Sceptic
Arcane
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2010
- Messages
- 10,873
WEDNESDAY: A DAY AT THE FAIR
Welcome to the fair. This is probably the most difficult... well, least easy of the days. There's lots to do, the ultimate goal isn't terribly obvious, and there are a couple of red herrings. It's also pretty freeform, as some things can be done in any order and you have to go back and forth to get everything accomplished.
Our first order of the day, as usual, is to read the paper.
Believe it or not, this is a hint for one of the first puzzles on Thursday.
This is a subtle hint that the Chamberpot is one item you need to acquire (the reason for it being not terribly obvious at first).
I really like the last one.
Let's have a look around, listen to the proclamation, chat with the herald, and so on.
There's nothing we can really do here for now, but keep in mind the boa and the chef. This is also the hub screen of sorts, so we'll be passing through quite a lot. First, let's go explore east.
One of the items we need is the prize for winning the competition. Unfortunately the judges are really dour.
On the way back, we stop by the stocks and notice there's quite more activity this time.
Notice how the boy keeps making a face? Now remember that when the prisoner was in there, whenever he made a face it seemed to encourage the jeering crowd. Putting two and two together:
Time to have a look at the amphitheatre to the north.
This update is getting long, so I'll just move us into the next area, and we'll continue from there tomorrow.
Welcome to the fair. This is probably the most difficult... well, least easy of the days. There's lots to do, the ultimate goal isn't terribly obvious, and there are a couple of red herrings. It's also pretty freeform, as some things can be done in any order and you have to go back and forth to get everything accomplished.
Our first order of the day, as usual, is to read the paper.
- >Read Newspaper
[Taking the newspaper first]
Believe it or not, this is a hint for one of the first puzzles on Thursday.
This is a subtle hint that the Chamberpot is one item you need to acquire (the reason for it being not terribly obvious at first).
I really like the last one.
Let's have a look around, listen to the proclamation, chat with the herald, and so on.
- >Look at the herald
He's a heraldic looking herald.
>Look at the scroll
The herald catches you peeking at the scroll, clears his throat theatrically, and pronounces:
- >throw up
The herald says, "It's OK to do that here, but don't let them catch you doing it inside."
>Talk to the herald
- >kiss herald
The herald clears his throat and proclaims at the top of his voice, "Hear ye! Hear ye! Be it known across the land that upon this day, Eric the Unready came out of the closet. Film at eleven."
- >attack herald
"Oh sure," he says. "Kill the messenger. It's not MY fault there are so many bloody rules. As far as I'M concerned you can go inside and puke your brains out, not that you have that many to spare."
>Look at the people
The people are filled with the feeling of anticipation that precedes a special event. They have an eager look in their eyes, and their steps quicken as they approach the entrance.
- >w
As you follow the road up into the hills, the landscape grows darker and more forbidding until the road stops just below a black, jagged cave entrance. You scramble up the hillside and feel your way into the ominous shadows.
- You scramble down the hillside and don't stop running until you're back outside the fair.
The herald looks at you and grins. "Been to see the dragon, have you? Well you're not going to get very far with him until you've got something to protect the top of your head from those flames of his."
- >n
- >Look at the chef
The cook slowly turns the spit, mumbling to himself about having forgotten something. He wears a clean white apron that says, "Poke me with a fork, I think I'm done." Every once in a while an ember flies out of the fire and lands on the apron, but it doesn't seem to bother either the chef or the apron at all.
>Talk to the chef
- >kiss chef
The cook gives you an absent-minded peck on the cheek and continues mumbling. "Oysters? Rhino horn? Spanish fly...?"
>attack chef
"Geez!" he says. "My cooking ain't THAT bad!"
>Look at the boar
The boar is stretched out on the spit. The skewer runs right through its empty, gaping mouth.
>Look at the spit
The spit is hard-working and conscientious. It keeps the boar from falling into the fire, which is more than YOU'VE ever done with a boar. It's a good spit - the kind that would have made its mother proud, except spits don't have mothers, which is one reason they're all so melancholy.
>turn spit
The chef brushes you aside and says, "Not just anyone can turn a spit, you know. I took three courses in spit-turning at the academy, and my thesis 'Theories on the Advantages of Clockwise Rotation' won the Richard II Memorial Award."
>Look at the boa
It's a beautiful red scarf that, unfortunately, is far over your head.
- >Look at the maypole
It's about thirty feet tall and greased within an inch of it's life. From the very top of the pole, a long red boa flutters invitingly in the breeze.
>climb maypole
You try to climb the greased pole but make absolutely no progress.
>clean maypole
If seven maids had seven mops, perhaps they could get it clean in seven years. But you don't have seven maids, you don't have seven mops, and I'm not waiting around seven years for you to figure this one out.
There's nothing we can really do here for now, but keep in mind the boa and the chef. This is also the hub screen of sorts, so we'll be passing through quite a lot. First, let's go explore east.
- >e
- >Look at the stocks
The stocks are currently empty.
- >e
One of the items we need is the prize for winning the competition. Unfortunately the judges are really dour.
- >kiss judges
"Nope. Not funny at all," says one of the judges.
The judges score your activity. They throw out the high and the low score, giving you a 2.9.
One of them says. "You'll have to do much better than that if you hope to win your fool's cap."
>attack judges
One of the judges bops you over the head and says, "That may be funny where YOU come from. But here it doesn't rate much of a chuckle."
The judges score your activity. They throw out the high and the low score, giving you a 2.0.
One of them says. "You'll have to do much better than that if you hope to win your fool's cap."
- >w
On the way back, we stop by the stocks and notice there's quite more activity this time.
- >Look at the prisoner
He looks resigned to his fate, although occasionally he responds to the taunts of the crowd. When he does so, every word with an 's' is accompanied by a spray of spittle that moves everybody back a good two paces.
>Talk to the prisoner
- >kiss prisoner
Nope. I draw the line at bondage scenes. For that kind of action you'll have to get some other, much less reputable game (like S301: SPRING BREAK).
- >attack prisoner
"Thure," he says. "Hit a guy while he'th down."
- >get out
You cannot get out of the stocks. There is no escape.
>get out
Didn't I just SAY there was no escape? Did you think I was joking? Am I some kind of CLOWN to you? Do you think I am here to AMUSE you? ... You do? Oh. Well. OK, then. But I'm still not letting you out of the stocks.
- >Look at the fairgoers
The crowd jeers and laughs at you.
An angelic looking young boy toddles along next to his father. The father says to him, "You've been such a good boy, Beauregard. Here's a nice shiny apple." The father turns away for a moment and the boy sticks his tongue out at you.
>Look at the father
He's the least weird-looking of all everyone in the crowd, which isn't saying much.
The boy makes a face at you.
>Talk to the father
- >Look at the boy
He looks like a spoiled brat.
The boy makes a face at you.
>Talk to the boy
Notice how the boy keeps making a face? Now remember that when the prisoner was in there, whenever he made a face it seemed to encourage the jeering crowd. Putting two and two together:
- >make face
The boy throws the apple at you, striking you on the nose. The apple rolls into your pile of possessions.
[Your score has just gone up by 5.]
- The father tugs on the boy's hand and says, "Come along now. It's time to leave." The boy starts to protest, but the father pulls him off into the crowd.
- >wait
Time passes...
You get a cramp in your leg.
An urchin steps forward and holds a dead stinking rat just under your nose.
A dog comes up and licks you on the cheek.
A mosquito crawls into your ear and settles down to have lunch
A fly lands on your forehead, walks slowly down between your eyes, and then takes off.
You get an itch between your shoulder blades.
Someone comes up and tickles your nose with a feather. You are powerless to stop him.
A chicken comes and pecks at your feet.
The nymph returns. She opens the stocks, restores all your possessions, and disappears.
- >w
Fairgrounds
>w
- >Look at the trees
Like all trees on Torus, they look green and brimming with health.
The elf turns his attention elsewhere.
>Look at the elf
He's a very normal looking elf, if you don't count the fact that he's got three arms.
>Talk to the elf
- >attack elf
"Shame on you - beating up on a poor little elf." He kicks you in the shins.
- >play
"Certainly sir," says the elf. He puts the pea under the green shell and starts moving the shells around. After a moment, he stops and says, "Alright. Where's the pea?"
>green
You turn over the green shell, but discover nothing underneath it. The elf turns over the red shell to reveal the pea and says, "Sorry. Better luck next time." You suddenly feel a few minutes older, while the elf appears a few minutes younger.
- >undo
[Undone.]
The elf peers out through the computer screen and notices your maneuver. He points skyward and shouts, "LOOK! It's Halley's Comet!!!" You glance up, and out of the corner of your eye you catch the elf reshuffling the shells.
>look under red shell
You turn over the red shell, but discover nothing underneath it. The elf turns over the blue shell to reveal the pea and says, "Sorry. Better luck next time." You suddenly feel a few minutes older, while the elf appears a few minutes younger.
- One of the strolling musicians wanders by. He plays the game and wins, but turns down the prize.
- >look at musician
He's wearing really cool-looking sunglasses and holding a hornpipe.
>Look at the hornpipe
The hornpipe resembles a bagpipe, except a bagpipe usually looks like nine cats are trying to get out of it at once. Come to think of it, that's what a bagpipe usually SOUNDS like, too.
>talk to musician
- The musician wanders off into the crowd.
- >e
Fairgrounds
>ne
- >Look at the barker
He's eyeing the wenches who are wandering by the booth.
A woman with a low-cut bodice walks past the pavilion. The barker clutches his chest and says, "I'm in love!"
>Talk to the barker
- >kiss barker
You give the barker a peck on the cheek. He seems surprised, but then quickly recovers his composure.
>attack barker
"Rule #1. Never attack a man who runs a weapons booth."
- >shoot target
The crossbow strikes a target!
"Congratulations!" says, the barker. He tosses you a chicken.
>shoot target
You fire the crossbow, but the quarrel misses the targets.
>shoot target
The crossbow strikes a target!
"Congratulations!" says, the barker. He gives you a whoopee cushion.
>shoot targetThe crossbow strikes a target!
"Congratulations!" says, the barker. He gives you a noise maker.
- > sw
The barker reaches out and grabs the crossbow. "Can't have people walking off with the equipment," he says.
Fairgrounds
- >give apple to chef
The cook slaps himself on the forehead and says, "THAT'S what I've been missing." He puts out the fire and says, "Thank you. Now I can deliver this pig." He removes his apron and rolls up his sleeves. Then he calls his assistant and the two of them hoist the spit up onto their shoulders and carry away the boar.
[Your score has just gone up by 5.]
>Take apron
You take the apron.
Time to have a look at the amphitheatre to the north.
- >n
- >read sign
"TODAY'S EVENTS
11:00 am: The Story of the Dragon
Noon: Lily
1:00 pm: The Jugglers Vain
2:00 pm: Lily
3:00 pm: The Jugglers Vain
4:00 pm: The Jugglers Vain"
- >get on stage
You leap onto the stage and belt out a quick chorus of 'THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS' and then slink back to your seat.
>wait
Time passes...
The amphitheatre fills up. A storyteller comes out onto the stage.
- The storyteller leaves the stage and the amphitheatre empties, marking the end of the tale.
This update is getting long, so I'll just move us into the next area, and we'll continue from there tomorrow.
- >w