Some Exceptions for Reasons Unknown
by Thomas Mack (2016)


action: %
response: Future King"

It was love at first sight. You weren't permitted even to see them until you passed the trials: rappelling down the east tower, slipping through the gap in the patrols, and then picking the counting house lock. When you returned triumphantly, your new friends toasted and praised and paraded you around the hall. You were happiest, though, when the master--- now just another respected colleague--- solemnly handed your set of lockpicks, shining darkly in the guild hall. For a while, it was perfect.

And then it all went wrong.

A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Crime

Mistakes were made. Plans were exposed. People were compromised. The job was ambitious but reasonable for a crew as skilled as Big Sally's, and you're certain your scheme would have been successful. The authorities couldn't prove anything, but the damage was done. With the town watch constantly looking over your shoulder, the Thieves' Guild gently suggested you look elsewhere. It was over.

Before it became the seat of local government, this castle was an actively defended fortress, built and run to protect the town of Blackacre. It was designed for defense rather than comfort, and the castle still retains its original vertiginous spiral staircases, cavernous galleries, and piles of crumbling stonework. Nevertheless, people expect a certain reassuring level of conspicuous wealth in their public buildings, and the town council has obligingly added little bits of opulence to this audience hall. An array of dainty chandeliers hanging from the ceiling barely warms or brightens the room. Portraits of jowly merchants line the stone walls, looking down onto the clerks and audience-seekers below with imperturbable disdain. The entrance to the council chambers to the north and the exit from the hall to the south are both flanked by extravagantly woven but thin tapestries.

Well-dressed men and women sit in ornate chairs lined across one wall of the gallery, presumably also waiting for an audience with the council. The town's clerk, Trelawney, watches over them irritably from his desk.
action: About yourself
response: As good-looking as ever.
action: You look at what you're carrying with you
response: You are carrying:
some forms
a spellbook
a set of lockpicks
action: You look at the forms
response: Various forms releasing the town council from any legal liability in various likely scenarios. Dragon-slaying has changed quite a bit since Blackacre was founded.

A clerk scurries over to Trelawney and whispers something to him. "All right," he says to you, "give me your forms, and you can leave."
action: You talk to Trelawney
response: You approach the seneschal's desk.

0) (Leave.)
1) What happens now?
2) Anything wrong?
3) What's the competition like?
4) When will I find out if I've been chosen?
action: 0
response: Choose a topic (0-4) > 0
action: 0
response: Choose a topic (0-6) > 0
action: You read the spellbook
response: A year of study, and you've only learned one spell:

anracni: turns green objects red
action: 2
response: Choose a topic (0-4) > 2

You're with the Thieves' Guild, aren't you?" asks Trelawney.
"I was," you reply delicately. "Is that a problem?"
Trelawney pauses as he thinks about how to make it one. "Have you ever done anything illegal?"
"Of course not."
"You were in the Thieves' Guild, and you expect me to believe you never did anything illegal?"
"Well...I've never been caught," you say without conviction.
"I think it's safe to say that the matter will be moot anyway," he replies, smiling icily.

0) (Leave.)
1) What happens now?
2) Anything wrong?
3) What's the competition like?
4) When will I find out if I've been chosen?
action: 3
response: Choose a topic (0-4) > 3

"So, any idea about my competition?" you ask Trelawney.
"With all due respect---" he pauses and corrects himself. "With all the respect you deserve, I'm not sure you're quite up to our standards. There have been quite a few remarkable applicants this morning."
"Such as?"
The seneschal opens his mouth to speak, then thinks better of it. "You'll find out at noon along with everyone else."

0) (Leave.)
1) What happens now?
2) Anything wrong?
3) What's the competition like?
4) When will I find out if I've been chosen?
action: You look around
response: Before it became the seat of local government, this castle was an actively defended fortress, built and run to protect the town of Blackacre. It was designed for defense rather than comfort, and the castle still retains its original vertiginous spiral staircases, cavernous galleries, and piles of crumbling stonework. Nevertheless, people expect a certain reassuring level of conspicuous wealth in their public buildings, and the town council has obligingly added little bits of opulence to this audience hall. An array of dainty chandeliers hanging from the ceiling barely warms or brightens the room. Portraits of jowly merchants line the stone walls, looking down onto the clerks and audience-seekers below with imperturbable disdain. The entrance to the council chambers to the north and the exit from the hall to the south are both flanked by extravagantly woven but thin tapestries.

Well-dressed men and women sit in ornate chairs lined across one wall of the gallery, presumably also waiting for an audience with the council. The town's clerk, Trelawney, watches over them irritably from his desk.
action: You look at the tapestries
response: The tapestries show Blackacre's founder, depicted as a victorious blond knight in spotless armor, slaying some sort of monstrous serpent. According to town legend, he defeated a monster that had been threatening the area and made it safe again for human habitation; in gratitude, the struggling settlers then declared him their mayor. In reality, Blackacre was founded by a consortium of herring merchants looking for a port closer to their shoals to cut down on transportation costs, and the founding comprised filing a proposal with the deputy undersecretary of the Royal Ministry of Fisheries. The artist chose the story that's easier to weave into a tapestry.
action: You look at the portraits
response: The portraits show long-deceased merchants from the past centuries of Blackacre's history. Some of their business practices were indisputably underhanded and occasionally completely illegal, but their considerable donations to the town have apparently succeeded in whitewashing their pasts. The painters did their best to present their dissipated, corpulent subjects in a favorable light (literally, in the case of the chiaroscuros), but the rows of faces look blank and unremarkable even as they sneer down at you.
action: You talk to Wattman
response: Against your better judgment, you strike up a conversation with Mr. Wattman.

0) (Leave.)
1) Nervous at all?
2) How's the Guild?
action: 2
response: Choose a response (0-2) > 2

"How are you doing in the Guild?"
"Mr. Puncher and I have moved up in the world. We're management now," he says proudly. "We run the loss prevention group in the Guild." "Isn't that against the entire point of the Guild?"
"Preventing the loss of people, not things. We're looking at the bigger picture now. You see, occasionally some guild members forget their loyalty to the guild and try to do some things they shouldn't: quit the guild, join a rival guild, or even run tattling to the town watch."
"You don't think I---"
"Oh, don't worry. You left the Guild on mutual and perfectly amicable terms. Besides, we have bigger fish to fry."
"In burning oil," puts in Mr. Puncher.
"For example. Our job is to find those poor, wayward souls who might be tempted to leave the Guild and put the fear of God, as well as several knives, into them."

1) That's great!
2) That's awful!
action: 1
response: Choose a response (1-2) > 1

"That's great!" you say a bit too loudly.
"Glad to see you're on our side. Like I keep telling people, you're a good kid. I know a few members of the Guild think you're a traitor, but I want you to know that I merely think you're incompetent."

As he leans forward to pat you on the shoulder in what he presumably thinks is a reassuring manner, you notice a small rock tied to his belt.

0) (Leave.)
1) Nervous about your interview?
2) How's the Guild?
3) What's that rock?
action: 3
response: Choose a response (0-3) > 3

"What's that?" you ask, pointing toward the rock hung from his belt?"Oh, that?" He shifts his tunic in an unsuccessful attempt to hide it. "There's a mission later on, and--- well, I'd tell you, but..."

0) (Leave.)
1) Nervous about your interview?
2) How's the Guild?
3) What's that rock?
action: 1
response: Choose a response (0-3) > 1

"Are you nervous about your interview?"
"Not at all," he says enthusiastically. "This is actually the second one; Mr. Puncher and I met with the council last week. I showed off some of my knife tricks, which will come in handy for fighting a dragon. Some of the council members were concerned that I didn't have much experience with the finer points of diplomacy and negotiation, but I said I could take a wild stab in the dark at them. When they're walking home at night, for example."

0) (Leave.)
1) Nervous about your interview?
2) How's the Guild?
3) What's that rock?
action: 2
response: Choose a response (0-3) > 2

"How are you doing in the Guild?"
"Mr. Puncher and I have moved up in the world. We're management now," he says proudly. "We run the loss prevention group in the Guild." "Isn't that against the entire point of the Guild?"
"Preventing the loss of people, not things. We're looking at the bigger picture now. You see, occasionally some guild members forget their loyalty to the guild and try to do some things they shouldn't: quit the guild, join a rival guild, or even run tattling to the town watch."
"You don't think I---"
"Oh, don't worry. You left the Guild on mutual and perfectly amicable terms. Besides, we have bigger fish to fry."
"In burning oil," puts in Mr. Puncher.
"For example. Our job is to find those poor, wayward souls who might be tempted to leave the Guild and put the fear of God, as well as several knives, into them."

1) That's great!
2) That's awful!
action: 2
response: Choose a response (1-2) > 2

"That's terrible!"
"No, it's actually very profitable."
"I mean that it's morally wrong."
"Well, maybe it is, and maybe it isn't. If we always stopped to worry about what's 'right' or wrong'," he says, making quotation marks with his fingers, "then nothing would ever get done.
"You have to keep in mind what's really important," he continues, giving you what he apparently thinks is a smile. "Does the Guild pay me a literally and metaphorically criminal sum for my work? Certainly. Am I successful? Of course. But I'm rich because I have a lot of friends." He clears his throat. "Excuse me, I misspoke. I'm rich because I have a lot of money."

You notice idly that when he lifted his arms and his tunic rode up slightly, he had a small rock tied to his belt.

0) (Leave.)
1) Nervous about your interview?
2) How's the Guild?
3) What's that rock?
action: 0
response: Choose a response (0-3) > 0
action: You talk to Puncher
response: You approach the massive thief.

0) (Leave.)
1) Anxious about the interview?
2) How's the Guild?
action: 1
response: Choose a topic (0-2) > 1

"Are you anxious about your interview with the council?"
"No," he says simply.
"Really? Not at all?"
"No."
"All right, then."

0) (Leave.)
1) Anxious about the interview?
2) How's the Guild?
action: 2
response: Choose a topic (0-2) > 2

"Are you still working with Mr. Wattman in the Guild?"
"Yes," he replies.
"And that's enjoyable?"
"It's good exercise." Having run out of things to say after such a long sentence, he falls silent.

0) (Leave.)
1) Anxious about the interview?
2) How's the Guild?
action: 0
response: Choose a topic (0-2) > 0

Trelawney swats at a passing fly irritably. "Rotten things, insects," he grumbles.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a spellbook
a set of lockpicks
action: You examine the lockpicks
response: Your trusty set of lockpicks are undoubtedly your most treasured possession, far beyond the literal treasure you've possessed. Even though the Guild politely suggested that you return the other accoutrements and clever devices you carried, it would have been unthinkable to suggest or offer to relinquish your lockpicks.
action: You look around
response: Before it became the seat of local government, this castle was an actively defended fortress, built and run to protect the town of Blackacre. It was designed for defense rather than comfort, and the castle still retains its original vertiginous spiral staircases, cavernous galleries, and piles of crumbling stonework. Nevertheless, people expect a certain reassuring level of conspicuous wealth in their public buildings, and the town council has obligingly added little bits of opulence to this audience hall. An array of dainty chandeliers hanging from the ceiling barely warms or brightens the room. Portraits of jowly merchants line the stone walls, looking down onto the clerks and audience-seekers below with imperturbable disdain. The entrance to the council chambers to the north and the exit from the hall to the south are both flanked by extravagantly woven but thin tapestries.

Well-dressed men and women sit in ornate chairs lined across one wall of the gallery, presumably also waiting for an audience with the council. The town's clerk, Trelawney, watches over them irritably from his desk.

You can see Mr. Puncher and Mr. Wattman here.
action: Go south
response: Dr. Mortemain only deigned to let you come to the castle this morning after you promised to retrieve the missing letters for him. If you return empty-handed, you'll likely spend another week as a frog.
action: You examine the chandeliers
response: The chandeliers are an obligatory bit of finery in the hall, but they serve no purpose; the castle is now a place of business rather than a residence, and it's unlit after the clerks leave at night.
action: You examine the desk
response: This desk is Trelawney's bulwark against the hordes of demanding troublemakers in the hall. Like its owner, it's wooden, imposing, and has paperwork piled onto it.
action: Steal rock
response: You sidle over to Mr. Wattman and search around for something with which to distract him. "So, it sounds like you're moving up in the world."

"Absolutely," he says, grinning. "Both metaphorically and literally. I'm in a corner office on the top floor, with a secretary to keep out the riffraff."

"Impressive. Soon you'll have a portrait up there," you say, pointing at the rows of gilt-edged oil paintings of merchants lining the walls. As Mr. Wattman reflexively looks up at the portraits, you quickly snatch the rock off his belt.

"Well, you'd better go in for your interview now," you say quickly, looking at Trelawney supplicatingly. He waffles for a moment between his distaste for you and his distaste for Mr. Wattman, then brusquely waves him toward the door. He triumphantly leaves to the north, and Mr. Puncher follows mutely.
action: You examine the rock
response: The grey, spongy rock is enchanted with a spell that magically summons a swarm of illusory insects when it's poked or squeezed, which can serve as a convenient distraction. It's one of the last resorts of thieves and joke shops; it's strange for Mr. Wattman to have had it.
action: You squeeze the rock
response: With a dry susurration, a horde of bugs crawls out of the holes in the rock and scatters across the floor. Even though you know they're only an illusion, you skin crawls as they do across the floor. The audience-seekers are too practiced to lose their composure, merely lifting their feet off the floor and trying to avoid eye contact with the bugs or their companions. The clerks, however, have no need to impress anyone, and several give short cries and dash out of the hall. Trelawney looks up from his desk and sighs.
action: You examine the clerks
response: The clerks shuffle through the hall carrying piles of documents, somehow managing to dodge the audience-seekers and other functionaries seemingly without looking at where they're going.

The seneschal tries gamely to corral the swarm of illusionary bugs, stalking them about the room.
action: You read the book
response: A year of study, and you've only learned one spell:

anracni: turns green objects red
action: Anracni rock
response: Nothing happens.

Trelawney slowly and methodically adjusts the accounts on his desk, straightening the already neat stacks of paperwork. "A tidy desk means a tidy mind," he murmurs to himself.
action: You examine the paperwork
response: You surreptitiously glance over the seneschal's shoulder at the accounting reports. They seem to be standard, uninteresting paperwork related to the castle upkeep.
action: Blow paperwork
response: (first taking the accounting reports)
You'd rather leave the reports alone. As long as Trelawney is concentrating on them, he's not paying close attention to you.
action: You throw the rock at Trelawney
response: You miss, and the rock bounces into a corner. With a dry susurration, a horde of bugs crawls out of the holes in the rock and scatters across the floor. Even though you know they're only an illusion, you skin crawls as they do across the floor. The audience-seekers are too practiced to lose their composure, merely lifting their feet off the floor and trying to avoid eye contact with the bugs or their companions. The clerks, however, have no need to impress anyone, and several give short cries and dash out of the hall. Trelawney looks up from his desk and sighs.
action: You throw the rock at the chandelier
response: (first taking the porous grey rock)
Futile.

The seneschal tries gamely to corral the swarm of illusionary bugs, stalking them about the room.
action: You describe your surroundings
response: Before it became the seat of local government, this castle was an actively defended fortress, built and run to protect the town of Blackacre. It was designed for defense rather than comfort, and the castle still retains its original vertiginous spiral staircases, cavernous galleries, and piles of crumbling stonework. Nevertheless, people expect a certain reassuring level of conspicuous wealth in their public buildings, and the town council has obligingly added little bits of opulence to this audience hall. An array of dainty chandeliers hanging from the ceiling barely warms or brightens the room. Portraits of jowly merchants line the stone walls, looking down onto the clerks and audience-seekers below with imperturbable disdain. The entrance to the council chambers to the north and the exit from the hall to the south are both flanked by extravagantly woven but thin tapestries.

Well-dressed men and women sit in ornate chairs lined across one wall of the gallery, presumably also waiting for an audience with the council. The town's clerk, Trelawney, watches over them irritably from his desk.

A horde of illusionary insects skitters across the floor here, causing many of the audience-seekers to jump on their chairs or hover in the corners of the hall.

The seneschal tries gamely to corral the swarm of illusionary bugs, stalking them about the room. The spell maintaining the swarm is a weak one, and the complexity of responding to his actions is enough to disrupt it. The illusions scurry into corners of the room and fade out.
action: You wait
response: Time passes.
action: You wait for a while
response: Time passes.

Trelawney swats at a passing fly irritably. "Rotten things, insects," he grumbles.
action: You squeeze the rock
response: With a dry susurration, a horde of bugs crawls out of the holes in the rock and scatters across the floor. Even though you know they're only an illusion, you skin crawls as they do across the floor. The audience-seekers are too practiced to lose their composure, merely lifting their feet off the floor and trying to avoid eye contact with the bugs or their companions. The clerks, however, have no need to impress anyone, and several give short cries and dash out of the hall. Trelawney looks up from his desk and sighs.
action: You take the bugs
response: You don't feel any sensation as the illusionary horde of insects passes through your fingers, which is just as well.

The seneschal tries gamely to corral the swarm of illusionary bugs, stalking them about the room.
action: You throw the rock at Trelawney
response: You lack the nerve when it comes to the crucial moment.
action: You throw the rock at the desk
response: You miss, and the rock bounces into a corner. With a dry susurration, a horde of bugs crawls out of the holes in the rock and scatters across the floor. Even though you know they're only an illusion, you skin crawls as they do across the floor. The audience-seekers are too practiced to lose their composure, merely lifting their feet off the floor and trying to avoid eye contact with the bugs or their companions. The clerks, however, have no need to impress anyone, and several give short cries and dash out of the hall. Trelawney looks up from his desk and sighs.
action: You look at your surroundings
response: Before it became the seat of local government, this castle was an actively defended fortress, built and run to protect the town of Blackacre. It was designed for defense rather than comfort, and the castle still retains its original vertiginous spiral staircases, cavernous galleries, and piles of crumbling stonework. Nevertheless, people expect a certain reassuring level of conspicuous wealth in their public buildings, and the town council has obligingly added little bits of opulence to this audience hall. An array of dainty chandeliers hanging from the ceiling barely warms or brightens the room. Portraits of jowly merchants line the stone walls, looking down onto the clerks and audience-seekers below with imperturbable disdain. The entrance to the council chambers to the north and the exit from the hall to the south are both flanked by extravagantly woven but thin tapestries.

Well-dressed men and women sit in ornate chairs lined across one wall of the gallery, presumably also waiting for an audience with the council. The town's clerk, Trelawney, watches over them irritably from his desk.

A horde of illusionary insects skitters across the floor here, causing many of the audience-seekers to jump on their chairs or hover in the corners of the hall.

You can also see a porous grey rock here.

The seneschal tries gamely to corral the swarm of illusionary bugs, stalking them about the room.
action: You examine the men
response: Well-dressed men and women mill around the hall, trying in vain to grab the attention of the clerks that sweep through the room. A few more sit in the chairs around the edge of the hall, waiting patiently for their audience with the council.

The seneschal tries gamely to corral the swarm of illusionary bugs, stalking them about the room. The spell maintaining the swarm is a weak one, and the complexity of responding to his actions is enough to disrupt it. The illusions scurry into corners of the room and fade out.
action: You examine the women
response: Well-dressed men and women mill around the hall, trying in vain to grab the attention of the clerks that sweep through the room. A few more sit in the chairs around the edge of the hall, waiting patiently for their audience with the council.
action: You take the rock
response: Taken.
action: Go east
response: This salon also functions as a waiting room, though it's refreshingly quieter than the main gallery to the west. A massive table occupies most of the space in the small, dimly-lit room, and there is a soft carpet underfoot.
action: You examine table
response: It's a massive table, probably used for some sort of meeting or conference.
action: You look at the carpet
response: The carpet is soft and thick, though slightly frayed at the edges.
action: You look under the carpet
response: You shove a corner of the carpet aside. The floor beneath it is far less dusty than you would have expected, and one of the flagstones in it looks loose.
action: You move the flagstone
response: The flagstone is too heavy to lift completely off the floor, though you can shove it aside with a bit of effort. The stone groans as it grinds against the floor, and you hear impatient footsteps approaching. You heave it back in place just in time to face Trelawney as he glares at you from the doorway.

"What's going on in here?" he demands.
"What do you mean, what's going in here?"
"What do you mean, what do I mean, what's going in here?"
"What do you---"
"Enough. I heard a loud noise."
"Oh, that. Sorry, I was doing some calisthenics--- you know, for the dragon. I must have bumped the table by accident."
"Very well," says Trelawney. "I'll leave you alone for now. You should know, however, that I've talked with the city guard. I'll be keeping an eye on you."
"I don't know what you mean, sir. I'm just eager to help out my city however I can."

Trelawney mutters something under his breath and returns to the main hall.
action: You check your inventory
response: You are carrying:
a porous grey rock
a spellbook
a set of lockpicks
action: You move the flagstone
response: With a dry susurration, a horde of illusionary bugs crawls out of the holes in the rock and scatters across the floor. Even though you know they're only an illusion, you skin crawls as they do across the floor. The flagstone is too heavy to lift completely off the floor, though you can shove it aside with a bit of effort. The stone groans as it grinds against the floor, and you hear impatient footsteps approaching. You heave it back in place just in time to face Trelawney as he glares at you from the doorway.

"What's going on in here?" he demands. "I heard a loud noise."
"Hmm? I didn't hear anything."
The seneschal looks at you disapprovingly. "I don't know what you're up to, young man, but stay out of trouble. Don't make me have a word with your master. He and I are very good friends, you know."
"I doubt that Dr. Mortemain is very good friends with anyone," you say skeptically.
Trelawney opens his mouth to respond, then decides that he was bested and quietly withdraws from the room.
action: Exits
response: There is an exit leading west.
action: You stand on the table
response: That's not something you can stand on.

The swarm of insects dissolves as the spell maintaining the illusion dissipates.
action: You pull the stone
response: The flagstone is too heavy to lift completely off the floor, though you can shove it aside with a bit of effort. The stone groans as it grinds against the floor, and you hear impatient footsteps approaching. You heave it back in place just in time to face Trelawney as he glares at you from the doorway.

"Could you please keep it down in here?" asks Trelawney exasperatedly. "I don't know what you're up to, and I don't care. Just don't make any trouble."
"Wouldn't dream of it, sir," you reply, smiling innocently.

The seneschal sighs and returns to the audience hall.
action: You go to the west
response: Before it became the seat of local government, this castle was an actively defended fortress, built and run to protect the town of Blackacre. It was designed for defense rather than comfort, and the castle still retains its original vertiginous spiral staircases, cavernous galleries, and piles of crumbling stonework. Nevertheless, people expect a certain reassuring level of conspicuous wealth in their public buildings, and the town council has obligingly added little bits of opulence to this audience hall. An array of dainty chandeliers hanging from the ceiling barely warms or brightens the room. Portraits of jowly merchants line the stone walls, looking down onto the clerks and audience-seekers below with imperturbable disdain. The entrance to the council chambers to the north and the exit from the hall to the south are both flanked by extravagantly woven but thin tapestries.

Well-dressed men and women sit in ornate chairs lined across one wall of the gallery, presumably also waiting for an audience with the council. The town's clerk, Trelawney, watches over them irritably from his desk.
action: You squeeze the stone
response: You achieve nothing by this.

Trelawney slowly and methodically adjusts the accounts on his desk, straightening the already neat stacks of paperwork. "A tidy desk means a tidy mind," he murmurs to himself.
action: You go east
response: This salon also functions as a waiting room, though it's refreshingly quieter than the main gallery to the west. A massive table occupies most of the space in the small, dimly-lit room, and there is a soft carpet underfoot.

You can see a loose flagstone here.

From the audience hall to the west, you hear heavy bootsteps and mild minced oaths directed at insects.
action: You take the stone
response: The flagstone is too heavy to lift completely off the floor, though you can shove it aside with a bit of effort. The stone groans as it grinds against the floor, but you manage to heave it far enough aside to reveal a sheaf of letters underneath. You gingerly pocket it and replace the flagstone.

From the audience hall to the west, you hear heavy bootsteps and mild minced oaths directed at insects.
action: You read the letters
response: The top sheet is blank, and the papers are bound together too tightly to read any of the others.
action: Open letters
response: You consider unraveling the sheaf of letters, but Dr. Mortemain insisted that you not read them, and you don't think you could tie them together as neatly again.
action: Go west
response: You discreetly conceal the letters in your tunic and return to the antechamber.

Before it became the seat of local government, this castle was an actively defended fortress, built and run to protect the town of Blackacre. It was designed for defense rather than comfort, and the castle still retains its original vertiginous spiral staircases, cavernous galleries, and piles of crumbling stonework. Nevertheless, people expect a certain reassuring level of conspicuous wealth in their public buildings, and the town council has obligingly added little bits of opulence to this audience hall. An array of dainty chandeliers hanging from the ceiling barely warms or brightens the room. Portraits of jowly merchants line the stone walls, looking down onto the clerks and audience-seekers below with imperturbable disdain. The entrance to the council chambers to the north and the exit from the hall to the south are both flanked by extravagantly woven but thin tapestries.

Well-dressed men and women sit in ornate chairs lined across one wall of the gallery, presumably also waiting for an audience with the council. The town's clerk, Trelawney, watches over them irritably from his desk.
action: You go south
response: With the letters safely tucked under your tunic, you dispose of the incriminating rock, bound out of the antechamber, and head toward Blackacre. The castle gate clatters down behind you, crashing against the stonework with a deafening finality.

The imposing Castle Blackacre stands before you to the south, casting a long shadow over the nearby farmland. Centuries ago, it was a useful fortification; now, it's the de facto town hall and headquarters for Mayor Pratt and his staff.

A road to the north leads into town. The castle gate is normally left open, but today the portcullis is down while the castle prepares for the Mayor's speech at noon.
action: Go north
response: This path winds northwest to south between the town of Blackacre and its nearby castle. Newly-planted fields stretch as far as you can see to either side of the trail. It's a charmingly rustic sight but an unpleasant smell; the farmers must have fertilized the fields recently.

You can see a skunk here.
action: You examine the skunk
response: A small black and white creature with a bushy tail. It looks at you warily.
action: Shake lockpicks
response: You look ridiculous waving the set of lockpicks.
action: You show the lockpick to the skunk
response: The skunk is unimpressed.

The skunk leaves to the northwest.
action: You look at the field
response: Blackacre was originally a fishing outpost, and the land here is not particularly fertile. There's no shortage of overly optimistic farmers in the area around the castle, but they don't stay in town long.

The skunk enters from the northwest.
action: You go to the north-west
response: This path winds north to southeast between the town of Blackacre and its nearby castle. The farmland on either side of the road is bare; it's far too early for crops to start growing, and no trees disturb the empty fields.
action: You go north
response: Blackacre's picturesque town square spreads out before you. Although it's no longer central in terms of geography or importance, this area is nevertheless a genuinely pleasant part of town. A clock tower dominates the plaza, towering over the cedars planted around it. Benches surround the flowerbeds that dot the square. Blackacre residents occasionally filter through the square, shivering in the crisp morning air.

Streets leave the square to the east and west, and a road to the south leads from the town of Blackacre to the castle of Blackacre. Among the crowded buildings ringing the square are the post office to the north and magic store to the southwest.
action: You go southwest
response: You decide to hand off the papers to Dr. Mortemain first; walking around town with them is unnecessarily risky.
action: You go to the east
response: Guild Street (West)
As its name implies, Guild Street contains most of the town's guildhalls. There are far fewer now than a century ago, when the street was originally constructed, as the daily administration of the town became concentrated in the nearby castle. The ominous stone tower standing to the north was formerly the base of operations of the once-prominent Magicians' Guild, which counted dozens of wizards among its members in its heyday. That heyday passed centuries ago, however, and the only wizards currently in town are you and Dr. Mortemain. He acquired the tower after the guild's dissolution, and it's there that you now spend most of your time.

The street returns to the town square to the west and continues to the east.

You can see a tarnished brass mailbox (which contains a beige envelope) here.

A tinny but catchy song issues from the mailbox:

You have a letter!
It could be a sweater!
Or something even better!
Let's find out together!
Which almost rhymes with letter!
Hooray!
action: You go to the north
response: You can't, since the massive oak doors are in the way.

A tinny but catchy song issues from the mailbox:

There's something in your mailbox!
Don't invest in kale stocks!
Something something snail fox!
Hooray!
action: You open mailbox
response: That's not something you can open.

A tinny but catchy song issues from the mailbox:

Please pick up your mail!
Before it gets too stale!
Like a shrimp cocktail
Left on the windowsail!
Support the local Guild of Songwriters!
Hooray!
action: You take the envelope
response: Taken.
action: You examine envelope
response: The beige envelope is closed.
action: You open the envelope
response: You open the beige envelope, revealing a glossy flyer.
action: You read the flyer
response: The glossy flyer shows colorful images of various alleged magical paraphernalia: raven's skulls, black pointy hats, staves with vaguely mysterious symbols on them, and so on. At the bottom is an endorsement from the head of the Illusionists' Guild: "These products have...magical value, and the claims made by their sellers are [not] fraudulent."
action: You open the door
response: They seem to be locked.
action: You unlock door
response: What do you want to unlock the massive oak doors with?
action: Lock pick
response: What do you want to lock the set of lockpicks with?
action: You unlock the door with the lockpick
response: With a sullen click, the lock yields.
action: You open the door
response: You open the massive oak doors.
action: You go north
response: This familiar area is the tower's entryway. It's intended to impress and intimidate visitors, and so the recesses of the gloomy vaulted ceiling are decorated with elaborate carvings of gargoyles and demons. The curtains are partially drawn, bathing the cavernous hall in hesitant shadows. As an uncharacteristic nod to practicality, an umbrella stand sits beside the double doors leading south from the tower. A corridor to the north leads across the polished marble floor deeper inside.

Flux, Dr. Mortemain's familiar, waves its tail in a desultory greeting as you enter. "I sssee you have returned. How did the busssinesss at the cassstle go?" it hisses.
"Great!" you lie smoothly. "I won't know until noon, but the interview went very well."
"Not that," sneers Flux. "Did you sssteal the massster'sss lettersss?" "Oh, right. Sure, no problem."
"Good! I knew you could do it," says Flux unconvincingly, dipping its head slightly in an uncharacteristic gesture of appreciation. "The massster sssaid you're good for nothing, but I know you're good for exsssactly one thing."
action: You take all
response: Flux: I don't suppose Flux would care for that.
perch: That's fixed in place.
action: You take the umbrella
response: That's hardly portable.
action: You examine stand
response: Only visitors to the tower use the umbrella stand; you've never managed to keep track of an umbrella for more than a few days, and no wizard worth the title would deign to get caught in a rainstorm.
action: You look in the stand
response: The umbrella stand is empty.
action: You examine Flux
response: Flux is Dr. Mortemain's familiar. You're not sure what kind of creature it is, but it looks like a small lizard with leathery, bat-like wings and a scaly, prehensile tail. It performs some basic chores around the tower, but you suspect that the wizard keeps it around just to annoy you.
action: You talk to Flux
response: "Not now! Bring me the massster'sss lettersss!" it hisses.

Flux idly whacks the perch with its tail.
action: Go north
response: Flux flaps its wings angrily in your face and hisses. "No no no! The massster told you to get his lettersss, and he told me to ssstop you from going inside the tower until you get them!"
action: You give the letters to Flux
response: Flux greedily snatches the letters from you and flies off deeper into the castle. After a moment, it returns with three pouches and a sheet of parchment.
"Well," you say conversationally, "I guess I'll be getting on with things. It'll nice to have the day to myself, without Dr. Mortemain dictating what I do."
"I'm sssure it would, but the massster left some choresss for you in hisss absssenssse," says Flux, brandishing the parchment.
"But---"
"Or I could tell him that you ignored hisss inssstructionsss, if you'd prefer. I'm sssure he'd ssstill let you go to the ssseremony thisss afternoon..." It leaves the threat hanging in the air as you sigh and take the items. "Let me know when you're done, and I'll passs them along to the massster."
"And that's it?"
"Of courssse. Almossst sssertainly. Probably."
action: You read the parchment
response: You read the parchment:

All right flux do I just start talking and oh it's already going. How long does the spell last? Three hundred words might not be enough for hang on don't write that part. Stop. Stop writing. End. Turn off. Fine, whatever, let's just start.

I know your eager to prove yourself, but I have some errands for you to perform first. Not that your. The other one. Your, not your. Back up. Backspace. Go back. Sigh. Fine.

I know your with an apostrophe eager to prove yourself, but I have some errands for you to perform first. Once you complete them, you have my permission to attend the ceremony in the town square at noon. Maybe the council will even be impressed enough with your incompetent backspace backspace backspace incomparable display of talent to decide that yore oh for expletive deleted

To decide that you space are the one they want to send to fight the dragon. I wish you the best of luck. In the year weave whatever let's keep going known each other, I've been impressed by your youthful energy, prodigious capacity for learning, and some sort of third thing I'll add in later. As such put a comma there I'm entrusting you with a crucial task.

To help fight the dragon, I am preparing a powerful spell that I will cast this afternoon. It is start underline vitally important stop underline that you secure and deliver to flux the three
components I need to cast it. They are parentheses number 1 powdered skink, parentheses number 2 basilisk scales, and parentheses number 3 a fossilized toad. The first two can be found at the magic shop, and the third should have arrived in the mail early this morning.

Whatever you do, it is absolutely imperative that you never

Flux idly whacks the perch with its tail.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a sheet of parchment
an indigo pouch (which is closed)
a black pouch (which is closed)
a moss-colored pouch (which is closed)
a beige envelope (which is open)
a glossy flyer
a spellbook
a set of lockpicks
action: You read the flyer
response: The glossy flyer shows colorful images of various alleged magical paraphernalia: raven's skulls, black pointy hats, staves with vaguely mysterious symbols on them, and so on. At the bottom is an endorsement from the head of the Illusionists' Guild: "These products have...magical value, and the claims made by their sellers are [not] fraudulent."
action: You look at indigo pouch
response: It's indigo and has the magical character for 'skink' embroidered on it.
action: You examinthe moss-colored pouch
response: It's moss-colored and has the magical character for 'toad' embroidered on it.
action: You look at the black pouch
response: It's black and has the magical character for 'basilisk' written on it.
action: You open the indigo pouch
response: You open the indigo pouch.
action: You look in the indigo pouch
response: The indigo pouch is empty.
action: You go to the north
response: The tower's library is wonderful. You spent the first two weeks as Dr. Mortemain's apprentice here, grudgingly falling asleep early each morning after spending the day and night reading through the mountain of the books piled around the room. Even now, you've only covered a small fraction of the maze of tipping bookcases that stretch to the ceiling and crowd around the reading area. In this quiet and undisturbed area, redolent of old books, you've spent the happiest part of your year in the tower. If you have to leave, exits lead in all four directions to the other wings.

A lectern stands in an empty space near the center of the room.

You can also see a leather-bound index here.
action: Examine index
response: It's an index of some common substances used in enchantments. It's not detailed or specific enough to be helpful when actually casting spells, which is why it's in this library rather than a laboratory, but it's nevertheless a useful reference.
action: You read the index
response: You flip through the book to a random entry:

SKINK: Skinks are often used in divination spells, usually in the form of a bright red powder. The natural color of powdered skink is a dull grey; the chemicals and magical treatments involved in preparing it for spellcraft dye it that color. They are particularly useful in spells locating quarry in caves or underground, due to their predilection for burrowing.
action: You read the index
response: You flip through the book to a random entry:

BASILISK: This frightening monster is used in only very powerful magical spells, as it is rare and extremely dangerous. Its scales are far less dangerous to work with than the live creature, and they can often be found in abandoned lairs after molting. Basilisks are often used in protective spells, particularly in enchanting armor.
action: You look up toad in the index
response: TOAD: Frogs and toads are used in a variety of magic. For larger and more complex spells, it is generally preferable to use fossilized or petrified toads, rather than powdered ones, in order to concentrate the magical energies. The natural agility of the toad makes it a natural component for spells related to travel, and its locomotion makes it particularly apt for teleportation spells.
action: You examine lectern
response: The stately lectern suits this library well, even if there's no real use for it. A heavy tome is chained to it.
action: You take all
response: leather-bound index: Taken.
lectern: That's fixed in place.
action: You look at the tome
response: The heavy book is a bestiary of mundane and fantastical creatures. It's not very reliable; the information in it is taken from folk legends and secondhand reports from explorers. Its illustrations are beautiful, though, and it's remarkable as a work of art, if not scholarship. The book is chained to the lectern.
action: You read tome
response: You flip through the book to a random entry:

BASILISK: Basilisks are dangerous monsters able to turn their prey to stone with a glance. Few currently survive, but they prefer cold climates and isolated areas.

Unsurprisingly, there is no illustration with the entry.
action: You go to the east
response: Flux suddenly appears in front of you in a cloud of acrid smoke. "No!" he snarls. "The massster said that you're to get hisss ssspell componentsss before your other choresss! Get back to work!" He then immediately disappears.
action: Go north
response: This room is Dr. Mortemain's study, his gentlemanly refuge from the rigors of his duties as a wizard. An inviting antimacassared armchair sits in front of the fireplace, and a liquor cabinet stands at the ready nearby. Above the mantle, an intricately painted map hangs from the wainscoting. An octagonal stand has been tucked discreetly into the corner.

You can see a wooden staff here.
action: You examine the stand
response: The crystal ball sits at the center of an octagonal stand with an arrow painted on it, pointing to the south.
action: You examine the staff
response: Some wizards have staves covered in eldritch runes and imbued with tremendous magical power. Dr. Mortemain's is a plain wooden staff he started using a few years ago when he was having knee problems. It's a bit of a disappointment, really.
action: You take all
response: wooden staff: Taken.
octagonal stand: That's fixed in place.
fireplace: That's fixed in place.
action: You search the crystal ball
response: An image slowly fades into view:

Guild Street (West)
As its name implies, Guild Street contains most of the town's guildhalls. There are far fewer now than a century ago, when the street was originally constructed, as the daily administration of the town became concentrated in the nearby castle. The ominous stone tower standing to the north was formerly the base of operations of the once-prominent Magicians' Guild, which counted dozens of wizards among its members in its heyday. That heyday passed centuries ago, however, and the only wizards currently in town are you and Dr. Mortemain. He acquired the tower after the guild's dissolution, and it's there that you now spend most of your time.

The street returns to the town square to the west and continues to the east.
action: You open the liquor cabinet
response: You receive a mild shock as you try to open the cabinet; apparently Dr. Mortemain has put a magical ward on it to prevent your breaking into it. You feel a momentary bit of righteous indignation at his lack of trust in you, tempered by the fact that you've just proven him right.
action: You look at your surroundings
response: This room is Dr. Mortemain's study, his gentlemanly refuge from the rigors of his duties as a wizard. An inviting antimacassared armchair sits in front of the fireplace, and a liquor cabinet stands at the ready nearby. Above the mantle, an intricately painted map hangs from the wainscoting. An octagonal stand has been tucked discreetly into the corner.
action: You look at the ball
response: It's a perfectly round sphere of crystal, or at least glass, set into the exact center of the octagonal stand. You can vaguely make out some hazy images deep within it.
action: You look in the ball
response: An image slowly fades into view:

Blackacre's picturesque town square spreads out before you. Although it's no longer central in terms of geography or importance, this area is nevertheless a genuinely pleasant part of town. A clock tower dominates the plaza, towering over the cedars planted around it. Benches surround the flowerbeds that dot the square. Blackacre residents occasionally filter through the square, shivering in the crisp morning air.

Streets leave the square to the east and west, and a road to the south leads from the town of Blackacre to the castle of Blackacre. Among the crowded buildings ringing the square are the post office to the north and magic store to the southwest.
action: You look at map
response: The map depicts this corner of the world in intricate detail: the ports along the coast, the financial center at Moneyville, the barren northeastern tundra, the densely forested marches to the west, and the rough gorges in the western scrublands.
action: Go south
response: The tower's library is wonderful. You spent the first two weeks as Dr. Mortemain's apprentice here, grudgingly falling asleep early each morning after spending the day and night reading through the mountain of the books piled around the room. Even now, you've only covered a small fraction of the maze of tipping bookcases that stretch to the ceiling and crowd around the reading area. In this quiet and undisturbed area, redolent of old books, you've spent the happiest part of your year in the tower. If you have to leave, exits lead in all four directions to the other wings.

A lectern stands in an empty space near the center of the room.
action: You go west
response: The tower's kitchen is almost an afterthought; Dr. Mortemain prefers to conduct business with various dignitaries over meals in town rather than wasting time eating alone in the tower, and you're usually too busy while here to eat. As such, the spartan kitchen is usually empty and spotless. An unused trestle table sits in the center of the room, and a desultory cabinet has been set into the far wall.

On the trestle table are a white canister (which is closed) and a green canister (which is closed).
action: You open white
response: You open the white canister, revealing some salt.
action: You open green
response: You open the moss-colored pouch.
action: You open the green canister
response: You open the green canister, revealing some bright green powder.
action: You examine the green powder
response: Dr. Mortemain is very particular about his tea, and he had this fine, bright green powder shipped here at great expense.
action: You take all
response: trestle table: That's fixed in place.
cupboard: That's fixed in place.
action: You open the cabinet
response: Opening the cupboard reveals a variety of foodstuffs: a manchet loaf, some salted herring, and a slab of beef.
action: You take all from the cabinet
response: manchet loaf: Removed.
salted herring: Removed.
slab of beef: Removed.
action: You look at the herring
response: Although Blackacre was founded by fishermen, its appeal was quantity rather than quality. These herring look completely unremarkable.
action: You read the spell
response: anracni: turns green objects red
action: Anracni green tea
response: The bright green powder turns bright red.
action: You examine the tea
response: Dr. Mortemain is very particular about his tea, and he had this fine, bright red powder shipped here at great expense.
action: Go south
response: This familiar area is the tower's entryway. It's intended to impress and intimidate visitors, and so the recesses of the gloomy vaulted ceiling are decorated with elaborate carvings of gargoyles and demons. The curtains are partially drawn, bathing the cavernous hall in hesitant shadows. As an uncharacteristic nod to practicality, an umbrella stand sits beside the double doors leading south from the tower. A corridor to the north leads across the polished marble floor deeper inside.

Flux sits on his perch, idly kneading it with its claws.
action: You go to the south
response: Guild Street (West)
As its name implies, Guild Street contains most of the town's guildhalls. There are far fewer now than a century ago, when the street was originally constructed, as the daily administration of the town became concentrated in the nearby castle. The ominous stone tower standing to the north was formerly the base of operations of the once-prominent Magicians' Guild, which counted dozens of wizards among its members in its heyday. That heyday passed centuries ago, however, and the only wizards currently in town are you and Dr. Mortemain. He acquired the tower after the guild's dissolution, and it's there that you now spend most of your time.

The street returns to the town square to the west and continues to the east.

You can see a tarnished brass mailbox here.
action: Go west
response: Blackacre's picturesque town square spreads out before you. Although it's no longer central in terms of geography or importance, this area is nevertheless a genuinely pleasant part of town. A clock tower dominates the plaza, towering over the cedars planted around it. Benches surround the flowerbeds that dot the square. Blackacre residents occasionally filter through the square, shivering in the crisp morning air.

Streets leave the square to the east and west, and a road to the south leads from the town of Blackacre to the castle of Blackacre. Among the crowded buildings ringing the square are the post office to the north and magic store to the southwest.
action: Go southwest
response: Blackacre's only magic shop looks the part: It's a musty, timbered building with some feeble light oozing in through its rafters. Its owner, Sandie, was formerly an undistinguished apprentice wizard; now she uses both that title and her ineptitude with magic for considerable financial gain. Her clients are from rich families and have elderly, sick relatives. They want to inherit, but they're obligated to do something to help. Sandie is that something. She performs the perfunctory duties of an attendant magician, but her lack of talent with magic eliminates the possibility of any inconvenient recovery. She sadly informs the dutiful sons or daughters that nothing can be done; they inherit a large sum of money shortly thereafter; and then they donate a modest fraction of that sum to Sandie in gratitude for her services.

As such, most of the items in the shop are gaudy, sparkly trinkets of no use or value. A stuffed alligator even hangs gratuitously from the ceiling. To maintain plausible deniability, though, Sandie keeps some genuinely magical items in her shop. Having the occasional wizard as a customer makes her consulting activities more plausible, and she tries to keep you and Dr. Mortemain as loyal customers. Your jaundiced eye notices a display case that looks invitingly dusty.

The store continues to the south, and the exit back to the town square is to the northeast.

A golem stands at the exit.
action: Go south
response: This back corner is a bit more tasteful than the main shop floor to the north. There aren't any magical (or magickal) items for purchase here, but at the back of the room is a long, high counter.

A satchel hangs from a hook on the wall.

Sandie herself is here, stuffing a pile of envelopes into a satchel. She greets at you with a brisk but genuine friendliness without affection behind it. "I'm just about to take these to the post office," she explains, indicating the satchel. "It's part of a marketing campaign I've just begun. I'm mailing off as many of these as I can to advertise the shop. It means lugging a bag full of envelopes to the mail about four or five times per hour, but it'll be worth it if it drums up some more customers." She excuses herself and heads north.
action: You go to the north
response: Blackacre's only magic shop looks the part: It's a musty, timbered building with some feeble light oozing in through its rafters. Its owner, Sandie, was formerly an undistinguished apprentice wizard; now she uses both that title and her ineptitude with magic for considerable financial gain. Her clients are from rich families and have elderly, sick relatives. They want to inherit, but they're obligated to do something to help. Sandie is that something. She performs the perfunctory duties of an attendant magician, but her lack of talent with magic eliminates the possibility of any inconvenient recovery. She sadly informs the dutiful sons or daughters that nothing can be done; they inherit a large sum of money shortly thereafter; and then they donate a modest fraction of that sum to Sandie in gratitude for her services.

As such, most of the items in the shop are gaudy, sparkly trinkets of no use or value. A stuffed alligator even hangs gratuitously from the ceiling. To maintain plausible deniability, though, Sandie keeps some genuinely magical items in her shop. Having the occasional wizard as a customer makes her consulting activities more plausible, and she tries to keep you and Dr. Mortemain as loyal customers. Your jaundiced eye notices a display case that looks invitingly dusty.

The store continues to the south, and the exit back to the town square is to the northeast.

A golem stands at the exit.

You can also see Sandie here.

Sandie exits the shop, and the golem bows reverentially as she passes.
action: You examine the display case
response: The display case lacks the gaudiness of the rest of the shop's offerings and thus has accumulated a thick layer of dust. Three are three bins in it, suitable for storing small magical components.
action: You examine bin
response: Which do you mean, the left bin, the center bin, or the right bin?
action: You examine left bin
response: Like the rest of the display case, the left bin has seen little use.

The left bin is closed.
action: You open the left bin
response: You open the left bin, revealing some powdered skink.
action: You open the center bin
response: You open the center bin.
action: You examine the center bin
response: Like the rest of the display case, the center bin has seen little use.

The center bin is open.
action: You open the right bin
response: You open the right bin, revealing some basilisk scales.
action: You examine the scales
response: The scales are transparent but have a faint oily, iridescent sheen.
action: You examine the skink
response: It's a fine, acrid red powder.

Sandie enters the shop, and the golem bows reverentially as she passes.
action: You go to the northeast
response: As you leave, the golem pats you down, pawing at your clothing aggressively and rifling through your possessions. It lays one massive hand on the basilisk scales and looks at you expressionlessly.
"Oh, that? I must have accidentally forgotten to pay for it by accident," you manage to say through confused anger.
The golem continues to stare at you blankly, though it makes no movement away from the exit.
action: You look at the floor
response: There's a narrow crack in the floor, presumably leading into the store's basement or underground.
action: You take the basilisk
response: Taken.

Sandie leaves to the south.
action: Go south
response: This back corner is a bit more tasteful than the main shop floor to the north. There aren't any magical (or magickal) items for purchase here, but at the back of the room is a long, high counter.

A hook is mounted on the wall here.

You can also see Sandie here.

Sandie hangs up her satchel.
action: You buy the basilisk
response: "I'm a bit busy at the moment. Let's talk once I open up the shop again," she demurs.

Sandie, smilingly brightly, stands once again at the counter.
action: You buy the basilisk
response: "How much are these basilisk scales?"
She peers at them critically. "Hmm, eighteen marks."
"Eighteen marks? That's more than the rent for my cottage for
an entire year!"
"Is it?" she asks, regarding you with disappointment. "Then perhaps the scales are not for you."
"They aren't for me; they're for my master. Can you put them on his account?"
"Dr. Mortemain? He doesn't have an account here," she says firmly. "Rich wizards with their attention on loftier matters have a tendency to forget about their debts. My creditors are not as absent-minded. If you want the scales, you'll have to pay for them in cash."
action: You check what you're carrying
response: You are carrying:
some basilisk scales
a slab of beef
some salted herring
a manchet loaf
a green canister (which is open)
some bright green powder
a white canister (which is open)
some salt
a wooden staff
a leather-bound index
a sheet of parchment
an indigo pouch (which is open but empty)
a black pouch (which is closed)
a moss-colored pouch (which is open but empty)
a beige envelope (which is open)
a glossy flyer
a spellbook
a set of lockpicks
action: You take the flyer
response: Taken.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a glossy flyer
some basilisk scales
a slab of beef
some salted herring
a manchet loaf
a green canister (which is open)
some bright green powder
a white canister (which is open)
some salt
a wooden staff
a leather-bound index
a sheet of parchment
an indigo pouch (which is open but empty)
a black pouch (which is closed)
a moss-colored pouch (which is open but empty)
a beige envelope (which is open but empty)
a spellbook
a set of lockpicks

Sandie drums her fingers on the counter impatiently.
action: You put the basilisk in the envelope
response: You put the basilisk scales into the beige envelope.
action: You put the envelope in the satchel
response: You put the beige envelope into the satchel.
action: Go north
response: Blackacre's only magic shop looks the part: It's a musty, timbered building with some feeble light oozing in through its rafters. Its owner, Sandie, was formerly an undistinguished apprentice wizard; now she uses both that title and her ineptitude with magic for considerable financial gain. Her clients are from rich families and have elderly, sick relatives. They want to inherit, but they're obligated to do something to help. Sandie is that something. She performs the perfunctory duties of an attendant magician, but her lack of talent with magic eliminates the possibility of any inconvenient recovery. She sadly informs the dutiful sons or daughters that nothing can be done; they inherit a large sum of money shortly thereafter; and then they donate a modest fraction of that sum to Sandie in gratitude for her services.

As such, most of the items in the shop are gaudy, sparkly trinkets of no use or value. A stuffed alligator even hangs gratuitously from the ceiling. To maintain plausible deniability, though, Sandie keeps some genuinely magical items in her shop. Having the occasional wizard as a customer makes her consulting activities more plausible, and she tries to keep you and Dr. Mortemain as loyal customers. Your jaundiced eye notices a display case that looks invitingly dusty.

The store continues to the south, and the exit back to the town square is to the northeast.

A golem stands at the exit.
action: You go to the south
response: This back corner is a bit more tasteful than the main shop floor to the north. There aren't any magical (or magickal) items for purchase here, but at the back of the room is a long, high counter.

A satchel hangs from a hook on the wall.

You can also see Sandie here.
action: You talk to Sandie
response: You approach the shopkeeper.

0) (Leave.)
1) What do you have in stock?
2) What's with the golem?
3) Do you have any clients now?
4) What's with all the envelopes?
action: 1
response: Choose a topic (0-4) > 1

"Excuse me, I was wondering if you had any---"
"We have everything here!" she says, gesturing expansively. "Take a look around!"

0) (Leave.)
1) What do you have in stock?
2) What's with the golem?
3) Do you have any clients now?
4) What's with all the envelopes?
action: 2
response: Choose a topic (0-4) > 2

"Where did you get that golem?

"Wonderful, isn't it? That was a gift from the Baron Brombury. His elderly mother caught a nasty cold, and he asked me to look after her. I did all I could, but..." She trails off. "Anyway, the baron was quite forgiving, and he graciously offered me the golem in gratitude for my services. It's been quite useful. I had a few problems with thieves earlier---"
"I'm sure the Thieves' Guild would never---"
"Oh, of course not," she says, smiling. "It's the amateurs I'm worried about. Fortunately, the golem has scared them off."

0) (Leave.)
1) What do you have in stock?
2) What's with the golem?
3) Do you have any clients now?
4) What's with all the envelopes?
action: 3
response: Choose a topic (0-4) > 3

"Do you have any clients outside the shop?"
"Not at the moment. I heard that the Dowager Countess of Wittering fell into a coma last week, though, so I have my fingers crossed."

0) (Leave.)
1) What do you have in stock?
2) What's with the golem?
3) Do you have any clients now?
4) What's with all the envelopes?
action: 4
response: Choose a topic (0-4) > 4

"What are those for?" you ask, nodding at the stack of envelopes.
"Ah, those are part of a new marketing campaign. I'm sending out flyers to everyone in town reminding them that I'm here to help them with their rich but annoyingly long-lived relatives. There should at least be some distant, twice-removed cousin of a baronet around here."

0) (Leave.)
1) What do you have in stock?
2) What's with the golem?
3) Do you have any clients now?
4) What's with all the envelopes?
action: Go northeast
response: As you leave, the golem pats you down, pawing at your clothing aggressively and rifling through your possessions. You jump back in surprise, but, having found nothing, it looks at you expressionlessly and gestures toward the exit. You sneer at it but quietly leave.

Blackacre's picturesque town square spreads out before you. Although it's no longer central in terms of geography or importance, this area is nevertheless a genuinely pleasant part of town. A clock tower dominates the plaza, towering over the cedars planted around it. Benches surround the flowerbeds that dot the square. Blackacre residents occasionally filter through the square, glancing up nervously at the overcast sky.

Streets leave the square to the east and west, and a road to the south leads from the town of Blackacre to the castle of Blackacre. Among the crowded buildings ringing the square are the post office to the north and magic store to the southwest.

You notice that the sky has become overcast. It's likely to rain soon.
action: Go north
response: When the Guild of Postmen flourished under the patronage of the town, this sprawling building was its headquarters. Now it's a humid, cavernous warehouse containing a single contraption, designed by the popular Thaumatics Group, that handles all of the mail within the city. The machine hums quietly as tiny iridescent sparks coruscate along its surface.

The building's exit is to the south.
action: You look at the machine
response: The large machine looms over the post office. Its simple red brass exterior doesn't expose any of the complicated mechanical and magical workings that must be inside. On its face are two simple buttons, one white and one black. Below them are two slots, one narrow and one wide.
action: You examine the white
response: Which do you mean, the white button, the manchet loaf, or the white canister?
action: You examine the white button
response: There's an image on the button of a white rectangle with an arrow pointing out of it.
action: You examine the black button
response: There's an image on the button of a white rectangle and a yellow circle, both crossed out.
action: You check your inventory
response: You are carrying:
a glossy flyer
a slab of beef
some salted herring
a manchet loaf
a green canister (which is open)
some bright green powder
a white canister (which is open)
some salt
a wooden staff
a leather-bound index
a sheet of parchment
an indigo pouch (which is open but empty)
a black pouch (which is closed)
a moss-colored pouch (which is open but empty)
a spellbook
a set of lockpicks
action: You put the flyer in the wide slot
response: With an offended clurnk, the machine spits it back out onto
the floor.
action: You take the flyer
response: Taken.

Sandie enters from the south.
action: You put the flyer in the wide slot
response: With an offended clurnk, the machine spits it back out onto
the floor.

Sandie puts some coins into the machine.
action: You take the flyer
response: Taken.

Sandie takes some letters out of her satchel and puts them into the machine.
action: You wait
response: Time passes.

Sandie takes some letters out of her satchel and puts them into the machine.
action: You talk to Sandie
response: "I'm a bit busy at the moment. Let's talk once I open up the shop again," she demurs.

Sandie steps back from the machine and wipes her hands on her dress.
action: You look at the satchel
response: Sandie is carrying a rough burlap satchel.

Sandie leaves to the south.
action: Go south
response: Blackacre's picturesque town square spreads out before you. Although it's no longer central in terms of geography or importance, this area is nevertheless a genuinely pleasant part of town. A clock tower dominates the plaza, towering over the cedars planted around it. Benches surround the flowerbeds that dot the square. Blackacre residents occasionally filter through the square, glancing up nervously at the overcast sky.

Streets leave the square to the east and west, and a road to the south leads from the town of Blackacre to the castle of Blackacre. Among the crowded buildings ringing the square are the post office to the north and magic store to the southwest.

You can see Sandie here.

Sandie exits to the southwest.
action: Go east
response: Guild Street (West)
As its name implies, Guild Street contains most of the town's guildhalls. There are far fewer now than a century ago, when the street was originally constructed, as the daily administration of the town became concentrated in the nearby castle. The ominous stone tower standing to the north was formerly the base of operations of the once-prominent Magicians' Guild, which counted dozens of wizards among its members in its heyday. That heyday passed centuries ago, however, and the only wizards currently in town are you and Dr. Mortemain. He acquired the tower after the guild's dissolution, and it's there that you now spend most of your time.

The street returns to the town square to the west and continues to the east.

You can see a tarnished brass mailbox (which contains a pearl-colored envelope) here.

A tinny but catchy song issues from the mailbox:

Please pick up your mail!
Before it gets too stale!
Like a shrimp cocktail
Left on the windowsail!
Support the local Guild of Songwriters!
Hooray!
action: You open the envelope
response: You open the pearl-colored envelope, revealing a glossy flyer.
action: You read envelope
response: The address on it is that of Dr. Mortemain's tower, though there's no specific person named.
action: You take flyer
response: You already have that.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a pearl-colored envelope (which is open)
a glossy flyer
a glossy flyer
a slab of beef
some salted herring
a manchet loaf
a green canister (which is open)
some bright green powder
a white canister (which is open)
some salt
a wooden staff
a leather-bound index
a sheet of parchment
an indigo pouch (which is open but empty)
a black pouch (which is closed)
a moss-colored pouch (which is open but empty)
a spellbook
a set of lockpicks
action: You remove the flyer from the envelope
response: Removed.
action: You go to the west
response: Blackacre's picturesque town square spreads out before you. Although it's no longer central in terms of geography or importance, this area is nevertheless a genuinely pleasant part of town. A clock tower dominates the plaza, towering over the cedars planted around it. Benches surround the flowerbeds that dot the square. Blackacre residents occasionally filter through the square, glancing up nervously at the overcast sky.

Streets leave the square to the east and west, and a road to the south leads from the town of Blackacre to the castle of Blackacre. Among the crowded buildings ringing the square are the post office to the north and magic store to the southwest.

The sky looks cloudy.
action: Go north
response: When the Guild of Postmen flourished under the patronage of the town, this sprawling building was its headquarters. Now it's a humid, cavernous warehouse containing a single contraption, designed by the popular Thaumatics Group, that handles all of the mail within the city. The machine hums quietly as tiny iridescent sparks coruscate along its surface.

The building's exit is to the south.
action: Go south
response: Blackacre's picturesque town square spreads out before you. Although it's no longer central in terms of geography or importance, this area is nevertheless a genuinely pleasant part of town. A clock tower dominates the plaza, towering over the cedars planted around it. Benches surround the flowerbeds that dot the square. Blackacre residents occasionally filter through the square, glancing up nervously at the overcast sky.

Streets leave the square to the east and west, and a road to the south leads from the town of Blackacre to the castle of Blackacre. Among the crowded buildings ringing the square are the post office to the north and magic store to the southwest.
action: You go east
response: Guild Street (West)
As its name implies, Guild Street contains most of the town's guildhalls. There are far fewer now than a century ago, when the street was originally constructed, as the daily administration of the town became concentrated in the nearby castle. The ominous stone tower standing to the north was formerly the base of operations of the once-prominent Magicians' Guild, which counted dozens of wizards among its members in its heyday. That heyday passed centuries ago, however, and the only wizards currently in town are you and Dr. Mortemain. He acquired the tower after the guild's dissolution, and it's there that you now spend most of your time.

The street returns to the town square to the west and continues to the east.

You can see a tarnished brass mailbox (which contains an umber envelope and a beige envelope) here.

A tinny but catchy song issues from the mailbox:

You have a letter!
It could be a sweater!
Or something even better!
Let's find out together!
Which almost rhymes with letter!
Hooray!
action: You take the envelope
response: You already have that.

A tinny but catchy song issues from the mailbox:

Please pick up your mail!
Before it gets too stale!
Like a shrimp cocktail
Left on the windowsail!
Support the local Guild of Songwriters!
Hooray!
action: You look in mailbox
response: In the tarnished brass mailbox are an umber envelope and a beige envelope.

A tinny but catchy song issues from the mailbox:

There's something in your mailbox!
Don't invest in kale stocks!
Something something snail fox!
Hooray!
action: You take the beige envelope
response: Taken.

A tinny but catchy song issues from the mailbox:

You have a letter!
It could be a sweater!
Or something even better!
Let's find out together!
Which almost rhymes with letter!
Hooray!
action: You open the beige envelope
response: That's already open.
action: You look in the beige envelope
response: In the beige envelope are some basilisk scales.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
an umber envelope (which is closed)
a beige envelope (which is open)
some basilisk scales
two glossy flyers
a pearl-colored envelope (which is open but empty)
a slab of beef
some salted herring
a manchet loaf
a green canister (which is open)
some bright green powder
a white canister (which is open)
some salt
a wooden staff
a leather-bound index
a sheet of parchment
an indigo pouch (which is open but empty)
a black pouch (which is closed)
a moss-colored pouch (which is open but empty)
a spellbook
a set of lockpicks

The sky looks cloudy.
action: You look at the black pouch
response: It's black and has the magical character for 'basilisk' written on it.
action: You open the black pouch
response: You open the black pouch.
action: You put the basilisk in the black pouch
response: You put the basilisk scales into the black pouch.
action: You close the black pouch
response: You close the black pouch.
action: You go north
response: This familiar area is the tower's entryway. It's intended to impress and intimidate visitors, and so the recesses of the gloomy vaulted ceiling are decorated with elaborate carvings of gargoyles and demons. The curtains are partially drawn, bathing the cavernous hall in hesitant shadows. As an uncharacteristic nod to practicality, an umbrella stand sits beside the double doors leading south from the tower. A corridor to the north leads across the polished marble floor deeper inside.

Flux sits on his perch, idly kneading it with its claws.
action: You give the black pouch to Flux
response: Flux considers the basilisk scales for a moment, trying to think of a reason to be displeased with them. "I sssuppossse this will have to do," it says resignedly, accepting the pouch and flying off with it deeper into the tower. After a moment, it returns empty-handed and lands heavily on its perch, clawing it at irritably.
action: You go to the south
response: Guild Street (West)
As its name implies, Guild Street contains most of the town's guildhalls. There are far fewer now than a century ago, when the street was originally constructed, as the daily administration of the town became concentrated in the nearby castle. The ominous stone tower standing to the north was formerly the base of operations of the once-prominent Magicians' Guild, which counted dozens of wizards among its members in its heyday. That heyday passed centuries ago, however, and the only wizards currently in town are you and Dr. Mortemain. He acquired the tower after the guild's dissolution, and it's there that you now spend most of your time.

The street returns to the town square to the west and continues to the east.

You can see a tarnished brass mailbox here.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
an umber envelope (which is closed)
a beige envelope (which is open but empty)
two glossy flyers
a pearl-colored envelope (which is open but empty)
a slab of beef
some salted herring
a manchet loaf
a green canister (which is open)
some bright green powder
a white canister (which is open)
some salt
a wooden staff
a leather-bound index
a sheet of parchment
an indigo pouch (which is open but empty)
a moss-colored pouch (which is open but empty)
a spellbook
a set of lockpicks
action: You read the spells
response: anracni: turns green objects red

The sky looks cloudy.
action: Anracni tea
response: The bright green powder turns bright red.
action: You look at the green pouch
response: It's moss-colored and has the magical character for 'toad' embroidered on it.
action: You put the tea in the indigo pouch
response: You put the bright red powder into the indigo pouch.
action: You close the blue pouch
response: You close the indigo pouch.
action: You look at the blue pouch
response: It's indigo and has the magical character for 'skink' embroidered on it.
action: You go north
response: This familiar area is the tower's entryway. It's intended to impress and intimidate visitors, and so the recesses of the gloomy vaulted ceiling are decorated with elaborate carvings of gargoyles and demons. The curtains are partially drawn, bathing the cavernous hall in hesitant shadows. As an uncharacteristic nod to practicality, an umbrella stand sits beside the double doors leading south from the tower. A corridor to the north leads across the polished marble floor deeper inside.

Flux sits on his perch, idly kneading it with its claws.
action: You give the blue pouch to Flux
response: Flux considers the bright red powder for a moment, trying to think of a reason to be displeased with it. "Thisss doesssn't ssseem quite right. The magic on it feelsss wrong," it hisses, gingerly poking the powder with its claws. It sinuously lowers its head to the powder and sniffs it. "No, thisss sssmellsss wrong. It isssn't the ssskink the massster asked for."
"It must have gone off," you say innocently.
"Then find a better one," says Flux, handing the pouch back to you.
action: You go to the east
response: Guild Street (East)
As its name implies, Guild Street contains most of the town's guildhalls. There are far fewer now than a century ago, when the street was originally constructed, as the daily administration of the town became concentrated in the nearby castle. Nevertheless, there are still some guilds whose headquarters lie along this street. Most infamous among them is the Thieves' Guild, whose aggressively nondescript building runs along the south edge of the street.

The street continues to the east and west, and a narrow alley to the southeast winds along the guild.

You can see a shiny brass mailbox (which contains a brown parcel) here.

A shadowy figure stalks over to the mailbox and starts to open it. Seeing that you're watching him, he pointedly turns away from you. He then does something with the mailbox, but with his back blocking your view, you can't tell what exactly it is. There is a faint click from the mailbox, and the man turns back around. He pulls a parcel out of the mailbox, confusedly ponders its label for a moment, and returns it. With a shrug, he leaves to the east.

The sky looks cloudy.
action: Go southeast
response: This narrow alley runs behind the Thieves' Guild headquarters and is thus scrupulously avoided by most of the town. You can reenter Guild Street to the northwest.

The sky looks cloudy.
action: Go northwest
response: Guild Street (East)
As its name implies, Guild Street contains most of the town's guildhalls. There are far fewer now than a century ago, when the street was originally constructed, as the daily administration of the town became concentrated in the nearby castle. Nevertheless, there are still some guilds whose headquarters lie along this street. Most infamous among them is the Thieves' Guild, whose aggressively nondescript building runs along the south edge of the street.

The street continues to the east and west, and a narrow alley to the southeast winds along the guild.

You can see a shiny brass mailbox (which contains a brown parcel) here.

The sky looks cloudy.
action: You search ball
response: An image slowly fades into view:

Guild Street (East)
As its name implies, Guild Street contains most of the town's guildhalls. There are far fewer now than a century ago, when the street was originally constructed, as the daily administration of the town became concentrated in the nearby castle. Nevertheless, there are still some guilds whose headquarters lie along this street. Most infamous among them is the Thieves' Guild, whose aggressively nondescript building runs along the south edge of the street.

The street continues to the east and west, and a narrow alley to the southeast winds along the guild.
action: Go east
response: Guild Street (East)
As its name implies, Guild Street contains most of the town's guildhalls. There are far fewer now than a century ago, when the street was originally constructed, as the daily administration of the town became concentrated in the nearby castle. Nevertheless, there are still some guilds whose headquarters lie along this street. Most infamous among them is the Thieves' Guild, whose aggressively nondescript building runs along the south edge of the street.

The street continues to the east and west, and a narrow alley to the southeast winds along the guild.

You can see a shiny brass mailbox (which contains a brown parcel) here.
action: You examine the parcel
response: The street address written on the nondescript parcel is smudged and difficult to read. The last digit could be a 9, meaning that it was intended for the Thieves' Guild, but it's much more likely to be a 7 and thus intended for Dr. Mortemain's tower.
action: You take the parcel
response: You suddenly recall some of the horror stories told in the Guild about the defenses it placed on even something as ordinary as a mailbox. No one would be stupid enough to try to steal from you all, but sometimes stupid people can be taught a lesson. You reconsider, trying to remember if you knew anything about booby traps around the Guild.
action: You look at the mailbox
response: The Thieves' Guild mailbox is much like its owner: tastefully expensive, designed to blend into its surroundings, and quietly menacing.

Inside the shiny brass mailbox is a brown parcel.
action: You examine umber
response: The umber envelope is closed.
action: You read the umber
response: The address on it is that of Dr. Mortemain's tower, though there's no specific person named.
action: You open umber
response: You open the umber envelope, revealing a glossy flyer.
action: Examine flyer
response: The glossy flyer shows colorful images of various alleged magical paraphernalia: raven's skulls, black pointy hats, staves with vaguely mysterious symbols on them, and so on. At the bottom is an endorsement from the head of the Illusionists' Guild: "These products have...magical value, and the claims made by their sellers are [not] fraudulent."
action: Close umber
response: You close the umber envelope.
action: You put umber in the mailbox
response: You put the umber envelope into the shiny brass mailbox.

A tinny but catchy song issues from the mailbox:

Please pick up your mail!
Before it gets too stale!
Like a shrimp cocktail
Left on the windowsail!
Support the local Guild of Songwriters!
Hooray!
action: Go west
response: Guild Street (West)
As its name implies, Guild Street contains most of the town's guildhalls. There are far fewer now than a century ago, when the street was originally constructed, as the daily administration of the town became concentrated in the nearby castle. The ominous stone tower standing to the north was formerly the base of operations of the once-prominent Magicians' Guild, which counted dozens of wizards among its members in its heyday. That heyday passed centuries ago, however, and the only wizards currently in town are you and Dr. Mortemain. He acquired the tower after the guild's dissolution, and it's there that you now spend most of your time.

The street returns to the town square to the west and continues to the east.

You can see a tarnished brass mailbox (which contains an ochre envelope) here.

A tinny but catchy song issues from the mailbox:

You have a letter!
It could be a sweater!
Or something even better!
Let's find out together!
Which almost rhymes with letter!
Hooray!
action: You go north
response: This familiar area is the tower's entryway. It's intended to impress and intimidate visitors, and so the recesses of the gloomy vaulted ceiling are decorated with elaborate carvings of gargoyles and demons. The curtains are partially drawn, bathing the cavernous hall in hesitant shadows. As an uncharacteristic nod to practicality, an umbrella stand sits beside the double doors leading south from the tower. A corridor to the north leads across the polished marble floor deeper inside.

Flux sits on his perch, idly kneading it with its claws.
action: You search ball
response: An image slowly fades into view:

Guild Street (East)
As its name implies, Guild Street contains most of the town's guildhalls. There are far fewer now than a century ago, when the street was originally constructed, as the daily administration of the town became concentrated in the nearby castle. Nevertheless, there are still some guilds whose headquarters lie along this street. Most infamous among them is the Thieves' Guild, whose aggressively nondescript building runs along the south edge of the street.

The street continues to the east and west, and a narrow alley to the southeast winds along the guild.

A shadowy figure approaches the Guild's mailbox. He looks around and, seeing no one, sighs in relief. From your vantage above the scene, you watch him tap a small indentation concealed on the underside of the mailbox. He then fearlessly reaches into the mailbox and rummages around within it.
action: Go south
response: Guild Street (West)
As its name implies, Guild Street contains most of the town's guildhalls. There are far fewer now than a century ago, when the street was originally constructed, as the daily administration of the town became concentrated in the nearby castle. The ominous stone tower standing to the north was formerly the base of operations of the once-prominent Magicians' Guild, which counted dozens of wizards among its members in its heyday. That heyday passed centuries ago, however, and the only wizards currently in town are you and Dr. Mortemain. He acquired the tower after the guild's dissolution, and it's there that you now spend most of your time.

The street returns to the town square to the west and continues to the east.

You can see a tarnished brass mailbox (which contains an ochre envelope) here.

A tinny but catchy song issues from the mailbox:

There's something in your mailbox!
Don't invest in kale stocks!
Something something snail fox!
Hooray!
action: You examine the mailbox
response: Despite already beginning to tarnish, the brass mailbox is a recent addition to the tower. It emits a blandly cheerful tune when mail arrives, and it continues to do until it's removed. You and Dr. Mortemain both dislike it, but each of you keeps it around out of mild spite towards the other.

Inside the tarnished brass mailbox is an ochre envelope.

A tinny but catchy song issues from the mailbox:

There's something in your mailbox!
Don't invest in kale stocks!
Something something snail fox!
Hooray!
action: You open the ochre
response: You open the ochre envelope, revealing a glossy flyer.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
an ochre envelope (which is open)
a glossy flyer
a beige envelope (which is open but empty)
two glossy flyers
a pearl-colored envelope (which is open but empty)
a slab of beef
some salted herring
a manchet loaf
a green canister (which is open)
some bright green powder
a white canister (which is open)
some salt
a wooden staff
a leather-bound index
a sheet of parchment
an indigo pouch (which is open but empty)
a moss-colored pouch (which is open but empty)
a spellbook
a set of lockpicks
action: You go to the east
response: Guild Street (East)
As its name implies, Guild Street contains most of the town's guildhalls. There are far fewer now than a century ago, when the street was originally constructed, as the daily administration of the town became concentrated in the nearby castle. Nevertheless, there are still some guilds whose headquarters lie along this street. Most infamous among them is the Thieves' Guild, whose aggressively nondescript building runs along the south edge of the street.

The street continues to the east and west, and a narrow alley to the southeast winds along the guild.

You can see an umber envelope (which is closed) and a shiny brass mailbox (which contains a brown parcel) here.
action: You look under the mailbox
response: Remembering the earlier actions of the footman, you gingerly run your hands over the mailbox and discover a small indentation on its underside.
action: Go west
response: Guild Street (West)
As its name implies, Guild Street contains most of the town's guildhalls. There are far fewer now than a century ago, when the street was originally constructed, as the daily administration of the town became concentrated in the nearby castle. The ominous stone tower standing to the north was formerly the base of operations of the once-prominent Magicians' Guild, which counted dozens of wizards among its members in its heyday. That heyday passed centuries ago, however, and the only wizards currently in town are you and Dr. Mortemain. He acquired the tower after the guild's dissolution, and it's there that you now spend most of your time.

The street returns to the town square to the west and continues to the east.

You can see a tarnished brass mailbox here.

The sky looks cloudy.
action: Open parcel
response: You rip apart the parcel, revealing a fossilized toad.
action: You take the toad
response: You already have that.
action: You put the toad in the green pouch
response: You put the fossilized toad into the moss-colored pouch.
action: Close pouch
response: Which do you mean, the indigo pouch or the moss-colored pouch?
action: You close the green pouch
response: You close the moss-colored pouch.
action: You give the green pouch to Flux
response: Flux considers the fossilized toad for a moment, trying to think of a reason to be displeased with it. "I sssuppossse this will have to do," it says resignedly, accepting the pouch and flying off with it deeper into the tower. After a moment, it returns empty-handed and lands heavily on its perch, clawing it at irritably.
action: You look up skink in the index
response: SKINK: Skinks are often used in divination spells, usually in the form of a bright red powder. The natural color of powdered skink is a dull grey; the chemicals and magical treatments involved in preparing it for spellcraft dye it that color. They are particularly useful in spells locating quarry in caves or underground, due to their predilection for burrowing.
action: You check what you're carrying
response: You are carrying:
an ochre envelope (which is open)
a glossy flyer
a beige envelope (which is open but empty)
two glossy flyers
a pearl-colored envelope (which is open but empty)
a slab of beef
some salted herring
a manchet loaf
a green canister (which is open)
some bright green powder
a white canister (which is open)
some salt
a wooden staff
a leather-bound index
a sheet of parchment
an indigo pouch (which is open but empty)
a spellbook
a set of lockpicks
action: You take the flyer from the ochre
response: Removed.
action: You put the envelopes on the floor
response: ochre envelope: Dropped.
beige envelope: Dropped.
pearl-colored envelope: Dropped.
action: You look at the skink
response: It's a fine, acrid red powder.
action: You take the skink
response: As you reach down to scoop up the powder, you're rudely jostled from behind. It tumbles out of your hand, and you watch helplessly as it falls down a crack in the floor. You turn in around in irritation and are met by the smirking face of Mr. Wattman.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! It's so crowded in here," he says, gesturing at the empty space around the two of you, "and it looks like we were both looking for some powdered skink. I know your master asked you to get some, and now... Oh well, these things happen."
Whistling happily, Mr. Wattman leaves the shop, doffing his hat to the golem as he passes it.
action: You take the envelopes
response: pearl-colored envelope: Taken.
beige envelope: Taken.
ochre envelope: Taken.
action: You take the inventory
response: You are carrying:
some bright green powder
an ochre envelope (which is open but empty)
a beige envelope (which is open but empty)
a pearl-colored envelope (which is open but empty)
three glossy flyers
a slab of beef
some salted herring
a manchet loaf
a green canister (which is open but empty)
a white canister (which is open)
some salt
a wooden staff
a leather-bound index
a sheet of parchment
an indigo pouch (which is open but empty)
a spellbook
a set of lockpicks
action: You put the tea in the left bin
response: The bright green powder is too large to fit inside the left bin.
action: You put the tea in the center bin
response: The bright red powder is too large to fit inside the center bin.
action: You pour tea into the center bin
response: That's something you can pour.
action: You take the trinket
response: That would be pointless.
action: You take the alligator
response: That's hardly portable.
action: You examine the alligator
response: The massive reptile looks like a dragon without the wings. It's hard not to empathize with him, stuck watching over a hoard of sparkly junk.
action: You look at the right bin
response: Like the rest of the display case, the right bin has seen little use.

The right bin is open.
action: You look in the right bin
response: The right bin is empty.
action: You go to the south
response: This back corner is a bit more tasteful than the main shop floor to the north. There aren't any magical (or magickal) items for purchase here, but at the back of the room is a long, high counter.

A satchel hangs from a hook on the wall.

You can also see Sandie here.
action: You take the satchel
response: That's far too cumbersome for you to carry around.
action: You examine the counter
response: The counter creates a small area in which the shopkeeper can stand and watch over the store.
action: You show the tea to Sandie
response: Sandie is unimpressed.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
some bright red powder
an ochre envelope (which is open but empty)
a beige envelope (which is open but empty)
a pearl-colored envelope (which is open but empty)
three glossy flyers
a slab of beef
some salted herring
a manchet loaf
a green canister (which is open but empty)
a white canister (which is open)
some salt
a wooden staff
a leather-bound index
a sheet of parchment
an indigo pouch (which is open but empty)
a spellbook
a set of lockpicks

Sandie drums her fingers on the counter impatiently.
action: You take the red
response: Which do you mean, the bright red powder or the slab of beef?
action: You look in the left bin
response: The left bin is empty.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
some bright red powder
an ochre envelope (which is open but empty)
a beige envelope (which is open but empty)
a pearl-colored envelope (which is open but empty)
three glossy flyers
a slab of beef
some salted herring
a manchet loaf
a green canister (which is open but empty)
a white canister (which is open)
some salt
a wooden staff
a leather-bound index
a sheet of parchment
an indigo pouch (which is open but empty)
a spellbook
a set of lockpicks
action: You put the flyer on the crack
response: That would be pointless.

Sandie enters from the south.
action: You insert the flyer into the crack
response: That would be pointless.

Sandie exits the shop, and the golem bows reverentially as she passes.
action: You unlock the crack with the lockpick
response: That doesn't seem to be something you can unlock.

Sandie enters the shop, and the golem bows reverentially as she passes.
action: Jimmy crack with staff
response: That doesn't seem to be something you can unlock.

Sandie leaves to the south.
action: You look at the golem
response: The golem is a gigantic, roughly humanoid, earthenware figure with some vague facial features roughly carved into it. Golems are rare; this particular one was a present to Sandie from the grateful heir to a baron who devoted his leisure time to magical oddities. The unnerving thing about it is not how much it looks like a human, but how much it doesn't look like a human; it's like looking at a corpse.
action: You talk to golem
response: The golem stares at you blankly. It's probably better that it doesn't respond, considering its crudely-drawn face has no mouth.
action: You examine bin
response: Which do you mean, the left bin, the center bin, or the right bin?
action: You examine the left bin
response: Like the rest of the display case, the left bin has seen little use.

The left bin is open.
action: You look in the center bin
response: The center bin is empty.
action: You look in left bin
response: In the left bin is some powdered skink.
action: You look at tea
response: Dr. Mortemain is very particular about his tea, and he had this fine, bright red powder shipped here at great expense.

Sandie enters from the south.
action: You give the tea to Sandie
response: Sandie doesn't seem interested.

Sandie exits the shop, and the golem bows reverentially as she passes.
action: Wait
response: Time passes.

Sandie enters the shop, and the golem bows reverentially as she passes.
action: You take the skink
response: As you reach down to scoop up the powder, you're rudely jostled from behind. It tumbles out of your hand, and you watch helplessly as it falls down a crack in the floor. You turn in around in irritation and are met by the smirking face of Mr. Wattman.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! It's so crowded in here," he says, gesturing at the empty space around the two of you, "and it looks like we were both looking for some powdered skink. I know your master asked you to get some, and now... Oh well, these things happen."
Whistling happily, Mr. Wattman leaves the shop, doffing his hat to the golem as he passes it.

Sandie leaves to the south.
action: You put the tea in the right bin
response: The bright red powder is too large to fit inside the right bin.

Sandie leaves to the south.
action: You put the green canister in the left bin
response: The green canister is too large to fit inside the left bin.
action: Smell the tea
response: It smells strongly of earth.
action: You eat the skink
response: (first taking the powdered skink)
As you reach down to scoop up the powder, you're rudely jostled from behind. It tumbles out of your hand, and you watch helplessly as it falls down a crack in the floor. You turn in around in irritation and are met by the smirking face of Mr. Wattman.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! It's so crowded in here," he says, gesturing at the empty space around the two of you, "and it looks like we were both looking for some powdered skink. I know your master asked you to get some, and now... Oh well, these things happen."
Whistling happily, Mr. Wattman leaves the shop, doffing his hat to the golem as he passes it.
action: Wait
response: Time passes.

You notice with apprehension that it's starting to get late. If you're going to pull off some clever trick before the ceremony at noon, you'd better hurry.
action: You go south
response: This back corner is a bit more tasteful than the main shop floor to the north. There aren't any magical (or magickal) items for purchase here, but at the back of the room is a long, high counter.

A satchel hangs from a hook on the wall.

You can also see Sandie here.

Sandie drums her fingers on the counter impatiently.
action: You talk to Sandie
response: You approach the shopkeeper.

0) (Leave.)
1) What do you have in stock?
2) What's with the golem?
3) Do you have any clients now?
4) What's with all the envelopes?
5) Do you have any more powdered skink?
action: 5
response: Choose a topic (0-5) > 5

"Do you have any more powdered skink?"
"Sorry, that's it. Most of my customers prefer flashier items, and I prefer safer ones."
"Do you know where I could get some more?"
"Sure: Travel six hundred miles to the northern wastes, find a nest of skinks, capture one without getting bitten, carefully dissect it, dissolve it in several caustic acids, pulverize it, apply a variety of enchantments to preserve it, then travel back to Blackacre by dogsled."
"Is how you get them?"
"No, I pay someone to travel six hundred miles to the
northern wastes, find a nest of skinks, capture one without getting bitten, carefully dissect it, dissolve it in several caustic acids, pulverize it, apply a variety of enchantments to preserve it, then travel back to Blackacre by dogsled."

0) (Leave.)
1) What do you have in stock?
2) What's with the golem?
3) Do you have any clients now?
4) What's with all the envelopes?
5) Do you have any more powdered skink?
action: 1
response: Choose a topic (0-5) > 1

"Excuse me, I was wondering if you had any---"
"We have everything here!" she says, gesturing expansively. "Take a look around!"

0) (Leave.)
1) What do you have in stock?
2) What's with the golem?
3) Do you have any clients now?
4) What's with all the envelopes?
5) Do you have any more powdered skink?
action: 2
response: Choose a topic (0-5) > 2

"Where did you get that golem?

"Wonderful, isn't it? That was a gift from the Baron Brombury. His elderly mother caught a nasty cold, and he asked me to look after her. I did all I could, but..." She trails off. "Anyway, the baron was quite forgiving, and he graciously offered me the golem in gratitude for my services. It's been quite useful. I had a few problems with thieves earlier---"
"I'm sure the Thieves' Guild would never---"
"Oh, of course not," she says, smiling. "It's the amateurs I'm worried about. Fortunately, the golem has scared them off."

0) (Leave.)
1) What do you have in stock?
2) What's with the golem?
3) Do you have any clients now?
4) What's with all the envelopes?
5) Do you have any more powdered skink?
action: 0
response: Choose a topic (0-5) > 0
action: Go north
response: Blackacre's only magic shop looks the part: It's a musty, timbered building with some feeble light oozing in through its rafters. Its owner, Sandie, was formerly an undistinguished apprentice wizard; now she uses both that title and her ineptitude with magic for considerable financial gain. Her clients are from rich families and have elderly, sick relatives. They want to inherit, but they're obligated to do something to help. Sandie is that something. She performs the perfunctory duties of an attendant magician, but her lack of talent with magic eliminates the possibility of any inconvenient recovery. She sadly informs the dutiful sons or daughters that nothing can be done; they inherit a large sum of money shortly thereafter; and then they donate a modest fraction of that sum to Sandie in gratitude for her services.

As such, most of the items in the shop are gaudy, sparkly trinkets of no use or value. A stuffed alligator even hangs gratuitously from the ceiling. To maintain plausible deniability, though, Sandie keeps some genuinely magical items in her shop. Having the occasional wizard as a customer makes her consulting activities more plausible, and she tries to keep you and Dr. Mortemain as loyal customers. Your jaundiced eye notices a display case that looks invitingly dusty.

The store continues to the south, and the exit back to the town square is to the northeast.

The floor here has a small crack in it, through which the powdered skink fell.

A golem stands at the exit.
action: You pull the hook
response: It is fixed in place.
action: Turn hook
response: It is fixed in place.

Sandie paces behind the counter.
action: You jump
response: You jump on the spot, fruitlessly.
action: You show the tea to the golem
response: The golem is unimpressed.
action: Go outside
response: As you leave, the golem pats you down, pawing at your clothing aggressively and rifling through your possessions. You glare at it, but, having found nothing, it looks at you expressionlessly and gestures toward the exit. You sneer at it but quietly leave.

Blackacre's picturesque town square spreads out before you. Although it's no longer central in terms of geography or importance, this area is nevertheless a genuinely pleasant part of town. A clock tower dominates the plaza, towering over the cedars planted around it. Benches surround the flowerbeds that dot the square. Blackacre residents occasionally filter through the square, glancing up nervously at the overcast sky.

Streets leave the square to the east and west, and a road to the south leads from the town of Blackacre to the castle of Blackacre. Among the crowded buildings ringing the square are the post office to the north and magic store to the southwest.
action: You go to the south
response: This path winds north to southeast between the town of Blackacre and its nearby castle. The farmland on either side of the road is bare; it's far too early for crops to start growing, and no trees disturb the empty fields.

The skunk enters from the southeast.
action: You show the herring to the skunk
response: The skunk considers the salted herring with interest. It looks at you warily but hopefully.

The skunk looks at you expectantly.
action: You go north
response: Blackacre's picturesque town square spreads out before you. Although it's no longer central in terms of geography or importance, this area is nevertheless a genuinely pleasant part of town. A clock tower dominates the plaza, towering over the cedars planted around it. Benches surround the flowerbeds that dot the square. Blackacre residents occasionally filter through the square, glancing up nervously at the overcast sky.

Streets leave the square to the east and west, and a road to the south leads from the town of Blackacre to the castle of Blackacre. Among the crowded buildings ringing the square are the post office to the north and magic store to the southwest.
action: You go to the south
response: This path winds north to southeast between the town of Blackacre and its nearby castle. The farmland on either side of the road is bare; it's far too early for crops to start growing, and no trees disturb the empty fields.

You can see a skunk here.

The skunk looks at you expectantly.
action: You give the herring to the skunk
response: The skunk considers the salted herring with interest. It looks at you warily, then snatches them from you and greedily devours them.
action: You wait
response: Time passes.

The skunk looks at you expectantly.
action: You go north
response: Blackacre's picturesque town square spreads out before you. Although it's no longer central in terms of geography or importance, this area is nevertheless a genuinely pleasant part of town. A clock tower dominates the plaza, towering over the cedars planted around it. Benches surround the flowerbeds that dot the square. Blackacre residents occasionally filter through the square, glancing up nervously at the overcast sky.

Streets leave the square to the east and west, and a road to the south leads from the town of Blackacre to the castle of Blackacre. Among the crowded buildings ringing the square are the post office to the north and magic store to the southwest.

You can see Sandie here.

Sandie leaves to the north.
action: You give the loaf to the skunk
response: The skunk considers the manchet loaf with interest. It looks at you warily, then snatches it from you and greedily devours it.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
some bright red powder
an ochre envelope (which is open but empty)
a beige envelope (which is open but empty)
a pearl-colored envelope (which is open but empty)
three glossy flyers
a slab of beef
a green canister (which is open but empty)
a white canister (which is open)
some salt
a wooden staff
a leather-bound index
a sheet of parchment
an indigo pouch (which is open but empty)
a spellbook
a set of lockpicks

The skunk looks at you expectantly.
action: You give beef to the skunk
response: The skunk considers the slab of beef with interest. It looks at you warily, then snatches it from you and greedily devours it.
action: Poke skunk
response: The skunk shies away from you and hisses.

The skunk flees to the southeast.
action: Go southeast
response: This path winds northwest to south between the town of Blackacre and its nearby castle. Newly-planted fields stretch as far as you can see to either side of the trail. It's a charmingly rustic sight but an unpleasant smell; the farmers must have fertilized the fields recently.

You can see a skunk here.

The skunk leaves to the northwest.
action: Go northwest
response: This path winds north to southeast between the town of Blackacre and its nearby castle. The farmland on either side of the road is bare; it's far too early for crops to start growing, and no trees disturb the empty fields.

You can see a skunk here.

The skunk leaves to the southeast.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
some bright red powder
an ochre envelope (which is open but empty)
a beige envelope (which is open but empty)
a pearl-colored envelope (which is open but empty)
three glossy flyers
a green canister (which is open but empty)
a white canister (which is open)
some salt
a wooden staff
a leather-bound index
a sheet of parchment
an indigo pouch (which is open but empty)
a spellbook
a set of lockpicks

The skunk enters from the southeast.
action: You wait
response: Time passes.

The sky looks cloudy.
action: You wait for a while
response: Time passes.

The skunk enters from the southeast.
action: Poke skunk
response: The skunk hisses at you and waves its tail threateningly.

The skunk flees to the northwest.
action: Go northwest
response: This path winds north to southeast between the town of Blackacre and its nearby castle. The farmland on either side of the road is bare; it's far too early for crops to start growing, and no trees disturb the empty fields.

You can see a skunk here.

The skunk hisses at you and waves its tail threateningly.
action: Poke skunk
response: The skunk's patience is exhausted. You leap out of the way, nimbly somersaulting in your haste to avoid the noisome onslaught. You manage to avoid the brunt of the attack, but the stench still clings to you. Fortunately, no one else is around to smell it; unfortunately, that also means no one was around to witness your impressive combat maneuvers.

The skunk flees to the southeast.
action: You smell yourself
response: The only thing you can smell is the overwhelming stench from the skunk.
action: Smell the tea
response: The only thing you can smell is the overwhelming stench from the skunk.

The sky looks cloudy.
action: Go east
response: Guild Street (West)
As its name implies, Guild Street contains most of the town's guildhalls. There are far fewer now than a century ago, when the street was originally constructed, as the daily administration of the town became concentrated in the nearby castle. The ominous stone tower standing to the north was formerly the base of operations of the once-prominent Magicians' Guild, which counted dozens of wizards among its members in its heyday. That heyday passed centuries ago, however, and the only wizards currently in town are you and Dr. Mortemain. He acquired the tower after the guild's dissolution, and it's there that you now spend most of your time.

The street returns to the town square to the west and continues to the east.

You can see a tarnished brass mailbox (which contains a lemon-colored envelope) here.

A tinny but catchy song issues from the mailbox:

Please pick up your mail!
Before it gets too stale!
Like a shrimp cocktail
Left on the windowsail!
Support the local Guild of Songwriters!
Hooray!
action: You go to the north
response: The tower's library is wonderful. You spent the first two weeks as Dr. Mortemain's apprentice here, grudgingly falling asleep early each morning after spending the day and night reading through the mountain of the books piled around the room. Even now, you've only covered a small fraction of the maze of tipping bookcases that stretch to the ceiling and crowd around the reading area. In this quiet and undisturbed area, redolent of old books, you've spent the happiest part of your year in the tower. If you have to leave, exits lead in all four directions to the other wings.

Flux perches on the lectern, hissing excitedly.

A lectern stands in an empty space near the center of the room.

"Come on, come on," squeaks Flux, flying off to the east.
action: You go to the east
response: You follow Flux through the doorway and arrive at the base of the tower's central staircase. As you begin to climb upward, you hear the sound of breaking glass above you, followed by a heavy, muffled thump. Flux seems unconcerned, though, and you follow it as it glides up the spiral stairs. Just as you reach the third floor, a figure dressed completely in black and cradling a crumbling spellbook bounds down the stairs, narrowly avoiding crashing into you. It loses its balance and tumbles roughly down the remaining stairs, only to fall into a roll at the bottom and gracefully recover. Snatching the book from the ground where it had landed, the figure runs out of the tower. You dash down the stairs to give chase, but you only manage to get a receding glimpse of the figure as it runs towards the Thieves' Guild.