.SEGMENT "LAKE" .FUNCT FSET-SEEN:ANY:0:0 FSET HERE,SEEN RTRUE .FUNCT ANONF-209:ANY:0:0 EQUAL? ACTION,EXAMINE-COMMAND \FALSE ICALL1 UPDATE-MOVE PRINTI "Sunlight danced on the surface of the lake that lay before us. It was large, perhaps three miles across, and its waters were a brilliant blue. Much of the shoreline was rocky, but below us lay a sandy beach. The lake sat in a bowl in the mountains, fed by alpine streams, most of which had run dry in the summer's heat. But " ICALL2 WPRINTD,ACTOR PRINTI " pointed out one, directly between ourselves and the lake, that still flowed." RTRUE .FUNCT ANONF-210:ANY:0:0 EQUAL? ACTION,PROCEED-COMMAND \?CCL3 PRINTI "Descending from the high plain, we headed toward the near shore of the lake. Nearing the halfway point, we stopped at a wide stream whose waters careened down the slope and into the lake below. The sky was dark, and a storm threatened." CRLF CRLF PRINTI """Look!"" Praxix cried, pointing toward the lowering clouds. For a long time we saw nothing, but soon a great, white bird emerged from the cloud base and soared overhead in graceful spirals." CRLF CRLF PRINTI """I have seen nothing like it,"" Bergon said, as the bird disappeared into the eastern sky." CALL2 MOVE-TO,GOLD-STREAM RSTACK ?CCL3: EQUAL? ACTION,FOLLOW-SMOKE-COMMAND \?CCL5 ICALL1 REMOVE-TRAVEL-COMMAND PRINTI "We followed " GETP HERE,P?TEMP ICALL2 WPRINTD,STACK PRINTI " to the crest of the rise, where we could see smoke rising from behind a smaller hill that lay in front of us." CRLF CRLF PRINTI "It was a short walk to the next hill; before us sat a ramshackle hut, its battered door flapping slowly in the breeze. It was hard to believe that one could live in such a place, but the column of smoke rising from the chimney convinced us otherwise." FSET? MINAR,IN-PARTY \?CND6 PRINTI """The hut was not here last year,"" he said, ""I am at a loss to understand it.""" CRLF CRLF ?CND6: PRINTI """Most peculiar!"" said Praxix. ""Whom do you suppose would choose to live here?""" CALL2 MOVE-TO,HERMIT-HILL RSTACK ?CCL5: EQUAL? ACTION,SCOUT-COMMAND \FALSE ICALL UPDATE-FSET,HERE,DONT-SCOUT FSET HERE,SCOUTED PUTP HERE,P?TEMP,ACTOR ICALL2 WPRINTD,ACTOR PRINTI " went on ahead, climbing a nearby ridge in hopes of getting a better view. " EQUAL? ACTOR,ESHER \?CCL12 PRINTI "He came back slowly; evidently, scouting ahead was not one of Esher's favorite assignments. ""There's some forest burning behind the ridge, if any of you find that interesting,"" he said. ""Otherwise, there's nothing much there. Let's stop wasting time, and head down toward the lake.""" RTRUE ?CCL12: PRINTI "He returned, bringing strange news. ""There is smoke rising up from behind the ridge. I thought perhaps it was a fire, but the plume of smoke is small and localized, as if it were coming from a hearth or campfire. And that in itself is odd, for nobody lives up here, at least not that I have ever come across.""" CALL ADD-TRAVEL-COMMAND,HERE,FOLLOW-SMOKE-COMMAND RSTACK .FUNCT ANONF-211:ANY:0:0 EQUAL? ACTION,EXAMINE-COMMAND \FALSE ICALL1 UPDATE-MOVE PRINTI "The hut was small, made of rough-hewn logs. The thatched roof was so haphazardly constructed that it would hardly keep out the wind, no less the rain. It was difficult to believe that someone would choose to live here, but the evidence clearly pointed in that direction." CRLF CRLF EQUAL? ACTOR,PRAXIX \?CCL6 PRINTI """It would take a good deal of magic to fix this place up,"" Praxix said. ""Shall we take a closer look?""" RTRUE ?CCL6: EQUAL? ACTOR,ESHER \FALSE PRINTI "Esher was not impressed. ""I don't see how someone living here could be of help to anyone,"" he said." RTRUE .FUNCT ANONF-212:ANY:0:0 EQUAL? ACTION,KNOCK-COMMAND \?CCL3 PRINTI "With Bergon in the lead, we approached the hut. But even as his raised hand came down upon that rickety door, it appeared to open of its own volition. We entered slowly; the hut was dark and smelled of incense. In the far corner, one eye gone, the other opaque with cataracts, an old man stared at us." CRLF CRLF PRINTI "I say old, though the many lines on his face were more like the scars earned in battle than the wrinkles gathered over the long years. We stood motionless, as though afraid to speak or perhaps unsure of what to say. The silence was broken as the old man stood, toppling his stool, and took a few hobbling steps toward Bergon." CRLF CRLF PRINTI "Then, staring straight into Bergon's eyes, he said, ""You come from the far plains of Lavos, and you seek a great Wizard."" Raising a deformed finger, he hissed accusingly, ""It is in your eyes!""" ICALL2 MOVE-TO,HERMIT-HUT CALL OPTION,BERGON,TELL-TRUTH-COMMAND,LIE-COMMAND RSTACK ?CCL3: EQUAL? ACTION,BACK-COMMAND \FALSE CALL MOVE-TO,HIGH-PLAIN,STR?538 RSTACK .FUNCT END-HERMIT-OPTION:ANY:0:0 PRINTI "Fools! There is no Wizard, there is only the Enemy - and he is strong - too strong for the likes of you!""" CRLF CRLF PRINTI """And how do you know this?"" Bergon demanded." CRLF CRLF PRINTI "The hermit retreated to his stool, and sat again in the corner. ""I know nothing!"" he said, and sighed deeply." CALL1 END-OPTION RSTACK .FUNCT ANONF-213:ANY:0:0 EQUAL? ACTION,EXAMINE-COMMAND \FALSE ICALL1 UPDATE-MOVE PRINTI "Old and stooped, the hermit looked at us through his single weary eye. He wore a tattered tunic, whose style was not unlike that used by our people in the plains." CRLF CRLF PRINTI """Your accent sounds familiar,"" " ICALL2 WPRINTD,ACTOR PRINTI " said. ""Have you travelled in our lands?"" The hermit was taken aback by " ICALL2 WPRINTD,ACTOR PRINTI "'s offhand comment, though he did not respond." RTRUE .FUNCT ANONF-214:ANY:0:0 EQUAL? ACTION,EXIT-COMMAND \?CCL3 FSET? HERE,SCOUTED \?CCL6 PRINTI "We shuffled out of the hut, and Garlimon hobbled to the door as we made our way back to our path. ""Begone!"" he cried" FSET? HERE,TRIED \?CCL9 PRINTI ", and threw a small leather bag at our feet. ""Perhaps this will help you where you are going!""" JUMP ?CND7 ?CCL9: PRINTC 46 ?CND7: PRINTI " He started to cackle madly, and began to chant in a sing-song fashion. ""The water that heals, the fire reveals, the earth..."" He was babbling incoherently now, and soon slammed the door behind us." FSET? HERE,TRIED \?CND10 ICALL UPDATE-MOVE,HERMIT-POWDER,INVENTORY PRINTI " Curious as to what we had been given, I bent down and picked up the bag." ?CND10: CRLF CRLF CALL MOVE-TO,HIGH-PLAIN,STR?540 RSTACK ?CCL6: PRINTI "We left the hut in silence and returned to the high plain." CRLF CRLF CALL MOVE-TO,HIGH-PLAIN,STR?541 RSTACK ?CCL3: EQUAL? ACTION,CAST-COMMAND \?CCL13 ICALL1 UNUSE-ESSENCES PRINTI "Praxix reached toward his cloak, but Bergon stayed his hand. ""Not now!"" he said." RTRUE ?CCL13: EQUAL? ACTION,TELL-TRUTH-COMMAND \?CCL15 PRINTI """We have journeyed from Lavos, as you say; we " ZERO? 2ND-PASS /?CCL18 PRINTI "have enlisted the aid of the great Wizard Astrix, and our efforts are now joined with his own.""" CRLF CRLF JUMP ?CND16 ?CCL18: PRINTI "seek the Wizard Astrix, to seek his aid.""" CRLF CRLF PRINTC 34 ?CND16: FSET HERE,TRIED CALL1 END-HERMIT-OPTION RSTACK ?CCL15: EQUAL? ACTION,LIE-COMMAND \?CCL20 PRINTI """We seek no Wizard; we are...""" CRLF CRLF PRINTI """You are liars!"" he roared. ""I know who you are; I know what you are. " CALL1 END-HERMIT-OPTION RSTACK ?CCL20: EQUAL? ACTION,LOOK-AROUND-COMMAND \FALSE ICALL UPDATE-FSET,HERE,DONT-SCOUT FSET HERE,SCOUTED ICALL UPDATE-FSET,HERMIT-HUT-HERMIT,DONT-EXAMINE FSET HERE,SCOUTED FSET HERE,DONT-SCOUT ICALL2 WPRINTD,ACTOR PRINTI ", meanwhile, had been discreetly eyeing the hut when he caught a glimpse of a broadsword lying behind the door. He picked it up, and, still unseen, showed it to Bergon, who turned his back to examine it." CRLF CRLF PRINTI """A fine weapon!"" Bergon said, unsheathing the sword and holding it out toward the hermit. ""The finest of its kind; forged at Hervish, judging by its style, and fashioned by a great craftsman."" We thought it odd for Bergon to be ranting on about this undistinguished looking weapon, but we were wholly unprepared for what followed." CRLF CRLF PRINTI """Garlimon,"" Bergon said warmly, and reached out for the hermit." CRLF CRLF PRINTI "But the hermit spurned Bergon's hand. ""Yes. Garlimon. What of it?"" he scowled, ""You seek Astrix; I sought him also. And I see you've gotten further than I - so far!"" He lifted his cane, and waved it at us menacingly. ""You are in great danger - all of you! You will die at His hand! You will all die!""" CRLF CRLF PRINTI "Garlimon was mad! He stumbled backward, clutching a rotting table, and stared wildly at us. ""Leave me!"" he demanded. ""Leave this place at once!""" RTRUE .ENDSEG .ENDI