Iku Quest Sechs - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> Why was Aya in jail, anyway? How much of that story do we know?

>You don't know much of it; but you're certain it involved her "artistic" habits and the Yama.

>"Thank you."
>Follow her inside

>She does not lead you inside, but rather gestures for you to enter.
>You enter the chamber. The walls are covered with heavy silken curtains, while banners bearing emblems of the tengu and Lord Tenma's house dangle from the ceiling. The ceiling is coffered, covered with numerous elaborately designed panels of gold, red, and blue. Terrace-like steps set into the far side of the room allow for more panels to be displayed. An alcove is set into the wall, covered by a thin silken curtain. Through it, you can see the silhouette of a tall man, reclining on what is no doubt and elaborate throne.
>"Ladies," he says in a strong, melodic voice, "Enter."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Approach

[Kilgamayan]

> Mentally recall visual description of Lord Tenma.

[Hello Purvis]

>Approach

>You do so.
>"Stop," he says as you cross two thirds of the room. "Miss Hinanai, look to the ground. Kneel. Now back to me."
>"What?" Tenshi says, softly enough that you're reasonably sure he didn't hear it.

> Mentally recall visual description of Lord Tenma.

>You've never seen him personally, at least not more personally than you are right now. This is not the first time you've had to speak to him through a curtain.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Take a low, soft voice ourselves.
> "It's to honor him. Please, do it."

[Hello Purvis]

> Take a low, soft voice ourselves.
> "It's to honor him. Please, do it."

>She nods, and does so. "Don't see why you don't..." she mutters.
>"Look to the floor, now stand up, now back to me," says Lord Tenma. "You have something to tell me."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Indeed, Lord Tenma. I have knowledge of a dangerous intruder who evaded your patrols and ascended the mountain two days ago. I spoke of this with Miss Inubashiri, and she asked that I relay it directly to you."
>"She is a poltergeist, white-haired and wearing an ornate blue coat. More significantly, she was the person responsible for causing Bhava-Agra to fall. She visited Guest Island two days ago; Suika Ibuki can confirm this. I believe the poltergeist used a cave in the mountainside as shelter to avoid detection while she ascended, although I do not know its precise location."
>"She has also perpetrated serious assaults against several people. She has the ability to steal the shadows of other beings. Those so affected lose their connection to the conscious world, becoming little more than shells. She does this with little provocation, making her extremely dangerous. As of yet, I do not know how they can be restored to their normal selves."
>"I apprehended her yesterday afternoon, but she used her shadow manipulation to somehow send me into Makai. When I returned, she was gone. A subsequent search has failed to uncover her, and she is still at large."

[Hello Purvis]

>You see his silhouette nod as you speak.
>"Close your eyes," he says. "Imagine. How did she get through this town without being seen? Or the patrols for that matter. I cannot think of a way, can you?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I asked Miss Inubashiri about this, and she said she had heard of no one matching her description. I even showed her a photo of the poltergeist. I know not by what means she made it past the mountain, but I am quite certain that she did."

[Suwako Moriya]

Is there a reason we're skipping the shadow void step in the story of our interdimensional journey? This is the second time I've noticed it.

[DracoOmega]

Oh, I think that was mostly so that we don't need to bother to explain that we don't know how we got out of it. Although, this time I think it was mostly unconscious condensation of events. Do you think it's important to mention this specific point here?

[Hello Purvis]

>"I asked Miss Inubashiri about this, and she said she had heard of no one matching her description. I even showed her a photo of the poltergeist. I know not by what means she made it past the mountain, but I am quite certain that she did."

>"I wish to know more about this poltergeist," he says after a moment. "Tell me."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"She is paranoid and hostile, and takes great effort to conceal herself. Several of her victims were attacked simply to prevent them from knowing about her. I, myself, nearly had my shadow stolen in a similar manner when I encountered her, but was fortunate enough to overpower her before she could complete the process."
>"She can manipulate things through their shadows: inflict pain by striking it, inhibit movement by grasping it, or pull it away from them completely. I also saw her move a tree's branches by manipulating its shadow. As I said, she can also cast people out of Gensokyo entirely by somehow subsuming them in her shadow. I don't know the limitations and constraints of this ability, but she was able to use it against me while she was bound and restrained. Additionally, she can assume shadows that she has stolen and gain some of their properties as her own. During our battle, she assumed the statue of a rock and gained immunity to my lightning attacks. I also saw her assume a shadow of the karakasa she attacked, as well as what I believe was from an island of Bhava-Agra."

Any objections to explaining her origin, and explaining why we don't want to harm her, if at all possible?

[Suwako Moriya]

The void is admittedly a double-edged sword in this particular capacity: being in the void is where we learned Pocky and Brocky hid in that cave, but it also creates the uncomfortable question of how we got out of it.

I would, in fact, encourage explaining why we don't want to harm her if we can avoid harming her; I actually think that less people actively hunting her would be for the better, because she doesn't want to be found as-is. Wait until she's been convinced that she doesn't need to hide before letting the entire tengu village descend upon her from above. Her origin I see no issue in explaining either, though hopefully Lord Tenma was not particularly interested in the mystery so we won't be ruining it for him. >_>

[DracoOmega]

I would, in fact, encourage explaining why we don't want to harm her if we can avoid harming her; I actually think that less people actively hunting her would be for the better, because she doesn't want to be found as-is. Wait until she's been convinced that she doesn't need to hide before letting the entire tengu village descend upon her from above. Her origin I see no issue in explaining either, though hopefully Lord Tenma was not particularly interested in the mystery so we won't be ruining it for him. >_>

Yes, absolutely. I was going to make a case for why we don't want to harm her, either way. But it's possible to do so (less effectively) without being entirely forthcoming on the whole origin thing. I just wanted to make sure you were fine with giving him all the details, before I did so.

And yes, I would have rathered not effectively announce everything about her to the whole village, but our meeting with Momiji didn't give us a lot of options in that regard. It would be too problematic to have declined. But if the spectre didn't hate us already, well...

[Hello Purvis]

>"She is paranoid and hostile, and takes great effort to conceal herself. Several of her victims were attacked simply to prevent them from knowing about her. I, myself, nearly had my shadow stolen in a similar manner when I encountered her, but was fortunate enough to overpower her before she could complete the process."
>"She can manipulate things through their shadows: inflict pain by striking it, inhibit movement by grasping it, or pull it away from them completely. I also saw her move a tree's branches by manipulating its shadow. As I said, she can also cast people out of Gensokyo entirely by somehow subsuming them in her shadow. I don't know the limitations and constraints of this ability, but she was able to use it against me while she was bound and restrained. Additionally, she can assume shadows that she has stolen and gain some of their properties as her own. During our battle, she assumed the statue of a rock and gained immunity to my lightning attacks. I also saw her assume a shadow of the karakasa she attacked, as well as what I believe was from an island of Bhava-Agra."

>There is a moment before he answers. "It is disturbing such a person has evaded us. Messenger, can you tell me what we do about it?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Obviously vigilance and extreme caution in dealing with her are advised. Her abilities bypass many usual forms of defense, but outside of this she is not an especially skilled combatant. I can give no suggestion for how to catch her, without knowing the means by which she evaded notice in the first place."
>"However, despite the danger she presents, I would rather she not come to harm, if at all possible. There are two reasons for this:"
>"Firstly, I do not know that it is possible to restore the shadows she has stolen without her co-operation. Simply incapacitating her did not break her hold on them. I believe they are somehow bound directly to her, now."
>"Secondly, the circumstances surrounding her motives and behavior are rather unique. Are you aware of how poltergeists come to be?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Obviously vigilance and extreme caution in dealing with her are advised. Her abilities bypass many usual forms of defense, but outside of this she is not an especially skilled combatant. I can give no suggestion for how to catch her, without knowing the means by which she evaded notice in the first place."
>"However, despite the danger she presents, I would rather she not come to harm, if at all possible. There are two reasons for this:"
>"Firstly, I do not know that it is possible to restore the shadows she has stolen without her co-operation. Simply incapacitating her did not break her hold on them. I believe they are somehow bound directly to her, now."
>"Secondly, the circumstances surrounding her motives and behavior are rather unique. Are you aware of how poltergeists come to be?"

>"I most assuredly know," he says. "Continue on."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I assume you are also aware of the rumors concerning the Brocken Spectre? Well, she is it. Or, rather, she was created to be it, because so many people believed so strongly that she absolutely must exist. And so she does. But many of the beliefs held about her have had darker ramifications when made manifest. Everyone who believed in her existence knew that she must be extremely skilled at concealing herself, and must be willing to do so at all costs. How else could she have evaded notice in that forest for so long? And so she does. I do not know if even she knows why she does, but she attempts to suppress any knowledge of herself with an almost pathological zeal."
>"In this sense, she was born into a life of paranoia and perpetual hiding, through no fault of her own. It is what she was made, and she has known nothing else. But she is a sentient being now, and I cling to the hope that she can shown how to move past this. That she is not bound to forever live out the beliefs that gave her form. No one deserves the life that she was thrust into."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I assume you are also aware of the rumors concerning the Brocken Spectre? Well, she is it. Or, rather, she was created to be it, because so many people believed so strongly that she absolutely must exist. And so she does. But many of the beliefs held about her have had darker ramifications when made manifest. Everyone who believed in her existence knew that she must be extremely skilled at concealing herself, and must be willing to do so at all costs. How else could she have evaded notice in that forest for so long? And so she does. I do not know if even she knows why she does, but she attempts to suppress any knowledge of herself with an almost pathological zeal."
>"In this sense, she was born into a life of paranoia and perpetual hiding, through no fault of her own. It is what she was made, and she has known nothing else. But she is a sentient being now, and I cling to the hope that she can shown how to move past this. That she is not bound to forever live out the beliefs that gave her form. No one deserves the life that she was thrust into."

>"That is unfortunate," says Tenma. "But it does not change that she has violated our laws. I expect more information as you find it. Decisions will be deferred."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I understand. I would not claim that this excuses her actions, and I have seen more of them in person than any other. I simply suggest that this might give grounds for clemency, should she be willing to reform. But yes, I will notify you if there are any important development in this situation."

>Is that just a touch of impropriety to 'expect' us to give him regular updates?

[Hello Purvis]

>"I understand. I would not claim that this excuses her actions, and I have seen more of them in person than any other. I simply suggest that this might give grounds for clemency, should she be willing to reform. But yes, I will notify you if there are any important development in this situation."

>Is that just a touch of impropriety to 'expect' us to give him regular updates?

>"Good, thank you," he says. "Have you anything else to share?"
>It could be. Or it could be a quiet compliment to your diligence in such matters.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

Should we let him know about the cave?

[DracoOmega]

Should we let him know about the cave?

I already mentioned that, didn't I? Or was there something else about it you wanted to say?

>"She is a poltergeist, white-haired and wearing an ornate blue coat. More significantly, she was the person responsible for causing Bhava-Agra to fall. She visited Guest Island two days ago; Suika Ibuki can confirm this. I believe the poltergeist used a cave in the mountainside as shelter to avoid detection while she ascended, although I do not know its precise location."

[Kilgamayan]

Oh, no, I just missed that while at work.

Unless you think we should ask him about potential caves on the mountain we could investigate.

[DracoOmega]

I don't think so. The patrols themselves would seem to know that best. Momiji said they've been looking in caves all morning, implying that there's both a fair number, and that they're likely going to be doing a better job of it than we can. Checking in with Momiji to see if she's found out if any of the other patrols have found anything is probably more useful than looking around ourself, I think.

>"No, I believe that is all the pertinent information I have at this time. I intend to resume my search as soon as I leave. Hopefully it will be more fruitful than last night's."

[Hello Purvis]

>"No, I believe that is all the pertinent information I have at this time. I intend to resume my search as soon as I leave. Hopefully it will be more fruitful than last night's."

>"You may go," says Lord Tenma.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Thank you, Lord Tenma."
>Exit

[Hello Purvis]

>"Thank you, Lord Tenma."
>Exit

>You thank the Tengu leader, then make your way from the throne room. The tengu from before meets you at the doors, and quietly leads you away after closing the doors. You are certain you hear Lord Tenma call for an attendant, something involving a horse.
>Soon you lead back outside the manor.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Bid good day to the Tengu attendant
>Fly off towards the area we encountered Momiji originally, and see if we can spot her