The Gorreven Papers — 9 of 23

Section 8 - The Elevator

The enormous vault door is south of the Wide Corridor. The enormous vault door is a door. The vault door is north of the Vault Anteroom. The vault door is closed and locked. The vault door is unlocked by the card. The description of the vault door is "It is huge and made of steel, though at that size it could be made of tin and it would be nearly as secure. It is [if the vault door is open]standing open[otherwise]closed tight[end if]. There is nothing on its surface except for a thin vertical slit."

The thin vertical slit is part of the vault door.

Instead of examining the slit:

say "It looks about as tall as a credit card."

Instead of inserting the identification card into the slit:

say "You slip [the identification card] into [the slit]. [run paragraph on]";

silently try unlocking the vault door with the card.

After unlocking the vault door with the card:

say "There is a clicking sound within the door, followed by the clank of huge steel bolts being drawn back. [run paragraph on]";

try opening the vault door.

After opening the the vault door:

say "It takes five long seconds for it to open, and then it swings wide, opening to the south."

The Elevator is a room. It has a number called the floor. The floor of the elevator is 1. The Elevator can be tried or untried. The Elevator is untried. The description of the Elevator is "You're standing in a stainless steel elevator. To say that it looks 'heavy-duty' is an understatement. There is a panel of buttons on the wall labeled 1 through 4. Button number '[the floor of the Elevator]' is currently lit."

Someplace Else is a room.

Table of Elevator Floors

The elevator exterior is a backdrop. It is not scenery. It is in the Vault Anteroom, the Elevator Alcove, the Dingy Hallway, and the Guard Tower. The initial appearance of the elevator exterior is "The entrance to a freight elevator is nearby. [run paragraph on]"

The call button is a backdrop. It is not scenery. It is in the Vault Anteroom, the Elevator Alcove, the Dingy Hallway, and the Guard Tower. The call button can be lit or unlit. It is unlit. It has a number called the floor. The floor of the call button is 1.

Instead of examining the call button:

say "It is [if the call button is unlit]not[end if] lit."

Instead of pushing the call button:

if the call button is lit:

say "The button is already lit.";

otherwise:

if the floor of the call button is the floor of the elevator:

say "The button lights briefly and there is the sound of a bell; the elevator is already here.";

now the call button is unlit;

otherwise:

say "You push the button and it lights up.";

let the destination be the location of the player;

let the requested floor be the level corresponding to a location of the destination in the Table of Elevator floors;

now the floor of the call button is the requested floor;

now the call button is lit.

Before entering the elevator exterior, try going inside instead.

Instead of going inside in the presence of the elevator exterior:

let the resting place be the location corresponding to a level of the floor of the elevator in the Table of Elevator floors;

if the location of the player is the resting place:

move the player to the Elevator;

otherwise:

say "The elevator isn't here. There's only an empty concrete shaft."

After going to the Elevator when the floor of the Elevator is 1:

say "The enormous vault door grinds shut behind you. [run paragraph on]";

now the vault door is closed;

continue the action.

Understand "push [number]" as pressing button. Understand "push [number] button" as pressing button. Understand "push button [number]" as pressing button. Pressing button is an action applying to one number.

Check pressing button:

if the player is not in the elevator, say "You aren't in the elevator." instead;

if the number understood is the floor of the elevator, say "You press the lit button. Nothing happens." instead;

if the number understood is less than 1 or the number understood is greater than 4, say "There is no such elevator button." instead;

if the power is switched off, say "The buttons are unlit. Nothing happens. Turning off the power seems to have disabled the elevator." instead.

Carry out pressing button:

say "There is the sound of a mighty motor and [run paragraph on]";

if the number understood is less than the floor of the elevator:

say "the floor briefly drops out from under you. [run paragraph on]";

otherwise:

say "your knees buckle with the force of the lift. [run paragraph on]";

if the elevator is untried:

say "To your shock, there is no inner door. The concrete bricks of the elevator shaft go hurtling by in a blur. You don't like to think about what might have happened if you had chosen to lean against that wall. [run paragraph on]";

if the number understood is 4:

say "The ride seems to take quite some time. [run paragraph on]";

say "With a bone-jarring stop, the ride comes to an end.";

now the floor of the elevator is the number understood;

now the elevator is tried.

Check exiting when the player is in the Elevator:

rule succeeds.

Instead of exiting when the player is in the Elevator:

try going outside.

Before going outside in the Elevator:

let the other place be the location corresponding to a level of the floor of the Elevator in the Table of Elevator floors;

move the player to the other place instead.

This is the departing elevator rule:

if the the location of the player is the location of the elevator exterior:

let the resting place be the location corresponding to a level of the floor of the elevator in the Table of Elevator floors;

if the location of the player is the resting place:

if a random chance of one in two succeeds:

say "Behind you there is a roaring sound as the elevator rushes away.";

now the floor of the elevator is zero.

This is the arriving elevator rule:

if the call button is lit:

if a random chance of one in three succeeds:

if the location of the player is the location of the call button:

say "There is a quiet bell sound and the elevator slides into view. The light on the button goes off.";

now the floor of the elevator is the floor of the call button;

now the call button is unlit.

The departing elevator rule is listed in the every turn rulebook.

The arriving elevator rule is listed after the departing elevator rule in the every turn rulebook.