What if the Keys
Were glowy and obvious
Were hidden but subtly different from the terrain they are buried in
Were simple spheres that had to go into a hole
Had different colors for different matching holes
Were simple shackle/tethers that needed to be broken
Were hinted at with riddles
Were hinted at with images -> main door has a visual story on it to display the order
Hint on the main door
Gating Mechanisms
This door to the main temple won’t open until you open other doors/mechanisms first
The main door opened slowly as the player progresses
Were levers that opened the temple doors
First to the heavens above we pray
Then to the seas we stay
We offer life
In return of strife
And hope his spear may slay
Reference:
Blake Morris’s Under the
Mediterrean Script
Bmorris Level_Intro
Background: During the Battle of the Mediterranean in WWII, a stray
navy torpedo accidently strikes the long dormant shrine of Poseidon, god of the
seas. You are a disciple of Poseidon, called forth to help remove the angry
god’s underwater shackles so his alter may rise surface where he can exact his
wrath unto the pesky mortals.
Scene: Outdoor underwater greek temple. Corals mark the edge the map.
Reefs and fish can be seen in the distance. Faint booms can be heard near the
surface. The temples themselves are in partial ruin, but their elegance is
undeniable, even amongst the wreckage falling from the war above.
Time: Midday
Conditions: Underwater. Everything is clear, save for a blue sheen
across the landscape.
Characters:
Poseidon: older, angry god. Has a big booming voice.
Disciple: Player character, male, mid-20’s. Meek but faithful to
Poseidon.
Bmorris Level_A
Section
A1: Intro to situation and characters
Upon
level load, players see a black screen. A loud BOOM crashes in. A thundering
voice says, “Why you insolent mortals!”
Fade
into underwater sands and reefs. The player stand in the middle of a ring of
corals. A large decorative door can be scene shortly down the path ahead. Faint
BOOMS can be heard in the distance
Poseidon
{Pos_bmorris_1_UnleashMe}
You! Disciple! Unleash me from my shackles! The
time has come for me to return to the surface. Hurry along with the unbinding
ritual. The harbor of my patience is shallow today.
Disciple
{Dis_bmorris_1_YesSir}
Yes, sir! Right away Poseidon, sir!
The
player walks forward, approaching the large and decorative door. A large plaque
above it reads “First to the heavens above we pray / Then to the seas we stay /
We offer life / In return of strife / And hope his weapon may slay”
To
the left, a staircase goes up. To the right, a staircase goes down.
The
player character talks to himself, pointing out the hint.
Disciple
{Dis_bmorris_2_Riddles}
Boy, the ancient disciples sure did love their
riddles.
If
the player character attempts to engage the door, nothing will happen.
Should
they go right first, they will come across a large, circular greek altar in the
middle of the ocean sand, gated by corals and rocks. A large of Poseidon statue
sits in the center of the altar. It appears to be missing a piece. For now
though, there seems to be nothing that could be missing piece.
If
the player lingers too long, the disciple will comment.
Disciple
{Dis_bmorris_3_Hmm}
Hmm… Maybe I should check that riddle again.
If
the player goes to the left of the main gate, they will go up the ruined
staircase to find a rectangular greek temple filled with columns. At the end of
the temple lies a pile of assorted stone offerings: Fruit, gold, leaves, a
fish, and a lamb. On the right side of the temple is a simple altar with a spot
for an offering. On the other side of the temple lies an image depicting the
animal sacrifice of a lamb. Players will have to pick the correct offering (the
lamb statue) and place it on the altar.
Outcome
1: player picks the incorrect item to place on the altar,
Poseidon
{Pos_bmorris_2_Fool}
No, You fool!
Game
resets
Outcome
2: player picks the correct item to place on the altar
Disciple
{Dis_bmorris_4_Disembowel}
Of course! Any good Greek boy knows how to
disembowel a lamb before the gods.
Poseidon
{Pos_bmorris_3_TookLongEnough}
Took you long enough! Go, finish the ritual!
Player
returns to the room with the main gate. A symbol on one of the doors is lit,
but the gate still does not open.
If
the player goes down the stairs on the right they will enter the space with the
circular altar and corals again, but this time there are various weapons strewn
about the sand floor. The sculpture in the center of the altar depicts Poseidon
holding something up, but the object is missing. The player will have to choose
the correct weapon (a trident) to put into Poseidon’s hand.
Outcome
1: player places anything but a trident into Poseidon’s hand,
Poseidon
{Pos_bmorris_2_Fool}
No, You fool!
Game
resets
Outcome
2: player places a trident into Poseidon’s hand,
Poseidon
{Pos_bmorris_4_FineWeapon}
A fine weapon! Good for impaling my enemies!
The player goes back to the room with the main
gate. Both doors have a lit symbol now. If they approach the door, it will open
to reveal a very large final chamber filled with columns, statues of the gods,
and no walls. A grand and glorious statue of Poseidon rests at the end of
the temple.
Poseidon
{Pos_bmorris_5_Finally}
Finally! For the last portion of the ritual, I
will test your faith. What am I the god of again? You best remember, for your
sake… Stand before the statue when you are ready.
Each
column has an image at its base. There are eight columns with images. The
player must pick each image that has something visually connected to the sea.
There are pictures of abstract ocean waves, hippocampi, fish, clouds, thunder,
a skull, a lamb, and a fire. When an image is selected it becomes extends
slightly out of the column.
Outcome
1: player selects a combination of images that is not the waves, hippocampi and
fish and stands before the statue,
Poseidon
{Pos_bmorris_2_Fool}
No, You fool!
Outcome
2: player selects the waves, hippocampi and fish and stands before the statue,
Disciple
{Dis_bmorris_5_GodoftheSeas}
Of course, you are the god of the seas, sir!
The
temple RUMBLES.
Poseidon
{Pos_bmorris_6_Tremble}
Yes! Tremble mortals, your reckoning has come!
Loud
BOOMS and CRASHES can be heard as the screen fades to black. Poseidon has risen
and has taken to the world above.
END
