[....]

You are walking along a rock shelf stretching east and west along the northern shore of the underground river. The turbulent waters of the river rush past you, just inches below the edge of the rock.

Just so that you know - there is no need to go this way. There is no advantage to be gained, no treasure to be found, no points to be scored.

? go east

You are standing on a narrow rock shelf stretching east and west along the northern shore of the underground river. The foam-flecked waters of the river rush past you, just inches below the edge of the rock. A sort of deep hum can be heard from upstream.

I can't think why you insist on going upstream. There is nothing to be accomplished there.

? east

You are standing at the foot of a most peculiar waterfall. River waters fall down from somewhere above, where your feeble light cannot reach, in a continuous, glass-smooth sheet. Despite the massive amount of the falling water, it does not make all that much noise. More like a loud continuous hum, with an occasional splashing sound thrown in. The only exit is west, back where you came from. An astral imp is sitting in mid-air above the river, rapidly writing on the sheet of falling water in green fiery letters.

? examine imp

A very angular, yet decidedly ethereal being. It's almost as if it were composed of slightly disjointed brush-strokes, which have the unnerving habit of not being completely real all at the same time. The imp is sitting cross-legged in mid-air, facing the mirror-smooth wall of falling water and is totally absorbed in its task of wielding a large calligraphic brush, with which it writes in lightning strokes something utterly incomprehensible on the water surface. The green fiery letters fall with the water and are immediately obliterated in the churning foam below. It is said, though I have no idea how anybody would know, that the writing spells out the secret meaning of the world. Or was it "a world"? Or "the worlds"? I don't quite recall. Something on those lines.

? read

You do expect miracles, don't you? I describe the writing as "utterly incomprehensible" and you ask me to read it for you!

? west

Well, there. What did I tell you? No use. No use at all. The imp is just a nuisance, really. A metaphysical squatter. Ralph Witt did try to have it evicted, but it would seem that Oberon's writ doesn't run here. They say it was quite a sight when that eviction spell misfired. Just sheer luck that there were no casualties! Sorry... I know, I am just babbling. None of this is of any interest to you. It's just that such metaphysical manifestations make me nervous for some reason. Well, for a good and obvious reason, really. Who knows *what* the imp might be writing up there! Next thing you know, a poor cave sprite like me wakes up to find it has been written out of the script of the world. Wouldn't the thought make you nervous? It should! Basic existential anxiety, don't you know? Fear and trembling and all that. No, I realise you couldn't care less about me, but suppose it were you, huh? What? Shut up? Er... Yes. Quite right too. Sorry. I've shut up already. Don't pay any attention. Just nerves. Must be over-work. One of those days, know what I mean? Ahem, where was I...

You are on the northern river shore.

? go back

Groan... If you must...

You are at the waterfall on the northern shore of the underground river. An astral imp is sitting in mid-air above the river, rapidly writing on the sheet of falling water in green fiery letters.

? evict imp

I see. Evict the imp. Just like that. Good one. Who exactly do you think you are? An apprentice godling? Bah!... Look here, Oberon himself failed rather spectacularly, so I respectfully suggest you stop embarrassing yourself, and just accept my plain, honest and entirely sensible advice: LEAVE THE IMP ALONE, DON'T COME HERE, THERE IS NOTHING TO BE GAINED BY IT, THE IMP IS JUST A METAPHYSICAL NUISANCE - COMPRENDE?

? west

Gives me the shivers, that imp does. But we've been through that... You are on the northern river shore.

[....]