Iku Quest Edi'nayset: A Z-Machine Adventure.

[Suwako Moriya]

> Does Remilia still have her parasol?
> "Is this demonstration to your satisfaction, or is there more I can do for you? Another potential idea actually just occurred to me, but it would require putting your back to your shadow, and I would understand if you were not comfortable with this. And no, it would not involve assaulting or taking your shadow."

[Hello Purvis]

> Does Remilia still have her parasol?
> "Is this demonstration to your satisfaction, or is there more I can do for you? Another potential idea actually just occurred to me, but it would require putting your back to your shadow, and I would understand if you were not comfortable with this. And no, it would not involve assaulting or taking your shadow."

>She does.
>"What would it involve?" she says.

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> "I remembered that my friend can control physical objects through their shadows in addition to taking their shadows. I propose the idea that you stand with your back to your shadow and look upward, at which point she can get behind you and move your parasol around by touching the shadow of its handle. You will be able to see and feel the movement while observing that nothing is coming in physical contact with the parasol."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I remembered that my friend can control physical objects through their shadows in addition to taking their shadows. I propose the idea that you stand with your back to your shadow and look upward, at which point she can get behind you and move your parasol around by touching the shadow of its handle. You will be able to see and feel the movement while observing that nothing is coming in physical contact with the parasol."

>Remilia chuckles. "You would have Us turn Our back to a potential assassin, hmm? We would have your word that nothing untoward would happen, lest you give Us an unconditional surrender afterward."

>_

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"You have my word."

[Hello Purvis]

>"You have my word."

>"Surely you can give Us a stronger vow than that?" says Remilia.

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> "Do you have any of your own house's servants currently available? Perhaps I could be held at point by them with one of your chief assistant's knives, or perhaps the Eldest Daughter's sword."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Do you have any of your own house's servants currently available? Perhaps I could be held at point by them with one of your chief assistant's knives, or perhaps the Eldest Daughter's sword."

>"We do not," says Remilia. "Otherwise, We would not be unattended."

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> Frown.
> "Is your chief of security still incapacitated, then? This is most unfortunate. I figured she would have recovered by now. I will have to apologize to her as well."

[Sect]

> "Unfortunately, without someone that you trust explicitly, I cannot give you anything other than my word. In that case, will this demonstration suffice as evidence?"

Feel free to strike it if it goes against what you have in mind.

[UncertainJakutten]

Swear on the Dragon.

EDIT: Or your faith to the Dragon.

[Hello Purvis]

> Frown.
> "Is your chief of security still incapacitated, then? This is most unfortunate. I figured she would have recovered by now. I will have to apologize to her as well."

>"She is not here," says Remilia. "She has her tasks."

> "Unfortunately, without someone that you trust explicitly, I cannot give you anything other than my word. In that case, will this demonstration suffice as evidence?"

>"We have no issue with this," says Remilia. "Rather, We are rather put off with the weakness of your vow."

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> "You have my word on my faith as a Bhavagran and my position as the Dragon Palace Messenger that, should any uninstigated harm befall you during this process, I will resign from my position, renounce my faith and spend the rest of my days dwelling in a lesser spiritual realm, assuming you do not end my life on the spot."

[Hello Purvis]

> "You have my word on my faith as a Bhavagran and my position as the Dragon Palace Messenger that, should any uninstigated harm befall you during this process, I will resign from my position, renounce my faith and spend the rest of my days dwelling in a lesser spiritual realm, assuming you do not end my life on the spot."

>"That's better," says Remilia. "You would have Us merely turn toward Our village?"

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> Mentally parse what may be meant by 'turn town [Remilia's] village'.

[Hello Purvis]

> Mentally parse what may be meant by 'turn town [Remilia's] village'.

>Give a Purvis a moment to fix his typos ;_;

[Suwako Moriya]

> Mentally ignore the implications of "'Our' village".
> Let's see...the village is to the west, so the sun is setting that way, meaning shadows would be pointed east...so her back would be to her shadow.
> "Yes, that will do, and remember to look upward so you can see your parasol. I suppose I should confirm this plan with the other party involved, however, out of politeness if nothing else."
> Raise our voice a little bit.
> "Shadow party, please give us a sign of whether or not you approve of this plan. Perhaps by throwing another pebble if you are okay with it, and shooting danmaku upward if you are not. Or you may verbalize your response, if you so desire."

[Hello Purvis]

> Mentally ignore the implications of "'Our' village".
> Let's see...the village is to the west, so the sun is setting that way, meaning shadows would be pointed east...so her back would be to her shadow.
> "Yes, that will do, and remember to look upward so you can see your parasol. I suppose I should confirm this plan with the other party involved, however, out of politeness if nothing else."
> Raise our voice a little bit.
> "Shadow party, please give us a sign of whether or not you approve of this plan. Perhaps by throwing another pebble if you are okay with it, and shooting danmaku upward if you are not. Or you may verbalize your response, if you so desire."

>You ignore the claim placed on the village.
>Remilia turns toward the village, while you call out to the poltergeist.
>After a moment, another pebble hits a nearby tree.

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> "Very well. Shadow party, you may step forward and perform your task secure in the knowledge that Lady Remilia will not attempt to expose you to herself. Lady Remilia, you may watch your parasol secure in the knowledge that neither the shadow party nor myself will stab you in the back. You may even call out instructions on which way the shadow party should pull your parasol, if you so desire."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Very well. Shadow party, you may step forward and perform your task secure in the knowledge that Lady Remilia will not attempt to expose you to herself. Lady Remilia, you may watch your parasol secure in the knowledge that neither the shadow party nor myself will stab you in the back. You may even call out instructions on which way the shadow party should pull your parasol, if you so desire."

>"We shall keep this in mind," says Remilia.
>You see the poltergeist creep around one of the trees, walking lightly toward Remilia. She is moving a bit slower than usual, and you can see she is taking exaggerated care with her steps. Step by step, she creeps toward the vampire, seeming to be fairly calm about the situation. You can hear some soft rustling from her rain cloak, but otherwise she is quiet.
>She kneels down by Remilia, and puts her hands on the shadow of the parasol and begins to tug on it. After a moment Remilia says, "To the left." After a moment, she says, "We meant the other left."
>After a few moments and a couple more directions, Remilia says, "You may return to hiding." The poltergeist seems all too happy to complete, letting the shadow go and walking off very quickly behind the nearest tree.

>_

[Sect]

> When Shuuhei's perfectly hidden again, step forward.
> "Is that proof enough, Lady Remilia?"

[Hello Purvis]

> When Shuuhei's perfectly hidden again, step forward.
> "Is that proof enough, Lady Remilia?"

>"We suppose so," says Remilia.

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> "Has your business with my friend concluded, then?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Has your business with my friend concluded, then?"

>She nods.

>_

[Sect]

> Sigh of relief. One thing out of the way.
> "So, now the question of recompensation."

[Suwako Moriya]

> "But, before we get to that, one quick final matter."
> Raise voice a bit again.
> "Friend, thank you very much for your assistance. I will be forever grateful. Please return the shadow to this tree, and then you may leave us."

[Hello Purvis]

> Sigh of relief. One thing out of the way.
> "So, now the question of recompensation."

> "But, before we get to that, one quick final matter."
> Raise voice a bit again.
> "Friend, thank you very much for your assistance. I will be forever grateful. Please return the shadow to this tree, and then you may leave us."

>You sigh, at least that is done with.
>You then call out to the poltergeist, and get no response. Still, you are reasonably certain that she has heard you.
>"Mmm, yes," says Remilia. "Ideally, We would have a proper treaty prepared. But as our maid is not available, a verbal agreement will do until one may be created. In any event, We shall release all prisoners upon the ratification of this agreement without further precondition. We shall promise their goods will be restored to them, though you will find that the only such thing to have occurred is that We have separated your companion from her weapon. We trust that this clause is satisfactory?"

>_

[Suwako Moriya]

> Nod.
> "If they are not already doing so, our people will gladly help tend to your chief assistant until she is well enough to draw up a proper treaty, and most likely beyond that as well."

[Suwako Moriya]

Did I really forget to introduce that parasol idea with something along the lines of "of course if you don't want to put your back to your shadow I'd understand"? Wow, that was a dumb move. Glad it ultimately worked out, but still.

EDIT: Wait no I actually did, before I detailed the plan.

Eh, whatever.

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "If they are not already doing so, our people will gladly help tend to your chief assistant until she is well enough to draw up a proper treaty, and most likely beyond that as well."

>"We expect no less," says Remilia. "Are there any other terms you would like to dictate?"

>_