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Part 6 >press hawk You press against the tile inscribed with the pictograph of a hawk. It slides slowly into the wall, and remains recessed about two inches from the surface. >press cat You press against the tile inscribed with the pictograph of a cat. It slides slowly into the wall, and remains recessed about two inches from the surface. >press scorpion You press against the tile inscribed with the pictograph of a scorpion. It slides slowly into the wall, and remains recessed about two inches from the surface. >press crocodile You press against the tile inscribed with the pictograph of a crocodile. It slides slowly into the wall, and remains recessed about two inches from the surface. >press snake As you press the remaining tile, inscribed with a snake, the whirling blades slow and finally come to a halt. >w You step gingerly over the stilled blades into the passage beyond. Ledge You are in a hidden passage whose western terminus is a ledge that overlooks a large chasm. On the other side of the chasm is another ledge. A rickety looking bridge spans the chasm, held up only by two slender ropes attached to a U-shaped strut that is imbedded in the ceiling. You can leave the pyramid by returning to the east. [Your score has just gone up by 10.] >w You clamber over the bridge, boards giving way below your feet. As you near the other side, one of the supports gives way, leaving the bridge hanging by a single rope. Nevertheless, the bridge survives and you find yourself standing on the far ledge. King's chamber This is the entrance to the king's chamber. Unfortunately the crevice in the west wall that allows entrance to the chamber looks too small for you to squeeze through. A rickety bridge leads back across the chasm to the east. You see an ankh here. >take ankh You take the ankh. [Your score has just gone up by 5.] >e You take a deep breath and sprint back across the bridge. Ten feet from the safety of the ledge, you feel the final support give way. You launch yourself through the air and just make the ledge as the bridge falls into the chasm below. Ledge You are in a hidden passage whose western terminus is a ledge that overlooks a large chasm. On the other side of the chasm is another ledge. Imbedded in the ceiling is a U-shaped strut. You can leave the pyramid by returning to the east. >e Hidden passageway You are in a small east-west passage. Set into the wall are five rectangular tiles, each inscribed with a pictograph of an animal. The creatures represented seem to be a cat, hawk, snake, scorpion, and crocodile. Further passage into the pyramid is possible only because the blades have stopped. The floor just in front of the blades is darker than in other places - it appears to be a platform of some sort. You can leave the pyramid by returning to the east. >e As you step out of the the hidden passage, the carved stones rise back up to the level of the floor. Once again, the blades begin to turn at a blinding speed. Pit You are in a pit at the bottom of the descending passage, in the very heart of the great pyramid. The descending passage leads up to the north. A decorative stone panel has been placed in the west wall. The panel has been moved slightly, and a portion of the wall is gone, revealing a hidden passage to the west. >n Descending passage You are in a dark passage within the pyramid. You see a dim light above you to the north where the passage leaves the pyramid. Another passage leads down into the darkness. >n Royal compound You are in the royal compound outside the ruins of a magnificent palace. The great pyramid rises to the south, a path leads downriver to the north, and a road leads back across the river to the east. >e You cross back over the river. Avenue of the Dead You are standing outside an ancient tomb on the Avenue of the Dead. This precinct has already been a cemetery for thousands of years. Tombs, mausolea, monuments and memorials of every size and design stretch as far as the eye can see. There are some steps here that lead down into the tomb from which you emerged, and the road continues off to the west. >s Tomb You are in a tomb in Cairo's city of the dead. The air is stale and musty, nevertheless, there is a certain shimmer to it. >in You press the button on the wristlet and the shimmering melts away to reveal a black rectangle that hovers in midair. You step through the hole in space and find yourself inside the interkron. Interkron The interkron is a cramped space full of dials and switches. Directly in front of you is a slot with a key card in it and a green light next to it. The display screen is taken up by a world map, and there are ten years highlighted next to it. Under the keyboard, a technician has scrawled on a piece of t ape, "To go to a new timeplace, type 'timeset,' followed by the name of the city and the year that you want to go to. Eg. Timeset Rome 44." >ts rome 1798 You hear a low humming that slowly crescendos into a full-fledged roar. The interkron begins to shake and you become disoriented. You fall to the floor and pass out... When you awaken and struggle to your feet, you realize that you have travelled to Rome, in the year 1798. >out Cloaca Maxima You step out into a murky underground cavern. When your eyes adjust to the gloom you realize you are in the ancient Cloaca Maxima, the great underground sewer of Rome. Uninviting tunnels lead off in many directions, but a welcome ray of light filters down from an opening overhead. The air near one wall is shimmering. >out Street Rome has become a city of ruins, just another stop on the 'Grand Tour' for educated young gentlemen. Its decay has been accelerated by the plunder of the city by the occupying French army, who has carted off countless masterpieces and other treasures to Paris. This quiet street runs southeast towards the Circus Maximus, and northwest towards the Vatican. There is a passageway between the buildings that leads south. Below your feet is an opening, and near it is a fist-sized chunk of rock that appears to have fallen off one of the old buildings. >take rock You take the rock. [Your score has just gone up by 5.] >se Circus Maximus You are standing outside the ruins of the ancient Circus Maximus and gazing up at the Palazzo Venezia, a beautiful stone building with a prominent triple-paned window on the second s tory. The palace is guarded by two soldiers of Napoleon's army. A street leads off to the northwest. >throw rock on window The rock crashes through the window. The guards look at each other, nod in unison, and grab you. They frog-march you into the house and up the stairs. Sala del Mappamondo You are in the huge Sala del Mappamondo on the second floor of the Palazzo Venezia. The only way out is past the big guards. You see a rock here. Napoleon is wearing a bracelet. Napoleon is seated in front of a large nautical chart from which the room derives its name. He signals the guards to hold you a few moments while he finishes talking with one of his assistants. While you wait, you hear snatches of their conversation. [Your score has just gone up by 5.] >wait 60 [I assume you mean 60 minutes.] Time passes... The aide is arguing his point strongly. Napoleon looks skeptical. The aide raises his voice and you hear the words "Must invade England soon." Napoleon glances at you and reminds him to keep his voice down. Do you want to continue waiting? >y You overhear Napoleon say, "Now is not the time for a direct assault. There must be another place we can hurt them indirectly." Do you want to continue waiting? >y Napoleon straightens up and dismisses the aide with a curt command. As his assistant leaves the room, Napoleon adds, "I will make my decision at sundown today. If I can think of no alternative in the meantime, we will proceed with your plan." Napoleon turns his attention to you and says "Either you are very stupid or very clever. You don't look like the type to run riot in the streets. I suspect you were just trying to meet me. Well, make it good." Do you want to continue waiting? >n >give map to napoleon Napoleon spreads the map out on his desk and says, "Ah, a treasure map... Egypt, I see. The crown of Charlemagne, no less." He scrutinizes it for a while and then becomes more serious. "This certainly looks authentic. But such maps are easily forged. Do you have anything to vouch for its authenticit y?" [Your score has just gone up by 5.] >yes "Good," he says. "Let's see it." >give ankh to napoleon Napoleon examines the amulet carefully. "This is very interesting," he says. "Obviously Egyptian, and obviously very ancient - although remarkably well preserved." He compares the amulet to the drawing on the map and then gets a faraway look in his eyes. "Amazing. After all these years. That I should be the one to find Charlemagne's crown. Who then could doubt that I am destined to re-unite his empire?" He scrawls out a note on a piece of paper and thrusts it into your hands. "I cannot come now. But meet me in Cairo this fall and we shall find this treasure together." He gives you the map and the bracelet and says, "Here. You may keep these as souvenirs." Then he nods to the guards, who lead you back out into the street. [Your score has just gone up by 30.] Circus Maximus You are standing outside the ruins of the ancient Circus Maximus and gazing up at the Palazzo Venezia, a beautiful stone building with a prominent triple-paned window on the second s tory. The palace is guarded by two soldiers of Napoleon's army. A street leads off to the northwest. >nw Street This quiet street runs southeast towards the Circus Maximus, and northwest towards the Vatican. There is a passageway between the buildings that leads south. Below your feet is an opening. Suddenly, the bracelet begins to glow. Then it disappears. >in Cloaca Maxima You climb down into a murky underground cavern. When your eyes adjust to the gloom you realize you are in the ancient Cloaca Maxima, the great underground sewer of Rome. Uninviting tunnels lead off in many directions, but a welcome ray of light filters down from an opening overhead. The air near one wall is shimmering. >in You press the button on the wristlet and the shimmering melts away to reveal a black rectangle that hovers in midair. You step through the hole in space and find yourself inside the interkron. Interkron The interkron is a cramped space full of dials and switches. Directly in front of you is a slot with a key card in it and a green light next to it. The display screen is taken up by a world map, and there are ten years highlighted next to it. Under the keyboard, a technician has scrawled on a piece of t ape, "To go to a new timeplace, type 'timeset,' followed by the name of the city and the year that you want to go to. Eg. Timeset Rome 44." >ts dover 1798 You hear a low humming that slowly crescendos into a full-fledged roar. The interkron begins to shake and you become disoriented. You fall to the floor and pass out... When you awaken and struggle to your feet, you realize that you have travelled to Dover, in the year 1798. >out Shed You are in a small woodshed next to a tavern in Dover, England. There is a telltale shimmering in the air here, and an exit to the southeast. >se Lawn All Europe knows that Napoleon's desire to conquer England is second only to his dream of becoming the second Charlemagne. Daily come reports of false sightings of the French fleet. Everyone believes he will strike - but no one knows where. You are standing on a lawn just to the south of a small pub that commands a stunning view of the English Channel. A rickety shed leans against the building's west wall. The great chalk cliff comes right up to the south edge of the lawn. >n Tavern You step into the Tavern, where you find some sailors huddled around a table near the fire, while the friendly-looking innkeeper is behind the bar polishing a tankard. Admiral Lord Nelson is sitting at a table, muttering to himself. A set of stairs leads up to the north, and the tavern's front door lies to the south. >give pass to nelson Nelson reads the pass, then leaps to his feet and shouts, "I've got him now! Napoleon's bound for Egypt! I'll have to make sure he gets a proper welcome." He tosses the pass back to you and strides out of the tavern, forgetting all about the boarding hook. >take hook You take the boarding hook. [Your score has just gone up by 5.] >s Lawn You are standing on a lawn just to the south of a small pub that commands a stunning view of the English Channel. A rickety shed leans against the building's west wall. The great chalk cliff comes right up to the south edge of the lawn. >nw Shed You are in a small woodshed next to a tavern in Dover, England. There is a telltale shimmering in the air here, and an exit to the southeast. >in You press the button on the wristlet and the shimmering melts away to reveal a black rectangle that hovers in midair. You step through the hole in space and find yourself inside the interkron. Interkron The interkron is a cramped space full of dials and switches. Directly in front of you is a slot with a key card in it and a green light next to it. The display screen is taken up by a world map, and there are ten years highlighted next to it. Under the keyboard, a technician has scrawled on a piece of t ape, "To go to a new timeplace, type 'timeset,' followed by the name of the city and the year that you want to go to. Eg. Timeset Rome 44." >ts cairo 1798 You hear a low humming that slowly crescendos into a full-fledged roar. The interkron begins to shake and you become disoriented. You fall to the floor and pass out... When you awaken and struggle to your feet, you realize that you have travelled to Cairo, in the year 1798. >out Tomb You are in a tomb in Cairo's city of the dead. The air is stale and musty, nevertheless, there is a certain shimmer to it. >n Avenue of the Dead Chafing under 250 years of Ottoman rule, Egyptians welcome the French invasion. They hope that under French rule, Egypt will be regenerated and regain its ancient prosperity. You are standing outside an ancient tomb on the Avenue of the Dead. This precinct has already been a cemetery for thousands of years. Tombs, mausolea, monuments and memorials of every size and design stretch as far as the eye can see. There are some steps here that lead down into the tomb from which you emerged, and the road continues off to the west. There is a broadside nailed to a wall here. You can just make out its headline. "NAPOLEON ARMY CONQUERS EGYPT WHILE FRENCH FLEET DESTROYED BY NELSON AT BATTLE OF ABUKIR BAY". >w The street runs west until it crosses a narrow part of the river. Royal compound You are in the royal compound outside the ruins of a magnificent palace. The great pyramid rises to the south, a path leads downriver to the north, and a road leads back across the river to the east. This is the spot that Napoleon has chosen to pitch camp. His tent is the largest one here, and outside it are two familiar-looking soldiers. >show pass to soldiers One of the soldiers takes the pass and disappears inside the tent. Moments later Napoleon emerges and says, "I've been waiting for you. I've sent five men into that pyramid after the crown. None of them has come back. This time I'm sending you, and I'll be right behind you." >w The guards intercept you and say, "Zis tent, she ees not pour vous to mess with." >s You and Napoleon scramble up the crumbling wall and enter the pyramid. Descending passage You are in a dark passage within the pyramid. You see a dim light above you to the north where the passage leaves the pyramid. Another passage leads down into the darkness. Napoleon saunters along behind you. >s Pit You are in a pit at the bottom of the descending passage, in the very heart of the great pyramid. The descending passage leads up to the north. A decorative stone panel has been placed in the west wall. The panel has been moved slightly, and a portion of the wall is gone, revealing a hidden passage to the west. Napoleon saunters along behind you. >w You step beyond the opened wall into the hidden passage beyond. Hidden passageway You are in a small east-west passage. Set into the wall are five rectangular tiles, each inscribed with a pictograph of an animal. The creatures represented seem to be a cat, hawk, snake, scorpion, and crocodile. Further passage into the pyramid is blocked by a set of sharp blades that are revolving at a blinding speed. The floor just in front of the blades is darker than in other places - it appears to be a platform of some sort. You can leave the pyramid by returning to the east. Napoleon scrambles along behind you. **** AGAIN, PRESS THE TILES IN THE ORDER THEY WERE IN THE MAP **** >press hawk You press against the tile inscribed with the pictograph of a hawk. It slides slowly into the wall, and remains recessed about two inches from the surface. >press cat You press against the tile inscribed with the pictograph of a cat. It slides slowly into the wall, and remains recessed about two inches from the surface. >press scorpion You press against the tile inscribed with the pictograph of a scorpion. It slides slowly into the wall, and remains recessed about two inches from the surface. >press crocodile You press against the tile inscribed with the pictograph of a crocodile. It slides slowly into the wall, and remains recessed about two inches from the surface. >press snake As you press the remaining tile, inscribed with a snake, the whirling blades slow and finally come to a halt. >w You step gingerly over the stilled blades into the passage beyond. Ledge You are in a hidden passage whose western terminus is a ledge that overlooks a large chasm. On the other side of the chasm is another ledge. Imbedded in the ceiling is a U-shaped strut. You can leave the pyramid by returning to the east. Napoleon saunters along behind you. >untie turban You unhook the pin, and the turban unravels in your hands. Unfortunately, upon closer examination, it turns out the ruby is just a worthless piece of red glass. >tie turban to hook You tie the turban to the grappling hook. >throw hook on strut The boarding hook loops over the strut and locks firmly into place! >w Taking a running start, you leap into the void, shout "Guruka!!" and swing across the chasm. You land on the other side, teeter for a moment on the edge, and then pull yourself to safety. [Your score has just gone up by 20.] King's chamber This is the entrance to the king's chamber. Unfortunately the crevice in the west wall that allows entrance to the chamber looks too small for you to squeeze through. The turban swings back to Napoleon, who grabs it and swings over the chasm to land beside you. He peers into the crevice and catches a glint of gold. He turns sideways and squeezes his adolescent-sized body through the crack, ripping his uniform as he does so. Moments later you hear a cry of triumph, and then his head reappears, soon followed by the rest of his body. His eyes are ablaze with dreams of empire as he says to you, "I have the crown. Let us leave this place." >e Taking a running start, you leap into the void, shout "Guruka!!" and swing across the chasm. You land on the other side, teeter for a moment on the edge, and then pull yourself to safety. Ledge You are in a hidden passage whose western terminus is a ledge that overlooks a large chasm. On the other side of the chasm is another ledge. Imbedded in the ceiling is a U-shaped strut, to which a long turban is attached by means of a boarding hook. You can leave the pyramid by returning to the east. The turban swings back to Napoleon, who grabs it and swings over the chasm to land beside you. >e Hidden passageway You are in a small east-west passage. Set into the wall are five rectangular tiles, each inscribed with a pictograph of an animal. The creatures represented seem to be a cat, hawk, snake, scorpion, and crocodile. Further passage into the pyramid is possible only because the blades have stopped. The floor just in front of the blades is darker than in other places - it appears to be a platform of some sort. You can leave the pyramid by returning to the east. Napoleon scrambles along behind you. >e As you step out of the the hidden passage, the carved stones rise back up to the level of the floor. Once again, the blades begin to turn at a blinding speed. Pit You are in a pit at the bottom of the descending passage, in the very heart of the great pyramid. The descending passage leads up to the north. A decorative stone panel has been placed in the west wall. The panel has been moved slightly, and a portion of the wall is gone, revealing a hidden passage to the west. Napoleon saunters along behind you. >n Descending passage You are in a dark passage within the pyramid. You see a dim light above you to the north where the passage leaves the pyramid. Another passage leads down into the darkness. Napoleon saunters along behind you. >n Royal compound You are in the royal compound outside the ruins of a magnificent palace. The great pyramid rises to the south, a path leads downriver to the north, and a road leads back across the river to the east. This is the spot that Napoleon has chosen to pitch camp. His tent is the largest one here, and outside it are two familiar-looking soldiers. You emerge from the pyramid. Napoleon holds up the crown and says, "Behold at last the crown of Charlemagne, destined all these years to become mine. I shall have it engraved and will wear it myself upon my coronation when I return to France." Without giving a backward glance at you, he disappears into his tent. [Your score has just gone up by 25.] >e You cross back over the river. Avenue of the Dead You are standing outside an ancient tomb on the Avenue of the Dead. This precinct has already been a cemetery for thousands of years. Tombs, mausolea, monuments and memorials of every size and design stretch as far as the eye can see. There are some steps here that lead down into the tomb from which you emerged, and the road continues off to the west. There is a broadside nailed to a wall here. You can just make out its headline. "NAPOLEON ARMY CONQUERS EGYPT WHILE FRENCH FLEET DESTROYED BY NELSON AT BATTLE OF ABUKIR BAY". >s Tomb You are in a tomb in Cairo's city of the dead. The air is stale and musty, nevertheless, there is a certain shimmer to it. >in You press the button on the wristlet and the shimmering melts away to reveal a black rectangle that hovers in midair. You step through the hole in space and find yourself inside the interkron. Interkron The interkron is a cramped space full of dials and switches. Directly in front of you is a slot with a key card in it and a green light next to it. The display screen is taken up by a world map, and there are ten years highlighted next to it. Under the keyboard, a technician has scrawled on a piece of t ape, "To go to a new timeplace, type 'timeset,' followed by the name of the city and the year that you want to go to. Eg. Timeset Rome 44." >ts rome 1940 You hear a low humming that slowly crescendos into a full-fledged roar. The interkron begins to shake and you become disoriented. You fall to the floor and pass out... When you awaken and struggle to your feet, you realize that you have travelled to Rome, in the year 1940. >out Cloaca Maxima You step out into a murky underground cavern. When your eyes adjust to the gloom you realize you are in the ancient Cloaca Maxima, the great underground sewer of Rome. Uninviting tunnels lead off in many directions, but a welcome ray of light filters down from an opening overhead. The air near one wall is shimmering. >out Street After 28 years under Benito Mussolini, much of ancient Rome has disappeared, replaced by huge, faceless monuments of Fascist Architecture. This part of the city, however, remains relatively unchanged. This quiet street runs southeast towards the Circus Maximus, and northwest towards the Vatican. There is a passageway between the buildings that leads south. Below your feet is an opening. >se Circus Maximus You are standing outside the ruins of the ancient Circus Maximus and gazing up at the Palazzo Venezia, which houses a museum on its first floor and Mussolini's headquarters on the se cond floor. Someone has scrawled some graffiti on the side of the building. A street leads off to the northwest. >n Museum You are in a museum dedicated to Napoleon, on the ground floor of the palace that is said to have been his headquarters during his occupation of Rome. The stairs that lead up to the second floor are guarded by a corpulent Nazi soldier. The street exit is to the south. There is a display case here with various obje cts of Napoleonic paraphernalia in it, including napoleon's crown and a small card. >take crown You wait until the guard's head is turned and then take the crown out of the case. >n The guard looks at your nondescript clothing and mistakes you for a member of the cleaning crew. He stands aside to let you pass and says, "Better hurry. You know how they hate a dirty office." Sala del Mappamondo You are in the huge Sala del Mappamondo on the second floor of the Palazzo Venezia. Sixty feet from the doorway is the only piece of furniture in the room, a desk that rests in front of the huge nautical chart that gave the room its name. Hitler and Mussolini are leaning against the desk, hunched over a radio. Mussolini is wearing a bracelet. The two leaders scarcely look up when you enter. >wait Time passes... Hitler glances up at you and says, "Don't just stand there - hop to it." >clean You bustle about the room, pretending to neaten things up. >wait 60 [I assume you mean 60 minutes.] Time passes... Mussolini glances at Hitler and says, "What was the word again? Sitar?" "No, you fool" snaps the German leader. "'Cigar!' The code word is 'cigar.' Now just shut up and wait for six o'clock." Do you want to continue waiting? >y Hitler glances up at you and says, "Don't just stand there - hop to it." Do you want to continue waiting? >n >clean You bustle about the room, pretending to neaten things up. >wait Time passes... Hitler glances up at you and says, "Don't just stand there - hop to it." >clean You bustle about the room, pretending to neaten things up. >wait 60 [I assume you mean 60 minutes.] Time passes... The radio music stops and is replaced by a voice with a British accent that says, "Ladies and gentlemen, live from Dover, the Prime Minister." Do you want to continue waiting? >y The polished tones of the announcer's voice are replaced by the gravelly voice of Winston Churchill. "Citizens of the British Empire. Earlier today I received word that the German forces are converging around our troops at Dunkirk. The situation looks bleak." Hitler and Mussolini lean closer to the radio. Do you want to continue waiting? >y Suddenly Churchill interrupts his speech and shouts, "What the devil are you doing with that cigar?" Hitler and Mussolini look at each other in triumph. "The British jackal has given up," Hitler says. "Let's hear what else he has to say." Do you want to continue waiting? >n >turn off radio You pretend to dust around the radio and surreptitiously cut off the power. Hitler bellows, "You clumsy fool!" He fumbles with the radio for a moment, trying to restore power. >wait 60 [I assume you mean 60 minutes.] Time passes... Hitler finally succeeds in restoring power to the radio. He glares at you as he listens. Churchill continues his speech, and after he finishes Hitler looks at Mussolini in triumph. "He's done it! Britain will be ours without another drop of blood. Send the order to halt the advance." Mussolini removes his bracelet and says, "Obviously I won't be needing this anymore." The two of them shake hands and leave the room. [Your score has just gone up by 30.] Do you want to continue waiting? >y Suddenly, the bracelet begins to glow. Then it disappears. Do you want to continue waiting? >n >s Museum You are in a museum dedicated to Napoleon, on the ground floor of the palace that is said to have been his headquarters during his occupation of Rome. The stairs that lead up to the second floor are guarded by a corpulent Nazi soldier. The street exit is to the south. There is a display case here with various obje cts of Napoleonic paraphernalia in it and a small card. >s Circus Maximus You are standing outside the ruins of the ancient Circus Maximus and gazing up at the Palazzo Venezia, which houses a museum on its first floor and Mussolini's headquarters on the se cond floor. Someone has scrawled some graffiti on the side of the building. A street leads off to the northwest. >read wall The graffiti is in English and it says, "This is the last message I will leave in the nineteen hundreds." [Your score has just gone up by 2.] >nw Street This quiet street runs southeast towards the Circus Maximus, and northwest towards the Vatican. There is a passageway between the buildings that leads south. Below your feet is an opening. >in Cloaca Maxima You climb down into a murky underground cavern. When your eyes adjust to the gloom you realize you are in the ancient Cloaca Maxima, the great underground sewer of Rome. Uninviting tunnels lead off in many directions, but a welcome ray of light filters down from an opening overhead. The air near one wall is shimmering. >in You press the button on the wristlet and the shimmering melts away to reveal a black rectangle that hovers in midair. You step through the hole in space and find yourself inside the interkron. Interkron The interkron is a cramped space full of dials and switches. Directly in front of you is a slot with a key card in it and a green light next to it. The display screen is taken up by a world map, and there are ten years highlighted next to it. Under the keyboard, a technician has scrawled on a piece of t ape, "To go to a new timeplace, type 'timeset,' followed by the name of the city and the year that you want to go to. Eg. Timeset Rome 44." >ts rome 800 You hear a low humming that slowly crescendos into a full-fledged roar. The interkron begins to shake and you become disoriented. You fall to the floor and pass out... When you awaken and struggle to your feet, you realize that you have travelled to Rome, in the year 800. >out Cloaca Maxima You step out into a murky underground cavern. When your eyes adjust to the gloom you realize you are in the ancient Cloaca Maxima, the great underground sewer of Rome. Uninviting tunnels lead off in many directions, but a welcome ray of light filters down from an opening overhead. The air near one wall is shimmering. >out Street The glory that was Rome has faded somewhat, and the city is no longer the center of a vast empire. At this halfway point through the Dark Ages, the city itself seems dark and deserted. This quiet street runs southeast towards the Circus Maximus, and northwest towards the Vatican. There is a passageway between the buildings that leads south. Below your feet is an opening.