The Book's Curse

The Book's Curse
Region	Ocean City
Unlocked by	Uncursing the Librum Umbra Malum Ovilla

The Book's Curse puts you in the shoes (sandals? maybe she's not wearing shoes?) of Grimhild, a proud tribeswoman during the expansion of the Roman Empire.

Uncursing

• Talk to Henricus, the Roman soldier.
• Tell him you will sign the card "Natalis felix".
• Spite Caesar by writing something else in the book, or punching it into the sky with 6^ish Muscle.

You gain 20 , and your 101 Delicious Mutton Recipes becomes 111 Delicious Mutton Recipes.

Interactions

Agi has lost much to the wolves. Still he hunts.

• Your fellow tribesman wants no truce with the empire. Spit on a son of Rome.

There is still wisdom left in old Fridenot, for those who ask the right questions.

• The elder believes peace would secure a good future. He sees great power, fine silks and spices, and libraries filled with the knowledge of mankind.

Henricus has much confidence to come here alone.

• IMPERATOR GAIUS JULIUS CAESAR DIVUS's 40th birthday is coming soon, and Henricus wants to to sign his birthday card. Doing so would imply peace with the empire — alliance, or subservience.
• The soldier is apparently in a close relationship with you, but he shows no sign of his affections now, while he serves his duty.
• You can attempt to threaten him with 6^ish Muscle, but he refuses to respond.
• He accepts a small variety of Latin phrases as a proper birthday greeting:

  Beatus natalis tibi; Bonem diem natalis; Bonem diem natalis tibi; Bonum diem natalem; Dies natalis tibi felix sit; Felicem diem; Felicem natalem diem; Felicem natalem tibi exopto; Felix dies natalis tibi; Felix natalis; Felix natalis dies; Felix natalis tibi; Felix sit natalis dies; Fortuna dies natalis; Habeas felicitatem in die natus es; Laeta tibi dies; Natalem laetum tibi ago; Natalem laetum tibi ago; Natalis felicem; Natalis felix; Natalis felix sit; Natalis laetus; Natalis laetus mihi; Natalis laetus tibi; Optime natalis

• He takes offense if you invoke Pig Latin and say "Appyhay irthdaybay".

You can ask the others if they know any Latin, but they don't. However, that bookshelf of Latin literature did arrive recently in Murray's Antique Store. You can exit the machine and find a phrasebook that teaches you:

• These are my jewels: Haec ornamenta mea.
• Carthage must be destroyed: Carthago delenda est.
• Happy birthday: Natalis felix.
• Do not disturb my circles: Noli turbare circulos meos.
• If I cannot reach Heaven, I will raise Hell: Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo.
• Do not trust the horse: Equo ne credite.
• Very rare bird: Rarissima avis.

Now that you know a few phrases:

• You can tell Agi "Carthage must be destroyed." He will begin in the morning.
• You can tell Fridenot "Do not trust the horse." He never has, and he does not plan to start.
• You can tell Henricus "These are my jewels." He says you are like a lost cub, and his people can bring you home.

On the card (which looks very much like a large book on a pedestal), you can write:

• A birthday greeting, the same you said to Henricus
• Penus
• Spit on a son of Rome -- no truce with empires (if you talked with Agi)
• Happy birthday, you filthy animal
• Very rare bird (if you looked it up at the bookshelf)

If you write a birthday greeting, Henricus is pleased, but the curse is not resolved. You are flung from the machine. The curse is resolved if you write anything else or punch the card.

The curse ends with a vision of a man in a stone hallway, frowning, holding a book, and wearing a dotted pointy hat. It's the same man seen in The Duck Call's Curse.

If you punch the card, the curse instead ends in a vision of a new constellation in the card's form.

Gallery

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  A son of Rome, probably