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Hints for The Cave
by Neil Aitken

hint file version 1.0 (2020-09-28)
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The Cave is a messy network of 10 cavern rooms which are 
randomly linked. Despite it only being 10 rooms, due to 
various random factors determined pre-game and mid-game,
there are a lot of things to do and a wide variety of 
possible interactions. No two playthroughs will be the 
same.

Hopefully this Q&A format helps clarify any points of 
confusion you may run into.

If you have any questions or suggestions, send an email to 
<neil.aitken@gmail.com>

Enjoy!

Question List
=============

It's dark! What can I do to find light?

- Try looking for something that's already glowing.

- Sometimes the answer can be found in a book.

- Sometimes it shows up after you've exhausted all hope.

- Light tends to reveal things you might otherwise miss.


What's an unknown book? And what do I do with it?

- You should probably bring a little more light to the matter.

- Reading is good for the mind.


What can I do with the spells I learn?

- Some spaces reveal new option when you've learned 
a spell that suits that situation.

- Regular use of spells makes you smarter.

- You can use some spells to fix things.

- Sometimes magic isn't the answer. Or it reveals something 
we didn't want to know about ourselves.


What do I do with the weapon I found?

- You can use it to fight things.

- Some weapons have other uses.

- Some weapons are "heavier" than others.

- Violence may not always be the answer.


Why are there so many pebbles?

- You can use them for many things.

- Sometimes a stone can be seed.


What should I do with the pile of dirt?

- You might want to see if there's anything buried there.

- Even if it's empty, there still might be something
you can do with the hole.



Is it my imagination, or is something following me?

- It's a dark place. You might not be alone.

- Maybe you did something bad and it's your guilty conscience?


Can I die in this game?

- No. The goal is to build a sense of who you are by making 
choices and dealing with different situations that come up. 

- There are consequences for your actions.


What's the goal? How do I "win"?

- You "win" by escaping. 

- In order to escape, you need to make enough defining choices. 

- Under the hood, this game is an alternative way to generate 
the basic character ability scores for your favorite roleplaying 
game. Your choices purchase increases in those scores according 
to a point buy system. In this case, it builds a character 
according to your preferred actions and reactions to situations. 
Once you've expended your pool of points, you'll find your way out.


I played through the game and escaped. Is that it?

- Yes and no. 

- You might have missed a room or two.

- You'll likely turn out to be a different person in terms of ability scores.

- Different playthroughs will have different creatures, corpses, buried treasures, 
equipment, books, spells, and graffiti.

- Some scenes or options are only available with a particular combination of items, 
spells, and/or chosen actions. Some actions will close the door to certain options
in that playthrough.

