C:\GAMES\IMPRO\SOH> soh (N)ew game, or (C)ontinue? C Dismal Field You find yourself in the middle of a cold, tree-lined field. The grasses here are clearly wild, rising almost to your waist in some spots, and ripple in a chill breeze. In the light of the rising sun, the field, although not cheerful by any means, somehow does not seem as forbidding as it had in the moonlight. Colors appear, their brightness accentuated by the long night. Here and there, small flowers peek out from under the grass. A faint path leads off to the southeast. There is a tombstone here. Aoi is here. Rojanosh is here. (time delayed) Beside you, Aoi mews softly; a subtle reminder that you need to do something before the sun goes down and Rojanosh is left unprotected. >VERSION = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = SPIRITS OF HOPE An Improtext Adventure Lead Programmer: Brian Stricklin Module Programmer: Aaron Nowack Version 1.95 -- Light of Dawn = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = >DIAGNOSE You are healthy. You are not hungry. You are not thirsty. >INVENTORY You are carrying: a silver pendant (worn) servant's clothing, soaked (worn) pocky a brown leather purse, soaked (jingles when shaken) a tattered map, soaked a tension bar a metal cup a black-painted keyring and key >LOOK AT TOMBSTONE Okayama Keigo Born - June 16, 1981 Died - July 7, 2000 Beloved son and brother. You confirm the fact that you are still dead. >SE Aoi brushes against your leg, reassuring you that it's alright to leave them at the field. You pet her briefly, then head down the path. Hilltop Vista Standing atop this wide hillock, you're treated to an impressive view of the surrounding terrain. To the north you can see the field where you woke up, and to the east and south there seems to be a large, foreboding forest. To the west, however, is a huge walled city, of a type you've never seen another example of; its buildings vary in design, being mostly of a Victorian style but with a few Japanese-style structures as well. A wide river sits next to the city, intersecting it briefly on the town's northern side then splitting off to the west and northeast. The nearby path leads back to the field to the northwest, and continues on toward the city to the southwest. >SW Stumbling slightly over loose rocks, you follow the path down toward the city. City Gates You stand before a huge pair of foot-thick wooden doors, which serve as the entrance to this city. The doors are set in a protective stone wall forty feet high, and you can see the occasional guard walking the battlements. With the rising of the sun, the city seems to be more at ease; only one guard stands before the gates. You can hear the sounds of the city through the doors, which are currently wide open but guarded. A path leads northeast toward a hilltop, and a wide road leads south; the city gates are to the west. >W The solitary guard waves you through, too busy with the other folk at the gate to give you a second glance, or barely even a first. Trimble Way You are standing just within the gates of Waypoint City. In the day, the city seems even more crowded than it was when you first entered. A nearby signpost advertises this as Trimble Way, which extends to the north and southwest; the city gate is to the east. >SW Trimble and Maltain You are at the intersection of Trimble Way and Maltain Avenue. For some reason, it is not as loud or crowded as it was the first time you saw it, although there is still an impressive number of people about. The noise, still loud, now seems to be concentrated more to the northwest now than anywhere else. Most of the buildings here are residential, and not of much interest to you. Trimble Way extends to the south and northeast of here, and Maltain heads off northwest. >NW Market Square Here, at the intersection of Maltain Avenue and Crabtree Lane, you find a large and busy bazaar of sorts taking place. The various booths and stalls are well out of the way of possible carriage traffic, but otherwise are packed into every available square inch. The merchants are already out, though the noise is much softer than it was earlier. There seems to be a tavern to the east, Maltain leads from the southeast to the northwest, and Crabtree runs northeast to southwest. >LOOK AT BOOTHS Booths and stalls of varieties line the sides of the market square. Despite the fact that the sun rose only a short while ago, many of the booths are already open. The merchants have already started to hawk their wares, sometimes quite loudly. One in particular is particularly grating. >LISTEN TO MERCHANT Which one? >GRATING "Get your lanterns, right here! Get your lanterns! They all must go!" The merchant's booth seems to be lacking in customers. >GO TO LANTERN MERCHANT'S BOOTH Market Square (at the lantern booth) The lantern merchant's booth is fairly shabby, but it does seem to have a good number of lanterns. The merchant looks up, a grin on his face, as he sees you approaching. "Good day, sir. You look like you're new here, aren't you?" >SAY YES The merchant's grin widens. "Well, I have just the lamp for you." He reaches into the booth and takes out a beaten up lantern. "This one's a sturdy fellow, good for traveling. And you have the look of a traveler. When full, it holds enough oil to last through the longest nights. Guaranteed for life!" >LOOK AT LAMP The lamp looks to be well made, though perhaps it has seen better days. As you closely examine the lantern, you notice that a jammed hatch would prevent you from fueling the lamp! >ASK MERCHANT ABOUT HATCH The merchant grins nervously. "Oh, I took down the wrong lamp! My apologies." He puts up that lamp and takes down another. It appears to be of the same model but in much better condition. [You have gained 1 point!] >LOOK AT LAMP The lamp looks to be well made, though perhaps it has seen better days. There doesn't appear to be any problems with this one. Honest! >BUY LAMP With what? >COINS [Taking them out of purse first] You haggle for a few moments, and settle on a price of five coins. The merchant fills the lamp with fuel and gives it to you. [You put the remaining coins back in your purse.] >LEAVE As you head back into the market, you realize that the original asking price was only four coins. Market Square You spy two women gossiping nearby. >LISTEN (to the women) "I hear that there's a human in the prison!" "I heard that too. A lady, if you believe my husband." >SE Trimble and Maltain >NE Trimble Way >E City Gates >NE Stumbling slightly over loose rocks, you make you way up the hill. Hilltop Vista >S Forest Edge You are traveling on a path near the edge of the Spirit's Forest. To the north you can see the forest end as the path continues to the bottom of a large hilltop. The path also branches off deeper into the forest towards the east and northeast. >S Plain Forest Path You are traveling on a path near the edge of the Spirits Forest. The path leads ahead to the north and back to the south. It also seems to branch off to the northeast. >S Forested Path You are near the edge of the Spirits Forest on a path that leads to the ahead to the north and back to the south. >S Grue's Tunnel Entrance You have entered a large path. Trees restrict movement on the path and the only way is to the southeast and north. A large boulder obstructs a tunnel entrance to the east. >SAVE Game saved. >MOVE BOULDER With a mighty shove, you push the boulder out of the way. >E Grue's Tunnel You land in a part of the tunnel that is still filled with some light. The tunnel is small, claustrophobic environment with barely enough room for you to stand and about 3 feet wide. The tunnel continues off into darkness to the west. Above you is hole which leads to the surface and is the source of the light. Although you cannot see it you almost feel the presence of the Grue in the tunnel. >LIGHT LANTERN You feel the Grue flee in terror as you light the lamp. You notice splashes of blood all over the tunnel, probably Silka's. The smell is nasty, but the tunnel might serve as a shelter... if you keep it lit. [You have gained 2 points!] >U Grue's Tunnel Entrance >EXTINGUISH LAMP You turn off the lamp. >N Forested Path >N Plain Forest Path >N Forest Edge >N Hilltop Vista >NW Aoi mews in greeting as you enter the clearing. Dismal Field There is a tombstone here. Aoi is here. Rojanosh is here. (time delayed) Beside you, Aoi mews softly; a subtle reminder that you need to do something before the sun goes down and Rojanosh is left unprotected. >TAKE ROJANOSH He's still heavy, but he's much easier to carry when you're not on the run from a monster. >SE Aoi follows you. Hilltop Vista >S Aoi follows you. Forest Edge >S Aoi follows you. Plain Forest Path >S Aoi follows you. Forested Path >S Aoi follows you. Grue's Tunnel Entrance >SAVE Game saved. >E Aoi follows you. Grue's Tunnel Although you cannot see it you almost feel the presence of the Grue in the tunnel. >LIGHT LAMP Not while you're carrying Rojanosh! Your hands are full! You feel the Grue draw nearer. >DROP ROJANOSH With a thud, Rojanosh's body lands on the stone floor. The Grue leaps forward, biting you in half with one bite. *** You have died. *** Quit, Restore, or Undo? RESTORE Grue's Tunnel Entrance >DROP ROJANOSH With a thud, Rojanosh's body lands on the hard ground. >E Aoi brushes against your leg, reassuring you that it's alright to leave them here. You pet her briefly, then head off. Grue's Tunnel Although you cannot see it you almost feel the presence of the Grue in the tunnel. >LIGHT LAMP You feel the Grue flee in terror as you light the lamp. The lamp flickers for a moment, reminding you that the fuel won't last forever. >EXTINGUISH LAMP Darkness returns, and with it the Grue. >WAIT You feel the Grue draw nearer. >LIGHT LAMP As the light catches hold, you manage to get a quick glimpse of the Grue, which was too close to flee in time. For a moment, that is, as the Grue quickly catches fire from the light. Within moments, all that is left is a pile of ashes. [You have gained 7 points!] >U Aoi mews in greeting as you return. Grue's Tunnel Entrance Aoi is here. Rojanosh is here. (time delayed) >TAKE ROJANOSH Taken. >W Aoi follows you. Grue's Tunnel >DROP ROJANOSH With a thud, Rojanosh's body lands on the stone floor. >LOOK Grue's Tunnel You are in a part of the tunnel that is still filled with some light. The tunnel is small, claustrophobic environment with barely enough room for you to stand and about 3 feet wide. The wall's are splattered with Silka's blood. The tunnel continues off into darkness to the west. Above you is hole which leads to the surface and is the source of the light. Aoi is here, delicately sniffing at the blood. Rojanosh is here. (time delayed) There is a pile of Grue ashes here. >DIAGNOSE You are healthy. You are not hungry. You are not thirsty. >INVENTORY You are carrying: a silver pendant (worn) servant's clothing, soaked (worn) pocky a brown leather purse, soaked (jingles when shaken) a tattered map, soaked a tension bar a metal cup a black-painted keyring and key a lantern (lit) >SCORE You have gained 130 points out of a possible 2000. This earns you the rank of: Determined Spectre. >SAVE Game saved. >QUIT C:\GAMES\IMPRO\SOH>_ *** Author's Random Ramblings Whew. My first ever impro part. Hope it didn't suck too badly. Uh... sign up for SoH!