text: [Themes: Fantasy, nonhuman protagonist, multiple protagonists]
  
  > Look around
  Lines of power converge in the center of the vaulted ceiling above you. Enormous scripted letters cover the west wall over the doorway.
  
  A penetration field glows steadily against the back wall.
  
  In the penetration field is a pair of wooden hooks.
  
  > look at the doorway
  You see the foyer through this inviting doorway.
  
  > Azeppo pebble
  You memorize the azeppo spell.
  A faint blue glow surrounds the pebble.
  
  > throw the pebble at the doorway
  You throw the pebble far along the foyer.
  
  You feel a brief moment of disorientation.
  
  You can see a pebble here.
  
  > go west
  The architects of this temple were careful to construct hard vertical lines on the building itself to maximize phasic flow, but you can sense the groundflow lacks focus. The square lies to the west.
  
  An open gate allows access into the temple.
  
  You can also see a window here.
  
  > Wave kriit
  You wave the Kriit. The runes on it glow faintly, but nothing else happens.
  
  > read Kriit
  The Kriit is a copper, rune-covered pole with a metal claw mounted atop and a dial on the bottom. You have no training in the ritual magic uses of the Kriit, but its plane-shifting power is supposed to require no training, only potential.
  
  > put Kriit in the case
  The glass case is closed.
  
  > get the scroll with the claw
  (first taking the claw)
  That seems to be a part of the Kriit.
  
  > Wave kriit
  You wave the Kriit. The runes on it glow faintly, but nothing else happens.
  
  > get the scroll with Kriit
  The Kriit is a copper, rune-covered pole with a metal claw mounted atop and a dial on the bottom. You have no training in the ritual magic uses of the Kriit, but its plane-shifting power is supposed to require no training, only potential.
  
  The glass case isn't open.
  
  > hit the case with Kriit
  You can only do that to something animate.
  
  > put Kriit in the case
  The glass case is closed.
  
  > get the case
  That's fixed in place.
  
  > go east
  Meticulously placed shelves set off the bounds of the room, with tables placed just offset from center. Hangings on the east wall cover an irrelevant passage.
  
  On the shelves are a tablecloth and an envelope (in which is some powder).
  
  On the tables are some candlestick holders and a candle.
  
  You can see a wooden chest (which is empty) and a glowing door here.
  
  > go north
  A winding road leads off to the north through haphazardly placed and designed buildings. To the south is a magic shop you've visited upon occasion.
  
  > Go west
  Not while such an important task remains.
  
  > Go south
  Building walls limit your movements.
  
  > memorize the cadalk
  You memorize the cadalk spell.
  
  > Cadalk guard
  The guard smiles at you. "Not me, bub." Nothing else happens.
  
  You really should have brought a good spell book along. Perhaps there are some better options at the magic shop south of the square.
  
  > cadalk yourself
  The light from the spell book goes out.
  
  The light from the guard goes out.
  
  > look at the black scroll
  This black vellum scroll would most likely contains the smolpa invisibility spell.
  
  More serious magics will be required to get this out. You recall a Kriit in the Royal Crown's temple of 'justice'; its plane-shifting powers might work here.
  
  > Wave kriit
  You wave the Kriit. The runes on it glow faintly, but nothing else happens.
  
  > examine Kriit
  The Kriit is a copper, rune-covered pole with a metal claw mounted atop and a dial on the bottom. You have no training in the ritual magic uses of the Kriit, but its plane-shifting power is supposed to require no training, only potential.
  
  > examine the dial
  This dial can be turned.
  
  > look at the claw
  This mechanical claw opens and closes when the dial is turned.
  
  > Shift kriit
  Nothing obvious happens.
  
  > Shift case
  It is fixed in place.
  
  > examine the runes
  The runes describe the postra spell, which creates a momentary sequence of portals through alternate planes of existence to create a portal to a nearby objects, allowing you to handle them at a distance.
  
  > Postra scroll
  At first, nothing happens. The Kriit vibrates slightly, and an ominous hum sounds. It builds, and for a moment you are disoriented. With a sudden flash, a spinning vortex of blue light appears next to you as simultaneously another appears next to the black scroll. You reach through the portal and watch your hand emerge from the other one.
  
  You fumble for the black scroll and barely notice a slight tug at your other hand. As you pull the scroll back through both portals, you see the Kriit disappearing through the portal next to you, clutched by a scale-covered hand.
  
  After a moment, the vortices disappear.
  
  > examine the scroll
  This black vellum scroll contains the smolpa invisibility spell.
  
  > go east
  Meticulously placed shelves set off the bounds of the room, with tables placed just offset from center. Hangings on the east wall cover an irrelevant passage.
  
  On the shelves are a tablecloth and an envelope (in which is some powder).
  
  On the tables are some candlestick holders and a candle.
  
  You can see a wooden chest (which is empty) and a glowing door here.
  
  > Gnusto smolpa
  Your spell book gets slowly warm and glows faintly; then there is a sudden flash from the black scroll. When the light fades, the black scroll is gone, but your spell book contains a new spell.
  
  > memorize the smolpa
  You memorize the smolpa spell.
  
  > Smolpa yourself
  A faint blue glow surrounds you for a moment, and then the glow disappears--and so do you, at least to yourself--since with a smolpa spell, other people can still see you fine.
  
  > Smolpa guard
  A faint blue glow surrounds the guard for a moment.
  
  > Punch guard
  Why waste your time on mundanes?
  
  > Smolpa guard
  The guard glances away, and you release the spell. A faint flash fills your vision. The guard looks back, and looks right past you.
  
  > go to the east
  The guard blocks your path. "What is that glowing book I see hovering in mid-air?"
  
  > memorize the cadalk
  You memorize the cadalk spell, but with so many spells to keep track of, you probably forgot one of the others.
  
  > cadalk yourself
  The light from the spell book goes out.
  
  The light from the guard goes out.
  
  > Go east
  You slip into the mansion and find your way to Sedmon's trophy room.
  
  Sedmon's prized possessions are arrayed in meaningless patterns around this two-story chamber. A careful arrangement of paintings and torches alternate around the walls of the room. A doorway leads out to the west.
  
  In the center of the room a platform rises high up, out of reach.
  
  On the platform is the Dragon Gem.
  
  You have a strange feeling.
  
  > look at Gem
  Shimmering, many-facetted, it inspires envy in both sorcerer and mundane alike. You can feel a compulsion beyond what its mere beauty should produce.
  
  > examine the spell book
  Your old spell book contains the spells:
  
  azeppo    teleport caster to object eventually
  inspi     rotate object
  gnusto    inscribe a spell in your spell book
  rezrov    open even locked or enchanted objects
  jindak    detect magic
  frotz     cause magical light
  zifmia    magically summon visible creature
  
  > Jindak
  A glowing latticework webbing appears around the platform. A moment later you notice a faint glowing face in one of the paintings.
  
  So. A trap.
  
  > memorize the smolpa
  You memorize the smolpa spell.
  
  > Smolpa face
  A faint blue glow surrounds the glowing face for a moment.
  
  > Punch face
  That is insubstantial.
  
  > examine the paintings
  Mostly portraits, a few pretentious landscapes.
  
  > memorize azeppo
  You memorize the azeppo spell.
  
  > look at the trap
  The strands of the web crisscross all over the surface of the platform, making it impossible to work any magic on it.
  
  > look at the platform
  Supported by a complex array of wooden beams and struts, the glass platform seems nearly amongst the rafters. Down at the base of the platform is a suspiciously vacant notch.
  
  > Zifmia face
  There is a crack of thunder as the air displaces around a figure appearing suddenly before you. Black boots, a red cloak, a black hood--you recognize the figure.
  
  Blackhelm.
  
  "Well, Volthar, it seems perhaps I underestimated you," she says.
  
  You laugh. "You always have, Merresin. Even back in the days of the Companions."
  
  She shrugs. "Even so, you will not find me unprepared."
  
  She quickly begins gesturing magically.
  
  > memorize the smolpa
  You memorize the smolpa spell, but with so many spells to keep track of, you probably forgot one of the others.
  
  > Spells
  You currently have the azeppo, smolpa, jindak, and zifmia spells memorized (in addition to the gnusto spell which you've memorized permanently).
  
  > memorize inspi
  You memorize the inspi spell, but with so many spells to keep track of, you probably forgot one of the others.
  
  > Spells
  You currently have the azeppo, inspi, jindak, and zifmia spells memorized (in addition to the gnusto spell which you've memorized permanently).
  
  > forget azeppo
  You allow the azeppo spell to pass from your memory.
  
  > Spells
  You currently have the smolpa, inspi, jindak, and zifmia spells memorized (in addition to the gnusto spell which you've memorized permanently).
  
  > Zifmia face
  There is a crack of thunder as the air displaces around a figure appearing suddenly before you. Black boots, a red cloak, a black hood--you recognize the figure.
  
  Blackhelm.
  
  "Well, Volthar, it seems perhaps I underestimated you," she says.
  
  You laugh. "You always have, Merresin. Even back in the days of the Companions."
  
  She shrugs. "Even so, you will not find me unprepared."
  
  She quickly begins gesturing magically.
  
  > Inspi blackhelm
  A shimmering blue glow surrounds Merresin Blackhelm, who slowly rotates, turning around to face away and then back, then turning over upside downand continuing until he rights himself and then turning over sideways like hands on a clock, from midnight through morning and back to noon.
  
  With a final gesture, Blackhelm disappears in a puff of grey smoke.
  
  > look at the trap
  The strands of the web crisscross all over the surface of the platform, making it impossible to work any magic on it.
  
  > Wait
  Time passes.