Iku Quest P?t: A Z-Machine Adventure

[DracoOmega]

>Did the impact seem to phase her at all?

[Hello Purvis]

>Did the impact seem to phase her at all?

>She certainly gritted her teeth to keep from screaming out.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Fair enough; keep up the assault
>"As long as I have a single ounce of will in my being, it is not too late. I refuse to let it be too late. I have a responsibility to the others; I will not let anyone else be harmed!"
>Quickly glance at nearby shadows. Does hers seem to be doing anything further unusual, other than resembling Kogasa's? What about our own? Or the shadows of the trees and other things around us?

[Hello Purvis]

>Fair enough; keep up the assault
>"As long as I have a single ounce of will in my being, it is not too late. I refuse to let it be too late. I have a responsibility to the others; I will not let anyone else be harmed!"
>Quickly glance at nearby shadows. Does hers seem to be doing anything further unusual, other than resembling Kogasa's? What about our own? Or the shadows of the trees and other things around us?

>You send out another bolt of lightning.
>"Maybe if you really had run," she says.
>You glance around. Kogasa's shadow seems to be fine; as does your own. When you look around to the others in the area you are pretty sure they are fine. But. the ground looks a bit darker than it ought to in places, like there are little patches that are just slightly darker than the rest.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Do these patches seem to be growing or spreading?
>Are we near to standing in any of them?
>Glance up. Anything out of place up there?

[Hello Purvis]

>Do these patches seem to be growing or spreading?
>Are we near to standing in any of them?
>Glance up. Anything out of place up there?

>Growing, spreading, and darkening. Some of them are near you.
>You look up, and nothing seems to be amiss there.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>So, if they are shadows, we can't see anything that would be casting them?
>About how much ground coverage do they have?
>At present rate of expansion, about how long would it be before one touches us? Or our shadow?

[Hello Purvis]

>So, if they are shadows, we can't see anything that would be casting them?
>About how much ground coverage do they have?
>At present rate of expansion, about how long would it be before one touches us? Or our shadow?

>You do not see anything above that would be casting them.
>You'd estimate about 20% or so, it seems to be increasing.
>Not very long, you imagine.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Do there appear to be any areas of ground that are blackness-free, at the moment? Without any growing patches nearby to encroach upon it shortly?
>Can we spare a moment's concentration from our spell card to fire a couple basic danmaku at one of the spots near to us? Even if this pauses the spellcard for a moment? If so, do so.
>"Why do you want to do this to us? What could we possibly know that would be so dangerous, if we ourselves don't know what it is? My offer to help you back then would have been genuine."

[Hello Purvis]

>Do there appear to be any areas of ground that are blackness-free, at the moment? Without any growing patches nearby to encroach upon it shortly?
>Can we spare a moment's concentration from our spell card to fire a couple basic danmaku at one of the spots near to us? Even if this pauses the spellcard for a moment? If so, do so.
>"Why do you want to do this to us? What could we possibly know that would be so dangerous, if we ourselves don't know what it is? My offer to help you back then would have been genuine."

>There are a couple, but you don't think they're remain that way, new spots seem to be appearing here and there.
>You would have to cancel the card, then restart it. This would hurt its duration significantly.
>"It's like talking to a different person now," she says, giving that  unpleasant grin again. "Where's all that bluster from before?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I meant what I said. I am not prepared to submit, and I am not begging for mercy. I just don't understand why you seem to take joy in bringing such suffering to others. Why you would choose this path, when others could have been open to you."
>Is the trunk or external roots of the tree we're next to large enough that we could keep both ourself and our shadow away from the ground entirely if we hugged it?
>If not, are there other trees nearby large enough to fulfill that function?
>If so, could we reach any of them without flying over these dark patches?

[Hello Purvis]

>"I meant what I said. I am not prepared to submit, and I am not begging for mercy. I just don't understand why you seem to take joy in bringing such suffering to others. Why you would choose this path, when others could have been open to you."
>Is the trunk or external roots of the tree we're next to large enough that we could keep both ourself and our shadow away from the ground entirely if we hugged it?
>If not, are there other trees nearby large enough to fulfill that function?
>If so, could we reach any of them without flying over these dark patches?

>"It sounds like you're starting to realize just how bad of a situation you're actually in," she says.
>If you flew and kept close to the tree you are near, you think you and your shadow would stay off the ground.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>If you flew and kept close to the tree you are near, you think you and your shadow would stay off the ground.

>Then do so
>"Perhaps. But it matters not. My question stands, regardless of what happens to either of us here."

[Hello Purvis]

>Then do so
>"Perhaps. But it matters not. My question stands, regardless of what happens to either of us here."

>"You think I'll tell you," says the poltergeist, "after you boasted about these friends of yours? You already know too much, I don't need you doing something to tell them more than you already have."
>Much of the ground is now covered with these patches, some having merged to create large fields of shadow.

>_

[Marokuu]

>Inventory
>Did we cancel the spellcard?

[DracoOmega]

>We are still firing with our spellcard, correct?
>"And is it such a dire secret to say why you would have chosen this path? Do their lives mean nothing to you?"

[Hello Purvis]

>Inventory
>Did we cancel the spellcard?

>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" (Partially expended)
>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" (In use)
>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.
>Jail Key
>The key to the tengu jail.
>Aya's Primary Camera
>She'll be very angry if you break this.
>2 Pictures of Shadowless Tree
>Taken in the Forest of Magic.
>No you have not, but you've not been firing, either.

>We are still firing with our spellcard, correct?
>"And is it such a dire secret to say why you would have chosen this path? Do their lives mean nothing to you?"

>No, you've been too busy looking around, flying up a tree, and talking.
>"You really think I'm going to say something different if you ask again?" says the Poltergeist.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"There is always hope."
>Keep firing

[Hello Purvis]

>"There is always hope."
>Keep firing

>"Perhaps so, but none for you."
>You send out another bolt of lighting, then another. The poltergeist has to duck away from the first one; then finds herself in a bad position to deal with the second.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"We forge our own hope. Your words cannot change that."
>Keep firing

>Has the poltergeist seemed to be doing anything during this, other than attempting to dodge our attacks?
>How does her physical condition look?
>Is Kogasa's shadow still visible? Or is that subsumed in the other blackness?

[Hello Purvis]

>"We forge our own hope. Your words cannot change that."
>Keep firing

>Has the poltergeist seemed to be doing anything during this, other than attempting to dodge our attacks?
>How does her physical condition look?
>Is Kogasa's shadow still visible? Or is that subsumed in the other blackness?

>She doesn't reply, as she tries to snake around the next lightning bolt, and clips its it. You send out another one. Sadly, you won't be able to get the full effectiveness out of this card simply staying in one position.
>Your prior spellcard has singled her quite a bit, but she seems to have a fair amount of energy left in her yet. But you've certainly had some effect.
>When it is not in a blot of other shadow, you can still see Kogasa's shadow. However, there is not much unshaded ground left anymore.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>If we have another bolt ready to release, do so
>Afterwards, or otherwise, cancel the spellcard
>Toss a couple danmaku at a shadow patch
>If there is no obvious unusual result from this, declare Cloud Realm: "The Thunder Court in the Sea of Abstruse Clouds"

[Hello Purvis]

>If we have another bolt ready to release, do so
>Afterwards, or otherwise, cancel the spellcard
>Toss a couple danmaku at a shadow patch
>If there is no obvious unusual result from this, declare Cloud Realm: "The Thunder Court in the Sea of Abstruse Clouds"

>You send out one more bolt and cancel the spellcard. The causes the recently tossed bolt to fizzle out before it can do anything.
>You toss some danmaku at a patch of shadow, and it has about the effect that you would expect.
>You declare: Cloud Realm: "The Thunder Court in the Sea of Abstruse Clouds" The spellcard lifts you into the air; keeping you next to your tree thankfully.  You feel the electricity in the air, it is as though you were in the middle of a lively thundercloud. Lighting in yours to direct in a number of crisscrossing patterns, the trick is to predict what your target is going to do, as the lightning takes a moment to strike.
>Right now, the Poltergeist is recovering for her last dodging attempt, staying mostly still.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>What are the current terrain obstacles in the immediate vicinity of the poltergeist?
>How much control and precision do we have over the location and angle of these patterns?
>About how much area can we theoretically cover in each burst?

[Hello Purvis]

>What are the current terrain obstacles in the immediate vicinity of the poltergeist?
>How much control and precision do we have over the location and angle of these patterns?
>About how much area can we theoretically cover in each burst?

>She's in the open right now.
>A fair amount. It's not perfect, but you can aim the parts you focus on to some degree.
>You will cover pretty much everything within danmaku range.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Can we spread it so the bolts are primarily horizontal, forming an sort of irregular grid spread over the ground at a little below hip height? Too low to duck safely under, while too high high to jump over, unless someone actually went airborne?

[Hello Purvis]

>Can we spread it so the bolts are primarily horizontal, forming an sort of irregular grid spread over the ground at a little below hip height? Too low to duck safely under, while too high high to jump over, unless someone actually went airborne?

>you can try to get some of them at hip height like that, at least, but not the majority.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>As best we can, shape the pattern to the following specifications: focus on the region closer to the ground, with primarily horizontal bolts for better coverage of this. Until she demonstrates an ability and willingness to fly, worry less about aerial coverage. Density greatest in the poltergeist's immediate vicinity, with ideally at least one bolt directly through her current position, and another cutting across whatever direction she seems to be moving in at the time
>Fire!

[Kilgamayan]

Oh God you two actually made me play SWR to remind myself how this card works. I hate both of you. >_>

[Janitor Morgan]

To be fair, I had to go look at some screenshots to remember what the non-Ancanthodii cards were. I only remember that one in particular because for the longest time, my runs would take a nosedive there because I didn't know that I could super-jump and then fly over Iku as she approached, and instead just tried to graze it. >_>

> Do we hear anyone coming now?