The Sorcerer's Kitchen

After your long journey through the [[Forest of Deadly Dragons]], you clamber--slightly singed--up a rocky embankment and scurry into the nearest cave, your [[page]] close behind. Still filled with adrenaline but feeling safer now, you notice how the light shining from a gaping crevice in the ceiling is illuminating an [[astonishing sight.|The Sorcerer's Kitchen--Zoom]]

Some local villagers handed you a helpful map of the area which told you about the "Forest of De" which ended in a slight smudge. At first you thought nothing of it; but when you arrived, you began to think that the poor mapmaker may have become dragon food mid-phrase... [[//- back//->The Sorcerer's Kitchen]]

Great panes of colored glass--azure, green, and crimson--perched on odd wooden stands like carved obelisks surround what appears to be... a kitchen! What should you do? [[//- Seems odd and there might be treasure--or food, you really want food. Take a closer look!//->Closer]] [[//- This is a bit weird; your experiences traveling have shown you that odd sights in caves are usually the result of magic, and therefore unsafe. Better to face a dragon than a sorcerer!//->Give Up]]

Though perplexed and wary that you might happen upon a dangerous sorcerer, you take a few steps closer to observe the odd sight. Knotted wood counters seem to have grown out of the floor, each covered with a motley collection of curious jars and normal fruits and vegetables. In the center of it all, a floating cauldron bubbles merrily over a blue flame hovering seemingly without source! Your page (who you would have thought might have already learned that fire hurts) pokes his finger towards the glowing object with the obvious consequence. Swearing and nursing his finger, he bumbles off into a different part of the cave. (set: $smartpage to "false") [[//- Send him outside to keep watch; he might hurt himself less that way//->Alone at Last]] [[//- Tell him to look around; perhaps he'll prove more useful in the future//->Explore Together]]

Calling your page to your side, you trudge toward the cave mouth--and perhaps towards your early demise by fiery dragon. At least nothing is stronger than your conviction: better to face the open world than the wrath of some unknown sorcerer. Your story goes on...until the dragon snaps you up for an afternoon snack.

With nobody around to ask questions or accidentally set anything on fire, you now feel freer to have some fun! After all it isn't everyday that you get to play with a magic cauldron! At that thought you listen closely for a moment, not wanting a sorcerer to sneak up on you; you hear your page kicking rocks down the precipice outside and mumbling about how rude you are, but you feel comfortable that you will know if anything dangerous tries to enter the cave. Eyeing the nearest counter, you notice a few ingredients of note: [[spaghetti noodles]], [[garlic]], something labeled [[Witch's Eyebrow]], [[thyme]], and something else called [[Dragon's Breath]]. //Select an Ingredient:// [[- spaghetti noodles]] [[- garlic]] [[- Witch's Eyebrow]] [[- thyme]] [[- Dragon's Breath]]

You and (if: $smartpage is 'true')[Billy](else:)[the page] explore the perimeter of the room, peering into crevices which might be paths and looking for anything that might be interesting. (if: $smartpage is 'true')[Billy calls you over to a nondescript wall far from the mouth of the cave. It is dark, but he has found a jar of Dragon's Breath--the blue flame you observed underneath the cauldron--and is using it to light the way. He points to the floor where you see a faint engraving of a leaf. He steps on it forcefully, and suddenly with a heavy grating noise, parts of the uneven cave wall scoot off to either side and a ragged path is revealed. At the end of it, you see mottled golden light like sunlight through foliage. [[//- How intruiging! Follow the path.//->Grove]] [[//- Keep exploring the cave; there may be other rooms hidden like this one.//->KeepLooking]]] (else:)[The farther back you go in the cave, the darker it becomes. Soon you can barely see a thing, which is not making for a productive search. (if: $item is 'invisibilitypotion')[Suddenly you have an idea. You recall how your potion seems to turn objects transparent. You're not sure, but you think that if there is anything hidden behind some of these walls, maybe you could find them using the potion! You shake the potion bottle, pull out the cork and wipe it on the cave wall nearest to you. In the small swathe of wall that you wetted, you see a marvelous sight. Treasure beyond your wildest dreams is piled in a small room just beyond the wall! Piles of golden coins, stacks of precious gems, and some stranger items lay in a warm ray of light. You excitedly yell for your page to show him your discovery. [[//- Use the potion to paint a larger window; then we might be able to see where the entrance is.//->Paint]] [[//- Paint a hole big enough to crawl through, and then drink the rest of the potion to go through. Maybe invisible things can go through invisible surfaces!//->Crawl]] [[//- Find something large enough to bash this wall down!//->Bash]]]]

You pick up the apparently normal box and sniff the contents suspiciously. It is either an excellent trick, or the sorcerer likes noodles. [[//- back//->Alone at Last]]

A large head of garlic without spots of mold or other signs of age. Peculiarly normal. [[//- back//->Alone at Last]]

Now here is someting odd! You pick up a green glass jar small enough to fit in your palm. Peering inside, you see a collection of wiry hairs of different lengths and colors. You recoil when a sudden stench reaches your nose; eyebrows don't smell like that... [[//- back//->Alone at Last]]

A medium sized blue jar with a cork lid holds the thyme. Popping out the cork, the characteristic aroma of fresh thyme leaves meets your nose. You cork the lid and set the jar back on the counter. You stand blankly for a moment feeling a strange curiosity about the blue bottle, not entirely sure if you've investigated it already or not. [[//- Pick up the jar of thyme.//->thyme]] [[//- back//->Alone at Last]]

A clear jar holding a floating blue flame just like the one the page burnt his finger on sits on the countertop. Afraid to touch the glass, you hold the back of your hand near it but feel no heat. Curious... [[//- back//->Alone at Last]]

(set: $recipe to "spaghetti") You take the noodles out of the box and plop them into the already boiling cauldron which you hope only contains water. Becoming tender remarkably quickly, the noodles wiggle around in the pot until all of the water suddenly disapears leaving the freshly cooked noodles laying at the bottom. [[//- Choose another ingredient//->Second Choice]]

(set: $recipe to "transform") Having cooked a lot, you prepare to perform the arduous process of peeling and mincing the garlic. . . . . Aaaand you've finished! Unsure of whether touching the cauldron to empty it might burn you, you throw the minced garlic into the bubbling liquid therein. As it comes into contact with the liquid, a blinding flash of yellow light hits you. Once you can see again, you peer into the cauldron to see a silky golden liquid murmuring therein. [[//- Choose another ingredient//->Second Choice]]

(set: $recipe to "undying") Holding your nose, you stretch out your arm and dump the contents of the green jar into the cauldron. Daring to take a sniff, you are shocked to find that the scent emenating from the cauldron smells brisk like pine needles. [[//- Choose another ingredient//->Second Choice]]

(set: $recipe to "undying") Uncorking the little blue bottle again, you start walking towards the cauldron. Halfway there, you stop and glance down at a curious blue bottle in your hand. How did that get there? . . You decide again to tap a bit of the substance into the cauldron. As it fizzes lightly, you cork the bottle and return it to the counter. You feel curiously lost for a moment, but then recall that you were trying to make a potion! [[//- Choose another ingredient//->Second Choice]]

(set: $recipe to "transform") Just to be safe, you wrap a towel around your hands before grabbing the jar holding the flame. Tossing it into the bubbling cauldron, the water accepts it with a great splatter. Steam curls up into the air and flows out of the sunlit crevice in the ceiling. [[//- Choose another ingredient//->Second Choice]]

Scanning the kitchen surfaces, you notice a few more ingredients of note: [[tomato sauce]], [[white truffles]], something labeled [[phoenix's eggshell]], and something labeled [[ruby dust]]. //Select another Ingredient:// [[- tomato sauce]] [[- white truffles]] [[- phoenix's eggshell]] [[- ruby dust]]

Apparently a perfectly normal jar of tomato sauce! Still within the expiration date, so it seems like you're good to go! [[//- back//->Second Choice]]

A basket filled with a collection of small greyish items looking somewhat like holey little potatoes sits in a dark corner of the counter. Leaning in to get a closer look, you realise that these are the gourmand's mushroom of choice! Its not everyday that you see fresh truffles! [[//- back//->Second Choice]]

Atop a gaudy silver pedestal, a great egg which must've been nearly a foot tall rests--shattered from the inside by it's erstwhile occupant. The inside of the egg is the creamy white of a chicken egg, but the outside is a vibrant, mottled crimson color. You notice a fine layer of ash inside the egg. [[//- back//->Second Choice]]

Well here is some treasure! Except it seems like someone thoroughly pulverized it. Unlike a real ruby, this little jar of dust posesses a dull color and looks like little more than sand. [[//- back//->Second Choice]]

(if: $recipe is 'spaghetti')[You open the jar and pour it's contents over the noodles lying in the depths of the cauldron. Nothing out of the ordinary happens.] (else:)[You open the jar and pour it's contents into the bubbling liquid filling the cauldron. With a great //glug glug glug// the sauce slops into the liquid and disapears without a trace.] [[//- Choose another ingredient//->Final Choice]]

(if: $recipe is 'spaghetti')[(set: $recipe to "transform")Unsure how to prepare the delicate mushrooms, you pick up a few and toss them whole onto the pile of noodles in the bottom of the cauldron. Much to your surprise, upon landing they produce a great flash of light, and suddenly the contents of the cauldron are a collection of cerulean, truffle-sized eggs! Astounded by this peculiar transformation, you feel that perhaps nothing might behave as expected in this place!] (else:)[You grab a handful of the odd truffles and toss them one at a time into the bubbling caludron. As each one comes into contact with the liquid, there is a bright, colorful flash before the liquid returns to normal.] [[//- Choose another ingredient//->Final Choice]]

(if: $recipe is 'spaghetti')[(set: $recipe to "undying")You crack off a small shard of the large egg and walk to the edge of the cauldron. The pile of wet noodles at the bottom gives you some misgivings for how useful this new ingredient will be. However, when you drop the shard onto the slimy pile, a great //poof// of steam obscures the area for a moment. As soon as you can see again, the contents of the cauldron have morphed into a small puddle of pink liquid with a texture like cottage cheese.] (else:)[You crack off a small shard of the large egg and walk to the edge of the cauldron. Tossing it into the liquid, you watch as the cauldron's contents turn black as night and smooth as coffee.] [[//- Choose another ingredient//->Final Choice]]

(if: $recipe is 'spaghetti')[You sprinkle a pinch of the soft ruby dust onto the slimy pile of noodles. The noodles swell until each one is about the width of your pinkie finger.] (else:)[You sprinkle a pinch of the soft ruby dust onto the roiling surface of the cauldron; the dust disapears beneath the surface without a trace.] [[//- Choose another ingredient//->Final Choice]]

In one final glance around the kitchen, you notice a few more ingredients of note: something labeled [[knight's tears]], [[oregano]], and [[nightshade]]. With a jolt, you realize that you haven't checked on the page in quite a long time. You listen carefully and hear him muttering outside still; perhaps he can wait a little bit longer... //Select a final Ingredient:// [[- knight's tears]] [[- oregano]] [[- nightshade]]

A tiny purple vial containing only a few drops of liquid. You pick it up. It feels much heavier than you might expect. [[//- back//->Final Choice]]

A familiar little jar of a very ordinary spice. The small green leaves smell quite normal, and you smile at the homey spice. Your journey has been so long, and it is a comfort. [[//- back//->Final Choice]]

A bowl holds a collection of dark berries that remind you of blueberries, but much shinier. You get a bad feeling about the berries and feel like it might not be a good idea to touch them. [[//- back//->Final Choice]]

As you uncork the small purple vial, you feel an extreme wave of melancholy wash over you. You stop in your tracks and all the worries of your journey seem to come crashing down on you. It would be easier to just stay here, holding this vial until you wither away, than to go back out into the world. Lost in a haze where you feel like moving even a finger is just too much, like there is no escaping your fate... ''AAAAAAHHHHHH!'' The scream snaps you out of your reverie and the vial drops out of your hand and shatters on the floor. Looking around wildly, still feeling the haze fogging your mind, it takes a moment to realize that your page must be in trouble! [[//- Run to him!//->Rescue]] [[//- The dragons could have found him; it is too dangerous!//->Remain]]

(if: $recipe is 'spaghetti')[You sprinkle a fair amount of the fragrant oregano onto your spaghetti. Once you are done, the delicious spaghetti levitates out of the cauldron and lands with a satisfying //plop// in a clean bowl. [[//- Smells delicious! Time to eat some spaghetti!//->Lunchtime]] [[//- The page has had a hard day, perhaps we can share a meal before continuing onward//->Sharing]]] (else-if: $recipe is 'undying')[You toss a pinch of the fragrant spice into the cauldron. The liquid turns a welcoming shade of green, and you feel the wind rising slightly coming from the mouth of the cave. [[//- This looks just delightful! Drink some of the potion.//->Leaftime]] [[//- Maybe drinking that wouldn't be a good idea... Perhaps leaving this cave is the safest option.//->Leave]]] (else:)[You sprinkle some of the oregano into the cauldron, and the liquid disappears completely! You peer into the cauldron, quite perplexed, and decide to dip a stick into it to be sure that it is truly empty. Just a few inches down into the cauldron, about where the water level used to be, the lower inch of your stick disappears! You pull it out and find that you can still touch the invisible part of the stick! [[//- Being invisible would be pretty useful! It would certainly help to pass unscathed through the forest. Perhaps dipping a finger in to try it out might be cool!//->InvisibleFinger]] [[//- Theres an empty vial on a nearby counter; fill it with the potion.//->InvisibilityPotion]]]

(if: $recipe is 'spaghetti')[Reaching toward the dangerous bowl of shiny berries, you want to be very sure of your motive: [[//- To poison the obnoxious page; nobody will ever know!//->Murder]] [[//- These berries look just delicious! This could be the beginning of my career as the world's most innovative chef!//->Die]] [[//- You never know when you might need some poisoned spaghetti! What if the sorcerer finds us and isn't feeling kind...//->Scheme]]] (else-if: $recipe is 'undying')[You toss a few of the dark berries into the cauldron. As soon as they hit the surface, it emits a fearsome growl. Something terrible seems to have happened! Rising out of the cauldron, a small blue cat with dripping, poisonous fangs stares you down. It is like nothing you have ever seen before! And you certainly won't be able to tell anyone about your creation, because it leaps out at you and with one bite of those terrible fangs, you die.] (else:)[You toss a few of the dark berries into the cauldron, and the liquid disappears completely! You peer into the cauldron, quite perplexed, and decide to dip a stick into it to be sure that it is truly empty. Just a few inches down into the cauldron, about where the water level used to be, the lower inch of your stick disappears! You pull it out and find that you can still touch the invisible part of the stick! [[//- Being invisible would be pretty useful! It would certainly help to pass unscathed through the forest. Perhaps dipping a finger in to try it out might be cool!//->InvisibleFinger]] [[//- Theres an empty vial on a nearby counter; fill it with the potion.//->InvisibilityPotion]]]

You run out the mouth of the cave--nearly slipping off the precipice in the process--and look around wildly for your page. Fortunately he is not being devoured by a dragon, he is merely hanging onto the edge of the cliff for dear life. Somewhat more relaxed, you rush to him and pull him back onto the ledge. Relieved, the two of you sit together for a moment. The cave was too dangerous for you, and the cliff is too dangerous for your page, so you think it wisest to get off the cliff and continue your journey. More dangers may lie ahead, but you will try to face them together this time.

You cover your ears with your hands and sit down on the floor. A sharp pain in your thigh distracts you momentarily as you find a shard of the purple glass jar embedded in it. You go to pull it out, but then you are swathed in the deep melancholy you were trapped in moments before. This time there is no escape, and you are doomed to remain hunched on the floor forever.

Grabbing an odd wooden fork and the warm bowl of spaghetti, you ravenously consume the delicious meal. It has been so long since you ate something other than odd vegetation and rabbit meat! The food is gone all too soon, but you feel warm and full and ready to continue your journey. Satisfied--though planning on keeping your meal a secret from the unworthy page--you feel ready to continue your exploration. [[//- You are in a fine mood now and figure that the page can come along to explore the cave some more.//->Explore Together]] [[//- You still feel hungry--Oh is that an apple over there?//->Eat Apple]] [[//- You feel hungry for treasure! Onward into the cave!//->ExploreAlone]]

You shout for your page to come back into the cave. Stepping inside--still looking suitably ashamed from his earlier injury--he awaits your orders. You invite him over and give him a bowl of the spaghetti--which you had split into two portions moments before. His weary face splits into a grin, and the two of you have one of the best conversations you'd had on your whole journey. You finally remember his name: Billy. You start to think that perhaps he isn't as much of an imbecile as you had pegged him for; he is curious and has lots of ideas which might improve your journey significantly.(set: $smartpage to "true") [[//- Perhaps he can come along to explore the rest of this cave!//->Explore Together]] [[//- Now might be a good time to head back out and continue the journey; it would be good to remember to be a bit nicer to Billy//->End]]

Invigorated for the rest of your journey, you and Billy leave the cave and look for a moment over the great expanse of the Forest of Deadly Dragons. In these peaceful moments, it's beauty stuns you and you feel sure that your journey will not end here...

You carefully mash the berries and stir them in with the spaghetti sauce. Putting the spaghetti in a bowl, you carry it out to your page with a false, jovial smile. He begins to ravenously scarf down the proffered food, but stops with a sudden jolt. Thats not just spaghetti! But before he can act, his body has gone limp and the light from his eyes. You push him off the precipice outside the cave; nobody will ever discover him down there! Just as you revel in your freedom and consider where your journey might take you next, a dragon perched on the cave--unbeknownst to you--right above your head slurps you up, and you have sadly met your end. Perhaps your page made a friend before you decided he had no use! Ah well.

You carefully slice the berries into fine little pieces and sprinkle them artfully on top of your spaghetti. They look like lovely miniature eggplants! Truly a culinary masterpiece. You twirl a great big forkful to test your masterpiece and begin to chew it. Magnificent! Inspired! Strangely bitter... The world seems to be getting hazier, and your mounting confusion is shortly washed away by the chill embrace of death. Its not everybody who manages to create poisoned spaghetti!

(set: $item to "poisoned spaghetti") Picking up your bowl of spaghetti, you decide to look around the cave a bit more. [[//- Look around!//->ExploreAlone]]

You pace around the cave alone for awhile, and just when you are feeling extremely discouraged you notice an old, wooden door well hidden in a small stone alcove. [[//- Open the door and explore!//->Sorcerer's Chambers]] [[//- This cave clearly has nothing else of interest; leave the cave.//->Exit]]

//Pick your least favorite pinky:// [[//- Definitely the left pinky//->Left]] [[//- Definitely the right pinky//->Right]]

(set: $item to "invisibilitypotion") [[//- Perhaps it might be nice to explore the rest of this cave alone!//->ExploreAlone]] [[//- Now might be a good time to call the page back and explore the rest of this cave.//->Explore Together]] [[//- Perhaps we'll leave this place and continue on our journey.//->Leave]]

You cautiously dip your left pinky into the cauldron; the liquid feels minty and chilled but certainly not uncomfortable. As expected, you appear to not have a pinky anymore! [[//- Wow this is cool. Do the whole hand!//->Hand]] [[//- Is there a way to undo this?//->ChickenOut]]

You cautiously dip your right pinky into the cauldron; the liquid feels minty and chilled but certainly not uncomfortable. As expected, you appear to not have a pinky anymore! [[//- Wow this is cool. Do the whole hand!//->Hand]] [[//- Is there a way to undo this?//->ChickenOut]]

Enjoying the minty sensation, you plunge your hand into the cauldron, enjoying your newfound transparency. [[//- Well it couldn't hurt to do the other hand too!//->OtherHand]] [[//- Will this fade eventually?//->Fade]]

You vigorously rub your finger. Nothing happens. You dunk it in water. Nothing happens. You put some dirt on it. You discover that you'd have to remain quite clean in order for the invisibility to be effective. You might need an invisible outfit to go with your look. You do not, however, discover a way to return your pinky to normal. [[//- What the heck; may as well be all the way invisible!//->AllInvisible]] [[//- Maybe this wasn't such a good idea; leaving this place would be safer.//->depart]]

Now quite excited, you plunge your other hand into the cauldron and are quite pleased to see it disapear. [[//- May as well just go all the way invisible! How many other people just get to be invisible?//->AllInvisible]] [[//- Will this fade?//->Fade]]

You look fixedly at your invisible parts for a loooooong time. Minutes slip by and you appear quite the same. You have a terrible feeling that you may be partially invisible forever! You feel that it might be safest to simply [[depart]]...

With reckless abandon, you reach out to grab the heavy cauldron (thinking that youll just dump it over your head). You forgot that things are not always as they appear, and so you are quite shocked when you find that the cauldron is still scaulding hot! You scream and your hands become severely burnt! As the cauldron begins to fall to the floor, the little blue flame beneath it shoots out and sets the beautiful wood counters on fire! Surrounded in flames and nursing your wounds, you barely manage to make it to the mouth of the cave safely. Your journey has taken a turn for the terrible, and the worst part is that a doctor will not even be able to see your burnt hands to heal them!

With your invisible parts as proof of your wild adventures, you go outside to meet your page and begin the rest of your journey. Who knows what other wonders await you?...

You take a big gulp of the lovely green potion; it is pleasantly warm and in it's wake you feel a pleasant warmth in your throat. Slowly, you feel a stilling sensation throughout your body until you suddenly shrink and become very flat. You have morphed into a small leaf which blows out of the mouth of the cave on the rising current of wind. Unfortunately, you do not get to see the world as you always wanted to (after all, leaves don't have eyes) but you do eventually find your way to a nice forest floor where you eventually turn to mulch like the rest of the leaves.

Feeling a bit disapointed in yourself for not braving the unknown, you trudge slowly out of the cave and prepare yourself to face the dangerous world beyond once more.

You wend your way through the narrow passageway, (if: $smartpage is 'true')[Billy](else:)[your page] a few steps behind. As you clear the last corner, you find yourself suddenly out of the cave and in a grassy, shaded meadow. The central feature of the beautiful meadow is a gargantuan old oak tree. It's twisted branches spiral around the area in a fantastical way. This place feels old an peaceful and leaves you feeling very contemplative. You walk forward to sit against the trunk of the tree. As you lean against it, you feel a strong wave of peace go through your body. (if: $smartpage is 'true')[Billy](else:)[Your page] sits down next to you, looking as peaceful as you feel. Suddenly you feel so very tired, and you can't remember the last time you could just sit in the shade and nap for awhile. You close your eyes and you feel as though you're about to get the best nap of your life. [[//- Sleep//->Sleep]] [[//- Something isn't right; go back to the main cave//->KeepLooking]]

Sticking near (if: $smartpage is 'true')[Billy](else:)[your page] with his useful light, you walk around the remainder of the perimeter of the cave. You are glad for the light because not too far away, you nearly stumble into a narrow passageway tunneling down into the cave floor. [[//- Follow the dark passageway.//->Underground]] [[//- Go back to the secret passage you found earlier.//->Grove]]

You rip off part of your shirt's hem and pour the potion into it; you carefully draw a large circle on the wall using your potion. You drop your mostly invisible shirt fragment and notice how your hand looks like it has some holes in it. You press your face against the invisible wall and try to see into every corner to find the entrance. You see no entrance except the great hole in the ceiling where light is pouring in. With a burst of joyful energy, you and your page run to the cave entrance, and look around for a good way to climb higher up and look around. After a long while of walking and searching, your page finds it! You both excitedly, recklessly take the eight foot jump down onto the pile of coins. You are both happier than you've ever been! This is truly the dream. You then have the stony realization that you may not be able to get out. The room truly does have no doors or other exits except through the ceiling. You have your beautiful treasure, but it is all that you will ever see again...

You and your page rush back towards the lighted part of the cave in a frenzy. You decide to pick up the heavy stands of the glass decorations you spotted earlier; they might just be heavy enough! In the flurry of movement, neither you nor your page can quite recall where in the darkness is the quarter sized smear of invisible wall! Not a glimmer in the darkness catches your eyes, and you frantically search through the gloom for any sparkle of gold. You both have gone mad with lust for the huge pile of treasure; it would transform your lives! Unfortunately, neither of you ever find the way back to the treasure and you die of starvation--once you exhaust the sorcerer's supply of spaghetti--in the cave which brought you so close to your wildest dreams.

You rip off part of your shirt's hem and pour the potion into it; you carefully draw a large circle on the wall using your potion. You drop your mostly invisible shirt fragment and notice how your hand looks like it has some holes in it. In one short gulp, you down the potion and feel it slide--tasting quite minty--down your throat. You feel excellent! However, when you raise your hands up to check your visibility status, you can still see them! Frantically, you touch the beautiful golden window to your dreams on the cave wall. Your visible hands do not go through. Maybe your insides are invisible now, but your outside is still quite visible, and quite tangible. You break down in tears because of how your dreams have shattered. You find it impossible to leave this place, and spend the short remainder of your days peering at your wildest dreams, just a wall away.

You climb carefully down the steep passageway underground, your Dragon's Breath shining brightly from (if: $smartpage is 'true')[Billy's](else:)[the page's] jar. The descent is long, but eventually you notice that the cave walls are somewhat slick with water. Not long after, you turn the corner and come across a large underground river with a little wooden boat on the shore. You can see where the river leads out into the bright sunlight. [[//- Take the boat and continue your journey beyond the cave.//->Ending]]

You and (if: $smartpage is 'true')[Billy](else:)[your page] climb into the small boat and begin rowing down the river. Barring any waterfalls, you feel that this will be much faster and safer than how you were previously traveling! Your journey is off to a promising start; who knows where your little boat might take you?...

Pulling open the creaky door, you reaveal a small torchlit passageway. You walk for quite a while until you hear the sound of footsteps in a room you are fast approaching. Peeking around the corner, you see a wizened old man stooped over a large book. (if: $item is 'invisibilitypotion')[You quietly pull the cork out of your invisibility potion and chug it down. It feels nice and minty in your throat. You look down at your hand and are shocked to find that you can still see it! You pour one residual drop into your palm, and where the droplet was, there is a small patch of invisible skin. You are furious. [[//- Carefully sneak away; now there is no other option//->Exit]] [[//- Go talk to the old man anyway.//->Chat]]] (else-if: $item is 'poisoned spaghetti')[You walk boldly into the room, greet the old man and offer him some spaghetti. As you suspected, it is his favorite dish! As he happily begins to eat, you become more and more pleased with your decision to end him. You are in a lovely room lit by a roaring hearth, filled with books, and many of the comforts of home! The man begins to choke and look at you with shock in his sad old eyes. Soon he is dead, and the spaghetti slops out of the dropped bowl and onto the floor. You've got some cleanup to do, but then your new life begins!] (else:)[Well this guy doesn't look that threatening! You could just walk right in and tell him that this is your cave now! The spaghetti has left you feeling brash and daring. [[//- Barge right in and insult the old sorcerer.//->Bad Choice]] [[//- Resisting your base urge to start a fight, you think it might be wiser to try to make a friend.//->Chat]]]

Frustrated, you pace out of the cave with nothing (if: $item is 'invisibility potion')[but a silly invisibility potion](else-if: $item is 'poisoned spaghetti')[but some poisoned spaghetti] to show for your trouble. Your page has managed to not get into anymore trouble, which is perhaps the bright side. Your journey continues....

(if: $item is 'spaghetti')[You call out with a friendly 'hello!' to let the old man know that you are around. He whirls around with a dangerous looking staff held at the ready. You try your best to indicate that you mean no harm, but he is coming closer to you and sniffing loudly. This is an odd fellow. As he gets right in your face (so close that you can see his dingy brown teeth) with one last sniff, he proclaims: "You ate my spaghetti! Prepare to face the consequences!" He jabs his staff into your sternum, and before you can even realize just how painful that was, you feel yourself shrinking and morphing. Suddenly, you feel very aimiable indeed. Wagging your tail, you look around and see the sorcerer's knees at your eye-level. Looking up, you see him smile his crooked smile (which you don't mind so much anymore) and he pats your head saying "now there's a good boy." You lead an exceptionally contented life as a dog, and after a week or so the sorcerer starts to treat you very well indeed! Not sharing spaghetti, but often giving you many yummy treats and taking you on long walks.](else:)[Somewhat bewildered, you walk into the cave and explain your predicament to the sorcerer. Laughing, he hypothesizes that your insides are now quite invisible and will likely remain so! You'll be a medical miracle! The two of you have a great conversation and he forgives you for meddling in his kitchen. Hearing how fruitless your journey has been so far, he offers to teach you some of his knowledge of the land before sending you on your way. You graciously agree and follow him back to the cave with the kitchen, where he has offered to make you a nice bowl of spaghetti.]

You awaken feeling deeply refreshed and in fine spirits. You look up into the gorgeous foliage and then feel a rustling movement on your right. You look at your still-sleeping page and feel a thrill of shock go through your body. His face had been a teenager's face before, but now he has grown! He looks easily twenty years older than when you went to sleep! You feel deeply confused and shake him awake. His shock indicates that you too have aged many years. You both leave the grove, and the cave with great haste. Who knows how different the world is now, so many years after you both departed on your quest?

You page whats-his-name (you think it might be Billy or Bert, some B-name like that) has been with you on your quest for about a year now. He has an intellect to match his youth--you certainly do not think highly of the time when he lost your gauntlets in the [[Bottomless Carvern of Dartworth]]--and you are shocked that he has managed to not get eaten yet by a dragon. [[//- back//->The Sorcerer's Kitchen]]

Much what it sounds like: an endless cavern in Dartworth. Unfortunately, the cavern stretches across the border between Dartworth and Margrama (a large trading city), so it is an essential crossing point for many travelers and knights alike. [[//- back//->page]]

Swaggering forward, you pick up the perfect apple. It is a luscious dark pink color, and your first bite is crunchy and delicious! Without pause, you gobble down the whole thing. Somehow you feel even hungrier! You look on all the counters, trying to find more food. [[//- Eat anything that you can get your hands on. This hunger is getting painful!//->Eat Everything]] [[//- Drink some water. You get the feeling that eating more of this food might be dangerous.//->Water]]

Prancing forward with your chest puffed out and your ego highly inflated, you pick a fight with the old man. He gives you the evil eye and starts to egg you on. As you raise your arm to distribute a punch to the old man, he jabs you sharply with his staff and you freeze mid-swing. Looking vindictive, he gives you a swift kick to the leg (which really hurts!) and then leaves you there. Very soon you become quite sore (from holding your arm up) and assuredly miserable. Eventually, the sorcerer moves you out into the dark cave where you spend the rest of your days sore, and looking at a dark wall.

With reckless abandon, you rifle through the items on the counter and eat anything you can find. While munching on some odd, tasteless crackers, you accidentally knock some large glass jars to the floor. They shatter at your feet, cutting your legs a little bit, but you are much more concerned when live spiders start crawling out of one of them and up your leg. You immediately try to swat the huge, hairy creatures off of you with the cracker jar, but you can only remove a few of them. Terrified, you stumble around the kitchen knocking down more jars and swatting off spiders until eventually, one of them digs it's pincers into your upper thigh. Screaming in pain, you stumble around some more before feeling a strange haziness in your brain. Feeling your eyes drifting closed and the spiders crawling all over you, you fall dead to the floor.

You discover a small spout pouring water into a little hole in the cave floor and eagerly drink from it. The water is cool and invigorating and starts to make you feel a bit better. You are no longer tempted to eat anything and everything that you find. However, now that your mind is clearer, you feel deeply unsafe in this odd cave. Calling to your page, you prepare to continue your quest beyond this odd cave.