Yukari Quest II - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Yaersulf]

>Within the sphere.

(I assume)

[Hello Purvis]

>Within the sphere.

>You gently nudge aside the edges of the border with a few well-placed gaps and proceed into it. As you pass through, you suddenly hear a gentle tune fill the air, played from the strings of a shamisen by the sound of it. It is a simple song, you imagine that any travelling musician could play it. The tune is slow-paced and pleasant, though not especially exciting or catchy. It does not sound like any song you know, and you feel like it is something that has been improvised. If you had an instrument, you could replicate it, though it has been some centuries since you bothered with music.  Looking around, you can't see any source of the song. Otherwise, things seem to be identical to how they were outside.

>_

[Yaersulf]

>Can we see everything inside the sphere from where we are standing?

[Hello Purvis]

>Can we see everything inside the sphere from where we are standing?

>The ground foliage does block some places, but not comprehensively enough to obscure anything smaller than a coin. The trees are not thick enough to hide much, either.

>_

[Yaersulf]

>Use our ears and walk around to triangulate the position that the sound is originating from.

[Hello Purvis]

>Use our ears and walk around to triangulate the position that the sound is originating from.

>You walk around, trying to get an idea where the sound is originating from. After making a circuit around the small area, you cannot find a source, or any place where it grows weaker. Rather, it seems to be emanating from air itself. As well, you don't notice anything interesting among the undergrowth, either.

>_

[Yaersulf]

>Damnable acoustics!
>See if there is a border or somesuch linking the sound of some other place to this bubble.

[Hello Purvis]

>Damnable acoustics!
>See if there is a border or somesuch linking the sound of some other place to this bubble.

>It's that damn haunted whispering chamber all over again!
>You check the border a bit more closely, trying to discern if the sound is coming from elsewhere. From what you can gather, the border doesn't seem to link anywhere else, it seems to exist purely as a border between inside and outside, and seems to be purposed to contain sound.

>_

[Yaersulf]

>The border isn't creating the sound either?

[Hello Purvis]

>The border isn't creating the sound either?

>You don't think so. It is possible and you have seen the like before, but you don't think it is having that kind of effect. If it were, it would be too subtle to see without your magnifying glass.

>_

[Yaersulf]

>"Is anyone there?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Is anyone there?"

>You call out, and get no response.

>_

[Mr. Sacchi]

Something tells me we won't be getting much out of this border.

Though if you have a plan feel free to continue.

[Yaersulf]

It's suspicious, there's probably something here but I don't know what.

[Yaersulf]

>Well then, for now exit through the other side of the sphere.
>Before we close the gap we use to exit, can we hear the sound through it?

[Hello Purvis]

>Well then, for now exit through the other side of the sphere.
>Before we close the gap we use to exit, can we hear the sound through it?

>You leave the sphere, then linger to see if you can hear the music through the gap. It takes a moment, then it comes through faintly. As it does, you notice that the borders near the gap become slightly less hectic and sandstorm-like.

>_

[Yaersulf]

>Oh, oh my, that makes this quite the find!
>Put some effort into memorising the position of this sphere so that we can make gaps into it later.

[Hello Purvis]

>Oh, oh my, that makes this quite the find!
>Put some effort into memorising the position of this sphere so that we can make gaps into it later.

>This is interesting, indeed.
>You do your best to memorize the sphere's location.

>_

[Yaersulf]

>We haven't been able to open gaps between these strange "worlds" other than the ones we've found have we?
>Try to open a gap to the place with the fronds.

[Hello Purvis]

>We haven't been able to open gaps between these strange "worlds" other than the ones we've found have we?
>Try to open a gap to the place with the fronds.

>You have not.
>You try to open a gap to the field of fronds, and have no luck at all. It is simply too far removed. You will need your astrolabe to do this.

>_

[Yaersulf]

>Can we sense anything that feels like one of our tools in this strange forest?

[Hello Purvis]

>Can we sense anything that feels like one of our tools in this strange forest?

>You haven't yet, but given that you were literally on top of one in the caverns and didn't sense it, this might not mean anything.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> What have we got going for object-holding capabilities?
> What gaps are we aware of that will take us back to the caverns, other than the mega-unstable one?
> For all the different trees we've seen so far, have we spotted any of those nasty roots here?
> Inventory

I will catch up on this, I swear.

[Hello Purvis]

> What have we got going for object-holding capabilities?
> What gaps are we aware of that will take us back to the caverns, other than the mega-unstable one?
> For all the different trees we've seen so far, have we spotted any of those nasty roots here?
> Inventory

>You can make a gap to hold things, still.
>You don't know any others.
>You've not seen any roots yet, or felt anything like them.
>Your inventory contains:
>Bedsheet
>Your silken bedsheet.
>Socks and Undergarments.
>Some of your lost clothing.
>Yukari's Screwdriver.
>Seemingly a basic screwdriver. With this, you may prise open gaps with much more precision and delicately than you can alone.
>Piece of Materia Prima
>A hand-sized glob of the one element from which all flows.This could be shaped into a boggling array of things.
>Yukari's Hourglass
>This basic timekeeping device assists in maintaining gaps. With it, you can leave gaps open for longer, and without having to physically concentrate on them.
>Yukari's Pliers.
>A basic pair of pliers. These assist you in narrowing and closing gaps with far greater ease and speed than you can alone.
>Stout Stick
>Suitable for aiding in walking.
>Red Shoe
>One of your missing shoes, uncomfortable to wear on its own.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Do we recognize the song the shamisen is playing?
> Given what we remember of that massively unstable gap, how could we stabilize it?

[Yaersulf]

I suspect we could stabilise it if we had the astrolabe using this strange music, which is what I was trying to see if we could do just before.

[Hello Purvis]

> Do we recognize the song the shamisen is playing?
> Given what we remember of that massively unstable gap, how could we stabilize it?

>You do not recognize it specifically, but it sounds like any sort of song a wandering musician might strum out in an roadside teahouse for a meal.
>You aren't sure, you would need to examine it more closely, which would involve your magnifying glass. With the tools you have, though, it may be able to use it without causing a catastrophe.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> And that one connected to somewhere in the frond field?

[Yaersulf]

>Would the screwdriver be of use in opening such a gap?

[Hello Purvis]

> And that one connected to somewhere in the frond field?

>Yes.

>Would the screwdriver be of use in opening such a gap?

>It would help. Good use of your hourglass and pliers should also help minimize the harm.

>_