Iku Quest Drei - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

>"It did seem like there might be the tiniest hint of her still inside there. I did manage to coax almost a word out of her, earlier. But then she stopped responding again. I don't know if she's missing part of herself, or if what part there is left is just buried so deeply that it can rarely touch the outside in any real way."

>Suwako nods, scrowling at the ground as though it had punched her dog. "Yeah...it's there...sorta. I don't think it's just her lack of faith making this hard. I'm getting more and more the feeling she's not fully there. And not fully elsewhere, either..."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Meaning, perhaps, that part of her is here and part of her is elsewhere at the same time?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Meaning, perhaps, that part of her is here and part of her is elsewhere at the same time?"

>Suwako nods. "Yeah. I think her shadow isn't just gone, it's been taken."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Can you get any sense of where it's been taken to?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Can you get any sense of where it's been taken to?"

>Suwako, her brow furrowed like some geological calamity, says, "Kinda. Somewhere far off. Not sure how far off, though. Definitely not on the mountain, at least."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"But you think it's still physically in Gensokyo somewhere?"
>"Is there any way to narrow down where it might be, if I'm to start searching for it? Would there be some way to tell if I were getting nearer or further to it?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"But you think it's still physically in Gensokyo somewhere?"
>"Is there any way to narrow down where it might be, if I'm to start searching for it? Would there be some way to tell if I were getting nearer or further to it?"

>She nods. "I don't think it's slipped off to Higan or Hakugyokurou; or if it has it's not far."
>Suwako shakes her head. "Not in any way that you'd be able to do. I might not even know it; I could be right next to it and not sense it directly. I'm not, though, it's too far away from her to be here."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Hmmm... that seems to not leave much to be done except searching aimlessly, then, does it not?"
>"Do you think what has been taken would be in a form I could recognize, were I do actually see it?"
>"Do you have any idea how this could be done? Or who would be capable of doing it?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Hmmm... that seems to not leave much to be done except searching aimlessly, then, does it not?"
>"Do you think what has been taken would be in a form I could recognize, were I do actually see it?"
>"Do you have any idea how this could be done? Or who would be capable of doing it?"

>"Well at least you won't bother with here," says Suwako, "Which is a pretty good deal for free with all the trouble you caused us, if you ask me."
>"I would imagine it would look like her normal shadow," says Kanako. "I cannot say who would be able to do this, though I would cast my eye toward either the magicians or the people of Eientei, particularly the latter. As for how, that particular branch of knowledge has little to do with either of us."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Why do you suspect Eientei in particular? What would they have to gain from this?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Why do you suspect Eientei in particular? What would they have to gain from this?"

>"More than any other beings I have seen," says Kanako, "Their princess and her sage has shown a willingness to turn their backs upon or to subvert the natural order in one manner or another for the sake of personal gain. I know not what they would have to gain, but I cannot say that for any of the less likely suspects as well."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"No, that is true. Why Nitori, I wonder? You said that you had heard word of disrupted shadows on the wind. Do you believe there are others in her condition, as well?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"No, that is true. Why Nitori, I wonder? You said that you had heard word of disrupted shadows on the wind. Do you believe there are others in her condition, as well?"

>"I have no idea why anyone would target Nitori," says Kanako, shaking her head. "And yes, I have heard a little. I don't know if there are other victims, I've not heard that specifically. Unfortunately, I am not sure who said it, just that it is somewhere in the lower regions. I believe, though, it would be somewhere where many people gathered; likely the human town or the Forest of Magic."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"The tavern in the human village is where I learned of this myself. Utusho and Parsee were there. Could it have simply been that, which you heard of? Or do you think it is yet something else?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"The tavern in the human village is where I learned of this myself. Utusho and Parsee were there. Could it have simply been that, which you heard of? Or do you think it is yet something else?"

>"I don't believe it was just one conversation," says Kanako.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Fair enough. Then I suppose I should head out and start searching."
>"I don't suppose you know where Marisa left to?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Fair enough. Then I suppose I should head out and start searching."
>"I don't suppose you know where Marisa left to?"

>"She went north," says Suwako.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>What's north of where we are now?
>"And I don't suppose she gave any hint of what she was planning to do next?"

[Hello Purvis]

>What's north of where we are now?
>"And I don't suppose she gave any hint of what she was planning to do next?"

>To the north directly is a lot of mountains, the Hakurei Shrine, and eventually Hakugyokurou.
>"Nope," says Suwako.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Is there anything else you think I should be aware of before I leave? Or perhaps some way that I could be of assistance to you?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Is there anything else you think I should be aware of before I leave? Or perhaps some way that I could be of assistance to you?"

>"Not quite," says Kanako. "But I suppose since the worst has happened, you may come and go as you please. I doubt the tengu will give you much difficulty."
>"You're welcome to make some donations," says Suwako. She gestures toward the pond off to the side. "The best ones are made over there."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Inventory

[Hello Purvis]

>Inventory

>Wide-brimmed hat (worn as hat)
>Exceedingly Stylish!
>Flamenco Dress (worn as dress)
>Allows both modesty and freedom of movement
>Pink Shawl
>A shawl that represents your status as a part of Bhava-Arga and allows you to defend yourself with devastating techniques.
>Large Black Purse
>Exactly what it sounds like. It holds all your stuff
>Spine Sign: "Acanthodii of the Thunder Clouds"
>This spellcard engulfs you in a shield of electricity. It can be broken with enough force, and only lasts for a short time before it must be renewed
>Light Orb: "Dragon's Gleaming Eyes"
>This recreates an image of one of The Dragon's physical manifestations in lightning and sends it out.
>Cloud Realm: "The Thunder Court in the Sea of Abstruse Clouds"
>Fills the air with webs of lightning, but leaves you motionless.
>Dragonfish: "Dragon Palace's Messenger Swimming Shot"
>Sends electricity spiraling out from you, but leaves you defenseless.
>1☼
>This is 1☼
>Gnawed Mushroom Stalk
>The remains of a tsuchinoko's dinner.

[DracoOmega]

>"I'm afraid I have only a single ☼ to my name, and nothing else of any value but the clothes on my back and my spellcards. My apologies."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I'm afraid I have only a single ☼ to my name, and nothing else of any value but the clothes on my back and my spellcards. My apologies."

>"Bah," says Suwako. She turns, "I'll be in my pond."
>"I shall direct the Hakurei maiden toward you when she appears," says Kanako.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"In any event, I wish you two well. Hopefully we can make it through the day without any further headstrong sorts descending on either of us. Thank you both for your assistance."
>Leave the mountain and head towards the human village. Follow the road on ground level, once we return to it.

[Hello Purvis]

>"In any event, I wish you two well. Hopefully we can make it through the day without any further headstrong sorts descending on either of us. Thank you both for your assistance."
>Leave the mountain and head towards the human village. Follow the road on ground level, once we return to it.

>"I doubt that is going to happen," says Kanako. "But it is much too late to undo that issue. Fare well, Messenger. "
>You leave the Moriya Shrine. "So, what now?" asks Tenshi.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, finding Nitori's shadow would be great, but we have little to go on other than 'not here'. Kanako said that others had been talking about disrupted shadows, and suggested that the conversations may have occurred in either the human village, or the forest of magic. It might be worth asking around to see if anyone's heard or seen anything."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, finding Nitori's shadow would be great, but we have little to go on other than 'not here'. Kanako said that others had been talking about disrupted shadows, and suggested that the conversations may have occurred in either the human village, or the forest of magic. It might be worth asking around to see if anyone's heard or seen anything."

>"It won't be at the village, so we can save time there," says Tenshi, as the two of you walk down the main street in tengu town.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, the shadow itself might not be; I think we would have heard of that. But perhaps someone there has seen something? Perhaps someone has been similarly affect as Nitori? Or perhaps they know of someone who has? It's all still very vague, unfortunately. 'Someone somewhere talked about something that might be somewhat related to this.'"