text: [Themes: Fantasy, Historical, Mystery, magic, Lovecraftian]
  
  > Look around
  This is a practice room set aside for the practice of slightly larger illusions; those involving larger props. A large window is in the south wall and the only exit is a door to the east.
  
  There is a large, rectangular box off to the side. It looks like it can be separated in two parts. It's some sort of stage prop.
  
  Wearing a top hat and standing behind a magician's table is Danny "Mister Magic" Paul. He seems to be practicing the rabbit trick as there is a cloth bag with something in it hanging on his side of the table.
  
  Danny continues to fumble with his rabbit and top hat, trying to perfect his routine.
  
  > Examine box
  Looking closer, you can tell it is for the saw-the-lady-in-half illusion.
  
  Danny continues to fumble with his rabbit and top hat, trying to perfect his routine.
  
  > examine table
  It is covered with black felt.
  
  Danny continues to fumble with his rabbit and top hat, trying to perfect his routine.
  
  > take rabbit
  You shouldn't mess with Danny's props while he's practicing with them.
  
  Danny continues to fumble with his rabbit and top hat, trying to perfect his routine.
  
  > Topics
  You could ask him about himself.
  
  Danny continues to fumble with his rabbit and top hat, trying to perfect his routine.
  
  > Go east
  This library contains an extensive collection. Every inch of each wall is covered in bookshelves stuffed with books. A leather wingback chair and a leather loveseat are the furnishings so that one may enjoy a comfortable read. Doors break the monotony of books to the north, east, and west. A large window is in the south wall. You know that it looks out onto the fastidious garden.
  
  You can see an Oriental rug here.
  
  > go north
  (first opening library door)
  
  This is a narrow, carpeted hallway running west from here. There is a door to the north and you can see a staircase down the hall to the west. Another door is to the south.
  
  > go west
  You are at the west end of a narrow, carpeted hallway. There is a door to the south and stairs lead upwards from here.
  
  Guarding the stairs is Wang Ping, a tough-looking Asian gentleman. He does not smile.
  
  > examine Wang
  Wang Ping is a tough-looking Asian gentleman who does not smile.
  
  Wang Ping blinks.
  
  > Hello
  You say hello to Wang Ping.
  
  (You could ask him about himself, Philip Leclair, Karl Weiss or Cheng Ling Shu.)
  
  > ask Ping about Cheng
  "What's the skinny on your boss?" you ask.
  
  "Cheng Ling Shu is a great and wise man." is Wang Ping's reply.
  
  > ask ping about himself
  "So, you must be the muscle around here, huh?" you ask.
  
  With a smile, he answers, "I am Wang Ping, a servant of Cheng Ling Shu."
  
  > ask Ping about Philip
  "Can you tell me anything about Philip Leclair; the missing magician?" you ask.
  
  "No." is Wang Ping's curt reply, yet he says it with a quick smile.
  
  > ask Ping about Karl
  "Do you know anything about Karl Weiss? He's a member here." you ask.
  
  "No." is Wang Ping's curt reply, yet he says it with a quick smile.
  
  > Go south
  (first opening the bathroom door)
  
  This is a white, tiled bathroom with the appropriate fixtures (toilet, sink, tub) all in Victorian style, of course. The pipes are visible up the walls from the fixtures and a mirror is set in the wall above the sink. The only door is to the north.
  
  > examine the mirror
  You take a moment to check your stage clothes.
  
  > examine the pipes
  The pipes lead from the fixtures and into the walls and ceiling.
  
  > knock on the pipes
  That would be an empty gesture.
  
  > take the mirror
  That's hardly portable.
  
  > Go north
  You are at the west end of a narrow, carpeted hallway. There is a door to the south and stairs lead upwards from here.
  
  Guarding the stairs is Wang Ping, a tough-looking Asian gentleman. He does not smile.
  
  > Go east
  This is a narrow, carpeted hallway running west from here. There is a door to the north and you can see a staircase down the hall to the west. Another door is to the south.
  
  > go to the north
  (first opening the den door)
  
  This is a room within the house that has no windows. Lined around the walls are lockers for the members to hold their belongings or valuables. The only door is to the south.
  
  > examine the lockers
  There are quite a few lining the walls and you examine the name tags. The only one that stands out as worth noting is labeled Karl
  Weiss.
  
  > unlock the locker with lock pick
  You unlock Karl's locker.
  
  > open the karl's locker
  You open Karl's locker, revealing a document case.
  
  > take the case
  (putting the fedora into the trenchcoat to make room)
  You take the document case from Karl's locker.
  
  > close locker
  You close Karl's locker.
  
  > go to the south
  You should examine the contents of Karl's locker while you are in here so as to avoid any attention.
  
  > Inventory
  You are carrying:
  a document case (closed)
  a wok
  an instruction manual
  a top hat (being worn)
  a set of stage clothes (being worn)
  a black cane
  a deck of cards
  a lock pick
  a trenchcoat (being worn and open)
  a fedora
  a set of ordinary clothes
  a cigar lighter
  a holster (being worn)
  a revolver
  
  > open the document case
  You open the document case, revealing Philip's plans.
  
  > read the plans
  These papers are in Leclair's hand. They detail his new vanishing trick, with copies of his diagrams. They also contain some scribbled notes in which Leclair describes a "strange new concept" in magic, and mentions "a discussion I had on the matter with my friend Weiss".
  
  Among the other diagrams and notes there is a rough sketch of the trick Weiss will perform at the charity show in a few days time.
  These papers should be enough to convince the police to arrest Weiss as an accessory to Leclair's kidnapping, if that is indeed what has happened.
  
  You hear a voice behind you and you spin to see Karl Weiss.
  "Vaht are you doing to mein locker?" he demands in a heavy
  German accent. You ignore his overtudes, saying "You're going down, Fruit-Pie the Magician."
  
  Weiss sees that you are holding Philip's plans and he makes a grab for them. You find yourself grappling with the magician over the evidence.
  
  > take revolver
  That's tough to do as you are busy grappling with Weiss over Philip's plans. "Let go, you retarded fairy!" you say through gritted teeth. There's got to be something you can do that doesn't involve your arms, you think to yourself.
  
  > kick karl
  Finally, you are able to bring your knee up and into Karl's "family jewels". With the pain and a small girlish shriek, he finally releases the plans. You straighten yourself up and say, "See you in court, or whatever passes for court in this fuckin' country, numbnuts." and you make a move to leave the room but Karl stops you.
  
  "Vait!" he says, "I may have stolen Philip Leclair's diagrams
  and plans but I had nothing to do vith his disappearance!"
  
  "Spill it, tinkletits." you demand. Karl stands up but moves away from you as he speaks. "Philip and I would talk and assist each other veeth our illusions. Before he disappeared, he came to me
  showing me a book he had found and he said with zat book, he
  could do real magic. "Vell, I recognized the book
  as one of Cheng Ling Shu's and, thinking I could ingratiate myself vith the master, I told him that Philip had taken his book.
  That's the last I saw of him. So, I had nothing to do vith
  wherever he is now!"
  
  Karl Weiss goes south.
  
  > Inventory
  You are carrying:
  a document case (open)
  Philip's plans
  a wok
  an instruction manual
  a top hat (being worn)
  a set of stage clothes (being worn)
  a black cane
  a deck of cards
  a lock pick
  a trenchcoat (being worn and open)
  a fedora
  a set of ordinary clothes
  a cigar lighter
  a holster (being worn)
  a revolver
  
  > take the plans
  (putting the lock pick into the trenchcoat to make room)
  You take Philip's plans from the document case.
  
  > open the locker
  You open Karl's locker.
  
  > put the case in the locker
  You put the document case into Karl's locker.
  
  > close locker
  You close Karl's locker.
  
  > go south
  This is a narrow, carpeted hallway running west from here. There is a door to the north and you can see a staircase down the hall to the west. Another door is to the south.
  
  > Go west
  You are at the west end of a narrow, carpeted hallway. There is a door to the south and stairs lead upwards from here.
  
  Guarding the stairs is Wang Ping, a tough-looking Asian gentleman. He does not smile.
  
  You can also see Karl Weiss here.
  
  Karl Weiss goes east.
  
  > Go east
  This is a narrow, carpeted hallway running west from here. There is a door to the north and you can see a staircase down the hall to the west. Another door is to the south.
  
  You can see Karl Weiss here.
  
  > ask Karl about Cheng
  "So you wanted to get in good with the boss and now Leclair is missing because of it. Good job, fucko. Tell me what you know about Cheng Ling Shu. Maybe you can redeem yourself a bit." you demand.
  
  "You don't want to mess with him." Weiss tells you, "He's a lot more powerful than any magician and it's because, as far as my trained eye can see, his magic is real."
  
  Karl Weiss goes south.
  
  > go south
  This library contains an extensive collection. Every inch of each wall is covered in bookshelves stuffed with books. A leather wingback chair and a leather loveseat are the furnishings so that one may enjoy a comfortable read. Doors break the monotony of books to the north, east, and west. A large window is in the south wall. You know that it looks out onto the fastidious garden.
  
  You can see Karl Weiss and an Oriental rug here.
  
  Karl Weiss goes east.
  
  > Go east
  This room holds another Chippendale chair and another long sofa. A large, low coffee table sits in the center of the room. On it are current issues of magic journals and newspapers. The room resembles the smoking room of a gentlemen's club. A door to the entrance hall is to the south and doors also lead north and west.
  
  Smoking a pipe and perusing a newspaper is Virgil Wemyss, a member of the Brotherhood.
  
  You can also see Karl Weiss here.
  
  Virgil sniffs.
  
  Karl Weiss goes south.
  
  > go to the south
  This is a carpeted foyer. The walls bear portraits of famous stage magicians of the past and present. A small desk holds a visitors' book and doors lead in each of the cardinal directions. The front door of the home is to the west.
  
  Standing sentry by the visitors' book and watching over the four doors in this room is the servant, Zhang Wei.
  
  You can also see Karl Weiss here.
  
  Zhang dusts one of the portraits.
  
  Karl Weiss goes east.
  
  > go to the east
  This is a large kitchen with wide windows on the east and north walls. Doors lead west and south. Counters hold various kitchen appliances, and of course there's a sink a large, oak icebox, and a modern Garland stove.
  
  You can see Karl Weiss and Li Qiang here.
  
  Li Qiang inspects the kitchen.
  
  Karl Weiss goes west.
  
  > go west
  This is a carpeted foyer. The walls bear portraits of famous stage magicians of the past and present. A small desk holds a visitors' book and doors lead in each of the cardinal directions. The front door of the home is to the west.
  
  Standing sentry by the visitors' book and watching over the four doors in this room is the servant, Zhang Wei.
  
  You can also see Karl Weiss here.
  
  Zhang examines the visitors book.
  
  Karl Weiss goes south.
  
  > Go north
  This room holds another Chippendale chair and another long sofa. A large, low coffee table sits in the center of the room. On it are current issues of magic journals and newspapers. The room resembles the smoking room of a gentlemen's club. A door to the entrance hall is to the south and doors also lead north and west.
  
  Smoking a pipe and perusing a newspaper is Virgil Wemyss, a member of the Brotherhood.
  
  Virgil gives a little "hmm" in response to something he's
  reading in the paper.
  
  > Show plans to Virgil
  "Interesting."
  
  Virgil puffs his pipe and turns the page of his newspaper.
  
  > go to the west
  You are at the west end of a narrow, carpeted hallway. There is a door to the south and stairs lead upwards from here.
  
  Guarding the stairs is Wang Ping, a tough-looking Asian gentleman. He does not smile.
  
  Wang Ping blinks.
  
  > Go upward
  Wang Ping politely bars your passage to the second floor.
  
  Wang Ping blinks.
  
  > Go south
  This is a white, tiled bathroom with the appropriate fixtures (toilet, sink, tub) all in Victorian style, of course. The pipes are visible up the walls from the fixtures and a mirror is set in the wall above the sink. The only door is to the north.
  
  You can see a membership card here.
  
  > examine card
  (the deck of cards)
  It's an ordinary deck of playing cards.
  
  > examine the membership card
  as a second-level member.
  
  > take the membership card
  Someone must've accidentally dropped it while pinching a loaf, you assume.
  
  You pick up the membership card from the ground.