@0 = ~"Whatcha got there, chief?"~ @1 = ~"I found this nice set of antique scales. Something seems odd about them though..."~ @2 = ~Morte checks out the scale. "Oh! I think I know what those are. Nice find, chief. That looks like a genuine Scale of Souls you've got there."~ @3 = ~"Eh? What do they do?"~ @4 = ~"Well, basically, they measure alignment. The Dusties use 'em to make sure the deaders they raise aren't overly endowed psychically, know what I mean? Wouldn't do to raise the body of some berk who was so good or evil or chaotic or whatever that they've basically gone on to become a minor deity in their plane of destination. That sort of thing has ended in tears more than once."~ @5 = ~"Seriously? What happens if you animate the corpse of someone really evil?"~ @6 = ~"Usually, nothing. But every once in a while, you'll get some bastard of a berk who got promoted to a minor demon, or a low-ranking deva-type if they were really *really* good, that decides to make a mission of coming back and laying their body to proper rest. One of them demons tore up half the Mortuary looking for his corpse before the Lady herself slapped him down. The Dusties would understandably prefer not to rely on her for protection though, and would rather just avoid the problem altogether. So, they commissioned these scales."~ @7 = ~"Wow. So how do they work?"~ @8 = ~"Well, from what I understand, you just think hard at 'em. The Scale will connect with you and try to glean what it needs to measure ya. Just let it do it's thing. Oh, from what I understand they can not only measure either how good or evil you are, but also how lawful or chaotic too... isn't unheard of for some insanely lawful or chaotic types to come back from the dead in the same way either, though it's not as common. Anyway, just *want* the Scale to measure one or the other, the Scale will know which one you want measured.~ @9 = ~"Nice. That's pretty handy. Thanks, Morte."~ @10 = ~"Any time, boss. Aren't you glad we teamed up? Yessir, you and me, the brawn and the brain... well, the brain cavity, anyway..."~ @11 = ~"Heh. Alright, thanks again. Let me give these a try. (Focus on the Scale.)"~ @12 = ~At a cursory glance, this ornate scale would net a good value from any antique merchant.~ @13 = ~Examine the Scales more closely.~ @14 = ~Examine the scales more closely.~ @15 = ~Put the scale away.~ @16 = ~The pans are plated gold, and near the base there is a small pointer that, based on the weight on the scales, can swing to point to tiny engraved numerals between -50 and 50, although what unit of measure that might represent, you're not sure.~ @17 = ~Continue to examine the scale.~ @18 = ~As you ponder the scale, you sense there's something magical about them. Something about the golden pans tug at your senses. You attempt to push one of the pans down to see the needle move, but oddly the pan won't move budge as a result of physical pressure. You get the impression they're meant to weigh something else.~ @19 = ~Try focusing your concentration on the scale.~ @20 = ~As you focus your will on the scale, you suddenly feel a mental... *tug*... coming from the pans. The one on the left seems to tug at your sense of guilt, of your conscience, of your impulsiveness. The other seems to be trying to glean from your mind your pride in your noblest deeds - well, those you can remember - and your sense of honesty and duty.~ @21 = ~Go with the flow, try to give the scales what they want.~ @22 = ~The needle finally twitches. Your sense of how this scale works improves as you *feel* your way to an understanding of it. You sense that you can focus your will on either good and evil, or on law and chaos, and have it measure your... well, your soul against whatever standards these scales operate by.~ @23 = ~Give it a try.~ @24 = ~The pans are plated gold, and near the base there is a small pointer that, based on the weight on the scale, can swing to point to tiny engraved numerals between -50 and 50, although what unit of measure that might represent, you're not sure.~ @25 = ~Continue to examine the scales.~ @26 = ~What at a cursory glance looks like decorative filigree, on closer inspection, appear to be some sort of tiny runic inscriptions. You're surprised to find that you can somewhat understand them. From what you can tell, these scales don't weigh anything physical, but rather something about the mental state of the user.~ @27 = ~Beyond that, there's really not much you can tell. They seem like any other set of scales, except that when you try to weigh something, the pans don't move. The scale is apparently broken. If there's more to it, you can't figure it out right now. The puzzle of this scale will have to be solved another day.~ @28 = ~You think you've got the mental feel for it now. Just choose good vs. evil, or chaos vs. law, and focus those on the two pans.~ @29 = ~Focus your sense of evil on the left pan, and of good on the right.~ @30 = ~Focus your sense of chaos on the left pan, and of law on the right.~ @31 = ~The pans glow as they each seem to read different parts of your psyche, and they begin to sway.~ @32 = ~Focus harder.~ @33 = ~The right pan plummets, and the left pan rises. The needle is buried at 50.~ @34 = ~You enjoy the warm fuzzy feeling of knowing your heroic deeds would be legendary, at least if you had a name for the legends to be attached to.~ @35 = ~You enjoy the feeling that comes with knowing you are a bastion of law and order in the multiverse.~ @36 = ~The right pan plummets, and the left pan rises. The needle settles on 49.~ @37 = ~The right pan plummets, and the left pan rises. The needle settles on 48.~ @38 = ~The right pan plummets, and the left pan rises. The needle settles on 47.~ @39 = ~The right pan plummets, and the left pan rises. The needle settles on 46.~ @40 = ~The right pan plummets, and the left pan rises. The needle settles on 45.~ @41 = ~The right pan plummets, and the left pan rises. The needle settles on 44.~ @42 = ~The right pan plummets, and the left pan rises. The needle settles on 43.~ @43 = ~The right pan plummets, and the left pan rises. The needle settles on 42.~ @44 = ~The right pan plummets, and the left pan rises. The needle settles on 41.~ @45 = ~The right pan plummets, and the left pan rises. The needle settles on 40.~ @46 = ~The right pan plummets, and the left pan rises. The needle settles on 39.~ @47 = ~The right pan plummets, and the left pan rises. The needle settles on 38.~ @48 = ~The right pan plummets, and the left pan rises. The needle settles on 37.~ @49 = ~The right pan plummets, and the left pan rises. The needle settles on 36.~ @50 = ~The right pan plummets, and the left pan rises. The needle settles on 35.~ @51 = ~The right pan plummets, and the left pan rises. The needle settles on 34.~ @52 = ~The right pan plummets, and the left pan rises. The needle settles on 33.~ @53 = ~The right pan plummets, and the left pan rises. The needle settles on 32.~ @54 = ~The right pan plummets, and the left pan rises. The needle settles on 31.~ @55 = ~The right pan plummets, and the left pan rises. The needle settles on 30.~ @56 = ~The right pan sinks quickly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 29.~ @57 = ~You smile, justifiably feeling pride for all the good that you've done in your life - well, this life, anyway.~ @58 = ~You nod with the satisfaction of knowing you've earned the reputation that any vow you make, you can be counted on to keep.~ @59 = ~The right pan sinks quickly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 28.~ @60 = ~The right pan sinks quickly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 27.~ @61 = ~The right pan sinks quickly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 26.~ @62 = ~The right pan sinks quickly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 25.~ @63 = ~The right pan sinks quickly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 24.~ @64 = ~The right pan sinks quickly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 23.~ @65 = ~The right pan sinks quickly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 22.~ @66 = ~The right pan sinks quickly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 21.~ @67 = ~The right pan sinks quickly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 20.~ @68 = ~The right pan sinks quickly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 19.~ @69 = ~The right pan sinks quickly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 18.~ @70 = ~The right pan sinks quickly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 17.~ @71 = ~The right pan sinks quickly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 16.~ @72 = ~The right pan sinks quickly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 15.~ @73 = ~The right pan sinks slowly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 14.~ @74 = ~You sigh... you know there's more good than evil in your soul, but not enough to leave much of a mark yet.~ @75 = ~You know you've tried to be honest and to keep your word, but it hasn't been noticed much yet.~ @76 = ~The right pan sinks slowly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 13.~ @77 = ~The right pan sinks slowly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 12.~ @78 = ~The right pan sinks slowly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 11.~ @79 = ~The right pan sinks slowly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 10.~ @80 = ~The right pan sinks slowly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 9.~ @81 = ~The right pan sinks slowly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 8.~ @82 = ~The right pan sinks slowly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 7.~ @83 = ~The right pan sinks slowly, and the left pan rises to match. The needle settles on 6.~ @84 = ~The pans barely move, and the needle twitches only slightly. The needle settles on 5.~ @85 = ~You know you've struck a pretty good balance between good and evil... or you simply haven't done much since waking up in the Mortuary to make any difference.~ @86 = ~You know you've struck a pretty good balance between law and chaos... or you simply haven't done much since waking up in the Mortuary to make any difference.~ @87 = ~The pans barely move, and the needle twitches only slightly. The needle settles on 4.~ @88 = ~The pans barely move, and the needle twitches only slightly. The needle settles on 3.~ @89 = ~The pans barely move, and the needle twitches only slightly. The needle settles on 2.~ @90 = ~The pans barely move, and the needle twitches only slightly. The needle settles on 1.~ @91 = ~The pans and needle don't even budge. The needle remains at 0.~ @92 = ~You know you've struck a perfect balance between good and evil... or you simply haven't done anything since waking up in the Mortuary to make any difference.~ @93 = ~You know you've struck a perfect balance between law and chaos... or you simply haven't done anything since waking up in the Mortuary to make any difference.~ @94 = ~The left pan plummets, and the right pan rises. The needle is buried at -50.~ @95 = ~You snicker grimly, enjoying your reputation as one of the greatest scourges the Planes have ever known.~ @96 = ~Your word is worth it's weight in gold, namely, nothing, and to you 'organization' is something nasty to do to other people's innards.~ @97 = ~The left pan plummets, and the right pan rises. The needle settles on -49.~ @98 = ~The left pan plummets, and the right pan rises. The needle settles on -48.~ @99 = ~The left pan plummets, and the right pan rises. The needle settles on -47.~ @100 = ~The left pan plummets, and the right pan rises. The needle settles on -46.~ @101 = ~The left pan plummets, and the right pan rises. The needle settles on -45.~ @102 = ~The left pan plummets, and the right pan rises. The needle settles on -44.~ @103 = ~The left pan plummets, and the right pan rises. The needle settles on -43.~ @104 = ~The left pan plummets, and the right pan rises. The needle settles on -42.~ @105 = ~The left pan plummets, and the right pan rises. The needle settles on -41.~ @106 = ~The left pan plummets, and the right pan rises. The needle settles on -40.~ @107 = ~The left pan plummets, and the right pan rises. The needle settles on -39.~ @108 = ~The left pan plummets, and the right pan rises. The needle settles on -38.~ @109 = ~The left pan plummets, and the right pan rises. The needle settles on -37.~ @110 = ~The left pan plummets, and the right pan rises. The needle settles on -36.~ @111 = ~The left pan plummets, and the right pan rises. The needle settles on -35.~ @112 = ~The left pan plummets, and the right pan rises. The needle settles on -34.~ @113 = ~The left pan plummets, and the right pan rises. The needle settles on -33.~ @114 = ~The left pan plummets, and the right pan rises. The needle settles on -32.~ @115 = ~The left pan plummets, and the right pan rises. The needle settles on -31.~ @116 = ~The left pan plummets, and the right pan rises. The needle settles on -30.~ @117 = ~The left pan sinks quickly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -29.~ @118 = ~You grin with malice, knowing that while others have to fear punishment after death, you can do and take anything you want and never pay the price.~ @119 = ~You cackle... you've gotten a reputation for breaking your word, and for being, well, a bit of a loon, but hey, how else does one keep immortality interesting?~ @120 = ~The left pan sinks quickly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -28.~ @121 = ~The left pan sinks quickly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -27.~ @122 = ~The left pan sinks quickly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -26.~ @123 = ~The left pan sinks quickly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -25.~ @124 = ~The left pan sinks quickly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -24.~ @125 = ~The left pan sinks quickly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -23.~ @126 = ~The left pan sinks quickly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -22.~ @127 = ~The left pan sinks quickly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -21.~ @128 = ~The left pan sinks quickly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -20.~ @129 = ~The left pan sinks quickly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -19.~ @130 = ~The left pan sinks quickly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -18.~ @131 = ~The left pan sinks quickly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -17.~ @132 = ~The left pan sinks quickly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -16.~ @133 = ~The left pan sinks quickly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -15.~ @134 = ~The left pan sinks slowly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -14.~ @135 = ~You know there's more evil than good in your soul, but not enough to leave much of a mark yet.~ @136 = ~You've been a bit flaky as far as your word and your apparent mental stability, but it hasn't been noticed much yet.~ @137 = ~The left pan sinks slowly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -13.~ @138 = ~The left pan sinks slowly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -12.~ @139 = ~The left pan sinks slowly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -11.~ @140 = ~The left pan sinks slowly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -10.~ @141 = ~The left pan sinks slowly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -9.~ @142 = ~The left pan sinks slowly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -8.~ @143 = ~The left pan sinks slowly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -7.~ @144 = ~The left pan sinks slowly, and the right pan rises to match. The needle settles on -6.~ @145 = ~The pans barely move, and the needle twitches only slightly. The needle settles on -5.~ @146 = ~The pans barely move, and the needle twitches only slightly. The needle settles on -4.~ @147 = ~The pans barely move, and the needle twitches only slightly. The needle settles on -3.~ @148 = ~The pans barely move, and the needle twitches only slightly. The needle settles on -2.~ @149 = ~The pans barely move, and the needle twitches only slightly. The needle settles on -1.~ @150 = ~As you relax your concentration, the pans and the needle all settle back to their normal resting state.~ @151 = ~You look at the Scale, prepared for it's use.~