// TOWN TEXT DATA
//    Town 8: The Castle


begintextlibrary;

20 = "There is a marble pedestal here. On the pedestal is a thick, velvet pillow. Everything is covered with dust. The pillow still has a depression where the legendary Orb of Thralni rested. It's gone now.";
21 = "";
22 = "A guard steps in your way. _Stop. You need Crown Clearance to come in here. You don't have it. Go see Gilda if you think you should. Until then, King Micah doesn't have time for the likes of us._";
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26 = "This small, dusty barracks hasn't had anyone living in it for a while. Surely, nobody would mind if you sacked out here for a while.";
27 = "";
28 = "You describe Harston. She takes down what you say feverishly, not missing a single detail. _Interesting. Very interesting. Thank you for this information. We may be able to make use of it._";
29 = "_Sadly, I can't pay you. But I will put in a little word on your behalf with Gilda. Should put you a little closer to a better security clearance._";
30 = "";
31 = "";
32 = "You have penetrated Avernum's treasure room. You come face to face with crushing disappointment. There are only a few sacks of gold in here. It's a lot of money for you, but not for a whole nation.";
33 = "It is clear that this vicious war has almost completely drained Avernum's already meager reserves. You could take this pitiful haul if you wanted. Perhaps nobody would notice.";
34 = "";
35 = "She takes the papers and inspects them, her sharp eyes rapidly absorbing the details. _Excellent. Quality spying right here._ She counts out some silver coins for you. _Thank you. If you find more, I have more money._";
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38 = "This room is dominated by a shallow, clear pool, smooth as a mirror. The water is hot, and the chamber is full of steam. At first, you think it's a large bathtub. Then you see the kneeling pads by the water's edge.";
39 = "";
40 = "King Micah must have a serious, studious side. There is a large pile of tablets here, covered with strange writing. It looks like vahnatai script. He's probably been spending long hours here, trying to decipher it.";
41 = "";
42 = "Whatever is on the tablets, it is not meant for your eyes. The moment you touch the first tablet, a sharp shock travels up your arm. You stagger back, wincing. You're unharmed, but it's clear that these tablets are not for you.";
43 = "";
44 = "You know a little bit about the vahnatai and their ways, but you simply haven't learned enough of their lore to make sense of this writing. It doesn't mean anything to you.";
45 = "";
46 = "Your studies of vahnatai lore serve you well here. You can see why King Micah has been working so hard to decipher the stones. They describe vahnatai rituals.";
47 = "While the writing provides valuable advice for those who want to communicate and make treaties with the vahnatai, your interest is much more practical. One of the rituals described could be mastered by you.";
48 = "";
49 = "The Orb of Thralni, a major artifact, was stolen from the Castle a few months previous. Since then, all of the guards have been extra jumpy.";
50 = "That explains the speed and severity of their response to your crime. There're just too many soldiers for you to handle. They magically bind you and leave you paralyzed in the prison cells.";
51 = "By the time they let you loose again, it's too late for Avernum. Bloodthirsty Empire troops are at the gates.";
52 = "";
53 = "You find a report, written by someone named Curtin. It describes a massive teleporter. _The portal in the Tower of Magi is functional, and early tests have been very promising. The user chants three brief words and enters._";
54 = "_Then, depending on the words said, the portal sends the user somewhere within about a thousand miles. Unfortunately, much energy is expended, so large numbers of troops can't be sent._";
55 = "_Still, a small, dedicated group of infiltrators could do considerable harm using this device._";
56 = "";
57 = "You slip out of the Avernite treasure room, your pockets heavy with stolen gold. As you leave, you hope that nobody finds out how you have betrayed your nation. Alas, all of the throne room guards watched you come in.";
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