text: [Themes: Fantasy, divine protagonist]
  
  > Go downward
  Lornedei climbs down.
  
  The clearing is almost perfectly round and thirty or so paces across. It is surrounded by the forbidden forest on all sides.
  A giant black oak stands in solitude in the middle of the clearing. Many of its roots stick out of the ground like snakes arching to suffocate their prey. Steps are cut in the oak to provide an easy way up.
  
  A stone altar stands in the shadow of the big oak. Dry grass and shrubs are still rooted in the dead soil, and more of the deformed bushes grow in a loose circle around the oak and the altar.
  
  An old stone well gurgles softly not far from a crumbling stone house. On the other side of the clearing, three paths lead into the forbidden forest.
  
  The great roots under the giant oak have slid aside revealing a passage.
  
  The sleepwalker is here. It has stopped spinning.
  
  She can also see a large black beetle (Airing out its shell at the moment.) here.
  A dry black leaf falls down to rest on Lornedei's shoulder. It crumbles into dust and is gone.
  The beetle scrambles through the dead grass to one of the paths. It spins around and comes back to Lornedei.
  
  > touch sleepwalker
  Lornedei is clearly skeptical. What the sleep walker feels like does not interest her.
  The beetle disappears into the crumbling stone house. It comes back out, stays a moment in the opening, waving its antennae, before coming back to Lornedei.
  
  > reach sleepwalker
  Lornedei turns her back to it.
  "I will not waste magic on that!"
  
  > reach LD
  "I cannot! I will not! Just leave my mind alone!"
  Lornedei shivers. She looks behind her. There is nothing there.
  The beetle runs off to one of the paths. It spins around once before returning to Lornedei.
  
  > enter House
  Hall of Severance (In the House of Penance)
  The many years have taken its toll on this house. The circular wall tapers slightly towards the ceiling. Above her, a framework of thick beams support several generations worth of spider webs. There is not much left of the roof now. The light from outside leaks in through the holes in the ceiling. It magnifies the presence of fine dry dust that floats lazily in the still air. Long since rotted straw and reeds cover the earthen floor.
  
  A pair of rusty manacles hangs on the wall.
  
  > examine the manacles
  Lornedei shakes her head.
  Lornedei shivers. She looks behind her. There is nothing there.
  
  > take the manacles
  "Interesting, but I have no use for those. For the moment."
  
  > Pet yellow worm
  "Do I really want to? No!"
  
  > go outside
  She steps out in the clearing.
  
  The clearing is almost perfectly round and thirty or so paces across. It is surrounded by the forbidden forest on all sides.
  A giant black oak stands in solitude in the middle of the clearing. Many of its roots stick out of the ground like snakes arching to suffocate their prey. Steps are cut in the oak to provide an easy way up.
  
  A stone altar stands in the shadow of the big oak. Dry grass and shrubs are still rooted in the dead soil, and more of the deformed bushes grow in a loose circle around the oak and the altar.
  
  An old stone well gurgles softly not far from a crumbling stone house. On the other side of the clearing, three paths lead into the forbidden forest.
  
  The great roots under the giant oak have slid aside revealing a passage.
  
  The sleepwalker is here. It has stopped spinning.
  
  She can also see a large black beetle (Spinning around waving its antennae at the moment.) here.
  Lornedei reaches down to scratch her ankle.
  Lornedei frowns. She seems to be listening.
  And there truly is a sound, distant, from the forest. It sounds like a bird, unlike any other.
  
  > follow Raven
  Lornedei dares a careful step towards the black bird. It turns and hops along the path a short distance before it again faces the girl. Waiting.
  
  Lornedei takes another step and the bird takes off in the air. It flies in circles in front of her, high up and almost out of sight at times but always close enough for Lornedei to follow. The path winds its way through and around the disturbing shadows of the forbidden forest. Fallen trees and dense undergrowth is constantly in her way and she has to climb over, through, or around these obstacles, while keeping an eye on the bird. It is just ahead and above her. She follows the black bird, expecting the cold grip of the forgotten ones around her ankles at any moment. Images of soul wrenching, flesh ripping, and blood drinking spirits run through her mind. Nothing happens. Exhausted and bruised, with her clothes torn and dusty, she stumbles on.
  
  Something grabs her foot; she loses her balance and falls forward with a painful thud. Frozen in a breathless heap on the ground, she takes a moment to gather her strength as well as her breath. The bird croaks, Light seeps in through her closed eyelids.
  
  She looks up in time to catch a final glimpse of the bird. It disappears into a glowing sunset beyond a desolate field.
  
  Wasteland (Overlooking the Field of Despair)
  Slowly Lornedei gets up on her feet. Nearly blinded by the light from the dying sun, she inspects the damage. She sighs deeply.
  
  She opens her mouth to speak again but the words never come. She takes in the view of this seemingly empty wasteland in shocked silence for some time. She swallows. A dry wind tugs at her clothing while playing restlessly in the dry ground.
  Behind her is the forbidden forest. The tree line is sharp as if cut with a knife at creation, separating the blackened forest from the uniform gray ahead.
  
  The horizon ahead is strangely blurred. If from dust, mist or simply the uncertainty of distance is hard to tell from here. In the east, the field slopes down towards something that she cannot see. On the far side of that, the forest continues. In the opposite direction, the dying sun has set the horizon in flames above the gray covering the forbidden forest on that side. On this side of the forest, the land is cut, cracked, dropping down into a ravine. In the northwest, there is an old ruin reflecting the colours of the sun. To the north and northeast, the field continues into the blurred horizon.
  Lornedei turns her head slowly from side to side, dazed. She blinks.
  
  [Your holiness has just gone up by five.]
  
  > Go east
  Wasteland (By the Circle of Stones)
  Lornedei walks east and the ground slopes down. It becomes increasingly difficult to walk. On the other side of the valley she is entering, the forest resumes. At the bottom of the slope where the sharp rocks slip under her feet, heat ripples the air. Lornedei makes her way down.
  
  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.
  
  > throw lamp at the boulder
  The stones are more or less round. Anything placed on the stones would drop to the ground.
  
  > examine the stones
  The circle is almost ten paces wide. Inside the edging of boulders, the ground sinks further down, into another bowl. This one is smooth and perfectly round.
  
  > break the lamp
  Lornedei lets a blue spark appear in one palm. She focuses and the light turns red. She quickly moves the fairy lamp until she is holding it between both hands. the red light seeps through her fingers and a sizzling is heard. A cloud of steam surrounds her hands.
  "Ouch! The little bastard bit me!" A storm of ugly words fly out of her mouth as the crystal spider drops to the ground.
  Lornedei looks over her shoulder into the dark forest, anxious.
  
  [Your holiness has just gone up by five.]
  
  > take the spider
  the spider jumps backwards. It apparently doesn't like her.
  Lornedei is muttering to herself.
  Lornedei frowns. She seems to be listening.
  And there truly is a sound, distant, from the forest. It sounds like something that does not want to be heard. Careful, tentative.
  
  > look at the spider
  It's a large spider made of crystal. It has curled up as if either dead or sleeping most of the time. It is hard to tell which. It gives off a cold sparkling light and has a pair of multi facetted eyes. Oddly enough, the eyes seem both beady and shifty. No matter from where it is observed, it seems to glare suspiciously. She will have to touch the spider to examine it further. That is, if it will let her.
  
  > touch the spider
  Lornedei shakes her head. She has no wish to touch that thing. It bites!
  
  > take the plaque
  (the small black plaque)
  If you insist.
  
  [Your holiness has just gone up by five.]
  
  > 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.
  Lornedei's shadow trembles and disappears. In an instant, it is back. She seems not to notice.
  
  > go south
  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 big round stone lies in the middle of the pit. The fire is gone.
  
  A stone circle is laid out on the ground.
  
  She can also see A crystal spider with shifty, beady eyes (Curled up acting dead at the moment.) here.
  A high pitched squeal from somewhere among the blackened trees fills the air, and Lornedei shudders.
  
  > call
  Lornedei whistles.
  
  > wait
  Lornedei waits as the dry wind tears at her torn clothing.
  
  > wait
  Lornedei waits as the dry wind tears at her torn clothing.
  Lornedei's shadow jerks to life, reaches for her ankle, and pulls. She stumbles.
  
  > examine the shadow
  It is only a shadow. There is nothing she can do with it.
  Lornedei feels something against her leg. Like a shadow, silent and cautious, Deini has come to her. The wolf is sniffing the air, is constantly watching Lornedei, but she finally lies down. She puts her head on her front paws but keeps constant watch.
  "You just stay out of my way."
  
  > Help
  Deini looks at Lornedei for a moment before she looses interest.
  
  > Sniff
  The wolf just looks at Lornedei. Willing but confused.
  Lornedei is muttering to herself.
  Lornedei looks over her shoulder into the dark forest, anxious.
  
  > Pet deini
  In an attempt to seem friendly, she calls for Deini. The wolf hesitates. This human is different from the other and there is something very wrong with this one.
  
  > kill the shadow
  Deini stands still, seemingly wondering about Lornedei's choice of enemy.
  
  > 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.
  
  > look in 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.
  
  > look at the ground
  (the ground)
  The soil is dry and starved of both moisture and nutrition. It looks and feels dead.
  
  > kill Tree
  The tree is already as dead as it can be, so what would be the point?
  
  > Heal ld
  There may not be a way to heal her now. She has been changed. There is something dark lurking in her mind. Perhaps if you could get that presence out. Perhaps an exorcism?
  
  > Vomit
  "What was that you said?"
  
  > Pray
  She may or may not. Just hope that her prayers go to you and not something... else.
  
  > search ld
  Lornedei is wearing a shirt, a pair of riding pants and sandals. Type inv to see what else she is carrying.
  
  > reach LD
  "I cannot! I will not! Just leave my mind alone!"
  
  > look in the ld
  Lornedei is wearing a shirt, a pair of riding pants and sandals. Type inv to see what else she is carrying.
  Lornedei is muttering to herself.
  
  > examine the shadow
  It is only a shadow. There is nothing she can do with it.
  
  > kill the shadow
  Light banishes one shadow while creating another. Then how can a shadow be killed?
  
  > Wear amulet
  "Wear that? No! It hates me."
  
  > go southwest
  Wasteland (Overlooking the Field of Despair)
  Behind her is the forbidden forest. The tree line is sharp as if cut with a knife at creation, separating the blackened forest from the uniform gray ahead.
  
  The horizon ahead is strangely blurred. If from dust, mist or simply the uncertainty of distance is hard to tell from here. In the east, the field slopes down towards something that she cannot see. On the far side of that, the forest continues. In the opposite direction, the dying sun has set the horizon in flames above the gray covering the forbidden forest on that side. On this side of the forest, the land is cut, cracked, dropping down into a ravine. In the northwest, there is an old ruin reflecting the colours of the sun. To the north and northeast, the field continues into the blurred horizon.
  
  > search debris
  "I have no intention of crawling in there. Find someone else to do that. Perhaps you, god as you are, can conjure up some faithful and ridiculously loyal companion to do that kind of work.
  
  > take red worm
  If you insist.
  
  > put it in the debris
  That cannot be used to contain items. The purpose here is otherwise. Lornedei is muttering to herself.
  
  > put the red worm on the debris
  Placing things on the rubble will not do her any good.
  There is a shadow stretching out on the ground behind Lornedei. It folds into inky black and then it rises, takes one step away from her, and is gone.
  
  > look at what you're carrying with you
  Lornedei's magic is currently at 167.
  Lornedei is carrying:
  a small black plaque
  a cracked skull
  A blue crystal hanging on a silver chain.
  a small leather pouch (which is open)
  a golden acorn
  a skinny yellow worm
  a bone
  a small dented silver plate
  a small water sack (which is closed)
  the water from the Elder's spring
  an old tarnished bronze urn
  a shiny red worm
  a fat blue worm
  a small gray plaque
  a leather rucksack (being worn)
  a purple nut with thorns
  a handful of white berries
  a loaf of horrid bread
  a piece of cheese
  
  > wait for a while
  The spiral that is life keeps on turning.
  
  > wake the ld
  "Just leave me be! I have my eyes open, can you not see that?"
  Lornedei hears careful steps behind her. She turns towards a very reluctantly approaching Deini. The wolf sneezes.
  
  > Keep going
  "Just leave me be! I have my eyes open, can you not see that?"
  
  > Continue
  Deini sniffs around. After a while, she comes back, carrying an old torch. She drops it at Lornedei's feet.
  
  Deini sniffs a couple of the rocks and sneezes. She seems to search aimlessly and finds nothing of interest.
  
  > examine the torch
  The old torch must have been lying around here for many years, along with many others. It's totally useless and may just fall apart if given a harsh glance.
  
  > put the torch in the statue
  The only thing capable of holding items on the statue, is the grasping hand. Try to put the old torch there instead.
  
  > put the torch in the hand
  Lornedei places the torch in the stone hand. It does not really fit so she forces it down in the hole. It stands nearly upright in place for a moment. Then, the stone fingers flex and spread. The torch topples over and drops to the floor as the hand tightens its grip around its imaginary object again.
  
  > search debris
  Deini sniffs a couple of the rocks and sneezes. She seems to search aimlessly and finds nothing of interest.
  Lornedei is muttering to herself.
  
  > Light torch
  Nothing would benefit from that.
  Deini comes up to Lornedei and puts her nose in the girl's hand. Lornedei pulls her hand away.
  
  > Wait
  Lornedei waits as the dry wind tears at her torn clothing.
  Lornedei's shadow trembles and disappears. In an instant, it is back. She seems not to notice.
  
  > Wait
  Lornedei waits as the dry wind tears at her torn clothing.
  Lornedei feels something against her leg. Like a shadow, silent and cautious, Deini has come to her. The wolf is sniffing the air, is constantly watching Lornedei, but she finally lies down. She puts her head on her front paws but keeps constant watch.
  "You just stay out of my way."
  
  > search the rubble
  Deini takes off and enters the tunnel through the big pile of rubble. She shows up safely on the other side. A number of loud sneezes and a cloud of rising dust show her path. After some time, she comes crawling out again, dragging something with her. Between her teeth is a long spear. She drops it in front of Lornedei, looking mighty happy.
  
  > examine the spear
  The spear is a head taller than Lornedei. The dark wood is decorated with carvings and the stone tip is sharp.
  
  > reach the spear
  There seems to be nothing beyond what the eye can see.
  Lornedei is muttering to herself.
  
  > give the spear to the statue
  Lornedei puts the spear into the grasping hand. It is a perfect fit. The hand suddenly tightens. The stone fingers crackle slightly and a puff of dust flies from it as it grips the spear.
  
  > wait for a while
  The spiral that is life keeps on turning.
  
  > examine the statue
  The stone guard stands in the southeast corner staring intently at the opposite corner of the chamber. In her right hand she has a long wooden spear with a stone tip.
  
  > talk to the statue
  You wish her to talk to the stone statue? Seems a bit odd to me.
  
  > touch the statue
  Lornedei brushes off some of the dust gathered on the statue an sneezes.
  Lornedei wipes her forehead with her shirtsleeve.
  
  > move statue
  The stone statue cannot be moved in any way. Lornedei makes a couple of attempts of pushing the statue but there is not much point in trying. Lornedei's shadow tears one shadow-leg from Lornedei's real one, then the other. It fades as it rises. Once upright, it melts into Lornedei. She shivers.
  
  > Go northwest
  There is nothing there but rubble and cracked marble walls. She can't go that way.
  
  > look at the statue
  The stone guard stands in the southeast corner staring intently at the opposite corner of the chamber. In her right hand she has a long wooden spear with a stone tip.
  There is a shadow stretching out on the ground behind Lornedei. It folds into inky black and then it rises, takes one step away from her, and is gone.
  
  > look northwest
  Cracked marble in walls and floor. Rubble. Nothing of interest catches her eye.
  Lornedei's shadow stretches out behind her. It sits up. It reaches. It touches the exposed skin on her neck before lying back down. Lornedei scratches her neck furiously.
  
  > turn the statue
  The stone statue cannot be moved in any way. Lornedei makes a couple of attempts of pushing the statue but there is not much point in trying.
  
  > go west
  Lornedei steps closer to the huge hole in the wall. One glimpse down is enough. She steps back on unsteady legs.
  
  > go 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.
  
  Deini is here.
  
  > 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.