Scipio Dreaming

Bust of Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus.

Zone Writer/Author:

Steppin Razor

Directions:

To enter Scipio Dreaming, find the mad monk, Onophrio Panuino, wandering in any of the following zones:

• Floodlands
• Great Eastern Desert
• Old Thalos
• Sanctuary
• Skara Brae

When you find him, issue the following commands to enter the Mind overlay zone:

> sleep
> dream
> enter gate

Reset Time:

The Mind: 60 minutes

Sub-zones: Variable,  based on tiered obj/mob loads.  There is a chance that sub-zones will not purge during an uptime.

Zone Description:

One of the best CircleMUD zones ever written, Steppin's masterpiece combines whimsical fantasy with some technical experimentation with .zon file tiered loading, object dependency, and other esoteric implementations of circle zone code.

The story follows the meandering dreams of historian Onofrio Panvinio, 16C Italian Historian and Antquary, once offered the Bishopric of Rome.  Steppin received a PhD in History, and his exploration of the Western Roman Empire drew him through historic characters like Onofrio.  (Steppin uses the latin equivalent of the Greek spellng in Onophrio Panuinio.)

An avid historian of his day, Onofrio was fascinated by the stories of 3C BC Rome and the exploits of Scipio Africanus, one of the greatest generals of the Roman Empire, Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus (236–183 BC), also known as Scipio the African, Scipio the Elder, and Scipio the Great^[1] was a general in the Second Punic War and statesman of the Roman Republic. He was best known for defeating Hannibal at the final battle of the Second Punic War at Zama, a feat that earned him the agnomen Africanus, the nickname "the Roman Hannibal", as well as recognition as one of the finest commanders in military history. An earlier great display of his tactical abilities had come already at the Battle of Ilipa

Mobs of Note:

Rayda/Nude Priestess (snake-skin slip), orthodox priest (coptic cross, swinging censer), Prince (gold leaning rod), Ghost of the Avenging Emperor (on death),  St. Valentine - assembly mob (key to Carthage gates).

Scipio Dreaming does not feature a long equipment list.  The zone was designed to test tier loading and assembly .zon and .obj structures, new at the time to the JediMUD circle variant.  The main focus of the zone is the assembly of the Ark of the Covenant, spoilers below.

General Zone Strategies:

This zone is comprised of four mini-zones:  The Chapel, The Tower, Africa, and the Snake.  Each zone is accessible via a pickable locked door.   Keys are available for two of the mini zones: The Emperor's Avenging Ghost will drop ashes and dust, (keys to the Keep), while Scipio drops lightning and prayers, (keys to the Chapel). 

Some of the rooms are dump rooms, which means that if you drop your equipment it will poof like a city dump, so beware. Most of the mobs fido (eat corpses), so be forwarned.

First, identify "dream" locations (4) and set gates to gate walk in a picking naked thief.  Pick the dreams, and have the thief go into the both the Chapel and the Keep and pick the door/gate, too.

Gatewalk in a summoning cleric to each mini-zone, and have the cleric summon in a tank to clear the mini-zone and retrieve the neccessary loads for the Ark.  Rinse and repeat.

One of the mobs in the Chapel, The Emperor's Avenging Ghost spawns upon the death of the Prince, and one version of this mob entropies, so proceed accordingly.  Have the cleric stay out of combat to summon/re-glow as necessary.

Assembly Quests:

Ark of the Covenant

Clue:

Onophrio's speech procs, Exodus 25

Solution:

Because Steppin used tiered load rates, not all of the quest pieces load upon machine reboot. In fact, blocking loads make collecting all of the Ark constructibles quite challenging. Examine each constructible piece in order to find the correct item. For example, there are four gold rings, each with a tiny engraving indicating which ring it is. The names that follow an NPC or a constructible indicates the room name where it can be found.

In order to build the Ark of the Covenant, you'll need the following parts:

two and a half cubits of acacia wood (beta ~) (on ground: Deep in the Sanctuary)

two and a half cubits of acacia wood (beta ~~) (on ground: Here it Engorges)

a cubit and a half of acacia wood  (gamma ~) (on ground: Hoards of Screaming Monks)

a cubit and a half of acacia wood (gamma ~~) (on ground: A Curve in the Wall)

a solid acacia base-board (alpha) (on ground: From North to South)

a razor-thin gold overlay (Abuna Stefanyos)

a ring of gold (I) (Scipio Africanus)

a ring of gold (II) (Prince Sebastian or Jester)

a ring of gold (III) (Rayda, Turns Like This or Here It Engorges)

a ring of gold (IV) (on ground: Piercing)

a pole of acacia wood (~) (on ground: Do Not Dare)

a pole of acacia wood (~~) (Marauding Soldier, Along the Water)

The Eastern Cherubim (Wife, When They Crown Him)

The Western Cherubim (My Love, Making it Hurt)

Once you've collected everything and have it in your inventory, used the following assembly command:

> make ark

The Ark will be created in your inventory.  If you make the Ark with the tent, stone tablets and pavilion in your inventory, the ark will be incorporated into the Temple of the Mount, and you will not be able to use the Ark device.

St. Valentine

Clue: none

Ingredients: human skull, human rib cage, human spine

Item	% Load	Room	Sub-Area
Human Skull	50	Breaking From Battle (Scipio Africanus)	The Walls of Carthage
Human Rib Cage		Deep in the Sanctuary	Ba'eda Maryam
Human Spinal Cord		On the Second Level	The Secluded Bedchambers
Human Skull	50	Running Helplessly	Mental Maze
Human Rib Cage		This Space Came to Me	Mental Maze
Human Spinal Cord		Writhing	The Serpent

The skeleton is an "assembly mob", the first of its kind at JediMUD. Have the ingredients in your inventory, and issue the following command:

> make skeleton

Upon assembly you will release St. Valentine! There is a chance that St. Valentine will drop the key to the gates of Carthage upon death.

The Ten Commandments:

Clue:

Ingredients -- clear to see -- Exodus 37:40 referencing the bible verses which give the ingredients for the Ark of the Covenant

two blank stone tablets (reflection of self)

a feather pen (roman soldier in room with Scipio Africanus)

References of Note:

Many of the mobiles in this elaborate zone walked in human history.

Tekle Haymanot

Ethiopian Monk, (c. 1215 – c. 1313) was an Ethiopian monk who founded a major monastery in his native province of Shewa. He is significant for being the only Ethiopian saint popular both amongst Ethiopians and outside that country. He can be found on the first floor in the Tower Keep.

Origen

Origen (/ˈɒrɪdʒən/; Greek: Ὠριγένης, Ōrigénēs), or Origen Adamantius (Ὠριγένης Ἀδαμάντιος, Ōrigénēs Adamántios; 184/185 – 253/254),[1] was a scholar, ascetic,[2] and early Christian theologian who was born and spent the first half of his career in Alexandria. He was a prolific writer in multiple branches of theology, including textual criticism, biblical exegesis and hermeneutics, philosophical theology, preaching, and spirituality written in Greek. He was anathematised at the Second Council of Constantinople. He was one of the most influential figures in early Christian asceticism.[2][3]

Unlike many church fathers, he was never canonised as a saint because some groups believed that some of his teachings contradicted the teachings attributed to the apostles, notably the Apostles Paul and John. His teachings on the pre-existence of souls, the final reconciliation of all creatures, including perhaps even the devil (the apokatastasis),[4] and the subordination of God the Son to God the Father, were rejected by Christian orthodoxy.

Bishop Appion

The Diocese of Syene is an ancient see of the Coptic Church of Aswan, Egypt. The diocese was established in the early 330 ACE by Appion, who referred to himself as the "Bishop of the Legions of Syene, Contra Syene, and Elephantine," indicating an affiliation with the border guards at Aswan.

Equipment of Note:

ITEM	TYPE	MOB	LOAD %	DISPLAY
gold overlay, razor thin	treasure	Abuna Stefanyos	13%	mL 0 !rests
leaning rod, silver	wand	Abuna Stefanyos		mL 13 g! 1 x rejuvenate / blocks
none		bamharigna		mL 0 !rests
blade, butcher	weapon	barbarian	85.0%	mL 0 !rests 2D4 5.0 avg
machete	weapon	barbarian	85.0%	mL 0 !rests 4D4 10.0 avg
notched axe	weapon	barbarian	85.0%	mL 0 !rests 2D5 6.0 avg
scythe	weapon	barbarian	85.0%	mL 0 !rests 2D5 6.0 avg
wooden tent pole 2/4	treasure	Choir Boy	80.0%	mL 0 !rests
Covenant, Ark of the	device	constructible		mL 0 !rests 1 x armor 1 x bless 1 x heal 1 x infra 1 x rejuv 1 x sanctuary 1 x inspire !take
The Ten Commandments	device	constructible		mL 0 !rests
cube, block of stone	other	cousin		mL 0 !rests til/two
cube, block of stone #5	other	cousin		mL 0 !rests up/five
cube, block of stone #3	other	creeping venom		mL 0 !rests
none		dream vision		mL 0 !rests
ashes and dust	key	Emperor's Avenging Ghost		mL 0 !rests key to the Tower
soft satin pavilion	treasure	in chest	90.0%	mL 0 !rests !rent crash!
human skull	canteen	marauding soldier	50.0%	mL 0 !rests 5 units/3 wt crash!
pen, feather	hold	marauding soldier		mL 0 !rests Ten Commandments part
Western Cherubim	treasure	My Love	25.0%	mL 0 g! !rent
snake-skin slip	about	Rayda- Bed Chamber	55.0%	mL 0 e 1 cha 10 mana
snake-skin slip	about	Nude Priestess - Serpent	35.0%	mL 0 e 1 cha 10 mana
!rent	other	on ground	50.0%	mL 0 !rests !rent crash!
carpet, luscious	treasure	on ground	95.0%	mL 0 !rests !rent crash!
cube, block of stone #1	other	on ground		mL 0 !rests
cube, block of stone #4	other	on ground		mL 0 !rests
cubit and a half of acacia wood	other	on ground	35.0%	mL 0 !rests !rent crash!
handful of thorns	other	on ground	100.0%	mL 0 !rests !rent crash!
lamp, oil	light	on ground		mL 0 !rests
meat, digesting	food	on ground		mL 0 !rests poisoned
petals, black rose	hold	on ground	75.0%	mL 0 !rests crash!
poisoned apple	food	on ground		mL 1 !rests
pole acacia wood (- --)	other	on ground	60.0%	mL 0 !rests !rent crash!
rib cage, human	component	on ground	99.0%	mL 0 !rests St. Valentine part crash!
ring, gold 4/4	wrist	on ground	50.0%	mL 31 !rests !rent crash!
short acacia wood board (- --)	other	on ground		mL 0 !rests !rent
skull	component	on ground		mL 0 !rests St. Valentine part
solid acacia base-board	other	on ground	75.0%	mL 0 !rests !rent crash!
spinal cord human	component	on ground	99.0%	mL 0 !rests St. Valentine part crash!
two and a half cubits of acacia wood (- --)	other	on ground	75.0%	mL 0 !rests !rent crash!
two and a half cubits of acacia wood (- --)	other	on ground	80.0%	mL 0 !rests !rent crash!
wooden chest	other	on ground	90.0%	mL 0 !rests crash!
wooden tent pole 3/4	treasure	on ground		mL 0 !rests
wooden tent pole 4/4	treasure	on ground	90.0%	mL 0 !rests !rent crash!
canister, aged	container	orthodox priest	75.0%	mL 0 !rests
censer, swinging	light	orthodox priest		mL 10 !twnsrb -1 ss 5% mnR
encrypted	scroll	orthodox priest	50.0%	mL 0 !rests 1 x cure blind 1 x remove curse 1 x remove poison
incense, stick of		Orthodox Priest	75.0%	mL !rests
The Coptic Cross	hold	orthodox priest	85.0%	mL 10 !rests 1 wis -1% hpR
amharic	scroll	priest		mL 28 !twrb 1 x group heal
engulfing mouth	wrist	priestess - bed chamber	85.0%	mL 0 !rests 1 hit
fang, serpent's	weapon	priestess - bed chamber	80.0%	mL 15 !mcjsrb 2D4 5.0 avg
engulfing mouth	wrist	priestess - serpent	75.0%	mL 0 !rests 1 hit
fang, serpent's	weapon	priestess - serpent	70.0%	mL 15 !mcjsrb 2D4 5.0 avg
leaning rod, gold	owand	Prince Sebastian		mL 15 c! g! 1 x area energy drain / blocks
ring, gold 2/4	wrist	Prince Sebastian	30.0%	mL 31 !rests !rent crash!
ring, gold 3/4	wrist	Rayda - Bed Chamber	30.0%	mL 31 !rests !rent crash!
ring, gold 3/4	wrist	Rayda - Serpent	80.0%	mL 31 !rests !rent crash!
stone tablets, blank	note	reflection of myself	75.0%	mL 0 !rests
pen, feather	weapon	Roman Soldier	85.0%	mL 0 !twnjsrb 1D4 2.5 avg
pole acacia wood ()	other	Roman Soldier		mL 0 !rests !rent
wooden tent pole 1/4	treasure	Roman Soldier	85.0%	mL 0 !rests
lightning and prayers	key	Scipio		mL 0 !rests key to the Chapel !rent
ring, gold 1/4	wrist	Scipio Africanus	33.0%	mL 31 !rests !rent crash!
cube, block of stone #2	other	servant boy		mL 0 !rests
key to the Walls of Carthage	key	St. Valentine		mL !rests DoD
ring, gold 2/4	wrist	The Jester	15.0%	mL 31 !rests !rent crash!
Eastern Cherubim	treasure	Wife	95.0%	mL 0 g! !rent

Maps

• 
  Hand-drawn map by Dank of Scipio Dreaming, c. 1995
• 
  Google Drawing of the Tower Keep mini-zone in Scipio Dreaming, by Dank, 2017.
• 
  Google Drawing of the Africa sub-zone in Scipio Dreaming, by Dank, 2017
• 
  Google Drawing of the third mini-zone in Scipio Dreaming: The Chapel, by Dank, 2017
• 
  The vastly confusing dreamscape of the mad monk, Onophrio, as he dreams about a world gone awry.
• 
  The fourth, and final mini-zone, "The Ouroborous", rendered with Google Drawings by Dank, c. 2017.
• 
  Michael French's Scipio Dreaming (main dream connector) masterpiece with mob annotations.

Exodus 25: The Ark of the Covenant

Ark of the Covenant

10 “They shall construct an ark of acacia wood two and a half [a]cubits [b]long, and one and a half cubits [c]wide, and one and a half cubits [d]high. 11 You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it, and you shall make a gold molding [e]around it. 12 You shall cast four gold rings for it and [f]fasten them on its four feet, and two rings shall be on one side of it and two rings on the other side of it. 13 You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 14 You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark with them. 15 The poles shall [g]remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be removed from it. 16 You shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you.

17 “You shall make a [h]mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half [i]cubits [j]long and one and a half cubits [k]wide. 18 You shall make two cherubim of gold, make them of hammered work [l]at the two ends of the mercy seat. 19 Make one cherub [m]at one end and one cherub [n]at the other end; you shall make the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at its two ends. 20 The cherubim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings and [o]facing one another; the faces of the cherubim are to be turned toward the mercy seat. 21 You shall put the mercy seat [p]on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you. 22 There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.

Footnotes:

1. Exodus 25:10 I.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in.
2. Exodus 25:10 Lit its length
3. Exodus 25:10 Lit its width
4. Exodus 25:10 Lit its height
5. Exodus 25:11 Lit on it round about
6. Exodus 25:12 Or put
7. Exodus 25:15 Lit be
8. Exodus 25:17 Lit propitiatory, and so through v 22
9. Exodus 25:17 I.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in.
10. Exodus 25:17 Lit its length
11. Exodus 25:17 Lit its width
12. Exodus 25:18 Lit from
13. Exodus 25:19 Lit from
14. Exodus 25:19 Lit from
15. Exodus 25:20 Lit their faces to
16. Exodus 25:21 Lit above, upon

Exodus 26: The Tabernacle

26 “Also make crossbars of acacia wood: five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, 27 five for those on the other side, and five for the frames on the west, at the far end of the tabernacle. 28 The center crossbar is to extend from end to end at the middle of the frames. 29 Overlay the frames with gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold.

30 “Set up the tabernacle according to the plan shown you on the mountain.

31 “Make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker. 32 Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases.33 Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the covenant law behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. 34 Put the atonement cover on the ark of the covenant law in the Most Holy Place. 35 Place the table outside the curtain on the north side of the tabernacle and put the lampstand opposite it on the south side.

36 “For the entrance to the tent make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer. 37 Make gold hooks for this curtain and five posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold. And cast five bronze bases for them.