On the back of the billboard is a scrawled note: " B E A L E R T !! The world needs more lerts." // The wreckage of a bridge (and a dead bear) can be seen at the bottom of the chasm. // "A rickety wooden bridge extends across the chasm, vanishing into the" "mist. A sign posted above the bridge reads, 'Stop! Pay Troll!'" // The bridge shakes as you cross. Large hunks of clay and rock near the edge break off and hurtlqe far down into the chasm. Several of the cracks on the bridge surface widen perceptibly. // The face of the card bears the embossed legend: " --------------------------------------------" " ! M E R K I N E X P R E S S C A R D !" " ! !" " ! (Aren't *YOU* proud to be a Merkin?) !" " --------------------------------------------" "The back of the card is blaank, except for a wide, dark-brown stripe." // MBT120O3 L16EF.ED.CD.D.L16EG.FE.DF.F. "I don't know where the cave is, but hereabouts no stream can run on" the surface for long. I would try the stream. // You have crawled around in some little holes and found your way blocked by a recent cave-in. You are now back in the main passage. // "From somewhere behind you there is a faint chuckling, but" nothing else happens. // You managed to climb about halfway up before losing your hold and sliding back. // You were only a few yards from the top when you slipped and tumbled all the way back down. // "The door slams shut as soon as you hit the button, followed by" the sound of the engine revving up. After many minutes of noise "and vibration, the engine falls silent and the door slides open." // "The document is written in an undecipherable script. However," it bears the official seal of the Orkan government. // "You are dragged down, down into the depths of the whirlpool." "Just as you can no longer hold your breath, you are shot out over" a waterfall into the shallow end of a large reservoir. Gasping "and sputtering, you crawl weakly towards the shore...." // You have taken a drink from the stream. The water tastes strongly of "minerals, but is not unpleasant. It is extremely cold." // In the rock is carved the inscription: +------------------------------------------------+ " ! In Memoriam: !" " ! John Dillinger, Liberator of the Little Man. !" " ! Died: 7-22-34. !" +------------------------------------------------+ // From somewhere in the distance comes the deep throbbing of a heavy engine. // Trolls are close relatives with the rocks and have skin as tough as that of a rhinoceros. The troll fends off your blows effortlessly. // I can only tell you what you see as you move about and manipulate things. I cannot tell you where remote things are. // "As you approach the rock, an indistinct muttering sound arises from" the general area of the rock. The only word you can hear clearly is "Fnord!" // "Gluttony is not one of the troll's vices. Avarice, however, is." // Colossal Cave is open to regular adventurers at the following hours: " MON - FRI: Open all day" " SAT - SUN: Open all day" " HOLIDAYS: Open all day" // I don't know in from out here. Use compass points or name something in the general direction you want to go. // The leaflet reads: Notice: Stairway blocked until further notice. Upper quarters "of castle still under renovation. -- Haf Witt, Foreman." // "Mist is a white vapor, seen from time to time in caverns. It can be found" anywhere but is frequently a sign of a deep pit leading down to water. // "is too ambiguous here: you can 'climb' the staircase," or enter one of the N/S hallways on either side of the stairs by typing 'NE' or 'NW'. // "The oyster creaks open, revealing nothing but oyster inside. It" promptly snaps shut again. // The paper is a worthless deed to a defunct silver mine. // "There is no way to get past the bear to unlock the chain, which" is probably just as well. // "You feel dizzy...Everything around you is spinning, expanding," growing larger... // "You are again overcome by a sickening vertigo, but this time" "everything is shrinking... I mean, you are growing. This is" terribly confusing! // I'll just take all this booty and hide it away with me chest deep in the maze!" He snatches your treasure and vanishes into the gloom. // The plant spurts into furious growth for a few seconds. // "The plant grows explosively, almost filling the bottom of the pit." // "You've over-watered the plant! It's shriveling up! It's, It's..." // The poster has a picture of a thin man with a long white beard. "He is wearing a high pointed cap embroidered with strange symbols," and he is pointing a finger at you. Below the picture are the words: !--------------------------------------------------------------------! ! "I want you!--To report all good ideas for extensions to this game ! ! to me without delay. Remember: ask not what ADVENTURE can do to ! ! you: ask what you can do for ADVENTURE." ! ! - - - ! ! >>>A public service of the John-Dillinger-Died-for-You Society<<< ! !--------------------------------------------------------------------! // All you have are watercress sandwiches. The bear is less than interested. // The ancient coat-of-arms of the family of Aldor consists of a gold fiddle-dee-dee with bronze oak leaf cluster. Stemming from the "cluster are three brass spheres, under which is the family motto" (obviously in Latin): "IN HOC TU OFFEN". // Something you're carrying won't fit through the tunnel with you. You'd best take inventory and drop something. // "Sorry, but I am not allowed to give more detail. I will repeat the long" description of your location. // The boat's oars were stolen by the dwarves to play bing-bong (that's dwarvish ping-pong -- with rocks!) You have no way to propel the boat. // I don't know the word "stop". Use "QUIT" if you want to give up. // "You go a short way down the bright passage, but the light" grows to blinding intensity. You can't continue. // "You have approached the lower end of a steep passage, but it is" "just too cold here to hang around, and you aren't properly equipped" "to continue. With teeth chattering, you climb back up...." // "The trees of the forest are large hardwood oak and maple, with an" "occasional grove of pine or spruce. There is quite a bit of undergrowth," largely birch and ash saplings plus nondescript bushes of various sorts. This "time of year visibility is quite restricted by all the leaves, but" travel is quite easy if you detour around the spruce and berry bushes. // "The troll deftly catches the axe, examines it carefully, and tosses it" "back, declaring, 'Good workmanship, but it's not valuable enough.'" // The tunnel is a real squeaker. You'll be lucky to get through "with your clothes on, let alone anything else." // A mysterious recorded voice groans into life and announces: // This exit is closed. Please leave via main office." //