EscapeAsphodel

(print: "Hello") (set: $name to (prompt: "What is your name?", "Name")) The shadow (text-style: "shadow")[flares] at you! (print: "Hello "+$name) (set: $array to (array: "H", "e", "l", "l", "o")) (print: $array[1]) (if: $array[0] == "H")[First is H] Do you want to continue? (click: "continue")[Alright then.] (click: "Alright then")[(goto: "FirstPuzzleRoom")]

Through the archway lies another large room. As you look around yourself, you feel a chill run down your back. In each of the room’s four corners is a large marble statue, expertly carved. In one corner is a (text-style: "bold")[Cerberus], all three mouths frozen in vicious snarls. In another corner is a (text-style: "bold")[Minotaur], its eyes fixed on you and axe raised. The third corner contains a (text-style: "bold")[Cyclops], just as you saw in the tapestry. The last corner holds the statue of a (text-style: "bold")[Hydra], in all its draconic glory. In front of each statue is a lever and one solitary lever lies in the center. On the back wall is an inscription. (text-style: "shadow")[The gauntlets of resilience lie behind this wall. To secure them as your own, you must use your wits. Pull the levers in the correct order. The lever in the center resets the others. When all four levers are activated, you will know whether you have passed the test. The consequences of failure are dire.] You take a deep breath. This is it; one of the artifacts you need to escape is within your grasp. Now you must figure out the correct order. Maybe there are some clues in the other rooms? [Cerberus]<one| [Minotaur]<two| [Cyclops]<three| [Hydra]<four| (display: "PuzzleCode") [[You return to the entrance hall to seek clues...->Castle2]]

(link-repeat: "Reset")[(display: "ResetPuzzle")(text-style: "italic")[ The levers swing back. The glow fades from the statues...]] {(set: $solution to (array: 3,2,1,4)) (set: $oneLinked to false, $twoLinked to false, $threeLinked to false, $fourLinked to false) (display: "ResetPuzzle")}

{(set: _transition1 to (transition-arrive: "shudder") + (transition-time: 3s)) (if: $puzzArray.length == 4)[ (if: $puzzArray is $solution)[ (if: $artifacts contains "Gauntlets")[ _transition1(goto: "FirstPuzzleWinEmpty") ] (else:)[ _transition1(goto: "FirstPuzzleWin") ] ] (else:)[ _transition1(goto: "FirstPuzzleFail")  ] ] }

{(set: $puzzArray to (array:)) (if: $oneLinked is false)[ (click: ?one)[(set: $puzzArray to $puzzArray + (array: 1))(set: $oneLinked to false)(append: ?one)[(text-style: "italic")[-The Cerberus begins to glow...]](display: "PuzzleCheck")] ] (if: $twoLinked is false)[ (click: ?two)[(set: $puzzArray to $puzzArray + (array: 2))(set: $twoLinked to false)(append: ?two)[(text-style: "italic")[-The Minotaur begins to glow...]](display: "PuzzleCheck")] ] (if: $threeLinked is false)[ (click: ?three)[(set: $puzzArray to $puzzArray + (array: 3))(set: $threeLinked to false)(append: ?three)[(text-style: "italic")[-The Cyclops begins to glow...]](display: "PuzzleCheck")] ] (if: $fourLinked is false)[ (click: ?four)[(set: $puzzArray to $puzzArray + (array: 4))(set: $fourLinked to false)(append: ?four)[(text-style: "italic")[-The Hydra begins to glow...]](display: "PuzzleCheck")] ] (set: $oneLinked to true, $twoLinked to true, $threeLinked to true, $fourLinked to true) (replace: ?one)[Cerberus] (replace: ?two)[Minotaur] (replace: ?three)[Cyclops] (replace: ?four)[Hydra] }

You slowly open your eyes. The first thing that strikes you is how dull everything appears, as if a haze had been drawn across your surroundings. Then you see the spirits. All around you spectral beings drift aimlessly. Some simply hover in place, as if transfixed by one dreary view. Others float in an arbitrary direction, passing through the long faded grass that makes up the landscape you find yourself in. The world around you hardly seems real, as if it is both there and merely an afterimage of some lonely field. [[You feel a tingle of panic run down your spine->Intro1]], but even that seems distant and diluted. (set: $artifacts to (dataset:)) (set: $inventory to (dataset:)) (set: $numArt to 3) (set: $metSphinx to false) (set: $attacked to false) (set: $numTossed to 0) (set: $numCoins to 0)

You assess your surroundings. The spectral fields stretch for miles. Upon inspection, you realize that they aren’t quite as featureless as they first appeared. Glancing to the left, you can make out what appears to be a section of a long abandoned castle. The stone building has partially collapsed, but at least some of it is still standing. Looking straight ahead, you see a tall stone tower in the distance. As your gaze travels up the tower, you notice that it widens into some sort of room at the very top. Strangely enough, you notice a grove of trees nestled between the hills to your right. You wonder what might be found within the wood. Behind you lies a lake of considerable size, filling the bottom of a valley between two ridges. Even from where you stand, the water appears dark as night. However, you think you can make out a faint golden glow right in the center of the water. A wide river flows behind the tower and snakes around the boundary of the fields. From what Persephone told you, this is the River Styx. It is the final challenge to overcome before you can escape this place… [[You head toward the ruined castle...->Castle1]] [[You journey in the direction of the tall tower...->Tower1]] [[You decide to investigate the copse of trees...->Clearing1]] [[You venture toward the dark waters of the lake...->Lake1]] { (if: length of $artifacts is 3)[ [[You are fully equipped. You impatiently stride toward the banks of the River Styx...->River1]] ] }

You head toward the castle. As you get close, you hear faint snippets of noise, echoes of the past. The noise swells as you approach the large wooden doors. All around you echo the sounds of clanking armor and the muffled ringing of steel on steel. You spin around as you hear a man cry out behind you, but the fields behind you are \(link-reveal: "empty...")[ You begin to run toward the door, unnerved by the invisible clamor. The tumultuous noises rise to a crescendo as you reach the door. Clasping your hands over your ears, you burst over the threshold. Mercifully, all noise fades away, replaced by a dead silence that seems to ring in your ears. [[You look around...->Castle2]] ]

You find yourself in a large hall. Faded paintings and banners hang on the walls. Across the hall is an archway, through which you can see another large room. To your left is a smaller door. Glancing to your right, you see another archway, smaller than the first. [[You go through the far arch...->FirstPuzzleRoom]] [[You head left...->HydraRoom]] [[You head right...->BottomOfStairs]] [[You leave the castle...->Castle3]]

Forcing the door open on ancient hinges, you walk into the room. This space appears to have once been a castle armory. The walls are covered in weapons and armor long since past its prime. You pass swords, maces, spears, helmets, shields of all types, and more as you walk toward the back of the room. There is a smaller archway in the back wall that leads to a smaller room. This one has fewer weapons; instead it is decorated in banners and paintings. One large painting catches your eye. In the corner of the painting is a small knight, his armor gleaming in the sunlight. He holds a sword aloft in defiance. The knight’s bravery is commendable, for taking up the majority of the canvas is a massive draconic creature. Its immense, scaly body glints a mix of black and deep green. It has a strong, armored tail that ends in a series of spikes, each longer than a man is tall. The beast’s upper body is perhaps even more intimidating. It has (text-style: "italic")[four long, scaly necks], each ending in a reptilian head. The four heads arch into the sky, streams of billowing flames flowing past shiny silver fangs. The creature’s eyes hold a primal intelligence that chills you to the bone. Shaking off your fear, you read the lines at the bottom of the frame. The title doesn’t make you feel much more hopeful. (text-style: "italic")[Last stand against a (text-style: "bold")[Hydra].] [[You make your way back to the main hall...->Castle2]]

You walk through the smaller arch to your right and find yourself in a smaller, secondary hallway. Down the hall you see a doorway. To your left is a grand staircase that must have once been magnificent. It is made of marble, but is now chipped and cracked from years of neglect. [[You head down the hall to the doorway...->CerberusRoom]] [[You climb the staircase...->UpStairs]] [[You return to the entrance hall...->Castle2]]

You walk past the decrepit stairs and continue down the hall. The small wooden door creaks as you push it open. Glancing around, you notice the remains of what used to be a fireplace inlaid in the wall to your left. On your right, a couple of rusted shields hang listlessly. What dominates the room, however, is a detailed stone carving on the wall across from you. You gaze at the carving. At first glance, it appears to be some sort of large canine creature, with large paws and a broad body: except for the heads. This canine has (text-style: "italic")[three heads], each with dark pits for eyes and each with a set of large, sharp teeth in its growling mouth. There is an inscription beneath the carving: (text-style: "bold")[Cerberus], guard-dog of the Underworld, devourer of those that would pass through uninvited. A chill runs down your spine at the words. [[You head back down the hall...->BottomOfStairs]]

You gingerly climb the run-down stairway, being careful not to hurt yourself on any of the crumbling steps. You reach the landing at the top. There are three doors leading from the room. [[You enter the door across from you...->CyclopsRoom]] [[You head through the door to your right...->CastleCoinRoom]] [[You move over to the room on your left...->MinotaurRoom]] [[You descend the stairs...->BottomOfStairs]]

You walk into the room. The outer wall is open to the elements, the outer wall having partially collapsed sometime in the past. The room is bare except for an old, faded tapestry on one wall. You have to lean in closely to make out the faint design. It is of a large humanoid figure. The figure is dressed in the style of an ancient Greek warrior. He wears only leather boots and a pteruge, an ancient Greek defensive skirt made of layered strips of hardened leather. In one hand, the man holds a great stone hammer. However, what draws your attention is his face. Above his roaring mouth and in the center of his face sits one large, staring (text-style: "italic")[eye]. You recognize that this is no man. The tapestry depicts a (text-style: "bold")[Cyclops], an ancient creature of immense strength. [[You return to the landing...->UpStairs]]

This room, like the rest of the castle that you have seen, has seen better days. The walls are crumbling, and the furniture that once decorated the space is now little more than dust on the ground. Off to the side, however, is a small alcove, cut into the stone of the wall. Resting on the shelf is a small, bronze figurine. Walking over to the wall, you inspect the figurine. You recognize the creature depicted as a (text-style: "bold")[Minotaur]. The vicious looking beast has the torso of a man, but possesses strong legs, covered in shaggy fur and ending in hooves. It stands upright, as a human would, but its head is that of a bull. It has beady, malevolent eyes, a fuzzy snout, and two sharp (text-style: "italic")[gleaming horns] jutting from the sides of its head. In one muscled arm it carries a large two sided battle axe. Feeling slightly unsettled, you place the figurine back in its alcove. [[You return to the landing...->UpStairs]]

As you pull the last lever, the room begins to shake. The glow on the statues becomes more and more intense. You shield your eyes from the searing glow. After a few moments, the light fades the shaking stops. You open your eyes again and immediately wish you hadn’t. Each of the four statues has vanished. In their place are four monsters, angry, glaring, and very much alive. (text-style: "italic")[You never stood a chance…] (set: $transition to (transition-arrive: "dissolve") + (transition-time: 5s)) [$transition[[Continue...->AdditionalStart]]](hidden| (live: 6s)[(show: ?hidden)]

You jerk upright as you regain consciousness. You find yourself back in the fields, near where you woke up last time. ‘Well’, you think, ‘that could have gone better.’ Shaking off the lingering aches, you get up and head back to the small hill with a good view of the landscape. [[You look around...->Hub]]

As you pull the last lever, the room begins to shake. The glow on the statues becomes more and more intense. You shield your eyes from the searing light. Suddenly, the light fades and the shaking stops. You open your eyes just in time to see the back wall fade from existence. In the middle of the newly revealed room is a pedestal. A pair of golden gauntlets rest on top, glowing gently. You pick them up reverently, surprised by how uncharacteristically light they are. (set: $artifacts to $artifacts + (dataset: "Gauntlets")) (text-style: "italic")[The (text-style: "bold")[Gauntlets of Resilience] have been added to your inventory] [[You return to the entrance hall of the castle...->Castle2]]

You cross the fields toward the dark stone tower. As you get closer to the tower, it becomes clear that it is not a uniform color. You can see golden highlights running up the sides in lazy spirals. It is positioned on a small hill, surrounded by featureless grass. You notice that the lack of cover in a large circle around the tower makes it a good defensive position. However, as you approach, you don’t see any signs of life and you make it to the base of the tower unhindered. (click: "you make it to the base of the tower unhindered.")[(show: ?hidden)] [At first, the base of the tower appears solid. You wander around it, studying the stonework. Then, you notice a large stone block that doesn’t perfectly line up with the blocks around it. With a bit of prodding and shoving, the block swings inward on impressive hinges, revealing the dimly lit interior of the tower. [[You enter the tower...->Tower2]] ](hidden|

You are curious about what lies within the trees, so you set out in that direction. It doesn’t take you that long to reach the edge of the wood, and there you pause. The trees are predominantly oak, with some spruce and sycamore scattered throughout. The strange thing you notice is that, like much of this place you woke up in, the forest is silent. It’s a little unnerving, but [[you head into the thicket anyway...->Clearing2]]

A little while later, two paths branch off in front of you. The one to the left seems to open up into a clearing. The path on the right continues into the wood. { (if: $attacked is false)[ (if: length of $artifacts is 2 and $metSphinx is false)[ [[You go to the clearing...->SphinxClearing]] ] (elseif: length of $artifacts is 2 and $metSphinx is true)[ [[You go to the clearing...->AdditionalSphinxClearing]] ] (else:)[ [[You go to the clearing...->NoSphinxClearing]] ] ]} [[You continue deeper into the forest...->OtherForestPath]] [[You exit the forest...->Clearing3]]

You continue heading deeper into the forest. After a time, you come upon a massive oak tree. It is so wide that two of you with arms extended couldn’t span the diameter of its trunk. Intriguingly, the base of the trunk is hollowed out into a sizable cylindrical space. You peek in. It appears to simply be a hollow tree. [[You turn back, deciding you've gone far enough...->Clearing2]] {(if: $inventory contains "TreeCoin")[ [[You keep searching the tree...->KeepSearchingTree2]] ] (else:)[ [[You keep searching the tree...->KeepSearchingTree]] ]}

You step out into the clearing; it is a fairly large area, largely devoid of undergrowth. A few boulders sit to one side of the space. However, you hardly notice these details, for sitting in the center of the clearing is rather interesting creature. It has the head of a woman, but the body of a lion. Folded to its sides are a pair of feathery wings. The creature is a Sphinx. It doesn’t seem to be interested in attacking; instead it merely sits, watching you passively. (click: "watching you passively")[(show: ?pass1)] [The Sphinx raises one eyebrow. “Well?” It says. “What are you waiting for? Come on over. I may look dangerous, but I wouldn’t dream of attacking an honest traveler without due cause.” At this, the creature bares its teeth in a predatory grin, exposing its decidedly non-human fangs and forked tongue. You notice that it didn’t say anything about not being dangerous. Still, you should at least play along for now. You suspect those wings aren’t just for show. You move closer.](pass1| (click: "You move closer.")[(show: ?pass2)] [“That’s better,” the Sphinx adds. “Now we can have a proper chat.” “What did you have in mind, ma’am?” You say respectfully. You figure a bit of politeness won’t hurt when talking to something that can gobble you up in a flash. “Let me get right to the point,” it says. “I know you are searching for certain artifacts and I also see that you only need one more. I was wondering if you would be interested in striking a deal.” “That depends on the terms,” you respond, feeling a bit wary. “I will give you a riddle,” the creature purrs. “If you can answer it, I will give you the last artifact you seek. You can listen to the riddle and still leave. I won't stop you. But if you answer the riddle and get it wrong…”](pass2| (click: "get it wrong")[(show: ?pass3)] [It trails off, before giving you an even larger grin. “Well, let’s just say I won’t go hungry for a while.” You gulp. This could be a way of getting the last artifact, but you could just keep searching for it yourself. [[You decide to listen to the riddle...->SphinxRiddle]] [[You graciously decline the Sphinx's offer...->NoRiddle]] ](pass3| (set: $metSphinx to true)

A glint catches your eye. You stoop down and begin clearing leaves from the area around where you thought you saw something. You remove one last armful of leaves to reveal a golden coin. You pick it up; this could come in handy later on. (click: "You pick it up")[(show: ?hidden)] [(text-style: "italic")[A golden coin has been added to your inventory...] Ominously, beneath the coin and half buried in the dirt, you also find what appears to be a human femur; perhaps from some long dead traveler or another poor soul trying to escape. [[You turn back, deciding you've gone far enough into the forest...->Clearing2]] ](hidden| (set: $inventory to $inventory +(dataset: "TreeCoin")) (set: $numCoins to $numCoins + 1)

You find nothing but a few more human bones. [[You turn back, deciding you've gone far enough into the forest...->Clearing2]]

You step out into the clearing; it is a fairly large area, largely devoid of undergrowth. A few boulders sit to one side of the space. There are scuff marks on the ground around you, but there doesn’t appear to be anything or anyone present at the moment. Maybe you should come back later? [[You return to the path...->Clearing2]]

You ask the Sphinx to tell you the riddle. She smirks. “But of course,” she says smoothly. “Here it is.” With that, she begins to recite her riddle. (text-style: "bold")[“I have fingers, but I cannot move them. I must drink, but I have no mouth. When I am cut, I bleed. And when the weather's nice, I feed. What am I?”] She sits back with a self-satisfied grin. “Well?” She asks, licking her lips. “Do you want to give it a go?” You answer the riddle... [[You decide answering the riddle is too risky...->NoRiddleHeard]] (click: "You answer the riddle...")[(set: $riddle to (prompt: "What is your answer?", ""))(display: "RiddleCheck")]

You set off down through the hills toward the lake. After a time, you reach the top of a small ridge. On the other side is the lake, stretching for perhaps half a kilometer down the valley. The shore is not more than a few hundred meters in front of you. Again, you pause to examine the golden aura at the center of the lake. {(if: $inventory contains "TowerCoin")[ [[You approach the shore...->Lake2]] ] (else:)[ [[You approach the shore...->Lake2NoClue]] ] }

“I think I’ll pass on your generous offer,” you say. The Sphinx doesn’t look particularly pleased, but nevertheless responds calmly. “Very well traveler. If you still need me later, I’ll be here.” With that, [[you leave her in peace and return to the path...->Clearing2]]

You return to the clearing with the Sphinx. “Welcome back,” she greets. “Have you reconsidered my offer?” [[You decide to listen to the riddle...->SphinxRiddle]] [[You graciously decline the Sphinx's offer...->NoRiddle]]

You aren’t sure about the answer to the riddle and decide it’s best not to risk being eaten. “I’m afraid that I don’t want to answer right now.” You tell the Sphinx. The Sphinx doesn’t look particularly pleased, but nevertheless responds calmly. “Very well traveler. If you still need me later, I’ll be here.” With that, [[you leave her in peace and return to the path...->Clearing2]]

{ (if: (words: (lowercase: $riddle)) contains "tree")[ (goto: "PassRiddle") ] (else:)[ (set: $attacked to true) (goto: "FailRiddle") ]

You give the Sphinx your answer. "Is the answer $riddle?" You nervously guess. She smiles the biggest, nastiest smile you’ve ever seen, showing off all her sharp teeth. Before you can react, the Sphinx is upon you, pinning you to the ground. She rears up, teeth and claws ready to strike. You suppose your answer must have been wrong… (set: $transition to (transition-arrive: "dissolve") + (transition-time: 5s)) [$transition[[Continue...->AdditionalStart]]](hidden| (live: 6s)[(show: ?hidden)]

You give the Sphinx your answer. "Is the answer a tree?" You nervously guess. Her face scrunches and she stomps the ground in anger. “Yes.” She grinds out. “You are correct.” Relief floods through you. You did it! “I will fulfill my part of the bargain.” She continues. “Wait here.” With a powerful thrust of her wings, she rises into the sky. You watch her disappear over the trees, still grumbling about pesky travelers. You take a deep breath, releasing some of the tension you were under. { (if: not($artifacts contains "Crown"))[ (set: $sphinxArt to "Crown of Cleansing") (set: $artifacts to $artifacts + (dataset: "Crown")) ] (elseif: not($artifacts contains "Gauntlets"))[ (set: $sphinxArt to "Gauntlets of Resilience") (set: $artifacts to $artifacts + (dataset: "Gauntlets")) ] (else:)[ (set: $sphinxArt to "Winged Shoes of Apollo") (set: $artifacts to $artifacts + (dataset: "Shoes")) ] } [The Sphinx returns after just a few minutes. She drops the $sphinxArt at your feet. “There,” she sneers. “Take your artifact and go! Before I decide I’m hungry anyway.” You grab the artifact with glee. { (if: $sphinxArt is "Gauntlets of Resilience" or "Flying Shoes of Apollo")[ (text-style: "italic")[The (text-style: "bold")[$sphinxArt] have been added to your inventory...] ] (else:)[ (text-style: "italic")[The (text-style: "bold")[$sphinxArt] has been added to your inventory...] ]} [[You return to the path...->Clearing2]] ](hidden| (click: "You take a deep breath")[(show: ?hidden)]

You leave the castle, journeying back to where you began. This time, the ghostly echoes don't manifest-perhaps knowing that [[you are leaving their domain.->Hub]]

Exiting the trees, you breathe a sigh of relief. You hadn’t really noticed, but the unnaturally silent forest had made you a bit tense. [[You head back to the grassy hill...->Hub]]

You step inside. The large, circular room is largely bare. A collection of banners hangs along the curved wall. Some depict feathery wings, while others have a bow and arrow motif. On the left side of the room, an impressive staircase curves upward and along the outer wall of the tower. Surprisingly, on the right there is another staircase that curves downward along the outer wall, vanishing below ground level. { (if: $artifacts contains "Shoes")[ [[You take the stairs leading up...->TopEmpty]] ] (else:)[ [[You take the stairs leading up...->UpTower]] ]} [[You take the stairs leading down...->DownTower]] [[You return to the grassy hill...->Hub]]

You head up the stairs on the left. They spiral up and up, becoming narrower as you go. Interestingly, the air around you also gets warmer and warmer as you ascend. [[You enter the room at the top...->TopRoom]]

You take the sloping stairs to the right, descending into the depths of the tower. It goes on for a while and as you get farther down you notice the air becoming dank and chilly. You have to slow down, for the little light that reached the entrance of the tower cannot reach this depth. You keep descending... (click: "You keep descending...")[(show: ?hidden)] [Finally, you see a flicker of light and the stairs open into the tower’s basement. This is another circular room, this time furnished with wall mounted shields and several torches that fill the room with a flickering glow. You wonder how it’s possible that there are burning torches in a place seemingly abandoned. At the back of the room, there is an old wooden desk. [[You walk over...->Desk]]](hidden|

The desk’s surface is bare. Upon closer inspection, you see that the desk has a drawer just below the top surface, and two set into the right side of the supporting body. [[You open the upper of the right drawers...->Drawer]] [[You open the lower of the right drawers...->Drawer]] { (if: $inventory contains "TowerCoin")[ [[You open the top drawer...->AdditionalCoinDrawer]] ] (else:)[ [[You open the top drawer...->CoinDrawer]] ]} [[You return upstairs...->UpFromBasement]]

There is nothing of interest in this drawer, just the remains of some disintegrating parchment. [[You close the drawer...->Desk]]

In the top drawer, there is a collection of objects. A stack of parchment sits against one edge, with some writing quills and ink bottles alongside. On the other is an ornate dagger. In the middle is a small, flat bundle, wrapped in parchment. You gently unwrap the bundle. Within the parchment is a golden coin. You pick it up; this could come in handy later on. (click: "You pick it up")[(show: ?hidden)] [(text-style: "italic")[A golden coin has been added to your inventory...] You pick up the parchment, it is old and flaking, but you can make out some words. The word “coin” is legible, followed a few words later by “Lake,” and finally the word “offering.” The rest is illegible. (text-style: "blurrier")[(text-style: "mirror")[ it is my understanding that this]] \(text-style: "blur")[ coin ] \(text-style: "blurrier")[(text-style: "mirror")[ can be taken to the]] \(text-style: "blur")[ Lake ] \(text-style: "blurrier")[(text-style: "mirror")[ and used as an]] \(text-style: "blur")[ offering ] \(text-style: "blurrier")[(text-style: "mirror")[ to the deity that lives there]] [[You close the drawer...->Desk]] ](hidden| (set: $inventory to $inventory + (dataset: "TowerCoin")) (set: $numCoins to $numCoins + 1)

You swiftly climb the curling staircase. The warmer air that meets you is a pleasant change from the cold damp air of the basement. [[You re-enter the central room...->SecondEntrance]]

You find yourself back in the central room of the tower. The stone door is still open to the surrounding fields. { (if: $artifacts contains "Shoes")[ [[You take the stairs leading up...->TopEmpty]] ] (else:)[ [[You take the stairs leading up...->UpTower]] ]} [[You take the stairs leading down...->DownTower]] [[You return to the grassy hill...->Hub]]

Approaching the top room, the first thing that hits you is the heat. As you step off the staircase and into the space, you quickly see why. Filling a large arch set into one of the walls of the large circular room is a billowing, unearthly fire. It is a deep black color, with twisting and flickering swirls of grey. This is no normal flame. You take a moment to assess the rest of the room. On the back wall, opposite the fire, is a stone table. On the table sit four identical ornate chests. Beside them lies a scroll of yellowing parchment. You pick up the scroll and begin to read. (click: "begin to read.")[(show: ?hidden)] [(text-style: "bold")[Within sit two jewels of green and red, One of these moves you ahead Here are also metals two Which dictate the force that moves you through If going on is what you seek Do not combine your jewel with Weak You can only move along If your jewel is joined with Strong Of these chests you must choose two And the right combination will see you through How to find the magic pair? Follow the clues which now appear. Which is Gold and which Pyrite? Gold is found on Ruby’s Right To orient your point of view Leftmost has a rosy hue The Strong force is always seen In the metal to the left of Green Fool’s Gold sits on the right end But true Gold it is that is your friend. And it is the red stone you must find To leave the Underworld behind.] You think you understand. You must pick the right two chests to survive the flames. But which are they? |||== [Chest 1]<c1| ==|||== [Chest 2]<c2| ==|||== [Chest 3]<c3| ==|||== [Chest 4]<c4| |==| (link-repeat: "Confirm choice...")[(display: "TowerPuzzleCheck")] \(display: "TowerPuzzleCode") [[You return down the stairs...->SecondEntrance]] ](hidden|

Standing on the small beach, you once more marvel at the smooth glossy black surface of the lake. Not a ripple can be seen in the water. Being this close to the water allows you to see that the golden glow is concentrated in a small sphere of light, half submerged in the inky water. You recall the old parchment you found in the tower basement. It said something about coins, a lake, and offerings. You suppose that this was the lake referenced, but what is all that about offerings? {(if: $numTossed is 0)[ [[You toss a coin into the lake...->OfferCoin]] ] (elseif: $numTossed is 1)[ [[You toss another coin into the lake...->AdditionalOffer]] ] (elseif: $numTossed is 2)[ [[You toss the last coin into the lake...->FinalOffer]] ] } [[You return through the hills to where you began...->Hub]]

{(set: $numCoins to $numCoins - 1)} Feeling a bit silly and knowing you’ll regret this if it doesn’t work, you toss a golden coin into the onyx colored water. As soon as it is submerged, it vanishes. You wait with baited breath. (click: "You wait with baited breath.")[(show: ?hidden)] [Just as you are about to give up in frustration, your eyes widen in surprise. The golden sphere in the center of the lake pulses brightly. A single, golden ripple spreads from the sphere, disturbing the glassy smooth surface of the lake. When the ripple has reaches the edges of the lake, it fades. The lake returns to its previous state, but the sphere glows more brightly. Perhaps you need to offer more coins? { (if: $numCoins > 0)[ [[You toss in another coin...->AdditionalOffer]] ] } [[You return through the hills to where you began...->Hub]] ](hidden| (set: $numTossed to $numTossed + 1)

{(set: $numCoins to $numCoins - 1)} You toss another coin into the inky depths. Again, the golden sphere pulses with light and another glowing ripple moves across the surface. Once more, the lake returns to its original featurelessness. This time, the golden sphere blazes with light so bright that it hurts to look at it. You figure one more coin will be sufficient. { (if: $numCoins > 0)[ [[You toss in a final coin...->FinalOffer]] ] } [[You return through the hills to where you began...->Hub]] (set: $numTossed to $numTossed + 1)

You toss the third coin into the water. The ripple comes again. When it fades, the water around the golden sphere begins to churn. The sphere sinks into the frothing waves and a glowing hand reaches up out of the water. You can see a glint of gold on its palm. As the hand approaches, the rest of what you can only imagine to be some sort of goddess emerges from the water. It appears to be an enormous woman. Her skin is covered in luminescent scales that gently glow in all the colors of the rainbow. Her face is similarly adorned and ringed by curls of what looks to be seaweed. Without a word, she sets the golden item down in front of you, smiles once, and returns to the inky depths. It takes you a moment to regain your wits, but when you do, you look down at what she brought. At your feet is the Crown of Cleansing, one of the artifacts you are searching for. You pick it up, still in shock. (click: "You pick it up")[(show: ?hidden)] [(text-style: "italic")[The (text-style: "bold")[Crown of Cleansing] has been added to your inventory...] [[You return through the hills to where you began...->Hub]] ](hidden| (set: $artifacts to $artifacts + (dataset: "Crown")) (set: $numTossed to $numTossed + 1)

The walls of this room are better preserved than some of the walls you have seen during your exploration of the castle. Since there has been no airflow through this room for quite some time, the floor is coated in a thick layer of dust. {(if: $inventory contains "CastleCoin")[ [[You poke around in the dust...->Dust2]] ] (else:)[ [[You poke around in the dust...->Dust]] ]} [[You return to the landing...->UpStairs]]

Though it makes your eyes and nose run, you sweep some of the dust away with your foot, checking to see if there is anything of use underneath. After a few uncomfortable minutes, you catch sight of something glinting beneath the carpet of grey. With a few more sweeps of your foot, you can tell that what caught your eye was a shiny golden coin. You pick it up; this could come in handy later on. (click: "You pick it up")[(show: ?hidden)] [(text-style: "italic")[A golden coin has been added to your inventory...] [[Shaking off some of the dust, you return to the landing...->UpStairs]] ](hidden| (set: $inventory to $inventory + (dataset: "CastleCoin")) (set: $numCoins to $numCoins + 1)

Now you set your sights on the River Styx. It represents the boundary between the Underworld and the land of the living. You have the Crown of Cleansing to purify the noxious air rising above the River, the Gauntlets of Resilience to resist the River’s soul tearing magic, and the Winged Shoes of Apollo to fly above the deadly waters. It’s time to leave this place behind. (click: "leave this place behind")[(show: ?hidden)] [You strap on the gauntlets, secure the shoes to your feet, and place the crown upon your head. You take off, beginning the journey across the stream of death. It’s certainly not pleasant. You feel a wrenching pull on your innards, despite the protection from the Gauntlets. Each breath burns in your lungs, even though the now glowing Crown it purifying the air. But you are surviving, which is more than other souls could claim. [[You endure...->River2]] ](hidden|

After what feels like hours, but was probably only minutes, you touch down on the other side of the river. You pause as suddenly you feel something strange. [Yes, there it is again.](hidden1| [You grin as you feel your heart beat start up again. A few steps later, you think that you can see something through the haze in front of you, perhaps buildings? And are those birds chirping? The artifacts dissolve into dust as you surge forward through the haze and into the world of the living.](hidden2| [You made it home…](hidden3| [#(text-style: "italic")[THE END...]](hidden4| (live: 2s)[(show: ?hidden1)] (live: 4s)[(show: ?hidden2)] (live: 6s)[(show: ?hidden3)] (live: 8s)[(show: ?hidden4)]

Before you can work yourself into a panic, there is a blinding flash of light. When the spots fade from your vision, a tall, glowing woman stands before you. “I am Persephone,” she says. “And you do not belong here in the Underworld. What are you doing here?” “I don’t know,” you reply, and you really don’t know. The last thing you remember is going about your business on a typical day. Persephone is silent for a moment. “I can’t directly help you escape this place,” she responds. “I would be severely punished by the Lord Hades, ruler of this place. I can, however, [[tell you how you might do so."->Intro2]]

Persephone continues, pointing to a wide river in the background. “That river over there is the River Styx; it is the boundary between the realm of the living and the place of the dead. You must cross it to escape. Normally, this would utterly destroy your soul and thus deter escapees, but there is a way to survive.” She pauses, before speaking again. (click: "speaking again.")[(show: ?hidden)] [“You must collect three ancient artifacts from around the Underworld. You need the Gauntlets of Resilience, their ability to reinforce your strength is vital to allow your soul to survive the journey. Then there is the Crown of Cleansing. Its purity will allow you to breathe the fumes from the River. Finally, you must find the Winged Shoes of Apollo. These will allow you to fly just above the water, for nothing could prevent your destruction if you entered those caustic waters.” [[You keep listening raptly...->Intro3]] ](hidden|

“One last thing,” Persephone adds. “Should you be unable to secure one of the three artifacts, you might be able to convince a Sphinx to get one for you, but you would have to answer their riddle first.” She smiles at you. “That’s all the information I can give you, my friend. Good luck.” And with that, she begins to glow again. “Wait!” You cry. But she doesn’t appear to hear you. There is another bright flash, and she’s gone. (click: "gone.")[(show: ?hidden)] [Sighing, [[you move over to a nearby grassy hill->Hub]] to get a view of the situation you’ve gotten yourself into this time.](hidden|

{(set: $towSet to (dataset:)) (if: $cOneLinked is false)[ (click: ?c1)[(set: $towSet to $towSet + (dataset: 1)) (set: $cOneLinked to false)] ] (if: $cTwoLinked is false)[ (click: ?c2)[ (set: $towSet to $towSet + (dataset: 2)) (set: $cTwoLinked to false)] ] (if: $cThreeLinked is false)[ (click: ?c3)[ (set: $towSet to $towSet + (dataset: 3)) (set: $cThreeLinked to false)] ] (if: $cFourLinked is false)[ (click: ?c4)[ (set: $towSet to $towSet + (dataset: 4)) (set: $cFourLinked to false)] ] (set: $cOneLinked to true, $cTwoLinked to true, $cThreeLinked to true, $cFourLinked to true) }

(link-repeat: "Reset")[(display: "ResetTowerPuzzle")(text-style: "italic")[ You set the chests back down...]] {(set: $towSolution to (dataset: 1,2)) (set: $cOneLinked to false, $cTwoLinked to false, $cThreeLinked to false, $cFourLinked to false) (display: "ResetTowerPuzzle")}

{ (if: length of $towSet > 2)[ (text-style: "italic")[ You picked up too many chests. You set the chests back down...] (display: "ResetTowerPuzzle") ] (elseif: length of $towSet < 2)[ (text-style: "italic")[ You only picked up one chest. You set the chest back down...] (display: "ResetTowerPuzzle") ] (else:)[ (if: $towSet is $towSolution)[ (goto: "TowerPuzzleWin") ] (else:)[ (goto: "TowerPuzzleFail") ] ] }

You open your two chests, inside one is a chunk of gold, inside the other is a ruby gemstone. Suddenly, the heat from the fire dies away. You know you picked correctly. You walk through the fire and feel nothing but a light tickle. Inside is a small room with a pedestal. On the pedestal are the Winged Shoes of Apollo. You grab them in satisfaction. (set: $artifacts to $artifacts + (dataset: "Shoes")) (text-style: "italic")[The (text-style: "bold")[Winged Shoes of Apollo] have been added to your inventory] Turning back, [[you walk through the fire again->Tower2]], somehow finding yourself back in the central room you first entered through.

You open your two chests, and pull out their contents. Nothing changes. Suddenly, the flames pulse. (text-style: "italic")[The last things you see are the black flames engulfing the room...] (set: $transition to (transition-arrive: "dissolve") + (transition-time: 5s)) [$transition[[Continue...->AdditionalStart]]](hidden| (live: 6s)[(show: ?hidden)]

You make it to the top of the stairs, the room is empty. [[You head back to the central room...->Tower2]]

You don't find anything but grime. [[Shaking off some of the dust, you return to the landing...->UpStairs]]