Blue Lacuna — 175 of 467

Chapter - East Marsh

East Marsh is a room. "A lone [o]spire[x] of rock reaches from the muck into the sky, about three times your height. Affixed to its top is a wooden pole, the sole support of the ropeway [o]cable[x] on its long climb up the mountain. [paragraph break][exits]." The printed name of East Marsh is "Marsh, Near the Spire". The prose name of East Marsh is "the marshlands by the spire". Understand "marshlands" as east when location is West-Marsh. Understand "marshlands" as south when location is North Marsh. Understand "stumps" as west when location is East Marsh.

The exits text of East Marsh is "[if dir]To the [north][otherwise]Farther afield[end if], the [dr]foot[x] of the mountain rises abruptly from the muck, while [if dir]to the [west][otherwise]in the opposite direction[end if] the marsh continues towards the [dr]stumps[x]". Understand "foot" as north when location is East Marsh.

The spire is a setpiece in East Marsh. Understand "lone" or "rock" as spire. The description is "A great splinter of rock that must have fallen from the shattered mountain long ago rises at a slightly crooked angle from the marsh like a giant's bony finger.[if sunup][paragraph break]Several faint [o]drawings[x] in chalk, faded to near invisibility, adorn the base of the spire.[end if]". Instead of climbing or entering spire, say "You test some handholds. The knobby rock makes for an easy climb. Quickly, you pull yourself up the short distance to its top.[paragraph break]Supporting yourself on the ropeway pole, you stand up on the precarious top of the spire. From here, you can see how the pole was firmly embedded into a natural crack in the rock, secured with dozens of stone pegs. Squinting, you follow the path of the two cables as they steepen up towards the distant summit of the mountain.[paragraph break]Curiosity satisfied, you return back to the swampy ground.". Instead of climbing or entering spire when player is wounded, say "You're not climbing anything with this leg." The dream-text of spire is "obelisks covered in childish scrawls".

The faded chalk drawings are part of the spire. Understand "drawing" as faded chalk drawings. The description is "You kneel to study the drawings more closely. The simple subjects suggest the work of a small child, but still show some skill: a rendering of a bulbous frog captures the creature's awkward grace, and another of two dragonflies twirling around each other in flight shows remarkable details in the delicate wings. One large sketch shows two girls holding hands, backs turned, skipping along a beach.[paragraph break]Below the drawings is drawn some [o]writing[x] in a simple, awkward hand.". Check touching faded chalk drawings: say "Wind and rain has almost completely washed the faint drawings away; just the touch of your finger erases the line underneath it." instead. Check taking faded chalk drawings: say "They are drawn directly on the rock." instead.

The chalk writing is a story-based scrawl in East Marsh with standard message "I want to go home. I miss mommy. What's wrong with daddy?".