@gIn A Dark Forest
@w  As you walk through this forest, the trees around you grow larger and
@wdarker, shading out the sun and casting a gloom into the air.  No longer do
@wyou hear sparrows and jays, but rather, a low growl that pierces your bones.
@wSluggish streams intersect your path, the water dark and thick.  Somewhere
@win the distance, you hear a bloodcurdling shriek, that might be a dying
@wrabbit... or might be something else.  A small tower rises from the forest,
@wnot even clearing the trees.  
@w
@g[ Exits: south west ]
@y(Golden Aura) @yBrunhilda, the sorcerer's daughter, strives to learn her father's secrets.

@wYou give @C(@w!@C(@GGriffon's Blood@C)@w!@C)@w to Brunhilda.
@wAs you finish your complex incantation, Brunhilde slowly transforms
@winto a swan.  Actually, it's a rather disgusting thing to watch.  You
@wremember the time you were in that alchemist's shop...running from
@wa mob of angry husbands, but that's beside the point...and she started
@wshowing you the finer points of anatomy.  Everything she pointed out
@wwas from a cadaver she'd dragged in the night before.  You weren't
@winterested at that point where she'd gotten it, but thinking back, you
@wrecall that it was wearing the uniform of a city guardsman.
@w
@wRecalling your mind back to the present, you look around to find
@wBrunhilde gone, with only a black swan feather to mark that she was
@wever here.
@wYou receive a swan feather from Brunhilda.

@gBaron Reichart's Laboratory
@w  After losing yourself in the castle, you find yourself in a wizard's
@wlaboratory.  Retorts, vials, glass jars filled with arcane beings- the room
@wis carefully organized and labelled.  A bench is pulled up close to a table,
@wwhere a small cage holds a sparrow looking around itself with panic filled
@weyes.  The windows of the room are tightly closed, but the room is brightly
@wlit with a profusion of candles.  
@g[ Exits: east south ]
@r(Red Aura) @R(Angry) @yBaron Von Reichart plots his destiny.

@wThe Baron coughs up a bit of blood.
@CBaron Von Reichart exclaims, @c"@CRight.  You think you yellow bastards are so much better than @Cme!@c"
@w
@wBaron Von Reichart glares around him.
@CBaron Von Reichart says, @c"@CPrancing around in those tights like you're Prince Charming or som@Cething.@c"
@w
@wBaron Von Reichart looks at you for a moment, then moves on to more important things.
@wBaron Reichart fiddles with the clasp of his cloak, and then pulls
@wit off and hands it to you.
@CBaron Von Reichart says, @c"@CYou might as well have this.  I won't need it again, thanks to you@C.@c"
@w
@wHe thinks for a minute.
@CBaron Von Reichart says, @c"@CI hope you're proud of yourself, you snot-nosed brat.  I could hav@Ce been great.@c"
@w
@wHe sniffs and turns away.
@wYou receive a @bblack@w swan cloak from Baron Von Reichart.
@wYou receive a swan feather from Baron Von Reichart.

@gA Small, Dark Pond
@w  Before you lies a small, dark pond, set in the middle of a fantastic
@wgarden.  Flowers of all varieties bloom around you, and the air is warm and
@wgentle.  A small, graceful bridge crosses the pond to the island in the
@wcenter, where a white gazebo with a golden roof sits.  In the distance, you
@wcan see swans flying over the castle, and the sound of songbirds rises all
@wabout you.  
@w
@g[ Exits: north south ]
@y(Golden Aura) @yBrunhilda plots her next move to please her father.
@y(Golden Aura) @yPrincess Tatania strolls the shore unhappily.

@wYou drop a swan feather.
@wPrincess Tatania watches the feather drift slowly to the ground,
@wwith a bored expression on her face.  She looks at you lazily
@wand fiddles with the ring on her hand.
@w
@wShe stands up, lazily stretching.
@CPrincess Tatania says, @c"@CBeing a swan is remarkably boring.  You might try it next time you t@Chink it would be fun.@c"
@w
@wShe wanders off, leaving her ring sitting on a small table.
@wYou receive a royal signet ring from Princess Tatania.
@wA swan feather crumbles into dust.

@gOutside A Small Castle
@w  A small castle rises from the forest, its gray and white minarets barely
@wtopping the trees around it.  Swans fly over the towers of the castle, and
@wthe drawbridge is down, inviting anyone to enter.  A lazy breeze flaps the
@wbanners hanging from the tower, revealing checked white and black cloth,
@wwith a boar's head emblazoned.  
@w
@g[ Exits: north south ]
@y(Golden Aura) @yPrince Siegfried stalks through the halls, a mighty hunter.

@wYou give a royal signet ring to Prince Siegfried.
@CPrince Siegfried says, @c"@CMy ring!  You found my ring!  Excellent, I didn't want to tell my fa@Cther I had lost it.@c"
@w
@wPrince Siegfried looks at the ring with a puzzled expression.
@CPrince Siegfried asks, @c"@CThis isn't my ring after all.  Where did you find it?  From a prince@Css, you say?  A beautiful princess, enslaved in the form of a swan.  That's a story to die f@Cor, indeed!  Where is this princess?  Does she need a savior?  A savior with a deep chest, m@Canly voice, and hairy back, who will rescue her, and expect her to show her appreciation, an@Cd more, that night?@c"
@w
@wHe leers at you expectantly.
@CPrince Siegfried exclaims, @c"@CTake this, noble squire!  You've done me a great deed today!@c"
@w
@wYou receive a swan mask from Prince Siegfried.
@CPrince Siegfried says, @c"@CThe masquerade is this evening, be sure to attend.@c"
@w
@wHe waves farewell and heads out in search of adventure and passion.

@wYou wear a swan mask on your eyes.
@wYou wear a @bblack@w swan cloak around your neck.

@gAt The Ball
@w  Around you, the ball swirls.  Dancers, lovers, noblemen and ladies, all
@wjoin in an intricate dance that astounds the eye.  Everyone here wears a
@wmask, each more fantastic than the next.  A servant passes by you, carrying
@wa tray of wineglasses.  High overhead, the rafters are adorned with banners
@wwon in the wars and battles by the king of this castle.  
@w
@g[ Exits: north ]
@w(Hidden) @y(Golden Aura) @yPrincess Tatania yearns after Siegfried, though he knows her not.
@y(Golden Aura) @yPrince Siegfried pines for his dearest love.
@y(Golden Aura) @yBrunhilda, caught in her father's trap, seeks escape.
@r(Red Aura) @yBaron Von Reichart laughs as his plan falls into place.
@CBaron Von Reichart exclaims, @c"@CAh!  Welcome, old friend, welcome!@c"
@w
@wBaron Von Reichart beams with pride.
@CBaron Von Reichart says, @c"@CWe're in a quandary here and we need your help.@c"
@w
@wBaron Von Reichart winks suggestively at you.
@CBaron Von Reichart says, @c"@CAn old fashioned love triangle, if you will.@c"
@w
@wBaron Von Reichart peers about, leering like a filthy pervert!
@CBaron Von Reichart asks, @c"@CSee, we have this problem.  We have this lovely young man, Siegfri@Ced, and these two women.  Now, look at Brunhilde.  Fresh, sweet, lovely to behold.  She's be@Cen raised from birth in the arts of pleasing a man, and will make the absolutely perfect wif@Ce.  But Siegfried thinks he's in love with that slut Tatania.  Look at her.  Pale and cold, @Che'll be miserable with her in a year!  So, which will it be?  It's up to you who marries wh@Co?  Which is your choice, Brunhilde and Siegfried, for a life of love, happiness and fulfill@Cment?  Or Tatania (the slut) and Siegfried, for a short, miserable life of grief and utter d@Cespair?@c"
@w
@wHe looks at you expectantly.
@w

@CYou say 'Siegfried and Tatania'
@w
@CBaron Von Reichart exclaims, @c"@CExcellent!  I knew you had outstanding taste the moment I met @Cyou!  We shall be wed posthaste!@c"
@w
@wThe prince nods to himself.  You wonder if you maybe made a mistake, though,
@wsince the look in the eyes of the witnesses doesn't seem all that friendly.
@wThe Prince seems intent on going ahead with the wedding, though, so
@wyou fix your smile, straighten your suit, and stuff yourself with cake afterwards.
@w
@wThe Baron hands you a royal crest, beaming broadly.  He announces that
@wfrom now on, you are to be regarded as part of the royal family!  What a
@wthrill, really.
@wYou receive a royal crest from Baron Von Reichart.
@wBrunilde and the Baron seem very unhappy by the arrangements you've
@wmade with their lives and attack!

@wYou give a royal crest to a weasel.
@wThe weasel carefully shakes the crest to remove the last splatters of blood, and eyes it
@wappreciatively.  He tosses it into the air and dances around happily, barely catching it
@wagain before it bounces out the door.
@CA weasel exclaims, @c"@CPerfect!  Perfect!  This will go well in the pot!@c"
@w
@wHe tosses the crest into the air again and watches as it splatters into the pot, disturbing
@wthe rather disgusting mess congealed there.
@CA weasel says, @c"@CThat'll set there until we finish this spell.@c"
@w
@CA weasel asks, @c"@CNow, what next, what next?@c"
@w
@wA weasel sits down and thinks deeply. 
@CA weasel says, @c"@CRight!  Now that we have the crest, we need the favor.@c"
@w
@CA weasel exclaims, @c"@CAnd you'll have to get that lying on your back!@c"
@w
@wA weasel snickers softly.
@CA weasel exclaims, @c"@CSo get to it, fetch me a royal favor!@c"
@w
@CA weasel says, @c"@CLast idiot tried to give me three fingers and a spleen.  Can't make magic wi@Cth a spleen.@c"
@w
@W**@Y Task Done  @w: Bring a royal crest back to the weasel.
@W** @GTask Added @w: Bring a royal favor back to the weasel.
l33t bin
