Iku Quest - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

>Go for a second round: something flashy and graceful from our repertoire; a crowd pleaser

>You try something a little more graceful and flashy this time. A bit of popping and locking, which always pleasing the onlookers. And indeed it does, as the faeries cheer, and your opponent is quivering with rage.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Bow our head respectfully towards Juniper. Try to avoid any hint of smugness.

[Hello Purvis]

>Bow our head respectfully towards Juniper. Try to avoid any hint of smugness.

>You bow your head toward Juniper. She practically vibrates for a moment, then falls to her knees. "I was the best, damn it!" she cries. "For that brief, shining moment, I was the best guard the world had ever known! And you'll never ever take that from me, you monster!"
>Then she breaks into tears.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"You defended the gate with all of your heart and I respect your dedication. You have nothing to feel bad about, and I swear not to violate the intent behind your devotion."

[Hello Purvis]

>"You defended the gate with all of your heart and I respect your dedication. You have nothing to feel bad about, and I swear not to violate the intent behind your devotion."

>"Th-then you're going to go away?" asks the faerie, looking up at you hopefully and choking back another sob.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I came here as a peaceful visitor, to speak with Patchouli on a matter I suspect she has some interest in as well. But, as your job is to prevent harm to the inhabitants of this mansion, I swear utterly that I intend no harm to any of them. You have my word."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I came here as a peaceful visitor, to speak with Patchouli on a matter I suspect she has some interest in as well. But, as your job is to prevent harm to the inhabitants of this mansion, I swear utterly that I intend no harm to any of them. You have my word."

>"You're a monster!" cries Juniper as she bursts into fresh tears. Another faerie pats her on the shoulder.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Kneel down to her level
>"I'm very sorry; I didn't mean to hurt you. You tried very, very hard and no one can take that away from you."

[Hello Purvis]

>Kneel down to her level
>"I'm very sorry; I didn't mean to hurt you. You tried very, very hard and no one can take that away from you."

>"I was the best, damnit..." she mutters between sobs.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>To one of the other fairies: "Um, can either of you signal for someone from the mansion? I don't want to just walk in without talking to one of them first."

[Hello Purvis]

>To one of the other fairies: "Um, can either of you signal for someone from the mansion? I don't want to just walk in without talking to one of them first."

>"It should be okay," says a small faerie maid with short blue hair, "Pretty much everybody it up on the mountain anyways."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"What, that mountain?"
>Point to the island with the flag
>"I assume Patchouli is not, however?"
>Assuming the affirmative: "Thank you very much."
>Enter the mansion

[Hello Purvis]

>"What, that mountain?"
>Point to the island with the flag
>"I assume Patchouli is not, however?"
>Assuming the affirmative: "Thank you very much."
>Enter the mansion

>"Yeah, that one," says the small blue faerie with a nod. "But no, Miss Knowledge is in charge of the house right now. Um, I guess you can see her?"
>Juniper sobs more loudly.
>You pass through the gates and make your way down the cobble path. To the east, you notice a lovely statue garden, while the west features a large and currently inactive fountain.
>Passing through the front doors, you find yourself in the foyer. The walls are decorated with tapestries featuring intricate arabesques and portrayals of fantastic beasts and oddly clothed people you do not recognize. Two statues of horses rearing on their hind legs dominate the chamber. Two stairways extend from a second floor balcony, leading to the clock tower, while a set of double doors leads to the what you are certain is the library.  To the west and east are similiar sets of doors leading to other wings of the mansion. Off near the  south-western corner is a heavy-looking single door bearing a number of sigils on it. Obvious exits are North, South 1, South 2, East, West 1, and West 2

>_

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Head into the library

[Hello Purvis]

>Head into the library

>You enter the library.
>Shelves upon shelves of books fill the floors of the library, arranged in neat and labyrinthine rows. More shelves line the walls, reaching up to the ceiling. As you pass through, you see books move themselves from one shelf to another. The air here is extremely dry, and a dusty odor seems to pervade everything. Here and there, you can see tables and chairs set around in clearings between the shelves. It would be very easy to get lost here, if not for a path leading down the middle of the immense room. There you can see several tables and chair, with Patchouli brooding in the middle of it over a book, rather like a spider in its web.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Excuse me, Patchouli. May I speak with you for a moment?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Excuse me, Patchouli. May I speak with you for a moment?"

>She glances up at you. "I knew this would happen. What?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Obviously, you are aware that Bhava-Agra has descended. I have very little idea why or how, or how to reverse it for that matter. I don't expect that you would necessarily have any better ideas on that front, although I'd be very glad to hear them if you do."
>"But more pertinently, I was wondering if it's possible for you to locate someone using some articles of their clothing? If they were among a person's few possessions, would they bear enough connection to them to make that sort of spell work?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Obviously, you are aware that Bhava-Agra has descended. I have very little idea why or how, or how to reverse it for that matter. I don't expect that you would necessarily have any better ideas on that front, although I'd be very glad to hear them if you do."
>"But more pertinently, I was wondering if it's possible for you to locate someone using some articles of their clothing? If they were among a person's few possessions, would they bear enough connection to them to make that sort of spell work?"

>"I'd like to think it got weighed down under self-righteousness, myself," says Patchouli, "But I doubt this is the case. As such, I have little more idea what has happened or why than you do."
>"When did you take an interest in sorcery?" she asks, raising an eyebrow. "In any event. There is no definitive way to say so. It depends on who it is, how important the clothes are to her, and the nature of the spell."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

>"I'd like to think it got weighed down under self-righteousness, myself," says Patchouli, "But I doubt this is the case. As such, I have little more idea what has happened or why than you do."

> Don't rise to this bait.

[DracoOmega]

Obviously not.

>"Well, I ask less out of an academic interest than a practical one. Tenshi has gone missing, and in the context of the current situation I'd like to be able to find her as quickly as possible. I don't believe she was directly responsible for this, given that she was no more than a couple yards from me when it happened, but I'd still like to be sure. Moreover, I suspect several other people will get it into their head that she's responsible, and I'd rather find her before they do."
>"If I could bring you those articles of clothing, would you be willing to attempt to locate her? More mundane means have already hit a dead-end, and as I said, I think time is of the essence. I'd be willing to do something by way of compensation for this, of course."

[Hello Purvis]

> Don't rise to this bait.

>It would be rather low of you to do so, although she's clearly laboring under some misunderstandings.

>"Well, I ask less out of an academic interest than a practical one. Tenshi has gone missing, and in the context of the current situation I'd like to be able to find her as quickly as possible. I don't believe she was directly responsible for this, given that she was no more than a couple yards from me when it happened, but I'd still like to be sure. Moreover, I suspect several other people will get it into their head that she's responsible, and I'd rather find her before they do."
>"If I could bring you those articles of clothing, would you be willing to attempt to locate her? More mundane means have already hit a dead-end, and as I said, I think time is of the essence. I'd be willing to do something by way of compensation for this, of course."

>"It won't be Tenshi," says Patchouli. "I've dealt with her. She doesn't think big enough to do something like that."
>Patchouli shakes her head. "I'd rather not. There are other things to do, and I am charged with watching over the manor while Mistress runs her conquests."

>_

[Fightest]

>It would be rather low of you to do so, although she's clearly laboring under some misunderstandings.

>"It won't be Tenshi," says Patchouli. "I've dealt with her. She doesn't think big enough to do something like that."

>_

> "Oh, good. Could you elaborate on how you dealt with her, and where she is now that she is dealt with."

[DracoOmega]

I'm pretty sure she means 'in the past', and not 'today'

[Fightest]

I'm pretty sure she means 'in the past', and not 'today'

Good point. The past perfect makes for possible misinterpretations.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Oh, good. Could you elaborate on how you dealt with her, and where she is now that she is dealt with."

>"Excuse me?" Patchouli asks, a slight frown creasing her previously neutral expression.

>_

[Fightest]

>"Excuse me?" Patchouli asks, a slight frown creasing her previously neutral expression.

>_

See above comments. If I misinterpreted, then redact previous input.

[DracoOmega]

>"And is there nothing I could do to convince you otherwise? I am rather concerned for her, given the circumstances."
>"Also, about that conquest business, is Remiilia seriously attempting to assert ownership over parts of Bhava-Agra?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"And is there nothing I could do to convince you otherwise? I am rather concerned for her, given the circumstances."
>"Also, about that conquest business, is Remiilia seriously attempting to assert ownership over parts of Bhava-Agra?"

>"Perhaps," says Patchouli. "What would you offer me?"
>"Given parts of Bhava-Agra have decided to intrude upon her airspace," says Patchouli. "I would say she is merely reacting to an invasion, wouldn't you? You would do much the same if we decided to move the manor into Bhava-Agra."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I don't know off-hand what you would you would like. I could perhaps perform some task for you, or attempt to acquire something you'd be interested in, if you could tell me what it is."
>"As for how I would react to your manor's presence in Bhava-Agra, I certainly would ask you why and how you had come there. And perhaps ask you to leave, depending on the circumstances. I would make no effort to claim it as our own."
>"We do intend to return it to its proper place, once we learn how."