Maribel Quest Succeeding - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

>"Ah, sure thing."
>Return the broom to its proper locations. Wonder whether this changes our witchiness.
>Check the top drawer.

>You return the broom to its resting place, and find yourself wondering if you're now technically a witch.
>The drawer rattles curiously as you open it. Looking inside, you see a number of little silvery statues inside, resting on a bit of cloth.
>"Help yourself to one," Mari says.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Are you sure?"
>What are they of?

[Hello Purvis]

>"Are you sure?"
>What are they of?

>"Wouldn't have said it otherwise, would I?"Mari says. "The last human I kidnapped, back before the move, made those. She was a fine pewterer, if I say so myself. And I do!"
>The seem to be of animals, mostly. You see cats, dogs, birds, cows, pigs, horses, lizards, and other assorted animals. Then there are some odder things. Is that a lichen? There's also a curious bird with two sets of wings. And is that a rock with a face? And there's a mushroom with feet.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Any rabbits?

[Hello Purvis]

> Any rabbits?

>There is a little rabbit, standing on its hind legs and sniffing at the air.

>_

[Kasu]

> Take the rabbit one.
> "Thanks for letting me take one.   These are very well made."

[Hello Purvis]

> Take the rabbit one.
> "Thanks for letting me take one.   These are very well made."

>You obtain: Pewter Rabbit
>"You're welcome dearie," says Mari. "You helped me out quite a bit, you know."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I'm glad I did."
>Gather up the things we brought here
>"Be well, now."
>Exit, and head towards the herbalist Murasa described.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, I'm glad I did."
>Gather up the things we brought here
>"Be well, now."
>Exit, and head towards the herbalist Murasa described.

>She nods as you return to the front of the house, and gather up your things.
>"You too, Maribel," says Mari, as you leave the house.
>You return to the market, it is bustling as always. It takes a little time for you to find the herbalist by the fried rice vendor. This would be so much easier if the oni made more effort to distinguish their shops by name. It is a fairly large stand, run by a rather portly oni with brown hair drawn into two ponytails. Nearby, there is a group of oni playing flutes rather loudly, but seeming to have a good time of it.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Hello, there. I'd like to purchase a little moonwort and queensfoil, please."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Hello, there. I'd like to purchase a little moonwort and queensfoil, please."

>The merchant nods. "I have that. How much you need?" she calls over the players
>Having a moment to look around now, you can see a wide variety of herbs. Some of them are in bowls, and in other spots you see whole plants dangling from the roof. A number of covered containers hint at more.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Just one bulb of moonwart, and <insert howevermuch we used> of queensfoil. It's for the clinic."
>"I also don't suppose you have any ground ragewort, here? Or bloodmoss?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Just one bulb of moonwart, and <insert howevermuch we used> of queensfoil. It's for the clinic."
>"I also don't suppose you have any ground ragewort, here? Or bloodmoss?"

>"Oh the clinic? Let me see that chest, then."
>"I do have ragewort, and I can grind it up just a nice as you please. Bloodmoss, I'm fresh out."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Show her the chest
>"How much is it for the ragewort?"
>Did Byakuren give us any idea how much was needed?

[Hello Purvis]

>Show her the chest
>"How much is it for the ragewort?"
>Did Byakuren give us any idea how much was needed?

>She opens the chest. "Oooo, you're low on quite a few things, dearie. You sure you only want those two?"
>"Fifteen ☼ an ounce, and you won't find a better price above or below."
>She didn't. But if she didn't name an amount, it won't be much.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Oh, well, I was just asked to get a refill of things. Those were the only ones I used, but I suppose I don't know what their normal stock of other ingredients is. I'm new, you see. But Murasa says she usually shops here, so if you can see what other things need topping up, please be my guest."

>"And I'll take two ounces, then."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Oh, well, I was just asked to get a refill of things. Those were the only ones I used, but I suppose I don't know what their normal stock of other ingredients is. I'm new, you see. But Murasa says she usually shops here, so if you can see what other things need topping up, please be my guest."

>"And I'll take two ounces, then."

>"I'll fill it up right proper," she says, as she takes the chest in hand and walks over to a counter on the side. "And that'll be 30☼ from you."
>She starts taking various herbs, cutting some into small portions, grinding another into powder quickly enough to make you feel kind of clumsy from the job you did, and simply tossing whole chunks of others into the little shelves. Within a couple minutes, she has it filled, and extracts the coin pouch from the chest and takes out a quantity of money. Then she returns the chest to you, pulls a poisonous-green root from a container, weighs it, then expertly smashes it into powder and pours it into a pouch.
>"There you have it," she says, "Don't breath it in, and I'll give you a ☼ if you bring the bag back when you're done."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Give her the money and take the pouch, and box
>"Thank you very much."
>Head back to the clinic

[Hello Purvis]

>Give her the money and take the pouch, and box
>"Thank you very much."
>Head back to the clinic

>You pay the oni.
>You obtain: Pouch of Ground Ragewort.
>The merchant nods in reply to your thanks.
>Returning to the clinic, you walk through the door and find that Murasa is not alone. She seems to be having a rather heated discussion with Kisume.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Listen in.
> If Murasa is berating Kisume, allow ourselves a satisfied smirk.

[Hello Purvis]

> Listen in.
> If Murasa is berating Kisume, allow ourselves a satisfied smirk.

>You listen in.
>"Who're you tryin' to fool? Kisume says, "I know that grain pattern like the back of my hand!"
>"I'm telling you, it's not yours!" Murasa replies, throwing her hands toward the air.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"What're you arguing about?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"What're you arguing about?"

>"This-!" Murasa starts, then stops, visibly trying to calm herself.
>"She went and pranced off with my other bucket, is what!" Kisume says.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"You have a spare bucket? Where'd you leave it? I'm sure Murasa didn't go and try to take it, you know."

[Hello Purvis]

>"You have a spare bucket? Where'd you leave it? I'm sure Murasa didn't go and try to take it, you know."

>"Left it in hidin' hole," she says. "Just in case, you know!"
>"I've not even left the city for a week!" Murasa says, before frowning and looking away. It seems she has a ways to go if she's trying to pick up Byakuren's serenity.
>"Ain't it interestin' that's when it went missing, eh?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"And where'd the bucket here in question come from, Murasa?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"I got it from Kourindou," says Murasa. "It was pretty cheap, and one of then had just got kicked apart, so I figured why not."
>"Likely story," Kisume says.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Actually, I think it IS a likely story. I figure Rinnosuke probably got it from someone else, and whoever that was probably took it from your hiding spot, Kisume. But I can go ask Rinnosuke where he got it from, and see if we can settle this."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Actually, I think it IS a likely story. I figure Rinnosuke probably got it from someone else, and whoever that was probably took it from your hiding spot, Kisume. But I can go ask Rinnosuke where he got it from, and see if we can settle this."

>"Ain't nobody down here that'd hawk it to 'im," says Kisume. "They'd go to a pawn shop."
>"Don't bother," Murasa says. "Rinnosuke asks no questions, and rarely answers them."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Even if he didn't ask where it came from, he obviously still knows who traded it to him. And even if he doesn't choose to answer, there's nothing lost by trying. Unless you two have a better idea? And one that doesn't just involve arguing over this until you're both blue in the face?"