Nue Quest Vth Vanguard: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> "...Of what building?"

>The faerie blinks, and looks at you as though you finally figured out how to grow a second head.
>"The mansion."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Can we tell what time of day it is from the position of the sun?
> "Oh. ...Who's the head of the mansion?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Can we tell what time of day it is from the position of the sun?
> "Oh. ...Who's the head of the mansion?"

>You can't see the sun. But given the light coming in through the curtained window, it's still daytime.
>"The Mistress," says the faerie, frowning and starting to shift a bit.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "You'll have to pardon my ignorance, I live underground. What is the Mistress's name?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "You'll have to pardon my ignorance, I live underground. What is the Mistress's name?"

>"Oh, this isn't a test?" says the faerie, her face brightening considerably. "Um...we're just supposed to call her Mistress. But they call this the Scarlet Devil Mansion, so I guess she's Scarlet Devil?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Pause for a moment, the give a low chuckle.
> "Really now? And after all the time and effort Flan put into letting me know there was no entry..."

[Hello Purvis]

> Pause for a moment, the give a low chuckle.
> "Really now? And after all the time and effort Flan put into letting me know there was no entry..."

>The faerie shrugs, nearly upsetting the tray. "Um, do you want your biscuit?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Oh. Yeah, thanks."
> Take and eat the biscuit.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Oh. Yeah, thanks."
> Take and eat the biscuit.

>You take the biscuit and eat it. It is dry, crumbly, and very slightly sweet; rather perfect for right now. You not sure if you could handle something warm or not dry.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Sit up.
> "So who here wants to talk to me about why I'm here?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Sit up.
> "So who here wants to talk to me about why I'm here?"

>"Oh, right!" says the faerie. "You're supposed to go to the library! Yeah."

>_

[E-Nazrin]

>"That so? Huh..."
>Wonder if Patchouli uncursed us...
>Where's our stuff?
>How're we feeling?
>... is it odd that the fairy said 'reimbursements' when she was offering the food and water?

[Kilgamayan]

> Pull our arms out from under the sheets and check our hands.

[Kilgamayan]

Okay, so we need to start thinking about how this will be possible to fix. Reasoning's out; the things he said and the things he didn't say confirm this is nothing more than a super power grab. We can't get directly at him, as demonstrated. We can't get at the money, as demonstrated. Destroying his things does not deter his concentration, and it very likely does not hinder whatever spell he's brewing up.

Which leaves, uh, no possibilities that I can think of. >_>

The most interesting unknown to come out of all that was Byakuren pointing out that our cards would not have been enough to pull off the gem trick. It's entirely possible that it also used spark energy, but I'd have to think there's a little bit more to it than that. Finding what that little bit is could be key.

EDIT: Also worth noting is that we should probably start spreading the story of potential defections, especially when we're talking to people or a group of people that might be willing to help us. We'll need to narrow down who we'd feel safe dragging along to Kourindou and who we wouldn't. Marisa is completely out, and I'm willing to bet Reimu and Sakuya aren't far behind her. We might be able to get away with enlisting Sanae if we can drag her out of that goddamn jet.

[Hello Purvis]

>"That so? Huh..."
>Wonder if Patchouli uncursed us...
>Where's our stuff?
>How're we feeling?
>... is it odd that the fairy said 'reimbursements' when she was offering the food and water?

>You don't seem to have your things onhand, but looking toward the dressed, you see that your purse is sitting on top of it.
>You feel fairly alright. You could do with lazing around for a few hours, to be honest.
>It is odd because it's clearly not what she meant, and it isn't odd because it's a faerie trying to use long words.

> Pull our arms out from under the sheets and check our hands.

>You have a look at your hands. They seem to be fairly normal.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Where's our trident?
> Get up with a small moan and walk over to grab our purse.

[Hello Purvis]

> Where's our trident?
> Get up with a small moan and walk over to grab our purse.

>You look around, and find it leaning against a corner near the dresser, partially obscured by a curtain. The sling still hangs off of it.
>You get up, and have a moment of unsteadiness before you feel comfortable walking. Then you reclaim your purse.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Walk over and grab our trident while talking.
> "How do I get to the library?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Walk over and grab our trident while talking.
> "How do I get to the library?"

>"I should probably take you there!" says the faerie, collecting your cup and heading toward the door.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Sling the trident into its usual spot.
> "Lead the way, then."
> Follow the fairy maid to the library.

[Hello Purvis]

> Sling the trident into its usual spot.
> "Lead the way, then."
> Follow the fairy maid to the library.

>You replace your trident and follow the faerie as she leads you outside.
>You emerge into a hallway carpeted in red, with walls that are faintly crimson in hue.  Pictures framed with elaborately carved wood line the walls, made in a style you do not recognize. They don't seem to be proper ink paintings or prints, to say the least. The art styles are foreign and a little unnerving to look at, featuring strange people in strange clothes that look almost wholly alien, though you notice several coats that look similar to what Shuuei wears. Elaborately scrolled light fixtures made of brass hang from the walls, currently unlit. You quickly note the points where the walls meet the ceiling and meet the floor are bordered with panels bearing more scrollwork.
>You follow the faerie down a set of carpeted stairs and into a foyer filled with suits of armor of various kinds hanging on stands. Some you recognize easily as the laced armor that samurai favored, others are strange things made of metal plates or what seem to be woven chains. paintings of people in this armor adorn the walls in styles both familiar and alien. You have little time to take it in before you are lead through a set of double doors under a balcony.
>Through the doors, the air becomes intensely dry, you almost feel thirsty again. Shelves of books extend in every direction before you, set in orderly rows and reaching toward the ceiling. This would be a great place to lose any pursuers, provided you had some idea where you were going. Even with the apparent order to the rows it seems easy to get lost. Near the center of the library, looking oddly akin to the center of a spider web, you see a number of chairs and tables. Byakuren is easily visible, kneeling near one of them.  At that table, flanked with stacks of books, is Patchouli.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Walk our way toward the center. If either of them looks up and sees us, give them a wave.

[Hello Purvis]

> Walk our way toward the center. If either of them looks up and sees us, give them a wave.

>You head toward the center. Byakuren quickly notices you, and returns your wave. "How are you feeling?" she asks, as you approach. Patchouli looks up from her book, looking unamused in a manner you suspect is her default expression.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Better than I was, much worse than before this whole fiasco started. How long was I out for?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Better than I was, much worse than before this whole fiasco started. How long was I out for?"

>"About an hour," says Byakuren.
>"What did he tell you?" Patchouli says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Only lost an hour? That could've been worse...
> "He told me that he was going to exchange Gensokyo's current economy for a new one. One devoid of currency, based entirely around bartering. And not just material goods. Knowledge. Physical traits and abilities. Even emotions and life span. An economy where literally anything can be exchanged for something else, interpersonally or intrapersonally."

[Hello Purvis]

> Only lost an hour? That could've been worse...
> "He told me that he was going to exchange Gensokyo's current economy for a new one. One devoid of currency, based entirely around bartering. And not just material goods. Knowledge. Physical traits and abilities. Even emotions and life span. An economy where literally anything can be exchanged for something else, interpersonally or intrapersonally."

>"No, no, no one cares about that," says Patchouli, frowning. You note the briefest instance of a frown cross Byakuren's lips. "I'm talking about the important things. Tell me exactly the way he described these kinds of things. I need to know what his mindset is. The kinds of words he used, the things he focused on."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Uh, well, his primary focus was on 'the beauty of the exchange'. He thinks currency transactions are ugly and that currency itself is false. Is that the sort of thing you mean?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Uh, well, his primary focus was on 'the beauty of the exchange'. He thinks currency transactions are ugly and that currency itself is false. Is that the sort of thing you mean?"

>"Yes, exactly," says Patchouli. "Keep going."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Well, uh, he said the beauty of the exchanged 'violates the idea of equivalency'. He cited an illiterate man giving him a rare book in exchange for a bag of beans as an example. By capitalist standards, there's no question who came out ahead, but the illiterate man has no use for the book and could grow plenty of food with the beans while he himself may find the book worthless. And that this exchange could happen a dozen times, and it would be different each time because of the circumstances of the people involved. Then he said that 'a kind of friction' is created with each such exchange, which created what he described as 'a spark'. Which he claims he can harvest somehow."