Story says:
. . . or play the Storylets your Qualities have unlocked.
with a choice of:
Drink from the fountain in the lobby
Chat to the guests
Both lead to an almost impossible challenge which I cannot pass, for the nightmare level decreases on each attempt making it even more impossible.
Am I stuck, or is there a way out I canot see?
You’ve gone mad (; these impossible challenges are actually a good thing to not suceed in; once your nightmare level goes down to 0, you will be released from the location.
That is what you need to do. Carry on until you decrease your nightmares to 0 to escape and get back to London.
Also, notice that the “… or play the Storylets your Qualities have unlocked” is the end of the sentence starting with:
“Click an Opportunity card to play it…”
You’ve reached a place called “A State of Some Confusion”, which is what happens when your Nightmares reach 8.
Play either cards or storylets in this place until you get rid of your Nightmares.
many thanks, I should have read the messages more carefully