First thing we do, obviously, is follow CappenVarra's trading suggestions. As a result, our ship is now equipped with Auxiliary Rockets and Stress Bulkheads, yay.
And then we fly to 163-B, which turns out to be a mysterious planet called
Gen.
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You wish you could wake up, and yet you know from experience that you won't be able to—not until you die.
You're not sure which dream this will turn out to be but you sense that your dream self is approaching the dimly lit cavern where the robed figures await you. In some dreams they send you to places where you are eaten alive by one monster or crushed to death by another. Other dreams are shorter and more to the point, as the mysterious figures just kill you outright. You can hardly wait to see what awaits you tonight.
You started having the dreams when you were three days out from the planet Gen and have had one per night like clockwork. You've tried taking sleeping pills, using hypnosis, even asking the computer to sing you lullabies during the night, but nothing seems to help, so you may as well get on with this one.
The cavern is dimly lit, as usual, and filled with faceless dark-robed figures, as usual. They part before you, forming a pathway that leads to an even darker cave. Oh great. This is the really scary dream.
As you pass through the cave entrance you hear the sound of dripping water echoing through the chamber. Although there is very little light you can tell that the cave is just the right size for a very large animal, or a big hairy monster, to feel right at home.
You can now hear the sound of a large animal breathing deeply. "Good," you think, "maybe I can sneak past it this time while it sleeps."
CRASH-RATTLE-THUNK. You have tripped over what sounds like a pile of bones(?!!!!). You freeze but it's too late. An arm casually reaches out from a recessed area in the wall. Sharp claws snag your clothes and flesh, and before you can even finish screaming you are dead.
You wake up in a cold sweat, as usual.
"Good morning, Boss. Glad to see that you're awake."
You turn to glare at the computer while you force your hands to loosen their grip on the sheets.
"Didn't I tell you to monitor my sleep patterns and wake me when I began to have The Nightmare?" you snap. Sometimes you think that the old heap of bytes has a malicious streak and likes to see you thrashing about, screaming in terror.
"Sorry, Boss. I really was going to wake you but something came up first. Since you are awake now, I can ask you whether or not I should blow that ship out of the sky?"
"WHAT ship?" you demand while slipping on your bathrobe.
"The one that's been trying to blow us out of the sky. I'm getting tired of dodging its missiles."
"Have you tried hailing the ship to find out what it wants?" you ask while peering at the monitors, all thoughts of The Nightmare gone for now.
"Well... er... no, not as such."
You give the computer another withering glare and put through a call to the other ship.
To your surprise the response is in English, an archaic dialect of Earth Standard. The captain apologizes and says that when she didn't receive a greeting she had to assume that you were an enemy ship and therefore began her attack. Since you have decided to be civilized after all, she directs you to follow her to the spaceport.
While your computer is preparing to land, you run a geo-survey on the planet and discover that it has an earth-like ocean/dry land ratio. However, all of the land is massed into one huge continent. Furthermore, there seems to be only a few arable areas; the rest of the land is an enormous desert. The spaceport you are tracking is near the largest "oasis", just a few miles inland from a salt water ocean.
As you arrive in the city of Drofflic, you are greeted by a rather gruff man in uniform. After a brief interrogation you are directed to the "Hospitality Center". From the looks of the place, you gather that this immigration center has been inactive for quite some time.
From the map and brochures you get here you find your options to be:
- EHMAN6 (3 phases) Visit the commodities market.
- UHOAF6 (3 phases) Visit the city archives.
- EXMCNU (4 phases) Visit the Temple of Nil.
- UXOCFU (4 phases) Take the sandshuttle to the city of Markov.
Eh well I don't think I like this place... or do I?
Anyway, time to check on the local market.
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The market place is pleasant and reminds you of an open-air market back on Earth. Everywhere you look people are laughing and having a great time haggling and hawking their wares. Everywhere except where the occasional dark-robed figure appears. Then everyone becomes quiet and subdued. You're not sure if this is due to fear of or respect for the mysterious figures.
You soon find out that "Culture" is Gen's prime commodity and is available for trade if you have any of the following:
- 2 Culture for 1 Computers
- 2 Culture for 1 Fiber
- 3 Culture for 1 Fluids
You may select this option again.
So this is a Culture market. Duly noted.
Let's visit the archives now.
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After several days of studying the planet's history you have discovered the following:
Gen was one of the first planets colonized during the early exploration years. It was founded by a small Earth corporation with an eye toward providing a resort area between the Nine Worlds and the deeper galactic regions. Unfortunately, the formation of the Boundary rendered this plan unprofitable, and the corporation soon deserted Gen.
Oddly enough, the population seemed to enjoy Gen, in spite of its rather harsh terrain. They chose to remain on Gen and formed two large cities, Drofflic and Markov.
The government of Gen is tripartite. There are two deliberative bodies, representing the two cities, and a third "Council of the Brethren", also known as the Brotherhood.
You are told by the clerk in charge of the archives that the Brotherhood is a religious council directed by a few of its Masters. It is largely uninterested in politics and rarely exercises its political clout, usually rubber-stamping the wishes of the elected deliberative bodies.
When you try to find out more about this mysterious Order, the clerk seems unwilling to say anything more about the Brotherhood. He shushes you and suggests in a terrified whisper, "You shouldn't be asking about them. Not at all."
While mulling this over, you wander about the city and get to know the inhabitants. You find the people of Gen to be unusually relaxed, spending most of their leisure time on the beaches near Drofflic, or spelunking in Markov. However, they take these activities quite seriously. Professional surfing and searching for random objects hidden in caves seem to be the main industries of Gen.
How interesting.
How quaint, rather. A nation of
cave dungeon crawling weirdos like me.
I'm going to postpone visiting the Temple until later and travel to Markov first.
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Markov is a fascinating city. Small, but very crowded. The main buildings appear no more elaborate than simple adobe homes. It seems to be a large resort city, supporting the more industrial Drofflic.
The main industry in the town is a sport called Trundling, a rather elaborate scavenger hunt in the caverns just outside of the city. These caverns are stocked with "monsters" and "treasures" by a person called a Cavern-Master. There are several levels of difficulty, and by Trundling your way up, you can advance to the level of the Professional Trundlers.
Heh. I wonder if it was Andrew Greenberg who designed this planet.
These, the highest paid athletes in Gen, are followed in their adventures by television cameras which broadcast across the planet.
When you inquire about trying a little Trundling yourself, you are advised that the basic skills require several years to master. After watching some video tapes of the prior year's Trundle-off, you tend to agree. However, you are told that if you are really interested, you may examine one of the "cleaned-out" caves near the city:
- QH8AH6 (4 phases) Visit the Titanic Cave.
Naturally, this is a no-brainer. Let's go dungeon-trundling!
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When you first enter the cave it is open and well lit, but as you travel farther back the walls appear to close in on you.
What does this remind you of? You swallow nervously and think about turning back. But common sense returns when you realize that the officials would never allow an untrained Trundler into a still-dangerous cave. You continue on, whistling under your breath.
Your lamp seems to be dimming even though you know this to be impossible. The farther you go, the narrower the passageway becomes, and the heavier the air feels in your lungs. You now find it very difficult to breathe, and your heart is pounding in your chest. This is not as much fun as you thought it would be.
The passages have turned maze-like and you're no longer sure which way is out.
Should've been mapping out the dungeon, duh.
You hear the distant sound of water dripping.
The path you have taken opens slightly to form a smallish-sized cave. Just the right size for a smallish-sized monster to make into a comfortable home for itself.
CRASH-RATTLE-THUNK!!! You have tripped over what appears to be a pile of bones(?!!!). You freeze but it is too late. Immediately to your right something large and hairy, sounding none too pleased at being awakened stands up and peers about the cave.
You have nowhere to run, so you prepare to meet the creature in battle. You quickly turn your light on the thing, hoping to buy some time by temporarily blinding the monster. You now get your first glimpse of the beast. There standing before you is a... a... teddy bear?
Wait what?
Yes that's right. A big ten foot teddy bear. A big fuzzy yellow ten foot teddy bear. A big fuzzy yellow ten foot teddy bear that is thoroughly annoyed at being disturbed by the likes of you.
Go now to the CGM.
Oopsie daisie. Thankfully we're well equipped for this fight.
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The trick with the light worked better than you had believed possible. You are soon able to show Teddy who's boss.
He doesn't seem to want to fight anymore so you let him go.
Teddy whimpers a bit and returns to his nest to pout. You back up into a passageway only to find yourself in a cul-de-sac. Marked on the back wall is the message:
"Tell the Brethren 'I do not know the answer'."
Quest solved?
The teddy bear gives you a reproachful glance as you pass back through its cave, but doesn't seem to be interested in fighting you. You leave the Titanic Cave pondering what you have learned here.
And finally -- the Temple!
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There is something about the Temple that strikes a chord in your subconscious. Without knowing why, you find yourself approaching the building with fear and trepidation. Each step makes you more uneasy.
Your rational mind kicks into high gear and takes a firm hold of your subconscious. You refuse to keep some nameless dread keep you from entering a building!
You reach out to grasp the doorknob. Before your fingers can touch the metal, the door swings silently open. From the dark recesses of the temple you hear the faint sound of chanting. Swallowing nervously, you enter.
Flickering torches light your way down the corridor. You see no one. The air is damp and musty.
You think to yourself, "My, what a pleasant place this is. Aren't I having a lot of fun?"
The corridor seems endless. You have only the sound of your footsteps for company.
Finally, when you turn the corner, you find yourself in a room of candles. Few are lit, rendering the room quite dim.
You don't notice the robed figure until he politely coughs to announce his presence. You cautiously approach.
After introducing yourself, you explain that you wish to learn about the Brotherhood.
Rising, he turns to you and asks one simple question:\
Hah!
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The cleric suggests that if you truly wish to join the brethren, you must first satisfy an ordeal. Otherwise, he advises you not to return, but to go quietly and in serene peace. He allows you to light one and only one candle along the wall.
You may now consider the following option:
- AH6AP6 (7 phases) Allow the cleric to blindfold you and begin the ordeal.
You may select this option again.
Well, we didn't come all this way for nothing, so let's do it!
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You are blindfolded and placed on what sounds like a sandshuttle. After what seems like a day (they fed you three times), you are told to wait 10 minutes and remove your blindfold. Your task, you are told, is to survive until they return. You hear the brothers start to leave but one hesitates. He clasps your arm and says in a clear deep strong voice, "Remember my child, in order to follow the True Path to knowledge, one must first confront, then conquer, one's deepest fears." He releases your arm and turns to follow the others. You are totally alone.
When you remove your blindfold, you note that you have only the clothes on your back and a small canteen filled with water at your side. You appear to be in the middle of the desert with no clear path in sight except the trail of the shuttle which is faintly visible in the sand. You choose to designate the direction it heads in as North.
The only other thing in sight is a huge green plant, which stands well over six feet tall and largely resembles a Venus Flytrap. It periodically opens what appear to be jaws then quickly snaps them shut. It reminds you of something... a dimly lit cavern perhaps, with black-robed figures leading you to your doom?
You may:
- Try to follow the path to the North.
- Stay and wait for them to return.
- Examine the plant.
So, um, what do we do? Please vote.