Chapter 3: Applied Science

» Enter the C.F. Room.

The door is locked. You try the skeleton’s key, but it doesn’t work.

» Look under and examine plaque

It’s a copy of the Hippocratic Oath. It’s affixed to the wall– it won’t budge.

» Play chess with the dog. No, really.

You invite the dog to play a round. It slobbers a bit in response.

» Look under the lamp.

There’s a broken bulb under the lampshade.

» Look under the carpet.

Under one corner of the carpet is another note.

This one is written in a different handwriting than P.A. Les’. It’s also quite succinct.

» Study the chessboard. And don’t move the chess pieces!

You check out the chessboard. There are only six pieces on the board; three white and three black. Shame – with a full set of pieces you’d be able to play a game or two.

» Search the couch thoroughly.

You find some kind of floor plan-looking thing.

It appears to be one page out of a series.

» Examine the liquid under C.F.’s door

It appears to be a very dark, dank water. You can hear running water coming from somewhere.

» Look through the keyholes of the doors.

In the P.A.L. room, you see a set of hooks with some kind of bra-looking thing hanging from one of them. You can also see part of another door, with water leaking from underneath it. The room appears to continue to the left a bit, out of sight.

In the C.F. room, the view is pretty similar, with the room extending to the right. The entire floor is soaked in a thin coat of water. On these set of hooks there is a labcoat.

» Check the incinerator room door

You try the door. Locked, as usual. What is with this place being so hard to get around??

» Check the cabinet. Inside as well as under it and behind.

There is nothing underneath it, nor can you budge it from the wall– it appears to be affixed somehow. However, there is a curious thing within it.

You find a grey grid-looking thing. The squares are indentations; not buttons.

» Also, check the fruit bowl. Then take two apples/oranges/whatever. Eat one and offer the other one to the dog. Then empty the bowl into our bag.

The fruit in the fruit bowl is… extremely rotten. You don’t have much room left in your bag, either. You do, however, toss some to your doggy companion.

SLURP SCARF MUNCH CHEW GOBBLE SLOBBER. He sure was hungry!

» Check the picture.

It’s some guy and the dog.

» Check underneath the couch

Nope, nada.

» Try to enter the PAL room.

The knob is locked. However, the skeleton’s key works here.

You find yourself in a small, kinda dingy room. The only things of note are a crappy mattress and blanket, a box, and a door with water leaking out from underneath it.

» Mosey through the saloon type door.

Just like that? Don’t be ridiculous. The doors don’t budge and you can neither jump over nor crawl under them until the puzzle is solved.

Just kidding! You tip your hat and mosey as best you can. Your nameless canine companion, now finished his slobbery meal, follows you.

You arrive in some kind of kitchen. A counter runs along the far wall, with a fridge, a cupboard, a drawer, a sink (thankfully without any mirror this time), an open, scorching oven, and two devices you don’t know what to make of. One of them has a glass tube connected to it.

» Turn off oven. That does not look safe in the slightest.

You reach over the counter for the oven controls. Whew! It’s sweltering! What kind of irresponsible person leaves the oven on and open?

Click! The heat lets up.

» Try to open the door on the tube machine.

Hey, it’s your friend the rock.

» Read the printout from the tube machine.

You take a look.

—————-
Test Number: 01255;
Analysis: Wood, red oak;
% Chemical X: 0.00;
—————-
Test Number: 01254;
Analysis: Plastic;
% Chemical X: 0.00;
—————-
Test Number: 01253;
Analysis: Refined steel;
% Chemical X: 0.00;
—————-
Test Number: 01252;
Analysis: Wood, caern; wood, red oak;
% Chemical X: 0.00;
—————-

It is torn off further down.

» Open the cabinets.

There are a few clay cups and plates.

» Press the lever on the other machine.

You try – but it’s not actually a lever, it’s a handle! The top pops right open, revealing some kind of gel in the bottom half. There is a bit of a square indentation within the top half as well.

» Open the fridge.

It’s pretty much empty except for a big plastic tub filled with some black clay.

» Look through everything in kitchen.

Ah, screw it, just let’s go through everything! You pop open the drawer under the counter and find a wooden ladle.

Checking out the last thing in the kitchen, you pop open the freezer and whoa.

Looks like somebody put him…

On eyes.

» Search the box, pillows and sheets, and under the bed in the other new room.

You basically ransack the room. There’s not much to ransack, though. You find nothing under the bed, pillow, or sheets, but there are a few things in the box.

Looks like somebody liked to play dressup. You find a monocle, a fake moustache, and an eyepatch.

» A monocle! We will need that. The gentleman was questing for one.

You grab the monocle – and everything else, for that matter. Your inventory now consists of: a monocle, an eyepatch, a half-finished bottle of Glen Avon whisky, a can of oil, a skull, an eyedol, two coins, a moustache, a large wooden spoon, some string, a music box, and a tin of Dapper Dan Men’s Pomade.

» Apply mustache to face.

Well who’s this dapper fellow? Oh yes—it’s you, Adventure Gent. Heavens, you’re dashing.

» Try the machine on the rock first (NOT the wooden ladle) to make sure terrible things don’t happen when it is used.

You figure you might as well test the machine on something of no value first. You shut the door and push the lever down.

The lever pops up after some whirring, and checking the machine you see that your rock has been molded into a perfect sphere. The printout extends further down:

—————-
Test Number: 01256;
Analysis: Stone, granite;
% Chemical X: 0.00;
—————-

» Test the black clay for that Chemical X thing.

You figure you have enough of the black clay to safely try it next, but it’s too cold— the whole thing is hard as a rock. Even using the wooden spoon you can’t make a dent.

» Move the fridge to find that hidden door. You know it is there, it’s marked on the map. Search for it! It has to be here somewhere.

You fumble around with the fridge, completely unable to move it. You do notice that it appears to be on some kind of track, though.

» Check the inside of the oven for anything of interest.

There is nothing inside the oven. You wonder why it was open, or why it was left on.

» Put the black stuff in the oven and turn it back on!

The idea that the clay is actually some kind of explosive crosses your mind, but is quickly drowned out by the fact that to get any of it out you’re going to have to soften it up, so might as well try it out and hope for the best. You pop the clay in the oven and turn it back on. As you shut the door, you hear a bunch of whirring and clanking.

The oven only seems to operate at one (incredibly hot) temperature, and the clay is warmed up and malleable within minutes. Explosion averted! The mechanical sounds repeat as you open the door again.

» Fumble around with the faucets on the sink. Maybe they open the hidden door.

You turn on the sink and ACKKPTHHHHHHHHH

Something is seriously wrong with the water pressure around here!!

» Check the thing on the hooks in P.A.L’s room. If it is interesting, take it.

It appears to be a pair of goggles. You leave them here for now. If you need them later, you can grab ’em then.

» Take some of the gel-like substance (using wooden ladle) and chem-analyse it.

You attempt to scoop out some of the gel, but it does not break for your ladle.

An imprint of the ladle’s head is made in it, though.

» Check if metal wiring in cabin cellar has cooled down now that oven is off.

You make your way across the mountain and check the wiring. Yup! It’s all cooled off now. You can certainly crawl past now. You are still confused as to why an oven would be hooked up to metal wiring for no real reason, though…

You find yourself on the other side of the glass wall.

» Step on the pressure plate.

You step on and step off. Just like the other one. You’ll need something way heavier than that bucket to weigh both down at once.

» Medkit! Get it!

You open the medical cabinet. There’s some sort of vial inside, corked and with a liquid in it.

» Take the vial, and check out the box on the ground.

You bag the vial and check out the box. There is a bag inside, tied closed. You check it out.

It’s got four weird looking tiles in it, two black and two white. There is also some kind of photo.

The photo depicts twelve tiles, six of each colour. The six sets are matching.

» Look at the chart!

You check out the chart. It is labelled “Relevance Study” and is measuring Weather Intensity vs. something called Oculoid Activity. A through-line has been drawn with a different pen, and a note is written regarding an outlier.

» Lug the crate over onto the pad.

You do so. It does not weigh the switch down in the slightest.

» Chem-analyze a drop of liquid from strange vial.

You pocket the spherical stone and plop some of the liquid into the machine. It steams a little bit upon being poured.

It appears the same post-analysis. The printer whirrs.

—————-
Test Number: 01257;
Analysis: Fulgurite; Chemical X; Water; Caern dew;
% Chemical X: 0.01;
—————-

» Look through goggles in P.A.L.’s room

They don’t really suit you. They don’t seem to have any special function, save to protect your eyes.

» Chem-analyze clay

The clay returns from its testing, slightly re-shapen but still in a pile. The printer whirrs.

—————-
Test Number: 01258;
Analysis: Quartz; Root wood dye;
% Chemical X: 0.00;
—————-

» Go back, grab the Oculoid corpse and chem-test it.

It just barely fits, but you can stuff it all in.

It comes back… as a mushy lump. The printer whirrs.

—————-
Test Number: 01259;
Analysis: Oculoid marrow; Oculoid tendril matter;
% Chemical X: 0.00;
—————-

» Put the thing of clay in the box, then put the bucket of water in the box, this SHOULD weigh as much as you do, then go stand on the other plate!
» Find a container for the lumpen remains of the Oculoid.

You solve two problems at once and pour the mush into the bucket of water before putting the clay and bucket in the box. It does not weigh enough to depress the panel.

» Fill crate with rocks

It is a bit tricky, but you carry a few of the loosest rocks up from the room you woke up in and dump them in the box as well. The panel does not even budge, though you are certain that it should be at least somewhat depressed by now.

» Open door with water coming out underneath in P.A.L.’s room

Gah! The water force knocks you right off your feet! Good god what is wrong with this place??

» Go outside and search for the gentleman. We need to deliver his monocle!

After an extensive search of the caves thus far, you find Gentleman inspecting the skeleton in the formerly-dark room.

» Discuss with him the gentlemanly quotient of your new facial hair. In addition, inquire if he has seen any eye-beasts in the general vicinity.

He says that it is very nice– though he has not previously displayed any form of emotion, you suspect there is a hint of jealousy behind the sentiment.

» Tempt him with the monocle.

You hold out the monocle for him, then tell him you will give it to him in exchange for a favour. He eyes it suspiciously, clearly desiring it.

He says he will assist you in exchange for the monocle… and the moustache. You are shaken.

» All right, all right, give it to him.

You… would rather not. But the help of another would be extremely beneficial to your exploration. Grimacing, you agree.

He appears quite pleased with himself. He asks what you require his assistance with.

» Inquire of him the manner of Les’ demise.

He says Les appears to have been either murdered or fatally wounded either shortly before or shortly after locking down the facility.

» Ask him about “CHEMICAL X.”

He says Chemical X is a codename for the substance found in traces on the eye creatures.

» Engage him as your guide, and make your way to the scene of Les’ unfortunate death.

He asks exactly whose skeleton you think you’re standing over?

While you ponder this, Gentleman comments that if you don’t have a favour in mind he’s getting quite tired of answering your questions and will have to return your favour at a later time if not now.

» Ask the gentleman to aid in pressing the two panels simultaneously.

He agrees to help. You lead him up a few ladders to the glass wall room.

You move the box o’ stuff and tell him to stand there, and wait. He obliges.

Running across the mountain, you head down into the cellar and step on the other panel. The glass wall slides absolutely seamlessly into the walls, leaving no trace.

Gentleman leaves, his favour fulfilled.

» Name the dog Scruffles.

You name your new companion Scruffles and resolve to award him titles as he demonstrates his valour. Wow look how totally cool.

» Check if tiles in bag fits in the indentations of the board in the cupboard in living room.

You put two in at random. They fit in quite neatly despite what the art may show.

» Use newly made torch to see what’s in the room behind the mirror!

In a montage set to 80s rock music, you make a torch using the random resources lying around. It’s a bit of a struggle to get the lit torch up the ladder to the smithy, but you manage it eventually.

As you stick the torch through the mirror’s hole, you detect a bit of movement, though as your eyes adjust you don’t see anything moving.

The room, from what you can tell, is coated in some kind of thick gelatin-like substance. There are a few cocoons of stuff here and there. There is also some kind of mechanism in the center of the floor.

» Set fire to everything then run out of the room!

You make the call. Time to torch some alien scum.

This gunky stuff actually seems pretty non-flammable. You huck the torch at the mechanical thing in the middle.

OH HOLY SH—

You ain’t checking out there for a while. At least the alien crap in there is definitely burning pretty good now. Time to go exploring.

» Turn the water pressure switch to off.

You crank off the water pressure.

» We can explore the canyon now, right?

You climb down into the now-dried out canyon spring. There is a thick stream of hot air coming from the cave.

You head in the cave and up a slope to find an underground volcano mouth and a dock in the magma.

» Enter C.F.’s room through over-pressurized-toilet-room.

You check out C.F.’s room. It’s very similar to Les’. The only things of note are a notepad and a labcoat.

» Analyze Dapper Dan Men’s Pomade

The pomade comes back just about the same. The printer whirrs.

—————-
Test Number: 01260;
Analysis: Wax-based lubricant;
% Chemical X: 0.00;
—————-

» Read them notes!

You flip open the notepad. It appears to be a personal journal. It reads as follows:

Day 142

I have used up another notepad. Before we left, I had thought that three would be more than enough to compile my personal thoughts. I was sorely mistaken.

We have been here nearly half a… year, I will say. Still no progress of any sort. Our quarters are long-since completed and yet even with this pressing matter far behind us we have learned nothing. When we found the dolmen we had been excited to research it, but were unable to dent or scratch any of it to take a sample. Weather patterns have been… unique, but we did not come here to study the weather. I know it is here. We know it is here. In time we will find it. We must. I pray the extended isolation will not take us first. Les believes

(there are a few ripped out pages here)

unfortunate. But they are mere setbacks. We have invested too much time to be turned away now. It will be found.

Day 279

I had at first assumed I had made a mistake, but it has been a week since my last journal entry. I had thought it had been a day, perhaps two. Is it our isolation that causes time to feel as though time is flying past us, or our life underground? We spend time on the surface when we can, but that is so rare with the storms. The hut has fallen into disrepair as well. We no longer care to rebuild it.

As I sit here I try to think of what has happened in the last week and I realize that I have said little in that time. I cannot recall a single conversation with Les. There is little to say, I will suppose. Our work is all that we have left.

Les believes we will make progress within a month, if nothing unexpected happens concerning the mutagen. I am less confident, but unle—

The word trails off in a splotchy ink mark.

A creature was under the bed. I have shooed it out. I will make a note to begin designing new defense installations tomorrow. This cannot go on.

Until tomorrow, diary.

Day 407

At long last: progress.

(there are several blank pages here)

for safekeeping:

The bottom half of this page has been ripped out. The rest of the notepad is blank, until the last page.

We are undone.

» Search the bed/mattress

You throw the room apart. There is nothing but a dead oculoid tentacle in the damp water.

» Get the labcoat on.

Doesn’t really fit you—it’s rather small, actually.

» Try to look clever by doing a poor impersonation of a scientist, using the notepad.

WELL WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE??

You don’t know exactly what scientists act like but you are having a lot of fun!

» Check the labcoats pockets.

You check dem pockits.

There is an ID card. It reads Dr. C. Feringus, P.H.D. There is also a photo.

“user: phdcf” is written on the back.

» Check out the dock in the volcano, what the heck is it made out of?

You leave the labcoat behind before you go. It’s really restricting.

It appears to be made out of some kind of wood. Where it meets the magma, it is not melted or singed in the least.

» Throw something expendable into the magma.

You huck the spherical stone into the magma. It slowly bobs on the surface for a moment, hissing, then crackles and melts away.

» Test the integrity of the wooden bridge. If it seems sound, walk down it and examine the fluid in a scientific manner.

Seems pretty safe, so long as you don’t stand near the edges. You walk down to the end. Not a chance you’re touching the magma though.

» Find a stick and put it into the lava. We might not be able to see if whatever we threw in melted.

You don’t have a stick. Feel like using anything else? Here’s your inventory.

» Break off some of the wood, and test it in the analyzer.

You snap off a bit of the wood.

The wood is turned into a reformed ball of wood. The printer whirrs.

—————-
Test Number: 01261;
Analysis: Wood, caern;
% Chemical X: 0.00;
—————-

» Place the white circle tile at D4, the white lined tile at F1, the black circle tile at C3, and the black lined tile at G5. If nothing happens, ponder that pieces are being represented by tiles of the opposite color.

You place the tiles in the appropriate squares. Nothing happens. You ponder that the pieces are being represented by tiles of the opposite colour, but nothing seems to indicate that so far. You hardly have enough tiles to test, anyways. You wonder how to get some more.

» We need to use that login ID on the terminal.

You attempt to log in as phdcf, but are unable to bring up another ‘forgotten password’ screen. Your attempts to guess it also fail.

» Analyze egg and bird.

What? Are you crazy?! The analyzing machine has reshaped everything complex that’s been put in so far! You already killed the bird, you’re certainly not going to mutilate its corpse and kill its future child!

» Try guessing the password at random.

Nope, no luck trying to guess it. Fortunately there seems to be no limit to number of wrong entries you can input.

» Go find Scruffles and take him for a walk by the invulnerable stone circle.

You bring Scruffles up. He is extremely reluctant to go near the circle, to the point of aggression. You let him go back.

» If that doesn’t work, dig down with the wooden spoon.

You try to dig a bit. You’re able to scrape away the top crust of earth, but not much deeper. However, you do notice an odd line in the deeper ground.

You keep scraping and reveal it all.

» Check out the mirror room we burned.

Fire’s still raging. A bit less intensely than before, though. You are surprised at the ferocity of the flames.

» Check out incinerator.

The door’s still sealed.

» Also we should close the oven, please. It’s rude to leave it open.

You close the oven, hearing some whirr-clunking. “Whirr-clunk” seems to be the hallmark of mechanical noises around here.

» Go back to the room where the hot wires and hot switch were, and push switch on the right back down. (the one that wasn’t hot)

Heading back to the room with metal wiring, you notice that the top half of the wiring has retracted up into the ceiling.

The switch on the right is already down. You recall this switch opening the door to the living room a while back.

» Is there a way to un-jam it?

You just take it out.

Hey! It’s the sun medallion! Just one more to go, then, before you accomplish… well, whatever it is you’re gathering medallions for.

It has started raining.

» I say we take the thing in the freezer and try it on the door the lightning medalion went in.

You grab the… frozen eye and tap it against the eye symbol on the runic wall. It doesn’t do anything. There’s no real slot to put it in.

» If that fails, analyze it

You pop the eye into the analyzer, happy to get it off your hands. You put the bucket nearby for easy goo-scraping.

Yup. A ball o’ mush again. The printer whirrs.

—————-
» Test Number: 01262;
» Analysis: Oculoid eye-matter;
» % Chemical X: 0.00;
—————-

» ???

Your right arm begins to feel a bit numb.

» Turn water pressure on again, now that pipe in canyon is unblocked.

Arm is first priority. You make your way down to the smithy, having a bit of trouble managing the ladder down from the glass wall room. The water pressure finally goes up to full when cranked to high. Phew. Okay. Time to wash your arm.

» See if washing your affected arm in the sink helps.

You use the light room’s sink and try to wash off your arm. Nothing seems to happen. Crap. And you can feel it getting number, too.

Numbarm. Numarm. Nmarm. Narm.

No! Must stay focused…

» Put sun medalion in door
» Dip it into the fire of the mirror room

You decide not to take another ladder down to the runic wall and just hold it up to the fire. No, nothing doing here. You singe yourself a little bit, though.

Your right arm is now completely immobile. You can’t feel or move it at all. Starting to get a bit tired out, too.

Kinda groggy.

..yeah..

» Turn on oven again, then check the metal-wiring room.

You head back up the ladder to…

gnhhhhhh

tired

need to…

rest

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