It is time to set out on an [[Epic Journey]].You are walking along the road when you see the Epic Hot Spoon of Gwendeloff.
Do you [[pick up the spoon]] or [[leave it where it is]]?(set: $spoon to true)
You now possess the Epic Hot Spoon of Gwendeloff! You raise it aloft as its heat radiates down your arm, and [[continue your journey]] with the spoon equipped.(set: $spoon to false)
Unsure whether you would be harmed by the spoon's legendary heat, you leave it untouched and [[continue your journey]].(if: $beenthere is true)[Your reenter the village. The old woman is still sitting by the cauldron.
"Soup's still cold," she says.]
(else:)[You come to a small village. In the town square, you see an old woman sitting by a large cauldron.
You approach and see that the cauldron is full of minestrone.
"Soup's gone cold," says the old woman.]
(if: $spoon is true)[You dip the Epic Hot Spoon of Gwendeloff into the cauldron and stir. The soup begins to steam. It smells delicious. The old woman stands in awe, acknowledging that you are [[the One True Heater of Soup]].]
(else:)[If only you had a hot spoon capable of heating this minestrone. I guess you could always [[retrace your steps]].](set: $hp to 10)
(set: $gremlin to 20)
Truly you were the hero foretold.
And now your destiny will be tested! A soup gremlin emerges from the reheated minestrone. It swipes at you and you stumble back. You barely avoid stepping in a fire pit full of smoldering embers. The gremlin charges.
A quick assessment suggests you have $hp health and the gremlin has $gremlin health.
Do you [[swing the spoon at the gremlin]] or [[touch the spoon to the embers]]?
(set: $damage to 5)
(set: $gremlin to $gremlin - $damage)
(set: $hp to $hp - 4)
(if: $hp > 0)[You do $damage points of damage to the gremlin!
The gremlin has $gremlin health!
It gnaws at your ankle!
You have $hp health remaining.
[[Attack the gremlin.|swing the spoon at the gremlin]]
[[Dive into the soup.]]]
(else:)[You do $damage points of damage to the gremlin!
The gremlin has $gremlin health!
It gnaws at your ankle!
You have no health remaining. The soup gremlin has defeated you! It grabs the spoon and holds it aloft. Could it be . . . [[a new hero arises?]]](set: $damage to 10)
(set: $hp to $hp - 4)
The spoon's heat is redoubled!
The gremlin elbows you in the knee!
You have $hp heath.
[[Attack the gremlin.]]
[[Dive into the soup.]](set: $gremlin to $gremlin - $damage)
(set: $hp to $hp - 4)
(if: $gremlin > 0)[You swing at the gremlin with the extra-hot spoon. It connects!
The gremlin has $gremlin health!
The gremlin stomps on your left foot.
You have $hp health remaining!
[[Attack the gremlin.]]
[[Dive into the soup.]]]
(else:)[The soup gremlin splashes to the ground, reduced to a warm puddle of minestrone. [[Your epic destiny is confirmed!]]]Even the mightiest hero cannot survive in a cauldron of soup heated by the Epic Hot Spoon of Gwendeloff. Your body dissolves and the soup takes on [[a new flavor.|a new hero arises?]]THE END?THE END.(set: $beenthere to true)
You [[leave the village.|Epic Journey]]