text: [Themes: Fantasy]
  
  > Go down
  Castle Ruins (In the Guard Chamber)
  Lornedei leans into the opening in the wall, trying to see what is below the dark staircase. There is light down there. Without further hesitation, she descends the dusty stone steps.
  
  The spiral staircase ends in the middle of a square chamber. The west wall has fallen out into the ravine, letting in the glowing sunset. The walls that are still standing and the marble floor have cracked in several places. Rocks, a thick layer of dust, and all sorts of debris cover the floor. The only thing still intact is a stone statue standing in the southeast corner.
  
  The spiral staircase leads up and the west wall is open to the ravine.
  
  > examine statue
  The stone statue stands against the south wall. It seems undamaged by what ever happened here. It is a woman. She is dressed in a guard's robust clothing and she is standing with her feet somewhat apart, one arm bent to let her hand rest on a stone dagger at her waist.
  The statue is holding up its right arm as if holding something, perhaps a staff or a spear, but the hand is empty. The stone woman looks as if she could wake up at any moment, ready to protect.
  The polished stone eyes are fixed on something in the northeast corner of the chamber.
  
  > look at the ne
  Cracked marble in walls and floor. Rubble. Nothing of interest catches her eye.
  
  > go northeast
  Lornedei takes a few steps to take a look at the corner but a fair bit of the wall has cracked and fallen. There is nothing to see but rubble.
  
  > search the rubble
  Lornedei scratches her head, looking at the mountain of rubble.
  "If I could get through this first pile of blocks, then maybe, I am not sure I can though. I am going to need some help."
  
  > Go upwards
  Castle Ruins (In a Stone Corridor)
  A staircase leads down in darkness and south takes her out to the courtyard. The corridor seems to lead only to the dim light to the north.
  
  > go to the south
  Ahead of her is the southeastern corner of the castle. The corridor between the building and the outer wall leads northeast, but is blocked by a great pile of stone blocks and other debris. To the west, the courtyard ends at the ravine.
  
  Looking up, the facade disappears into a swirling ceiling of mist. Right at the corner of the castle, a narrow doorway leads north into darkness. She can look around, or walk around to learn more. South or southeast takes her away from the ruins. East brings her around to the east side of the east wall.
  Lornedei glances up at you, uncertain.
  
  > go to the east
  Wasteland (By the East Wall)
  The eastern wall of the ruined castle stands strong here. Fifty or so paces north, it fades into a wall of mist. East, south, southwest and southeast takes her to the rest of the field. West takes her past the east wall to the courtyard of the castle. Anything north of here is dwelled in gray mist.
  
  > climb Wall
  There is no way she can get up on the wall. It is too high and there are no handholds.
  
  > go north
  She should not venture too far into this scarred landscape. Beyond is the mist, where she would be lost. Lornedei turns back.
  
  > go southeast
  Wasteland (By the Circle of Stones)
  This is the southeastern corner of the field of despair. The forbidden forest is nearly all around her. West, northwest, and north takes her out. The ground sinks into a large hole, a bowl more than fifty paces across, in the ground, edged by crevices and uneven ridges. A broken land. Once at the bottom, the rest of the field is out of sight.
  
  A stone circle is laid out on the ground.
  
  There is a fire inside the ring of stones, blasting out heat and light. Shadows cast by the stones stretch out from the circle. Their wavering tips caress the ragged ground where it begins to ascend to the plane above.
  
  A black plaque lies near the center of the fire pit.
  
  She can also see a small hole in the hard ground (which is empty) here.
  
  > Go north
  Wasteland (By the Petrified Tree)
  This is nothing but wasteland. Scattered remains of a once big tree cover the ground. It might have been a great oak at one point. A dry and hot wind tears at her while throwing sand in her eyes and mouth. Beyond rocks, sand and starved soil, there is nothing but a gray mist. In the distant west, beyond more wasteland, she can see a high stone wall. South, the broken land dips down in a bowl beyond which is the forbidden forest. Southwest would take her back to the edge of the forest where she first entered the field.
  
  > examine Tree
  These are scattered remains of a tree. Mostly ashes, a few charred branches, a hollowed out trunk lying on its side, all petrified by time and lack of rain. All is covered in years of sand.
  
  > Heal Tree
  There is nothing left here that can be healed. The tree is long since dead.
  Lornedei is waiting for your command.
  
  > reach Tree
  Lornedei puts her hand on the petrified wood. She shuts her eyes. Suddenly, the air is fresh with a scent of damp soil, grass and the new flowers of spring. Golden leaves tremble on silver limbs. Rooted deep in fertile soil, cared for, held in awe, the golden oak waits.
  
  Soft grass beneath bare feet, feet tredding silently towards the great oak, but stopping to wait at the proper distance. A mumble, a nervous questioning, a whispered reply. A moment of silence. A silver cup carried the last two steps to the roots below the tree.
  
  A trickle of water, a new light bearer's gift, then the acceptance of it, knowing the young one is true and strong. A golden acorn drops to the ground.
  
  Ages has passed, eons of repeated procedures, of dying and re-birth. The golden oak feels no fear, no regret, knowing that after this life, it will come again. The light bearers will plant the acorn and the spiral of life will turn once more. It is soon time. Very soon. Lornedei glances up at you, uncertain.
  
  > dig the ground
  (the ground)
  Lornedei digs a hole in the dry ground.
  "Master?"
  
  > search Tree
  Lornedei looks around, in the trunk, kicks away some dirt, but all she finds is more sad remains of the tree. Anything of interest is long since gone.
  
  > go west
  Wasteland (By the East Wall)
  The eastern wall of the ruined castle stands strong here. Fifty or so paces north, it fades into a wall of mist. East, south, southwest and southeast takes her to the rest of the field. West takes her past the east wall to the courtyard of the castle. Anything north of here is dwelled in gray mist.
  "What should I do?"
  
  > go west
  Ahead of her is the southeastern corner of the castle. The corridor between the building and the outer wall leads northeast, but is blocked by a great pile of stone blocks and other debris. To the west, the courtyard ends at the ravine.
  
  Looking up, the facade disappears into a swirling ceiling of mist. Right at the corner of the castle, a narrow doorway leads north into darkness. She can look around, or walk around to learn more. South or southeast takes her away from the ruins. East brings her around to the east side of the east wall.
  
  > go south
  Wasteland (Overlooking the Ravine)
  Lornedei stands on an outcropping overlooking a deep ravine going as far north as she can see. The ledge seems to be the remains of a road, cut off by the creation of the break in the earth. On the other side of the ravine, there's a barely visible opening through the trees. There is no way over there though. A steady wind tears at her clothes and hair in sudden gusts that seem eager to throw her off balance.
  
  East, northeast and north are the ways off the ledge.
  
  > Go northeast
  Wasteland (By the East Wall)
  The eastern wall of the ruined castle stands strong here. Fifty or so paces north, it fades into a wall of mist. East, south, southwest and southeast takes her to the rest of the field. West takes her past the east wall to the courtyard of the castle. Anything north of here is dwelled in gray mist.
  
  > go to the west
  A few paces away, the courtyard ends abruptly as the ground is replaced by the ravine. A vertical cliff of bare rock is all that is left. If there was a western wall there, it now lies at the bottom of the ravine, along with a big part of the castle. On the other side, the forbidden forest starts again. Lornedei quickly backs away from the edge.
  
  > go to the west
  Lornedei takes one step towards the edge of the ravine, then another longer step away from it. The ravine is too deep and too wide to cross. Lornedei turns her head towards a sudden rustling in the forbidden forest. There is nothing there.