text: [Themes: Slice of life, teenage protagonist]
  
  > O fork
  "Sounds like Victorian cutlery," Chris whispers. Chris agrees to meet you at the Manor later tonight.
  
  ***Chris the Paladin has joined your party.***
  
  > show the knob to Bard
  "Cool loot," whispers Ryan. He agrees to meet you at your place later tonight.
  
  ***Ryan the Bard has joined your party.***
  That's enough reinforcements for another Manor raid. Type LOGOUT to continue.
  
  > Logout
  ***DISCONNECTED***
  
  Ryan meets you in front of your house. He's as jumpy as always. You check to see if he's brought his picks, and he pulls them briefly out of a schoolbag festooned with band names.
  
  The Manor beckons invisibly to the east.
  
  You can see Ryan the Bard here.
  
  "Never actually used them except on the test lock," Ryan says, pulling his hat off and waving it at his face. It's pretty muggy out.
  
  > go to the east
  The forest at the end of the cul-de-sac smells damp and green, leading further to the east.
  
  You describe the kind of keyhole it is as you head over. "Oh yeah, those are easier than modern ones." He gives you a sly smile. "Maybe you wanna give it a shot."
  
  You punch him in the shoulder at the reminder of your one thiefly failure. You've never had a knack for picks. It came up when Ryan wanted to join the Guild as a thief, but luckily he changed his mind and decided his mastery of three chords qualified him as a bard.
  
  > Go east
  You've lived beside these woods for half of your 14 years. The way on leads east.
  
  You ask him about the kids at his new school, the Catholic one his mom made him go to. "Pretty boring. I'm the only one into hardcore and cool music there," he bragplains.
  
  > Go east
  You cross the electrical tower field, feeling rather than hearing its low hum. Superstition stops you from looking up at its wires. You can see the new development in the distance, the cause of your urgent mission, its machines like sleeping behemoths. But your destination is further east.
  
  You ask him if he's made it downtown to a hardcore show yet. He shrugs. "Not yet. They start so late that there's like no way to get back here before transit stops."
  
  He shoots a glance at you to see how well this latest excuse works. You keep your face neutral. You can mock him after the job.
  
  > go to the east
  Even crowded by wild brush, the grandest building in your neighbourhood still has a silent dignity. And to think: a few days from now, it'll be erased from history.
  
  The Manor looms to the north. You know from experience that there's a coachhouse behind it, which you could get to by following a rough path to the northeast.
  
  There's a girl in a track suit in front of the Manor. You keep it cool and introduce yourself.
  
  "Hey I'm Chris," she says, then trains her dark eyes on your friend. "And I guess you're Ryan?"
  
  Ryan, as usual in the presence of a non-boy, is motionless, so you nod for him.
  
  > look at Chris
  She's wearing a tracksuit and a short haircut. Something about her eyes makes her look ready for a fight.
  
  > go north
  Chris stops when she sees the planks and the forcible entry. "Whoa, I didn't know you guys broke in, I thought it was abandoned." Doubt flickers across her eyes. "My dad's a cop. It'd kill him if I --" She shakes her head. Then she notices the notice stapled to the door and relaxes a bit. "Oh, well. If it's gonna be trashed anyway..." You can leave the portico to the south, or enter the Manor to the north.
  
  A paper in a plastic sheath is stapled to the planks.
  
  > Go north
  A curving staircase, badly damaged, used to lead to the second floor. Strange shapes loom throughout the space. Hallways heading off to the east and the west.
  
  > go to the west
  "Uh," Ryan says, "Sounds like there's people there. Why don't we search the other rooms first?"
  
  > ask Ryan about the door
  "Ready to do your magic?" you say to Ryan, motioning at the locked door.
  His eyes go big and he shakes his head, glancing over at Chris. Oh, right. That comment about her dad being a cop has him spooked. Not that it takes a lot to get him spooked.
  
  A curving staircase, badly damaged, used to lead to the second floor. Strange shapes loom throughout the space. Hallways heading off to the east and the west. Chris looks around, a smile on her face. She seems intrigued by the hole in the stairs.
  
  You can see Chris the Paladin and Ryan the Bard here.
  
  > ask Chris about the hole
  Chris approaches the hole in the stairs and adjusts her headband.
  
  She tests the banister first and then hangs from it. You feel your heart lurch as her legs dangle into the hole. "When I started gymnastics," she says, going hand over hand across the gap. "I always used to imagine using my training in an adventure."
  
  "This is kind of an adventure," pipes up Ryan, looking at you for confirmation. "Right?"
  
  She gets to the other side, and flips her feet out onto solid ground.
  
  "Sure, kid," she says. She takes a penlight out of her sweatpants pocket and disappears into the second floor darkness.
  
  > ask Ryan about the door
  You and Ryan go to the door. Ryan sizes it up as he takes out his picks. "Keep an eye out for the cop's daughter," he says, a pick hanging from his mouth as he goes about his work.
  
  A few seconds later, the door to the east is open. Ryan can't keep a smile off his face, and you pat him on the shoulder.
  
  This was clearly a library or office of some kind. The walls are lined with bookshelves, empty but for thick layers of dust. There's a large desk pushed against a wall at a weird angle. You picture the owners packing up and needing to get it out of the way to get something else out of the door.
  
  You can leave to the west.
  
  > move desk
  A few seconds of futile pushing makes it clear why it was left here.
  
  > examine the desk
  The desk was probably too big to get out through the door, so they just left it there. All its drawers are missing. It's a lovely old wooden specimen, however, and it saddens you it will be smashed to pieces in two days. As you run a fond hand over it, you notice a glint in the inkwell.
  
  > look at inkwell
  The glint you saw is from a letter opener. Your lithe fingers tease it out and Ryan crowds around. "Oooh, a dagger," he says. You reluctantly hand it over.
  
  Ryan feels the edge and then scoffs. "Super-dull," he says, handing it back.
  
  Your heart lightens and you don't correct him. You secret it away for closer inspection later.
  
  > look at the opener
  Pretty bad-ass looking for an antique.
  
  > look at the bookshelves
  Not a single book left behind.
  
  > Go west
  "There you guys are," Chris says grumpily as you come out. She gets up from the bottom of the stairs, where she's been sitting.
  
  She's got her arms crossed and a funny look on her face. Despite her efforts, you notice there's a small bulge in her jacket.
  
  You're about to ask her about it when there's a smashing sound to the west, followed by a peel of laughter.
  
  Ryan nearly jumps out of his skin.
  
  > Go west
  When Ryan sees you heading towards the noise instead of away, he makes for the exit.
  
  "Um... band practice, gotta go... nicetomeetyoubye!" he says. When he gets out of the house he abandons all dignity and just starts running.
  
  Chris gives you a sly smile and walks along with you.
  
  There are birds on the wallpaper, the fragments that remain, their black eyes appearing to watch you.
  
  Further west there looks to be a dining room.
  
  > go to the west
  You inch forward a bit and try to catch a glimpse of the dining room occupants. You dip in and out, catching a glimpse of a long haired one, a guy with some kind of suit jacket, and two or three more. They appear to be setting the table...?
  
  You feel Chris's hand on your arm, pulling you back.
  
  The clink of dinner plates and cutlery cover up the sounds of conversation.
  
  "...definitely candles, it gives..."
  
  Chris lets go of your arm.
  
  > listen
  You lean in and listen in a bit more.
  
  "...as if we're the lords of the Manor. The pinnacle of suburban decadence. Rome before the malls moved in."
  
  Chris gives you a confused look, and you shrug.
  
  > Continue
  No way are you going in there without at least two people to back you up. "Probably we should get out while the getting's good," Chris whispers.
  
  > Go east
  A curving staircase, badly damaged, used to lead to the second floor. Strange shapes loom throughout the space. Hallways heading off to the east and the west.
  
  > go east
  This was clearly a library or office of some kind. The walls are lined with bookshelves, empty but for thick layers of dust. There's a large desk pushed against a wall at a weird angle. You picture the owners packing up and needing to get it out of the way to get something else out of the door.
  
  You can leave to the west.
  
  > go to the south
  You can leave the portico to the south, or enter the Manor to the north.
  
  A paper in a plastic sheath is stapled to the planks.
  
  > go south
  Even crowded by wild brush, the grandest building in your neighbourhood still has a silent dignity. And to think: a few days from now, it'll be erased from history.
  
  The Manor looms to the north. You know from experience that there's a coachhouse behind it, which you could get to by following a rough path to the northeast.
  
  You leave the house behind.
  
  Chris kneels to tie her running shoe. Her jacket pocket opens wide -- inside is a gold gleam that makes your fingers itch.
  
  > examine the gold
  It's gorgeous, clam-shaped and golden.
  
  When Chris stands, a golden pocketwatch falls to the ground.
  
  Chris looks at you. "See ya around, I guess." She melts into the forest.
  
  > take watch
  You lean over to pick up the watch, and -- bam! -- Chris tackles you from out of nowhere! You find yourself on your back, her arm pinning your neck down. "Dirty... thief..." she puffs, smirking, her eyes shining.
  
  Her hands go all over your body, searching for something. Finally her hand rests on a ridge in your pants.
  
  "Ah hah..." she crows. "What have we here? Holding out on me, you dirty thief?" She's breathing hard, her face a few inches from yours.
  
  > kiss her
  You can't -- she's got you pinned too good, but then she reads your intentions and lets up just... enough... for you to kiss her. When you try to slip her some tongue, she gasps and pins you again. "Oh no, oh no you don't," she says, her eyes blazing, covering your mouth with her hand.
  
  When you don't struggle, she rolls off you and takes the letter opener with her. You look up at the sky, the moon barely visible, thinking about how weird it is that you're lying in the grass in front of the Manor. A few nights from now, it'll all be gone.
  
  "What's that handle, mother of pearl?" Chris says, squinting at it before tossing it onto your chest. "You find the coolest stuff in these old houses."
  
  The watch sits in your open palm. You look up at Chris, and she's snapping a hairclip that got dislodged into place.
  
  You have never wanted anything more in your life.
  
  "Why don't you hold onto that for me, thief," she says, pulling her collar up. "My dad would find it eventually."
  
  She looks at you, a strange smile twisting her lips, and then she runs off into the forest.
  
  You look longingly after her to to the west.
  
  > check what you're carrying
  You can see what you're carrying in the left column, and your current party members in the right column.
  
  Loot in hand, you head for home.
  
  You can see Harry the Barbarian, Ryan the Bard, Paula the Mage and Maximus the Cleric here.
  
  > show the watch to max
  "An exquisite item," Maximus says. "It'll help you tick off the hours you'll spend in hell for your evil ways."
  
  You explain that the Manor is condemned anyway. "The Oakville Manor? I know that grand old place..." Maximus says. He agrees to join your raiding party.
  
  ***Maximus the Cleric has joined your party.***
  "dice are stupid anyway," Harry says. "no skill."
  
  Maximus struggles with his vow of serenity.
  
  "hi tony," whispers Paula.
  
  > Show opener to Harry
  "Are you threatening me? hahahahahaha" says Harry the Barbarian.
  
  Harry scratches his bum.
  
  > Show opener to Paula
  "Ooh, pretty pretty... I do get a lot of correspondence..." she says. Paula agrees to join your raiding party.
  
  ***Paula the Mage has joined your party.***
  
  That's enough backup for a final Manor raid. Type LOGOUT to continue.
  
  > Logout
  " he says. "If it gets traced back to the Guild, they can easily shut us down."
  
  You cross the electrical tower field, feeling rather than hearing its low hum. Superstition stops you from looking up at its wires. You can see the new development in the distance, the cause of your urgent mission, its machines like sleeping behemoths. But your destination is further east.
  
  > go to the east
  Even crowded by wild brush, the grandest building in your neighbourhood still has a silent dignity. And to think: a few days from now, it'll be erased from history.
  
  The Manor looms to the north. You know from experience that there's a coachhouse behind it, which you could get to by following a rough path to the northeast.
  
  Paula -- you assume it's Paula, though she looks more goth than witch -- takes one last drag on her smoke before killing it under a creeper boot.
  
  "Hello, boys," says Paula in a soft, deep voice. "You ready to knock over this joint?"
  
  You nod.
  
  Paula turns toward the Manor and begins to pull on lacy gloves.
  
  > Go north
  Max glances at the paper. "I'd like to say that my only interest in entering this building is to preserve--"
  
  Paula cuts him off with a stagey yawn.
  
  You can leave the portico to the south, or enter the Manor to the north.
  
  A paper in a plastic sheath is stapled to the planks.
  
  > go north
  A curving staircase, badly damaged, used to lead to the second floor. Strange shapes loom throughout the space. Hallways heading off to the east and the west. It's familiar ground to you now, but the others look around in awe.
  
  > Go west
  Max stops you. "First things first: let's find the wine cellar."
  
  > examine the hole
  You come up to the huge ragged hole in the stairs. Max peers into the hole. "Looks like it goes straight to the wine cellar," he says, pulling off his backpack.
  
  All business, he pulls out a rope and attaches it to the banister, letting the end dangle down into the inky hole.