The Reliques of Tolti-Aph — 54 of 57

Chapter N - Northern Quarter

Section N(a) - That Was Old School

After going north from the Exalted Throne: say "You climb down the steps to the far side of Tolti-Aph, which is still more tumbledown than the route in."; continue the action.

Old School Yard is north of the Exalted Throne. "This was never a place of education, except it was. Today an overgrown spoil-heap of fallen columns, maybe, but you are pretty sure it is the same yard engraved in the frontispiece of Reliques of Tolti-Aph.

Of the 'Old School' inn, notorious haunt of liars and braggarts, time has swept everything away except a few stone columns[if the jumble is in Old School]: and even those it has tumbled into an unruly clump, like the corn-stook of a drunken harvester[otherwise], which lie segmented all about you[end if]."

Up from the Old School Yard is the Exalted Throne. Instead of going nowhere from Old School Yard, say "It's sad how little remains of this once-thriving northern quarter of the city: little more than what you see."

The wooden trap-door is a door. "[if the jumble is in Old School]What must be an old wooden trap-door, perhaps for wine-barrels, is partially buried by all that masonry[otherwise]The cellar trap-door is now free of the rubble[end if]." The wooden trap-door is below the Old School. The other side of the trap-door is the Archive Chamber. The trap-door is openable and closed. Instead of opening the trap-door when the jumble is in Old School, say "Even the idea of lifting the weight of those columns is tiring." After going through the trap-door: say "You lose your footing, and half jump, half fall down into the cellar."; continue the action. The trap-door is trapped. [Only for the pun, though.] Understand "trap" and "trapdoor" and "door" as the trap-door. The trap-door is wood.

The jumble of school columns are fixed in place scenery in Old School. Understand "column" and "masonry" as the jumble. Instead of casting magic missile at the jumble, say "Extreme violence isn't the answer to this one." Understand the command "pry" as "open". Effect of casting mend at the jumble: record outcome "which - perhaps with an air of smugness - resists all attempt at straightening out"; rule succeeds.

Pushing or pulling the jumble is a Samson act. Instead of a Samson act for the first time, say "It all looks mighty precarious, with the last of the ceiling-work liable to fall, but if you're sure this is what you want..." Instead of a Samson act: say "There is a vast, booming series of reports, the inconsequential sound of these jackstraws of stone smashing down against each other: and then the last remaining slab of ceiling-brace falls. "; unless the player is affected by aerial shield begin; say "We could go through a charade of working out [if the player is affected by ironbones]210d8+50[otherwise]420d8+100[end if] damage, but let's simply wind this up in a dignified fashion."; end the story saying "You have been buried"; stop; end unless; say "Probably never has 'aerial shield' been put to so formidable a challenge, but the enchantment holds, and as the rubble settles all about the yard you half-collapse, trying to catch your breath.

That was Old School."; remove the jumble from play; increase the score by 14.