Kisume Quest IV - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> "There's that too, yeah. Really, you've been your own disguise all along. As long as you're not stupid enough to go around telling everyone who you are, no one's going to care or know better."

>"Are you sure about that?" says Shuuei, her voice a bit less firm than before.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "If Yamame told me tomorrow that she actually had blue hair, she wouldn't be any less Yamame to me."

[Hello Purvis]

> "If Yamame told me tomorrow that she actually had blue hair, she wouldn't be any less Yamame to me."

>"I suppose," says Shuuei,
>"It'll be for the best," says Iku. "The best disguise is one that cannot be taken and needs no deception to maintain."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Basically. The less you look like you're trying to hide something, the less people suspect you actually are hiding something."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Basically. The less you look like you're trying to hide something, the less people suspect you actually are hiding something."

>Shuuei is silent for a moment. Then she says, "You're going to end that vow of silence, Iku. Alright?"
>"Mmm, I think I could agree to that," says Iku.
>There's another moment of silence, then, "Fine."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Well, all right then. Now what?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well, all right then. Now what?"

>"Well, I owe you some thanks for your assistance," says Iku. She bows toward you.
>"What are you looking for in turns of price?" Shuuei says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Well, to be honest, I haven't thought about it much. And I know Shuuei, at least, needs to beat feet over to the junk shop, so it might be better to reconvene later and work out some of this."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well, to be honest, I haven't thought about it much. And I know Shuuei, at least, needs to beat feet over to the junk shop, so it might be better to reconvene later and work out some of this."

>"Oh, right," says Shuuei. "I'll do that right now. Do you want to meet somewhere later?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "The tavern, maybe? I imagine you wanted to go there anyway."

[Hello Purvis]

> "The tavern, maybe? I imagine you wanted to go there anyway."

>"I suppose I can meet you there," says Shuuei.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "All right. Make sure you drop my name when you deliver the goods, if you can. The mouse woman asked me to look into the delay."

[Hello Purvis]

> "All right. Make sure you drop my name when you deliver the goods, if you can. The mouse woman asked me to look into the delay."

>"I will!" comes Shuuei's voice, which is sounds quite a bit more distant than it was a moment ago.
>"She seems like a bad person," says Iku, "But please don't judge her too harshly on this, it was a bad time for her."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Wave a hand dismissively.
> "All hypotheticals. I don't actually hate her for that stuff. You just wanted an unbiased opinion, and I gave it to her. She probably should apologize to Nue, though. And my name better be dropped during that, too, since I could always use being in good with Nue."

[Hello Purvis]

> Wave a hand dismissively.
> "All hypotheticals. I don't actually hate her for that stuff. You just wanted an unbiased opinion, and I gave it to her. She probably should apologize to Nue, though. And my name better be dropped during that, too, since I could always use being in good with Nue."

>"I'll remind her about that," says Iku. "I've been meaning to try to lure her down into the Ancient City one of these days, since it's gotten easier to dodge around Parsee these days."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Don't blame you for that. Anyway, can we get back to the human village, so I can deal with that other thing?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Don't blame you for that. Anyway, can we get back to the human village, so I can deal with that other thing?"

>"Yes, let's be off," says Iku, as she takes to the air and starts northward. "Thank you again for taking the time to help us, though I realize I left you little choice in the matter."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Head north as well.
> "Well, hopefully Kasen isn't too mad."

[Hello Purvis]

> Head north as well.
> "Well, hopefully Kasen isn't too mad."

>You proceed northward.
>"I'll try to explain things if she is," says Iku.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Maybe you should join in with us in our search."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Maybe you should join in with us in our search."

>"I would, but I think Shuuei is going to need me. And I'm going to have to deal with Tenshi, as well."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Man, you two make shopping for me really hard, you know that?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Man, you two make shopping for me really hard, you know that?"

>"Hm?" says Iku, as the two of you float out of the forest, and past the wildly painted house.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "That's probably the only thing I immediately wanted, and I'm not getting it."

[Hello Purvis]

> "That's probably the only thing I immediately wanted, and I'm not getting it."

>"I'm sorry," she says, "But we have our responsibilities,and it is mine to watch after those two."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> What do we know of celestial society and/or how they fall in the grand scheme of the afterlife bureaucracy, outside of knowing that shinigami chase after them every so often?

[Hello Purvis]

> What do we know of celestial society and/or how they fall in the grand scheme of the afterlife bureaucracy, outside of knowing that shinigami chase after them every so often?

>You know that they are pretty close to enlightenment and are quite high up the chain of being.  You've not really spent any time around them, they don't tend to hang around Higan. It seems likely, due to their general nature, that they would seem pretty strange to common people and youkai in the sense of being almost suspiciously good and serene. As far as you know, it's almost uncommon for them to leave their realm, though it seems there are some exceptions to that.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Hmph. Next time you or your buddy needs an intervention, you might want to put up a disclaimer about what's actually being offered in return. So what can you do, then?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Hmph. Next time you or your buddy needs an intervention, you might want to put up a disclaimer about what's actually being offered in return. So what can you do, then?"

>"Well, I suppose I could offer what anyone could," she says. "I don't have much in the way of money. But if you like, I could probably arrange to get you some payment in kind, in the form of peaches or sake. If those aren't to your liking, I may be able to get some things that aren't comestibles, if you would like to ask. I don't think you'd have much interest in dance, but I would be happy to offer that to you as well. I suppose I may be able to offer a letter in your favor toward anyone I happen to know, should you need that. If you like, I suppose I could arrange for you to visit Bhava-Agra. I'm sure there are other things I could do, if you have anything else in mind. I suppose, if you really need an assistant, I could ask Shuuei to accompany you, but I am not sure if you'd like that."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> What is Bhava-Agra?