>use map

Using the map you find the marked slot machine. There's an old lady inserting coin after coin.

>talk to old lady

You ask the old lady to go play another machine. She just looks at you with a disgruntled face and keeps on playing.

>examine old lady

She looks to be English, she's wearing a dress with some old lace touches. She's wearing a name tag that reads Miss Marple.

>offer martini to old lady

She takes the glass and sniffs for a while. She looks you straight into the eyes. "Well thank you young man, I can really use this!" She waves at a man dressed like a penguin and yells "Hercule,I have something for you." She walks away.

>use slot machine

You don't have the right coins, but your phone starts to vibrate and a moment later the slot machine also.

>_


Bernard

Use phone.

>Enter number.

You can't really think of a number. Don't most games use 555 and something else?

>5550000

A time vortex sweeps through the casino. You and the slot machine are swept into it. For awhile all you see are flashing, colorful lights. Then you and the slot machine arrive on a dusty road.

You look around and see that you are near a market place. Many tables are strewn with goods, and you can hear the buzz of voices. Someone dressed like a Roman Legionnaire stands guard at the entrance.

>

>use slot machine

You pull the handle of the slot machine, some coins fall into the tray.

>take coins

You take the coins.

>examine coins

You take a closer look at the coins, they look as if they're old and made of gold. They must be genuine because the year they're made is on them, 431 B.C.
What to do now? The legionnaire says "When in Rome..."

>_


Bernard

>talk to weird guy in skirt

Do not understand command

>talk to Roman Legionnaire

The Roman Legionnaire eyes you severely. "Hello, we're the Romans", he informs you. He sounds like Mickey Mouse. He hands you a roll of parchment. "You are our new messenger sent to assist us, yes? Please take this parchment to The Hobbled Crone at the foot of Mount Cesar."

>look at parchment

The parchment is covered in strange writing that you do not recognise.

>_

>save game

GAME SAVED

>translate parchment

Indicate languages, i.e., from German to English

>talk to Roman Legionnaire in funny skirt

The Roman Legionnaire, aware that you have just insulted his uniform, beheads you with one mighty swipe of his sword.

YOU HAVE DIED

POINT TOTAL: 345 Zorkmids

STATUS: CUBICLE LOWLIFE

>

Game Over... Please Insert coin to continue...
Put one of the coins and retry talking to the man

>talk to charming, immaculately dressed Roman Legionnaire

The Roman Legionnaire beams at you.

"Who is the Hobbled Crone at the foot of Mount Cesar?" you ask tentatively.
"The Hobbled Crone is a crone who is a bit hobbled. You will most likely find her smoking a pipe on the rotten tree stump by the side of the Dusty Path leading to Mount Cesar"

>ask for a paper and pencil so that you can make notes

Please rephrase your question

>oh never mind, I'll try and remember

Thank you for your co-operation

>_

>talk to charming, handsome Roman Legionnaire

The Roman Legionnaire winks at you.

"What language is this on the parchment?" you ask.

"That is ancient D'ni, I believe," says the Legionnaire. "A language no man can read unless he's first explored the caverns beneath the yet-to-be-discovered desert."

>translate parchment from D'ni to English

Translation: "The people grew restive and demanded that another Age be written -- one that would have trees of diamond, and odd-fish creatures of ruby, and gazebos of pure gold. Guild Master Be'oa'in discussed the matter in council with the King, who had, alas, grown corrupt and corpulent. "Why don't they ask for ovens for cooking the perfect soufflé?" asked the King. "I can't be expected to link there unless I can find a decent meal."

>

So back to cooking again...

Don't recognize

>examine parchment

You notice on the parchment a small window. In the window is an overhead view looking down over a dusty road with a woman sitting on a rotten tree stump. She is completely veiled. A pipe, with smoke wafting lazily in the breeze can be seen emerging from the veil over her face.

>touch small window

You are transported to the scene you observed in the window.

>

> talk to woman

You ask the woman who she is. "my name is Aijov the bee-holder, dear. Do you want some honey?"

>say yes

She starts flapping her ears and a dark cloud is approaching. The cloud surrounds you and the buzzing sound deafens you. Suddenly the bees cover your entire body. A few seconds later they fly away.
You're completely covered with honey now.

>_



Bernard

> You say to the woman "You are not the Hobbled Crone at the foot of Mount Cesar?" She says "no, that is my twin sister, to find her just follow the path towards the mountain" You look & see a mountain up ahead. You follow the path until you come to the foot of the mountain & you see another veiled woman resting against a tree smoking a pipe.
> Talk to woman. Ask her if she is The Hobbled Crone at the foot of Mount Cesar. She replies in an angry high-pitched gruff voice (like a man mimicking a woman) "Who are you calling a robber & I haven't got an Aunt Sheila so how would I know whether I looked like her or not!"
Take the parchment from inventory & roll it into a cone shape. Use on woman & ask her again. "Aah" she says calmly but in the same irritating voice "you must be the messenger - have you got something for me? " You hand her the 'cone' shaped parchment. She unwraps it & reads it & then says "Oh, that good for nothing lazy king - all he thinks about is his stomach. I've already given him my wok, sandwich maker, rice cooker & fondue set & he's still not satisfied. Seems that the only way we're ever going to get a new age written is to include those darn souffle ovens, unless..........

The clouds in the sky are blown away by the wind, a fool moon is showing now. "That's strange at the middle of the day!"
The woman transforms into a werebear, it puts her nose in the wind and seems to smell something. "Oh no, the honey!"
The werebear walks towards you......

>use egg shells with bear

The bear looks at the egg shells and steps back. It's in shell shock!

>say boom!

The bear runs away screaming, dropping a picnic basket and a camera.

>take basket and camera

Camera and basket taken.

>examine camera

The camera is an Olympus of the type Zeus.

>_



Bernard

>examine picnic basket

You examine the picnic basket. Inside is a fine repast fit for a King, and a bottle of Chateau Latour 1961

>oh BOY! Drink Chateau Latour 1961

No, it's for the King, can't you read?

>inv

Inventory: 5 item(s)
Roman coins, picnic basket, a repast fit for a King, bottle of Chateau Latour 1961, camera

>go South

You head back to the market arena. The stallholders are beginning to pack up their wares, it's the end of a long day. You have nowhere to sleep tonight. It is getting cold.

>_

>look around

You look around and you see a stable to the west.

>go west

You enter the stable, there are two people there. You greet the couple. The man says "Hi, we're the Carpenters, are you a wise man?"

>say yes

You confirm you are a wise man. He asks you about gifts.

>give cold coins

The man smiles and tells you that you're really a wise man and that you're welcome. He points at a manger and says "Meet our newborn son Brian."

>ask to stay for the night

The man responds "Yeah, okay, you can sleep next to the donkey." You ask if that's not really smelly. The man says the donkey will have to get used to it.

>_



Bernard