Murasa Quest - Go Get 'em, Captain!

[UnendingEmpire]

You are Murasa Minamitsu!

> The good-natured ship ghost of the Myouren Temple, you're one of the monks under the Buddhist teachings of Byakuren Hijiri, as well as the captain of the temple's other form, the flying Palanquin Ship.  Even though your Palanquin Ship is one of only two in Gensokyo excluding toy boats, you have the ability to sink ships.  You also have the power to become intangible by entering your eerily green "ghost form"

> You get along pretty well with most of the Myouren Temple's residents (Nue too, though it sure doesn't look that way most of the time) and have a bone to pick with the Taoists, just like Byakuren.

> It seems Shou has lost the Jeweled Pagoda again.  Nazrin has refused to find it after so many repeats of the same ordeal, and instead almost-literally threw the task at the closest person: you.

> You now find yourself outside the Myouren Temple, with Nazrin and Byakuren both eager to see you off on this ridiculous quest.  No telling where that pagoda could have wound up.

> Your inventory consists of your anchor and ladle, plus a 10,000-yen bill for expenses you may face while out.  The bill has Toyosatomimi no Miko's face crudely pasted on it.

> What to do?
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Current Inventory
Murasa's inventory: Anchor | Ladle | 3,000 yen | Capsize "Dragging Anchor" (Normal) | Drowning Sign "Deep Vortex" (Normal) | Ghost "Sinker Ghost" (Normal) | Flood "Venus of the Bilge" | Blank card | Large paper bag (contains Digital camera | Boomerang | Megaphone | Dirty magazine) | Map of Forest of Magic | Map of Youkai Mountain | Loaf of Bread x4

Kyouko's inventory: Bamboo broom  | Green apple | Chocolate bar | Mountain Sign "Long Range Echo" | Piercing Sign "Piercing Circle"

Nue's inventory: Trident | Pack of mint-flavored gum | Unidentified "Purple Mirror" | Unidentified "Red Cloak, Blue Cloak" | Unidentified "Hanako-san in the Toilet" | "Danmaku X from a Wandering Star"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mental Notes
~Just before leaving the Myouren Temple on Day 1, you made a mental note to smack Shou with your anchor as a means of letting her know just how you feel about how often she loses the Jeweled Pagoda.~

~After Rinnosuke fleeced you out of 7,000 yen, you made a mental note to let Nue know about what happened.  She might be willing to try and get your money back, you figure.~

~When leaving Alice's house, you made a mental note to return there sometime.  You were quite curious about this mysterious girl and her dolls.~

~While bringing the frozen Kyouko to the Human Village for thawing out, you took a mental note that Kokoro has to work on her sense of personal space.~

[an unmatched sock]

>Decide randomly whether to anchor or simply pour water on Shou for yet again losing the pagoda, or maybe plan it for later. So she'll learn to stop losing it.
>Ask Shou about places she's been recently, for clues.
>Contemplate drawing Byakuren's face over Miko's in protest. As long as the numbers are still there, the money's fine, right? It'll just be more accurate on who's better.

[Oldmansour]

>Retrieve spellcards.

[UnendingEmpire]

>Decide randomly whether to anchor or simply pour water on Shou for yet again losing the pagoda, or maybe plan it for later. So she'll learn to stop losing it.

You decide that throwing an anchor would better establish that Shou should keep track of her things than simply pouring water on her.  However, she seems to be dealing with temple visitors right now, so it might not look good if you did it right now.  You make a mental note to not forget to throw the anchor at Shou when you get back.

>Ask Shou about places she's been recently, for clues.

Pulling her aside from the people she's talking to, you ask Shou about any recent stops she's made outside the Myouren Temple.
"I went to Youkai Mountain yesterday, but I think I might have already lost it before then.  Before that, the most recent place I remember going was to accompany Hijiri on a visit to that black-white's house in the Forest of Magic."

>Contemplate drawing Byakuren's face over Miko's in protest. As long as the numbers are still there, the money's fine, right? It'll just be more accurate on who's better.

Byakuren is certainly better than Miko, and you decide drawing your leader's face on the 10000-yen bill would help prove it.  But you've got nothing to draw with right now, and Nazrin seems a little too eager to see you off.  You make a mental note to do that once you find something you could use.  Maybe you could steal a brush from the Taoists for extra irony.

>Retrieve spellcards.

Rushing back into the temple and explaining to Nazrin that you almost forgot them, you go to where you know your spellcards are.  Out of the five you had set aside for this task, it looks like somebody stole one and replaced it with a blank card.  Now also seems like a good time to draw Byakuren's face over Miko's on your bill.  You take a moment to grab the nearest brush and do that.  Much better.
Added to inventory:
Capsize "Dragging Anchor" | Drowning Sign "Deep Vortex" | Ghost "Sinker Ghost" | Flood "Venus of the Bilge" | Blank card

[Oldmansour]

>Relationship with human village.
>Relationship with kappa.

[Tapsa]

>Grasp the ladle with our mouth like it's a pipe.
>What's our opinion of spinach?

[UnendingEmpire]

>Relationship with human village.

Your relationship with the human village is sort of split down the middle.  The 40% or so following Byakuren's teachings look up to you, thanks in part to your tall tales about how your crew rescued her.  The Taoists (excluding the ones in the Dream Palace Mausoleum), numbering out at the same amount, are generally indifferent to your existence.  The last 20% is a mixed basket.  This includes Hata no Kokoro and Kogasa Tatara, both of whom you're kinda friends with, but Kokoro probably wouldn't notice if you went missing.

>Relationship with kappa.

Considering how Youkai Mountain isn't so friendly to outsiders, pretty good.  May have to do with the fact that you share a common interest in watery places.

>Grasp the ladle with our mouth like it's a pipe.

You get your ladle out and grasp it with your mouth as though it's a pipe.  It's much more sailor-esque, and you decide you rather like the way it looks.

It's after deciding to hold your ladle in your mouth that somebody passes by and sees you through the open door.  It's Kyouko, the yamabiko janitor.  For a couple moments, she looks like she's trying to figure out why you're holding it in your mouth and it looks as though you could cook some strips of bacon on her head if you wanted (and if Buddhism didn't forbid meat).  She must not have been successful in coming up with a conclusion, since she asks "Hey, what're you up to?"

>What's our opinion of spinach?

Spinach isn't your favorite, but you'll (hesitantly) eat it if it's part of your meal, even though you know it keeps ya strong to the finich.  You suddenly wonder why so many people have inquired about this.

[Third Eye Lem]

> Reply along the lines of "I'm off on a treasure hunt...Again!" in our best pirate voice.
> Can we only manipulate water, or can we manipulate ice and fog, too?

[an unmatched sock]

>How much pirating can we remember that we've done?
>What's our opinion of this yamabiko?
>Try to think of anything else we might need.

[UnendingEmpire]

> Reply along the lines of "I'm off on a treasure hunt...Again!" in our best pirate voice.

That seems to have caught Kyouko's attention.  If only because she thinks your pirate voice is one of the coolest things in the Myouren Temple, she looks very excited about this "treasure hunt" of yours.  So thrilled, in fact, that she even asks "Wow, can I come too!?"

> Can we only manipulate water, or can we manipulate ice and fog, too?

If you can manipulate water, that would be news even to Byakuren.  Your power is solely to sink ships, though if you got creative enough with it then some water manipulation could be possible.

>How much pirating can we remember that we've done?

Not much in life, none in death.  You remember that in life your ship was armed with an absurdly large cannon that fired the ship's anchor to sink military vessels, but the Myouren Temple/Palanquin Ship has no such weapon.

>What's our opinion of this yamabiko?

She's a good kid altogether, though between her and that awful buzzing alarm clock from Kourindou, you'd rather wake up to the alarm clock.

>Try to think of anything else we might need.

Money, spellcards, weapons, the clothes you're wearing...that seems to be about it.  Maybe you should check Kourindou for something if you end up leaving the Human Village, but you feel that you're set otherwise.

[Labuto]

>Do we know how to fold paper boats?

>Can we sink paper boats?

[Oldmansour]

>Well, she is cute. And if nothing else, we can always weaponize that amazing voice of hers.
>"Sure, kid. More the merrier."

[UnendingEmpire]

>Do we know how to fold paper boats?

Despite your best efforts, you've never been able to properly fold a paper boat.  They always sink shortly after touching the water, even without you using your powers.

>Can we sink paper boats?

See above.  You can sink them so well you literally don't have to try at all.

>Well, she is cute. And if nothing else, we can always weaponize that amazing voice of hers.

Indeed.

>"Sure, kid. More the merrier."

Kyouko looks overjoyed and raring to go.  Raising the hand in which she held her broom, the yamabiko excitedly shouted "Let's go!" with enough force to rock a nearby chair.  She sure seems excited to tag along.
Kyouko Kasodani has joined your party!  Just make sure to bring her back in one piece, okay?

On a non-RP note (deciding to use this glow text for OOC stuff since it stands out), we here behind the scenes of Murasa Quest (all one of us) would like to extend our best birthday wishes to Namusour.  Happy Birthday

[Oldmansour]

>Readjust hat in the event Kyouko's bellow dislodged it.

While I sincerely appreciate the sentiment, UE, I fear that, my birthday was actually back in march. The staff here simply hasn't got around to removing that title from my profile. I figure they think I look good with redtext, or they forgot about me.

[UnendingEmpire]

>Readjust hat in the event Kyouko's bellow dislodged it.

Good thinking.  Seems her shout did dislodge it; a few steps without fixing it and the hat would have fallen right off.  Can't be a Gensokyo resident without a hat now, can you?

While I sincerely appreciate the sentiment, UE, I fear that, my birthday was actually back in march. The staff here simply hasn't got around to removing that title from my profile. I figure they think I look good with redtext, or they forgot about me.

...oh.  I see.  Well then, since now happens to be the right weekend, enjoy your Memorial Day, I guess?  That goes for the rest of ya, too!  As for me, it's 1AM here and, much unlike our ghostly sailor, I need a solid X hours of sleep a day.  g'nite, all

[Oldmansour]

>So, the black-white's, eh.
>We know where that is, yes?
>If not, ask.

[UnendingEmpire]

>So, the black-white's, eh.

Yup, that's why Shou said.

>We know where that is, yes?

You know it's in the Forest of Magic, at least.  As a ship captain, you're pretty confident you can find it on your own.

>If not, ask.

You're still pretty confident you can find it yourself, even if you don't know the exact location.  Seems like all that's really left is to make sure Kyouko's ready to go, maybe check in on some other Myouren Temple or Human Village residents before you go if you want, then get moving, cap'n!

[Tapsa]

>"Alright. Ya got everything on you so we can get a move on?"
>Wonder why Our Lady Hijiri paid a visit to that black-white magician, anyway.

[UnendingEmpire]

>"Alright. Ya got everything on you so we can get a move on?"

Kyouko takes a brief moment to check her pockets and under her ears.  Taking mental note of what she does and doesn't have, the janitor concludes "I'm ready to go!"
Kyouko's inventory: Bamboo broom, two apples, chocolate bar (her favorite), Mountain Sign "Long Range Echo", Piercing Sign "Piercing Circle"

>Wonder why Our Lady Hijiri paid a visit to that black-white magician, anyway.

You take a moment to wonder about that.  In the end, you can't draw up any solid reasons.  The only thing you can come up with is that they both use magic...maybe that's got something to do with it?

[Nash Fais]

>Ask Byakuren why she went to the black-white's house, if it's not too much of a bother for her.

>Think if anyone else at the temple might want to join on our little quest.

[UnendingEmpire]

>Ask Byakuren why she went to the black-white's house, if it's not too much of a bother for her.

As you and Kyouko exit the temple's building, you find Byakuren outside.  May as well as why she was visiting the black-white in the first place.
"Oh, you know how it is.  She's a young and powerful magician, I'm an experienced and skillful magician.  Magicians exchange notes, so that we can each better ourselves."

>Think if anyone else at the temple might want to join on our little quest.

Nazrin won't go for certain, that's why you're on this quest to begin with.  Ichirin & Unzan would certainly be a great help, but you can't imagine them leaving the temple for a search like this.  Shou is the avatar of Bishamonten and the temple's idol, so she'll have visitors to deal with.  Byakuren may want to tag along, but you wouldn't want to trouble her with this task.  Besides, somebody has to be around if the Taoists ever develop the gall to attack the temple, so it may as well be the strongest Buddhist, right?  That just leaves the person with the most spare time around here...if you can even find Nue.

[Oldmansour]

>Grin. "Well, she picked a fine magician to swap notes with."
>"Well, suppose we may as well get down to the task at hand. Never find the thing standing around here."

Unless anyone else has anything else to add,

>Depart and head towards the Forest of Magic.

[UnendingEmpire]

>Grin. "Well, she picked a fine magician to swap notes with."

"I still have much to learn," Byakuren modestly said.

>"Well, suppose we may as well get down to the task at hand. Never find the thing standing around here."

"Good luck, you two," the Youchrist cheered.  "And be careful out there!"

>Depart and head towards the Forest of Magic.

It's about time to get out of the Human Village.  With Kyouko in tow, the two of you make your way in the direction of the Forest of Magic.  Here's to the start of a great adventure!
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You have arrived at the edge of the Forest of Magic.  Kourindou's also not far from here.  What to do?

[an unmatched sock]

>Buildings are like stationary land-boats, right? Maybe we should sink Kourindou...
>...Nahhhh. Better to just keep focused and head for the magician's house.
>What time of day is it?

[UnendingEmpire]

>Buildings are like stationary land-boats, right? Maybe we should sink Kourindou...

You ponder sinking Kourindou, using the principle that buildings are like stationary land-boats...

>...Nahhhh. Better to just keep focused and head for the magician's house.

...but Byakuren seems to have taught you better than to sink buildings.  Better just get to the black-white's house.  Ignoring the shop, you and Kyouko head off toward a rough path leading into the Forest of Magic; probably leading to your destination.

Then Kyouko stops as you two pass by the front door of Kourindou.  Tugging on the back of your collar, she inquires "Hey, what's this place?"

>What time of day is it?

Early afternoon.  It's apparently supposed to rain later.

[Oldmansour]

>What do we know about Kourin-dou and its owner?

[UnendingEmpire]

>What do we know about Kourin-dou and its owner?

Not much.  All you know for certain is what you've heard around town over time.  The owner is a half-youkai (not to mention male; a true rarity in Gensokyo) and the shop sells things from the outside world that he happens to find here in Gensokyo.  Supposedly, his prices are actually pretty good.

[Nash Fais]

> We should check around the shop and also ask its owner if he saw the pagoda.

>"Oh, it's a shop called Kourindou. It sells things that came from the outside world"

>"Hey Kyouko, mind checking around here a bit? Shou might've dropped it around here."

[UnendingEmpire]

>"Oh, it's a shop called Kourindou. It sells things that came from the outside world"

"From the outside world? Cooooooool!"  Kyouko looks like she wants to see what's in there, no doubt interested in what kinds of things come from the Outside World.

>"Hey Kyouko, mind checking around here a bit? Shou might've dropped it around here."

"Okay~!"  She seems excited to be helping.  She wasn't quite sure if you meant outside or inside, so she ends up entering the store with you.  Kyouko immediately takes to the shelves of Kourindou, seemingly as entranced by these gizmos and gadgets as she is eager to help.

> We should check around the shop and also ask its owner if he saw the pagoda.

You decide looking around Kourindou may be a good idea.  You're welcomed in with the owner saying "Welcome to Kourindou."  He's got plenty of stuff from the outside world, but there's no sign of the pagoda.  While browsing his wares, you inquire about the Jeweled Pagoda and if he'd seen it lately.
"Hmmm...I can't seem to remember.  I know that tiger girl had it when she was buying something here...if only I could find a way to jog my memory.  Some people remember things they do when they do the same thing a couple days later.  Get what I mean?"

You may not be certain, but you're pretty sure he's saying that he'll "remember" if you buy something.  Whether to go through with it or not is your decision, but there sure is a lot to choose from.  Given he has a monopoly on outside world items, the prices aren't so bad.
Kourindou's wares (well, seven of them):
Stick of dynamite: 10,000 yen | Handgun: 9,500 yen | Flashlight: 5,000 yen | Digital camera: 3,000 yen | Boomerang: 2,500 yen | Megaphone: 1,000 yen | Dirty magazine: 500 yen

Moved the order of things around since the first one had such a big result.  And picking those items out was fun, I'll admit.  Each of them will be useful later on, but how useful it is and when you could use it depends on the item.

[E-Nazrin]

>Examine items carefully. Ask shopkeep if he knows how to use them.
>Try to keep Kyouko from destroying the world by screaming into the megaphone