.SEGMENT "STAIR" .FUNCT ANONF-158:ANY:0:0 EQUAL? ACTION,RIGHT-COMMAND \?CCL3 PRINTI "After another long climb, the stairs ended blindly. " FSET? HURTH,IN-PARTY \?CCL6 PRINTI """We have come to the Bern i-Zar,"" Hurth said, motioning to the blank wall that stood before us." CRLF CRLF PRINTI """It figures,"" I blurted out; Hurth laughed gently, then spoke the word of command that opened the gate." JUMP ?CND4 ?CCL6: PRINTI "Praxix approached the blank wall that lay before us, and sure enough, a gate appeared, then opened." CRLF CRLF PRINTI """I don't believe I ever will get used to these gates,"" I said, and Praxix smiled." ?CND4: CALL2 MOVE-TO,BERN-I-DEN RSTACK ?CCL3: EQUAL? ACTION,LEFT-COMMAND \?CCL8 FSET? STAIR-CHASM,SEEN \?CCL11 ICALL1 REMOVE-TRAVEL-COMMAND PRINTI "Again, we made the strenuous and dizzying climb to the crumbling stairs." CRLF CRLF PRINTI """I am not inclined to do this again,"" Bergon said, panting. ""Let us find some way across the chasm or explore elsewhere.""" JUMP ?CND9 ?CCL11: PRINTI "The left stair rose in tighter and tighter spirals, the air thinning as we went. Not long before we had hoped to reach the top, the stairs had crumbled and an abyss, perhaps ten paces wide, yawned before us. Beyond that, the stairs continued their seemingly endless climb." ?CND9: CALL2 MOVE-TO,STAIR-CHASM RSTACK ?CCL8: EQUAL? ACTION,DOWN-COMMAND \FALSE ICALL1 REMOVE-TRAVEL-COMMAND PRINTI "Unsure of whether we had seen all there was to see in the lower parts of the caverns, we determined to return to the bottom of the stairs and continue our explorations." CALL2 MOVE-TO,STAIR-BOTTOM RSTACK .FUNCT ANONF-159:ANY:0:0 CALL TRAVEL-COMMAND?,STAIR-JUNCTION,DOWN-COMMAND ZERO? STACK \FALSE CALL TRAVEL-COMMAND?,STAIR-JUNCTION,LEFT-COMMAND ZERO? STACK \FALSE CALL REMOVE-TRAVEL-COMMAND,HERE,DOWN-COMMAND RSTACK .FUNCT ANONF-160:ANY:0:0 EQUAL? ACTION,EXIT-COMMAND \?CCL3 ICALL2 UPDATE-REMOVE,TALE-BERN-I-ELAN PRINTI "We stepped out of the Bern i-Zar, the Mountain Gate, late in the evening. It was a cold, windy night, filled with countless stars." FSET? HURTH,IN-PARTY \?CCL6 CRLF CRLF PRINTI "Hurth stood at the gate. ""I cannot go on, as much as I might wish it; this is the command of Agrith. And yet, you are good friends and shall always be welcome in these halls."" He embraced us all in the Dwarf-fashion, turned, and started back into the gate. ""May the earth give you speed!"" he said as the great door closed behind him." JUMP ?CND4 ?CCL6: FSET? MINAR,IN-PARTY \?CND4 CRLF CRLF PRINTI "Our camp had been long silent when Minar spoke. ""I grieve for the Dwarf,"" he said, ""though I knew him not. He was a brave man, and his reckless murder will not go unavenged.""" CRLF CRLF PRINTI """The success of our journey will be our best revenge,"" replied Bergon. ""And I hope it will bring Hurth peace.""" ?CND4: CRLF CRLF PRINTI "We spoke much of Hurth that evening, as we lay there beneath the moonlit sky." FSET? HURTH,IN-PARTY /?CCL10 PRINTI " Praxix said, ""The Dwarves believe that after death, their souls rise up into the heavens as shooting stars.""" CRLF CRLF PRINTI "I laid awake for hours that night, eyes fixed on that twinkling firmament, but I saw no shooting stars and, happily, I drifted off into sleep." JUMP ?CND8 ?CCL10: ICALL2 PARTY-REMOVE,HURTH ?CND8: FSET? OUTSIDE-PRISON,SEEN /?CCL13 ICALL2 HINT,HINT-PRISON JUMP ?CND11 ?CCL13: FSET? PRISON,SEEN /?CND11 ICALL2 HINT,HINT-RUNES ?CND11: FSET? STAIR-CHASM,SEEN \?CND15 FSET? FAR-CHASM,SEEN /?CND15 ICALL2 HINT,HINT-CHASM ?CND15: LOC HINT-PRISON ZERO? STACK \?CND19 FSET? DARK-EVIL-CAVERN,SOLVED /?CND19 ICALL2 HINT,HINT-EVIL-CAVERN ?CND19: ICALL1 NEXT-DAY ZERO? 2ND-PASS /?CND23 FSET? HIGH-PLAIN,SEEN \?CND23 FSET? BITE-FOREST,SEEN /?CCL29 FSET? MINAR,IN-PARTY /?CTR28 FSET? ESHER,IN-PARTY \?CCL29 ?CTR28: PRINTI "The next morning, we retraced our earlier steps, skirting the edge of the lake, and descending back into the forest for our return to Astrix. It was soon midday, and we decided to stop in a nearby clearing for some lunch." ICALL2 MOVE-TO,BITE-FOREST RTRUE ?CCL29: CRLF CRLF ICALL2 N-DAY-TREK,4 RTRUE ?CND23: CRLF CRLF CALL1 GATE-TO-HIGH-PLAIN RSTACK ?CCL3: EQUAL? ACTION,DOWN-COMMAND \FALSE ICALL1 REMOVE-TRAVEL-COMMAND PRINTI "Uncertain of whether we had explored enough of these caverns, we decended to the junction of the two stairs." CALL2 MOVE-TO,STAIR-JUNCTION RSTACK .FUNCT FIND-CHASM-STRAGGLER:ANY:0:0,A SET 'A,NUL-COMMAND FSET? ESHER,IN-PARTY \?CCL3 GETP ESHER,P?ROBJ EQUAL? FLOATER,STACK /?CCL3 SET 'A,LEAVE-ESHER-COMMAND JUMP ?CND1 ?CCL3: FSET? MINAR,IN-PARTY \?CCL7 GETP MINAR,P?ROBJ EQUAL? FLOATER,STACK /?CCL7 SET 'A,LEAVE-MINAR-COMMAND JUMP ?CND1 ?CCL7: FSET? HURTH,IN-PARTY \?CND1 GETP HURTH,P?ROBJ EQUAL? FLOATER,STACK /?CND1 SET 'A,LEAVE-HURTH-COMMAND ?CND1: GETP BERGON,P?ROBJ EQUAL? FLOATER,STACK /?CCL15 CALL OPTION,BERGON,USE-MAGIC-COMMAND,LEAVE-BERGON-COMMAND,A RSTACK ?CCL15: CALL OPTION,BERGON,USE-MAGIC-COMMAND,LEAVE-PRAXIX-COMMAND,A RSTACK .FUNCT ANONF-161:ANY:0:0 EQUAL? ACTION,USE-MAGIC-COMMAND \?CCL3 PRINTI "Preferring to bring along our entire party, we decided to use Praxix' magic to get ourselves across the chasm on the way down. With that matter settled it was only a short time until we made our way across the abyss." CALL2 MOVE-TO,FAR-CHASM RSTACK ?CCL3: EQUAL? ACTION,LEAVE-BERGON-COMMAND /?CTR4 EQUAL? ACTION,LEAVE-PRAXIX-COMMAND /?CTR4 EQUAL? ACTION,LEAVE-HURTH-COMMAND /?CTR4 EQUAL? ACTION,LEAVE-MINAR-COMMAND /?CTR4 EQUAL? ACTION,LEAVE-ESHER-COMMAND \?CCL5 ?CTR4: EQUAL? ACTION,LEAVE-BERGON-COMMAND \?CCL13 SET 'CHASM-STRAGGLER,BERGON JUMP ?CND11 ?CCL13: EQUAL? ACTION,LEAVE-MINAR-COMMAND \?CCL15 SET 'CHASM-STRAGGLER,MINAR JUMP ?CND11 ?CCL15: EQUAL? ACTION,LEAVE-HURTH-COMMAND \?CCL17 SET 'CHASM-STRAGGLER,HURTH JUMP ?CND11 ?CCL17: EQUAL? ACTION,LEAVE-ESHER-COMMAND \?CCL19 SET 'CHASM-STRAGGLER,ESHER JUMP ?CND11 ?CCL19: SET 'CHASM-STRAGGLER,PRAXIX ?CND11: PRINTI "Preferring to preserve Praxix' supply of magical essences, we decided to leave " ICALL2 WPRINTD,CHASM-STRAGGLER PRINTI " behind while we explored the far side of the chasm. It was just a matter of moments until " LESS? PARTY-MAX,4 \?CCL22 PRINTC 73 JUMP ?CND20 ?CCL22: PRINTI "the rest of us" ?CND20: PRINTI " made the crossing." ICALL2 PARTY-REMOVE,CHASM-STRAGGLER CALL2 MOVE-TO,FAR-CHASM RSTACK ?CCL5: EQUAL? ACTION,CAST-COMMAND \?CCL24 EQUAL? ACTION-OBJECT,WIND-SPELL \?CCL24 FSET? HERE,ENCHANTED \?CCL29 FCLEAR HERE,ENCHANTED GETP ESHER,P?ROBJ EQUAL? FLOATER,STACK \?CCL32 PRINTI "As Esher turned slowly above us, screaming monosyllables at our Wizard-friend, Praxix was busily wiping the " ICALL TELL-COLOR,ESSENCE-AIR,ESSENCE-EARTH PRINTI " residue from his hands and measuring out some additional air essence. ""Have no fear! You'll be down in a moment!"" he said. Then, pausing for a second, he smiled broadly and added some more. With a sharp flick of the wrist, Praxix cast the potent dust at our floating comrade, who quite literally flew across the abyss in a gale-force wind." CRLF CRLF PRINTI """What did I say?"" shouted Praxix at the Esher-heap that scowlingly stumbled to his feet on the other side. Bergon, unwilling to see this conversation progress, tossed Esher" JUMP ?CND30 ?CCL32: PRINTI """Do not be alarmed, " ICALL2 WPRINTD,FLOATER PRINTI "!"" Praxix said, as he wiped the " ICALL TELL-COLOR,ESSENCE-AIR,ESSENCE-EARTH PRINTI " residue from his hands, and measured out some additional air essence. ""It will just be a moment."" And then, casting the powder at our floating friend, a great wind came up and carried him across the abyss. We tossed " ICALL2 WPRINTD,FLOATER ?CND30: PRINTI " our rope, and we were soon ready to cross to the far side of the chasm. There was only one problem: since we could find no good anchor for our rope on either side of the abyss, we had to consider how we were to return once we got across. " CALL2 CHECK-ESSENCES,WIND-SPELL ZERO? STACK \?CCL35 GETP BERGON,P?ROBJ EQUAL? FLOATER,STACK /?CCL38 SET 'CHASM-STRAGGLER,BERGON JUMP ?CND36 ?CCL38: SET 'CHASM-STRAGGLER,PRAXIX ?CND36: PRINTI "Our options were limited by the fact that Praxix had no remaining air essence with which to blow somebody back, which left no choice but to have " ICALL2 WPRINTD,CHASM-STRAGGLER PRINTI " remain behind. And so it was that " ICALL2 WPRINTD,CHASM-STRAGGLER PRINTI " did not follow us across the chasm." ICALL2 PARTY-REMOVE,CHASM-STRAGGLER CALL2 MOVE-TO,FAR-CHASM RSTACK ?CCL35: PRINTI "Since Praxix had some air essence in his pouch, it would be possible to use his wind spell to fling one of our party across the chasm on the way down. On the other hand, we could just as easily leave one of our party behind, and avoid using magic altogether." ICALL1 FIND-CHASM-STRAGGLER RTRUE ?CCL29: CALL QSET?,HERE,SCOUTED ZERO? STACK \?CCL40 FSET HERE,DEAD PRINTI "I don't know what Praxix was thinking when he removed some air essence from his pouch and tossed it at Bergon. A fierce wind came up and blew Bergon to the edge of the abyss; it was only quick thinking " FSET? ESHER,IN-PARTY \?CND41 PRINTI "by Esher " ?CND41: FSET HERE,GRAY-MIX PRINTI "that saved him from plunging down into that bottomless void. Bergon was quite displeased, though his temper was restrained. ""Let us be a little more careful with our magic,"" he said." RTRUE ?CCL40: ICALL1 UNUSE-ESSENCES PRINTI "Praxix gave Bergon a look saying ""How about trying the wind spell again?"" Bergon shot back a look saying, in effect, ""I will murder you if you do.""" RTRUE ?CCL24: FSET? HERE,ENCHANTED \?CCL44 CALL1 FLOATER-TO-EARTH ZERO? STACK \TRUE ?CCL44: EQUAL? ACTION,GET-ADVICE-COMMAND \?CCL48 ICALL UPDATE-FCLEAR,HERE,ADVISE PRINTI "Bergon asked for our advice; he himself thought of trying to jump across, but got a negative reaction. Praxix suggested that he might have some magic that would help, and this was greeted with some measure of skepticism. Overall, no consensus was achieved." RTRUE ?CCL48: EQUAL? ACTION,CROSS-COMMAND \?CCL50 ICALL1 REMOVE-TRAVEL-COMMAND FSET HERE,DEAD PRINTI "Bergon, being the most powerful member of the group, thought he might try jumping across the gap, then use the rope to bring the rest of us along." CRLF CRLF FSET? ESHER,IN-PARTY \?CCL53 PRINTI "For once, Esher's pessimism was hard to fault. ""You can't get a running start; the footing's no good; and the stairs at the other end appear to turn a corner. Otherwise, you've got a fine idea."" Bergon reluctantly agreed." RTRUE ?CCL53: PRINTI "It didn't take long, however, to convince him that this would be far too dangerous to attempt." RTRUE ?CCL50: EQUAL? ACTION,SCOUT-COMMAND \?CCL55 ICALL UPDATE-FSET,HERE,DONT-SCOUT FSET HERE,SCOUTED ICALL2 WPRINTD,ACTOR PRINTI " suggested trying to scout out an alternative way up the stairs, but this was felt to be fruitless." RTRUE ?CCL55: EQUAL? ACTION,CAST-COMMAND \?CCL57 EQUAL? ACTION-OBJECT,LEVITATE-SPELL \?CCL57 FSET HERE,DEAD ICALL1 SAVE-SPELL SET 'FLOATER,ACTION-PRSI FSET? HERE,BLUE-MIX \?CCL62 PRINTI "Praxix again levitated " ICALL2 WPRINTD,FLOATER PRINTI " with his elevation spell." CRLF CRLF PRINTI """Not again!"" " ICALL2 WPRINTD,FLOATER PRINTI " protested, but there was little he could do suspended there, ten feet above our heads." JUMP ?CND60 ?CCL62: PRINTI "Praxix, " FSET? HERE,GRAY-MIX \?CCL65 PRINTI "though chastened" JUMP ?CND63 ?CCL65: PRINTI "on his own" ?CND63: PRINTI ", decided to try a little magic to get us across. Pulling some earth and air essences from his concealed pouch, Praxix mixed them, then cast the mixture onto " ICALL2 WPRINTD,FLOATER PRINTC 46 CRLF CRLF PRINTI """Hey, wait a minute!"" he said as he rose ten feet into the air before us." ?CND60: FSET HERE,ENCHANTED FSET HERE,BLUE-MIX RTRUE ?CCL57: EQUAL? ACTION,CAST-COMMAND \?CCL67 CALL1 PRAXIX-NO-CAST RSTACK ?CCL67: EQUAL? ACTION,DOWN-COMMAND \FALSE FSET? HERE,DEAD \?CCL72 PRINTI "Having tried our best to cross the chasm, we admitted defeat; slowly," JUMP ?CND70 ?CCL72: PRINTI "It was pointless to attempt the crossing; slowly," ?CND70: PRINTI " we made our way back down to the junction of the stairs." CALL2 MOVE-TO,STAIR-JUNCTION RSTACK .FUNCT ANONF-162:ANY:0:0 EQUAL? ACTION,UP-COMMAND \FALSE PRINTI "We continued climbing up the narrow stairs, and finally climbed through the heavy oak door which led into the Sunset Tower." CRLF CRLF ICALL2 GRAPHIC,G-SUNSET-TOWER PRINTI "The view was magnificent! The sun was just setting, and the western sky was ablaze with colors reflected by the high wispy clouds at the horizon. To the east, far-off and shrouded in cloud, stood this mighty tower's twin: the Sunrise Tower" ZERO? 2ND-PASS /?CCL6 PRINTI ", home of Astrix." JUMP ?CND4 ?CCL6: PRINTI " where, it was said, we would find a mighty ally in the Wizard Astrix. To the north, beyond a desert-like plain, the sky was strangely dark and seemingly choked by a heavy, black cloud." ?CND4: FSET? HURTH,IN-PARTY \?CND7 CRLF CRLF PRINTI """Our fathers would come to this place to meditate at day's end and pray for the day when we should leave this world,"" Hurth said. ""Only Agrith comes here now, and far less often than in the past. Now that the stair is broken, he may never come again. The world is changing; even this strong tower will not survive what is to come!""" ?CND7: CALL2 MOVE-TO,SUNSET-TOWER RSTACK .FUNCT ANONF-163:ANY:0:0 EQUAL? ACTION,EXAMINE-COMMAND \FALSE ICALL1 UPDATE-MOVE ICALL2 WPRINTD,ACTOR PRINTI " looked more closely at the Sunrise Mountain, and the route we would eventually follow to reach the Tower which stood atop the highest crag. It appeared as though numerous paths wound their way up from the shore of the great river, but there was no indication of which would be the best to take." RTRUE .FUNCT ANONF-164:ANY:0:0 EQUAL? ACTION,EXAMINE-COMMAND \FALSE ICALL1 UPDATE-MOVE ICALL2 WPRINTD,ACTOR PRINTI " took a long look at the Sunrise Tower, and motioned for us to do likewise. ""What do you make of that?"" he said, pointing at a dark shadow which appeared to circle the hooded tower." CRLF CRLF FSET? HURTH,IN-PARTY \?CCL6 PRINTI "Hurth, whose vision" JUMP ?CND4 ?CCL6: FSET? BERGON,IN-PARTY \?CCL8 PRINTI "Bergon, whose vision" ?CND4: PRINTI " was the most acute in our party, peered at the darkening Tower and said, ""If it weren't so far away, I would say it was a bird. But at this distance..."" He paused, shaking his head, then gazed at the shadow yet again. ""It cannot be!""" FSET? PRAXIX,IN-PARTY \TRUE CRLF CRLF PRINTI "Praxix did not agree. ""There are many creatures that cannot be, and yet are. We have seen them ourselves; we have " FSET? HURTH,IN-PARTY /?CND11 PRINTI "had " ?CND11: PRINTI "one among us! Doubt not your judgement.""" RTRUE ?CCL8: PRINTI "I peered at the shadow, but could discern nothing more than had Praxix. ""It is too bad that we don't have Bergon here with us,"" I said. ""His vision is quite a bit better than mine,"" I said." RTRUE .FUNCT ANONF-165:ANY:0:0 ICALL2 SAVE-PROVISION-COMMANDS,TAG ICALL2 SAVE-PROVISION-COMMANDS,PRAXIX ICALL PROVISION-COMMANDS,TAG,PICK-UP-COMMAND,DROP-COMMAND,INVENTORY-COMMAND ICALL PROVISION-COMMANDS,PRAXIX,CAST-COMMAND,EXAMINE-COMMAND ZERO? 2ND-PASS /FALSE REMOVE SUNRISE-MOUNTAIN CALL2 UPDATE-REMOVE,SUNRISE-TOWER-OBJECT RSTACK .FUNCT ANONF-166:ANY:0:0 ICALL2 RESTORE-PROVISION-COMMANDS,TAG CALL2 RESTORE-PROVISION-COMMANDS,PRAXIX RSTACK .FUNCT ANONF-167:ANY:0:0 EQUAL? ACTION,LOOK-AROUND-COMMAND \?CCL3 ICALL UPDATE-FSET,HERE,DONT-SCOUT FSET HERE,SCOUTED ICALL UPDATE-FSET,HERE,DONT-SCOUT ICALL2 WPRINTD,ACTOR PRINTI " searched the tower, finding what appeared to be a spyglass of some kind. It was old and delicately crafted, but many of its lenses were broken, making it more a thing of beauty than an object to be used." FSET? PRAXIX,IN-PARTY \?CCL6 CRLF CRLF PRINTI """It is a work of art,"" Praxix said, ""far more valuable than it would appear. Such handiworks are rare these days; it is a shame that we cannot put it to good use.""" JUMP ?CND4 ?CCL6: CRLF CRLF PRINTI """It is crafted beautifully,"" Bergon said. ""What a shame it cannot be put to good use.""" ?CND4: EQUAL? ACTOR,ESHER \?CCL9 CRLF CRLF PRINTI """And just how would we put a broken spyglass to use?"" " ICALL2 WPRINTD,ACTOR PRINTI " asked, placing it down on a dusty shelf nearby." JUMP ?CND7 ?CCL9: EQUAL? ACTOR,MINAR \?CND7 CRLF CRLF PRINTI """A shame indeed,"" replied Minar, and placed the spyglass down on a nearby shelf." ?CND7: FSET SUNSET-TOWER,SOLVED CALL UPDATE-MOVE,SPYGLASS,HERE RSTACK ?CCL3: EQUAL? ACTION,CAST-COMMAND \?CCL12 ZERO? CHASM-STRAGGLER \?CCL12 CALL2 CHECK-ESSENCES,WIND-SPELL ZERO? STACK \?CCL12 PRINTI "Praxix then had the notion of casting his """ ICALL2 WPRINTD,ACTION-OBJECT PRINTI """ spell, but he quickly realized that he would be using the air essence we needed for crossing the chasm." RTRUE ?CCL12: EQUAL? ACTION,CAST-COMMAND \?CCL17 EQUAL? ACTION-OBJECT,FAR-VISION-SPELL \?CCL17 CALL QSET?,FAR-VISION-SPELL,INCAPACITATED ZERO? STACK \?CCL17 ICALL UPDATE-FSET,HERE,DONT-CAST CALL1 ASTRIX-RESPONDS-TO-FLARE RSTACK ?CCL17: EQUAL? ACTION,DOWN-COMMAND \FALSE ICALL1 NEXT-DAY ICALL TRAVEL-COMMANDS,STAIR-JUNCTION,RIGHT-COMMAND,DOWN-COMMAND PRINTI "It was getting late, so we started down the stairs, coming quickly to the chasm" ZERO? CHASM-STRAGGLER /?CCL25 ICALL2 PARTY-ADD,CHASM-STRAGGLER PRINTI ", where " ICALL2 WPRINTD,CHASM-STRAGGLER PRINTI " was waiting impatiently." SET 'CHASM-STRAGGLER,FALSE-VALUE JUMP ?CND23 ?CCL25: ICALL2 USE-ESSENCES,WIND-SPELL PRINTI ". Using Praxix' wind spell, Bergon was blown over the edge and onto the far side of the chasm, from which he was able to help the rest of us across." ?CND23: CRLF CRLF PRINTI "We were all very tired now from our arduous climb, so we decided to spend the night there on the landing, and in fact did not arise until the next afternoon. It was nearly time for dinner when we started down the stairs." CALL2 MOVE-TO,STAIR-JUNCTION RSTACK .FUNCT ASTRIX-RESPONDS-TO-FLARE:ANY:0:0 REMOVE HYE-TOWER PRINTI "Praxix thought to signal Astrix using his flare enchantment and so he sent a ball of flame screaming toward the Sunrise Mountain. And then a second ball of flame shot out of the Sunrise Tower! When they met, perhaps three-fourths of the way across, the resulting explosion lit the darkening sky with its blue-white flame and caused the mountains to shudder." CRLF CRLF PRINTI """It seems we are expected,"" Praxix said." RTRUE .FUNCT FLOATER-TO-EARTH:ANY:0:0 FCLEAR HERE,ENCHANTED ICALL1 RESTORE-SPELLS PRINTI "Slowly, " ICALL2 WPRINTD,FLOATER PRINTI " descended back to the stairs. ""Don't ever do that again!"" he shouted. Praxix shrugged, unconcerned in the least." CRLF CRLF RFALSE .ENDSEG .ENDI