Blue Lacuna — 211 of 467

Chapter - Big Tree

The printed name of Big Tree is "Big Tree, Beneath the Treehouse".

treehouse-in-rain is a truth state that varies.

The prose name of Big Tree is "underneath the treehouse". The description of Big Tree is "[bigtreedesc].". To say bigtreedesc:

if raining begin; say "[one of][if we are going]As you approach[otherwise]As you step around[end if] the treehouse in the rain, studying its strange curves and patches, you suddenly stop in your tracks. The rain has altered the color and texture of its components, and as it falls and curves around the wooden rafters and beams it accentuates certain details and hides others. You take a step to the left and suddenly you see it.[paragraph break]The treehouse is an achingly beautiful sculpture of a woman's face, drawn and haggard as in the last stages of some long illness which nevertheless cannot hide the charm of her appearance or character. Rain curves around the bulge in the wall that is her cheekbone, trails down the vines of her hair, and glistens in the specks of quartz that are the highlights in her eyes. But only when the light is flattened by overcast clouds, only when the rain soaks into the wood and turns it the hues of her face, and only standing just at the right spot, is she here[or]Rain drizzles through the leaves of [windsigh phrase of tree2] above, dripping in streams off the roof of the sinuous [o]treehouse[x], where the face of the sad, haggard woman once again looks out at you[stopping][dot]"; now treehouse-in-rain is true;

otherwise if longform; say "Before you stands [windsigh phrase of tree2], larger than the first one and different in another notable way: a small strange [o]treehouse[x], all curves and strange extrusions, is built in its lower branches, overgrown with moss and vegetation, vines running up and down the sagging rope ladder leading to its covered interior. The ground drops off [if dir]to the west[otherwise]behind the tree[end if], but opposite the forest slopes gently upwards[dot]";

otherwise if night; say "The forest is thick and black here, the vague shape of the treehouse and vegetation above blocking out the [light-source][dot]";

otherwise if afternoon and rained; say "Raindrops glisten on the ladder to the [o]treehouse[x], and drip in quiet intervals from the leaves of [windsigh phrase of tree2][dot]";

otherwise if dawn or twilight; say "Before you, [windsigh phrase of tree2] and its crumbling, undulating [o]treehouse[x] are still in the shadowless grey light[dot]";

otherwise if morning or midmorning; say "Morning sunlight streams through the curved windows of the [o]treehouse[x], the lemon-yellow leaves of [windsigh phrase of tree2] casting burnt copper shadows on its warped boards[dot]";

otherwise if midday; say "The angled roof of the wavy [o]treehouse[x] shades the indistinct interior from the beating sun, which sparkles the shimmering leaves of [windsigh phrase of tree2] into amber[dot]";

otherwise if evening or sunset; say "Silhouetted in the sinking sun's dazzling light, [windsigh phrase of tree2] and its abandoned, warped [o]treehouse[x] wearily await the night[dot]";

otherwise; say "The curving waves of the [o]treehouse[x], overgrown with moss and vegetation, rests gently in the branches of [windsigh phrase of tree2] above[dot]";

end if;

say "[exits]".

The exits text of Big Tree is "The rotting rope ladder leads [up] through the open doorway of the treehouse. The way [bw of Fork][if dir][north] [end if]to the [dr]path[x] is open, and [etbt2]". To say etbt2: say "[if not dir]opposite that [end if]the forest [if Volcano Slopes is unvisited]seems to give[else]gives[end if] way to open [dr]terrain[x] [bw of Volcano Slopes][if dir]to the [south][else]the way you came[end if]". Understand "terrain" as south when location is Big Tree. Understand "path" as north when location is Big Tree.

Report going from Big Tree to Treehouse: say "[if Treehouse has not been visited]You put your hands on the rope ladder, testing your weight gently on rungs woven from vines that look dangerously rotted, but surprisingly the ladder holds your weight easily. [end if]You climb the rope ladder awkwardly[if player is wounded], wincing as you bend your tender leg in unfortunate directions,[end if] and hoist yourself up into the small interior." Report going from Big Tree to Fork: say "Cutting back along the route you found earlier, you wade through the forest undergrowth[if a random chance of 1 in 2 succeeds][time-of-day-bit][end if]." Report going from Big Tree to Volcano Slopes: say "The ground begins to slope up as you push towards the edge of the forest[if a random chance of 1 in 2 succeeds][time-of-day-bit][end if]. Finally, you break through the edge of the trees into a [if sunup]brighter, [end if]more open space."

Tree2 is a windsigh tree in Big Tree.

The rope ladder is an open implemented door. It is not openable and undescribed. Understand "rotting" as ladder. Instead of climbing rope ladder, try entering rope ladder. The description is "The ladder, expertly weaved long ago from now-brown strands of vine, seems to have suffered years of neglect and exposure to the elements. Fresh vines and moss creep up the sides and along the rungs, and one side has sagged further under the weight." Instead of taking or pulling the rope ladder, say "Ancient knots bind it to the treehouse, and newer strands of green further connect it to ground and tree alike.". The dream-text of rope ladder is "coiled rope ladders".

The treehouse-scenery is a setpiece in Big Tree. The printed name is "treehouse". Understand "treehouse/house/window/windows/interior/doorway/roof" as treehouse-scenery when location is Big Tree. The description is "[if raining]You marvel once again at the incredibly artistry that turns the chaotic design of the treehouse into perfect order under the shadowless light of clouds and the glistening touch of the rain[otherwise]The treehouse is tall and all organic curves and lumps, not a straight line to be seen. The windows are skinny ovals of differing sizes; the roof slopes up here, extrudes outwards there, and is thatched in each spot with wildly differing material. Despite the obvious work that went into its construction, it now seems overgrown and long abandoned, eerie somehow through the negative presence of absent children[end if].". Instead of entering treehouse-scenery, try going up. Instead of attacking treehouse-scenery, say "It seems dilapidated enough already.".

The ambience table of Big Tree is Table of Big Tree ambience.

Table of Big Tree ambience