Form & Void — 13 of 22

Section 4.2.1 Making Friends

Making Friends is a worldly scene. Loneliness ends when Making Friends begins. Making Friends begins when two people are in the World-place. Making Friends ends when Many Demands begins.

A mudperson can be valleybound. A mudperson is usually not valleybound.

First step is a truth state that varies. First step is false.

After examining a mudperson for the first time:

if the player carries the noun:

let way be the best route from the location to M9;

if way is not nothing:

now the noun is in the location;

try silently the noun going the way;

say "[The noun] wriggles free of your grasp, then scurries [way]ward.";

else if the location is M9:

now the noun is in the location;

say "[The noun] wriggles free of your grasp.";

else if the noun is in a room (called the current space):

if the noun is not in M9:

let the way be the best route from the current space to M9;

try silently the noun going the way;

say "[The noun] glances sidelong at you, then scurries [way]ward.";

else:

say "(You shouldn't be seeing this.)";

now the noun is valleybound;

now first step is true.

[First report a mudperson going:

stop the action.]

Every turn while a mudperson (called outlaw) is valleybound:

if first step is false:

if outlaw is in a room (called the current space) and outlaw is not in M9:

let the way be the best route from the current space to M9;

try outlaw going the way;

if outlaw is in M9:

now outlaw is not valleybound;

now first step is false.

Before writing a paragraph about a mudperson (called the subject):

if the subject is valleybound:

now the subject is mentioned;

if the subject is talkedabout:

now the subject is mentioned;

else:

say "[initial appearance]" instead.

After choosing notable locale objects:

repeat with described person running through mudpersons in the location:

set the locale priority of described person to 6.

First report a mudperson (called outlaw) going a direction (called way):

say "[The outlaw] [one of]scampers[or]darts[or]scrambles[or]roams[or]saunters[as decreasingly likely outcomes] [way]." instead.

Test dude with "take / f / take / f / e / take / dig / take / make friend".