# Hercules! — 8 of 16

## Leo Weinreb

Release 1

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Chapter 7 - The Stymphalian Birds

Stymphalia is northwest of Nemea. "This is a gloomy land full of only [forest trees] and the terrifying pterodactyl-like birds of prey known as the [if the Stymphalian birds are in Stymphalia]Stymphalian birds.[else if the dead Stymphalian birds are in Stymphalia]Stymphalian birds, who are currently lying dead in a heap on the forest floor.[else]Stymphalian birds, who are currently nowhere to be seen, thank the Gods.[end if] Many believe it to be a cursed place.[paragraph break]From here you can cross the forest and travel to the land of Thrace to the northeast, to the holy land of Keryneia to the northwest, or scale the [mountain] to the west. You can also go back to Nemea to the southeast." Some Stymphalian birds are people in Stymphalia. "The Stymphalian birds fly in an ominous circle above you, searching for suitable prey." Understand "bird" and "Stymphalian bird" as the Stymphalian birds. Some forest trees are fixed in place things in Stymphalia. "Some gloomy forest trees dot the landscape here." The description of the Stymphalian birds is "Terrifying, pterodactyl-like birds of prey. These are unmistakably the famed Stymphalian birds. Their teeth you're sure will give you nightmares for years...".

A thing can be first or last. A thing is usually last. The forest trees are first.

Rule for choosing notable locale objects for Stymphalia:

repeat with item running through first things in Stymphalia:

set the locale priority of the item to 1;

repeat with item running through last things in Stymphalia:

set the locale priority of the item to 5.

Instead of dropping the strip of bacon:

if the player is in Stymphalia:

say "You drop the strip of bacon but quickly pick it up again after noticing the Stymphalian birds start to swoop down towards the alluring scent.";

else:

continue the action.

The description of the forest trees is "These tall, forboding trees are pretty much the only plant life in Stymphalia that you can see. Some of the ones nearest you have some low-hanging knobs. One could consider tying some decorations to the trees to try and make them more festive, but it'd probably be a lost cause.".

Understand "affix [something] to [something]" as tying it to.

Understand "knobs" and "branches" and "tree" and "forest tree" and "knob" and "branch" as the forest trees.

Luring it with is an action applying to two things. Understand "lure [something] with [something]" as luring it with.

Carry out luring it with:

Try giving the second noun to the noun instead.

Check asking some Stymphalian birds about anything:

say "One of the birds squawks at you and its screech sounds like death. You cower before it and check to make sure your eardrum is still intact." instead.

Check telling some Stymphalian birds about anything:

say "One of the birds looks at you quizzically and then squawks at you and its screech sounds like death. You cower before it and check to make sure your eardrum is still intact." instead.

Check showing anything to some Stymphalian birds:

say "One of the birds squawks a refusal at you and its screech sounds like death. You cower before it and check to make sure your eardrum is still intact." instead.

Check giving anything to some Stymphalian birds:

say "One of the birds squawks a refusal at you and its screech sounds like death. You cower before it and check to make sure your eardrum is still intact." instead.

Instead of giving the strip of bacon to some Stymphalian birds:

say "If you just handed the strip of bacon to the birds, they'd swoop down and bite your hands off, and then probably eat you too! Maybe you could try to catch them in some sort of makeshift snare?"

Instead of showing the strip of bacon to some Stymphalian birds:

say "If you just handed the strip of bacon to the birds, they'd swoop down and bite your hands off, and then probably eat you too! Maybe you could try to catch them in some sort of makeshift snare?"

The hammock is an open unopenable enterable container. "A hammock is here, tied to two of the gloomy trees. The hammock contains [a list of things in the hammock]." The hammock is fixed in place. The hammock is nowhere. The description of the hammock is "A large white flag tied to the knobs of two trees.[if the score is greater than 5] It looks beaten and bedraggled, like it's seen better days.[end if]"

Understand "flag" as the hammock.

Check putting something on the hammock:

try inserting the noun into the hammock instead.

Instead of entering the hammock:

say "Ah yes, because your idea of a perfect afternoon is lounging in a cursed forest[if the Stymphalian birds are in Stymphalia] beneath a swarm of violent sharp-toothed birds. [else if the dead Stymphalian birds are in Stymphalia] amidst a pile of blood-soaked goo-covered bird carcasses. [else] in the cold, beneath some gnarled, forboding trees. [end if]Just the thought of that horror makes you reach for your inhaler. You really should have remembered to bring it with you..."

Instead of climbing the forest trees:

say "No WAY. You're far too afraid of heights, and clumsy enough that you're liable to slip and break your neck."

Instead of taking the hammock:

try untying the hammock instead.

A thing can be stringy or stiff. A thing is usually stiff. The hammock is stringy.

Untying is an action applying to one thing. Understand "untie [something]" as untying.

Check untying:

If the noun is stiff:

say "That's not tied to anything at the moment." instead;

else:

continue the action.

Carry out untying:

say "You untie [the noun] and pocket it.";

now the player carries the noun.

Instead of untying the hammock:

say "You untie the hammock from the forest trees[if something is inside the hammock], take out the contents,[end if] and pocket the flag once more.";

now the player carries everything inside the hammock;

now the hammock is nowhere;

now the player carries the flag.

Instead of tying the flag to the forest trees:

say "You tie the flag to the knobs of two trees, creating a nice little hammock.";

now the flag is nowhere;

now the hammock is in Stymphalia.

Instead of putting the flag on the forest trees:

try tying the flag to the forest trees.

Instead of inserting the Stymphalian birds into the hammock:

say "They're flying too high. You're going to have to lure them down with something."

Instead of taking the Stymphalian birds:

say "They're flying too high. You're going to have to lure them down with something."

Instead of attacking the Stymphalian birds with anything:

say "They're flying too high. You're going to have to lure them down with something.".

Instead of inserting the toxic-looking purple goo into the hammock:

if the player is wearing the lion pelt:

continue the action;

else:

say "You're going to need some protective covering in order to do that.".

Some dead Stymphalian birds are some things. "The dead Stymphalian birds on the ground are beginning to rot." The description of the dead Stymphalian birds is "Gross... the blood-soaked, goo-covered bird carcasses are decomposing. You'd better stay clear of them." The dead Stymphalian birds are nowhere.

Instead of inserting the strip of bacon into the hammock:

if the toxic-looking purple goo is in the hammock and the player is wearing the lion pelt:

say "You smother the bacon in the toxic-looking purple goo, carefully protecting your hands with the edge of the hammock. The birds seem to sense the food even from their height, and their wicked eyes glow scarlet. As a flock, they dive downwards and crash into the hammock, gobbling up the bacon that lies within. One by one they begin to choke and sputter and their faces turn the same color as the goo. Eventually you are left with a tattered, rumpled hammock surrounded by dead Stymphalian birds.";

now the toxic-looking purple goo is in the lost-and-found box;

now the strip of bacon is in the lost-and-found box;

now some Stymphalian birds are nowhere;

now the dead Stymphalian birds are in Stymphalia;

increase the score by 1;

follow the notify score changes rule;

try requesting the score;

else if the toxic-looking purple goo is in the hammock:

say "You can't risk touching the goo with your bare hands!";

else:

say "Then they'd just swoop down, eat the bacon, and leave. And you'd be down one strip of bacon and up zero Stymphalian birds.".

Instead of taking the dead Stymphalian birds:

say "Picking up blood-soaked, goo-covered bird carcasses is where you hope anyone would draw the line sanitarily speaking, even if they weren't a massive germaphobe like yourself."

test stymphalia with "take bacon/ e/ ne/ e/ tie flag to trees/ put goo in hammock/ put bacon in hammock"

Check putting the toxic-looking purple goo on anything:

say "You don't see the point in poisoning [those]." instead.

Poisoning is an action applying to one thing. Understand "poison [something]" as poisoning.

Check poisoning:

if the player does not carry the toxic-looking purple goo:

say "You aren't carrying any poison!" instead.

Carry out poisoning:

try putting the toxic-looking purple goo on the noun instead.

Instead of putting the toxic-looking purple goo on the strip of bacon:

if the player is in Stymphalia:

say "No, that would just make a mess of things. The goo would go all over the place, and enough of the mixture might get on your hands that the birds would swoop down and chew your fingers off! It'd be ideal if you had a separate container to mix them in.";

else:

continue the action.

Instead of putting the strip of bacon on the toxic-looking purple goo:

if the player is in Stymphalia:

if the toxic-looking purple goo is in the hammock:

try inserting the strip of bacon into the hammock instead;

else:

say "No, that would just make a mess of things. The goo would go all over the place, and enough of the mixture might get on your hands that the birds would swoop down and chew your fingers off! It'd be ideal if you had a separate container to mix them in.";

else:

continue the action.

can't put onto what's not a supporter rule response (A) is "There'll be time to fiddle around with your possessions later - you have work to do!".