Kisume Quest VII - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> "But how do either of those things benefit me?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "But how do either of those things benefit me?"

>"A world less eager to conquer other worlds benefits all," says Sariel. "As for Higan, certainly you do not need me to explain it to you."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "You do. I may want nothing to do with them, but I don't want them wrecked."

[Hello Purvis]

> "You do. I may want nothing to do with them, but I don't want them wrecked."

>"And what will happen when you are no longer in a position to have 'nothing to do with them'?" says Sariel. "Even I know the stories of the Baliff's, excuse, the Yama's wild daughter."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "You think I don't know what's coming eventually? If it concerned me I'd be somewhere else in life right now."

[Hello Purvis]

> "You think I don't know what's coming eventually? If it concerned me I'd be somewhere else in life right now."

>"And will you meet it so bravely when the time comes?" says Sariel. "It's easy to say things, when it seems so far away, but it is hard to say the same when the results stare you in the face. I have seen it more times than I can count."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "The results stared me in the face every single day. I still made my choice."

[Hello Purvis]

> "The results stared me in the face every single day. I still made my choice."

>"They have not, you are still quite hale and whole," says Sariel. "But, we need not argue over that. Rather, we can remove that doom which hovers over your head entirely. We can pull the useless system down."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Shake head.
> "That would make me a hypocrite. I'd be just as bad as them."

[Hello Purvis]

> Shake head.
> "That would make me a hypocrite. I'd be just as bad as them."

>"In what manner?" says Sariel.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I left because they wanted me to be something I wasn't. Who they are now, that's what they chose. My ruining that because I don't like it is no different from what they tried to do."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I left because they wanted me to be something I wasn't. Who they are now, that's what they chose. My ruining that because I don't like it is no different from what they tried to do."

>"Are they doing it because they chose to," says Sariel, "Or are they doing it because they refuse to leave it? Or because they've convinced themselves what they do is necessary. Moreover, is it proper to subject everyone else to them in the name of such ideals?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Give Sariel a curious look.
> "It's weird how much you rail against the system when you claim you're here because you're this land's reaper."

[Hello Purvis]

> Give Sariel a curious look.
> "It's weird how much you rail against the system when you claim you're here because you're this land's reaper."

>"Rather, I was its reaper, lamentably," says Sariel. "Shinigami are the only part of Higan to have any use. All the rest is merely layers upon layers of uselessness at the best of times, and an inhibition at the worst."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Then what happens to this land's souls?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Then what happens to this land's souls?"

>"We shinigami are more than fit to guide them to their destination," says Sariel. "There is no need for anything else."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Where might that destination be?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Where might that destination be?"

>"Wherever it needs to go," says Sariel.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Can you give specific locations?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Can you give specific locations?"

>"Wherever it is proper to deliver them," says Sariel. "The isles of Bhava-Agra, the repose of Hakugyokurou, to any number of fitting hells."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> How does the celestial bureaucracy compensate its workers?

[Hello Purvis]

> How does the celestial bureaucracy compensate its workers?

>In general, it provides what is needed to them, with the expectation that no one is going to get particularly greedy. Generally, this works out fairly well, with the occasional small disagreement. Higher ranked people are generally able to get more, but are also expected to show more restraint in what they take. However, you're not certain how it works outside of Higan.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Huh."
> Rub chin.
> "Who would hold the shinigami accountable for their actions?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Huh."
> Rub chin.
> "Who would hold the shinigami accountable for their actions?"

>"We are quite capable of keeping an eye on each other," says Sariel.

>_

[O4rfish]

>"And how exactly would this be different from how it is now?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"And how exactly would this be different from how it is now?"

>"Speed will be the difference," says Sariel. "A lack of pretentiousness and waste will be the difference.  There is no need for there to be a Higan, no need to suffer it to exist."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "What would all the non-shinigami do? That sounds like a good deal of sudden unemployment."

[Hello Purvis]

> "What would all the non-shinigami do? That sounds like a good deal of sudden unemployment."

>"They can fend for themselves," says Sariel. "If nothing else, seeing Makai has shown me this."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Frown.
> "I dunno. I can sort of see the argument, I guess, but it doesn't seem like Higan's in such a state that it needs to sacrifice quality for speed."

[Hello Purvis]

> Frown.
> "I dunno. I can sort of see the argument, I guess, but it doesn't seem like Higan's in such a state that it needs to sacrifice quality for speed."

>"What would the sacrifice of quality be, precisely?" says Sariel.

>_