What Time Remembered (formerly Generic Text Adventure)

[raekuul]

Aries shakes his head. "We do want to move this castle. Astra doesn't believe us when we say that the planet itself is close to dying. Bits and pieces of the planet will survive intact - our power will insure the Astral Library's endurance - and the Scrolls Of The Ancients can also be used to seed a planet with life should the unthinkable happen."

You are joined by the remainder of the Zodiac. Capricorn steps forward. "Indeed, this is why we want your assistance with Astra. The sooner the Castle of Vaults is moved, the sooner the Astral Library is secured."

Gemini consider you for a moment, then the female of the pair asks you a question. "When you entered this castle in your own time, from where did you enter? You don't seem to be very familiar with most of the castle."

[itisally*]

to convince here there must be compelling evidance. And how does this dove tail with here proficy?

[oh.. bad typing*]

to convince her...

[raekuul]

You sense a presence behind you. "Because only those of Astra's bloodline will be able to act on the Eight Prophecies. Scorpio, I heard your sister was here? If she's going to be stepping up her assaults, we may as well move the castle tomorrow."

Turning around, you see Astra. "Hello again, my guest. I see you have a wyvern now."

[itisally]

Hi! And why can't the castle be moved to safety again?
_________________
I could agree with you, but then we would both be wrong.

[raekuul]

Astra smiles at you briefly, but the smile fades as she talks.

"What Scorpio and the rest of the Zodiac haven't told you is that we don't have anywhere safer than here to put the castle. They can and will easily remake the defenses on the Astral Library without the power of the scrolls backing it, according to... wait, why am I on the verge of divulging secrets of the universe to you here, when I have an invitation to give you?"

Every present member of the Zodiac groans at this. Pisces murmurs loudly. "It's just like her to stop herself from giving out potentially useful information."

Scorpio turns to Pisces. "Astra is bound by an oath not to reveal that particular secret to those who do not already know. I myself, however, am not bound by such an oath."

Astra sighs. "Would it help if I said she's waiting for our guest and if I asked you nicely to not spoil the surprise?"

[itisally*]

Well I hope everyone is invited. I hate secrets and games of Telephone.

[raekuul]

Astra forces herself to laugh. "You're the one person in this entire castle that's relevant to her interests right now. Accept the invitation or not, it's your decision. We'll start the preparations to move the castle tomorrow, Scorpio, but we still need a destination, and I would suggest that you prepare to rebuild the defenses around the Astral Library so that they're not dependent on the Scrolls."

[itisally]

Well I guss I had better go.
_________________
I could agree with you, but then we would both be wrong.

[raekuul]

Astra smiles. "I'll lead you there."

She heads further up the stairs.

[itisally*]

So what is the stance of the raiders? Why are they attacking?

[raekuul]

You follow Astra up the stairs. You can see a trapdoor that opens upward at the top of the stairs.

"A wise man once told me, 'Raiders are raiders, as much a part of the desert as sand.' I would assume that one of their motives is the stuff in Royal Vault in the basement. You know, the room you were found in when you arrived. The only one I can speak for certain on is Scorpio's sister, Arachne. She's using the raiders to further her own goals of breaking into the Astral Library, but she needs the Ancient Scrolls to do so. That's why your arrival is so important for me and the Zodiac. You take one of the scrolls for yourself, the Zodiac rebuild the defenses so that they're not reliant on the scrolls, and Arachne will never get in to the Library in this planet's lifetime. At least, that's the plan that the woman you're about to meet came up with earlier."

She stops under the trapdoor. "I ask that you act as though what you are about to see is unfamiliar."

[itisally]

everything is unfamiliar here.
_________________
I could agree with you, but then we would both be wrong.

[raekuul]

She smiles mysteriously, and turns to the trapdoor.

With an authoritative voice, she commands with a word. Or perhaps she is merely issuing a password? "PLUGH!"

The trapdoor opens, and you see a red wall greet you. "The command for returning from above is different; I will teach it to you before she makes you go."

[itisally*]

Well that was neat!

[raekuul]

You follow Astra up the trapdoor.

You find yourself in a sort of common area. There are four closed doors - one in each of the compass directions, each with a brass plate set in the wall nearby. On the ground is a sigil of an eight-pointed star. The west wall is made from red sandstone, the east wall is made of some sort of blue marble, the north wall is made from black obsidian, and the south wall is yellow adobe.

The trapdoor closes behind you as you clear yourself from its path. It seamlessly blends in with the rest of the floor.

[raekuul]

It took us 496 posts to get this far.

[itisally]

Hey! I have been here before. No wonder everyone thought I shold know more about the place. This is the only part I have seen.
_________________
I could agree with you, but then we would both be wrong.

[itisally]

Some how I feel like it shouldn't have taken me that long.

Thanks for sticking it out. The story really is interesting.
_________________
I could agree with you, but then we would both be wrong.

[raekuul]

I want to thank you for staying with this as long as you have. Though this story is about to take a turn for the bizarre.
---
Astra winces. "I asked you to act as though this was unfamiliar. Too late now, I suppose." She looks at her wrist, where you see a strange silver bracelet. "Not like her to be late. Feel free to explore this floor as you wish, I'll come find you when she gets here."

[itisally]

I thought you ment the trap door. *give my best sheepish grin*

So about that useful information... Maybe while we wait?
_________________
I could agree with you, but then we would both be wrong.

[raekuul]

Astra sighs. "Very well, but I teach you this with full knowledge that you will no longer have an excuse to stay in this time once she gets here. The command word for opening the trapdoor from this side is Xyzzy."

At her command, the Trapdoor opens again. With a wave of her hand, it closes again. "Anybody with the Star Power can close it with a thought, it's opening that requires the command word."

[itisally]

I was hoping for the information regarding the remaking the defences with out the scrolls accordinng to....who?...or is it a what?
_________________
I could agree with you, but then we would both be wrong.

[raekuul]

"Oh. And here I was thinking you were... well, the long and short of the situation - and I tell you this precisely because you can no longer do anything to change things - is that this planet will pretty much become part of the asteroid belt during my son Estrellar's reign. My granddaughter Astra will survive, I know that for certain, as will the scrolls and the Astral Library. One of the trials that my granddaughter will have to face before she can come into her full power is a hostile Zodiac that has had... I think it's twenty five millenia? A really long time to fester and to ferment hatred and resentment towards the Royal Family. Estrellar is very much against the Zodiac, and he will banish them once he takes the throne.

"This castle, I know because of your appearance, will survive in some form, and the Astral Library will be protected from Drachicar's hatching by the defenses that the Zodiac will lay onto it once the scrolls are gone. Speaking of, judging from what you had when you arrived here, you have yet to see what is in the southern doorway."

[itisally*]

Drachicar's hatching??

There was no Southern Hall anymore. and only ghosts to issue challenges. And those who entered never returned home, so i am not suprised I haven't returned home. I don't think what is left in my time is much, but there is a library that no living soul ever gets out of.

What is the magical ambiance like in this room?

[raekuul]

Astra frowns. "The trials weren't supposed to become deathtraps, but then again there were supposed to be more caretakers for in the event that someone didn't understand their destiny well enough to choose wisely. For example, one time we had a warrior who tried to start in the trial of the merchant. He was so stubborn he almost starved himself to death. Still, that is a risk we'll be taking in sending this castle onwards to... well, wherever it ended up, I suppose."

Astra takes a green scroll from her pack. "Tell me, which destiny is yours?"

[itisally*]

I am not sure what you mean. I went through all three Halls that were there.

[raekuul]

Astra sighs. "Which one did you do first?"

[itisally]

Well I thought about going west, but them choose north: Intellegance instead.
_________________
I could agree with you, but then we would both be wrong.

[raekuul]

"So you're either Scholar or Magician..." Astra muses. "If I were to guess, I'd say you did Scholar before Magician. Am I wrong?"

[itisally*]

I guess the little girl ghost did say something about me being a scholar. And that I should do well gor he sake.

[raekuul]

Gah, you replied before I could kick the plot back into motion. I'll have to re-edit that post now.

"The only little girl I know of that's part of the challenges is the one in the Trial of Compassion."

Before you can respond to this, you hear loud profanities emanating from the southern hallway. Astra sighs.

"Sounds like there's been a change of plans."

[itisally]

Shall we go check it out?
_________________
I could agree with you, but then we would both be wrong.

[raekuul]

Astra nods, and she heads to the southern hallway. Taking a quick glance at the plate, you read "The Artisan and the Farmer - JUPITER"

[itisally*]

I have a bad feeling about this. What was that you said about me not being able to effect things?

[raekuul]

You arrive in the Hallway of Jupiter. Standing in the middle of the room is a woman, with shoulder length blonde hair. Her outfit is incredibly different from what you have seen thus far on the Odysseans; she is wearing a white leotard with an almost-but-not-quite-black skirt, and on the chest of the leotard is an equally dark ribbon, held in place with a dark red bauble of indeterminate material. In her hair is a bright red ribbon. She is scowling and, occasionally, muttering swears.

"Well, what I said was that you can't affect the hatching of Dr'achicar at this point." Astra says to you, then turns to the woman. "Pluto, you dyed your hair and shrank by about a foot?"

Pluto makes a face at Astra. "I may as well say 'yes'. If you remember anything of this at all, you'll remember seeing the Pluto you expected to see."

[itisally]

Wait and Observe.
_________________
I could agree with you, but then we would both be wrong.

[raekuul]

Astra nods. "Very well then. Any particular reason you're swearing loudly?"

Pluto shows her empty hands. "Some little kid snuck up on me and stole my Time Staff. All the star power in the air screws with my Possibility Eye, so I couldn't see it coming until it was about to happen."

Astra blinks in confusion. "Possibility Eye? I thought you were supposed to be omniscient."

Pluto sighs. "And this is something you won't remember. Your guest, however, will remember perfectly. A Pluto can see the possibilities, and can gaze into probable futures, and with sufficient practice can guide others into making the decisions they need to make in order to have the future that a Pluto desires. But the long and short of it is that I'm already blind to possibilities by being here, and I can't do the job I came here to do without my staff."

[itisally*]

and all you can tell me is that it was a little kid? Hmmm
What does the staff look like? And is there a place with less star power that I can get to that would make for a better meeting place that would help you?

[raekuul]

Astra smiles enigmatically. "That actually is very informative for me, seeing as how only Humility and Compassion have kids in them, and I personally escort anybody who is taking the challenges up here."

Pluto turns to you. ""It looks like a giant white key with an amethyst orb on top of it. As for where you can go, I still have to minimize your effects on this era."