A Simple Theft
by Mark Musante (2000)
Genres: Fantasy


action: %
response: Many years ago, when the Iron Branch was passed down from king to
king (instead of being a pile of rust in an overadorned urn), when dragons walked the earth (instead of flying about like the maniacs they are now), when Strongle was the God of Gods (instead of being, well, I think the polite term is 'deposed')... back when all of that was taking place, magic had yet to be conquered by mere mortal man.

What's that got to do with you, you ask? Well, since you're an apprentice to one of those men who are trying to figure out how magic works, you get to do all the dirty deeds. Apparently, Apaman, the loser you're apprenticed to, has gotten it into his head that the Hestron (one of the jewels in the Sceptre of Charlten, a symbol of the power of the Prince of Urf) is one of the keys to unlocking the secrets.

He was kind enough to drag you to the Prince's castle, push you
into the coal chute, and tell you not to bother coming out without the Hestron in your posession.

Serial No. 20000810, 

Type 'credits' to see credits.

This cellar is dark -- mostly due to the coal dust which is everywhere. A faint light comes through an open doorway to the north.

You're startled briefly as the end of a rope pops out of the coal chute. But you pause and check your inventory, making sure you still have the lockpick and the bag.
action: About yourself
response: You look about the same as always.
action: You check your inventory
response: You have a lockpick and a bag.
action: You look at the bag
response: It's a small black bag. Apaman made it very clear that you were to put the Hestron in this bag before bringing it out of the castle.
action: You open the bag
response: The bag is always open.
action: You examine pick
response: It's your trusty lockpick. Apaman said it would come in handy in the castle.
action: You take the rope
response: Apaman is at the other end of it and, right now, it's your only means of escape. Those two facts taken together are enough for you to want to leave the rope right where it is.
action: Go north
response: This hallway runs east-west under the castle. The only light comes from far to the east, where you can hear noises. To the south is an open doorway through which the smell of coal seeps; to the west is nothing but inky darkness.
You see a coal shovel here.
action: You take the shovel
response: Taken.
action: You examine the shovel
response: It's used for shovelling coal.
action: Shovel coal
response: (with the coal shovel)
I don't know how to dig in the coal shovel.
action: Shovel coal
response: (with the coal shovel)
You dig around in the coal a bit, but find nothing.
action: You go to the north
response: This hallway runs east-west under the castle. The only light comes from far to the east, where you can hear noises. To the south is an open doorway through which the smell of coal seeps; to the west is nothing but inky darkness.
action: You go to the west
response: This room is piled high with various trinkets and whatnot that the kings of old (and of new) have gotten as gifts from visiting nobles. Of course they're worth fortunes, all. But what good is a fortune to a king?
A small door in the north wall catches your eye, however.
action: About yourself
response: You look about the same as always.
action: You pick the lock
response: (with the lockpick)
You try as best you can, but the lock remains impervious to your efforts. Must be some lock.
action: Attack door
response: (with the coal shovel)
You attack the door with all your might, but you get nowhere.
action: You examine the lockpick
response: It's your trusty lockpick. Apaman said it would come in handy in the castle.
action: Go east
response: This room is rather small, considering it has to fit a table and chairs. Eastward is a doorway, and a hallway stretches out to the west.
A burly guard is here.
The guard swings around towards you and draws his sword!
action: You look at the guard
response: A short, stout man. He eyes you warily. The guard brings his sword up, swings it down and slices you through!
action: You hit the guard with the shovel
response: You swing the shovel at the guard and strike a lucky blow! The guard falls down dead, his sword clattering to the ground.
action: Look around
response: This room is rather small, considering it has to fit a table and chairs. Eastward is a doorway, and a hallway stretches out to the west.
You see a dead guard here.
action: You search guard
response: Ugh. You fiddle around in the guard's clothing, but find nothing of interest.
action: You examine table
response: The tables and chairs are for the guards' use only. Of course, the only guard that you've seen is hardly in need of them any longer.
action: You examine the doorway
response: It opens eastward.
action: East
response: A cold, dank stairwell houses, unsurprisingly, some stairs. They
lead upward. A doorway beckons to the west.
action: You look at the sword
response: It's a shortsword. Suitable for swinging in narrow corridors.
action: You look at the stairs
response: They lead the way up.
action: Up
response: A cold, dank stairwell houses, unsurprisingly, some stairs. They
lead downward. A doorway beckons to the east.
action: You examine the stairs
response: They lead the way down.
action: You go to the east
response: You start to step out into the main hallway.
Unfortunately, the glint of your sword catches the eye of a passing guard.
"Halt!" he cries out.
You drop the sword and start running away. Unfortunately you're
not faster than the arrow sent after you.
action: You drop the sword
response: Dropped.
action: Go south
response: This cellar is dark -- mostly due to the coal dust which is everywhere. A faint light comes through an open doorway to the north. Dangling from the coal chute in the corner is a dirty rope.
action: You look at the shovel
response: It's used for shovelling coal. Also killing, apparently.
action: Go east
response: You start to step out into the main hallway.
Unforunately, the shovel gives your presence away.
"Oy! Coalboy!" you hear someone shout. You turn and look to see someone rushing towards you. "Back in the cellar with ye," the guard says as he draws near. Unceremoniously, he pushes you back down the stairs.

*thump*

A cold, dank stairwell houses, unsurprisingly, some stairs. They
lead upward. A doorway beckons to the west.
action: You go upward
response: A cold, dank stairwell houses, unsurprisingly, some stairs. They
lead downward. A doorway beckons to the east.
You see a sword here.
action: Go east
response: You start to step out into the main hallway. Corridor
You try to blend into the shadows in what appears to be a major corridor in the castle. If you're caught here, you'll surely be killed. The doorway to the stairwell you came up through is off to the west. From what your master Apaman told you, you need to go southeast from here to find the Magister of Keys' chambers.
action: Go southeast
response: You make your way down the corridor, keeping to the shadows as much as possible until you find yourself arriving...

The door to the south has got the Magister of Keys' emblem, a
keyring, on. It must be his door. The corridor continues on to the southeast.
action: You look at the emblem
response: It's the blue and gold keyring, the symbol of the Magister of Keys.
action: You look at the door
response: It's closed and locked.
action: You pick the lock
response: (with the lockpick)
You fiddle with the lock for a bit and it springs open!
action: You search the door
response: It's closed.
action: You open the door
response: Opened.
action: You look at the door
response: It's open.
action: You go south
response: Keys, keys everywhere and not a drop to drink. Erm. Anyway, the walls all seem completely covered with keys of all shapes and sizes. How are you to decide which is the one to the treasure vault?
action: You examine Keys
response: Hundreds and hundreds of keys line the entire room, keys of all shapes and sizes. You gotcher big keys and your small keys, your red keys and your blue keys. The only thing that seems even remotely distinct is the jeweled box.
action: Examine box
response: This ornately jeweled box has a crystal pane with a beautiful decoration covering up the contents.
action: You open the box
response: You'll have to unlock it first.
action: Unlock box
response: (with the lockpick)
You fiddle with the lock on the box for a bit, but it doesn't yield to your ministrations.
action: You pick lock
response: (with the lockpick)
You can't pick that.
action: You put the box in the bag
response: Done.
action: You leave
response: The door to the south has got the Magister of Keys' emblem, a
keyring, on. It must be his door. The corridor continues on to the southeast.
action: Go southeast
response: You'd best stick to your current plan, lest Apaman find out and perform nasty experiments on you.
action: You look at the keyring
response: It's the blue and gold keyring, the symbol of the Magister of Keys.
action: You go to the northwest
response: You try to blend into the shadows in what appears to be a major corridor in the castle. If you're caught here, you'll surely be killed. The doorway to the stairwell you came up through is off to the west. Based on your experience, the Magister of Keys' chambers are down the corridor to the southeast.
action: Go downwards
response: A cold, dank stairwell houses, unsurprisingly, some stairs. They
lead upward. A doorway beckons to the west.
You see a coal shovel here.
action: You hit the box with the sword
response: You lift up one end of the sword and smash it into the crystal pane. iCrash! Shards fly everywhere, but the box's contents are now accessible.
action: You look at the box
response: This once ornate box has been unceremoniously smashed in by an assailant. How unseemly. In the box you can see a dull brass key.
action: You examine the key
response: It's completely nondescript. Dull and scratched, it has seen many years of use.
action: Go west
response: This room is rather small, considering it has to fit a table and chairs. Eastward is a doorway, and a hallway stretches out to the west.
You see a dead guard here.
action: You unlock the door with the key
response: Unlocked.
action: You open the door
response: Opened.
action: North
response: You're in! This is the prince's private vault. Very few items are valuable enough to be horded away like this, the Hestron being one of them. Along the northern wall is a shelf on which all the fancy items are stored. To the south lies a doorway, and freedom.
action: You look at the shelf
response: On the shelf you see the Sceptre of Charlten, the Crown of Strongle, and the Cube of Dyosthenius.
action: You examine Cube
response: Not quite as old as the Crown of Strongle, this jewelled cube was commissioned by Teorlor Gayrge, eighth Prince of Urf, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of his wife's untimely passing.
action: You examine Crown
response: This was said to be given by Strongle himself to the first King of the Northlands. One of the princes of Urf raided that King's castle and stole it, presumeably because of its history. Certainly not for its beauty. And now here it lies, on a dusty shelf in a hidden vault.
action: You examine Sceptre
response: Wow. It's really the sceptre! Diamonds and rubies adorn its side and, sitting proudly on top, is the actual Hestron.
action: You take Sceptre
response: You've already got your hands full.
action: You check your inventory
response: You have a lockpick, a bag, a sword, a coal shovel, and a dull brass key. The bag seems to contain a jeweled box.
action: You examine Crown
response: This was said to be given by Strongle himself to the first King of the Northlands. One of the princes of Urf raided that King's castle and stole it, presumeably because of its history. Certainly not for its beauty. And now here it is, in your greedy little hands.
action: You take Hestron
response: You pop the Hestron loose from the sceptre.
action: You look at Hestron
response: The Hestron is a huge diamond, about the size of your fist, and has swirls of red and aquamarine running through. It's said that the day when Rinnor, the god-king, stole the sun and hid it in his mountain lair, the Hestron was formed from the sun's light trying to escape from underground.
action: You put Hestron in the bag
response: Done.
action: You take Crown
response: You already have the Crown of Strongle!
action: You take Cube
response: You've already got your hands full.
action: Inventory
response: You have a bag, the Sceptre of Charlten, and the Crown of Strongle. The bag seems to contain a jeweled box, a lockpick, and the Hestron.
action: You look at the bag
response: It's a small black bag. Apaman made it very clear that you were to put the Hestron in this bag before bringing it out of the castle.
action: You go south
response: As you pass through the door alarm bells go off! There must have been some magic guarding the Sceptre of Charlten! Dozens of guards converge on you and hack you to pieces.

Of course, the Magister of Keys' fate is no worse than yours,
having allowed a common thief access to the Princes' private vault. But that fact is of little consolation to you now.
action: You drop all except the bag
response: Sceptre of Charlten: Dropped.
Crown of Strongle: Dropped.
action: Go upward
response: You climb up the rope. Apaman is there ready to greet you.
"Have you got it?" he asks excitedly.
Wordlessly, you place the small bag into his eager, outstretched
hand. Apaman reaches into the bag and pulls out a jeweled box. "What's this?" Apaman asks. "Why is this in the bag?" He throws the jeweled box at you and reaches in again, pulling out a lockpick. Apaman grows angry. "This is NOT a Game, stupid cob!" He slaps you across the face. Reaching in a third time, he pulls out the Hestron, at last. Apaman growels at you, "That's the end of your trickster days, fool. You are no longer my apprentice." He turns and leaves you where you stand.
action: You get all from the bag
response: jeweled box: Taken.
lockpick: Taken.
Hestron: Taken.
action: You drop all except the bag
response: sword: Dropped.
jeweled box: Dropped.
lockpick: Dropped.
action: Go upwards
response: You climb up the rope. Apaman is there ready to greet you.
"Have you got it?" he asks excitedly.
Wordlessly, you place the small bag into his eager, outstretched
hand. He reaches into the the bag and withdraws the Hestron.
Blinking once, twice in the moonlight, hardly daring to believe, he stares at it. Finally, reality sets in and his gaze returns to you. "Let's go now," he says, gruffly. He leads you back to the place
you sarcastically call home. You're not sure if the Hestron really is the key to unlocking magic like Apaman says, but you do feel a subtle difference in the way he's treating you.
Could it be that he's beginning to show you the slightest hint of a modicum of respect?
action: Xyzzy
response: Oh, stop that.
action: Xyzzy
response: No, really, stop it.
action: Xyzzy
response: Don't get me angry. You won't like me when I'm angry.
action: Xyzzy
response: OK, perhaps you WILL like me when I'm angry.
action: Xyzzy
response: Oh, bother. I haven't been programmed to get angry.
action: Xyzzy
response: OK, this is my last response. Ta-ta.
action: Xyzzy
response: Really, that was. Honest. No more interesting responses here. Move along, move along.
action: Xyzzy
response: Whenever you're ready to get on with the game...
action: Xyzzy
response: Sigh.
action: You eat the corpse
response: I'm only a computer and, yet, I find you most disturbing.
action: Kiss corpse
response: Ew!
action: You decapitate the corpse
response: Please restrain your bloodlust. You're here for theiving, not for gore.
action: You take the corpse
response: Good grief. Even if you COULD lift it, what would you want with a corpse?
action: You go to the south
response: This cellar is dark -- mostly due to the coal dust which is everywhere. A faint light comes through an open doorway to the north. Dangling from the coal chute in the corner is a dirty rope.
You see a sword and a jeweled box here.
action: Up
response: You climb up the rope. Apaman is there ready to greet you.
"Have you got it?" he asks excitedly.
Wordlessly, you place the Hestron into his eager, outstretched
hand. He blinks once, twice in the moonlight, hardly daring to believe.
Finally, the reality of it set in and his gaze returns to you and
your now grimy features.
"Stupid Cob!" he chasties you. "I told you to keep the Hestron in the bag! You could have been caught. Lucky for you that you weren't. "Let's go now," he says, gruffly. He leads you back to the place
you sarcastically call home. You're not sure if the Hestron really is the key to unlocking magic like Apaman says, but you do feel a subtle difference in the way he's treating you.
Could it be that he's beginning to show you the slightest hint of a modicum of respect?