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Daring Do and the Catacombs of Causality

Daring Do and the Catacombs of Causality

by Trick Question

Chapters

Begin Here!

Welcome to a choose-your-own-adventure style story starring Daring Do!

Youtube Video

In order to properly enjoy the story, there are five things you need to know:

:rainbowdetermined2: Game state is saved by chapter identifier. This means there are plenty of identical chapters throughout the story, and this is intentional. It will allow you to backtrack over areas and still make progress.

:rainbowdetermined2: Please do not use the Chapter controls to navigate. Even if you end up at a chapter that looks familiar, because there are many identical chapters, it can ruin the progression of the game. The only safe way to navigate the story is to click on the links at the bottom of each chapter. You can save your place by bookmarking the current chapter.

:rainbowdetermined2: The game is always winnable, but it isn't easy. There are no dead-ends. From any chapter, there is a path to the winning ending that only uses the links at the bottom of the page. Due to how game state is saved, you may need to think creatively and retry things that didn't work before. Be careful about using the Back button, because some actions you take will change the state of the game (even when it isn't obvious).

:rainbowdetermined2: Be courteous and spoiler any clues, hints, and walkthroughs. You're free to comment on any chapter, but please don't ruin the story for other readers.

:rainbowdetermined2: Have fun, and enjoy our story as we tell it together!

Awesome. Let's begin!

Beginning

Deep Trouble

You are Daring Do: world-famous equuologist, adventurer, and hero.

You're secretly known to close friends as your own ghostwriter, A. K. Yearling. You've been through many adventures and have written more than twenty bestselling books about them, but you have to market them as fiction because your life story is simply too outlandish for anypony to believe.

You've seen better days than today, you think to yourself, shortly after the henchpony's club catches you square in the barrel from underneath. It hits you with enough force to flip you flat on your back.

While looking for an mythic ruin known as the Catacombs of Causality, you have fallen headlong into a trap planted by one of your least-favorite ponies. You lie prone and winded atop a rocky hill, surrounded by Dr. Caballeron's hired goons. Directly before you gapes a deep hole opening into a cavern. Shortly before being assaulted, you were peeking into the hole. The cavern extends down about fifty hooves, and there are pony bones lying at the bottom. It was clearly used as an execution chamber by a past civilization. You have a sinking sensation that you're about to get a much closer look.

"It's merely business, Daring Do," says Dr. Caballeron as he and his henchponies loom over your prone form on the rocky outcropping. "Specifically, you are always sticking your muzzle into mine. So please, try not to take it personally." With a subtle nod from their employer, two of the stallions grab you and lift you up, pulling your legs forelegs back.

You wheeze for breath as the Doctor waits patiently.

"Huff... T-try... try not to take it personally? This is murder," you say, trying desperately to reach any last shred of decency remaining in the cad's dessicated heart. "You're just too chicken to slit my throat like a real villain would."

You regret giving him that idea almost immediately. Fortunately, your assertion holds.

Dr. Caballeron frowns as a queasy look crosses his face. "Chicken? I think not, Ms. Do. Let's just call it professional courtesy," he says. "As you are aware, I will ask the ponies under my employ to do anything short of murder. That includes tossing you into an oubliette from which you stand no chance of escape."

"The results are the same," you growl. "This way I just die a lot more slowly."

That only makes Dr. Caballeron smile. "Withers, break her wing," he says, and then the coward turns his head to the side so he won't have to watch.

The sunglasses-wearing henchpony nods and pulls your left wing out while you struggle against the other two holding you aloft. They're earth ponies, so you couldn't break free if your life depended on it—and unfortunately for you, it does.

Three painful punches from Withers' forehoof directly strike the upper bone of your wing. On the fourth, a horrid crack sound fills the air and your body is consumed by pain. You bite your tongue until it bleeds, not willing to give the villains the pleasure of hearing you scream.

Your humerus has been fractured. Badly, by the sound of it. Your left wing hangs painfully limp as the two ponies holding you toss you unceremoniously into the gaping hole in the rocks, and you begin to fall.

"Horsefeathers," you curse, painfully folding your broken left wing and extending the right one. You're an expert aerobat, but gliding with only one wing is an extreme challenge. Instead of a glide, you spiral down into the shaded cavern like a leaden whirligig.

The collision with the ground takes the wind out of you a second time.

"Goodbye, Daring Do. Ahuizotl will offer me a fortune for the kind gesture," Dr. Caballeron shouts into the hole, and then the ponies walk off. You're too winded to respond, but it's just as well. You didn't have a snappy comeback ready.

After a minute or so of heaving for breath, you finally manage to stand up. It's dark here, but not pitch black. The Sun is high enough in the sky right now to send a large beam of light down onto the cavern floor, and its reflection provides dim ambient lighting. You wait for your eyes to adjust, gasping in deep inspirations as your body slowly recovers from being stunned.

It's hard to focus on anything other than the pain in your wing. Your pack isn't with you, but you do have some hard painkillers in one of your pockets that will help take the edge off. You swallow two pills, eager to trade some of the pain for nausea.

You feel alone, and vulnerable. That combination is not one you're fond of.

Look around.

Look around.

Oubliette

It's hard to see anything. It was too bright outside, and only the smallest ray of light from outside filters into this empty cavern. Even so, it illuminates part of the upper wall rather than reaching the floor.

As you wait for your eyes to become accustomed to the darkness, you begin the process of bandaging your wing with strips of fabric pulled from your torn jacket. You try not to think about the fact that the damage to your wing might be bad enough that it won't heal properly, primarily because you expect to die long before the wing has a chance to begin mending. After finishing the task, your eyes focus in the darkness and you can make out something unusual. You stand on all fours and trot over to a small archway covered in runes.

"These runes match the script I was expecting to find in the Catacombs. It looks like they exist after all, and the idiot threw me down here where the evidence is! Serves him right," you say. You're not exactly celebrating, though. It looks like the other side of the arch is an even smaller and darker cavern, and if this place was used as an oubliette, there won't be a way out on that side either. This cave might be nearby the Catacombs of Causality, but it's still a death trap with no escape.

"I guess this isn't the Catacombs. But this arch must have some use, and I might as well examine the other side." You walk up to the arch and freeze when you notice the runes begin to glow.

"Maybe I should translate this first," you say. You make a conscious effort to go slow and keep to your instincts—it's far too easy to make a fatal error when you're in this much pain.

The runic script is legible, but you immediately notice the 'warning' rune at the very top.

You carefully translate the remaining glyphs:

(Moving) through this gate exchanges prison-of-body with prison-of-mind connection-to (???).

The meaning of the last glyph eludes you. It looks like "friendship", but that makes no sense in this context.

"It's not like things could get much worse," you say. You wish you actually believed that.

Wait a while.

Enter the arch.

Warning

Oops!

Please don't use the Chapter control to select chapters.

Even if you end up at a location that seems familiar, the game state is part of chapter data. There are several identical-looking chapters throughout the story.

Go back.

Wait.

Oubliette

You wait for a while. The pain from your broken wing is still bothering you, but the medication has finally kicked in, at least. You carefully feel your way around the rocky flooring, but there isn't anything here apart from the arch. Every time you approach it, the runes glow eerily.

It's obviously a trap of some sort.

Keep waiting.

Enter the arch.

Keep waiting.

Oubliette

You hesitate to enter the archway, because it's obviously a trap. But you have literally zero options available.

Maybe if you wait long enough that crazy rainbow-maned pegasus fangirl of yours will stop by and rescue you? Doubtful.

Keep waiting.

Enter the arch.

Enter the arch.

The Archway

Against all reason, you hold your breath and step forwards.

Maybe death won't hurt as much as a broken wing, you think to yourself, and the archway glows around you as you walk inside. At first, you don't think anything is happening.

Then everything goes black.

CALIBRATING

You're hearing a strange voice.

No, you're not quite hearing it. It's coming from inside your head.

CALIBRATING

Okay...

CALIBRATING

You don't like the sound of this.

RECOVERING MEMORIES

Okay, you really don't like the sound of that.

ENFORCING CAUSALITY

Eh, that one you're not exactly sure about.

PORTAL COMPLETE

A strange rush of energy fills your body, and suddenly...

Open your eyes.

The Typewriter (initial, first time only)

The Typewriter

You're seated at a typewriter. It's your typewriter, and behind it is the wall of your home.

"I'm home?!" you shout, accidentally stressing your wing in the process. It still hurts, but the pills have dulled it somewhat. A quick look around confirms that you are not home. You're in a large, vaulted room made from chiseled stones. There are sconces affixed to the walls which provide light. You can't remember how you got here.

In front of you is a section of the wall from your house. It looks as though somepony ripped off a few square meters of wall (the part which your typewriter rests against) and plunked them here right in front of the stone wall of this ancient place.

You look down. You're seated at your chair, and this is definitely your typewriter. You tap the 'X' key, and it sticks just as it always has.

"That's it. I've finally lost it. I'm dying in an oubliette, and I'm having a psychotic break," you say. "What a way to go."

Still, you're not entirely certain that's true. Everything here is incredibly realistic, and it's hard to believe this could be a dream or hallucination. But how could it possibly be real?

Craning your neck around, you can see there are two exits out of this room on the opposite wall: a lower exit, and an upper one. The upper one is on a landing that was formerly connected by a staircase, but most of the staircase is broken and it doesn't look like you'll be able to climb up what remains.

Stand up.

Warning

Oops!

Please don't use the Chapter control to select chapters.

Even if you end up at a location that seems familiar, the game state is part of chapter data. There are several identical-looking chapters throughout the story.

Go back.

The Typewriter, Story

The Typewriter

You're not sure what's going on, but you didn't get to be Equestria's most famous adventurer by thinking inside the box! (To be totally honest, you got there by bragging about your exploits through a sympathetic publisher who mistook your memoirs for creative fiction. But that's not really relevant here.)

X

Daring Do sat at her typewriter in the strange dungeon, wondering what to do. Then she started writing a story.

Her strength of will was so strong, that the magic of the Catacombs of Causality teleported her back to her home. Also her wing was completely healed, and that was awesome.

You remove the paper, and gag. This is not your best work, but you can hardly be blamed. You know how to make characters come to life evocatively through text, but you've never written fiction before.

So it doesn't work, but you guess it was worth a shot.

You're about to wad the paper into a ball when you notice there's something typed on the bottom:

2   3   5   7   11

The first five prime numbers? Okay, that's random...

Stand up.

The Typewriter, Sitting (initial)

The Typewriter

You're in a large vaulted room, lit by sconces embedded in the wall. On the East are two exits, the upper one accessible only by a broken stairway.

You are seated at your typewriter, which is adjacent to a small section of your home's wall.

Stand up.

Use the typewriter to write a happy ending to the story you're in right now.

The Typewriter (initial)

The Typewriter

You're standing in a large vaulted room, lit by sconces embedded in the wall.

On the West wall is your typewriter, and a small section of your home's wall. On the East are two exits, the upper one accessible only by a broken stairway.

Sit down.

Go East through the lower exit.

Climb up the stairway.

Warning

Oops!

Please don't use the Chapter control to select chapters.

Even if you end up at a location that seems familiar, the game state is part of chapter data. There are several identical-looking chapters throughout the story.

Go back.

The Typewriter (seen primes)

The Typewriter

You're standing in a large vaulted room, lit by sconces embedded in the wall.

On the West wall is your typewriter, and a small section of your home's wall. On the East are two exits, the upper one accessible only by a broken stairway.

Go East through the lower exit.

Climb up the stairway.

The Typewriter (magic 0)

The Typewriter

You're standing in a large vaulted room, lit by sconces embedded in the wall.

On the West wall is your typewriter, and a small section of your home's wall. On the East are two exits, the upper one accessible only by a broken stairway.

Go East through the lower exit.

Climb up the stairway.

The Typewriter (magic 1)

The Typewriter

You're standing in a large vaulted room, lit by sconces embedded in the wall.

On the West wall is your typewriter, and a small section of your home's wall. On the East are two exits, the upper one accessible only by a broken stairway.

Go East through the lower exit.

Climb up the stairway.

The Typewriter (magic 2)

The Typewriter

You're standing in a large vaulted room, lit by sconces embedded in the wall.

On the West wall is your typewriter, and a small section of your home's wall. On the East are two exits, the upper one accessible only by a broken stairway.

Go East through the lower exit.

Climb up the stairway.

The Typewriter (honesty)

The Typewriter

You're standing in a large vaulted room, lit by sconces embedded in the wall.

On the West wall is your typewriter, and a small section of your home's wall. On the East are two exits, the upper one accessible only by a broken stairway.

Go East through the lower exit.

Climb up the stairway.

The Typewriter (generosity)

The Typewriter

You're standing in a large vaulted room, lit by sconces embedded in the wall.

On the West wall is your typewriter, and a small section of your home's wall. On the East are two exits, the upper one accessible only by a broken stairway.

Go East through the lower exit.

Use your whip to bypass the stairway and reach the landing.

The Typewriter (laughter)

The Typewriter

You're standing in a large vaulted room, lit by sconces embedded in the wall.

On the West wall is your typewriter, and a small section of your home's wall. On the East are two exits, the upper one accessible only by a broken stairway.

Go East through the lower exit.

Use your whip to bypass the stairway and reach the landing.

The Typewriter (magic 3)

The Typewriter

You're standing in a large vaulted room, lit by sconces embedded in the wall.

On the West wall is your typewriter, and a small section of your home's wall. On the East are two exits, the upper one accessible only by a broken stairway.

Go East through the lower exit.

Use your whip to bypass the stairway and reach the landing.

The Typewriter (kindness)

The Typewriter

You're standing in a large vaulted room, lit by sconces embedded in the wall.

On the West wall is your typewriter, and a small section of your home's wall. On the East are two exits, the upper one accessible only by a broken stairway.

Go East through the lower exit.

Fly up to the landing.

The Typewriter (loyalty)

The Typewriter

You're standing in a large vaulted room, lit by sconces embedded in the wall.

On the West wall is your typewriter, and a small section of your home's wall. On the East are two exits, the upper one accessible only by a broken stairway.

Go East through the lower exit.

Fly up to the landing.

The Typewriter, Climbing (initial)

The Typewriter

You try to climb up the broken staircase, to no avail. The hoofholds aren't large enough to give you safe purchase into the stone.

You could probably do it if you had your trusty whip with you, but Dr. Caballeron stole it. (Of course.)

Okay.

The Typewriter, Climbing (seen primes)

The Typewriter

You try to climb up the broken staircase, to no avail. The hoofholds aren't large enough to give you safe purchase into the stone.

You could probably do it if you had your trusty whip with you, but Dr. Caballeron stole it. (Of course.)

Okay.

The Typewriter, Climbing (magic 0)

The Typewriter

You try to climb up the broken staircase, to no avail. The hoofholds aren't large enough to give you safe purchase into the stone.

You could probably do it if you had your trusty whip with you, but Dr. Caballeron stole it. (Of course.)

Okay.

The Typewriter, Climbing (magic 1)

The Typewriter

You try to climb up the broken staircase, to no avail. The hoofholds aren't large enough to give you safe purchase into the stone.

You could probably do it if you had your trusty whip with you, but Dr. Caballeron stole it. (Of course.)

Okay.

The Typewriter, Climbing (magic 2)

The Typewriter

You try to climb up the broken staircase, to no avail. The hoofholds aren't large enough to give you safe purchase into the stone.

You could probably do it if you had your trusty whip with you, but Dr. Caballeron stole it. (Of course.)

Okay.

The Typewriter, Climbing (honesty)

The Typewriter

You try to climb up the broken staircase, to no avail. The hoofholds aren't large enough to give you safe purchase into the stone.

You could probably do it if you had your trusty whip with you, but Dr. Caballeron stole it. (Of course.)

Okay.

Typewriter, Landing (generosity)

The Landing

You're in a large vaulted room, lit by sconces embedded in the wall. Currently you stand atop a landing above a broken staircase.

On the West wall is your typewriter, and a small section of your home's wall. On the East are two exits: one adjacent to you on the landing, and another beneath it on the lower level.

Go East through the upper exit.

Carefully drop down to the lower level.

Typewriter, Landing (laughter)

The Landing

You're in a large vaulted room, lit by sconces embedded in the wall. Currently you stand atop a landing above a broken staircase.

On the West wall is your typewriter, and a small section of your home's wall. On the East are two exits: one adjacent to you on the landing, and another beneath it on the lower level.

Go East through the upper exit.

Carefully drop down to the lower level.

Typewriter, Landing (magic 3)

The Landing

You're in a large vaulted room, lit by sconces embedded in the wall. Currently you stand atop a landing above a broken staircase.

On the West wall is your typewriter, and a small section of your home's wall. On the East are two exits: one adjacent to you on the landing, and another beneath it on the lower level.

Go East through the upper exit.

Carefully drop down to the lower level.

Typewriter, Landing (kindness)

The Landing

You're in a large vaulted room, lit by sconces embedded in the wall. Currently you stand atop a landing above a broken staircase.

On the West wall is your typewriter, and a small section of your home's wall. On the East are two exits: one adjacent to you on the landing, and another beneath it on the lower level.

Go East through the upper exit.

Glide down to the lower level.

Typewriter, Landing (loyalty)

The Landing

You're in a large vaulted room, lit by sconces embedded in the wall. Currently you stand atop a landing above a broken staircase.

On the West wall is your typewriter, and a small section of your home's wall. On the East are two exits: one adjacent to you on the landing, and another beneath it on the lower level.

Go East through the upper exit.

Glide down to the lower level.

Doors, Lower (initial)

The Room of Doors

You're standing in the lower level of a cylindrical room divided into two levels. In the center of the room is a large stone column engraved in runes that clearly stand for the numbers zero through twelve.

Each level contains a walkway framed by doors to the North, East, and South. On this level, the doors bear sigils. The North door is engraved with an acutely-pointed hexagram. The East door is engraved with a vertical lozenge shape. The South door is engraved with an apple.

An open exit to the West leads back to the room holding the typewriter.

Inspect the column.

Go North (Hexagram).

Go East (Lozenge).

Go South (Apple).

Go West.

Warning

Oops!

Please don't use the Chapter control to select chapters.

Even if you end up at a location that seems familiar, the game state is part of chapter data. There are several identical-looking chapters throughout the story.

Go back.

Doors, Lower (seen primes)

The Room of Doors

You're standing in the lower level of a cylindrical room divided into two levels. In the center of the room is a large stone column engraved in runes that clearly stand for the numbers zero through twelve.

Each level contains a walkway framed by doors to the North, East, and South. On this level, the doors bear sigils. The North door is engraved with an acutely-pointed hexagram. The East door is engraved with a vertical lozenge shape. The South door is engraved with an apple.

An open exit to the West leads back to the room holding the typewriter.

Inspect the column.

Go North (Hexagram).

Go East (Lozenge).

Go South (Apple).

Go West.

Doors, Lower (magic 0)

The Room of Doors

You're standing in the lower level of a cylindrical room divided into two levels. In the center of the room is a large stone column engraved in runes that clearly stand for the numbers zero through twelve.

Each level contains a walkway framed by doors to the North, East, and South. On this level, the doors bear sigils. The North door is engraved with an acutely-pointed hexagram. The East door is engraved with a vertical lozenge shape. The South door is engraved with an apple.

The sigil on the North door is glowing magenta.

An open exit to the West leads back to the room holding the typewriter.

Inspect the column.

Go North (Hexagram).

Go East (Lozenge).

Go South (Apple).

Go West.

Doors, Lower (magic 1)

The Room of Doors

You're standing in the lower level of a cylindrical room divided into two levels. In the center of the room is a large stone column engraved in runes that clearly stand for the numbers zero through twelve.

Each level contains a walkway framed by doors to the North, East, and South. On this level, the doors bear sigils. The North door is engraved with an acutely-pointed hexagram. The East door is engraved with a vertical lozenge shape. The South door is engraved with an apple.

The sigil on the South door is glowing orange.

An open exit to the West leads back to the room holding the typewriter.

Inspect the column.

Go North (Hexagram).

Go East (Lozenge).

Go South (Apple).

Go West.

Doors, Lower (magic 2)

The Room of Doors

You're standing in the lower level of a cylindrical room divided into two levels. In the center of the room is a large stone column engraved in runes that clearly stand for the numbers zero through twelve.

Each level contains a walkway framed by doors to the North, East, and South. On this level, the doors bear sigils. The North door is engraved with an acutely-pointed hexagram. The East door is engraved with a vertical lozenge shape. The South door is engraved with an apple.

The sigil on the South door is glowing orange.

An open exit to the West leads back to the room holding the typewriter.

Inspect the column.

Go North (Hexagram).

Go East (Lozenge).

Go South (Apple).

Go West.

Doors, Lower (honesty)

The Room of Doors

You're standing in the lower level of a cylindrical room divided into two levels. In the center of the room is a large stone column engraved in runes that clearly stand for the numbers zero through twelve.

Each level contains a walkway framed by doors to the North, East, and South. On this level, the doors bear sigils. The North door is engraved with an acutely-pointed hexagram. The East door is engraved with a vertical lozenge shape. The South door is engraved with an apple.

The sigil on the East door is glowing purple.

An open exit to the West leads back to the room holding the typewriter.

Inspect the column.

Go North (Hexagram).

Go East (Lozenge).

Go South (Apple).

Go West.

Doors, Lower (generosity)

The Room of Doors

You're standing in the lower level of a cylindrical room divided into two levels. In the center of the room is a large stone column engraved in runes that clearly stand for the numbers zero through twelve.

Each level contains a walkway framed by doors to the North, East, and South. On this level, the doors bear sigils. The North door is engraved with an acutely-pointed hexagram. The East door is engraved with a vertical lozenge shape. The South door is engraved with an apple.

An open exit to the West leads back to the room holding the typewriter.

Inspect the column.

Go North (Hexagram).

Go East (Lozenge).

Go South (Apple).

Go West.

Doors, Lower (laughter)

The Room of Doors

You're standing in the lower level of a cylindrical room divided into two levels. In the center of the room is a large stone column engraved in runes that clearly stand for the numbers zero through twelve.

Each level contains a walkway framed by doors to the North, East, and South. On this level, the doors bear sigils. The North door is engraved with an acutely-pointed hexagram. The East door is engraved with a vertical lozenge shape. The South door is engraved with an apple.

The sigil on the North door is glowing magenta (again).

An open exit to the West leads back to the room holding the typewriter.

Inspect the column.

Go North (Hexagram).

Go East (Lozenge).

Go South (Apple).

Go West.

Doors, Lower (magic 3)

The Room of Doors

You're standing in the lower level of a cylindrical room divided into two levels. In the center of the room is a large stone column engraved in runes that clearly stand for the numbers zero through twelve.

Each level contains a walkway framed by doors to the North, East, and South. On this level, the doors bear sigils. The North door is engraved with an acutely-pointed hexagram. The East door is engraved with a vertical lozenge shape. The South door is engraved with an apple.

An open exit to the West leads back to the room holding the typewriter.

Inspect the column.

Go North (Hexagram).

Go East (Lozenge).

Go South (Apple).

Go West.

Doors, Lower (kindness)

The Room of Doors

You're standing in the lower level of a cylindrical room divided into two levels. In the center of the room is a large stone column engraved in runes that clearly stand for the numbers zero through twelve.

Each level contains a walkway framed by doors to the North, East, and South. On this level, the doors bear sigils. The North door is engraved with an acutely-pointed hexagram. The East door is engraved with a vertical lozenge shape. The South door is engraved with an apple.

An open exit to the West leads back to the room holding the typewriter.

Inspect the column.

Go North (Hexagram).

Go East (Lozenge).

Go South (Apple).

Go West.

Fly up to the upper level.

Doors, Lower (loyalty)

The Room of Doors

You're standing in the lower level of a cylindrical room divided into two levels. In the center of the room is a large stone column engraved in runes that clearly stand for the numbers zero through twelve.

Each level contains a walkway framed by doors to the North, East, and South. On this level, the doors bear sigils. The North door is engraved with an acutely-pointed hexagram. The East door is engraved with a vertical lozenge shape. The South door is engraved with an apple.

An open exit to the West leads back to the room holding the typewriter.

Inspect the column.

Go North (Hexagram).

Go East (Lozenge).

Go South (Apple).

Go West.

Fly up to the upper level.

Can't Exit Lower (initial)

The Room of Doors

The door stubbornly refuses to budge, despite your best efforts. Maybe there's another way to open it.

Okay.

Can't Exit Lower (seen primes)

The Room of Doors

The door stubbornly refuses to budge, despite your best efforts. Maybe there's another way to open it.

Okay.

Can't Exit Lower (magic 0)

The Room of Doors

The door stubbornly refuses to budge, despite your best efforts. Maybe there's another way to open it.

Okay.

Can't Exit Lower (magic 1)

The Room of Doors

The door stubbornly refuses to budge, despite your best efforts. Maybe there's another way to open it.

Okay.

Can't Exit Lower (magic 2)

The Room of Doors

The door stubbornly refuses to budge, despite your best efforts. Maybe there's another way to open it.

Okay.

Can't Exit Lower (honesty)

The Room of Doors

The door stubbornly refuses to budge, despite your best efforts. Maybe there's another way to open it.

Okay.

Can't Exit Lower (generosity)

The Room of Doors

The door stubbornly refuses to budge, despite your best efforts. Maybe there's another way to open it.

Okay.

Can't Exit Lower (laughter)

The Room of Doors

The door stubbornly refuses to budge, despite your best efforts. Maybe there's another way to open it.

Okay.

Can't Exit Lower (magic 3)

The Room of Doors

The door stubbornly refuses to budge, despite your best efforts. Maybe there's another way to open it.

Okay.

Can't Exit Lower (kindness)

The Room of Doors

The door stubbornly refuses to budge, despite your best efforts. Maybe there's another way to open it.

Okay.

Can't Exit Lower (loyalty)

The Room of Doors

The door stubbornly refuses to budge, despite your best efforts. Maybe there's another way to open it.

Okay.

Column (initial)

The Room of Doors

You touch one of the runes, and quickly recoil when it lights up. No traps appear to have been triggered, fortunately.

As a seasoned adventurer, you're pretty sure you shouldn't be playing around with this thing until you can at least come up with an educated guess on how to operate it.

Okay.

Column (seen primes)

The Room of Doors

You touch one of the runes, and quickly recoil when it lights up. No traps appear to have been triggered, fortunately.

You decide to take a clue from the page and touch all of the prime numbers on the column.

Each one lights up in turn, and when the last one is lit, there's a faint rumbling sound. The sigil on the North door is now glowing magenta.

The numbers cease glowing after a few seconds have passed.

Awesome.

Column (magic 0)

The Room of Doors

You consider playing with it, but you're reluctant to fiddle with the column while the sigil on the North door is glowing.

Okay.

Column (magic 1)

The Room of Doors

You experimentally tap the column, but the numbers no longer glow when your hoof strikes them.

Okay.

Column (magic 2)

The Room of Doors

You experimentally tap the column, but the numbers no longer glow when your hoof strikes them.

Okay.

Column (honesty)

The Room of Doors

You experimentally tap the column, but the numbers no longer glow when your hoof strikes them.

Okay.

Column (generosity)

The Room of Doors

You experimentally tap the column, but the numbers no longer glow when your hoof strikes them.

Okay.

Column (laughter)

The Room of Doors

You experimentally tap the column, but the numbers no longer glow when your hoof strikes them.

Okay.

Column (magic 3)

The Room of Doors

You experimentally tap the column, but the numbers no longer glow when your hoof strikes them.

Okay.

Column (kindness)

The Room of Doors

You experimentally tap the column, but the numbers no longer glow when your hoof strikes them.

Okay.

Column (loyalty)

The Room of Doors

You experimentally tap the column, but the numbers no longer glow when your hoof strikes them.

Okay.

Doors, Upper (generosity)

The Room of Doors (Balcony)

You're standing on the upper level of a cylindrical room divided into two levels.

Each level contains a walkway framed by doors to the North, East, and South. On this level, the doors bear sigils. The North door is engraved with a balloon shape. The East door is engraved with a lightning bolt. The South door is engraved with an butterfly.

Additionally, the East door is located on the wall about twenty hooves up from this level. Unfortunately, there are no hoofholds or outcroppings you climb or use your whip on. There doesn't seem to be any way to reach the East door short of flying, and your wing is still broken.

The sigil on the North door is glowing cyan. The sigil on the East door is glowing red, but that door is out of reach.

An open exit to the West leads back to the room holding the typewriter.

Go North (Balloon).

Go South (Butterfly).

Go West.

Doors, Upper (laughter)

The Room of Doors (Balcony)

You're standing on the upper level of a cylindrical room divided into two levels.

Each level contains a walkway framed by doors to the North, East, and South. On this level, the doors bear sigils. The North door is engraved with a balloon shape. The East door is engraved with a lightning bolt. The South door is engraved with an butterfly.

Additionally, the East door is located on the wall about twenty hooves up from this level. Unfortunately, there are no hoofholds or outcroppings you climb or use your whip on. There doesn't seem to be any way to reach the East door short of flying, and your wing is still broken.

The sigil on the East door is glowing red, but the door is out of reach. How frustrating!

An open exit to the West leads back to the room holding the typewriter.

Go North (Balloon).

Go South (Butterfly).

Go West.

Doors, Upper (magic 3)

The Room of Doors (Balcony)

You're standing on the upper level of a cylindrical room divided into two levels.

Each level contains a walkway framed by doors to the North, East, and South. On this level, the doors bear sigils. The North door is engraved with a balloon shape. The East door is engraved with a lightning bolt. The South door is engraved with an butterfly.

Additionally, the East door is located on the wall about twenty hooves up from this level. Unfortunately, there are no hoofholds or outcroppings you climb or use your whip on. There doesn't seem to be any way to reach the East door short of flying, and your wing is still broken.

The sigil on the South door is glowing pink. The sigil on the East door is glowing red, but that door is out of reach.

An open exit to the West leads back to the room holding the typewriter.

Go North (Balloon).

Go South (Butterfly).

Go West.

Doors, Upper (kindness)

The Room of Doors (Balcony)

You're standing on the upper level of a cylindrical room divided into two levels.

Each level contains a walkway framed by doors to the North, East, and South. On this level, the doors bear sigils. The North door is engraved with a balloon shape. The East door is engraved with a lightning bolt. The South door is engraved with an butterfly.

The East door is located on the wall about twenty hooves up from this level. Fortunately, your wings are fully functional again, so reaching it is no longer a problem.

The sigil on the East door is glowing red.

An open exit to the West leads back to the room holding the typewriter.

Go North (Balloon).

Go East (Lightning Bolt).

Go South (Butterfly).

Go West.

Glide down to the lower level.

Doors, Upper (loyalty)

The Room of Doors (Balcony)

You're standing on the upper level of a cylindrical room divided into two levels.

Each level contains a walkway framed by doors to the North, East, and South. On this level, the doors bear sigils. The North door is engraved with a balloon shape. The East door is engraved with a lightning bolt. The South door is engraved with an butterfly.

The East door is located on the wall about twenty hooves up from this level. Fortunately, your wings are fully functional again, so reaching it is no longer a problem.

The sigil on the East door is glowing red.

An open exit to the West leads back to the room holding the typewriter.

Go North (Balloon).

Go East (Lightning Bolt).

Go South (Butterfly).

Go West.

Glide down to the lower level.

Can't Exit Upper (generosity)

The Room of Doors (Balcony)

The door stubbornly refuses to budge, despite your best efforts. Maybe there's another way to open it.

Okay.

Can't Exit Upper (laughter)

The Room of Doors (Balcony)

The door stubbornly refuses to budge, despite your best efforts. Maybe there's another way to open it.

Okay.

Can't Exit Upper (magic 3)

The Room of Doors (Balcony)

The door stubbornly refuses to budge, despite your best efforts. Maybe there's another way to open it.

Okay.

Can't Exit Upper (kindness)

The Room of Doors (Balcony)

The door stubbornly refuses to budge, despite your best efforts. Maybe there's another way to open it.

Okay.

Can't Exit Upper (loyalty)

The Room of Doors (Balcony)

The door stubbornly refuses to budge, despite your best efforts. Maybe there's another way to open it.

Okay.

Magic Entry (First Time)

Hallway

You find yourself standing in a large hallway. Your internal compass tells you that you're still facing North, the direction in which the hallway stretches.

You're certain you've been here before. You realize you're standing in one of the hallways of the Royal Canterlot Library! Wow, that was an easy rescue. Find portal, walk in, take a one-way vay-cay all the way to Canterlot. Pity you don't have enough material from this adventure to finish another book, but with your wing in pain you're not complaining...

No, wait.

Something's very unusual about this place. It looks and feels real enough, but you also have a constant sense of deja-vu nagging at you. It's almost like you're experiencing a long-forgotten memory. You're in some kind of magic illusion, you're certain of it.

"Horsefeathers," you curse, stomping the floor with a hoof. You take a deep breath and look around you.

To the West is an area of the library labeled, "Geography and Earth Science". To the East is an area labeled, "Physical Sciences". Further down the hallway you can see a guard standing in front of a closed door.

Behind you is a glowing magenta portal, which presumably leads back to the real world. It covers the entire girth of the hallway, blocking what would otherwise be an exit leading out of the library.

Head North down the hallway.

Check out the Geography section.

Go look at the Physical Sciences books.

Walk South into the portal.

Honesty Entry (First Time)

Edge of the Volcano

Suddenly, you're standing on the Western rim of an active caldera. Hot lava bubbles and churns about seventy hooves below you to the East in an enormous crater formed from previous eruptions.

"Okay. So... the Professor said I'd need to think outside the box," you say out loud. "Still, I think I'll avoid the lava for now."

You really don't like lava, to be perfectly honest. It's mainly the heat, but there's the horrible burning death thing, too.

Your internal compass tells you that you're still facing South. Behind you is a glowing orange portal that prevents you from walking along that side of the rim. The rim continues South, and the non-lava side of the mountain is to your West. It looks too steep to climb down right here, however.

Walk South along the rim.

Why not jump into the lava and go for a swim?

Head North back into the portal.

Honesty Entry (Second Time)

Generosity Entry

Laughter Entry

Magic Entry (Third Time)

Kindness Entry

Loyalty Entry (First Time)

Loyalty Entry (Second Time)

Honesty Die (first round deaths)

Wait. That's not how it happened...

The Typewriter

You find yourself seated at your typewriter once again. You can remember the painful death you just experienced, but it's more like a memory of a dream. That's fortunate, because it really hurt.

You find yourself idly wishing you had an "Undo" button, but maybe there's value to the experience after all. They say experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted, and that definitely applies in this case.

Stand up.

Honesty Die

Wait. That's not how it happened...

The Typewriter

You find yourself seated at your typewriter once again. You can remember the painful death you just experienced, but it's more like a memory of a dream. That's fortunate, because it really hurt.

You come to a firm decision that you don't like dying very much, and would like to avoid repeating this mistake in the future.

Stand up.

Generosity Die

Wait. That's not how it happened...

The Typewriter

You find yourself seated at your typewriter once again. You can remember the painful death you just experienced, but it's more like a memory of a dream. That's fortunate, because it really hurt.

You come to a firm decision that you don't like dying very much, and would like to avoid repeating this mistake in the future.

Stand up.

Laughter Die

Wait. That's not how it happened...

The Typewriter

You find yourself seated at your typewriter once again. You can remember the painful death you just experienced, but it's more like a memory of a dream. That's fortunate, because it really hurt.

You come to a firm decision that you don't like dying very much, and would like to avoid repeating this mistake in the future.

Stand up.

Magic Die (second)

Wait. That's not how it happened...

The Typewriter

You find yourself seated at your typewriter once again. You can remember the painful death you just experienced, but it's more like a memory of a dream. That's fortunate, because it really hurt.

You come to a firm decision that you don't like dying very much, and would like to avoid repeating this mistake in the future.

Stand up.

Kindness Die

Wait. That's not how it happened...

The Typewriter

You find yourself seated at your typewriter once again. You can remember the painful death you just experienced, but it's more like a memory of a dream. That's fortunate, because it really hurt.

You come to a firm decision that you don't like dying very much, and would like to avoid repeating this mistake in the future.

Stand up.

Loyalty Die

Wait. That's not how it happened...

The Typewriter

You find yourself seated at your typewriter once again. You can remember the painful death you just experienced, but it's more like a memory of a dream. That's fortunate, because it really hurt.

You come to a firm decision that you don't like dying very much, and would like to avoid repeating this mistake in the future.

Stand up.

Magic Win

The Room of Doors

You find yourself right back where you started. The sigil in front of you stops glowing, which probably means you can't go back.

"Alright, let's get this over with," you whisper to yourself. You're not too pleased with what you're about to do, but at least nopony else is around to hear it.

You clear your throat to speak.

"I've always been afraid that I'll die alone!" you shout.

Nopony is around to hear it, but it's painful enough for you to hear your own words. You have a dangerous life and you work solo. You already know you're bound to die alone someday, so why does it still wake you in the middle of the night? Ugh.

For a moment, nothing happens, and you bite your lip. Then you notice the sigil on the South door begins to glow orange.

"Thank Celestia. First and the last time I ever admit that out loud," you say to yourself. Nonetheless, you feel a certain catharsis.

Awesome.

Honesty Win (second time)

The Room of Doors

You find yourself right back where you started. The sigil in front of you stops glowing.

You have to sacrifice something, as you recall. But what?

"I don't have anything left to give up," you shout. Your voice echoes tauntingly.

You pause and think things over. Your suit is almost ruined, your wing is broken and bandaged, and you're missing your whip and your supplies.

Then it hits you. With a deep sigh, you reluctantly reach up and remove your pith helmet from your head. Ugh. You hate not having your helmet.

"Hay, if it'll get me out of here, you can keep it," you say, and toss it unceremoniously onto the floor.

The sigil on the East door begins to glow purple.

Experimentally, you reach down and pick your hat back up and set it on your head. The sigil doesn't stop glowing, so you take that as a sign you can keep the hat after all. Nice.

Awesome.

Generosity Win

The Room of Doors

You find yourself right back where you started. The sigil in front of you stops glowing.

Laugh. All you have to do is laugh. This should be a piece of cake, right? But your wing is still in pain.

You try to think up something, anything that will make you smile. Nothing comes. But then, you suddenly get the perfect mental image: the look on Dr. Caballeron's face when he finds out you're still alive. That will be sweet as a sugarcube.

You chuckle, then chortle, and finally break into a loud guffaw. The peels of laughter echo throughout the chamber.

You open your eyes to wipe away the tears and notice that there's a glow in the upper part of the room.

Then you look down and realize the whip came with you. You have your whip back!

A satisfied smile crosses your muzzle.

Awesome.

Laughter Win

The Room of Doors (Balcony)

You find yourself right back where you started. The sigil in front of you stops glowing.

You've memorized the recipe exactly, but you're still not sure what it means. You would need to do research, and you don't have access to a library.

You're not sure what to do next.

Awesome?

Magic Win (second)

The Room of Doors

You find yourself right back where you started. The sigil in front of you stops glowing.

"Well, here goes everything," you say.

Recalling the recipe from memory, you carefully pantomime picking up all of the ingredients and placing them on an invisible table in front of you. Then you grind and mix them in the proper order, and finally pour the result into an invisible glass.

"Bottom's up?" you say, then tilt the imaginary glass toward your lips, feeling a little like an idiot. (Okay, a lot like an idiot.)

But then, you can taste something! Is it cotton candy? You can't feel the liquid, but you can definitely taste it: now it's raspberry, and after that, fresh cut grass... The flavors keep changing until you finish the glass.

Suddenly, your wing no longer hurts. Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh. Is it even possible?

You reach back and start to unwrap it, but you wince. It still hurts when you touch it, and you're certain it's still broken. But it seems to have mended enough that the constant pain has left you.

You breathe a huge sigh of relief. It's a step in the right direction, and you think you know where to go next.

Awesome.

Kindness Win

The Room of Doors (Balcony)

You find yourself right back where you started. The sigil in front of you stops glowing.

This time I shouldn't have to do anything, she'd said. But nothing seems to have changed?

You idly stretch your wings.

Your wings. Your left wing isn't bandaged anymore. It's completely healed! You can fly again!

"WOO-HOO!" you shout, and leap into the air, performing a perfect somersault.

Super-ultra-extreme-awesomazing!

Loyalty Die (reverse)

Wait. That's not how it happened...

The Typewriter

You find yourself seated at your typewriter once again. You can remember the painful death you just experienced, but it's more like a memory of a dream. That's fortunate, because it really hurt.

Something's wrong, though. You feel like you've lost something important, and you're having a hard time remembering the recent past...

Stand up.

m1 guard (initial)

Guarded Entrance

You walk up to the guard, who seems to be blocking the large Eastern gate to the Star Swirl the Bearded wing of the Library. He's a tall, buff unicorn with a spear. You have a bad track record with spears.

"Tourist hours are long past," says the guard. "You need an evening pass to access restricted areas."

Walk past the guard through the Eastern gate.

Ask nicely to be let in.

Brag about your credentials.

Threaten the guard.

Turn around and walk back down the hallway, muttering bitterly.

m1 guard (ask)

Guarded Entrance

"Please can I go in?" you ask, batting your eyelashes. It's not exactly feminine (you're more the chapstick kind), but you figure it's the thought that counts.

"No," says the guard.

Ask even nicer.

Think of something else to try.

m1 (lose card)

Hallway

As you step through the portal, the pass disappears from your pocket. You hope that doesn't mean you have to retrace your steps...

Okay.

m1 no books right now

Hallway

If this hallucination is anything like the real Royal Canterlot Library, you have a wealth of knowledge available at your hooftips. You'd rather talk to the guard first, though.

Okay.

Hallway (pre-card)

Hallway

You're standing in a large hallway. "Geography and Earth Science" is to the West, while "Physical Sciences" is East. Further down the hallway you can see a guard standing in front of a closed door.

Behind you is a glowing magenta portal, which presumably leads back to the real world. It covers the entire girth of the hallway, blocking what would otherwise be an exit leading out of the library.

Head North down the hallway.

Check out the Geography section.

Go look at the Physical Sciences books.

Walk South into the portal.

Physical Sciences (pre-card)

Physical Sciences

There are a ton of subjects here like Meteorology, Physics, Chemistry, Environmental Magic, and Forensic Science. Most of them aren't relevant to your predicament, though Physics might come in handy if you end up needing to build a catapult.

There's a return rack on the side of the room with a single book on it.

Try to find information on how to set a broken wing.

Examine the book on the return rack.

Browse the books on Environmental Magic.

Head West back to the hallway.

Geography (pre-card)

Geography and Earth Science

This section is surprisingly large, even though there's more on agriculture and geology than there is on geography. You've done research here several times in the past in order to cross-reference a treasure map or narrow down the location of some ancient ruins.

Maybe it can help you now, though you're doubtful. You're pretty sure this isn't actually the Royal Canterlot Library.

There are no archaeology references here, regrettably—they're over with equusology on the other side of the library.

Try to find a map of the location of the oubliette.

Look up geological records for the general vicinity.

Browse some of the agriculture books.

Head East back to the hallway.

Hallway (post-card)

Hallway

You're standing in a large hallway. "Geography and Earth Science" is to the West, while "Physical Sciences" is East. Further down the hallway you can see a guard standing in front of a closed door.

Behind you is a glowing magenta portal, which presumably leads back to the real world. It covers the entire girth of the hallway, blocking what would otherwise be an exit leading out of the library.

Head North down the hallway.

Check out the Geography section.

Go look at the Physical Sciences books.

Walk South into the portal.

Guard (post-card)

Guarded Entrance

You walk up to the guard, who seems to be blocking the large Eastern gate to the Star Swirl the Bearded wing of the Library. He's a tall, buff unicorn with a spear. You have a bad track record with spears.

The guard watches you carefully.

Show the guard your card, and pass through the Eastern gate.

Brag about your credentials.

Threaten the guard.

Turn around and walk South.

Geography (post-card)

Geography and Earth Science

This section is surprisingly large, even though there's more on agriculture and geology than there is on geography. You've done research here several times in the past in order to cross-reference a treasure map or narrow down the location of some ancient ruins.

Maybe it can help you now, though you're doubtful. You're pretty sure this isn't actually the Royal Canterlot Library.

There are no archaeology references here, regrettably—they're over with equusology on the other side of the library.

Try to find a map of the location of the oubliette.

Look up geological records for the general vicinity.

Browse some of the agriculture books.

Head East back to the hallway.

Physical Sciences (post-card)

Physical Sciences

There are a ton of subjects here like Meteorology, Physics, Chemistry, Environmental Magic, and Forensic Science. Most of them aren't relevant to your predicament, though Physics might come in handy if you end up needing to build a catapult.

There's a return rack on the side of the room that has a first edition of Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone, but you've already read that story, so to speak.

Try to find information on how to set a broken wing.

Browse the books on Environmental Magic.

Head West back to the hallway.

Maps (pre-card)

Geography and Earth Science

You're able to find several maps of the area where Caballeron and his henchponies left you for dead, but none of them provide any details that you didn't already know.

It's almost like this place is pulling the information from your memories.

Okay.

Agriculture (pre-card)

Geography and Earth Science

You're curious what this phony library offers on topics you're not well-versed in. You pick up a few agriculture books and flip through them.

Most of the farming textbooks are filled with nothing but blank pages.

Well, at least this confirms your suspicions.

Okay.

Geological (pre-card)

Geography and Earth Science

You poke around in the geological references, but you find nothing new.

You're reminded by one of the references that the rocky outcropping of the oubliette is part of a system of rocky hills that border a fault line. Fortunately, earthquakes are rare. But again, you knew that already.

Okay.

First Aid (pre-card)

Physical Sciences

This isn't the place where the medical textbooks are kept, but you're able to find a naturalist guidebook that covers first aid (among other subjects).

There's nothing inside the book that you aren't already familiar with, unfortunately. It's very difficult to set your own wing without assistance, and you're pretty sure a break this severe will require surgical intervention so attempts to set it wouldn't help much.

If you can't get to a hospital within the next few days, you might be stuck with a permanent disability. That doesn't add much pressure to your situation, though. If you don't get out of the Catacombs soon you'll likely be dead, and that's a more severe disability.

Okay.

Get Card

Physical Sciences

Well hay, it's your first book, Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone! This is most definitely not the section of the Library it belongs in, which is probably why it needs to be reshelved.

You examine your hoofiwork. It's a first edition, which is very hard to find these days. You're doubtful that the actual Royal Canterlot Library has a copy, to be honest. The first edition is even rarer than the misprinted second editions, where the name of the book is mistakenly printed as "Statue" instead of "Stone" on the cover. You weren't pleased about the mistake, but at that point you were making so many bits that your publisher bent over backwards to keep your business. That led to a marked increase in your percentage take, which doesn't affect you much because you already have way more bits than you know what to do with. These days, you donate most of your book proceeds to worthy charities.

This book chronicles your first big adventure where you met Ahuizotl and prevented him from using the Sapphire Stone, beginning a long and storied career of saving Equestria's butt in the nick of time. You had a broken wing in that story, too, although it was the other wing.

Wait, another broken wing? You hope your readers won't find this story to be derivative, but that's assuming you survive to tell it.

You tug at a bookmark and notice it's actually a small card. The card says, "After Hours Restricted RCL Access". It bears Princess Celestia's seal. Some absent-minded pony must have left it here.

You take the card, and place the book back on the return rack.

Awesome.

Environmental Magic (pre-card)

Physical Sciences

Environmental Magic is a topic you know a lot about already, being both a pegasus pony and a seasoned adventurer. You frequently encounter rogue clouds and other bizarre natural phenomena found in the wild.

You flip through one of the references and find nothing unusual. You don't really think this subject will help your current predicament. It's extremely unlikely that the magic behind these hallucinations is from a natural source.

Okay.

Maps (post-card)

Geography and Earth Science

You're able to find several maps of the area where Caballeron and his henchponies left you for dead, but none of them provide any details that you didn't already know.

It's almost like this place is pulling the information from your memories.

Okay.

Agriculture (post-card)

Geography and Earth Science

You're curious what this phony library offers on topics you're not well-versed in. You pick up a few agriculture books and flip through them.

Most of the farming textbooks are filled with nothing but blank pages.

Well, at least this confirms your suspicions.

Okay.

Geological (post-card)

Geography and Earth Science

You poke around in the geological references, but you find nothing new.

You're reminded by one of the references that the rocky outcropping of the oubliette is part of a system of rocky hills that border a fault line. Fortunately, earthquakes are rare. But again, you knew that already.

Okay.

First Aid (post-card)

Physical Sciences

This isn't the place where the medical textbooks are kept, but you're able to find a naturalist guidebook that covers first aid (among other subjects).

There's nothing inside the book that you aren't already familiar with, unfortunately. It's very difficult to set your own wing without assistance, and you're pretty sure a break this severe will require surgical intervention so attempts to set it wouldn't help much.

If you can't get to a hospital within the next few days, you might be stuck with a permanent disability. That doesn't add much pressure to your situation, though. If you don't get out of the Catacombs soon you'll likely be dead, and that's a more severe disability.

Okay.

Environmental Magic (post-card)

Physical Sciences

Environmental Magic is a topic you know a lot about already, being both a pegasus pony and a seasoned adventurer. You frequently encounter rogue clouds and other bizarre natural phenomena found in the wild.

You flip through one of the references and find nothing unusual. You don't really think this subject will help your current predicament. It's extremely unlikely that the magic behind these hallucinations is from a natural source.

Okay.

Return Warning

Hallway

As you walk through the portal, the access card disappears. You suspect this means you may need to retrace your steps if you come back later.

Okay.

guard (pre) threat

Guarded Entrance

You bare your teeth. "You don't want to make me angry," you say. "I've taken down creeps twice your size."

The guard looks shocked. Then he bursts into laughter.

Tell him you're serious.

Think of something else to say.

guard (post) threat

Guarded Entrance

You bare your teeth. "You don't want to make me angry," you say. "I've taken down creeps twice your size."

The guard looks shocked. Then he bursts into laughter.

Tell him you're serious.

Think of something else to say.

guard (pre) brag

Guarded Entrance

You clear your throat and stand up straight. "Clearly you don't know who you're dealing with," you announce. "My name is Daring Do, famed treasure hunter and savior of Equestria."

The guard can't help but crack a smile. "Oh please. Daring Do isn't real," he says. "I have to commend you on the quality of your cosplay, though. You've even got the broken wing from Sapphire Statue, except it's on the wrong side. I've read all the books."

You sigh and plant a hoof over your face. It's like this everywhere you go. You're cursed with being too awesome to be credible.

(You're tempted to correct him on the name of your book, but then you realize you're getting pulled into an argument with a hallucination.)

Walk past the guard through the Eastern gate.

Ask nicely to be let in.

Threaten the guard.

Turn around and walk back down the hallway, muttering bitterly.

guard (post) brag

Guarded Entrance

You clear your throat and stand up straight. "Clearly you don't know who you're dealing with," you announce. "My name is Daring Do, famed treasure hunter and savior of Equestria."

The guard can't help but crack a smile. "Oh please. Daring Do isn't real," he says. "I have to commend you on the quality of your cosplay, though. You've even got the broken wing from Sapphire Statue, except it's on the wrong side. I've read all the books."

You sigh and plant a hoof over your face. It's like this everywhere you go. You're cursed with being too awesome to be credible.

(You're tempted to correct him on the name of your book, but then you realize you're getting pulled into an argument with a hallucination.)

Show the guard your card, and pass through the Eastern gate.

Threaten the guard.

Turn around and walk South.

guard (ignore)

Guarded Entrance

There's an idea. You just pretend the silly guard isn't standing right in front of the doorway and casually saunter on thr—

"Ow," you say. The spear is poking you in the chest almost hard enough to leave a mark. You back up several steps.

"I meant it," says the guard. "You need an evening pass to access restricted areas. No exceptions."

Ask nicely to be let in.

Brag about your credentials.

Threaten the guard.

Turn around and walk back down the hallway, muttering bitterly.

m1 guard (seen once)

Guarded Entrance

You walk up to the guard, who seems to be blocking the large Eastern gate to the Star Swirl the Bearded wing of the Library. He's a tall, buff unicorn with a spear. You have a bad track record with spears.

The guard watches you carefully.

Walk past the guard through the Eastern gate.

Ask nicely to be let in.

Brag about your credentials.

Threaten the guard.

Turn around and walk back down the hallway, muttering bitterly.

guard (joking pre)

Guarded Entrance

"I'm not kidding," you say. You try to strike a badass pose, but with one wing broken it doesn't really work.

The guard stops laughing and aims his spear right between your eyes. "Little lady, if you try to lay a hoof on me I will clap you in irons."

Momentarily, that sounds like a decent plan: the castle staff would give your wing medical treatment and you'd have a chance to explain yourself. But you're pretty sure this is some sort of hallucination, and you'd probably only succeed in adding hallucinatory pain on top of your real pain.

"Right, right. Yeah, I'm just funnin' ya," you say, grimacing as you back down.

The guard narrows his eyes and lowers his spear.

Walk past the guard through the Eastern gate.

Ask nicely to be let in.

Brag about your credentials.

Turn around and walk back down the hallway, muttering bitterly.

guard joking (post)

Guarded Entrance

"I'm not kidding," you say. You try to strike a badass pose, but with one wing broken it doesn't really work.

The guard stops laughing and aims his spear right between your eyes. "Little lady, if you try to lay a hoof on me I will clap you in irons."

Momentarily, that sounds like a decent plan: the castle staff would give your wing medical treatment and you'd have a chance to explain yourself. But you're pretty sure this is some sort of hallucination, and you'd probably only succeed in adding hallucinatory pain on top of your real pain.

"Right, right. Yeah, I'm just funnin' ya," you say, grimacing as you back down.

The guard narrows his eyes and lowers his spear.

Show the guard your card, and pass through the Eastern gate.

Brag about your credentials.

Turn around and walk South.

through gate

Star Swirl the Bearded Wing

The guard stands aside and opens the gate for you.

After you pass through, you notice something strange. You're in another hallway, this one extending Eastward. There's a large door on the South marked "Temporal Magic", but further than that the hallway fades out into darkness unnaturally quickly.

Probe the darkness to see if it's real.

Head into the Southern chamber.

Return to the non-restricted section.

Guard (ask nicer)

Guarded Entrance

"Pretty please?" you say, trying your best to smile. You're not much of a smiler, either.

"No," says the guard.

Ask nicer still.

Think of something else to try.

Guard (ask even nicer)

Guarded Entrance

"Pretty please with sugarcubes on top?" you say, gritting your teeth as you do.

"No," says the guard.

Ask as nicely as you can possibly imagine.

Think of something else to try.

Guard (ask even more nicer)

Guarded Entrance

"Pretty please with sugarcubes on top and cherries and whipped cream and sprinkles?" you say, rather angrily. Wait, did that sound angry? Ah, nuts.

"No," says the guard.

Pull out all the stops, and lay on the sugar.

Think of something else to try.

Guard (this is now ridiculous)

Guarded Entrance

"I could make it worth your whiiii-llle," you say in a sing-songy voice with a gentle motion of your hoof, then immediately you freeze.

What in the actual buck am I doing?!

Oh dear. You really did not think this through in advance.

The guard blushes and looks taken aback. "Look, miss, I think you have the w-wrong idea," he stammers, interposing the spear between the two of you. "Are you trying to...?"

Your eyes widen. "No! Oh, no, Celestia no," you say, blushing and looking awkwardly at the wall. "I, I, um... I actually have no idea what I'm doing right now."

"Okay, that's uh... weird," says the guard, who then clears his throat.

"Let's just forget this happened okay?" you quickly blurt out.

"Sounds good. Yes. Let's do that," he says.

"But, just to check—"

"You still can't go in," says the guard.

You sigh. What could have possibly possessed you to... well, the good thing about being a writer is you can edit. You'll leave this part out of the book. You don't really write romance novels, because you don't have any romance in your life. Although, if this part were in the book, it wouldn't count as romance. This would definitely fall under comedy.

Sometimes you do write comedy, because on occasion you are an idiotic foal when forced to interact with other ponies. More commonly, however, the comedy involves bad guys falling into a pile of manure, like Slingshot did in Daring Do and the Forbidden City of Clouds.

Heh. Manure.

End this humiliation and do something else.

probe darkness

Star Swirl the Bearded Wing

At first it's just darkness, but then it becomes very cold, and tangible like marmalade.

You don't think you can go much further in without suffocating, so you walk backwards, shivering the whole way. Kind of refreshing actually—the oubliette was regrettably hot.

The hallway extends Eastward into strange darkness. There's a large door on the South marked "Temporal Magic", and the gate to the non-restricted section is immediately West.

Head into the Southern chamber.

Return to the non-restricted section.

Ravenhoof (start)

Temporal Magic

You're in a large room centered around a comically-oversized hourglass with shelves that extend outward radially.

Your associate and good friend Professor A. B. Ravenhoof is here, looking through several books. The elderly earth pony looks up toward you, adjusts his wire-rimmed glasses, and smiles.

Return North to the hallway.

Ask Professor A. B. Ravenloft why he's here.

Ask Professor A. B. Ravenloft where you are.

Ask Professor A. B. Ravenloft about the books he's looking over.

Ravenhoof: why you here

Temporal Magic

"Wait, Professor Ravenhoof? What are you doing here?" you ask. "You're a part of this hallucination?"

"I wouldn't say hallucinate, exactly. You're re-experiencing memories in a highly structured manner," he explains.

"Memories... I don't remember any of this, though. I remember doing research at the Royal Canterlot Library, but I can't remember meeting you here before," you say.

"Ah. Well, there could be two reasons for that," says the Professor, adjusting his wire-rimmed glasses. "The first reason is that I might not actually have met with you in the Royal Canterlot Library. The second reason is that you might not have access to that particular memory while the simulation is running."

Return North to the hallway.

Ask about the first reason.

Ask about the second reason.

Ask him about where you are.

Ask him about the books he's looking over.

Ravenhoof: where is this place

The Professor clears his throat and sits upright.

"Daring Do, you are currently experiencing a magically-generated simulation created from your memories. It is a simulation with precise rules," he says. "I fear I must inform you that am not truly Professor A. B. Ravenhoof. I am a realistic simulacrum constructed from your memories of him."

You blink a few times. "Okay, I don't understand any of that," you admit.

"You are currently experiencing an enchantment that places you in this odd virtual reality. The enchantment draws upon your memories to construct the puzzle," he says.

You groan. "Puzzle? Oh, great."

He nods. "I thought you liked such things?" he asks.

"I like them well enough, but not when I'm currently dying in a pit."

"Don't worry, you're not," he says, with a smirk.

Return North to the hallway.

Ask him what he means by that last bit.

Ask him why he, specifically, is here.

Ask him about the books he's looking over.

Ravenhoof: what the book

Temporal Magic

"Oh, these?" he says, then opens one up. It has only blank pages inside.

"Uhh... I don't know how to tell you this, Professor, but..." you say.

"Blank! Yes, I know. The library only contains information that you, Daring Do, know personally."

"Right, I figured that. So I can't learn anything here," you say.

"Not from the books, no. However, you can refresh your memory. Sometimes that is equally important," says the Professor.

"Huh. Well, I guess I'm sorry I don't know enough about magic to give you something to do," you say.

The Professor chuckles. "Oh, it's fine! I have a good imagination."

Return North to the hallway.

Ask him what he means by that.

Ask him why he's studying magic in the first place.

Ravenhoof: first reason

Temporal Magic

"You mean this isn't really a memory," you say.

"Essentially, no. The simulation is cobbling things together from your memories, but the structure does not always match up exactly. Clearly, you and I have never had a conversation about being trapped in these catacombs. Unless you've had this conversation with me before, which I wouldn't remember," says the Professor.

Return North to the hallway.

Ask about the other reason.

Ask him about where you are.

Ask him about the books he's looking over.

Ravenhoof: second reason

Temporal Magic

"Are you saying that some of my memories are missing?" you ask.

"Yes, necessarily. Part of the challenge you are faced with is to rediscover what happened in your past."

Return North to the hallway.

Ask about the other reason.

Ask him about where you are.

Ask him about the books he's looking over.

Ravenhoof: wdym?

"So... if I'm not in a pit, and this isn't real, then where in Equestria am I?" you ask.

"You're currently inside a realm of pure thought. Your body disappeared from the real world the moment you stepped through the archway," he says.

You roll your eyes. "Great. I have a painful broken wing even when my wing doesn't exist!"

"Well, of course. Pain is a mental sensation, is it not?" Ravenhoof cranes his neck over your shoulder and gently taps on your wing. It hurts.

"Ow—hay, watch it there!" you say.

"Hmm. You've certainly gone and done it this time, Daring Do. But, fortunately for you, the simulation will take that into account," he says. "In any event, your experiences here will feel convincingly real to you, except that if you injure yourself further or die, you'll instead be sent back to your typewriter."

"Oh. But wouldn't that still, you know, hurt a lot?" you say, almost wincing.

"In a word: yes," says the Professor.

Return North to the hallway.

Ask him if it's possible for the simulation to magically repair your wing.

Ask for more information about how the puzzle works.

Return to a different topic.

Ravenhoof: imagination?

Temporal Magic

"You're reading blank books. That's crazy," you say, as if that needed pointing out.

"I have an excellent imagination, so I can study from what I imagine the books to be," says the Professor.

"That's a lot better than my imagination," you admit.

"Not at all," he says. "It is your imagination."

You give him a very strange look.

"Worry not! When you understand what I am, it will begin to make sense," he says, and smiles.

Return North to the hallway.

Ask him why he's studying magic in the first place.

Return to a different topic.

Ravenhoof: wing

Temporal Magic

"Is there a way to fix my wing while I'm here?" you ask.

"Most certainly. Your physical pattern is temporarily being stored as magical energy, and that pattern is malleable," he says, adjusting his glasses again. "You could choose to heal your wing as your reward for solving the puzzle, but I believe it is more likely that you will heal it on the way to reaching the end of the puzzle. If you do reach the end, of course."

Return North to the hallway.

Ask him about this "reward".

Ask for more information about how the puzzle works.

Ask about what happens if you don't reach the end.

Return to a different topic.

Ravenhoof: more puzzle?

Temporal Magic

"So how does the puzzle work? I've only seen the early bits, and so far it's been a piece of cake," you say.

"Right, yes. Well, it gets progressively harder as you go. You'll need to do some backtracking, and you'll need to think outside the box," says the Professor. "But take caution: avoid using the Back button, and don't mess with the chapter controls."

"Wait, what?" you say.

"Sorry, Do. I got a little meta there for a moment," says the Professor, and he chuckles. "Anyway, one of the rules of the puzzles is that some things you do will leave a trace in your memory, while other things will not. For example, if you re-asked me this question again, I would reply as I am right now. For all I know, you've asked this same question a hundred times in a row."

"Nope," you say.

"Well, yes. Of course not. But the fact remains that you could. This will allow you to re-examine things at a later time, should you choose to. Certain special actions you take, however, will have lasting effects. The problem is that the simulation will not hold your hoof and tell you which is which! You'll have to experiment, and look closely for clues in your surroundings to notice if something has indeed changed. There is a lot of subtlety at play, but there will always be clues."

"So I'll have to do things like repeating boring conversations like this one?" you ask.

"Precisely," says the Professor. "Just try your best to not let it drive you mad."

You plant a hoof over your face. Perfect.

Return North to the hallway.

Repeat the question, just to test Ravenhoof's simulacrum.

Ask him if it's possible for the simulation to magically repair your wing.

Ask about what happens if you don't reach the end.

Ask how you're supposed to solve the puzzle all on your own.

Return to a different topic.

Ravenhoof: reward?

Temporal Magic

"What kind of reward are we talking about? Gold? Ancient artifact? I'd prefer the artifact, of course," you say.

"You may have a single wish. Anything not-too-overpowered, but most of the wishes ponies tend to make easily qualify," says the Professor.

"Oh thank Celestia," you sigh, and smile. "A way out of the pit. That's all the motivation I need."

Return North to the hallway.

Ask for more information about how the puzzle works.

Ask about what happens if you don't reach the end.

Return to a different topic.

Ravenhoof: not reach end?

Temporal Magic

"If you can reach the end, you shall. There is no set time limit," says the Professor. "However, should you fail to solve the puzzle, your mind will become more and more unstable over an extended period of time. You will go quite mad, and eventually you will, um, cease to be." He grimaces.

"Okay! Puzzle time it is," you say, putting on a not-very-convincing grin.

Return North to the hallway.

Ask him about this "reward".

Ask for more information about how the puzzle works.

Return to a different topic.

Ravenhoof: friends?

Temporal Magic

"So I have to do this all by myself, I suppose?" you say, and shrug. "Eh, story of my life."

"Not entirely, no. Ultimately, you will need the power of friendship," he says.

"Um, it's kind of hard to believe friendship matters here," you say, scrunching up your muzzle. "I mean, I'm here all by myself. Technically I'm talking to myself, or to a magic spell, or whatever, but you're not another pony."

"True, but don't judge so quickly!" says the Professor. "Even though I am merely a simulacrum, the friendship in your heart is real. You will need to understand that friendship in order to escape the catacombs."

"Swell," you say, layering the sarcasm as thickly as you possibly can.

Return North to the hallway.

Ask how to solve the current "puzzle" you're in.

Return to a different topic.

Ravenhoof: solution?

Temporal Magic

"So what do I do next? Can you help me with this current puzzle?" you ask.

"Why, yes," says Ravenhoof. "I can tell you a secret that will open one of the other doors in the catacombs, and teleport you back there. Upon doing so, this chamber will be shut, however. Are you ready to go now?"

No. You still have some important questions to ask and/or books to read.

Yes. Let's do this.

Ravenhoof: why magic?

Temporal Magic

"But you're an earth pony. Why are you doing magical research?" you ask.

"Daring Do, you of all ponies should know you don't need to be a unicorn to study magic. There are even ways to access scholarly magic as an earth pony, with limitations," he says.

"Right, right. Somehow I keep forgetting how erudite you are," you say.

"I suppose you think of me more as an old adventurer past his prime?" he says with a grin.

You smile back. "Guilty as charged."

Return North to the hallway.

Ask him what he meant by using his imagination.

Return to a different topic.

Ravenhoof: farewell

Temporal Magic

"Let's do this," you say. You wish you could strike a pose, but the broken wing would ruin it. Wings are so awesome when they actually work.

Professor A. B. Ravenhoof looks at a blank page in one of the books, and begins moving his forehooves in a complicated manner. You see the region around your body beginning to glow. "To open the next door, you must boldly say something about yourself out loud that nopony knows but you."

"Aw, nuts to that," you grumble.

"Good luck, Daring Do! As a part of who you are, I'm counting on you. Don't hesitate to come back if you have more questions—assuming the door is open, of course." The Professor winks at you.

There's a flash of light...

Okay.

Caldera Rim: init

Edge of the Volcano

You stand on the Western rim of an active caldera, facing South.

Behind you is a glowing orange portal that prevents you from walking along that side of the rim. If you understood the Professor correctly, entering the portal will probably reset this puzzle.

The rim continues South, and the non-lava side of the mountain is to your West. It looks too steep to climb down right here, however.

Walk South along the rim.

Why not jump into the lava and go for a swim?

Head North back into the portal.

Return to Story Description

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