fn DOOR.PT4 *** CHAPTER FOUR *** OF *** THE BLOODY DOOR TO DELOS *** *A CHOOSE-YOUR-OWN-DUNGEON ADVENTURE* by Mary Ezzell ******** Here is something new! - a public- domain text adventure which can be played on * ANY COMPUTER! * Because it runs as a TEXT FILE under your OWN text editor. You just use the 'Search' function of your editor to search for your choice. The format to enter is GO-YOUR-CHOICE. (If your editor can't find it by 'searching forward', try searching backward.) To: Search for GO- Begin play START-GAME GO-START-GAME * GO-START-GAME In Chapters One through Three, you fell into a Troll-hill belonging to a Gnome - who by Delian Law has the right to turn you into wood and use your face to decorate a Cross-bow he is making. Your one chance to escape un-bowed is to find the Key to the Bloody Door to Delos.^ In your search through the dungeon below the Troll-hill, you have found such treasures as a bag of soggy birdseed - and a Ring which is able to lead you toward bright objects. Now you have come to an underground River whose bank is riddled with small holes, and every hole seems to lead into a small lighted tunnel.^ The tunnels are lit with tiny yellow lanterns which put out a ruddy, homey, cosy golden light. It is like looking at a Jack'o'lantern with hundreds of glowing golden eyes!^ Sleek, soft-furred little River- Rats are frisking in and out of the holes, carrying glowing lanterns and baskets and ladders and paint-pots and pushing bright red and blue-painted wheelbarrows. They are singing in high-pitched, squeaky little voices, each animal squeaking a different song. But all the songs fit together, because they are all about "Blow, ho, the wave oh" and "Nineteen men in a dead man's cheese" and "Messing about in boats, me lads" and so forth.^ Ahead, over the water, the sight is even stranger. An Arch of the little golden lights seems to be growing out over the water! But as you come closer you see that an un-lighted, arched Bridge extends across the wide underground river, and two River-Rats are scurrying along the Bridge lighting the lamps on it one by one.^ The Bridge is about one foot wide and arches high in a half-circle above the dark sparkling water. By River- Rat standards it is a very heavy-duty Bridge indeed. And it just MIGHT support a human!^ But across the entrance to the Bridge is stretched a (Rat-sized) chain with a sign that says (in letters that look remarkably like Rat- scratchings):^ BRIDGE UNSAFE!^ CLOSED FOR THE SULPHUR SEASON!^ "'Allo, Guv'nor!" squeaks a Ratty little voice from the vicinity of your feet. "Best not try t' Bridge, Guv'nor! T' Sulphur-steam be so strong above t' River this season, tis scarcely we Rats c'n keep our footin' on t' Bridge, much less ye poor tall clumsy Human self, sir! Tis best ye take t' High Path, that winds up around t' Pool o' t' Demon Ruddigore, instead, Guv'nor, sir! Tis off to y'r left behind t' town that Path begins, yonder, sir!"^ With his tail the Rat points to a dark, steep path leading up to the left - then bids you "Gud'nt, gud'nt t' ye!" and whisks away out of sight.^ Consulting your Ring, you see a tiny indication of flashing green and ruby red - in the direction of the Path. In the direction of the Bridge, the Ring shows only the reflection of the cosy orange-glowing Lantern- lights.^ To: Search for GO- Try crossing the Bridge TRY-BRIDGE Take path by Pool POOL-PATH GO-POOL-PATH * GO-POOL-PATH The path up the hill behind the River-Rat City is worn wide and flat by human (or at least, human-sized) feet. It leads up, twisting, behind boulders and into a passage through raw rock, then turns right.^ Soon the passage widens into a gigantic sulphur-smelling cave- chamber, fitfully lit by reflections of greenish light which flicker about the walls. Here the path itself shrinks into a narrowing ledge on the side of the limestone cliff.^ Looking down, you see the source of the flickering emerald light. Among white limestone formations is a deep pool of water which is lined with flourescent green Moss. It is as bright as a lighted acquarium in a dark room. The Pool's surface trembles only very slightly, in time with the echoes of your footsteps.^ Leaving the path, you walk around the Pool, looking into it from all sides. The luminescent Moss is growing on the walls above the Pool also, casting a greenish light down on the surface of the calm water. From some of the surrounding Grottoes you can see only your own (dirty, disheavled) reflection in the Pool. From other angles, you can see the glint of some fiery Ruby-be-jeweled object at the bottom of the Pool.... ^ To: Search for GO- Go into the Pool TRY-POOL Climb back to the ledge and leave PASS-POOL GO-TRY-POOL * GO-TRY-POOL Leaving on the limestone shelf the bag of birdseed (and anything else heavy that you are carrying), you wade cautiously into the water. But your fears soon begin to seem unfounded.^ The water is pleasantly warm - about body temperature. Except for the smell of sulphur, it seems pure and clear. Little bubbles rise through it (as through champaigne) and swimming is easy. It feels so good to wash off the dirt of your adventure, stretch and dive....^ Suddenly you realize just WHY it is all so relaxing: you are BREATHING WATER! The water of this Pool seems to have the Magickal property of being breatheable.... Clean, warm water whose tiny, champaigne-tasting bubbles pleasantly tickle your lungs....^ It is all so enjoyable that you are in no hurry as you leisurely dig through the pile of long, white, straight bones on the bottom of the Pool, in search of the fiery Rubies. Straight bones, curved bones, grinning skulls, all white and clean....^ Finally you find the rubies - set into an ornate key of Black Gold, suspended on a chain of Red Gold. As you shake it loose from the skull and vertebrae it is looped over, the chain almost seems to lengthen, with a sound like a whip cracking, far away....^ Among the bones are other treasures! Swords, armour.... To free your hands for further digging, you loop the chain around your own neck. It settles into place, a comfortable fit, with the Key dangling just below your heart - a heavy, cold- burning weight....^ You pull a sword out of the pile of bones, well-balanced and unrusted. Even here, stirring up green detritus from the bottom, the water still feels comfortably breathable. You could spend all day uncovering more and more treasures...!^ To: Search for GO- Leave the Pool now LEAVE-POOL Continue searching for treasure MORE-TREASURE GO-LEAVE-POOL * GO-LEAVE-POOL The Key hanging oddly heavy on your chest, you swim to the surface of the Pool and pull yourself out. You are much out of breath, and must lie on the cool rough limestone for several minutes before retrieving your belongings and climbing back up to the path to continue your journey.^ On the path along the ledge, you soon leave the eerie green light of the Pool behind, and the ledge begins to grow narrower. Then you see the now-familiar golden lanterns of the River-Rats coming toward you along the path.^ It is a whole Delegation of Rats, led by the Rat-King and Rat-Princess, whose tails are being ceremoniously carried (like the train of a ball- dress) by the Rat-Nobles behind them.^ "Sir Cyclical Hero!" the Rat-King declaims. "Our congratulations and Our thanks to you! By taking upon your noble Self the Curse of the Demon Ruddigore, you have once more delivered our Coastal City from the Season of Sulphurous Discontent. Gratio!"^ "The Curse of the Demon Ruddigore?" you stammer in surprise. "Well, er, shucks, Sir.... Er - what Curse would that be, exactly, Sir?^ "Tis the Demon who lives in the Necklace you so proudly bear!" the Rat-King replies, surprised in his turn. "The evil Key to some evil Door, no doubt. Hopefully, some evil Door which is far, far away from this Our peaceable Kingdom...."^ "THIS necklace?" You try to lift the Key on its chain from around your neck - and find that you cannot! Your arms become paralyzed, they move with a will of their own to replace the cold, heavy Key in its own resting- place over your (now pounding!) heart. As though from very far away, you seem to hear a faint, evil chuckle....^ "Ay, that Necklace! And for your self-sacrificying Valour, we wish to Reward you! Here are the Treasures of our Kingdom. Choose which you will have as our Gift!" The Rat-King makes a grand swing of his Tail, and three Rat-Nobles come forward and bow to you.^ One Noble is staggering under the weight of a stack of five gold coins, each one bigger than his own head.^ Another Noble carries a sealed plastic compass (slightly cracked).^ The third Noble is dragging a stained cloth bag, from which comes the worst stink that you have ever recoiled from! Involuntarily you step back, and nearly fall off the ledge into the chasm deep below.^ < If you have the Pipe, search for GO- PIPE-AT-REWARD < If you don't have the Pipe, choose now which Reward to take: To: Search for GO- Take the gold GOLD Take the compass COMPASS Take the stinky bag STINKY GO-PIPE-AT-REWARD * GO-PIPE-AT-REWARD Suddenly the Pipe speaks from your pocket! In rather a wet and soggy voice, It says: "If you will take my advice, kind Friend, you will choose the Odoriferous Reticule."^ Then It goes back to (rather soggily) snoring again.^ To: Search for GO- Take the gold GOLD Take the compass COMPASS Take the stinky bag STINKY GO-STINKY * GO-STINKY Following a hunch, you say to the Rat-King: "I'll take the Bag, if you please, Sir."^ "Your taste is excellent, Sir Hero," the Rat-King says, looking rather regretful.^ The Rat-Noble lays the Bag at your feet, and reverently opens it to reveal its contents.^ Inside the cloth Bag is a plastic Ziploc, and inside it is the remains of someone's lunch: salami green with mold, and three putrifying devilled eggs.^ Even through the plastic, the smell nearly knocks you off the ledge!^ 'So much for hunches!' you think to yourself. But the Rat-Nobles carrying the gold and the Compass have already whisked them away into the rocks, so you are stuck with your choice.^ Politely you tie the Bag to the back of your belt (as far away from your own nose as possible!) and begin to take polite leave of the Rat Delegation.^ To: Search for GO- Continue game PRINCESS GO-PRINCESS * GO-PRINCESS GO-GOLD * GO-GOLD * GO-GOLD GO-COMPASS * GO-COMPASS The Rat-Princess and the Rat-Priest have been conferring (in little squeaky whispers), and now the Princess steps forward. She is a beautiful sleek little creature, warm and ruddy as a hazelnut, with a bright, proud and kind expression.^ "O Rat-King my Father!" she says clearly. "And Sir Cycycial Hero! With respect, I should like to grant the Hero one more reward!"^ All the Rats are frozen to attention!^ "Father, you have asked me to choose a Mate to inheirit your Rat- Kingdom. I am hereby choosing the Cyclical Hero for that Honour!"^ The Rat-King stares at her. "But Daughter - what of his, er, size? And the, er, Curse of the Demon Ruddigore which he so nobly bears?"^ The Rat-Priest speaks: "Sire, I have strength of enchantment to solve both these difficulties, since the Princess has seen fit to bestow her Love on this, er, Being. For is it not written in the magickal literature of Dragon Tree, that Love shrinks all obstacles and laughs at all Ruddigores?"^ To this the Rat-Nobles all nod solemn agreement.^ "Very well, Daughter," the Rat-King sighs. "It shall be as you say.... Provided that the Cycylcal Hero is willing! So what say you, Sir Cyclycal Hero?"^ To: Search for GO- Marry the Princess MARRY-PRINCESS Refuse the Princess REFUSE-PRINCESS GO-REFUSE-PRINCESS * GO-REFUSE-PRINCESS "What!" The Princess rears up on her hind feet in indignation. "You would refuse such an honor! -- Then, I must send you as directly as possible to rejoin your own stupid, large, and clumsy Kind!"^ She darts at your feet and begins scratching and biting! You hop, stagger, overbalance....^ And fall off the ledge to slowly cartwheel in thin air, down and down....^ To: Search for GO- Continue game FALL GO-MARRY-PRINCESS * GO-MARRY-PRINCESS After more whispered conferences, the Rat-Priest and Rat-Princess lead the way back along the ledge to the green-glowing Pool. All the Delegation follows, chanting a solemn, joyful Rat-Chant which draws hoards of Rat-Citizens running to join you.^ Now the Pool-Chamber is bright with its own green light and the little gold stars of dozens of Rat-Lanterns as well. The marriage is performed at once.^ Then (at the Rat-Priest's direction), the Rat-Princess climbs up your clothes to the region of your heart. There she noses her way in between you and the cold, evil Key.^ Her furry warmth melts the grip of evil fear by which the Necklace has been holding you.^ As the Rat-Priest mutters and the Rat-Citizens sing a warm, breathy kind of song, all the Rats climb your clothes at once and together lift the Necklace off over your head!^ All the links of the Chain rattle indignantly, but it can do nothing against so many warm, affectionate creatures carrying it together. They carry it to the bank of the Pool and throw it in. With a great hiss of cold steam, the Necklace sinks back to the bottom of the Pool!^ "You are freed from the Curse!" says the Rat-Priest. "And now--"^ There is more magick and chanting from the Rat-People, and then suddenly you feel yourself falling! The Pool and Grottoes are enormous, blurring....^ Then you land with a bounce on the cosy damp limestone, among big cheerful lanterns, in the friendly embrace of many large warm furry companions.^ You have been turned into a Rat-Prince! Your new brothers and mate are tickling you all over with their whiskers and tails in joyful welcome!^ You spend a happy honeymoon exploring the Rat-City (in spite of six more weeks of sulphur!), and periodically other Cyclical Heroes appear and remove the Demon's Necklace from the Pool. Eventually it returns, and each time a new Cyclical Hero appears, for such is the nature of this Dungeon ^ ^ You come to respect the Rat-King and Rat-Citizens, and later become in your turn their Beloved Monarch. You and the beautiful Rat-Princess live happily ever after together in the cosy Rat-Lands, and...^ THE GAME IS OVER!^ GO-MORE-TREASURE * GO-MORE-TREASURE You find Armour (you have to shake several long bones out of it), and another Sword, which is in a scabbard fastened around the waist of another skeleton. Strapping both Swords on your own waist, you continue digging....^ And then it happens!^ Suddenly you begin to feel logy, heavy!^ Your head is swimming (excuse the expression!) Your lungs are pumping, water is going in and out - but you are getting no oxygen from it!^ In the clear flash of panic, you realize that you never WERE getting oxygen from this water that was so pleasant to breathe! Pleasant, but non-nourishing!^ All this time in the water, you have simply been - very pleasantly - DROWNING!^ Desperately you struggle toward the surface, but it is too late. You are entangled in treasure and bones, you sink down and bones settle in a pile on top of you and...^ ^ YOU ARE DEAD^ AND^ THE GAME IS OVER!^ GO-PASS-POOL * GO-PASS-POOL Somehow, you have a very bad feeling about that Pool. Maybe it's the smell of sulphur, which is even stronger here than it was back at the Rat city...?^ Or maybe it's because, as you carefully move to observe the Pool from first one angle and then another, you glimpse OTHER things under the water, disquieting shapes....^ At one point, with good lighting from a Grotto behind you, your own Shadow cancels the glitter on the surface of the water, giving you a clear look into its depths. You are able to see that the floor of the Pool is covered with human bones!^ Hastily you climb back up to the path and leave this sinister place behind as fast as possible!^ Continuing along the ledge, you are soon past the green light that came from the Pool, and proceeding along the ledge in darkness.^ The ledge becomes narrower and narrower. Each footstep sends gravel falling into the dark abyss beside you. From far in the depths below, you hear the echo of rushing water.^ At one point you catch a glimpse of little golden lanterns and shining red Rat-eyes in the rocks along the cliff side of the path, but they do not approach you.^ As you pass them, you hear a squeaky, disappointed sigh: "The Cycylical Hero saw his shadow! Oh, dear, that means six more weeks of Sulphur...."^ Finally the ledge becomes so narrow that you decide to turn back while you can still turn around. But even as you carefully reposition your feet, the gravelly ground crumbles out from under you!^ Frantically you grasp for the edge of the path, but every rock you catch comes loose and falls with you! Now you are in empty space, turning over and over, falling with sickening slowness, amid a shower of dust and rocks....^ To: Search for GO- Continue game FALL GO-TRY-BRIDGE * GO-TRY-BRIDGE 'Sulpher fumes, indeed!' you think scornfully. 'Maybe they'll bother some dumb rats, but not me!'^ Disregarding the Rats who are scampering under your feet with their lanterns, you stride up the Arch of the Bridge. Footing is good, and though the rise is steep, you have no trouble keeping your balance.^ The fumes ARE rather strong, however....^ Fumes of sulphur ... just the smell of boiled eggs ... of rotten eggs ... eggs that it would be nice to throw at somebody ... some nice goody-goody person ... like the Rat-King....^ No, eggs don't do enough damage ... rocks are the thing to throw ... or bullets....^ The warm, steamy fumes are so pleasant, you just want to stand there on the Bridge breathing them and imagining all sorts of nice Crimes.... Medaeval European crimes, like heresy, birth control, suicide....^ You hear your own voice laughing in satisfaction, "Heh, heh...."^ Or, IS it really your own Voice...?^ No matter! What matters now, in this warm, exciting sulphur smell, is to take your Sword and see how many of these nasty little Rats you can sweep off their precious Bridge into the water below...!^ SCHRINNNG, SCHRINNNNG! Your Sword cuts sulphur steam, rings on the Bridge!^ As your swings grow wilder, the escaping Rats squeak at you: "Careful, Guv'nor! No 'ard feelin's now! Tis t' Demon got ye...."^ But you are not listening to their nonsense, you overbalance and topple from the Bridge into sulphurous vacancy....^ To: Search for GO- Continue game FALL GO-FALL * GO-FALL * GO-FALL Suddenly you plunge into strangely warm water, are tumbled head over heels and rushed violently along by the current.^ For just a moment the current becomes smooth enough for you to get a good breath. Then ZOOOM, you are swung round and round in a circle! You are caught in a whirlpool!^ Helplessly, it swirls you down, down....^ < to be continued > ******* You are finished with file DOOR.PT4. To continue your adventure, use your text editor to call up file DOOR.PT5. If you don't have DOOR.PT5, or if you would like to read other stories of mine, please write to: Mary Ezzell 1085 - 14th St, # 1502 Boulder, CO 80302 P.S. I can't receive E-Mail! Please use the Post Office. And please enclose stamps for reply, otherwise I can't promise to reply. Now, let's get on with the game! See you in Chapter 5!