text: > describe your surroundings
  This is the extreme end of the hall. The doorway to the east is obscured by an ornate curtain.
  
  Shirtless Wolf Head Guy stands off to the side, ready to let you pass.
  
  > go east
  What is this?
  
  Dozens of people are milling around. They're all in hooded cloaks, and they're all wearing creepy animal masks, except for the people who are wearing very creepy yellow, glassy-eyed human masks. The room is huge--where the heck is this room?--and lit up with hundreds of little candles, enough to make the room unbearably hot. But the air conditioning is on full blast, so the flames just whip around crazily and cast all kinds of weird shadows.
  
  At one end of the room is a raised platform with a podium; behind the platform are two giant bird-headed statues.
  
  In the middle of the room is a massive table.
  
  Shirtless Wolf Head Guy pokes his head in through the curtain and nods at somebody.
  
  > look at the table
  The table is laid out in a spiral pattern: rings within rings of napkins and punch bowls and plates and platters: shrimp, sorbets, mozzarella bruschetta, mousse in little glasses, slices of brie--a tourbillon des hors d'oeuvre that sweeps the eye like a drowning sailor toward the center of its vortex: An ice sculpture of a bird.
  
  One of the cloaks breaks off from a group to take the stage. When he steps into the light, you can see his mask is a long, pointed face, a reptilian face. Either an alligator or a crocodile, depending on what the difference between those two things is.
  
  As he nears the middle of the stage, the murmuring in the room diminishes, and the knots of people loosen into more of a herd as everyone turns toward the platform.
  
  > look at the sobek
  He definitely fills out that robe. And he moves around as if he doesn't care what he knocks over.
  
  The guy in the alligator mask raises his arms. "Brothers and sisters!" his voice rumbles, muffled by the mask. "I'm getting the signal from Doug that everyone is here, so let me start out by saying I am pleased, I am beyond pleased, to call to order this meeting of the Mystery of Thoth."
  
  Where have you heard that voice before?
  
  > look at Paco
  He definitely fills out that robe. And he moves around as if he doesn't care what he knocks over.
  
  "The catering for tonight's meeting was overseen by Sister Heatherton, and it's a really amazing spread, as you can see; I think she deserves some recognition. Sister Heatherton, can you show us where you are?"
  
  A woman near you wearing a hippopotamus mask (Is that Snout Mask Woman? She's thinner in person) raises her hand. "I had a lot of help!" she giggles, but her attempt at modesty is drowned out by applause.
  
  > talk to Paco
  Everyone in here is paying attention to something other than you. This is the one respect in which this party is like every other one you've been to.
  
  "The chocolate mousse in particular is just staggering," continues the alligator mask, as the ovation peters out. "You don't serve this to the general public, do you?"
  
  She shakes her hippo head emphatically, but Alligator Mask isn't really looking for an answer so much as he's trying to get a laugh out of the audience.
  
  "Good! They don't deserve mousse like this!" he growls, and as everyone laughs some more, you realize who it is that's wearing that mask.
  
  It's Paco! From Paco's Tacos! Although you're starting to suspect that "Paco" isn't his real name.
  
  > eat the mousse
  (first taking the glasses of mousse)
  You carefully pick up one of the fragile-looking glasses.
  
  "Now, before we get going, let me remind you that Brother Kerrigan is playing taxman, going around collecting your offerings," Paco continues. Somebody on the other end of the room raises a stack of envelopes over his head.
  
  "Remember, a lot of people are depending on us, and vice versa. And although the Mystery of Thoth has yet to be recognized as a charitable organization," (another big laugh) "&your support does make a difference in these people's lives. You all know Vic, from the health department. He told me the other day that his family's going to Maui in a couple weeks. I said 'That's nice! So, what are you gonna do while they're away?'"
  
  Huge laugh.
  
  > wait a while
  Time passes.
  
  Brother Kerrigan weaves his way through the crowd, shaking his pile of envelopes at everybody he passes, but each one raises a hand as he approaches, as if to say "No, I'm good." When he's finally satisfied, he makes his way east, where the crowd parts to reveal a previously hidden doorway.
  
  > Wait
  Time passes.
  
  "I'm glad everybody could make it; sorry we had to change the venue on you at the last minute. We were hoping to do this in Sister Witt's lounge at the Lafayette Café, but things fell through. I think it was a piano that fell through, right? Fell through the ceiling!"
  
  This one doesn't land quite as well. Paco coughs.
  
  "Well, let's get right to it. What is there as far as old business?"
  
  > Wait
  Time passes.
  
  Someone else speaks up: "There is the matter of the interloper."
  
  Interloper! Do they mean you? Are you found out?
  
  > Wait
  Time passes.
  
  "I was actually hoping to save that issue for last&" Paco grouses.
  
  "Well I say we settle it now! She's been enough of an annoyance these past months."
  
  Then it's probably not you. You've only been an annoyance for maybe a couple of hours.
  
  > wait for a while
  Time passes.
  
  Paco throws up his hands. "The chair recognizes your bellyaching, Brother Stantz! But there are some other things we need to get out of the way first. How about new business; is there any new business?"
  
  Brother Kerrigan re-emerges from the doorway to the east.
  
  > go east
  It's even colder in here.
  
  This is either an office or some sort of lounge: The walls are lined with shelves, but the shelves are all empty; up against one wall is an aquarium, but without any fish; there's a long table in the middle of the room, but there's only one chair. A window in the door to the north and a lamp inside the aquarium supply the only light.
  
  The door shuts behind you with a faint click, but the conversation in the next room is still audible.
  
  That pile of fat envelopes is here, but now they're all empty.
  
  "Point of order! We haven't finished with old business!"
  
  "Oh, point of order, huh? Well, I am going to table your point of order. I am going to postpone your point of order indefinitely."
  
  Paco's rapport with his audience has taken a turn. People are grumbling.
  
  > Search envelopes
  You find nothing of interest.
  
  A new voice pipes up: "Can't we have just one meeting that doesn't end with everybody at each other's throats?"
  
  "Yes! That is exact--" Paco is blustering! "That's why I wanted to finish off with the interloper issue, because it's something we can all agree on, so we could work as a team, and then when we were finished we could all leave feeling like we accomplished something."
  
  > look under the table
  You find nothing of interest.
  
  Brother Stantz yells: "I think the first thing we should accomplish is the election of a new chair!"