Kisume Quest II - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> Set down our glass and/or skewer, assuming we were still holding onto either of them.
> "All right, I'm gonna head out, see if I can't find this stream or this Kourindou."

>"Alright, have a good trip!" says Tokiko.
>"Kourindou's easy," says Wriggle. "Go to the road, head south, and you're jacked in."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod.
> "Thanks."
> Head back out to the main road, then head south along it.

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "Thanks."
> Head back out to the main road, then head south along it.

>You depart and return to the road, heading southward, you see a lone house off to the side of the road. Drawing closer, you can see that its walls could do with a fresh coat of paint, and one or two of the boards making up the walls are on the edge of needing replacement. The roof is made of clay tiles, colored blue, and several of them are missing. The lawn around it is barren and patchy, the numerous holes in the grass suggest there were a lot of large objects sitting there at one point. You notice a purple-haired fairy in a poofy gown sitting on the peak of the roof, not paying any attention to you. A little sign in the window reads: "Open" Obvious exits are North, South 1 and South 2

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Enter the building. Let's hope that fairy continues to ignore us.

[Hello Purvis]

> Enter the building. Let's hope that fairy continues to ignore us.

>You walk inside. Inside, you can see a number of shelves on the walls, filled with various items and objects, as well as a few stands in the middle of the floor with more stuff. Light streams in through the windows, save for one near the back that seems to have a metal box stuck in it. Near the back is a counter, with a larger barrel filled with paper that reads, "Free Paper: take as much as you want." A familiar-ish youkai sits at the counter, a small gray-haired woman with large gray mouse ears and a matching capelet. You've seen her going to and from the Ancient City in the past, and she's always been too wary for you to have a chance of robbing her. There is a lone door behind her. Obvious exits are: North, South
>The Store contains:
>Iron Key
>Empty Bag
>Black-Feathered Arrow
>Golden Rod
>Black Box
>Clay Jar
>Faerie Doll
>Armored Helmet
>Potted Rose
>Red Stone Sculpture of a Pig
>Katana Sheath
>Bundle of Incense
>Bag of Yellow Leaves
>Glass Shield
>Bead Necklace
>Bottle of Red Sauce
>Tiny Pillow
>Set of 3 Stuffed Mice
>"C'mon in," says the mouse youkai. "Have a look around, and tell me if you need anything. Grab some paper if you want."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod.
> "Okay."
> Do we have any writing utensils?
> How are with origami?
> Is this mouse woman with the Buddhists?
> Inspect Golden Rod, Katana Sheath, Bottle of Red Sauce, Tiny Pillow, and Stuffed Mice.

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "Okay."
> Do we have any writing utensils?
> How are with origami?
> Is this mouse woman with the Buddhists?
> Inspect Golden Rod, Katana Sheath, Bottle of Red Sauce, Tiny Pillow, and Stuffed Mice.

>You nod and look around.
>You do not have any writing utensils.
>You have some decent skill with origami; you had to do something with all that paperwork back when you were a kid; but you're out of practice.
>You don't know for sure who the mouse is aligned with, but you think maybe she is.
>Golden Rod
>This is a length of golden metal, about a foot long and a quarter of an inch thick.
>Katana Sheath
>A sheath for a katana that has been lacquered black. It seems rather sturdy.
>Bottle of Red Sauce
>This clear bottle holds a mysterious red sauce, you can see bits of spice suspended in it, and it seems to be a bit runny.
>Tiny Pillow
>White and about the size of your palm, it seems like it would fit a dollhouse.
>Set of 3 Stuffed Mice
>Three adorable stuffed mice, stacked in a little pyramid. They have little whiskers and black glass eyes.
>As you look at the wares, you note a mouse scurry across one the top of one of the shelves.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Would the Katana Sheath work as a kitchen knife holder?
> "What's the Golden Rod do?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Would the Katana Sheath work as a kitchen knife holder?
> "What's the Golden Rod do?"

>The sheath is much too long and a little too narrow to fit the kitchen knife.
>"Your guess is as good as mine," says the Mouse Youkai. "I got it off Sakuya in exchange for a large bag of rice flour a week ago."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "What about the Black Box?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "What about the Black Box?"

>"That's been there awhile," says the youkai. "Alice brought it and said some faerie found it, I gave her a bolt of silk for it. Maribel says it's some outside junk, but doesn't have a clue what it's for. There's all kinds of weird metal stuff inside."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "What's with the paper giveaway? Has this place always done that? I remember Yamame mentioning something about a grand re-opening."

[Hello Purvis]

> "What's with the paper giveaway? Has this place always done that? I remember Yamame mentioning something about a grand re-opening."

>"The basement's just flooded with the stuff," says the mouse youkai, "and I wanna get rid of it before it all molds up, so I've been giving it away for free. People have been using it as kindling and for wrapping and cushioning things and stuff. I might even open it up to the faeries soon, if it gets too damp."

>_

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>Let's take some and wrap the knife in it. That'll do nicely until we can find a proper sheath.
>"How'd you get so much paper, anyways?"

[Hello Purvis]

>Let's take some and wrap the knife in it. That'll do nicely until we can find a proper sheath.
>"How'd you get so much paper, anyways?"

>You do not have the Dull Kitchen Knife at the moment.
>"About a million books exploded down there," says the mouse youkai. "Nearly drowned a couple people, if you can believe it."

>_

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"Ah."
>...
>"Wait, what?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Ah."
>...
>"Wait, what?"

>"Yeah, that's how most people take it," she says, as she leans back in her chair kicks her feet up on a nearby cabinet.  "But in short, a whole load of books exploded down there; spell gone wrong.  Two people where there and almost drowned in the pages when it happened, we had to dig them out. It's a huge mess, and I've been trying to get rid of it all before it turns into a huge mold factory and it gets too poisonous for anyone to go down there. I figure, though, if it comes down to it the faeries will probably take every last scrap and do who knows what with them. But I'd rather see them get used for something intelligent."

>_

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"...What kind of spell makes a bunch of exploding books?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"...What kind of spell makes a bunch of exploding books?"

>"The kind that go wrong," says the mouse youkai. She shrugs. "Don't ask me, I'm no wizard."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Where is the Dull Kitchen Knife?

[Hello Purvis]

> Where is the Dull Kitchen Knife?

>You left it with that one youkai at the temple; the hooded one who hangs around with Unzan, and got Kyouko off your back.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Oh, right.
> How long would a fire last that was based on just paper?

[Hello Purvis]

> Oh, right.
> How long would a fire last that was based on just paper?

>Not very long. paper tends to burn quickly.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> How suitable is the paper for origami?

[Hello Purvis]

> How suitable is the paper for origami?

>Taking a glance into the barrel, most of it seems to be in pretty good condition, save for being written on. You could fold it easily, you think.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Huh. All right, then. I could stand to get back into practice with my origami."
> Grab ten sheets of paper and stow them away.
> Inventory

[Hello Purvis]

> "Huh. All right, then. I could stand to get back into practice with my origami."
> Grab ten sheets of paper and stow them away.
> Inventory

>You obtain Sheet of Used Paper x10
>You inventory contains:
>Dirty White Robe
>Your garment of choice
>Spare Dirty White Robe
>In case the other one gets intolerably dirty
>Wooden Bucket
>Your home, your bed, your life. You keep all of your stuff there!
>Length of Rusty Rebar
>When danmaku isn't enough...
>Empty Sack
>It used to hold some rice, but you've eaten it all. Currently holding Whitecap Mushroom x15
>Wooden Chopsticks (used)
>You should wash these off
>Dirty Tattered Blanket
>A way to keep warm, a way to dry off, and a cushion! What more could you ask for?
>Small Iron Pot
>You cooking companion, when you actually have something to cook.
>Dirty Iron Knife
>Made with real metal!
>Horror "Well-bucket-dropping Monster" (Half expended)
>Your spellcard, it rains death from above! You've...not had a lot of luck with it.
>Whitecap Mushroom x15
>These can be eaten!
>Small Piece of Granite
>An oblong, inch-long piece of sparkly granite.
>Apple Gourd x2
>A gourd with delicious paste inside.
>Stalk of Cave Wheat
>A stem with edible seed pods that can be made into flour
>Kasha Paw Leaves x5
>Leaves with rounded edges that can be used for spice.
>Broad Leaf x2
>Tough until boiled; perfect for soups and stews of all kinds.
>Salt Crystal x2
>Fist-sized natural formations of salt.
>Old Wok
>A cooking pot shaped like a flat cone.
>Empty Glass Bottle
>It has a cork.
>Sword Hilt
>Shaped like a metallic disk with a hole in it.
>Yellow Scarf
>A long, silken scarf. It is in fairly good condition for living on a cave floor for who knows how long.
>Blank Spellcard
>Just ready to be inscribed with all sorts of chaos.
>Book: ?6?
>A novel about an oni and her human captive.
>Bottle of Shouchu
>It is 43 years old!
>Music Sign: Year's End Procession
>A spellcard you have captured, featuring a danmaku attack well beyond your abilities.
>Letter to Eientei
>It?s addressed to Yagokoro, you?ve not read it yet.
>Bunch of Grapes
>Surprisingly ripe and fresh! You?ve eaten one of them.
>Sheet of Used Paper x10
>They are covered with foreign or uninteresting words.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Oh yeah, the Chopsticks...
> How close was that river again?

[Hello Purvis]

> Oh yeah, the Chopsticks...
> How close was that river again?

>The River you typically use is some distance away now, being underground and all. The only other river you know about is the Sanzu River, which you most certainly aren't going to just to do some washing.  Though thinking on it, you think you saw a waterfall on Youkai Mountain...

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> What about that nearby stream Wriggle mentioned? Have we seen it yet?