Sword Quest V - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> Retrieve our umbrella.
> "I...hmm. If I may ask, how often do you meet any challengers? Not just humans, as I asked that already."

>You retrieve your umbrella! You suppose it's better late than never.
>"Pretty rare, to be honest," says the oni. Then she stops and shakes her head. "Well, actually all the time. Only it's people around here tryin' their luck, and they ain't usin' swords."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod.
> "I thought as much. I am aware of scant few capable swordswomen in our lands. This is why I am thinking that perhaps those few of us should make duelist meetings a more common occurrence."

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "I thought as much. I am aware of scant few capable swordswomen in our lands. This is why I am thinking that perhaps those few of us should make duelist meetings a more common occurrence."

>"Might be interesting..." she says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I can gauge the interest of the Taoist hermit and the forest recluse and then let you know what they think, if you like."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I can gauge the interest of the Taoist hermit and the forest recluse and then let you know what they think, if you like."

>"You know...go ahead and do that," she says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

ZETTAI
UNMEI
MOKUSHIROKU

> Nod.
> "I will do this, then. Where can I find you when I return?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "I will do this, then. Where can I find you when I return?"

>"I got as place between the pub district and the warehouses," she says, then gives you a somewhat complicated set of directions. "I'll tell my doorwoman to keep an eye out for you."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Very good. I will keep you informed as soon as I am able."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Very good. I will keep you informed as soon as I am able."

>"Right," she says, as she slowly starts to make her way down the road.
>You obtain: Box x1

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Farewell!"
> Open the umbrella to protect us from the rain again, then resume escaping from the city and heading back toward the surface.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Farewell!"
> Open the umbrella to protect us from the rain again, then resume escaping from the city and heading back toward the surface.

>You open your umbrella and make your way across the bridge. The rain keeps up with you as you make your way up the rocky shelves and through the chamber filled with fissures. The faerie, you note, has apparently run off. The rain sticks with you as you pass by the branch, and only begins to taper off once you pass through the web chamber. By as you make your way up the final tunnel, the last drizzles fade away and proper weather returns. It takes a moment to get used to the sun again as you reach the surface.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Oh, right, that fairy. Ah well.
> We've got an owl lady to wrangle. Let's head on home!

[Hello Purvis]

> Oh, right, that fairy. Ah well.
> We've got an owl lady to wrangle. Let's head on home!

>You make your way homeward yet again!
>The faeries are definitely out in force today. It's not quite as bad as it was during the flower incident or the Taoist incident, but it is bad enough that it could well creep that way.  Some of the groups are just flying around, while others are internally squabbling or fighting with other groups. You are able to largely give them a wide berth, though a few get too close for comfort.
>As you fly over the foothills leading to the pass back to the Netherworld, you can hear familiar trumpeting in the air. It's not hard for you to find Merlin reclining on a nearby cliffside moments later.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Head on over and have a listen.

[Hello Purvis]

> Head on over and have a listen.

>You make your way over toward her. You aren't sure what she is playing, but it is likely some outside world stuff. And likely not native in origin; the Prismrivers seem to thrive on that kind of exoticness. As you approach, the music quickly stop. Merlin waves to you and calls out "Hey! Lyrica caught a thief trying to break into the Netherworld!"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Frown.
> "Another one? Where is she?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Frown.
> "Another one? Where is she?"

>"We have her at the manor," says Merlin. "She wouldn't go away..."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod.
> "Let me see."

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "Let me see."

>"Okay~" says Merlin, "Just follow me!"
>She takes off from her spot on the cliff and heads northward.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Follow!

[Hello Purvis]

> Follow!

>You make with the following.
>ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD: Miko
>For the past while, you have been the "guest" of a pair of poltergeists, in their rather dingy home. One, the one in red who brought you here and goes by Lyrica, has been watching you like a hawk. The other, a rather inarticulate and kind of gloomy one in a black uniform named Lunasa, has tried to make light conversation. Thus far she's mostly been talking about various concerts she and her siblings have played at, and worries about a new musical act in the region that she refuses to go into details about might bite into their work. She has also politely served you a decent lunch of fried rice; you were rather surprised that there was any food here at all. Lyrica has been mostly sulking, you suspect from her demeanor and the general whisper of desires around you that she's probably realized her mistake, and is now trying to save her pride by hoping to catch you doing anything wrong at all.
>"So, um,"  says Lunasa, "I don't think I've seen you at any of the gatherings. Festivals and stuff."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Ah, most likely not. My friends and I are rather new arrivals here. We are still acclimating to this land. It is...quite an experience, to say the least."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Ah, most likely not. My friends and I are rather new arrivals here. We are still acclimating to this land. It is...quite an experience, to say the least."

>"That would explain it," says Lunasa. "We end up seeing most of the, um, important people? At least indirectly."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> What musical instruments were most common in our time?
> Did we have any sort of musical preferences?
> "Do you mean as a musical group, or just in the natural flow of things?"

[Hello Purvis]

> What musical instruments were most common in our time?
> Did we have any sort of musical preferences?
> "Do you mean as a musical group, or just in the natural flow of things?"

>Drums, woodwinds, some basic stringed instruments, various noisemakers.
>There really weren't diverse styles in your time. Well, not that you knew of. Music has come a long way since then.
>"Both, kinda," she says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod.
> "Perhaps some day we will have the chance to properly meet each other on more normal terms."

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "Perhaps some day we will have the chance to properly meet each other on more normal terms."

>"Oh, yeah. If you go to festivals and stuff, uh, we'll probably be there," says Lunasa.
>Before you can reply, the door to the sitting room you are occupying flies open and slams against the wall. "Found her!" announces the third sister, wearing white and dashing into the room.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Have a look over.

[Hello Purvis]

> Have a look over.

>A moment later, a clearly nonplussed Youmu follows her in.
>You now possess control of both Youmu and Miko. Please preface all actions and sentences with the name of the relevant character. You may summarize interactions between them as briefly or thoroughly as you please. Keep in mind that they cannot read each others' minds (Youmu lacks a desire, which throws things you), so coordination will have to be arranged verbally or through gestures or the like. Also please keep in mind that both have their own goals and motivations, and may not perfectly align with every action. You may freely split them up when you please, upon which things shall continue as before.
>"See, we're always looking out for you," Lyrica says to Youmu. "I caught this one skulking around near the gate."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Youmu: Frown. "You are the thief?"
> Miko: Shrug with a small grin. "A simple misunderstanding, I assure you. I suppose this is karmic retribution for not asking you to expand upon the minor details of this area when providing your directions, though. I must apologize for wasting everyone's time like this."