*clunk*

The rotating tin cylinder within the phonograph vibrates slightly as a brass needle scrapes against it. The sound of a throat being cleared emerges from the machine’s hornshell speaker, followed by a thin, haunting voice.

“March the 16th.”

A deep, shaky breath.

“I dread to say it, but I believe I am going mad. The — *moments* — come more frequently now. I fear that I have found what I have sought, and I shall now pay the price for it.”

The scrape of a chair across flagstone. A sigh.

“Chaos treads the halls of Bedlam; her work is evident everywhere…”

—Star C. Foster and Daniel Ravipinto —Slouching Towards Bedlam (Interactive Fiction — Online Gallery)

A steampunk SF mystery.

Yesterday, I heard that Star C. Foster, also known for her blog Sarcasmo’s Corner, died suddenly. Since I only knew her through her work, I thought the best way I could honor her memory is to put up this online version of her excellent text-adventure game.