Hinterlands: Marooned! — 13 of 23

Section 4 - Courses Of Action

Section 4(a) - Violence & Aggression

[ATTACKING]

Understand the command "attack" as something new.

Understand "attack [thing]" as attacking.

[ATTACK MONSTER]

Instead of attacking the Q'udzlth:

try killing the Q'udzlth.

[ATTACK TENTACLES]

Instead of attacking the tentacles:

try killing the Q'udzlth instead.

[ATTACK EXOSKELETON]

Instead of attacking the exoskeleton:

try killing the Q'udzlth instead.

[ATTACK EYES]

Instead of attacking the eyes:

try hitting the eyes instead.

[ATTACK SKULL]

Instead of attacking the skull:

try hitting the skull instead.

[ATTACK HORNS]

Instead of attacking the horns:

try hitting the horns instead.

[ATTACK SNOUT]

Instead of attacking the snout:

try hitting the snout instead.

[ATTACK TEETH]

Instead of attacking the teeth:

try hitting the teeth instead.

[ATTACK TONGUE]

Instead of attacking the tongue:

try hitting the tongue instead.

[ATTACK MUCUS]

Instead of attacking the mucus:

try hitting the mucus instead.

[ATTACK BODY]

Instead of attacking the body:

try killing the Q'udzlth instead.

[ATTACK GELATIN]

Instead of attacking the gelatin:

try killing the Q'udzlth instead.

[ATTACK SELF]

Instead of attacking the player:

say "Be kind to yourself."

[ATTACK UNIFORM]

Instead of attacking the uniform:

say "'TAKE THAT! AND THAT!' You must really hate the color lavender."

[ATTACK HELMET]

Instead of attacking the helmet:

say "You box yourself upside the head a few time, but all you get is a headache."

[ATTACK SHIELD]

Instead of attacking the shield:

try attacking the helmet instead.

[ATTACK ISLAND]

Instead of attacking the island:

say "You accomplish little besides stirring up a lot of sand."

[ATTACK OCEAN]

Instead of attacking the ocean:

say "You splash around a lot, but you do not appear to have accomplished anything."

[ATTACK PLANET]

Instead of attacking the planet:

try attacking the island instead.

[ATTACK SKY]

Instead of attacking the sky:

say "You'll have a hard time doing that from down here."

[ATTACK SUNS]

Instead of attacking the suns:

try attacking the sky instead.

[HITTING]

Understand the command "hit" as something new.

Hitting is an action applying to one thing.

Understand "hit [thing]" or "punch [thing]" or "jab [thing]" as hitting.

Instead of hitting a thing:

if hitting the Q'udzlth:

continue the action;

if hitting the player:

continue the action;

otherwise:

say "That's not gonna work!";

stop the action.

[HIT MONSTER]

Instead of hitting the Q'udzlth:

say "You draw back your arm and swing at the hulking beast...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]Your fist pounds into the Q'udzlth, but the force of your blow is absorbed by the creature's unusual rubbery exoskeleton.[paragraph break]The creature's gelatinous brow furrows, its obsidian eyes squinting furiously.[paragraph break]Before you can react, you are struck upside the head by a monstrous and meaty tentacle.[paragraph break]You never wake up again.";

end the story.

[HIT TENTACLES]

Instead of hitting the tentacles:

say "You draw back your arm and punch one of the creature's fleshy tentacles...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]The tentacle deftly catches your hand and rips your arm right off of your body.[paragraph break]You are in so much shock that you barely notice the Q'udzlth beating you mercilessly with your own appendage.[paragraph break]Before long, you are totally unconscious.[paragraph break]Which is probably for the best.[paragraph break]Soon thereafter, you are Q'udzlth food.";

end the story.

[HIT EXOSKELETON]

Instead of hitting the exoskeleton:

try hitting the Q'udzlth instead.

[HIT EYES]

Instead of hitting the eyes:

say "You draw back your arm and punch the beast right in the eye...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]The Q'udzlth winces, then scowls.[paragraph break]Then it smashes your helmet's visor with a brawny tentacle.[paragraph break]You fall to your knees as a sucker attaches to your left eyeball and yanks it clean out of the socket.[paragraph break]The monster gobbles down your eye right in front of you.[paragraph break]As you kneel before the creature, clutching the bloody void where your eye used to be, the Q'udzlth sprays you with a sort of viscous acid from its snout.[paragraph break]Your suit begins to dissolve away, and your skin begins to tingle.[paragraph break]The tingle becomes a burn.[paragraph break]Before you know it, you have been digested alive by the hideous sea monster.[paragraph break]I guess the Q'udzlth won't go hungry today.";

end the story.

[HIT SKULL]

Instead of hitting the skull:

say "You drawn back your arm and punch the creature in its massive skull...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]The beast's exoskeleton absorbs the impact.[paragraph break]Then a tentacle swats your head with tremendous force, knocking it clean off your body.[paragraph break]And that is all there is for you.";

end the story.

[HIT HORNS]

Instead of hitting the horns:

say "You draw back your arm and punch one of the beast's horns...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]As you ram your fist into the razor-sharp horn, your space suit and flesh are torn as if they were made of paper.[paragraph break]You draw back your bleeding arm in agony.[paragraph break]The Q'udzlth lowers its head and impales you on its chitinous scimitars.[paragraph break]You make a nice looking hat.";

end the story.

[HIT SNOUT]

Instead of hitting the snout:

say "You draw back your arm and punch the creature right in the snout...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]As soon as you do, your arm ins entangled by a spiny noodle-like tongue.[paragraph break]Acidic goo spews forth from the beast's snout, drenching you.[paragraph break]As your flesh is dissolved by the digestive liquid, the tongue begins dragging you by the arm into the Q'udzlth's gaping orifice.[paragraph break]You are gnashed to pulp by countless rows of horrible yellow teeth.[paragraph break]You make a nice supper for the Q'udzlth.";

end the story.

[HIT TEETH]

Instead of hitting the teeth:

try hitting the snout instead.

[HIT TONGUE]

Instead of hitting the tongue:

try hitting the snout instead.

[HIT MUCUS]

Instead of hitting the mucus:

try hitting the snout instead.

[HIT BODY]

Instead of hitting the body:

try hitting the Q'udzlth instead.

[HIT GELATIN]

Instead of hitting the gelatin:

say "You draw back your arm and punch the beast in the softest bit of jelly you can find...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]The mesoglea wobbles a bit, but seems otherwise unphased.[paragraph break]Soon a tentacle finds the softest bit of you, and you burst like a piñata.[paragraph break]You survive just long enough to watch the Q'udzlth feast on your entrails.";

end the story.

[HIT SELF]

Instead of hitting the player:

say "Stop hitting yourself!"

[HIT ISLAND]

Instead of hitting the island:

try attacking the island instead.

[HIT OCEAN]

Instead of hitting the ocean:

try attacking the ocean instead.

[HIT PLANET]

Instead of hitting the planet:

try attacking the island instead.

[HIT SKY]

Instead of hitting the sky:

try attacking the sky instead.

[HIT SUNS]

Instead of hitting the suns:

try attacking the sky instead.

[HIT UNIFORM]

Instead of hitting the uniform:

try attacking the uniform instead.

[HIT HELMET]

Instead of hitting the helmet:

try attacking the helmet instead.

[HIT SHIELD]

Instead of hitting the shield:

try attacking the helmet instead.

[KICKING]

Kicking is an action applying to one thing.

Understand "kick [thing]" as kicking.

Instead of kicking a thing:

if kicking the Q'udzlth:

continue the action;

if kicking the player:

continue the action;

otherwise:

say "That's not gonna work!";

stop the action.

[KICK MONSTER]

Instead of kicking the Q'udzlth:

say "You draw back your leg and let loose a mighty kick...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]Your foot thuds against the hulking beast and is immediately ensnared by a slimy tentacle.[paragraph break]Before you can process what is happening, you are dangling upside-down in front of the Q'udzlth's grimacing visage.[paragraph break]A spray of viscous fluid penetrates your helmet and covers your face. You've never felt such burning![paragraph break]There is no time to linger on the pain. The last thing you see is a spiny noodle-like tongue emerging from the monster's snout, just as everything fades to black.";

end the story.

[KICK TENTACLES]

Instead of kicking the tentacles:

try kicking the Q'udzlth instead.

[KICK EXOSKELETON]

Instead of kicking the exoskeleton:

try kicking the Q'udzlth instead.

[KICK EYES]

Instead of kicking the eyes:

say "You jump in the air and kick at the beast's glassy black eyes...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]Alas, the eyes are too high up; you fall to the ground.[paragraph break]While you are vulnerable, a tentacle coils around your leg and rips your leg right off.[paragraph break]The creature wields your leg like a club and swings it down upon your head, smashing the visor of your helmet and slamming into your face.[paragraph break]You have been kicked in the eye with your own foot![paragraph break]After that, well, the less said...";

end the story.

[KICK SKULL]

Instead of kicking the skull:

say "You kick as high as you can, aiming for the creature's massive skull...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]Your foot thuds against a wall of chitin.[paragraph break]The beast glares at you.[paragraph break]Then it pounds your head repeatedly with its massive tentacles until you are unconscious.[paragraph break]Then it eats you alive.";

end the story.

[KICK HORNS]

Instead of kicking the horns:

say "You jump in the air and kick at the beast's horns...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]You somersault backwards and land on your head.[paragraph break]The creature bows its head and shears your legs clean off with its razor-sharp horns.[paragraph break]Screaming in anguish, you slowly bleed out on the beach.[paragraph break]The Q'udzlth feasts on your legs.[paragraph break]It is the last thing you see.";

end the story.

[KICK SNOUT]

Instead of kicking the snout:

say "You jump in the air and aim a kick at the monster's orifice...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]The creature's spiny noodle-like tongue seizes your leg and drags you into the toothy maw![paragraph break]As the creature's translucent mucus dissolves your flesh, you really start to question your decisions up to this point.[paragraph break]There's not much time for regret though.[paragraph break]Soon the Q'udzlth has eaten you.";

end the story.

[KICK TEETH]

Instead of kicking the teeth:

try kicking the snout instead.

[KICK TONGUE]

Instead of kicking the tongue:

try kicking the snout instead.

[KICK MUCUS]

Instead of kicking the mucus:

try kicking the snout instead.

[KICK BODY]

Instead of kicking the body:

try kicking the Q'udzlth instead.

[KICK GELATIN]

Instead of kicking the gelatin:

try kicking the Q'udzlth instead.

[KICK SELF]

Instead of kicking the player:

say "It's harder than it looks."

[KICK ISLAND]

Instead of kicking the island:

try attacking the island instead.

[KICK OCEAN]

Instead of kicking the ocean:

try attacking the ocean instead.

[KICK PLANET]

Instead of kicking the planet:

try attacking the island instead.

[KICK SKY]

Instead of kicking the sky:

try attacking the sky instead.

[KICKING SUNS]

Instead of kicking the suns:

try attacking the sky instead.

[KICK UNIFORM]

Instead of kicking the uniform:

try attacking the uniform instead.

[KICK HELMET]

Instead of kicking the helmet:

say "You struggle to kick yourself in the head, but you're just not that flexible."

[KICK SHIELD]

Instead of kicking the shield:

try attacking the helmet instead.

[KILLING]

Understand the command "kill" as something new.

Killing is an action applying to one thing.

Understand "kill [thing]" as killing.

Instead of killing a thing:

if killing the Q'udzlth:

continue the action;

if killing the player:

continue the action;

otherwise:

say "That's not gonna work!";

stop the action.

[KILL MONSTER]

Instead of killing the Q'udzlth:

say "You charge at the beast...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]You punch, kick, jab, poke, and squeeze at the fleshy mass with all your might.[paragraph break]The mass just keeps wriggling and squirming and bouncing and flailing, and nothing you do seems to have any effect.[paragraph break]Eventually you collapse on the ground, thoroughly exhausted.[paragraph break]Its is then that you feel the sticky warmth of the Q'udzlth's tentacular embrace.[paragraph break]It is then that you know you have lost.";

end the story.

[KILL TENTACLES]

Instead of killing the tentacles:

try killing the Q'udzlth instead.

[KILL EXOSKELETON]

Instead of killing the exoskeleton:

try killing the Q'udzlth instead.

[KILL EYES]

Instead of killing the eyes:

try hitting the eyes instead.

[KILL SKULL]

Instead of killing the skull:

try hitting the skull instead.

[KILL HORNS]

Instead of killing the horns:

try hitting the horns instead.

[KILL SNOUT]

Instead of killing the snout:

try hitting the snout instead.

[KILL TEETH]

Instead of killing the teeth:

try hitting the teeth instead.

[KILL TONGUE]

Instead of killing the tongue:

try hitting the tongue instead.

[KILL MUCUS]

Instead of killing the mucus:

try hitting the mucus instead.

[KILL BODY]

Instead of killing the body:

try killing the Q'udzlth instead.

[KILL GELATIN]

Instead of killing the gelatin:

try killing the Q'udzlth instead.

[KILL SELF]

Instead of killing the player:

say "One must imagine Sisyphus happy."

[KILL ISLAND]

Instead of killing the island:

try attacking the island instead.

[KILL OCEAN]

Instead of killing the ocean:

try attacking the ocean instead.

[KILL PLANET]

Instead of killing the planet:

say "You're doing that slowly just by being here."

[KILL SKY]

Instead of killing the sky:

say "There may be a metaphor here, but nothing THAT abstract."

[KILL SUNS]

Instead of killing the suns:

try attacking the sky instead.

Understand "kill sun" as a mistake ("Cool it, Abraham!").

[KILL UNIFORM]

Instead of killing the uniform:

try attacking the uniform instead.

[KILL HELMET]

Instead of killing the helmet:

try attacking the helmet instead.

[KILL SHIELD]

Instead of killing the shield:

try attacking the helmet instead.

[SPITTING / SPITTING ON]

Spitting is an action applying to nothing.

Understand "spit" as spitting.

Instead of spitting:

say "You spit all over the inside of your helmet. Gross!"

Spitting on is an action applying to one thing.

Understand "spit on [thing]" or "spit at [thing]" as spitting on.

Instead of spitting on something:

try spitting instead.