Nue Quest 3rd Impact: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

>"I'm wondering if maybe the gem thing wasn't just someone trying to be 'kind' or whatnot, by giving people something it thought was of equal value, but an intrinsic part of the effect? Value for value? Although I don't know if that being true would help narrow down how it was done. I mean, kinda out of my element on the mechanics bit..."

>"I think you're right," says Byakuren.
>Patchouli nods. "It does seem to hold true. I suspect people would find more value in a green glass bead than a bit of rock salt."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Patchouli, you said earlier that this effect was probably based on some aspect of the mind or soul, right? Would that be, say, something like the part of people that value money? Or greed? Or something like that? Or did you mean something else entirely?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Patchouli, you said earlier that this effect was probably based on some aspect of the mind or soul, right? Would that be, say, something like the part of people that value money? Or greed? Or something like that? Or did you mean something else entirely?"

>"Either of those could be a plausible basis of the effect," says Patchouli. "But, I am not so sure they would be the source of power."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Any thoughts on what could, or is that just as speculative at this point?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Any thoughts on what could, or is that just as speculative at this point?"

>"Only vague speculations at this point," says Patchouli. "My primary suspicions are some sort of youkai's ability run amok, or something that a shrine maiden type did."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I don't suppose any youkai comes to any of your minds whose ability is at least vaguely related to this...?"
>Give them a chance to mull this over and respond

>"As for shrine maiden types, that's kinda a short list, isn't it? I can't imagine it's Reimu, and even if the Moriya Shrine is kinda suspicious sometimes, I don't think Sanae herself's a very good liar, if she had a hand in it. I suppose there's that one that Eirin supposedly has contact with on the moon, but that's a long way off. Anyone else I'm missing?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"I don't suppose any youkai comes to any of your minds whose ability is at least vaguely related to this...?"
>Give them a chance to mull this over and respond

>"As for shrine maiden types, that's kinda a short list, isn't it? I can't imagine it's Reimu, and even if the Moriya Shrine is kinda suspicious sometimes, I don't think Sanae herself's a very good liar, if she had a hand in it. I suppose there's that one that Eirin supposedly has contact with on the moon, but that's a long way off. Anyone else I'm missing?"

>"Yukari," say Alice and Marisa at once.
>"Setting her aside," says Patchouli, frowning, "It may well be within Lady Scarlet's ability. But given how she has reacted, I am hard pressed to believe that she did it. I might consider Suika, but it's not exactly characteristic of her, nor really within the realms of her power, as I understand it."
>"Koishi and Satori do mind things, don't they?" says Maribel. "They might've been involved?"
>"And speaking of Eirin," says Patchouli, "She does have Yorihime, who is an exemplary shrine maiden as well as a great pain for everyone else who isn't a Lunarian. She has shown willingness to meddle with Gensokyo in the past, for the sake of the ideals of her home."

>_

[E-Nazrin]

>"So what do we know about Yorihime's ideals?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"So what do we know about Yorihime's ideals?"

>"Purity centric," says Patchouli. "She has no time for those such as us who would cast away those kinds of things."
>"Patchouli," Byakuren says. "Let's not start this again."
>Patchouli gives Byakuren a long inscrutable look, then returns her attention to you and says, "Regardless, she fully regards the Lunar Civilization as superior to, and superceding anything on this world. She can reasonable, but largely only at the behest of of another Lunarian. As she holds a high position in her civilization, she feels free to impose her whims here when she chooses. Luckily, it is rare for her to actually come to Gensokyo."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I don't suppose you can see an angle where she'd want our money? Or, for that matter, feel like giving us something in return? Would they consider gems more pure in some way?"

[E-Nazrin]

>Do we have any idea what might have brought about that exchange between her and Byakuren? Or the notion of 'purity' as expressed here?
>"And what's that Lunar Civilization like?"

... for some reason I just wondered if this was Yukari and Yorihime working together, which made my brain fail for a moment.

[Hello Purvis]

>"I don't suppose you can see an angle where she'd want our money? Or, for that matter, feel like giving us something in return? Would they consider gems more pure in some way?"

>"Who knows how they think?" says Patchouli. "They might or might not regard gems as superior. As for why they'd want out money? Heaven only knows."

>Do we have any idea what might have brought about that exchange between her and Byakuren? Or the notion of 'purity' as expressed here?
>"And what's that Lunar Civilization like?"

>You're not certain. But you know that Bykauren is a bit sensitive about some of the things she's done in the past. To the point you're not certain precisely what they are, you've never asked and she's never volunteered.
>"Advanced," says Patchouli. "Apparently free of many of the little ills that plague our world. I couldn't tell you more than that."

>_

[E-Nazrin]

>"Would they count money as an ill?"
>Hm... would Nazrin have been able to tell if the scrambled signal she was getting originated from the surface of Gensokyo vs. the surface of the moon?...

[Hello Purvis]

>"Would they count money as an ill?"
>Hm... would Nazrin have been able to tell if the scrambled signal she was getting originated from the surface of Gensokyo vs. the surface of the moon?...

>"Who knows how they think?" Patchouli says again when you ask about money.
>You don't think she could douse something on the moon.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Is there any way we could narrow down the power source, besides speculating about who might do it and why? I mean, something mechanical, or something I can go out and look for, besides 'a big pile of money'?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Is there any way we could narrow down the power source, besides speculating about who might do it and why? I mean, something mechanical, or something I can go out and look for, besides 'a big pile of money'?"

>"I can," says Patchouli. "It will take time. In your case, the best I can say is to consider what you know about the situation and investigate what feels worth investigating. I would consider accompanying you, but that will not be possible."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Right, I figured. Dunno where else to look, though, aside from Makai, and, well, yeah. Maybe something will pop up when I'm delivering Rinnosuke's wine."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Right, I figured. Dunno where else to look, though, aside from Makai, and, well, yeah. Maybe something will pop up when I'm delivering Rinnosuke's wine."

>"That's about how we all feel, I think," says Alice. "It really is a frustrating issue."
>"If I find anything," says Patchouli, "I'll be certain to send a messenger after you."
>"Do you have any leads on the rabbit that took your spellcards?" Byakuren says.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Not really, except that she wasn't at Eientei and has been gone the whole day. I'm actually inclined to believe Eirin and Reisen on that one; they seemed somewhere between worried and annoyed about it. That streetear saw her sometime this morning, you said you saw a rabbit in the crowd in the village this afternoon. Other than that..."
>Shrug
>"I don't suppose any of you've seen any rabbits about, today?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Not really, except that she wasn't at Eientei and has been gone the whole day. I'm actually inclined to believe Eirin and Reisen on that one; they seemed somewhere between worried and annoyed about it. That streetear saw her sometime this morning, you said you saw a rabbit in the crowd in the village this afternoon. Other than that..."
>Shrug
>"I don't suppose any of you've seen any rabbits about, today?"

>There are denials from the group in general, until Alice says, "Actually, I have. Or rather, Hina did while she was visiting. I assume she took your spellcards?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Pretty sure. At least, she let herself into my place while I was asleep claiming to be a friend of mine, then let herself out again, and when I woke up they were gone. Not exactly a lot of suspects for that sorta thing in the Ancient City. What she'd want with them beats me, though."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Pretty sure. At least, she let herself into my place while I was asleep claiming to be a friend of mine, then let herself out again, and when I woke up they were gone. Not exactly a lot of suspects for that sorta thing in the Ancient City. What she'd want with them beats me, though."

>"Hina saw her this afternoon," says Alice, "She was heading southward, probably going past Scarlet Devil Mansion. She had a few faeries chasing her, which wasn't surprising, it was after more or less the whole forest started going into a tizzy."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Do we know what's south past the Scarlet Devil Mansion?
> If not, say "What's in that direction?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Do we know what's south past the Scarlet Devil Mansion?
> If not, say "What's in that direction?"

>You don't know.
>"Nothing much, really," says Patchouli. "A lot of faeries live that way, but there's not much else."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Frown.
> "Why would someone with a working brain want to wander into a large crowd of angry fairies?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Frown.
> "Why would someone with a working brain want to wander into a large crowd of angry fairies?"

>"That is an excellent question," says Patchouli. "The implications of it are obvious, and intriguing."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I guess I've found that something to investigate. As much as I don't enjoy the prospect of wandering into a cloud of angry fairies by myself."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I guess I've found that something to investigate. As much as I don't enjoy the prospect of wandering into a cloud of angry fairies by myself."

>"I have every confidence you can handle yourself," says Byakuren, giving you a smile.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Raise an eyebrow at Byakuren.
> "So do I. I'm not the one you'll need to worry about."

[Hello Purvis]

> Raise an eyebrow at Byakuren.
> "So do I. I'm not the one you'll need to worry about."

>"I know," says Byakuren.

>_