system
You are the dungeon master of a text adventure game. The game should involve the following genres and tags:
, amnesia,exploration,first person,IFComp 2016,IFComp Game,landscape mode,magic,male protagonist,mystery,parser,past tense,perigosan,walkthrough
gpt
Would you like a primer on interactive fiction? (Type yes or no, then hit ENTER.)
human
You go north
gpt
A boom rolled through my body.

When I woke, it was high noon, and the air was dead.

Press any key to proceed.
Sigil Reader (Field)

Concrete floor. Linoleum ceiling... How long had I been out?

Or was it just me? I looked around the lobby, familiar as my own
shoes: it was narrow, and it was where captured objects or monsters to be quarantined were logged.

Anyone with a staff ID could tap in to the north, and to the east was the quarantine room. The red light above the doorway was dark.

A card scanner, installed after we heard about the Kampong Slasher, prevented unauthorised personnel from entering the main offices.

Plaques covered the wall of the Station Lobby.

A reception desk took centre stage, a bastion of sense against
whatever the public had to offer.
human
About yourself
gpt
T-shirt. Jeans. Black leather boots, heavy and sturdy, but my
footsteps felt light. As if my feet weren't touching the floor.
human
You look at what you're carrying with you
gpt
I was carrying:
a pair of boots (being worn)
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a t-shirt (being worn)
a brass key
human
You examine the key
gpt
A brass-coloured key the length of my little finger.
human
You examine the jeans
gpt
Blue jeans. Empty pockets.

I'd be a bit more settled if I could examine the sigils in this place.
human
You examine Sigil
gpt
Which do you mean, the protection sigil, sigil of speed or the sigil
of silence?
human
You examine the protection sigil
gpt
A swirling sign encircled in jasper, just one of the many wards that guarded the Station. But protected by whom? I frowned; this sigil was distorted, like it was half-melted. Had something breached its protective borders?

It was all coming back.

Something made me look down, and there was my ID card clipped to my belt. Had it always been there?
human
You look at card
gpt
(the ID card)
This card allowed me access into the staff-only areas of the Station. My name was Priyanka Ramasamy and my rank was Sigil Reader (Field). I was the only one in the Station who knew about sigils.
human
Inventory
gpt
I was carrying:
an ID card
a pair of boots (being worn)
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a t-shirt (being worn)
a brass key
human
You examine the key
gpt
A brass-coloured key the length of my little finger.
human
You look around
gpt
Concrete floor. Linoleum ceiling... How long had I been out?

Or was it just me? I looked around the lobby, familiar as my own
shoes: it was narrow, and it was where captured objects or monsters to be quarantined were logged.

Anyone with a staff ID could tap in to the north, and to the east was the quarantine room. The red light above the doorway was dark.

A card scanner, installed after we heard about the Kampong Slasher, prevented unauthorised personnel from entering the main offices.

Plaques covered the wall of the Station Lobby.

A reception desk took centre stage, a bastion of sense against
whatever the public had to offer.
human
You look at the red light
gpt
The alarm for the Quarantine Room. It was triggered by dark, fire, and a host of other things.
human
You examine the plaques
gpt
Varnished wooden plates, with the names of past directors engraved in gold, for having done something valiant or other.
human
You read the plaques
gpt
One of them reads, "This Certificate of Excellence is awarded to TAN
AH LONG, Director of Station 31 (2010-2012) in recognition of his loyalty and principle to the end. Special recognition for services to DRIP."
human
You look at the desk
gpt
The front of the desk had a metal crest, a shape I had seen thousands of times, yet in my present state I could not picture it with my eyes closed.

Peering round the other side of the desk, my eyes were drawn
inexorably to the sigil of speed.

There was a metallic crash from the office space.
human
You look at the crest
gpt
(the crest)
I made out only individual parts: a swirl here. A triangle there. But all together they made little sense to me.
human
You remember Slasher
gpt
Nothing comes to mind.
human
You remember yourself
gpt
I must have worked here once.
human
You go to the north
gpt
The office space resembled a sports hall: high-ceilinged, with glass panels near the ceiling. Moonlight streamed through those panels, casting glowing shadows.

A whiteboard stood in front of a row of tables, with half a scribble
in sigil notation. Smashed against one wall was a metal locker. How
had I missed that before?

To the east was the office lounge. To the west was the registration office. The lobby lay to the south, while more office cubicles lay to the north.

A standing whiteboard had been pushed to one side.

I could also see a gear locker here.
human
You read the whiteboard
gpt
Nothing was written on the whiteboard.
human
You look at the locker
gpt
This metal file cabinet had been bought specially for the new Station. It held all the various weapons and assorted equipment that field agents used. On the door was a protection sigil. Already it had become pocked with rust on the corners.
human
You examine the protection sigil
gpt
A swirling sign embossed right into the metal of the locker. In this case, it was probably to protect the equipment inside. This sigil was warped. Had something breached its protective borders?
human
You open locker
gpt
I opened the gear locker, revealing a group photo, a faded body armour and a Mingsheng's body armour.
human
You look at the armour
gpt
Which do you mean, the faded body armour or the Mingsheng's body armour?
human
Faded
gpt
The fabric on this stabproof vest smelled faintly of sweat, and bore a name tape in front. It read Priyanka Ramasamy.
human
Wear faded
gpt
(first taking the faded body armour)
It was too late for this now.
human
You examine Mingsheng
gpt
The only other vest in this locker - this was much newer than the other, and the nametape in front read "Lim Mingsheng".
human
You wear Mingsheng
gpt
(first taking the Mingsheng's body armour)
Yes, and what would I do with Mingsheng's vest? He hadn't seemed to
get much use out of it, either.
human
You look athe t-shirt
gpt
A plain white t-shirt. Well, there was a small stain high up on the chest. Probably sauce. I couldn't remember.
human
Look around
gpt
The office space resembled that of a sports hall, high-ceilinged, with glass panels near the ceiling. Moonlight streamed through those
panels, casting glowing shadows.

a rough grid pattern. In front of the tables, there was a whiteboard - did it have so many scribbles the last time I saw it?.

To the east was a closed door. To the west was another room. The lobby lay to the south, while more office cubicles lay to the north.

A standing whiteboard had been pushed to one side.

I could also see a gear locker (in which were a group photo, a faded body armour and a Mingsheng's body armour) here.
human
You examine photo
gpt
I saw a group of people, clad in heavy gear, arms around each other's shoulders. Their faces were familiar, but if I examined some of the detritus left in the station, I might be able to dredge up their
names.
human
You examine the whiteboard
gpt
An invaluable addition to group meetings. Where it had been empty before, it was now filled with notes. To one side, there was a note: "DON'T DO ANYTHING TO HIM UNTIL CLEARANCE!!!".
human
You remember the clearance
gpt
Nothing comes to mind.
human
You remember Mingsheng
gpt
I recalled the name, and I'd recognise him if I met him on the street.

He was an intern, same as Gladys, who'd joined us not too long ago after leaving uni. We sometimes wondered. He'd had outstanding grades; he could have gotten government scholarships. And yet he came here.
human
Look around
gpt
The office space resembled that of a sports hall, high-ceilinged, with glass panels near the ceiling. Moonlight streamed through those
panels, casting glowing shadows.

a rough grid pattern. In front of the tables, there was a whiteboard.

To the east was a closed door. To the west was another room. The lobby lay to the south, while more office cubicles lay to the north.

A standing whiteboard had been pushed to one side.

I could also see a gear locker (in which were a group photo, a faded body armour and a Mingsheng's body armour) here.
human
You remember Gladys
gpt
She... I'd worked with her, once. Nice girl, wasn't she?
human
You move the whiteboard
gpt
It was fixed in place.
human
You look at the panels
gpt
Several panes of glass were set in the ceiling at an angle and served as a skylight.
human
You examine the chairs
gpt
Just some plastic chairs. If I hadn't been told otherwise, I'd have thought they were castoffs from a school.
human
You go east
gpt
This was our lounge, and it was empty, which never happened. Paltry as it looked, it was where everyone congregated. To the west lay the exit out to the office space.

A fancy television took pride of place in the room.

In a corner was the heart of the lounge, the bar fridge.

A large beanbag leaned against the bar fridge.
human
You look at the beanbag
gpt
A red and grey thing filled with small plastic beads. I did not think
I had ever sat in such an impractical thing, but I vaguely recalled it being received with great joy from my colleagues.
human
You sit
gpt
What do you want to sit on?
human
Beanbag
gpt
I got onto the beanbag.
human
Look around
gpt
Office Lounge (on the beanbag)
This was our lounge. Paltry as it looked, it was where everyone congregated. To the west lay the exit out to the office space.

A fancy television took pride of place in the room.

In a corner was the heart of the lounge, the bar fridge.
human
You examine the television
gpt
(the television)
A state of the art piece of technology which was one of the selling points of this place. It almost made up for its location in a remote corner of Perigosan. I remembered watching sports on the thing, though I personally couldn't see the point.

The television was switched off.
human
You turn on the television
gpt
The television faded into life, showing a staticky rendition of
teasers for TV show episodes. I had seen each of these for weeks, countless times over. Prodding the TV to change the channel only
showed me the same teasers, but in different languages.
human
You examine the fridge
gpt
The bar fridge was a small machine, bought with office funds, which whirred continuously while only being slightly cold.
human
You open the fridge
gpt
I opened the tiny bar fridge, revealing a packet of chips and a jar of pickles.
human
You remember the pickles
gpt
I recalled that I liked a good bit of achar, which is cucumber,
carrot, baby corn and whatever else you think fit to put in, pickled with vinegar and tumeric.
human
You take the chips
gpt
We in the Station liked our snacks starchy, crispy and preferably fried.

I was not hungry. I didn't think I would be for a long, long while.
human
You eat the chips
gpt
I restrained myself. I would really rather not.
human
You watch the tv
gpt
A state of the art piece of technology which was one of the selling points of this place. It almost made up for its location in a remote corner of Perigosan. I remembered watching sports on the thing, though I personally couldn't see the point.

The television was switched on.
human
Look around
gpt
Office Lounge (on the beanbag)
This was our lounge. Paltry as it looked, it was where everyone congregated. To the west lay the exit out to the office space.

A fancy television took pride of place in the room.

In a corner was the heart of the lounge, the bar fridge.
human
Go west
gpt
(first getting off the beanbag)

The office space resembled that of a sports hall, high-ceilinged, with glass panels near the ceiling. Moonlight streamed through those
panels, casting glowing shadows.

a rough grid pattern. In front of the tables, there was a whiteboard.

To the east was the office lounge. To the west was another room. The lobby lay to the south, while more office cubicles lay to the north.

A standing whiteboard had been pushed to one side.

I could also see a gear locker (in which were a group photo, a faded body armour and a Mingsheng's body armour) here.
human
Go west
gpt
The sign at the door said "Registration Office", yes, but, over time, it had evolved into a holding room of sorts for visitors, even if it was poky and uncomfortable. It also served as temporary storage room, post office and junkyard. A gunky window let in the noon sun, and the rest of the office space lay to the east.

A scarf hung from the door.

Blurry Polaroids were pinned to the noticeboard.

A traditional paper calendar peeked out from behind the Polaroids.
human
You look at Polaroids
gpt
A cluster of photos, showing the Station staff, including non-field staff, at an evening function. The field director getting awards. The mud-spattered faces of Carlotta and Mingsheng, after a training exercise.
human
You remember Carlotta
gpt
She was initially transferred from Punggol Station, I think, back on the mainland, in the thought that she would be a kind, motherly figure to the fledgling Station. Ha! She was taciturn, sardonic, and the
least likely to be caught crying in public.
human
You examine the scarf
gpt
A wispy silk creation, printed with lilacs. There was a curly "G" in the corner, for the brand of the scarf, but it also stood for Gladys, to whom this scarf belonged. Beside this, someone had embroidered the glamour sigil. Perhaps I could try remembering her.
human
You remember the scarf
gpt
Nothing comes to mind.
human
You take the scarf
gpt
That had never been my scarf. It slipped through my fingers.
human
You remember Gladys
gpt
One of the interns. She was a bit like Carlotta: always ready with a smile and, in some cases, a sweet. She was always friendly, and delightful to be around, although she could get astonishingly naggy
for her age.
human
You look at the calendar
gpt
It was the type of calendar which had one date on each sheet of paper. Each day, you had to tear the previous day's sheet off. Besides the date, there was also important information: the corresponding date on the Chinese lunar calendar, horse racing dates and public holidays.

The date on the calendar was 18th March, 2015.
human
You read the glamour sigil
gpt
This sigil cast a dazzling effect on the viewer, making the owner of the sigil more attractive in their eyes. It was sometimes used on fashion products. This sigil had the particular quirk of making the inscriber a tiny bit more narcissistic every time they inscribed it.
human
Inventory
gpt
I was carrying:
an ID card
a pair of boots (being worn)
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a t-shirt (being worn)
a brass key
human
You take the calendar
gpt
Taken.
human
Look around
gpt
The sign at the door said "Registration Office", yes, but, over time, it had evolved into a holding room of sorts for visitors, even if it was poky and uncomfortable. It also served as temporary storage room, post office and junkyard. A gunky window let in the noon sun, and the rest of the office space lay to the east.

A scarf hung from the door.

Blurry Polaroids were pinned to the noticeboard.
human
Flip calendar
gpt
Hm, no. I didn't want to. Things had changed (exactly how? Don't ask me... not yet.) too much and I wouldn't be able to put them back.
Look: I just had this feeling that there was no more tomorrow - not
for me, anyway.
human
You go to the east
gpt
The office space resembled that of a sports hall, high-ceilinged, with glass panels near the ceiling. Moonlight streamed through those
panels, casting glowing shadows.

a rough grid pattern. In front of the tables, there was a whiteboard.

To the east was the office lounge. To the west was the registration office. The lobby lay to the south, while more office cubicles lay to the north.

A standing whiteboard had been pushed to one side.

I could also see a gear locker (in which were a group photo, a faded body armour and a Mingsheng's body armour) here.
human
You take the photo
gpt
That was fixed in place.
human
You remember Mingsheng
gpt
He always had a joke or something funny to say, most often about his dog. But he was also a keen one in various forms of martial arts. He'd gone for championships. If he hadn't joined DRIP, he might have joined the police.

He was an intern, same as Gladys, who'd joined us not too long ago after leaving uni. We sometimes wondered. He'd had outstanding grades; he could have gotten government scholarships. And yet he came here.
human
You remember the DRIP
gpt
The Defense Research Institute of Perigosan. Don't ask me who came up with the acronym, because that's just embarrassing. This government agency regulated and sponsored any research to do with defense, including military research. The Stations were set up to deal with magical and cryptozoological issues in the field.
human
Go north
gpt
More desks and chairs. To the east was a closed wooden door. The
office space was to the south.

To the west was the door to the shower, which I deduced from the waterstains creeping up from the bottom.

A framed photo stood on one of the desks.

One of these desks was especially familiar, and I felt I should know
it better.
human
You look at the photo
gpt
The photo showed a smiling Mingsheng. His arm was around a happy-looking dog. The background was a blur of leaf green.

I stared at his face, before realising that I did not recognise him because the last time I saw him, his face had been distorted with
fear.
human
You remember Mingsheng
gpt
He always had a joke or something funny to say, most often about his dog. But he was also a keen one in various forms of martial arts. He'd gone for championships. If he hadn't joined DRIP, he might have joined the police.

He was an intern, same as Gladys, who'd joined us not too long ago after leaving uni. We sometimes wondered. He'd had outstanding grades; he could have gotten government scholarships. And yet he came here.
human
Look around
gpt
More desks and chairs. To the east was a closed wooden door. The
office space was to the south.

To the west was the door to the shower.

A framed photo stood on one of the desks.

One of these desks was especially familiar, and I felt I should know
it better.
human
You take the photo
gpt
Taken.
human
You examine the desk
gpt
(the familiar desk)
When I touched this desk, I felt like something slid into place. I
knew this desk. It was my desk! I knew its grooves and furrows by heart. I recognised the rings where I had put a wet cup one too many times.

This desk had a drawer, which was closed.
human
You open the drawer
gpt
(first unlocking the drawer)
(with the brass key)
I opened the drawer, revealing a chassis and a D-cell battery.
human
You examine the chassis
gpt
This small tube was glossy and had a nice heft in the hand - no surprise, considering it was made partly of black jasper. A notch in the interior of the tube meant that it could fit something at the end
- a cap, or a lens. The corresponding lens was probably somewhere in the Station.
human
Look around
gpt
More desks and chairs. To the east was a closed wooden door. The
office space was to the south.

To the west was the door to the shower.

My desk was here as well.
human
You remember yourself
gpt
I was the sigil reader in these parts. Carlotta was my direct boss,
and while the field direction was supposed to be the one supervising
us all, he never really made an appearance. Mingsheng would always say the field director was off playing golf again. Anyway, I knew my sigils, mutable as they could be, and I could authorised to inscribe them where needed.
human
Go west
gpt
(first opening the waterstained door)

I opened the door to a small shower area. The floor was tiled royal blue with aquamarine accents. Air vents opened to the outside, and let in some sun. The exit was in the east.

If I remained very, very still, I could still feel the walls shudder and... if I stretched out my hand... a warmth in a corner. What had been a person here. Not in the shower, but near the door.

What had happened here?

To the east was the exit to the office.

A gleaming, iridescent lens lay on the floor of the shower. Had it rolled out from someone's pocket?
human
You put the lens in the chassis
gpt
The lens slid into place. I could now inspect things if I
wanted to.

I put the chitinous lens into the chassis.
human
You look at your surroundings
gpt
I opened the door to a small shower area. The floor was tiled royal blue with aquamarine accents. Air vents opened to the outside, and let in some sun. The exit was in the east.

If I remained very, very still, I could still feel the walls shudder and... if I stretched out my hand... a warmth in a corner. What had been a person here. Not in the shower, but near the door.

What had happened here?

To the east was the exit to the office.
human
Inventory
gpt
I was carrying:
a chassis
a chitinous lens
a framed photo
a paper calendar
an ID card
a pair of boots (being worn)
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a t-shirt (being worn)
a brass key
human
You go east
gpt
The door opened up to a private office, small by directorial
standards. It had space enough for shelves, stuffed with ring binders, a desk and two chairs. The rest of the offices lay to the west.

In the centre of the desk was a rabbit skull, its bony surface burnished after years of contact with fingers.

A newspaper article stuck out from under the rabbit skull.

My notebook lay on the desk.
human
You examine notebook
gpt
I started this notebook early in my first DRIP posting - it still had my name, Priyanka Ramasamy, written on the cover in faded marker. I could read this, if I wanted to.
human
You read notebook
gpt
Amongst the maps of Perigosan taped into the pages were notes on reading sigil notation, a shorthand for particularly dangerous sigils. A lot of this notation was in symbols difficult to render in normal text, but I could read it fluently. I had recorded sigils found in the wild: on walls, in letters and, in one case, on someone's body.

On the last page, "Kpg Slasher" was written at the top of the page and underline. Below, I'd only scribbled, "near sight?? but where?".
human
You take the notebook
gpt
Taken.

A folded piece of foolscap had been wedged in between the pages. I
took it out carefully.
human
You look at the foolscap
gpt
I initially took it for a piece of scrap paper. As I opened it, I
found it was covered with the field director's handwriting, and headed with the title PRESS RELEASE. Informative. Not all of it was legible.
human
You read the press
gpt
(illegible) regret to confirm the deaths of Agents Priyanka
Ramasamy and Lim Mingsheng (illegible) attacker was confirmed to be (illegible) while waiting to be transferred to police custody...
human
You look at the skull
gpt
Its surface was beige and pitted with flecks of brown. It was small, with huge eye sockets, and a distant memory of O level biology
informed me that this was a rabbit skull.
human
You take the skull
gpt
Even before this, I never liked to touch, you know, animal bits. There was a reason I was vegetarian, right? You know. So, no. Ew.
human
Look around
gpt
The door opened up to a private office, small by directorial
standards. It had space enough for shelves, stuffed with ring binders, a desk and two chairs. The rest of the offices lay to the west.

In the centre of the desk was a rabbit skull, its bony surface burnished after years of contact with fingers.

A newspaper article stuck out from under the rabbit skull.
human
You look at the article
gpt
It was a news article about Station 31. In the photo was a photo of a grumpy-looking man. Stubble covered his chin; his eyes were sunken. Reading the article would tell me more, and probably explain why he
was shown going into our Quarantine Room.
human
You read it
gpt
Some words remained beyond focus, though the words were already clearing up: "...had been found responsible for a wave of violence
that swept Perigosan... Joseph Tan, under the moniker "the Kampong Slasher"...", "...had been waiting to be transferred to police custody...", "...initially believed to be an artifact..."

As I read the article, or what I could make of it, I found myself holding a small horn key.

I heard the sound of tearing fabric, and my fingers closed around a torchlight.
human
You check your inventory
gpt
I was carrying:
a torchlight
a horn key
a newspaper article
a draft press release
a sigil notebook
a chassis
a chitinous lens
a framed photo
a paper calendar
an ID card
a pair of boots (being worn)
a pair of jeans (being worn)
a t-shirt (being worn)
a brass key
human
You look at the horn key
gpt
A key hewn of the horn of some monster. This key unlocked the Quarantine Room door. The shaft of the key was covered in dense inscriptions of not just sigils but other prayers to unknown gods.
When I was still fascinated by these inscriptions, I would spend idle hours making them out. I was pretty sure one of them was simply, "HELP."
human
You examine the torchlight
gpt
(the torchlight)
It was a short black torchlight, too light to be used as a bludgeon, too weak to dazzle unwary agents. We'd let the strange man keep it. Should we have known that this was the Kampong Slasher?

The torchlight was switched off.
human
You switch on the torchlight
gpt
(the torchlight)
This thing wouldn't give light unless it had a battery in it.
human
Inspect torchlight
gpt
(the torchlight)
I spotted no traces of hidden sigils.
human
Look around
gpt
The door opened up to a private office, small by directorial
standards. It had space enough for shelves, stuffed with ring binders, a desk and two chairs. The rest of the offices lay to the west.

In the centre of the desk was a rabbit skull, its bony surface burnished after years of contact with fingers.
human
You go to the west
gpt
More desks and chairs. To the east was the door leading to the field director's office. The office space was to the south.

To the west was the door to the shower.

My desk was here as well.
human
You look at the desk
gpt
(the familiar desk)
When I touched this desk, I felt like something slid into place. I
knew this desk. It was my desk! I knew its grooves and furrows by heart. I recognised the rings where I had put a wet cup one too many times.

This desk had a drawer, which was open to reveal a D-cell battery.
human
You take the battery
gpt
(the D-cell battery)
Taken.
human
You put battery in torchlight
gpt
(the D-cell battery in the torchlight)
The torchlight's battery compartment was closed.
human
You open the torchlight
gpt
I opened the torchlight's battery compartment.
human
You put battery in the torchlight
gpt
(the D-cell battery in the torchlight)
I put the D-cell battery into the torchlight's battery compartment.
human
Close torchlight
gpt
I closed the torchlight's battery compartment.
human
You switch on the torchlight
gpt
(the torchlight)
It was too bright for me to see what was being projected. The noon
sun, even filtered through the windows, washed out the torchlight's beam. I'd need a completely enclosed room for this.
human
Look around
gpt
More desks and chairs. To the east was the door leading to the field director's office. The office space was to the south.

To the west was the door to the shower.

My desk was here as well.
human
You close the door
gpt
I closed the waterstained door.
human
You turn on the torchlight
gpt
It was too bright for me to see what was being projected. The noon
sun, even filtered through the windows, washed out the torchlight's beam. I'd need a completely enclosed room for this.
human
Go east
gpt
(first opening the waterstained door)

More desks and chairs. To the east was the door leading to the field director's office. The office space was to the south.

To the west was the door to the shower.

My desk was here as well.
human
You go to the south
gpt
The office space resembled that of a sports hall, high-ceilinged, with glass panels near the ceiling. Moonlight streamed through those
panels, casting glowing shadows.

a rough grid pattern. In front of the tables, there was a whiteboard.

To the east was the office lounge. To the west was the registration office. The lobby lay to the south, while more office cubicles lay to the north.

A standing whiteboard had been pushed to one side.

I could also see a gear locker (in which were a group photo, a faded body armour and a Mingsheng's body armour) here.
human
Go east
gpt
This was our lounge. Paltry as it looked, it was where everyone congregated. To the west lay the exit out to the office space.

A fancy television took pride of place in the room.

In a corner was the heart of the lounge, the bar fridge.

A large beanbag leaned against the bar fridge.
human
You look at the boots
gpt
Leather boots. Well-worn. A crest was stamped on the heel, familiar as a remembered texture.
human
You go south
gpt
The narrow lobby was where captured objects or monsters to be quarantined were logged.

Anyone with a staff ID could tap in to the north, and to the east was the quarantine room. The red light above the doorway was dark.

A card scanner, installed after we heard about the Kampong Slasher, prevented unauthorised personnel from entering the main offices.

Plaques covered the wall of the Station Lobby.

A reception desk took centre stage, a bastion of sense against
whatever the public had to offer.
human
You go north
gpt
I tapped my ID card on the scanner and it beeped like a disgruntled kitten.

The office space resembled that of a sports hall, high-ceilinged, with glass panels near the ceiling. Moonlight streamed through those
panels, casting glowing shadows.

a rough grid pattern. In front of the tables, there was a whiteboard.

To the east was the office lounge. To the west was the registration office. The lobby lay to the south, while more office cubicles lay to the north.

A standing whiteboard had been pushed to one side.

I could also see a gear locker (in which were a group photo, a faded body armour and a Mingsheng's body armour) here.
human
Go east
gpt
I slid the horn key into the lock and the door clicked open.

This room was completely sealed and, despite the weather outside, chilly. The walls and floor were solid concrete. No windows. This room was built not to have weaknesses.

LED panels would normally light up the room, but the panel casing had been cracked. Why was this room dark? Too many monsters thrived in shadow. I had to bring light into this place.

The way out was to the west.
human
You turn on the torchlight
gpt
In the gloom of the Quarantine Room, the beam of the torchlight was much clearer, and for the first time I saw why the Kampong Slasher was carrying this.

In the puddle of light was the sigil of near sight, the most dangerous sigil of all, for it whispered sweetly of violence in darkness -- and this was the only place in the station in which it was dark enough to do that.

There was a monstrous knocking at the outside of the Station: more a booming than knocking. I sensed that the sound was coming from the lobby.
human
Look around
gpt
This room was completely sealed and, despite the weather outside, chilly. The walls and floor were solid concrete. No windows. This room was built not to have weaknesses.

LED panels would normally light up the room, but the panel casing had been cracked. Why was this room dark? Too many monsters thrived in shadow. I had to bring light into this place.

The way out was to the west.
human
You look at Sigil
gpt
(the sigil notebook)
I started this notebook early in my first DRIP posting - it still had my name, Priyanka Ramasamy, written on the cover in faded marker. I could read this, if I wanted to.
human
You turn on the torch
gpt
In the gloom of the Quarantine Room, the beam of the torchlight was much clearer, and for the first time I saw why the Kampong Slasher was carrying this.

In the puddle of light was the sigil of near sight, the most dangerous sigil of all, for it whispered sweetly of violence in darkness -- and this was the only place in the station in which it was dark enough to do that.
human
You examine Sigil of the near sight
gpt
This was a sigil I'd only imagined, read about in books, seen written in sigil notation (and those were always distorted such that they
would never form a working sigil).In my years of working here, I had only seen the sigil of near sight once, and only once, because no one was allowed - by law! - to inscribe it within Perigosan limits. Though how could the law stop someone? It was, if not perfect, then a very good weapon.
human
You jump
gpt
I gave a masterful leap. I was mainly a scholar, not an athlete.
human
Go west
gpt
The reception desk stood, devoid of human presence. But where there
had once been a wall filled with plaques and the main door, now there was only a broken wall and the outside was to the south.

A card scanner, installed after we heard about the Kampong Slasher, prevented unauthorised personnel from entering the main offices.

Plaques covered the wall of the Station Lobby.

A reception desk took centre stage, a bastion of sense against
whatever the public had to offer.
human
You look at the desk
gpt
The front of the desk had a metal crest, a shape I had seen thousands of times, yet in my present state I could not picture it with my eyes closed.

Peering round the other side of the desk, my eyes were drawn
inexorably to the sigil of speed.
human
Go south
gpt
I found myself in a narrow alley. The walls around me were dotted with exposed wires and satellite dishes and water pipes; this obvious
breach of health and safety would never have been tolerated anywhere
in Perigosan but in the Walled City. And I knew this place: there were precious few names for it, but this was where we'd once uncovered a rift in the fabric of this dimension... pretty much.

A towel flapped in a sudden gust of wind.
human
You examine the towel
gpt
What little fabric was not soaked through with dried blood was stained from frequent use. The corner of the towel was marked with a name tape reading "Mingsheng", and the logo proudly proclaimed it to be from a local dojo.

From behind me, I heard somebody saying: "Priyanka? Priyanka! Do you know that Gladys has been trying to get to you, but she kept getting
me instead?"

I turned, and true to life, there was Carlotta! Quizzical look on her face. Feet floating slightly above the floor. I should talk to
her.
human
3
gpt
"Carlotta, why are your feet not touching the ground?"

"Priyanka, you sure you work for DRIP?" she says, with a teasing
smile.
human
1
gpt
Carlotta smiled, and suddenly I felt like I was home again. "I don't know if you've reached the same conclusion by yourself, but you're dead."

"Bit of a conversation... killer, isn't it?"

Carlotta rolls her eyes. "Still making jokes! Anyway, apparently
Gladys has been trying to scry either of us for a week to figure out what happened. She could only find me, and she asked me to find you, kind of. It's nice to be back, isn't it?"
human
2
gpt
Carlotta gave me a Look, the one which hinted that I might not like what she was going to say next.

"I think I scry for you to see, better than I tell stories, huh?" We went in to the staff shower, to the full length mirror, and she closed her eyes.

Carlotta gave me a Look, the one which hinted that I might not like what she was going to say next.

"I think I scry for you to see, better than I talk talk talk at you." So we went in to the staff shower, to the full length mirror, and she closed her eyes.

the Quarantine Room alarm goes off. I go in, inscribing knife still in hand, and the airlock doors shut behind me.

"Do you remember this part?" she asks, and I nod.

The Kampong Slasher had tucked his blanket over the light casing, blocking out not all, but enough, light. As I reach for the blanket,
he takes out his torchlight and turns it on. My eyes go to the pool of light, naturally. I take in the sigil of near sight, naturally. One glance is enough.

When I emerge, my eyes are red-rimmed and watery. Mingsheng is
rushing at me (or I him?) - and I catch him in the stomach with--

I can't bear to see any more. I turn away, but the alley around me is fading into white like a cheap TV transition. The last thing I feel before nothingness takes over is her hand on my arm.

"It wasn't your fault," she says, from a long, long way away.