Complexity 101 [happy birthday, you wretched shambles]

[rap king]

>realize that 847 spelled upside down spells LHB

[Sruixan]

>realize that 847 spelled upside down spells LHB

That is off absolutely no practical use what-so-hell-of-the-ever!

[MultiFunctional]

> Take the number plaque if possible, exit, and head in a westerly direction.

[Sruixan]

> Take the number plaque if possible, exit, and head in a westerly direction.

The plaque, like the previous, refuses to budge. You are infuriated and immediately leave the room in a huff.

You decide westwards seems like a nice place, and pop in there.



Wow... a window... you are impressed!

[guga]

>Look at window

[Sruixan]

>Look at window

You spot a smudge towards the bottom of the window. Curious, you investigate;



That's not a smudge. With your face pressed right up against the glass, you can make out the pillar you were on earlier! Sure, it's a tad yellower than you remember it, but...

...but...

...your brain hurts again...

[Warden Notes]

> Examine enlarged number plaque.

[Sruixan]

> Examine enlarged number plaque.

You can hardly make it out, but it still appears to read "334" like it did earlier.

EDIT: That assumes you mean the one through the window. If you mean the one in North, then that appears to be a brass plaque embedded into the floor, fitting snuggly in a hole made 'specially for it. It says "847" in a peculiar font.

EDIT2: >Sruixan: Pop off to dinner and prepare to watch "The Apprentice". Feel free to continue making suggestions in the meantime though (not that there is much to do at the moment... but later...)

[MultiFunctional]

> I think the southmost room is next in line for exploration.

[Sruixan]

> I think the southmost room is next in line for exploration.

Slightly giddy, you move towards the southern-most room:



Well that makes a bloomin' nice change. A flight of stairs. There's something slightly odd about them though... you can't quite put your finger on it...

[MultiFunctional]

Aha! Progress!

> Climb, climb, climb, climb, climb the slightly odd stairs!

[Sruixan]

> Climb, climb, climb, climb, climb the slightly odd stairs!

You stumble up the flight of stairs and almost trip over the top step, curiosity taking over.



Well, how excellent. Another damned door. How origina-

...wait? Did you hear something? Oh great, not that old cliche again...

[guga]

>Examine room

[KetchupApple]

> Cautiously proceed through the door.

[Sruixan]

>Examine room

Once again, it's a boring old cube. Honestly, whoever built this would have sriously benefited from some Feng Shui...

> Cautiously proceed through the door.

Gingerly, you poke your way through the door:



Oh my... you're met by a rather tall, thin fellow, holding a walkie-talkie and wearing a rather suprised look on his face. Once his jaw recalls itself from his shoulder-blades, he proceeds to talk hastily into the earpiece:

"Say, Liz, are you sat down? Well, good, 'cause guess what? No, I am not kidding ya in the slightest - we have a live one!"

>Sruixan: Go to bed to create suspense.

[Gnauga]

>RUN FOR THE GODDAMN HILLS
>AGGRESS with question marks.

[Sruixan]

>AGGRESS with question marks.

Your question marks are mere imaginary objects! You cannot agress without a real weapon!

>RUN FOR THE GODDAMN HILLS

You would, but you are yet to locate any GODDAMN HILLS at all in this place!

Oh no... too late.. he's started to speak again:

"Yeah, naturally. Proceeding to rendevous with ya at 768."

He shuts off the walkie-talkie and extends a hand.

"Hi. Don't worry about anything, it's all fine. I'm Sam. And you?"

Stunned, you attempt to speak, but for the life of you you cannot remember your name... man your brain must be screwed... [/cliche]

[SonicLover]

>Ask him what happened at 334

[Sruixan]

>Ask him what happened at 334

"334? Wait, what? You've been that far over?"

He looks perplexed, but shakes the look off his face.

"Right... look, follow me. I need to get you somewhere safe, fast. I've got a bad feeling there's more to this hellhole than meets the eye... oh, and before you butt in, yes, I'll explain things as we walk."

He turns to leave through the door behind him.

[MultiFunctional]

> Follow him. Duh.

[Sruixan]

UNPAUSE

Right, all my coursework is out the way, so let's get back to this!

> Follow him. Duh.

You proceed to follow him, naturally. As if you would do anything else. Currently, he represents the only sliver of sanity in this whole place.



You get exceedingly close to bumping into Sam as you enter. He's looking worryingly shocked and perplexed, which doesn't help you one bit. He reaches for his walkie-talkie again.

"Liz, we have a problem. This place is changing already, damn it, and the way I came's vanished. I can risk a side door for the moment, but..."

You hear the muffled sounds of someone on the other end.

"Well, yes, yes I can, but I'm worried about our friend here. For crying out loud, he can't even remember his own name - he's had it real bad. 'pparently he woke up all the way over in 334 and has been through the loop already..."

The muffled noises on the other end sound a lot like cursing.

"...I'll continue, though. If worst comes to worst, I've got one Bill's old boxes on me - I'll give him that and hope for the best."

He sprints through the side door, leaving you bemused.

[guga]

Proceed to the door

[Sruixan]

>Proceed to the door

Once again, you make your way into the next room.



Sam's holding his face in his hand - not a good sign. The walkie-talkie's turned on again.

"Liz, the worst has happened. We. Are. Screwed. We're trapped, basically. I'm gonna have to give him the box and get the hell out of here. No buts."

He turns to you, and you notice a small tear swelling up in his eye.

"Sorry to have to do this to you, mate, but..."

He reaches into his right pocket and pulls out a strange device. He hands it to you grudgingly.



"Take this. Whatever happens, it should help you to find us again. I'm dreadfully sorry I haven't had the time to explain, but, well, you'll figure it out."



Is it you, or has it gotten a tad murkier... oh dear.



You give in. This place really is madness. You have no idea why you held any other notion about this.

[Sruixan]

>Next

Slowly, everything starts to go black. No longer can you feel your body. No longer can you feel the strange widget in your hand, or the floor beneath your feet. Everything is black.

Then, a moment later;





END OF CHAPTER 1. CHAPTER 2 SHALL COME AFTER I HAVE FIXED MYSELF A CUP OF TEA...

[Sruixan]

CHAPTER 2: PRONE TO DEVASTATION AND GENERAL STUPIDITY

(OOC: Right, finally, the good stuff can begin. Everything's now a tad more open-ended, but now you have weird puzzle shit to cope with!)

This time, thoughts of heaven fail to even enter your mind. For a start, your face is buried in what feels like a shagpile carpet. You stand up.



Yep. 'twas a shagpile carpet alright. An awfully green one at that. Ho hum.

You're standing in a room, in front of a door. There is a large cardboard box to your right and three other walls you could possibly face. You can hear some slightly sorrowful music playing, though can't currently see the source. What shall you do?