Nue Quest 8 - Pagan: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> Make our way to where we last remember Byakuren being.

>You make your way upstairs, your footsteps feeling just a little too loud against the wooden stairs, and seek out the sitting room where you remember that Byakuren was entertaining Mystia before. Walking into it, you see her resting her head and upper body on the main table, cradled in folded arms. Her eyes are closed, and her breathing is slow enough to suggest that she is not awake at the moment. An empty teacup rests near her left elbow, close to a plate with some crumbs on it. The room is otherwise empty, and seems about the same as the last time you had been here.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Where was Rinnosuke relative to this room?
> Are there any blankets nearby?
> If not, do we know where linens would be kept?

[Hello Purvis]

> Where was Rinnosuke relative to this room?
> Are there any blankets nearby?
> If not, do we know where linens would be kept?

>The room he was in, as you recall, is down the hall and around the corner.
>There are no blankets here, but there is a linen closet up the hall.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Let's start moving around by floating around.
> Float on over to the room Rinnosuke was in.
> If there are no abnormalities, float on over to the linen closet and take a look inside for a blanket or something else that would cover Byakuren as a blankety thing.

[Hello Purvis]

> Let's start moving around by floating around.
> Float on over to the room Rinnosuke was in.
> If there are no abnormalities, float on over to the linen closet and take a look inside for a blanket or something else that would cover Byakuren as a blankety thing.

>You start to hover, and make your way toward the room where Rinnosuke was being kept. 
>Inside the storeroom, you can still see the merchant laying on the futon, apparently still asleep. Mr Kirisame sits on the floor near him, looking at the merchant  A small charcoal brazier casts a soft glow over the various furniture and seasonal decorations kept in the room, while rain patters against the roof and against a small window that looks out to the north. The old magician doesn't seem to have noticed you near the door yet.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Best leave them be for the time being.
> Float on over to the linen closet and take a look inside for a blanket or something else that would cover Byakuren as a blankety thing.

[Hello Purvis]

> Best leave them be for the time being.
> Float on over to the linen closet and take a look inside for a blanket or something else that would cover Byakuren as a blankety thing.

>You leave them be for the time being, and go to the linen closet, It doesn't take long to find a blanket that should cover Byakuren, there are several inside made for her futon.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Grab one such blanket.
> Float our way back over to Byakuren and gently cover her with the blanket.

[Hello Purvis]

> Grab one such blanket.
> Float our way back over to Byakuren and gently cover her with the blanket.

>You grab a blanket and drape it over Byakuren's shoulders. She does not stir during this.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Head back to the room with Mr. Kirisame and Rinnosuke in it. Once we get a few feet from the doorway, land and lightly walk the rest of the way into the room.

[Hello Purvis]

> Head back to the room with Mr. Kirisame and Rinnosuke in it. Once we get a few feet from the doorway, land and lightly walk the rest of the way into the room.

>You return to the storage room and land. Mr Kirisame looks toward you, grim-faced as always, and gives a nod. "He's not stirred a bit," he says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod in return.
> "That's some impressive stuff she gave him. It makes me unsure what to do from here, though, given myy theoretical solution seems like it needs him awake...hmm. Do you know of a place called Avalon?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod in return.
> "That's some impressive stuff she gave him. It makes me unsure what to do from here, though, given myy theoretical solution seems like it needs him awake...hmm. Do you know of a place called Avalon?"

>"Aye, she's done a proper job," says Mr Kirisame. "And if you need him to be awake, this will do."
>He reaches into a pocket of his robe, and produces a small green bottle with whitish substance inside it. "Spirit of Hartshorn," he says. "Just take off the cork and wave it under his nose a bit, and he'll wake up. It'll be a sudden waking, mind you, but he'll be awake. Put the cork back on tightly when you're done, and don't smell any of it yourself."
>He offers you the bottle while you ask about Avalon. "Heard the name," he says, "From some old book, I'd wager. Don't know anything about it."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Thanks."
> Take the bottle.
> Do we have any means of temporarily covering our nose and mouth on us? If not, were there any face clothes or handkerchiels or whatever in the linen closet?
> "Shame about Avalon, but I suppose it can wait until later. All right. I have no idea how the details of this solution of mine will play out, but reliable sources have told me I am not going to be the most pleasant person to be around through the process. I can't promise much of anything once this starts. I recommend you watch from the hallway, if not join Byakuren in the other room. That might be safest for you. And before you ask, no, my goal is not to kill him, and I'll be actively trying to avoid that result."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Thanks."
> Take the bottle.
> Do we have any means of temporarily covering our nose and mouth on us? If not, were there any face clothes or handkerchiels or whatever in the linen closet?
> "Shame about Avalon, but I suppose it can wait until later. All right. I have no idea how the details of this solution of mine will play out, but reliable sources have told me I am not going to be the most pleasant person to be around through the process. I can't promise much of anything once this starts. I recommend you watch from the hallway, if not join Byakuren in the other room. That might be safest for you."

>You obtain: Spirits of Hartshorn.
>You could use your hand, or possibly your skirt, to cover your face and mouth.
>He nods, and stands up. "Don't have much right to be here if I couldn't chase these notions out of his head when was my apprentice proper." With that, he walks out of the room.

>_

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> All right, here we go.
> Lift the collar of our dress over our nose, then get up close to Rinnosuke.
> Take a deep breath, hold it, and uncork the bottle.
> Wave the open bottle near his nose for a couple of seconds, then pull it back, recork it, and exhale. If Rinnosuke stirs, put the bottle in our purse after recorcking it.

[Hello Purvis]

> All right, here we go.
> Lift the collar of our dress over our nose, then get up close to Rinnosuke.
> Take a deep breath, hold it, and uncork the bottle.
> Wave the open bottle near his nose for a couple of seconds, then pull it back, recork it, and exhale. If Rinnosuke stirs, put the bottle in our purse after recorcking it.

>You take some precautions, then uncork the bottle of spirits and wave them under Rinnosuke's nose. He practically convulses in response, his eyes snapping open and his body jumping so fiercely that it nearly knocks the bottle from your hands.  You draw it back and replace the cork, while Rinnosuke breathes heavily, sitting up and staring at the wall with his eyes unfocused.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Put the bottle in our purse.
> "Wow. Kirisame is really good."
> Put a hand on the hilt of the sword like we were ready to draw it, but don't draw it yet.

[Hello Purvis]

> Put the bottle in our purse.
> "Wow. Kirisame is really good."
> Put a hand on the hilt of the sword like we were ready to draw it, but don't draw it yet.

>You put the bottle away, as Rinnosuke has a coughing fit, and place your hands on the hilt of the sword. As you do, you can feel a sensation of something greater. It feels as though this something is all around you, aware of you. You cannot discern its true nature nor is there any real physical sensation, just a kind of heavy feeling that you are not alone. But you can feel that it is watching Rinnosuke, and it is displeased.
>"...Where is this?" says the merchant, between soft gasps as his coughing eases up.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> How do we ourselves feel? Any personal abnormalities? Still friends with the Buddhists?
> Is this presence specifically displeased with Rinnosuke or just generically displeased?
> "The human village. I hear it's a bit of a homecoming for you."

[Hello Purvis]

> How do we ourselves feel? Any personal abnormalities? Still friends with the Buddhists?
> Is this presence specifically displeased with Rinnosuke or just generically displeased?
> "The human village. I hear it's a bit of a homecoming for you."

>You still feel like yourself, as near as you can tell. You don't think your regard for the people here has diminished.
>You think it is former.
>"I see," he says, as his breathing slows back to a normal pace.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Yo, Mr. Mysterious Presence Guy Thing, if you're listening to my thoughts, what I'm about to say is sarcastic.
> "Hope that's not too much of a problem. I hear you don't have the brightest of histories here."

[Hello Purvis]

> Yo, Mr. Mysterious Presence Guy Thing, if you're listening to my thoughts, what I'm about to say is sarcastic.
> "Hope that's not too much of a problem. I hear you don't have the brightest of histories here."

>You get a feeling that the presence has turned its attention toward you for a moment, but there doesn't seem to be any effort to respond.
>"Is that what you've heard?" he says, after taking a deep, steadying breath. Then he begins to stand. "I didn't think anyone to care to gossip about me."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

 > "Nah, not gossip so much. Had a bit of a chat with the guy that made the stuff that juat woke you up, that's all."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Nah, not gossip so much. Had a bit of a chat with the guy that made the stuff that juat woke you up, that's all."

>"And this is not gossip?" he says, as he stands up, placing a hand on the wall for support, almost but not quite suppressing a groan.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I guess our definitions differ. It's not exactly running rampant, and the guy is in better position than most in this village when it comes to talking about you. But I do understand he may not be 100% impartial on the subject."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I guess our definitions differ. It's not exactly running rampant, and the guy is in better position than most in this village when it comes to talking about you. But I do understand he may not be 100% impartial on the subject."

>"I presume you have a reason for being vague?" says Rinnosuke as he takes a moment to massage the side of his face.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "None that I can think of. I already told you who it was, though you might've been coughing too hard to hear. Mr. Kirisame made that stuff that knocked you back into reality."

[Hello Purvis]

> "None that I can think of. I already told you who it was, though you might've been coughing too hard to hear. Mr. Kirisame made that stuff that knocked you back into reality."

>"Ah," he says, taking a moment to stretch. "Well, I suppose he has his views, but I would like to think I left his care rather amicably, myself."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "He may think so as well. It certainly doesn't sound like you were driven out."