// Text Library  - 

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1 = "_Don't forget. The sooner you go out onto the surface and see what's going on, the better. All Avernum waits to see whether it is safe to emerge or not._ He gives you a pair of maps: one of Upper Avernum, and one of the surface lands around Fort Emergence. (Press the World Map button to see the surface and Avernum maps.)";
2 = "You report to Anaximander on seeing the strange slime creature. He looks very serious. _This is bizarre, to say the least. The Empire was determined to purge the world of all that was different or dangerous._";
3 = "_Yet, it seems that dangerous creatures, at the height of the Empire's power, are returning. Continue to investigate this situation. This is something we need to learn much more about._";
4 = "You report how the mayor of Krizsan enlisted you to fight the slime creatures. Anaximander says, _How strange. After so many years fearing and fighting the Empire, our agents are now helping it._";
5 = "_Nonetheless, continue on your mission. We must find as much as we can about these creatures, including, possibly, where they came from. After all, they threaten the place we want to make our home._";
6 = "You tell Anaximander everything about the destruction of the alien slime. He looks much more worried than before. _You see what this means, don't you? Some powerful force, with great magical ability, has launched an attack upon the surface._";
7 = "_This is grim. The best that can happen is that the Empire will blame us and attack us again. The worst is that the attacker has the power to make the surface unlivable, and we will be doomed to stay in Avernum forever!_";
8 = "_It is clear that your mission is becoming much more important than we thought. We need you to get information for us, instead of just a brief survey of this fort's surroundings._";
9 = "_Keep exploring the surface and find out as much as you can about these monsters. More importantly, find out where they came from. Otherwise, they may come for us! And, if you find any evidence of who might be responsible, take it to Berra._";
10 = "You tell Anaximander of the fiery destruction of the roach pits. He nods. _Well done. Even if they did not threaten us, I would support their destruction on general principles. Continue to explore the surface._";
11 = "_As always, if you find any evidence of who might be responsible, take it to Berra._";
12 = "You tell Anaximander of the troglodytes and the havoc they are causing. He nods. _Yes. I have heard of the troglodytes from other sources as well,_ he says enigmatically.";
13 = "_They breed fast and are vicious warriors. However, I have heard that their lair is near that of their great enemy ... the hill giants. This could be useful. Go explore the area. Maybe this enmity can be exploited._";
14 = "You tell Anaximander of the war between the humans and the hill giants. _The giants attacked the humans out of nowhere and ruined their cities, eh? Sounds very, very familiar. Probably another symptom of the same disease we have been fighting._";
15 = "_Investigate the giants, and also look for and deal with the troglodytes. The two hate each other, or so I have heard. Perhaps this may be taken advantage of._";
16 = "You tell Anaximander of the war that has broken out between the troglodytes and the hill giants and of your role in it. _Well done!_ he exults. _With them gone, we should have a much better chance of settling on the surface!_";
17 = "_Of course, to do that, we need to know that we are safe both from other monsters and from the Empire. So keep exploring to the north. I feel much remains to be done._";
18 = "When you describe the golems to him, Anaximander seems to age before your eyes. _This is far worse than anything that came before! It seems that the closer the enemies are to the Empire's center, the more deadly they are._";
19 = "_I cannot imagine what could be powerful enough to create an army of golems, but they must be identified, and stopped! Our leaders suspect, and I agree, that this force is not acting in our favor, though it might appear otherwise._";
20 = "Anaximander nods his head in admiration as you describe how you slew the golems and smashed the equipment. _Still,_ he says, _our task is far from completed. After all, their creators are still at large, and if they created such an army once, they can again._";
21 = "_Find out who created them, and convince them, by words or sword, not to destroy the surface! Only then can we have hope of returning to our home!_ Anaximander sits down, lost in thought.";
22 = "You describe to Anaximander the fearsome alien beasts and the havoc they have wrought. He is speechless. His sole response is to sit down and shake his head, overwhelmed.";
23 = "You tell Anaximander how you learned that Empress Prazac would be at Blackcrag Fortress. He looks intrigued. _I have heard, you would be interested to know, that while the Empress is fully as intelligent as her dark predecessor, she is much more just._";
24 = "_If you can, see if you can find a way to get in and speak with her. If she sees that we wish only to coexist and share her interest in preserving the surface, then perhaps, through her orders and mercy, we may at last regain our home._";
25 = "You describe your meeting with Prazac, and Anaximander is delighted. _I will report this with great joy! All I have heard indicates that Prazac is a woman of her word! At last, at long, long last, we have a hope of a home on the surface!_";
26 = "His smile fades, as he begins to plan. _We will now do all we can to find those who created these plagues of monsters and bring them to justice. You, we believe, are our best hope. So go forth, all of you, and win us a home!_";
27 = "Anaximander unzips his robe and steps from it. His body is much better developed than you would have thought. The reward for your long, hard adventures is at hand!";
28 = "Anaximander is relieved to see you. _Listen,_ he says, _there have been some strange murders up by New Formello. I've sent agent Flanagan up there, but I think that you should go help him. Come in and speak with me, so I can tell you more._";
29 = "Anaximander asks you about the murder investigation. _I'm glad you talked to Flanagan, but I am not yet satisfied we know what happened. I am sure it involved powerful magic. Remember that. We are looking for powerful, unidentified magicians._";
30 = "You describe to Anaximander how you investigated the murder site. _Well, perhaps you should look a little harder. You say there was a small tunnel that went in further? Be sure to search that carefully._";
31 = "You tell Anaximander about the rubble near the murder site near New Formello. _Ah! A key! Very intriguing._ He looks at it, and takes some notes. _I think that you should keep it. It may come in handy. And be sure to speak with Flanagan again._";
32 = "You describe the conclusion of your murder investigation to Anaximander. _Well done. We do not know who killed those men, but this key is a very interesting clue. Hang on to it. It may prove to be useful in the future._";
33 = "You enter Anaximander's office and immediately see from his face that something has gone horribly wrong. _Demons have taken the Tower of Magi! They've sealed it off from Avernum, and they are summoning more of their kind._";
34 = "_If something is not done, they will soon have the force to assault Avernum and slay everyone there! The only way into the Tower, we think, is the portal in the Portal Fortress, and the only group we can send to do anything is yours!_";
35 = "He is clearly terrified. _Come in and speak with me, so I can tell you where to go. If you don't get down there soon, our land and all in it are doomed._";
36 = "Anaximander greets you. _I heard what you did at the tower. We all owe you a great debt. I've seen to it that Levy has something very nice for you._";
37 = "_Solberg and X are here in Fort Emergence now. They managed to escape, thank goodness. Should you need to go to them for rewards in the future, they're puttering around somewhere nearby._";
38 = "Anaximander greets you. He is furious. _There's been a theft!_ he spits. _Right in the middle of Fort Emergence! A band of bandits managed to get in and steal the Orb of Thralni right out from under our noses._";
39 = "_You should go speak with Levy. We really need to get it back. It's an invaluable artifact. He was the caretaker, and he may have an idea of what happened to it._";
40 = "You tell Anaximander that you recovered the Orb of Thralni. He nods in approval. _Our opinion of your skills improves. We've talked it over, and we believe the Orb may do a lot more good in your hands. Just try to hang on to it._";
41 = "Anaximander greets you. _I heard of your discovery with regards to the vahnatai. When we enlisted their help in the Empire War, we had no idea of the cost. Their vendetta against the Empire will never end until our home is destroyed._";
42 = "_They are a powerful and intelligent foe, skilled in magic and weaponry. Exercise the greatest care, and stop them. They are our friends no longer. Defeat them and save our homeland._";
43 = "You tell Anaximander of your first meeting with Empress Prazac and give him the scroll she gave you. He nods, tells you to wait, and leaves.";
44 = "You wait for a day. When you try to return to your rooms, guards stop you. Food is brought to you, and you wait.";
45 = "Eventually, Anaximander returns and says, _I have been in communication with King Micah. He believes this is our greatest opportunity, but only if we are careful. Very, very careful._";
46 = "He hands you a scroll, sealed with the seal of Avernum. _Take this to Empress Prazac. Return as soon as you can with her response._";
47 = "You tell Anaximander of what you saw on the surface. He doesn't seem surprised. _Hmm. So far, it sounds much like what we expected. We are at the outskirts of the Empire, far from the center of civilization._";
48 = "_There may still be hope that we can develop some sort of colony up there, hidden in the wilds. First, however, we need to learn much more. Go out and explore. Visit towns and cities. Find out what forces the Empire has out here. Then report back._";
49 = "You describe the rune you found in the Alien Slime's lair, mentioning how it is the symbol of Erika. _This concerns us greatly. Erika is our greatest archmage, and her hatred for the Empire is absolute._";
50 = "_The possibility that she may be responsible for the ravaging of the surface is both unsettling and plausible. You should go and try to speak with her. She lives at the north end of Upper Avernum, far north of Ghikra. See what she has to say about this._";
51 = "You tell Anaximander of the dragon scales you discovered in the cockroach pit. He looks disturbed. _Two of the three dragons still living in Avernum, Khoth and Sulfras, recently disappeared. They both have the power necessary to create the monsters._";
52 = "_They were attacked and enslaved by the Empire during the Empire War. They despise the Empire and would gladly destroy it. If you ever see the dragons, you should ask them about this. Carefully._";
53 = "Anaximander says, _Perhaps you are taking a little more time to explore the surface than you should. Remember, time is wasting. Events may be progressing up there in a way we will not enjoy._";
54 = "Anaximander looks very concerned. _You really should go to the surface as soon as possible. The mages have been scrying and forecasting, and it is clear that, if you wait too much longer, we may not be able to live on the surface. Ever._";
55 = "_You have done well. You should go to the Portal Fortress, and from there to the Tower of Magi to receive a reward. Once down there, see X and Solberg, and one of them will give you magical training._";
56 = "";
57 = "Anaximander says, _By the way, we have something for you. Time is of the essence, and you have long distances to travel._ He hands you a polished crystal orb, wrapped in a sheet of velvet. _Using this when outdoors will return you to Fort Emergence. Hopefully it will save you some time._";
58 = "_Certain of our agents report that there is a way, on the surface, due north of Fort Emergence, to teleport to different cities in Valorim. Investigate settlements in that area. Between that and the orb, you will be able to travel anywhere quickly._";
59 = "_You have done very well. Go speak with X and Solberg. One of them will give you magical training. They're skulking around in this fort somewhere._";
60 = "You tell Anaximander of the crystal shards you recovered between the hill giant and troglodyte lairs. _Crystals, eh? The vahnatai use crystals in their magic, and they certainly have no love for the Empire._";
61 = "_They have been very secretive since the end of the Empire War. Why don't you go visit Ghikra and see what they have to say about these shards?_";
62 = "Anaximander looks relieved to see you. _Welcome back, adventurers. We could use your help. A valuable artifact has been stolen._";
63 = "Aniximander doesn't look up as you approach. He is studying his papers with unusual intensity. _Welcome back. I need you to go on a little side jaunt. There have been some murders in the north that I really think you should investigate._";
64 = "Anaximander greets you, a terrified expression on his face. _Welcome. I trust you have heard. the Tower of Magi has fallen to demons. It is desperately important that someone go there and stop them._";
65 = "Suddenly, without warning, you feel a vicious mental jolt. As your head clears, you feel that something horrible has happened, but you haven't the slightest idea what.";
66 = "The horrible feeling you felt earlier returns, stronger than ever. You hear a voice in your mind, a female voice that sounds very familiar. It says, simply, _We are dying. Help us. Oh God, help us._ Then, mercifully, the vision fades.";
67 = "You again hear a cacophany of voices, distant and filled with horror. Then one drowns out all the others, a cruel, deep inhuman voice: _We have the Tower, and soon we will have you all. So come defy us. Nothing would make us happier._";
68 = "A ghostly image appears in front of you. It is Anaximander. He says _Return to Fort Emergence as soon as possible. Drop whatever you're doing. The greatest emergency yet faces us, and we need your help._";
69 = "Again, the screams from far beneath the Earth come to you, combined with inhuman howls of hunger and triumph. You cannot help but feel that if something is not done soon, something horrible will happen.";
70 = "Again, the inhuman evil voice comes to you. _I am Grah-Hoth, and I am coming! Soon I will be here, and you will have no home to return to. All Avernum will serve to satisfy my hunger._ He laughs and fades away.";
71 = "You have the strongest feeling of horror yet, and a deep, overwhelming sense of great evil building. You know that if action is not taken, and very soon, the effects will be devastating.";
72 = "Suddenly, he remembers something and checks his records. _Oh, dear. We've been seeing movement around the town of Ghikra for days, but it was the vahnatai, so we didn't worry. You'd better go check up there. Something may have happened._";
73 = "As you put on the amulet, he says, _Oh, I almost forgot! The range of the amulet is far, but not infinite. If you get too far away, it may not work. Don't worry about that, though. I'm sure it won't be a problem._";
74 = "You describe to Anaximander the body of the Avernite you found in the slime pits. _That sounds like Erin. She was one of the first group to ascend and explore the surface. Thank you for letting us know what happened to her._";
75 = "_I sincerely hope that you can avoid the same fate. In the meantime, I will let her relations know of her tragic demise._";
76 = "You tell Anaximander about the poor soul whose mortal remains you found in the Filth Factory. You mention that his name was Elsner. _Ah, yes. Well that answers that question._";
77 = "_Elsner was one of ours. He had a real tendency to go off on his own. Overconfident. And we know where that leads. Thank you for this report. I shall convey the sad news to his widow._";
78 = "You tell Anaximander about the body you found in the Golddale mines. He says, _Leather armor? You said leather armor? With an Avernite insignia? Sadly, I know who that was. That was Gwost. One of the first four people sent to the surface._";
79 = "_As if this wasn't tragic enough, we already knew about those sliths on the surface. They were just rogues. No political significance at all. He died for nothing. But then, he always was a headstrong fellow._";
80 = "You mention to Anaximander you reached Lorelei. He nods, and thinks. _You know, we have an agent there. His cover name is Dwaine. Be sure to look for him. He'll probably be in hiding. It's his way._";
81 = "He looks dubious when you tell him you joined the Anama. _Well, it is acceptance from surface people. I hope you know what you're doing. Also, if you ever want to quit, I'm sure that Ahonar fellow will release you if you ask._";
82 = "You tell Anaximander that you found Tucker. He nods. _Yes, the fellow stopped by on the way through. He's been healed, and he's back on the surface again. Brave fellow. Thanks for contacting him._";
83 = "You tell Anaximander of your encounter with the shade in Ghikra. _This is just more confirmation of these sad events. The vahnatai are our foes now. This is terrible. Yet, we must save the surface from them. It is our home too._";
84 = "Anaximander twitches in revulsion when you describe the roaches to him. _And I thought that the slimes were awful! It is clear that this is yet another monster infestation._";
85 = "_Investigate, and destroy them if you can! I hesitate to help the Empire in this way, but if the roaches are not eradicated, they will surely find their way into Avernum._";
