Blue Lacuna — 125 of 467

Part - Staying With Rume

The-Path-Of-Love is a scene. The-Path-Of-Love begins when location is Old Tumble. The-Path-Of-Love ends when location is not regionally in Homeworld and location is not a flash-room.

kidismale is a truth state that varies. To say kidsname: if kidismale is true, say "Jurriaan"; otherwise say "Archana".

When The-Path-Of-Love begins:

print a section break;

move easel to Old Tumble;

move paintbrushes to Old Tumble;

move Rume's bracelet to Old Tumble;

move lacuna-canvas to Old Tumble;

now paintbrushes is undescribed;

remove Rume from play;

now player wears wooden band;

remove matches from play;

remove oil lamp from play;

post-conversation processing;

if topics-window is g-present, shut down topics-window;

say "And time seems to speed up, flowing faster and faster till the leaves and foam that once drifted by becomes a blur and blue";

process blue flash.

The North Vale is a room in Homeworld. The description is "The trees crowd thick here in this vale that has always been good hunting grounds, nestled between two rocky slopes.[paragraph break][exits].". The exits text of North Vale is "The path back [down] to home is behind you".

A large hare is an animal in the North Vale. "Before you, in a clearing, a large [o]hare[x] grazes unconcernedly on tufts of summer grass[if player holds flintlock pistol][one of]. You raise the worn flintlock pistol to your shoulder carefully[or]. You sight along the flintlock pistol, holding your breath[stopping][end if].". The description is "You'd hoped to see deer this morning, but they seem later than usual in returning to the vale this year. The hare will only provide one good meal, but anything is better than unthawing more greying venison from last season.". After going to The Giant's Table when large hare is on-stage: remove large hare from play; continue the action.

A flintlock pistol is a thing. Understand "gun/rifle" as pistol. The description is "You traded a week's work helping an old farmer build a new house for this pistol, and it has served you well for almost twenty years now.". Understand the command "shoot" as "attack". Instead of attacking the pistol when large hare is in location, try attacking large hare. Instead of attacking the pistol, try attacking dead hare.

Check attacking large hare: remove large hare from play; move dead hare to location; say "With a deafening explosion, the pistol fires, a good, clean shot. The hare starts, then falls, as you knew it would.[paragraph break]You approach the animal, but it seems your shot is clean. It lies dead, blood spilling over the grass in steamy curtains, merging with the morning dew.[paragraph break]Something about the [o]blood[x] reminds you of something." instead. Instead of doing something other than examining or examining by name or attacking to the large hare, say "You'll scare it off.".

A dead hare is a described thing. "The [o]hare[x] you shot is here.". The description is "When cleaned and dressed, it will make a nice supper.". Report taking dead hare: say "You pick up the hare by the ears." instead. Report dropping dead hare: say "You gently put the carcass down." instead. Instead of attacking dead hare: say "This will be enough meat for now.".

Some hare-blood is part of the dead hare. Understand "blood" as hare-blood. The printed name is "blood". The description is "The sky was blood-red when you left this morning before sunrise, vanishing storm clouds drinking in the dawn light. Rume was standing at the doorway as you left, staring into the east. [if Rume is male]He[else]She[end if] murmured something quietly, and you thought [if Rume is female]s[end if]he said 'Who'd have believed we could stay so long in one place.'[paragraph break]You were so bleary-eyed you were not quite sure you hadn't imagined [if Rume is male]him[else]her[end if] saying it-- sounded more like something you'd say, anyway-- but now that the walk through the brisk morning air and the hunt has wakened you, you're sure [if Rume is female]s[end if]he did say it. Strange. [if Rume is male]He[else]She[end if] has been so [o]strange[x] lately.".

Some hare-strange is part of the dead hare. Understand "strange" as hare-strange. The printed name is "strange". The description is "Winter was lonely and cold this year, your first without [kidsname], and Rume has seemed quieter and more withdrawn than you've seen [if Rume is male]him[else]her[end if] in years. [if Rume is male]He[else]She[end if] spent hours poring over old maps, tracing fingers through the lines of distant mountain ridges and rubbing circles through the white blank spaces of unexplored territory.[paragraph break]When spring finally came, [if Rume is female]s[end if]he threw [if Rume is male]him[else]her[end if]self into spring cleaning, scrubbing floors and washing away the grime as if trying to make the old Tumble look like new. You helped in kind, of course, but were never sure what you both were preparing for, what strange visitor would be arriving that you hoped to impress.".

Report going from North Vale to Giant's Table: say "You walk down through the strangely quiet vale in the midmorning light."

The Giant's Table is a room in Homeworld. It is down from North Vale. The description is "Three narrow canyons meet at this huge flat moss-covered rock. Memories of dozens of picnics drift through the quiet pines surrounding the Table, [kidsname]'s ghost laughter mingling with the tinkling of the stream that leads you home.[paragraph break][exits][one of].[paragraph break]A strange feeling twists within you, as if something is wrong. But everything seems normal. You have walked this valley thousands of times, and nothing is out of place. But still the feeling persists[or][stopping].". The exits text of Giant's Table is "The stream trickles [down] the valley".

The valley stream is a minor backdrop. It is in The Giant's Table, The Child's Dam, and Tumble Exterior. The description is "It's cold.".

Report going from The Giant's Table to The Child's Dam: say "You follow the familiar stream down through steep terraces, following the worn path through the greening pines."

The Child's Dam is a room in Homeworld. It is down from The Giant's Table. The printed name is "[kidsname]'s Dam". The description is "The stream pools into a narrow, deep swimming hole here, an old project of your [if kidismale is true]son[else]daughter[end if]'s that has held up to the elements far longer than [kidhisher] parents ever thought it would. A few wildflowers poke their way out of the new spring grass in the adjacent meadow.[paragraph break][exits][one of].[paragraph break]The feeling of wrongness grows within you, almost a panic, though you still cannot explain why. But then, suddenly, you can. You should see the smoke rising from the Tumble from here, a familiar beacon. But you don't. There is no smoke. The fire is out[or][stopping].". The exits text of The Child's Dam is "The stream continues [down] towards home". Some dam-wildflowers are a minor setpiece in Child's Dam with printed name "wildflowers" and provoke message "You remember picking them with Rume in distant springtimes.". Understand "flower/flowers/wildflowers" as dam-wildflowers when location is Child's Dam.

Report going from The Child's Dam to Tumble Exterior: say "You hurry down the slope, over lichen-encrusted boulders and mouldering pine needles."

Tumble Exterior is a room in Homeworld. It is down from The Child's Dam. The printed name is "Outside the Tumble". The description is "The wooden beams of home rise above you, aging but scrubbed clean, firewood stacked in a neat pile under the eaves and the little bridge over the stream neatly swept. But there is no smoke rising from the rock chimney, no smell of breakfast or sound of Rume singing, and the door is shut tight, rather than open to admit the spring air.[paragraph break][exits].". The exits text of Tumble Exterior is "[one of]Part of you dreads to open that door, but t[or]T[stopping]here is nowhere to go but [inside]".

The fake-tumble-exterior is a setpiece in Tumble Exterior with printed name "Tumble". Understand "home/house/cabin/lodge/tumble" as fake-tumble-exterior. The description is "It has been your home for twenty years. But suddenly, now, it feels like only an empty shell.". instead of entering or going or opening fake-tumble-exterior: try going inside instead.

The tedoor is an undescribed door. Understand "door" as tedoor. The printed name is "door". The tedoor is inside from Tumble Exterior and outside from Old Tumble. Before going inside when location is Tumble Exterior and tedoor is closed: now tedoor is open. Before going outside when location is Old Tumble and tedoor is closed: now tedoor is open.

Report going from Tumble Exterior to Old Tumble: say "[one of]You push the door open and stop dead in your tracks, heartbeat suddenly loud in your ears[or]You step back inside the Tumble[stopping].".

Old Tumble is a room in Homeworld with printed name "Tumble, Main Floor". "It's been a long time since you thought of this room as a studio, but suddenly you remember it as it was that night all those years ago. The fireplace is neatly banked now, ashes scrubbed away, and [kidsname]'s pine animals hang from the ceiling instead of the bare rafters. But one thing is the same.[paragraph break][easelbit][if lc_painting_flag is 1].[paragraph break][otextra][end if].". First check going nowhere when location is Old Tumble: say "Nothing you need or want is elsewhere in the Tumble." instead. Understand "trapdoor" as north when location is Old Tumble.

OldTumbleStuff is stuff in Old Tumble. Understand "chair/chairs/table/fire/fireplace/hearth/boots/kitchen/stream/pool" as OldTumbleStuff when location is Old Tumble. First instead of doing anything to OldTumbleStuff: say "Nothing else matters now.".

To say otextra: say "[one of]Slowly your peripheral vision returns and you take in the rest of the scene, and all that is different. [or][stopping]Rume's boots and winter clothes are gone[if player wears homemade outfit][else], and in their place hang your old traveling [o]clothes[x][end if]. The fireplace is banked, ashes neatly swept away. And on the table is a folded [o]letter[x][if player wears Rume's bracelet][else], and a [o]bracelet[x][end if]".

Some hanging pine animals are a setpiece in Old Tumble. The description is "[kidsname] loved to carve the simple figures that sway above you: beavers, moose, elk, chipmunks. When Rume climbed the ladder to dust them last week, they spun drunkenly through the air, falling dust sparkling in the golden morning light.".

A letter-from-Rume is a prop in Old Tumble with printed name "letter from Rume". Understand "letter" as letter-from-Rume. Instead of taking letter-from-Rume, say "There's no point. They will not go with you when you leave.". Instead of opening or reading letter-from-Rume, try examining letter-from-Rume. The description is "You open it and read, numb.

'A dozen glaciers creep through our mountains,' it begins, 'a hundred passes lead to alpine paths growing less and less familiar each hour. In four days, my love, I will be in unexplored, uncharted territory. Once again.

'I did not have the courage to say goodbye to you. Nor did you have the courage to do the same for me, when first you heard the Call and started this painting. It is not because we are cowards, I think. It is because we know how easy the temptation to follow in contentment would be. But we are not followers. We are not owners of each other, nor can we change who we are. We are explorers, and we must explore. This is hard, and true.

'But exploring takes us to unexpected places.

'You have said yourself, my love, that there are no rules for your kind. What you know you know by experiment and chance. Perhaps-- no, certainly-- you do not know everything. There may be more left to explore in yourself.

'Though you think it impossible, perhaps one day you can find your way back to me.

'Go. Wayfare. Explore. And if you find some way to return-- find me. I will be high in mountains, or crossing distant seas, somewhere under stars. When we meet again we both will be changed, and ready to explore each other anew.

'Rume.'".

Rume's bracelet is a wearable thing. The description is "Carved from a dark, solid wood, the bracelet was your gift to Rume long ago, the twin of the wooden [if wooden band is enclosed by location][o]band[x][else]band[end if] [if Rume is female]s[end if]he gave to you.". Does the player mean taking Rume's bracelet when The-Path-Of-Love is happening: it is likely. Check dropping Rume's bracelet: say "You don't want to lose it." instead.

Report wearing Rume's bracelet when The-Path-Of-Love is happening: say "You slip it through our hand next to its twin, which you realize with heartbreak will vanish from your hand when you leave-- for Rume made it for you.[paragraph break]But [heshe]'s right. The other will remain." instead.

Instead of landmark-listing when The-Path-Of-Love is happening and location is regionally in Homeworld, say "All the landmarks in your life are behind you."

Check attacking yourself when Tumble Exterior is visited: say "Slowly, you raise the pistol to your head. The Call will not rule you; the life you lead is not a life if it must always be slave to voices beyond your control. And with Rume gone, you have nothing left to live for.[paragraph break]In silence, you pull the trigger."; end the game in death.

Understand "cross" or "across" as north when location is Old Tumble or location is Dream7Nexus or location is Dream1Nexus.