Keee-Keee-Keee-Chee, Leader of the Folk

PFLAG 0 - spoken to him
PFLAG 1 - threatened him
PFLAG 2 - insulted him, he gave you the finger

[page="start"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]

[colour="#808080"]You see an impressive-looking Osprey perched on a treestump in front of you.

[colour="#808080"]You hear a deep voice inside your head.

"Hail $PLAYER, there are matters we must discuss."

[if_not stoned][link="Who are you?"]
[if_not stoned][linkto="name"]
[if_not stoned][link="Tell me about fish."]
[if_not stoned][linkto="fish"]
[if_not stoned][if_not_pflag 2][link="Come here birdy, birdy, birdy..."]
[if_not stoned][if_not_pflag 2][linkto="comeherebirdy"]
[if_not stoned][link="Die, bird!"]
[if_not stoned][linkto="diebird"]
[if_not_knowname][if_not stoned][link="This can't be happening.  I'm going to lie down for a while."]
[if_not_knowname][if_not stoned][linkto="bye1"]
[if_know_name][if_not stoned][link="Goodbye."]
[if_know_name][if_not stoned][linkto="bye2"]
[if stoned][link="Argle bargle morsh wumf?"]
[if stoned][linkto="stoned"]
[if stoned][link="Worsh mumph nursh argle?"]
[if stoned][linkto="stoned"]
[if stoned][link="Whee whee whee whee!"]
[if stoned][linkto="stoned"]
[if stoned][link="Umsh wurfle morsh."]
[if stoned][linkto="stoned"]
[endpage]


[page="name"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]
"I am $CHARNAME, elected chieftan of the Folk.

 I don't suppose you happen to have any fish with you?"

[learn_name]
[link="How is it that you can talk?"]
[linkto="talk"]
[link="You don't have the brain capacity to do this!"]
[linkt="brain"]
[link="Yes, I have a fish."]
[linkto="mason_fish"]
[link="I have some bloater paste.  Will that do?"]
[linkto="mason_fishpaste"]
[link="I'm afraid not."]
[linkto="mason_nofish"]
[endpage]

[page="mason_nofish"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]
"A pity."

"It is our custom to discuss important matters over fish.
 If you could be so kind as to fetch some, we can get down to business."
[nextpage="exit"]
[endpage]

Negotiate with Mason.  (fish)

[page="mason_fish"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]
[colour="#808080"]You throw the fish into the air and $CHARNAME deftly catches it.
[colour="#808080"]Decapitating the fish, $CHARNAME eats the head before speaking.

"Fiisshh!"

[colour="#808080"]$CHARNAME pauses to gut the fish with his talons before continuing.

"You have spoken with the F-15C Strike Eagle, and he has told you of the trout
 which he breeds as a hobby.
 You know that we have been, shall we say, 'appropriating' them."
[nextpage="mason_fish2"]
[endpage]


[page="mason_fish2"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]
[colour="#808080"]$CHARNAME slices the fish into fine strips and begins to eat them
[colour="#808080"]one at a time.

"I'd like you to arrange a meeting with Mason, so that we can negotiate some
 form of payment, in exchange for a continued supply of trout for The Folk."

[colour="#808080"]Gulp!

"I know everything, but I did not understand that they belong to him, until
 very recently."

[colour="#808080"]Gulp!

"I cannot read his thoughts yet.
 So far I've only learned to read the emotions of aircraft."

[colour="#808080"]Gulp!

"By the way, he's done very good job sculpting the pond.
 I was convinced it was a natural feature of the land, and not his property."

[colour="#808080"]Gulp!

[nextpage="mason_fish3"]
[endpage]

[page="mason_fish3"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]

[colour="#808080"]$CHARNAME eats the final strip.

Will you do this?

[link="Yes, I'll take you to him."]
[linkto="mason_y"]
[link="No, I'm too busy."]
[linkto="mason_n"]
[endpage]


Negotiate with Mason.  (bloater paste)

[page="mason_fishpaste"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]
[colour="#808080"]You hold out the jar and $CHARNAME examines it cautiously, puzzling
[colour="#808080"]over the object for several seconds.

"Is this really the best you could manage?"

[colour="#808080"]$CHARNAME concentrates on the jar for a few seconds.
[colour="#808080"]Suddenly the lid begins to rotate slowly of its own accord.

"You have spoken with the F-15C Strike Eagle, and he has told you of the trout
 which he breeds as a hobby.
 You know that we have been, shall we say, 'appropriating' them."

[nextpage="mason_fishpaste2"]
[endpage]


[page="mason_fishpaste2"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]
[colour="#808080"]The Osprey ducks as the jar pressurises suddenly and the lid shoots off.

"I'd like you to arrange a meeting with Mason, so that we can negotiate some
 form of payment, in exchange for a continued supply of trout for the Folk."

[colour="#808080"]He pauses to dip his wicked-looking beak into the small jar.

"I know everything, but I did not understand that they belong to him, until
 very recently."

[colour="#808080"]$CHARNAME sucks at the fishpaste, slurping loudly.

"I cannot read his thoughts yet.
 So far I've only learned to read the emotions of aircraft."

[colour="#808080"]$CHARNAME discovers that his beak is wedged tightly into the jar.

"By the way, he's done very good job sculpting the pond.
 I was convinced it was a natural feature of the land, and not his property."

[colour="#808080"]With a murderous look, the Osprey concentrates again and the jar splits
[colour="#808080"]cleanly in two.  The two halves bounce off the tree-stump and onto the grass.

[nextpage="mason_fishpaste3"]
[endpage]

[page="mason_fishpaste3"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]

[colour="#808080"]$CHARNAME wipes the fishpaste from his beak with a leaf and eats it.


"Will you do this?"

[link="Yes, I'll take you to him."]
[linkto="mason_y"]
[link="No, I don't want to."]
[linkto="mason_n"]
[link="No, I'm too busy."]
[linkto="mason_n2"]
[endpage]


[page="mason_y"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]

"Excellent!"

[colour="#808080"]You hold out your arm like a falconer, and the Osprey hops gently onto it.

[callvrm="osprey_to_arm"]
[nextpage="exit"]
[endpage]

[page="mason_n"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]
"Damn it, Human!  This is important!
 I ask you to reconsider."

[colour="#808080"]$CHARNAME glowers at you angrily for a few moments more.
[colour="#808080"]Then he flies into the distance, leaving you alone.
[nextpage="exit"]
[endpage]


[page="mason_n2"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]
"Very well.  But this is important.
 If you could help me, you will earn the eternal gratitude of the Folk."

[colour="#808080"]$CHARNAME looks despondent.
[colour="#808080"]Then he flies into the distance, leaving you alone.
[nextpage="exit"]
[endpage]


[page="stoned"]
[image="kkkc2.pcx"]

[colour="#808080"]You hear an exasperated sigh in your head.

"Stay off the drugs, human.  They will destroy your mind."

[colour="#808080"]
Disappointed, the pink bird jumps from the candy-striped tree and flies away.

[nextpage="exit"]
[endpage]


[page="comeherebirdy"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]

[colour="#808080"]The Osprey looks at you unpleasantly, and with a little effort makes an
[colour="#808080"]obscene gesture with one of his razor-sharp talons.

"Don't be difficult, human."
[set_pflag 2]

[nextpage="start"]

[endpage]


[page="brain"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]

"I know.  Clever, isn't it?
 We'll find out how it works one of these days."

"Now.  About that fish?"

[link="First, tell me how you can talk."]
[linkto="talk"]
[link="Yes, I have one."]
[linkto="mason_fish"]
[link="I have some bloater paste.  Will that do?"]
[linkto="mason_fishpaste"]
[link="I'm afraid not."]
[linkto="mason_nofish"]
[endpage]

[page="talk"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]

"About 200 years ago, we were the simple creatures that arrived from Earth.

 But just a few years after we settled, something caused us to mutate, and
 we began to learn things rapidly, like how to preserve fish.

 When we began to hear each others thoughts it became possible to merge into
 one large community, which we now refer to as the Folk."

"Now, the fisshh."

[link="Yes, I have one."]
[linkto="mason_fish"]
[link="I have some bloater paste.  Will that do?"]
[linkto="mason_fishpaste"]
[link="I'm afraid not."]
[linkto="mason_nofish"]
[link="The folk?"]
[linkto="thefolk"]
[endpage]

[page="thefolk"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]

"Yes.  It doesn't sound very imaginative, but it seemed like a good idea
 at the time.

 Do you have any fish?"

[link="Yes, I have one."]
[linkto="mason_fish"]
[link="I have some bloater paste.  Will that do?"]
[linkto="mason_fishpaste"]
[link="I'm afraid not."]
[linkto="mason_nofish"]

[endpage]


[page="bye1"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]

"No!  Come back!
 We need to talk about fishing rights!"

[colour="#808080"]
The fishhawk's voice becomes more and more garbled as you walk out of range.
You vaguely imagine the word 'Bustard!' before your thoughts are left alone.

In the distance, the large bird dives from the tree stump and flies
towards Mason's fish farm.
[colour="#ffffff"]

[nextpage="exit"]
[endpage]


[page="bye2"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]

"Goodbye, human."

[colour="#808080"]The raptor flies away to search for fish.

[nextpage="exit"]
[endpage]

[page="diebird"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]

"I wouldn't say such things if I were you."

[set_pflag 1]
[nextpage="exit"]
[endpage]

[page="fish"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]

"Fish are the single most important part of our society!
 We harvest fish during the summer and pickle them for the winter."

[link="I see."]
[linkto="start"]
[link="But Ospreys are migratory!"]
[linkto="migrant"]
[link="Are fish really good for the brain?"]
[linkto="fishgood"]
[link="Can you identify this fish for me?"]
[linkto="fish_id"]
[endpage]

[page="migrant"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]

"Not anymore.

 When we migrate, we use geomagnetic fields to guide us.
 The fields on this planet are different and cannot be used, so the urge to
 migrate has left us.

 The humans noticed this and brought us fish during the winter.

 One year the humans stopped doing this, but by then we had learned to
 stockpile food for the winter."

[link="They stopped bringing you fish?"]
[linkto="stoppedfish"]
[link="Uh, right."]
[linkto="fish"]
[endpage]


[page="migrant"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]

"Not anymore.

 When we migrate, we use geomagnetic fields to guide us.
 The fields on this planet are different and cannot be used, so the urge to
 migrate has left us.

 The humans noticed this and brought us fish during the winter.

 One year the humans stopped doing this, but by then we had learned to
 stockpile food for the winter."

[link="They stopped bringing you fish?"]
[linkto="stoppedfish"]
[link="Uh, right."]
[linkto="fish"]
[endpage]


[page="stoppedfish"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]

"In the years leading up to that time, we noticed changes taking place in 
 the minds of men.
 They began to lose their reason, and primeval feelings rose up to
 replace intellect.  They became more superstitious.  We did not realise
 what was happening.

 Soon men began to fight each other in the name of their God.
 All who would not worship were killed or driven away.

 There are only a few men left who have clung to reason.
 We know that they have been watching us.  They suspect what we have become.
 But we have decided not to make contact with them, until now."

[nextpage="fish"]
[endpage]

[page="fish_id"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]

"No, because certain necessary kernel thunks have not been implemented yet."

[link="What?"]
[linkto="kt2"]
[endpage]

[page="kt2"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]

"Never mind."

[nextpage="fish"]
[endpage]


[page="bastard"]
[image="kkkc.jpg"]

[if_not_knowname][colour="#808080"]A loud voice booms inside your head.
[if_not_knowname]  
[if_not_pflag 1]"You bastard!"
[if_pflag 1]"You asked for it!"

[if_knowname][colour="#808080"]A blue corona forms around $CHARNAME!
[if_not_knowname][colour="#808080"]A blue corona forms around the bird!

[colour="#808080"]Inside your chest, your heart stops beating.

[if_pflag 1]"What a sad waste of human life."

[at_exit_call="kill_player"]
[nextpage="exit"]
[endpage]
