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Group-description-complete is a truth state that varies.

Before reading a command:
    now group-description-complete is false.
   
Check taking:
if group-description-complete is true, stop the action;

Check taking:
if the number of entries in the multiple object list > 1 begin;
   say "I'm sorry, you must choose a single object here.[paragraph break]";   
   now group-description-complete is true;
   stop the action;
end if;

The silently announce items from multiple object lists rule is listed instead of the announce items from multiple object lists rule in the action-processing rules.

This is the silently announce items from multiple object lists rule:
   unless taking:
      if the current item from the multiple object list is not nothing, say "[current item from the multiple object list]: [run paragraph on]".

Definition: a thing is matched if it is listed in the multiple object list.

Understand the commands "get" and "pick" and "take" as something new. 

Understand "take [something]" as taking.
Understand "get [something]" as taking.
Understand "pick up [something]" and "pick [something] up" as taking.

Understand  "take inventory" as taking inventory.
Understand "take off [something]" and "take [something] off" as taking off.
Understand "take [something] from [something]" and "take [something] off [something]" as removing it from.

Understand "get out/off/down/up" as exiting.
Understand "get in/on" and "get in/into/on/onto [something]" as entering.
Understand "get off/down [something]" as getting off.
Understand "get [something] from [something]" as removing it from.

There is room. A dagger and a rose are here.

Test me with "take all".

Choice made is a truth state that varies. Choice made is false.

Rule for deciding whether all includes something when the player can touch the dagger and the player can touch the rose and choice made is false: it does not. [This disables "take all" in a room with the dagger and the rose when we haven't chosen yet.]
Rule for printing a parser error when the latest parser error is the nothing to do error and the dagger is in the location and the rose is in the location: say "You must choose one of the dagger and the rose."

Carry out taking the dagger: now choice made is true.
Carry out taking the rose: now choice made is true.

Starter is a room. A dagger and a rose are here.
North Room is north of starter. A hoojab, a whatsit, and a whatchamacallit are here.

Test me with "take all/n/take all/take all/drop all/s/take rose/take all".
Test oops with "n/take all/s/drop all".

Place is a room.

A thing can be plot-critical.

A cat is here. A hat is here. A bat is here. [to simulate likely presence of non-critical plot items in your scenario]

The stranger is a man in Place. "A stranger is here, offering you a choice between [a list of visible plot-critical things]." The stranger carries a rose and a dagger and a golden signet. The rose and the dagger are plot-critical.

After taking the dagger when the dagger was carried by the stranger, say "Troubled by thoughts of the conflict ahead, you reach for the dagger. Its heft is comforting."

After taking the rose when the dagger was carried by the stranger, say "Thinking wistfully of times past, you reach for the rose. Its fragrance wafts gently skyward, and you inhale deeply."

Warning given is a truth state that varies. [Has to be outside action variables, it seems, to be accessible to the reading a command activity.]

Before reading a command:
    now warning given is false.

The taking action has a list of things called grab bag.
The taking action has a list of things called exclusory items.

Setting action variables for taking:
   repeat with coveted item running through the multiple object list:
      if coveted item is not plot-critical, add coveted item to grab bag;
      otherwise add coveted item to exclusory items.

The Choice is a scene. The Choice begins when play begins.

Check taking a plot-critical thing while warning given is false and the number of entries in exclusory items is greater than 1 during the Choice (this is the intercept attempts to take multiple plot-critical things at once rule):
   now warning given is true;
   say "The stranger, seeing that you are about to take [the exclusory items with definite articles] catches your eagerly outstretched hand in an iron grip. 'You must choose, and choose carefully,' he warns. 'The path you set foot on now is the path you must walk in the trials ahead.'" instead.

Check taking a plot-critical thing while warning given is true and the number of entries in exclusory items is greater than 1 during the Choice (this is the suppress attempts to take multiple plot-critical things after the first one rule):
   stop the action.

A procedural rule when taking a plot-critical thing carried by the stranger during The Choice (this is the it's OK to take what The Choice offers rule):
   ignore the can't take people's possessions rule.

Every turn while the number of entries in the list of plot-critical things enclosed by the player is greater than 1 during The Choice (this is the emergency backup logic for plot-critical choice rule):
   say "The stranger gently retrieves [the list of plot-critical things enclosed by the player] from your hands. 'You can choose but one path,' the stranger explains.";
   now the stranger carries every plot-critical thing.

The Choice ends when the player carries exactly one plot-critical thing.

When The Choice ends, say "The stranger nods. 'Your path is chosen,' he says."

This is the silently announce items from multiple object lists rule:
   unless taking a plot-critical thing while The Choice is happening:
      if the current item from the multiple object list is not nothing, say "[current item from the multiple object list]: [run paragraph on]".

The silently announce items from multiple object lists rule is listed instead of the announce items from multiple object lists rule in the action-processing rules.

test rose with "scenes / take all / take rose / take dagger".
test dagger with "scenes / take all / take dagger / take rose".