Keine Quest (Part 3): Broken History

[Hello Purvis]

>"Think we should call out to it?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Think we should call out to it?"

>"Assuming it can understand us," Ran says. "I think it's reasonable to assume it already knows we're here, however. Its following us is unlikely to be incidental."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Quite. But for all we know, it's afraid of us."

[DracoOmega]

>"Quite. But for all we know, it's afraid of us."

>"I suppose that's possible. Although if it was aggressive to you earlier, perhaps it's best if it's afraid of us."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Indeed. So perhaps we can make use of this position of power and try to contact it?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Indeed. So perhaps we can make use of this position of power and try to contact it?"

>"If you have any ideas, be my guest."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Is it still around, as it were?"
>If so, just call out. "We're not here to hurt you!"
>If not, "Let me know when it is."

[DracoOmega]

>"Is it still around, as it were?"
>If so, just call out. "We're not here to hurt you!"
>If not, "Let me know when it is."

>"I don't know that it ever left," Ran says. "I just can't sense it very clearly. Kind of like something you think you hear, but then aren't certain you actually did."
>You call out that you don't intend to hurt it.
>Ran looks at you and shakes her head.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Nothing?"
>Wait a few moments.
>If nothing unusual happens. "Well, we don't have all night. And I am certainly not going in there alone to get its trust at this point."

[DracoOmega]

>"Nothing?"
>Wait a few moments.
>If nothing unusual happens. "Well, we don't have all night. And I am certainly not going in there alone to get its trust at this point."

>"No different than usual, anyway," Ran says.
>You wait a few more moments. Nothing appears to happen.
>"I can't say I blame you," Ran agrees.

[Hello Purvis]

>Nod.
>"Let's go. You wanted to see that one on the far side of the Bamboo forest?"

[DracoOmega]

>Nod.
>"Let's go. You wanted to see that one on the far side of the Bamboo forest?"

>Ran nods. "It may be the best of the available fissures we have left unexamined."

[Hello Purvis]

>Head for it.

[DracoOmega]

>Head for it.

>You exit the grove and head towards the next fissure marked on the map. You find it sheltered among some small hills, and cutting one of them in half; it's about the size of a small house, again. You can see the bamboo forest stretching across the horizon to your south. Ran steps into it and take another reading.
>"Well, that might help a little," she says, "but to be frank, outside of finding a particularly choice location, I don't think there's much additional purpose to examining the remaining ones. This is probably as best as I'll be able to do."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Do you have enough to do anything with it?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Do you have enough to do anything with it?"

>She nods slowly. "I... think I can. We may have two options, as I see it. I can try to open a path through the fissure we were just at. It'll be small, and a tight squeeze even for one person. Or we can try the active one in the forest. I should be able to get more people through there, but the path may be... bumpier, so to speak."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Is it the kind of bumpier that kills people?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Is it the kind of bumpier that kills people?"

>"I.... hope not. Probably not. I wish I could say so for certain. But... we may not end up exactly where we're expecting to go."

[Hello Purvis]

>Frown.
>"This sounds like something we ought to go over with Patchouli, and see what kind of assistance she can offer in regards to it."

[DracoOmega]

>Frown.
>"This sounds like something we ought to go over with Patchouli, and see what kind of assistance she can offer in regards to it."

>Ran shares your frown. You don't think she's much happier with the situation than you are.
>"I suspect this is a little outside the domain of her experience," Ran says, "But it's always possible she knows of something that could assist in some way."

[Hello Purvis]

>Nod.
>"And the other way, where one of us goes at it alone? First off, how would this person get back?"

[DracoOmega]

>Nod.
>"And the other way, where one of us goes at it alone? First off, how would this person get back?"

>"The latent trace of the path they followed to get there should remain in the spot they arrived for a time. The portal key should be able to get them back along it, assuming they didn't delay too long in returning."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Would there be enough to make multiple trips? Both in the sense of moving people through one by one, and in the sense of going, returning, and going back?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Would there be enough to make multiple trips? Both in the sense of moving people through one by one, and in the sense of going, returning, and going back?"

>"The connection would probably survive at least a few trips. But... I think the portal key would need to accompany whoever goes in as sort of an... anchor and a guide. This isn't going to be the easiest trip no matter what. Without it... I think it's possible the connection would veer off-course in transit."

[Hello Purvis]

>Nod.
>"Can you tell me anything about the other side? Is it survivable?"

[DracoOmega]

>Nod.
>"Can you tell me anything about the other side? Is it survivable?"

>"I think so," she says. "Well, I couldn't tell you much about where it leads, but it connects to a plane like ours; there should be no incompatibility in that regard. Whether there are any other natural or unnatural hazards near the exit point, I'm afraid I don't know. One should at least have the chance to make a quick retreat if that is the case."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Hmm. Then...it may be best if one of us does some scouting, while the rest of us consult with Patchouli and make necessary preparations for a proper entry."

[DracoOmega]

>"Hmm. Then...it may be best if one of us does some scouting, while the rest of us consult with Patchouli and make necessary preparations for a proper entry."

>"Very well," Ran says. "I volunteer to be the one to look around. In... case there really is something dangerous on the other side."
>"Hey," Mokou pipes up. "I've got the least to risk if we don't know what we're getting into here."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Mokou would have the least to risk. And, honestly, I'd rather have your expertise with Patchouli. It might be best if I go through, though. I need to know how strongly my abilities extend there, and whether or not our moon holds any sway there."

[DracoOmega]

>"Mokou would have the least to risk. And, honestly, I'd rather have your expertise with Patchouli. It might be best if I go through, though. I need to know how strongly my abilities extend there, and whether or not our moon holds any sway there."

>"Well, I can tell you what the moon looks like," Mokou says. "Assuming they even have one. ...but I guess that doesn't tell you whether it does anything for you or not."
>"It's up to you," Ran says.