Kisume Quest III - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> "Underground city full of oni."

>"Oh! I think I've heard of that," she says. "But I've never been there. I don't know where it is."

>_

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"Underground."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Underground."

>"I've not found it yet," says Ellen, "This is the first time I've ever dug into anything else..."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Do you have any sort of above-ground dwelling?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Do you have any sort of above-ground dwelling?"

>She shakes her head. "Haven't been up there for..."
>She frowns, then shrugs. "I lost count."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Don't humans need oxygen to live?

[Hello Purvis]

> Don't humans need oxygen to live?

>You are reasonably sure they do need air to live.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Frown.
> "Then how are you getting air to breathe? Before just now, I mean."

[Hello Purvis]

> Frown.
> "Then how are you getting air to breathe? Before just now, I mean."

>"Oh, it's the same way I get sunlight," she says. "I make some little rabbit holes here and there."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Huh."
> Turn to Nazrin.
> "Gotta be honest, I'm at a bit of a loss for what to do here. I kinda have some stuff to do today, including delivering a letter for your hooded friend. But I can at least tell your buddies about this, if you like."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Huh."
> Turn to Nazrin.
> "Gotta be honest, I'm at a bit of a loss for what to do here. I kinda have some stuff to do today, including delivering a letter for your hooded friend. But I can at least tell your buddies about this, if you like."

>"Guess we'll have to fix it sooner or later," says Nazrin. "It's an accident, so no need to get wound up over it, right?"
>"Right!" Ellen says after a moment.
>"Just as long as your cat doesn't bother my mice," Nazrin says.
>Ellen scowls. "How rude! Sokrates wouldn't hurt a fly!"
>Nazrin gives another shrug, then looks to you. "And, you've got a letter from Ichirin? Let me see."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Hand over the letter.
> "What's up with your new recruit, anyway?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Hand over the letter.
> "What's up with your new recruit, anyway?"

>"She's new," says Nazrin, as she unfolds the letter.  "Lots of enthusiasm, but she's not used to working with people yet."
>Ellen picks up her cat, who barely seems to notice, and pets him while looking around.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I can tell. Anyway, all I know about that letter is that I gotta get it to some doctor in the Bamboo Forest. I have a reasonably warm lead on a guide, so you'll understand if I'm antsy to get that going."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I can tell. Anyway, all I know about that letter is that I gotta get it to some doctor in the Bamboo Forest. I have a reasonably warm lead on a guide, so you'll understand if I'm antsy to get that going."

>Nazrin nods as she looks it over. "Huh, so that's what she's doing..."
>The mouse youkai folds up the letter and hands it back to you, while Ellen snuggles her cat. "Um, is there anything I can do to help out?" says the latter. "I did put a hole in your wall, I guess..."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Take the letter back and stash it away.
> "That'd be a question for Nazrin, it's more her wall than mine."

[Hello Purvis]

> Take the letter back and stash it away.
> "That'd be a question for Nazrin, it's more her wall than mine."

>You replace the letter.
>"Um, what're you good at?" says Nazrin.
>Ellen takes a moment before answering. "I'm a magician, of course. I'm good at transmutations and fluffiness."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "...Fluffiness?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "...Fluffiness?"

>Ellen gives a nod while grinning.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Give Nazrin another raised eyebrow.

[Hello Purvis]

> Give Nazrin another raised eyebrow.

>Nazrin shrugs.
>"Here, let me demonstrate," Ellen says. Before either of you can protest, begins to chant, while making curious gestures that involve entwining her fingers. An faint orange glow gathers around her hands, and she makes a gesture toward Nazrin.
>There is a noise that sounds suspiciously like "fwoomp" and a thick, white fleecy beard manifests on Nazrin's face and extends down to her chest. The beard clashes with her hair and making her look strangely like Unzan. The mouse youkai blinks, clearly aware that something is awry.
>Ellen resumes her grin. "See?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Uh...I...see."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Uh...I...see."

>"Neat, huh?" says Ellen.
>"Gyah!" Nazrin cries, as she notices the beard. She grabs it and feels it for a moment, before tugging at it lightly. Much of the fluff comes free in her fingers and a large part of the beard comes away in her hands, leaving her with huge fluffy sideburns. As far as you can tell, it doesn't seem to have hurt. Looking at the fluff with a frown, she squishes it in her hands.
>"Aw, you took it off," says Ellen. "Nice and soft?"
>The mouse youkai gives a distracted nod, clearly trying to get her thoughts together.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Uh, you okay?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Uh, you okay?"

>"Yeah," says Nazrin, "Just confused."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Too bad that pink cloud guy isn't here. I wonder if she could give him a double beard."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Too bad that pink cloud guy isn't here. I wonder if she could give him a double beard."

>"Oh, that sounds like a challenge!" says Ellen.
>Nazrin chuckles as she starts to dust off the rest of her fluff. "I can't even imagine how he'd take that. Unzan is usually so dignified..."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "If you want to try, he's in the human village. Though you already said something about that."

[Hello Purvis]

> "If you want to try, he's in the human village. Though you already said something about that."

>Ellen pauses for a moment. "Why were you trying to make me go there, anyway?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Shrug.
> "They're humans, you're a human. Seemed like a fit to me."