY." Next to the black mushrooms, a wooden sign reads: DANGER: DO NOT EAT. Someone has scribbled underneath it: UNLESS YOU WANT TO MEET GEORGE. You wonder who George is. [[Look at the door.|treedoor]]

!A Mushroom Menagerie You chase after the pink elephant, but it seems to always be three steps ahead of it, its bubblegum tail just out of reach. [[Keep going.|pinkelephant2][$mushrooms to null]]

!A Pink Elephant [[Keep going.|pinkelephant3]]

!A Sun-Speckled Wood

!A Wishing Well At the end of the path stands a stone well. An inscription on a stone plaque reads: @@.center; EVA ABERDEEN IN LOVING MEMORY @@ You wonder who that is. <<set $backtrackWell to null>>[[Return to the larger path.|path3b][$backtrackWell to true]]

!Under Construction This area is under development. Sorry for the inconvenience! For the latest updates, check out our devlog. As always, thank you for your support! <a href="https://wickedsister.itch.io/theweirdwood/devlog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Devlog</a>/*!A Moss-Covered Clearing You find yourself in a clearing filled with stone. Interconnected fairy rings create elaborate whorls and patterns in the moss. You realize that the whorls combine to create words. Unfortunately, they seem to be in a different language.*/

!Trophy Room The stag must have been enormous; antlers pour from its pate, reaching out like branched lightning. One of the antlers looks more worn the the rest. [[Look closer.|bucktrophylook][$secretPassage to true]] [[Back.|trophyroom]]

!Trophy Room You step toward a bank of shelves on the far wall adorned with taxidermied animals of all shapes and sizes. The wildcat is frozen in a state of terror, back arched, lips pulled back to reveal glistening yellow incisors. On closer inspection, you notice a seam running around its neck. A golden hinge peeks out from the fur on its ruff. [[Open the compartment.|hiddencompartment]]

!Trophy Room You kneel down to get a better look at the carpet. It is made of thick, silvery fur streaked with darker grey. <<if $secretPassage is true>> You lift a corner of the pelt, revealing an opening leading into the lower levels of the palace. <<link "Go down the hidden staircase." "dungeon">><</link>><<else>><</if>> [[Back.|trophyroom]]

!Trophy Room The cat's head hinges open, revealing a hollow compartment inside. A small slip of paper reads: @@.center; //Five o' clock The conservatory// @@ [[Back.|trophyroom]]

!A Trophy Room You lean close. Indeed, the tip has been worn smooth and blunt by the touch of many hands. You press it, and it sinks into the hollow antler as if spring-loaded. Invisible machinery whirrs directly behind you. You turn around, but the room looks exactly as it did before. [[Go back.|trophyroom]]

!Paintings The wall is covered in paintings, making it difficult to know where to look. These collection must have cost a fortune. [[Back.|gallery]]

!A Library You emerge onto the library's second-story landing. A chandelier hangs low, its elaborate metalwork tangled in what was once the spiral staircase connecting the two floors. Much like the lower floor, this floor too is packed with books and tomes. [[Inspect the bookshelves.|bookshelves2]]

!A Guest Room

!A Dusty Music Room This room is filled with instruments of every imagineable tone and timbre: harps, violins, even an oboe. They look rather dusty. [[Back.|sunnyhallway]]

!An Attic

!A North-Facing Sunroom This side of the sunroom looks much like its twin, with several comfotable seating areas. Towering windows bathe the library in buttery light, providing a 180-degree view of the palace gardens. A glass door leads to a large balcony. [[Step onto the balcony.|balcony]] [[Enter the western gallery.|hallway2a]] [[Enter the eastern gallery.|hallway2b]] [[Go back to the south-facing side.|sunroomsouth]]

!Bookshelves Upon closer examination, you realize that this must be the nonfiction section of the library, while the bottom floor is for fiction. [[Examine the red book.|redbook]] [[Examine the blue book.|bluebook]] [[Examine the tome made of fine leather.|brownbook]]

!A Red Book You pull a red book off the shelf. [[Back.|bookshelves2]]

!A Blue Book A pull a blue book off the shelf: "A Modern Bestiary." [[Back.|bookshelves2]]

!A Gilded Black Book You pull a black book with fine gilding off the shelf. Its title is made of pressed gold leaf, surrounded by elaborate whorls. Unfortunately, it is written in a language you do not understand. [[Back.|bookshelves]]

!A Thin Yellow Book <<if $readHansel is true>>You place the book back on the shelf, wondering what manner of child would read a story like that. Or, for that matter, what kind of parent would allow them to.<<elseif $readHansel is false>>You place the book back on the shelf, wondering what kind of parent would buy such a grim book for their child.<<else>>You pull a book titled "Terrifying Tales for Tiny Tots" and open it to a random page. It seems to be a retelling of Hansel and Gretel, written in rhyming couplets.<</if>> [[Settle down and read the story.|hansel1]] [[Summarize it for me, please.|hanselsummary]] [[Back.|bookshelves]]<<set $readHansel to null>>

!A Leather-Bound Tome You reach for a book made of supple brown leather. Its binding, still crisp and firm, is a testament to its fine craftsmanship--or perhaps its unpopularity amongst the inhabitants of the palace. You guess the latter when you see the title: "A Complete History of the Trebuchet." [[Back.|bookshelves2]]

!A Worn Magenta Book You pull a magenta book off the shelf. It is clearly well-loved, its binding coming loose, its pages careworn and slighty crimped from damp, as if its owner often took it into the bath. You look at the title: "Taken by the Raven King." Bath-time reading, indeed. [[Back.|bookshelves]]

!A Thin Yellow Book You skim for the gist of the tale. In it, the two children outwit the wicked witch and bake her into a meat pie, which they invite their evil stepmother to eat. When she learns of her accidental cannibalism, she dies on the spot. Having developed a taste for human flesh, Hansel and Gretel dig in. Hmm. Perhaps a little //too// dark for tiny tots.<<set $readHansel to false>> [[Back.|yellowbook]]

!Hansel and Gretel @@.center; There once were two children whose names you all know, Who left scattered breadcrumbs all in a row. They found a cottage they thought an illusion For it was covered in candies in profusion! "Can it be?" cried Hansel. "Do my eyes deceive me? Were I to tell the tale, not one would believe me! Should you and I for months partake scarcely a dent would the two of us make!" "I, too,” said Gretel, “am wary of believing What my eyes insist I am perceiving. Even so, would it not be a waste to leave without a little taste?" Trusting their mouths (if not their sight), They broke off a shingle and took a bite. As they reached for seconds, the door flew wide, revealing the haggard crone inside. ''PAGE 1 OF 5'' [[Next Page|hansel2]] @@ [[Back.|yellowbook]]

!Hansel and Gretel @@.center; “Mercy!” pled Gretel. “We are contrite. We are but slaves of appetite! From our homes, I and my brother Were expelled by our cruel stepmother." “To see children endure privation," said the crone, "Fills me with great vexation!" Far from angry, she generously asked For the children's company at that night's repast. "To this,” said the children, “we accede. Our wildest hopes you do exceed!" With a wicked leer beneath her grin, The witch ushered the children in. But no sooner had they stepped inside Than the witch had both children tied. “How,” cried Hansel, “were we so foolish To trust a countenance so ghoulish?" ''PAGE 2 OF 5'' [[Previous Page|hansel1]] | [[Next Page|hansel3]] @@ [[Back.|yellowbook]]

!Hansel and Gretel @@.center; The witch gave a gambol and a cackle That shook the cottage to its spackle. “Silence now; you’ve been bested. You'll say no more when you’re digested.” First, the boy was made to build The cage in which he would be killed; Then the girl to grind and batter meals to make her brother fatter. "Eat!” urged the witch. “I'll fatten you up! On tender flesh I'll shortly sup. I'll grind your bones to make my bread And rather than wine, drink blood instead!” The children were so filled with dread As to almost be glad they’d soon be dead. But then—a flash of inspiration Stirred little Gretel to elation! ''PAGE 3 OF 5'' [[Previous Page|hansel2]] | [[Next Page|hansel4]] @@ [[Back.|yellowbook]]

!Hansel and Gretel @@.center; "Look here,” said she, “I have a finger bone With which we'll rout this ugly crone." "Marvelous!” Hansel cried. “In spite of our quibbling, You always were the smarter sibling." "Silence!” snapped the witch. “Mouths that aren't eating Mean longer must I wait 'ere feeding!" But though Hansel ate his belly round, He never seemed to gain a pound! "Two weeks,” said the witch, “and yet this brat Has not put on an ounce of fat! No matter; my belly cannot wait forever. It's time to end his life's endeavor." She undid the latch--and out Hansel hopped! He bludgeoned the witch till her screaming stopped. They dragged her to the oven and stuffed her inside And cooked her on high until she died. ''PAGE 4 OF 5'' [[Previous Page|hansel3]] | [[Next Page|hansel5]] @@ [[Back.|yellowbook]]

!Hansel and Gretel @@.center; That she was delicious there's no question, Though she gave the children indigestion. And because it's only common sense They commandeered the residence. But though they had sweets aplenty to eat, They now craved a different kind of meat. Said Gretel: “That crone's remains did not long last.” “But who shall be next?” Hansel asked. Wicked as you please, she grinned at her brother. “Who else,” she said, “than our wicked stepmother?” ''END''<<set $readHansel to true>> [[Previous Page|hansel4]] @@ [[Back.|yellowbook]]

!The Heart of the Maze You approach the woman, ignoring your gnawing thirst. She seems to glow with an internal light all her own, her white gown and golden hair rivalling the sun in their beauty. [[Back.|centerofmaze2][$lookedWoman to true]]

!The Minotaur in the Maze Your blood freezes in your veins. The monster stands in an archway of hedges, blocking your only exit. "Step away from her," it roars, its voice as deep and cracking as a summer thunderstorm. You feel the vibrations deep in your bones. <<set $askWhoShe to null>><<set $askWhoHe to null>>[[Beg its forgiveness.|minotaurbeg]]

!The Heart of the Maze @@.center; //One breaks but never falls One falls but never breaks When the two bleed into one One sleeps and one awakes// @@ [[Back.|centerofmaze2][$readInscription to true]]

!The Minotaur in the Maze "I'd be glad to get out of this place alive," you admit. "I will escort you out. A human dies in your house, and you //never// get the smell out." He smirks, a bit rakishly. "Anything else I can do for you?" [[Ask him about the sleeping woman.|askwoman]]

!The Minotaur in the Maze "I'm here to rescue this maiden," you tell the beast. The minotaur stands taller, folding his arms massive across his chest. "If she could be rescued, I would have done it myself ages ago." [[Ask him what he means.|askwoman]]

!The Minotaur in the Maze "I'm sorry. I don't mean either of you harm." He lowers the morningstar to his side, his fearsome expression slackening. "Pardon //me// if I find the idea of a pipsqueak like you posing a threat to me," he says, a twinkle of amusement in his brown eyes. He holsters his morningstar in a leather bandolier wrapped around his considerable torso. "Sorry for the scare, squirt. You can never be too careful." He considers you. "What do you want, anyway? The maze is a dangerous place. Few find their way to the heart of it--even fewer find their way back out." [[I just want to get out of here alive.|leavealive]] [[I'm here to rescue this maiden.|rescuemaiden]]

!The Minotaur in the Maze "How can she be awoken?" He looks past you, toward the slumbering beauty on her marble plinth. <<if $lookedWoman is true>><<else>>She seems to glow with an internal light all her own, her white gown and golden hair rivalling the sun in their beauty. <</if>>Sadness seems to fold him over, shrinking him. <<if $readInscription is true>>"You read to inscription," he says bitterly.<<else>>He jerks his head toward the inscription on the stone plinth: "//One breaks but never falls / One falls but never breaks / When the two bleed into one / One sleeps and one awakes//."<</if>> "Sure, but whaty does it mean?" "It means there's nothing you or I can do," he says testily, closing the lid on the subject. [[Ask who he is.|askminotaurwhohe][$askWhoHe to true]] [[Ask who she is.|askminotaurwhoshe][$askWhoShe to true]]

!The Minotaur in the Maze <<if $askWhoShe and not $askwhoHe>>"Who is she?" you ask.<<else>>"What about her?" you ask.<</if>> "She is the one I love most of all," he says sorrowfully, "but can never have." <<if $askWhoShe and not $askwhoHe>>[[Ask who he is.|askminotaurwhohe]]<<else>>[[Ask him why no one around here seems to have a proper name.|askwhynoname]]<</if>>

!The Minotaur in the Maze <<if $askWhoHe and not $askwhoShe>>"Who are you?" you ask.<<else>>"And you?" you ask.<</if>> The humor returns to his eyes. They are not mud-brown at all, you realize, but the color of hot coffee on a cold day--robust and uncompromising, but warming nonetheless. "I," he says, "am the master-of-the-maze." <<if $askWhoHe and not $askwhoShe>>[[Ask who she is.|askminotaurwhoshe]]<<else>>[[Ask him why no one around here seems to have a proper name.|askwhynoname]]<</if>>

!The Minotaur in the Maze The minotaur laughs. "Don't know. If you ever learn it, I'd be grateful if you told me." @@.center; """Type your answer into the URL bar, like this:""" ^^<<link '(help!)'>><<popup 'help'>><</link>>^^ """http://www.weirdwood.com#????""" @@ [[I don't know your name.|dontknowminotaurname]]

!A Hedge Maze <<set $drankPool to null>><<set $lookedWoman to null>><<set $readInscription to null>><<set $askWhoShe to null>><<set $askWhoHe to null>>

!The Minotaur in the Maze "I don't know it. Sorry." "Did think so," he says gold-humoredly. "Now, let's get you out of here before the grue come after you." He winks, and you can't decide if he's joking. [[Follow the minotaur out of the maze.|hedgemaze][$setJustArrivedMaze to false]]

!A Sun-Speckled Wood You continue walking. Soon the chirping of birds and the drone of insects is joined by the sound of running water somehere nearby. <<set $gaveName to null>><<set $askedName to null>><<set $compliment to null>>[[Go toward the sound of water.|westbank]]

!A Shaded Grotto "I've never met you before, so I really couldn't say--" "That's what I thought," she interrupts. Before you can say anything else, she dives into the water and vanishes. [[Continue.|forest6a]]

!A Rushing River You follow the river downstream. The canopy thins, exposing long swathes of brilliantly blue sky. Soon the soft soil of the forest has become fine silt, as white and lustrous as fairy dust. Its colors seem to shift and dance as the sunlight passes over its mulfifaceted surface. [[Continue.|rivereast2]]

!A Forking River You follow the sound of water to a rushing, white-capped river. A large boulder stands at its center, splitting the river into two smaller distributaries. Both the river and its two forks are much too wide to cross. You suppose that leaves you with one option. [[Follow the western river.|riverwest]]

!A Rushing River You follow the river's current, the sound of birdsong and flowing water lulling you into a meditative calm. [[Continue.|riverwest2]]

!A Sluggish Stream You pick your way through a thicket of cattails. When you emerge, the trees have given way to willows and wilting mangroves, and the soil is black and peaty. It smells like mud and rotting vegetation. [[Continue.|swamp]]

!A Saltwater Stream The canopy continues to thin. Soon you're tiptoing around spiky scrub brush and jagged coastal grasses. Up ahead, a cobalt sea churns. [[Continue.|beach]]

!A White-Sand Beach You find yourself on a beach of luminous white sand. The air smells of salt and seaweed and sun-kissed stone, and gulls prowl the shoreline for crabs and clams and other delicacies. To your right, the beach stretches as far as the eye can see. To your left, the beach fades into a promontory overlooking the sea. <<set $comingFromBeach to null>>[[Head toward the promontory.|seacliff][$comingFromBeach to true]] [[Walk further down the beach.|beach2]]

!A Grassy Promontory <<if $comingFromBeach is true>>You head toward the promontory. Gradually, the beach slopes upwards, sand giving way to hard-packed earth.<<elseif $comingFromBeach is false>>You've already come this far; might as well keep going. You head toward the cliff.<<else>>You head toward the promontory. Gradually, the land slopes upwards, giving way to hard-packed earth as you climb.<</if>> The bad news: the walk is longer than it looked, and you're breathless by the time you reach the top of the promontory. The goods news: the promontory provides a comprehensive view of the beach and the woods beyond. <<if $sawCliffView is true>><<if $comingFromBeach is true>>[[Head toward the palace.|bayshore]] [[Head back to the beach.|beach]]<<else>>[[Head back to the palace.|bayshore]] [[Head toward the swamp.|swamp]] [[Head toward the beach.|beach]]<</if>><<else>>[[Check out the view.|seacliffsview][$sawCliffView to true]]<</if>><<set $sawCliffView to null>>

!Quicksand You struggle to pull yourself free. The mud is as unyielding as liquid concrete, and your jostling only seems to hasten your fate. The good news is, you do eventually stop sinking. The bad news: you're up to your chin in mud. Any more movement carries the risk of finishing the job the quicksand started. <<if $callHelp is true>>[[Welp.|swamptrapped]]<<else>>[[Welp.|deathbyquicksand]]<</if>>

!Quicksand You cry out for help. No answer. You try again. A gnat flies straight into your mouth. Gross. [[Await my fate.->swampwait]] [[Struggle to free myself.|swampstruggle]]

!Quicksand You don't have much of a choice; you wait. You're amazed when you hear approaching footsteps. It appears that someone--or something--heard your cry for help. At least, you hope they're here to help. It occurs to you that you'd make a tempting meal to the wrong kind of creature. The footsteps stop just behind you. A dry voice drawls, "Stuck in quicksand? How embarrassing." [[Ask the creature to help you.|swampaskhelp]]

!Quicksand You don't have much of a choice; you wait. And wait. You spend the rest of your rather short life waiting. @@.center; ''YOU ARE DEAD.'' <<link "Open your eyes." "weirdwood">><</link>> @@

!Quicksand "You'd have more time to make fun of me if you helped me get out," you grumble. The creature cackles delightedly. "Tell you what," it says. "Tell me what manner of creature I am, and I'll save you from a humiliating death." You scour your brain for wetland-dwelling creatures with annoying attitudes. "Well?" the creature prompts. @@.center; <<textbox "_input" "" autofocus>> <<button "Submit">><<if ["kappa", "kawappa", "kawako", "kawatarō", "kawatarou", "gawappa", "kōgo", "kougo", "suitengu"].includes(_input.toLowerCase())>><<goto "kappa">><<else>><<goto "swampwrong">><</if>><</button>> @@ [[Tell him you don't know what he is.|swampdontknow]] [[Tell him you know exactly what he is--an it's not nice.|swampdick]]

!A Swamp "I know what you are," you say. "You're a dick." The creature laughs. "I like you. You remind me of-- well, me." You wonder if this is the creature's way of telling you that you, too, are a dick. You're still puzzling over this when there's a rustling from above. The creature has lept up a tree and dislodged a vine from one of the mangroves. It falls to the ground, a few inches from your face. "How is this supposed to help me? I can't use my arms." "Use your mouth. You're so adept at it, after all." Laughing, the creature bounds away. [[Continue.|swampmouth]]

!A Swamp The creature circles in front of you, careful to avoid the theacherous ring of quicksand. Sure enough, a froglike creature enters your field of vision. "Indeed I am," the kappa says. "Very well. I'm a kami of my word." You vision fills with white light. The next moment, you're standing beside the pool of quicksand, perfectly clean and dry. The kappa is nowhere to be seen, but his voice seems to echo in your ears: "Don't say I never did anything to help you." [[Continue.|swamp3]]

!A Swamp <<if $comingFromWisp is true>>You edge around the wall of pea-soup fog. When it clears, the blue light is nowhere to be seen.<<else>>You keep going, careful this time to avoid any suspicious-looking patches of mud.<</if>> Ahead of you looms a large, rectangular shadow. As you approach, the shadow resolves itself into a small hut. <<set $comingFromWisp to null>><<set $callHelp to null>>[[Approach the hut.|swamphut]]

!A Swamp Cursing the creature, you take the vine in your mouth. Slowly--ever so slowly--you pull yourself to the edge of the pit. Your neck is aching and your clothes are coated in mud by the time you drag yourself out of the quicksand. You have to lie flat on the ground, panting, just to find the energy to stand. There's no sign of the creature. Good riddance. [[Continue.|swamp3]]

!Quicksand "How am I supposed to know what you are if I can't see you?" you ask. "That //is// the question," the creature agrees. There's a long silence, and then he says briskly: "Well! Enjoy your death." "Wait! I have more guesses." You hastily run through an entire alphabet of animals: "Alligator, Bear, Bird, Cat, Deer, Dog..." "Fine! Fine." You still can't see him, but you swear you can hear him rolling his eyes. The creature scampers up a tree and dislodges a vine from one of the mangroves. It falls to the ground, within arm's reach. "How is this supposed to help me? I can't use my arms." "Use your mouth. You're so adept at it, after all." Laughing, the creature bounds away. [[Continue.|swampmouth]]

!A Swamp Hut <<if $triedWitchDoor is true>>You stare up at the rotting hut and consider your options. Short of breaking into the hut and risking the wrath of whoever's inside, you don't have many. Beyond the hut, the swamp grows dry and weedy, and you can swear you smell a hint of salt on the wind. [[Keep going.|sandymarsh]] [[Peek through a window.|windowpeek][$triedWitchDoor to true]]<<else>>The structure stands atop a rickety scaffolding, and the damp wood seems to be rotting in several places. You ascend a flight of creaking stairs onto the porch. <<set $triedWitchDoor to null>>[[Knock on the door.->hutknock][$triedWitchDoor to true]] [[Peek through a window.|windowpeek][$triedWitchDoor to true]]<</if>>

!A Swamp Hut You peek through a frosted-glass window. A teak-tinted smear suggests a table and chairs, and a smudge of dancing orange suggests a fireplace. One of the chair creaks to and fro in the unmistakeable movement of a rocking chair. [[Knock on the door.->hutknock]] [[Back.|swamphut]]

!A Swamp Hut You knock on the door, but receive no answer. [[Back.|swamphut]]

!A Shrouded Wood <<if $fleeSuccess == 1>>It's a near thing. The boy's cleaver skims your ankle as you blast through the door and sprint for the woods. Their footsteps gradually fade into silence. You are thoroughly lost, but alive.<<set $fleeSuccess to null>><<set $ateCandy to null>><<set $ateLicorice to null>><<set $ateMarshmallow to null>><<set $ateSugarLace to null>><<elseif $fleeSuccess == 2>>You dash for the door. The children cry out and give chase--you notice they're both brandishing weapons now, the boy a cleaver and the girl a long, wicked-looking stiletto--but you're fast. You sprint into the woods, leaving the sound of their angry cries far behind you. You are thoroughly lost, but alive.<<set $fleeSuccess to null>><<set $ateCandy to null>><<set $ateLicorice to null>><<set $ateMarshmallow to null>><<set $ateSugarLace to null>><<else>>The woods are impenetrable now and dripping with quiet menace.<</if>> [[Continue.|darkforest5]]

!A Gingerbread House You reach for a gumdrop the size of your fist. It comes loose from the wall with a satisfying //pop//, raining plump flakes of dried frosting on the grass. The first bite is like nothing you've ever tasted before: it is everything sweet and lovely all at once, jelly-soft and crystal-crunchy and so intensely delicious you go weak at the knees. Before long, you've eaten the whole thing. Nothing stirs inside the cabin. Whoever its inhabitants are, they don't seem to have minded. [[Back.|candyhouse]]

!A Gingerbread House You knock on the cinnamon-bark door. You expect a shriveled crone to answer the door, or perhaps a beautiful witch in disguise. You did not expect two children--one a girl in pigtails and a pwoder-blue dirndl, the other a boy in green lederhosen. They blink at you with large, guileless blue eyes. "Who is this, sister dear?" the boy asks. "And how, pray tell," the girl replies, "did they get here?" [[Introduce yourself.|candyhouseintroduce]]

!A Gingerbread House "I, um, am just a weary traveler looking for a place to rest," you tell them. They wait expectantly, as if there's more. When you don't continue, they glance at each other, annoyed. @@.center; "Grown-ups never play our game. It is such an awful shame," @@ the girl complains. @@.center; "If you do not wish to play today, Pray come back another day." @@ With that, they shut the door in your face. [[Go back.|darkforest4]]

!A Gingerbread House You creep around the cottage, looking for another way in. There's a small frosted-sugar window at the back, and it stands ajar. [[Climb in through the window.|candybedroom]]

!A Gingerbread House Ever so quietly, you climb through the window. The first thing you notice is the smell. Not sweets, no: it is the acrid smell of charcoaled meat. You look around, and realize you are standing in a small room: a rustic bed, a carved wooden bureau, and a small desk are its only furnishings. Toys and small wooden shoes are scattered on the floor, making you wonder if perhaps this is a childrens' bedroom. [[Explore the house.|candycommonroom]]

!A Gingerbread House You wander into a cozy common area. The smell of cooked meat intesifies, completely overpowering the more delicate aroma of sugary sweets. An open doorway leads into a kitchen, where a pair of children are preparing something to eat. As they work, they sing a jaunty rhyme. @@.center; "Slaughter, bleed, skin, and beat, Give us something good to eat!" @@ [[Announce yourself to the children.|candyannounce]] [[Hide behind a sofa.|candyhide]]

!A Gingerbread House You're spying an a pair of children whose house you broke into. There's no way you're //not// the villain in this scenario. Feeling a little embarrassed, you step out from behind the couch. "Hello? Sorry to disturb you, but, ah--the door was unlocked." The white lie makes you feel slightly better about yourself. The children turn around. For the first time, you get a good look at them: a girl and a boy, one in pigtails and a powder-blue dirndl, the other in hunter-green lederhosen. They look surprised, but not quite as surprised as you'd expect. @@.center; "Who is this?" the girl demands. "Murderer or thief? Declare yourself, and pray, be brief!" @@ It is clear that she is the voice of authority between the two. [[Tell them you're a powerful witch.|candywitch]] [[Tell them you're a lost and weary traveler.|candytraveler]] [[Tell them their parents sent you.|candyparents]]

!A Gingerbread House You swiftly duck behind a tattered sofa. One child, a boy in hunter-green lederhosen, continues the morbid rhyme: @@.center; "Cut it, baste it, tie it up On tender meat tonight we'll sup!" @@ The other child, a girl in pigtails and a powder-blue dirndl, continues: @@.center; "Trick it, track it, lure it to its doom-- I think I hear it in the other room!" @@ <<if $ateCandy>>[[Run.|deathbycandy]]<<else>>[[Run.|darkforest4][$fleeSuccess to 2]]<</if>>

!A Gingerbread House "Your parents sent me," you say. "They're very worried about you." The children trade looks. Then the girl raises an eyebrow and says: @@.center; "Worried, indeed? You drive me to tears. Alas, or parents have been dead for years." @@ She nods at her brother, who stalks toward you. Only then do you notice the glimmer of a cleaver in the boy's hands. @@.center; "I'll make it quick; you needn't cower. Terror makes the meat go sour." @@ <<set $fleeSuccess to null>><<if $ateCandy>>[[Run.|deathbycandy]]<<else>>[[Run.|darkforest4][$fleeSuccess to 1]]<</if>>

!A Gingerbread House "I'm a powerful witch in these woods. Surely you've heard of me?" The children exchange looks, an invisible line of communication passing between them. After a moment, the girl look at you. @@.center; "Show us a spell of conjuration. Prove your magic is no fabrication." @@ Damn. You should've seen that coming. You've been caught, and the children know it. The girl gives her brother a nod, and he stalks toward you. That's when you notice the cleaver in the boy's hands. <<set $fleeSuccess to null>><<if $ateCandy>>[[Show them a magic trick and disappear.|deathbycandy]]<<else>>[[Show them a magic trick and disappear.|darkforest4][$fleeSuccess to 1]]<</if>>

!A Gingerbread House "I'm just a weary traveler looking for a place to rest my feet," you say. Thre children glance at each other. The boy asks his sister: @@.center; "What sort of traveler, I wonder Into a stranger's house does blunder?" @@ The girl shakes her head and sighs. @@.center; "Is it really such a chore To knock on the front door?" @@ Something glimmers in the boy's hand. It is a wicked-looking cleaver, far too large for the boy's small hands. He wields it with the ease of an expert butcher. [[Apologize.|apologize]] [[Back away slowly.|backaway]]

!A Gingerbread House You're quick. The children are quicker. They catch up to you just as you reach the front door. The boy swings his cleaver into your Achilles' tendon, sending you pinwheeling. The girl pulls a stiletto from her skirt and finishes the job. As you bleed out on the floor, they stare down at you with wide blue eyes. @@.center; "You never had a chance, you know. Gorging on sweets will make you slow." @@ You really hate twins. @@.center; ''YOU ARE DEAD.'' <<link "Open your eyes." "weirdwood">><</link>> @@

!A Shrouded Wood As you venture deeper into the woods, the atmosphere grows dark and oppressive. The trees leer at you with twisted visages, their spindly, claw-like branches greedily grasping at you. It is easy to get lost here; the trees seem to whisper as you pass, rearranging themselves behind you as if they have minds--and purposes--of their own. [[Continue.|hangingtree]]

!The Swamp's Edge As you circle the swamp, you notice a flicker out of the corner of your eye. It appears to be a blue flame, far out in the center of the swamp and cloaked in a thick blanket of fog. [[Investigate the blue flame.|blueflame]] [[Ignore the flame and continue.|swampedge2]]

!Chasing Blue Fire You change course for the blue flame. It dances in and out of sight--first dim as a faerie's breath, then vivid as a lightning strike--making it difficult to follow. It seems to be singing, though not in any language you know. The words sound like crystal beads tumbling into a glass bowl, like child's laughter, like frozen rain on a tin roof. [[Keep going.|blueflame2]]

!A Swamp You're not walking long when you notice a shimmer ahead and to your right--a flickering blue flame, dim and cloaked in fog. [[Investigate the blue flame.|blueflame]] [[Ignore the flame and continue on.|quicksand]]

!The Swamp's Edge Besides the mysterious blue light, the journey to the other side of the swamp is uneventful. Ahead of you looms a large, rectangular shadow. As you approach, the shadow resolves itself into a small hut. [[Approach the hut.|swamphut]]

!Chasing Blue Fire You continue, mud sucking at your feet like the lips of a giant fish. The blue flame continues to sing, its voice conjuring splashes of light and color in your mind an a pattern that almost resembles a language. You cannot tell if you're getting closer; the light waxes and wanes as skeins of fog scud across the bog's surface, making its distance impossible to judge. [[Continue.|blueflame3]]

!Chasing Blue Fire You're certain now that the light is intelligent; when you stumble, it flares brightly, the color red momentarily flashing through your mind. When you stop to catch your breath, it sends you a flurry of yellows and oranges. Almost as if it is urging you on. [[Continue.|blueflame4]]

!Chasing Blue Fire The light leads you to a thick bank of fog. It is dense and icy, the kind of fog you worry you might not come out of. The blue light passes into the mist and disappears. You cannot tell if it is evading you or leading you, driven by some purpose of its own. <<set $comingFromWisp to null>>[[Follow the light into the fog.|fog]] [[Turn back.|swamp3][$comingFromWisp to true]]

!Chasing Blue Fire It is brutally cold inside the mist. Bursts of color dance in your vision, like lightning strikes reflected on cloud: magenta and gold, indigo and silver. You can't tell if you're really seeing them, or they are simply projections of your imagination against the featureless gray. But it is the blue light you follow. It is the blue light you don't let out of your sight. [[Keep going.|fog2]]

!A Weeping Willow As if on cue, the mist parts. You are damp and shivering by the time you emerge, but otherwise unhurt. You find yourself in a clearing with a large willow tree at its center. Beneaths its drooping boughs, the blue light strobes with barely contained intensity. [[Ask the light what it wants.|wispask]]

!A Weeping Willow "What do you want me to do? I'm sorry, I don't understand." The light only intensifies. It sinks to the ground, then up again, indicating a patch of ground just beneath it. You glance at the ground. There's a small mound of dirt at the base of the tree you hadn't noticed before. [[Dig.|wispdig]]

!A Black Lake You emerge from the trees onto a lakeshore. You are so relieved to be free of those ever-watching woods that, for a moment, you fail to notice that the lake has its own sort of strangeness. It is black and utterly still. Nothing disturbs its dark waters, not midge nor minnow, and its glassy surface reflects nothing. An unearthly hum emanates from the lake, distorted as if filtered through fractured layers of reality. [[Approach the lake.|blackwaterlake2]]

!A Black Lake You realize it is no hum at all, but dozens of voices joined in song. The song has no melody nor words, but it has a chilling beauty nonetheless. Across the lake looms a thick curtain of mist. There is no telling what lies beyong it. [[Look into the lake. Maybe you can see who's singing.|looklake]] [[See if there's a way around the lake.|aroundlake]]

!A Frozen Lake It is completely frozen with black ice, despite the temperate weather, dusted here and there with snowdrifts. An unearthly hum emanates from the lake, muffled as if by several feet of ice.

!A Frozen Lake Across the lake, a stronghold stands atop a raised plateau, overlooking the lake and forest beyond. A staircase has been hewn into side of the plateau, climbing toward the wrought-iron front gate in a series of perilous switchbacks. It appear the only way to access the stairs--or, for that matter, the stronghold itself--is by crossing the ice on foot. You step gingerly onto the ice. It doesn't so much as groan. You start walking, gaining speed as your confidence grows. [[Continue.|crosslake2]]

!A Frozen Lake You breath a sigh of relief as you reach the other end of the lake. You [[Climb the stairs.|cliffstairs]]

!A Frozen Lake You reach other other side of the lake. You walk along the edge of the lake. Now that you're closer, you see a gondola moored to a dock, its hull encased in ice. [[Continue.|dfsdfs]]

!The Forest of Faces <<if $comingFromLake and not $comingFromManor>>You make your way back down the lakeshore and into the shadowy wood. A grotesquely twisted tree stands at the center of a clearing, a stylized eye carved into its trunk. To your right, there appears to be a rudimentary path. Ahead of you, the dark forest looms.<<set $comingFromLake to null>><<elseif $comingFromManor and not $comingFromLake>>You make your way back down the forest path and into the shadowy wood. A grotesquely twisted tree stands at the center of a clearing, a stylized eye carved into its trunk. To your right, there appears to be a rudimentary path. Ahead of you, the dark forest looms.<<set $comingFromManor to null>><<else>>You emerge into a clearing with a grotesquely twisted tree at its center. Someone has carved a symbol--a stylized eye--into its trunk. Straight ahead, you glimpse the dark waters of a lake. To your left are the beginnings of a rudimentary path.<</if>> [[Head toward the lake.|blackwaterlake]] [[Follow the path.|darkforestpath]]

!A Black Lake You walk along the edge of the lake, passing a rotting gondola moored to a dock, more pulp than actual wood. [[Continue.|aroundlake2]]

!A Black Lake As you walk, tendrils of mist creep about your ankles. It is growing quite cold, and the air grows thick with mist. [[Continue.|aroundlake3]]

!A Black Lake You peer into the lake, and see nothing but blackness. [[Back.|blackwaterlake2]]

!A Black Lake At last, you reach the far shore. The fog is so thick you can scarcely see the water. Beyond the lake, there is nothing but an impenetrable wall of mist. It is as if you've reached the edge of the world. It would be advisable to turn back. <<set $comingFromLake to null>><<link "Keep going." "mist0">><</link>> [[Turn back.|hangingtree][$comingFromLake to true]]

!A Path in the Woods The path weaves through the trees, sometimes vanishing entirely beneath fallen logs or overgrown brush. No one has maintained it for a very long time, it seems. [[Continue.|darkforestpath2]]

!A Path in the Woods You continue walking. Trees crowd on either side of you, but the path provides some distance from their leering faces, at least. You've been walking for some time when you notice a dark splash on the path in front of you. <<set $lookBlood to null>>[[Look at it.|lookblood][$lookBlood to true]] [[Keep going.|darkforestpath3]]

!A Path in the Woods You kneel down to get a better look. Your heart is hammering even before you realize what it is. Blood. Lots of it. [[Keep going.|darkforestpath3]]

!A Path in the Woods <<if $lookBlood is true>>You continue on your way, all too aware how exposed you are on this path. The blood forms an irregular line down its center, as if the creature it belonged to was dragged for a very long time before it finally stopped bleeding.<<else>>You keep walking. The strange dark substance forms an irregular trail in the middle of your path, and it is an effort not to step on it.<</if>> There are more eyes now, carved into the trunks of the meanest-looking trees. They're unsettling, though you don't know why. [[Continue.|darkforestpath4]]<<set $lookBlood to null>>

!A Path in the Woods The road widens, forcing the trees to retreat. Sickly green light struggles through the gaps in the canopy, turning the soil the color of a fresh bruise. Up ahead, you see a wrought-iron gate. [[Aproach the gate.|gate]]

!An Overgrown Gate The gate is so smothered in vines you've might've missed it, if not for the glistening gold plaque set into the stone wall beside it. It reads: @@.center; ''BE BOLD, BE BOLD.''@@ Easy to say; less easy to do. [[Open the gate.|manorlawn]]

!A Grassy Lawn You blink, stunned, at the sight that greets you on the other side of the gate. After the gloom of the forest, it feels as if you have stepped into a different world. It is bright and sunny, the grass verdant, and the manor house that stands in front of you looks as if it has been plucked straight out of a fairytale. Everything, from the manicured lawn to the flowers lining the path, speaks to attentive maintenance and care. [[Step onto the porch.|manorporch]]

!A Porch You ascend a short flight of steps onto the porch. Another gold plaque has been affixed on the front door, finishes the rhyme you read before: @@.center; ''BE BOLD, BE BOLD. BUT NOT TOO BOLD.''@@ You wonder which is bolder--knocking on the door to face whatever stiff-backed blue blood owns this ridiculously lavish mansion, or simply sneaking inside. <<set $comingFromManor to null>>[[Let myself inside.|manorfoyer]] [[Leave this place.|hangingtree][$comingFromManor to true]]/* <<set $refusedTwice to null>><<set $knockedDoor to null>><<set $refusedDinner to null>><<set $sawRedDoor to null>><<set $justClimbedStairs to null>><<set $genderPreference to null>>[[Knock on the door.|manorknock][$knockedDoor to true]] */

!An Opulent Manor <<set $justClimbedStairs to null>><> <<if $knockedDoor and not $refusedDinner>> <<if $genderPreference eq 1>> The man ushers you into a large, airy foyer. Above you, a vaulted ceiling depicts cavorting nymphs and beatific women with feathered wings. Tall, open archways on either side of you provide views of the adjacent rooms. Ahead of you, a wide staircase leads to an upper mezzanine. "You must be exhausted after your travels," the man says. "I would be honored if you dined with me. And before you protest--it's no trouble at all. The table's already been set, and I'd welcome the company of a fellow explorer." [[Gratefully accept the offer.|manoragree][$refusedDinner to false]] [[Politely refuse.|manorrefuse][$refusedDinner to true; $refusedTwice to true]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 2>> Well, she definitely wasn't. The woman ushers you into a large, airy foyer. Above you, a vaulted ceiling depicts cavorting nymphs and beatific women with feathered wings. Tall, open archways on either side of you provide views of the adjacent rooms. Ahead of you, a wide staircase leads to an upper mezzanine. "I've just put a fire on, so it should be warming up soon. It's always so cold out there in the woods," the woman says. "But what am I going on about? You must be ravenous from your travels. Won't you join me for dinner? It's no trouble, none at all--the table's already been set, and I'd be delighted to entertain a fellow explorer." [[Gratefully accept the offer.|manoragree][$refusedDinner to false]] [[Politely refuse.|manorrefuse][$refusedDinner to true; $refusedTwice to true]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 3>> Well, they definitely weren't. The noble ushers you into a large, airy foyer. Above you, a vaulted ceiling depicts cavorting nymphs and beatific women with feathered wings. Tall, open archways on either side of you provide views of the adjacent rooms. Ahead of you, a wide staircase leads to an upper mezzanine. "You must be weary after your travels." They give you a polite incline of their head. "As fortune would have it, the table's just been set. Perhaps you would consider joining me--it's no common thing, to run across a fellow explorer in these parts. I would be glad of the company." [[Gratefully accept the offer.|manoragree][$refusedDinner to false]] [[Politely refuse.|manorrefuse][$refusedDinner to true; $refusedTwice to true]] <<else>> The man ushers you into a large, airy foyer. Above you, a vaulted ceiling depicts cavorting nymphs and beatific women with feathered wings. Tall, open archways on either side of you provide views of the adjacent rooms. Ahead of you, a wide staircase leads to an upper mezzanine. "You must be exhausted after your travels," the man says. "I would be honored if you dined with me. And before you protest--it's no trouble at all. The table's already been set, and I wouldn't object to the company of a fellow explorer." [[Gratefully accept the offer.|manoragree][$refusedDinner to false]] [[Politely refuse.|manorrefuse][$refusedDinner to true; $refusedTwice to true]] <</if>> <<elseif $knockedDoor and $refusedDinner>> You head back into the foyer and look around. There is a sitting room you can explore, or you can join your host in the dining room. [[Explore the sitting room.|manorsittingroom]] [[Join your host for dinner.|manordiningroom]] [[Go up the stairs.|manormezzanine][$justClimbedStairs to 1]] <<else>> You step into a large, airy foyer. Above you, a vaulted ceiling depicts cavorting nymphs and beatific women with feathered wings. Tall, open archways on either side of you provide views of the adjacent rooms. Ahead of you, a wide staircase leads to an upper mezzanine. [[Explore the sitting room.|manorsittingroom]] [[Enter the dining room.|manordiningroom]] [[Go up the stairs.|manormezzanine][$justClimbedStairs to 1]] [[Leave the manor.|manorporch]] <</if>><>

!An Opulent Manor You knock. It's not long before you hear the sound of approaching footsteps. When door opens, it is no ancient blue blood who greets you, but a young man. He is undoubtedly the handsomest man you've ever seen. His hair is as smooth and lustrous as silk, his smile genteel and welcoming. His princely finery is starched and spotless and smells of crushed velvet and oiled leather. [[I'm into it.|likesmen][$genderPreference to 1]] [[Not my cup of tea, if you catch my drift.|likesother]]

!An Elegant Sitting Room You enter a cozy sitting room. The space is tastefully adorned with small bookshelves and upholstered chairs. A fire blazes merrily in a hearth at one end. [[Back.|manorfoyer]]

!A Lavish Dining Room <> <<if $knockedDoor and not $refusedDinner>> <<if $genderPreference eq 1>> <<if $refusedTwice is true>>"I have, thank you," you say. "The smell was too good to resist." <<else>>The man guides you into the dining room, pulling out your seat before settling into his own. <</if>> The table has been set with enough food to feed a small fiefdom: strong cheeses and delicate summer fruits, thinly sliced meats and almond-stuffed olives. There is a fresh loaf of bread appurtenanced with various jams and compotes, and an assortment of sugar-glazed pastries for dessert. The man pours two glasses of deep red wine. He hands you one, then lifts his in the air. "What shall we toast to?" [[To new friends and possibilities.|toastfriends]] [[To health and happiness.|toasthealth]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 2>> <<if $refusedTwice is true>>"I have, thank you," you say. "The smell was too good to resist." <<else>>The lady guides you into the dining room, pulling out your seat before settling into her own. <</if>> The table has been set with enough food to feed a small fiefdom: strong cheeses and delicate summer fruits, thinly sliced meats and almond-stuffed olives. There is a fresh loaf of bread appurtenanced with various jams and compotes, and an assortment of sugar-glazed pastries for dessert. The noblewoman pours two glasses of deep red wine. She hands you one, then lifts hers in the air. "What shall we toast to?" [[To new friends and possibilities.|toastfriends]] [[To health and happiness.|toasthealth]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 3>> <<if $refusedTwice is true>>"I have, thank you," you say. "The smell was too good to resist." <<else>>They guide you into the dining room, pulling out your seat before settling into their own. <</if>> The table has been set with enough food to feed a small fiefdom: strong cheeses and delicate summer fruits, thinly sliced meats and almond-stuffed olives. There is a fresh loaf of bread appurtenanced with various jams and compotes, and an assortment of sugar-glazed pastries for dessert. The noble pours two glasses of deep red wine. They hand you one, then lift theirs in the air. "What shall we toast to?" [[To new friends and possibilities.|toastfriends]] [[To health and happiness.|toasthealth]] <<else>> <<if $refusedTwice is true>>"I have, thank you," you say. "The smell was too good to resist." <<else>>The man guides you into the dining room, pulling out your seat before settling into his own. <</if>> The table has been set with enough food to feed a small fiefdom: strong cheeses and delicate summer fruits, thinly sliced meats and almond-stuffed olives. There is a fresh loaf of bread appurtenanced with various jams and compotes, and an assortment of sugar-glazed pastries for dessert. The man pours two glasses of deep red wine. He hands you one, then lifts his in the air. "What shall we toast to?" [[To new friends and possibilities.|toastfriends]] [[To health and happiness.|toasthealth]] <</if>> <<elseif $knockedDoor and $refusedDinner>> <<if $genderPreference eq 1>> You enter the dining room. The nobleman is lounging at a long table of dark wood, sipping coffee as he peruses a book. He looks up and smiles when you enter. "Did you decide to join me after all?" he asks. [[Yes, thank you.|manordiningroom][$refusedDinner to false; $refusedTwice to true]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 2>> You enter the dining room. The noblewoman is perched at a long table of dark wood, sipping coffee as she peruses a novel. She looks up when you enter, smiling brightly. "Oh! Did you decide to join me after all?" she asks. [[Yes, thank you.|manordiningroom][$refusedDinner to false; $refusedTwice to true]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 3>> You enter the dining room. The noble is sitting at a long table of dark wood, sipping coffee as they peruse a book. They look up when you enter, a smile tugging at their lips. "Ah, did you decide to join me after all?" they ask. [[Yes, thank you.|manordiningroom][$refusedDinner to false][$refusedTwice to true]] <<else>> You enter the dining room. The nobleman is lounging at a long table of dark wood, sipping coffee as he peruses a book. He looks up and smiles when you enter. "Did you decide to join me after all?" he asks. [[Yes, thank you.|manordiningroom][$refusedDinner to false; $refusedTwice to true]] <</if>> <<else>> You enter the dining room. A long, dark table is laden with food, as if whoever owns the manor expects company any moment. Strange. There is not a soul to be seen. [[Back.|manorfoyer]] <</if>><>

!A Breezy Mezzanine <> <<if $justClimbedStairs == 1>> You climb the stairs onto a broad mezzanine. <<elseif $justClimbedStairs == 2>> Nerves clanging, you leave the red door behind you. <<elseif $justClimbedStairs == 3>> You return to the mezzanine. <<else>> You find yourself on a broad mezzanine overlooking the foyer. <</if>> <>A hallway, invisible from the bottom of the staircase, tunnels deeper into the manor. Several doorless archways provide tasteful tableaus of the adjoining rooms: a music room, a solarium, a personal library, a study. There is only one room that is sealed off from the hallway. Its door is painted a garish red, contrasting sharply with the elegant pastels that grace the rest of the manor [[Explore the other rooms.|manorrooms]] [[Investigate the door at the end of the hall.|reddoor][$justClimbedStairs to 2]] [[Go back downstairs.|manorfoyer][$justClimbedStairs to null]]

!An Opulent Manor You have indisputable taste. "A visitor?" the man asks, the lavender fabric setting off the rich tiger's-eye yellow of his eyes. "What an unexpected honor. Do come in from the cold--I've just put a fire on." [[Enter the manor.|manorfoyer]]

!An Opulent Manor Fair enough. What //is// your cup of tea? [[Lady tea, thank you.|likeswomen][$genderPreference to 2]] [[Actually, yes, a fine gentlemen tea will do.|likesmen][$genderPreference to 1]] [[A little from column A, a little from column B.|likesandrogyny][$genderPreference to 3]]

!An Opulent Manor I do apologize for the mistake. The person who stands in the doorway is, in fact, a woman of devastasting pulchritude. Her lavender dress shimmers with hues of periwinkle and gold, perfectly complementing the tiger's-eye yellow of her eyes. She favors with you a comely smile. "Goodness, I apologize for the state of me. I haven't had a visitor in ages." She smooths an invisible wrinkle out of her dress. "Do come in!" [[Strange; I could've sworn she was a man a second ago...|manorfoyer]]

!An Opulent Manor Quite right; I apologize for my error. Indeed, the person who stands in the doorway is no man at all, but a person of such infinite beauty they transcend the very notion of gender. They are dressed in an elegant lavender tunic chased with gold thread, perfectly accentuating the tiger's-eye yellow of their eyes. They smile at you welcomingly. "It's been ages since we've had a visitor. Welcome," the noble--for surely that is what they are--says. "Please, come in." [[I could've sworn they were a man a moment ago...|manorfoyer]]

!An Opulent Manor <> <<if $genderPreference eq 1>> "Oh... that's very kind of you, but I'm not hungry." "Indeed?" he asks. "Well, I would enjoy your company nonetheless. I so rarely get visitors around these parts, your face is a feast to the eyes of a lonely bachelor such as myself." His broad, guileless smile turns your legs to jelly. You bow your head, trying to hide the treacherous blush climbing up your collar. "Well," he says, "If you do decide to humor me, I'll be in that room over there. In the meantime, treat my estate as your own." With a bow, he removes himself to the dining room. [[Explore the library.|manorsittingroom]] [[Go up the stairs.|manormezzanine][$justClimbedStairs to true]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 2>> "Oh... that's a very generous offer, but I'm not hungry." "Oh? I'm sorry, I just assumed..." She shakes her head. "Well, if you change your mind, I'll be in that room over there. I so rarely get visitors around these parts, you would be welcome company to an old maid such as myself." She is being humble. You have never met an old maid quite so doe-eyed and buxom, with lips the color of a rose in bloom. "Well," she says, "You must treat my estate as your own while you're here. Please do consider joining me later." With a curtsey, she removes herself to the dining room. [[Explore the library.|manorsittingroom]] [[Go up the stairs.|manormezzanine][$justClimbedStairs to true]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 3>> "Oh... That's very generous of you, but there's really no need." "Indeed?" they ask. "Be that as it may, I wouldn't object to some company. I rarely get visitors, and a mysterious traveler at the dinner table would be a welcome diversion--for both of us, I hope." Their smile makes your heartbeat stutter. You focus on the ground and hope they didn't notice your blush. "In any case," he says, "I'll be in that room over there if you change your mind. In the meantime, my estate is yours." With a bow, they remove themself to the dining room. [[Explore the library.|manorsittingroom]] [[Go up the stairs.|manormezzanine][$justClimbedStairs to true]] <<else>> "Oh... that's a very kind offer, but I'm not hungry." "Indeed?" he asks. "Well, I would enjoy your company nonetheless. I so rarely get visitors around these parts, your face is a feast to the eyes of a lonely bachelor such as myself." His broad, guileless smile turns your legs to jelly. You bow your head, trying to hide the treacherous blush climbing up your collar. "Well," he says, "If you do decide to humor me, I'll be in that room over there. In the meantime, treat my estate as your own." With a bow, he removes himself to the dining room. [[Explore the library.|manorsittingroom]] [[Go up the stairs.|manormezzanine][$justClimbedStairs to true]] <</if>><>

!An Opulent Manor <> <<if $genderPreference eq 1>> "Oh... That's very kind of you. Thank you," you say, trying not to think about those eyes of molten gold, or the way his tunic hugs his broad shoulders and narrow hips. He towers over you as he extends a hand, a smile creasing his aristocratic features. [[Take his hand.|manordiningroom]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 2>> "That's very generous of you. Thank you," you say, trying not to think about those eyes of molten gold, or the way her dress clings to her like spilled ink. The fabric shifts ever so slightly, revealing her marble-smooth décolleté, as she extends a hand. [[Take her hand.|manordiningroom]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 3>> "Oh... Thank you," you say, trying not to think about those eyes of molten gold, or the way their tunic clings to their lean arms and tapered waist. Their eyelashes kiss high, aristocratic cheekbones as they extend an elegant hand. [[Take their hand.|manordiningroom]] <<else>> "Oh... That's very kind of you. Thank you," you say, trying not to think about those eyes of molten gold, or the way his tunic hugs his broad shoulders and narrow hips. He towers over you as he extends a hand, a smile creasing his aristocratic features. [[Take his hand.|manordiningroom]] <</if>><>

!Manor Rooms You take your time exploring the upper-story rooms, each one a testament to the owner's discerning tastes. There is not a mismatched chair or a scuff mark to be found. You wonder where the servants are hiding. [[Back.|manormezzanine][$justClimbedStairs to 3]]

!A Red Door Pressure builds in your ears as you approach the red door. You could swear it is no trick of the light that causes the hallway to lengthen like a stretched accordion, turning what should have been a short walk into an onerous journey. When at last you reach the door, its handle exudes a palpable aura, like static electricity. <<if $knockedDoor is true>>//Be bold,// the plaque said. Perhaps this is what it meant.<<else>>You hear voices inside, the words made unintelligible by the thick door.<</if>> [[Try the door handle.|tryreddoor]] [[Go back.|manormezzanine]]

!A Red Door You try the handle, and are unsurprised to find it locked. [[Back.|reddoor][$justClimbedStairs to 2]]

!A Lavish Dining Room <> <<if $genderPreference eq 1>> "To new friends, and new possibilities," you say, mirroring his toast. "To new friends," he repeats, as if tasting the words. Your face heats at the look the nobleman gives you--his yellow eyes lingering on you just a moment too long to be entirely proper. "And possibilities." <<if $sawRedDoor>>You're no fool, though; you wait for the nobleman to sip his wine before taking a sip yourself.<<else>>You wait for the nobleman to sip his wine before taking a sip yourself. You don't //want// to think the worst of him, but you know enough about the world to exercise caution.<</if>> [[Eat.|eatdinner]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 2>> "To new friends, and new possibilities," you say, mirroring her toast. "To new friends," she repeats, looking pleased. Her yellow eyes linger on your face, something thrilling and electric charging the air between you. "...And possibilities." <<if $sawRedDoor>>You're no fool, though; you wait for the noblewoman to sip her wine before taking a sip yourself.<<else>>You wait for the nobleman to sip his wine before taking a sip yourself. You don't //want// to think the worst of her, but you know enough about the world to exercise caution.<</if>> [[Eat.|eatdinner]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 3>> "To new friends, and new possibilities," you say, mirroring their toast. "To new friends," they repeat, inclining their chin in approval. Their yellow eyes linger on you, narrowing ever so slightly with interest--as if you are an irresistible puzzle they are eager to figure out. "...And possibilities." <<if $sawRedDoor>>You're no fool, though; you wait for the noble to sip their wine before taking a sip yourself.<<else>>You wait for the noble to sip their wine before taking a sip yourself. You don't //want// to think the worst of them, but you know enough about the world to exercise caution.<</if>> [[Eat.|eatdinner]] <<else>> "To new friends, and new possibilities," you say, mirroring his toast. "To new friends," he repeats. Your face heats at the look the nobleman gives you--his yellow eyes lingering on you just a moment too long to be entirely proper. "And possibilities." <<if $sawRedDoor>>You're no fool, though; you wait for the nobleman to sip his wine before taking a sip yourself.<<else>>You wait for the nobleman to sip his wine before taking a sip yourself. You don't //want// to think the worst of him, but you know enough about the world to exercise caution.<</if>> [[Eat.|eatdinner]] <</if>><>

!A Lavish Dining Room <><<if $genderPreference eq 1>> "To health and happiness," you say. "Health and happiness," the nobleman agrees. He gestures to the food. "Please; don't be shy." [[Eat.|eatdinner]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 2>> "To health and happiness," you say. "Health and happiness," the woman echoes. She gestures to the food. "Please, help yourself. There's plenty more where it came from." [[Eat.|eatdinner]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 3>> "To health and happiness," you say. "Health and happiness," the noble repeats. They gesture to the food. "Please; help yourself." [[Eat.|eatdinner]] <<else>> "To health and happiness," you say. "Indeed," the nobleman agrees. He gestures to the food. "Please; don't be shy." [[Eat.|eatdinner]] <</if>><>

!A Lavish Dining Room "Just exploring," you

!A Lavish Dining Room <><<if $genderPreference eq 1>> The food is like nothing you've ever tasted before. The nobleman is a seasoned host, engaging you in companionable conversation when your mouth is unoccupied, providing amusing anecdotes when it's full. The meal passes much too quickly. By the time you're savoring your last bite, the shadows outside the window are stretching all the way across the lawn. The man follows your gaze to the window. "Time waits for no one, I suppose," he says, regret tinging his voice. You can't help but share his disappointment that you must part so soon. [[Thank him for the meal.|thankmeal]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 2>> The food is like nothing you've ever tasted before. The lady is a seasoned host, engaging you in companionable conversation when your mouth is unoccupied, providing amusing anecdotes when it's full. The meal passes much too quickly. By the time you're savoring your last bite, the shadows outside the window are stretching all the way across the lawn. The woman follows your gaze to the window. "Time waits for no one, I suppose," she says with a sigh. You can't help but share her disappointment that you must part so soon. [[Thank her for the meal.|thankmeal]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 3>> The food is like nothing you've ever tasted before. The noble is a seasoned host, engaging you in companionable conversation when your mouth is unoccupied, providing amusing anecdotes when it's full. The meal passes much too quickly. By the time you're savoring your last bite, the shadows outside the window are stretching all the way across the lawn. They follow your gaze to the window. "Time waits for no one, I suppose," they say, wistful regret tinging their voice. You can't help but share their disappointment that you must part so soon. [[Thank them for the meal.|thankmeal]] <<else>> The food is like nothing you've ever tasted before. The nobleman is a seasoned host, engaging you in companionable conversation when your mouth is unoccupied, providing amusing anecdotes when it's full. The meal passes much too quickly. By the time you're savoring your last bite, the shadows outside the window are stretching all the way across the lawn. The man follows your gaze to the window. "Time waits for no one, I suppose," he says, regret tinging his voice. You can't help but share his disappointment that you must part so soon. [[Thank him for the meal.|thankmeal]] <</if>><>

!A Lavish Dining Room <><<if $genderPreference eq 1>> "Well... thank you. I really can't thank you enough," you say. You've just about gathered the nerve to say goodbye when the nobleman rises from his seat, gesturing toward the upper level of the manor. "I have an extra room, if you'd like to stay the night. Well, many extra rooms, but one in particular I think you'd like. I promise," he adds with a roguish grin, "I'll be a gentleman." An unspoken invitation thickens the air between you: //Unless, of course, you don't want me to be a gentleman.// [[Agree to stay the night--flirtatiously.|agreeflirt]] [[Agree to stay the night--cordially.|agreecordial]] [[Politely turn down his offer.|turndown]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 2>> "Well... thank you. I really can't thank you enough," you say. You've just about gathered the nerve to say goodbye when the noblewoman rises from her seat, nodding toward the upper level of the manor. "I hope you don't think me too forward in asking," she ventures, pale pink coloring the apples of her cheeks, "but I have an extra room, if you'd like to stay the night. There's one in particular I think you may like. I hope that's not terribly impertintent of me." An unspoken invitation thickens the air between you: //Unless, of course, you want me to be impertintent.// [[Agree to stay the night--flirtatiously.|agreeflirt]] [[Agree to stay the night--cordially.|agreecordial]] [[Politely turn down her offer.|turndown]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 3>> "Well... thank you. I really can't thank you enough," you say. You've just about gathered the nerve to say goodbye when the noble rises from their seat, tilting their head toward the upper level of the manor. "I have an extra room, if you'd like to stay the night. There's one in particular I think you'd like. Of course it is quite private," they assure you. "You won't be disturbed." An unspoken invitation thickens the air between you: //Unless, of course, you want to be disturbed.// [[Agree to stay the night--flirtatiously.|agreeflirt]] [[Agree to stay the night--cordially.|agreecordial]] [[Politely turn down their offer.|turndown]] <<else>> "Well... thank you. I really can't thank you enough," you say. You've just about gathered the nerve to say goodbye when the nobleman rises from his seat, gesturing toward the upper level of the manor. "I have an extra room, if you'd like to stay the night. Well, many extra rooms, but one in particular I think you'd like. I promise," he adds with a rakish grin, "I'll be a gentleman." An unspoken invitation thickens the air between you: //Unless, of course, you don't want me to be a gentleman.// [[Agree to stay the night--flirtatiously.|agreeflirt]] [[Agree to stay the night--cordially.|agreecordial]] [[Politely turn down his offer.|turndown]] <</if>><>

!A Lavish Dining Room <><<if $genderPreference eq 1>> You can't deny that it is the invitation you were hoping for. You meet his gaze, surprised and pleased by your own boldness as you say, "A gentleman? Now //that// would be disappointing." The roguish smile goes thoroughly devilish. He extend an arm, as if he is a courtier requesting your first dance at a ball. "Well, then, I shall have to keep that in mind. Would you like to see your room?" [[Take his arm.|manorbedroom]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 2>> You can't deny that it is the invitation you were hoping for. You meet her gaze, surprised and pleased by your own boldness as you say, "I would welcome any impertinence from you, my lady." Her cheeks go positively scarlet. She's biting her lip to hide her smile as she dips into a curtsey. "I--I'll show you to your room, then." [[Follow her.|manorbedroom]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 3>> You can't deny that it is the invitation you were hoping for. You meet their gaze, surprised and pleased by your own boldness as you say, "Sometimes a little... disturbance is welcome." Their eyebrows arch, and a little puff of laughter escapes their lips. They extend an arm, as if they are a courtier requesting your first dance at a ball. "We are of the same mind on that, I think. Would you like to see your room?" [[Take their arm.|manorbedroom]] <<else>> You can't deny that it is the invitation you were hoping for. You meet his gaze, surprised and pleased by your own boldness as you say, "A gentleman? Now //that// would be disappointing." The roguish smile goes thoroughly devilish. He extend an arm, as if he is a courtier requesting your first dance at a ball. "Well, then, I shall have to keep that in mind. Would you like to see your room?" [[Take his arm.|manorbedroom]] <</if>><>

!A Lavish Dining Room !A Lavish Dining Room <><<if $genderPreference eq 1>> You can't deny that you were hoping for an invitation to stay the night--though you're not sure you want it to go further than that. "Well, you have been the perfect gentleman so far," you say politely. "I would be very grateful for the room." "It's my pleasure," the nobleman says. If he is disappointed by your coolness, he is genteel enough not to show it. "Would you like to see your room?" [[Follow him to your room.|manorbedroom]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 2>> You can't deny that you were hoping for an invitation to stay the night--though you're not sure you want it to go further than that. "You've been nothing but genteel, my lady," you say politely. "I would be very grateful for a quiet place to sleep tonight." "It's my pleasure," the noblewoman says. If she is disappointed by your coolness, she is graceful enough not to show it. "Would you like to see your room?" [[Follow her to your room.|manorbedroom]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 3>> You can't deny that you were hoping for an invitation to stay the night--though you're not sure you want it to go further than that. "A quiet place to sleep would be very wecome," you say politely. "Thank you." "It's my pleasure," the noble says. If they are disappointed by your coolness, they are genteel enough not to show it. "Would you like to see your room?" [[Follow them to your room.|manorbedroom]] <<else>> You can't deny that you were hoping for an invitation to stay the night--though you're not sure you want it to go further than that. "Well, you have been the perfect gentleman so far," you say politely. "I would be very grateful for the room." "It's my pleasure," the nobleman says. If he is disappointed by your coolness, he is genteel enough not to show it. "Would you like to see your room?" [[Follow him to your room.|manorbedroom]] <</if>><>

!A Lavish Dining Room <><<if $genderPreference eq 1>> "I wouldn't dare impose on you any further," you say politely. "You've already been too kind." For a moment those lambent yellow eyes seem to glow. [[Follow him to your room.|manorbedroom]] <<elseif $genderPreference eq 2>> <<elseif $genderPreference eq 3>> <<else>> <</if>><>

@@.center; <<fadein 3s 0s>>!Chapter X<</fadein>> <<fadein 3s 2s>>!!Foxwood Manor<</fadein>> <<fadein 3s 2s>><img src="images/mrfox.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: auto"><</fadein>> <<fadein 2s 4s>><<link "Continue.">><<fadetoblack "chapter3" 2000>><</link>><</fadein>> @@ <<reversefadetoblack 100>>

!Start Chapter? you can start now <<link "Go">><<fadetoblack "chapter2" 3000>><</link>>

!New Page <<reversefadetoblack>>

@@.center; <<fadein 3s 0s>>!Chapter XI<</fadein>> <<fadein 3s 2s>>!!Into the Mountain<</fadein>> <<fadein 3s 2s>><img src="images/mrfox.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: auto"><</fadein>> <<fadein 2s 4s>><<link "Continue.">><<fadetoblack "caves" 2000>><</link>><</fadein>> @@ <<reversefadetoblack 100>>

<<if tags().includes("kappa")>> <<if isPlaying("kappasong")>> <<else>> <<audio ":playing" volume 1 fadeoverto 2 0>> <<audio "kappasong" volume 0 fadeoverto 2 1>> <</if>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("beach")>> <<if isPlaying("beachsong")>> <<else>> <<audio ":playing" volume 1 fadeoverto 2 0>> <<audio "beachsong" volume 0 fadeoverto 2 1>> <</if>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("book")>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("candyhouse")>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("castle")>> <<if isPlaying("castlesong")>> <<else>> <<audio ":playing" volume 1 fadeoverto 2 0>> <<audio "castlesong" volume 0 fadeoverto 2 1>> <</if>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("castlegarden")>> <<if isPlaying("castlegardensong")>> <<else>> <<audio ":playing" volume 1 fadeoverto 2 0>> <<audio "castlegardensong" volume 0 fadeoverto 2 1>> <</if>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("castlegrounds")>> <<if isPlaying("castlegroundssong")>> <<else>> <<audio ":playing" volume 1 fadeoverto 2 0>> <<audio "castlegroundssong" volume 0 fadeoverto 2 1>> <</if>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("cave")>> <<if isPlaying("cavesong")>> <<else>> <<audio ":playing" volume 1 fadeoverto 2 0>> <<audio "cavesong" volume 0 fadeoverto 2 1>> <</if>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("circus")>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("darkforest")>> <<if isPlaying("darkforestsong1")>> <<else>> <<audio ":playing" volume 1 fadeoverto 2 0>> <<audio "darkforestsong1" volume 0 fadeoverto 2 1>> <</if>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("forest")>> <<if isPlaying("lightforestsong")>> <<else>> <<audio ":playing" volume 1 fadeoverto 2 0>> <<audio "lightforestsong" volume 0 fadeoverto 2 1>> <</if>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("hedgemaze")>> <<if isPlaying("hedgemazesong")>> <<else>> <<audio ":playing" volume 1 fadeoverto 2 0>> <<audio "hedgemazesong" volume 0 fadeoverto 2 1>> <</if>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("hinterland")>> <<if isPlaying("hinterlandsong")>> <<else>> <<audio ":playing" volume 1 fadeoverto 2 0>> <<audio "hinterlandsong" volume 0 fadeoverto 2 1>> <</if>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("mountain")>> <<if isPlaying("mountainsong")>> <<else>> <<audio ":playing" volume 1 fadeoverto 2 0>> <<audio "mountainsong" volume 0 fadeoverto 2 1>> <</if>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("manorext")>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("manorint")>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("meadow")>> <<if isPlaying("meadowsong")>> <<else>> <<audio ":playing" volume 1 fadeoverto 2 0>> <<audio "meadowsong" volume 0 fadeoverto 2 1>> <</if>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("mist")>> <<if isPlaying("mistsong")>> <<else>> <<audio ":playing" volume 1 fadeoverto 2 0>> <<audio "mistsong" volume 0 fadeoverto 2 1>> <</if>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("river")>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("sea")>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("stable")>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("swamp")>> <<if isPlaying("swampsong")>> <<else>> <<audio ":playing" volume 1 fadeoverto 2 0>> <<audio "swampsong" volume 0 fadeoverto 2 1>> <</if>> <</if>> <<if tags().includes("tunnels")>> <<if isPlaying("tunnelsong")>> <<else>> <<audio ":playing" volume 1 fadeoverto 2 0>> <<audio "tunnelsong" volume 0 fadeoverto 2 1>> <</if>> <</if>>  <<if tags().includes("chapterstart")>><<audio "chapterstart" play>> <<audio ":playing" volume 1 fadeoverto 2 0>> <<audio "chapterstart" play>> <</if>>

<<fadein 2s>> <img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/Twine_vector_logo.svg/896px-Twine_vector_logo.svg.png"> <</fadein>> <<timed 4s t8n>> Click anywhere to continue... <</timed>> <<cont>><<goto 'start-menu'>><</cont>>

<<fadein 1s>> <div id="start-title">The Weirdwood</div> <div id="start-subtitle">a place to wander</div> <><div id="start-menu"> /*<><<if Save.autosave.ok() and Save.autosave.has()>><<button "Resume Game">><<run Save.autosave.load()>><</button>><</if>><>*/ <<button "Start" "weirdwood">><</button>> /*<<button "Load Game">><<run UI.saves();>><</button>>*/ <<button "Settings">><<run UI.settings();>><</button>> <<button "Credits">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("credits","credits"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("credits").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</button>> </div><> <</fadein>>

<h2>Twine + Sugarcube</h2> <li>Twine by Chris Klimas - <a href="https://twinery.org/cookbook/" target="_blank">Twine Cookbook</a></li> <li>Sugarcube by Thomas Michael Edwards - <a href="https://www.motoslave.net/sugarcube/2/docs/" target="_blank">Sugarcube 2 Documentation</a></li> <li>Custom Macros - <a href="https://github.com/ChapelR/custom-macros-for-sugarcube-2" target="_blank">ChapelR Custom Macros Collection</a></li> <h2>Resources</h2> <li>Icons - <a href="https://fontawesome.com/" target="_blank"> Font Awesome Icons</a></li> <li>Fonts - <a href="https://fonts.google.com/" target="_blank">Google Fonts</a>, <a href="https://opendyslexic.org/" target="_blank">Open Dyslexic</a></li> <li>CSS + HTML Tutorials - <a href="https://www.w3schools.com/">W3Schools</a></li> <h2>Disclaimer</h2> PROJECT TITLE is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum eleifend commodo urna, nec tincidunt urna malesuada eget. In venenatis blandit diam eu tincidunt. Aliquam odio nisl, accumsan ut blandit quis, dapibus quis magna. Suspendisse sed nulla in lorem laoreet rutrum. Donec et nisl sit amet libero bibendum viverra. Fusce venenatis libero eget ex malesuada scelerisque. Proin elementum placerat quam, nec molestie urna aliquam a. Sed pulvinar congue fermentum. Aliquam erat volutpat. Duis ullamcorper at elit vitae semper. Duis faucibus, nunc vitae tincidunt feugiat, dui libero ullamcorper leo, ut varius mauris arcu ac erat. Nullam sollicitudin tempor quam sit amet ultrices. Nullam et augue non ligula vestibulum bibendum. Integer sit amet ligula consectetur, scelerisque metus eu, dignissim dolor. Quisque commodo tempus interdum. Quisque porttitor lacus est, sit amet tincidunt nulla eleifend nec. Nam porttitor velit non auctor ultrices. Fusce luctus ipsum eget tristique pretium. Donec aliquam lacinia arcu, sit amet aliquet ex accumsan non. Orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Cras efficitur leo quis ipsum vestibulum, quis consectetur metus facilisis. Nulla faucibus est id pharetra facilisis. Cras euismod quam augue, sed sodales elit posuere ac. Cras tempor nisl in metus egestas lacinia. Ut semper ipsum quam, et lacinia erat blandit a. Nunc a ipsum et nisi aliquam euismod. Aenean condimentum nunc nec ex condimentum tempus. Pellentesque sagittis mi quis orci auctor, eget molestie orci placerat. Ut ultrices mauris elit, sed mollis justo posuere ut. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Nullam a eros elit. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum vel augue lorem. Aliquam non purus vel metus congue rhoncus. Praesent et porttitor orci, quis venenatis urna. Mauris quis dui cursus, fringilla lorem vel, feugiat nunc. Nullam urna est, fermentum quis justo quis, vestibulum tincidunt lacus. Aenean sit amet consectetur felis, quis hendrerit enim. <><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|p_01]]</div> <div class="flirt-choice-item">[[Continue|p_01]]</div> <div class="special-choice-item">[[Continue|p_01]]</div> </div><>

<h1>Heading 1</h1> <h2>Heading 2</h2> <h3>Heading 3</h3> <<button "Button">><</button>> <<textbox "$textbox" $textbox>> <<listbox "$listbox">> <<option "Listbox 1">> <<option "Listbox 2">> <<option "Listbox 3">> <</listbox>> <<cycle "$cycle">> <<option "Cycling 1">> <<option "Cycling 2">> <<option "Cycling 3">> <</cycle>> <li>List Item</li> <li>List Item</li> <li>List Item</li> <><div class="choices"> <div class="choice-item">[[Continue|p_00]]</div> <div class="flirt-choice-item">[[Continue|p_00]]</div> <div class="special-choice-item">[[Continue|p_00]]</div> </div><>

<<if settings.notifs>><<if tags().includes('autosave')>><<notify 3.5s>>Saving...<</notify>><</if>><</if>> /* autosaving -- the autosave notif needs to be 'present' at all times so is stored in the passageheader, only popping up when you add the [autosave] tag onto one of your passages. this is mainly for aesthetics as the autosave function is currently set up to save on EVERY passage. this can be changed in the javascript settings, e.g. you could configure it to only autosave on passages with the [autosave] tag notify is also a ChapelR macro, not a default sugarcube macro, so make sure to familiarise yourself with the documentation!*/ <script> var myDiv = document.getElementById('passages'); myDiv.scrollTop = 0; </script> /* scroll top -- this script makes the page scroll back to the top every time you move on to the next passage -- do not delete it! */

<h1>Profile</h1> Set up your profile, stats and meters, and other relevant information here! <div id="stat-title"> Friendly ($friendly%) Stoic (<<print 100 - $friendly>>%) </div> <<showmeter 'Friendly' `$friendly/ $max_friendly`>> <div id="stat-title"> Strength ($strength%) Weakness (<<print 100 - $strength>>%) </div> <<showmeter 'Strength' `$strength/ $max_strength`>>

/* -------------------------- castle -------------------------- */ <<cacheaudio "castlesong1" "sounds/music/castle/1castle_firstdream.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "castlesong2" "sounds/music/castle/2castle_maryandraswaltz.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "castlesong3" "sounds/music/castle/3castle_ifyoucloseyoureyesimstillwithyou.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "castlesong4" "4castle_shatteredpaths.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "castlesong5" "sounds/music/castle/5castle_foreveryours.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "castlesong6" "sounds/music/castle/6castle_serenity.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "castlesong7" "sounds/music/castle/7castle_waterfall.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "castlesong8" "sounds/music/castle/8castle_poisonapple.mp3">> <<createplaylist "castlesongs">> <<track "castlesong1" volume 1>> <<track "castlesong2" volume 1>> <<track "castlesong3" volume 1>> <<track "castlesong4" volume 1>> <<track "castlesong5" volume 1>> <<track "castlesong6" volume 1>> <<track "castlesong7" volume 1>> <<track "castlesong8" volume 1>> <</createplaylist>> /* -------------------------- darkforest -------------------------- */ <<cacheaudio "darkforestsong1" "sounds/music/darkforest/1darkforest_lostintheforest.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "darkforestsong2" "sounds/music/darkforest/2darkforest_nightmusic.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "darkforestsong3" "sounds/music/darkforest/3darkforest_gamela.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "darkforestsong4" "sounds/music/darkforest/4darkforest_darkforest.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "darkforestsong5" "sounds/music/darkforest/5darkforest_hardtoletgoofgrammar.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "darkforestsong6" "sounds/music/darkforest/6darkforest_geoffharvey_midnightinthepineforest.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "darkforestsong7" "sounds/music/darkforest/7darkforest_forestoffear.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "darkforestsong8" "sounds/music/darkforest/8darkforest_poisonedrose.mp3">> <<createplaylist "darkforestsongs">> <<track "darkforestsong1" volume 1>> <<track "darkforestsong2" volume 1>> <<track "darkforestsong3" volume 1>> <<track "darkforestsong4" volume 1>> <<track "darkforestsong5" volume 1>> <<track "darkforestsong6" volume 1>> <<track "darkforestsong7" volume 1>> <<track "darkforestsong8" volume 1>> <</createplaylist>> /* -------------------------- dungeon -------------------------- */ <<cacheaudio "dungeonsong1" "sounds/music/dungeon/1dungeon_outcast.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "dungeonsong2" "sounds/music/dungeon/2dungeon_fallingrain.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "dungeonsong3" "sounds/music/dungeon/3dungeon_lurkingshadows.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "dungeonsong4" "sounds/music/dungeon/4dungeon_spiritofthedead.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "dungeonsong5" "sounds/music/dungeon/5dungeon_tragicstory.mp3">> <<createplaylist "dungeonsongs">> <<track "dungeonsong1" volume 1>> <<track "dungeonsong2" volume 1>> <<track "dungeonsong3" volume 1>> <<track "dungeonsong4" volume 1>> <<track "dungeonsong5" volume 1>> <</createplaylist>> /* -------------------------- hedgemaze -------------------------- */ <<cacheaudio "hedgemazesong1" "sounds/music/hedgemaze/1hedgemaze_auroracurrents.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "hedgemazesong2" "sounds/music/hedgemaze/2hedgemaze_peacefulconclusion.mp3">> <<createplaylist "hedgemazesongs">> <<track "hedgemazesong1" volume 1>> <<track "hedgemazesong2" volume 1>> <</createplaylist>> /* -------------------------- light forest -------------------------- */ <<cacheaudio "lightforestsong" "sounds/music/lightforest/lightforest_forestlullabye.mp3">> /* -------------------------- lighthouse -------------------------- */ <<cacheaudio "lighthousesong1" "sounds/music/lighthouse/1lighthouse_interplanetaryalignment.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "lighthousesong2" "sounds/music/lighthouse/2lighthouse_futurerenaissance.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "lighthousesong3" "sounds/music/lighthouse/3lighthouse_mindandeyejourney.mp3">> <<createplaylist "lighthousesongs">> <<track "lighthousesong1" volume 1>> <<track "lighthousesong2" volume 1>> <</createplaylist>> /* -------------------------- manor -------------------------- */ /* -------------------------- mist -------------------------- */ /* -------------------------- mountain -------------------------- */ /* -------------------------- swamp -------------------------- */ <<cacheaudio "swampsong1" "sounds/music/swamp/1swamp_aztecempire.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "swampsong2" "sounds/music/swamp/2swamp_mayanritual.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "swampsong3" "sounds/music/swamp/3swamp_dangeroustoys.mp3">> <<createplaylist "swampsongs">> <<track "swampsong1" volume 1>> <<track "swampsong2" volume 1>> <<track "swampsong3" volume 1>> <</createplaylist>> /* -------------------------- tunnels -------------------------- */ <<cacheaudio "tunnelsong" "sounds/music/tunnels/1tunnels_unnamedsong.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "tunnelsong" "sounds/music/tunnels/1tunnels_unnamedsong.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "tunnelsong" "sounds/music/tunnels/1tunnels_unnamedsong.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "tunnelsong" "sounds/music/tunnels/1tunnels_unnamedsong.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "tunnelsong" "sounds/music/tunnels/1tunnels_unnamedsong.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "tunnelsong" "sounds/music/tunnels/1tunnels_unnamedsong.mp3">> <<createplaylist "swampsongs">> <<track "tunnelsong" volume 1>> <<track "tunnelsong" volume 1>> <<track "tunnelsong" volume 1>> <<track "tunnelsong" volume 1>> <<track "tunnelsong" volume 1>> <<track "tunnelsong" volume 1>> <</createplaylist>> /* comment -------------------------- this is where to set up your variables -- you can delete the examples below. note that $chapter is used to change the chapter title in the title bar. you can either delete this, change the variable name, or change the variable(s) used entirely note that $chapter and $name are also used for the autoname save function. you can either delete this, change the variable name, or change the variable(s) used entirely (in the Javascript file) -------------------------- */ <<set $weather = "Unknown">> <<set $name = "Unknown">> <<set $textbox = "textbox">> <<set $listbox = "listbox">> <<set $cycle = "cycle">> /* -------------------------- ChapelR Meter Macro set up -------------------------- */ /* these stat meter set ups are purely examples and do not need to be used */ <<set $friendly = 50>> <<set $max_friendly = 100>> <<newmeter 'Friendly' $friendly>> <<colors '#777' '#777' '#333'>> <<sizing '100%' '1.2em'>> <</newmeter>> <<set $strength = 50>> <<set $max_strength = 100>> <<newmeter 'Strength' $strength>> <<colors '#777' '#777' '#333'>> <<sizing '100%' '1.2em'>> <</newmeter>>

<div id="title-container"> the weirdwood <<set _now to new Date()>><<switch _now.getHours()>><<case 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4>>NIGHT<<case 5 6 7 8 9>>MORNING<<case 10 11 12 13 14>>AFTERNOON<<case 15 16 17 18 19>>EVENING<<default>>DAY<</switch>> </div>

<<link ''>><<run UI.saves();>><</link>> <<link ''>><<run UI.settings();>><</link>> <<link ''>> <<script>> Dialog.setup("profile","profile"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("profile").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>> <<link ''>><<run Engine.backward();>><</link>> <<link ''>><<run UI.restart();>><</link>>

Set up your widgets here!

!A Gingerbread House <<set $fleeSuccess to null>>"You're right. It's not my finest moment. I'm truly sorry." <<if $ateCandy>>The girl considers you with limpid blue eyes. There is something cold and impenetrable about them, like the surface of a glassy sea. "It would be easier to accept your apology as true," she says, "If you had not stolen from us, too." It takes you a moment to catch her meaning. The candy you ate earleir feels like a leaden weight in your stomach. Indeed, your limbs, too, feel heavy. Blackness creeps into the edge of your vision. The girl's eyes light with triumph, as if she has found what she was looking for. She gives her brother an unspoken signal, and he advances, white-knuckling his cleaver. [[Time to get out of here.|deathbycandy]]<<else>>The girl considers you for a long moment. It is almost as if she is waiting for something. When it doesn't happen, she gives a small, disappointed snort. "You may leave, now that you've had your fun. A word to the wise--I suggest you run." [[Run.|darkforest4][$fleeSuccess to 1]] <</if>>

!A Gingerbread House You take a small step backwards, your eyes darting about the cottage for the closest exit. The movement is not lost on the girl. "It is rude," she says, "to back away. Now that you're here, I insist that you stay." An invisible line of communication passes between the siblings. The boy's fingers tighten on his cleaver, and he advances. <<set $fleeSuccess to null>><<if $ateCandy>>[[Time to get out of here.|deathbycandy]]<<else>>[[Time to get out of here.|darkforest4][$fleeSuccess to 1]]<</if>>

!A Sandy Marsh Leaving the hut behind, you are pleased to see the gloom retreat, revealing a broad, sandy moor. Without the mangroves to black your view, you see a ribbon of brilliantly blue ocean above a golden bank of sand. Looks like you've found the ocean. [[Keep going.|beach]]

!Chasing Blue Fire You are getting very, very cold. The air feels like needles against your skin, sharp enough to hurt. You hope the mist clears soon. [[Keep going.|weepingwillow]]

!A Grassy Promontory The land opens before you like a fan, revealing meadows dusted with wildflowers, glistening white-sand beaches, and a forest so green and lush it looks like emeralds scattered on a bed of green silk. <<if $comingFromBeach is true>>Of more immediate interest, perhaps, is the bay to your left. A C-shaped peninsula encircles the bay, providing a narrow passage into the frothing sea beyond. At its center, like a jewel at the center of a monarch's crown, stands a grand palace. You recognize the beach to your right, of course, its white sand glittering invitingly in the sunlight. Beyond it is the swamp; you're not thrilled by the prospect of going back there any time soon.<<elseif $comingFromBeach is false>>You recognize the bay to your left, of course. A C-shaped peninsula encircles it, providing a narrow passage into the frothing sea beyond. At its center, like a jewel at the center of a monarch's crown, stands the palace. To your right, there is a beach of luminous white sand. Beyond it squats a swamp, half-covered in streamers of thick fog. Though it is hard to tell from here, you think you see a flickering light in its midst.<<else>>To your left there is a calm bay. A C-shaped peninsula encircles the bay, providing a narrow passage into the frothing sea beyond. At its center, like a jewel at the center of a monarch's crown, stands a grand palace. To your right, there is a beach of luminous white sand. Beyond it squats a swamp, half-covered in streamers of thick fog. Though it is hard to tell from here, you think you see a flickering light in its midst.<</if>> [[Back.|seacliff]]

!A Rickety Rowboat Perhaps it was hubris to believe you could out-row the ocean. You're still several meters short of your destination when the current sweeps you past the island, and toward the open sea. [[Well, this certainly is a pickle.|sea]]

!A Rickety Rowboat You row, putting every inch of strength you have into the effort. It is a near thing. You're nearly past the point of no return when you feel the relentless current slacken its grip. Panting, you paddle toward the small lip of gravel you saw earlier. You use the last of your strength make landfall. [[Look around.|secretcove]]