Conversation 1223: BOARDWALK / TRANT HEIDELSTAM INTRO

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This is a listing of every "entry" in a given game conversation as scraped from the game files. Entries often contain written dialogue, as well as conditional logic governing their appearance to the player. They also link to other entries, sometimes automatically and sometimes through player action. This page is best used to search for a specific word or phrase, as following the links in this format can be difficult. For an experience that better accommodates the branching structure of these conversations, see the corresponding interactive page.

Column definitions:

• ID: a numerical index for the entry within this conversation.
• Character: the character speaking or acting.
• Dialogue: prose containing spoken dialogue and other description.
• Conditions: logical checks governing this entry appearing or occurring.
• Links: entries that might follow this one, depending on conditions and player choice. Most links are internal to this conversation, external links to other conversations are marked with the format (conversation ID, entry ID).

ID	Character	Dialogue	Conditions	Links
0	None			1
1	None			7
2	None			4 5 265 274 84 3 298 31 38 230 6
3	You	"What's so fascinating about an empty old building?"	Variable["boardwalk.trant_about_feld_takeover"] == false	136
4	You	"Have you been talking to other police officers?"	Variable["ice.andre_esprit_succeeded"]	23
5	You	"Do you have any advice on how to climb that ladder?" (Point to the one next to the mural.)	Variable["TASK.climb_ladder"] and Variable["TASK.climb_ladder_done"] == false	24
6	You	"Great, thank you for all the interesting information." [Leave.]	Variable["boardwalk.trant_left_once"] == false	25
7	Trant Heidelstam			8 9
8	Trant Heidelstam		Variable["boardwalk.trant_main_hub_reached"]	119
9	Trant Heidelstam		(Variable["boardwalk.trant_main_hub_reached"]) == false	11
10	Trant Heidelstam	"Hello again!" He nods to you, smiling.		2
11	Trant Heidelstam	"... and, Mikael, notice the windows? Especially with how there are no windows on the south side? This was to deal with..." A blond man stands next to his son, pointing to the weather-worn ruins. He sees you approaching and smiles...		12
12	Trant Heidelstam			13 14
13	Trant Heidelstam		IsKimHere()	26
14	Trant Heidelstam		(IsKimHere()) == false	29
15	None			16 17 18 154 19
16	You	"You're saying that Feld Electrical built this boardwalk?" (Look under your feet.)		80
17	You	"What happened to the engineers, the company people?"		20
18	You	"What did the revolutionaries do with those advanced tape computers?"		87
19	You	"I wanted to ask something else..."		153
20	Trant Heidelstam	"Oh, I'm afraid it didn't end well for the boys." He smiles again, as if he's somehow personally responsible for this bleak turn of events. "But this story is a bit too *dark* for little Mikael here. Now if you were to ask about *tape computers*..."		175
21	Trant Heidelstam	"Actually, no one knows. No one even knows what a computer made entirely of tape would look like! But word has it they were *very elegant* -- exquisite, alien-looking turn-of-the-century hardware..." He raises his finger, remembering something.		284
22	None			2
23	Trant Heidelstam	"Me? Yes, at some point, I'm sure I have. There was this one rather, uh," he stops, smiling at the reminiscence, "*memorable instance* when I had a chance to meet the head of Dominion Police of Königstein."		55
24	Trant Heidelstam	"How to climb that ladder, you say?" He turns around, eyeing the bleak metal bars next to the giant mural. "I do know that the Lomanthangs used *sticks* to climb battlements, there's even a special technique for that."		58 59
25	Trant Heidelstam	"No, thanks to *you* for having me and little Mikael here to pick your brain... A very interesting conversation indeed."		297
26	Trant Heidelstam	"You, officers! Come to investigate the historic subtext of West Martinaise? I'm Trant Heidelstam," he turns to the lieutenant. "You must be Kim Kitsuragi, right? I was just telling my son about this building. Not a lot of people realize the historic significance here. Very rich in *hypertext*."		30
27	Esprit de Corps	This man is your half brother. You feel it. But *why*?		96
28	Physical Instrument	Not that he would have to worry about being robbed -- he looks surprisingly buff. Does he work out?		37
29	Trant Heidelstam	"You, officer! Come to investigate the historic subtext of West Martinaise? I was just telling my son about this building. Not many people appreciate the historic significance here. Very rich in *hypertext*."		108
30	Kim Kitsuragi	"Nice to meet you." The lieutenant nods.		99
31	You	"You look like someone who has money. Do you have any money?"		32
32	Trant Heidelstam	"I do have some money, yes, but that's not what's really important here." He brushes it off like it's not a thing at all.		294
33	Trant Heidelstam	"You're probably more familiar with *RTD*, research and *technological* development."		42
34	You	"Could I have some of that 'unimportant' money then?"		36
35	You	"I don't want your money, I just wanted to see whether my profiling skills were working."		129
36	Trant Heidelstam	"Oh, no, I don't have it *on me*, officer, I was talking in more... general terms." He looks uncomfortable, his left hand squeezing his son's shoulder.		128
37	None			2
38	You	"By the way, do you work out?"	Variable["boardwalk.trant_phys_inst_he_looks_buff"] == true	39
39	Trant Heidelstam	"I do some Lo Manthang stick fighting now and then."		40
40	Encyclopedia	Lo Manthang stick fighting is a form of martial arts originating from the isle of Lo Manthang. It uses slender wooden sticks for confronting the opponent.		54
41	You	"Wait, what's Lo Manthang stick fighting?"	Variable["tc.stick_fighting"] == false	46
42	Encyclopedia	Mea culpa! You were not familiar with that one either. This man is a book head.		134
43	You	"A form of martial arts from the isle of Lo Manthang, right?"	Variable["tc.stick_fighting"] == true	44
44	Trant Heidelstam	"Actually, a great many cultures have their own version of stick fighting, such as the sacred Mabolo tradition of the Hali people, the name deriving from the butterfruit tree traditionally used for crafting the long, slender sticks -- whereas the sticks used in other cultures..."		45
45	Trant Heidelstam	You doze off, as he paints you a comprehensive picture of the history of stick fighting among mankind, seasoning it with unexpected pop-culture references.		83
46	Trant Heidelstam	"It's an anthropological heritage of the Lomanthang people, a martial art of sorts, but what not a lot of books mention is that it also carries a *cultural* significance among the Lomanthangs, as it used to be the best means of showing off to look for a bride, which..."		47
47	Trant Heidelstam	"... interestingly enough, brings us to the socio-economic structure of the traditional rural tribes of the Lo Manthang isles, which..." He goes on to give you a detailed overview of their way of life, the amiable, slightly nervous smile not once leaving his face.		48
48	Encyclopedia	I couldn't have said it better. This man is a fountain of knowledge!		218
49	You	"I'm not really interested in the practice, I just want to know how often you work out. Now and then -- that's what, like once a week?"		50
50	Trant Heidelstam	"Lo Manthang stick fighting is a little like a pyrholidon addiction," he explains with a little smile. "I've been practising it for nearly 20 years now, so you could say that my doses have grown a little... peculiar."		206
51	You	"So what is it, twice a week then? Every other day? *Man* is it difficult to stay on the right topic with you."		231
52	Trant Heidelstam	"That's right, Mikael." Trant grabs his kid into a single-handed embrace, looking slightly embarrassed. "It also has a meditative quality, helps to clear my head... But anyway," he says, swaying with his hand.		53
53	None			2
54	None			41 43 49
55	Trant Heidelstam	"And, as you know, they have this very distinctive dress uniform with scarlet breeches and little cylindrical fur caps, I think these are called..." You daze off, as Trant tells you about the peculiarities of mounted police forces in central Occident.		229
56	Trant Heidelstam	"But anyway," he says after a while with a charming, apologetic smile, "I am boring you with details again. You were saying?"		219 49
57	None			2
58	You	"Can you teach me? Do you have the sticks with you?"		60
59	You	"Something tells me I'm not going to climb the ladder with Lo Manthang sticks."		61
60	Trant Heidelstam	"No-no," he says, immediately backing off, "I'm just speculating *theoretically* here... Of course, there's also the method ancient Iilmaraans used to get into the huts of their enemies."		73
61	Trant Heidelstam	"Then there's also the method of climbing that the ancient Iilmaraans used to get into the huts of their enemies."		73
62	You	"Wicked cool, can you tell me about this method?"		64
63	You	"Yes, but we're not really dealing with *huts* here, are we?" (Look at the building.)		66
64	Trant Heidelstam	"If I'm not mistaken then it involved months of following a very rigid exercise regimen. No, *years*..."		65
65	You	"But I don't have years to spare."		68
66	Trant Heidelstam	"From an evolutionary point of view you could see this building as a logical conclusion to the more traditional *hut*."		67 97
67	You	"No, not really."		68
68	Trant Heidelstam	"In this case I suggest looking into the Seolite *invisibles* class. The word refers to their remarkable ability to traverse any environment in the most efficient way possible. There's this excellent investigative piece of journalism by..."		74
69	You	"You know what, forget about it."		71
70	You	"I don't have time to read any papers. Don't you have any *practical* advice?"		72
71	Trant Heidelstam	"Actually no, I should not forget it, I should look into it myself, there are some really interesting techniques..." He stops, as Trant Heidelstam junior jerks his coat hem with an excited, almost silly look on his face.		232
72	Trant Heidelstam	"Yes, I have!" His face lights up with excitement, bringing out the subtle laugh lines in the corner of his eyes. "There was this one time where I..."		77
73	None			62 63
74	None			70 69 252 262
75	Trant Heidelstam	"No, that doesn't sound like a very reasonable idea," replies Trant, narrowing his eyes, "physics, remember? But anyway..."		76
76	None			2
77	Inland Empire	Oh no. You've made *el bigo mistako*. He's going to go on forever!		78
78	Rhetoric	Mark my words, all of this somehow ties to the history of Occidential financial markets.		76
79	Trant Heidelstam	"Tape computers." He nods, wind tousling his suit jacket.		187
80	Trant Heidelstam	"Yes, they even built a pleasure wheel, but that got destroyed in the war."		190
81	Trant Heidelstam	"Yes. To lure in their star engineers. This part of Martinaise was nothing but reeds before Feld arrived. They had to make the prospect of living here *attractive*. It was supposed to become a global centre for innovation in cybernetics -- but history had other plans."		82
82	None			15
83	Rhetoric	Man, he's good at speaking. People must love him.		56
84	You	"I want to hear about the Feld building again..."	Variable["boardwalk.trant_about_feld_takeover"] == true	85
85	Trant Heidelstam	"Sure, what's on your mind?"		117
86	None			15
87	Trant Heidelstam	"They used them for military communications," he says, while his son looks up, idly chewing on the corner of his würm-themed colouring book. "But also to write and send out press releases. The most notorious example being Le Décret de Mars."		89
88	Trant Heidelstam	"What's the March decree? I mean the radio transmission sent out to news agencies and world governments by the newly-created Commune of Revachol on the 7th of March in the year '02."		282
89	You	"What was that?"		88
90	Trant Heidelstam	"I tried to get Mikael to memorise it." He looks at his son, who starts giggling, his face hidden behind the book. "*Tried to*. Someone was much too interested in würms to be paying any attention."		283
91	Trant Heidelstam	"It's a beautiful piece of text, actually. A singer-songwriter I know -- Charette -- called it a love poem to Revachol on her political concept album 'Bons baisers d'Insulinde'. You should read it. Every local library in Revachol stocks a copy of the decree."		90
92	None			15
93	Trant Heidelstam	"*Very* important. Mikael, say hi to the officer." He rests his hand on the boy's shoulder. The child stays hidden behind the hem of his father's coat, clutching to his würm-themed colouring book.		94
94	Trant Heidelstam	"Mikael's a little tired today. We spent all night trying to run Orbis on his radiocomputer. Have you heard of it? It's a programming language used in Graad. Quite tricky, but he wanted to play this Graad-made adventure programme. We've been getting *really* into würms lately..."		278
95	Trant Heidelstam	"But I assume you're not here for giant würms when there are so many real things to see. Just as I was telling Mikael before -- this is where the Coalition landed in '08. We could be standing on what is the most interesting landmark in Revachol West." He points to the building again.		27
96	Encyclopedia	Wow, get a load of this guy. He *really* enjoys his trivia. The Orbis programming language was named after its inventor, Viktor Orbis, a cybernetician from Graad. They run Vox in the Occidental countries...		406
97	You	"You know this is not what I meant."		68
98	You	"Wait, what was that about the windows before?"		101
99	None			103 98 100
100	You	"You and Kim know each other?" (Proceed.)		102
101	Trant Heidelstam	"Oh yes. So, Mikael, they had to deal with monitor glare, especially in the summer. They still had vector monitors back then. That was 49 years ago. So they didn't have windows on the south wall."		106
102	Trant Heidelstam	"No, I can't say that we've met before. But I've *heard* of Kim, of course. Mikael, say hi to the officers." He rests his hand on the boy's shoulder. The child stays hidden behind the hem of his father's coat, clutching to his würm-themed colouring book.		94
103	You	"Hold on. Hyper...text?"		104
104	Trant Heidelstam	"Yes, hypertext," he says, as if it's self-evident. "Jan Kaarp and the collection of cultural hyperlinks."		107
105	None			99
106	None			99
107	Half Light	He's just making up fancy words. This doesn't mean anything!		105
108	None			109 113 116
109	You	"Hold on. Hyper...text?"		110
110	Trant Heidelstam	"Yes, hypertext," he says, as if it's self-evident. "Jan Kaarp and the collection of cultural hyperlinks."		112
111	None			108
112	Half Light	He's just making up fancy words. This doesn't mean anything!		111
113	You	"Wait, what was that about the windows before?"		115
114	None			108
115	Trant Heidelstam	"Oh yes. So, Mikael, they had to deal with monitor glare, especially in the summer. They still had vector monitors back then. That was 49 years ago. So they didn't have windows on the south wall."		114
116	You	"Alright, you were talking about the building, go on." (Continue.)		93
117	None			15
118	Trant Heidelstam	"Hello! Isn't this a fine morning?" He nods to you, smiling.		127
119	Trant Heidelstam			120 121
120	Trant Heidelstam		IsMorning()	118
121	Trant Heidelstam		(IsMorning()) == false	122
122	Trant Heidelstam			123 124
123	Trant Heidelstam		IsEvening()	125
124	Trant Heidelstam		(IsEvening()) == false	10
125	Trant Heidelstam	"Good evening!" He nods to you, smiling.		127
126	None			2
127	None			2
128	Trant Heidelstam	"I'm just spending time with my kid here, showing him around the lesser-known parts of our home town... It wouldn't be *wise* to carry huge amounts of cash on such expeditions!"		28
129	Trant Heidelstam	"Of course, detective, I wouldn't have assumed anything else. Matter of fact," he looks up again, a playful hint shining in his eyes...		131
130	Trant Heidelstam	"If not, then you definitely should -- if not for tips and tricks, then just for theoretical curiosity. Anyway, that's just a little something that sprang to mind." He squeezes his son's shoulder lightly. "You were saying?"		296
131	Trant Heidelstam	"I don't know if you're familiar with this, but the Vespertine Department of Justice has published a rather interesting paper on the criminal profiling in former socialist states. Have you read it?"		130
132	Trant Heidelstam	"A-ha, but it's not just *any* empty old building!" He raises his hand to his eyes to shield himself from the freezing snow. All three of you turn to admire the mural before you.		133
133	Trant Heidelstam	"What not a lot of people know is -- this used to be the R&D department of *Feld Electrical*. And Feld, which now sells ink cartridges, mostly, was once a top dog in the turn-of-the-century cybernetics boom."		139
134	None			135 146 147
135	You	Look at the building looming over you.		140
136	Trant Heidelstam			137 138
137	Trant Heidelstam		Variable["auto.is_raining"]	194
138	Trant Heidelstam		(Variable["auto.is_raining"]) == false	141
139	Encyclopedia	Hold on, what's R&D?		134
140	Feld Mural	It looks old and weathered, with seagulls picking apart its stone-and-metal carcass. Bushy undergrowth has taken hold of the collapsed rooftop; some kind of bird has set up a nest on a broken windowsill.		134
141	Trant Heidelstam			142 143
142	Trant Heidelstam		Variable["auto.is_snowing"]	200
143	Trant Heidelstam		(Variable["auto.is_snowing"]) == false	197
144	Trant Heidelstam	"A-ha, but it's not just *any* empty old building!" He raises his hand to his eyes to shield himself from the pattering rain. All three of you turn to admire the mural before you.		133
145	Trant Heidelstam	"A-ha, but it's not just *any* empty old building!" He raises his hand to his eyes to shield himself from the freezing snow. All four of you turn to admire the mural before you.		133
146	You	"Wait, what's an R&D department?"	Variable["boardwalk.trant_encyclo_whats_rd"] == true	148
147	You	"I don't think I've ever heard of this Feld Electrical." (Proceed.)		149
148	Trant Heidelstam	"Apologies, it's an acronym for research and development, they don't use it anymore." He smiles brightly, laugh lines around his eyes.		33
149	Trant Heidelstam	"That's not surprising. Only a vestigial ink cartridge and ferrotape manufacturer remains." He adjusts his suit jacket.		276
150	Trant Heidelstam	"It was here in Martinaise -- possibly in this very building -- that they developed prototypes for a..." He pauses for effect. "...*tape computer*."		279
151	Trant Heidelstam	"Indeed, what?"		240
152	Composure	He assumes something like a combat stance, facing the wind.		239
153	Trant Heidelstam	"But of course! What else?" He smiles and ruffles his kid's head.		22
154	You	"How did those tape computers work?"		21
155	Trant Heidelstam	"Ten years ago, I did a little... freelancing, I guess you could say. I was a special consultant for an exhibition at the Wompty-Dompty-Dom Centre in Vredefort, Oranje. It raised the same questions, and we had lengthy discussions with Paul Ockermann, who was head curator at the time -- this was before the twins Keith and Guy Joost joined the team -- trying to..."		156
156	Reaction Speed	Wait. Did he just say *Wompty-Dompty-Dom Centre*?		157
157	Suggestion	He did it! He said *Wompty-Dompty-Dom Centre* like it's the most natural thing in the world.		158
158	Encyclopedia	What the hell *is* a Wompty-Dompty-Dom Centre? And who the hell are Keith and Guy Joost?!		285
159	You	"Okay. The Wompty-Dompty-Dom Centre? Paul Ockermann? Keith and Guy Joost? What are you *talking* about?"		160
160	Trant Heidelstam	"The Wompty-Dompty-Dom Centre for Contemporary Arts." There it is again -- those words. "The exhibition itself drew on Lagerman's notion of memory and so there were some parallels, that's why the head curator Paul Ockermann chose to..."		161 162 163
161	You	"You're making this up." (Turn to the lieutenant.) "Kim, is he making this up?"	IsKimHere()	164
162	You	"You're making this up." (Turn to his son.) "Hey, is your dad making this all up?"	IsKimHere() == false	164
163	You	"Come on, there is no place called the Wompty-Dompty-Dom Centre of Arts."		165
164	Trant Heidelstam	"In fact, I'm not. The Wompty-Dompty-Dom Centre," he says casually, "is a place you can visit if you're ever in Vredefort, and are ever in the market for an exhibition space slash contemporary art research centre." He clears his throat.		243
165	Trant Heidelstam			166 167
166	Trant Heidelstam		IsKimHere()	168
167	Trant Heidelstam		(IsKimHere()) == false	164
168	Kim Kitsuragi	"Actually, I think there is..." He pauses. "No, it's too much, he's joking."		164
169	Trant Heidelstam	"Very, very cool," he agrees. "Though I understand the socio-economic causes of the Revolution, it pains me to imagine the revolutionaries setting fire to this precious device. But so they did. The Feld Playback Experiment vanished into the fires of '07."		259
170	Trant Heidelstam			171 172
171	Trant Heidelstam		Variable["whirling.klaasje_ruby_sentimental_radios"] and Variable["TASK.locate_ruby_on_the_coast_done"] == false	173
172	Trant Heidelstam		(Variable["whirling.klaasje_ruby_sentimental_radios"] and Variable["TASK.locate_ruby_on_the_coast_done"] == false) == false	174
173	Conceptualization	All of this sounds like something Ruby would be interested in...		174
174	None			15
175	Trant Heidelstam			176 177
176	Trant Heidelstam		IsTHCPresent("communist")	178
177	Trant Heidelstam		(IsTHCPresent("communist")) == false	179
178	Rhetoric	He means that 'the boys' got shot by the communists. 'The boys' were bourgeois.		180
179	Rhetoric	Wait, is he saying that we should just *bypass* the excesses of the Revolution?		180
180	Trant Heidelstam			181 182
181	Trant Heidelstam		Variable["boardwalk.trant_rhet_politics"]	183
182	Trant Heidelstam		(Variable["boardwalk.trant_rhet_politics"]) == false	187
183	None			184 185 186
184	You	(Turn to Mikael.) "He means they all got shot in the head because they were bourgeois. Now, do you know what the bourgeoisie is?"	IsTHCPresent("communist")	188
185	You	(Turn to Mikael.) "He means they all died at the hands of the communists."	IsTHCPresent("communist") == false	188
186	You	"Tape computers, right."		79
187	None			15
188	Trant Heidelstam	"Officer!" He sounds disappointed. "I told you this chapter of history wasn't on Mikael's curriculum yet. Let's keep this kid-friendly."		189
189	Mikael Heidelstam	The boy looks first at you, then back at his father, confused.		86
190	Trant Heidelstam			191 192
191	Trant Heidelstam		IsKimHere()	193
192	Trant Heidelstam		(IsKimHere()) == false	233
193	Kim Kitsuragi	"A pleasure wheel?" The lieutenant looks wistfully at the horizon, as if picturing gondolas rising to the sky.		281
194	Trant Heidelstam			195 196
195	Trant Heidelstam		IsKimHere()	203
196	Trant Heidelstam		(IsKimHere()) == false	144
197	Trant Heidelstam			198 199
198	Trant Heidelstam		IsKimHere()	204
199	Trant Heidelstam		(IsKimHere()) == false	205
200	Trant Heidelstam			201 202
201	Trant Heidelstam		IsKimHere()	145
202	Trant Heidelstam		(IsKimHere()) == false	132
203	Trant Heidelstam	"A-ha, but it's not just *any* empty old building!" He raises his hand to his eyes to shield himself from the pattering rain. All four of you turn to admire the mural before you.		133
204	Trant Heidelstam	"A-ha, but it's not just *any* empty old building!" He raises his hand to his eyes, springtime sun warming his handsome face. All four of you turn to admire the mural before you.		133
205	Trant Heidelstam	"A-ha, but it's not just *any* empty old building!" He raises his hand to his eyes, springtime sun warming his handsome face. All three of you turn to admire the mural before you.		133
206	Electrochemistry	Wait. What does this man know about pyrholidon addiction?		270
207	Empathy	Wait. What does this man know about pyrholidon addiction?		273
208	You	"I can assure you -- *nothing* in this world comes even close to being addicted to this devil."	Variable["character.habit_pyrholidon"] == true	211
209	You	"Hold on. Pyrholidon addiction? What an interesting metaphor..." (Study his face.) "Or perhaps not a metaphor at all?"	Variable["boardwalk.trant_passive_pyrholidon_addiction"] == true	210
210	Trant Heidelstam	"You got me, detective." He chuckles, before a shadow takes hold of his face. "But my history should hardly come as a surprise."		216
211	Trant Heidelstam			212 213
212	Trant Heidelstam		Variable["boardwalk.trant_passive_pyrholidon_addiction"]	214
213	Trant Heidelstam		(Variable["boardwalk.trant_passive_pyrholidon_addiction"]) == false	215
214	Trant Heidelstam	"Oh, I know, detective." He chuckles, before a shadow takes hold of his pallid face -- he misses the devil.		216
215	Trant Heidelstam	"Oh, I know, detective." He chuckles, but a shadow takes hold of his pallid face -- what does he mean that he *knows*?		216
216	Authority	Here's a former junkie. I can recognize one when I see it.		234
217	Trant Heidelstam	"That's right, Mikael." Trant grabs his kid into a single-handed embrace, happy to change the subject. "It also has a meditative quality, helps to clear my head... But anyway," he says, swaying with his hand.		53
218	Trant Heidelstam	"But anyway," he says after a while, "I am boring you with details again. You were saying?"		219 49
219	You	"I don't really remember what I was saying..."		220
220	Trant Heidelstam			221 222
221	Trant Heidelstam		Variable["auto.is_raining"]	226
222	Trant Heidelstam		(Variable["auto.is_raining"]) == false	223
223	Trant Heidelstam			224 225
224	Trant Heidelstam		Variable["auto.is_snowing"]	227
225	Trant Heidelstam		(Variable["auto.is_snowing"]) == false	228
226	Trant Heidelstam	"Then I guess everything got said, right?" He looks up to the sky. "The drizzle... it never seems to stop, does it?"		53
227	Trant Heidelstam	"Then I guess everything got said, right?" He squints his eyes in the snow.		53
228	Trant Heidelstam	"Then I guess everything got said, right?" He squints his eyes in the sun.		53
229	Reaction Speed	Wait, what was it that you wanted to ask...?		57
230	You	[Leave.]	Variable["boardwalk.trant_left_once"] == true
231	Mikael Heidelstam	Suddenly little Mikael opens up his mouth: "Dad's fighting with sticks every night after dinner for four hours. He has a special room for that -- *and* a special costume!"		52
232	Mikael Heidelstam	"Dad, can I go climb that ladder?" Mikael asks. "I want to go climb that ladder!"		75
233	Mikael Heidelstam	"A wheel?" The kid looks wistfully at the horizon, as if picturing gondolas rising to the sky.		81
234	Mikael Heidelstam	Suddenly little Mikael opens up his mouth: "Dad's fighting with sticks every night after dinner for four hours. He has a special room for that -- *and* a special costume!"		217
235	Trant Heidelstam	"Still, Tricentennial was beating them in business machines." He gestures toward the building. "But Feld had an ace up their sleeve. Or, should I say, they were *developing* an ace up their sleeve?..." He grins. "I'm mixing my metaphors here."		236 237
236	You	"What was that ace?"		150
237	You	"Very interesting. Let's get back to this later."		254
238	Trant Heidelstam	"Which is a feat of engineering even today's giants Rehm, ICN, and ZAMM haven't achieved yet." He grins, admiring the sentence he just produced.		152
239	You	"What happened?"		151
240	Mikael Heidelstam	"The Revolution?" The boy wipes his nose on his sleeve.		241
241	Trant Heidelstam	He nods. "Unfortunately their moonshot project never made it to the market. Feld's move to Revachol backfired. The Revolutionary government liquefied their assets and expropriated those very advanced prototypes. Possibly from this very building... or one of the adjacent ruins."		256
242	You	"Okay. Back to... where were we? Tape computers, I think."		257
243	Trant Heidelstam	"But perhaps I should return to the tape computers. As I was saying, the device itself was very elegant, fragile even. One could write directly on the tape using a special chemical solution. The machine would then analyse the handwriting, perform operations and project output onto a white screen. It was a beautiful, delicate thing."		286
244	You	(Nod.) "Cool."		169
245	You	"Pfft. I've seen cooler things than that."		260
246	You	"The RCM should get some of those."	Variable["tc.rcm"]	261
247	You	"Wait, the Feld Playback Experiment?"		249
248	You	"Why did the revolutionaries destroy it?"		250
249	Trant Heidelstam	"Yes, the official name of the prototype. Some sources report it as the Feld Playback *Experience*, but those are incorrect."		248
250	Trant Heidelstam	"Who knows? Maybe it was an accident, or maybe they didn't want the technology to end up in the wrong hands. Either way -- they're all gone now, all three versions of the prototype. Nothing but debris and ashes remains inside that building." He takes a step back; the boardwalk creaks mournfully in the wind.		251
251	Shivers	Two seagulls circle in the sky. You look up and think: really? Or was there a fourth prototype that remains hidden in the mausoleums below Coal City?...		170
252	You	"Okay, I'll look into that then."		253
253	Trant Heidelstam	"Okay. I have some materials at home I could share with you..."		76
254	Trant Heidelstam	"It was here in Martinaise -- possibly in this very building -- that they developed prototypes for a..." He stops mid-sentence, realizing you're not listening.		255
255	None			2
256	Trant Heidelstam	He pauses, pointing to the other building, then continues: "All of this was built by Feld, even the boardwalk. Wild Pines built Martinaise proper as a resort for their middle management, Feld built this side of town for R&D."		15
257	Trant Heidelstam	"Yes -- tape computers. *And* Feld Electrical."		258
258	None			15
259	None			247 248
260	Trant Heidelstam	"*I* certainly haven't." He shakes his head. "Though I understand the socio-economic causes of the Revolution, it pains me to imagine the revolutionaries setting fire to this precious device. But so they did. The Feld Playback Experiment vanished into the fires of '07."		259
261	Trant Heidelstam	"Even *one* would be very useful," he agrees. "Though I understand the socio-economic causes of the Revolution, it pains me to imagine the revolutionaries setting fire to this precious device. But so they did. The Feld Playback Experiment vanished into the fires of '07."		259
262	You	"The Lo Manthang thing was enough for me. I'm inspired."		263
263	Trant Heidelstam	"Great. Great to hear that."		264
264	Volition	Inspiration can go a long way in physical endeavours. You should try it again now.		76
265	You	"Do you know of an *alternative* way into the building?"	Variable["TASK.climb_ladder"] and Variable["TASK.climb_ladder_done"] == false	266
266	Trant Heidelstam	"Alternative? I don't even have a *mainstream* way in, I'm afraid, although..." He points over the guardrail, to the sewage run-off there.		267
267	Trant Heidelstam	"There's a sewage pipe there, maybe that does something? Sorry I can't help more."		269
268	None			2
269	Physical Instrument	Pipes *can* be broken. With force.		268
270	Trant Heidelstam			271 272
271	Trant Heidelstam		Variable["boardwalk.trant_passive_pyrholidon_addiction"]	273
272	Trant Heidelstam		(Variable["boardwalk.trant_passive_pyrholidon_addiction"]) == false	207
273	None			209 208 51
274	You	"I'm looking for a suspect. Have you seen anyone suspicious around?"	Variable["TASK.ask_about_ruby_in_village"] == true and Variable["TASK.locate_ruby_on_the_coast_done"] == false	275
275	Trant Heidelstam	"No, I'm afraid I can't help you with this one, officer. It's just a regular day off for me and Mikael here." He pats his son's head.		287
276	Trant Heidelstam	"They started out as a midway electronics outfit in Königstein two centuries ago. After an aggressive move to Revachol, Feld became a global player in the emerging personal electronics market of the pre-Revolutionary era."		235
277	None			2
278	Drama	The man speaks in the artificial cadence of a professor -- or someone who's been on too many radio shows.		95
279	You	"A tape computer?"		280
280	Trant Heidelstam	"Mhm. An elegant folding mechanism of rollers and ferrotape ribbons, portable enough to be a take-it-home solution, revolutionizing business machines, possibly even bringing them to the average consumer."		238
281	Empathy	Perhaps reminded of a childhood memory? It's clear he would prefer there were a big wheel lighting up the coast.		81
282	Encyclopedia	A short-lived legislative foundation for a short-lived utopia.		91
283	Perception (Sight)	The kid takes a peek at the green and silver würm on the cover of the book. Already forgetting about this part of the discussion.		92
284	Encyclopedia	Buckle up!		155
285	Physical Instrument	This is all ninsy-pinsy garbage for sissy-people!		159 242
286	Conceptualization	Made of black film and folding tape structures...		244 245 246
287	Trant Heidelstam			288 289
288	Trant Heidelstam		IsKimHere()	290
289	Trant Heidelstam		(IsKimHere()) == false	292
290	Kim Kitsuragi	"So you haven't seen anyone around?"		291
291	Trant Heidelstam	"No, I'm sorry. As I said -- this is just a day off. We just arrived anyway."		292
292	Empathy	There's something friendly and familiar in how he says that. A day off.		293
293	Drama	He's telling the truth. He hasn't seen anyone.		277
294	Authority	He's not gonna give you money, what are you doing? Clearly you were just profiling.		295
295	Rhetoric	No, I mean, c'mon -- you need the money. If it's not a thing, he can give you some.		34 35
296	Reaction Speed	Forget it. They don't sell those kinds of books at "Crime, Romance & Biographies of Famous People."		37
297	Rhetoric	Pick *your* brain? If anything, this was rather one-sided. He did the talking. Whatever...
298	You	"This is a long-shot, but could you help me contact the Coalition?"	IsTaskActive("TASK.find_some_moralists") or IsTaskActive("TASK.talk_moralism_with_trant")--[[ Variable[ ]]	299
299	Trant Heidelstam	"Well, that certainly depends. You know, the popular image of the Coalition is of a monolithic politico-military entity, but in reality, it's comprised of many interconnected, yet semi-autonomous components..."		300
300	Trant Heidelstam	"For instance, the offices of INSURCOM are responsible for military affairs. These offices are located in the Bank of the World building, just a few kilometres from here..." He points west toward the skyscrapers across the bay.		301
301	Trant Heidelstam	"But then there's also the Provisional Commission, as well as the Institute for Revacholian Culture, with its architecturally significant headquarters in Le Jardin."		302
302	None			303 304 305 306
303	You	"What's INSURCOM?"		307
304	You	"What's this Insitute for Revacholian Culture?"		308
305	You	"Who handles the money? There's got to be an economic component."		309
306	You	"That's all fine, but what if I want to assign *responsibility*?" (Proceed.)		310
307	Trant Heidelstam	"INSURCOM is responsible for all aspects of the military occupation of Revachol. During the Revolution, they coordinated the efforts of the Occidental and Graadian invasion, but these days their function is primarily logistical."		313
308	Trant Heidelstam	"Oh, the Institute is a marvellous organisation, my *favourite* part of the Coalition by far. Their mandate is two-fold: To export notable works of Revacholian culture throughout the Moralintern, while also importing the most important cultural products of the wider world to citizens of Revachol..."		312
309	Trant Heidelstam	"Of course there is! The Coalition's economic affairs are handled by the Bank of the World -- Revachol Mission. They operate in concert with the Institute of Price Stabilité in Sur-la-Clef."		315
310	Trant Heidelstam	"Ah, that's simple! You're looking for the Comité de Responsabilité de Revachol. It's a sort of clearinghouse for Coalition affairs in Revachol..."		316
311	Trant Heidelstam	"If you will, picture the Coalition as a kind of wheel. The hub of this wheel is the Comité de Responsabilité, and out from that hub radiate a great many spokes, which connect to INSURCOM, the Institute for Revacholian Culture, the Provisional Commission, and so on..."		317 318
312	Trant Heidelstam	"There's an exhibition on Vespertine proto-expressionism that I can't wait to take Mikael to. We're working our way through the major artistic movements of the last cenutry."		314
313	None			302
314	None			302
315	None			302
316	Empathy	Yes, this is just the sort of reasonable authority you're looking for!		311
317	You	"If you're not part of the Coalition, how do you know so much about its bureaucracy?"		321
318	You	"Alright, fine. How do I get in touch with the Committee?"		322
319	You	"What kind of political system do you think represents *my* innermost character?"		323
320	You	"What is the innermost character of the Coalition, then?"		323
321	Trant Heidelstam	"I have a longstanding interest in political systems. You see, it's my personal theory that political systems are a lot like personalities. In other words, how a state organises itself is in some way the public expression of its innermost character..."		320 319
322	Trant Heidelstam	The man's smile turns into a frown. "Well, now, *that* is rather complicated. You can write to the Committee directly, but I understand that there's quite the backlog. A month or more, according to friends of mine who just so happen to know about this sort of thing..."		324
323	Trant Heidelstam	The man smiles at you for a long moment...		325
324	Trant Heidelstam	"Of course, if you could somehow contact Coalition Warship Archer, you could reach the Committee directly. But, well, that obviously presents any number of logistical and technical challenges."		327
325	Composure	He is doing his best not to show it, but the smile is ever-so-slightly more forced than before.		326
326	Trant Heidelstam	"Of course, officer, we've only recently met. It would require a more thorough conversation than we have time for to answer a question like that. It's fascinating to think about, though, isn't it?"		318
327	None			328 329 330
328	You	"Wait, what's Coalition Warship Archer?"	Variable["tc.archer"] == false	331
329	You	"Why do I need to contact a military warship to talk to a civilian bureaucrat?"	Variable["tc.archer"] == true	368
330	You	"So how does one go about contacting a Coalition warship?" (Proceed.)		374
331	Trant Heidelstam	"Why, officer, it's that gigantic aerostatic right over there. Have you really never noticed it before?" A look of profound concern comes across the man's face.		332
332	Trant Heidelstam			333 334
333	Trant Heidelstam		IsDaytime()	335
334	Trant Heidelstam		(IsDaytime()) == false	336
335	Perception (Sight)	You follow the man's gaze out toward the west. There, hanging some distance above the horison, you can just make out a strange silhouette...		340
336	Perception (Sight)	You follow the man's gaze out toward the west. There, amidst the low-hanging stars, you can just make out signs of motion...		337
337	Trant Heidelstam			338 339
338	Trant Heidelstam		Variable["boardwalk.trant_perc_archer_saw"]	345
339	Trant Heidelstam		(Variable["boardwalk.trant_perc_archer_saw"]) == false	346
340	Trant Heidelstam			341 342
341	Trant Heidelstam		Variable["boardwalk.trant_perc_archer_saw"]	343
342	Trant Heidelstam		(Variable["boardwalk.trant_perc_archer_saw"]) == false	344
343	Perception (Sight)	It looks, to your eye, like some kind of long, metallic fish, suspended beneath a number of ceiling fans...		348
344	Perception (Sight)	You look around, but you don't see anything unusual. Then again, your eyes aren't the sharpest...		353 354
345	Perception (Sight)	It's a set of position lights moving in unison, like a restless constellation...		347
346	Perception (Sight)	You can't see anything. But then, it's dark, and your eyes aren't the sharpest...		353 354
347	Conceptualization	No, it's more like a creature from the abyssopelagic zone, a great dark bioluminescent fish...		350
348	Conceptualization	Not just any fish, it moves like some ancient bottom-feeder gliding over the ocean floor in search of prey...		349
349	Half Light	Don't let the paintjob fool you, it's a goddamn killing machine, and there's nothing you can do to stop it!		351
350	Half Light	Don't let the shiny lights fool you, it's a goddamn killing machine, and there's nothing you can do to stop it!		351
351	Visual Calculus	It's about four-and-a-half kilometres from your position, you estimate.		352
352	None			358 359 360 361
353	You	"Oh, right. The *Archer*. I thought you said... something else."		355
354	You	"I don't think I've ever noticed it before."		356
355	Trant Heidelstam	"Ah, well, that's a relief to here. It would really be *quite concerning* if you hadn't been aware of it until just now..."		357
356	Trant Heidelstam	"Fascinating! You know, in one sense, that's exactly what the Coalition intends. You see, they would prefer that most people in Revachol *don't* think of themselves as living under a *military* occupation. That's why they generally prefer to keep their warships at a discreet distance from major population centres..."		357
357	None			327
358	You	"It's amazing. An inspiring symbol."		362
359	You	"It looks like a fish."	Variable["boardwalk.trant_concept_archer"] == true	364
360	You	"It looks like a killing machine."	Variable["boardwalk.trant_halflight_archer"] == true	365
361	You	"Huh. Can't believe I never noticed it before."		366
362	Trant Heidelstam	"That is certainly how the Coalition intends for it to be seen! You know, I once read a very interesting paper from Messina on the psychology of air-based artillery..."		363
363	Trant Heidelstam	"Apparently its presence stimulates the *exact* same part of the neural cortex that more primitive cultures associate with divine judgment. Isn't that fascinating?"		367
364	Trant Heidelstam	"That's very interesting. Most people I've met say it reminds them of a giant metallic dragonfly, but of course there's no right way to respond to a massive airborne artillery platform..."		367
365	Trant Heidelstam	"Ah, well, it is one of the most heavily armed aerostatics to ever fly. I've heard it said that the Archer is capable of engaging whole fleets of lesser vessels *from multiple sides* simultaneously. How about that?"		367
366	Trant Heidelstam	"I believe that is intentional. You see, the Coalition are very sensitive to how they are perceived by the people of Revachol, which is why they generally prefer for their warships to remain at a discreet distance from major population centres..."		367
367	None			327
368	Trant Heidelstam	"A very astute question! You see, in addition to its role as a military warship, the Archer is also responsible for coordinating all Coalition communications and surveillance operations in Revachol."		369 370
369	You	"Hold on, it's *watching* us, too?"		371
370	You	"I feel like there's *got* to be another way."		372
371	Trant Heidelstam	"Not just watching, it's *listening* as well. I don't know the particulars, of course, but I would expect a warship like the Archer to possess the most advanced surveillance equipment available outside of Seol."		370
372	Trant Heidelstam	"Well, I suppose you could rent a private aerostatic and attempt to rendezvous with Archer directly, but I must caution against it. Warships like the Archer are usually authorised to fire on unidentified aerostatics on sight."		373
373	None			327
374	Trant Heidelstam	"That might be the trickiest question of all. From a technical standpoint, it shouldn't be all that difficult. You simply require a radio transmitter capable of broadcasting on Coalition frequencies..."		375
375	Trant Heidelstam	"The problem is that those sorts of radio transmitters are *tightly* controlled by the Coalition. Even the RCM doesn't typically have access to them outside of special joint operations..."		378
376	Trant Heidelstam	"All that said, someone with a powerful radio and a certain level of technical skill might be able to circuit-bend their way onto the Coalition frequencies..."		377
377	Trant Heidelstam	"It's only too bad the old Feld engineers are no longer available. This sort of thing would have been *right* in their wheelhouse."		383
378	Trant Heidelstam			379 380
379	Trant Heidelstam		IsKimHere()	381
380	Trant Heidelstam		(IsKimHere()) == false	382
381	Kim Kitsuragi	"He's correct. It makes coordinating operations with the Coalition exceedingly difficult, from our perspective."		382
382	You	"What am I supposed to do then?"		376
383	Trant Heidelstam			384 385
384	Trant Heidelstam		Variable["church.soona_greeting_done"]	395
385	Trant Heidelstam		(Variable["church.soona_greeting_done"]) == false	386
386	Trant Heidelstam			387 388
387	Trant Heidelstam		Variable["TASK.sync_the_sines"]	389
388	Trant Heidelstam		(Variable["TASK.sync_the_sines"]) == false	392
389	Trant Heidelstam			390 391
390	Trant Heidelstam		IsKimHere()	399
391	Trant Heidelstam		(IsKimHere()) == false	402
392	Trant Heidelstam			393 394
393	Trant Heidelstam		IsKimHere()	400
394	Trant Heidelstam		(IsKimHere()) == false	403
395	Trant Heidelstam			396 397
396	Trant Heidelstam		IsKimHere()	398
397	Trant Heidelstam		(IsKimHere()) == false	401
398	Kim Kitsuragi	"Hmmm, she's not a 'Feld engineer,' exactly, but perhaps that programmer from the church might be of assistance?"		404
399	Kim Kitsuragi	"Hmmm, no one would mistake them for Feld engineers, but perhaps your young friends in the *tent* might be of assistance?"		404
400	Kim Kitsuragi	"Oh, good: Now we're circuit-bending into radio towers. Just what this *side task* was missing..."		404
401	Empathy	This sounds like something that programmer you met in the church might help with...		404
402	Empathy	Perhaps your new friends in the tent might be able to help you?		404
403	Empathy	You *will* figure it out. Something tells you the person you're looking for is already on this coast...		404
404	Trant Heidelstam	"In any event, it's a fascinating technical challenge. I'll be *very* interested to see how you tackle it."		405
405	None			2
406	Trant Heidelstam			407 408
407	Trant Heidelstam		IsTaskActive("TASK.find_some_moralists")--[[ Variable[ ]]	409
408	Trant Heidelstam		(IsTaskActive("TASK.find_some_moralists")--[[ Variable[ ]]) == false	2
409	Trant Heidelstam			410 411
410	Trant Heidelstam		IsKimHere()	415
411	Trant Heidelstam		(IsKimHere()) == false	412
412	Empathy	Something about the way this man carries himself makes you wonder whether he might be able to help you with your *committee business*.		413
413	Savoir Faire	It's his *sartorial style*. Call it 'well-travelled bean-counter'...		414
414	Rhetoric	It's his manner of speaking. He reminds you of a lecturer...		420
415	Kim Kitsuragi	"Detective, a word." He turns to the blonde man. "Excuse us a moment, please."		416
416	Trant Heidelstam	"Of course, lieutenant." He nods. "Take your time. Mikael and I have plenty to keep us occupied!"		417
417	Kim Kitsuragi	In a low voice, the lieutenant whispers: "I haven't the faintest idea who this gentleman is, but I've got a *hunch* he might have some affiliation with the Coalition, in case you're still serious about that *committee business*..."		418
418	Kim Kitsuragi	"In any case, I'll let you take it from here."		419
419	Trant Heidelstam	With that, you both turn back to the blonde man.		2
420	Trant Heidelstam	Whatever it is, he gives you an encouraging smile.		2