Untold Riches
by Jason Ermer (2015)

You were reluctant to undertake another adventure with Professor d'Squarius (especially after the last near-catastrophe, in the Tomb of the Screaming Mummies), and from the moment you agreed to join the expedition, things have gone exactly the way they always do: horribly. Now YOU are the one stranded on a remote tropical island with no clear way of getting back to civilization. And the amazing treasure you were originally seeking? The professor never explained precisely what it was.

action: %
response: You were reluctant to undertake another adventure with Professor d'Squarius, especially after the last near-catastrophe. Escaping from the Tomb of the Screaming Mummies had been treacherous enough, but then to have to go back inside because the professor lost his keys in some snake pit? Frankly, you had begun to question whether his treasure hunts were worth it.

But the professor spoke persuasively about this new quest -- "for untold riches!" he claimed -- and, in the end, you agreed to join the expedition. Since then, things have gone exactly the way they always do: horribly.

You tried to tell the professor that bringing a harpoon into an inflatable lifeboat was a bad idea. But, like always, he dismissed your objections with the usual "you're just the teenage sidekick" line. And now YOU are the one stranded on a remote tropical island with no clear way of getting back to civilization.

And the amazing treasure you were originally seeking? The professor never explained precisely what it was.

You are on a deserted beach, alone except for the salty breeze, the waves splashing rhythmically on the sand, and a single palm tree that provides very little shade from the harsh sun. The beach extends to the southeast, and a path to the west leads into the rainforest.

The flat husk of a once-inflatable lifeboat has washed up nearby.
action: About you
response: You are the young assistant to Professor Edsger d'Squarius, adventurer-archaeologist.

You and the professor have been through a lot together. You bravely charted the Grave of the Headless Vikings (at least until the swamp gases started to make you hallucinate). You ventured into the secret network of catacombs beneath Stonehenge in search of the Lost Codex of Zethar the Druid (it's still lost; you never found it). You have even seen the summit of Mount Everest (from a distance).

And every time the professor has gotten into some bizarre or dangerous predicament (which is most of the time), you've been there to bail him out.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
the silver whistle (being worn)
action: You examine the whistle
response: The silver emergency whistle hangs from a nylon lanyard that you are wearing around your neck.

The whistle was one piece of emergency equipment that the professor put you in charge of (the other was the emergency beacon, which seems to be missing).
action: Blow whistle
response: The shrill sound of the emergency whistle is both loud and irritating.
action: You look
response: You are on a deserted beach, alone except for the salty breeze, the waves splashing rhythmically on the sand, and a single palm tree that provides very little shade from the harsh sun. The beach extends to the southeast, and a path to the west leads into the rainforest.

The flat husk of a once-inflatable lifeboat has washed up nearby.
action: You get the lifeboat
response: The deflated lifeboat has outlived all usefulness. There's no point in carrying it around.
action: You examine the tree
response: The smooth trunk of the palm tree stretches up about twenty feet and ends in a fan of wide, green leaves.
action: You climb the tree
response: You're quite skilled at climbing trees -- and it's a good thing. When the professor was captured by the Cannibal Warriors, you scrambled up a tree and avoided detection. Later (but still before brunch!) you climbed down and helped the professor escape.

Unfortunately, climbing this particular tree doesn't yield any new information. You climb back down.
action: Swim
response: You and the professor once traveled in search of the Ukrainian Falcon, a golden bird encrusted from beak to claw with the rarest jewels. The professor learned that it had been left behind in the exclusion zone around the Chernobyl nuclear reactor. You journeyed up the Pripyat River, but you had to turn around when your boat was attacked by a school of giant, phosphorescent catfish.

Since then, you've avoided recreational swimming.
action: Xyzzy
response: You recall a different tropical archipelago, far from here, which you and the professor traversed in hope of finding the Chachapoyan Fertility Idol. After that, whenever he needed a vacation, the professor would sometimes go back to Zabba, Deffe, Hijji, Noppo, and Tuvvu (and sometimes Xyzzy).
action: You look at the sand
response: The white sands extend to the southeast.
action: Dig
response: That's going to be hard to do without a shovel.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
the silver whistle (being worn)
action: Go southeast
response: This part of the beach probably floods completely when the tide comes in: all the sand has been washed away and only large rocks remain. Their many pockets and indentations are filled with pools of seawater. The beach becomes more sandy to the northwest and to the west, a large crack in the rocks leads down into a dark cave.

A reddish-brown crab scuttles from pool to pool, its pointy legs clicking faintly on the stones.

There is a long plastic tube here. It must have been left behind the last time the tide went out.
action: You get the tube
response: Taken.
action: You look at the tube
response: The long, waterproof tube has a tight-fitting cap. Large documents, like blueprints and maps, can be rolled up and slid inside for protection.
action: Open tube
response: You open the waterproof case, revealing the professor's treasure map!

When the pirates were starting to close in, you tried to convince the professor that you should be the one to carry both the map and the key. Instead, the professor took the map himself and, inexplicably, tied the key to Aziz's leg. He put you in charge of the emergency kit: the whistle (which you're wearing) and the beacon (which seems to be missing).

The fact that the map case has washed up on the beach might indicate bad news for the professor, maybe even worse than that time he was almost devoured by man-eating spiders in the Shrine of the Cursed Knights.
action: You read the map
response: (first removing the map from the waterproof case)
The sheet of yellowing parchment shows the outline of an island, hand-drawn in black ink. Most of the terrain is just sketched in, but the northwest region is mapped out in great detail and shows some unusual red symbols.

It looks a little like the map the professor had that time you drove a dog sled through the arctic in search of the lost city of Tuktuyaaqtuuq. That's probably just a coincidence, though.
action: You examine the symbols
response: The symbols in the northwest region of the map are drawn in red ink. (At least, you think it's red ink?) They depict a face looking directly west at a seven-pointed star.
action: You get the crab
response: The crab snaps at your fingers with its sharp little claws. You back away, aware that your hands are completely unprotected.
action: You talk to the crab
response: To communicate with other characters, use the command 'talk to someone about something'.
action: You eat the crab
response: You ate raw crab with the professor at a Kyoto sushi bar. (Well, your ordered some. Before the food came, some Yakuza strongmen showed up and you had to sneak out the back door.) This crab is still alive, though!
action: Go west
response: You pass from the bright, warm sunlight of the tide pool to the cool darkness of the cave.

You can see nothing.

It's as dark as the ocean floor. (You know that's a valid comparison because you and the professor once journeyed by submersible to the wreck of the Titanic in order to retrieve a blue diamond necklace once owned by Louis XVI.) You hear the occasional drip of water into some distant subterranean puddle.
action: You listen
response: You hear the occasional drip of water echoing from the walls.
action: Dig
response: That's going to be hard to do without a shovel.
action: You look at what you're carrying with you
response: You are carrying:
the map
a waterproof case (open but empty)
the silver whistle (being worn)
action: Blow whistle
response: The squeal of the whistle causes the crab scurry away, snapping its claws even more aggressively than usual.
action: You examine the sun
response: You have to squint a bit against the bright sunlight and blue sky.
action: You go west
response: Just as you are about to continue exploring the island, a large wave crashes with a spray of foam, and something unusual catches your eye.

When the water recedes, you see the emergency beacon rolling in the surf. What luck!
action: You take beacon
response: Taken.
action: You look at beacon
response: The beacon was one piece of emergency equipment that the professor put you in charge of (the other was the emergency whistle).

It's designed to float, but more importantly, to make you visible at night. It won't be of much use in the bright sunlight.
action: You go to the west
response: You can see nothing. You hear the occasional drip of water into some distant subterranean puddle.
action: You turn on the beacon
response: You switch the beacon on.

The yellow light of the emergency beacon reflects wetly off the irregular, black walls of the cave. Drips of water echo from some dank corner through the chilly underground air.

A path exits this chamber to the east, and a rusty iron gate leads west. A long ladder stretches up, past the limit of the beacon's weak light and into the darkness.

Leaning in the corner is an old shovel.
action: You get the shovel
response: After that time you and the professor got buried alive in the tomb of Pharaoh Humnatune you said you never wanted to use a shovel again... but it's been a while and you've calmed down quite a bit.

You pick up the shovel.
action: Dig
response: The ground here is too rocky for digging. You'd need a pickaxe or something to even make a dent, and you haven't seen one of those since the professor had you chip through the floor of the Biblioteca di San Barnaba on a hunch that it would uncover a secret passage. He was wrong, of course, and had to pay the library big bucks to repair the tile.
action: Go upwards
response: You climb the ladder for a long time. After a while the rough rock walls of the cave smooth out and you find yourself ascending through the interior of a smooth stone cylinder. A minute later you emerge in a room filled with bright sunlight.

This room is at the very top of the island's lighthouse. The walls of this octagonal room are all made of glass, and you have a panoramic view. From here you can see that this island is just one of many that make up an archipelago. You notice a ship several miles away sailing in and out of sight among the many islands.

In the center of the room is the lantern: a high-powered electric lamp nested inside a set of massive rotating lenses. Underneath the lens array, on the lantern's support pedestal, is a large power button.

You can also see a tub of grease here.
action: You turn off the beacon
response: You switch the beacon off.
action: You get the grease
response: The professor once dangled you by your feet over the La Brea tar pits so that you could pull out a crate filled with twenty-eight pounds of stolen diamonds. You got it just moments before it sank forever into the sea of sticky, black gloop. The grease in the tub looks just like that tar, which you were cleaning out from under your fingernails for weeks.

Anyhow, you pick up the tub of grease.
action: You look at the tube
response: The long, waterproof tube has a tight-fitting cap. Large documents, like blueprints and maps, can be rolled up and slid inside for protection.
action: You examine tub
response: This tub contains a thick, black grease used to lubricate the gears of the mechanism that causes the bright beam of the lighthouse to sweep across the night sky. (Of course, that only happens if it's nighttime and if the lighthouse is operational, neither of which is currently the case.) The grease is applied using the paintbrush whose bristles are stuck in the goo.
action: You look
response: This room is at the very top of the island's lighthouse. The walls of this octagonal room are all made of glass, and you have a panoramic view. From here you can see that this island is just one of many that make up an archipelago. You notice a ship several miles away sailing in and out of sight among the many islands.

In the center of the room is the lantern: a high-powered electric lamp nested inside a set of massive rotating lenses. Underneath the lens array, on the lantern's support pedestal, is a large power button.
action: You turn on the beacon
response: You switch the beacon on.
action: Down
response: The yellow light of the emergency beacon reflects wetly off the irregular, black walls of the cave. Drips of water echo from some dank corner through the chilly underground air.

A path exits this chamber to the east, and a rusty iron gate leads west. A long ladder stretches up, past the limit of the beacon's weak light and into the darkness.
action: You go to the west
response: The rusty gate is closed.
action: You open gate
response: The hinges of the gate are frozen with rust. You'll need some kind of oil or grease to loosen them up again.
action: Lube gate
response: You paint the hinges of the rusty gate with a healthy smear of grease.
action: You open gate
response: The hinges of the gate let out an abrupt, metallic bark as they finally twist free of the rust.
action: You go to the west
response: This cave has been turned into a small workshop with an assortment of furniture on one side and an array of machinery on the other. Everything in the room is damp from the constant mist churned up by the cascade of falling water at the cave's entrance, which lies to the west. There is a rusty iron gate in the eastern wall.

Among the machinery is the room's most impressive feature: a massive water wheel, which is attached to a long horizontal track in the wall. At the near end of the track you see a crank and a kind of display panel.
action: You examine the furniture
response: The cramped workshop includes a drafting desk, stool, and a sleeping cot.
action: You examine the desk
response: The desk is tall and has a single drawer. Some papers are scattered across its surface.
action: You read papers
response: The papers show engineering sketches for an electrical network which connects five structures on the island. The design shows a cable starting at the water wheel, running through three intermediate power stations, and terminating at the top of the lighthouse.
action: You lie on the cot
response: You get onto the cot.
action: You open the drawer
response: You open the drawer, revealing some gloves.
action: You take gloves
response: Taken.
action: You examine the gloves
response: The heavy canvas work gloves would be useful for protecting your hands.
action: You sit on the stool
response: (getting off the cot)
You get onto the stool.
action: You examine crank
response: The big metal crank juts from the wall at the near end of the track. Mounted on the wall above it is a control panel.
action: You examine the panel
response: The control panel displays five small light bulbs in a horizontal line. Currently, all of the lights are off.
action: You examine the wheel
response: The water wheel is enormous: it reaches almost all the way to the ceiling, and its blades are wider than your armspan. It is currently motionless, though it is obviously designed to spin on its axle. The axle connects the wheel to the track that runs horizontally along the wall.
action: Turn wheel
response: The water wheel is far too big and heavy to be turned by hand. The force of the falling water, though, may be strong enough to get it spinning.
action: You look
response: Workshop (on the stool)
This cave has been turned into a small workshop with an assortment of furniture on one side and an array of machinery on the other. Everything in the room is damp from the constant mist churned up by the cascade of falling water at the cave's entrance, which lies to the west. There is a rusty iron gate in the eastern wall.

Among the machinery is the room's most impressive feature: a massive water wheel, which is attached to a long horizontal track in the wall. At the near end of the track you see a crank and a kind of display panel.
action: You pull the crank
response: The water wheel doesn't budge. Instead, your effort elicits a dry, rusty grinding noise from the crank. It sounds like it could use some lubrication.
action: Grease crank
response: You paint the crank with a healthy smear of grease.
action: You pull the crank
response: The water wheel doesn't budge. Instead, your effort elicits a dry, rusty grinding noise from the track. It sounds like it could use some lubrication.
action: Grease track
response: You smear grease along the whole length of the track: from the crank at one end to the waterfall at the other end.
action: You pull the crank
response: The water wheel doesn't budge. Instead, your effort elicits a dry, rusty grinding noise from the axle of the water wheel. It sounds like it could use some lubrication.
action: Grease axle
response: You paint the axle of the water wheel with a healthy smear of grease.
action: You pull the crank
response: At last! The crank lets out a nasty screech and finally makes its first full rotation. The water wheel rumbles along the track toward the waterfall. As the blades of the huge wheel are struck by the water, it starts turning -- slowly at first, but it gradually picks up speed until it is spinning rapidly.

You notice that the first bulb on the control panel has lit up.
action: You look
response: Workshop (on the stool)
This cave has been turned into a small workshop with an assortment of furniture on one side and an array of machinery on the other. Everything in the room is damp from the constant mist churned up by the cascade of falling water at the cave's entrance, which lies to the west. There is a rusty iron gate in the eastern wall.

Among the machinery is the room's most impressive feature: a massive water wheel, which is attached to a long horizontal track in the wall. At the near end of the track you see a crank and a kind of display panel.
action: You go east
response: (first getting off the stool)

The yellow light of the emergency beacon reflects wetly off the irregular, black walls of the cave. Drips of water echo from some dank corner through the chilly underground air.

A path exits this chamber to the east, and a rusty iron gate leads west. A long ladder stretches up, past the limit of the beacon's weak light and into the darkness.
action: Go east
response: This part of the beach probably floods completely when the tide comes in: all the sand has been washed away and only large rocks remain. Their many pockets and indentations are filled with pools of seawater. The beach becomes more sandy to the northwest and to the west, a large crack in the rocks leads down into a dark cave.

A reddish-brown crab scuttles from pool to pool, its pointy legs clicking faintly on the stones.
action: Dig
response: The ground here is too rocky for digging.
action: Dig
response: All of the clues at this point suggest you should be digging in the grassy plain.
action: You examine the map
response: The sheet of yellowing parchment shows the outline of an island, hand-drawn in black ink. Most of the terrain is just sketched in, but the northwest region is mapped out in great detail and shows some unusual red symbols.
action: Go west
response: The dense canopy of leaves breaks up the sunlight. The ground is covered with a spongy layer of moss and ferns. The humid air smells of both flowering and decaying plants.

Trails to the west and southwest meander through the trees, and the way back to the beach is east. A steep cliff rises up directly to the south, and to the southeast you see a steep climb that goes up towards its summit.

You also see something quite out of place in the natural surroundings: a mechanical device is poking out from among the ferns.

Perched on the thick-stemmed leaf of a nearby banana tree sits Aziz, the professor's parrot. His blue and yellow feathers contrast brightly with the green forest backdrop.
action: You get the parrot
response: Aziz lets out a loud squawk, and swipes at you with a claw. Then he bobs his head back and forth a few times while uttering an angry hiss.
action: You examine the device
response: Based on the look of it, the device must be some kind of power station that routes electricity to another part of the island: The device has a glass dome on top and a single button labeled ON/OFF. At the base, thick electrical cables snake both southwest and southeast (up the slope).

"Snack!" says the parrot.
action: Grease device
response: Putting grease on the power station would achieve nothing.

"Crab snack?" asks the parrot.
action: You go east
response: You are on a deserted beach, alone except for the salty breeze, the waves splashing rhythmically on the sand, and a single palm tree that provides very little shade from the harsh sun. The beach extends to the southeast, and a path to the west leads into the rainforest.

The flat husk of a once-inflatable lifeboat has washed up nearby.
action: You go west
response: The dense canopy of leaves breaks up the sunlight. The ground is covered with a spongy layer of moss and ferns. The humid air smells of both flowering and decaying plants.

Trails to the west and southwest meander through the trees, and the way back to the beach is east. A steep cliff rises up directly to the south, and to the southeast you see a steep climb that goes up towards its summit.

A power station is poking out from among the ferns.

Perched on the thick-stemmed leaf of a nearby banana tree sits Aziz, the professor's parrot. His blue and yellow feathers contrast brightly with the green forest backdrop.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
some gloves
a tub of grease
a shovel
the beacon (providing light)
the map
a waterproof case (open but empty)
the silver whistle (being worn)
action: You examine ferns
response: The moss and ferns make a thick carpet across the floor of the rainforest.
action: Go west
response: The dense forest thins and becomes a wide plain. There are no trees here. Instead, this whole area is covered with coarse grasses as tall as your waist. Trails east and south lead back into the jungle.

Standing alone in the center of the wide plain is an enormous stone head.
action: You wear the gloves
response: Wow, do you wish you'd had a pair of gloves like these that night all the donkeys got sick while you were trekking down into the Canyon of the Ancient Monks. You told the professor not to let them eat so many blackberries, but he wouldn't listen.

Anyhow, you put on the gloves.
action: You get the crab
response: You pick up the crab. It pinches away at you furiously, but the thick canvas gloves protect your hands.
action: Go west
response: The dense canopy of leaves breaks up the sunlight. The ground is covered with a spongy layer of moss and ferns. The humid air smells of both flowering and decaying plants.

Trails to the west and southwest meander through the trees, and the way back to the beach is east. A steep cliff rises up directly to the south, and to the southeast you see a steep climb that goes up towards its summit.

A power station is poking out from among the ferns.

Perched on the thick-stemmed leaf of a nearby banana tree sits Aziz, the professor's parrot. His blue and yellow feathers contrast brightly with the green forest backdrop.

The parrot scratches at the ribbon tied to its leg.
action: You give the crab to the parrot
response: "CRAB SNACK!" the parrot caws with joy.

Aziz jumps off the banana leaf and sails toward the crab, wings and talons outstretched. Before you know it, the bird has snapped its claws around the crab and started flapping up into the canopy of the rainforest. You hear a soft, metallic thump on the ground nearby, and then the parrot is gone.
action: You get the key
response: If you had a dollar for each little key you've had to keep track of over the years. In fact, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History recently requested to borrow the professor's key collection for a public exhibition. That's been put on hold, however, until the professor can find the key to the safe in which he keeps his key collection.

Anyhow, you pick up the key.
action: You look at the key
response: The brass key is about as long as your finger. Professor d'Squarius was sure this key would grant you access to the vast riches he spoke so vaguely about.
action: Go west
response: The dense canopy of leaves breaks up the sunlight. The ground is covered with a spongy layer of moss and ferns. The humid air smells of both flowering and decaying plants.

Trails to the west and southwest meander through the trees, and the way back to the beach is east. A steep cliff rises up directly to the south, and to the southeast you see a steep climb that goes up towards its summit.

A power station is poking out from among the ferns.
action: You examine the head
response: The monolithic sculpture, made of pitted red stone, is in the shape of an enormous head with a long nose. The statue's eyes, two bright copper plates embedded in the stone, gaze southeast over the waving grasses.
action: You examine the plates
response: The monolith's copper eyes catch and focus the bright sun. Together they project a brilliant beam of light on the ground to the southeast of the statue.
action: You examine the map
response: The sheet of yellowing parchment shows the outline of an island, hand-drawn in black ink. Most of the terrain is just sketched in, but the northwest region is mapped out in great detail and shows some unusual red symbols.
action: Dig
response: The monolithic sculpture is facing southeast, whereas the symbols on the map show a face looking west. Perhaps it is possible to turn the statue so that it faces in that direction.
action: You turn the head
response: To turn the scuplture so that it faces a particular direction, use the command 'turn sculpture to direction'.
action: Dig
response: You dig at the precise location where the light from the monolith's eyes hits the ground. After a few minutes of working, your shovel clanks hard against stone! A few minutes later you have cleared off a mysterious stone circle in midst of the grassy sea.
action: You examine the circle
response: The circular stone reminds you of a manhole cover. Its surface is engraved with a seven-pointed star.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
the brass key
some gloves (being worn)
a tub of grease
a shovel
the beacon (providing light)
the map
a waterproof case (open but empty)
the silver whistle (being worn)
action: You examine the star
response: (the stone circle)
The circular stone reminds you of a manhole cover. Its surface is engraved with a seven-pointed star.
action: You move the cover
response: You are able to pry the stone loose and open it just like a manhole in the street. When you do, a gasp of stale air escapes the chamber beyond. It smells ancient, like the air inside the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, a necropolis guarded by the Terra Cotta Army, which you and the professor entered in your search for an intricately-carved jade funeral urn containing the ashes of Qin Shi Huang. (You couldn't find it.)
action: You examine the chamber
response: The circular stone has been dragged aside to reveal a circular hole and a dim chamber below.
action: Go downward
response: You lower yourself through the circular hole and drop to the floor. It's not a long drop (you can easily climb back out) but your impact kicks up a cloud of dust that has been undisturbed for a long time.

You are in a cylindrical chamber. The floor and curved walls of this subterranean room have been lined with smooth stones. Light falls in through the circular opening in the low ceiling, glinting off the specks of dust that drift in the air.

In the center of the room squats a wooden chest wrapped in iron bands.
action: You look at the chest
response: The wooden chest and its rounded lid are striped with bands of iron. An ornamental key plate surrounds an oblong keyhole.

Adventuring with the professor has landed you in front of many treasure chests just like this one. You recall one that contained a huge hoard of Aztec gold, and another that contained nothing but a single platinum teaspoon (which, rumor had it, once belonged to Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria).

The fact that this chest looks exactly like all the others makes you that much more curious about what's inside.
action: Open chest
response: It seems to be locked.
action: You unlock the chest with the key
response: The brass key clicks perfectly into place and turns with a gentle twist of your wrist. You've done a lot to get here, and only one simple step stands between you and the professor's amazing treasure (whatever it is).
action: Open chest
response: Gingerly you open the chest, revealing its contents.

Inside, you behold an object so magnificent it defies description. No wonder Professor d'Squarius didn't get into detail about this amazing treasure! It's too incredible for words.
action: You examine the treasure
response: It's amazingly lifelike. Except for the number of feet, of course.
action: Continue
response: It's as though a blind jeweler carved it based on a poet's description.
action: Keep going
response: It stirs up a complex set of emotions in you, the way only true art can. You find yourself simultansously drawn to it and repulsed by it.
action: Continue
response: You study all the interlocking pieces, each one more delicate than the last... When you snap out of it, you're not sure how much time as gone by.
action: You take the treasure
response: You carefully remove the object from its container. It is certainly a piece that curators and collectors from Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum to the British Museum will be clamoring for. Plus, the professor (if he's still alive) would be immensely proud of you for finding it.

None of that matters, though, if you can't get off the island. So, onward!
action: You describe your surroundings
response: You are in a cylindrical chamber. The floor and curved walls of this subterranean room have been lined with smooth stones. Light falls in through the circular opening in the low ceiling, glinting off the specks of dust that drift in the air.

In the center of the room squats a wooden chest wrapped in iron bands.
action: Go upwards
response: You pull yourself up through the circular hole in the ceiling.

The dense forest thins and becomes a wide plain. There are no trees here. Instead, this whole area is covered with coarse grasses as tall as your waist. Trails east and south lead back into the jungle.

Standing alone in the center of the wide plain is an enormous stone head. In the ground, under the watching eyes of the statue, is the stone circle.
action: You examine the sun
response: You have to squint a bit against the bright sunlight and blue sky.
action: You go east
response: The dense canopy of leaves breaks up the sunlight. The ground is covered with a spongy layer of moss and ferns. The humid air smells of both flowering and decaying plants.

Trails to the west and southwest meander through the trees, and the way back to the beach is east. A steep cliff rises up directly to the south, and to the southeast you see a steep climb that goes up towards its summit.

A power station is poking out from among the ferns.
action: You look at the power station
response: The device has a glass dome on top and a single button labeled ON/OFF. At the base, thick electrical cables snake both southwest and southeast (up the slope).
action: You go southeast
response: You climb up the steep slope toward the top of the cliffs. After a while, you emerge into the sunlight.

You are on a rocky point that rises up through the canopy of the trees. Steep cliffs drop into the rainforest in every direction except to the northwest, where a steep path leads down. From this high perch you can see many of the other small islands that make up the archipelago.

A tall, cylindrical lighthouse rises into the sky next to you, overlooking the ocean and the jungle below. Snug up against the curved stone wall is another power station.

The area around the lighthouse is populated with a troop of playful monkeys who hoot and screech as they chase each other around.
action: You look at the power station
response: The device has a glass dome on top and a single button labeled ON/OFF. At the base, thick electrical cables snake northwest (down the slope).
action: You press the button
response: The monkeys react when you approach the power station. Howling in fear and aggression, they gather up into a tight pack between you and the lighthouse before you can get anywhere close to it.
action: You examine the monkeys
response: The monkeys, tense and aggressive, crouch in a cluster between you and the lighthouse. Thirty pairs of eyes scrutinize your movements.
action: You check your inventory
response: You are carrying:
the amazing treasure
the brass key
some gloves (being worn)
a tub of grease
a shovel
the beacon (providing light)
the map
a waterproof case (open but empty)
the silver whistle (being worn)
action: Blow whistle
response: The piercing scream of the emergency whistle causes the monkeys to panic! Terrified, they scramble across the rocky ground, jump off into the trees, and go leaping and swinging down through the jungle. In just a few seconds, they are all gone.
action: South
response: The tall cliff blocks your way in the that direction.
action: You climb the cliff
response: Your wall-climbing skills are quite good. Otherwise you never would have been able to infiltrate the headquarters of the Clan of the White Lotus in order to recapture the San Tilapian crown jewels. But you had ropes that time. There's no way the vines here will hold your weight. You might instead try the path to the southeast.
action: You examine the vines
response: The steep cliff is taller than the tallest rainforest trees. Clinging vines snake their way up the rocky wall, here and there dangling long chains of magenta flowers. A trail toward the top of the cliffs rises steeply to the southeast.
action: Smell flowers
response: You smell sweet perfume from the flowers.
action: West
response: The dense forest thins and becomes a wide plain. There are no trees here. Instead, this whole area is covered with coarse grasses as tall as your waist. Trails east and south lead back into the jungle.

Standing alone in the center of the wide plain is an enormous stone head. In the ground, under the watching eyes of the statue, is the stone circle.
action: South
response: You are in a lush rainforest clearing, surrounded by steep cliffs. Clinging vines snake their way up the rocky wall, here and there dangling long chains of magenta flowers. Trails lead north and northeast. A large waterfall to the east roars and churns up a dense cloud of mist.

Another power station is poking out from among the dense foliage beside the waterfall.
action: You press the button
response: You press the button on the power station. With a puff of ozone, the glass dome flickers with green light and the device begins to emit a low hum.

You have a brief flashback to that time in Philadelphia when the professor found, and then cranked up, Ben Franklin's original lightning machine. The main difference this time is that the power station doesn't explode.
action: East
response: Be careful: Carrying the treasure map through the waterfall would certainly destroy it.
action: You put the map in the tube
response: You roll up the treasure map slide it into the tube.
action: Close tube
response: You close the waterproof case.
action: Go east
response: You walk through the curtain of water, getting pelted and soaked in the process.

This cave has been turned into a small workshop with an assortment of furniture on one side and an array of machinery on the other. Everything in the room is damp from the constant mist churned up by the cascade of falling water at the cave's entrance, which lies to the west. There is a rusty iron gate in the eastern wall.

Among the machinery is the room's most impressive feature: a massive water wheel, which is attached to a long horizontal track in the wall. At the near end of the track you see a crank and a kind of display panel.
action: You look at the panel
response: The control panel displays five small light bulbs in a horizontal line. Currently, the first two lights are lit.
action: You go to the east
response: This part of the beach probably floods completely when the tide comes in: all the sand has been washed away and only large rocks remain. Their many pockets and indentations are filled with pools of seawater. The beach becomes more sandy to the northwest and to the west, a large crack in the rocks leads down into a dark cave.
action: You press the button
response: You press the button on the power station. With a puff of ozone, the glass dome flickers with green light and the device begins to emit a low hum.
action: You go southeast
response: You are on a rocky point that rises up through the canopy of the trees. Steep cliffs drop into the rainforest in every direction except to the northwest, where a steep path leads down. From this high perch you can see many of the other small islands that make up the archipelago.

A tall, cylindrical lighthouse rises into the sky next to you, overlooking the ocean and the jungle below. Snug up against the curved stone wall is a power station.
action: Go northwest
response: The dense canopy of leaves breaks up the sunlight. The ground is covered with a spongy layer of moss and ferns. The humid air smells of both flowering and decaying plants.

Trails to the west and southwest meander through the trees, and the way back to the beach is east. A steep cliff rises up directly to the south, and to the southeast you see a steep climb that goes up towards its summit.

A power station is poking out from among the ferns. Its glass dome is glowing with green light, and it is humming quietly.
action: You look at the panel
response: The control panel displays five small light bulbs in a horizontal line. Currently, the first four lights are lit.
action: You press the button
response: You flip the lamp's switch and the room is immediately filled with the brightest light your eyes have ever squinted to avoid seeing. It shines out from the lighthouse and soon attracts the attention of the passing ship.

Fortunately, it is Captain Atlee's ship and within an hour or two, you find yourself safely back among her crew. You also find yourself reunited with Professor d'Squarius!

"You found it!" he cries when he sees you holding the amazing treasure. "Fascinating," he says as he studies the piece. "I had read about it having handles. But why would it need so many?"

Back in his cabin, the professor tucks the amazing treasure into a padded crate and tells the story of how, after the lifeboat deflated, he got caught in a current that carried him away from the island. At some point he was spotted and scooped from the sea by Atlee, who had managed to escape the pirates with her skillful maneuvering.

"While you were away, I had a look at that." He gestures to one of several maps piled up on the table. The parchment shows a maze of twisty little passages, all alike. "Seems like there's loads of good stuff squirreled away in there."

The story of what happens next -- your confusing trek through that network of caves, the unlikely method by which you slay the fearsome dragon, the clever way you recover the priceless (but impossibly delicate) Ming vase -- is a story that must wait for another day.