Artifact

=><= <img src="https://i1.wp.com/ghostlygurustudios.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/sleep1.png" alt="Sleep"> <== You've finally managed to drift off to sleep after a late night drinking the latest concoctions of synthesized pleasure at the new hip bar The Möbius Strip. ==> [[(Continue Sleeping..)]]

=><= <img src= "https://i1.wp.com/ghostlygurustudios.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/alarmclockt.png?ssl=1&w=450" alt="Sleeping"> <== Suddenly, your brain's internal electronic alarm clock vibrates jolting you out of a deep sleep. The last thing you want to do is get up for your shift at the galaxy's most popular alien fast food chain <font style="color: orange;"> Cladnodem's™ (over 60 quadrillion served!)</font style>, but you need the money if you ever want to get off this dirtball of a planet... <font style="color: white;">**Choose**:</font style> [[- Set internal electronic alarm to snooze by slamming your head into your pillow.]] [[- Wake up & get ready for the day.]]

<font style="color: red;">(text-style: "fade-in-out")[***BZZZT**] (text-style: "rumble")[***BBZZZT**] (text-style: "blink")[ ***BBBZZZT**]</font style> ==> [[(Alarmclock..)]] //<audio src="http://cellar-dweller.org/Theartifact/sounds/alarmclock.wav" autoplay//>//

While getting ready for the day you gripe about how you wish you could afford the newer model of the internal electronic alarm clock that can cut down the number of hours of sleep you need by getting straight to those good old delta brain waves. You head off to work promising yourself that you won't go to The Möbius Strip bar again after your shift is over. [[(Catch the sky bus to work.)->(Leave your apartment)]]

While getting ready for the day you gripe about how you wish you could afford the newer model of the internal electronic alarm clock. The newer model can cut down the number of hours of sleep you need by getting straight to those good old delta brain waves. You head off to work promising yourself that you won't go to The Möbius Strip bar again after your shift is over. ==> [[(Leave your apartment)]]

=><= <img src="https://i1.wp.com/ghostlygurustudios.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/busstationl2.png" alt="Sky Bus Station"> <== You stumble out of your apartment in a sleepy daze and look up at the towering buildings that pierce the dark sky. It's that time of year again when the sun doesn't rise till noon, and sets only four hours later. You get in line with the other chumps on the congested platform and [[(Wait for the sky bus)]].

A fight breaks out between two aliens on the platform waiting for the sky bus. One of the aliens is accusing another of cutting in line... <font style="color: white;">**Choose**:</font style> [[- Tell the aliens to knock it off.]] [[- Accuse the same alien of cutting in line.->- Tell the aliens to knock it off.]] [[- Say nothing.->- Pay for a Zipcab (the fastest cab company in the universe!)]]

Both Aliens turn to you and tell you to mind your own business. They both gang up on you, telling everyone that you cut the line. You have no other choice, but to go to the very end of the line. Hopefully, you will still manage to catch the first sky bus that shows up. Otherwise, you're going to be late for work. [[(Continue to wait for the sky bus, while wishing you kept your mouth shut.)->- Catch the Skybus to work.]]

=><= <img src="https://i2.wp.com/ghostlygurustudios.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/cladnodems.gif" alt="Cladnodems"> <== You arrive at work late and your boss reprimands and docks you 15 Employee Behavior Credits or EBC's. You've already lost enough EBC's to not be up for a raise for 5 years at this point. The only way you have a chance to get some of those credits back according to the manager is to <font style="color: #6495ED;">"..take the initiative and go above and beyond.."</font style> Which really just means clean the bathroom and take out the garbage before anyone asks you to. <font style="color: white;">**Choose**:</font style> [[- Clean the bathroom->(Clean the bathroom)]] [[- Take out the trash->(Take out the trash)]]

=><= <img src="https://i2.wp.com/ghostlygurustudios.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/cladnodems.gif" alt="Cladnodems"> <== You arrive at work late and your boss reprimands you, but luckily he doesn't dock any of your Employee Behavior Credits or EBC's. You've already lost enough EBC's to not be up for a raise for 5 years at this point. The only way you have a chance to get some of those credits back according to the manager is to <font style="color: #6495ED;">"take the initiative and go above and beyond"</font style> Which really just means clean the bathroom and take out the garbage before anyone asks you to. <font style="color: white;">**Choose**:</font style> [[- Clean the bathroom->(Clean the bathroom)]] [[- Take out the trash->(Take out the trash)]]

=><= <img src="https://i1.wp.com/ghostlygurustudios.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/alley.png" alt="Alley"> <== You head out the kitchen door out into the alley to bring out the trash, when you hear shouting and arguing in the distance. <font style="color: #7CFC00;">Professor Jook Sowdry: "I don't have it! I don't even know what you are talking about! I don't have any such artifact!"</font style> Then you hear a loud <h3><font style="color: red;">(text-style: "shudder")[***ZAP**! **ZAP*!]</font style></h3> [[(Knowing all too well that was the sound of a laser blaster, you hide behind the pneumatic trash unit while still clutching the trash bag in your hands.)->(crouch down)]] //<audio src="http://cellar-dweller.org/Theartifact/sounds/laser2.wav" autoplay//>//

<font style="color: #AFEEEE;">Alien thug #1: "You weren't supposed to kill the professor!"</font style> <font style="color: #00FF7F;">Alien thug #2: "Well looks like he wasn't lying, he didn't have the artifact on him..."</font style> <font style="color: #AFEEEE;">Alien thug #1: "Yea.. No kidding.. Considering all that's left of him is just a pile of ash!"</font style> <font style="color: #00FF7F;">Alien thug #2: "He must have hidden the artifact somewhere around here."</font style> [[(You watch as the alien thugs search the alley and dig around in some of the pneumatic trash tubes.)]]

<font style="color: #AFEEEE;">Alien thug #1: "It's not here.."</font style> <font style="color: #00FF7F;">Alien thug #2: "Keep looking!"</font style> <font style="color: #AFEEEE;">Alien thug #1: "IT'S NOT HERE!!!"</font style> <font style="color: red;">(text-style: "blink")[***BZZZT**] (text-style: "fade-in-out")[***BBZZZT**] (text-style: "blink")[ ***BBBZZZT**]</font style> <font style="color: #AFEEEE;">Alien thug #1: "UGH, now we're in trouble... The boss is calling, and we haven't found it yet!"</font style> <font style="color: #00FF7F;">Alien thug #2: "Don't answer him! Let's go back to the Professor's apartment and see if he stashed it there."</font style> <font style="color: #AFEEEE;">Alien thug #1: "What if he tossed it into one of these trash units and its now heading to be incinerated in the planet's core?"</font style> <font style="color: #00FF7F;">Alien thug #2: "Don't say that! There's no way he would have risked it being incinerated!"</font style> [[(You stay hidden and the two alien thugs take off behind a building. Moments later you see a ship shoot up into the sky.)]]

//<audio src="http://cellar-dweller.org/Theartifact/sounds/shiptakeoff1.wav" autoplay//>// You mumble under your breath about the city going to hell and figure it's best to let the police deal with whatever just happened. You still can't help wondering what the heck that professor guy was mixed up in to get himself killed by those alien thugs. [[(Throw trash into the pneumotrash unit)]]

"What the heck!?" You exclaim out loud. <font style="color: #FFFF99;">***There is something stuck up in the pneumotrash and it's clogging the unit from disposing the trash you just put inside it.*</font style> [[(You reach your arm up and feel something there, but can't manage to dislodge it)]]

<font style="color: #7CFC00;">"My name is Professor Jook Sowdry. I am an alien archeologist that has dedicated his life to researching and discovering ancient alien cultures and technology."</font style> ==> [[(Continue listening to the recording)->(Continue to listen to the tape)]]

It's no good.. You can't seem to get it to budge. <font style="color: white;">**Choose**:</font style> [[- Take off your shoe and use that to dislodge the object]] [[- Head back inside and get a broom, maybe you can dislodge it with that]]

You are now standing in a pile of garbage and since no one wears socks in this part of the galaxy, the garbage oozes between your toes. <font style="color: #008B8B;">***Why in the world would you take off your shoe in order to try to dislodge something?*</font style> [[- Head back inside and get a broom, maybe you can dislodge it with that.]]

You use the broom to hit the object that's clogging the trash unit, shaking it loose. A strange bag falls out onto the ground. [[(You open up the strange bag that was blocking the trash unit.)]]

=><= <img src="https://i2.wp.com/ghostlygurustudios.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/artifactanimation2.gif" alt="artifactbag"> <== Inside the bag is a strange glowing artifact with mysterious symbols carved into it. Also inside the bag is an audio recording and some sort of keycard to the Galactic Federation Bank. <font style="color: white;">**Choose**:</font style> [[(Listen to the audio recording)]] [[(Look at the keycard)]]

It's a keycard for a safety deposit box at the Galactic Federation Bank belonging to a Prof. Jook Sowdry. <== <h3>GALACTIC FEDERATION BANK</h3><h4>Safety Deposit Box #121001</h4> ==> Property of Jook Sowdry(MD, PhD) [[(Listen to the audio recording)]]

<font style="color: #7CFC00;">"If you are hearing this recording I fear the worst has occurred and that the artifact may now be in the possession of the secret organization, The Order of the Temple of Orion or O.T.O. The O.T.O aim to use this artifact for great evil by summoning an ancient alien deity."</font style> ==> [[(Continue to listen to the recording)]]

<font style="color: #7CFC00;">"If by a stroke of divine luck the artifact has not fallen into the hands of the O.T.O, please guard it with your life, since the artifact also has the power to create a great peace through out the galaxy as well. I have left further instructions in a safety deposit box at the Galactic Federation Bank. Go to the bank and...</font style> [muffled in the background:] <font style="color: red;">(text-style: "rumble")[***KNOCK!**] (text-style: "rumble")[***KNOCK!**] (text-style: "rumble")[ ***KNOCK!**]</font style> <font style="color: #AFEEEE;">Voice: "We know you are in there Professor! We want the artifact!"</font style> <font style="color: #7CFC00;">Professor Jook Sowdry: "Oh no! They found me! I must escape and keep the artifact safe!"</font style> ----RECORDING ENDS---- ==> [[(Head to the Galactic Federation Bank)->(Walk up to the counter)]]

The automatic doors open to the bank and you proceed to walk through the x-ray machine, metal detector, and finally the cavity search machine. The cavity search machine leaves you feeling a bit like you did after your last one night stand with that androgenous alien you took home whose name you never caught. You wait in line for a while until it's your turn to talk to a bank teller. [[(Walk up to the counter)]]

The Bank Teller greets you in a strange alien dialect. <font style="color: #FF7F50;">Bank Teller: "Hau Karn ell lept tu?"</font style> <font style="color: white;">**Choose**:</font style> [[- I only speak English, is there anyone else I can talk to?]] [[- I'd like to access my safety deposit box. Here is my keycard.]]

<font style="color: #FF7F50;">Bank Teller: "Dio eve eh den effy kashi uune?"</font style> You try your best at repeating back what the Bank Teller said to you aloud, hoping if you sound it out it will help... <font style="color: white;">**Choose**:</font style> [[- I only speak English, is there anyone else I can talk to?]] [[- What are you saying?!]] [[- Unfortunately, I don't have it on me.]] [[- My name is Professor Jook Sowdry.]]

<font style="color: #FF7F50;">Bank Teller: "Deio hev ehndein ehf eh cahtiune?"</font style> <font style="color: white;">**Choose**:</font style> [[- I only speak English, is there anyone else I can talk to?]] [[- Unfortunately, I don't have it.]] [[- What are you saying?!]]

<font style="color: #FF7F50;">Bank Teller: "Dio hev eh den effy kash eh uune?"</font style> You try your best at repeating back what the Bank Teller said to you aloud, hoping if you sound it out it will help... <font style="color: white;">**Choose**:</font style> [[- I only speak English, is there anyone else I can talk to?]] [[- What are you saying?!]] [[- Unfortunately, I don't have it on me.]] [[- My name is Professor Jook Sowdry.]]

<font style="color: #FF7F50;">Bank Teller: "Uneed eh denty phik kay shun!...*sigh.. BLARG! ughh..." Bank Teller: "Whah-ett ezz ure nam?" </font style> [[- My name is Professor Jook Sowdry.]]

You follow the bank teller to the safety deposit boxes and are left there alone, in front of the rows of numbered boxes. As the Bank Teller leaves, he shakes his head at you and rolls all of his two-hundred and twelve eyes in annoyance. You've gotten lucky! You some how managed to get access without showing proper identification. [[You find the safety deposit box & insert the keycard to open it.]]

<font style="color: #FF7F50;">Bank Teller: "Eeyu ned eh deni phu kashun"</font style> <font style="color: white;">**Choose**:</font style> [[- What are you saying?!]] [[- Unfortunately, I don't have it on me.]] [[- My name is Professor Jook Sowdry.]]

<h2>THE ARTIFACT</h2><h4>Episode 1: One Man's Garbage is Another Man's Treasure.</h4> ==> Story, Art & Sfx created by: Brian Callahan Twitter: @Futuristteletex Email: ghostlygurustudios@gmail.com ==> [[(Play)]]

//<audio src="http://cellar-dweller.org/Theartifact/sounds/playrecording.wav" autoplay//>// Inside the safety deposit box is a very thick journal, a large sum of money and a ticket for the most luxorious ship in the galaxy, The Belshazzar II. Your destination is a far off planet you've never heard of before. You catch a Zipcab and head straight to the spaceport, leaving everything from your old life behind. On your way to the spaceport you thumb through the Professor's journal and learn a bit about the artifact and its strange powers. [[(Continue to read Professor Jook's journal.)]]

<h3>Thanks for playing!</h3> <hr> created by: Brian Callahan twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/FuturistTeletex"> @futuristteletex</a> <a href="https://ghostlygurustudios.itch.io/">Check out some of my game jam games here!</a> <a href="https://ghostlygurustudios.wordpress.com/">Feel free to check out my art portfolio as well!</a>

You use the broom to hit the object that's clogging the trash unit, shaking it loose. A strange bag falls out onto the ground. Unfortunately, your shoe is nowhere to be found. It's now on its way to the planet's core to be incinerated. [[(You open up the strange bag that was blocking the trash unit.)]]

=><= <img src="https://i2.wp.com/ghostlygurustudios.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/aship.png" alt="alienthug ship"> <== //<audio src="http://cellar-dweller.org/Theartifact/sounds/laser1.wav" autoplay//>// <h3><font style="color: red;">(text-style: "shudder")[***ZAP**! **ZAP* **ZAP*!]</font style></h3> Suddenly, a ship has pulled up along side of your Zipcab firing a laser blaster right at you! The Zipcab has taken heavy damage and in a haze you realize your driver has been killed. You look out of what's left of the cab's side window and recognize the ship that's firing at you. It's the same ship that you saw those two alien thugs fly off in! [[(And just when you thought you were finally going to get off this dirtball of a planet...)]]

=><= <h3>THE END</h3> <h4>[[(TO BE CONTINUED...?)]]</h4>

=><= <img src="https://i2.wp.com/ghostlygurustudios.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/alienbathroom.png" alt="Alien Bathroom"> <== After a few minutes cleaning the bathroom, a customer barges through the door and rushes into the closest stall. You're not sure if the customer is an alien with green skin or if his face is that color because the food isn't agreeing with him. [[(Take out the trash)->(Take out the trash)]]