text: it at irritably.
  
  > look up skink in the index
  SKINK: Skinks are often used in divination spells, usually in the form of a bright red powder. The natural color of powdered skink is a dull grey; the chemicals and magical treatments involved in preparing it for spellcraft dye it that color. They are particularly useful in spells locating quarry in caves or underground, due to their predilection for burrowing.
  
  > check what you're carrying
  You are carrying:
  an ochre envelope (which is open)
  a glossy flyer
  a beige envelope (which is open but empty)
  two glossy flyers
  a pearl-colored envelope (which is open but empty)
  a slab of beef
  some salted herring
  a manchet loaf
  a green canister (which is open)
  some bright green powder
  a white canister (which is open)
  some salt
  a wooden staff
  a leather-bound index
  a sheet of parchment
  an indigo pouch (which is open but empty)
  a spellbook
  a set of lockpicks
  
  > take the flyer from the ochre
  Removed.
  
  > put the envelopes on the floor
  ochre envelope: Dropped.
  beige envelope: Dropped.
  pearl-colored envelope: Dropped.
  
  > look at the skink
  It's a fine, acrid red powder.
  
  > take the skink
  As you reach down to scoop up the powder, you're rudely jostled from behind. It tumbles out of your hand, and you watch helplessly as it falls down a crack in the floor. You turn in around in irritation and are met by the smirking face of Mr. Wattman.
  "Oh, I'm so sorry! It's so crowded in here," he says, gesturing at the empty space around the two of you, "and it looks like we were both looking for some powdered skink. I know your master asked you to get some, and now... Oh well, these things happen."
  Whistling happily, Mr. Wattman leaves the shop, doffing his hat to the golem as he passes it.
  
  > take the envelopes
  pearl-colored envelope: Taken.
  beige envelope: Taken.
  ochre envelope: Taken.
  
  > take the inventory
  You are carrying:
  some bright green powder
  an ochre envelope (which is open but empty)
  a beige envelope (which is open but empty)
  a pearl-colored envelope (which is open but empty)
  three glossy flyers
  a slab of beef
  some salted herring
  a manchet loaf
  a green canister (which is open but empty)
  a white canister (which is open)
  some salt
  a wooden staff
  a leather-bound index
  a sheet of parchment
  an indigo pouch (which is open but empty)
  a spellbook
  a set of lockpicks
  
  > put the tea in the left bin
  The bright green powder is too large to fit inside the left bin.
  
  > put the tea in the center bin
  The bright red powder is too large to fit inside the center bin.
  
  > pour tea into the center bin
  That's something you can pour.
  
  > take the trinket
  That would be pointless.
  
  > take the alligator
  That's hardly portable.
  
  > examine the alligator
  The massive reptile looks like a dragon without the wings. It's hard not to empathize with him, stuck watching over a hoard of sparkly junk.
  
  > look at the right bin
  Like the rest of the display case, the right bin has seen little use.
  
  The right bin is open.
  
  > look in the right bin
  The right bin is empty.
  
  > go to the south
  This back corner is a bit more tasteful than the main shop floor to the north. There aren't any magical (or magickal) items for purchase here, but at the back of the room is a long, high counter.
  
  A satchel hangs from a hook on the wall.
  
  You can also see Sandie here.
  
  > take the satchel
  That's far too cumbersome for you to carry around.
  
  > examine the counter
  The counter creates a small area in which the shopkeeper can stand and watch over the store.
  
  > show the tea to Sandie
  Sandie is unimpressed.
  
  > Inventory
  You are carrying:
  some bright red powder
  an ochre envelope (which is open but empty)
  a beige envelope (which is open but empty)
  a pearl-colored envelope (which is open but empty)
  three glossy flyers
  a slab of beef
  some salted herring
  a manchet loaf
  a green canister (which is open but empty)
  a white canister (which is open)
  some salt
  a wooden staff
  a leather-bound index
  a sheet of parchment
  an indigo pouch (which is open but empty)
  a spellbook
  a set of lockpicks
  
  Sandie drums her fingers on the counter impatiently.
  
  > take the red
  Which do you mean, the bright red powder or the slab of beef?
  
  > look in the left bin
  The left bin is empty.
  
  > Inventory
  You are carrying:
  some bright red powder
  an ochre envelope (which is open but empty)
  a beige envelope (which is open but empty)
  a pearl-colored envelope (which is open but empty)
  three glossy flyers
  a slab of beef
  some salted herring
  a manchet loaf
  a green canister (which is open but empty)
  a white canister (which is open)
  some salt
  a wooden staff
  a leather-bound index
  a sheet of parchment
  an indigo pouch (which is open but empty)
  a spellbook
  a set of lockpicks
  
  > put the flyer on the crack
  That would be pointless.
  
  Sandie enters from the south.
  
  > insert the flyer into the crack
  That would be pointless.
  
  Sandie exits the shop, and the golem bows reverentially as she passes.
  
  > unlock the crack with the lockpick
  That doesn't seem to be something you can unlock.
  
  Sandie enters the shop, and the golem bows reverentially as she passes.
  
  > Jimmy crack with staff
  That doesn't seem to be something you can unlock.
  
  Sandie leaves to the south.
  
  > look at the golem
  The golem is a gigantic, roughly humanoid, earthenware figure with some vague facial features roughly carved into it. Golems are rare; this particular one was a present to Sandie from the grateful heir to a baron who devoted his leisure time to magical oddities. The unnerving thing about it is not how much it looks like a human, but how much it doesn't look like a human; it's like looking at a corpse.
  
  > talk to golem
  The golem stares at you blankly. It's probably better that it doesn't respond, considering its crudely-drawn face has no mouth.
  
  > examine bin
  Which do you mean, the left bin, the center bin, or the right bin?
  
  > examine the left bin
  Like the rest of the display case, the left bin has seen little use.
  
  The left bin is open.
  
  > look in the center bin
  The center bin is empty.
  
  > look in left bin
  In the left bin is some powdered skink.
  
  > look at tea
  Dr. Mortemain is very particular about his tea, and he had this fine, bright red powder shipped here at great expense.
  
  Sandie enters from the south.
  
  > give the tea to Sandie
  Sandie doesn't seem interested.
  
  Sandie exits the shop, and the golem bows reverentially as she passes.
  
  > Wait
  Time passes.
  
  Sandie enters the shop, and the golem bows reverentially as she passes.
  
  > take the skink
  As you reach down to scoop up the powder, you're rudely jostled from behind. It tumbles out of your hand, and you watch helplessly as it falls down a crack in the floor. You turn in around in irritation and are met by the smirking face of Mr. Wattman.
  "Oh, I'm so sorry! It's so crowded in here," he says, gesturing at the empty space around the two of you, "and it looks like we were both looking for some powdered skink. I know your master asked you to get some, and now... Oh well, these things happen."
  Whistling happily, Mr. Wattman leaves the shop, doffing his hat to the golem as he passes it.
  
  Sandie leaves to the south.
  
  > put the tea in the right bin
  The bright red powder is too large to fit inside the right bin.
  
  Sandie leaves to the south.
  
  > put the green canister in the left bin
  The green canister is too large to fit inside the left bin.
  
  > Smell the tea
  It smells strongly of earth.
  
  > eat the skink
  (first taking the powdered skink)
  As you reach down to scoop up the powder, you're rudely jostled from behind. It tumbles out of your hand, and you watch helplessly as it falls down a crack in the floor. You turn in around in irritation and are met by the smirking face of Mr. Wattman.
  "Oh, I'm so sorry! It's so crowded in here," he says, gesturing at the empty space around the two of you, "and it looks like we were both looking for some powdered skink. I know your master asked you to get some, and now... Oh well, these things happen."
  Whistling happily, Mr. Wattman leaves the shop, doffing his hat to the golem as he passes it.
  
  > Wait
  Time passes.
  
  You notice with apprehension that it's starting to get late. If you're going to pull off some clever trick before the ceremony at noon, you'd better hurry.
  
  > go south
  This back corner is a bit more tasteful than the main shop floor to the north. There aren't any magical (or magickal) items for purchase here, but at the back of the room is a long, high counter.
  
  A satchel hangs from a hook on the wall.
  
  You can also see Sandie here.
  
  Sandie drums her fingers on the counter impatiently.
  
  > talk to Sandie
  You approach the shopkeeper.
  
  0) (Leave.)
  1) What do you have in stock?
  2) What's with the golem?
  3) Do you have any clients now?
  4) What's with all the envelopes?
  5) Do you have any more powdered skink?
  
  > 5
  Choose a topic (0-5) > 5
  
  "Do you have any more powdered skink?"
  "Sorry, that's it. Most of my customers prefer flashier items, and I prefer safer ones."
  "Do you know where I could get some more?"
  "Sure: Travel six hundred miles to the northern wastes, find a nest of skinks, capture one without getting bitten, carefully dissect it, dissolve it in several caustic acids, pulverize it, apply a variety of enchantments to preserve it, then travel back to Blackacre by dogsled."
  "Is how you get them?"
  "No, I pay someone to travel six hundred miles to the
  northern wastes, find a nest of skinks, capture one without getting bitten, carefully dissect it, dissolve it in several caustic acids, pulverize it, apply a variety of enchantments to preserve it, then travel back to Blackacre by dogsled."
  
  0) (Leave.)
  1) What do you have in stock?
  2) What's with the golem?
  3) Do you have any clients now?
  4) What's with all the envelopes?
  5) Do you have any more powdered skink?
  
  > 1
  Choose a topic (0-5) > 1
  
  "Excuse me, I was wondering if you had any---"
  "We have everything here!" she says, gesturing expansively. "Take a look around!"
  
  0) (Leave.)
  1) What do you have in stock?
  2) What's with the golem?
  3) Do you have any clients now?
  4) What's with all the envelopes?
  5) Do you have any more powdered skink?
  
  > 2
  Choose a topic (0-5) > 2
  
  "Where did you get that golem?
  
  "Wonderful, isn't it? That was a gift from the Baron Brombury. His elderly mother caught a nasty cold, and he asked me to look after her. I did all I could, but..." She trails off. "Anyway, the baron was quite forgiving, and he graciously offered me the golem in gratitude for my services. It's been quite useful. I had a few problems with thieves earlier---"
  "I'm sure the Thieves' Guild would never---"
  "Oh, of course not," she says, smiling. "It's the amateurs I'm worried about. Fortunately, the golem has scared them off."
  
  0) (Leave.)
  1) What do you have in stock?
  2) What's with the golem?
  3) Do you have any clients now?
  4) What's with all the envelopes?
  5) Do you have any more powdered skink?
  
  > 0
  Choose a topic (0-5) > 0
  
  > Go north
  Blackacre's only magic shop looks the part: It's a musty, timbered building with some feeble light oozing in through its rafters. Its owner, Sandie, was formerly an undistinguished apprentice wizard; now she uses both that title and her ineptitude with magic for considerable financial gain. Her clients are from rich families and have elderly, sick relatives. They want to inherit, but they're obligated to do something to help. Sandie is that something. She performs the perfunctory duties of an attendant magician, but her lack of talent with magic eliminates the possibility of any inconvenient recovery. She sadly informs the dutiful sons or daughters that nothing can be done; they inherit a large sum of money shortly thereafter; and then they donate a modest fraction of that sum to Sandie in gratitude for her services.
  
  As such, most of the items in the shop are gaudy, sparkly trinkets of no use or value. A stuffed alligator even hangs gratuitously from the ceiling. To maintain plausible deniability, though, Sandie keeps some genuinely magical items in her shop. Having the occasional wizard as a customer makes her consulting activities more plausible, and she tries to keep you and Dr. Mortemain as loyal customers. Your jaundiced eye notices a display case that looks invitingly dusty.
  
  The store continues to the south, and the exit back to the town square is to the northeast.
  
  The floor here has a small crack in it, through which the powdered skink fell.
  
  A golem stands at the exit.
  
  > pull the hook
  It is fixed in place.
  
  > Turn hook
  It is fixed in place.
  
  Sandie paces behind the counter.
  
  > jump
  You jump on the spot, fruitlessly.
  
  > show the tea to the golem
  The golem is unimpressed.
  
  > Go outside
  As you leave, the golem pats you down, pawing at your clothing aggressively and rifling through your possessions. You glare at it, but, having found nothing, it looks at you expressionlessly and gestures toward the exit. You sneer at it but quietly leave.
  
  Blackacre's picturesque town square spreads out before you. Although it's no longer central in terms of geography or importance, this area is nevertheless a genuinely pleasant part of town. A clock tower dominates the plaza, towering over the cedars planted around it. Benches surround the flowerbeds that dot the square. Blackacre residents occasionally filter through the square, glancing up nervously at the overcast sky.
  
  Streets leave the square to the east and west, and a road to the south leads from the town of Blackacre to the castle of Blackacre. Among the crowded buildings ringing the square are the post office to the north and magic store to the southwest.
  
  > go to the south
  This path winds north to southeast between the town of Blackacre and its nearby castle. The farmland on either side of the road is bare; it's far too early for crops to start growing, and no trees disturb the empty fields.
  
  The skunk enters from the southeast.
  
  > show the herring to the skunk
  The skunk considers the salted herring with interest. It looks at you warily but hopefully.
  
  The skunk looks at you expectantly.
  
  > go north
  Blackacre's picturesque town square spreads out before you. Although it's no longer central in terms of geography or importance, this area is nevertheless a genuinely pleasant part of town. A clock tower dominates the plaza, towering over the cedars planted around it. Benches surround the flowerbeds that dot the square. Blackacre residents occasionally filter through the square, glancing up nervously at the overcast sky.
  
  Streets leave the square to the east and west, and a road to the south leads from the town of Blackacre to the castle of Blackacre. Among the crowded buildings ringing the square are the post office to the north and magic store to the southwest.
  
  > go to the south
  This path winds north to southeast between the town of Blackacre and its nearby castle. The farmland on either side of the road is bare; it's far too early for crops to start growing, and no trees disturb the empty fields.
  
  You can see a skunk here.
  
  The skunk looks at you expectantly.
  
  > give the herring to the skunk
  The skunk considers the salted herring with interest. It looks at you warily, then snatches them from you and greedily devours them.
  
  > wait
  Time passes.
  
  The skunk looks at you expectantly.
  
  > go north
  Blackacre's picturesque town square spreads out before you. Although it's no longer central in terms of geography or importance, this area is nevertheless a genuinely pleasant part of town. A clock tower dominates the plaza, towering over the cedars planted around it. Benches surround the flowerbeds that dot the square. Blackacre residents occasionally filter through the square, glancing up nervously at the overcast sky.
  
  Streets leave the square to the east and west, and a road to the south leads from the town of Blackacre to the castle of Blackacre. Among the crowded buildings ringing the square are the post office to the north and magic store to the southwest.
  
  You can see Sandie here.
  
  Sandie leaves to the north.
  
  > give the loaf to the skunk
  The skunk considers the manchet loaf with interest. It looks at you warily, then snatches it from you and greedily devours it.
  
  > Inventory
  You are carrying:
  some bright red powder
  an ochre envelope (which is open but empty)
  a beige envelope (which is open but empty)
  a pearl-colored envelope (which is open but empty)
  three glossy flyers
  a slab of beef
  a green canister (which is open but empty)
  a white canister (which is open)
  some salt
  a wooden staff
  a leather-bound index
  a sheet of parchment
  an indigo pouch (which is open but empty)
  a spellbook
  a set of lockpicks
  
  The skunk looks at you expectantly.
  
  > give beef to the skunk
  The skunk considers the slab of beef with interest. It looks at you warily, then snatches it from you and greedily devours it.
  
  > Poke skunk
  The skunk shies away from you and hisses.
  
  The skunk flees to the southeast.
  
  > Go southeast
  This path winds northwest to south between the town of Blackacre and its nearby castle. Newly-planted fields stretch as far as you can see to either side of the trail. It's a charmingly rustic sight but an unpleasant smell; the farmers must have fertilized the fields recently.
  
  You can see a skunk here.
  
  The skunk leaves to the northwest.
  
  > Go northwest
  This path winds north to southeast between the town of Blackacre and its nearby castle. The farmland on either side of the road is bare; it's far too early for crops to start growing, and no trees disturb the empty fields.
  
  You can see a skunk here.
  
  The skunk leaves to the southeast.
  
  > Inventory
  You are carrying:
  some bright red powder
  an ochre envelope (which is open but empty)
  a beige envelope (which is open but empty)
  a pearl-colored envelope (which is open but empty)
  three glossy flyers
  a green canister (which is open but empty)
  a white canister (which is open)
  some salt
  a wooden staff
  a leather-bound index
  a sheet of parchment
  an indigo pouch (which is open but empty)
  a spellbook
  a set of lockpicks
  
  The skunk enters from the southeast.
  
  > wait
  Time passes.
  
  The sky looks cloudy.
  
  > wait for a while
  Time passes.
  
  The skunk enters from the southeast.
  
  > Poke skunk
  The skunk hisses at you and waves its tail threateningly.
  
  The skunk flees to the northwest.
  
  > Go northwest
  This path winds north to southeast between the town of Blackacre and its nearby castle. The farmland on either side of the road is bare; it's far too early for crops to start growing, and no trees disturb the empty fields.
  
  You can see a skunk here.
  
  The skunk hisses at you and waves its tail threateningly.
  
  > Poke skunk
  The skunk's patience is exhausted. You leap out of the way, nimbly somersaulting in your haste to avoid the noisome onslaught. You manage to avoid the brunt of the attack, but the stench still clings to you. Fortunately, no one else is around to smell it; unfortunately, that also means no one was around to witness your impressive combat maneuvers.
  
  The skunk flees to the southeast.
  
  > smell yourself
  The only thing you can smell is the overwhelming stench from the skunk.
  
  > Smell the tea
  The only thing you can smell is the overwhelming stench from the skunk.
  
  The sky looks cloudy.
  
  > Go east
  Guild Street (West)
  As its name implies, Guild Street contains most of the town's guildhalls. There are far fewer now than a century ago, when the street was originally constructed, as the daily administration of the town became concentrated in the nearby castle. The ominous stone tower standing to the north was formerly the base of operations of the once-prominent Magicians' Guild, which counted dozens of wizards among its members in its heyday. That heyday passed centuries ago, however, and the only wizards currently in town are you and Dr. Mortemain. He acquired the tower after the guild's dissolution, and it's there that you now spend most of your time.
  
  The street returns to the town square to the west and continues to the east.
  
  You can see a tarnished brass mailbox (which contains a lemon-colored envelope) here.
  
  A tinny but catchy song issues from the mailbox:
  
  Please pick up your mail!
  Before it gets too stale!
  Like a shrimp cocktail
  Left on the windowsail!
  Support the local Guild of Songwriters!
  Hooray!
  
  > go to the north
  The tower's library is wonderful. You spent the first two weeks as Dr. Mortemain's apprentice here, grudgingly falling asleep early each morning after spending the day and night reading through the mountain of the books piled around the room. Even now, you've only covered a small fraction of the maze of tipping bookcases that stretch to the ceiling and crowd around the reading area. In this quiet and undisturbed area, redolent of old books, you've spent the happiest part of your year in the tower. If you have to leave, exits lead in all four directions to the other wings.
  
  Flux perches on the lectern, hissing excitedly.
  
  A lectern stands in an empty space near the center of the room.
  
  "Come on, come on," squeaks Flux, flying off to the east.
  
  > go to the east
  You follow Flux through the doorway and arrive at the base of the tower's central staircase. As you begin to climb upward, you hear the sound of breaking glass above you, followed by a heavy, muffled thump. Flux seems unconcerned, though, and you follow it as it glides up the spiral stairs. Just as you reach the third floor, a figure dressed completely in black and cradling a crumbling spellbook bounds down the stairs, narrowly avoiding crashing into you. It loses its balance and tumbles roughly down the remaining stairs, only to fall into a roll at the bottom and gracefully recover. Snatching the book from the ground where it had landed, the figure runs out of the tower. You dash down the stairs to give chase, but you only manage to get a receding glimpse of the figure as it runs towards the Thieves' Guild.