config.body.transition: 'fadeInOut'
crowbar: false
sheetMusic: false
violin: false
babySkull: false
knife: false
cueStick: false
nineBall: false
--
[align center]
**Danger at Deathoak Manor**
[continue]
You stand in front of the rundown old house your friends dared you to explore. The front door is closed. A trellis of dead roses stretches up to an open window on the second floor. A cobblestone path winds through the dense undergrowth toward the back of the house.
{embed Unsplash image: 'https://unsplash.com/photos/xZfdoXQf1VE', alt: 'a dilapidated old manor house overgrown with ivy'}
What do you do?
[[Try the front door->front door try]]
[[Climb the trellis->trellis]]
[[Head around back->back of house]]You are in a dusty front hall.
You can go [[right->conservatory]], [[left->kitchen]], or [[climb the stairs->stairs]].The rickety trellis breaks away from the wall and you fall to your death.
Fade to black.
[[Try Again?->front of house]]The [[back door]] is shut. There is a [[doghouse]] in the corner of the yard.
Or do you want to head back to the [[front of the house->front of house]]?You are what appears to be a musty, disused music conservatory.
You spot some [[sheet music]], an old [[violin]], and a large [[squarish object->harpsichord]] covered in a sheet.
{embed Unsplash image: 'https://unsplash.com/photos/TeqVvTX8qKA', alt: 'violin sitting atop sheet music'}
Or you could head back to the [[front hall->front door]].You are in a grimy kitchen. A lidded pot is bubbling on the stove. A knife stands upright, stabbed into a butcher block.
{embed Unsplash image: 'https://unsplash.com/photos/p4K7KQn1hI8', alt: 'an old kitchen with paint peeling off the ceiling'}
Do you check inside the [[pot]]?
Do you grab the [[knife]]?
The back door is shut tight. The only exit leads out into the [[front hall->front door]].The stairs creak loudly as you climb. You hear the cracking of wood...
Do you [[continue->upstairs landing]] or [[run back down->front hall]]?The stairs collapse!
But you manage to reach the second floor with minor scratches. You'll have to find another way down.
[[Continue->2nd floor landing]]...You feel like such a [[wuss->front door]]...The door is securely locked.
[if crowbar]
...But you bust it wide open with your crowbar!
Inside is a [[kitchen->back door shut]].
Or you could head back to the [[front of the house->front of house]]
[else]
If only you had something to pry it open...
Want to try the [[doghouse]]?
Or head back to the [[front of the house->front of house]]?You see the ghost of a sad bloodhound inside. He looks starved and the ghost of a chain keeps him from leaving. Behind him you spot a rusty crowbar.
Do you [[pet him and call him a 'good boy'->back door open]] or [[grab the crowbar]]?crowbar: true
--
He wags his tail and disappears. You grab the crowbar and head back to the [[back door]].The spectral hound leaps at your throat!
Fade to black.
[[Try Again?->front of house]]doorTry: random.d6
--
[if doorTry > 2]
Success! You push the door open and [[step inside->front door shut]]
[else]
Ugh! It's stuck.
[[Try again->front door try]]?
Or [[try the trellis->trellis]]?
Or [[go around back->back of house]]?sheetMusic: true
--
Flipping through, you can see it's a yellowed copy of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
[[Back->conservatory]].violin: true
--
It's an old and dusty violin, but could come in handy. Also, it looks playable.
Do you [[play it->play violin]]?
Or [[leave it alone->conservatory]]?Underneath the sheet is a badly deteriorated harpsichord that's missing several keys.
Care to [[play it->play harpsichord]]?
Or [[leave it alone->conservatory]]?
[if sheetMusic]
The first few notes are halting, but despite some scratchiness, you knock out a reasonable version of Ode To Joy.
[[Back->conservatory]].
[else]
After you screech out a few tuneless notes, the bow flies out of your hand. It swoops down, drawing itself across your neck and slitting your throat! The blood gushes forth...
Fade to black.
[[Try Again?->front of house]][if sheetMusic]
The first few notes are halting, but despite some gaps from the missing keys, you knock out a reasonable version of Ode To Joy.
[[Back->conservatory]].
[else]
With your first few tuneless notes, a SCREAM erupts from the harpsichord. It rises into the air and comes down, CRUSHING YOU beneath it.
Fade to black.
[[Try Again?->front of house]]The back door slams shut behind you. You try it, but it won't open.
[[Continue->kitchen]]...The front door slams shut behind you. You try it, but it won't open.
[[Continue->front door]]...Inside the pot is a baby's skull.
Do you [[fish it out->baby skull]]?
Or do you [[leave it alone->kitchen]]?As you grab for the knife, it flies up, just out of reach!
Try to [[catch it->knife grab]]?
Or do you [[leave it alone->kitchen]]?babySkull: true
--
You get it out with a pair of tongs. It's so small. So sad.
[[Back->kitchen]].knifeGrab: random.d20
--
[if knifeGrab > 7]
You snatch the knife out of the air! [[Good job->knife victory]]!
[else]
The knife flings itself into your heart!
Fade to black.
[[Try Again?->front of house]]knife: true
--
This could come in handy...
[[Back->kitchen]].This dingy upstairs landing has doors to the [[left->bathroom]], [[right->master bedroom]], and [[straight ahead->billiards room]].This bathroom has seen better days.
{embed Unsplash image: 'https://unsplash.com/photos/VCVI5QUvFAY', alt: 'a dilapidated bathroom with graffiti'}
There is a [[bathtub]] filled with murky water you could examine.
Or you could head out [[the exit->2nd floor landing]].A king-sized bed with a stained mattress dominates the room. A window is open with a trellis leading down to the front yard.
{embed Unsplash image: 'https://unsplash.com/photos/bpMiUGF2Cps', alt: 'old stained bed in barren room with windows'}
Do you [[examine the bed->bed]]?
Or [[climb out the window->trellis]]?
Or head out the [[exit->2nd floor landing]]?In this room ravaged by time, you find the remains of a billiards table.
[if nineBall]
You've searched this place. Would you like to [[leave the room->2nd floor landing]]?
[else]
[[Search it->billiard search]]?
Or [[leave the room->2nd floor landing]]?
cueStick: true
nineBall: true
--
You find a broken cue stick and a nine ball. You take them along with you, as they might be useful.
[[Back->billiards room]].Watery hands reach out and drag you under!
Fade to black.
[[Try Again?->front of house]]dodge: random.d20
--
As you bend down to examine the bed, it slides toward you!
[after 2 seconds]
[if dodge <= 5]
It crushes you against the wall.
Fade to black.
[[Try Again?->front of house]]
[else]
You dodge out of the way!
In the floor where the bed used to be you discover a [[trapdoor]].
Or you could head out the [[exit->2nd floor landing]].It's very gloomy and depressing down here. There seems to be no way out...
Then, scrabbling around in the shadows, you discover a loose [[brick->showdown]] in the far wall.
{embed Unsplash image: 'https://unsplash.com/photos/cU1MBlux5KQ', alt: 'a dark, trashed basement in sepia tone'}As you pull out the brick, the wall bursts open!
A mummified woman in a tattered wedding dress hisses as she lurches toward you!
{embed Unsplash image: 'https://unsplash.com/photos/rXjSnBx8Kuc', alt: 'a skull looming out of the darkness'}
[if crowbar]
Do you hit her with the [[crowbar->crowbar attack]]?
[if knife]
Do you stab her with the [[knife->knife attack]]?
[if violin]
Do you play the [[violin->violin attack]] for her?
[if cueStick]
Do you hit her with the [[cue stick->cue stick attack]]?
[if nineBall]
Do you throw the [[nine ball->nine ball attack]] at her?
[if babySkull]
Do you show her the [[baby skull->baby skull attack]]?
[if !crowbar && !knife && !violin && !cueStick && !nineBall && !babySkull]
You have nothing to attack her with and nowhere to run. Her skeletal fingers close around your neck...
Fade to black.
[[Try Again?->front of house]]attack: random.d20
--
[If attack > 12]
You bash her skull in! The bones collapse in a heap.
You spot a small [[door->freedom]] in the niche where she was hidden.
[else]
You break away a few ribs, but her skeletal fingers close around your neck...
Fade to black.
[[Try Again?->front of house]]attack: random.d20
--
[If attack > 15]
You stab her eye socket and the evil light in them goes out! The bones collapse in a heap.
You spot a small [[door->freedom]] in the niche where she was hidden.
[else]
Your knife gets stuck in her ribs, and her skeletal fingers close around your neck...
Fade to black.
[[Try Again?->front of house]]As you break into Ode to Joy, the undead thing stops in her tracks. You can almost see a smile form on her skull -- just before the bones collapse in a heap.
You spot a small [[door->freedom]] in the niche where she was hidden.attack: random.d20
--
[If attack > 15]
You bash her skull in! The bones collapse in a heap.
You spot a small [[door->freedom]] in the niche where she was hidden.
[else]
You break away a couple of ribs, but her skeletal fingers close around your neck...
Fade to black.
[[Try Again?->front of house]]attack: random.d20
--
[If attack > 19]
Amazing throw! You bash her skull in! The bones collapse in a heap.
You spot a small [[door->freedom]] in the niche where she was hidden.
[else]
You miss her completely, and her skeletal fingers close around your neck...
Fade to black.
[[Try Again?->front of house]]A passageway leads to a trapdoor that opens up in some bushes on the side of the house.
You breathe in the sweet air of freedom.
[align center]
**CONGRATULATIONS!**
{embed Unsplash image: 'https://unsplash.com/photos/e5NjiJgzgzI', alt: 'sunny sky with a few clouds seen through some plants'}
[align left]
[[Play through again?->front of house]]You climb down a long wooden chute. As you reach the bottom, the ladder and chute collapse with a ROAR!
You leap out...
[after 2 seconds]
...and find yourself in a dark [[basement]].The sight of the skull causes the creature to pause momentarily...
[if crowbar]
Do you hit her with the [[crowbar->crowbar attack]]?
[if knife]
Do you stab her with the [[knife->knife attack]]?
[if violin]
Do you play the [[violin->violin attack]] for her?
[if cueStick]
Do you hit her with the [[cue stick->cue stick attack]]?
[if nineBall]
Do you throw the [[nine ball->nine ball attack]] at her?
[if babySkull]
Do you show her the [[baby skull->baby skull attack2]] again?
Enraged by your taunting, she lashes out! Her skeletal fingers close around your neck...
Fade to black.
[[Try Again?->front of house]]As you approach the dilapidated doghouse, you hear a mournful, otherworldly howl from inside.
Do you return to the [[back of the house->back of house]] or [[check inside->inside dog house]]?