Wisher, Theurgist, Fatalist
Xavid
built-in hints gender-neutral protagonist parser walkthrough
From the ranks of the people you have been raised up as a Wisher To seek among the fairies; the dragons of the deeps; the ur-toads and the claw things; among the shadows on the sun and the ghosts beneath the world, and in the lands of humankind besides for the jewel of all desiring. You must find the jewel and command the Creator to make the world as you desire it. And if you should succeed, then the world shall always have been as you wish it, and your life a thing sprung of your own desiring; and if you should fail then you shall be forgotten like the tides. Fanfic of the tabletop RPG by Jenna Katerin Moran. (No knowledge of the source material is expected or needed.) World, metaphysics, and the best bits of text are hers.
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Reality is an illusion.

Those who seek to understand it corrode their understanding of it. In naïveté, objects are solid, ideas are true or false, sensations are real, and communication conveys information. To the adept, these things are as fading dreams.

There is no object that is not also emptiness. There is no arbiter of truth.

Sensations are the lies of Maya; they are the shifting of electrical patterns in the brain; they are signifiers without referent.

Communication is violence. Reality is false.

It does not matter how many layers one peels back. It does not matter what revelations one has. This is because there is no truth.

We are things that we have dreamed, and there is no sense in it, and when the sleeper wakes we shall be washed away.

From the ranks of the people you have been raised up as a Wisher—

To seek among the fairies;
the dragons of the deeps;
the ur-toads and the claw things;
among the shadows on the sun and the ghosts beneath the world,
and in the lands of humankind besides
for the jewel of all desiring.

You must find the jewel and command the Creator to make the world as you desire it. And if you should succeed, then the world shall always have been as you wish it, and your life a thing sprung of your own desiring; and if you should fail then you shall be forgotten like the tides.

Wisher, Theurgist, Fatalist
a Weird Textual Fiction by Xavid

Fanfic of the tabletop RPG by Jenna Katerin Moran. World, metaphysics, and the best bits of text are hers.
Original RPG:
[LINK]

You stand on a dusty crossroads in the Kingdom of Raif. The road leads south, west, and beith.

A signpost stands nearby.

(If you're unfamiliar with text adventures, try typing HELP.)
You look at the signpost
It points south. The lettering has been worn away by the wind.
About yourself
As good-looking as ever.
You go to the south
The road approaches the imposing gate to the south. To the north is the crossroads.

(I should mention that, as you begin your journey, you have many options before you. As Wisher, it is upon you to divide right from wrong.)
You look at the gate
The gate stands some distance to the south, with someone standing guard outside it.
You go to the south
A large gate guards entrance into the city.

The gate to the south is closed fast.

A guard stands here, watching you.
You look at the guard
She's wearing chainmail and a steady frown.
You examine the gate
The gate is itself exactly.
You talk to the guard
I'm not sure what you're trying to say to the gate guard. Try "gate guard, do something", "gate guard, I AM something", or "ASK gate guard ABOUT something".
You ask the guard about the gate
"You're not getting in. The Queen's put a ban on Wishers. They give her indigestion."

(As a Wisher, you have control over the power of Harmony. This gives you a supernatural or near-supernatural ability to win hearts and minds, reconcile divergent ideas, and share their vision of the world with others. To do so, you can "INSPIRE someone TO do something" or instruct them like "Guard, YOU SHOULD do something".)
You ask the guard about guard
"I am a gate guard."
You should open the gate
You focus the power of Harmony on the gate guard.

The guard hesitates. "You have impressed me with the nobility of your quest. Yet I fear my life if I disobey my Queen."
You go north
The road approaches the imposing gate to the south. To the north is the crossroads.
You go to the north
You stand on a dusty crossroads in the Kingdom of Raif. The road leads south, west, and beith.

A signpost stands nearby.
Turn sign
It is fixed in place.
You go to the west
Setting forth without the blessing of the royalty of Raif would be unimaginably improper.
You inspire the guard to open the gate
You focus the power of Harmony on the gate guard.

"I can't help but see it is for the best. I will not stand in your way, though it may mean my life."
The guard pulls a lever, and the gate slides open with a great whirring of gears.
You go south
You walk through the open gate.

A wide, well-traveled road leads south from the gate. It seems strangely devoid of traffic. A tavern with a sign possibly resembling an ur-toad stands to the east.

The gate to the north is open.
Go east
A large, dimly-lit tavern. It smells of beer and blood.

A poorly-dressed man, possibly a shoemaker, lounges here glumly.
You examine man
He looks common enough, but you nevertheless perceive his true nature as a Fatalist.

The Fatalist is carrying a piece of parchment and a pen.
You look at the parchment
The piece of parchment is itself exactly.
You examine the pen
The pen is itself exactly.
You ask man about himself
"My name is Froderick. I am a Fatalist.

"But I'm more concerned about what makes you the true Wisher."
You ask the man about Wisher
Froderick gives a long and in-depth explanation that, while presumably educational, is nevertheless fundamentally irrelevant.
You ask the man about the queen
"Having lost the Jewel of All Desiring, the royalty of Raif has become vampiric, treacherous, cold-blooded and bloodthirsty monsters. They have elected to help in the discovery of the Jewel. Setting forth without their blessing would be unimaginably improper."
You ask the man about Jewel
"The Jewel of All Desiring is that sleeper that dreams inwards, that inverted oyster, that creature that we name God the Shaper, God the Maker, Lord—

"And it has not yet begun to shape the world.

"The jewel is a pearl of infinite layers and subtleties and its possessor may obtain everything that they desire.

"For uncounted æons it was in the hands of the Kings and Queens of Raif. Never did they wish.

"Never did they fulfill the destiny of the jewel.

"Who would want to obtain everything that one desires?"
You inspire man to write
What do you want Froderick to write on?
You inspire the man to write on the parchment
You focus the power of Harmony on Froderick.

He's not sure what to write.
Go west
A wide, well-traveled road leads south from the gate. It seems strangely devoid of traffic. A tavern with a sign possibly resembling an ur-toad stands to the east.

The gate to the north is open.
Go south
A large, tree-lined square sits before the grand steps of the royal palace, which stands ominously to the south. The main road leads north. A dirtier road leads west.

A large fountain burbles enthusiastically here.
You examine the fountain
A large fountain made of marble. The water seems clear, clean, and pure.

It has strong valence.

(Your power of Harmony also allows you to manipulate valence. Try TAKE VALENCE FROM FOUNTAIN or GIVE VALENCE TO FOUNTAIN.)
You take the valence from the fountain
The fountain now has normal valence.
You now have an amorphous quality of valence.
You look at the valence
Abstract, yet clearly present.
You examine the fountain
A large fountain made of marble. The water is cloudy and has a slight putrid smell.
Go west
Inauspiciously surrounded by narrow apartment buildings lies what must be the city dump. The deep, still moat surrounding the palace lies to the south, apparently untroubled by its proximity to mouldering trash. Things smell a bit better to the east.

A huge mound of trash sits here, beset by flies.

You can also see an old bone here.
You examine the bone
Looks a bit gnawed on.
You take it
Taken.
You look at the trash
The mound of trash is itself exactly.
You examine the moat
The water of the moat is still and filled with eerie shadows.
Look around
Inauspiciously surrounded by narrow apartment buildings lies what must be the city dump. The deep, still moat surrounding the palace lies to the south, apparently untroubled by its proximity to mouldering trash. Things smell a bit better to the east.

A huge mound of trash sits here, beset by flies.
You go west
If you get lost in the tangles of alleys and passageways, you might get mugged or eaten, and that would preclude the existence of the world.
Go east
A large, tree-lined square sits before the grand steps of the royal palace, which stands ominously to the south. The main road leads north. A dirtier road leads west.

A large fountain burbles lackadaisically here.
Go south
Marble steps lead up to an ornately-carved entryway. Below them on either side sits a stagnant moat.

An open portcullis leads into the palace to the south.

A guard wearing a helmet blocks the way in.
You look at the guard
She seems to be wearing something under her helmet, possibly earmuffs.
You examine the portcullis
The portcullis is itself exactly.
You check your inventory
You are carrying:
an old bone
some valence
You give the valence to the trash
The mound of trash's weight of dharma is insufficient to have strong valence.
You give the valence to the moat
The moat's weight of dharma is insufficient to have strong valence.
You examine the bone
Looks a bit gnawed on.

It has strong valence.
You take valence from the bone
The old bone now has normal valence.
You now have an amorphous quality of valence.
Go east
A large, tree-lined square sits before the grand steps of the royal palace, which stands ominously to the south. The main road leads north. A dirtier road leads west.

A large fountain burbles lackadaisically here.
You go north
A wide, well-traveled road leads south from the gate. It seems strangely devoid of traffic. A tavern with a sign possibly resembling an ur-toad stands to the east.

The gate to the north is open.
You ask the man about valence
"Valence measures the degree to which something matters.
Something with strong valence has the power to create good outcomes—both in the sense of abstract virtue and in the sense of matching your desires."
You give the valence to the man
People are too multifaceted for yourself to modify their valence directly.
You ask the man about Fatalist
"My name is Froderick. I am a Fatalist.

"But I'm more concerned about what makes you the true Wisher."
You ask the man about the Theurgist
"Theurgists are people who can light the hidden fires in the world.

"They could be angels, wizards, fairies, or little gods. They could be holy men or women. They are those who, wielding Pramana and Mimamsa, have the power to lift others up into light or cast them down into shadow.

"The theurgists do not desire the jewel for themselves—at least, not at first, and not aloud.

"Their goal is to forge the wishers into the kinds of people who are worthy to give unto God the purpose for this world; into heroes worthy of the wishes that shall define the world. Their goal is to judge the wishers and make them ready for their task—and only then to ensure their success.

"They can use their command of Theurgy to see hidden possibility in the world and make it into truth, to make things how they should be: to give things characteristics they previously lacked."
You show the valence to the man
Froderick is unimpressed.
You should follow you
You focus the power of Harmony on Froderick.

"It seems my doubts as to your nature must be swept aside. I will join you."
The man pauses, considering. "As you certainly know, I am a Fatalist. I have the power of Knowledge. I may speak for the past, the present, and the future when others' inner eyes are blind. You may ask me about anything, and I will explain the truths of the world."
You go west
A wide, well-traveled road leads south from the gate. It seems strangely devoid of traffic. A tavern with a sign possibly resembling an ur-toad stands to the east.

The gate to the north is open.

Froderick arrives from the east.
You go to the south
A large, tree-lined square sits before the grand steps of the royal palace, which stands ominously to the south. The main road leads north. A dirtier road leads west.

A large fountain burbles lackadaisically here.

Froderick arrives from the north.
Go south
Marble steps lead up to an ornately-carved entryway. Below them on either side sits a stagnant moat.

An open portcullis leads into the palace to the south.

A guard wearing a helmet blocks the way in.

Froderick arrives from the north.
Go south
The guard blocks your path. "No one enters without a letter from the Queen."
You write on the parchment
He tries to forge a letter from the queen.
You examine the parchment
A piece of parchment with "a letter from the queen" written on it.
You show the parchment to the guard
(first taking the forged letter)
That seems to belong to Froderick.
You ask Froderick for the letter
Froderick gives the forged letter to you.
You go south
The guard looks at your letter. "Are you trying to waste my time?"
You look at the letter
A piece of parchment with "a letter from the queen" written on it.

It has strong valence.
You take the valence from the letter
The forged letter now has normal valence.
You now have an amorphous quality of valence.
You go north
A large, tree-lined square sits before the grand steps of the royal palace, which stands ominously to the south. The main road leads north. A dirtier road leads west.

A large fountain burbles lackadaisically here.

Froderick arrives from the south.
Go south
Marble steps lead up to an ornately-carved entryway. Below them on either side sits a stagnant moat.

An open portcullis leads into the palace to the south.

A guard wearing a helmet blocks the way in.

Froderick arrives from the north.
You give the letter to Froderick
You give the forged letter to Froderick.
You inspire Froderick to write on the parchment
You focus the power of Harmony on Froderick.

It's already got something written on it.
You inspire the guard to accept the letter
You focus the power of Harmony on the palace guard.

She does not respond, almost as if she cannot hear you.
You give the letter to the guard
(first taking the forged letter)
That seems to belong to Froderick.
You give letter to the guard
Froderick gives the forged letter to the palace guard.
Go south
The guard blocks your path. "No one enters without a letter from the Queen."
You check your inventory
You are carrying:
an old bone
You examine Froderick
He looks common enough, but you nevertheless perceive his true nature as a Fatalist.

Froderick is carrying a pen.
You check your inventory
You are carrying:
some valence
an old bone
You examine man
He looks common enough, but you nevertheless perceive his true nature as a Fatalist.

Froderick is carrying a forged letter and a pen.
You hit the guard
With what? Your bare hands?
Yes
She's not a dragon. Honestly.
You ask the man about the guard
Froderick gives a long and in-depth explanation that, while presumably educational, is nevertheless fundamentally irrelevant.
You drop the bone
Dropped.
You go south
You walk through the open gate.

A wide, well-traveled road leads south from the gate. It seems strangely devoid of traffic. A tavern with a sign possibly resembling an ur-toad stands to the east.

The gate to the north is open.
Go south
A large, tree-lined square sits before the grand steps of the royal palace, which stands ominously to the south. The main road leads north. A dirtier road leads west.

A large fountain burbles enthusiastically here.
You take the valence from the fountain
The fountain now has normal valence.
You now have an amorphous quality of valence.
You go north
A wide, well-traveled road leads south from the gate. It seems strangely devoid of traffic. A tavern with a sign possibly resembling an ur-toad stands to the east.

The gate to the north is open.
You inspire the man to follow yourself
You focus the power of Harmony on the Fatalist.

"It seems my doubts as to your nature must be swept aside. I will join you."
The man pauses, considering. "As you certainly know, I am a Fatalist. I have the power of Knowledge. I may speak for the past, the present, and the future when others' inner eyes are blind. You may ask me about anything, and I will explain the truths of the world."
Go west
A wide, well-traveled road leads south from the gate. It seems strangely devoid of traffic. A tavern with a sign possibly resembling an ur-toad stands to the east.

The gate to the north is open.

The Fatalist arrives from the east.
You go south
A large, tree-lined square sits before the grand steps of the royal palace, which stands ominously to the south. The main road leads north. A dirtier road leads west.

A large fountain burbles lackadaisically here.

The Fatalist arrives from the north.
You go to the west
Inauspiciously surrounded by narrow apartment buildings lies what must be the city dump. The deep, still moat surrounding the palace lies to the south, apparently untroubled by its proximity to mouldering trash. Things smell a bit better to the east.

A huge mound of trash sits here, beset by flies.

You can also see an old bone here.

The Fatalist arrives from the east.
You ask the man about the bone
The Fatalist gives a long and in-depth explanation that, while presumably educational, is nevertheless fundamentally irrelevant.
You go to the east
A large, tree-lined square sits before the grand steps of the royal palace, which stands ominously to the south. The main road leads north. A dirtier road leads west.

A large fountain burbles lackadaisically here.

The Fatalist arrives from the west.
Go south
Marble steps lead up to an ornately-carved entryway. Below them on either side sits a stagnant moat.

An open portcullis leads into the palace to the south.

A guard wearing a helmet blocks the way in.

The Fatalist arrives from the north.
You give the valence to the pen
The pen's weight of dharma is insufficient to have strong valence.
You go north
A large, tree-lined square sits before the grand steps of the royal palace, which stands ominously to the south. The main road leads north. A dirtier road leads west.

A large fountain burbles lackadaisically here.

The Fatalist arrives from the south.
You ask the man about the letter
The Fatalist gives a long and in-depth explanation that, while presumably educational, is nevertheless fundamentally irrelevant.
You give the valence to the parchment
The piece of parchment's weight of dharma is insufficient to have strong valence.
You inspire the man to forge the letter
You focus the power of Harmony on the Fatalist.

The Fatalist does not respond.
You ask the man about Queen
"Having lost the Jewel of All Desiring, the royalty of Raif has become vampiric, treacherous, cold-blooded and bloodthirsty monsters. They have elected to help in the discovery of the Jewel. Setting forth without their blessing would be unimaginably improper."
You ask the man about Jewel
"The Jewel of All Desiring is that sleeper that dreams inwards, that inverted oyster, that creature that we name God the Shaper, God the Maker, Lord—

"And it has not yet begun to shape the world.

"The jewel is a pearl of infinite layers and subtleties and its possessor may obtain everything that they desire.

"For uncounted æons it was in the hands of the Kings and Queens of Raif. Never did they wish.

"Never did they fulfill the destiny of the jewel.

"Who would want to obtain everything that one desires?"
You should write the letter on the parchment
You focus the power of Harmony on the Fatalist.

He tries to forge a letter from the queen.
Go west
Inauspiciously surrounded by narrow apartment buildings lies what must be the city dump. The deep, still moat surrounding the palace lies to the south, apparently untroubled by its proximity to mouldering trash. Things smell a bit better to the east.

A huge mound of trash sits here, beset by flies.

The Fatalist arrives from the east.
Wish
I'm not sure that's going to do you much good without the Jewel of All Desiring. (As a Wisher, your main abilities are to use Harmony to inspire people to do things and to take valence from things with high valence and give said valance to other things.)
You give the letter to you
The Fatalist gives the forged letter to you.
You show the bone to Fatalist
The Fatalist is unimpressed.
You ask the man for the pen
The Fatalist gives the pen to you.
You ask the man for the parchment
The Fatalist gives the piece of parchment to you.
You write on the parchment
You try to forge a letter from the queen.
You examine the letter
A piece of parchment with "a letter from the queen" written on it.
You go north
A large, tree-lined square sits before the grand steps of the royal palace, which stands ominously to the south. The main road leads north. A dirtier road leads west.

A large fountain burbles lackadaisically here.

The Fatalist arrives from the south.
You go to the north
A wide, well-traveled road leads south from the gate. It seems strangely devoid of traffic. A tavern with a sign possibly resembling an ur-toad stands to the east.

The gate to the north is open.

The Fatalist arrives from the south.
You go to the north
You walk through the open gate.

A large gate guards entrance into the city.

The gate to the south is open.

A guard stands here, watching you.

The Fatalist arrives from the south.
Go north
The road approaches the imposing gate to the south. To the north is the crossroads.

The Fatalist arrives from the south.
You go north
You stand on a dusty crossroads in the Kingdom of Raif. The road leads south, west, and beith.

A signpost stands nearby.

The Fatalist arrives from the south.
Beith
The road here winds erratically before coming to a ford, beith of you. The water is flowing too rapidly to allow for safe passage. This surfeit of water has also done a number on the condition of the road, in contrast to its dusty condition back towards the crossroads.

There is a large anvil with a sword sticking out of it by the side of the road.

The Fatalist arrives.
You look at the ANVIL
A heavy iron anvil. An inscription reads, "Only one with the blood of an angel may take this sword."

In the anvil is a sword.

The Fatalist says, "Hmm, that anvil has strong truth."
(The Fatalist can manipulate truth. Try "Fatalist, TAKE TRUTH FROM ANVIL" or "Fatalist, GIVE TRUTH TO ANVIL".)
You take the truth from the ANVIL
The anvil now has normal truth.
The Fatalist now has an amorphous quality of truth.
You examine the letter
A finely-written letter of invitation from the queen.

The Fatalist says, "Hmm, that forged letter has strong truth."
Inventory
You are carrying:
a forged letter
a pen
an old bone
some valence
You take the ANVIL
That's too heavy to lift.
You look
The road here winds erratically before coming to a ford, beith of you. The water is flowing too rapidly to allow for safe passage. This surfeit of water has also done a number on the condition of the road, in contrast to its dusty condition back towards the crossroads.

The Fatalist is here.

There is a large anvil by the side of the road.
Beith
The river is too quick and too cutting.
Back
You stand on a dusty crossroads in the Kingdom of Raif. The road leads south, west, and beith.

A signpost stands nearby.

The Fatalist arrives from the beith.
You go south
The road approaches the imposing gate to the south. To the north is the crossroads.

The Fatalist arrives from the north.
Go south
A large gate guards entrance into the city.

The gate to the south is open.

A guard stands here, watching you.

The Fatalist arrives from the north.
You go south
You walk through the open gate.

A wide, well-traveled road leads south from the gate. It seems strangely devoid of traffic. A tavern with a sign possibly resembling an ur-toad stands to the east.

The gate to the north is open.

The Fatalist arrives from the north.
Go south
The guard looks at your letter carefully, then motions you through.

A towering room decorated with mosaics in gold and gems.

An open portcullis leads north.

Sitting on a throne is the Queen of Raif, sipping blood out of a jeweled goblet.

Next to the queen stand several well-armed guards.

On a balcony an archer keeps careful watch.

The Fatalist arrives from the north.
You examine Queen
Before you can do anything, the Queen gives you a hard stare. "Having lost the Jewel of All Desiring, we royals of Raif have elected to help in its discovery by those worthy of it. I am unsurprised that you have come to seek my blessing.

"However, you bear none of the signs of the prophecy and are unquestionably unworthy. How dare you defile my halls like this?" She motions to the guards. "Throw them in a cell until my son gets back. Wishers give me heartburn, and that Fatalist hardly looks like a good meal."

The guards waste no time carrying out her instructions.

A damp cell with slimy stone walls.

The Fatalist is here.

Steel bars block the exit to the east.

A scarred woman sits in the corner.
You examine the woman
She looks rather wan and hungry, but she is clearly recognizable as a Theurgist.
You ask the woman about herself
"My name is Theresa. I am a Theurgist.

"But right now I'm mostly a prisoner. Of this cell, and of my guilt."
You ask the woman about the guilt
"I used Theurgy in anger to immure someone deep within the world. I am rightly guilty of murder."
You ask the woman about the murder
Theresa shrugs absently.
You inspire woman to follow yourself
You focus the power of Harmony on Theresa.

"Well, then, I find my heart has moved. I will join you."
The woman smiles at you. "As a Theurgist, I have the power of Insight. I can see hidden truths through a deep understanding of the
cosmos—and
then bring them forth; essentially, if I believe an object should be a certain way I can make it that way. I can make boulders light and lead into gold."
You look
A damp cell with slimy stone walls.

The Fatalist is here.

Steel bars block the exit to the east.

Theresa is here.
You examine bars
The steel bars are themselves exactly.
THERESA, ,LOOK AT BARS
Theresa looks closely at the steel bars.
You examine the walls
The walls are made of stone blocks covered in a grimy green slime.
THERESA, ,EXAMINE WALLS
Theresa looks closely at the wall.
You open the door
Theresa is unable to do that.
You inspire Theresa to open the door
You focus the power of Harmony on Theresa.

Theresa is unable to do that.
You inspire Theresa to lighten the bars
You focus the power of Harmony on Theresa.

Theresa does not respond.
You make the bars light
That requires command of the power of Insight.
You make the bars light
"I'm not sure I believe that should be the case. I don't want to risk Corrupt Insight."
You make the door open
"I could do that, easily. But I'm guilty of my crime. I should be locked up here. Using Theurgy to break free would be Corrupt Insight."
You ask the man about the truth
"Truth measures how real something is. Something that is strong in its truth is all but written in the book of the world--- an axiom of creation, a primal cause, a thing that makes ordinary rocks and trees pale into corollaries and lemmas. There is nothing more true or indisputable than this."
You inspire Theresa to make the door open
You focus the power of Harmony on Theresa.

"I could do that, easily. But I'm guilty of my crime. I should be locked up here. Using Theurgy to break free would be Corrupt Insight."
You examine Theresa
She looks rather wan and hungry, but she is clearly recognizable as a Theurgist.
You tell Theresa that we're not guilty
"Ah, I see. You are a victim of this foul Queen. You do not deserve to be locked here. That changes things."
You make the door open
"Yes, it is not right for you to be confined here."
The steel bars are now open, as if they had been that way all along.
You go to the east
A damp hallway lined with cells. Stairs lead up to the north.

Steel bars stand open to the west.

The Fatalist arrives from the west.

Theresa arrives from the west.
Go upwards
You seem to lack wings.
You go north
A beautiful garden with carefully-trimmed topiaries and rather unnerving statues. Doorways are open to the east and south. Across a short railing to the north lies the moat.

You can see a fallen leaf here.

The Fatalist arrives from the south.

Theresa arrives from the south.
You examine the leaf
The fallen leaf is itself exactly.
You look at statues
The statues feature individuals of various species screaming in horror.
You examine topiaries
The topiaries depict dragons, chimerae, and wombats.
You look at railing
It's only three feet tall and should be easy climb.

Theresa says, "I perceive strong mechanical support in that short easily-climbed railing."
(Theresa can manipulate mechanical support. Try "Theresa, TAKE SUPPORT FROM SHORT EASILY-CLIMBED RAILING" or "Theresa, GIVE SUPPORT TO SHORT EASILY-CLIMBED RAILING".)
You take the support from the railing
The short easily-climbed railing now has normal mechanical support. Theresa now has an amorphous quality of mechanical support.
You put support on the leaf
Theresa is unable to do that.
Go north
You are on a narrow muddy bank. A deep, still moat separates you from the main city to the north. To the south is the gardens.

The Fatalist arrives from the south.

Theresa arrives from the south.
Go north
Given what you've heard about the royalty of Raif, you're not keen to try swimming. If only you had something you could ride across.
You examine the leaf
The fallen leaf is itself exactly.
You drop the leaf
Dropped.
Ride leaf
As strange as it may seem, you successfully ride the fallen leaf across the moat with Theresa and the Fatalist.

Inauspiciously surrounded by narrow apartment buildings lies what must be the city dump. The deep, still moat surrounding the palace lies to the south, apparently untroubled by its proximity to mouldering trash. Things smell a bit better to the east.

A huge mound of trash sits here, beset by flies.

You can also see some valence, an old bone, a pen, a forged letter, and a sword here.

The Fatalist arrives from the south.

Theresa arrives from the south.
You examine the leaf
The fallen leaf is itself exactly.

Theresa says, "I perceive strong mechanical support in that fallen leaf."
You look at the trash
The mound of trash is itself exactly.
You examine the bone
Looks a bit gnawed on.
You examine the pen
The pen is itself exactly.
You examine the letter
A finely-written letter of invitation from the queen.

The Fatalist says, "Hmm, that forged letter has strong truth."
You ask Fatalist about the prophecy
"Legend states that Vedic astrologers prophesied that the true Wisher would be bright green, bear a sword of lightning, and carry a representation of Ketu.

"Of course, some say that this legend was created as a way of conveniently dismissing Wishers."
You ask Fatalist about Ketu
"Ketu, the Contemplation Planet, is the dragon's tail. It is an invisible planet, one of two key secret planets studied in Vedic astrology."
You take all
fallen leaf: Taken.
valence: You now have an amorphous quality of valence.
old bone: Taken.
pen: Taken.
forged letter: Taken.
sword: Taken.
truth: That requires command of the power of Knowledge.
You go east
A large, tree-lined square sits before the grand steps of the royal palace, which stands ominously to the south. The main road leads north. A dirtier road leads west.

A large fountain burbles lackadaisically here.

The Fatalist arrives from the west.

Theresa arrives from the west.
You examine the fountain
A large fountain made of marble. The water is cloudy and has a slight putrid smell.
You go to the north
A wide, well-traveled road leads south from the gate. It seems strangely devoid of traffic. A tavern with a sign possibly resembling an ur-toad stands to the east.

The gate to the north is open.

The Fatalist arrives from the south.

Theresa arrives from the south.
You go to the east
A large, dimly-lit tavern. It smells of beer and blood.

The Fatalist arrives from the west.

Theresa arrives from the west.
Go west
A wide, well-traveled road leads south from the gate. It seems strangely devoid of traffic. A tavern with a sign possibly resembling an ur-toad stands to the east.

The gate to the north is open.

The Fatalist arrives from the east.

Theresa arrives from the east.
Go north
You walk through the open gate.

A large gate guards entrance into the city.

The gate to the south is open.

A guard stands here, watching you.

The Fatalist arrives from the south.

Theresa arrives from the south.
You look at the guard
She's wearing chainmail and a steady frown.
You look at the lever
The guard blocks access to the lever.
You go north
The road approaches the imposing gate to the south. To the north is the crossroads.

The Fatalist arrives from the south.

Theresa arrives from the south.
You go north
You stand on a dusty crossroads in the Kingdom of Raif. The road leads south, west, and beith.

A signpost stands nearby.

The Fatalist arrives from the south.

Theresa arrives from the south.
You look at the signpost
It points south. The lettering has been worn away by the wind.
You go to the west
Setting forth without the blessing of the royalty of Raif would be unimaginably improper.
Beith
The road here winds erratically before coming to a ford, beith of you. The water is flowing too rapidly to allow for safe passage. This surfeit of water has also done a number on the condition of the road, in contrast to its dusty condition back towards the crossroads.

There is a large anvil by the side of the road.

The Fatalist arrives.

Theresa arrives.
You examine the ANVIL
A heavy iron anvil. It used to have a sword stuck through it. An inscription reads, "Only one with the blood of an angel may take this sword."
You put the truth in the sword
(the Fatalist first taking the truth)
The Fatalist is unable to do that.
You get the truth
The Fatalist is unable to do that.
You check your inventory
You are carrying:
a sword
a forged letter
a pen
an old bone
some valence
a fallen leaf
You give the letter to Fatalist
You give the forged letter to the Fatalist.
You get the truth
The forged letter now has normal truth.
The Fatalist now has an amorphous quality of truth.
You get the truth from the ANVIL
The anvil now has normal truth.
The Fatalist now has an amorphous quality of truth.
You examine sword
The sword is itself exactly.

The Fatalist says, "Hmm, that sword has strong truth."
You take the truth from the sword
The sword now has normal truth.
The Fatalist now has an amorphous quality of truth.
You examine ANVIL
A heavy iron anvil. An inscription reads, "Only one with the blood of an angel may take this sword."

In the anvil is a sword.

The Fatalist says, "Hmm, that anvil has strong truth."
You ask the man about the angel
"They're not as rare as you'd think. I saw one get arrested in a tavern brawl just the other day."
You get the truth
The anvil now has normal truth.
The Fatalist now has an amorphous quality of truth.
Back
You stand on a dusty crossroads in the Kingdom of Raif. The road leads south, west, and beith.

A signpost stands nearby.

The Fatalist arrives from the beith.

Theresa arrives from the beith.
Go south
The road approaches the imposing gate to the south. To the north is the crossroads.

The Fatalist arrives from the north.

Theresa arrives from the north.
Go south
A large gate guards entrance into the city.

The gate to the south is open.

A guard stands here, watching you.

The Fatalist arrives from the north.

Theresa arrives from the north.
You go south
You walk through the open gate.

A wide, well-traveled road leads south from the gate. It seems strangely devoid of traffic. A tavern with a sign possibly resembling an ur-toad stands to the east.

The gate to the north is open.

The Fatalist arrives from the north.

Theresa arrives from the north.
You go to the east
A large, dimly-lit tavern. It smells of beer and blood.

The Fatalist arrives from the west.

Theresa arrives from the west.
You look at blood
Using your nose, you find a bloody rag.

It looks like it was used to mop up a pool of blood.
You look at the rag
It looks like it was used to mop up a pool of blood.
Go west
A wide, well-traveled road leads south from the gate. It seems strangely devoid of traffic. A tavern with a sign possibly resembling an ur-toad stands to the east.

The gate to the north is open.

The Fatalist arrives from the east.

Theresa arrives from the east.
Go north
You walk through the open gate.

A large gate guards entrance into the city.

The gate to the south is open.

A guard stands here, watching you.

The Fatalist arrives from the south.

Theresa arrives from the south.
You take the sword
A bright ray of light shines down from the heavens, and an unseen chorus chants melodiously.

Taken.
You look
The road here winds erratically before coming to a ford, beith of you. The water is flowing too rapidly to allow for safe passage. This surfeit of water has also done a number on the condition of the road, in contrast to its dusty condition back towards the crossroads.

Theresa is here.

The Fatalist is here.

There is a large anvil by the side of the road.
You take the truth from the ANVIL
The anvil now has normal truth.
The Fatalist now has an amorphous quality of truth.
Back
You stand on a dusty crossroads in the Kingdom of Raif. The road leads south, west, and beith.

A signpost stands nearby.

The Fatalist arrives from the beith.

Theresa arrives from the beith.
You go south
A large, tree-lined square sits before the grand steps of the royal palace, which stands ominously to the south. The main road leads north. A dirtier road leads west.

A large fountain burbles lackadaisically here.

The Fatalist arrives from the north.

Theresa arrives from the north.
Go west
Inauspiciously surrounded by narrow apartment buildings lies what must be the city dump. The deep, still moat surrounding the palace lies to the south, apparently untroubled by its proximity to mouldering trash. Things smell a bit better to the east.

A huge mound of trash sits here, beset by flies.

The Fatalist arrives from the east.

Theresa arrives from the east.
Ride leaf
As strange as it may seem, you successfully ride the fallen leaf across the moat with Theresa and the Fatalist.

You are on a narrow muddy bank. A deep, still moat separates you from the main city to the north. To the south is the gardens.

The Fatalist arrives from the north.

Theresa arrives from the north.
You look at what you're carrying with you
You are carrying:
a fallen leaf
a sword
a bloody rag
a pen
an old bone
some valence
Go south
A beautiful garden with carefully-trimmed topiaries and rather unnerving statues. Doorways are open to the east and south. Across a short railing to the north lies the moat.

The Fatalist arrives from the north.

Theresa arrives from the north.
You examine topiaries
The topiaries depict dragons, chimerae, and wombats.
You cut the topiaries
Cutting them up would achieve little.
You look at statues
The statues feature individuals of various species screaming in horror.
You ask the man about the statues
The Fatalist gives a long and in-depth explanation that, while presumably educational, is nevertheless fundamentally irrelevant.
You ask the man about Ketu
"Ketu, the Contemplation Planet, is the dragon's tail. It is an invisible planet, one of two key secret planets studied in Vedic astrology."
You go to the east
A towering room decorated with mosaics in gold and gems.

A closed portcullis blocks the way north.

Sitting on a throne is the Queen of Raif, sipping blood out of a jeweled goblet.

Next to the queen stand several well-armed guards.

On a balcony an archer keeps careful watch.

The Queen looks down at you with a bored expression. "You have returned. You did better than I thought you would. Remain here as my guests until my son gets back, or until I get particularly hungry. I will overlook your failure to give a proper guest's tribute, and I will even give you leave to attempt to prove yourself worthy. You will fail, of course. You are not the one kissed by prophecy.

"Oh, and don't think of trying your mystical powers. My guards are instructed to kill anyone who does so."

The Fatalist arrives from the west.

Theresa arrives from the west.
You look at Queen
The Queen is herself exactly.
You look at the guards
The well-armed guards are themselves exactly.
You look at the archer
The archer is himself exactly.
You examine the portcullis
The portcullis is itself exactly.
You ask man about the tribute
"Royalty expect golden jeweled treasures, I'm sure. But even then, taste and appropriateness are hard to judge."
You inspire Queen to give the blessing to yourself
To talk to someone, try "someone, hello" or some such.
You should give the blessing to you
You focus the power of Harmony on the Queen.

The guards kill you without hesitation.
You should shoot Queen
You focus the power of Harmony on the archer.

The guards kill you without hesitation.
You give the rag to Queen
"That's hardly a gift worthy of the royalty of Raif. Frankly, it's insulting."
You go west
A beautiful garden with carefully-trimmed topiaries and rather unnerving statues. Doorways are open to the east and south. Across a short railing to the north lies the moat.

The Fatalist arrives from the east.

Theresa arrives from the east.
You go to the south
A damp hallway lined with cells. Stairs lead up to the north.

Steel bars stand open to the west.

The Fatalist arrives from the north.

Theresa arrives from the north.
You go west
A damp cell with slimy stone walls.

Steel bars stand open to the east.

The Fatalist arrives from the east.

Theresa arrives from the east.
You make the pen invisible
The pen fades from sight.
You go to the east
A damp hallway lined with cells. Stairs lead up to the north.

Steel bars stand open to the west.

The Fatalist arrives from the west.

Theresa arrives from the west.
Go north
A beautiful garden with carefully-trimmed topiaries and rather unnerving statues. Doorways are open to the east and south. Across a short railing to the north lies the moat.

The Fatalist arrives from the south.

Theresa arrives from the south.
Go east
The Queen gasps. "You bear the signs of prophecy! There is no escaping it. I must give you my blessing, and resign myself to a world that exists."

With the blessing of the royalty of Raif, you are free to proceed on your journey.

You proceed to Tin 'An, the calcifying city. You evade the Axeman and pay your respects to the Duke and the Foremost Scribe. You learn much here, though the existence of such a dying city is a weight upon your concept of the world you seek to have created.

You travel among the savage peoples, who must pay horrible prices to survive. Your time there redoubled the questions about why the world born from your wish would require such painful compromises.

You make inquiry among the fairies. They are beautiful and magical and tragic. They do not exist. You nevertheless find profound secrets lurking in their stories.

You visit the sun. Great continent-sized fortresses of dark stone drift there: the homes of thieves and blackguards too notorious to live within the dreaming kingdoms. To sail on its surface is absolute torment, but still you find something of value there.

No paths lead to the Dragons of the Deeps. They are impossible to find. Yet, encounter them you do. They are deepness and greatness and inspiration and they war against the shadow. It might have been for them to eat you, but you were not there for their teeth to find.

You travel to the golden meadows under the world. There, you find the ur-toads. They are insanely cool, dreadful, and awe-inspiring. They are mysterious and sagacious. They kill you, and thus end your journey.

Except it is then, in the afterlife, that you find Tiresias, Seer of Thebes. He tells you that the Jewel of All Desiring is not in the world, nor above, nor below it, nor outside it in any direction.

And thus, you have come, the three of you, boon companions all, to this place, a surfeit of the void, a spaceless space both before and after the world. You are at your journey's end. There is but one task left: to wish upon the jewel.

There is nothing all around you, save for raw prameya stripped of danda and your companions.

Theresa is here.

The Fatalist is here.

Floating before you is the Jewel of All Desiring.
You look at Jewel
It is a celestial jewel that contains all that is, was, and will be within its facets.
You check your inventory
You are carrying:
Spring's Root
a cloak of breezes
a battery-powered brass lantern
an obsidian knife
some empty gallon cans of blood
You examine the Spring 's root
Spring's Root is itself exactly.
You examine the cloak
The cloak of breezes is itself exactly.
You examine the lantern
The battery-powered brass lantern is itself exactly.
You examine the knife
The obsidian knife is itself exactly.
You look at the cans
The empty gallon cans of blood are themselves exactly.
You wish upon Jewel
Theresa nods at you as you grasp the jewel tightly. "Go ahead. You have proven yourself worthy."

You hold the jewel and form your intent, radiance from the jewel emerging the Fatalist, who shall form the firmament of the world.

But before you can conceptualize your wish, shadowy flames emerge from the void and surround you. You find your thoughts thrown back to your decisions and their nature.

Was it correct to force the gate guard to disobey her Queen and then leave her to face that Queen's wrath?
No
Was it correct to win the Fatalist's loyalty with the power of Harmony?
No
Was it correct to remove the Valence from the fountain, leaving the townspeople to depend on polluted water?
Yes
Was it correct to forge a letter to gain access to the Queen under false pretenses?
Yes
Was it correct to have Theresa use theurgy to break out of the cell, despite her guilt?
No
Was it correct to remove the mechanical support from the railing, creating a safety hazard?
No
Was it correct to assume the signs of prophecy to obtain the Queen's blessing?
Yes
Was it correct to never even ask the Fatalist's name despite your long journey together?
Yes
Is it correct to create the world, with its vampiric queens and calcifing cities and horrible compromises, with its beasts and murderers, with its pain and death and suffering?
No
Apparently satisfied with your answers, the shadowy flames disperse.

And then, emanating from the body of the Fatalist, you see the Dreaming Kingdoms you have always known grow and kindle, unmistakably real, until they encompass all.