It's the wee hours of a warm summer night and you're toiling away in your workshop, frantically preparing for an imminent invasion. You almost dropped your crystal ball in shock when your latest survey of the lands revealed a dragon heading straight for your tower! And not just any dragon – the fearsome Ignipter, who has an old grudge against you. You suspect that if you don't erect your defenses in time, the only thing left of your tower by sunrise will be rubble. > EXAMINE CRYSTAL A rare iridescent gem, packed so full of magical energy that it's practically buzzing. This should serve as the perfect core for your dragonproof armour... > PUT CRYSTAL IN CHESTPLATE You delicately insert the gem into a small cavity on the front of the ornate metal chestplate, reciting an incantation to bind your protective Words to both objects. Suddenly, a stray spark of magic singes your hand, which reflexively jerks sideways. That's all it takes to break apart the hastily-assembled mechanism designed to harness the gem's power, and raw magical energy starts pouring into the room! The swirling billows engulf you. As you lose consciousness, you feel a horrible turmoil rising up from your chest... The sun is already warming your face when you awaken. A wave of panic rushes over you, and you jump to your feet– you jump to your feet– ...why are your legs not obeying you? It dawns on you: your Words are gone. Ever since you bound your life force to the English language, you've relied on them for almost every aspect of life, and now they've been pulled right out of your mouth at the worst possible time by the magical maelstrom! Indeed, to a Word Mage, words are not only tools for communication, they're also the very root of a person's interactions with the outside world; without words, there's no way for you to LIGHT LAMP, EAT PASTA, or even just ENJOY POETRY. But you don't have the luxury of waiting to get your words back. You'll just have to do without! Nonverbal Communication An Interactive Fiction by Allyson Gray Release 1 / Serial number 240330 / Inform 7 v10.1.2 Workshop Lying on the workshop floor among the remains of your artefacts, you think about your predicament. You've thankfully held on to your ability to THINK and WAIT, but you can't seem to find the capacity for any other actions, and you notice that even your senses are greatly dulled. You're not too worried about your nouns; obedient and predictable, nouns always seek refuge in familiar objects whenever they're orphaned. Even in this sorry state, you should be able to call on their power when they're nearby. But verbs are independent, fickle things, and although you feel the presence of some of your most beloved verbs within the tower, you doubt you'll be able to compel them directly. Still, you have to find a way to survive this! You extend outwards what little magical power you still have, identifying nearby nouns that might prove helpful. What if you tried addressing them directly? The Ambler Automaton sits in a corner of the room. The Depositor Automaton is swaying above you, its claw empty. The Gazer Automaton beeps on the floor. >me You focus your energy on yourself, sending out a wave of magic that beckons to all nearby verbs. The Ambler Automaton walks towards you. The Depositor Automaton picks you up in its claw, hoisting you above the room. The Gazer Automaton beeps. >ambler You extend your energy towards the Ambler Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton chases its own behind. The Depositor Automaton drapes your body across the Ambler Automaton's back. The Gazer Automaton beeps. >gazer You extend your energy towards the Gazer Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton stands above the Gazer Automaton, swaying happily from side to side. The Depositor Automaton deftly grabs the Gazer Automaton out from under the Ambler Automaton and lifts it into the air. The Gazer Automaton beeps. >me You focus your energy on yourself, sending out a wave of magic that beckons to all nearby verbs. The Ambler Automaton spins around on itself. The Depositor Automaton places the Gazer Automaton on your face. The Gazer Automaton's arms firmly grip the sides of your head, securing the glasses to your face. You can detect objects much further away now! As you suspected, your verbs have chosen suitable vessels to keep expressing their power, forming various automatons (inanimate objects that gain life through magic). If memory serves you right, the alphabet principle should apply here: the order of priority for words matches their alphabetical order. Maybe those stubborn verbs can still help you survive, if you play your cards right... The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of you: "A powerful Word Mage who also dabbles in potion-making and enchanted mechanics. Currently in a rather pitiful state." At the bottom of a steep staircase, you can see your bedroom. >z A moment passes as you let your energy rest. You are in the workshop. The Ambler Automaton creaks quietly underneath you. The Depositor Automaton is dangling from the ceiling, its claw empty. You can feel the Gazer Automaton's strong grip on the sides of your head. At the bottom of a steep staircase, you can see your bedroom. >bedroom You extend your energy towards the bedroom. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks you to the bedroom. Bedroom You are in your bedroom. As the Ambler Automaton makes its way down the stairs, the workshop's entryway collapses behind you! Large pieces of rubble now block the path upstairs. The Basher Automaton is idling in the bedroom, its large hammers and even larger frame lending it an imposing presence. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the bedroom: "Your bedroom is made cozier by an assortment of rugs and tapestries that cover the cold stone surfaces. To your relief, everything seems mostly intact despite the destruction that happened upstairs." Your bedroom dresser's drawers are closed. At the bottom of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. >dresser You extend your energy towards the dresser. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton tries to walk into the dresser with a thud. The Basher Automaton reduces the dresser to pieces, burying its contents under jagged wooden shards. You feel the noun's power fading away. The Gazer Automaton fails to find a noun to act upon. At the bottom of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. >gazer You extend your energy towards the Gazer Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton spins around on itself. The Basher Automaton swiftly rolls up to you. The last thing you see is its hammer arm swinging towards your face... *** VIOLENCE ISN'T THE ANSWER TO THIS ONE *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Bedroom [Previous turn undone.] You are in your bedroom. The Ambler Automaton creaks quietly underneath you. The Basher Automaton towers over everything else in the room, hammers at the ready. You can feel the Gazer Automaton's strong grip on the sides of your head. At the bottom of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. >ambler You extend your energy towards the Ambler Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton chases its own behind. The Basher Automaton swiftly rolls towards the Ambler Automaton and prepares to batter it. Unfortunately, you've placed yourself right on its victim's back... *** VIOLENCE ISN'T THE ANSWER TO THIS ONE *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Bedroom [Previous turn undone.] You are in your bedroom. The Ambler Automaton creaks quietly underneath you. The Basher Automaton towers over everything else in the room, hammers at the ready. You can feel the Gazer Automaton's strong grip on the sides of your head. At the bottom of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. >kitchen You extend your energy towards the kitchen. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks you to the kitchen. Kitchen You are in the kitchen. The Basher Automaton barges into the room and attacks your kitchen tile. The Exposer Automaton is on the floor of the kitchen, resting on its small pyramidal base. The Fastener Automaton is in the middle of the kitchen, its metal arm extending up from the floor. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the kitchen: "Well-stocked with food as well as a variety of magical ingredients." The door to your kitchen pantry is shut. There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >pantry You extend your energy towards the pantry. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton tries to walk into the pantry door, bumping against it softly. The Basher Automaton violently swings its hammers at the pantry, collapsing its door and shelves in a messy heap. You feel the noun's power fading away. The Exposer Automaton fails to find a noun to act upon. The Fastener Automaton fails to find a noun to act upon. The Gazer Automaton fails to find a noun to act upon. There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >fastener You extend your energy towards the Fastener Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks into the Fastener Automaton's metallic pole. Ping! The Basher Automaton sweeps its hammer arms towards the Fastener Automaton, bending and denting its metal rod. The verb CLOSE leaps out of the bobbing glove and lands on the floor with a startling smack. After a short pause, it loudly hops away and disappears. You feel the noun FASTENER lose its power. The Exposer Automaton fails to find a noun to act upon. The Gazer Automaton fails to find a noun to act upon. There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >close door That's no longer in your vocabulary. >exposer You extend your energy towards the Exposer Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks back and forth, following the Exposer Automaton's ever-shifting rope. The Basher Automaton pummels the Exposer Automaton's base, cracking it. As the rope turns limp and flops to the floor, the verb OPEN slithers out of the fissure. After briefly coiling around your ankle, it retreats into an inaccessible corner of the room. You feel the "noun" EXPOSER lose its power. The Gazer Automaton fails to find a noun to act upon. There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >foyer You extend your energy towards the foyer. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks you to the foyer. Foyer You are in the foyer. The Collector Automaton is standing in the foyer, leaning against a wall. The Basher Automaton pops in after you and unleashes its fury on the plush carpet of the foyer. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the foyer: "A room designed to be beautiful and inviting. If you ever had guests, they'd surely appreciate the warm welcome." The front door to your house is currently closed. At the top of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. >door You extend your energy towards the front door. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton nuzzles up to the front door. The Basher Automaton smashes through the door and you feel the noun's power fading away. Light pours into the foyer, and you can see the yard. The Collector Automaton hops around the door, clattering against it, but fails to collect it. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the front door: "A plain wooden door, imbued with a spell that makes it nigh-impossible to open from the outside." It is currently open, and you can see the yard. At the top of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. You can see your front yard. >yard You extend your energy towards the workshop. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton carries you outside. Yard The Ambler Automaton steps out into the yard. Your eyes widen as you're immediately confronted with the sight of Ignipter, who was waiting outside your tower! The Basher Automaton is not much help, waging war on your flowers and eviscerating bushes. Meanwhile, the Collector Automaton frolics about, collecting all the dirt it possibly can. You can only watch helplessly as the beast lowers her head towards you, baring fangs almost as long as you are tall. Finding yourself completely defenseless, you feel a primal energy surge deep within you. A gnawing feeling of emptiness is suddenly replaced by the biggest adrenaline rush you've ever felt - the verb FLEE has galloped back to you, drawn in by your instincts and panic! With no hesitation and no effort spared, pushing your limited physical and magical capacities to their limits, you abandon your tower and escape towards a nearby cave. Ignipter roars something in Draconic that you don't understand (presumably a threat) as you scramble away. Months later, you've regained most of your words and come out of hiding. You haven't seen or heard from Ignipter since the incident, which is a relief. But you still live in fear of another invasion, and you often find yourself wondering what could have been... *** ENDING 2 OUT OF 3: FLIGHT *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Foyer [Previous turn undone.] You are in the foyer. The Ambler Automaton creaks quietly underneath you. The Basher Automaton towers over everything else in the room, hammers at the ready. The Collector Automaton impatiently rocks back and forth as it stands around. You can feel the Gazer Automaton's strong grip on the sides of your head. At the top of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. >collector You extend your energy towards the Collector Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton nudges the Collector Automaton. The Basher Automaton swiftly crushes the Collector Automaton in a single swing, sending wooden fragments sliding across the floor. The verb TAKE bursts out, and it bounces around the room playfully before escaping. You feel the noun COLLECTOR lose its power. The Gazer Automaton fails to find a noun to act upon. At the top of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. You can see your front yard. >z A moment passes as you let your energy rest. You are in the foyer. The Ambler Automaton creaks quietly underneath you. The Basher Automaton towers over everything else in the room, hammers at the ready. You can feel the Gazer Automaton's strong grip on the sides of your head. At the top of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. You can see your front yard. >kitchen You extend your energy towards the kitchen. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks you to the kitchen. Kitchen You are in the kitchen. The Basher Automaton barges into the room and attacks your kitchen tile. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the kitchen: "Well-stocked with food as well as a variety of magical ingredients." There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >bedroom You extend your energy towards the bedroom. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks you to the bedroom. Bedroom You are in your bedroom. The Basher Automaton clambers up the stairs and starts hammering at your bedroom rug. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the bedroom: "Your bedroom is made cozier by an assortment of rugs and tapestries that cover the cold stone surfaces. To your relief, everything seems mostly intact despite the destruction that happened upstairs." At the bottom of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. >basher You extend your energy towards the Basher Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton gets as close as possible to the Basher Automaton. Looking up at its giant hammers, you feel nervous. Without a hint of hesitation, the Basher Automaton gives itself two simultaneous blows, crossing its mighty hammers. Its arms fall off (thankfully not on you), and the verb ATTACK floats out of the hollow body. It mischievously bops you on the head before zooming away. You feel the noun AMBLER lose its power. The Gazer Automaton fails to find a noun to act upon. At the bottom of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. >restart Are you sure you want to restart? yes It's the wee hours of a warm summer night and you're toiling away in your workshop, frantically preparing for an imminent invasion. You almost dropped your crystal ball in shock when your latest survey of the lands revealed a dragon heading straight for your tower! And not just any dragon – the fearsome Ignipter, who has an old grudge against you. You suspect that if you don't erect your defenses in time, the only thing left of your tower by sunrise will be rubble. > EXAMINE CRYSTAL A rare iridescent gem, packed so full of magical energy that it's practically buzzing. This should serve as the perfect core for your dragonproof armour... > PUT CRYSTAL IN CHESTPLATE You delicately insert the gem into a small cavity on the front of the ornate metal chestplate, reciting an incantation to bind your protective Words to both objects. Suddenly, a stray spark of magic singes your hand, which reflexively jerks sideways. That's all it takes to break apart the hastily-assembled mechanism designed to harness the gem's power, and raw magical energy starts pouring into the room! The swirling billows engulf you. As you lose consciousness, you feel a horrible turmoil rising up from your chest... The sun is already warming your face when you awaken. A wave of panic rushes over you, and you jump to your feet– you jump to your feet– ...why are your legs not obeying you? It dawns on you: your Words are gone. Ever since you bound your life force to the English language, you've relied on them for almost every aspect of life, and now they've been pulled right out of your mouth at the worst possible time by the magical maelstrom! Indeed, to a Word Mage, words are not only tools for communication, they're also the very root of a person's interactions with the outside world; without words, there's no way for you to LIGHT LAMP, EAT PASTA, or even just ENJOY POETRY. But you don't have the luxury of waiting to get your words back. You'll just have to do without! Nonverbal Communication An Interactive Fiction by Allyson Gray Release 1 / Serial number 240330 / Inform 7 v10.1.2 Workshop Lying on the workshop floor among the remains of your artefacts, you think about your predicament. You've thankfully held on to your ability to THINK and WAIT, but you can't seem to find the capacity for any other actions, and you notice that even your senses are greatly dulled. You're not too worried about your nouns; obedient and predictable, nouns always seek refuge in familiar objects whenever they're orphaned. Even in this sorry state, you should be able to call on their power when they're nearby. But verbs are independent, fickle things, and although you feel the presence of some of your most beloved verbs within the tower, you doubt you'll be able to compel them directly. Still, you have to find a way to survive this! You extend outwards what little magical power you still have, identifying nearby nouns that might prove helpful. What if you tried addressing them directly? The Ambler Automaton sits in a corner of the room. The Depositor Automaton is swaying above you, its claw empty. The Gazer Automaton beeps on the floor. >me You focus your energy on yourself, sending out a wave of magic that beckons to all nearby verbs. The Ambler Automaton walks towards you. The Depositor Automaton picks you up in its claw, hoisting you above the room. The Gazer Automaton beeps. >ambler You extend your energy towards the Ambler Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton chases its own behind. The Depositor Automaton drapes your body across the Ambler Automaton's back. The Gazer Automaton beeps. >gazer You extend your energy towards the Gazer Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton stands above the Gazer Automaton, swaying happily from side to side. The Depositor Automaton deftly grabs the Gazer Automaton out from under the Ambler Automaton and lifts it into the air. The Gazer Automaton beeps. >me You focus your energy on yourself, sending out a wave of magic that beckons to all nearby verbs. The Ambler Automaton spins around on itself. The Depositor Automaton places the Gazer Automaton on your face. The Gazer Automaton's arms firmly grip the sides of your head, securing the glasses to your face. You can detect objects much further away now! As you suspected, your verbs have chosen suitable vessels to keep expressing their power, forming various automatons (inanimate objects that gain life through magic). If memory serves you right, the alphabet principle should apply here: the order of priority for words matches their alphabetical order. Maybe those stubborn verbs can still help you survive, if you play your cards right... The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of you: "A powerful Word Mage who also dabbles in potion-making and enchanted mechanics. Currently in a rather pitiful state." At the bottom of a steep staircase, you can see your bedroom. >bedroom You extend your energy towards the bedroom. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks you to the bedroom. Bedroom You are in your bedroom. As the Ambler Automaton makes its way down the stairs, the workshop's entryway collapses behind you! Large pieces of rubble now block the path upstairs. The Basher Automaton is idling in the bedroom, its large hammers and even larger frame lending it an imposing presence. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the bedroom: "Your bedroom is made cozier by an assortment of rugs and tapestries that cover the cold stone surfaces. To your relief, everything seems mostly intact despite the destruction that happened upstairs." Your bedroom dresser's drawers are closed. At the bottom of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. >basher You extend your energy towards the Basher Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton gets as close as possible to the Basher Automaton. Looking up at its giant hammers, you feel nervous. Without a hint of hesitation, the Basher Automaton gives itself two simultaneous blows, crossing its mighty hammers. Its arms fall off (thankfully not on you), and the verb ATTACK floats out of the hollow body. It mischievously bops you on the head before zooming away. You feel the noun AMBLER lose its power. The Gazer Automaton fails to find a noun to act upon. Your bedroom dresser's drawers are closed. At the bottom of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. >kitchen You extend your energy towards the kitchen. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks you to the kitchen. Kitchen You are in the kitchen. The Exposer Automaton is on the floor of the kitchen, resting on its small pyramidal base. The Fastener Automaton is in the middle of the kitchen, its metal arm extending up from the floor. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the kitchen: "Well-stocked with food as well as a variety of magical ingredients." The door to your kitchen pantry is shut. There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >pantry You extend your energy towards the pantry. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton tries to walk into the pantry door, bumping against it softly. The Exposer Automaton deftly snakes its rope around the pantry door and flicks it open, revealing a varied selection of dried goods. On the bottom shelf, you spot some dragonsbane – that should be the perfect deterrent for your invader! The Fastener Automaton slaps the open pantry door, slamming it shut. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the pantry: "A place to keep your ingredients away from light and heat." Its door is currently closed. The door to your kitchen pantry is shut. There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >foyer You extend your energy towards the foyer. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks you to the foyer. Foyer You are in the foyer. The Collector Automaton is standing in the foyer, leaning against a wall. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the foyer: "A room designed to be beautiful and inviting. If you ever had guests, they'd surely appreciate the warm welcome." The front door to your house is currently closed. At the top of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. >collector You extend your energy towards the Collector Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton nudges the Collector Automaton. In a little dance, the Collector Automaton swings its metal handle around, trying to catch its own bucket. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the Collector Automaton: "A wooden bucket perched on two articulated supports, currently being used as legs." The front door to your house is currently closed. At the top of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. >ambler You extend your energy towards the Ambler Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton chases its own behind. The Collector Automaton tries to scoop up the Ambler Automaton's legs, to no avail. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the Ambler Automaton: "A smooth and rounded mechanical construct with segmented body, designed as a model for insect locomotion. You'd attached two large round opals to the front of its head, telling yourself it was for better magical channeling, but in truth it was mostly just because you thought it looked adorable." The front door to your house is currently closed. At the top of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. >me You focus your energy on yourself, sending out a wave of magic that beckons to all nearby verbs. The Ambler Automaton spins around on itself. The Collector Automaton makes a valiant attempt to pick you up, but only manages to make your feet bounce around. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of you: "A powerful Word Mage who also dabbles in potion-making and enchanted mechanics. Currently in a rather pitiful state." The front door to your house is currently closed. At the top of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. >gazer You extend your energy towards the Gazer Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton spins around on itself. The Collector Automaton tries to collect the Gazer Automaton, but it's firmly attached to your head. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of itself: "A pair of eyeglasses with the unique ability to display holographic text and images in the wearer's field of view. You tried to market them to the nearby village folk, but they were strangely unpopular." The front door to your house is currently closed. At the top of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. >kitchen You extend your energy towards the kitchen. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks you to the kitchen. Kitchen You are in the kitchen. The Collector Automaton saunters into the kitchen and starts jumping against the walls, trying to scoop them up. The Exposer Automaton is on the floor of the kitchen, resting on its small pyramidal base. The Fastener Automaton is in the middle of the kitchen, its metal arm extending up from the floor. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the kitchen: "Well-stocked with food as well as a variety of magical ingredients." The door to your kitchen pantry is shut. There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >fastener You extend your energy towards the Fastener Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks into the Fastener Automaton's metallic pole. Ping! The Collector Automaton jumps as high as it can, but it can't reach the Fastener Automaton's hand. The Exposer Automaton snakes its rope between the the Fastener Automaton's fingers in search of something to open. The Fastener Automaton closes its fingers, making a fist. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the Fastener Automaton: "A long and multi-jointed metallic arm, embedded into the kitchen floor, that waves around a large artificial hand. You made it out of an old glove, and sometimes use it as an assistant when you're preparing food or potions." The door to your kitchen pantry is shut. There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >exposer You extend your energy towards the Exposer Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks back and forth, following the Exposer Automaton's ever-shifting rope. The Collector Automaton struggles to wedge its rim underneath the Exposer Automaton's base, but finally manages to pick it up! The exposed length of rope waves around as the Collector Automaton proudly struts about the room. The Exposer Automaton twists itself into knots, but finds nothing to open. The Fastener Automaton slaps the Exposer Automaton's rope, sending it into an energetic twirl. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the Exposer Automaton: "A strangely-named automaton – is 'exposer' even a real noun? You do recall reading about new words emerging in these kinds of unusual circumstances. The words' vessel consists of a long rope anchored to a pyramidal base." The door to your kitchen pantry is shut. There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >pantry You extend your energy towards the pantry. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton tries to walk into the pantry door, bumping against it softly. The Collector Automaton hits its rim against the pantry door, unsuccessfully beckoning it into its bucket. The Exposer Automaton deftly snakes its rope around the pantry door and flicks it open, revealing a varied selection of dried goods. On the bottom shelf, you spot some dragonsbane – that should be the perfect deterrent for your invader! The Fastener Automaton slaps the open pantry door, slamming it shut. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the pantry: "A place to keep your ingredients away from light and heat." Its door is currently closed. The door to your kitchen pantry is shut. There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >z A moment passes as you let your energy rest. You are in the kitchen. The Ambler Automaton creaks quietly underneath you. The Collector Automaton impatiently rocks back and forth as it stands around. Sticking out from the bucket is a long, lively rope. The Exposer Automaton is being carried by the Collector Automaton, its rope sticking out from the wooden bucket. The Fastener Automaton is in the middle of the room, its metal arm half-folded. You can feel the Gazer Automaton's strong grip on the sides of your head. The door to your kitchen pantry is shut. There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >fastender That's no longer in your vocabulary. >fastender That's no longer in your vocabulary. [HINT: try inputting only a noun! If you're stuck, you can always take some time to THINK.] >fastener You extend your energy towards the Fastener Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks into the Fastener Automaton's metallic pole. Ping! The Collector Automaton jumps as high as it can, but it can't reach the Fastener Automaton's hand. The Exposer Automaton snakes its rope between the the Fastener Automaton's fingers in search of something to open. The Fastener Automaton closes its fingers, making a fist. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the Fastener Automaton: "A long and multi-jointed metallic arm, embedded into the kitchen floor, that waves around a large artificial hand. You made it out of an old glove, and sometimes use it as an assistant when you're preparing food or potions." The door to your kitchen pantry is shut. There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >restart Are you sure you want to restart? yes It's the wee hours of a warm summer night and you're toiling away in your workshop, frantically preparing for an imminent invasion. You almost dropped your crystal ball in shock when your latest survey of the lands revealed a dragon heading straight for your tower! And not just any dragon – the fearsome Ignipter, who has an old grudge against you. You suspect that if you don't erect your defenses in time, the only thing left of your tower by sunrise will be rubble. > EXAMINE CRYSTAL A rare iridescent gem, packed so full of magical energy that it's practically buzzing. This should serve as the perfect core for your dragonproof armour... > PUT CRYSTAL IN CHESTPLATE You delicately insert the gem into a small cavity on the front of the ornate metal chestplate, reciting an incantation to bind your protective Words to both objects. Suddenly, a stray spark of magic singes your hand, which reflexively jerks sideways. That's all it takes to break apart the hastily-assembled mechanism designed to harness the gem's power, and raw magical energy starts pouring into the room! The swirling billows engulf you. As you lose consciousness, you feel a horrible turmoil rising up from your chest... The sun is already warming your face when you awaken. A wave of panic rushes over you, and you jump to your feet– you jump to your feet– ...why are your legs not obeying you? It dawns on you: your Words are gone. Ever since you bound your life force to the English language, you've relied on them for almost every aspect of life, and now they've been pulled right out of your mouth at the worst possible time by the magical maelstrom! Indeed, to a Word Mage, words are not only tools for communication, they're also the very root of a person's interactions with the outside world; without words, there's no way for you to LIGHT LAMP, EAT PASTA, or even just ENJOY POETRY. But you don't have the luxury of waiting to get your words back. You'll just have to do without! Nonverbal Communication An Interactive Fiction by Allyson Gray Release 1 / Serial number 240330 / Inform 7 v10.1.2 Workshop Lying on the workshop floor among the remains of your artefacts, you think about your predicament. You've thankfully held on to your ability to THINK and WAIT, but you can't seem to find the capacity for any other actions, and you notice that even your senses are greatly dulled. You're not too worried about your nouns; obedient and predictable, nouns always seek refuge in familiar objects whenever they're orphaned. Even in this sorry state, you should be able to call on their power when they're nearby. But verbs are independent, fickle things, and although you feel the presence of some of your most beloved verbs within the tower, you doubt you'll be able to compel them directly. Still, you have to find a way to survive this! You extend outwards what little magical power you still have, identifying nearby nouns that might prove helpful. What if you tried addressing them directly? The Ambler Automaton sits in a corner of the room. The Depositor Automaton is swaying above you, its claw empty. The Gazer Automaton beeps on the floor. >me You focus your energy on yourself, sending out a wave of magic that beckons to all nearby verbs. The Ambler Automaton walks towards you. The Depositor Automaton picks you up in its claw, hoisting you above the room. The Gazer Automaton beeps. >ambler You extend your energy towards the Ambler Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton chases its own behind. The Depositor Automaton drapes your body across the Ambler Automaton's back. The Gazer Automaton beeps. >gazer You extend your energy towards the Gazer Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton stands above the Gazer Automaton, swaying happily from side to side. The Depositor Automaton deftly grabs the Gazer Automaton out from under the Ambler Automaton and lifts it into the air. The Gazer Automaton beeps. >me You focus your energy on yourself, sending out a wave of magic that beckons to all nearby verbs. The Ambler Automaton spins around on itself. The Depositor Automaton places the Gazer Automaton on your face. The Gazer Automaton's arms firmly grip the sides of your head, securing the glasses to your face. You can detect objects much further away now! As you suspected, your verbs have chosen suitable vessels to keep expressing their power, forming various automatons (inanimate objects that gain life through magic). If memory serves you right, the alphabet principle should apply here: the order of priority for words matches their alphabetical order. Maybe those stubborn verbs can still help you survive, if you play your cards right... The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of you: "A powerful Word Mage who also dabbles in potion-making and enchanted mechanics. Currently in a rather pitiful state." At the bottom of a steep staircase, you can see your bedroom. >bedroom You extend your energy towards the bedroom. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks you to the bedroom. Bedroom You are in your bedroom. As the Ambler Automaton makes its way down the stairs, the workshop's entryway collapses behind you! Large pieces of rubble now block the path upstairs. The Basher Automaton is idling in the bedroom, its large hammers and even larger frame lending it an imposing presence. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the bedroom: "Your bedroom is made cozier by an assortment of rugs and tapestries that cover the cold stone surfaces. To your relief, everything seems mostly intact despite the destruction that happened upstairs." Your bedroom dresser's drawers are closed. At the bottom of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. >kitchen You extend your energy towards the kitchen. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks you to the kitchen. Kitchen You are in the kitchen. The Basher Automaton barges into the room and attacks your kitchen tile. The Exposer Automaton is on the floor of the kitchen, resting on its small pyramidal base. The Fastener Automaton is in the middle of the kitchen, its metal arm extending up from the floor. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the kitchen: "Well-stocked with food as well as a variety of magical ingredients." The door to your kitchen pantry is shut. There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >fastener You extend your energy towards the Fastener Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks into the Fastener Automaton's metallic pole. Ping! The Basher Automaton sweeps its hammer arms towards the Fastener Automaton, bending and denting its metal rod. The verb CLOSE leaps out of the bobbing glove and lands on the floor with a startling smack. After a short pause, it loudly hops away and disappears. You feel the noun FASTENER lose its power. The Exposer Automaton fails to find a noun to act upon. The Gazer Automaton fails to find a noun to act upon. The door to your kitchen pantry is shut. There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >basher You extend your energy towards the Basher Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton gets as close as possible to the Basher Automaton. Looking up at its giant hammers, you feel nervous. Without a hint of hesitation, the Basher Automaton gives itself two simultaneous blows, crossing its mighty hammers. Its arms fall off (thankfully not on you), and the verb ATTACK floats out of the hollow body. It mischievously bops you on the head before zooming away. You feel the noun AMBLER lose its power. The Exposer Automaton fails to find a noun to act upon. The Gazer Automaton fails to find a noun to act upon. The door to your kitchen pantry is shut. There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >pantry You extend your energy towards the pantry. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton tries to walk into the pantry door, bumping against it softly. The Exposer Automaton deftly snakes its rope around the pantry door and flicks it open, revealing a varied selection of dried goods. On the bottom shelf, you spot some dragonsbane – that should be the perfect deterrent for your invader! The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the pantry: "A place to keep your ingredients away from light and heat." Its door is currently open. The door to your kitchen pantry is open, and you can see a mass of dried dragonsbane on its bottom shelf. There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >dragonsbane You extend your energy towards the dragonsbane. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton extends its front legs into the pantry in an attempt to get close to the dragonsbane. The Exposer Automaton rustles the dragonsbane around, trying in vain to find something to open. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the dragonsbane: "A large amount of dried dragonsbane flowers. True to its name, dragonsbane is toxic to dragons. It also tastes great in chili!" The door to your kitchen pantry is open, and you can see a mass of dried dragonsbane on its bottom shelf. There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >foyer You extend your energy towards the foyer. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks you to the foyer. Foyer You are in the foyer. The Collector Automaton is standing in the foyer, leaning against a wall. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the foyer: "A room designed to be beautiful and inviting. If you ever had guests, they'd surely appreciate the warm welcome." The front door to your house is currently closed. At the top of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. >kitchen You extend your energy towards the kitchen. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks you to the kitchen. Kitchen You are in the kitchen. The Collector Automaton saunters into the kitchen and starts jumping against the walls, trying to scoop them up. The Exposer Automaton is on the floor of the kitchen, resting on its small pyramidal base. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the kitchen: "Well-stocked with food as well as a variety of magical ingredients." The door to your kitchen pantry is open, and you can see a mass of dried dragonsbane on its bottom shelf. There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >dragonsbane You extend your energy towards the dragonsbane. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton extends its front legs into the pantry in an attempt to get close to the dragonsbane. The Collector Automaton shimmies into the pantry and comes back out with a bucketful of potent dragonsbane. Scattering this around the tower should buy you more time! The Exposer Automaton rustles the dragonsbane around, trying in vain to find something to open. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the dragonsbane: "A large amount of dried dragonsbane flowers. True to its name, dragonsbane is toxic to dragons. It also tastes great in chili!" The door to your kitchen pantry is open, but there's nothing else in here that you can use right now. There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >foyer You extend your energy towards the foyer. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks you to the foyer. Foyer You are in the foyer. The Collector Automaton barrels down the stairs and starts scooping at the floor. It manages to pick up a piece of lint and looks very pleased with itself. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the foyer: "A room designed to be beautiful and inviting. If you ever had guests, they'd surely appreciate the warm welcome." A small golden locket lies on the floor, clasped shut. The front door to your house is currently closed. At the top of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. >locket You extend your energy towards the locket. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton bumps into the dresser drawers as it tries to stand near the locket. The Collector Automaton rushes towards the locket and bends down to scoop it up. After a few unsuccessful attempts, it manages to snag the locket's chain on one of its handle hinges, suspending it near its rim. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the locket: "A beautiful golden locket, dulled by age and neglect. The word IGNIPTER is engraved on its front in small cursive letters." It is currently clasped shut, and you feel something hiding within in that terrifies you. The front door to your house is currently closed. At the top of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. >**the dresser drawers are still mentioned in the Ambler's action even though I'm in the foyer now >kitchen You extend your energy towards the kitchen. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks you to the kitchen. Kitchen You are in the kitchen. The Collector Automaton saunters into the kitchen and starts jumping against the walls, trying to scoop them up. The Exposer Automaton is on the floor of the kitchen, resting on its small pyramidal base. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the kitchen: "Well-stocked with food as well as a variety of magical ingredients." The door to your kitchen pantry is open, but there's nothing else in here that you can use right now. There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >exposer You extend your energy towards the Exposer Automaton. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks back and forth, following the Exposer Automaton's ever-shifting rope. The Collector Automaton struggles to wedge its rim underneath the Exposer Automaton's base, but finally manages to pick it up! The exposed length of rope waves around as the Collector Automaton proudly struts about the room. The Exposer Automaton twists itself into knots, but finds nothing to open. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the Exposer Automaton: "A strangely-named automaton – is 'exposer' even a real noun? You do recall reading about new words emerging in these kinds of unusual circumstances. The words' vessel consists of a long rope anchored to a pyramidal base." The door to your kitchen pantry is open, but there's nothing else in here that you can use right now. There is a steep staircase leading up to your bedroom, and another leading down to the foyer. >foyer You extend your energy towards the foyer. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton walks you to the foyer. Foyer You are in the foyer. The Collector Automaton barrels down the stairs and starts scooping at the floor. It manages to pick up a piece of lint and looks very pleased with itself. The Exposer Automaton curiously picks at the foyer's carpeted floor. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the foyer: "A room designed to be beautiful and inviting. If you ever had guests, they'd surely appreciate the warm welcome." The front door to your house is currently closed. At the top of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. >door You extend your energy towards the front door. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton nuzzles up to the front door. The Collector Automaton hops around the door, clattering against it, but fails to collect it. The Exposer Automaton energetically opens the front door, letting air and sunlight into the room. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the front door: "A plain wooden door, imbued with a spell that makes it nigh-impossible to open from the outside." It is currently open, and you can see the yard. The front door to your house is open, and you can see the yard outside of your tower. At the top of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. You can see your front yard. >yard You extend your energy towards the workshop. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton carries you outside. Yard The Ambler Automaton steps out into the yard. Your eyes widen as you're immediately confronted with the sight of Ignipter, who was waiting outside your tower! Luckily, the Collector Automaton runs out after you. The mere proximity to dragonsbane is enough to make the dragon sputter and cough up plumes of sickly black smoke. She leaps away in a panic and flies unsteadily towards the horizon. Months later, you've regained most of your words and are back to toiling away in your workshop (never again without gloves!) You haven't seen or heard from Ignipter since the incident, which is a relief. But without ever admitting it to anyone, even to yourself... deep down, you still miss her. *** ENDING 1 OUT OF 3: FIGHT *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Foyer [Previous turn undone.] You are in the foyer. The Ambler Automaton creaks quietly underneath you. The Collector Automaton impatiently rocks back and forth as it stands around. Hanging from its side is a small golden locket, clasped shut. Inside of the bucket is a considerable amount of dried dragonsbane. Sticking out from the bucket is a long, lively rope. The Exposer Automaton is being carried by the Collector Automaton, its rope sticking out from the wooden bucket. You can feel the Gazer Automaton's strong grip on the sides of your head. The front door to your house is open, and you can see the yard outside of your tower. At the top of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. >locket You extend your energy towards the locket. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton bumps against the Collector Automaton as it tries to stand near the locket. The Collector Automaton runs in circles, causing the locket to sway and clack against its wood. The Exposer Automaton flattens the tip of its rope and slides it between the two halves of the locket, popping it open. Nestled inside the locket is a weak, malnourished word, so shrivelled that you barely recognize it: APOLOGIZE. Painful memories come flooding back. You'd torn the verb out of yourself in a fit of petty rage after a particularly awful argument with your dearest friend. You'd thrown it to the wind and told it never to return. It didn't take long for the wind to carry her away, too. You'd managed to convince yourself that you didn't miss it, that anyway there was no going back. Had it been hidden here all these years, hoping you'd have a change of heart? The APOLOGIZE falls out of the locket and lays on the floor, unmoving. It looks so brittle that you fear it could disappear any moment. But it slowly starts to crawls across the floor, and laboriously makes its way up the Ambler Automaton's leg. You welcome it back into yourself. The Gazer Automaton beeps and displays a description of the locket: "A beautiful golden locket, dulled by age and neglect. The word IGNIPTER is engraved on its front in small cursive letters." It is currently open, revealing a small portrait of Ignipter the dragon. The front door to your house is open, and you can see the yard outside of your tower. At the top of a steep staircase, you can see your kitchen. You can see your front yard. >yard You extend your energy towards the workshop. As your magic touches the noun, its power briefly ebbs outwards, beckoning to all verbs near you. The Ambler Automaton carries you outside. Yard The Ambler Automaton steps out into the yard. Your eyes widen as you're immediately confronted with the sight of Ignipter, who was waiting outside your tower! But the Collector Automaton runs out after you, carrying its toxic cargo. The mere proximity to dragonsbane is enough to make the dragon sputter and cough up plumes of sickly black smoke. She leaps away in a panic and flies unsteadily towards the horizon. Months later, you've regained most of your words and are back to toiling away in your workshop (never again without gloves!) You haven't seen or heard from Ignipter since the incident. Every time the thought of her crosses your mind, you feel a painful twinge of regret deep inside your chest, where your APOLOGIZE still slumbers... *** ENDING 1.5 OUT OF 3: FIGHT (BUT AT WHAT COST?) ***