"Excuse me. You in the fedora," says a female voice, behind you. "Excuse me, is it really too difficult to keep your dog leashed?"

"Yes," you say, turning. "I haven't got a dog."

The source of the aggravation is ten feet back on the path: hair between brown and honey, a Marilyn figure, and one of those tipped-up noses that makes a girl look always just a little annoyed.

There is also a short red animal worrying at her skirt.

"Whatever you call it, it obviously shouldn't be out unleashed."

"It isn't mine, and I don't know what it is." You and the girl look at the creature again. In the …

 When in Rome 1: Accounting for Taste
 A Puzzle Game in Five Brief Episodes
            by Emily Short

"Do you think it might be an escaped monkey?" you ask. There is a rip of stitches coming free: as a matter of theoretical interest, you wonder what the girl will do if the beast manages to tear off her skirt.

"I don't know!" she exclaims, swatting it with her handbag. "But it's--"

There's a flash of red arms. "It took my bag!" she exclaims, blinking, as the thing runs off for the shelter of the nearest bridge. "Your dog took my handbag!"

You open your mouth to deny involvement, but she doesn't wait to hear it; instead she strips off her shoes and goes running after the thing. You watch h…

*** When in Rome 1: Accounting for Taste ***
A Puzzle Game in Five Brief Episodes by Emily Short
Release 2 / Serial number 060503 / Inform 7 build 3K27 (I6/v6.30 lib 6/10N)

Central Park Underpass
The path you were on takes a dip and passes under the road above. At this time of the evening, it's dark down here, even though the rest of the park is still in the pale, lucid stage of twilight.

As you step under the bridge, the girl shrieks.

Before you have time to work out what this is about, something warm and strong drops on your head and shoulders. The animal. Its legs grip you firmly, pinning you so that you cannot move easily; its arms are around your throat.

Your fedora lies on the ground next to a trampled newspaper, where it was knocked off in the scuffle.

The path you were on takes a dip and passes under the road above. At this time of the evening, it's dark down here, even though the rest of the park is still in the pale, lucid stage of twilight.

Your fedora lies on the ground next to a trampled newspaper, where it was knocked off in the scuffle.

The girl hovers nervously near a trash can.

Central Park Underpass
The path you were on takes a dip and passes under the road above. At this time of the evening, it's dark down here, even though the rest of the park is still in the pale, lucid stage of twilight.

Your fedora lies on the ground next to a trampled newspaper, where it was knocked off in the scuffle.

The girl hovers nervously near a trash can.



>examine creature
You cannot see it at all, of course, since it's on your back and shoulders. Nor are there any handy surfaces in which to observe yourself. You will just have to rely on the girl to tell you what is going on.

>hit creature
Your arms are pinned by the creature on your back and shoulders, which prevents you from being much use.

"Lovely," says the girl. "It's eating my letter from the employment office."

"Did it say anything important?"

"Only if I ever want to escape my current boss."

The desperate grip on your throat slackens somewhat.

>

>fall on back
That's not a verb I recognize.

>

 > Introduction to When in Rome 1: Accounting for Taste
   Instructions for Play
   Credits
   Contacting the Author
   Hints

Central Park Underpass
The path you were on takes a dip and passes under the road above. At this time of the evening, it's dark down here, even though the rest of the park is still in the pale, lucid stage of twilight.

Your fedora lies on the ground next to a trampled newspaper, where it was knocked off in the scuffle.

The girl hovers nervously near a trash can.



>

>lie down
I didn't understand that sentence.

>

>bite creature
That's not a verb I recognize.

>

>shake off creature
That's not a verb I recognize.

>

>call girl
(the girl)
Your arms are pinned by the creature on your back and shoulders, which prevents you from being much use.

The creature flings aside the handbag.

The girl reacquires the handbag, looking satisfied. "Well, at least that's taken care of." You stare at her indignantly as small but strong fingers grip your throat.

>

 > Introduction to When in Rome 1: Accounting for Taste
   Instructions for Play
   Credits
   Contacting the Author
   Hints

 > About Interactive Fiction
   What to do with >
   Getting Started
   Rooms and Travel
   Objects
   Controlling the Game
   How the World is Assembled
   If You Get Stuck

There are a few simple commands for controlling the game itself. These are:

SAVE saves a snapshot of the game as it is now.
RESTORE puts the game back to a previous saved state. You may keep as many saved games as you like.
RESTART puts the game back to the way it was at the beginning.
QUIT ends the game.

   About Interactive Fiction
   What to do with >
   Getting Started
   Rooms and Travel
   Objects
 > Controlling the Game
   How the World is Assembled
   If You Get Stuck

 > Explore
   Read carefully
   Be creative
   Cooperate

Central Park Underpass
The path you were on takes a dip and passes under the road above. At this time of the evening, it's dark down here, even though the rest of the park is still in the pale, lucid stage of twilight.

Your fedora lies on the ground next to a trampled newspaper, where it was knocked off in the scuffle.

The girl hovers nervously near a trash can.



>

>call girl
(the girl)
You try, but the more you struggle, the tighter the creature holds.

"It's waving at me," she says, glancing past you at the thing on your back. "It keeps gnashing its teeth and pointing to its belly."

"Must be ulcers," you remark.

"You think?"

"Could you find something more to feed it, please?" you say. "Maybe it could be lured away with snacks."

>inventory
You can hardly go through your pockets while pinned like this, though in fact you doubt you have anything useful anyway.

The girl circles you, considering the situation. "It's very strong," she comments unhelpfully.

>

>look
Central Park Underpass
The path you were on takes a dip and passes under the road above. At this time of the evening, it's dark down here, even though the rest of the park is still in the pale, lucid stage of twilight.

Your fedora lies on the ground next to a trampled newspaper, where it was knocked off in the scuffle.

The girl hovers nervously near a trash can.

"Maybe it's not hostile," says the girl. "Maybe it comes in peace, and its message is just misunderstood."

"It seems to be trying to kill me," you point out, in a hoarse voice.

>run into tree
You can't see any such thing.

>

The first thing you want to do when starting a game is acquaint yourself with your surroundings and get a sense of your goal. To this end, you should read the introductory text carefully. Sometimes it contains clues. You will also want to look at the room you are in. Notice where the exits from the room are, and what objects are described here. If any of these seem interesting, you may want to EXAMINE them.

You might also want to examine yourself (EXAMINE ME) to see whether the author has left you any clues about your character. TAKE INVENTORY will tell you what you're carrying, as well.

At any given time, you are in a specific location, or room. When you go into a room, the game will print a description of what you can see there. This description will contain two vital kinds of information: things in the room you can interact with or take, and a list of exits, or ways out. If you want to see the description again, you may just type LOOK.

When you want to leave a location and go to another one, you may communicate this to the game using compass directions: eg, GO NORTH. For simplicity's sake, you are allowed to omit the word GO, and to abbreviate the compass directions. So…

Throughout the game there will be assorted objects that you can do things with. Most importantly, you may TAKE or GET items, and (when you are tired of them) DROP them again. INVENTORY (abbreviated I) will list the items you are currently holding.

There are usually assorted things you may do with these objects. OPEN, CLOSE, WEAR, EAT, LOCK, and UNLOCK are especially common.
Occasionally, you will find that the game does not recognize the name of an object even though it has been described as being in the room with you. If this is the case, the object is just there for scenery, and you may …

>examine trash can
Your arms are pinned by the creature on your back and shoulders, which prevents you from being much use.

Somewhere several hundred yards down the path there is a siren and flashing lights: the police and fire department do still exist, even if they are falling down on the job of containing mysterious red animals just at the moment.

>

>inventory
You can hardly go through your pockets while pinned like this, though in fact you doubt you have anything useful anyway.

The girl pummels the creature with her shoes in the attempt to dislodge it.

It becomes more agitated, squeezing your windpipe to the point of pain. "Maybe that isn't a good idea," you squeak.

>

>examine me
You are feeling a little wilted in the heat.

>

>north
You try walking, but the creature squeezes your throat convulsively, so that you think you will strangle. Spots appear in your eyes. You stop, and the pressure eases.

"Okay," you whisper hoarsely. "Not going anywhere, then."

>

>look
Central Park Underpass
The path you were on takes a dip and passes under the road above. At this time of the evening, it's dark down here, even though the rest of the park is still in the pale, lucid stage of twilight.

Your fedora lies on the ground next to a trampled newspaper, where it was knocked off in the scuffle.

The girl hovers nervously near a trash can.

>

>run into north wall
You must name something more substantial.

>run into northern wall
You can't see any such thing.

>run into wall
Which do you mean, the north, the northeast, the northwest, the south, the southeast, the southwest, the east or the west?

>north
You must name something more substantial.

The squeeze on your throat is beginning to make you feel dizzy.

The girl tries to pull the animal off you again, but it is causing more harm than help.

>

Welcome to Adventure!
(Please type HELP for instructions and information.)


ADVENTURE
The Interactive Original
By Will Crowther (1976) and Don Woods (1977)
Reconstructed in three steps by:
Donald Ekman, David M. Baggett (1993) and Graham Nelson (1994)
[In memoriam Stephen Bishop (1820?-1857): GN]

Release 9 / Serial number 060321 / Inform v6.31 Library 6/11 S

At End Of Road
You are standing at the end of a road before a small brick building. Around you is a forest. A small stream flows out of the building and down a gully.

>in

Inside Building
You are inside a building, a well house for a large spring.

There are some keys on the ground here.

There is tasty food here.

There is a shiny brass lamp nearby.

There is an empty bottle here.

>

>take keys
Taken.

>

>eat food
(first taking the tasty food)
Delicious!

>

>take bottle
Taken.

>

>take lamp
Taken.

>

>look

Inside Building
You are inside a building, a well house for a large spring.

>

>out

At End Of Road

>

>north

In Forest

>

>look

In Forest
You are in open forest near both a valley and a road.

>

>north

At End Of Road

>

>north

In Forest
You are in open forest, with a deep valley to one side.

>

>east

In A Valley
You are in a valley in the forest beside a stream tumbling along a rocky bed.

>

>take rock
That's hardly portable.

>

>drink water
You have taken a drink from the stream. The water tastes strongly of minerals, but is not unpleasant. It is extremely cold.

>

>s

At Slit In Streambed
At your feet all the water of the stream splashes into a 2-inch slit in the rock. Downstream the streambed is bare rock.

>

>n

In A Valley

>put water in bottle
The bottle is now full of water.

>s

At Slit In Streambed

>