Nue Quest 8 - Pagan: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> Frown.
> "How unfortunate. I guess I could pay the woodworker Kay mentioned a visit anyway."

[Hello Purvis]

> Frown.
> "How unfortunate. I guess I could pay the woodworker Kay mentioned a visit anyway."

>"Ah, I know the person you're talking about," she says, "We are not very far from there. Just keep pace with me."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "You got it."
> Follow along!

[Hello Purvis]

> "You got it."
> Follow along!

>Mamizou leads you between two buildings.
>"One hopes, aside from Sir Kay, the locals did not give you too much trouble."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Nothing worse than staring so far, and that doesn't bother me at all. If they've talked about me I haven't understood it. The jeweler was a good chap, too, though that's to be expected."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Nothing worse than staring so far, and that doesn't bother me at all. If they've talked about me I haven't understood it. The jeweler was a good chap, too, though that's to be expected."

>"Ah, then you have yet to meet the Seelie?" says Mamizou. "Well, I suppose that is not surprising, they do tend toward shyness."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I've been thought to be one, but other than that, no. Sir Kay's description of them made them sound like this place's youkai equivalent."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I've been thought to be one, but other than that, no. Sir Kay's description of them made them sound like this place's youkai equivalent."

>"That is the best way to see it," says Mamizou. "It's rather like the difference between someone born in Honshu and someone born in Shikoku, as I have seen it. Though, I have found some things are different. I've yet to see or hear of a single tsukumogami, which strikes me as unusual..."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Mental check on 'tsukumogami' for those players not perfect in their memory of the Japanese bestiary.

[Hello Purvis]

> Mental check on 'tsukumogami' for those players not perfect in their memory of the Japanese bestiary.

>Those would be youkai that come from abandoned objects. Kogasa would be an example of such.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Maybe people here really like their stuff."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Maybe people here really like their stuff."

>"That may be," says Mamizou. "Certainly, they don't seem to see their antiques in the same light as the people back home did."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Or it may just be that different rules apply here. Kay had that 'gentleman's art' to swordfighting. I'd never seen something get sliced and not start bleeding profusely, but it happened to me twice."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Or it may just be that different rules apply here. Kay had that 'gentleman's art' to swordfighting. I'd never seen something get sliced and not start bleeding profusely, but it happened to me twice."

>"Ah yes, the art has been spreading quite a lot these days," says Mamizou. "It's become quite popular among the aristocracy of late."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Sounds a bit like the recent spellcard duel regulations. Neat aggressive way to work out your issues without causing long-term damage."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Sounds a bit like the recent spellcard duel regulations. Neat aggressive way to work out your issues without causing long-term damage."

>"I'll take your word for that," says Mamizou. "And that would be the carver."
>She gestures ahead, toward a wooden building with a number of logs piled up beside it. The grass around it is dotted with sawdust, and you can see heavy stones where you assume that logs are set to be cut. The house itself has a front porch with some elaborately carved wooden supports, and a roof of wooden shingles. The air has a distinct sawdust odor, while the front door hangles open.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "This should be fun. I've never tried to purchase wood I knew nothing about from someone that didn't speak my language with no money on hand. I wonder if they'd take jewels."

[Hello Purvis]

> "This should be fun. I've never tried to purchase wood I knew nothing about from someone that didn't speak my language with no money on hand. I wonder if they'd take jewels."

>"I could make you a loan," says Mamizou. "And, I suppose it would not hurt to act as a translator, just this once."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "How would a loan work? I imagine neither of our respective currencies are any good in the other's home, I'll need to leave not long after that sword is done, and I don't know how often or for how much time I'd be able to get back here, or if I'm even able to get back here at all."

[Hello Purvis]

> "How would a loan work? I imagine neither of our respective currencies are any good in the other's home, I'll need to leave not long after that sword is done, and I don't know how often or for how much time I'd be able to get back here, or if I'm even able to get back here at all."

>"Oh, what became if you're insistence I follow you back?" says Mamizou.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "If you plan on sticking around Gensokyo for a bit, that's another matter entirely, and it shouldn't be at all hard to repay."
> Give a small grin.
> "Unless you're just going to ask me to carry you to the gate."

[Hello Purvis]

> "If you plan on sticking around Gensokyo for a bit, that's another matter entirely, and it shouldn't be at all hard to repay."
> Give a small grin.
> "Unless you're just going to ask me to carry you to the gate."

>"Hm. I might have to consider that," says Mamizou,pursing her lips thoughtfully. "It has been quite some time since I've have a ride in a sedan chair... But quell your worries. We'll think of something, I'm certain."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Mamizou's tail is not currently visible, correct?
> Is/was Mamizou at all sensitive about verbal jabs at her tail?

[Hello Purvis]

> Mamizou's tail is not currently visible, correct?
> Is/was Mamizou at all sensitive about verbal jabs at her tail?

>It is presently not visible. You're certain it's why she is wearing a flared out skirt.
>She's about as sensitive about it as most people are about their appearance.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I'm sure we can think of something. Shall we go in?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "I'm sure we can think of something. Shall we go in?"

>Mamizou nods, and heads for the door.
>Inside, the smell of saw dust and wood stains hang heavily in the air. The room is squarish, and the walls lined with shelves. Wooden statues of various things stand beside simpler tools, some that you can recognize and some that you don't. There are bowls here, blocks there, a couple of flutes over there.  Some boxes with little clasps catch your eye, as do a couple of wooden dolls with carved smiling faces.  In the middle of the room is a large bench and a thick table, and a smallish woman whose blonde hair is streaked with gray and her face bearing heavy lines of age. She looks up at you, and says something in a thin voice.
>Mamizou answers her, and there it a quick exchange between them. You catch a few words, but nothing particularly meaningful. The woman gives you a curious look at one point. After a minute, Mamizou says, "I have some good news. It seems she does have some. But she wants to know what you're going to offer for it, and she seems to expect you to pay dearly for it."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Jewelry inventory

[Hello Purvis]

> Jewelry inventory

>You do not have any jewelry.
>You jewels are:
>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]

> Put on a thinking face while pulling out a red spinel.
> "Boy, Alice better reimburse me good for this."

[Hello Purvis]

> Put on a thinking face while pulling out a red spinel.
> "Boy, Alice better reimburse me good for this."

>You put on your thinking face, then produce a red spinel.
>"Mmm," says Mamizou, while the old woman gives the gem a look. Then she begins to talk in Brythonic again. The exchange is fairly cordial, you don't understand what she is saying, but the old lady does not seem to be upset.  You do think you catch an exchange between them that sounds like, "Are you sure?", but that may just be your imagination.
>"She'll take it," says Mamizou. "Though she's not quite pleased about it. I think she intends to convince someone it is a ruby."

>_