text: > look at your surroundings
  You are in the main entryway of the house. Aside from its functional purpose as the central hub of the building, it also serves as a showcase of the owner's prowess as a decorator. This room is tasteful and ornate. A coatrack stands abandoned in a corner, beside a highly polished small wooden table. The front door is due south, and the hallway opens west onto the kitchen, and east to the living room. A large staircase to the north leads up to the second floor, and down.
  A lean and dangerous-looking man surveys the contents of the room.
  
  On the wooden table are a newspaper and a letter.
  
  > wait awhile
  Time passes.
  The thief apparently thinks better of leaving his newspaper laying about, and retrieves it.
  
  > Wait
  Time passes.
  The looter stalks off.
  
  > Go east
  The console beeps out in distress. "Alert: Human presence detected in adjacent room."
  
  The very name "living room" is a subject of some consideration: what does it mean to be a "room for living". Obviously, one "lives" in every room of a house. Practically speaking, during this time period, the "living room" was the room in which one entertained guests, watched video transmissions, and interacted with family. Nevertheless, the living room was primarily the adults' domain. This living room is not an exception. The atmosphere is one of maturity; the lack of wear on the furniture and prominence of fragile art objects suggests that it is a room not accustomed to children's play. A couch and several armchairs are arranged in a rough semicircle, a superficial attempt at creating the illusion that its occupants are generally interested in conversation rather than watching the screen, which one assumes is in the cabinet situated along the southern wall. The louvered doors of a closet are set in the east wall, and the wall opposite opens into the foyer. Along the north wall, a section opens into another hallway.
  A lean and dangerous-looking man surveys the contents of the room.
  
  > Go east
  The very name "living room" is a subject of some consideration: what does it mean to be a "room for living". Obviously, one "lives" in every room of a house. Practically speaking, during this time period, the "living room" was the room in which one entertained guests, watched video transmissions, and interacted with family. Nevertheless, the living room was primarily the adults' domain. This living room is not an exception. The atmosphere is one of maturity; the lack of wear on the furniture and prominence of fragile art objects suggests that it is a room not accustomed to children's play. A couch and several armchairs are arranged in a rough semicircle, a superficial attempt at creating the illusion that its occupants are generally interested in conversation rather than watching the screen, which one assumes is in the cabinet situated along the southern wall. The louvered doors of a closet are set in the east wall, and the wall opposite opens into the foyer. Along the north wall, a section opens into another hallway.
  The thief walks cautiously into the room.
  
  > Wait
  Time passes.
  The thief looks over the various art objects, then, oblivious to their lack of value, collects them.
  
  > wait
  Time passes.
  Carefully, the thief looks inside the video cabinet. With obvious glee, he removes the video player.
  
  > go north
  A poorly-lit length of hallway begins here and continues west. The southern wall is open to the living room. A door leads east.
  
  A painting on the wall depicts a nautical theme.
  The thief walks cautiously into the room.
  
  > Wait
  Time passes.
  The looter admires the painting for a moment, then removes it.
  
  > go west
  The console beeps out in distress. "Alert: Human presence detected in adjacent room."
  
  The ceiling over this stretch of hallway slopes upward where the stairs cut into it. Along the south wall, just before the ceiling becomes too low to make a serviceable hallway, a low, louvered door marks a small closet. The hallway continues east, and to the west it ends in an archway leading to the dining room.
  A lean and dangerous-looking man surveys the contents of the room.
  The looter pokes around in the closet for a time.
  
  > go to the west
  The console beeps out in distress. "Alert: Human presence detected in adjacent room."
  
  When this house was first built, conventions of style dictated a degree of spartan functionality from the dining area. The construction of this room has a sort of tacit apology built into its architecture, as if the dedication of an entire room to dining facilities was seen as an undesirable extravagance. The twenty years that followed saw a reversal of the cultural mores which had all but done away with a fixed dining area. The net result is that this particular dining room has an uncomfortable blend of styles. A small, nondescript table shows signs of heavier wear than it was meant for. An ornate china cabinet stands in one corner, looking very out-of-place. The buffet counter, again nondescript and too small to be really serviceable, stretches across a portion of the north wall. Open archways lead south and east, and a small door is west.
  A lean and dangerous-looking man surveys the contents of the room.
  
  On the buffet are two oil lamps.
  
  You can also see a photograph here.
  
  > wait for a while
  Time passes.
  The thief looks through the china cabinet, removing everything of value.
  
  > Go south
  The console beeps out in distress. "Alert: Human presence detected in adjacent room."
  
  In the days before all food could be prepared by an automated processing unit, the kitchen was often considered the center of family life. This kitchen is decorated in a country style that was archaic even when it was built. Woodgrain paneling and prominently displayed kitchenwares give the room a rustic look. The stove, refrigerator and other appliances have a more modern look, but clashing with the predominant style is kept to a minimum. Heavier items and food supplies are kept in the pantry to the west, while archways lead north and east. A lean and dangerous-looking man surveys the contents of the room.
  
  On the refrigerator door are a report card and a receipt.
  The looter stalks off.
  
  > go to the east
  The console beeps out in distress. "Alert: Human presence detected in adjacent room."
  
  You are in the main entryway of the house. Aside from its functional purpose as the central hub of the building, it also serves as a showcase of the owner's prowess as a decorator. This room is tasteful and ornate. A coatrack stands abandoned in a corner, beside a highly polished small wooden table. The front door is due south, and the hallway opens west onto the kitchen, and east to the living room. A large staircase to the north leads up to the second floor, and down.
  A lean and dangerous-looking man surveys the contents of the room.
  
  On the wooden table is a letter.
  
  > check your inventory
  You are carrying:
  some cigarettes
  a scissors
  a magnetic handle
  a diary
  a small book
  four keys:
  a brass key
  a steel key
  a deadbolt key
  a large key
  a wooden knob
  a cloaking device
  your StreamDive console
  five chips:
  a DataStore chip
  an interface chip
  a dive chip
  a scan chip
  a shield chip
  The looter stalks off.