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Text Adventure Playthrough #9: Slouching Towards Bedlam

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At least we know that we’re Dr. Thomas Xavier.

>open door
>s

     
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Luhr28 - 08 April 2021 03:40 AM

I had to complete a captcha to cram all that text in - a forum first for me. Somehow I don’t think there’s a “concise mode” for this game.

Me too with Counterfeit Monkey, at least half a dozen times. Annoying.

About the game: I’m confused, what’s going on? Some terrible experiment with prisoners?

 

     

See you around, wolf. Nerissa

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Joined 2011-10-21

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Karlok - 08 April 2021 05:23 AM

About the game: I’m confused, what’s going on? Some terrible experiment with prisoners?

I’m more akin to “something about that place changes people”, and it’s our job to find out what and stop it, before we succumb too.
That would be my primary guess, based on those cylinders…

An interesting description was our own “catastrophic error” in categorizing ourselves. Are we not human? An advanced AI / steampunk robot perhaps?
We didn’t exactly get any backstory on ourselves now, did we? Smile
Maybe the whole thing is a test?

Way too soon to answer anything, but at least it’s got me thinking. Grin

     

The truth can’t hurt you, it’s just like the dark: it scares you witless but in time you see things clear and stark. - Elvis Costello
Maybe this time I can be strong, but since I know who I am, I’m probably wrong. Maybe this time I can go far, but thinking about where I’ve been ain’t helping me start. - Michael Kiwanuka

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@TimovieMan: Made me wonder as well. We’re alive, but hard to categorize, apparently, to the point of a “catastophic error”.

@Karlok: I think you’re right.The term Panopticon Plan and the description of the residents are very suggestive. In combination with all the doctors that seem to be involved..

Perhaps this place is the source of madness. Another option: some phenomenon is causing people to lose their minds - as a public safety measure, this place is used as a quarantine/research facility. Another theory: the residents may have been brought here to cover up a dark secret, some kind of covert investigation?

     
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Before we go through the door like Pegbiter suggested, can we first

> x window
> look out window

     

The truth can’t hurt you, it’s just like the dark: it scares you witless but in time you see things clear and stark. - Elvis Costello
Maybe this time I can be strong, but since I know who I am, I’m probably wrong. Maybe this time I can go far, but thinking about where I’ve been ain’t helping me start. - Michael Kiwanuka

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Joined 2017-09-18

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>x window
The open window looks down upon the courtyard and adjoining buildings far below.

>look outside
You see nothing unexpected in that direction.

>open door
You can’t see any such thing.

>s

Lobby
The walls and floor are a clinical white tile and marble. However, the dim lights set above this echoing space hiss and pop fitfully, giving the small maze of desks and workspaces within a tarnished, decaying look.

A set of solid gates lie opened and unlocked to the east and west. A small corridor runs northward and from the south, the bright light of day is visible through a set of glass doors.

Behind the most prominent desk sits a nervous young man.

Triage obediently appears.

The young man looks up and the corners of his mouth lift into a smile that is not quite strong enough to reach his eyes.

“Doctor?  Are you…”

Cold. Yes, the cold is familiar.

/(reachgrabfeel|possibility|probability)\

The echo of an echo, the reflection of words from here to the far wall of reality and back.

“...alright?  You had us all…”

/(actionpositiveaffirmative|destroyingfrictionbreakinggrowth|positiveyes)\

“...do you mean…?”

The dim light glinting off the small badge he wears - James - Assistant -

/(livinggrowthfrictionfurtherspreadingoutwardstretchingyestouchingyes)\

- Bethlehem - Hospital -

“All right then, sir.”

And then he is nodding and returning to his seat, somehow both more and less nervous.

/(yesdoneyes)\

James sighs.

>

     
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Wut???? Gasp

Are we alright?
Did I already predict we’re a robot???


> point at lights
> point at desks
> point at workspaces
> point at gates
> point at doors
> point at James
> point at badge
> talk to James

     

The truth can’t hurt you, it’s just like the dark: it scares you witless but in time you see things clear and stark. - Elvis Costello
Maybe this time I can be strong, but since I know who I am, I’m probably wrong. Maybe this time I can go far, but thinking about where I’ve been ain’t helping me start. - Michael Kiwanuka

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Joined 2017-09-18

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>point at lights
The emerald eye examines the lights returning with:

CAT:UNKNOWN/UNLI
STED.UTIL:NOT.AP
PLICABLE.PART:NO
NE.ITEM.IS.NOT.R
ECOGNIZED.BY.CUR
RENT.SYSTEM.STOR
E.REQUIRE.ADDITI
ONAL.INFORMATION

James taps his fingers nervously.

>point at desks
Triage’s beam flickers over the lobby desks, briefly, then displays:

CAT:UNKNOWN/UNLI
STED.UTIL:NOT.AP
PLICABLE.PART:NO
NE.ITEM.IS.NOT.R
ECOGNIZED.BY.CUR
RENT.SYSTEM.STOR
E.REQUIRE.ADDITI
ONAL.INFORMATION

James stares out into space for a long moment.

>point at workspaces
You can’t see any such thing.

>point at gates
The machine analyzes the gates before replying…

CAT:UNKNOWN/UNLI
STED.UTIL:NOT.AP
PLICABLE.PART:NO
NE.ITEM.IS.NOT.R
ECOGNIZED.BY.CUR
RENT.SYSTEM.STOR
E.REQUIRE.ADDITI
ONAL.INFORMATION

>point at doors
Triage’s beam flickers over the lobby doors, briefly, then displays:

CAT:UNKNOWN/UNLI
STED.UTIL:NOT.AP
PLICABLE.PART:NO
NE.ITEM.IS.NOT.R
ECOGNIZED.BY.CUR
RENT.SYSTEM.STOR
E.REQUIRE.ADDITI
ONAL.INFORMATION

James shudders suddenly, then looks at you sheepishly.

>point at James
Triage’s emerald searches James, then…

CAT:LIVING.HUMAN
MALE.UTIL:COMMUN
ICATION.POSSIBLE
BY.SPEECH.OR.WRI
TTEN.WORD.PART:I
D=JAMES.HOULIHAN
POSITION.ASSISTA
NT.AT.BETHLEHEM.

James stands and stretches his legs for a moment before resuming his seat.

>point at badge
You can’t see any such thing.

>talk to James
That’s not a verb I recognise.

>

The “>about” command gave us the commands for talking to people:

- Conversation is best handled by the following syntax:

ASK ABOUT <TOPIC>.
TELL ABOUT <TOPIC>.
, <ORDER>.

Note that it is advantageous to ask about the same topic multiple times.

     
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I don’t see the point of pointing at every single object. Let’s examine things first with our own eyes.

> x lights
> x desk
> x james
> x gates
> ask james about james
> ask james about me
> ask james about hospital
> ask james about patients

     

See you around, wolf. Nerissa

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Total Posts: 1353

Joined 2017-09-18

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>x lights
The series of gaslight chandeliers set along the distant ceiling are overwhelmed by the vast size of the room; shadows lurk everywhere.

James shudders suddenly, then looks at you sheepishly.

>x desk
Which do you mean, the lobby desks or James’ desk?

>lobby
Worn and dusty with disuse, a fleet of abandoned desks slowly sinks into decay. James” desk, on its dais, is a tiny island of order.

>x James’ desk
It is covered in neat stacks of forms that James moves in unfathomable patterns: stamping some, filing others, and occasionally dropping one to the floor.

James taps his fingers nervously.

>x james
He’s easily no more then twenty, with an unruly mop of black hair that continually gets in his eyes. The badge, set high near his collar, reads “James Houlihan - Assistant - Bethlehem Hospital.”

James sighs.

>x gates
There is nothing visibly special about the gates.

James bites his lower lip as he stamps out a set of forms.

>ask James about James
“Why, I’m James, sir. Your assistant. Perhaps you had better sit down. I don’t think you’ve quite recovered.”

James taps his fingers nervously.

>ask James about me
“Well, it’s certainly been a pleasure working with you, sir.”

>ask James about hospital
“It’s seen better days, certainly, sir—but I must say that I was certainly proud when I was offered this position.”

James searches under his desk a moment for a lost pen.

>ask James about patients
“I don’t feel as though I’m qualified to answer that question, sir.”

James taps his fingers nervously.

>

     
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>ask about Cleve
>ask about triage

     

See you around, wolf. Nerissa

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Joined 2019-12-22

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>ask james about incident
>ask james about superintendent
>ask james about experiment
>ask james about recovery
>ask james about Yeates

     
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let the interrogation of James begin Wink

     
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>ask james about cleve
“Already in the grave, I believe sir. I know nothing else about him, I’ve not looked at any of his files, per your instructions.”

James carefully fills out a set of forms, then files them.

>ask james about triage
“It was a favored tool of Dr. Brand. He would lock himself in his office and enter data into it for hours.”

James searches under his desk a moment for a lost pen.

>ask james about incident
“I’m afraid I can’t help you there.”

>ask james about superintendent
“That’s rather outside my bailiwick, sir.”

>ask james about experiment
“I’m afraid I can’t help you there.”

>ask james about recovery
“Have you recovered from your fainting spell, sir? They’ve been frequent lately. Frankly I’ve been quite worried.”

>ask james about yeates
“That’s rather outside my bailiwick, sir.”

James carefully fills out a set of forms, then files them.

>

     
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I want to know more about Cleve.
>ask about Cleve
>ask about Brand
>ask about patients
>ask about Yeats
>ask about Joan Didion Smile

Should we ask everything twice to get more info?

     

See you around, wolf. Nerissa

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