Nue Quest Alter Code 6: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> "What about a floor?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "What about a floor?"

>"That would be a lot more difficult to get through," says Byakuren. "It's possible he may have overlooked it."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> The floor of the basement was dirt, wasn't it?
> Do we know any good diggers?
> "Do you know any good diggers?"

[Hello Purvis]

> The floor of the basement was dirt, wasn't it?
> Do we know any good diggers?
> "Do you know any good diggers?"

>It was a dirt floor.
>You know some oni who do some landscaping, but chances are they're going to be indisposed given circumstances.
>"Well, there are some farmers," says Byakuren. "But, I imagine that dirt would be as hard to get through now as it would be in winter; I don't know if they would be of much help."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Frown.
> "So we can't get through from above, and we can't get through from below. That doesn't leave very many options."

[Hello Purvis]

> Frown.
> "So we can't get through from above, and we can't get through from below. That doesn't leave very many options."

>"Well, I'm sure there's ways to deal with frozen dirt without endangering the the previous plan, should it come to that," says Byakuren.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I don't know too many things you can do with dirt other than dig it or build with it."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I don't know too many things you can do with dirt other than dig it or build with it."

>"Well, it's the frozen part that is the problem," says Byakuren. "I don't personally know any excavation-related magic, unfortunately. I suppose it might be possible for someone strong enough to blast through without heating up the room too much, but I suppose we would also need supports to keep any kind of tunnel intact. That wouldn't be difficult with some materials, I suppose."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Do you think we have the time? Neither you nor Patchouli seemed to think we had the time to drum up a full curse removal."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Do you think we have the time? Neither you nor Patchouli seemed to think we had the time to drum up a full curse removal."

>"Well, removing an unknown curse is not a simple thing," says Byakuren. "But to be honest, I cannot guess how much time he's going to need."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Well...what if we started excavating a tunnel, and then heated the basement to melt the ice once we were ready to excavate upward?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well...what if we started excavating a tunnel, and then heated the basement to melt the ice once we were ready to excavate upward?"

>"We'd still have to get downward to start with, wouldn't we?" says Byakuren. "I imagine if it's as cold as it seems down there, the dirt is probably rather solid for some distance."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Oh. I was thinking of starting the digging outside."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Oh. I was thinking of starting the digging outside."

>"That would probably take an awful long time if we're going to do it by hand," says Byakuren.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "So either we try to freeze him out, or we try to dig him out."

[Hello Purvis]

> "So either we try to freeze him out, or we try to dig him out."

>Byakuren nods. "Doing both at once would be difficult."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Mmm. The major thing I don't like about digging in front of him is that he'd know it was coming. He might not be able to control the temperature, but he might be able to shift his screens."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Mmm. The major thing I don't like about digging in front of him is that he'd know it was coming. He might not be able to control the temperature, but he might be able to shift his screens."

>Byakuren nods. "That is a point. But, I imagine it would be the same in either case. I doubt he would ignore the sounds of tunneling right under him."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Frown.
> "I suppose that's also true. This is making freezing him sound like the more desirable option."

[Hello Purvis]

> Frown.
> "I suppose that's also true. This is making freezing him sound like the more desirable option."

>"I suspect we are going to want to do both things," says Byakuren. "Or at least find something to break the barrier, if the cold stops him."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Ah, okay, yeah. That would be good. I was thinking digging instead of freezing for some reason."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Ah, okay, yeah. That would be good. I was thinking digging instead of freezing for some reason."

>"To be honest," she says, "I wish I could think of a faster way to get to him; I would prefer not to leave him exposed longer than needs be."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Nor would I. But with no real information on what exactly we're working against, we're kinda stuck."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Nor would I. But with no real information on what exactly we're working against, we're kinda stuck."

>"Well, experimentation seems to have worked appreciably, even with the limited information we have," says Byakuren. "But it is rather difficult to come up with things to try."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

>"You think we should just wait it out, then?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"You think we should just wait it out, then?"

>"I couldn't ask you to sacrifice anything as he seems to desire," says Byakuren. "And, I've drawn a perfect blank on how to get around it otherwise. I suppose someone like Marisa or the Hell Raven could blast through the soil, but that may also be dangerous..."

[Shadoweh]

> "Do any of the magicians know any earth moving spells? If they could just turn the dirt to mud or something it would make tunneling easier."
> Do we have any large burrowing forms? How quickly would be we able to dig?

[Hello Purvis]

> "Do any of the magicians know any earth moving spells? If they could just turn the dirt to mud or something it would make tunneling easier."
> Do we have any large burrowing forms? How quickly would be we able to dig?

>"Patchouli might be able to," says Byakuren, "But that is an issue in and of itself."
>You don't have any prepared, but you probably could alter your monstrous Nue shape a bit to suffice. But it would be more efficient to take the shape of a proper burrowing animal.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Have we ever been a mole?

[Hello Purvis]

> Have we ever been a mole?

>You tried it, quite some centuries ago when you were still learning to properly use your abilities. You were not able to get nearly as small as a mole is, and have forgotten the specifics of it. You're reasonably sure you could make yourself into something vaguely mole-like with a bit of time.

>_