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Oedipus
by
Katherine Parrish
Played 2,995 times
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(spoilers!)
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"Oedipus" by Olga, Sophia, Pardis Chapter 1 The Town is a room. "You're Oedipus, son of Polybus and Merope; the king and queen of Corinth. You're out in the town on a beautiful day. People are rushing by. No one seems to notice you, except a bizarre looking man who has been staring at you for a long time. The Palace is to your west." The Palace is west of the town. "This is where you grew up. This place is full of childhood memories. There is a beautiful chandelier hanging from the ceiling. There are a few windows that have a view of the town. There is also a couch and a table in here. Delphi is to your north." The table is a supporter in the Palace. The description is "This is a beautiful table that has been made by the best carpenter in Corinth. There is a box on top of it." The chandelier is in the Palace. It is lit. It is fixed in place. The description is "This large crystal chandelier is lighting up the room." The couch is an enterable supporter in the Palace. The description is "A comfortable couch that is good for when you're tired." The box is a closed openable container on the table. It is fixed in place. The description is "This box is an antique." Toys are in the box. It is fixed in place. The description is "Wow, it's been a long time since you've seen these. The toy sword is the one that grabs your attention. You used to play with it when you were a child and not yet allowed to use a real sword." The window is a supporter in the Palace. The description is "This window has a view of the town." Delphi is north of the Palace. "This is where a very famous Oracle lives." The oracle is a man in Delphi. The description is "A mysterious looking oracle. Perhaps he could help you find the answer to the question that has been occupying your mind lately..." The bizarre man is a man in the town. The description is " You've never seen him before. He seems to be staring at you. You wonder why..." Understand "ask" as asking. Asking is an action applying to one thing. After asking the bizarre man about "staring" : say "'You're Oedipus, aren't you?' The man says. 'You were adopted by the king. Did you know that?' You're very confused. Asking your parents about this seems like the best thing to do.'" Polybus is a man in the Palace. The description is "Your father. The king of Cornith. As tough and powerful as you've always remembered him. However, looking at him carefully now, you see that he is not as younge and strong as he used to be." Merope is a woman in the Palace. The description is "Your mother. The queen of Cornith. Beautiful and gentle as always. She is wearing a yellow gown, and has her brown hair braided down her back." Understand "ask about [something]" as asking. After asking Polybus about "adoption" : say " That's not true son. You've always been and will always be our son." After asking Merope about "adoption" : say "Of course not dear, we haven't adopted you." After asking the oracle about "adoption" : say "hmmmm. You're Oedipus, the man fated to kill his father and marry his mother. You are stunned. That's impossible... What are you supposed to do now? How can this be prevented? You think you should go southwest from Delphi to Thebes." Chapter 2 [Author: Sophia Tao] [The Crossing of the First Threshold] Path is southwest of Delphi. "The sun shines spendidly behind wispy cotton clouds, foreshadowing no storm for the day. A day fit for your adventure, you decide. You have already gone far -- quite some miles from the palace -- for the grass is a lot richer and greener than you have ever imagined. A short old man lies by a stream, apparently fast asleep. A horse is tied to a nearby tree; it gently lapped at the water. A brown sack is sprawled by your feet. It contains the supplies you picked up from the palace. You had set it down just a moment ago, having just decided that you need a rest. You suppose you can pick it up again if you need to get on with your journey. You had left at half past midnight the night before. You are certainly weary now, having travelled by foot for till noon today. Riding a horse would cause a huge ruckus that would most definitely have alarmed the guards!" A person can be asleep or awake. A person can be woken. A man called Nameless Man is a person in Path. Nameless Man is asleep. The description is "A sleeping man with long, white hair and beard. He is carrying a sword his sleeping hands (crazy, huh?). While he is most likely a senile old geezer, he may be a formidable fighter. Better not take your chances waking him up!" The sword is in Path. The description is "A silver sword used in many battles. Faint blood stains from who knows how long ago are visible. It is held quite firmly in the man's hands." Understand "take [something]" as taking. After taking the sword : say "You reach for the shimmering blade. Steady, steady. Then you make a grab for it, struggling to wrestle it out of the unconscious man's hand. He wakes up! You stumble backward, letting go of the sword. The man doesn't let you go easily, however. With one swift motion, he lunges forward and raises his sword mercilessly." Screaming is an action applying to nothing. Understand "scream" as screaming. Yelling is an action applying to nothing. Understand "yell" as yelling. Shouting is an action applying to nothing. Understand "shout" as shouting. Understand "scream" as screaming. Understand "yell" as yelling. Understand "shout" as shouting. After screaming, shouting, or yelling : say "The man wakes up with a start at the sudden, shrill noise. He looks at you with a frown. 'What'd you have to do that for?' He shouts angrily. You jump back a few metres as he draws his sword menacingly." Understand "wake up" as waking. After waking Nameless Man : say "The man wakes up with a start. He scowls at you disapprovingly. 'Thanks for waking me up,' he shouts angrily. 'My dream was just getting to the good part!' You jump back a few metres as he draws his sword menacingly." Understand "ask about [something]" as asking. After asking Nameless Man about "sword" : say "'How shameless. You want my sword? Here. I'll make sure you get it.'The man smiles manically, raising his sword. Then, he brought it down on your skull." After asking Nameless Man about "horse": say "'Good grief! Are you insane? You're not taking my horse!" Use the serial comma. The sack is an object in Path. It contains an apple, a blanket, some coins, a pocket knife, and some bread. "A rather battered leather sack containing things you need for your journey.You also see a bottle laying beside it." The apple is in the sack. It is edible. "A salubrious red apple. Though it looks pure and flawless, it seems quite sour to the taste. (Perfect apples in one shade of red tend always to be sour!)" The bread is in the sack. It is edible. "Baked by the finest bakers in the palace, it is more than meets the eye!" The blanket is in the sack. It is wearable. "A beautiful silk blanket used almost exclusively by royalty. It is very aesthetically pleasing to look at, but you don't think it'll give you much warmth." The jug is an object in Path. It is a closed openable container. The water is in the jug. It is edible."A brown clay jug full of water. It is rather simple. Not much to look at.Some clear water that you can drink. Use this supply sparingly -- it might be difficult to find more clean water!" Include Rideable Vehicles by Graham Nelson. The horse is in Path. It is a rideable animal. "A sturdy brown mare tied to a tree.. It has a disheveled mane, and beneath short hair there lies quite a number of battle scars. A leather saddle is strapped on its back; a leash ties its neck to the tree. It is now lapping water thirstily, unaware of your presence. " The horse is wearing a saddle. The knife is in the sack. "A very useful tool that may definitely come in handy! Be careful what you use it for, however." Understand "show" as showing. Showing is an action applying to one thing. After showing coins to Nameless Man : say "The man stares with utter awe, as if he had never seen those shiny, golden coins before. 'Coins, young'un? I'll tell you what, if you hand all of them over, I'll give you my horse." Understand "give" as giving. Giving is an action applying to one thing. After giving coins to Nameless Man : remove the coins from play; say "The man grins, receiving your offer happily. He sliced the leash (tying the horse to the tree) with his silver sword.'Take it, lad. I sure do hope you know how to ride one of 'em.'" The leash is an object in Path. It is wearable. The description is "A long, brown leash that secures the horse firmly to the tree. A series of intricate knots (most likely woven by the man) was present at either end. With one glance at them, you lose any hope you had before of untying the horse from the tree. Now to get your hands on that horse... your weary feet are already starting to blister!" The horse can be calm or panicking. Understand "approach" as approaching. Approaching is an action applying to one thing. After approaching horse : say "You approach the horse, but it lets out sharp whinnies. You jump back a few steps, but it is clearly panicking: its wild gaze darts around and fixates on your head; its front hooves kick up dirt, simulating a sandstorm; its tail thrashes about from side to side. Yikes! The man can wake up at any time now! You should -- MUST -- figure out a way to calm this frenzied beast down!!" Understand "give" as dropping. After dropping the apple : say "As you approach, the horse runs amuck! You're deathly afraid of nearing it for it might give you a hard kick in the face. But nevertheless you manage to drop the apple. As the horse begins eating it warily, it became calm and tame." Understand "cut [something]" as cutting. After cutting the leash : say "The horse hardly glances up at you as you creep closer and closer. With superb speed (you hope so, at least), you cut off the leash with your pocket knife. The horse glances up sharply, but before it had a chances to react, you already leap onto the saddle. The horse is yours. And the man is still sound asleep! There's no time to gloat though. You pick up your sack as you head towards the crossroads." Chapter 3 [Author: Olga Tsyruk] [The Belly of the Whale] Understand "take [something]" as taking. After taking the horse : say "Thebes is a long way ahead and riding a horse all the way doesn't seem like an option. You need to put your belongings somewhere and sleep on something. You consider visiting a market." Market is east of path. "Whoaa! This market is full of people, you can't walk in with the horse. You see a thick post near a gate." The post is an enterable supporter in the market. The description is "This post is perfect for tethering your horse." Understand "tether" as standing. Standing is an action applying to one thing. After standing the horse on the post : say "Now you are free to go visit the market. Think about what you will need for your trip. You see a wallet on the ground." A wallet is an object in the market. It is a closed openable container. Money are in the wallet.The description is "A few coins will do for a small chariot." Old lady is a woman. The description is "This woman looks little strange. Is she selling anything?Why is she here?" Understand "ask about [something]" as asking. After asking old lady about "selling" : say "'I have something for you, something you will need in your trip. If you guess this right, I will let you see what I have. What is in between you?" Understand "o" as answering. Answering is an action applying to nothing. After answering : say "That is right my dear, look at this small chariot that I have, it will come in handy to you." Understand "give [something]" as giving. After giving money to old lady : remove wallet from play; say "The chariot is yours now." The chariot is in the market. "It is yours now." Understand "take [something]" as taking. After taking chariot : say "It's time to get the horse now, and leave the market, the sooner you leave, the faster you'll get to Thebes without darkness." After taking horse: say "You look at the map you and see you need to head northwest to Dalvia." [The Road of Trials] Davlia is northwest of market. "You see three roads crossing each other here. Also there you see another chariot. The stranger doesn't seem to be willing to cede your right of way. " Stranger is a man in Davlia. The description is "The stranger is looking at you with a bad eye. Should you talk to him or start a fight?" Understand "ask about [something]" as asking. After asking stranger about "ceding" : say "'I came here first, it's my land, I should cross first!'" Understand "fight" as fighting. Fighting is an action applying to one thing. After fighting stranger : say "You killed him. Seems like no one else is here. It's better to observe his chariot before leaving, maybe he has something useful." The stranger's chariot is in davlia. It is a closed openable container. The description is "You see a clean shirt, and a piece of meat, exactly what you need, you've been starving all day." The shirt is in stranger's chariot. It is wearable. The meat is in stranger's chariot. It is edible. After eating meat : say "You feel better, but wait you see someone. It's a slave who fled from a caravan of slaves traveling on the road. Did he see the murder? That question stays in your head unanswered. Better to leave now." Chapter 4 [Author: Pardis Balari] [The Road of Trials] The road is west of Davlia. "This road leads to Thebes. It shouldn't be long till you reach your destination. Hopefully, you wouldn't be facing anymore problems... You're now just 5 minutes away from Thebes. All of a sudden, an odd creature steps onto the road and blocks your path." Thebes is west of the road. Sun is an object in the road. It is lit. It is fixed in place. The description is "The Sun is beating down on you with such a force that is making it hard for you to think." The snake is an object in the road. It is fixed in place. The description is "You can see a snake a few feet away from you. It is moving very fast and keeps on disappearing beneath the sand and emerging again every few seconds." The coin is an object in the road. The description is "A coin is lying in front of your feet. It might become useful in the future." The Sphinx is a a person in the road. It is fixed in place. A person is either answered or unanswered. A person is usually unanswered. The description is "Although you've never seen a creature like this, you know what it is; a Sphinx. It has the body of a lion, the head of a woman and the wings of a great bird. You've heard that this Sphinx has been causing trouble to travelers from and to Thebes.This merciless creature asks a riddle, and if you don't answer it correctly...well you'll suffer a very painful death, as you will be killed and eaten by it. So if you want to continue your journey, you better ask about the riddle, listen to it very carefully and then answer." Understand "odd creature" as Sphinx. After asking the Sphinx about "the riddle": now the command prompt is "What walks on four legs in the morning, two at noon, and three in the evening? > ". To decide whether collecting answers: if the command prompt is "What walks on four legs in the morning, two at noon, and three in the evening? > ", yes; no. After reading a command when collecting answers: if the player's command matches "[human]": say "You're right! A human being crawls as an infant, walks erect as an adult and leans on a staff in old age.The Sphinx kills herself in front of your eyes by throwing herself into the sea! No one has ever been able to answer the riddle and the Sphinx was so shocked that she killed herself! In other words, Thebes is now free from this creature! Head west to Jocasta."; now the sphinx is answered; now the command prompt is ">"; reject the player's command; otherwise: say "The Sphinx grins and says, 'You're wrong.' It starts to dawn on you. In just the span of a few seconds, you're gone... ---------------YOU ARE DEAD--------------- You have one more chance."; reject the player's command. Understand "man" or "men" or "person" or "people" or "human" or "humans" as "[human]". Instead of going west: if the player is in the road: if the sphinx is unanswered: say " 'You will have to first answer my riddle,' says the Sphinx. "; otherwise: continue the action; otherwise: continue the action. Chapter 5 [Author: Sophia Tao] Front room is west of Thebes. "An elegant room that is still sturdy despite age. It is home to Jocasta, wife of the recently deceased Laius. A doorway leads to the east, out of Jocasta's room." Jocasta is a woman in Front room. She is wearing a mantle. "She is Jocasta, the queen of Thebes. Dressed in a fancy silk gown, she looks younger than she is. She was examining a pearl necklace, but looks up as you walk in. 'Good morning,' she said smoothly. 'And thank you, brave man, for defeating the Sfinx.'" The pearl necklace is in Front room. "A beautiful necklace made from genuine sea pearls. It belongs to Jocasta; she is now running her fingers delicately over the pale pearls." Instead of taking the pearl necklace: say "What are you doing? It belongs to Jocasta! Stealing something so precious from her would probably harm your relationship!" After asking Jocasta about "marriage": say "Smiling ever so slightly, Jocasta walks towards you and takes your hand. 'I did promise you, I suppose,' she said. 'All right. I shall prepare for the marriage. In the mean time, can you alert the guard outside (who will then forward the message to all the servants)?'" Hallway is east of Front room. "A hallway of a gentle gray colour. Tall supporting arcs give it a grand and majestic touch. A guard in armor stands here, a spear extending from head to hand to ground. He stares at you as you approach, his expression unreadable. The hallway extends to the north and south, but you are wary of losing your way -- the palace is large!" The guard is a man in Hallway. He is carrying a spear.The description is "Of course a guard is necessary here -- it's the queen's room! He doesn't appear very friendly, however. You should be cautious!" Instead of going north: say "The guard steps in front of you, blocking your way. 'Where do you think you are going, stranger? Laius's palace is no place to be wandering about.'" Instead of going south: say "The guard steps in front of you, blocking your way. 'Where do you think you are going, stranger? Laius's palace is no place to be wandering about.'" After telling the guard about "message": remove the guard from play; say "You tell the guard that you are engaged to Jocasta. You command him to inform the servants to prepare for the ceremony. Immediately, the guard fell on his knees, bowing humbly to his future king. Then, he left at once."; Dining area is north of hallway. "This must be where the people of the palace dine, for there is a long table lined with countless chairs. At one end, there sits a chair grander than the rest -- perhaps a throne. The dining room is now empty in the present early afternoon hour, but a few servants are cleaning the tables. One of them, a short old woman, is looking at you through narrowed eyes." The dining table is in Dining area. It is fixed in place. "An elongated, rectangular table that can sit many. It is covered with embroidered tablecloth and is made out of cedar or oak (you're not sure since you're not familiar with wood. You doubt it matters, however)." The chair is in Dining area. It is fixed in place. "A soft, cushioned chair that match the table perfectly with an elaborately embroidered cover. It looks tempting to sit on since your body is still sore from the journey." Instead of taking the dining table: say "You're not Hercules, silly. You're Oedipus." Instead of taking the chair: say "You're not Hercules, silly. You're Oedipus." Servant is a woman in Dining area. "A silver-haired woman wipes the table from crumbs spilt during lunch. She looks at you sternly, as if wondering why an unkempt adventurer covered in mud is in the room where royalty ate." After telling Servant about "marriage": remove Servant from play; say "The maid bowed low to the ground, her hair sweeping the recently cleaned floor. 'My king,' she says. 'Forgive me for my rudeness!' At that precise moment, the guard walks in. 'Your highness,' he bows. Then, he turns to the servant. 'I'm here to tell you to prepare for the wedding of Jocasta and Oedipus! Go spread the word.' The servant nodds sheepishly. 'You should go south, my king,' she mumbles. 'There is a room prepared especially for important visitors. And you are just that. The guard there likes hearing stories about balloons.' With that, she walks briskly away."; After telling Servant about "Jocasta": remove Servant from play; say "The maid bowed low to the ground, her hair sweeping the recently cleaned floor. 'My king,' she says. 'Forgive me for my rudeness!' At that precise moment, the guard walks in. 'Your highness,' he bows. Then, he turns to the servant. 'I'm here to tell you to prepare for the wedding of Jocasta and Oedipus! Go spread the word.' The servant nodds sheepishly. 'You should go south, my king,' she mumbles. 'There is a room prepared especially for important visitors. And you are just that. The guard there likes hearing stories about balloons.' With that, she walks briskly away."; After telling Servant about "message": remove Servant from play; say "The maid bowed low to the ground, her hair sweeping the recently cleaned floor. 'My king,' she says. 'Forgive me for my rudeness!' At that precise moment, the guard walks in. 'Your highness,' he bows. Then, he turns to the servant. 'I'm here to tell you to prepare for the wedding of Jocasta and Oedipus! Go spread the word.' The servant nodds sheepishly. 'You should go south, my king,' she mumbles. 'There is a room prepared especially for important visitors. And you are just that. The guard there likes hearing stories about balloons.' With that, she walks briskly away."; Anteroom is east of Dining area. "You continue south. The hall stretches on forever! You've grown very tired indeed of looking at those grey walls. This is anteroom. After what seems like a dozen miles (and passing a dozen locked rooms), you reach the end. You spot an open door leading south, but there is yet another guard there!" The other guard is a man in the Anteroom. "Another guard, more shiny and more armoured and more manly and more spear-y than the first. He looks at you more, his expression more unreadable. He seems less necessary and less friendly, so you should be more cautious." Instead of going south: say "The guard steps in front of you morely, blocking your way more than the first guard did. His mannerism was also more rude and sarcastic: 'Where the Underworld do you THINK you are GOING, oh omnipotent Zeus? Laius's palace is no place for a dirty little beggar like you.'" After telling the other guard about "balloons": remove the other guard from play; say "The guard relaxed visibly, his lips curving upwards to form a childlike smile. 'Balloons!' he squealed. 'I'm going to go buy myself a balloon!' He ran off, apparently inspired by your little story."; After telling the other guard about "balloon": remove the other guard from play; say "The guard relaxed visibly, his lips curving upwards to form a childlike smile. 'Balloons!' he squealed. 'I'm going to go buy myself a balloon!' He ran off, apparently inspired by your little story."; change the description of Anteroom to "A ridiculously long hall that takes an eternity to get to the other side."; Your Room is south of Anteroom. "A quiet room with a regal interior. In the center, there is a blue bed decorated with gold. A desk sits to the right, and a rug with intricate designs lies at the leg of the desk." The bed is in Your Room. It is fixed in place. "A bed a shade of royal blue with swirling gold patterns. It looks extremely comfortable. A pillow is at the far end of the bed. It also looks extremely comfortable." The rug is in Your Room. It is fixed in place. "This rug has pictures of what appears to be a horse. How interesting." The desk is in Your Room. It is fixed in place. "A wooden desk is by the bed. The carvings appear to be sophisticated -- it must have been expensive to purchase. An oil lamp is on the desk, along with a note." The lamp is on the desk. "A fancy oil lamp. There is no oil in it, however. It must be there for decoration's sake." The note is on the desk. "A piece of parchment with very beautiful handwriting. It wouldn't do any harm to read it, would it? Though it might not be for you." After examining the note: now the player is sleepy; say "You unfold the note, admiring the sophisticated cursive: 'To my dear future husband and king: I hope you find this room pleasurable. You should stay get a good night's sleep -- you have been travelling for a long time! Go! Bathe yourself and rest well. We have an important day ahead of us tomorrow. Jocasta'"; Understand "bathe" as bathing. Bathing is an action applying to one thing. A person can be refreshed or sleepy. Understand "sleep" as sleeping. After bathing yourself: say "You wash yourself and put on clean clothing. That feels refreshing! Now, you feel like plopping onto your bed and falling asleep. The effects of a good bath is evident." After going north: say "You're too tired! Perhaps you should sleep first."; After sleeping: now the player is refreshed; say "You fall asleep on the bed in an instant even though the pillow feels rougher than it should be, as if an object were hiding under it. You wake up the next day, still drowsy. It's likely midday by now."; The pillow is on the bed. "A fluffy pillow that begs you to lay your head on it. Looking firmly at the pillow, you say, 'No.'" [^Woman as the temptress] Instead of taking the bed: say "You're not Hercules, silly. You're Oedipus." Instead of taking the desk: say "You're not Hercules, silly. You're Oedipus." Instead of taking the lamp: say "You're not thinking of dragging that lamp with you around the palace, are you? Imagine how ridiculous you'd look!!" Instead of taking the rug: say "You're not thinking of dragging that rug with you around the palace, are you? Imagine how ridiculous you'd look!!" Instead of taking the pillow: say "You're not thinking of dragging that pillow with you around the palace, are you? Imagine how ridiculous you'd look!!" After looking under the the bed: say "You find nothing but dust." After looking under the the desk: say "You find nothing but dust." After looking under the the rug: say "You find nothing but dust." After looking under the the lamp: say "You doubt anything can hide under a lamp, but you look anyway. As you predicted, there's nothing but dust." After looking under the pillow: say "You find a key. Weird. What would it be doing under the pillow?"; The key is in your room. "A shimmering gold key embellished with several jewels. You wonder what it's for. It wouldn't be wrong to take it, would it?" After going north: say "You feel so much better after a good night's rest. Perhaps you should ask Jocasta and see what's planned for the day!"; After asking Jocasta about "plans": say "Ah, here you are! We'll walk to the church where the ceremony will take place. Come along now, and don't forget to change into your suit! The castle is south.You'll be the new king soon." Chapter 6 [Author: Olga Tsyruk] [Atonement with father] The castle is south of your room. "Many years after your marriage with Jocasta, a plague of infertility struck the city of Thebes; crops no longer grew on the fields and women did not bear children. You, in your arrogance, assert that you would end the pestilence. You see Creon talking to Jocasta." Creon is a man in a castle. "I am Jocasta's brother and I am very concerned about your kingdom with this plague. Maybe you should see an Oracle for guidance." After asking Creon about "oracle" : say "Okay, do you want me to visit Delphi and ask the Oracle myself?" Understand "yes" as saying yes. After saying yes : say "Wait for me in the castle, I shall return back with news for you as soon as possible!" Every turn: if Jocasta is not visible begin; move Jocasta to the bedroom; now Jocasta is in the bedroom; end if. The bedroom is west of castle. "Jocasta is standing hereby the window she seems concerened. Maybe a bit of tenderness with soothe her down." Understand "kiss [someone]" as kissing. After kissing Jocasta : say "You see a smile on her face. Then she leaves to visit the children. You wait day followed by another, wondering where Creon is. Maybe he was already murdered on his way, or did someone capture him and put him to jail, or even worse capital punishment...You feel like you should take an action now, but one of your maidservants suggests you don't take risks and wait few more days. The next day you realize, she was right, here is Creon is back , it's better if you ask him about his trip quickly and without any unwanted ears around." After asking Creon about "trip" : say "Listen Oedipus the Oracle told me that the murderer of the former King Laius must be found and either be killed or exiled. I also suggested we should try to find the blind prophet, Tiresias." Tiresias is a man in the castle. After asking Tiresias about "killer" : say "I don't think you need to know who the killer is. It is someone that you really don't wish to find, do you?" Understand "yes" as saying yes. After saying yes : say "'You old man, have no foresight!!! Or maybe you're hiding the truth because you are the killer yourself? ', you say. Tiresias relies, 'The truth is that you were the one that killed the King Laius, as he is your biological father, you are living in a shame because you don't know who your real parents are.Are you mad now aren't you?what are you going to say to me?'" After telling Tiresias about "anger" : remove Tiresias from play; say "None of your words are true, you should be punished for your conspiracy, but with who?Creon? get out of my castle if you want to stay alive." After asking Creon about "Tiresias" : say "'I blame you Creon for the false accusations!' You have a long argument, and eventually get really tired, maybe the best thing to do is to find Jocasta and ask her, Creon is her brother anyhow. The living room is south. " The living room is south of the bedroom. "Jocasta is worried, perhaps she has something to say to you." After asking Jocasta about "Creon", say "Oedipus, calm down honey. I have a story to tell you. King Laius consulted the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi before my first son was born. The Oracle prophesied that any son born to Laius would kill him. In an attempt to prevent this prophecy's fulfillment, when I gave birth to my first son, Laius had his ankles pinned together so that he could not crawl. Then I gave the boy to one of my servants to abandon on the nearby mountain Jocasta then gave the boy to a servant to abandon on the nearby mountain. I am sure now he is dead. You become nervous, and realize you might have been the one that killed King Laius and so brought about the plague. But wait, servant's voice is heard from downstairs, a messanger has came and needs to talk to you, maybe they brought some news. The front foyer is east." The front foyer is east of the living room. "You see the messenger standing here. You are very curious, what are the news?" The messenger is a man in the front foyer. The description is "This tall man surely came with some bad news, you are scared to ask." Understand "ask about [something]" as asking. After asking messenger about "news" : remove messenger from play; say "'Dear King Oedipus', he says, 'I am sorry to dissapoint you, but you father King Polybus is dead.' With that he turns around and leaves. But you don't feel sad, you feel a sense of relief concerning the prophecy for it could no longer be fulfilled if your father is now dead. Jocasta looks over at you with eyes full of empathy and says, 'You should attend your father's funeral.' But with your mother still present, you know that that wouldn't be a wise choice. You're still worried about the prophecy. The messenger seems like he has something to say. Why don't you ask him about the rest of the news?" Chapter 7 [Author: Pardis Balari] [ ] Every turn: if Jocasta is not visible begin; move Jocasta to the front foyer; now Jocasta is in the front foyer; end if. After asking the messenger about "the rest of the news": remove messenger from play; say " 'I believe that you should know something else as well, King Oedipus,' the messenger says. 'The truth is that you were adopted by the king and queen of Cornith.' You're speechless, and a look at Jocasta proves that she is just as stunned as you. But what really surprises you is that all of a sudden tears start streaming down her face. Jocasta asks you to follow her to the hall. The hall is northwest." Hall is northwest of front foyer. "This hall, just like the rest of the palace, is decorated with fancy furniture. A painting of you, Jocasta and your children is hung on the wall. An elegant rug is beneath your feet. Jocasta is still crying. Try asking her about the problem." The painting is an object in hall. It is fixed in place. The description is "This is a painting of you, Jocasta, your two sons (Eteocles and Polynices), and your two daughters (Antigone and Ismene). It was painted a year ago, by a famous painter who was travelling around the country." Instead of taking the painting: say "Wouldn't be very useful, now would it?" The sofa is an enterable supporter in hall. The description is "This beautiful couch is one of the most comfortable sits in this palace, but it is best suited for when you're tired. " After asking Jocasta about "the problem": say " 'Oedipus, please, stop searching for Laius' murderer.' She begs you. This day seems to be holding endless surprises for you... You don't know how to respond, but a thought is formed in the back of your mind: is Jocasta ashamed of you, because of the possibility that you might've been born of a slave? Rage starts flooding through your body. You decide to return to your room (southeast)." Your bedroom is south of hall. "This has been you and Jocasta's room ever since your marriage. A large window is completely covering one of the walls. There is also another painting in this room, this time only of you and Jocasta. You can also see your luxurious bed here." The image is an object in your bedroom. It is fixed in place. The description is "This painting is older than the one in the hall. It is of you and Jocasta. She is wearing a blue gown and looks very beautiful and younge." Instead of taking the image: say "Wouldn't be very useful, now would it?" The glass window is an object in your bedroom. It is fixed in place. The description is "This window has a view of your kingdom, Thebes." Your bed is an enterable supporter in your bedroom. It is fixed in place. The description is "Your bed is looking extremely comfortable tonight. You could use some rest considering it is past midnight. Today has been a very difficult day..." Understand "sleep" as sleeping. After sleeping : say "You feel much better now. But you have been woken up by your servant and as it seems like, he has some not-very-good news. 'What is the matter?' You ask. 'The maids have just found Queen Jocasta and I am extremely sorry to have to announce this to you, but...She has hanged herself.' " Chapter 8 [by Sophia Tao] [The Ultimate Boon??] Servants is a man in the hall. Understand "ask about [something]" as asking. After asking servants about "Jocasta" : say "The servant looks at his feet, deliberately stalling time. 'I-I don't know, my king. At the time of her death, she must've been crying. Her eyes are swollen, and her face locked in an expression of resignation. I don't know what happened. I really don't!' You dismiss the servant. Whatever happened yesterday, you don't want to think about it anymore. You should look for Laius's murder. But suddenly, you feel sick and drop to your knees. The realization came as not as a shock but as an overwhelming load of sadness and guilt. The oracle told the truth. He did. That man you killed on your journey to Thebes -- is he Laius? Jocasta had mentioned him dying at a fork. You cover your head with your palms. How could you not have seen the connection earlier? You're the murder. You get up suddenly. You decide to look for the herdsman to confirm your suspicions. No use doing anything before bringing the matter to a close. Maybe you should head north towards the hills, where the grass is rich for the livestock." Understand "ask about [something]" as asking. After asking servants about "hanging" : say "The servant looks at his feet, deliberately stalling time. 'I-I don't know, my king. At the time of her death, she must've been crying. Her eyes are swollen, and her face locked in an expression of resignation. I don't know what happened. I really don't!' You dismiss the servant. Whatever happened yesterday, you don't want to think about it anymore. You should look for Laius's murder. But suddenly, you feel sick and drop to your knees. The realization came as not as a shock but as an overwhelming load of sadness and guilt. The oracle told the truth. He did. That man you killed on your journey to Thebes -- is he Laius? Jocasta had mentioned him dying at a fork. You cover your head with your palms. How could you not have seen the connection earlier? You're the murder. You get up suddenly. You decide to look for the herdsman to confirm your suspicions. No use doing anything before bringing the matter to a close. Maybe you should head north towards the hills, where the grass is rich for the livestock." Hills is north of the front foyer. "A series of rolling hills with the greenest pastures you've ever seen. An old man sits on the tallest hill, watching the skies." Herdsman is in Hills. "An apparently senile old man wearing a dirty, bedraggled shirt. He doesn't look at you as you approach and instead kept his eyes facing skyward. You wonder for a fleeting moment if he is too busy to bother, but then again, there's plenty of years left to admire the drifting clouds." After asking Herdsman about "Laius": say "It took many an attempt before the herdsman finally turns towards you. 'Was I adopted?' You demand. 'I was abandoned by Laius and Jocasta, wasn't I?' The herdsman looks you over, as if pondering how to begin. Then, he turns to face the sky again. 'Many years ago, in the exact spot I occupy, lay a three day old infant. He was offered to Hades by none other than Laius himself. I watched while he set him down on the tallest hill. Then, he left, leaving him helpless under the silent stars. That infant was you, Oedipus. 'It was I who picked you up once Laius was out of sight. Your eyes were peacefully closed and you never uttered a single cry. I proceeded to give you to the Corinthian king and queen to raise.' It becomes silent then, and you ask no more questions. You had tried to escape your fate, but you didn't. You couldn't. Fate is like a shadow -- you can run from it, but it will always catch up to you, stick to you; you can hide from it in darkness, but it will never die. Nobody can escape fate. You want to leave, go somewhere, Jocasta's room is west." Chapter 9 [Author: Olga Tsyruk] [Rescue from without] Jocasta's room is west of the Hills. The description is "You enter here, and everything around makes you feel miserable and gives you pain. You ask yourself, 'What is the point of life now?' Ahhh, what a shame, now how do you explain everything to your children?The closet is right in front of you." The closet is an object in the Jocasta's room. It is a closed openable container. Gown is in the closet. Brooch is in the closet. The description is "It's full of Jocasta's beautiful dresses, jewellery and that gown..the one she has been found murdered with. The golden brooch causes your attention." Understand "get" as getting. Getting is an action applying to one thing. After getting the brooch : say "This brooch was her favorite. It's sharp pin is leaping out. You see many things with your eyes, it bothers you, all you want is to see darkness and escape this aweful feeling." The player carries eyes. Eyes is wearable. Understand "stab [something]" as stabbing. Stabbing is an action applying to one thing. Instead of stabbing eyes : say "What about your children, they should be aware of what's happening, find someone to rule the kingdom and say goodbye before leaving. Maybe they are having a dinner in the dining room(south) or perhaps somebody has already told them. News spread very fast." Understand "go" as going. Before going south : say "(it's a good idea to leave the brooch here, so no one will find out what your intension was.)" Understand "drop [something]" as dropping. After dropping brooch : move the player to the dining room; Dining room is south of Jocasta's room. The description is "Oh no, nobody is here, but you notice Marry, the housemaid behind the sideboard." The housemaid is a woman in the dining room. "Anything wrong King Oedipus? How can I help you?"Understand "Marry" as servant. Understand "ask about [something]" as asking. After asking housemaid about "children" : say "Oh, they were looking for you all over, you were recently gone from the castle, weren't you? I think they've heard the tragic news. Try looking for them in the garden(north of Jocasta's room)." Garden is north of Jocasta's room. "Not a single soul here. Where could they go?" Paper is an object in the garden. The description is "A map, drawn by Eteocles. It begins from the castle, five places are marked down: the shed(southeast of Jocasta's room), the market, the river, the forest(southwest of Jocasta's room), and Oedipus(northwest of Jocasta's room)??? You are confused, why would your son expect to find you at that location.What is the puzzle? " Oedipus is northwest of Jocasta's room. "After your long trip to your destination your legs feel sore, you are about to sit down when you realize this is it, you came to the destinastion 'Oedipus'. Better to look around but you feel so tired, your eyes are closing, ground seems the only thing you can rest on." The ground is an enterable supporter in Oedipus. The description is "Not so comfy, but will do for a couple of hours." A person can be sleepy or refreshed. Understand "lay on [something]" as laying on. Laying on is an action applying to one thing. After laying on ground : now the player is refreshed; say "You feel refreshed now, but no signs of Eteocles." The shed is southeast of Jocasta's room. "It's just a shed, you only see hay on the ground, it's ceiling is getting lower as you walk to the other side. " Hay is in the shed. It is fixed in place. "So much comfy hay." Understand "take [something]" as taking. Instead of taking the hay: say "Why would you need that, don't waste time, it's better to look for your children." The forest is southwest of Jocasta's room. "Oh this is very dense, a lot of differents trees pines, maples, oaks block your view, how can you find them here?" Eteocles is a man in the forest. Understand "call [someone]" as calling. Calling is an action applying to one thing. After calling Eteocles : say "'Dad?Is that you?', The voice come from far east, you can barely hear a thing, maybe it's not your son, but you have nothing to lose. You move toward the voice, and here you see all four of them, Eteocles, Polynices, Antigone and Ismene. How did they find this place without the lost map?" Polynices is a man in the forest. Antigone is a woman in the forest. Every turn: if Antigone is not visible begin; move Antigone to the location of the player; say ""; end if. Ismene is a woman in the forest. Understand "ask about [something]" as asking. After asking Eteocles about "map": say "'Dear father, we have been seeking for you, our mother is dead, and we want to know what has happened, did you hide anything from us?' This is what you hoped to avoid, but seems like it's imposible now. You don't want to get too deep into the prophency and simply say, 'Your mother has been very dissapointed after finding out who the person that killed her first husband, King Laius is. She has hanged herself, without telling me who brought the plague into our kingdom. I will be leaving shortly for the search of that person and I want two of you, my dear sons, Eteocles and Polynices to take the kingdom under control during my absence'. 'Of course father', says Eteocles. You say goodbye to them." [Crossing of the return threshold] Understand "stab eyes with brooch" as dropping. After dropping eyes : say "Oh no, the pain is killing, what did you do? You can't see, but your heart is still beating. You hear light foorsteps, should be a woman, but who is it?" Understand "ask" as asking. After asking a woman about "who is it" : say "Father it's me, Antigone, but what have you done, oh nooooo. You have been exiled from the castle, but you cannot leave alone. Father why did they do that?What have you done? We have to leave to the country(northwest) together." [Master of two worlds] Country is northeast of Jocasta's room. "Your daughter Antigone acts as your guide as you wander blindly through the country, finally perishing at Colonus which is a deme about 1 km to the northwest of Athens. After being placed under the protection of the city by King Theseus who was the founder-king of Athens. Meanwhile your two sons, Eteocles and Polynices, arranged to share the kingdom, each taking an alternating one-year reign. However, Eteocles decided to get the throne only for himself. Polynices brought in an army to oust Eteocles from his position and a battle ensued. At the end of the battle the brothers killed each other. In the end Jocasta's brother, Creon, takes the throne. He decided that Polynices was an apostate and should not be burried. Antigone tried to bury her brother, but Creon found out and had her buried in a rock cavern for defying him whereupon she hanged herself."