Blue Lacuna — 339 of 467

Chapter - Sand Construction

[ Progue still doesn't remember, but his fingers do: he was once a great sculptor. Lost in a trance, he works on a magnificent sand castle on the beach. Possible outcomes: the player destroys the sand castle, angering Progue; the player stirs up too many of Progue's memories and he destroys the castle himself; the player joins in, making Progue feel more paternal; the player takes Progue's orders for help, making him less submissive; ]

Table of Progue's Initial Appearance (continued)

Sand Construction is a common triggered instant episode with summary "building sand castles on the beach". The meeting place is Center Beach. The expiration date is 4 hours. The icebreaker is sndc_intro. The subchange beat is sndc_subchange. The boredom beat is sndc_boredom. The bye beat is sndc_boredom. The abruptbye beat is sndc_boredom.

Last condition for Sand Construction:

if we are not going, rule fails;

if raining, rule fails;

if conversation fuse < 12, rule fails;

if location is Center Beach and Progue is not regionally in Beachfront, rule succeeds.

A commencement rule for Sand Construction:

pre-conversation processing;

force discuss sndc_intro.

A completion rule for Sand Construction:

Progue's life goes on.

SNDC is a thread. The escape clause is sndc_boredom.

The sand castle is a described set dressing. "[if sndc_build is spoken]Two sand castles stand on the beach here[else]Only half-finished, the castle is a fantastically intricate sculpture of minarets, retaining walls, and tiny windows. Briny water swirls through the moat at [end if][if Progue is enclosed by location and sndc_build is unspoken]Progue's feet; he stands pricking life into a turret with his fingers, entranced[else if sndc_build is unspoken]your feet[end if].". The description is "[if sndc_destroy2 is spoken]Just a heap of crumbled sand now[otherwise if sndc_build is spoken]Your castle stands next to Progue's, two monuments in sand[otherwise]It's fantastic, all the more so for being constructed from damp sand. Staring at the graceful curves taking shape, the impossible mimicry of mouldering stone with wet clumps of sand, the perfect roundness of the towers, you catch a glimpse of the sculptor Progue must once have been.[paragraph break]A [o]pile[x] of wet sand lies near the castle[end if].". First report remembering the sand castle when location is meeting place of Sand Construction: say "The castle has washed away, only a lump on the beach to mark its foundations." instead.

sndc_intro is an insistent beat in SNDC with reaction "[initial appearance of Progue][paragraph break][initial appearance of sand castle][paragraph break]'Been so long,' he murmurs, not looking up, 'but I felt-- an urge, like-- fingers waking up.' He nods to himself, as if satisfied with this interpretation, and brushes a hand against the rounded walls of a tower.". sndc_intro summons sndc_destroy. sndc_intro suggests sndc_2. After discussing sndc_intro: move the sand castle to meeting place of Sand Construction; move pile of sand to meeting place of Sand Construction; continue the action.

sndc_2 is a beat in SNDC with reaction "Fingers moving effortlessly, Progue shapes deft ridges along a connecting wall between two towers, a quiet smile on his face, eyes focused, perhaps, into another universe, while you watch, entranced.". sndc_2 suggests sndc_3.

sndc_3 is a beat in SNDC with reaction "Progue tweaks detailing on the surface of the sand near the base, but as his fingers pinch and twirl, something becomes clear to you. His skill is remarkable, masterful. But he is not good enough.[paragraph break]He is not a Wayfarer, at least, not any more.". sndc_3 suggests sndc_4.

sndc_4 is a beat in SNDC with reaction "Progue hums to himself as he keeps tweaking and refining the wet shapes before him.". sndc_4 suggests sndc_outtro.

The pile of sand is a set dressing. "A [o]pile[x] of wet sand lies near the castle.". The description of pile is "The collapsed remnants, perhaps, of some earlier draft.". Instead of taking or pushing or using pile, force discuss sndc_build. Understand "build [something]" or "make [something]" as taking when current episode is Sand Construction. Instead of taking or using sand castle, try taking pile of sand.

sndc_build is a paternal affinitive beat in SNDC with reaction "Hesitantly, you kneel down and push some of the sand together. Progue sees what you're doing and smiles.[paragraph break]'Go on, [animal-nickname],' he says. 'It's a big beach.'[paragraph break]You build and build, the wet sand cool and comforting somehow as it covers your hands, soft and pliable yet made of hard rock, making durable features that will be gone in a matter of hours. This is not painting, and your towers are crude and crumbly next to Progue's, but some spark in your hands awakens to the challenge regardless.[paragraph break]When you finish, curiously satisfied, Progue comes over to survey your work, placing one sand-gloved hand on your shoulder. 'Hmm,' he declares in mock criticism, eyeing a sagging buttress, 'I like the architecture, but I'm not sure if I trust the architect.' Then he frowns and regards it from another angle. 'But it looks more lived in, I suppose,' he says musingly, 'like a real castle. Yes. Mayhaps mine's nice to look at, but yours would be better to live in.' He claps your shoulder again[if romance of Progue > 0], and meets your gaze for a searching moment.[end if].". sndc_build2 replaces sndc_build. sndc_build suggests sndc_outtro. After discussing sndc_build: remove pile of sand from play; continue the action.

sndc_build2 is a repeatable beat in SNDC with reaction "You tweak and refine your castle some more.".

Instead of kissing Progue when last beat is sndc_build: force discuss p_firstkiss.

sndc_outtro is a terminal beat in SNDC with reaction "Progue sighs, surveying the sand fortresses fondly. 'Soon the waves will come to wash it all away,' he says evenly. 'And yes, that's best, I think. Nothing sadder than a frantic figure with bucket and shovel, trying desperately to stem the inevitable surge of tides.'[paragraph break]He claps your shoulder and turns away, not looking back at the miniature city behind him, already starting to slump and fade.[paragraph break]'The surge of the tide,' he mutters again, 'a side of the turgid. So long for now.'".

Instead of attacking or pushing the sand castle when Progue is enclosed by location, force discuss sndc_destroy. Instead of attacking or pushing the sand castle: say "Silently, you destroy the sand castle, pushing and shoving until only a flat mound of sand remains"; remove sand castle from play.

sndc_destroy is a unaffinitive beat in SNDC with reaction "You lash out at the castle, slicing an arm through the wet sand of a minaret which crumbles to the beach.[paragraph break]Progue whirls on you angrily. 'No!' he cries. 'Leave it! Stop!'". sndc_destroy2 replaces sndc_destroy. sndc_destroy summons sndc_sorry.

Understand "sorry" as sndc_sorry. sndc_sorry is a terminal beat in SNDC with keyword name "sorry" and reaction "Progue's face softens. 'It's all right,' he says sadly. 'I've... destroyed most of my own sculptures already, anyway. Something about the sand. Washes away.' He seems lost for a long moment, then, with a last quiet nod to you, turns away from the castle.". After discussing sndc_sorry: now dont_describe_Progue is true; Progue's life goes on; continue the action.

sndc_destroy2 is an unaffinitive submissive terminal beat in SNDC with reaction "You attack the castle again, pummeling it with fists, watching it crumble in clumps back to the formless pieces it came from.[paragraph break]Progue grabs your arm ineffectually at first, then pulls back and watches darkly. '[if player is male]Bastard[otherwise]Bitch[end if],' he mutters, then turns and walks quickly away.". After discussing sndc_destroy2: Progue's life goes on; continue the action.

Instead of hugging Progue when current episode is Sand Construction: say "At first he freezes when you touch him, then shrugs away with a half-smile. 'Leave it,' he says, not unkindly, 'this isn't done yet.'".

sndc_subchange is a repeatable beat in SNDC with reaction "'Later, perhaps,' he says distractedly, 'I'm not in a mood for conversation. It's my hands that want to talk now.'".

sndc_boredom is a repeatable terminal beat in SNDC with reaction "Barely aware of your continuing presence, Progue keeps working on the sand castle.".