Hinterlands: Marooned! — 14 of 23

Section 4(b) - Communication & Vocalizations

[TALKING TO]

Understand the command "speak" as something new.

Talking to is an action applying to one thing.

Understand "talk to [thing]" or "speak to [thing]" or "speak [thing]" as talking to.

Instead of talking to a thing:

if talking to the Q'udzlth:

continue the action;

if talking to the player:

continue the action;

otherwise:

say "You get no response.";

stop the action.

[TALK TO MONSTER]

Instead of talking to the Q'udzlth:

say "You open your mouth to speak...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]The Q'udzlth lets loose an aggressive squawk.[paragraph break]You are paralyzed with fear.[paragraph break]Then you are flattened by a massive tentacle.";

end the story.

[TALK TO SELF]

Instead of talking to the player:

say "The Q'udzlth gives you an awkward look."

Muttering is an action applying to nothing.

Understand "mutter" as muttering.

Instead of muttering:

try talking to the player instead.

[TELLING ABOUT]

Instead of telling the Q'udzlth about a topic:

try talking to the Q'udzlth instead.

Instead of telling the player about a topic:

try talking to the player instead.

[ASKING ABOUT]

Instead of asking the Q'udzlth about a topic:

try talking to the Q'udzlth instead.

Instead of asking the player about a topic:

try talking to the player instead.

[CONSULTING]

Consulting is an action applying to one thing.

Understand "consult [thing]" or "consult with [thing]" as consulting.

Instead of consulting a thing:

if consulting the Q'udzlth:

continue the action;

if consulting the player:

continue the action;

otherwise:

say "You get no response.";

stop the action.

[CONSULT MONSTER]

Instead of consulting the Q'udzlth:

try talking to the Q'udzlth instead.

[CONSULT SELF]

Instead of consulting the player:

try thinking instead.

[SINGING]

Singing is an action applying to nothing.

Understand "sing" as singing.

Instead of singing:

say "Fa fa fa, fa fa, fa fa fa..."

[SINGING TO]

Singing to is an action applying to one thing.

Understand "sing to [thing]" as singing to.

Instead of singing to a thing:

if singing to the Q'udzlth:

continue the action;

if singing to the player:

continue the action;

otherwise:

say "That's silly!";

stop the action.

[SING TO MONSTER]

Instead of singing to the Q'udzlth:

say "You begin to croon a gentle melody to sooth the savage beast...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]The Q'udzlth shrieks loudly.[paragraph break]You've never heard such an dreadful sound.[paragraph break]Instantaneously, you are clapped between two huge fleshy tentacles and hoisted toward the monster's snout.[paragraph break]Your nose is tickled by a long spiny tongue, and suddenly you are covered in burning translucent goo.[paragraph break]You fear you are being digested!";

end the story.

[SING TO SELF]

Instead of singing to the player:

say "You croon a gentle melody to comfort yourself."

[SING TO ENVIRONMENT]

Understand "sing to island" or "sing to ocean" or "sing to planet" or "sing to sky" or "sing to suns" as a mistake ("You improvise a little ditty to the environment, but in the end you just feel silly.")

[CALLING]

Calling is an action applying to one thing.

Understand "call [thing]" or "call to [thing]" as calling.

Instead of calling a thing:

if calling the Q'udzlth:

continue the action;

if calling the player:

continue the action;

otherwise:

say "You get no response.";

stop the action.

[CALL MONSTER]

Instead of calling the Q'udzlth:

say "You beckon to the monster...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]The Q'udzlth is happy to come to you![paragraph break]You soon wish it hadn't.";

end the story.

[CALL SELF]

Instead of calling the player:

say "Nobody answers."

[LISTEN]

Instead of listening:

say "You hear a faint gurgling coming from the general direction of the Q'udzlth."

[LISTEN TO MONSTER]

Instead of listening to the Q'udzlth:

say "You stop and listen to the creature...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]It gurgles.[paragraph break]It wheezes.[paragraph break]It squawks.[paragraph break]It shrieks.[paragraph break]It snaps your spine with its tentacles and gobbles you down.";

end the story.

[LISTEN TO SELF]

Instead of listening to the player:

say "So, what are you saying?"

[LISTEN TO OCEAN]

Instead of listening to the ocean:

say "The ocean sounds a lot like the white noise generator you used to keep by your bed."

[WAVING TO]

Waving to is an action applying to one thing.

Understand "wave to [thing]" or "wave at [thing]" or "wave [thing]" as waving to.

Instead of waving to a thing:

if waving to the Q'udzlth:

continue the action;

if waving to the player:

continue the action;

otherwise:

say "You accomplish nothing except for feeling a bit foolish.";

stop the action.

[WAVE TO MONSTER]

Instead of waving to the Q'udzlth:

say "You wave your hand at the hulking monstrosity...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]The Q'udzlth waves back with a slimy tentacle.[paragraph break]Then the tentacle snatches your hand and breaks it clean off of your arm.[paragraph break]The monster then spits translucent digestive goo onto your hand and laps up the decaying flesh with a spiny noodle-like tongue.[paragraph break]You're so terrified you almost forget you're in agonizing pain.[paragraph break]But not quite.[paragraph break]As you are bleeding out, the monster approaches, translucent slime dripping from its funnel-shaped snout.[paragraph break]It's the last thing you ever see.";

end the story.

[WAVE TO SELF]

Instead of waving to the player:

say "Hiiiiiii!"

[CRYING]

Crying is an action applying to nothing.

Understand "cry" as crying.

Instead of crying:

say "Yes, let it all out!"

[LAUGHING]

Laughing is an action applying to nothing.

Understand "laugh" as laughing.

Instead of laughing:

say "Hehe."

[LAUGHING AT]

Laughing at is an action applying to one thing.

Understand "laugh at [thing]" as laughing at.

Instead of laughing at a thing:

if laughing at the Q'udzlth:

continue the action;

if laughing at the player:

continue the action;

otherwise:

say "You fear you may be cracking up.";

stop the action.

[LAUGH AT MONSTER]

Instead of laughing at the Q'udzlth:

say "You laugh in the creature's face...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]The Q'udzlth is not laughing.[paragraph break]It picks you up by the feet and smashes you against the ground repeatedly, until you are deceased.";

end the story.

[LAUGH AT TENTACLES]

Instead of laughing at the tentacles:

try laughing at the Q'udzlth instead.

[LAUGH AT EXOSKELETON]

Instead of laughing at the exoskeleton:

try laughing at the Q'udzlth instead.

[LAUGH AT EYES]

Instead of laughing at the eyes:

try laughing at the Q'udzlth instead.

[LAUGH AT SKULL]

Instead of laughing at the skull:

try laughing at the Q'udzlth instead.

[LAUGH AT HORNS]

Instead of laughing at the horns:

try laughing at the Q'udzlth instead.

[LAUGH AT SNOUT]

Instead of laughing at the snout:

try laughing at the Q'udzlth instead.

[LAUGH AT TEETH]

Instead of laughing at the teeth:

try laughing at the Q'udzlth instead.

[LAUGH AT TONGUE]

Instead of laughing at the tongue:

try laughing at the Q'udzlth instead.

[LAUGH AT MUCUS]

Instead of laughing at the mucus:

try laughing at the Q'udzlth instead.

[LAUGH AT BODY]

Instead of laughing at the body:

try laughing at the Q'udzlth instead.

[LAUGH AT GELATIN]

Instead of laughing at the gelatin:

try laughing at the Q'udzlth instead.

[LAUGH AT SELF]

Instead of laughing at the player:

say "You must learn to do that."

[SCREAMING]

Screaming is an action applying to nothing.

Understand "scream" or "yell" or "panic" as screaming.

Instead of screaming:

say "AAUGH!"

[SHOUTING]

Shouting is an action applying to nothing.

Understand "shout" as shouting.

Instead of shouting:

say "Let it all out!"

[SHOUTING AT]

Shouting at is an action applying to one thing.

Understand "shout at [thing]" or "scream at [thing]" or "yell at [thing]" as shouting at.

Instead of shouting at a thing:

if shouting at the Q'udzlth:

continue the action;

if shouting at the player:

continue the action;

otherwise:

say "It helps for catharsis, but not much else!";

stop the action.

[SHOUT AT MONSTER]

Instead of shouting at the Q'udzlth:

say "You scream loudly at the enormous sea creature...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]The Q'udzlth seems taken aback.[paragraph break]It stares at you blankly for a few moments.[paragraph break]Then it lets loose a horrible screech, the likes of which you've never heard before.[paragraph break]And will never hear again.[paragraph break]Immediately thereafter the monster rips you into pieces, which it then consumes one at a time until you are no more.";

end the story.

[SHOUT AT SELF]

Instead of shouting at the player:

say "You take a moment to vent your frustrations (loudly)."

[SIGHING]

Sighing is an action applying to nothing.

Understand "sigh" as sighing.

Instead of sighing:

say "You let out a deep breath of exasperation."

[SMILING]

Smiling is an action applying to nothing.

Understand "smile" as smiling.

Instead of smiling:

say "You feel happier already."

[SMILING AT]

Smiling at is an action applying to one thing.

Understand "smile at [thing]" or "smile to [thing]" as smiling at.

Instead of smiling at a thing:

if smiling at the Q'udzlth:

continue the action;

if smiling at the player:

continue the action;

otherwise:

say "You look like a big dope!";

stop the action.

[SMILE AT MONSTER]

Instead of smiling at the Q'udzlth:

say "You give the creature a wide toothy grin...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]The monster shows you its teeth as well.[paragraph break]Up close and personal.[paragraph break]You have been eaten by the Q'udzlth.";

end the story.

[SMILE AT SELF]

Instead of smiling at the player:

say "You indulge yourself in a moment of smug satisfaction."

[WHISTLING]

Whistling is an action applying to nothing.

Understand "whistle" as whistling.

Instead of whistling:

say "You whistle a jaunty tune as you pass the time."

[WHISTLING AT]

Whistling at is an action applying to one thing.

Understand "whistle at [thing]" or "whistle to [thing]" as whistling at.

Instead of whistling at a thing:

if whistling at the Q'udzlth:

continue the action;

if whistling at the player:

continue the action;

otherwise:

say "That's not gonna work!";

stop the action.

[WHISTLE AT MONSTER]

Instead of whistling at the Q'udzlth:

say "You purse your lips and whistle at the creature...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]The Q'udzlth emits a sound like a kettle boiling, but angrier.[paragraph break]You fear your whistle has been interpreted as a threat.[paragraph break]One of the monster's mighty tentacles seizes your head and snaps it clean off your body.[paragraph break]Fortunately, you don't notice anything that happens afterward.[paragraph break]Because you are dead.";

end the story.

[WHISTLE AT SELF]

Instead of whistling at the player:

say "Looking good!"

[CURSING]

Cursing is an action applying to nothing. Understand "goddamn" or "god damn" as cursing.

Instead of cursing:

say "A bolt of lightning strikes you dead.";

end the story.

[WHISPERING TO]

Whispering to is an action applying to one thing.

Understand "whisper to [thing]" as whispering to.

Instead of whispering to a thing:

if whispering to the Q'udzlth:

continue the action;

if whispering to the player:

continue the action;

otherwise:

say "You get no response.";

stop the action.

[WHISPER TO MONSTER]

Instead of whispering to the Q'udzlth:

say "You speak softly to the giant fleshy monster...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]The Q'udzlth gurgles back at you.[paragraph break]Then its funnel-like snout sprays acidic goo right in your face.[paragraph break]Your visor begins to melt.[paragraph break]A wet, meaty tentacle reaches inside your helmet and wraps around your throat.[paragraph break]The tip of the tentacle enters your mouth.[paragraph break]You are being asphyxiated in the most unpleasant way you are capable of imagining.[paragraph break]You try to tug the tentacle away from your face, but the creature is too strong![paragraph break]You are dead.";

end the story.

[SAYING HELLO]

Instead of answering the Q'udzlth that "hello":

say "You warmly greet the pulsating mass of pink flesh...";

wait for any key;

say "[line break]The Q'udzlth roars.[paragraph break]It then gores you with its terrifying horns.[paragraph break]Then it dissolves you with its translucent mucus and slurps you up with its spiny tongue.[paragraph break]Goodbye!";

end the story.