text: > look around
  Emperor Tavern { West }
  This area of the tavern seems a little more refined than the main area to the east. Here, the customers - or clientele - sit around sipping wine, talking in hushed voices and discussing the works of art adorning the walls. It's a welcome change after the noise just a short walk to the east.
  
  You can see a tablet here.
  
  > take the tablet
  Taken.
  
  > give tablet to Talbot
  "This some kinda drug?" he asks blearily, but before you can answer he takes it from you and swallows it in one go.
  
  And howls!
  
  "Yah, that packs a punch and then some!" He thumps himself on
  the chest. "You trying to kill me?"
  
  "Just sober you up," you say.
  
  "Well, it certainly did that." He groans. "I need a drink after that." At your expression, he quickly adds, "Just a soft drink. I think there's a coffee house close by. I'll try that."
  
  He puts his hand out and you shake it. "Name's Oscar Talbot. You?
  
  You tell him.
  
  "Nice to meet you, lady. Come see me in the coffee house if you want to talk."
  
  He wanders away from the park.
  
  > Go west
  One of many coffee houses that have sprung up across the city offering cheap, barely drinkable (in your opinion) coffee to people with more money than common sense. This one is of fairly typical design: numerous tables and booths, an harassed looking waitress (the only employee that you can see) and an atmosphere thick with the smell of burnt coffee beans. Only one booth is free at this moment, this being due southwest. You see Oscar Talbot sat close by.
  
  To the east lies Tiamont Square.
  
  > talk to Oscar
  Talbot says, "Sure packed one hell of a punch that tablet you gave me. My head is still throbbing."
  
  "No need to thank me. You needed it more than I did."
  
  He laughs, then groans. "Agh. Laughing's not a good idea when your head's throbbing like mine is." He massages his forehead. "Unusual for someone to help out a complete stranger like that, Miss. You ever need a favour doing, just holler. I'll hear you."
  
  "You mentioned that something had been stolen from you in the Emperor Tavern."
  
  "I did?" Talbot rubs his head again and his good cheer fades. "Yes, I did. A photo of my daughter."
  
  > Keep going
  Talbot says, "She died. Her name was Annabel. She was young when it happened, and it broke my wife's heart. She left me and I haven't seen her since, though I've had my brain in the bottom of a bottle for a long time now so I don't blame her for leaving."
  
  He goes quiet for a minute, staring into space, before finally saying, "I gambled with some very dangerous people there. They took my money off me, but that wasn't what they wanted. They wanted something precious to me. The photo." Talbot sighs. "I kept it with me as a reminder. After I'd lost all my money, they offered to double everything if I put the photo up as collateral. And I lost. I lost the last photo of my daughter."
  
  "Why would they want the photo?"
  
  "Because of who they are. What they are. Mind thieves. Human
  suffering is like a drug to them. Oh, what a fool I was. Gambling away something like that. But I'll get it back from them one day."
  
  "More gambling?"
  
  "No, I've learnt my lesson there. Anyway, they cheated. The game was rigged. They switched the cards around when I wasn't looking and left me with a useless hand. No, lady, when I get the photo back from them, it won't be via gambling. And they won't be walking away from it to suck up someone else's misery, I can tell you."
  
  > continue
  Talbot says, "Sorry, I've told you too much. I'm just an old drunk and fool, talking my mouth off. Forget I said anything."
  
  "Maybe I can help," you say.
  
  "Against them? No, don't even think about it. They're dangerous. They could have killed me, but I guess it amuses them to leave me alive knowing how miserable I am now they've taken from me the one thing I miss the most. Stay away from them."
  
  > Continue
  Talbot says, "Just stay away from them, Miss. Please. I don't want your death on my conscience on top of everything else."
  
  > Meld passcard with bracelet
  You concentrate on the passcard and the bracelet and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > Meld passcard with chisel
  You concentrate on the passcard and the chisel and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > Meld passcard with note
  You concentrate on the passcard and the note and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > Unmeld passcard
  You concentrate on the passcard and your meld ability takes hold, tearing apart the molecules of the shockter and reforming them into a doll and some putty.
  
  > look at the doll
  An old-fashioned kind of doll, the sort of thing that was popular when your mother was a child.
  
  > examine the putty
  Soft to the touch, but something prevents it being pulled apart.
  
  > Unmeld doll
  You concentrate on the doll and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. It seems the doll hasn't been melded from anything and therefore it can't be unmelded into something else.
  
  > Meld the mirror with the putty
  You concentrate on the mirror and the putty and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > Unmeld mirror
  You concentrate on the mirror and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. It seems the mirror hasn't been melded from anything and therefore it can't be unmelded into something else.
  
  > meld the mirror with the bracelet
  You concentrate on the mirror and the bracelet and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > meld the mirror with the note
  You bring your meld ability to focus on the mirror and note. You watch as they become melded together... their molecules becoming one... transforming into something else...
  
  Leaving you holding a magnifying glass.
  
  > Unmeld bracelet
  You concentrate on the bracelet and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. It seems the bracelet hasn't been melded from anything and therefore it can't be unmelded into something else.
  
  > Meld bracelet with chisel
  You bring your meld ability to focus on the bracelet and the chisel. You watch as they become melded together... their molecules becoming one... transforming into something else...
  
  Leaving you holding some lipstick.
  
  > Unmeld lipstick
  You concentrate on the lipstick and your meld ability takes hold, tearing apart the molecules of the lipstick and reforming them into a bracelet and a chisel.
  
  > Unmeld chisel
  You concentrate on the chisel and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. It seems the chisel hasn't been melded from anything and therefore it can't be unmelded into something else.
  
  > Meld bracelet with doll
  You concentrate on the bracelet and the doll and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > Meld bracelet with putty
  You concentrate on the bracelet and the putty and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > Meld chisel with doll
  You concentrate on the chisel and the doll and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > Meld chisel with putty
  You concentrate on the chisel and the putty and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > Unmeld putty
  You concentrate on the putty and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. It seems the putty hasn't been melded from anything and therefore it can't be unmelded into something else.
  
  > Unmeld note
  You concentrate on the note and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. It seems the note hasn't been melded from anything and therefore it can't be unmelded into something else.
  
  > Meld the mirror with the doll
  You concentrate on the mirror and the doll and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > meld the doll with the note
  You concentrate on the doll and the note and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > Meld putty with note
  You concentrate on the putty and the note and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > meld the note with the bracelet
  You concentrate on the note and the bracelet and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > meld the note with chisel
  You bring your meld ability to focus on the chisel and the note. You watch as they become melded together... their molecules becoming one... transforming into something else...
  
  Leaving you holding a rock.
  
  > look at the rock
  A lump of rock big enough to fit comfortably into your hand. It feels unnaturally heavy.
  
  > meld rock with the bracelet
  You concentrate on the rock and the bracelet and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > hit Jacob with the rock
  Jacob knocks the rock out of your hand.
  
  "Nice try, sweetheart," he says.
  
  > take rock
  You already have that.
  
  > Meld rock
  Your head aches but nothing else seems to happen. You get the distinct feeling you're doing it wrong. Something is missing.
  
  Of course. You're forgetting the simplest, most basic rule of melding: it needs to work with another item. You cannot meld something
  on its own.
  
  > meld rock with the mirror
  You concentrate on the rock and the mirror and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > Meld rock with the putty
  You concentrate on the rock and the putty and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > Meld rock with the doll
  You concentrate on the rock and the doll and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > Meld the doll with the putty
  You bring your meld ability to focus on the doll and the putty. You watch as they become melded together... their molecules becoming one... transforming into something else...
  
  Leaving you holding a passcard.
  
  > meld passcard with rock
  You concentrate on the passcard and the rock and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > Meld passcard with mirror
  You bring your meld ability to focus on the mirror and the passcard. You watch as they become melded together... their molecules becoming one... transforming into something else...
  
  Leaving you once more holding the slip of paper.
  
  > Meld slip with the rock
  You concentrate on the slip of paper and the rock and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > Unmeld slip
  You concentrate on the slip of paper and your meld ability takes hold, tearing apart the molecules of the slip of paper and reforming them into a mirror and a passcard.
  
  > check your inventory
  You are carrying:
  a putty
  a doll
  a mirror
  a rock
  a bracelet
  
  > meld the mirror with the bracelet
  You concentrate on the mirror and the bracelet and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > talk to the librarian
  He looks at you, sighs deeper, as if the very idea of talking to you is a gargantuan effort, and says "Can I help you with anything?"
  
  "I was just-"
  
  "Feel free to browse the bookshelves if you like. We have an excellent collection of Dromond's novels and a rare first by Edias. All very interesting works."
  
  "Well, I was-"
  
  "Or local history? Does that interest you? If so, have a look at some of the bookshelves. I'm sure something will take your fancy."
  
  "I was-"
  
  "Ah, my apologies. Under new library rules, I am only allowed to spend a certain amount of time with each customer, and your time is at an end. Now, if you don't mind, I have other work to attend to."
  
  "But-"
  
  But you're wasting your breath. The librarian clearly has no interest in talking to you.
  
  > talk to the waitress
  "Be with you in a minute," she says, and rushes off to serve someone else.
  
  > look at what you're carrying with you
  You are carrying:
  a magnifying glass
  a chisel
  a putty
  a doll
  a bracelet
  
  > Unmeld painting
  You concentrate on the painting and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. It seems the painting hasn't been melded from anything and therefore it can't be unmelded into something else.
  
  > talk to the individuals
  No matter what you say to them, they don't answer. It's almost like they're so focused on their staring, they literally don't know you're here.
  
  > look at what you're carrying with you
  You are carrying:
  a magnifying glass
  a chisel
  a putty
  a doll
  a bracelet
  
  > put the mirror on the table
  You put the mirror on the table.
  
  As soon as this happens, it blocks the view of the jewel from one of the men, and something very strange happens.
  
  The jewel flickers, as if it's not really there at all! Then it fades away altogether.
  
  "How dare you!" one of the men cries, springing to his feet. "You have disrupted a most important experiment!
  
  "Oh, pish, Pavlaroka," another of the men says. "If someone placing a mirror on the table can disrupt your mind jewel, you're nothing but a charlatan anyway. You ought to be ashamed."
  
  Pavlaroka goes pale. "But- but-" He glares daggers at you. "You'll be sorry for this, madam. Believe me, you'll be very, very
  sorry."
  
  He storms away, pausing only to flash an angry glance back over his shoulder at you.
  
  One by one, the other men get up and leave, all save the one who dismissed Pavlaroka as a charlatan. He regards you coldly, but with some amusement in his eyes. "Well... that was an interesting turn of events. My name is Tobol. Tell me, did you deliberately do that to antagonise Pavlaroka or was it pure happenstance? No, don't answer the question. I'll just amuse myself with the knowledge that Pavlaroka has more enemies than I previously imagined."
  
  > talk to Tobol
  You explain about Oscar Talbot and the photo of his daughter that he lost gambling.
  
  Tobol shrugs. "He gambled. He lost. What more can I say?"
  
  "You could give him the photo back."
  
  "I could, but I won't. He gambled fair and square and he lost fair and square. If he wishes to have the photo back, he can go to the guard and see how far that takes him. And why does it concern you anyway? Are you some kind of good samaritan to the drunken and worthless?"
  
  "Would you take something else in exchange?"
  
  Tobol smiles. "Ah, now we're getting to the heart of the matter, aren't we? Very well. The photo by itself has no value to me. I would take money, but Talbot has none. However, there is a certain pearl I have seen, blue in colour, which rests in the display area of a jewellery shop on Mawbury Lane. It costs, I believe, 2 million credits. I will take that in exchange for the photo."
  
  "I hardly think Talbot has 2 million credits just lying around."
  
  "Then the photo is mine. Perhaps I will burn it, or cut it into small pieces and let the breeze carry it away."
  
  > talk to Tobol
  "If you do not have the pearl, we have nothing to discuss. If you do, give it to me."
  
  > examine the buildings
  It's really strange how they lean like that and seem to be on the verge of toppling over. Some architectural flaw? Were they designed like that?
  
  You don't feel especially safe on this path, like the buildings might suddenly decide to fall on you at any moment.
  
  > check what you're carrying
  You are carrying:
  a mirror
  a note
  a chisel
  a putty
  a doll
  a bracelet
  
  > meld the glass with bracelet
  You concentrate on the magnifying glass and the bracelet and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > meld the glass with chisel
  You concentrate on the magnifying glass and the chisel and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > meld the glass with the doll
  You concentrate on the magnifying glass and the doll and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > meld the glass with the putty
  You concentrate on the magnifying glass and the putty and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > Meld chisel with bracelet
  You bring your meld ability to focus on the bracelet and the chisel. You watch as they become melded together... their molecules becoming one... transforming into something else...
  
  Leaving you holding some lipstick.
  
  > meld the glass with the lipstick
  You bring your meld ability to focus on the magnifying glass and the lipstick and the note. You watch as they become melded together... their molecules becoming one... transforming into something else...
  
  Leaving you holding a gun.
  
  > examine the gun
  This is the kind of old-fashioned gun you remember seeing as a child in black and white films. It fires bullets, of which it currently none, instead of a laser beam like modern guns.
  
  > meld the gun with the doll
  You concentrate on the gun and the doll and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > Meld gun with the putty
  You concentrate on the gun and the putty and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. The items cannot be melded with each other.
  
  > Shoot gun
  You can only do that to something animate.
  
  > show the gun to Oscar
  Oscar Talbot is unimpressed.
  
  > show the gun to Jacob
  Jacob takes one look at the gun and hastily backs away. "Hey, sweetheart! Take it easy now! I wasn't gonna hurt you, honest, I was just- just-"
  
  Whatever he was just planning to do you never find out because he turns on his heel and runs off as fast as he can.
  
  > Go southeast
  The old part of the city, but quite charming in its own right. There's a fountain here to drink from, though you're not entirely sure the water is good for you. A street artist can be seen here, performing for passersby.
  
  To the north is Padgett's Jewellers, south is Thorobad Road, east lies the exclusive Bagliatiers Club, southeast the Tower of Morning and northwest is a winding path.
  
  > look at the fountain
  An ancient stone fountain, likely built back in the days when people rode around on horses. It's full of water, but you're not sure how clean it is.
  
  > go to the north
  The interior of the shop is a ruin: tumbled over displays, flickering lights and the security system seems to be malfunctioning. There's a pedestal in the centre of the store which seems to have survived the worst of the damage.
  
  There is a small manager's office to the north and to the south is Mawbury Lane.
  
  The disruption caused by the Angel's departure seems to have badly hit Padgett's Jewellers. Most of the displays have fallen over and the previous state-of-the-art security system appears to be malfunctioning. Of the manager, Mr Kimble, you can see no sign.
  
  > examine the pedestal
  It's hard to pay much attention to the pedestal with the blue pearl atop it.
  
  > examine the pearl
  Beautiful and then some. Even for someone not overly impressed with fancy jewels, this is very eye-catching. Unfortunately, the 2 million credit price tag puts it roughly 2 million credits out of your price range.
  
  > take the pearl
  Hoping the alarms have been disabled, you pick up the large blue pearl.
  
  Which, the moment it leaves the pedestal, shimmers and shrinks to about half its former size. Clearly the pedestal is fitted with some kind of cloaking device designed to make the pearl look much grander than it previously was.
  
  > take the pedestal
  It's fixed in place.
  
  > Unmeld pearl
  You concentrate on the small blue pearl and bring your meld ability to bear, but nothing happens. It seems the small blue pearl hasn't been melded from anything and therefore it can't be unmelded into something else.
  
  > go to the south
  The old part of the city, but quite charming in its own right. There's a fountain here to drink from, though you're not entirely sure the water is good for you. A street artist can be seen here, performing for passersby.
  
  To the north is Padgett's Jewellers, south is Thorobad Road, east lies the exclusive Bagliatiers Club, southeast the Tower of Morning and northwest is a winding path.
  
  > go to the northwest
  Little sunlight reaches this winding path due to the tall buildings on either side, buildings which seem to lean over, almost touching, above you. This is an old part of the city, with nothing here having been built in the last hundred years.
  
  Northwest you can see Tiamont Plaza, to the south is an abandoned house and southeast is Mawbury Lane.
  
  > Go north
  Emperor Tavern { North }
  Against the back wall of the tavern is a table. This was previously occupied by a group of strange individuals having a staring contest, but they have now all departed save for one man called Tobol.
  
  You can leave to the south when you wish.
  
  > give the pearl to Tobol
  Tobol's eyes narrow slightly. "Interesting. When I asked for the pearl, I did not believe you would be able to acquire it, however it seems you are more resourceful than I imagined."
  
  "We had a deal. Do you have the photo?"
  
  "I do indeed." Tobol produces it from his pocket and casually tosses it to you. "Take it. A small thing. Trivial, of no account. But this," he taps the pearl, "is worth a fortune. You are a strange person, to trade such obvious wealth for something of no value."
  
  "It means everything to Talbot."
  
  Tobol gives you a ghost of a smile. "Indeed."
  
  > take the photo
  You already have that.
  
  > examine photo
  An old photo of a young girl, smiling prettily at the camera.
  
  > give the photo to Oscar
  Talbot's hand shakes as he reaches out to take the photo. "How did you...?"
  
  "Don't ask. I'm just glad I could retrieve it for you."
  
  Talbot stares at the photo. His eyes fill with tears, but he quickly wipes them away. "Oh, I'm an old fool, gambling with this...
  But I'm done now. No more gambling for me. I'd die if I lost this again. Tell me, please, how can I repay you?"
  
  You tell him there's no need, but he searches about his person for something, anything, to give you by way of payment. Finally he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a scarf. He holds it tightly then hands it to you. "Accept this. Please. It's not much but... years ago, before my daughter died, before my wife left me and I began drinking myself to death, I was a member of a very important club on Mawbury Lane. Bagliatiers. You may have heard of it. This scarf was something we all wore as a badge of our membership. It's not worth much these days - probably almost nothing in fact - but you might be able to sell it for something, and if not just..." He laughs softly. "Just use it to keep warm."
  
  He won't take no for an answer so you accept the scarf. Talbot thanks you again, then rises slowly to his feet, still clutching the photo of his daughter, and leaves the coffee house.
  
  > check what you're carrying
  You are carrying:
  a scarf
  a gun
  a putty
  a doll
  
  > Wear scarf
  You put on the scarf.
  
  > Go east
  This is the lobby area of a very exclusive club, the kind of place that only people with earnings in the seven figure category ever get to visit. The floor is all marble tiles and the walls fairly shimmer. Steel doors are set into the east wall and look impervious to anything less than a nuclear strike. A small slot to the side looks like the means of access, assuming you have anything that might fit into it. Due west lies Mawbury Lane.
  
  You hear footsteps from behind you and turn to see a tall, heavily-built man stood in the doorway. He has the look of a bodyguard or soldier.
  
  He notices the scarf you're  wearing and offers a short nod. "Welcome to Bagliatiers, madam. I am Farrah, head of security, at your service."
  
  > examine the door
  A pair of impressive steel doors set into the east wall, currently closed.
  
  > Examine slot
  A slot about the size of a playing card.
  
  > talk to Farrah
  "Welcome to Bagliatiers, madam," he says.