text: [Themes: Espionage, Evil protagonist]
  
  > look around
  Humans flitter across this wide hallway, clumping into and breaking
  out of knots of intense, whispered intrigue. A table next to the
  double doors to the west is laden with delicate champagne flutes,
  which some of the humans stalking around the room are also
  brandishing. Nondescript oil paintings hang at regular intervals
  around the room. A small hallway leads south, and a wider passage
  leads east.
  
  There's a set of open double doors here leading west.
  
  The reporter is looking around and taking notes.
  
  The burglar stands off to one side of the room, looking around carefully.
  
  The brute lounges against one wall.
  
  > Inventory
  Intentions:
  the block intent
  the defend intent
  the open intent
  the read intent
  the take intent
  the serve intent
  the drink intent
  the wait intent
  the sell intent
  the buy intent
  the select intent
  the warm intent
  the clean up intent
  
  Manners:
  the generously manner
  the recklessly manner
  the lazily manner
  the seriously manner
  the slowly manner
  the greedily manner
  
  Codebooks:
  three confidential codebooks
  three secret codebooks
  
  Other possessions:
  a detector
  an intercepted communiqu??
  the almanach
  a candle
  
  > look up Sidewinder in almanach
  With self-indulgent curiosity, I look up my own entry in the almanach:
  
  "Sidewinder is a renowned, almost legendary demon who epitomizes the competence, judgment, and honor we all strive for. His cleverness and devotion to duty put the 'intelligence' and 'services' in
  'intelligence services'. He's received every award our organization
  has to give, including some that were created just for him. He's had a meteoric rise in the department that's still continuing. He's our most valuable asset in our war against the Other Side, and every demon
  looks up to him and wants to be his best friend (footnote 6)."
  
  The reporter explores the gallery, spying on various notables.
  
  > Footnote 6
  (6) ...to be his best friend.: The question is, was I lying
  to the editors to the almanach, or am I lying to you now? The answer
  is yes.
  
  > look up Whiptail in almanach
  I look up Whiptail in the almanach, but his entry doesn't tell me anything I don't already know. We've been friends for centuries, and his research department has worked enough with mine that I'm familiar with his r??sum??. He's a brilliant scientist, with all the absent-mindedness and sloppy cleverness that entails.
  
  The reporter explores the gallery, asking sudden, pointed questions.
  
  > look up Kingfisher in almanach
  Kingfisher certainly has an extensive entry, but it's not anything I don't already know.
  
  The reporter explores the gallery, spying on various notables.
  
  > look up Krait in almanach
  Krait's entry in the almanach is brief. It describes him as a cultural attach?? involved in some low-stakes missions in friendly posts. That's complete nonsense, of course, but it's about the almanach can say at its classification level. Krait is an amateur poet, having edited a
  few poetry journals and done a bit of writing himself, and I suspect that that flimsy cover is an excuse for him to scratch that itch.
  
  The reporter explores the gallery, asking sudden, pointed questions.
  
  > look up Agama in almanach
  I page through the almanach, but I don't find anything relevant, at least under that name.
  
  The reporter explores the gallery, taking notes on overheard conversations.
  
  > examine the burglar
  I can tell it's a burglar because it's wearing one of those masks.
  
  The reporter explores the gallery, spying on various notables.
  
  > examine the brute
  Muscles the size of excessively large muscles.
  
  The brute is holding nothing.
  
  The reporter explores the gallery, spying on various notables.
  
  > look at the flutes
  The humans in the room are dutifully carrying glasses of champagne. Both the humans and the glasses are half-drunk.
  
  The reporter explores the gallery, taking notes on overheard conversations.
  
  > look at the reporter
  A human carrying a notebook and wearing a press pass.
  
  > EXPLORE
  the conference.
  
  The reporter explores the gallery, taking notes on overheard conversations.
  
  > get explore
  I extract the explore intent from the reporter, along with the aggressively manner.
  
  The reporter surveils the crowd.
  
  > Go south
  Diplomats fill this crowded room, sitting impatiently at a gigantic ring-shaped table. In front of each human is a miniature flag and a white placard bearing its name and title. A map of the world, elaborately drawn but completely devoid of any cities or borders or other political features, covers the far wall. The only exit from the room is to the north.
  
  A bottle of champagne, shining brightly with spiritual energy, sits to one side in a bucket of ice.
  
  The short diplomat gazes at the other diplomats, perhaps expecting one of them to enter a proposal for consideration.
  
  I can also see the tall diplomat and the medium diplomat here.
  
  > examine short
  Short, stocky, with excessive amounts of hair.
  
  The medium diplomat gazes at the other diplomats, perhaps expecting
  one of them to enter a proposal for consideration.
  
  > look at the medium
  Non-distinctive, with rounded edges.
  
  The tall diplomat gazes at the other diplomats, perhaps expecting one of them to enter a proposal for consideration.
  
  > examine tall
  Tall, thin, with awkward angles.
  
  The short diplomat glances at its notes.
  
  > examine the map
  The map is a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional slice of a four-dimensional part of an inordinately complicated multiverse.
  
  The medium diplomat glances at its notes.
  
  > look at the bottle
  A bottle of Taittinger Brut from what I assume is a good vintage.
  
  The bottle of champagne is mystically sealed, presumably to protect
  its contents from the opposition. The barrier is also keeping me from accessing its contents, a top secret codebook, as long as it's closed.
  
  The tall diplomat gazes at the other diplomats, perhaps expecting one of them to enter a proposal for consideration.
  
  > look at the bucket
  Humans have quite specific opinions about the temperatures of their beverages.
  
  The short diplomat gazes at the other diplomats, perhaps expecting one of them to enter a proposal for consideration.
  
  > Inventory
  Intentions:
  the explore intent
  the block intent
  the defend intent
  the open intent
  the read intent
  the take intent
  the serve intent
  the drink intent
  the wait intent
  the sell intent
  the buy intent
  the select intent
  the warm intent
  the clean up intent
  
  Manners:
  the aggressively manner
  the generously manner
  the recklessly manner
  the lazily manner
  the seriously manner
  the slowly manner
  the greedily manner
  
  Codebooks:
  three confidential codebooks
  three secret codebooks
  
  Other possessions:
  a detector
  an intercepted communiqu??
  the almanach
  a candle
  
  > put the drink on the medium
  I give the drink intent to the medium diplomat, who now intends to drink champagne when this is all resolved.
  
  The medium diplomat solicits suggestions from the other diplomats.
  
  > examine candle
  A simple wax candle with a spiritual aura, enabling me to interact
  with it. I could instantly relight it with my demonic powers (footnote 7), if I were so inclined.
  
  The tall diplomat gazes at the other diplomats, perhaps expecting one of them to enter a proposal for consideration.
  
  > Footnote 7
  (7) ...with my demonic powers: Many of the powers you ascribe
  to my kind are just paranoid delusions, but this one is actually accurate: Rudimentary fire-starting ability is part of the standard onboarding package for the infernal intelligence services. It's little more than a parlor trick, especially considering that the thermostat
  in my office building is set to the temperature of the surface of the sun.
  
  > put the read on the medium
  I give the read intent to the medium diplomat, taking the drink intent in exchange. It now intends to read a proposal when one is available.
  
  The short diplomat solicits suggestions from the other diplomats.
  
  > put the read on short
  (first taking the read intent from the medium diplomat)
  I give the read intent to the short diplomat, who now intends to read
  a proposal when one is available.
  
  The medium diplomat gazes at the other diplomats, perhaps expecting
  one of them to enter a proposal for consideration.
  
  > put the drink on tall
  I give the drink intent to the tall diplomat, who now intends to drink champagne when this is all resolved.
  
  The tall diplomat gazes at the other diplomats, perhaps expecting one of them to enter a proposal for consideration.
  
  > put explore on the medium
  I give the explore intent to the medium diplomat, who now intends to explore the possibilities of the next proposal.
  
  The short diplomat glances at its notes.
  
  > put open on medium
  I give the open intent to the medium diplomat, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now intends to open discussions on expanding trade.
  
  wheat taxed at 2%.
  
  > Wait
  Time passes.
  
  The tall diplomat sighs, makes a few concessions, and suggests signing this and calling it a day.
  
  The short diplomat rejects the suggestion out of hand due to the complexity of the language.
  
  > put explore on short
  I give the explore intent to the short diplomat, taking the read
  intent in exchange. It now intends to explore the possibilities of the proposal.
  
  The short diplomat makes some edits to the proposed deal, increasing the tariff on wheat to 4%.
  
  > Wait
  Time passes.
  
  The medium diplomat extols the virtues of its trade deal.
  
  > check your inventory
  Intentions:
  the read intent
  the block intent
  the defend intent
  the take intent
  the serve intent
  the wait intent
  the sell intent
  the buy intent
  the select intent
  the warm intent
  the clean up intent
  
  Manners:
  the aggressively manner
  the generously manner
  the recklessly manner
  the lazily manner
  the seriously manner
  the slowly manner
  the greedily manner
  
  Codebooks:
  three confidential codebooks
  three secret codebooks
  
  Other possessions:
  a detector
  an intercepted communiqu??
  the almanach
  a candle
  
  > put the select on short
  I give the select intent to the short diplomat, taking the explore intent in exchange. It now intends to select its words.
  
  The short diplomat seems unhappy with the proposal, but isn't sure how to express it.
  
  > put the take on short
  I give the take intent to the short diplomat, taking the select intent in exchange. It now intends to take all possible circumstances into account.
  
  The medium diplomat extols the virtues of its trade deal.
  
  > put greedily on short
  I give the greedily manner to the short diplomat, who now intends to greedily take all possible circumstances into account.
  
  The tall diplomat sighs, makes a few concessions, and suggests signing this and calling it a day.
  
  The short diplomat rejects the suggestion out of hand due to the complexity of the language.
  
  > put the select on short
  I give the select intent to the short diplomat, taking the take intent in exchange. It now intends to greedily select its words.
  
  The short diplomat makes some edits to the proposed deal, increasing the tariff on wheat to 9%.
  
  > put open on short
  (first taking the open intent from the medium diplomat)
  I give the open intent to the short diplomat, taking the select intent in exchange. It now intends to greedily open discussions on expanding trade.
  
  The medium diplomat looks at the proposed trade deal, and nods approvingly.
  
  > Wait
  Time passes.
  
  The tall diplomat sighs, makes a few concessions, and suggests signing this and calling it a day.
  
  The short diplomat rejects the suggestion out of hand due to the complexity of the language.
  
  > put seriously on short
  I give the seriously manner to the short diplomat, taking the greedily manner in exchange. It now intends to seriously open discussions on expanding trade.
  
  The short diplomat mutters that they should all move on to a more serious proposal.
  
  > take all
  drink intent: I extract the drink intent from the tall diplomat. seriously manner: I extract the seriously manner from the short diplomat.
  open intent: I extract the open intent from the short diplomat.
  
  The medium diplomat looks at the proposed trade deal, and nods approvingly.