Faithful Companion — 14 of 17

Chapter - The Crypt

The Crypt is inside from the granite door. "The sconces on the walls have been smashed, and the [coffin] gapes open in the middle of the crypt.[paragraph break]The granite door leads back out."

The sconces are scenery in the Crypt. Understand "sconce" as the sconces. First instead of doing something when the current action involves the sconces: say "They're for the caretaker to deal with. Perhaps she can clean up the tomb, if you can lay poor Thurnley to rest."

The coffin is an enterable open unopenable scenery container in the Crypt. The description of the coffin is "[if the lid is not part of the coffin]The massive coffin gapes open. A few poor bones are scattered around the edges of its decayed satin lining. Its hinges are still intact, but the lid is missing.[otherwise if the coffin is open]The coffin stands open.[otherwise]The coffin is shut.[end if][first time][paragraph break]Thurnley's bones rest here, but his spirit is not at rest.[only]". Understand "hinges" as the coffin. Understand "decayed" and "satin" as the coffin when the coffin is open.

Carry out examining the coffin when the lid is not part of the coffin or we have not examined the coffin (this is the don't mention the bones twice rule): unless something that is not the bones is in the coffin, rule succeeds.

The don't mention the bones twice rule is listed after the standard examining rule in the carry out examining rulebook.

Some bones are in the coffin. They are fixed in place. The description of the bones is "Poor things...." Understand "corpse/body/bone" as the bones. Instead of taking the bones: say "They are where they belong."

The heavy lid is in the Crypt. "The coffin's heavy leaden lid lies on the floor." The description of the heavy lid is "Made of solid lead, this lid looks to heavy to lift by yourself. But who would dare accompany you here?" Understand "lead/leaden" as the heavy lid.

Lid lifted this turn is a truth state that varies. Last every turn: now lid lifted this turn is false.

Instead of an actor putting the lid on something:

try the actor taking the lid.

Instead of taking the lid:

say "You strain to lift the lid, but you can only raise one edge of it.";

now lid lifted this turn is true.

Understand "lift [something]" as taking.

Instead of the the ghost taking the lid when lid lifted this turn is false and the lid is not part of the coffin:

say "The ghost whirls around one edge of the lid, which just rises from the floor. But the lid soon falls back.";

rule succeeds.

Instead of the ghost taking the lid when lid lifted this turn is true and the lid is not part of the coffin:

say "The ghost whirls around the other edge of the lid, and almost without your willing it the lid rises into the air. Before you realize that you have put it down, the lid stands upright on the coffin's hinges.";

now the lid is part of the coffin;

now the coffin is openable;

rule succeeds.

Instead of the ghost taking the lid when the lid is part of the coffin:

say "The ghost goes through the motions of picking up the lid, but it does not budge from its hinges.";

rule succeeds.

Instead of an actor opening the lid when the lid is part of the coffin:

try the actor opening the coffin.

Instead of an actor closing the lid when the lid is part of the coffin:

try the actor closing the coffin.

Coffin count is a number that varies. Coffin count is 0.

Every turn when the player is in the closed coffin:

increment coffin count;

if coffin count is greater than 2:

say "You cannot escape the coffin, and the caretaker will not open it to look for you. The air inside it will run out before long[if the ghost is in the coffin]. [paragraph break]The leaves rustle against you, and their touch is not as chilly as you had thought[end if].";

end the story saying "Your bones lie among Thurnley's".

Check opening the coffin when the player is in the coffin:

say "The lid of the coffin is too heavy to budge from the inside." instead.

Every turn when the player is not in the closed coffin:

now coffin count is 0.

Every turn when the ghost is in the closed coffin and the player is not in the closed coffin:

say "You hear the leaves swirling in the coffin, then all at once they stop. Thurnley can rest again.";

end the story finally saying "Your faithful companion has been laid to rest".

After entering the coffin:

say "You climb in to lie among Thurnley's bones."

After the ghost entering the coffin:

say "The leaves swirl into the coffin."

Instead of an actor climbing the open coffin: try the person asked entering the coffin.

Understand "climb on [something]" and "climb onto [something]" and "climb into [something]" as climbing. [Perhaps someone will use this form of command.]

After exiting from the coffin:

say "You climb back out of the coffin, careful to disturb the bones no further."

After the ghost exiting from the coffin:

say "The leaves swirl back out of the coffin."