The Gorreven Papers — 5 of 23

Section 4 - Escape from the Cell

The Bare Cell is a room. "A dirty yellow light bulb glares down from the ceiling. A dingy, ill-maintained cot with a thin and moth-eaten mattress sits against the far wall[if unvisited]. The Marriott this isn't[end if]. [if Krugnik is alive]A guard stands in an open doorway to the north[otherwise]An open doorway to the north leads into a long dark hallway[end if]." The player is wearing the pair of prison coveralls. The description of the coveralls is "A one-piece drab gray pair of coveralls with an enormous neon orange triangle on the chest, probably to indicate your special status."

Krugnik is a guard in the bare cell. Krugnik wears the crisp dark green uniform. Krugnik carries a pistol. The pistol is glass-smashing. Krugnik wears an identification card. The description of the card is "It bears a picture of the cell guard[if the card is worn by Krugnik]. From here that's all you can see.[otherwise], with the name 'S. Krugnik' beneath it. On the other side is a magnetic stripe.[end if]"

Understand "ID card" as the identification card.

Understand "ID" as the identification card.

Rule for writing a paragraph about Krugnik when Krugnik is alive:

now Krugnik is mentioned.

Krugnik can be apoplectic or self-controlled. Krugnik is self-controlled.

Understand "gun" as the pistol. Understand "cell guard" as Krugnik. Understand "guard" as Krugnik.

Every turn while the player can see Krugnik and Krugnik is alive and Krugnik is not apoplectic:

if Krugnik is distracted:

say "The guard shakes his head and rouses himself, returning his steely gaze to you.";

now Krugnik is suspicious;

otherwise if a random chance of 3 in 4 succeeds:

now Krugnik is the vigilance before the vigilance of Krugnik;

if Krugnik is distracted:

say "The guard looks out down the north hall."

The pistol has a number called the shot count. The pistol has shot count four.

Instead of examining the pistol:

if the player is carrying the pistol:

if shot count of the pistol is one:

say "There is only one bullet left.";

otherwise:

say "There are [shot count in words] bullets remaining.";

otherwise:

say "It's an ordinary pistol. If you had it in your hand you could examine it better."

Instead of asking Krugnik for anything:

say "He stares at you coldly until you stop babbling.";

now Krugnik is suspicious.

Persuasion rule for asking Krugnik to try doing something:

say "He sneers at you and is silent.";

now Krugnik is suspicious;

persuasion fails.

Instead of putting Krugnik on the cot when Krugnik is dead and Krugnik is not on the cot:

say "With considerable effort you drag the body onto the cot and arrange it so that it faces away from the open door.";

now Krugnik is on the cot.

The cot is an enterable supporter in the bare cell.

Rule for writing a paragraph about the cot:

now the cot is mentioned.

The mattress is part of the cot.

The sharp piece of metal is a part of the cot.

Instead of examining the cot:

say "The thin mattress is spotted with stains of sweat and blood and sits atop a creaky metal frame that is on the verge of coming apart[if the metal is part of the cot]. In one corner a piece of metal that forms the flange has begun to detach[otherwise]. One corner sags, the worse for wear since you broke off a piece of its support[end if]."

Instead of pushing the piece of metal when the metal is part of the cot:

say "You can push it up against the frame, but it doesn't stay, and sags out again. It looks as if it might break off if you pull it."

Instead of pulling the piece of metal when the metal is part of the cot:

say "You pull on the piece of metal experimentally. It creaks away from the frame, weakening the remaining connection further. If you pull it again, it might break off."

Instead of doing it for the second time:

try breaking off the piece of metal instead.

Understand "frame" as the piece of metal. Understand "flange" as the piece of metal.

Instead of examining the piece of metal:

if the piece of metal is a part of the cot:

say "It is a piece of the cot's frame, about the length of your hand, sticking off to the side a little. The cot is not in good shape and this is one reason. It is almost completely broken off and is only barely connected to the cot at one end. One side of it is very sharp and dangerous.";

otherwise:

say "It makes a nice informal knife; just about the right size and very sharp."

Carry out detaching the metal:

try breaking off the piece of metal.

Instead of breaking the piece of metal off of the cot:

try breaking off the piece of metal instead.

Instead of breaking off the piece of metal when the metal is part of the cot:

say "You give the piece of metal a hard yank and twist and it breaks off suddenly with a soft popping sound. [run paragraph on]";

if Krugnik is alive and Krugnik is not distracted:

say "The guard has been watching the entire operation. 'Murderous scheming dog,' he snarls. His face twists into a mask of rage; his pistol is suddenly in his hand and he uses it to drill a .38 caliber hole through your skull. The black curtain of death falls with merciful speed.";

end the story finally;

otherwise:

say "Immediately you palm the incriminating evidence in your other hand. However, the sound alerts the guard, who whirls around with his gun drawn. 'What was that noise?' he demands. [paragraph break]'I hurt my hand on the cot,' you grumble, holding up the hand you just used. Fortunately it is sporting a small trickle of blood, incurred when the metal came loose too suddenly. 'I wanna doctor.' It is of course the very last thing you want but it is important that you project an image of whining helplessness.[paragraph break]He snorts and returns his gun to its holster. 'You're barely important enough to be kept alive. Forget the doctor.' You wonder what he has been told. It is true that you are too dangerous to be kept alive at much expense.";

now the piece of metal is carried by the player;

now Krugnik is suspicious.

Instead of attacking the piece of metal:

try breaking off the piece of metal.

Instead of going north when the player is in the cell and Krugnik is alive and Krugnik is not distracted:

say "He laughs an unpleasant laugh and plants a booted foot in your gut. The force sends you bouncing back across the room.";

now Krugnik is suspicious.

Instead of doing it for the second time:

say "He is not as amused this time. He produces his pistol and beats you about the face with it. 'Keep that up,' he promises, 'and you'll learn about the other end of this gun!'";

now Krugnik is suspicious.

Instead of doing it for the third time:

now Krugnik is apoplectic.

Check taking when Krugnik is alive:

if the noun is carried by Krugnik or the noun is worn by Krugnik:

if Krugnik is distracted:

say "While he is distracted, you try to take [the noun] from him with a light-fingered touch. But it's no good[unicode em dash]the guard snaps back to attention. [run paragraph on]";

now Krugnik is apoplectic;

otherwise:

say "As you reach toward [the noun], the guard glares at you with his beady eyes and you are forced to abort your gesture, feigning an arm cramp.";

now Krugnik is suspicious;

stop the action;

otherwise:

continue the action.

Instead of going north from the Bare Cell when Krugnik is alive and Krugnik is distracted:

say "Since he is looking down the north hall, you are hard not to notice as you move into that very same hall.";

now Krugnik is apoplectic.

Instead of examining Krugnik when Krugnik is alive and Krugnik is not distracted:

say "He's wearing [a uniform] with [an identification card] pinned to its upper right breast. In a holster on his belt is a pistol. He gazes at you, [vigilance]."

Instead of doing it for the third time:

say "'What are you looking at?' he snarls. 'Face the other wall.'";

now Krugnik is suspicious.

Instead of doing it for the fifth time:

say "Fingering his pistol, he lets you know in no uncertain terms that you are not to cast your loving gaze on him again or there will be a consequence.";

now Krugnik is suspicious.

Instead of doing it for the sixth time:

say "He pistol-whips you around your head and neck until you lose consciousness. It is some time before you reawaken, staring up at the single light bulb in the ceiling.";

now Krugnik is suspicious.

Instead of doing it for the seventh time:

now Krugnik is apoplectic.

Every turn when the player can see Krugnik and Krugnik is apoplectic:

say "His face twists into a mask of rage; his pistol is suddenly in his hand and he uses it to drill a .38 caliber hole through your skull. The black curtain of death falls with merciful speed.";

end the story finally.