say "[if (a condition)]"

This text substitution produces no text. It's used only for a side-effect: it says that the text following should be said only if the condition is true. That continues until the end of the text, or until an "[end if]" substitution whichever comes first. If the "[otherwise]" and "[otherwise if]" substitutions are also present, they allow alternatives to be added in case the condition is false. Example:

The wine cask is a container. The printed name of the cask is "[if open]broached, empty cask[otherwise]sealed wine cask".

we find that the cask is described as "a broached, empty cask" when open, and "a sealed wine cask" when closed. A longer example which begins and ends with fixed text, but has two alternatives in the middle:

The Customs Wharf is a room. "Amid the bustle of the quayside, [if the cask is open]many eyes stray to your broached cask. [otherwise]nobody takes much notice of a man heaving a cask about. [end if]Sleek gondolas jostle at the plank pier."

say "[unless (a condition)]"

This text substitution produces no text. It's used only for a side-effect: it says that the text following should be said only if the condition is false. That continues until the end of the text, or until an "[end if]" substitution, which ver comes first. If the "[otherwise]" and "[otherwise if]" substitutions are also present, they allow alternatives to be added in case the condition is true. Example:

The Customs Hall is a room. "With infinite slowness, with ledgers and quill pens, the clerks ruin their eyesight.[unless the player is a woman] They barely even glance in your direction."

say "[otherwise]"

say "[else]"

This text substitution produces no text, and can be used only following an "[if ...]" or "[unless ...]" text substitution. It switches from text which appears if the condition is true, to text which appears if it is false. Example:

The wine cask is a container. The printed name of the cask is "[if open]broached, empty cask[otherwise]sealed wine cask".

say "[end if]"

This text substitution produces no text, and can be used only to close off a stretch of varying text which begins with "[if ...]".

say "[end unless]"

This text substitution produces no text, and can be used only to close off a stretch of varying text which begins with "[unless ...]".

say "[otherwise/else if (a condition)]"

This text substitution produces no text, and can be used only following an "[if ...]" or "[unless ...]" text substitution. It gives an alternative text to use if the first condition didn't apply, but this one does. Example:

The wine cask is a container. The printed name of the cask is "[if open]broached, empty cask[otherwise if transparent]sealed cask half-full of sloshing wine[otherwise]sealed wine cask".

say "[otherwise/else unless (a condition)]"

This text substitution produces no text, and can be used only following an "[if ...]" or "[unless ...]" text substitution. It gives an alternative text to use if the first condition didn't apply, and this one is false too.