Nue Quest 7 - Serpent Isle: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> "Sure. I'll explain in a moment."
> Tuck the sword handle in the opposite armpit, pull out the spinet we just had, and hand it over.
> Reconnect the sword.
> "Basically, it's so you can get a second opinion on the oddity of these jewels."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Sure. I'll explain in a moment."
> Tuck the sword handle in the opposite armpit, pull out the spinet we just had, and hand it over.
> Reconnect the sword.
> "Basically, it's so you can get a second opinion on the oddity of these jewels."

>You juggle the Red Spinel over to the jeweler. He has a look at it while you speak with the knight. "Mmm, I see," he says. "Then I hope this shall be illuminating."
>"Hmm, there's another one of them in here, too," says the Jeweler.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Gem Inventory

[Hello Purvis]

> Gem Inventory

>Your gems include:
>Rose Quartz x2
>A common gem with a pinkish hue. Worth about 15-25☼.
>Black Pearl x2
>A rare and precious kind of pearl, easily worth 100-130☼.
>Red Spinel x2
>A lovely but low value gem that the uninitiated may mistake for a ruby. Worth 50-80☼.
>Green Glass Bead x15
>Cheaply made, but kind of pretty. Worth 1☼. at most, and you'd quickly expect a bulk discount.
>Brown Jasper
>An ornamental gem worth 30-40☼
>Aventurine
>A greenish stone that worth 20-25☼.
>Banded Agate
>A layered stone you would value at 7-11☼ 
>Carnelian
>A common brownish red decorative stone that you price at 7-11☼
>Freshwater Pearl
>A common, low value pearl worth 7-8☼

[Kilgamayan]

> "Figured. There's plenty more where that came from. Some glass beads as well. Hav you ever seen this sort of blemishing before?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Figured. There's plenty more where that came from. Some glass beads as well. Hav you ever seen this sort of blemishing before?"

>"Well, it's not anything special for a stone to have weird scratch marks in them," says the jeweler, as he turns the red spinel over in his hands. "But if you have a whole load with this kind of flaw in them, that'd be seelie work, probably."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Frown.
> "I see."
> Turn to Kay.
> "Well, what do you think?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Frown.
> "I see."
> Turn to Kay.
> "Well, what do you think?"

>"You'll forgive me for not being a jeweler," he says, "Because I am failing to see the significance of any of this."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "You remember what I told you earlier about how I got these particular jewels? These blemishes are a direct result of that."

[Hello Purvis]

> "You remember what I told you earlier about how I got these particular jewels? These blemishes are a direct result of that."

>"Is that the case?" he says. "Well, I suppose we'll pretend it's not unusual for someone of your stature to carry around such things..."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Sigh.
> "I have to admit, I didn't consider the implied alternate explanation."

[Hello Purvis]

> Sigh.
> "I have to admit, I didn't consider the implied alternate explanation."

>"You understand I am not an unsympathetic person, but..."
>He pauses for a moment, glancing at the jeweler, then back to you. "Perhaps it would be best if we finish our business here, first, before continuing?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "That would probably be for the best."
> Turn to the jeweler.
> "Thanks a lot for your help. It's always enjoyable to meet new comrades in this profession."

[Hello Purvis]

> "That would probably be for the best."
> Turn to the jeweler.
> "Thanks a lot for your help. It's always enjoyable to meet new comrades in this profession."

>"Quite an uncommon thing out this way," says the jeweler, as he slides your gems back to you. "Come back any time. You as well, Milord."
>"I'll consider it," says Sir Kay. "I suppose I do need to keep the Yuletide in mind."
>The jeweler smiles. "I shall keep my doors open at any hour for you, sir."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Do the Sword Handle Armpit Shuffle that we've been doing to take our jewels back and put then back in our purse.

[Hello Purvis]

> Do the Sword Handle Armpit Shuffle that we've been doing to take our jewels back and put then back in our purse.

>You reclaim your goods.
>"Shall we, then?" says Sir Kay.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> If the sword isn't reconnected, reconnect it.
> "Yes, let's."
> Turn toward the jeweler.
> "Have a pleasant day."

[Hello Purvis]

> If the sword isn't reconnected, reconnect it.
> "Yes, let's."
> Turn toward the jeweler.
> "Have a pleasant day."

>Sir Kay starts to walk out of the shop, while the Jeweler says, "May the sun shine on you always."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Give a short bow.
> "And you as well."
> Follow Kay out of the shop.

[Hello Purvis]

> Give a short bow.
> "And you as well."
> Follow Kay out of the shop.

>You follow Sir Kay out of the shop, and find him unhitching his horse from a metal bar on the outside of the shop.
>"Anything further to explain?" he says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "The only other thing I can think of would be finding a world map, in my land or yours, where we could identify both lands ar the same time. In absence of that..."
> Shrug.
> "In regards to this thing in my hands, the best I can tell you is that I only want to reforge it so I can use it to reverse the damage done to my land's economy. I'd have no interest in keeping it beyond that, and would even be glad to give it back to you so Sir Percival could shatter it again, if you wanted. But it sounds like you have a damn good reason to not want this thing ever repaired, and I have to admit I can't really definitively prove anything I've told you about me."

[Hello Purvis]

> "The only other thing I can think of would be finding a world map, in my land or yours, where we could identify both lands ar the same time. In absence of that..."
> Shrug.
> "In regards to this thing in my hands, the best I can tell you is that I only want to reforge it so I can use it to reverse the damage done to my land's economy. I'd have no interest in keeping it beyond that, and would even be glad to give it back to you so Sir Percival could shatter it again, if you wanted. But it sounds like you have a damn good reason to not want this thing ever repaired, and I have to admit I can't really definitively prove anything I've told you about me."

>"The furthest out our maps go are Carthage and Italia," says Sir Kay. "If neither of those sound familiar, there's no point in bothering. But, I suppose the heart of the matter is simple: why should I trust you to do something that, to the observer, looks suspiciously like raising the banner of the Bloody Prince against King Pendragon once again?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "If I can't validate what I've said about my and my lands, then I suppose the best I can do is ask if there really is anyone that would think such an action a good idea. Never mind people that may not like the current King, they'd need to be someone that legitimately thought what Edmund did was right."

[Hello Purvis]

> "If I can't validate what I've said about my and my lands, then I suppose the best I can do is ask if there really is anyone that would think such an action a good idea. Never mind people that may not like the current King, they'd need to be someone that legitimately thought what Edmund did was right."

>"Not as such," says Sir Kay. "Rather, it would serve as a potent symbol for anyone deciding to try and challenge Lord Pendragon, taking the weapon and claiming to be some lost heir. After that, they can wear or cast away Edmund's legacy as they please, they've managed to make some claim of legitimacy."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "That seems like a very harsh stigma that they'd have to live with for the remainder of their days, though. That everyone will know they needed to resort to this."

[Hello Purvis]

> "That seems like a very harsh stigma that they'd have to live with for the remainder of their days, though. That everyone will know they needed to resort to this."

>"It wouldn't matter if they won," says Sir Kay. "And if they lose, well, whatever scars from from their rise would still be there."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Frown.
> "Then I guess we're on our own in trying to fix the economic mess in our land."

[Hello Purvis]

> Frown.
> "Then I guess we're on our own in trying to fix the economic mess in our land."

>He raises an eyebrow. "Surprisingly reasonable of you."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "What am I gonna do here? I've seen my fair share of assholes rise to power in Asia and did whatever I could to remind them that they weren't actually better than everyone else like they liked to pretend they were. Those days are over, and I like what I have now. If someone came along and asked for help restoring a symbol of one of those jerks because they claimed they needed to save some land I'd never heard of, I'd be just as skeptical as you. Especially if they exhibited qualities similar to a race of creatures that were notorious for being obnoxious tricksters. It would take a lot to convince me they were telling the truth, just as it would for you."

[Hello Purvis]

> "What am I gonna do here? I've seen my fair share of assholes rise to power in Asia and did whatever I could to remind them that they weren't actually better than everyone else like they liked to pretend they were. Those days are over, and I like what I have now. If someone came along and asked for help restoring a symbol of one of those jerks because they claimed they needed to save some land I'd never heard of, I'd be just as skeptical as you. Especially if they exhibited qualities similar to a race of creatures that were notorious for being obnoxious tricksters. It would take a lot to convince me they were telling the truth, just as it would for you."

>He nods. "Perhaps you aren't a seelie, then."

>_