Blue Lacuna — 377 of 467
Aaron A. Reed
Volume - Tsunami (in Lacuna Tsunami by Blue Lacuna)
[ The tsunami is an event that is triggered by the player making progress along various fronts. It moves Progue to "uncertainty" and allows for dramatic shifts in his attitude towards the player. The Tsunami in turn provides more hints for moving the player along in the plot, such as the appearance of the left ear on the beach, allowing the player to decode various hints around the island.
1) The player hears a warbling horn noise coming from the beach one evening.
2) Investigating, you find Progue blowing on a huge conch shell which he says washed up. He says the tides are acting strange. He further mentions he's going to sleep up on the ledge.
3) The player awakens from sleep that night to an earthquake which lasts several turns.
-- During and after the earthquake, none of the power systems work, the springs stop flowing, the lava tunnel door swings shut (and can't be opened from the west side without light) and the bridge is stuck down. Also, the player is not allowed to go down into the ravine. So the only way to the west island is through the cabin on the beach. The player is not allowed to sleep on the North Island. If they were sleeping west of the cabin, there will be no way to go east, as it's too dark to open the door from that side.
-- Progue was sleeping on the Ledge. He tries to climb down during the quake but falls the last few feet and knocks himself unconcious.
4) A few rounds after the earthquake, the tides start going way, way, out. The player is funneled towards Center Beach, at which point they receive a dramatic description of an onrushing tsunami.
5) If after a certain amount of time the player has not gotten to Center Beach, or they did and then went back, a scene is triggered where they fall into a chasm or some other peril created by the earthquake. Progue appears after a few moments, offering to rescue. The player can free himself in a few rounds, or can accept Progue's help. In either case the two escape just in the nick of time.
6) If the player gets to Rise, we print another dramatic message mentioning Progue lying near the base of the cliff, and announce the water's imminent flooding of the marsh. If the player turns back here, scene 5 is triggered after a few rounds and we note that the player didn't try to rescue Progue. Otherwise, they can reach Progue, spend a few rounds reviving him, and then make it to the Rise or climb the pillar in the east marsh, all the while dogged by the rising tide. If they dally too long, they will be flooded, but manage to swim to safety; otherwise they make it to safety.
8) The next morning, we have a Debriefing Conversation with Progue, and then things return to normal (except:)
-- The hurricane also has the result of washing the clockwork ear up on the beach, and subtly altering the landscape.
-- If the player had been to Saddle but not pushed the vine, it falls off the edge on its own.
-- If the player did not solve the Secrets quest, the compass pops open on its own.
-- Progue's psyche becomes uncertainty.
]
Progue is either carried or uncarried. Progue is uncarried.
Table of Progue's Initial Appearance (continued)
| animus | episode | desc |
| -- | Water Works | "[if the animus of Progue is resting and Progue Rescue is happening]Progue lies amidst the slime, unconscious. It looks like he must have fallen from halfway down the ledge[otherwise if Progue Rescue is happening]Progue struggles to maintain consciousness[otherwise if Player Rescue is happening]Progue leans over you, desperately reaching a [o]hand[x] out for you[end if]." |
| -- | The Conch Portends | "Progue stands on the beach, holding an enormous conch shell in his hands, clumps of wet sand still clinging to it." |
Table of Progue's Description (continued)
| animus | episode | desc |
| -- | Water Works | "[if Player Rescue is happening]Soaked, scratched, with a bruise spreading across his face, Progue reaches out a firm hand towards you with a strength that defies his years[otherwise if the animus of progue is resting]You quickly examine him. He does not seem to be seriously injured, just knocked out[otherwise]Other than being a bit dazed, he seems fine[end if]." |
Tsunami Sequence is a scene.
Tsunami Sequence begins when
( it is after 6:00 PM and
it is before 6:50 PM and
location is not regionally in Dreamlands and
not exploring Progue's turf and
tsun-conditions and
the psyche of Progue is not denial ) or
tsun_tflag is 1.
To decide whether tsun-conditions:
if The Conch Portends is completed, decide no;
if the number of contacted windsigh trees >= 4, decide yes;
if Egg Room is visited, decide yes;
if there is a status of 0 in Table of Departure Quest begin; otherwise; decide yes; end if;
[ if desperate for excitement, decide yes;]
decide no.
When Tsunami Sequence begins:
now dont_describe_wakeup is true;
now disposition of Progue is 0;
begin The Conch Portends.
First condition for an episode (called ep) (this is the Tsunami prevents episodes rule):
if Tsunami Sequence is happening and ( ep is not Earthquake and ep is not The Conch Portends and ep is not Water Works ) , rule fails.
Test tsunami with "ff / ff / ff / ff / debug drama manager / tsun / z / z / nw / n / odd / s / se / z / z / sleep / rume / alarmclock".
Tsunami-testing is an action applying to nothing. Understand "tsun" as tsunami-testing. Carry out tsunami-testing: now current episode is no-episode; now Building To Revelations is expired; now tsun_tflag is 1; change the time of day to 6:15 PM. tsun_tflag is a number that varies. tsun_tflag is 0.