Iku Quest Otto - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

>"I spoke with one of Gensokyo's foremost experts on arcane lore on the ramifications of binding a shadow such as Bhava-Agra's to oneself. As you know, these shadows remain connected to their owners, even while you hold them. What you have effectively done is open a conduit between yourself and Bhava-Agra, through which more and more of its essence will flow. The effects are slight at first, but eventually and inevitably will reach levels that no living being can contain. If you continue to hold it within you, the harm done to yourself will be immense. ...and likely fatal. That much she is utterly certain of."
>"I swear that I shared no personal information about you whatsoever, but she assured me that this result would apply no matter who or how such a linkage was established. It is a very clearly documented fact."
>"If you doubt my word, I brought one of the tomes from her library which discusses this in grim detail. You can read it for yourself."

>She gives you a long, hard look. Then she holds her hand out for the book without a word.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Hand her the book
>Indicate where she can find the most easy to understand explanation that we found while we searched the book earlier

[Kilgamayan]

> "And I will warn you that some of what is described in that book is...graphic."

[Hello Purvis]

>Hand her the book
>Indicate where she can find the most easy to understand explanation that we found while we searched the book earlier

>You hand it to her and tell her where to look. She starts to flip through pages and read.

> "And I will warn you that some of what is described in that book is...graphic."

>She nods, reading on and frowning.
>"So what does any of this have to do with me?" she says after a few moments.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "It details the consequences of drawing too much power from a thing such as Bhava-Agra's shadow. The other things you have drawn from, people, rocks, trees, those are small enough that they would not do much harm if any, but to draw from the entirety of a spiritual realm...the person from whom I acquired that book assesses it very likely that those undesirable consequences you read about will happen to you soon should you not let it go. Apparently only conceptual beings such as deities could hope to stand a chance of maintaining such a draw."

[Hello Purvis]

> "It details the consequences of drawing too much power from a thing such as Bhava-Agra's shadow. The other things you have drawn from, people, rocks, trees, those are small enough that they would not do much harm if any, but to draw from the entirety of a spiritual realm...the person from whom I acquired that book assesses it very likely that those undesirable consequences you read about will happen to you soon should you not let it go. Apparently only conceptual beings such as deities could hope to stand a chance of maintaining such a draw."

>"This isn't talking about me," she says, as she offers the book back to you. "It's talking about humans. I don't have most of the things this book mentions."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Take the book back.
> "My informant seems sure that bad things will happen regardless. She would have known the shadow thief was not human from our conversation, even given that I never said what you were, and she sarcastically offered to list the factors for and consequences of any being she could think of doing this. We could go find out if you like, though I assume you do not."

[Hello Purvis]

> Take the book back.
> "My informant seems sure that bad things will happen regardless. She would have known the shadow thief was not human from our conversation, even given that I never said what you were, and she sarcastically offered to list the factors for and consequences of any being she could think of doing this. We could go find out if you like, though I assume you do not."

>You reclaim the book.
>"It doesn't matter," she says. "She doesn't know about me, so she can only guess."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "You are surprisingly willing to take such a self-destructive chance, given you yourself have seen the odd results Bhava-Agra's shadow has produced on you."

[Hello Purvis]

> "You are surprisingly willing to take such a self-destructive chance, given you yourself have seen the odd results Bhava-Agra's shadow has produced on you."

>"It's either that or no chance at all," she says. "The proper choice is clear."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Ah, yes, the other major part of what I have to report. I had a conversation with a goddess about the nature of poltergeists. Sadly, I lack documentation for this, so you will either believe me or not. I rather suspect the latter, given I am sure you will really not like to hear about this aspect of poltergeist biology, but it is what it is. Tto put it simply, I have discovered that it is not Bhava-Agra's power that sustains you."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Ah, yes, the other major part of what I have to report. I had a conversation with a goddess about the nature of poltergeists. Sadly, I lack documentation for this, so you will either believe me or not. I rather suspect the latter, given I am sure you will really not like to hear about this aspect of poltergeist biology, but it is what it is. Tto put it simply, I have discovered that it is not Bhava-Agra's power that sustains you."

>"Then you're wrong," she says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Raise an eyebrow.
> "Really? So you know exactly why you had that prior feeling of slipping away, then?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Raise an eyebrow.
> "Really? So you know exactly why you had that prior feeling of slipping away, then?"

>"No. I never had it," she says. "There's nothing to have."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "So you were lying to me earlier."

[Hello Purvis]

> "So you were lying to me earlier."

>"You were just hearing what you wanted to hear," she says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "You seemed perfectly happy to not bother correcting me at any point."

[Hello Purvis]

> "You seemed perfectly happy to not bother correcting me at any point."

>"At the time, it seemed like you had it right," she says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "And what has changed since then, aside from me telling you a handful of things you have not wanted to hear?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "And what has changed since then, aside from me telling you a handful of things you have not wanted to hear?"

>"Nothing," she says. "The shadows are still being difficult. I know why, since you told me about your experiences, but I don't know the how, yet, so I can fix it."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Did you mean that she can fix it or that she can't fix it?

[Hello Purvis]

> Did you mean that she can fix it or that she can't fix it?

>She seems to be believe she can, if she knew the problem better.

[Kilgamayan]

> "Perhaps this is an issue of miscommunication issue, then. And a bit of a temper creeping in on my part, I think. I apologize for my rudeness."
> "When I tell you that it is not Bhava-Agra's power that sustains you, may I assume you tell me I am wrong because you felt the difference before and after for yourself? Because I am sure you did indeed feel such a difference, and I can tell you it was indeed a direct result of your taking Bhava-Agra's shadow."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Perhaps this is an issue of miscommunication issue, then. And a bit of a temper creeping in on my part, I think. I apologize for my rudeness."
> "When I tell you that it is not Bhava-Agra's power that sustains you, may I assume you tell me I am wrong because you felt the difference before and after for yourself? Because I am sure you did indeed feel such a difference, and I can tell you it was indeed a direct result of your taking Bhava-Agra's shadow."

>The poltergeist nods as you apologize. "Alright. It's to be expected, I suppose."
>She nods as you summarize the situation. "That's right," she says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> ...Is that empathy?
> "Then I should tell you about how poltergeists live, and what purpose they serve. I assume you do not know, because the musician poltergeist I spoke to, the one you met briefly yesterday, similarly has no idea."
> "According to the goddess on the mountain, poltergeists exist to remind people that even unliving objects have spirits. In the case of the musicians, I do not know if they exist to remind people that music has spirit, or merely the instruments. In your case, however, I think it is safe to assume that you exist to remind people that shadows have spirits. I will admit that I did not know this until I met you and learned more about the nature of shadows."

[Hello Purvis]

> ...Is that empathy?
> "Then I should tell you about how poltergeists live, and what purpose they serve. I assume you do not know, because the musician poltergeist I spoke to, the one you met briefly yesterday, similarly has no idea."
> "According to the goddess on the mountain, poltergeists exist to remind people that even unliving objects have spirits. In the case of the musicians, I do not know if they exist to remind people that music has spirit, or merely the instruments. In your case, however, I think it is safe to assume that you exist to remind people that shadows have spirits. I will admit that I did not know this until I met you and learned more about the nature of shadows."

>May be!
>She listens intently as you talk.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "All the previous times you had taken a shadow, I believe you said that it felt like it was enough, but that the feeling eventually subsided. This is because, while your actions did serve to remind people that shadows have spirits, the actions were done on a small scale, and nobody knew you did them, save for Nitori and presumably Kogasa. What you did to Bhava-Agra, however, was a grand scale event. Everyone in Gensokyo AND Bhava-Agra took notice, and even if they didn't necessarily know it was you that was responsible, it was still a significant event, and people would still have been able to notice Bhava-Agra casting improper shadows. Your action served as a reminder to a great many that shadows have spirits, and it is this renewed knowledge that sustains you."

[Hello Purvis]

> "All the previous times you had taken a shadow, I believe you said that it felt like it was enough, but that the feeling eventually subsided. This is because, while your actions did serve to remind people that shadows have spirits, the actions were done on a small scale, and nobody knew you did them, save for Nitori and presumably Kogasa. What you did to Bhava-Agra, however, was a grand scale event. Everyone in Gensokyo AND Bhava-Agra took notice, and even if they didn't necessarily know it was you that was responsible, it was still a significant event, and people would still have been able to notice Bhava-Agra casting improper shadows. Your action served as a reminder to a great many that shadows have spirits, and it is this renewed knowledge that sustains you."

>She shakes her head. "You're wrong. It makes sense, but it's wrong."
>She looks toward the ground now, glaring at it and wearing a grimace.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "May I surmise that your experience lends itself to a different conclusion? Or is your concerned look that of one who realizes the other implication of what I have said, the one far worse to you specifically?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "May I surmise that your experience lends itself to a different conclusion? Or is your concerned look that of one who realizes the other implication of what I have said, the one far worse to you specifically?"

>"It's experience..." she says. She shakes her head again, not looking up at you. "Forget it. You tried, and it seems like you kept your word. But I was right, no one would know what to do."

>_