All text will now be saved to the script file.  Type UNSCRIPT at any time to
discontinue scripting.

>restart
Are you sure you want to start over?  (YES or NO) > y







   It had been a bad day.  In fact that might be putting it mildly.  It all
started when Maester Drummond asked you to balance the time flow inhibitor. 
Maester Tubal's latest experiments had shown that the time flow between the
Keep and the Outside was beginning to equalize as it did every ten years or so,
and the inhibitor had to be rebalanced to correct the problem.  The incident
was almost always used to evaluate the highest ranking novice to see if they
were ready for the Maester's robes and this time around that novice happened to
be you.

   Of course you botched it horribly.  Somewhere along the line you added black
sand where there should have been white and the whole inhibitor went haywire. 
For a full thirty minutes time stopped completely in the entire east side of
the Keep while the west side moved at twice the normal flow.  It was awful,
luckily no one had been standing in the central hall when it happened but one
of the Keep's ferrets was, and the result was not pretty.  Novice Filmore said
he was standing in one of the central hall's western doors when it happened. 
The poor ferret was running full tilt down the hall when suddenly half of his
body stopped moving and the other half kept right on going.

   Maester Drummond was not amused.  As punishment he decided to send you into
the Erudition Chamber, and now the massive oak door leading into that
foreboding room stands before you.






The Erudition Chamber
Copyright (c) 2003 Daniel T.  Freas
(Type info if this is your first time playing.)


Basement
   You are standing in the depths of the Keep's basement.  Before you, to the
south, is a massive oak door which leads into the Erudition Chamber.  Chisled
stone steps lead back up into the Keep to the north.  The air is damp and cold
this far underground and the slightest sounds echo hollowly against the stone
walls.
   One of the Keep's guards is standing here.

>[There were some grammar errors in the opening text.]
I don't understand the punctuation "[".

>talk to guard
You attempt to start a conversation with the guard, but
he is apparently not in a talking mood.

>info
   Welcome to The Erudition Chamber!  Type Credits to
find out who contributed to this game.

   Every puzzle in this game has more than one solution.  What's more, there is
no right, wrong, or even preferred solution.  If it works then it works, no
guilt, no illogical repercussions.  There are, of course, consequences to your
actions but they are only logical ones (e.g.  if you burn a table to ashes you
can no longer eat your dinner off it, or what have you).  Save your game every
now and then, in case you decide you would have liked to try that last puzzle a
different way.

   The scoring system has been replaced.  You'll notice there is a word or
combination of words in the top right corner of your screen rather than a
number; watch it for changes.

   For those of you that like to know such things there are 6 main types of
ending to this game and, if I counted right, 268 combinations that will get you
to those endings.

   Have Fun.

>i
You are empty-handed.

>x guard
Large and rather bored would be a decent description. 
No doubt he would rather be dicing with his fellows elsewhere in the Keep.

>[dicing?]
I don't understand the punctuation "[".

>l
Basement
   You are standing in the depths of the Keep's basement.  Before you, to the
south, is a massive oak door which leads into the Erudition Chamber.  Chisled
stone steps lead back up into the Keep to the north.  The air is damp and cold
this far underground and the slightest sounds echo hollowly against the stone
walls.
   One of the Keep's guards is standing here.

>open door
Opened.

>s
You take a deep breath and step into the Erudition
Chamber.  For a moment you feel a slight chill and the world seems to shift
slightly but then the moment has passed and things have returned to normal. 
You notice that the door has disappeared behind you.

The Chamber
   The best word to describe this room would be stark.  It is completely void
of any aesthetic consideration.  The room is roughly square and made entirely
of stone, a damp mist clings tenuously to the corners of the chamber and a
vaulted archway to the south is the only exit.  A long wooden table stands in
the center of the room.
   Sitting on the table is a battle axe, a journal, a lamp (providing light),
and a leather flask.

>read journal
To make reading this journal easier please refer to
it in sections, of which there are three.  For example, if you wish to read
section one simply type "read section one."

>read section one
   "Greetings novice, welcome to the Erudition
Chamber.  As you may surmise by a quick look around you, the Chamber is not, as
you were led to believe, a room for punishment.  Rather it is a testing ground.
The deception was necessary so that you would be unable to prepare for what
lies ahead.  It is important that all of your reactions be natural and
unplanned so that we may evaluate your skills.  Keep in mind as you progress,
that every choice you make will effect the world around you to some extent. 
There will be consequences for your actions, consequences that you will be
required to deal with as they arise."

>read section two
   "I have found over time that each person is
especially suited to a certain type of task.  I, for instance, have endeavored
for fifteen years to advance to the third level of the Alchemical order but
have been unable to attain the transience required by that sect.  I have seen
others though, who could not even attain the most basic level of the Alchemical
sect while they advanced without peer in one of the other three sects and soon
became recognized as the greatest among their chosen order.  My particular
skills have developed in such a way that I have attained the basic knowledge of
each of the four sects without ever being able to grasp the higher wisdoms of
any of them.  At times I regret this shortcoming, if indeed it may be seen as
such, but I also understand the need for an order of Maesters that have an
understanding of each sect so as to see a larger picture than any individual
order's members may grasp."

>read section three
   "The chief difference, as I see it, between the
orders, lies in how a person of a given order is wont to approach a problem. 
For instance when faced with an obstacle, a member of the Warrior sect is
likely to attempt to break it down.  Their reasoning is that the quickest and
most efficient solution is the best.  An Alchemist faced with the same problem
would seek to change the form of the obstacle, reasoning that any object has
some form in which it would no longer present itself as a problem.  The
approach of a Maester Artisan would no doubt be to work with the obstacle in
some ingenious way so that it would no longer pose a problem.  And finally the
accomplished Seer would not attempt to remove the obstacle at all, but would
rather find some other way to arrive at their destination."

>read section four
I don't see any section four here.

>l
The Chamber
   The best word to describe this room would be stark.  It is completely void
of any aesthetic consideration.  The room is roughly square and made entirely
of stone, a damp mist clings tenuously to the corners of the chamber and a
vaulted archway to the south is the only exit.  A long wooden table stands in
the center of the room.
   Sitting on the table is a battle axe, a journal, a lamp (providing light),
and a leather flask.

>get all from table
battle axe:  Taken.
journal:  Taken.
lamp:  Taken.
leather flask:  Taken.

>x flask
A small leather flask suitable for holding various
liquids.  It currently contains oil.

>s
War Room
   This room is filled with the decorations of war.  A suit of armor occupies
one corner and various weapons and shields are fastened to the walls all around
the room.  A large tapestry depicting the Battle of Barnet hangs on the western
wall, while an old wooden door leads south.

>x tapestry
   The tapestry shows the legendary Battle of Barnet,
the decisive and final blow to the ancient House of York.  As the legend goes,
there was a thick fog covering the field as the armies prepared for battle and
they badly misjudged each other's position resulting in battle lines
overlapping on each side.  It is generally thought by today's historians that
this fog may have indeed changed the outcome of the battle had it stayed
afield, but alas a stiff wind blew in from the north, clearing the mist and
spelling the doom of everyone who wore the colors of York save one.  Richard of
Gloucester was the only man to escape with his life.
   Soon after, being virtually unopposed, the Lancastrians took a firm hand to
the Kingdom and turned their greedy eye toward France.  The rest is, as they
say, history.  Richard fled north to more familiar country and it was his
grandson who later founded the Maester's Keep.  England, in the name of Empire,
soon conquered all the known world.  From Russia to the north of Africa they
rule without question and have for near on five hundred years now.

>[ah, alternate history.  Excellent.]
I don't understand the punctuation "[".

>x lamp
An old oil lamp with a small blue flame burning
brightly on the wick.

>s
You'll have to open the old door first.

>open old door
There does not appear to be a lock anywhere, but
nevertheless the door does not open.

>l
War Room
   This room is filled with the decorations of war.  A suit of armor occupies
one corner and various weapons and shields are fastened to the walls all around
the room.  A large tapestry depicting the Battle of Barnet hangs on the western
wall, while an old wooden door leads south.

>x armor
It looks to be a 15th century suit of armor.  Not much
different than those being worn by the men depicted in the tapestry on the
western wall.

>look behind wall
There's nothing behind the wall.

>look behind tapestry
You push the tapestry aside revealing a passage in the
wall behind it leading west.

>get armor
You can't have the suit of armor.

>wear armor
You can't wear the suit of armor.

>x weapons
The weapons and shields that adorn the walls are
securly fastened in their places and for the most part out of reach.  None of
them look particularly interesting but taken as a whole they give the room a
foreboding atmosphere.

>get weapon
The weapons and shields isn't important.

>get a weapon
The weapons and shields isn't important.

>e
You can't go that way.

>w
You step toward the passage but notice as you do that
the walls of the exit are apparently made of some sort of lodestone.  The lamp,
being almost entirely made of brass, is unnaffected but the axe you carry is
pulled violently toward the stone.  It takes all of your effort to maintain
your grip on the weapon but it quickly becomes obvious that if you wish to go
that way you're going to have to leave the axe behind.

>drop axe
Dropped.

>w
You follow the winding passageway finding a brightly
lit room at its end.  Again you feel a slight chill and the world seems to
shift.  The moment passes and things return to normal, but the path you entered
by has disappeared behind you.

Antechamber
   The walls and ceiling of this room curve gradually so that the entire
chamber is a distorted spherical shape.  You are standing before a large desk
behind which sits Maester Eloash, the head of the Seer sect.  Two exits lead
out, one to the east and one to the west.

   "Ah!  Hello there novice."  Maester Eloash greets you as you enter the room,
"It seems that you have shown a predisposition for the Seer order."  He smiles,
leaning forward on his desk.  "There were several ways you could have passed
through that little obstacle, finding the secret passage you discovered shows
that you have the inquisitive mind of a Seer.  Of course being a Maester Seer
requires more than looking behind a tapestry or two.  You now have a choice,
you may leave by the western door which leads out of the Keep entirely," Here
Maester Eloash gestures expansively toward the western doorway with his hand,
"or you may continue on your chosen path through the eastern door which leads
to your next test."  Another gesture, this time toward the eastern door. 
"Before you make your choice however, there is the matter of your having
attained the first level of the Seer order.  You are therefore entitled to read
the basic knowledge of our order."  Maester Eloash opens a large book on his
desk and turns it for you to read.

>read book
 "The joy of being a Maester Seer is that we do not
struggle as the other orders do.  The Alchemist must always strive to reconcile
change and constancy, the Artisans must, at every turn, pit their wit against
the world, and the Warrior must always be ready to risk life and limb in
pursuit of the next goal.  With the Seer this is not so, for we have come to
realize that as water always flows downhill so also the best solution to any
problem is the one which requires the least effort.  The price that must be
paid for this lack of struggle is an appearance of aloofness.  The other sects,
not understanding the ways of our sect, have come to think that because our
thoughts cannot be understood in their way of thinking that we must be
inordinately wise.  In truth this is not so, to become a Seer one must only be
patient and willing to wait until the solution presents itself rather than
forcing a solution on the problem at hand."

When you have finished reading the page Maester Eloash closes the book and puts
it away, awaiting your decision.

>talk to eloash
You open your mouth to speak but Maester Eloash
raises a finger.  "You have only begun the path to becoming a Seer young
novice.  Perhaps if you continue to prove yourself we will sit and talk after
your testing is complete.  Until then you are on your own."  His smile takes
some of the sting out of the rebuke but it is clear he is unwilling to talk.

>tell eloash that he could have been better implemented.
I don't know the word "that".

>e
(Opening the eastern door)
The door disappears behind you as you walk through.

Gear Room
   The room in which you now stand is truly a monument to the Artisan sect. 
There are gears and pumps everywhere, in mechanical combinations too
complicated for the eye to follow.  Most of the gears seem to involve rotating
sections of the ceiling, but it is hard to be sure.  A staircase extends a
short way up toward the room above, but is currently incomplete and a pipe runs
from a hydraulic lift under the staircase through an exit to the north. 
Another exit leads east.

>x pipe
The pipe is perhaps a hand wide and made of metal. 
It runs from the hydraulic lift under the stairs, through the room, and out the
exit to the north.  It would seem that it is designed to carry pressure of some
sort to the hydraulic lift to cause it to, well, lift.

>x gears
The various gears and pumps scattered across the
ceiling are too high above to examine closely.  What you can see from this
distance seems to indicate that their primary function is to rotate sections of
the floor above.  Undoubtedly you will be faced with that rotating floor when
you manage to get past the stairway in this room.

>x pipe
The pipe is perhaps a hand wide and made of metal. 
It runs from the hydraulic lift under the stairs, through the room, and out the
exit to the north.  It would seem that it is designed to carry pressure of some
sort to the hydraulic lift to cause it to, well, lift.

>turn it
Turning the pipe doesn't have any effect.

>u
Incomplete Staircase
   You are standing on an incomplete staircase that extends a short way toward
the room above but not far enough to allow you to go up any farther.

>jump
Wheeee!

>d
Gear Room
   The room in which you now stand is truly a monument to the Artisan sect. 
There are gears and pumps everywhere, in mechanical combinations too
complicated for the eye to follow.  Most of the gears seem to involve rotating
sections of the ceiling, but it is hard to be sure.  A staircase extends a
short way up toward the room above, but is currently incomplete and a pipe runs
from a hydraulic lift under the staircase through an exit to the north. 
Another exit leads east.

>x lift
The lift looks slightly odd, and upon closer
inspection you realize why.  Apparently the lift is designed to hold the
staircase down, more than lift it up.  The design is such, that when pressure
is supplied through the pipe the hydraulic lift extends allowing the staircase
to rise, but it is also obvious from the large coiled spring you see here, that
if the hydraulic lift were not connected to the stairs, they would simply rise
the remaining distance on their own.
You notice a chain lying on the floor beside the lift.

>x chain
The chain is attached at one end to the bottom of the
staircase.

>pull chain
Leaning all of your weight against the chain you
pull.  For a moment the only effect is for your face to turn red with the
effort but then with a shudder the bottom of the staircase begins to move
toward you.  As it does the stairs rotate and the top stair moves closer and
closer to the ceiling above, each individual step also turns as you pull until
with a "click" everything locks into place.
The former staircase has now been transformed into a useable ladder that
extends all the way to the room above.

>u
A voice echoes in the room around you:  "The
goal of a successfull Alchemist is to see the world always in a state of flux. 
There can be no constants in the mind of a Maester of our order, for all things
change, and must be seen to do so if one is to overcome the obstacles brought
on by the study of Alchemy.  It is the harnessing of the power of change that
is our true strength.  Change of itself is no better than chaos, for in their
natural states the two feed off of eachother in a necessarily symbiotic
existence.  The Maester Alchemist however must become an adept at separating
change and chaos; bringing about change in the midst of order is the great
challenge of our sect."

As you enter the room there is a brief sound of gears rotating and a section of
floor slides over the stairway covering it completely.

Mirror Room
   There are four exits leading out of this room in the cardinal directions. 
The main feature of the room is a very large mirror standing straight up in the
center of the room.  Beside the mirror is an iron lever.  There is also a very
large wooden gear set into the floor a few feet away from the mirror and a
shaft from this gear disappears into the floor.

The western exit seems to glow with a diffuse light.

>x mirror
The mirror is angled so that it reflects from
one of the room's four exits straight to another.  Currently it is aligned so
that the southern exit is reflected into the western exit and vice versa.

>turn it
Turning the mirror doesn't have any effect.

>realign it
I don't know the word "realign".

>pull lever
You pull the lever and the mirror begins to
turn.  As the mirror turns its edge catches the large wooden gear on the floor
of the room and causes it to turn as well.  As soon as the gear begins to turn
large rumbling sounds start to emanate from the floor below.  The ground shakes
for a moment and suddenly the walls around you are rotating.  When they stop
rotating you can see that the door that once led north now leads east, the door
that led east now leads south, and so on around the room.

A beam of light shoots out of the exit to the west, hits the reflective surface
of the mirror and shoots off to the north.

>[chromatron!]
I don't understand the punctuation "[".

>n
Lens Room
   You are in a square stone room.  Directly across from the exit is a large
lens mounted on a track.  There is an iron lever set in the floor of the room. 
The only exit leads south.

A beam of light shoots in to the room from the exit to the south and dissapears
into the lens on the north wall.

>pull lever
You pull the lever and the floor lurches
under you as the outer rooms begin to rotate around the central mirror room in
what would be a clockwise direction if you were looking down on it from above.

The lens slides away from the hole in the wall.

>l
Lens Room
   You are in a square stone room.  Directly across from the exit a small
circular hole has been cut into the wall.  Beside the hole is a large lens
mounted to the wall on a track.  There is an iron lever set in the floor of the
room.  The only exit leads west.


>l
Lens Room
   You are in a square stone room.  Directly across from the exit a small
circular hole has been cut into the wall.  Beside the hole is a large lens
mounted to the wall on a track.  There is an iron lever set in the floor of the
room.  The only exit leads west.


>pull lever
You pull the lever and the floor lurches
under you as the outer rooms begin to rotate around the central mirror room in
what would be a clockwise direction if you were looking down on it from above.

The lens slides in front of the hole in the wall.

>x hole
The hole is cut straight through the wall but
there is another wall on the other side so you see nothing but stone.

>pull lever
You pull the lever and the floor lurches
under you as the outer rooms begin to rotate around the central mirror room in
what would be a clockwise direction if you were looking down on it from above.

The lens slides away from the hole in the wall.

>n
In a place where all of the rooms rotate it
can be hard to keep track of where the exits are, however the exit from this
room currently leads east.

>e
Mirror Room
   There are four exits leading out of this room in the cardinal directions. 
The main feature of the room is a very large mirror standing straight up in the
center of the room.  Beside the mirror is an iron lever.  There is also a very
large wooden gear set into the floor a few feet away from the mirror and a
shaft from this gear disappears into the floor.

A beam of light shoots out of the exit to the west, hits the reflective surface
of the mirror and shoots off to the north.

>n
Archway
   You are in a square stone room that is completely empty.  An exit to the
south leads back to the mirror room.  An archway has been cut into the wall
directly across from the exit.  A beam of light shoots in to the room from the
exit to the south and shoots through the archway which now leads to an open
door.

>n
You step forward blindly and a voice intrudes
upon your thoughts:  "A clear mind and quick wit are the requirements of an
accomplished Artisan.  It is these qualities which have served our sect so well
in many of the Keep's past problems.  By observing an obstacle logically it is
always possible to overcome the problems it presents by mechanical means of
some sort.  In every problem there is a solution built in to the very fabric of
the problem itself.  Such is the balance of the Artisan, that in all things the
difficulties must be seen as their own solutions.  To become a Maester Artisan
one must, above all else, be observant.  Observing the situation itself and
furthermore finding and dismissing the solutions that might result in less
desirable outcomes.  It is this dismissal of possible solutions that sets the
Maester Artisans apart from the other sects, for it must be obvious to the
Artisan that a problem may be overcome by physical strength or brute force but
that same solution, once found, must be dismissed as inadequate."

As the voice fades away the world lurches suddenly and you find yourself
transported to a totally new setting.

Damp Room
   You are in a damp room carved out of the surrounding earth.  A large iron
grate blocks your passage to the north while another smaller opening leads
east.  At the south side of the room water drips slowly out of a pipe large
enough for you to walk through.  Set in the floor below the pipe is a copper
drain that the water disappears through.

>x grate
There are no hinges on the grate and
it appears that it is opened by some sort of mechanism inside the wall that
lifts it straight up.  There is a small panel in the wall beside the grate.

>open panel
Opening the panel reveals a clamp
set into the wall that could be used to hold a small item in place.  Why it
should be there is beyond your current understanding.

>x clamp
There's nothing in the clamp.

>open it
I don't know how to open the clamp.

>i
You have a journal, a lamp
(providing light), and a leather flask.  The leather flask seems to contain
oil.

>x pipe
The pipe is set in the southern wall
and is large enough for you to walk through.  Water is driping slowly out of
the pipe.

>s
Water Pipe
   You are standing in a large water pipe that slants upward to the south. 
Water trickles slowly down the pipe from south to north.  A smaller pipe leads
off to the east.

>e
You feel the world shift slightly as
you step eastward.  The room around you disappears leaving you a bit
disoriented.
Glowing Pool
   No one but a Maester Alchemist could have devised this room.  The floor and
walls are normal enough but in the center of the room is a pool of liquid that
glows with an ethereal light.  Surrounding the pool a ring of alchemical
symbols have been carved into the stone.  Hanging on the wall are two large
charts, one covered in stars and the other in planets.  An exit leads west.
   You see a glass vial here.

>get vial
Taken.

>x charts
Which charts do you mean, the star
chart, or the planet chart?

>star
    The Twelve Processes in Zodiacal
Time

       Aries:  Calcination
       Taurus: Congelation
       Gemini: Fixation
       Cancer: Solution
       Leo:    Digestion
       Libra:  Sublimation
       Scorpio:    Separation
       Sagittarius:    Ceration
       Capricorn:  Fermentation
       Aquaries:   Multiplication

>x planet
    The Seven Planetary Metals

       Sol:    Gold
       Luna:   Silver
       Mars:   Iron
       Mercury:    Quicksilver
       Jupiter:    Tin
       Venus:  Copper
       Saturn: Lead

>l
Glowing Pool
   No one but a Maester Alchemist could have devised this room.  The floor and
walls are normal enough but in the center of the room is a pool of liquid that
glows with an ethereal light.  Surrounding the pool a ring of alchemical
symbols have been carved into the stone.  Hanging on the wall are two large
charts, one covered in stars and the other in planets.  An exit leads west.

>x pool
The pool is filled with a glowing
liquid.  Through the liquid you can see the bottom of the pool which seems to
be made of black and white sand swirled together in complex patters.  Carved
around the edge of the pool is a winged serpent with the symbols for fire and
water on its head.  On its wings are carved the symbols of the constellations
Cancer and Leo and on its body is the symbol for the planet Mars.

>enter pool
A misunderdtanding; when I say pool
I mean it as a small round structure in the center of the room, not as
something you might swim in.  It is certainly not large enough to enter.

>touch it
You feel nothing notable.

>l
Glowing Pool
   No one but a Maester Alchemist could have devised this room.  The floor and
walls are normal enough but in the center of the room is a pool of liquid that
glows with an ethereal light.  Surrounding the pool a ring of alchemical
symbols have been carved into the stone.  Hanging on the wall are two large
charts, one covered in stars and the other in planets.  An exit leads west.

>get charts
Which charts do you mean, the star
chart, or the planet chart?

>all
star chart:  You can't have the star
chart.
planet chart:  You can't have the planet chart.

>get all
glowing liquid:  You'll have to put
the glowing liquid in something.

>x symbols
Carved around the edge of the pool
is a winged serpent with the symbols for fire and water on its head.  On its
wings are carved the symbols of the constellations Cancer and Leo and on its
body is the symbol for the planet Mars.

>save
Saved.

>empty flask
You pour the oil out onto the
ground.

>fill flask
What do you want to fill it with?

>liquid
Done.

>drink it
The leather flask doesn't appear
appetizing.

>drink liquid
The glowing liquid has a distinctly
acidic taste.  You feel a bit odd after swallowing it, but the feeling passes
and you don't seem to have suffered any ill effects.

>fill flask
What do you want to fill it with?

>liquid
Done.

>x flask
A small leather flask suitable for
holding various liquids.  It currently contains a glowing liquid.

>l
Glowing Pool
   No one but a Maester Alchemist could have devised this room.  The floor and
walls are normal enough but in the center of the room is a pool of liquid that
glows with an ethereal light.  Surrounding the pool a ring of alchemical
symbols have been carved into the stone.  Hanging on the wall are two large
charts, one covered in stars and the other in planets.  An exit leads west.

>w
Damp Room
   You are in a damp room carved out of the surrounding earth.  A large iron
grate blocks your passage to the north while another smaller opening leads
east.  At the south side of the room water drips slowly out of a pipe large
enough for you to walk through.  Set in the floor below the pipe is a copper
drain that the water disappears through.

>x drain
The copper drain is set in the floor
directly below the pipe.  Water drips slowly out of the pipe and through the
drain.

>look in it
There's nothing in the copper drain.

>open it
The copper drain is set into the
floor, it cannot be opened.

>s
Water Pipe
   You are standing in a large water pipe that slants upward to the south. 
Water trickles slowly down the pipe from south to north.  A smaller pipe leads
off to the east.

>s
Water Pipe
   You are standing in a large water pipe that slants upward to the south. 
Water trickles slowly down the pipe from south to north.  A smaller pipe leads
off to the east.

>e
You feel the world shift slightly as
you step eastward.  The room around you disappears leaving you a bit
disoriented.
Glowing Pool
   No one but a Maester Alchemist could have devised this room.  The floor and
walls are normal enough but in the center of the room is a pool of liquid that
glows with an ethereal light.  Surrounding the pool a ring of alchemical
symbols have been carved into the stone.  Hanging on the wall are two large
charts, one covered in stars and the other in planets.  An exit leads west.

>w
Damp Room
   You are in a damp room carved out of the surrounding earth.  A large iron
grate blocks your passage to the north while another smaller opening leads
east.  At the south side of the room water drips slowly out of a pipe large
enough for you to walk through.  Set in the floor below the pipe is a copper
drain that the water disappears through.

>s
Water Pipe
   You are standing in a large water pipe that slants upward to the south. 
Water trickles slowly down the pipe from south to north.  A smaller pipe leads
off to the east.

>s
Water Pipe
   You are standing in a large water pipe that slants upward to the south. 
Water trickles slowly down the pipe from south to north.  A smaller pipe leads
off to the east.

>s
Water Pipe
   You are standing in a large water pipe that slants upward to the south. 
Water trickles slowly down the pipe from south to north.  A smaller pipe leads
off to the east.

>s
Water Pipe
   You are standing in a large water pipe that slants upward to the south. 
Water trickles slowly down the pipe from south to north.  A smaller pipe leads
off to the east.

>s
Water Pipe
   You are standing in a large water pipe that slants upward to the south. 
Water trickles slowly down the pipe from south to north.  A smaller pipe leads
off to the east.

>s
Water Source
   You have come to the end of the pipe.  A valve set into the wall here is
closed but slowly leaking water.  The only exit leads back north.

>s
You can't go that way.

>x valve
The valve is closed, but water still
trickles out.

>open it
You open the valve and water rushes
out flowing down the pipe to the north.

>n
Water Pipe
   You are standing in a large water pipe that slants upward to the south.  A
steady stream of water rushes down the pipe northward.  A smaller pipe leads
off to the east.

>n
Water Pipe
   You are standing in a large water pipe that slants upward to the south.  A
steady stream of water rushes down the pipe northward.  A smaller pipe leads
off to the east.

>n
Water Pipe
   You are standing in a large water pipe that slants upward to the south.  A
steady stream of water rushes down the pipe northward.  A smaller pipe leads
off to the east.

>n
Water Pipe
   You are standing in a large water pipe that slants upward to the south.  A
steady stream of water rushes down the pipe northward.  A smaller pipe leads
off to the east.

>n
Water Pipe
   You are standing in a large water pipe that slants upward to the south.  A
steady stream of water rushes down the pipe northward.  A smaller pipe leads
off to the east.

>s
Water Pipe
   You are standing in a large water pipe that slants upward to the south.  A
steady stream of water rushes down the pipe northward.  A smaller pipe leads
off to the east.

>s
Water Pipe
   You are standing in a large water pipe that slants upward to the south.  A
steady stream of water rushes down the pipe northward.  A smaller pipe leads
off to the east.

>s
Water Pipe
   You are standing in a large water pipe that slants upward to the south.  A
steady stream of water rushes down the pipe northward.  A smaller pipe leads
off to the east.

>s
Water Pipe
   You are standing in a large water pipe that slants upward to the south.  A
steady stream of water rushes down the pipe northward.  A smaller pipe leads
off to the east.

>s
Water Source
   You have come to the end of the pipe.  A valve set into the wall here is
open and water rushes out flowing down the pipe to the north.  The only exit
leads back north.

>e
You can't go that way.

>n
Water Pipe
   You are standing in a large water pipe that slants upward to the south.  A
steady stream of water rushes down the pipe northward.  A smaller pipe leads
off to the east.

>e
You feel the world shift slightly as
you step eastward.  The room around you disappears leaving you a bit
disoriented.
Glowing Pool
   No one but a Maester Alchemist could have devised this room.  The floor and
walls are normal enough but in the center of the room is a pool of liquid that
glows with an ethereal light.  Surrounding the pool a ring of alchemical
symbols have been carved into the stone.  Hanging on the wall are two large
charts, one covered in stars and the other in planets.  An exit leads west.

>w
Damp Room
   You are in a damp room carved out of the surrounding earth.  An open archway
leads north where the iron grate used to be while another smaller opening leads
east.  At the south side of the room water rushes out of a pipe large enough
for you to walk through.  Set in the floor below the pipe is a copper drain
that the water disappears through.
You can hear a whirring sound coming through the copper drain in the floor as
water rushes through it.  The grate to the north has raised and no longer
blocks your passage in that direction.

>n
You close you eyes and step through
the open passage...
The ground falls away below you and you are engulfed by the sensation of
falling through an endless void.  After a moment you realize you can once again
feel a floor beneath your feet.  With a deep breath you open your eyes.

Large Chamber
   If this room was designed to be intimidating it met its goal.  The ceiling
vaults up to heights beyond what your eye can see and before you is an immense
marble table.  Behind it sit the heads of the four orders with Grand Maester
Torval at their center.

   "Congratulations novice," Grand Maester Torval's voice resounds against the
walls of the room, echoing up into the endless heights of the chamber.  "There
is now only one test between you and your new life as a Maester.  This is also
your last chance to leave the Keep."  He waves his hand at the western wall and
an exit appears where there was none a moment ago.  "Leave by that door and you
may never return," He pauses, waving his hand at the eastern wall now with an
exit appearing on the eastern wall just as the western exit did.  "Or go on to
the final test and, pass or fail; you may never leave the Keep again."  He
looks at you in silence for a moment allowing the gravity of the choice to sink
in before continuing, "Before you decide, however, you have earned another
level of knowledge, from the Seers I believe."  He gestures toward Maester
Eloash.  " Maester Eloash, if you please."
   Maester Eloash opens a large book sitting in front of him and turns it for
you to read.

>read book
  "Seeing things that are obvious
is one of the most difficult skills to master in becoming a Seer.  The
complicated is often easy to perceive because it is most often looked for.  A
person who finds a lock will invariably begin searching for a key but often
forgets completely to check the lock and see if it is perhaps already open. 
This is how we overcome obstacles without a great deal of effort.  If a problem
is thought completely through before action is taken rather than after it will
often solve itself, which is undeniably convenient."

When you have finished reading the page Maester Eloash closes the book and puts
it away.  All of the Maesters sit awaiting your decision.

>x maesters
I don't know the word "maesters".

>x eloash
Maester Eloash is most noted for
his penetrating gaze.  Standing before him you can understand why, it is hard
to see anything but those eyes, staring at you, awaiting your decision.

>e
(Opening the eastern door)
The door disappears behind you as you walk through.

Marble Hall
   You blink in suprise as you enter the room.  Standing before you is Grand
Maester Torval with the heads of the four orders behind him, how they arrived
here ahead of you is a mystery.  "Well," Grand Maester Torval says as he
gestures toward Eloash, "You seem to posses a variety of talents in the various
Orders."  Maester Eloash steps forward and seems to weigh you with his eyes as
Grand Maester Torval continues.  "Though you favor the Seer Sect your knowledge
is not confined to their teachings.  Perhaps you will usher in a new era in
understanding between Orders."  Maester Eloash eyes Grand Maester Torval a bit
askance as if he did not like that last statement but smiles at you
encouragingly nonetheless.  Apparently he is satisfied with the new addition to
his Order.
   Maester Eloash clasps you on the shoulder and begins leading you toward the
Seer wing of the Tower.  "You have a long road ahead of you today," He says,
"there is always much to do for a new Maester."

The End.

[Author's note:  I'd love to hear which ending you arrived at to see if there
are any general trends.  Comments and criticism are also not only welcomed but
appreciated beyond words!  I can be reached at erthwin@cox.net]

Ending Information:  (shows how many puzzles you chose to solve according to
each sect's teachings)
Seer:  2
Warrior:  0
Alchemist:  1
Artisan:  1


You may restore a saved game, start over, quit, or undo the current command.
Please enter RESTORE, RESTART, QUIT, or UNDO:  >undo
(Undoing one command)

Large Chamber
   If this room was designed to be intimidating it met its goal.  The ceiling
vaults up to heights beyond what your eye can see and before you is an immense
marble table.  Behind it sit the heads of the four orders with Grand Maester
Torval at their center.  Exits lead east and west.

>w
(Opening the western door)
A look of disappointment crosses Maester Eloash's face as you head out the
western door, but it doesn't matter any more.  You've always been able to
outsmart the Maesters and there is no reason the common people of the Empire
will be any more difficult to fool.  Life will be easy living in the outside
world.  You sigh happily as you set out across the grassy fields toward the
golden sunset.  It feels as if a great weight has been lifted off your
shoulders.


The End.

[Author's note:  I'd love to hear which ending you arrived at to see if there
are any general trends.  Comments and criticism are also not only welcomed but
appreciated beyond words!  I can be reached at erthwin@cox.net]

Ending Information:  (shows how many puzzles you chose to solve according to
each sect's teachings)
Seer:  2
Warrior:  0
Alchemist:  1
Artisan:  1


You may restore a saved game, start over, quit, or undo the current command.
Please enter RESTORE, RESTART, QUIT, or UNDO:  >quit