Nue Quest 9 - Ascension: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> "Anyway, hopefully we'll have the time to hit up the underground after we're done at the Temple, since you still haven't visited the tavern yet. Would be a shame if your decision was forced before you got a chance to see the house."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Anyway, hopefully we'll have the time to hit up the underground after we're done at the Temple, since you still haven't visited the tavern yet. Would be a shame if your decision was forced before you got a chance to see the house."

>Mamizou nods. "That should do."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Continue on to the human village.

[Hello Purvis]

> Continue on to the human village.

>You continue on toward the village.
>Approaching it from the air, you can see scattered activity on the streets; the occasional person walking toward some place or other, and a number of doorside conversations at various shops and  houses.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> That's a marked improvement over earlier!
> Land outside the village and proceed into the streets on foot.

[Hello Purvis]

> That's a marked improvement over earlier!
> Land outside the village and proceed into the streets on foot.

>It certainly is.
>Walking into town, you can kind of hear some of the conversations nearby. While you can't make out the words all that well, the tones are more than easy enough to pick up, relief and excitement. The tavern door is still open, and you can hear a few voices there.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Oh, right. Before we head to the Temple..."
> Head back into the tavern.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Oh, right. Before we head to the Temple..."
> Head back into the tavern.

>"Always one to barhop first, I see," says Mamizou.
>You head into the tavern. You immediately see that Tenshi has returned, as well as two of her other students. You also note Iku sitting at a corner booth, the person opposite of her is obscured by the booth itself. Several villagers are here, talking happily among themselves. Mokou is busy at the counter.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Walk over to Mokou with a grin. Try to sneak a peek at Iku's booth buddy on our way by.
> Once we get to the counter...
> "All this is a real pleasant sound, isn't it?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Walk over to Mokou with a grin. Try to sneak a peek at Iku's booth buddy on our way by.
> Once we get to the counter...
> "All this is a real pleasant sound, isn't it?"

>You make your way over to counter, and sneak a glance over toward Iku's companion. You don't get a perfect view of her, but you note a familiar oni mask over her face.
>"Yeah, there's something to say for it," says Mokou. "You want anything?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Have we ever dined here before?
> "Hmm. Not sure, actually."
> Turn to Mamizou.
> "What about you? You want something?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Have we ever dined here before?
> "Hmm. Not sure, actually."
> Turn to Mamizou.
> "What about you? You want something?"

>You have, from time to time.
>"I wouldn't want to slow us down," says Mamizou.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> What do we normally get?
> "Well, there's more to do in here than I anticipated, so you won't be wasting that much time, if any at all."

[Hello Purvis]

> What do we normally get?
> "Well, there's more to do in here than I anticipated, so you won't be wasting that much time, if any at all."

>You tend to get whatever's cheap, which is usually some rice and vegetables dish.
>"Mmm, if you're buying," says Mamizou.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Of course. But that doesn't tell me what you want."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Of course. But that doesn't tell me what you want."

>"Well, if they have some steamed eggplant, that would be lovely," Mamizou says. "It's been an age since I've had that."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Do they?
> If we don't know, ask Mokou.

[Hello Purvis]

> Do they?
> If we don't know, ask Mokou.

>You ask Mokou. "Yeah, we got a few laying around in back," she says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Great. And some rice with vegetables for me, then."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Great. And some rice with vegetables for me, then."

>"Sure, that'll be 11☼," says Mokou. "Go get comfy, and I'll bring them out when they're ready. Shouldn't be long."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Pull out 11☼ and place it on the counter.
> Are there any open booths near Iku or Tenshi?

[Hello Purvis]

> Pull out 11☼ and place it on the counter.
> Are there any open booths near Iku or Tenshi?

>You put the money on the counter, and Mokou lazily takes it in hand.
>The booth just behind Iku's booth is open. There is a table not too far from Tenshi, though it is a bit large for just the two of you.

>_

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>Let's go sit by Iku.

[Kilgamayan]

> Make our way over toward Iku's booth. Give either of the booth's occupants a wave if they look in our direction.

We'll sit by them once our food is ready, but it's easier to talk to them while standing beside them.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

That's what I was thinking, yeah.

[Hello Purvis]

>Let's go sit by Iku.

> Make our way over toward Iku's booth. Give either of the booth's occupants a wave if they look in our direction.

>You make your way toward that corner booth. Waving toward Iku, the other occupant having positioned herself to be difficult to see, she glances over and returns the gesture.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Hey there, long time no see. You holding up okay these days?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Hey there, long time no see. You holding up okay these days?"

>She smiles, and gives a deep nod.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Oh, right."
> Look over a Mamizou while casually gesturing at Iku.
> "This is Iku. She's one of the important figures in Bhava-Agra, way up in the sky, and is one hell of a dancer. Put on a show for my place last fall. She's also currently refusing to speak, in repentance for sins, I think."
> Look back at Iku with a slight frown.
> "Which I'm pretty sure I'm at least partially responsible for, given some mini-adventures the two of us had with some tengu around the same time."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Oh, right."
> Look over a Mamizou while casually gesturing at Iku.
> "This is Iku. She's one of the important figures in Bhava-Agra, way up in the sky, and is one hell of a dancer. Put on a show for my place last fall. She's also currently refusing to speak, in repentance for sins, I think."
> Look back at Iku with a slight frown.
> "Which I'm pretty sure I'm at least partially responsible for, given some mini-adventures the two of us had with some tengu around the same time."

>"I see," says Mamizou. She then curtsies toward Iku. Iku bows as well as she can while sitting down.
>Iku then looks at you, shakes head head, and makes a dismissive wave with her hand.

>_