The Haunted Library

{ The crumbling Victorian stonework of the library looms over you. The building looks peaceful, but anything could be taking place behind those dark windows. There's a cry from somewhere, a mournful howl, but it's just a police siren echoing off the buildings and almost certainly not an urban banshee foretelling your imminent demise, oh no. (if: visits is 1) [ You are an Acolyte in Her Majesty's Office of the Witchfinder General. Hardknott-Lewis, the Lord High Witchfinder of All Wales, has instructed you to investigate troubling reports of ghostly activity within the library and to remove any and all threats to the public. There have been reports of a misty, wraith-like figure attacking the readers, and the building has been closed until you give it the all-clear. ] In front of you, you can see an imposing set of wooden doors that you could [[try opening->entrance]]. All around you, the streets of Cardiff thrum with activity. You could also give up and go [[back to base->backToBase]]. } (set: $thl_backAtBase to false)

{ (if: $thl_inLibrary is false) [ (set: $thl_inventory to $thl_inventory - (a: "a rusty old key")) (set: $thl_inventoryLocation to $thl_inventoryLocation - (a: "libraryKey")) (set: $thl_inLibrary to true) The arched wooden doorway is locked, but of course you've been given that rusty old key. The lock is stiff, but it opens with a //clunk// after you apply a bit of force. Unfortunately, the key gets stuck in the lock and you can't pull it out again. Still, doesn't matter now, you're inside. You step into the library. It is dark. There must be lights, right? Hard to read in the dark. You take three steps forward - and the door slams shut behind you. Must be the wind. The odd thing is, the lock has engaged again, and now you can't open the door at all. Through the coloured, frosted glass you can see, distorted, the buildings of the street outside. Great. Didn't you just know that was going to happen? ] (else:) [ (if: $thl_torchLit is false) [ You stand in the darkness of the library. ] ] You can feel cold air on your face coming from somewhere. There's also a moaning sound - the ventilation system maybe? Yeah, that'll be it. (if: $thl_calledOut is false) [ You can [[call out ->callOut]] to announce your presence to all the ghosts if you feel like it. ] (if: $thl_torchLit is false) [ (if: $thl_triedLights is false) [ You could maybe [[feel around for the light switch->lightSwitch]]. ] (else:) [ Perhaps you could use the light on [[your phone->phone]] to see what you're doing? ] ] }

{ Hardknott-Lewis, the Lord High Witchfinder, descends from his eerie eyrie in the Black Tower of Cardiff Castle to meet you when you return. He narrows his eyes in disapproval - a look that you have learned to dread. "The thaumometer at the library is clearly still showing readings of unnatural activity," he says. "Is there a reason you have returned? The readers of Cardiff are depending on us." You make some excuse about needing to pick up more equipment and [[head back->start]] to the haunted library. } (set: $thl_backAtBase to true)

{ (if:(passage:)'s name is not in $thl_noInventoryLocations) [ Your health is: [(text-colour:blue)[(print: ($thl_health))[%]]] You are carrying: (if: $thl_inventory's length > 0) [ (for: each _index, ...(range: 1, $thl_inventory's length)) [ (set: _item to (lowercase: $thl_inventory's (_index))) (set: _location to $thl_inventoryLocation's (_index)) (link-goto: _item, _location)(if: _index < $thl_inventory's length)[(print: ", ")](else:)[(print: ".")] ] ] ] }

(set: $thl_health to 100) (set: $thl_inventory to (a:)) (set: $thl_inventoryLocation to (a:)) (set: $thl_noInventoryLocations to (a:)) (set: $thl_inventory to $thl_inventory + (a: "Your Office phone")) (set: $thl_inventoryLocation to $thl_inventoryLocation + (a: "phone")) (set: $thl_inventory to $thl_inventory + (a: "a rusty old key")) (set: $thl_inventoryLocation to $thl_inventoryLocation + (a: "libraryKey")) (set: $thl_inventory to $thl_inventory + (a: "your Clothcutter blade")) (set: $thl_inventoryLocation to $thl_inventoryLocation + (a: "clothcutter")) (set: $thl_inventory to $thl_inventory + (a: "a thaumometer")) (set: $thl_inventoryLocation to $thl_inventoryLocation + (a: "thaumometer")) (set: $thl_inventory to $thl_inventory + (a: "your Office handgun")) (set: $thl_inventoryLocation to $thl_inventoryLocation + (a: "handgun")) (set: $thl_noInventoryLocations to $thl_noInventoryLocations + (a: "phone")) (set: $thl_noInventoryLocations to $thl_noInventoryLocations + (a: "libraryKey")) (set: $thl_noInventoryLocations to $thl_noInventoryLocations + (a: "clothcutter")) (set: $thl_noInventoryLocations to $thl_noInventoryLocations + (a: "handgun")) (set: $thl_noInventoryLocations to $thl_noInventoryLocations + (a: "thaumometer")) (set: $thl_bullet_silver to true) (set: $thl_bullet_standard to true) (set: $thl_bullet_holdfast to true) (set: $thl_bullet_clothcutter to true) (set: $thl_bullet_antivampire to true) (set: $thl_bullet_antidemon to true) (set: $thl_inLibrary to false) (set: $thl_torchLit to false) (set: $thl_backAtBase to false) (set: $thl_triedLights to false) (set: $thl_calledOut to false) (set: $thl_goBack to "Go back to what you were doing.") [(goto: "start")]

{ (if: $thl_inLibrary is true) [ Oddly, you have no signal inside the library. You're basically carrying an expensive torch (if: $thl_torchLit is true) [.] (else:) [ , so you switch the light on. Let's hope the battery lasts. (set: $thl_torchLit to true) ] ] (else:) [ (if: ($thl_backAtBase) is true) [ You're back at your desk, so you'd basically be phoning yourself? ] (else:) [ Your Office phone is only supposed to be used for work business. You try phoning base, but no one answers. Everyone must be on another call. ] ] (link-goto: $thl_goBack, (history:)'s last) }

{ Feeling faintly ridiculous, you call out. "Hello? Is there anyone there?" Your voice sounds very quiet in the hush of the library. You think you hear, distantly, the sound of someone or something chuckling behind you. A child's voice? Hard to be sure. (if: $thl_torchLit is true) [ You spin around, but there's nothing there. Nothing you can see by the light from your phone, anyway. ] (else:) [ You spin around, but it's too dark to see anything. ] (link-goto: $thl_goBack, (history:)'s last) } (set: $thl_calledOut to true)

{ It's a rusty old key on a key ring. The head is highly decorated and depicts an open book. Olwen gave the key to you before you left and said it would open the library. (link-goto: $thl_goBack, (history:)'s last) }

{ Your trusty clothcutter blade, handy for slicing open tears in reality to push summoned entities through the veils and back into whatever hellish dimension they came from. (link-goto: $thl_goBack, (history:)'s last) }

{ Your standard-issue Office handgun, with its six specialized rounds selectable as required: * (if: $thl_bullet_silver is true)[ Silver bullet - //good for tackling the unliving//](else:)[ ~~Silver bullet~~] * (if: $thl_bullet_standard is true)[ Standard bullet - //good for tackling, well, anything, especially anything with an anathema to iron//](else:)[ ~~Standard bullet~~] * (if: $thl_bullet_holdfast is true)[ Holdfast bullet - //temporarily holds anything it strikes in stasis//](else:)[ ~~Holdfast bullet~~] * (if: $thl_bullet_clothcutter is true)[ Clothcutter bullet - //like your clothcutter blade, opens a tear in reality. Good for summoned entities//](else:)[ ~~Clothcutter bullet~~] * (if: $thl_bullet_antivampire is true)[ Anti-vampire bullet - //ensorcelled against vampires, but can be used on anything at a pinch//](else:)[ ~~Anti-vampire bullet~~] * (if: $thl_bullet_antidemon is true)[ Anti-demon bullet - //ensorcelled against demons and devils, but can be used on anything at a pinch//](else:)[ ~~Anti-demon bullet~~] (link-goto: $thl_goBack, (history:)'s last) }

{ A device for measuring magical or other unnatural activity in the surrounding area. (if: $thl_inLibrary is true) [ You are definitely getting some strong readings from the interior of the library. //Something// is going on in there... ] (link-goto: $thl_goBack, (history:)'s last) }

{ You slide your hands across the walls until you find a bank of metal light switches. Excellent! Unfortunately, when you flick any of them, precisely nothing happens. The electricity must be out. You try several times, just to be sure, but it makes no difference. A thin, grey light is coming in through the high windows, but the inner rooms look completely dark. (link-goto: $thl_goBack, (history:)'s last) } (set: $thl_triedLights to true)