Picking up his staff, he stood in front of the rock and clear voice: "Mellon!" ... "
Gandalf's words were underlined in pencil, and then, his uncle's handwriting, was bottom of the page postscript: "This wily old man - a big fan of sending young hobbits back and forth Back, just like the other way around this word as a friend..."
Conversely, almost like the other way around? It is not clear ... But one thing is for sure, my next goal - "The Hobbit, or There and Back Again."
A few more minutes of searching - and this book in my hands. However, immediately after the excitement was followed by disappointment - no hints, no inscriptions, was nothing like it. Carefully leafed through a volume, once again I examined it from all sides - nothing.
Well, I do not, I was not going to give up. Especially being so close to a solution.
Returning to the previous step, I reread the strange phrase: "Conversely, almost as contrary This word, like a friend.". Frankly, the phrase sounded quite delusional and almost meaningless. But it seemed to me that I still knew what was going on. Carefully, as though fearing to frighten away your luck, I put the book back on its old place, deploying, while, on the contrary, that is, inside the spine.
Book protrudes slightly. Clicking on it base of the palm, I suddenly heard a faint click. Yes! That's exactly it! I do not know how I could guess a person who has not read "The Lord of the Rings", that "the word, as a friend," is an allusion to the word, which is a key to the gates of Moria, namely "Mellon", "friend" in Elvish. That is, the word "back", as the word "friend" - is the key! I could only understand what the key opened.
Carefully examining the bookshelves, I found that one of them is now in favor of the total number of a couple of centimeters. Trying to pull the edge was not successful. And if so? Gently pressed on the right side of the projecting section, I got finally the desired result. The cabinet unfolded along the vertical axis through the center, and my eyes opened a tiny secret room, almost niche. She was so small that there was an adult and really did not turn around.
On her wall left of the entrance, I saw what I was looking for so long, and that was never able to find Miss Volfish - my uncle's safe. Alert system not long in coming:
- Congratulations! Quest: "Seek and ye shall find!" made.
- Reward: 3000 experience (8500/10000).
- Attention! Terms of the quest, "The Golden Key" changed!
- Terms of the quest - to unravel the mystery of gold watches and use them to open the safe, was found in the house of your uncle. Execution is in the progress of the global quest "Mystic expedition."
The award - experience (number of variably), active skill, charm, continued quest chain.
Penalty failure - no.
Accept the quest?
Yeah, it's interesting. That is now in plain text me say that it is with the help of hours I have to open the safe, and nothing else. However, this is what I would guess himself. iron box itself has been fully embedded in the wall, on the door of the same, there was no sign of locking handles or locks. But were the same-open circle, as on his uncle's watch. As well as the engraved inscription: "In the hour of the Ox open secret." Yeah, another mystery. Well, I do not even doubt it. However, the mystery has not presented the slightest difficulty for me. But everything has its time.
A time, however, inexorably approaching the dinner. I must say that when I was living at the shelter, I ate, even worse, but at least on a regular basis. And then continuous snacking, suhomyatku day, and a good dinner.
Back at the office, I thought it was the right thing would be not to leave the hiding place with wide open safe. Although now in the house of a certain fear, but in it, and the Chamber of Secrets to on it, no one knew.
However, trying to regain a rotating rack to its rightful place, I ran into a problem. Cabinet did not get up on a par with the rest. With whatever strength I had not pushed it and acted on it it was pretty much a couple of centimeters. Tormented fruitless few minutes, I slapped his forehead, calling an idiot. Book! She remained stuck among others, into the spine. By deploying it correctly, I restored the original picture - all the bookcases were flush, unshakable monolith.
- Sherlock! I have great news! - burst into the office Donnie made me freeze in amazement. He became even older! It just boggles the mind! In the morning he looked about fourteen - fifteen, now I have not watched a teenager and young man, young man. Voice became lower, rougher, fat disappeared children, significantly increased growth. Now Donny looked older than me, and most interestingly, it seems that these changes are only surprised me, he seems, took them as normal.
- What news? - I asked in a weak voice, still being in a state of shock.
- I passed the exam without attending lectures on a semiannual rate of alchemy, and now I'm a journeyman - Alchemist!
- Wow! Congratulations! Wait a minute - I could not recover from the perplexity - what are you, three days okonchil this course?
- Yeah. I did not tell you that I have a good memory? So, I read the textbook in advance, well, I remember all that was there. So master Innganamorte not even have to teach me theory, I already knew. So he asked me a practical task. I said - if I can handle at once become an apprentice and will have free access to his laboratory, here. And I did it. Look!
Donnie dumped on the table, the contents of their pockets - with a dozen tiny glass vials, stoppered. In some of them poured colored liquid in the other - white and pale blue powder.
- So what's this? - I took one of the vials and held it to his eyes. Transfused within greenish opalescent liquid, the light shone tiny gold flecks.
- It? - Donny suddenly giggled and blushed in embarrassment. - This is Love.
- What? In what sense?
- In direct. If you add a few drops of this liquid man, let into the tea, and then spend some time alone with him, then he will fall in love.
- In whom?
- The one who will be with him at this moment. True, the effect is short-lived, and will always have to pour the elixir, if you want to feelings have not disappeared.
- Are you serious?
- Absolutely. But this powder, for example, gives a person an opportunity for a while to get rid of fatigue, this - will quickly read and digest the information, the liquid - an antidote for bites of any species of snakes. Here it is - Donnie grabbed the next bubble - ointment which accelerates wound healing in several times. I have it all now I can do!
- It's just ... Amazing! Look, I'm so happy for you! I have no words! And how are you going to all this wealth to use?
- Not at all, at least for now. You see, some of the funds, this applies to those who are able to influence the minds, feelings, and perceptions of the world, are prohibited for public sale. And indeed to spread. The teacher made me promise that I would never use them against another person. And what is permitted, it is still too little. When I learn new recipes and the best start to create their own, it will be possible to try to conclude a contract with any pharmacy.
I was really just for Donny, but my mind does not go is his love potion. With what he did made him? Not if he's going to use it for its intended purpose?
- Donnie, but only forbidden love among your drugs, or is there more? - I decided to start from afar.
- Well, no ... There is another, but it is not as interesting. There is a potion that aggravates the work of your brain, making it faster, more accurate, more productive. And it is - on the contrary, is intended to temporarily prevent a person to focus, not to think logically and make decisions in general - not afford to think.
- Strange ... Why do you need a potion? The more that the effect is not permanent.
- Honestly? I have no idea. The teacher just told me: "Well done And now do the same, only with the opposite effect!". So I did.
- So, did you do it himself, without a prescription?
- Well yes.
- It's great! Donnie, you're done, old man! And what about your love potion? You're not going to apply it?
- I Do not even think - to my surprise, my friend, without blushing and stammering, speaking in such a delicate topic for themselves. - You mean Miss Emily?
- Um ... Yeah.
- I've got it, it was written on her forehead, that she liked me? All somehow know about it.
- Well, actually, yes, it was noticeable from afar - and then it dawned on me. - Wait, did you say - like it? Are you sure you mean elapsed time?
- Similarly, Sherlock, exactly - Donnie with a smile came over to the window and looked out. - Everything flows in this world, everything is changing. And we are changing with it. Today we like one another tomorrow ... Moreover, - then he suddenly became serious again - I did not have a chance. Did you see how she looked at this detective? And I - have seen.
Suddenly he stopped as if suddenly remembered something very important:
- And by the way, do not you think that has come dinner time? I'll go check with Marjorie - Donald swiftly left the room, leaving me bewildered. This is exactly the same Donny? I feel that the new "adult" version of it, I'll have to get used to again. And if he cooked himself an hour, some potion of courage?
interlude 2
Studio program "Saturday Night Aliya Warren"
- Good evening, dear viewers and visitors to our studio! I am pleased to welcome you to the program "Saturday evening with Warren Alia", the theme of which is once again to be a great contest of virtual worlds!
- If you remember, in the last edition, which was dedicated to this exciting topic, it helped us, now our permanent expert, Mr. Chris Reddick. Today, he too will be in the studio. And not only he, but also other interesting guests.
- Unfortunately, we speak not only of interest, but also of the tragic events connected with this competition. All who follow his passing, probably already understand what I mean. Yes! You're right! We'll talk about the death of three young, talented guys, the main contenders for victory, whose lives have been so cruelly torn hand cold-blooded killer!
- So, I present to you the first guest of our studio, the man who is investigating the crimes on the territory of the US-Australian alliance - Gordon Wrigley, meet!
- Gordon, hello.
- Good evening, Alia.
- Gordon, tell me now, when the investigation is completed and you have a accused, can you tell our viewers the details of what happened?
- Yes, some aspects of this case, I can comment on, but the information is not yet fully open, only a preliminary inquiry was held.
- Well, Gordon, tell our viewers who are suspects in the murder investigation, and how you got out.
- The accused made a confession, so that a suspected speech does not go. Came to him our colleagues from the Asian cluster, the actual investigation itself is conducted under their supervision. The defendant himself - an employee of the corporation "Aspai", techniques for configuring gelkapsul specialist and, as it turned out, a brilliant programmer.
- How interesting. Really brilliant?
- Yes, the company's experts say that only a genius could create a virus that has not been seen by the network security system.
- Gordon, I understand that the cause of death of participants - a virus?
- Absolutely right. After this horrible incident, all participants were taken for over protected polygons, in addition, has been designed and installed additional software protection circuit.
- That is now all participants of the security?
- Yes, of course.
- Still, Gordon, I'm sure our viewers, like me, interested in the details. What prompted the perpetrator to this terrible thing?
- Now psychologists work with him, maybe later information on its grounds will be changed or supplemented. But while, in his words, the causes of his crime were the envy and hatred of the potential winners. In fact, one should take into account the mentality of the inhabitants of the Asian cluster - although this behavior is now, is still more a relic of the past, but nevertheless - the inability to meet the set ourselves high demands frequent causes psychological problems. Ji Hoon Lee not only worked as a technician in the corporation "Aspai", he has made impressive progress in one of the most popular of its virtmirov. When he did not pass the qualifying competition, the victory of which no doubt is felt in his head that something shifted, and he suddenly realized that he would have his revenge. This is what he told investigators.
- Gordon, tell me, he's really mad, or is it simply an attempt to avoid punishment?
- Experts are now working more with the accused, the official response yet. But, according to preliminary estimates, he acted like a man who did not adequately assess the environmental reality. According to him, he was going to kill all the participants of the competition, over and over again by choosing those who are in the top three. But this is absolutely not attended to in order to cover their tracks after the commission of the crime. This tells us that the offender is not able to analyze their actions and critical thinking.
- Gordon, thank you for the advice. Once again, we return to the discussion of offender and detailed investigation later, but for now, we invite you to our new guest studio!
- This girl is a consummate expert in competition among the spectators, know names of the main characters and main quests absolutely all participants. We meet in our studio Leah Maskin!
- Leah, good evening. Sit down, please contact us.
- Good day, Alia, Gordon.
- Leah, please tell our viewers, what made you keep track of all the contestants, and even so closely. As far as I know, usually the audience watching the two-three participants simultaneously. How did you manage to look after all, and what you do for this?
- In fact, I watched the contest without a permanent full immersion, using normal household infoekranom my grandfather. The fact that he is medically not use gelkapsuloy, and his house set special equipment.
- So you have not connected to any of the world's contestants? But you have lost the lion's share of sensations!
- Yes, I understand. And by the way, in one of the worlds I am now sometimes I go. But this world is no longer involved in the competition.
- You're talking about a world created by "VirtArt"? Togo, which played dead Vadim Sergeev?
- Yes, the world of the Fallen Gods.
- As far as we know, the corporation "VirtArt" made out of this world kind of monument, "Aspai" and "syndicate" their preferred simply close. Connecting to the world completely free of charge, as part of the money received from the transactions in the world, goes to support the family of the deceased.
- Yes, it is.
- Good. Tell me, Leah, you're watching the players from the very beginning of the project. Tell me who you like, who is - no. Who drew your attention, and why?
- Well, I'm from the outset really liked the project "Evolution", where the player is infused into the termite, and developing, have changed their bodies, their capabilities. I evolved. That is, it is not just to increase power of your character, and each time adjust to the surrounding reality, often subjectively becoming weaker. This is a very interesting and unusual, and immediately caught my attention.
- Leah, and is not it interesting world, where the main character from the weak and defenseless, develops, put more and more, and at the end is likened to the gods?
- At first, yes, it's interesting. Then - just boring. In fact, I have some thoughts about why. I am very interested in virtual worlds for a long time and their development.
- Really? Tell us.
- Well, if you look at the entire history of games, namely games, not just virtual worlds that replicate a particular segment of the history of mankind, we see that it is - is cyclical. At certain stages of the experiments begin, indents from the canons, there is a bunch of dead-end development, but in the end always comes back to the fundamentals.
- By the first principles?
- Yes, now I will explain. There are several fundamental principles upon which everything rests: character development, the growth of its characteristics; an
opportunity to compare their data with other users; motivation of the player's actions in advance known award. And most importantly - in any game, in any world, the player has to feel important. In fact, these principles are basic, with minimal changes, they are everywhere, and are the very components which provide the user interest.
- Wait, Leah. Do you mean that these principles are absolute in any game?
- Yes exactly. The absence or severe distortion of any of them leads to a decrease in interest in the game. Sometimes, they are not so obvious, it often happens that the focus is shifted to any one, but it does not affect the big picture. From time to time, in order to spur the interest of users, developers are trying to come up with something new, to outdo each other in innovation, to find other ways. Sometimes, experiments such periods last for a long time and give rise to a truly insane genre hybrids. But, after some time everything returns to classical principles.
- Oh well. Now let's return to competitive worlds. You said you liked the world of "Evolution". Let me remind our audience - is a project of the corporation "Syndicate", the player's world, who tragically died from cruel assassin. Leah, tell the studio may have been something that you did not like?
- You know, Alia, I can not say that some world I frankly do not like. The only thing that has caused some confusion - so this project "Londinium", from "VirtArt" corporation. To be honest, I had a strange feeling that this project, just, broken or distorted by the basic principles of which I spoke.
- What do you have in mind?
- Maybe I'm wrong and just do not see the whole picture, but it seemed to me that in this project the player is not the central character around which twisted intrigue. One gets the feeling that the world is quite solid and without it, the player there - just a casual visitor. Then, as regards the development of the character, its characteristics - I have a feeling that the whole system is screwed only to conform to generally accepted canons, and almost does not matter. And most importantly - the player has no global long-term goal, for which he must develop and overcome difficulties.
Named Sherlock Page 48