Blue Lacuna — 404 of 467

Section - Nexus 4

Dream4Nexus is a nexus-room in Dreamlands. The printed name is "great library on keros". The description of Dream4Nexus is "Yes, you remember this place. For a time, you studied here, before moving on. Huge alabaster columns flecked with gold lift a domed ceiling high, high above, letting the cavernous space beneath burn pink and gold in slanting arcs of sunlight. Rows and rows of desks filled with black-robed scholars line the floor, the sounds of squeaking chairs and scribbling quills vanishing into swirling sunlit dust above.[paragraph break]You sit at one of the hundreds of desks, age-blackened wood in elegant straining curves, immaculately polished, resting on the marbled floor.[paragraph break]On the desk sits a dusty [o]tome[x][one of][or], [if dusty-tome is open]open[else]closed[end if][stopping]. Atop the hutch is a silver [o]birdcage[x] containing a sleeping yellow canary.".

Dream4Nexus-stuff is stuff in Dream4Nexus. Understand "library/alabaster/columns/gold/dome/domed/space/arcs/sunlight/row/rows/desks/scholar/scholars/chair/chairs/quill/quills/dust" as Dream4Nexus-stuff when location is Dream4Nexus.

The desk is an undescribed supporter in Dream4Nexus.

The dusty-tome is a container on the desk. It is openable and closed. Understand "book/volume/page/dusty/tome" as dusty-tome. The printed name is "dusty tome". The description is "It must be one of the thirty million volumes held by the Great Library. It looks ancient but in good condition, [if dusty-tome is closed]unopened[otherwise]opened to a yellowed page[end if], the binding solid, the page edges yellow and musty[if dusty-tome is closed and d4-portal-trigger is on-stage].[paragraph break]There is something wrong with the [o]front[x], though.[else if dusty-tome is closed and page_num of dusty-tome is not -1]. You wonder what its mouldering pages contain.[else], the text reading:[line break][tryreadingtome]". The book-cover is part of the dusty-tome. Understand "front" as book-cover when location is Dream4Nexus. The printed name of book-cover is "front of the book". The description of book-cover is "The cover is carved in intricate relief, and edged with a design so busy it seems as if it moves[if d4-portal-trigger is on-stage]. In fact, the whole book seems to crawl with [d]detail[x][end if], millions of particles of ancient leather and embossed metals twitching and swirling around one another, as if alive.". Check taking dusty-tome: say "It's so heavy, you can hardly lift it." instead.

d4-portal-trigger is part of dusty-tome. Understand "detail/details" as d4-portal-trigger when location is Dream4Nexus. Instead of examining d4-portal-trigger: say "You place your hand on the swirling cover, mesmerized by its intricate motion, and suddenly the design leaps past your hand, spirals up your arm and plunges straight into your heart...[paragraph break]{(*heart*)}[line break]"; begin-flashback-sequence; remove d4-portal-trigger from play.

[Instead of examining dusty-tome when dusty-tome is closed, try examining book-cover.] Instead of reading dusty-tome when dusty-tome is closed, try opening dusty-tome.

First Instead of exiting when location is Dream4Nexus: say "Curiously, you seem to be chained to the desk.". First Instead of going nowhere when location is Dream4Nexus: try exiting. Some chains are a minor setpiece in Dream4Nexus. Understand "chain" as chains. The description is "Thick and solid.".

A silver birdcage is a transparent undescribed container in Dream4Nexus. It is fixed in place. Understand "cage" or "bird cage" as birdcage. A silver birdcage is closed, openable. The description is "Finely wrought from tiny strands of silver, the cage holds a brilliant lemon-yellow canary, sleeping fitfully with head under one wing.". Instead of opening birdcage when dream-door-locked is true, say "A tall, gaunt librarian walks by just as you reach for the cage, trailing a long black cape that whispers on the marble, and frowns at you. You hastily pull your hand back.". Instead of opening birdcage: say "You reach forward and open the cage. Inside, the bird stirs. Then, suddenly, it throws back its head and lets out a piercing call that echoes crazily around the huge library hall. Hundreds of heads look up and stare as you frantically try to silence the bird, but it just keeps chirping and chirping...[paragraph break]You awaken to the sound of birds."; wake up now. Instead of taking silver birdcage: say "It seems impossibly heavy, or perhaps it is attached to the top of the desk.".

A yellow canary is an animal in silver birdcage. Understand "bird" as canary. The description is "The bird's color is beautiful. It sleeps fitfully, one wing tucked under its arm.".

The scholars are an undescribed setpiece in Dream4Nexus. The printed name is "black-robed scholars". The librarian is an undescribed setpiece in Dream4Nexus.