Faithful Companion
Matt Weiner
cover art EctoComp 2013 gender-neutral protagonist ghost NightFloyd transcript parser SpeedIF systematic puzzles Xyzzy Awards 2013
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"Haunted?"

The caretaker grimaces. "A year since you visited, you say? Some hooligans smashed the mausoleum up a month back. Since then, well, I'm the only one who'll go near it. And I don't care to stay long. See for yourself if you like, and I'll collect you in the morning."

Poor Thurnley. No rest even in the tomb.

Type ABOUT for more information about this game.

Visitors used to sit on the bench here to contemplate their mortality. Apparently the reminders of their mortality have become all too great. A marble door leads inside.
About yourself
Older than you once were.
Describe the surroundings
Visitors used to sit on the bench here to contemplate their mortality. Apparently the reminders of their mortality have become all too great. A marble door leads inside.

You feel a chill. There is no wind, but the leaves fly up from the bench and twirl in the air. Somehow they describe a faintly human shape.

There was a key under the leaves on the bench.

The leaves swirl as if the ghost is looking at something it is carrying.
You get the key
Taken.

The leaves swirl toward yourself as if the form within them is peering at you.
You look at the ghost
Leaves whirl and flutter without falling, around a disturbance in the air that takes a vaguely human shape.

The ghost looks around.
You ask the ghost about the key
There is no reply.

The leaves swirl toward the iron key as though to take it from you. As they brush your hand, you fall to the floor in a dead faint.
You look around
Visitors used to sit on the bench here to contemplate their mortality. Apparently the reminders of their mortality have become all too great. A marble door leads inside.

You can see the ghost here.

The leaves swirl toward the iron key as though to take it from you. As they brush your hand, you fall to the floor in a dead faint.
Inside
(first opening the marble door)
It seems to be locked.

The leaves swirl toward the iron key as though to take it from you. As they brush your hand, you fall to the floor in a dead faint.
You look under the leaves
An iron key is under the leaves.
You get the key
Taken.

You feel a chill. There is no wind, but the leaves fly up from the bench and twirl in the air. Somehow they describe a faintly human shape.

The ghost waits.
You unlock the door with the key
You unlock the marble door.

The leaves swirl as if looking under the bench.
Examine leaves
Leaves whirl and flutter without falling, around a disturbance in the air that takes a vaguely human shape.

The leaves swirl toward the iron key as though to take it from you. As they brush your hand, you fall to the floor in a dead faint.
You look under bench
You find nothing of interest.

The leaves swirl toward the iron key as though to take it from you. As they brush your hand, you fall to the floor in a dead faint.
Inside
(first opening the marble door)

When you were here last, jeweled crosses and marble statues adorned this room. Only fragments remain.

A granite door leads inside. It seems to be held shut by three latches of unusual design, bronze, steel, and copper.

The marble door leads back out.
You examine the key
A heavy iron key that seems to fit the lock of the crypt's marble door.
You open latches
You must specify a single latch.

The leaves swirl in from the outside.
Open bronze
You push the bronze latch open.

The leaves swirl toward the iron key as if the form within them is peering at it.
You drop the key
Dropped.

The leaves swirl through the motions of opening the latches.
Open copper
You push the copper latch open.

The ghost pushes the bronze latch closed.
Open bronze
You push the bronze latch open.

The leaves swirl through the motions of dropping the iron key.
Close bronze
You push the bronze latch closed.

The ghost pushes the copper latch closed.
Wait
Time passes.

The ghost pushes the bronze latch open.
You wait awhile
Time passes.

The ghost pushes the bronze latch closed.
You touch the bronze
You push the bronze latch open.

The ghost waits.
Look around
When you were here last, jeweled crosses and marble statues adorned this room. Only fragments remain.

A granite door leads inside. It seems to be held shut by three latches of unusual design, bronze, steel, and copper.

The marble door leads back out.

You can see an iron key and the ghost here.

The ghost waits.
You examine the bronze
This latch is designed so that merely pushing it will open it, and pushing it again in the same way will close it again. It is currently open.

The ghost pushes the bronze latch closed.
Open bronze
You push the bronze latch open.

The ghost looks around.
Close bronze
You push the bronze latch closed.

The leaves swirl toward the bronze latch as if the form within them is peering at it.
Open steel
You push the steel latch open.

The ghost pushes the bronze latch open.
Go east
From here, you can go inside and outside.

The ghost pushes the steel latch closed.
Inside
(first opening the granite door)
The granite door won't open when the bronze latch and the steel latch are closed.

The ghost pushes the copper latch closed.
You wait
Time passes.

The leaves swirl through the motions of going east.
Open copper
You push the copper latch open.

The leaves swirl against the handle of the granite door, but the door does not budge.
Then the leaves batter faintly against the granite door.
You wait for a while
Time passes.

The ghost waits.
Close copper
You push the copper latch closed.

The ghost pushes the copper latch open.
Open steel
You push the steel latch open.

The ghost waits.
Open bronze
You push the bronze latch open.

The ghost pushes the copper latch closed.
You get the key
Taken.

The ghost pushes the steel latch closed.
Go outside
Visitors used to sit on the bench here to contemplate their mortality. Apparently the reminders of their mortality have become all too great. A marble door leads inside.
You wait for a while
Time passes.
You wait awhile
Time passes.

The leaves swirl in from the inside.
Go inside
When you were here last, jeweled crosses and marble statues adorned this room. Only fragments remain.

A granite door leads inside. It seems to be held shut by three latches of unusual design, bronze, steel, and copper.

The marble door leads back out.
You close the door
(the marble door)
You close the marble door.
You lock the door
(the marble door)
You lock the marble door.

A faint scratching comes from the other side of the marble door. The handle of the marble door turns, but the door does not open.
Open bronze
You push the bronze latch open.
Open steel
You push the steel latch open.
Open copper
You push the copper latch open.
You open the granite door
You open the granite door.
Go inside
The sconces on the walls have been smashed, and the coffin gapes open in the middle of the crypt.

The granite door leads back out.

The coffin's heavy leaden lid lies on the floor.
You look in the coffin
In the coffin are some bones.
You look at the bones
Poor things....
You take the bones
They are where they belong.
You examine the lid
Made of solid lead, this lid looks to heavy to lift by yourself. But who would dare accompany you here?
You enter the coffin
You climb in to lie among Thurnley's bones.
You examine the sconces
They're for the caretaker to deal with. Perhaps she can clean up the tomb, if you can lay poor Thurnley to rest.
You open marble
It seems to be locked.

A faint scratching comes from the other side of the marble door. The handle of the marble door turns, but the door does not open.
Unlock marble
You unlock the marble door.
You open marble
You open the marble door.
You leave
Visitors used to sit on the bench here to contemplate their mortality. Apparently the reminders of their mortality have become all too great. A marble door leads inside.

You can see the ghost here.

The leaves swirl toward the iron key as though to take it from you. As they brush your hand, you fall to the floor in a dead faint.
You drop the key
Dropped.
Go outside
Visitors used to sit on the bench here to contemplate their mortality. Apparently the reminders of their mortality have become all too great. A marble door leads inside.

You can see the ghost here.

The leaves swirl through the motions of opening the marble door.
You enter
When you were here last, jeweled crosses and marble statues adorned this room. Only fragments remain.

A granite door leads inside. It seems to be held shut by three latches of unusual design, bronze, steel, and copper.

The marble door leads back out.

You can see an iron key here.
Go inside
The sconces on the walls have been smashed, and the coffin gapes open in the middle of the crypt.

The granite door leads back out.

The coffin's heavy leaden lid lies on the floor.
You wait for a while
Time passes.
You wait for a while
Time passes.

The leaves swirl in from the outside.
You lift the lid
You strain to lift the lid, but you can only raise one edge of it.

The ghost waits.
You continue
You strain to lift the lid, but you can only raise one edge of it.

The ghost whirls around the other edge of the lid, and almost without your willing it the lid rises into the air. Before you realize that you have put it down, the lid stands upright on the coffin's hinges.
You look in the coffin
In the coffin are some bones.

The ghost goes through the motions of picking up the lid, but it does not budge from its hinges.
You enter the coffin
You climb in to lie among Thurnley's bones.

The ghost goes through the motions of picking up the lid, but it does not budge from its hinges.
You exit coffin
You get out of the coffin.

The sconces on the walls have been smashed, and the coffin gapes open in the middle of the crypt.

The granite door leads back out.

You can see the ghost here.

The leaves swirl around the coffin as if looking for something.
Wait
Time passes.

The leaves swirl into the coffin.
Close the coffin
You close the coffin.

You hear the leaves swirling in the coffin, then all at once they stop. Thurnley can rest again.

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