
[page="start"]

"Hello there.  What brings you to the Dragon's keep?"

[link="Who are you?"]
[linkto="name"]
[link="What are you doing here?"]
[linkto="job"]
[link="Tell me about the dragon."]
[linkto="beast"]
[link="Goodbye"]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="startname"]

[colour="#808080"]
You see Sir Ross.
[colour="#ffffff"]

"Hello again.  Can I help you?"

[link="What do you do?"]
[linkto="job"]
[link="Tell me about the dragon."]
[linkto="beast"]
[if find_jorge][link="Do you know of a man called Jorge?"]
[if find_jorge][linkto="jorge"]
[link="Goodbye"]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="name"]

"I am Sir Ross of Birnham, known throughout the land as
 the clumsiest man ever to wield a sword for his King.

 I know that behind my back men call me 'Ross the
 Bewildered'.  Now I have found friendship with the beast
 I was sent to destroy, I know it must be true."

[if find_jorge][link="Do you know of a man called Jorge?"]
[if find_jorge][linkto="jorge"]
[link="What do you do?"]
[linkto="job"]
[link="Tell me about the dragon."]
[linkto="beast"]
[link="Goodbye"]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="job"]

"I earn my keep by serving the dragon.  I cook, slaughter
 cattle and go shopping.  In exchange, the dragon lets me
 stay here and will defend me if ever the King's men come
 to claim me."

[link="What did you do to offend the King?"]
[linkto="king"]
[if find_jorge][link="Do you know of a man called Jorge?"]
[if find_jorge][linkto="jorge"]
[link="What do you do?"]
[linkto="job"]
[link="Tell me about the dragon."]
[linkto="beast"]
[link="Goodbye"]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="king"]

"I accidentally slew the daughter of a nobleman whom I
 was sent here to rescue.  I dare not return openly for
 I shall surely hang, so I am living in exile.

 But I sometimes have need to deal with men on behalf of
 the dragon.. in such times I disguise myself as a monk.

 I worry that one day the nobleman may learn of my crime
 and send the king's men to take me to the gallows-tree.
 But the dragon has vowed to protect me should soldiers
 ever approach the keep."

[link="What did you do to offend the King?"]
[linkto="king"]
[if find_jorge][link="Do you know of a man called Jorge?"]
[if find_jorge][linkto="jorge"]
[link="What do you do?"]
[linkto="job"]
[link="Tell me about the dragon."]
[linkto="beast"]
[link="Tell me about your exile."]
[linkto="exile"]
[link="Goodbye"]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="beast"]

"The dragon calls herself 'Saxiis' and she is not at all
 like the evil and deceitful worm I was told to slay.

 Though I must remain here in fear of my life, I could
 not choose a better companion for my exile.
 She has more valour and cunning than any woman I have
 known, and does not laugh behind my back as men do."

[link="Tell me about your exile."]
[linkto="exile"]
[link="Goodbye"]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="exile"]

"I was sent to the castle to slay a foul worm and rescue
 the fair maid Grizelda held captive by the beast.

 I travelled for many days and nights to reach the tower,
 and in the dead of night, when the beast was sleeping I
 scaled the walls with a rope I had woven from vines.

 I prowled the rooms of the dark tower without light
 until I came across a room where a huge, bloated dim
 shape rose and fell with an unearthly sound.

 Taking my longsword, I plunged it deep into the belly of
 the monster, which screamed and died.

 Then the dragon entered, holding a candle."

[nextpage="exile2"]
[endpage]

[page="exile2"]

"The dragon looked at me, and then looked at the bed, and
 then looked at me again.  Then it placed the candle upon
 the nightstand and gave a gigantic whoop of joy.

 By the light of the dragon's torch, I saw that I had
 slain an ugly fat girl who snores.  I cowered, waiting
 for the wyrm to strike me down with a death-blow or
 roast me with the searing heat of its breath, but
 instead it turned and asked me to help remove the body.

 We dug a grave for the fat maiden.  It took all night
 and I quailed, knowing that I would hang when the maid's
 father found out what I had done.  But the dragon made
 me an offer that I could not refuse; shelter and
 protection in exchange for my service."

[link="What do you do?"]
[linkto="job"]
[link="Tell me about the dragon."]
[linkto="beast"]
[link="Goodbye"]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="jorge"]

"Jorge?  He is a cutthroat, a dealer in forbidden things.
 His speciality is in acquiring items of value without
 their owners' consent.

 I have had dealings with him on occasion, much though I
 loathe his company.  Most recently I ran into him at the
 Flying Trout in Lakeside.  I understand that he was
 trying to recruit a warrior thief to obtain for him a
 heavily-guarded item of great value for his employer."

[link="And do you know who his employer was?"]
[linkto="jorge_employer"]
[link="He was stealing the Sceptre of New Albion."]
[linkto="jorge_sceptre"]
[link="What do you do?"]
[linkto="job"]
[link="Tell me about the dragon."]
[linkto="beast"]
[link="Goodbye"]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="jorge_employer"]

"No.  He was very guarded about the matter, and made it
 plain that my life would be forfeit if I were to speak
 of the matter.  I took this to mean that his employer
 was a man of great power and influence, such as the King
 of Albion.

 I have less fear of such reprisals now, for I have the
 dragon to protect me."

[link="He was stealing the Sceptre of New Albion."]
[linkto="jorge_sceptre"]
[link="What do you do?"]
[linkto="job"]
[link="Tell me about the dragon."]
[linkto="beast"]
[link="Goodbye"]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="jorge_sceptre"]

"Upon my soul!  And I had thought that his dark business
 was to be done in the King's name!"

[link="Do you know who his employer was?"]
[linkto="jorge_employer2"]
[link="What do you do?"]
[linkto="job"]
[link="Tell me about the dragon."]
[linkto="beast"]
[link="Goodbye"]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="jorge_employer2"]

"No, as I said, I believed it was for the King.  Such
 rulers are prone to vice, as the Church makes plain.

 Jorge was very guarded about the matter, and made it
 plain that my life would be forfeit if I were to speak
 of it.  I thought he referred to the long arm of the
 King's guards.

 I have less fear of such reprisals now, for I have the
 dragon to protect me.  Yet if it be not the King of
 Albion, who could have desired such a theft?"

[link="What do you do?"]
[linkto="job"]
[link="Tell me about the dragon."]
[linkto="beast"]
[link="Goodbye"]
[linkto="bye"]
[endpage]


[page="bye"]

"Fare you well."
[nextpage="exit"]
[endpage]