Your head hurts.
[[Your back feels warm.|wake up in desert day]]
[[Your back feels cold.|wake up in desert night]]
(set:$time to "day")It's nice.
A bit sandy maybe, but warm.
And the headache's not so bad.
You can feel bright sunlight on your face.
[[You could sleep a little longer.|sleep longer desert]]
[[Or you could open your eyes.|prepare to open eyes desert day]]
(set:$time to "night")It's extremely unpleasant.
[[Time to get up.|open eyes desert]]
You prepare for the incoming blinding light.
You open your eyes.
[[It's as bad as expected.|open eyes desert]]
(if:$time is "day")[\
After a moment's confusion, you start to make out a clear blue sky and a bright white sun.
You can see sand from the corner of your eye.
[[Stand up.|stand up desert]]
[[Look around.|look around desert]]
[[Close eyes.|close eyes desert]]
](if:$time is "night")[You open your eyes.
A starred sky greets you, albeit somewhat indifferently.
It's getting really cold now.
[[Stand up.|stand up desert]]
[[Look around.|look around desert]]
[[Close eyes.|close eyes desert]]
]
You sleep for a little while.
[[You don't feel warm anymore.|wake up in desert night]]
Your headache's stronger.
|waitHook>[](if:$standing is false)[You get up.(set:$standing to true)
]Sand falls from your clothes.
(set:$shakePart to (either: "arms", "legs", "head"))[[Shake $shakePart.|drop sand]](if:$time is "day")[
(if:$seenMonument is true)[\
You ponder your choices.
[[Move towards the big silhouette in the distance.|move to monument]]
(link-repeat:'Stay put.')[(append:?waitHook)[(t8n:'dissolve')[You wait.]
]]](else:)[
[[Look around.|look around desert]]
]](else:)[(if:$time is "night")[
It's cold and dark.
[[Stay put.|wait for day]]]]
(if:$time is "day")[Besides the sky and sun, you can see mostly sand, both in the form of dunes and sand covered clothes.
A large silhouette towers in the distance.(set:$seenMonument to true)
(if:$standing is false)[You begin wondering wether you're made of sand.
[[Maybe you should get up.|stand up desert]]
[[Or close your eyes.|close eyes desert]]
](else:)[[[Neat.|stand up desert]]]
](if:$time is "night")[It's too dark to see much.
You can still make out sand around (and on) you.
You can see stars, but no moon on the sky.
(if:$standing is false)[[[Stand up.|stand up desert]]](else:)[[[Neat.|stand up desert]]]]
(if:$time is "day")[The sun and sky aren't going anywhere.
[[You decide to sleep a little longer.|sleep longer desert]]
Maybe the headache will disappear completely.]
(if:$time is "night")[You try to close your eyes, but [[it's too cold.|open eyes desert]]]
(set:$droppedSand to it + 1)\
You shake your $shakePart.
Some sand falls to the ground.
(set:$shakePart to (either: "arms", "legs", "head"))[[Shake $shakePart.|drop sand]]
(if:$droppedSand > 3)[[[You can live with sand.|stand up desert]]]
(if:$walkedTimes < 4)[(link-repeat:'The silhouette gets bigger.')[(set:$walkedTimes to it + 1)(goto:'move to monument')]](else:)[The silhouette gets bigger.]
(if:$walkedTimes > 2)[It's hardly a silhouette anymore.]
(if:$walkedTimes > 3)[[[You're here.|near monument desert]]]
{
(set:$visitedColumn to 1)
In front of you, a strange looking column rises to the sky.
}
Split in four smaller columns, of variable heights, it looks almost like it could belong to a modern art museum (except maybe for the size).
It is made of what feels like stone to the touch.
[[The sides of the columns are filled with strange shapes.|look at side of column]]
[[Go around.|look around monument]]
[[Walk aimlessly east.|walk east]]
[[Walk aimlessly west.|walk west]]
[[Walk aimlessly somewhere.|walk random]]
<div class="circle center">n
G
p
G
j
E
p</div>
[[Go back.|near monument desert]]
[[Look closer.|monument look closer]]
Looking closer, you see each letter carving is filled with more carvings:
<div class="circle center">N
E
d
O
c
G
p
●</div>
[[Go back.|near monument desert]]
A quick tour around the column reveals what looks like stairs carved into the stone.
[[Climb the stairs.|climb monument]]
[[Go back.|near monument desert]]
The stairs rise to the highest of the four columns.
From there, you can see the carvings on the top of each column.
<div class="circle center">1 2
3</div>
It seems you are standing on <span class="circle">4</span>.
[[You remember you do not like heights.|near monument desert]]
(t8n:'dissolve')[(link-reveal:'You wait.')[
(t8n:'dissolve')[(link-reveal:"The wind blows.")[
(t8n:'dissolve')[(link-reveal:"The wind is cold.")[
(set:$time to 'day')\
(set:$standing to false)\
(t8n:'dissolve')[[[The sun appears in the distance.|stand up desert]]\
]]
]]]]]
You start walking east.
The monument grows smaller and smaller behind you.
Soon you are alone with the sand and the breeze.
[[You keep walking.|hear church]]
You start walking west, or, at least, left.
Soon you are alone with the sand and the wind, the monument a spec behind a dune.
[[You keep walking.|walk to circle]]
Suddenly, the ground feels harder and flatter.
You look down.
You are standing in the middle of a giant circle.
[[You can see a message is carved into the circle.|circle message]]
The wind grows stronger.
[[Walk east.|walk east from circle]]
[[Walk west.|walk west from circle]]
You close your eyes and spin a couple of times.
Taking two steps, you smash face-first into the monument.
(set:$walkDirection to (either:"east", "west"))(link:"You decide to walk "+$walkDirection+".")[(goto: "walk "+$walkDirection)]
(unless:$fallenChurch is 1)[\
<audio src="sounds/Temple Bell Softer-Mike Koenig.wav" autoplay loop></audio>\
After a couple of dunes, you hear a bell chime.
It seems unnecessarily eerie.]\
(else:)[It's quiet, except for the wind.]
[[You keep walking.|see church at a distance]]
<div class="circle"><span class="center number">1</span>
NE dOc Gp ●
oH EoOj WJ mE oGqGjEp
oH VL dIj bGn Gd fHh
oH oOj
mE nGpGjEp oGb aAc</div>
It looks like gibberish.
[[Go back.|stand on circle]]
(unless:$fallenChurch is 1)[\
<audio src="sounds/Temple Bell Soft-Mike Koenig.wav" autoplay loop>\
Soon after, you hear another bell chime.
]You can see a small tower at a distance.
(unless:$fallenChurch is 1)[The chimes are coming from the tower.](else:)[The wind keeps blowing.]
[[You keep walking.|see church]]
The tower grows as you get closer, but not by much.
{
(if:$fallenChurch is 0)[It is about two storeys high.]
(else:)[It is about a storey high.]
}
{
(if:$fallenChurch is 0)[Split into two sections, a small cube hovers between them, vibrating lightly.]
(else:)[A large block rests to its side, fallen. A smaller cube also lays on the ground.]
}
{
(if:$fallenChurch is 0)[\
[[The cube shakes violently, chiming.|inspect church]]\
<audio src="sounds/Temple Bell Strong-Mike Koenig.wav" autoplay loop>\]
(else:)[[[It is very silent.|inspect church]]]
}
(set: $visitedChurch to 1)\
(unless:$fallenChurch is 1)[[[The tower looks like rock|touch church]]\
(if:$visitedColumn is 1)[, much like the column]. It's of a sand-like yellow.]\
(else:)[The tower lays broken.]
(unless:$fallenChurch is 1)[The cube hums lightly, chiming now and then.]
(if:$fallenChurch is 1)[[[Look closely at cube.|look at cube]]
[[Look closely at fallen half.|look at fallen half]]
[[Go around bottom half.|go around church]]]\
(else:)[[[Go around.|go around church]]]
[[Walk north.|walk north from church]]
[[Walk south.|walk south from church]]
The sun is hot.
[[You keep walking.|stand on circle]]
{
<audio src="sounds/Rock Slide-Benboncan.wav" autoplay></audio>
(set:$fallenChurch to 1)
As soon as you touch the walls of the tower, the cube reverberates loudly.
}
The top half of the tower falls to the ground with a thud, along with the cube.
The chiming stops.
[[Look closely at cube.|look at cube]]
[[Look closely at fallen half.|look at fallen half]]
[[Go around bottom half.|go around church]]
On the face opposite of where you stood, large symbols are carved into the stone:
<div class="circle center">fgO
oOj</div>
You can see the occasional <span class="circle">nGpGjEp</span> carved into each symbol.
[[Go back.|inspect church]]
(unless:$fallenChurch is 1)[[[Touch the symbols.|touch church]]]
The cube has symbols carved into each face.
Top: <span class="circle number">1</span>
Left: <span class="circle number">4</span>
Right: <span class="circle number">22</span>
Front: <span class="circle number">6</span>
Back: <span class="circle number">33</span>
The cube rests on its bottom, and is too heavy to lift.
[[Go back.|inspect church]]
The fallen half is very simillar to what still stands.
Its edges are carefuly crafted. The pattern seems based around a set of symbols: <span class="circle">nGpGjEp</span>.
Its top shows:
<span class="circle center">2</span>
<div class="circle">oH XCn oNjGU WJg <span class="number">55</span> HEdp
hAc YCn jMEV WgIc NOjGr
mO GahfDaj mDc dIj jL aAc
oH Bg EWgOV
oH oDGj</div>
It's carved into the stone in a much less skilled fashion. It reminds you of cursive handwriting.
[[Go back.|inspect church]]
(set:$wereGoing to 'see arch')\
The circle gets less and less noticeable with the distance.
(goto:(either:'math homework','see arch'))[Soon it blends with the dunes.]
Shortly after loosing sight of the circle, the (if:$visitedChurch is 1)[familiar ]silhouette of a tower appears in the distance.
(if:$visitedChurch is 1)[(set:$text to "You have seen this before.")](else:)[(set:$text to "You keep walking.")]\
(link:$text)[(goto:"hear church")]
Suddenly, you trip on something.
[[It looks like a stone tablet.|pick up math homework]]
(goto:$wereGoing)[Keep walking.]
The slab feels thinner and lighter than expected.
[[There are symbols and drawings all over it.|observe math homework]]
(goto:$wereGoing)[Keep walking.]
<img src="images/mathhomework.png"></img>
[[Go back.|pick up math homework]]
(set:$walkedTimes to 0)\
(set:$droppedSand to 0)\
(set:$standing to false)\
(set:$time to 'day')\
(set:$wereGoing to 'see arch')
A flat object appears from behind a dune.
[[It looks no bigger than you.|move towards arch]]
(if:$fallenChurch is 0)[\
The cube's hum fades to a silence.\
](else:)[\
The wreckage disappears behind a dune.\
]
[[The wind almost chimes.|walk to circle]]
(if:$fallenChurch)[\
The absense of a chime seems unnecessarily eerie.]\
(else:)[\
The tower isn't chiming.]
[[You can almost hear it.|see arch]]
As you keep walking, two square, imposing legs rise from behind the dunes, as the flat head they support keeps growing higher.
It's a lot bigger than you.
[[You think of a gaunt triumphal arch.|arrive at arch]]
You arrive at the arch.
It feels even more desolate up close, even though imposing and even majestic.
-- endsofar --