For once, the ancient texts of your home village have finally spoken the truth. Buried deep in the winding mountaintops resting above the sea of clouds that forever blanket the sky, a lone monastery building rested at the end of a path nobody has traveled for centuries.
Tomes that have long outlasted their expected age spoke of a mysterious tree that grows here claiming it could cure your homeland from the withering effects of time. Months, years, or maybe even decades were spent debating if these could be trusted given the age of the the info and all previous attempts to find ways to revitalize the land have failed.
With no other options and your numbers dwindling, you volunteer to make the journey in search of a way to bring this ancient tree home to cure your homeland. The journey lasted for many days and nights, climbing high into the mountains with only a hope and stubbornness to carry you forward. The resilience of your efforts finally has brought you before this stone relic of time.
A modest structure made out of polished, cloud-grey stone moulded and shaped from the mountains it resides on. A slender tower taller than the main structure reached towards the sky in one corner of the monastery. Even with what would've been an impressive structure in its prime, the cracked and crumbling walls were failing to endure the never ending onslaught of time. Portions of the building were visibly missing from a distance and the tower was missing its upper half, the pile of rubble resting atop one corner of the monastery walls.
The only thing standing between you and scavenging that building for a miracle to save your dying home was a solemn stone bridge. Miraculously intact despite its age, heavy fog rolled across the ground obscuring most of the path. Walking forward and readjusting the now empty, weathered bag on your back, all you could do was hope that the bridge didn't collapse beneath your feet. Step by heavy step the distance to the doorway into the monastery shrinks, the distance feeling longer with each moment. Each step felt longer and heavier than the last but you pushed on until your withered hands finally braced against the door, the rotten crumbling frame giving little resistance as you pushed against it.
[[Proceed Inside->Courtyard]]
(if:visits is 1)[You step into the monastery courtyard and with just a blink the foggy, bleak, sky turned to a shining, midday sky. Despite standing directly in the light, you feel no warmth as you look around your surroundings] (if: visits > 1)[The sun shines above your head but you feel no warmth.]
The courtyard to this monastery has seen better days. Cracks line the floor and sections of walls around you have crumbled down leaving piles of debris. The brief thought of your village living here, kids playing and elders teaching in the corner, spring to your mind. Maybe in years past this could've been a safe place for your people but being well past its prime and given your food situation, most of them probably wouldn't make the journey here.
Off to the left the spire looms in one corner of the courtyard. A spiral staircase is visible through an open archway leading into the spire and the outside looks worn smooth by winds that have assailed this place for so long. Surprisingly very little of the spire itself seems to have crumbled despite the buildings around it looking worse for wear.
On the opposite side of the courtyard a mural has miraculously survived after all these years. Even from a distance it's clear the painting has lasted far longer than it had any right to. A large tree amidst a sea of grass and mountains were the notable details but getting close could yield more specific details.
Directly next to the mural stood an open set of double doors leading to the main hall of the monastery. The difference in lighting between inside and out makes it hard to see any notable details from here but it doesn't appear to have anything moving inside.
[[Explore up the stairwell->Observatory 2nd Floor C]]
[[Approach the faded mural->Faded Mural]]
[[Walk through the door->Main Hall]]
[[Leave this place for good->Leave]]
(if: $inv contains "True Veil" and $inv does not contain "True Fruit") [Stepping closer to the mural on the opposite side of the courtyard, something about the landscape portrayed on the wall felt almost detached from the space around it. Fields of golden grass, mountains of silver stone and wisps of pearlescent clouds rippled in the depths of the mural. The rolling hills and mountains could've gone on for infinity had a tree of shining gold atop a ridge not dominated the forefront of the painting. Reaching out to touch the mural gives a faint hint of warmth to your fingers despite some strange force keeping your fingers just barely off the mural itself.
From inside your bag that familiar hum of energy grew louder and the warmth from the mural was also being felt from inside your belongings. Reaching into your bag the veil you had created at the alchemy table shimmered in a similar manner to the edges of the painting and proved to be the source of noise and warmth alike. Putting on the veil the image which already felt impossibly deep began to move and sway in a wind you couldn't feel. Reaching out touch the mural once more your fingers slowly push their way through shimmering painting with no resistance and you can now step through into the realm beyond.
[[Step through the mural->The True Tree]]
]
(else-if: $inv contains "True Veil" and $inv contains "True Fruit")[Even as the veil in your bag shimmers with energy and would allow you to enter that golden realm once more, with your bag full of that healthy fruit you would have no ability to carry any more fruit than you already are. The tree carried plenty of extra bounty to obtain in the future should an even worse cataclysm struck the land.
[[Step away from the mural->Courtyard]]
]
(else:)[Stepping closer to the mural on the opposite side of the courtyard, something about the landscape portrayed on the wall felt almost detached from the space around it. Fields of golden grass, mountains of silver stone and wisps of pearlescent clouds rippled in the depths of the mural. The rolling hills and mountains could've gone on for infinity had a tree of shining gold resting atop a ridge not dominated the forefront of the painting. Reaching out to touch the mural gives a faint hint of warmth to your fingers despite some strange force keeping you just barely off the mural itself.
[[Step away from the mural->Courtyard]]]
Stepping into the main hall a pleasant, cool air washes over you as your footsteps echo through off the stone walls. A faded carpet adorned the middle of the hall leading towards a large set of double doors on the far end. The doors were partially ajar and looked one breath away from falling over. Braziers that have long burned out hang on either side of the door.
Off to your left a small staircase leads up to an upper walkway and a passage that disappeared into the wall. And on the right on the ground level another humble passage leads off to the side before curving away.
[[Explore up the stairs->Blocked Doorway]]
[[Go down the side passage->Living Chamber]]
[[Enter the through the double doors->Tree Room]]
[[Head back to the courtyard->Courtyard]]
Stepping out of the sun and beginning to climb the stone staircase, your gaze glances down for a moment. Each stair had two well worn indents giving you the feeling of following the steps of those who lived here long ago. The walls were as smooth as the stone with only the occasional dent or scuff mark marring its surface. A brief moment of curiosity had you thinking over what could've caused the damage but the thought fades as the tight staircase reveals an opening to a room and stairs that continue further upward.
Stepping into the room it was hard to tell if this was a dumping room for random objects or a living quarters. The bed in the corner of the room has you thinking this is a living area but across every single surface of every table, chair and shelf on the walls was just covered in objects.
Scrolls stuffed tight onto a shelf on the wall, various tools were stacked in a pile on the one table in the room. Charts were pinned to nearly every surface of the walls overflowing with strange symbols and words that spread onto stone nearly as much as the paper.
The fading of time made it hard to connect a full picture of everything and you're not certain you would've been able to understand it even if you were able to read it all. Small mechanisms and loose parts are scattered throughout the piles but prove to be incredibly brittle and snap with the slightest pressure. Setting it down you decide there probably isn't anything useful in this area.
The stairwell that leads down to the courtyard was on the direct opposite side of the room from a stairwell that led off an opening showing a walkway exposed to open air with another room visible on the other side.
[[Go upstairs->Observatory 3rd Floor]]
[[Cross the walkway->Alchemy Room]]
[[Return down the stairs->Courtyard]]
For as cluttered as the lower floor was, the top of the tower proved to be significantly tidier even with the sprawling charts and drawings on the walls. Standing stronger against the sands of time these illustrations were easier to see the details of but whatever was written wasn't in a language you could understand.
As you took the time to look around the room something about the sprawling lines and symbols seems to still find its way into your mind and make sense. The more you focus on any one part the less clear it becomes and stepping back allows the grand design of it all to make sense. Star charts, movements of the skies, anomalies in patterns and the effects something is having on time. Your suspicions prove correct as looking towards the center of everything (if: $inv contains "Telescope Lens" or "True Veil") [A large telescope dominates the center of the room alongside a table that is positioned next to the telescope with more notes scattered about it. While it too was in the strange language and not able to directly be understood, repeated patterns start to jump out at you from the pages. Something in the sky had whoever was using this telescope concern enough to mention it repeatedly. Only speculation could be made at this specific point but it had long since passed. Only various pages of notes and writing utensils of little use to you remain on the table.
]
(else:)[A large telescope dominates the center of the room along a table that is positioned next to the telescope with more notes scattered about it. While it too was in the strange language and not able to directly be understood, repeated patterns start to jump out at you from the pages. Something in the sky had whoever was using this telescope concern enough to mention it repeatedly. Only speculation could be made at this specific point but it had long since passed. Pushing some papers aside a singular round lens inside a small box buried underneath all the scribbled notes.
[[Inspect the lens closer->The Lens]]
]
[[Head back downstairs->Observatory 2nd Floor O]]
Climbing up the stairs to the upper walkways revealed a dead end in the direction of the vault and a hallway previously kept out of view by the wall.
Looking down the hallway not much could be seen beyond a massive pile of rubble from a collapsed roof. With each piece of the pile proving too big to move in your weakened state, climbing over the rubble to search for other information revealed the arch of a doorway and a small enough gap between door and stone to peer through the doorway.
On the other side of the gap rested a room with a strange, half dismantled machine and various storage cabinets stacked on the walls on the opposite side of the room. Boxes of differing sizes lined the shelves and despite the age of this place, the boxes themselves seemed to have held up well to the test of time and showed no sign of decay or collapse.
There is no way forward into this room from this side but off to the left a raw of light revealed an open walkway stretching away from view that was barely visible.
[[Return to the main hall->Main Hall]]
(if: $inv contains "Face Cover" or "True Veil")[The low light visible in the room shows the stacks of boxes, half collapsed shelves, and various bits of debris scattered around the room making it clear this was a storage room of no real importance. Clambering over collapsed shelves and past debris to search again you find no new objects of value that you missed in your previous search. The box on the pedestal laid open now that its contents have been removed.
[[Return to the Living Chamber->Living Chamber]]
]
(else:)[The low light visible in the room shows the stacks of boxes, half collapsed shelves, and various bits of debris scattered around the room making it clear this was a storage room of no real importance. Clambering over collapsed shelves and past debris the only thing you manage to find was a lone box trimmed with silver sitting on a small stone pedestal. A singular small latch on the front gave little resistance to your investigation and lifting its lid revealed a folded material of some kind.
[[Take the object from the box->Unenchanted Face Mask]]
[[Return to the Living Chamber->Living Chamber]]
]Nestled only a few steps down a corner connecting to the main hall a comfortable looking Living Quarters laid bare to the outside of the monastery. A section of the wall - the bottom half of a window judging by the intact upper window frame still barely hanging - was crumbled along with a small section of floor. While there was no real threat of falling through the hole you keep your distance to avoid any chance of the floor collapsing below you.
Heavy fog or clouds are frozen in place a notable distance away from the monastery. Despite trying different angles the clouds prevent you from getting a proper look at the landscape from this side of the building.
Taking a look around it was a sparse living situation. Eating utensils, spare clothes, and small trinkets of stone rest on the only shelf in the room and a small table clearly meant for one sits near the center of the living quarters. In the corner of the room lay a singular bed with a statue resting on it.
(if: $inv contains "Alchemy Book" or "True Veil") [The statue in the corner feels colder and more alone now that it no longer clutches the book; like a parent no longer holding its child.]
(else:)[Made of immaculate craftsmanship and weathered by time, the statue had a soft look, like flesh from stone.. Its hands clutched a book with a large red crystal on the front and its gaze stares at the book longingly. Gently gripping the book and giving it a small pull, it looks loose enough to be pried free with minimal effort.
[[Take the Book and read it->The Book]] ]
[[Return to the Main hall->Main Hall]]
[[Explore the room beyond->Storage Room]]
(set: $inv to it + (a: "Alchemy Book" , "Alchemy Crystal"))
Stepping closer to the statue and grabbing the book it only takes a slight tug to pull it free from the statue's grasp. The large crystal adorning the front of the book pops free from this movement and you barely manage to catch it before it falls to the ground. Book in one delicate hand and crystal in the other, you take a moment to inspect both of them intently.
(display:"Alchemy Book Inv")
(display:"Alchemy Crystal Inv")
[[Store the book and crystal in your bag->Living Chamber]] (if: $inv contains "Ancient Fruit")[As you make sure the straps on your back are tied in place a forced smile of careful optimism is your only companion. The lone fruit filling your bag was the only thing you found that might help the village and while uncertain if this is what you are looking for you do your best to keep positive.
Returning home after a long journey you find the fruit had spoiled even more than it's already rough looking shape from when you found it inside the monastary. The rest of the village doesn't feel very hopefuly but do their best to cultivate the fruit to grow into a tree to revitalize the land.
For years your village maintains the tree bringing a small restoration to the land but it was clear this wasn't the full potential this tree could've had. With each year passing by the growth of the tree diminished before slowly starting to decline along with your health. As your time in life comes to an end and your eyes slowly close, you wonder if you should've looked elsewhere for another miracle to help your homeland.. You don't hold much hope they'll last much longer with what they do have after you're gone.
]
(else-if: $inv contains "True Fruit")[For the first time in your long life, a spring graces your step. Securing your bag one more time that precious golden fruit feels lighter than the clothes on your back and you power on away from the monastery, satisfied in having completed your goal. The journey home to your village passes by like the breeze accompanying your travels and you're welcomed home like the savior you are.
The fruit you brought home was exactly what your village needed and carefully cultivating the fruit allowed for a golden, glowing tree to blossom. The landscape slowly filled with life alongside the tree you planted. As the years pass and your life comes to an end, you smile knowing you saved the village and helped it prosper for generations to come.
]
(else:)[Step after heavy step you carry yourself away from the monastery. Whether it was from not finding what you were looking for or not trusting the monastery any longer, leaving this place empty handed leaves a gnawing feeling in your gut. A bag empty of supplies or solutions makes your back shake with the weight of failure. The glimmer of hope that carried you here now long faded inside the halls of the monastery and you wonder if returning home is even an option.
]
The End.
(set: $inv to it + (a: "Ancient Fruit"))
You take what you came here for and put one of the fruit into your bag. A breath of relief escapes you having found some kind of solution to the decay of your homeland but you won't know for certain until you return home.
[[Leave->Main Hall]] Stepping through the opening between the half crumbled doors revealed a grand room of soft, cold stone. Gentle sunlight shone from holes in the vaulted ceilings illuminating rows upon rows of statues on their knees in supplication. Given the weathering on the rows of humanoid, these statues have been undisturbed by outside forces for almost as long as the room has been constructed. The building slowly starting to crumble has caused some to be damaged but the rest were in excellent condition and all were faced in one direction, a singular tree that dominated the far end of the hall.
A lone tree well past its prime stood as the long decayed idol of their worship. Nestled in a small groove into the tree rested a few overripe fruit. While you aren't an expert on trees from far off lands, something tells you this fruit is what is needed to grow the tree back in your homeland.
(if: $inv contains "True Fruit")[Having returned from that shimmering land of gold carrying a glimmering fruit fromt he tree in the painting, you have no reason to be grabbing this much more decayed looking fruit. The golden harvest you have now will serve your village far better than what is on this tree.]
(else-if: $inv contains "Ancient Fruit")[Looking over the aged tree you wonder if grabbing more would help grow more trees but something deep inside tells you that it wouldn't help.]
(else:)[Walking through the large hall towards the tree the tree towers above you, the shade of the tree feeling colder than you think it should be you try to shrug it off. Each of the fruits look fine enough but something about them feels slightly incorrect. Like a memory you're not quite recalling or a picture that's been flipped, you can't put to words what it is. It could just be the strange location and the age of the tree putting you off but the growl of your own stomach is a stark reminder that your village is desperate for anything to eat.
[[Take a fruit->Take the fruit]]
]
[[Leave->Main Hall]] Making your way over to the various containers and boxes stacked neatly on the shelves, you begin to explore them looking for anything of use. Various metals, materials, dead plants and long faded papers sat in their respective containers.
Everything was meticulously organized and easily reachable in a moment's notice inside their expertly crafted storage boxes but nothing jumped out to you that might help save your village. Maybe to whoever previously resided here these materials would have been of great use, for you however nothing seems to stick out.
[[Nothing of use was found->Alchemy Room]].
(if: $inv contains "Alchemy Book" and $inv does not contain "Telescope Lens" and $inv does not contain "Face Cover")[Approaching the table in the corner of the room the red crystal pulsating light reminds you of the crystal that had come with that book. Pulling out the Alchemy book from your bag you scan over the pages seeing what relevant information might pop out at you. The words are still in their ancient written language but basking in the light of the table the writing almost starts to make sense to you.
Various formulas, rituals and concepts start to be repeated. Possible futures, possible projects and possible catastrophes all of equal importance and priority according to whoever wrote it.
One particular page catches your eye however. A ritual to use alchemy to create an object of some kind that allows the user to see beyond the veil. Golden moments of time sealed away and made accessible through the power of alchemy. Something to cover the face and something to help see are needed.
At this time you lack the materials needed to complete the ritual and everything else seems beyond your understanding.
]
(else-if: $inv contains "Alchemy Book" and $inv contains "Telescope Lens" and $inv does not contain "Face Cover")[Approaching the Alchemy table in the corner of the room the red crystal pulsating light reminds you of the crystal that had come with that book.
Pulling out the Alchemy book from your bag you scan over the pages seeing what relevant information might pop out at you. The words are still in their ancient written language but basking in the light of the table the writing almost starts to make sense to you. Various formulas, rituals and concepts start to be repeated. Possible futures, possible projects and possible catastrophes all of equal importance and priority according to whoever wrote it.
One particular page catches your eye however. A ritual to use alchemy to create an object of some kind that allows the user to see beyond the veil. Golden moments of time sealed away and made accessible through the power of alchemy.
Something to cover the face and something to help see are needed. At this time you lack the materials needed to complete the ritual and everything else seems beyond your understanding.
]
(else-if: $inv contains "Alchemy Book" and $inv does not contain "Telescope Lens" and $inv contains "Face Cover")[Approaching the Alchemy table in the corner of the room the red crystal pulsating light reminds you of the crystal that had come with that book.
Pulling out the Alchemy book from your bag you scan over the pages seeing what relevant information might pop out at you. The words are still in their ancient written language but basking in the light of the table the writing almost starts to make sense to you. Various formulas, rituals and concepts start to be repeated. Possible futures, possible projects and possible catastrophes all of equal importance and priority according to whoever wrote it.
One particular page catches your eye however. A ritual to use alchemy to create an object of some kind that allows the user to see beyond the veil. Golden moments of time sealed away and made accessible through the power of alchemy. Something to cover the face and something to help see are needed.
At this time you lack the materials needed to complete the ritual and everything else seems beyond your understanding.
]
(else-if: $inv contains all of (a:"Alchemy Book", "Telescope Lens" , "Face Cover"))[Approaching the Alchemy Table in the corner of the room the red crystal pulsating light reminds you of the crystal that had come with that book.
Pulling out the Alchemy book from your bag you scan over the pages seeing what relevant information might pop out at you. The words are still in their ancient written language but basking in the light of the table the writing almost starts to make sense to you.
Various formulas, rituals and concepts start to be repeated. Possible futures, possible projects and possible catastrophes all of equal importance and priority according to whoever wrote it. One particular page catches your eye however. A ritual to use alchemy to create an object of some kind that allows the user to see beyond the veil. Golden moments of time sealed away and made accessible through the power of alchemy. Something to cover the face and something to help see are needed.
Reaching into your bag you realize you actually have both of those. The veil from the storage room downstairs and the lens from the telescope. The crystal from the alchemy book begins to gently hum when everything is placed on the table and you realize you have everything you need to proceed.
[[Attempt the ritual->True Powered Veil]]
]
(else:)[Making your way over to the table the red glow of the crystal dominating its center envelopes you with its energy. Though you see nothing different in the room around you beyond the red glow of light adorning the walls, something deep within you pulls you to the table.
Gently placing your hand on the crystal in the center one word above all others distinctly comes to mind, Alchemy. At this time you're not entirely sure what to do with this table but you have a feeling something about it feels important and you decided to come back to it later.
]
[[Step away from the device->Alchemy Table Knowledge]]
(set: $inv to it + (a: "Telescope Lens"))
Reaching into the small holding box and being careful not to smear or scratch the spare lens, you hold it up to the light to inspect the details closer. (display: "Lens Inv")
[[Keep the lens and continue on->Observatory 3rd Floor]] (if: $inv contains "Ancient Fruit")[Stepping through the mural you suddenly feel much lighter as the weight of the fruit from the tree you had been carrying vanishes. Forgetting your immediate surroundings you open up the bag and confirm your immediate fear, finding it truly empty. Panic wells up from the deepest part of your being wondering what you're going to do until a gentle breeze carries a golden leaf right into your bag.
Remembering the sudden change of location you went through the world around you finally comes into focus once more. The endless fields that seemed so far away a moment ago now span for as far as the eye over rolling hills far below you. With each turn of your head the details of the landscape you had just been looking at begins to lose focus in your mind.
Like a painting that quickly faded before returning when gazed upon once more. The base of the golden tree stands feet away from you, despite the massive height of the tree the fruit feels just within arms length and to your surprise, you manage to grab one. It only took one look in your hands to confirm that a singular one of these fruit was worth more than the entire collection from the previous tree.
]
(else:)[Stepping through the mural you are basked in golden light.The endless fields that seemed so far away a moment ago now span for as far as the eye over rolling hills far below you. With each turn of your head the details of the landscape you had just been looking at begins to lose focus in your mind.
Like a painting that quickly faded before returning when gazed upon once more. The base of the golden tree stands feet away from you, despite the massive height of the tree the fruit feels just within arms length and to your surprise, you manage to grab one. It only took one look in your hands to confirm that a singular one of these fruits was more than enough to start bringing life back to your village, and there was plenty to fill your bag with.]
[[Take the fruit->Taking True Fruit]]
(set: $inv to it - (a: "Ancient Fruit"))
(set: $inv to it + (a: "True Fruit"))
Being as gentle as you can be with the fruit you put it into your bag. Before you get the chance to even thinka bout taking another suddenly the golden world vanishes and you find yourself standing there in the courtyard. For a while you stand there in awe at this great bounty for your village and your thoughts rush with the stories you could tell from your brief visit into that magical place. Taking the veil off and resting it atop the fruit, a heavy sigh of relief escapes you and the worries that weighed heavily upon you are finally gone.
It is time to return home and share your findings with your village.
[[The vision fades->Courtyard]]
(set: $inv to it + (a: "Face Cover"))
Reaching into the storage box you retrieve the storage material and hold it up to the dim light of the room. Unfolding the strange material it took a moment to recognize it as some kind of veil or face cover. (display:"Face Cover Inv")
[[Store the Veil in your bag->Storage Room]]
(if: (passage:)'s name is "inventory")[<!--Do nothing-->]
(else-if: (passage:)'s tags contains "donotshowinventory")[<!--Do nothing-->]
(else:)[Check [[inventory]].]<h2>Inventory</h2>
(if: $inv's length > 0)[Your inventory contains a
(print: (joined: "\n",...$inv)).]
(else:)[Your bag is empty.]
(click: "Alchemy Book")[(display: "Alchemy Book Inv")]
(click: "Alchemy Crystal")[(display: "Alchemy Crystal Inv")]
(click: "Face Cover")[(display: "Face Cover Inv")]
(click: "Telescope Lens")[(display: "Lens Inv")]
(click: "True Veil")[(display: "True Veil Inv")]
(click: "Ancient Fruit")[(display: "Ancient Fruit Inv")]
(click: "Golden Fruit")[(display: "True Fruit Inv")]
(link-goto: "Stow Your Bag", (history:)'s last) (set: $inv to (a:))A soft to the touch face cover made out of some kind of sheer, red, material with two loose ribbons long enough to tie around the back of your head and keep the cover in place. While the material appeared slightly worn it looked much better maintained than the environment around you. When wearing the veil over your face it was thin enough to see through without issue. The world you see however feels off somehow. The context of the world almost felt like it changed; or details from light to colors, the roughness of a wall and the angles of a hanging painting were off by just the slightest degree and incomplete.A rather large leather-bound tome with gold engravings around its edges and the indentation of where the large crystal that previously adorned its front now lays empty. Even while closed the tome feels like it is emitting the faintest of vibrations, like a tingling sensation in your hands and an aura that could be felt even at arms length.
Opening the tome shows pages upon pages of formulas, instructions, theory, sketches and notes are practically bursting from its bindings. While various topics are touched upon, the core words mentioned over and over are "Alchemy" and rituals related to turning objects from one form into another. Maybe given enough time all the pages could all be properly understood but it is currently time you do not have.
Humming with a similar energy to that of the large tome, the large, pink crystal shimmers in your hand. Inside the crystal swirls a cloud of smoke and glittering gold, raw potential frozen in place just waiting to be released and the book is the key to unleashing that potential.
Simple yet delicately crafted, the lens was made of glass or clear crystal nestled inside a smooth metal rim. The faintest of shimmering could be seen within the glass when held up to light, like distant stars trapped forever in time. Holding onto the lens by its edges you can feel a faint hum of energy tingle in your fingers.
Inside your bag rests a singular large fruit, nearly the size of your hand, that you obtained from the tree in the monastary. The fruit smells stale and well past ripe but doesn't appear to show any signs of rot yet. It's a considerable bounty,, far more than anything you've seen in your lifetime but the uncertainty it's not enough still lingers in your mind.A large golden fruit, brimming with potential and nearly the size of your head, sits in your bag. It's silky smooth surface reflects the light around you and you can't help wondering to yourself if it's glowing even just a little. You are positive that this fruit is exactly the treasure the old tomes mentioned that could revive your homeland.The veil that was once a gentle embrace of summer red colors was now a glimmering white cover humming with potent energy. The soft fabric felt warm to the touch and somehow complete was an apt description that came to mind. Tying those ribbons around your head to wear the veil properly the environment around you felt different but correct, like seeing a second version of a painting and knowing that the new one was the correct one.(set: $inv to it - (a: "Telescope Lens" , "Face Cover" , "Alchemy Book" , "Alchemy Crystal" , "Alchemy Table Knowledge"))
(set: $inv to it + (a: "True Veil"))
With each of the materials you've gathered now placed on the table, you begin the extensive process of deeply studying the one ritual you were able to find materials for. Looking closer, the ritual you were studying focuses on transforming the veil you had found into a "true" veil - according to the words you could follow- one capable of seeing past any veils into other areas. The alchemy book itself specifically mentions areas of gold, utopia moments of time they wanted to preserve, as being the main kind of place this veil was meant to see into. The table and shelves nearby were fully stocked with each of the tools needed to carry out each step of the ritual and soon you find yourself in a trance-like state as you begin working.
What should've been shaky, uncertain hands exploring a completely foreign concept quickly began to feel like second nature craftsmanship as your wiry hands moved almost on their own like you had somehow done this before. While making sure to reference from the Alchemy Book each step in the process felt more like checking to make sure it didn't randomly change on you as opposed to studying the steps and learning what was next.
Whether hours or minutes passed you weren't certain but as the materials were refined and the ritual neared completion, the table and each component began to glow brightly almost blindingly so. The hum from each material began to resonate with the hum from the table to an ear piercing drone before suddenly cutting out and leaving your finished work resting in your hands and the table now silent, drained of energy.
(display:"True Veil Inv") Even as the comforting veil rested on your head, you had a feeling this room was not the place this veil would be of the most use to you.
[[Store the veil in your bag and step away from the table->Alchemy Room]]
(if:$inv contains "Alchemy Book" and $inv does not contain "Alchemy Table Knowledge")[(set: $inv to it + (a: "Alchemy Table Knowledge"))]
[(redirect: "Alchemy Room")]
Having crossed the open air walkway into the room beyond, this room was much more organized beyond most of its walls covered in papers with more symbols and writing on the walls. To your right a pile of rubble blocks the doorway making the walkway the only way in or out of this room.
(if: $inv contains "Alchemy Table Knowledge") [The alchemy table rests in the corner of the room along with the rows of boxes accompanying it. The pale red glow of the crystal on the table is visible even from across the room.
[[Use the Alchemy Table->Alchemy Table]]
](else-if: $inv contains "True Veil")[The Alchemy Table rests quietly in the corner alongside a wall of storage boxes. Its purpose in creation having finally been completed after all these years.
](else:)[On the opposite side of the room from the blocked doorway and the only other furniture beyond some storage boxes, a strange device sat in the corner of the room. Looking to be a waist high table with a round red crystal in the center, the table emanates an aura of red light and energy you could feel like a second layer over your skin. Something about this table feels important to you personally.
[[Investigate the Table->Alchemy Table]]
][[Investigate the Boxes->Boxes on the Shelf]]
[[Return back over the walkway->Observatory 2nd Floor A]]
General story:
Player is here having traveled from their village far away in search of a magical food that ancient myth books talked about this place having.
Once the player crosses the threshold of the monastary the air will feel different, the time of day changes,
Time seems at a standstill. No living beings around in this crumbling monastary. Somewhere like visiting an abandoned roman city or something like a Tarnished visiting ruins in Elden Ring. Not literally collapsed like Farum Azula, just starting to feel the effects maybe a bit better than the capital. Journey feeling with the colored veils, images and art depciting a past story you were not a part of, and golden paradise you only get to see at the very end of things but don't get to stay in.
I want to invoke the feeling of exploring a new, mystical place that has gone through its history already and you're exploring what happened long ago. The majority of it lost time time, a small glimpse of it visible from a moment frozen forever.
Player does have the ability to leave at any time.
Player can get multiple endings depending on what they do.
Needs the Alchemy book from Living Chamber, Face mask from storage, and Telescope Lens from Observatory all brought to the Alchemy Table to achieve the Perfect Mask.
Perfect mask needed for best ending.
To Write List for first draft:
Alchemy Room
Alchemy Table
Returning back across the walkway you return to that room cluttered with junk.
Scrolls stuffed tight onto a shelf on the wall remain where you had left them. The various tools were stacked in a pile on the one table that hasn't changed. The charts pinned to nearly every surface of the walls overflowing with strange symbols and words that spread onto stone nearly as much as the paper.
The fading of time made it hard to connect a full picture of everything and you're not certain you would've been able to understand it even if you were able to read it all clearly.
[[Go upstairs->Observatory 3rd Floor]]
[[Cross the walkway->Alchemy Room]]
[[Return down the stairs->Courtyard]]
Climbing back down from the observatory you return to that room cluttered with junk. Scrolls stuffed tight onto a shelf on the wall remain where you had left them.
The various tools were stacked in a pile on the one table that hasn't changed. The charts pinned to nearly every surface of the walls overflowing with strange symbols and words that spread onto stone nearly as much as the paper. The fading of time made it hard to connect a full picture of everything and you're not certain you would've been able to understand it even if you were able to read it all.
While your time in the telescope room makes you wonder if this collection was related to the studying of the sky, you're still not able to piece anything together from the mess.
[[Go upstairs->Observatory 3rd Floor]]
[[Cross the walkway->Alchemy Room]]
[[Return down the stairs->Courtyard]]