Blue Lacuna — 221 of 467
Aaron A. Reed
Chapter - Crater Pond
The printed name of Crater Pond is "Hidden [if Tsunami Sequence has ended]Geyser[else]Pond". The description of Crater Pond is "[craterponddesc].". To say craterponddesc: say "Tucked between the slopes of the volcano, the base of the boulder field, and the wet green arms of the rain forest, this small depression [if Tsunami Sequence has ended]is filled with fiercely bubbling water that churns and roils while emitting a rich, loamy odor[else]has filled with rainwater to make a tiny [o]pond[x], dotted with water lilies and reeds[end if]. [o]Wildflowers[x] dot the moist banks of the water.[paragraph break][exits]". The exits text of Crater Pond is "The [dr]forest[x] is dense, but you [if dir]could enter it through a gap to the [north][otherwise]do see one way in[end if]; you could also scramble back [dr]up[x] the rockslide[if dir] to the [northwest][end if]". Understand "forest" as north when location is Crater Pond. The prose name of Crater Pond is "the hidden pond".
Viewpoint-stuff is stuff in Viewpoint. Understand "ledge/sides" as Viewpoint-stuff when location is Viewpoint.
The small pond is a setpiece in Crater Pond. Understand "water/pool/geyser" as small pond when location is Crater Pond. The description is "The pond is only three or four times as wide as you are tall. [if Tsunami Sequence has ended]Milky bubbles roil up from some newly-opened crack far below, and the surface steams copiously[else]It reflects the slopes of the volcano above serenely[end if].". Instead of vague swimming when location is Crater Pond, try swimming in the small pond. Instead of entering or leaping small pond, try swimming in small pond. Instead of swimming in the small pond, say "[if Tsunami Sequence has ended]The water is scalding hot to the touch; you'd be boiled alive[otherwise]You dip your toes in the water, causing the small blue birds to scatter into the air. It is lukewarm; the bottom is a soft carpet of thick wet moss on uneven boulders. Your steps stir up clouds of silt that billow in slow-motion through the pool water.[paragraph break]The pond isn't big enough for actual swimming, but you spend a while cooling off before finally returning to dry land again[end if].". Instead of tasting or taking the small pond, say "[if Tsunami Sequence has ended]You reach out your hand to touch the water, but jerk it back instantly; it is boiling hot[otherwise]You cup a handful of the pond water and try it. It has a silty aftertaste and a slightly unpleasant tang, but at least it quenches your thirst[end if].". Instead of touching the small pond, say "The water is lukewarm.". Instead of touching the small pond when Tsunami Sequence has ended, try taking the small pond. The dream-text of small pond is "great piles of silver-blue bird feathers".
The water lilies are a prop in Crater Pond.
Report going from Crater Pond to Rockslide: say "You scramble back up the boulder field to the saddle.". Report going from Crater Pond to Rain Forest: say "You leave the pond behind for the dark interior of the rain forest.".
The ambience table of Crater Pond is Table of Crater Pond ambience.
Table of Crater Pond ambience
| freq | start time | end time | text | table | trigger | flag |
| common | morning | evening | "[one of]Small silver-blue [o]birds[x] bob serenely on the pond[or]A small silver-blue [o]bird[x] ducks its head under the water to nibble at something[or]A movement from you suddenly startles the silver-blue [o]birds[x] on the pond, most of which take flight in a splash and frantic flapping of wings[or]Some silver-blue [o]birds[x] fly in over the rain forest and land on the surface of the pond[in random order]." | -- | pond-birds | |
| common | twilight | night | -- | Table of Firefly ambience |
Table of Geyser Ambience
| freq | start time | end time | text | table | trigger | flag |
| uncommon | -- | -- | "With only the briefest of warnings, a huge geyser of boiling water jets up from the pond, reaching six or seven times your height into the air and sending scaling hot steam billowing through the air. You hastily take a few steps back, but after only a few moments, the jet of water shrinks, and after a few more moments the pond has returned to its former gently percolating state." |
Table of Firefly ambience
| freq | start time | end time | text | table | trigger | flag |
| guaranteed | -- | -- | "[one of]Fireflies[or]Tiny golden lights[or]Glowing fireflies[in random order] [one of]dance[or]bob and weave[or]sway[in random order] through the [one of]warm night air[or]tropical evening[at random], [one of]magical[or]tracing delicate patterns of phosphorescence through the air[or]emitting a faint glow[or]winking on and off[in random order]." | -- | fireflies. |
Some fireflies are set dressing. Understand "fire flies" or "flies" or "firefly" or "golden/light/lights" as some fireflies. The description is "Small, glowing creatures winking in and out of sight.". Instead of taking some fireflies, say "You capture one in your hand; it gives off a faint blue-white glow shining through your fingers till you release it.".
Some pond-birds are an undescribed animal in Crater Pond. Understand "silver" or "blue" or "silver-blue" or "bird/birds" as some pond-birds. The printed name is "silver-blue birds". The description is "The birds are like little balls of feathers, about the size of child's fist. Silvery underbellies fade to bright sky-blue on the tops of their heads, and long, skinny orange beaks protrude from their somehow wise-looking faces.". Instead of taking or touching or attacking some pond-birds, say "At your movement, the birds take flight in a sudden frantic splash, zipping off over the rain forest.".