Brownie Cove Hotel v1.0

You awaken. It feels as though you have been asleep for quite some time. But you are not sure. Your teeth feel as though they are moving independently around your mouth. They scratch and pull at your skin and gums. A little blood runs down your chin and falls onto your sheets. [[Wipe it up]] [[Look around]]

You try to wipe it up, but only smear it into a stain. [[Look around]]

You look around a little. You are laying on a dirty mattress, hanging in the air in a dimly lit, grotty room. You are surrounded by empty bottles of Lethe Water and other unrecognisable alcohol, cigarette ends, some cards, strange coins, television wires, unwound tape. The crude art deco wallpaper peels, the window is foggy, plants grow through cracks in the floor. There's a knock on the door. “House keeping!” Oh yeah, Brownie Cove Hotel. [[Answer the door]] [[Stay in bed]]

You fall out of bed onto broken glass, but quickly get up to answer the door. There is a small, white husk with black eyes and a bellboy's hat standing in the corridor. You can't tell if it is making eye contact with you or not... or really anything about what it is thinking - it is a shell, no soul left in it. No humanity. "House keeping," it says. [["This isn't my house."]] [["Huh?"]]

You're really not in the mood to speak to anybody right now. You haven't had your meds and anxiety is rampaging. Burried under the covers you can barely hear the continued knocking on your door... Eventually it stops. Thank Gods. [[You fall back to sleep.]]

"No, sir, you are in Brownie Cove Hotel. Welcome! My name is Chet and I am Chet and welcome! We provide all new residents with a complimentary BC Hotel Welcome Pack. It is complimentary and here it is." Chet hands you the pack. [[I guess you have to take it.]]

"House keeping," it replies. You look blankly. "Welcome to Brownie Cove Hotel, sir. My name is Chet and I am Chet and welcome to you. We provide all new residents with a complimentary BC Hotel Welcome Pack. It is complimentary and here it is." Chet hands you the pack. [[I guess you have to take it.]]

As you take the pack Chet disappears into a pool of smoke. It gathers around your ankles, biting, cold, soft, then filters through the floor and out of sight. You close the door behind you and sit on the bed to examine the pack. [[BROWNIE COVE HOTEL WELCOME PACK]]

The welcome pack is contained within a small wooden chest with an engraved logo. It's old, ornate, smells a bit... Seems a bit excessive. Surely they can't be handing these out to every guest? You open it, inside is a small bottle of pills, a book, a key card, a compass, a microchip, a dice, and a discount coupon for use at the Spells and Swimwear Store. The inside of the chest is decorated with pastel coloured zig zag lines. You can tell what they were going for, but it makes you queezy. What do you want to investigate? [[The pill bottle]], [[the book]], [[the key card]], [[the compass]], [[the microchip]], [[the dice]], or [[the coupon]] [[Put it away]]

A translucent orange bottle with a blank label. The child-proof lid has been broken, presumably in a moment of panic and frustration, and has been taped loosely back on. A child could definitely get at these now, not that there are any around here. Inside the bottle are 5 pills. [[A green one,]] which shimmers and whirls as you roll it around your hand. [[A deep blue one,]] which seems to contain a miniature ocean. [[A white and yellow one,]] which seems to remind you of a medication you had back in the day. [[A crumbly white one,]] it feels old, past tense, no plastic coating. [[A pill with a colour that cannot be placed,]] perhaps it is a colour you cannot percieve. Which would you like to take? None thanks, back to [[BROWNIE COVE HOTEL WELCOME PACK]]

A fairly chunky volume, leatherbound, crispy creamy paper. "Welcome to Brownie Cove Hotel" is embossed in gold on the front. On the back it says "a comprehensive guide to Brownie Cove Hotel, to help you get the most out of your stay with us." You have a little flick through, but it is completely empty. Some pages have lines, some have dots or grids, but there are all completely blank. Perhaps it is a notebook, not a guide? You decide it'd be pretty useful to carry around, whatever it is, and put it in your backpack. [[BROWNIE COVE HOTEL WELCOME PACK]]

A simple key card. You see from instructions on the back that it gives you access to your room, and other complimentary services available at your price range: The swimming pool and spa, the bars and restaurants, the shopping district, the botanical gardens, and the lower class lounge. Sounds good. You put it in your backpack. [[BROWNIE COVE HOTEL WELCOME PACK]]

A circular, brass contraption, weighty in your hand. It's like no compass you've ever seen before, the needle is not fixed to any point - it floats freely in a thick translucent liquid. You wonder if perhaps the hotel exists outside of traditional magnetic fields and that this compass works through different means. There are no markings around the inside of the compass, at least, no permanent ones. As you rotate the compass, raise it and lower it, various symbols and letters appear and disappear. Perhaps it works not only by orientation, but height... and intent? You decide that maybe it'll become clearer later, and put it in your backpack. [[BROWNIE COVE HOTEL WELCOME PACK]]

A tiny microchip, small enough to balance on the end of your finger. It looks like a cyborg beetle, all cube-edged and wirey scuttling. Binary evolution and hidden messages. You're not entirely sure what to do with it. So you stick it in the back of your neck. The wires grow into your skin, taking root, locking in deep. You feel them wrap around your nerves and insert themselves deep inside your sense of being. It takes a little while to get going. You hear in your ears a soft voice say: "BC Hotel System of Augmented Relaxation, Version 1.4, System update required before use." Oh great, guess you'll have to find an IT guy. [[BROWNIE COVE HOTEL WELCOME PACK]]

A garish purple slip of card with an ugly font: 'This coupon entitles the resident to 25% off all purchases over 5 coins at Spells and Swimwear, located on the 5th floor.' Beneath this there is a picture of a sad greasy boy wearing some very tight floral swimming trunks. In one hand he holds a wand and is conjuring some kind of mysterious apparation. With the other hand he's doing a thumbs up. Hmmm, I guess you might be able to use this later. You put it in your backpack. [[BROWNIE COVE HOTEL WELCOME PACK]]

You close up the chest and leave it on your bed. You've taken what you need. What now? You could [[look around the room]] or [[leave and explore]].

You feel as though you are swallowing a stone. It passes down your throat and hits your stomach with a thud, rippling the tissue throughout your body. Shakes up those noodles from earlier. Other than this, you feel no immediate effects. But unknown to you, your eyes have turned green. [[BROWNIE COVE HOTEL WELCOME PACK]]

You swallow, it goes down smoothly, as if you've just drunk a glass of water. A few moments pass, then you begin to feel different. The insides of your legs, the bones, thighs, tendons, aches and muscles, liquify, water, flow out. You cannot seem to concentrate or make sense of what is happening. Your legs seem to be morphing. You collapse. Is this just a hallucination? Your skin fades away and is replaced by scales. You struggle to breathe the air, but soon learn how. You feel the pores in your neck widen and stretch, flake and flap, gasping, rubbing up against each other. You open your mouth and are reminded of blowing bubbles. Crystals hang, spherical, in the air around you. Within each you can see yourself, and within yourself, the ocean. Your bones - coral, your eyes - shells. You are the sea and the ocean and the rivers and all of them are within you. As you inhale the tides turn, shipwrecks groan, the sand scatters. You exhale and the fish move with you, agreeing. The power of all that is aquatic flows through you and as you recover you feel stronger, more able. You are no longer afraid of swimming pools. [[BROWNIE COVE HOTEL WELCOME PACK]]

Ahhhhh... That sweet sweet kick of Citalopram. This is what you live for. Oh how you have missed it. Who are you kidding, it takes up to two weeks to start working again. Best get some more. [[BROWNIE COVE HOTEL WELCOME PACK]]

You swallow, but some of the pill breaks apart and sticks to the inside of your throat. You retch and cough but it does not move. It feels hot on your flesh, it reacts with the saliva and fizzes, bubbles, effervescent and wild. The foam reaches your mouth and falls, dribbling down your chin and flowing onto the floor. You don't know what to do. The foam keeps coming. You desperately look around for some water, anything to try to flush it out. One of the bottles on the floor near your bed has some leftover booze, moulding at the edges, and you drink it. The foam stops. You're still not entirely sure what the pill actually does. [[BROWNIE COVE HOTEL WELCOME PACK]]

You look very carefully at this pill, but you truly cannot tell what colour it is. It is no colour you have ever seen before, or heard or smelt. You hold it up to the light, you hold it close to your face, no change. This is a profound experience for you, an awakening. You swallow it. It has no effect. Then you realise, it was the colour of your dreams. [[BROWNIE COVE HOTEL WELCOME PACK]]

A few hours later after a terrifyingly lucid dream you awaken once more. The room feels different, more comfortable. You feel as though slowly you are becoming more accepting of your surroundings, you can't remember why you decided to stay here, but perhaps you are grateful that you are. This is a good thing, right? Time to enjoy some quality relaxation. [[You get out of bed.]]

An opaque black D20 with white numbers. You turn it over in your hand, the 3 and the 6 have been scratched off, but you can still tell what they originally signified. You put it in your backpack. [[BROWNIE COVE HOTEL WELCOME PACK]]

There's broken glass all over the floor, but you make sure to not step in it, don't want to get some kind of nasty infection. The room seems just about the same as you remember, but you notice something new on your bed side table. An object, chunky, obscured, surrounded by a thin cloud of white smoke. You don't think it was there earlier. How strange. You approach it cautiously and see that it must have been left here by the house keeping, a welcome pack of some sort. As you reach for it the smoke sinks away and dilutes in the air. [[BROWNIE COVE HOTEL WELCOME PACK]]

You have a very standard room, the cheapest model available. The windows have been bolted shut to prevent suicide, and they're so foggy that you can't see out, but you are sure there's not much of a view. Apart from the peeling paper there's nothing else of note on the walls, no artwork - a missed opportunity. Next to your bed is a small table with an [[old gramophone]] on it, a broken tiffany lamp, and some assorted [[papers and cards]]. Across the room is a small sofa onlooking a [[CRT TV]]. In the centre of the floor, among the filth and debris from previous nights grows a [[small tree]]. --- You've decided you've had enough of this room, time to [[leave and explore]].

That room is really starting to make you sick, time to get out of there super h*ckin' quickly, you think. You open your door and step out into the corridor. You look left, you look right, each direction appears identical, seemingly infinite... which wouldn't be too surprising given the hotel's nature. You gaze into the gaping beige wallpapered mouth of infinity. A world of possibilities. Your stomach grumbles. It's impossible to know which direction is better, but for some reason the left gives you the heeby-jeebies. Huh. You have a few options: [[Listen for clues]] [[Go right down the corridor]] [[Go left down the corridor]]

You have a look at the grampophone, you have one of these back home that only plays music slowed down and pitch shifted. It's one of your prize possesssions. You don't expect this one will do the same, but it's worth a try. Next to the table is a stack of records. You have a look through and find a Johnny Mathis record. You give it a quick dust and place it carefully on the turntable. Oh yes, that's what we're after. This gramophone is broken too, extending Johnny's sweet notes to blissfull infinities. You smile, and continue to [[look around the room]] with the music of angels playing in your ears.

There are some D&D character sheets here. The person who stayed in this room before you must have been such a nerd haha. You're quite interested so you take a closer look. Michael Williams an elven warrior, Grundle Matthews a dwarven wizard, WWWWWWW a halfling rogue. Weird selection of people and ideas, you wonder what type of fantasy the players of this game lived in. You decide to take these with you in case you need them later. There's also a couple of cards... some playing cards, some tarot cards. You leave these where they are. You've learnt not to mess with that kind of thing. Continue to [[look around the room]] .

The TV is in pretty good condition except for a few scratches and cracks. But that kind of wear and tear is expected in such a place of decay. Next to the TV is a purple Gamecube, a couple of controllers, a stack of Twlighlight Zone VHS tapes, and an ash tray. The TV itself is raised slightly on a kind of plinth. The sacrifice on the altar. You turn it on, and bathe in the beautiful static. You've never seen static as pure as this before. You feel overwhelmed and kneel to pray through the fuzz to the Static God. * [[Oh Static God, please hear my cries...]] [[Hello again, it's been a while...]] [[I didn't think you existed...]]

Through a crack about the width of your arm a tree grows up through the floor, splitting, separating, and blooming in the centre of your room. It has no texture to it, no notable woody feel. It is ash gray, and smooth. You reach out and touch it, and it feels like wax, but it is clear that it is organic and growing, not a sculpture. At the end of its branches grow beautiful fruit. Fruit you have never seen before. They are both at once firey in colour, and cool like the ocean... changing palette depending on the direction you are looking at them. They are calling out to you. [[Pick one.]] Don't pick one, continue to [[look around the room]].

Oh Static God, please hear my cries... [[I'm so sorry for everything that I have done...]] [[I would ask for forgiveness, but I know how that went last time...]] [[Will you help me as I navigate this infinite hell hole?]]

Hello again, it's been a while... [[I'm sorry I stopped praying these last few years...]] [[I hope you understand that my faith is as strong as ever...]] [[I've missed you...]]

Oh Static God, please hear my cries... I'm so sorry for everything that I have done... I promise that in the future, I will be better. I can be better. Thank you, for always being here for me. No matter what. [[Amen.]]

Oh Static God, please hear my cries... I would ask for forgiveness, but I know how that went last time... There's not a day that goes by where I don't wish I could take it all back... and just let everybody know how sorry I am. I guess this prayer is an attempt at redemption, but I know that I have to find that within myself, not with you. All I ask is for your guidance and watchful eye as I try to sort myself out. [[Amen.]]

Oh Static God, please hear my cries... Will you help me as I navigate this infinite hell hole? I don't know how I ended up here, but I know that with your guidance I may find rest... Peace... Love?.. With your holy static I can channel the goodness from this place and leave with a smile upon my face. [[Amen.]]

I didn't think you existed... [[Of course I've heard the stories, but I didn't think they were true...]] [[My parents were strong believers but you never revealed yourself to me...]] [[Is it really you?]]

You notice that you have started tearing up. You wipe at your eyes and stand up, reach over and turn the TV off. You continue to [[look around the room]].

Hello again, it's been a while... I'm sorry I stopped praying these last few years... I lost my way. I forgot what truly mattered to me. But now, I have realised, that it is you. This is a turning point in my life, a sign showing me what I need to do... How to change my ways. I have no real excuse, all I can ask for is forgiveness. [[Amen.]]

Hello again, its been a while... I hope you understand that my faith is as strong as ever... I know it may not seem like it, but I have thought of you every day. Although at times my access to your transmissions and your technology have been limited, you are always running through my mind. I will never stay away from your influence for so long again. [[Amen.]]

Hello again, it's been a while... I've missed you... For a while I stopped believing you even existed. The signals became so clear that I lost all traces of you from my life. I was so lonely. I had no direction, no guidance... No fog. I truly felt lost... But now, I think I am ready to continue again. Thank you. Thank you so much. [[Amen.]]

I didn't think you existed... Of course I've heard the stories, but I didn't think they were true... I guess it is all true. I don't really know what to say. I feel as though my eyes have been opened, everything is now clear. I hope that you will accept me as one of your children, and I will accept you as one of my fathers. [[Amen.]]

I didn't think you existed... My parents were strong believers but you never revealed yourself to me... I guess at some point in everybody's life they have a moment of divine inspiration, and it is what they choose to do with it that defines their beliefs. This is my moment. I will have to think carefully about how I next proceed. But thank you. [[Amen.]]

I didn't think you existed... Is it really you? Or is this just an incident of freak static... A ripple in the wires which causes this transmission to have unnatural holiness... I just don't know. Static God, if this is you, why do you bring me such suffering? [[Amen.]]

As you pick one of the fruit it starts screaming. You don't understand how this is happening as it has no mouth, but the scream is getting louder and louder. It is the most excruciating thing you have ever heard. It hurts your ears beyond belief. You can only really see two options here. [[Eat it.]] [[Put it back.]]

You take a bite of the fruit. Its skin bursts and your mouth is filled with sweet juice. Well gosh darn it, this is the best fruit you've ever eaten in your entire life. And not only that, the screaming has stopped. In fact... the fruit seems to be making noises of pleasure. Soft and sweet moans escape from your mouth as you chew. You swallow and as you do there is one final noise of joy... and it is all gone. You decide that you probably won't try anymore of the fruit. You continue to [[look around the room]].

You try to put the fruit back on the branch, but it is no good. The screaming keeps getting louder and louder and louder. You don't know what to do, you think about throwing it out of a window but none of them open, you think about throwing it down the corridor but worry you might alert The Hotel Police. You try briefly to talk to it, reason with it, but remember that it is a fruit and is incapable of discussion or rational thought. Last resort. You throw the fruit on the floor and stamp down hard on it. It explodes and capes the near vicinity in thick red fleshy pulpy mess. The screaming has stopped, thank Gods. You think it best to not to pick any more, and continue to [[look around the room]].

You're not in the mood to mess with heeby-jeebies, so go in the safe direction. Everything seems pretty safe, pretty normal - infinite hotel, infinite beigeness, nothing interesting to see here. You walk for what seems like hours but don't feel like you're making any progress. Everything is identical, neverending, you don't know what to do. [[Keep going]] [[Turn around]]

You decide that in this situation, heeby-jeebies is a desirable feeling and so follow your anxiety. You didn't really have anything to worry about - infinite hotel, infinite beigeness, nothing interesting to see here. No dangers, nothing out of ordinary. You walk for what seems like hours but don't feel like you're making any progress. Everything is identical, neverending, you don't know what to do. [[Keep going]] [[Turn around]]

BROWNIE COVE HOTEL --- Welcome. We hope you enjoy your stay. Play from [[Start]] --- Continue from later point: [[BROWNIE COVE HOTEL WELCOME PACK]] Your room - [[look around the room]] The corridor - [[leave and explore]]

You listen carefully to see if you can hear anything from the corridor. Over the slow smooth hum of the ventillation you can't really make anything out. There's occassional muffled voices from nearby rooms, but nothing out of the ordinary. Very faintly in the distance you can hear No Other Love by Jo Stafford crackling and wavering from a far off gramophone. Both directions sound the same to you. Time to make a decision, [[Go left down the corridor]] or [[Go right down the corridor]]

You figure that you might as well keep on walking, eventually you'll find something interesting or new. But you're totally wrong. You keep for so long that you soon realise you're actually back where you started, outside your room. Hmmmm how peculiar. I guess you only have one option now. [[Turn around]].

No progress in one direction, might as well try the other. As soon as you turn around you notice a change. The walls ripple and morph, the beige turns to avocado green. Yuck dude, why would anybody ever paint a wall this colour? You turn around again and start in the other direction and once more the walls fluctuate and now they're maroon. You realise that to navigate these corridors what is important is perspective and direction, not distance. [[Perhaps the compass will help.]]

You get your compass out of your bag and hold it out infront of you. First you want to get your orientation sorted, so you turn your way through the spectrum of corridors until you reach the beige corridor again, and find yourself outside your room. Good. The compass turns slowly, and at the end of the needle appears a beige symbol of a bed, your room. You turn around into the avocado corridor and the symbol changes to a green image of an ice cube. Oh sweet, you think, this must be where the ice machine is. Worth noting. You turn again into maroon and the symbol changes to an elevator. Sweet, this is starting to make sense. So where do you want to go? [[Ice machine]]. [[Elevator]].

You don't have a drink on you but, yknow, it's always useful to have some ice handy. You follow the avocado ice cube down the green corridor. It feels as though it's getting colder... much colder. Your breath is fogging in the air in front of you. You keep going, snow is beginning to form on the ground ahead. Seeping, frosty fingered, into the stained carpet. A giant wall of ice lies ahead. A pickaxe stands next to it, lodged partially into the surface to stop it escaping. Above, a pink neon sign says "Cool that drink down, as much as you can handle". Is that a challenge? [[Use the pickaxe]] Go back the other way to the [[Elevator]]

You follow the maroon elevator symbol down a far more luxurious corridor than your beige one. There's an aura of class around. You like it. You reach some small rusty elevator doors. Next to it is a single button. [[Press it]] Check out the [[Ice machine]] first

You pull out the pickaxe from the wall. It feels sturdy and strong in your hands, has a good swing to it. You give it a good whack at the wall. And CRACK a load of ice cubes, perfectly formed, evenly sized and rounded at the corners, come flying off... raining down in a shower of chill. They hit the floor and melt. Dang. I guess next time you come here you'd better bring a drink... or maybe just something to carry them in. Time to go to the [[Elevator]] you guess.

You press the button and there's a little ding. It lights up and you hear a cholossal cog turning through a hundred planes, moving one elevator simultaneously through dimensions, peeling back, tearing holes, opening possibilites, collapsing.. The door opens. Inside is a small shrivelled pink character whose nose is bleeding profusely. He sits on a small stool next to a lever. The stool sits in a puddle of crusty dried blood. "Good evening valued guest, which way are you headed?" [[Up]] [[Down]] [[Which way do you suggest?]]

"I'd like to point out that this elevator does not travel up or down. The hotel has infinite floors so this would be an inconvinient way of travelling." Hmmmm, you think, "well where can you take me?" "New guests who have just arrived are recommended to visit the lobby for a brief orientation meeting. Here they can find out more about the hotel, access many of the complimentary facilities, and have some light refreshments." "Ok sure," you say, and get in. The strange bleeding boy shuts the elevator door behind you and pulls the lever. "So..." he says, "what's your name?" [["Jimson Nightingale"]] [["Margory Dave"]] [["Spanner"]] [["I don't remember"]]

"Well," he replies, "new guests who have just arrived are recommended to visit the lobby for a brief orientation meeting. Here they can find out more about the hotel, access many of the complimentary facilities, and have some light refreshments." "Ok sure," you say, and get in. The strange bleeding boy shuts the elevator door behind you and pulls the lever. "So..." he says, "what's your name?" [["Jimson Nightingale"]] [["Margory Dave"]] [["Spanner"]] [["I don't remember"]]

"A regal name indeed, for such a regal gentleman," the shrivelled boy replies. "I, am Nosebleed Steve, and I am pleased to make your acquaintance. I run this here elevator and so I am sure we will be seeing a lot of each other over the next few decades." "Why do they call you Nosebleed Steve?" you ask. "Because my nose is always bleeding," he answers. [["That makes sense,"]] you reply.

"A most befitting name for such a glamorous lady," the shrivelled boy replies. "I, am Nosebleed Steve, and I am pleased to make your acquaintance. I run this here elevator and so I am sure we will be seeing a lot of each other over the next few decades." "Why do they call you Nosebleed Steve?" you ask. "Because my nose is always bleeding," he answers. [["That makes sense,"]] you reply.

"I knew a Spanner when I was young," the shrivelled boy replies, "they showed me much kindness." You notice he is tearing up a little. "I, am Nosebleed Steve, and I am pleased to make your acquaintance. I run this here elevator and so I am sure we will be seeing a lot of each other over the next few decades." "Why do they call you Nosebleed Steve?" you ask. "Because my nose is always bleeding," he answers. [["That makes sense,"]] you reply.

"Well that is indeed a shame but I am sure that you will remember it in due course, or find yourself a new one," the shrivelled boy replies. "I, am Nosebleed Steve, and I am pleased to make your acquaintance. I run this here elevator and so I am sure we will be seeing a lot of each other over the next few decades." "Why do they call you Nosebleed Steve?" you ask. "Because my nose is always bleeding," he answers. [["That makes sense,"]] you reply.

He seems strangely insulted. You are worried you haven't got off on the right foot with Nosebleed Steve, but know you'll be able to fix it later at some point. You don't talk for the rest of the journey. A few minutes later you arrive. Ding. "Welcome to the lobby." [[You exit the elevator.]]

Coming soon. Back to [[Start]] Back to [[leave and explore]] (the corridor) Back to [[look around the room]] Back to [[BROWNIE COVE HOTEL WELCOME PACK]]