text: > look at your surroundings
  The old yard of your family, spacious, and overgrown with weed. No one has tended it in ages. Seeing it in this condition almost makes you weep.
  
  Abandoned when your family broke up, an old shovel lies nearby.
  
  Your foe, your brother, Piet... he is standing there, the Thornblade grown into his hand. His eyes betray his irreversible corruption... or do they?
  
  In the last moment, you hesitate, the realization of what you are about to do weighing you down. Are you really going to kill your brother? Though you have convinced yourself that it would be deliverance, with that accursed blade having corrupted him, part of you still wonders whether you really did your best trying to save him from the Thornblade's curse...
  
  Piet, it turns out, has no qualms. He lunges at you, and as your vision turns to red, you see the Thornblade sticking out of a weak spot of your armor. ... of course... he was the one who forged it...
  
  *** Your hesitation has cost you dearly. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > Attack blade
  (the Thornblade)
  Yes, maybe that's the right move. It is the Thornblade's dark curse that had caused you so much trouble. And it's your fault that Piet is wielding that dreadful weapon. Yes, a quick swing at the blade should... splinter it like wood? No, it splintered rather like bone, you realize, and see it bleeding. Piet's face pales fast and he collapses, and you guess the tragic truth - the Thornblade didn't just grow into your brother's hand. It became a part of his body, an extension. Destroying the blade was rather like cutting off Piet's hand, and here and now, this is a death sentence for him. "Pia." he manages to whisper. He doesn't have the power for more.
  
  *** You can wash away the blood, but not the deed. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > Inventory
  You are carrying:
  some well-made armor (being worn)
  a blade
  
  In the last moment, you hesitate, the realization of what you are about to do weighing you down. Are you really going to kill your brother? Though you have convinced yourself that it would be deliverance, with that accursed blade having corrupted him, part of you still wonders whether you really did your best trying to save him from the Thornblade's curse...
  
  Piet, it turns out, has no qualms. He lunges at you, and as your vision turns to red, you see the Thornblade sticking out of a weak spot of your armor. ... of course... he was the one who forged it...
  
  ) You can refer to your foe as "foe!". There are four short lines of text dedicated to stripping out the exclamation sign.
  
  > take the spade
  (No, shovel.)
  
  Taken.
  
  "I don't wanna play fighters, I wanna play pirates!" you shout, shovel in hand, and Piet yells excitedly. The two of you dig a few small holes, excited about every little bit of rubbish you manage to find, and especially about the few coins that managed to find their way into the old yard. Sharing fairly, both of you manage about two dollars, and remain tight-lipped about your windfall. After all, you promised mom not to play in the old yard.
  
  *** Dig out treasures. Bury rivalries, not rivals. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > Sing
  The ancient tune you've learned demands to be sung, so you begin to hum it. Uncertain, your brother takes a few steps back, holding the Thornblade in front of his as if it were a shield. The song has risen to a chant, and the world beyond the yard seems to fade away. Realizing what you must be planning, Piet begins to charge, but your voice rises to the level of a chorus and keeps him at bay, even pushing him back. You try to whisper an apology in between verses, but it remains a thought as the yard in front of you, Piet in front of you, fades beyond black. The song reaches its climax as you fall back into reality with half of the old yard, and the rest falls into another plane. No longer holding back your tears, you say your goodbyes.
  
  *** You have condemned your brother to an unknown world.
  ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > ask blade about the blade
  You can only do that to something animate.
  
  > ask the brother about blade
  There is no reply.
  
  In the last moment, you hesitate, the realization of what you are about to do weighing you down. Are you really going to kill your brother? Though you have convinced yourself that it would be deliverance, with that accursed blade having corrupted him, part of you still wonders whether you really did your best trying to save him from the Thornblade's curse...
  
  Piet, it turns out, has no qualms. He lunges at you, and as your vision turns to red, you see the Thornblade sticking out of a weak spot of your armor. ... of course... he was the one who forged it...
  
  *** Your hesitation has cost you dearly. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > remove the armor
  "This is stupid!" you shout. "I want out of this stupid game! I want out of this stupid armor!" You begin tearing up the cardboard armor with a mixture of malicious glee and shameful guilt. After all, he made it for you, and made it quite well - it almost looked like real armor before you began tearing it. Piet watches you open-mouthed, and quickly starts bawling as he runs home.
  Mother is soon chewing you out. Not only did you destroy the armor Piet created for you, you were playing in the old yard, which you had promised not to do. You'll be grounded for a while. Piet, too, but not for as long. That's good. It wasn't his fault, after all. It was yours. As it always is.
  
  *** A Higher Power has intervened. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > jump
  Gritting your teeth, you rush at Piet, vaulting at him at the last second and closing your eyes. As you bring down your blade where Piet's head should be, you feel searing, horrifying pain - your stomach was torn asunder. Through the pain, you barely hear the crunch of Piet's head being split by your blade, but you feel him fall. You try to open your eyes, whisper a few words as you find his hand, but everything fades to red...
  
  *** You are together in death. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > Kiss piet
  You feint, dodge, and weave until you are close to Piet. Your plan is a desperate one, inspired by the stories you heard as a kid, what feels like eons ago. But when everything else has failed, what else can you try than the old, seemingly outlandish ideas? The power of love, the power of the kiss, it is your last hope. You grab the wrist of the hand holding the Thornblade to keep Piet from using it, and kiss your brother on the forehead, on the cheek, even on the lips, and take a few steps back. Piet blinks a bit, smiles, and beckons you closer. Did you do it? You step closer full of hope, until Piet quickly moves to stab you, barely dodging out of the way in time. Your brother's face has turned into a grimace of rage, and you run, fast, fighting back the tears and the realization that your last hope of saving your brother has failed.
  
  *** Love did not conquer all. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > Go east
  You quickly take a step aside, beginning to circle around Piet, and he does likewise. A feint quick causes your brother to stumble. This should be your chance - a quick stab, and the tyranny of the cursed blade is over. One step... backwards. You just can't do it. Even though all this is your fault. Especially because all this your fault. Another step backwards changes into you quickly turning around, running away from the old yard and from your brother.
  
  *** You did not finish your foe. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > throw the blade at Piet
  (the blade at your brother)
  Gritting your teeth, you rush at Piet. Almost as if it had its own mind, your blade moves, and with a sickening sound, it finds your brother's stomach. He looks at you in surprise, his eyes free from the corruption that had taken him. "Why, Pia?" he whispers as his blood stains your hands. "Was there no other way?" These words echo in your head much louder than Piet spoke them.
  
  *** You can wash away the blood, but not the deed. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > kick piet
  Gritting your teeth, you rush at Piet. Almost as if it had its own mind, your blade moves, and with a sickening sound, it finds your brother's stomach. He looks at you in surprise, his eyes free from the corruption that had taken him. "Why, Pia?" he whispers as his blood stains your hands. "Was there no other way?" These words echo in your head much louder than Piet spoke them.
  
  *** You can wash away the blood, but not the deed. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > Plugh
  You mutter the ancient words that you've learned from the strange hermit, not expecting a whole lot, but your surroundings fade away, leaving you and your brother in a strange gray void along with a third figure, hulking, thorny, towering. The curse of the Thornblade incarnate. Alone, you would not be able to defeat it. But in this realm, your brother is free. You two make quick eye contact, nod, and explode into teamwork that you thought long forgotten. It is another long battle, but you two end up victorious, the curse of the Thornblade fading with the gray realm.
  Back in the real world, Piet tosses the blade down, trampling it until it breaks like wood, and looks at his hand. "I'll bring you to a priest who'll heal those wounds, brother." you promise, but he shakes his head. "Those wounds run deep. I'm not sure there is a healer strong enough to treat them within a few days' travel." - "There is. I brought her with me."
  
  *** Your brother has been freed from your foe. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > think
  "I don't want to play." you mutter, sitting down by the weeds. You think about how your family lost the yard in the first place, how uncle screwed you all over. And once again, you come to the conclusion that it is, ultimately, your fault. If you hadn't blabbed, uncle would never have gotten the idea, you're sure. Piet sits down next to you, putting his arm around your shoulder and again tries to tell you that it isn't your fault.
  
  *** But the certainty will remain. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > Dodge
  Piet and you stare each other in the eyes, each of you determined to not show any weakness. It is your brother - or what's left of him - who breaks eye contact as he rushes at you. You're prepared. You dodge out of his way, letting yourself fall, and slash at his legs. Quickly, you get back to your feet, hold your blade in both hands to deliver the coup de grace... and you look down at your brother, grimacing in pain. You can't do it. You just can't. Your feet carry you away from the old yard, away from your brother, away from the chance to end the threat of the Thornblade.
  
  *** You did not finish your foe. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > look at what you're carrying with you
  You are carrying:
  some well-made armor (being worn)
  a blade
  
  In the last moment, you hesitate, the realization of what you are about to do weighing you down. Are you really going to kill your brother? Though you have convinced yourself that it would be deliverance, with that accursed blade having corrupted him, part of you still wonders whether you really did your best trying to save him from the Thornblade's curse...
  
  Piet, it turns out, has no qualms. He lunges at you, and as your vision turns to red, you see the Thornblade sticking out of a weak spot of your armor. ... of course... he was the one who forged it...
  
  *** Your hesitation has cost you dearly. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > drop your blade
  (the blade)
  You can't do it. You just can't. You can't kill Piet. As you fall to your knees crying, you let go of your blade. Were you really going to kill your brother? Though you have convinced yourself that it would be deliverance, with that accursed blade having corrupted him, part of you still wonders whether you really did your best trying to save him from the Thornblade's curse...
  
  Piet, it turns out, has no qualms. He lunges at you, and as your vision turns to red, you see the Thornblade sticking out of a weak spot of your armor. ... of course... he was the one who forged it... In the last moment, you hesitate, the realization of what you are about to do weighing you down. Are you really going to kill your brother? Though you have convinced yourself that it would be deliverance, with that accursed blade having corrupted him, part of you still wonders whether you really did your best trying to save him from the Thornblade's curse...
  
  Piet, it turns out, has no qualms. He lunges at you, and as your vision turns to red, you see the Thornblade sticking out of a weak spot of your armor. ... of course... he was the one who forged it...
  
  *** Your foe finished you. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > look at the ring mail
  Piet is wearing some kind of crudely-made ring mail. If you needed any more confirmation that your brother has been corrupted away from the person he once was, this would be it. An expert armorsmith like him wouldn't wear this thing.
  
  In the last moment, you hesitate, the realization of what you are about to do weighing you down. Are you really going to kill your brother? Though you have convinced yourself that it would be deliverance, with that accursed blade having corrupted him, part of you still wonders whether you really did your best trying to save him from the Thornblade's curse...
  
  Piet, it turns out, has no qualms. He lunges at you, and as your vision turns to red, you see the Thornblade sticking out of a weak spot of your armor. ... of course... he was the one who forged it...
  
  *** Your hesitation has cost you dearly. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > Disarm brother
  Yes, maybe that's the right move. It is the Thornblade's dark curse that had caused you so much trouble. And it's your fault that Piet is wielding that dreadful weapon. Yes, a quick swing at the blade should... splinter it like wood? No, it splintered rather like bone, you realize, and see it bleeding. Piet's face pales fast and he collapses, and you guess the tragic truth - the Thornblade didn't just grow into your brother's hand. It became a part of his body, an extension. Destroying the blade was rather like cutting off Piet's hand, and here and now, this is a death sentence for him. "Pia." he manages to whisper. He doesn't have the power for more.
  
  *** You can wash away the blood, but not the deed. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > leave
  But you aren't in anything at the moment.
  
  In the last moment, you hesitate, the realization of what you are about to do weighing you down. Are you really going to kill your brother? Though you have convinced yourself that it would be deliverance, with that accursed blade having corrupted him, part of you still wonders whether you really did your best trying to save him from the Thornblade's curse...
  
  Piet, it turns out, has no qualms. He lunges at you, and as your vision turns to red, you see the Thornblade sticking out of a weak spot of your armor. ... of course... he was the one who forged it...
  
  *** Your hesitation has cost you dearly. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > break the blade
  (the Thornblade)
  Yes, maybe that's the right move. It is the Thornblade's dark curse that had caused you so much trouble. And it's your fault that Piet is wielding that dreadful weapon. Yes, a quick swing at the blade should... splinter it like wood? No, it splintered rather like bone, you realize, and see it bleeding. Piet's face pales fast and he collapses, and you guess the tragic truth - the Thornblade didn't just grow into your brother's hand. It became a part of his body, an extension. Destroying the blade was rather like cutting off Piet's hand, and here and now, this is a death sentence for him. "Pia." he manages to whisper. He doesn't have the power for more.
  
  *** You can wash away the blood, but not the deed. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your blade, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > examine the foe
  A tall, deathly pale woman with flowing red hair and sharp, long canines. This creature is a vampire, and not just any vampire. The red queen is an ancient affront to Hielon, god of the sun. Not only is she one of the vampires capable of surviving his gaze, she once was his high priest before her betrayal. She is wearing a red dress that, though you've struck many wounds on the red queen (that have quickly mended), shows no signs of gashes.
  
  As you continue looking around, your disgust with your environment wells up to unexpected heights. It is enough to cause you physical pain and nausea. Nausea strong enough to cause you to vomit. Falling to your knees, you hear the laughter of the red queen as she draws a dagger from Hielon knows where and slits your throat.
  
  *** Your disgust has overwhelmed you. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your sword, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > Inventory
  You are carrying:
  some gold-inlaid plate mail (being worn)
  a sword
  
  As you continue looking around, your disgust with your environment wells up to unexpected heights. It is enough to cause you physical pain and nausea. Nausea strong enough to cause you to vomit. Falling to your knees, you hear the laughter of the red queen as she draws a dagger from Hielon knows where and slits your throat.
  
  *** Your disgust has overwhelmed you. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your sword, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > kill the queen
  Even though the red queen seems unimpressed by your attacks, it is the only option you truly have at this moment. You have basically no orisons or smites left to call upon, no vials of holy water to toss at the vampiric blaphemy. Nothing but your blade... and that one orison that Tanrond and Yeleen asked you to never use. But it might be your only hope now. You whisper an apology to your spouses and children as you call upon the sacrifice of light, feeling your life force turn to light enveloping your sword. Striking at the red queen, the light gets stronger and stronger as she suffers more and more wounds, and finally, she succumbs. However, your sacrifice has been made.
  
  *** You go into the light of Hielon for your family, despite
  their wishes. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your sword, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > Sing
  Beginning with a hum, you begin a liturgy that has been sealed for an eternity, and for good reason. It may have been an important contributor to the Chaos Age, and using it runs the risk of repeating that dark age. But it has been unsealed somehow, and you feel that it may have been for this fight specifically. As your liturgy reaches its climax, it seems that the red queen realizes what this liturgy will do, even if it predates her by ages. "Fool! Stop this at once! This will destroy..."
  But it is too late. Hielon enters this world, in violation of the Covenant of Eternity, and light obliterates you, and your immediate surroundings.
  
  ) There are three foes that you might face after (re)starting.
  
  > Xyzzy
  With a hollow voice, you intone a magical word.
  
  As you continue looking around, your disgust with your environment wells up to unexpected heights. It is enough to cause you physical pain and nausea. Nausea strong enough to cause you to vomit. Falling to your knees, you hear the laughter of the red queen as she draws a dagger from Hielon knows where and slits your throat.
  
  *** Your disgust has overwhelmed you. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your sword, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short
  
  > Kiss queen
  An aura of temptation washes over you, and the red queen asks with a smile "You are a mighty warrior indeed, but is war not such a dreadful business? Would you not rather be a lover?" She really must have a low opinion of the followers of her former church. The wave of temptation was nowhere strong enough to even make a dent in your willpower.
  "You are by far less fair than my husband, by far less passionate than my wife, by far less adorable than our children. There is nothing you can offer to me to replace even one of them, let alone all five of them." As you speak, the red queen's face becomes more and more distorted with anger and hatred, and she dives at you. You instinctively throw a punch, and are surprised to actually see a bruise developing on your foe's face, and before you can react to figure out what caused the bruise, the red queen has muttered a word and fades to another location.
  
  ) Most foes have an implemented head and hand. Referring to them in an action might bring you to other endings or information.
  
  > ask the queen about the blood
  There is no reply.
  
  As you continue looking around, your disgust with your environment wells up to unexpected heights. It is enough to cause you physical pain and nausea. Nausea strong enough to cause you to vomit. Falling to your knees, you hear the laughter of the red queen as she draws a dagger from Hielon knows where and slits your throat.
  
  *** Your disgust has overwhelmed you. ***
  Maybe things could have gone differently...
  
  The noon sun burns hot even with the wind rushing through your hair. Catching a quick glance of your reflection in your sword, you quickly return your attention to the important matter at hand - your foe. It has been a long battle, but now the advantage is yours. It is time to make the decisive move, and to
  
  Finish your Foe!
  
  Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson
  English Language version 1 by Graham Nelson
  Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed
  Basic Screen Effects version 7/140425 by Emily Short