The Cluster of Echoes: The Alchemist's Folly

Join us as we jump into a playthrough of The Cluster of Echoes: Nightshift. Will we survive long enough to escape this haunted hospital, or will we fall prey to the dangers of the nightshift? Join us to find out!

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Hello everyone, welcome to Shadow of the Game. My name's Steven.

SPEAKER_00 0:02

And I'm Andrew.

SPEAKER_01 0:03

And today we're gonna be playing the Alchemist 40. So this. Oh. In case you want to pick this game up, there'll be a link down in the description just if you want to try it out yourself. And if you have any games you want to play, put it down in the comments. Um, because we like playing games you suggest. They're usually pretty good. Um so quick rules rundown for the Alchemist Folly. If you've watched any of our previous previous previous Previous Previous uh videos like this, it's a choose your own adventure book, so there's a bunch of prompts in the book that are numbered. We read them. There you get choices at the end. You have to choose which way to go, and what you choose will determine where you go if you survive, if you get to the end and win. Um have we ever won one of these?

SPEAKER_00 0:55

No.

SPEAKER_01 0:55

But to be fair, these game books are usually meant to be played like multiple, multiple times on your own, and as you go through and die and die and whatever, you learn how to get farther. Um so this one is the second book, if you watched our video called Night Shift. Uh, this is the second book in the series The Cluster of Echoes. I don't think they're connected in any way. Story-wise, I think it's just the same type of book, same author. And so there's a a little series of them. And we like the first one quite a lot, because unlike something like the Alone Against series or Fighting Fantasy, where you have, you know, a character with character sheets, you roll dice. This one doesn't have any dice rolling or anything like that, but it has a lot more like puzzly elements where you have to take notes and like remember stuff, and so all your decisions are more or less if you make the right decisions, you live, if you make the wrong decisions, you die. Because there's no luck involved of dice or anything, it's just have you chosen the right way, have you looked at the right things? Have you figured out the right rules? And we like that. So we're playing the second one. So without further ado, unless you have any, you know, things to say. No. Sweet Awesome. So we'll read a little there's a little background section first, and then we'll get right into the game. So here's the background. You were the first of your family to go to university, but good job. But it was no surprise. You always knew that you were destined for great things greater things than your small hometown could offer. You studied biotechnology, the subject intrigued you, and was a satisfying challenge for your logical brain. It was an exciting field with your new with new frontiers opening up and the promise of future glories for those daring enough to push the science to its limits. Your research was going to eradicate malaria. Um, oh, how you thought they would all talk about you with reverent and admiring tones. Surely the Nobel Prize would be a done deal. Yeah, I mean if you cured malaria, or eradicated malaria, probably. But the research was long-winded, and dare you say it, boring. And maybe more importantly, where was the prestige? The funding was cut, the equipment was old, and the professors were even older. Inevitably, your thoughts started drifting to greener pastures, somewhere where your gene genius would at last be recognized. Somewhere the value of what you did really valued you. The biotech companies with futuristic laboratories and no expense spared attitudes caught your eye. So what if they had a flexible approach to ethics? So what if that so what if they had a flexible approach to ethics? They'd just demonstrated their thirst for success. Why shouldn't you share it, after all? Where has altruism got you so far? That was when the disease struck. Disease struck. Not really a sweeping pandemic, more like more of a creeping decline. A strange new brain condition which reduced people to zombies. Not the flesh-eating type, no. They these were physically fine, it was just that their minds had gone. No thoughts, no opinions, no memories. It was easy to look after. They were easy to look after, though. They were very compliant and obedient, always did exactly as they were told. Oh, perfect test subjects for a company without ethics. Scientists still baffled. Fear continues to grow throughout the country as official numbers of people suffering from the zombie disease reached a hundred thousand. In some cases, entire families have been afflicted, but despite extensive research into the cause, scientists have no answers. Professor Frankles of Oxford University remarks that it has many similarities to the so-called mad cow disease in the 1980s. But it also seems clear that meat consumption is not the issue here. We are investigating hereditary, environmental, and effective causes and keeping an open mind. Now this was something that you could get your teeth into. Can you imagine the acclaim if you were the one to find the cure? So when Bio Imperium headhunted you and offered an opportunity to join their pioneering and promising research into zombie disease, you left for it without hesitation. You did think it was strange that they didn't even ask for your CV, but you assumed they had a vast network who had reported your brilliance back to them. In fact, all they wanted was for you to attend an interview at their country offices. A day where you can get to know us and we can really get to know you, the anonymous voice on the phone had explained. You'd pause for a few seconds, a warning bell is going off in your head, with the oft-used phrase, when things seem too good to be true, they usually are. But at that point, they casually mentioned the salary, a six-figure starting sum, and you agreed. So here you are, a vast county country hall in the middle of nowhere, about to undertake the biggest test of your life. Little did you know, though, it's on yourself. However, there's no going back now, so let's not keep them waiting. Turn to number one. Here we go. This is the start of your adventure. You park your car, noting that even the gravel has an expensive crunch to it. All the other cars are top-end models, a fact that both impresses and embarrassing embarrasses you with your secondhand, slightly dilapidated Volkswagen. Still not for much longer if you play your cards right. There is a motto above the grand doorway: one name for many and many names for one. Which is quirky, but for the money they're offering, you're not going to let a little oddness put you off. You stride into the entrance hall trying to exude an aura of confidence, but there is no one there. Just a small table with some name badges on it. You go over and are relieved to see your own name there. You pin it to your lapel and pick up the accompanying leaflet. Bio Imperium, welcome to Bio Imperium, your team building activity day. Well, not really your thing, but needs must, you suppose. Sometimes you have to jump through a few hups, a few hups to in order to get huitins, uh, in order to get to where you need to in life. But where is everyone else? Surely a team building session requires other people to build teams with. At that moment, a young but serious-looking man emerges from a doorway and walks silently towards you. He holds out his hand and attempts unsuccessfully to smile. Not quite the best person for a welcoming party, you think. Your first activity is an escape room. Please come this way, he announces. He's already set off back down the hall when he adds, Leave your phone and briefcase here. They will be taken care of. Leave my phone? Yes, your phone needs to call for a phone.

SPEAKER_00 7:38

And your briefcase. They'll be taken care of. You won't need to call anybody, you have no friends.

SPEAKER_01 7:43

You scramble after him, feeling at this that this is highly unusual, to say the least, but wondering too if it's just one of those convoluted tests that companies do these days. Wheedl Wheedling out the weak is a in a vast ocean of average applicants. Well, there's no way that you're going to fail this. You'd show them. You walk past him into a modestly sized room, modestly considering the scale of the house, and turn to ask him where the other people are. But before you can utter utter a word, he simply states, Whatever you do, don't look inside the filing cabinet. Then closes the door and locks you in. You stand there dumbfounded for a while, then try the door handle. Yes, it's you're definitely locked in. So the escape room team building activity is you, by yourself. You mutter a curse under your breath and decide to make the best of it. Curses. If this is a test of your ingenuity and initiative, so be it. You take a proper look around, but it doesn't take long. Other than the filing cabinet and a tady looking notice board, there's no furniture. It's just plain and empty and possibly the worst escape room you've ever seen. There are no windows in the opposite corn there are no windows, but in the opposite corner is an exit. You know that will be locked, but check it just in case. Of course it is, but you also notice the key bad next to the door frame. It needs three digits. You sigh with barely concealed annoyance. One, two, three. No. This is no way to treat someone of your caliber. But first things first, you need to work out what this three-digit number is and then get out of this stupid room. Taking a few deep breaths to focus, you look around again. Obviously the notice board will have a clue on it, but there must be a reason why he pointed out the filing cabinet. After all, if they really don't want people to look inside, they lock it or simply remove it. Trying to work out all the permutations and machinations, you make a beeline for the filing cabinet. It is a standard issue two-drawer gray filing cabinet, and you tap your fingers contemplatively while you mull over the instructions to not open it. This sounds like one of those psychological tests where children are told they can't have the chocolate and then they're left alone with it. You look around but can't see any hidden cameras, although that doesn't mean there aren't any. You feel a new grudging respect for Bio Imperium. It looks like they're trickier than you gave them credit for. But does that help you with your current conundrum? If you decide to open the filing cabinet, turn to 329, but if you think it's wiser to do as you're told, turn to 776. So you want to open the filing cabinet or lose your hold.

SPEAKER_04 10:13

Oh. Instant death if I open it. I mean it's just an escape room.

SPEAKER_01 10:18

If we're if we're going back to the first book, it seems like first choice could just be instant death. A girl monster comes out and bites your face off. Yeah, well, we're opening it. I mean, I'll say, what would you do in that situation? Well, I don't think you'd be in this who'd take this job interview and some sketchy backwater thing.

SPEAKER_04 10:36

Eventually I'd open it. I don't know if it's the first thing that I would do, but yeah, I'd look around a little more first. I don't want it to not be an option later.

SPEAKER_01 10:45

Yeah, no, like if I was in this situation, I don't think I'd find myself in this situation because that's it seems way too sketchy for me to even get to this point. But if I was in this if I was in an escape room like this and they told me not to open it, I'm like, well, I'm gonna look around first. Because you didn't even look at the notice board. Right. I guess maybe if you did what you're told, you could look at the notice board, but Okay. With a hefty tug, you open the heavy drawer. It is crammed full of files, so you pull one out to see what is being stored here. The Manila folder is labeled Archive Subjects 2014. And inside is a batch of passports and driver's license. You flick through a few. It's a wide variety of people from students to retirees. Were they here for research purposes? Enrolling in a clinical trial to earn some extra cash? Maybe, but what about the people from you scan some of the passports? Brazil, Japan, and Nigeria? And if they were here in 2014, why are their passports still in this room? You open the second drawer and remove another folder full of identification documents. Current subjects held in the crucible. All in all, you reckon this filing cabinet has thousands of subjects. With an uneasy feeling, you shut the drawer, but your options are presently presently limited. In fact, all you can do is now inspect the notice board. Okay, so I guess if you inspected the notice board first, like you said, you might have missed the option to look in there. You stand in front of the cork board and methodically peruse everything. There is a postcard from Whitby, dated 16th May 19 1897, which despite not having a stamp, wishes that the recipient was there. Next to that is a veterinarian appointment reminder for the booster jabs needed to ensure Carpenter's continued good health. Your eyes drift over these to a torn-out page from a notebook which is pinned at the side. Yes, that looks more like it, you think, and take down from the notice board to scrutinize it closely. The document of strange hieroglyphs is resisting my efforts to unlock its secrets. Unfortunately, I only got as far as translating one word. Nest. The writing ends with these three words, which appear to be about numbers and are of great importance.

SPEAKER_05 12:58

Hmm.

SPEAKER_01 12:58

Maybe I have enough to decipher the code. Really? Could this be I'll show you in a second. Really? Could this be any easier? You give a brief tut of a disappointment, but grab a pen from your jacket and start to work on the puzzle. Once you have the answer, you can enter the three-digit number into the keypad and turn immediately to the section with the same number. If you have no idea what the number is, you should sit down, shit down on the floor, and wait for the door to be unlocked. You weren't as clever as you thought you were, so you will be unceremoniously escorted back to your car, never to hear from Biopiram again. The test ended for you almost before it began. Okay. So I'm gonna show you. This is what you see. He's figured out this word. This is the word he figured out that meant nest, and these are the three numbers you have to figure out. 387. Ooh, feeling spicy our way. That didn't take you long at all. It's easier than you think. Yeah, I figured. I figured they'd give you enough of this, they it'd be like process of elimination. Did you say 387?

SPEAKER_04 13:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:59

Let's see if you're right. You type the numbers in confidently. After all, it wasn't difficult. Once you've deciphered the hieroglyphs, it says 387. The green light flashes on the keypad, and there is a deep clunk as the door unlocks. Expecting a grand reception, you push the door open and walk through to receive your g congratulations. But there are no cheers or cries of well done. The doors close with a heavy thud, then there is silence. You are in a straight and echoing corridor with cold stone flags. On the floor, I says cold stone flags. Don't they mean flag stones? Cause that's a thing.

SPEAKER_03 14:36

Stone flags? Flags made out of stone.

SPEAKER_01 14:39

Um on the floor and thick church candles which throw flickering and shifting lights around. Through a hidden door, the young, unsmiling man emerges emerges and gives you a curt nod. He keeps his hands suspiciously behind his bas back and asks, We need to know whether you will obey instructions.

SPEAKER_00 14:58

So tell me, did you look inside the filing cabinet?

SPEAKER_01 15:02

It's a good question, but what is your answer? No. Do you answer no I didn't, or say yes I did? No, I did not. Definitely no cameras or anything. He's gonna stab you in the chest because you lied to him. Well, it's worth a try. Maybe there were no hidden cameras, so you can get away with the lie. The man makes a slight movement of his mouth, which you presume is a smile, then says, Please continue, and good luck with the rest of the interview. He waves you along the corridor and then disappears back through the door. You hear it locked, giving you no option but to do as instructed. Hmm, don't know about that schmile. Well's behind his back where he's about to stab you in the chest of you. You walk cautiously along until you reach a junction at which a life-size life-size marble statue stands. It looks like a Roman woman. She's wearing a long tunic and has an owl purse on her outstretched hand. The plaque on the plinth declared that this is Minerva. Lovely, but not much use, you think. However, if you look left and and right, there are large stately doors that will surely be more constructive. They're open too, so you can see that the right hand door leads to a library, whereas the left takes you to a large but seemingly empty room. Where would you like to go? Left or right? Right is a library, left is the big empty room. Brite.

SPEAKER_00 16:23

Ooh. A studious person, are we? I like to read books. Admittedly a zombie bites your face off.

SPEAKER_01 16:31

No. You stride confidently into the room, taking in the vast quantity of dusty old additions and the lack of windows. There's another door to your left, and on the opposite side a large crackling fire. You feel tempted to sit in one of the leather chairs and take a break. It might be useful to contemplate what is going on and what your next move should be, but suddenly you realize that one of the chairs is already occupied. You could ask assertively, who are you, or inquire respectively, Excuse me, may I join you?

SPEAKER_00 17:00

Who are you?

SPEAKER_01 17:01

No, just kidding.

SPEAKER_00 17:02

May I join you? Hello, good sir. May I join you in your leather chair? I find myself tired.

SPEAKER_01 17:09

The stranger sits forward and gestures with his brandy glass to the spare chair. He's wearing a business suit, although he has loosened his tie. I'd be delighted, he says. I'm Otto. You must be feeling a bit bewildered by now. You nod wearily and remark how it isn't like any interview you've had before. He laughs in agreement then says, And it's not over yet. What may help you through is the secret passageway. I don't know where it is, but I've heard that there are clues to his whereabouts hidden in the pantry. A pantry. You repress a sigh, so this test isn't over yet then. But you smile at Otto and thank him for his advice. At this point he makes a sudden move of a of the head, as if he's just heard something. You hear nothing, but still he says that he must go and wishes you good luck. After he's departed, you attempt to stand from the plush armchair and hear a faint jingle from underneath the cushion. There is a swift sweep of the hand, you gather up five gold. You have five gold. You can now buy a potion of invulnerability. At least they look like they're gold. Well, finder's keepers, you think, and drop them into the pocket before surveying the room. Do you want to have a snoop at the bookcase or the large globe in the corner of the room? Give me a snoop. Of the bookcase? A snoop. Give me a little snoop. Don't you want to see where in the world you are? What about what about common San Diego? Where's she? You stand back from the shelves, hand on hips, and appraise the collection. There are too many books here for you to study them all, but then you notice one volume on a lower shelf that is distinctly sticking out. Without hesitation, you crouch down, grab the green spine, and pull. You give a self-satisfied satisfied smile as the bookcase swings open, revealing a narrow dark staircase. Aha! Seconds later, your smile is replaced by a contorted grimace as the vile stench assails you. Good god! What is down there? Is this a s is this the secret passageway Otto was talking about? It has to be. You brace yourself and head down Do you brace yourself and head down to the depths, or do s or decide against it and close the shelf tightly? I'm going hmm.

SPEAKER_03 19:22

I'm going up Do I believe Otto? I'm going down. I'm yelling too. I'm yelling timber. You better move. You better dance.

SPEAKER_01 19:37

358. You peer down into the darkness and can see a light switch halfway down. Holding your breath against the stench of excrement ammonia and decomposition, you descend the narrow wooden tread. Gagging with streaming eyes, you finally make it to the switch and then look into the small cellar room. There is a large shape in the center which is covered with a black sheet, and as you stare you hear a moaning noise. Something is inside it. Do you decide to be prudent and first fetch a poker from the library so you have a weapon? Or throw caution to the wind and head down to find out who or what is under the black sheet. So go back to the library where the fireplace is and grab a fire poker. Or just continue down. I'm worried if I go back up, I'll lose the opportunity to go back down. It always feels that way, doesn't it? Or like they'll have like woken up by then an attack or something. It always it's like, would you rather delay what you're doing and go back and do something else?

SPEAKER_00 20:34

Well, if I delay it, it's not gonna be when I come back, it's gonna be bad.

SPEAKER_04 20:38

Yeah, I'm gonna continue. Ooh, the daring do. It's just an interview. They can they're not gonna, you know, kill me.

SPEAKER_01 20:46

At this point, I'd be highly I'd be like, I'd be kidnapped.

SPEAKER_04 20:51

This is an interesting interview.

SPEAKER_01 20:53

With jelly-like legs, you slowly approach the box. Is anyone there? You ask, wishing that your voice didn't give away just how nervous you are feeling. There's no answer, but the moaning stops, although you're not sure if that's an improvement or not. Making sure you have a good run at the stairs, you lean forward, grab the nearest corner of the sheet, and yank it off. The sudden movement dislodges a cloud of dust and the dead insects into the air, and you retreat rapidly, swiping them from your arms and hair. But even so, you still notice that it's a cage, not a box, and there is some there is someone, something in it. You could go over to it and try to find out what is going on, or you could put off that option for a bit and look around the cellar first. Let's figure out what's going on.

SPEAKER_00 21:39

Let's figure out what the hell is going on in this cage, man. Who are you, bro? Why are you moaning?

SPEAKER_01 21:44

You inch forward, holding your hand over your mouth and nose. The stench is making your stomach churn. As you get closer, you can see that it's a person, but one without arms or legs. It's dressed in filthy rags, and there is a discarded half gnawed on chicken carcass at one edge of the cage. What's going on? You ask, and in the following silence, wonder what is expected of you here. Are you supposed to be a hero and rescue this freak? Is this part of the recruitment process? Before you can make any decisions, though, it rolls over and fixes intelligent eyes on you. With a hoarse voice, it mutters, You shouldn't be here.

SPEAKER_00 22:19

You shouldn't see this. You must go before the clones catches you.

SPEAKER_01 22:24

The sound that sounds ominous, but shouldn't you try to help it? What's your name? You finally say, thinking that maybe you can inform the police when you've left. It smiles at this and shakes its head. They call me Snake Girl. Is that what it says? I've never had a name of my own. Well, whilst an inappropriate part of your brain is thinking yes, without any limbs, she does look a bit like a snake. You manage to focus and ask, Did Bio Imperium do this to you? Cage you up? It wasn't the sort of question you thought you'd be asking at this interview, but it seems highly important now. She merely lowers her forward back to the filthy floor. The cage is the least of my troubles. You have no idea what they will do for him. Suddenly there is a noise from above and she hisses, Go! You don't need to telling twice. With barely with barely reass while barely with a barely reassuring I will get the police, you head up the stairs without a backwards glance and are relieved to find the library still empty. Take the co-word code word snake girl. Snake girl. The weirdest superhero ever. If you want to leave straight away, you should head over to the door. However, if you haven't done so yet, you can examine the large and impressive globe. Yay, globe! It is an eye-catching antique with an ebony base, brass fixtures, and even a compass attached. As you study the randomly swirling needle, which seems to be incapable of pointing north, you see the tablet. Well, that's incongruous to say the least, but nevertheless, you touch it. The device Yeah. The tablet of Achmann Ra? No! The device comes to life, presenting a simple screen with one question and a choice of three answers. The equator represents which measurement of Earth? You don't hesitate. Circumference! Reaching out a finger to answer it. But which measurement do you pick? Radius, diameter, or circumference. Oh, you're so smart, Andrew. You're so clever. These riddles are nothing for you. It's the radius. It's the radius, the diameter.

SPEAKER_04 24:29

Distance from the crust to the center of the earth.

SPEAKER_01 24:32

Ooh. The gold's the screen transitions to a gold color with the word correct on it. Yay! Obviously, you think. It isn't rocket science. You hear a subtle click from the globe itself, and then the screen transforms again, instructing you to raise the hemisphere. You do so you do this with difficulty. The combination of smoothness and weight doesn't help, but finally it swings back, and within the cavity you see a book. Its title is The Book of Clarifications: the Alchemical Language. Well, about time there was some clarification here. You take it over to one of the chairs, sit down and open the cover. At first you think that it's just empty pages and another stupid trick, but then you find one page that isn't blank. You give a resigned sigh as you scrutinize it. It's like a cipher of some kind. Hmm. We'll look at it in a second. There's no way to decipher it here, and although you're sure you could find it if you had enough time, not caring about the destruction of someone else's property, you tear out the page and fold it into the pocket. You deal with it later. Make a note of this section number so that if you later discover the cipher, you can come back here to decode this message. You hurl the rest of the book back inside the globe and slam the hemisphere down. So make a note of 268. So if we ever find a way to decipher this cipher. If you can decipher the ciphers, make sure you turn to the page 268. Now you can examine the bookshelf if you haven't done so already. If you've had enough, you can just turn to the exit to the library. Oh, you've already examined the bookshelf. The door opens to a short black line, brick line corridor, and without your phone, you have no idea what time it is or how long you've spent in this disturbing and sinister place. You don't really want this job anymore. But who do you tell? And how do you get out? With no other option, you follow the corridor as it veers to the left and can already smell warm milk and caramel. You have arrived at the kitchen. Very nice.

SPEAKER_00 26:26

I'd I j I was just thinking it'd be nice to have a warm glass of milk and some caramel. Glass of what? Milk.

SPEAKER_02 26:34

Milk! Um I heard milk. Shut up. The people heard it. Milk and caramel. Caramel or caramel?

SPEAKER_01 26:44

I like caramel. Sounds better. Sounds like it'd be more tasty, wouldn't it? Than caramel? Which is my I don't know which one's technically right. I think it's depends on what language you're talking. Inside there is a man wearing a white lab coat with an apron tied around his waist over it. He has slicked back, grey hair, and a thin, long face with a distinct, hawk-shaped nose. He looks at you with disdain and stops whisking the milk mixture. If this cast it cardles, I will not be happy. What do you mean by this interruption? He's got some attitude, you think, but how should you respond? If you give him a direct glare and shout, I want some answers and I want them now, turn to two forty. However, if you'd prefer to wink conjoiningly and say, I need some help here, and I never forget those who helped me, turn to 113. Alternately, you could be profo profusely humble and beg, I'm so sorry for the intrusion, but could you help me? I'd be most grateful. You want to shout, be flirty, or be apologetic. Yeah, I'm going with option three. You don't want to be like, I'll remember. I'll remember if you help me, Mr. Carmelman. I'll whisk your milk. Okay. I'll cut that out. He fixes you with a stare, then introduces himself. I'm Dr. Cinnabar, Chief Assistant to Professor Rubio. You gasp before you can stop yourself. Professor Rubio? Rubido? The Professor Rubido? The actual boss of Bio Imperium? A myth and a legend of ingenuity? Is he here? And even if you had ticked the code words cat dog or snake girl, any thoughts of abandoning the interview or calling the police are instantly replaced by a burning desire to succeed. So what if there are a dubious experience going on? You can deal with it better from the inside, surely. You gather yourself, but the doctor isn't paying any attention to your inner conflict. He whisk he's whisking the milk again and while concentrating on the task continues. You will face many tests today as part of this process. Professor Rubideau requires the best. The very best. You nod in agreement.

SPEAKER_03 28:50

I want to.

SPEAKER_01 28:51

You have already faced the test of obedience and what? You interrupt. You mean the escape room? That showed my intelligence, my initiative. The doctor looks at you pityingly. Maybe you shouldn't have had that little houseburst. Intelligence? With a puzzle that simple.

SPEAKER_00 29:07

You walked into an unknown situation, having given up your one method of communication and allowed yourself to be locked in. That is very much a test of obedience. Not to mention the test of dishonesty. Oh yes, we know about that.

SPEAKER_01 29:20

You passed that one with flying colours. So they wanted you to be obedient and dishonest. Well, when you look at it that way, you suppose the doctor does have a point. You agreed and gestured for him to go on. You will proceed as you see fit. That is a test in itself. From here you should leave via this door. He gestures behind himself to a frosted glass door. You will meet various employees. You fry at the you frown at the pause. What did that mean? They will also test you as we need someone who can think on their feet, make tough decisions, and show leadership qualities. However, your overall aim is to reach the professor and bring and bring him the eclipse. Do that and you will prove your worthiness for the job. You may find objects on your travels that you think are necessary. Here is a rucksack for these items. You mutter mutter your thanks and swing it on your bag even though it does spoil the line of your best suit. One more thing. Avoid the milk in all things dairy. Heed this warning well. And with that the doctor exits the kitchen. You can now leave as instructed, or you can first take a peek inside the pantry. Always the curious cat nothing ever bad happens. They're testing my obedience, so now I'm being disobedient. It's just a small space off the kitchen and not much of a pantry. There's only salt, vinegar, and flour stored here. Just as you're about to leave, you notice a scrap of paper on the floor, so you bend down and pick it up. It's a riddle. Yes. Alchemy might seem quite strange, yet it in its heart it seeks a change. I am now a sour a liquid sour, but I'm the key to reach the tower. You'll have luck to find the door if you know what I was before. You read it carefully again. Now a liquid sour? What was I before? And have an inkling of what the answer is. If you find yourself at a location which reminds you of the answer to this riddle, add fifty to the section number you are on at the time, then turn to the new section. For now you have no option but to exit the kitchen through the frosted glass door. So if we ever get to kind of like your intestines thing from the last one, if you ever find yourself at a location where it reminds you of the answer to this riddle, we can add fifty to it, and you can turn to that. Do you know the answer to the riddle? Read it again. I think it's milk, but I want to make sure. Alchemy might may seem quite strange, yet in its heart it seeks a change. I am now a liquid sour, but I'm the key to reach the tower. You'll have luck to find the door if you know what I was before. I mean, it seems obviously like it should be milk. Because like soured milk, any like literally just talking about milk. Liquid. Just liquid sour, but you have to know what I was before. Yeah. I am now a liquid sour, but I'm the key to reach the tower. You'll have luck to find the door if you knew what I was before. Has to be milk. I'm gonna say milk. Yeah. Say milk and add 50. But now you have to exit the kitchen through the frosted glass door. You step into a small hallway with plastered walls, large stone slabs in the floor, and a marble statue on the left hand side. It's another Roman. A younger woman a young woman with a bow and an arrow, circled by hounds. The plaque identifers identifies her as Diana. Standing on the Standing on the side of the plinth is a Standing on the side of the plinth is a vase, but the flowers are grey, desiccated and covered with dust. On the opposite wall hangs a painting of a strange spiraling tower with what is that? It looks like something you'd use in a science experiment. It looks like a crucible. But why have they painted a huge crucible at the top of the tower? And what's this supposed to mean? Behold the folly. The mistakes of putting a gigantic bowl on top of a tower, perhaps. You shake your head. What is this place? But you must stay focused on finding the professor. Straight ahead is is a door, and with no alternative, you grab the handle and exit the room.

SPEAKER_04 33:32

There's your before before you see on the wall. Earlier it said the crucible. By patients, I really think they mean test subjects, so I think they're And by test subjects, I bet it's a bunch of zombies. So basically you have to get to the top of the tower to find the test subjects or the whatever. To find the answers, is my guess.

SPEAKER_01 33:55

The first thing you notice is the noise. A cacophony of machinery that weirdly you couldn't hear from the corridor. There's a vast neckwork neckwork network of various belts, cogs, and chains whirring furiously all around you. It seems to be a factory, but what is it all for? A small room at the far end. From a small room at the far end, a familiar figure emerges and walks across to you. Dr. Cinnabar! Or is it? Cinnabon. As he gets closer, you get the distinct impression that it's not the same man. What is it about him, you wonder? He reaches you holds his hand out and says, Welcome. That's it? The nose? This doctor was a sharp-pointed nose. They must be twins. The Doctor Twin gives a polite cough, so you rapidly shake his hand, then he leads you to a table with a switch on it. Not quite a NASA light control panel, you think, but then notice a low a lower level at the side of this room. You peer quickly over the railings to see the cause of the noise. Rows of people are mindlessly pedaling, so the bicycle wheels, motor, all the other machinery. Most of them look exhausted, but they don't stop. The realization hits you like a smack in the face. These people look exactly like the zombie victims. What is going on here? You expected that Bio Imperium would test possible cures on the patients, but not this exploitation. You glimpse a fleeting look of annoyance on the second Dr. Cinnabard's face, so decide to keep your opinions to yourself, for the time being at least, and return to the table as instructed. This is another test for you, a particularly important one. Okay, then, you think, mentally gearing yourself up, with an enthusiastic smile plastered on your face. He points and continues, In that room, there's a person connected to electrodes. When you press the switch, an electrical current will pass through them. You will not be held responsible for any outcome. You must press the switch three times. Do what you think is the right action. Giving you no choice to ask questions, he leaves. If you press the switch, turn to a one. If you want to ask the peddling people about it, turn to 73. So they want me to participate in their torture tests. Do you electrocute this random person in another room that you won't be held responsible for if you electrocute? Three times? Who am I asking questions of? I'm asking the peoples. The people pedaling the bikes that are look like zombies. They're gonna be real out flyback. Because you know they lose their memories, their minds, and everything.

SPEAKER_02 36:32

Uh snake girl.

SPEAKER_04 36:36

Uh, I mean, let's ask them. I get something out of it, maybe another code word.

SPEAKER_01 36:41

You stand up and lean over the railing again. Hello! Hello! Up here! You wave energetically, but no one looks up. No one stops pedaling. As you watch, one of them falls off and slumps into a motionless heap on the floor. A fresh person enters the space, drags them off by the ankle, then gets onto the vacated saddle. You are now totally convinced they are victims of the zombie disease. You won't get any answers from them. So you shrug your shoulders and head back to the table to press the switch. What was the point of giving me the option? I don't know, I guess it was confirming that they are just like zombies or something. Almost non nonchalantly, you press the switch, hear a crackle of electric discharge, and then the howls of pain from the room. You tut dismissively. After all, it's a well-known physical physiological experiment from the 60s. They're only actors. It was designed to show how far someone would obey authority. But didn't the other doctor say the escape room was a test of obedience? Oh well, best to get the best to get this nonsense over with, so you press the switch again. This time a near a this time a heart-rending scream is accompanied by a thud. It sounds like a body falling to the floor. You go to press the switch for a third time but hesitate. What if it isn't an actor? The Doctor Twin did mention the right action. Maybe this isn't what it you think it is. If you want to complete the test and press the switch for a final time, turn to 321. On the other hand, you could go to the room and check on the person. Check on the person. They are dead. Then I'll fry them. Then I'll fry that guy. You open the door and notice a faint whiff of barbecued meat. A woman it's like the other one. Delicious. A woman is lying on the floor, weeping and looking around with a dazed expression. Suddenly she notices you and holds out tethered but charred and blistered hands.

SPEAKER_00 38:33

Please save me. Please get me out of here. They're going to kill me. I found out about the disease. It's them. It's Bio Imperium. They released a pi a pi a Prion. Uh they're behind the zombie disease outbreak.

SPEAKER_01 38:47

What? That can't be true. Is this part of the test too? At this moment you don't know what to do at all. Bio Imperium certainly doesn't play by the rules, but what's the best action here? Save her? Or is this a double bluff? You can't stand here all day, though. Do you decide to rescue the woman or play along and return to the desk to press the switch for the final time as instructed?

SPEAKER_05 39:07

Hmm.

SPEAKER_01 39:08

Hmm. Do you do you be a nice boy or do you lean into heathenism?

SPEAKER_04 39:16

I will save her.

SPEAKER_01 39:18

Oh, those well, kinda you're gonna get killed per in fact going on. Being nice to the test subjects, what's wrong with you? You swiftly start to undo the leather straps on her wrist. She is babbling her thanks and extor exhorting you to hurry when suddenly she gasps in shock and fear. You spin around, but a massive whack against the side of your head stops you dead. You collapse to the floor with a trickle of blood from your split scalp dripping onto the stone. When you next regain consciousness, you will be peddling furiously to keep the generators going. However, you won't actually know what you're doing. The prion that they've injected will have taken effect by then. You have failed to give it an I'll zapper! But Bio Imperium can still make good use of you.

SPEAKER_03 40:02

Go back! Zapper.

SPEAKER_01 40:04

Okay, so that's one life down, you have a single life left. Don't be a goodoo gooder again. On the third press, the scream from the room is ear piercing and lasts much longer than the switch was pressed for. Eventually you hear only a gurgling noise, then nothing. Five minutes later, the Doctor Twin still hasn't returned, so you go to the room. After opening the door, you pause and take in the scene. The woman is lying on the floor with her arms flexed and face contorted. There is a smoky steam emanating from her and a worrying stillness. You go over and crouch and feel for a pulse. Nothing. For a few seconds you proceed this fact and stagger back with your hand clapped over your mouth. Your brain is shouting, No, no, no. But you know the truth. The woman is dead. She's actually dead, and you were the one who killed her. Just then the Doctor Twin enters and smile. The test the test of ruthlessness is a particularly crucial one. It is essential to know that you are prepared to do whatever it takes, and you have passed. Others have failed at this point, but you are definitely looking promising. You definitely didn't fail. Mind you, from our research, we thought you would be. Your ethics are dubious to say the least. Thoughts whirl around your head. What have I got myself mixed up in? Would the police accept that I thought she was an actor? Who was that woman? I need to get out. How do I get out? But there's no answer. As you stand there in a state of shock, the Doctor Twin smiles and gestures to the exit ahead. You look at him with a bewildered expression. Does he actually expect you to carry on as if you haven't just murdered someone? However, it's clear that you need to play this carefully. Making threats or demands would be unwise in your rather isolated position. So you can either politely request to terminate the interview, or bide your time and contemplate following the instructions for now. There's the girl you just murdered. And Dr. Twin. So you want to do as instructed, or politely request, I'd like to terminate this interview, thank you. Hmm. What have you learned?

SPEAKER_04 42:07

I think if I try to terminate the interview, he's gonna be like, No. Too late? You're in too deep. Here's a prime, you're a zombie. If we terminate this interview, I'll tell the police that you just murdered somebody. He's not gonna say that. He's just gonna turn you into a zombie, bro. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 42:22

Here's more prion. Want a prion in your brain, bro? Oh, let's just keep going. Follow as instructed, you stupid little sheep.

SPEAKER_03 42:32

Bye aye, Captain! What do you want me to kill to kill next?

SPEAKER_01 42:36

I would not like to die again, thank you. Basically die, I guess. Excellent! There's no room for squeamishness in our business. I think you are standing you are starting to see just how far you can go. Before you carry on, though, you should examine this specimen's arm. Without waiting for your response, the Doctor Twin exits the room, and you are left alone with the corpse. Thinking that you should act as expected to avoid raising suspicion, you rolled up the woman's sleeve and see the vivid turquoise tattoo on her arm. One is a Nautilus shell, and the others are a sequence of numbers. It reads 1 1, 2 3, 5 8, 13, 21, 35, 55, 89. Hold on, hold on, hold on. Because that's gonna be a word. So there is a Nautilus shell. Okay. And then numbers 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, and 89. There's gonna be a bunch of letters, and I have to unscramble the word. Maybe. Presumably these are important, otherwise the Doctor Twin wouldn't have pointed them out. So you make a note of the numbers and the Nautilus tattoo. Following that, you stand muttering a brief apology to the woman, then walk out. I'm sorry, I killed you. There's a door opposite from where you came in. If you'd like to take that, However, there is a lower level with the peddlers, if you'd like to explore that area. Whatever you choose, though, you cannot hide from the fact that you have. I'll be I'll buy it accidentally, just killed someone. There's the Nautilus tattoo in the numbers. So do you want to take the door opposite where you just came in, or do you want to go explore the lower level where the peddlers are? Opposite of where I came in. Door opposite where I came in. You find yourself in a dark, a small dark foyer. A tatted, teddy green rug lines ring lies wrinkled and skewed over the flagstones. And in one corner there is a narrow spiral staircase. In the other there is another marble statue. You go over to study it, a bearded man with two faces, one looking forward and one backwards. And this is Janice. You try to recall what Janice was the god of, but you can't concentrate. Flashbacks of the poor women's electrocution flood your mind and you groan in frustration. You need to focus, but on what? Finding a way to get out of here without setting off any alarms? Or should you try to reach Professor Rubido? You silently chastise yourself for being naive. You have to presume that he is behind this. No, the only reason to reach the professor is to maintain your cover as an enthusiastic interviewee. Until you find an escape, you must act as if you are totally on board. The four air leads to a corridor ahead, so if you want to go straight on, turn to 265. If you'd rather head up the staircase, turn to 56. I'm gonna start going up. With your footsteps sharply resounding off the stone treads, you spiral up to the next floor. The landing is a rough, wide plank wide-planked floor with a vaulted ceiling. It stretches ahead for quite a distance, but halfway along there is a passageway leading off to the left. Where would you like to go? Straight ahead or left? Left. The passageway opens into a large space. It looks like it looks like it used to be a nursery, although everything is dusty, broken, and faded. There is a large old-fashioned cot and a rocking chair, but who would keep a baby up here? You look up at the skylights and the roof and see that they have all thick bars over them. Maybe the question should be what kind of baby was kept here? You head over to the cot which is covered in coarse red-brown hair, and start to suspect the baby wasn't actually human. Suddenly you hear footsteps and a tiger!

SPEAKER_03 46:27

A tiger.

SPEAKER_01 46:28

Suspecting you hear suddenly you hear footsteps and a creaking of stairs is coming from underneath your feet, so you look down. There's a trapdoor and someone is about to open it. Do you quickly pull the rocking chair over the trapdoor so the weight stops whoever it is from entering? Or do you hide behind the cot? Hide. I need to know who's coming.

SPEAKER_03 46:49

Who are you? And why do you have a baby hair? Baby tiger. Why did you go to tiger? Orange hair. Baby tiger. It said orange brown. Orange brown hair. Couldn't it just be like someone's hair? No. It's a tiger.

SPEAKER_01 47:04

I know it is. If if a if a if a tiger comes out of here, I'm going to freak out. Luckily, the cod is huge, so you're easily out of sight when the trapdoor opens, and a petite albino climbs out. She is followed by a zombie, and the pair of them stand there catching their breath. Suddenly you hear a sharp slap, and the albino says, Where did you get that from?

SPEAKER_00 47:28

You know you're not allowed to eat any more dairy? The damage might be done, but that doesn't mean it can't get worse.

SPEAKER_01 47:33

Dairy. You peer between the bars of the crib and watch as he presses the zombie firmly behind its left earlobe. Give it here, she commands, holding her hand out. The zombie obeys instantly, dropping a food wrapper into her palm. Now come on, she snaps, walking off quickly. You can hear her muttering muttering about being lucky that the chimp soldiers are not still here. Chimps. And then they are gone, like an orangutan.

unknown 47:59

Orangutan.

SPEAKER_01 48:01

Red red orange.

SPEAKER_04 48:02

That's not a chimp.

SPEAKER_01 48:04

That's true. They don't have red orange anyway. Maybe it is a tiger, we'll find out. You can now walk back to the landing and go left, head back to the spiral staircase, to the foyer, and see where the corridor leads, or slip down the trapdoor to see where that takes you. I want to go up, but I want to know what's in the trapdoor.

SPEAKER_00 48:26

There could be dairy down there.

SPEAKER_04 48:28

Dairy's important. I need to know about the milk. Trapdoor.

SPEAKER_01 48:34

The trapdoor closes above your head and you descend the narrow steep stairs. It seems endless, but just when you're seriously considering heading back up, you reach the bottom and open a small door. You enter a warm and human, humid conservatory with a strong smell of soil and a hum of insects in the air. It is a long room, and at the far end there are some men repotting plants and filling watering cans. They haven't noticed you yet, but that could be because they all seem to be blind. They have long canes and are tapping their way from one plant to the other. You could walk directly to them and see if they know anything about your next test. Or maybe you'd like to have a nosy around first. There are some strange purple plants growing in the corner of the conservatory. They're covered with iridescent scales, and if you want to examine them, turn to 259. However, the tool cupboard interests you too, so if you want to see if there is anything useful you can take from it, turn to five. So you can talk to the blind people. 259. You want to check the weird plants? Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_04 49:33

Maybe it's a heart-shaped herb. It will give me p powers. Powers?

SPEAKER_01 49:42

Your suspicions are confirmed as you get closer. The plan is definitely coated with fish scales. This is genetic engineering beyond anything you could ever imagine. But instead of being impressed, you just wonder why it was even done in the first place. At this moment, a brain wave strikes you. You can take a piece of a plan as evidence of what Bio Imperium is doing. The blind men still haven't noticed you, so you should get away from this industrial espionage. If you do take a purple scaled leaf, make a note of your theft. And then you can investigate the cupboard or go talk to the men. Taken the leaf. Purple scaled leaf in bold. Take me to the cupboard. The cupboard. Maybe this wasn't a good idea. Dang it. There's a heavy padlock through the cupboard handles. You're not going to get that open without causing a commotion. But when you stand up, you see a scrap of paper weighted down by a trowel. It looks like a reminder for those who forgot the combination to the lock. When you divide the locked number by three, then add 40, then multiply by 5, you get 805. I mean that's pretty easy, right? 363. We're so good at math. If you know the combination number, you spin the digits in the pack lock and turn to the section with the same number. If you simply haven't simply haven't the time to waste on silly riddles, you should walk back to the blind man's room. This is not riddle, it's math. It's a riddle. 363. You pull the cupboard open, but there's nothing inside except for a half-empty bag of sunflower seeds and a circuit board. Yummy. I love sunflower sheets. Bold, write them down. Yummy yum yum heat. Sunflower seeds, circuit board. No spare plant pots or watering cans or even fertilizer. You pick up the circuit board and examine it. Someone had has painted a large number 15 on the back with white paint. But otherwise, there's nothing amazing about it. Still you never know. So you put it and the season your rucksack, and then decide that it's time to speak with the blind men. Oh, I have a rucksack, huh? Remember he gave it to you? He's like, You'll need this to collect the items for your quest.

SPEAKER_00 51:51

The wizard. That's basically what it was. He's like, Oh, you might need this to collect stuff. I'm going on an adventure!

SPEAKER_01 51:59

We need to give an excuse as to why uh you can carry all this crap. You walk through the draping foliage until you reach the end of the conservatory. The blind men hear your footsteps and turn around. You recoil at the sight. All of them have no eyeballs and their eyelids are sunken into the empty sockets. As you draw close, one of them raises his hand to stop you. You are worthy of our time if you pass the test of vigilance. Having noted their names and how they are depicted, tell us who is the deity of wisdom. If you think you know, turn the name into a number by using the code ASB ASB. A is one, B is two, C is three, blah blah blah. Add these numbers together and turn to the section with the same number. If you've passed by these statues in a nonchalant haze, you have no idea, so you shrug your shoulders and the blind men step to one side, allowing you to exit the conservatory. So, you've passed by a few things, and specifically when you passed by the statue of Janice, you were literally like, I don't remember what this one's the god of. Right. So maybe that because the other ones, I mean I can't re specifically remember the other ones. One of them was, I think, a person with a bow and hounds, so that's obviously not wisdom. And the first one was it was like a woman. What were they doing? I think it's I think Janus is. So, oh we have a handy chart. Oh yeah. So J is 10, A is 1, N is 14, U is 21, and S is 19. It's 65, Steve. 65! Good job with the maths. Let's see if we are correct. Please! Dennis! We are incorrect. I don't remember the other gods or what their names were. I think I would have had to Maybe you just haven't seen the god. Maybe it would have been like this is the gods of wisdom. Snake girl? Well, you don't know. So 332. You head outside thinking that some fresh air will be good for you, but it's damp, grey, and miserable. And your suit is too thin for this weather. You stomp quickly along the overgrown and unkempt path until you get to a junction. All around is a long is long grass and shapeless scrub, so you're definitely not going to head off into the unknown. But which of the three paths should you take? Should you go straight ahead? Uh you could turn left or you could turn right. I'm outside. Yeah, apparently. I guess because you were in a conservatory. So I can't go back. Yeah, see, because the last you were in a conservatory with like blind, blind guys. I can't go back. Apparently not. You had to just exit the conservatory. I needed to go up. So you want to go straight ahead. Let's check if I actually went to the right page. 332. Yes, I did. Uh you can go straight ahead, turn left, or turn right. Straight. On the straight and arrow.

SPEAKER_04 55:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 55:18

So is the guy that has murdered someone. I was just doing what I was told.

SPEAKER_02 55:23

That's what they all say.

SPEAKER_01 55:24

It's a long, uneven, and overgrown path, and your shoes are not really suited for this terrain. Alright, let's go back. You slip and slide and watch wearily as the mud creeps up, staining the leather. Deep in the meadow, you hear what sounds like a flock of birds cawing and see the I like you. Weren't you in a building a second ago? Yeah, I was in the tower. You are. It's a weird place you're in. Um deep in the meadow, you hear what sounds like a flock of birds cawing and see the occasional flurry of feathers. If you're curious enough to investigate what the ravens are up to, turn to 41, but if you simply want to carry on, turn to 206.

SPEAKER_04 55:57

Must follow the ravens.

SPEAKER_01 55:59

Ravens! This seems like a bad idea, but so good. The smell hits you first. Yeah. Would do ravens go after in crows, bro? Dead thing.

SPEAKER_04 56:10

Did you know?

SPEAKER_01 56:11

Ravens remember your face and they can teach your face to other ravens? A sweet rotting odor, and you suspect this is not going to be pleasant. You step forward cautiously, which makes the birds more agitated, though they don't stop feeding. The corpse on the ground is a s is small, but is it a child or a very tiny adult? Identification isn't helped by the fact that the head has been blown off. It's messy, but the feasting ravens don't seem to mind. Feeling sickened, you start to back away, then notice something in the corpse's hand. Using your foot, you pry the fingers back and see a handful of wasps. Wasps? Why would anybody c why would anyone clutch them? There are no answers though, so you head back to the path. Something about wasps. I can't take them with me? Nope. You just saw them. Wasps. Maybe they'll help you kill the tiger later. Is that a code word? No. Finally, you reach another set of crossroads. The left path takes you towards another Roman statue, while the right goes towards chrysanthemum and rosebushes. Bushes. Rosebush. Which are just about hanging on despite the weather. Or you could continue straight on, although that does appear to lead directly into a large hedge. Oh hedge mace. Sounds like a nightmare. Roma statue, chrysanthemum, and roses, or hedge.

SPEAKER_04 57:38

Man. I needed flowers last time. Needed them bluebells.

SPEAKER_01 57:43

That's true. Well, let's do the Roma statue first. The path soon I think you're still in the tower. But you're not. Because I think you're just in this weird space. That's the tower, but not a tower. Your path soon takes you to a small clearing, and standing at its center is a life-size statue. There's nothing to indicate who is it a sculpture of, but it looks like a Roman god. He has a winged helmet and a staff with two serpents on it. Oh, definitely isn't Hermes. Um spiraling about it. Only he seems to have a toga made of cloth, not marble. A large raven is perched on the shoulder, and the bird alternates between watching you with a baleful black eye to peek pecking determinedly at the statue's earlobe. This is all very weird, so you edge forward cautiously to examine it, but suddenly notice the trickle of blood running down the statue's neck. Blood? What the? You gasp and take a step back, but then you see a flicker of movement in the statue's eyes. It's alive! Your first thought is to get rid of that ferocious-looking raven, but how? It might not have talons, but the weighty beak could do some serious damage. Maybe he wants some sunflower seeds. Do you grab the staff from the statue and swing it at the bird? Flap your arms about to try to scare it, or do you find a stone and throw it at the raven? No!

SPEAKER_04 59:03

The sunflower seeds have to be an option. Ravens remember if you're nice to them.

SPEAKER_00 59:10

How is a raven like a writing desk? I kinda just want to boil my arms. Just Hey!

SPEAKER_01 59:20

You! Go! Is that what you want to do? Yes. Amazing, this can only go right. You leap up and down, waving your arms around and feeling like an idiot, but it does the trick.

SPEAKER_05 59:32

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 59:33

The raven glides down and watches you suspiciously, shish speechesly, from a safe distance. You clamber up onto the pedestal and start dabbing at the pecked flesh with your sleeve. It doesn't feel like flesh, though. What can I do to help? You ask. His eyeballs flick around nervously, but you hear a faint noise, so you hold your ear to his mouth.

SPEAKER_00 59:52

Disease. Bones turned to stone. Nearly died. Die soon. Good. Help you first.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:00

You let out a shock and gasp. You'd heard of this disease, but never as bad as this. Never bad enough to turn a person into a statue. This must be the result of a failed genetic tinkering. I'm going to get help and try to stop all this. I won't forget you, you say earnestly. From the left eye, a solitary tear falls, the only emotion he can show, and then he says, Who am I?

SPEAKER_00 1:00:22

Many names for one.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:24

One name for many things. Find crucible from blank canvas. Destroy Professor. Go. He stops and you can hear only a thin wheeze. My brain stopped working and I couldn't read. He stops and you can hear hear only a thin wheeze. Of course, if the chest is almost solid bone, how can he draw breath? You jump down and immediately the raven flies back up to the to resume its meal. Feeling wretched about abandoning him, you walk away from this poor ossified person, but then stop and look back. Who am I? he asked. And you look at the serpent coiled staff and winged helmet and feel pretty confident you know exactly who it is. You carry on out of the clearing and leave. 393. So things he said. Who am I? I mean I'm guessing Hermes. Um find crucible from blank canvas. Destroy Professor. From blank canvas? That's what it says.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:28

Well we saw the crucible in the picture. Yeah, because he says it was on top of the tower, and you have to kill the professor.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:34

Many names for one, one name for many things. Many names for one. One name for many things. Um find crucible from brand cap from blank canvas. Destroy professor, go. Yeah, serpent coil, staff, and winged helmet. I mean, that's Hermes, right? Maybe it's not Hermes, though. One name for many things. Because the problem is in Greek mythology it'd be Hermes. Right. But Romans, they're all named after the planets. Planets? They're all named after the planets. So like Neptune is Poseidon, and I think Jupiter is Zeus. So who is Hermes and Roman? Unless they're mixing up stuff. Because they've already given us names that aren't planet names, like Janus and the other ones weren't like planet names. But they're also not major gods. What was it? One name for many things and what? Many names for one. One name for many things. Many names for one. You look at the and you're pretty confident you know exactly who he is. Thanks. Thanks for not just telling me. Well, we'll keep that on the back burners in case that comes up. But I think it's Hermes, but does Hermes what is Hermes in Is he Mercury? I don't know. We'll see. In retrograde. No! 393. What are we on? Round two. Um, walking along the path. That's not what we're on, though. Walking along the path, you hear rustling in the nearby shrubbery. But when you stop, the noise stops. You start walking again, but the rustling starts again too. You're sure the stump thing is stalking you, but instead of investigating, you break into a jog until reaching a crossroads. The right-hand path leads back to the house, which is pointless, whereas left seems to take you straight into a large hedge. But if you want to explore this route, turn to 139. Straight ahead leads to a more traditional looking garden, albeit with flowers that have seen better days. If you haven't been there yet, you can go and inspect the flora. So it doesn't want me to go back to the house. It wants me to go to the hedge maze. And it kind of seems like It's like you should go check out these flowers. It seems like one of those things that if it seems like the hedge maze is like the enter the next level, whereas you can still go to these other things first.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:46

Alright, well, flowers first. Guess I'll go to the maze later. Assuming it's a maze.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:53

Yeah, it seems like it's gonna be. Unless I die. You could. Before long, you reach the rose bushes and notice a gardener kneeling over and pulling at weeds. However, as you approach, you realize that the gardener is not kneeling over at all. She is simply very short, with a weathered face and large, almost clown-like feet attached directly to her hips. What? She doesn't have any legs. Um she looks at you patiently. Obviously, she gets this kind of shocked reaction all the time, and then explains, Surgery, surgery when I was a baby, to remove all three long bones from each leg and reattach the feet. When I was thirteen, they cranked, cracked every bone in each foot, and stretched them, so new bones could fill the gaps and make the feet larger. There's a stupefied silent, then you ask, Why? She snorts at the question and gestures around. Gardeners work on the ground, so it makes sense if you're close to it. The feet give more stable base. At least that's what the clones say. I was a normal child until they did all that. You have no idea what they've done to s in the name of scientific research. She gathers herself and gives a sharp tap on your shin. Well, do you have a word for me or not? If you have been told a word, you should you should convert it directly into a section number using the code A is one, B is two. For example, ACE would be one three five. If you don't know the word, turn to one ninety-nine. You don't know no word. Not to do with a garden, at least. Man. Milk! Milk plus fifty. She stares and you see the hope dying in her eyes until eventually she says, Oh dear, maybe the next one. The gardener then plucks a nearby red Delilah and gives it to you and announces, A symbol of betrayal and dishonesty. You look bewildered, but she simply nods and presses the stalk into your hands. Well, that's just great, you think, stuffing the flower into your rucksack. The gardener returns to her weeding, leaving you with no option but to walk away.

SPEAKER_04 1:05:51

Maybe the plague doctor will accept the red Delilah instead of bluebells. There's no plague doctor in this one. Dang it.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:57

It's just zombies and alchemists. Ah. Where are these words? Just down one of the paths you didn't go? You charge along the path and almost walk past the trail which leads off to the right. It has been virtually reclaimed by overgrown grass. But if you want to see where it leads, turn to 264. If you prefer to carry on walking in the hopes of finding somewhere warmer, turn 21. What about the hedge? Don't ask me, I just followed the numbers. Should have gone to the hedge. Uh grass, tall grass. Overgrown grass. Overgrown. Where that thing was making noise and following you? You wade through the high, thigh-high grass and head up the sloping meadow. Over the crest, you suddenly arrive at farmland and see that the fields are being ploughed by zombies pulling old machinery. Standing at the sides with hand in pockets and shoulders pulled back is another Dr. Cinnaba. The clones. You've already seen two, remember?

SPEAKER_05 1:06:54

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:54

And now this is the third. This is Dr. Twin, and then So these are the clones people are talking about. He hears you rustle through the grass and turns around. This one has a broken nose, and although you feel have a fleeting urge to break it again, you know that such violence won't help you in the long run. So opt for a neutral post. Approach. This looks interesting, Dr. Cinnabar. Not so much interesting as it is practical. We are well aware of the liberal, molycodling attitudes of the so-called authorities, so it's imperative that we show, with meticulous analysis, just how efficient this so-called disease is. Look! He follow you follow his pointed finger to the zombies who are strewing seeds from a sack onto the freshly turd soil. It's on the tip of your tongue to remark how much more efficient a tractor would be. When Dr. Cinderbar nods proudly, you might be thinking that tractors or oxen will be more efficient, but have you considered the carbon footprint? You open your mouth to answer, but it is a rhetorical question, and he continues. These people exist anyways, but now they are useful and reduce our emissions from fuel and livestock. Genius! After a few stunned seconds, you murmur, genius too. Then make a lot of, well, lovely chatting, very busy, musket on gestures. Dr. Cinnabar waved you away with an impatient flap of the hand, makes a notation on a clipboard, then strives over to an errand zombie. It is tipping the seeds over in it's tipping it the seeds over its own head and not obeying the doctor's increasingly abusive commands. From a distance, you watch as he pokes the zombie hard from behind, hard behind the left earlobe, and like magic, it works instantly. That happened with the crow. No. He was picking behind the earlobe. But then also when you were hiding when they came up the trapdoor, that lady, when she was telling the zombie to give her the thing, pushed behind the earlobe too. The mandibular angle. Um like magic, it works instantly. The zombie immediately does this as told, you leave the farmland and return to the path. Maybe you'll be able to use that knowledge later. Hmm.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:01

I wonder if the clones respond to it too.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:04

They're not zombies though. But they're clones. They're clones. The cold and damp have penetrated through your bones, and you're glad to arrive at the crossroads. There's got to be somewhere else for you to go rather than just wandering around the garden. When you look left, you see the house in the distant, but despite being frozen, you don't want to go back there. So you can either go straight ahead to visit another Roma statue, have you not already done that, or you turn red and walk into the large hedge. Alright, so we're going to the hedge now. Yeah, buddy. As you head towards the large, imposing hedge, you pass a russet-colored runestone. The edges are eroded, but there are two strange symbols and an inscription on it. A potion, a broth, an elixir of life. Many have strived to quench their thirst. Behold the line of cells that lack immortality to be cursed. Without your phone, you can't research what the symbols mean. But they are presumably alchemical. This must be the elixir. This must be the elixir that Dr. Cinnabh was talking about, although it's not clear what you're supposed to do. Find it or make it? Neither option is easy, so you stop away from the runestrom in a bad temper. You're getting a headache. You can't think straight, and just want to get out of this place. To top it all, you're walking towards a huge hedge. But then you see it's a trick of the eye, and the path actually winds around it. Turn to 308. Once you've turned the corners, your suspicions are confirmed. It's a traditional hedge mage. At the side, a large board has a diagram of the labyrinth, and you need to find a way to the middle which is represented by a spiral symbol. By tracing the successful pass, you will pass over three numbers. Place these numbers in order that you encounter them from the outside to the center, and then turn to this corresponding section number. If you cannot figure out the maze, well, if you can't figure out this maze, I'm gonna feel sad for you. So figure out the maze from the entrance to the exit. Note which numbers you go over.

SPEAKER_04 1:10:55

There's no exit, so just to the middle.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:57

In the middle is the is the goal 293. 293, he says. You easily reach the center of the maze where you find a small sapling that has been carefully and patiently shaped into a spiral. Propped on its slender, twisted trunk is an envelope with the words the alchemical code. Written in dark green ink. You open it and retrieve a sheet of paper. You've already found a book which contains strange writing like this. You should have noted the section number and can now decipher what the message was. Remember, though, to return here when you are finished. If not, you should still keep this information as there may be more secretive messages that you need to translate. Make a note of this section so you can conduct consult the cipher at any time. So this section number is 293. This is the um the cipher, and then what was the other cipher? 268. 268. Here you go. So this is the answer to the cipher, and you're deciphering the other one. So Andrew, what does the the the thing say? Or at least what is so this is you deciphering the book. Yeah, so you found a book way earlier in the globe. Um and you use the cipher, and what does it say, Andrew? There are seven metals of antiquity. Very good. You crouch down to open your bag and place the envelope carefully inside. When you look up again, a huge peacock has wandered into the clearing. It struts arrogantly up and down, even displaying its tail feathers. And as you admire the jewel-like colors, you notice it has something wrapped around its leg. It looks like a folded piece of paper. So you edge closer. But the bird darts away. There's no way to grab the paper unless you can distract the peacock. Do you have any seeds in your rock sack? I sure do. If you do, turn to page 156.

SPEAKER_03 1:12:46

Sunflower seeds.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:48

See that other bird, not interested in seeds, but this bird, the crow, frickin' love seeds. Peacocks love them. Peacocks love seeds. Everyone knows that. You find the half-empty bag of sunflower seed, tip them onto the grass, then back away. The peacock walks quickly forward and starts eating them enthusiastically. It has a momentary lack of concern, look of concern, as you slide closer, but let you pluck the paper from its leg without a fight. You unravel the message and read. Alchemists like secrets, make alchemists alchemists like secrets, make codes, use hidden rooms. Zombies can find secret rooms. Side effect of disease. You give a frustrated sigh. Yes, this is probably useful information, but would it be too much to ask if they just speak in plain English? How are you supposed to know if a zombie finds a secret room? Does it stop drooling? You rub a hand over your forehead and realize that the peacock has finished the seeds. With a self-satisfied ruffle of the feathers, it hops to the top of the hedge and leaves the clearing. Now you need to exit the maze too, although vaulting over the shrubbery is not one of your strengths. So you have to find the right path. One thing's for sure though, you're not going back to the garden again. Did you collect a purple-scaled leaf from the conservatory? Sure did. Yes, you did. As you swing the ruckska ruckskak rucksack over your shoulder, your jacket pocket brushes against the maze. Out of the corner of your eye, you see the leaves turn bright green in a flickering cascade. It travels quite a distance along the hedge before the glow fades. You wonder whether you imagined it, but when you replicate the maneuver, the same crackle of color flows from one leaf to the next. You reach into the pocket and find the purple-scaled leaf from the conservatory. The reaction is happening because of it. You can't explain the phenomenon, but the leaf is definitely making the hedge produce a short-lasting bioluminescence. You follow the track left and right, noticing how the glow seems to have an actual direction. And you are so preoccupied preoccupied? Preoccupied you almost forget the predicament you are in until it stops. You waggle the leaf, you waggle and wave the leaf, but the hedge refuses to respond anymore, and then you look up and realize why. Ahead of you stands a stunningly yet strange building. A tower which gets narrow as it gets taller.

SPEAKER_05 1:15:01

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 1:15:01

Oh yeah, I guess. Remember, you're not in the tower. I was in the building. You were in the house you originally were in, made yourself, found your way outside, and now you've seen the tower. You haven't got in the tower yet. I thought it was in the tower. For some reason I thought so too. A tower which gets narrower as it gets taller, and snaking around the walls is a spiral staircase. It's a folly. And you remember the portrait you saw earlier. Now you know it was a clue hidden in plain sight. A clue which tells you exactly where you need to go now. Who knows? If you can get to the crucible, perhaps you can get out of this in one piece, or at least get a chance to stop it all. As you draw closer, you can see someone dozing in a chair. Apparently not dozing though, because they leap up and unfurl a poster while simultaneously launching their carnival spiel. Roll up, roll up, meet Larry the Lobster Man, one piece of gold. Larry the lobster? Spongebob reference? He holds out his hand expectantly. It's deformed in the shape of a lobster claw, which makes you wonder why anyone would pay to see something already on display. Still, you're too tired to be nasty, but if you want to humor him, do you need you need to give him a gold coin? Do you have one? Sure do. I got five. Well, you're gonna you want to give him one? Yes. You only have four gold coins now. You place the gold coin in the clefted palm, but he deftly flicks it up and tosses it back to you. I'm not being serious, mate. It's part of the act. No idea why, but the clones seem to like it. So I have to go along with it or else. And with that he makes a cutting gesture across his throat and contorts his face into an expression of mangled death. Is he joking again? So you know why you've got to get to the crucible, make the Alister and find the professor, he continues quickly, leaning towards you. Well, that's all nonsense. If he even if you do go along with mutating the zombie infection, they'll still kill you. Or turn you. But one thing's for sure, you ain't leaving. That's why you've got to call for help. Get the message out. There is a lengthy silence, which is eventually broken by Larry nervously starting to roll up his poster. Well, that's easier said than done. I haven't got my phone, your eyes your voice raises hysterically, and Larry husses you urgently. Yes, but there's some but there's them computers in the crucible. You can use them like a phone, so I've heard. The thing is, though, if the clones get wind that you're plotting against them, it's game over. Play it smart and pretend to go along with it. You can do this, can't you? You can hear the challenge in his tone, and despite your panic you swallow hard and nod. Good. And if you do succeed, remember us. Remember the ones that helped you. Now go on. He sits back down in his chair, leaving you with a decision to make. You can see the bottom of the external staircase, and if you'd like to take this route, turn to 396. On the other hand, there's a door into the folly itself. If you prefer if you prefer this, turn to 50. There's Larry the Lobster Man. So either go up the spiral staircase that goes along the outside of the tower, or go into the building.

SPEAKER_04 1:17:48

There are seven medals of antiquity.

SPEAKER_01 1:17:50

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 1:17:51

That's true.

SPEAKER_01 1:17:53

Very good. We're going in. Still reeling from finding out your true fate here, you step into a cold dark hallway which opens up into an exquisitely decorated room. There is gilded furniture, ornate clocks, and finely carved plaster work. But are you more you are more stunned by the array of musical instruments packed into the space? A harp is propped up in one corner, lyres hang from hooks on the wall, tubular bells are in the other corner, and a beautifully a beautiful spinette stands proudly in the middle of the room. There are three doors leading from this room, although on closer inspection one appears to head down to the cellar, so you decide instantly against that option. Strangely, there also seems to be an animal cage on top of a loudspeaker and posters pinned on the wall, which is definitely not in keeping with the Gregorian music. The Gregorian music room ambiance. As you stand there, taking it all in, you feel a rush. You feel a surge of determination, and foul to find the crucible and bring the professor, the clones, and the whole company down. If there's going to be only one left standing, it bloody well is going to be me, you announce via. There's only a faint squeak from the cage in reply. Right then you decide on your next plan of attack. You could examine the animal cage, the posters, or the spinette. Animal cage. When you approach the cage, there is a terrified scurry as small rodents try to hide. It is impossible to say how many are packed in. They are squirming and wriggling incessantly over each other. You notice then that the loudspeaker is connected to a record player, and nearby there is a vinyl collection of practically every genre of music that exists. You see a notebook, and as you start to flick through, realize what has been going on. You read. Thrash metal, abnormal, still, and trembling, off food. String quartet. Alpha tried repeatedly to dominate, but others attacked. Hip-hop. Lost all social connectivity and tore down tore own fur out with teeth. So far, only Muzak has had a calming effect, although this only lasts 14 minute maximum. Then subjects started to squeal until unconscious. Experiment on the effects of music on animals and plants were nothing new. You'd seen plenty of research articles on the topic. But why was this important here? Who were Bio Imperium trying to calm down? You stand up still mulling it over, then if you haven't already done so, you decide to look at the posters or the spinette. Alternately you can leave the music room, but you will but you will take the door straight ahead or the exit to your right. So you want to look at the posters of the spinet? Schminette? Or do you want to leave the room by one of the two exits? Boosters. De Boosters. The seven posters each show each movement of Holt's the planet suite. There are they are worn with frayed corners, and one has even been badly t badly torn. Someone has tried to repair the damage with cellotape, but poor Saturn is definitely on its last legs. It seems to be a deliberate tear, so you presume the large pale yellow gas giant incurred someone's wrath. The bringer of old air age states the poster's tagline.

SPEAKER_05 1:20:57

Hmm.

SPEAKER_01 1:20:58

Maybe someone doesn't like the idea of getting old. It wasn't Saturn a god, you wonder, then shake your head. At this rate, you're going to be old before you get out of here. Time to move on, but if you haven't done so already, you can check the animal cage or the spinet. If you'd rather leave the music room now, you can use the door straight ahead, or the one at your right hand side. So seven posters. Someone doesn't like Saturn. Why is there only seven? Isn't there eight planets? Well, there's seven medals of alchemy. That's true. And someone ripped the Saturn poster. The bringer of old age. They're trying to play the Roman. They're trying to get immortality. Right. And so they don't like Saturn because he's the bringer of old age. Do you want to look at the spinette? Spinette, yeah. Spinet. It is a magnificent and exquisitely designed piece. The spinette must be vastly expensive, so you feel nervous about even breathing near it. There's a small sheet of music propped up and ready to play, but you can see it's not a normal score. There's no name, no time signature, and frankly, not a lot of notes. Despite your nerves, you now feel an overwhelming urge to hit a few keys. You're not an accomplished reader of music scores, but you do remember the old mnemonic from school. What was it again? Something like every good boy. How does it end? You think you know enough at least, so you start playing. What is the last note you must hit? Someone wants to know what the last note is? Yep. D. Confidence, that's what I like. You tap your finger down on the D key and the note rings out, and keeps ringing out. The reverberation begins to bounce around the round room. You hear the strings of the harp vibrate with the sound waves, then one of the tubular bells starts to resonate and chime. It's all building up to be quite a cacophony when you hear a different noise. A heavy metallic clattering. You look over and see a solid black hammer tumble out of the bottom of the percussion instrument. The second it hits the floor, there's silence. Cautiously you pick up the hammer. It's still warm and coated in soot. Such a dramatic instrument must mean something, so you decide to keep it and place it in your rucksack. Your instincts are correct. The blacksmith's hammer. Your instincts are correct. The blacksmith's hammer is important, and when the time comes to hand it over, you should divide the section you are on by two. Let's turn the section. Huh? Well, just whatever whenever you have to hand over the blacksmith's hammer, you have to divide it by two. So mark that down. And turn to the new section number. If you haven't already done so, you can examine the animal cage or the posters. If you've already if you're ready to leave the music room, though, you can either go through the door straight ahead or the one at the right hand side. Right hand side. You enter a small and stuffy staircase which takes you up to the next floor and into a small gallery. Next floor. The first thing you notice are the four doors, one in each wall, which are each painted a different color. The one you've come through is yellow, opposite is black, right is red, and left hand door is white. The walls themselves are covered by anatomical sketches of animals and organs in different stages of desiccation, deformities, and abnormalities. In the corner of the room stands the guide. The door represents the four colors of the Magnus the of Magnum Opus, which of course is highly important for the alc for alchemists, she announced, smiling at you expectingly. Well, of course, you replied distractively, not having a clue what she's talking about. But that's because you've noticed she has many more fingers than she should have. Do you want to be polite and ask her about the sketches, or just be blunt and ask to question her about her own deformity? Polite. She claps her hands with all fourteen fingers and four thumbs, and replies that she is delighted to tell you about the art. You see, the alchemists were fascinated by the pure matter, and when the grate ends to locate it. Not just in minerals and metals, but in bodies too. Here. She points to a charcoal sketch of an eyeball being in size, shrugs apolog apologetically at your disgusted expression, and then continues. With the eyes being the windows to the soul, they thought the humor inside the eye might be what they searched for. They were wrong though, because of course the prima materia is chaos. Still, the d dissections and examinations intrigued Professor Rab Rabidot and led to his obsession with transmuting the body. She sighs and gazes at her excess digits. She seems to be waiting for you to say something. If you can't think of anything relevant to do at this point, you should go. The guide gives you a strangely rueful smile and gestures to the both the black door and the white door. You must decide which door to pick, then leave. There's a little picture for you. With her 14 digits. Black door 132. Once through the black door, you find yourself in a trophy room in which every wall is dedicated to the triumph massacre of animals. However, unlike other trophy rooms, there seems to be a lot of unexpected am animals. Giraffe, gerbil, and gecko? Which catch your eye. You feel unsettled by all these eyes, so head to the exit opposite, but suddenly you hear a whisper. Someone else enter the gallery and you can hear the guide? And can't you can hear the guide talking? No, it's definitely coming from inside this room. Instantly your nerves are on red alert, but they're also a feeling of resignation. With all these heads, why wouldn't one of them start talking? But how is that happening? You look closer and realize that there are a myriad of tubes delivering fluid and oxygen into each of the severed necks. Meanwhile, the whispering is getting louder and clearer. Which head is it? Cat, duck, elephant, boar, squid? It's that one. Yes, yes, you've got it. Now come closer. I haven't got all day. Weary of getting too close to the eviscerated eviscerating tusks, you take a small step forward, but from the other side of the room hear a panicked grunting. You turn and see the chimpanzee's face twitching frantically. No, no, no, not the boar. Talk to me. You stand there in a quandary, wondering which head you should talk to, and in the end, based on nothing more than gut instinct, you choose the boarhead. The chimp head. What did we hear about chimps before? No. Oh yeah, we did. Remember the lady said what did she say about the chimps? I don't remember specifically what she said. Do you want to trust the boar? Or the chimp? Chimpy? It seems to be the obvious decision. After all, humans and chimps are nearly 99 share nearly 99% of their DNA. You draw closer and the chimp smiles as at its as its previously inanimate flesh comes back to life. This doesn't last long. Human brain, chimp head. Important to tell you. Look under the bed. Find recipe for elixir under the bed. Recipe? I'm not actually taking part in this charade. The human chimp chimera frowns at you. But before it can reply, you lean closer to its impressively large teeth and hissed, I'm not having an interview, so there's no need to make the stupid elixir. You're wasting my time. I need to get to the crucible, warn people about Bio Imperium, release this disease release this disease, and get the police here. You stand there with your hands on your hips, feeling better for having a little rant. But then realize that as predicted, the reanimation is starting to wane. The chimp is Almost back to being a trophy head, but before that happens, it manages to say, Thought you knew. Help takes time. Still need elixir. Won't survive the wait without it. Well, you suppose the chimp does have a point. It will take time for the police to get here and secure everything, but how is this bloody mythical elixir going to save you while you wait? And save you from what exactly? You shake your head resigningly as a lifeless head, then leave the room.

SPEAKER_00 1:28:24

The elixir recipes under the bed, Andrew.

SPEAKER_01 1:28:27

Hmm? You find yourself in an extremely narrow and steep staircase leading heading up to the next floor. When you get to the top, you step into a small gentleman's dressing room and stand patiently in the center, and standing patiently in the center is Dr. Cinnabar, again, you state politely. The man nods in acknowledgement, then corrects you by introducing himself as Professor Ribideo's valet. This new clo has a very wide and flattened nose, and is accompanied by three zombies. These they are wearing suits in different stages of production, so you gesture to them and inquire, are these your mannequins? The tone of your voice makes the valet frown, and for a few long seconds you regard each other. During your exploit so far, have you ticked down the covert code word raven?

SPEAKER_04 1:29:12

No.

SPEAKER_01 1:29:12

No code word raven for you.

SPEAKER_04 1:29:14

But I followed the ravens.

SPEAKER_01 1:29:16

I feel like I did all the right things in order to get that code word. But the ballet clone indicates that you should sit on the chassis lounge. I sense your disapproving of Bio Imperium's more controversial experience. But I assure you that the professor has his reasons. All scientific endeavors are worth the suffering they entail. You're not sure if he's expecting a reply, but you opt for a respectful silence. It seems to be the correct choice because the valet smiles and announces that you will face the test of translations. At this you wonder which language it will be. Your French is flawless, and your Spanish is fluent, apart from an accent that sounds more Manchester than Madrid. Your musing is interrupted by the valet. How many medals of antiquity are there? Your phlugmix, what sort of language test is that? There is no point in arguing. With the valet, though, he is waiting for your response, and if you know it, you turn to the section with the same number. If not, you shrug your shoulders and wait to see what happens. So go to seven. Oh, you think you think there's seven medals of antiquity? You know, I'm kind I'm pretty sure. Probably not probably I did I did this whole translation. I hope there are. Whether you knew the answer, had a lucky guess, or translated the coded information you found, you're rewarded by a beaming smile on the valley's face. You have passed the test, and your reward is information. Well that sounds vague, but nevertheless you wait patiently to find out what he means. There are quite a few animals which can control others and make them do their bidding. Can you imagine how useful that would be for people? So many non-productive, destructive individuals on this planet already, and an ever-growing population. The professor has a dream to convert them into workers. Our workers. He sequenced the zombie gene, and we now have an easy way of getting vast amounts of this protein. This prion, in in a delicious cheese. Milk!

SPEAKER_00 1:31:02

The only trouble is that so many humans are not eating this fine cheese. They prefer greasy burgers or fried chicken. So, it needs to be altered to become contagious. How beautiful would that be, the prion being transmitted with every cough, sneeze, or even just spittle. Spittle Then we have control over the entire population.

SPEAKER_01 1:31:21

After all, we know what's right for them. You sit there, stunned at the at the insane and megalomaniacal intentions, but keep your thoughts to yourself. Indeed, even give a little nod and an aha every now and then to fake your admiration. The valet is too enraptured to notice anything, though. His eyes gleam with a fevered fervor, a fevered fervor, as he imagines the demented scheme until finally he seems to remember where he is and gets back to business. The last piece of information is that there are two exits from the room, one to the adjacent bedroom, and one to take you to the top of the folly. You choose to go next door, but if you'd prefer, head directly up the stairs. Did I get the elixir? So, we just heard that the recipe for the elixir is under the bed. So either we're gonna go to the very top of the folly or sidetrack into a bedroom. Still need the elixir, so. Bedroom? Yeah. Feels like you're getting decidedly far into this adventure. I feel like I'm close. I feel like if you're gonna fail, it's gonna be like Right at the end. Like near the end. Or you're just gonna die for some dumb reason. You bid the valet clone goodbye and head into the Spartan bedroom with very little furniture and bare planks on your feet. Not quite what you would have imagined for the gentleman of the Folly. It looks more like a prison cell except for the spiral staircase in the center which heads up to the very top of the tower.

SPEAKER_05 1:32:44

Hmm.

SPEAKER_01 1:32:45

It makes sense to explore this room before you climb the stairs, but where do you start? You could look underneath the narrow and comfortable bed.

SPEAKER_04 1:32:50

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 1:32:51

Examine the functional wash base in a mirror, or have a snoop inside the wooden box and the table. However, if you suspect that the valley only told you about this room because it is an ambush, you can tiptoe up the stairs and quickly escape.

SPEAKER_04 1:33:02

Tiptoe.

SPEAKER_01 1:33:04

Wanna do bed? Yep. I mean, how c how can you not? Unless I guess maybe the chimp is a bad, bad boy. You get down on your hands and knees and raise the tattered gray blanket. Among all the dust amongst all the dust, there are just two items secret, secreted underneath the bedsprings. You could grab the porcelain pot or the vintage medical bag.

SPEAKER_04 1:33:26

I can only grab one or the other. So far. Let's try the pot first. Hopefully I get a chance to check them both.

SPEAKER_01 1:33:35

This is where you've made the wrong decision and you die because that would stink. Your tiredness could excuse a lot of stupid decisions, but not this one. A porcelain pot underneath the bed? You have only yourself to blame when the content sloshes over your hand, and an instant waff of reek stale urine fills your nostrils. After counting to ten, you manage to quell both the tantrum and nausea that wells up. Do you want to wash your hands in the basin? Or just wipe them on your jacket and get out of here straight away. Get out of here? Guess I'll wash my hands.

SPEAKER_04 1:34:08

I can't leave. You just spilled the piss pot on your hands. It's like a bedpan. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:34:15

Chamber. The water is surprisingly hot, and a substantial amount of steam quickly builds up. Once you finish washing, you turn off the tap and look up. Your mouth drops open in astonishment. A message has appeared in the steam on the mirror. You quickly get a pencil and write it down before it fades again. Add the messenger of the gods to crush brimstone, roast at 600 degrees, the elixir is known. So add the messenger of the gods, Hermes, or Saturn. I'm guessing we're I think we're gonna guess it's Saturn. Because that's the one that was um ripped. Add the messenger of the god to grush brimstone, roast at 600 degrees, the elixir is known. You read it carefully a few times. This is a very simple recipe. Two substances and the temperature to prepare them at. You fold the paper, put it in your uxat, then leave the bedroom by darting up the stairs. So maybe that is the recipe. And it was found under the bed because you spilled piss on yourself and then washed your hands. Because if you would have gone to the basin before, you wouldn't have washed your hands.

SPEAKER_05 1:35:16

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 1:35:18

If that if that ends up being the like if the vintage medal bag was just a red herring, you had to spill stuff in your hand to wash to get the recipe. So yeah. Let's go. Add the messenger of the gods to crush brimstone, roast at 600 degrees, the elixir is known. By the time you reach the last tread, you're feeling a little disoriented from going around and around the spiral stairs. You hold on to the banister for a few seconds, then realize that you finally reach the top of the folly. Turn to ninety-two. The crucible? It's an artist's room. Of course it is. With this light and those views, it's perfect. But as you look around, your heart starts to sink. Wasn't this supposed to be the crucible? Wasn't this where you had to get to? It's at the top of the folly. You're certain this would be the key to getting out of this mess. But there's nothing here. Well that's not quite true. There are some finished canvases. Blank canvas. Where was that? Find crucible, blank canvas, destroy professor. Uh there are some finished canvases hung on the wall, and if you want to see if any of the paintings have a clue, turn to 346. However, there is a single, unused canvas on an easel. If you want to examine that, turn to 181. Blank canvas. It takes you two seconds to confirm that this is just a blank canvas. Useless! As you stand there, hands on hips with no idea what to do next, one of the other senses spring into action. What does that smell? You edge closer to the canvas, sniffing furiously until you get another whiff. It's an acid. It's like the canvas has been painted with acid. And Eureka! Like a claxton blast in your brain, all pieces fit together. Invisible ink. Now you need now you just need to find the opposite chemical, an alkali, so you can reveal the secret message. There are a few bottles standing next to the painting, and luckily you have labels on them. Now surely, with all your scientific background, you can tell which bottle contains an alkali, even though the names are rather old-fashioned. Which one do you choose? Vitriol, caustic soda, or aqua fortius. So this is just a guess.

unknown 1:37:18

Oh man.

SPEAKER_01 1:37:19

Alkaline. So vitriol, like vit I feel like vitriol is like people, you know, when you talk about someone being vitriol, it's like, oh, they're acidic and they're being mean. So that wouldn't be an alkaline. Caustic soda. Soda's usually acidic. What if it's like baking soda? And then aqua fortis is in italics. I really want to say it's the third one. Aquaphortix. Yeah, because caustic would make you think more acid. Because if we're thinking, not trying to think so scientifically, because not everyone's gonna be scientifically, but vitriol seems like acid. Caustic sodas seems like acid. And then aquafortis is like water with fortified. And if you think fortified water, maybe it's out a little alkaline. I'm going with fortified water. I hope you're right, because if if this just comes down to a guess, this would be so annoying. Unless there was some clue that would have given you. I mean, because you didn't say that, it was like, oh, since you have a scientific background, it's like, but I don't. Well, I don't have that kind of scientific background. You snatch up the bottle of aquafortis, dip the nearest brush into the liquid, and start to paint over the canvas. Almost immediately you hear the faint fizz of a chemical reaction and see white vapor rising. You have a momentary lapse of common sense in which you believed it's actually working, but then see the truth. The canvas is dissolving. You thought this was a good choice with it having a Latin name. How are you supposed to know it was nitric acid? Nitric acid. You slump to the floor utterly defeated and wait for the inevitable footstamps coming up the folly stairs. You have an uncertain fate ahead, but one thing is for sure. You won't be getting that six-figure salary now. Dude, it came down to a guess.

SPEAKER_04 1:39:03

How am I supposed to know that AquaFort is nitric acid, bro? Was it the it was it was the soda. It was the baking soda, wasn't it? Oh, dude.

SPEAKER_01 1:39:17

Yep. Caustic soda. Yeah, I because I was thinking like baking soda is like a neutralizer.

SPEAKER_03 1:39:26

I feel like you were so close. So close. Because you would have you all the clues were lining up!

SPEAKER_01 1:39:35

Oh, Sandra.

SPEAKER_00 1:39:39

Well good job. You almost made it. Almost.