(Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest (Part 11)

[DracoOmega]

>So we know how it is then, eh? Maybe she's a shockingly mature Fairy. it would explain why she's more competent than the usual strain.

>Simply being able to function in an academic setting would be impressively rarefied for a fairy, but competently wielding academic magic on top of this is something you probably would have disbelieved had you not just seen it for yourself. Physically, she is the very image of a fairy, but there's no doubt she's a highly unusual one. How much this extends to other domains of her life, you'd hesitate to guess.

[Oldmansour]

>We've seen fairies be afraid or shocked before, but how to those events stack up to Dai's fear of Yuuka? It seems different than normal fairy fear.

[Hanzo K.]

>Smile a bit. "Embarrassed, huh? I know how that is."

[Oldmansour]

>Smile a bit. "Embarrassed, huh? I know how that is."

>Let's not put it quite so bluntly.
>Instead, say, "We were all young once." while giving her a little smile.

[DracoOmega]

>We've seen fairies be afraid or shocked before, but how to those events stack up to Dai's fear of Yuuka? It seems different than normal fairy fear.

>It does, now that you think on it. Dai's reaction was more collected and reserved, for one thing; a lurking, cold fear, rather than something urgent and panicked. You're not certain if this means it's something very scary indeed, or if this is just her way, as well.

>Instead, say, "We were all young once." while giving her a little smile.

>You attempt to reassure the fairy, but if anything this only seems to exacerbate her reaction; you see her cheeks flush slightly.
>"Well it's... it's not really like that," she says, shaking her head. "Not... really."

[Oldmansour]

>Advanced fairy or not, we're obviously treading on something important to the girl.
>We're good at weaseling out a secret here and there. How would we normally go about getting a person like this to give up their secrets, without making her shut down in embarassment?

[DracoOmega]

>Advanced fairy or not, we're obviously treading on something important to the girl.
>We're good at weaseling out a secret here and there. How would we normally go about getting a person like this to give up their secrets, without making her shut down in embarassment?

>She does seem a bit uncomfortable, but it's possible she's slightly bashful in general; she did give off a little of the vibe during your first encounter, in the library.
>That would depends on the type of secret you were trying to root out. In this case, not only do you not know Dai very well, but she doesn't seem to fit into an easy archetype for you to peg, being a fairy that seems distinctly unfairy-like in some ways. To be frank, you never were very good at playing the empathy card, though - even when, despite yourself, you actually meant it.

[Oldmansour]

>Yeah, well, it's worked for us so far. We get by.
>Still, we don't really need to know what these objects meant to her to find them. Just something distinctive. We can do the rest ourselves. But this is one weird fairy.
>... Dammit, stop thinking about Honey. We can miss- See her again later, after we're fixed.
>"Well, setting that to the one side for a moment, these 'landmarks' of yours are distinctive, in some way? Like, a certain color of moss on one side, a diamond shaped hole in the top? That sort of thing?"

[DracoOmega]

>Yeah, well, it's worked for us so far. We get by.
>Still, we don't really need to know what these objects meant to her to find them. Just something distinctive. We can do the rest ourselves. But this is one weird fairy.
>... Dammit, stop thinking about Honey. We can miss- See her again later, after we're fixed.

>As you think of fairies and their foibles, you find your mind drifting back to the little one you left in Marisa's care, what seems like ages ago now. One of many things you promise yourself that you will see again. You will.

>"Well, setting that to the one side for a moment, these 'landmarks' of yours are distinctive, in some way? Like, a certain color of moss on one side, a diamond shaped hole in the top? That sort of thing?"

>"If you knew where to find them," she says, regaining her composure a little. "But  the forest is very big; I don't... I don't know that I could give you directions good enough to find any of them if you didn't already know your way around the area."
>She pauses a moment. "You... don't, right?"

[Hanzo K.]

>"Not precisely, but with enough info, I should be able to Dowse for 'em. It's what I can do after all."

[Oldmansour]

>"And I get my feet under me quick enough. All I need is a solid direction to start from."

[Oldmansour]

>Actually, belay my last post.

>"Not precisely, but with enough info, I should be able to Dowse for 'em. It's what I can do after all."

>Before we say that, CAN we actually dowse for those sort of things?

[DracoOmega]

>Before we say that, CAN we actually dowse for those sort of things?

>Of the things Dai mentioned, neither a popular log nor a tree around which berries grows would be remotely dowsable among all of the less popular logs and similar trees. A funny-shaped rock might theoretically be dowsable, though less for its appearance and more its distinctive mineral composition - a fact you would not expect her to know.

[Hanzo K.]

>"Well, if any of the rocks look odd, they might have a different mineral composition from a normal one. I happen to know a fair bit about that sort of thing due to it being what I can find with my ability the easiest."

[Hawkpath1337]

Let me give you some advice. If you want to add a joke to a game, then do so in a slashed out command.

>Like this.

That way, it takes the form of a joke, instead of spam. Being part of the peanut gallery is fine, you just need to know how to do it, and how often.

Ah, thanks.
>Stand on head.

[DracoOmega]

>Stand on head.

>In an unprovoked act of agility, you flip yourself forward into an impromptu handstand. Gravity, indifferent to the norms of social modesty, then proceeds to flip your skirt down onto your chest. Dai blushes fiercely.
>"A- are you alright?" she asks, looking distinctly unsure of where her eyes should be alighting.

>"Well, if any of the rocks look odd, they might have a different mineral composition from a normal one. I happen to know a fair bit about that sort of thing due to it being what I can find with my ability the easiest."

>"Well, maybe..." She pauses and examines your dowsing rods for a moment. "How far away can you detect things like that?"

[Oldmansour]

>Can we reliably detect variable mineral formations in rocks, assuming a lack of highly precious and/or magical materials?
>If so, recount the pertinant information of our range at said to Daiyousei.

[DracoOmega]

>Can we reliably detect variable mineral formations in rocks, assuming a lack of highly precious and/or magical materials?
>If so, recount the pertinant information of our range at said to Daiyousei.

>You can sense the mineral content of rock formations in great detail, and highly precious materials are not necessarily more distinctive than mundane ones save for their rarity. Magical materials tend to be especially distinct, but it is not difficult for you to discern the presence of things like quartz, calcite, or feldspar. Obviously you are able to discern smaller quantities and more subtle patterning of minerals with increased proximity, though you can detect things more broadly at considerable range. The greatest problem with finding a particular rock from a distance is that there are probably countless rocks nearby with very similar composition. If you had yourself dowsed a particular rock in detail, you could probably find it again from a long way away, but it would be hard for someone to describe in words what distinguishes the composition of one rock from a very similar rock nearby.
>You explain this to Dai and she nods attentively, though a dubious frown remains on her face.

>"Well, I don't think they're really that special," she says. "Just... an interesting shape, or a pretty pattern. I only know a little geology...."
>Her eyes light up a bit. "I think pineapple rock is tournamline. The top of it, I mean. About this big?" She holds her petite hands about a foot or so apart. "Would that be something you could find?"
>Then she sags again. "Though even if you could, I guess that doesn't really help you find the garden."

[Oldmansour]

>"What do you mean? I thought these marks of yours could be found on the way there? A trail, sort of."

[DracoOmega]

>"What do you mean? I thought these marks of yours could be found on the way there? A trail, sort of."

>"Well, sort of," she says. "I've never actually been there, remember. I only know the general direction and pineapple rock isn't really very close to it. Maybe one of the others would know better... "

[Oldmansour]

>"You mean one of the fairys from the village?"
>Do fairy villages traditionally have names? If so, ask Dai what this one is called.

[DracoOmega]

>"You mean one of the fairys from the village?"

>She nods, then frowns again. "Sassafras said she went there herself, once. ...but she's probably forgotten how she got there. Maybe Marigold?"
>The fairy gives you an apologetic look. "I'm sorry; I'm not sure. A few of my sisters have stumbled upon it, but I think it was mostly by accident. Most of them... don't have a very good sense of direction and everyone stays away from the part of the forest now. Even if Yuka didn't live there, it's a long way from home."

>Do fairy villages traditionally have names? If so, ask Dai what this one is called.

>You don't really know; there wasn't a name listed on the map, at any rate. You ask Dai.
>"It doesn't really have a name," she replies. "Not like you would think of one, anyway. I mean, lots of them have called it something at one point or another, but the names don't... stick, really. They might feel like calling it something completely different the very next day."

[Oldmansour]

>A long way from home, even for a fairy, who flies. Through rough, unfamiliar terrain. Oy......
>Hang on a tick. 'Everyone'? Since when do NORMAL fairies stay away from something scary for a long period of time? As a race, they're famed for never learning a lesson. Have we ever known one that did?
>If not, say, "'Everyone stays away'? Just what does this Yuka DO to visitors?"

[DracoOmega]

>A long way from home, even for a fairy, who flies. Through rough, unfamiliar terrain. Oy......
>Hang on a tick. 'Everyone'? Since when do NORMAL fairies stay away from something scary for a long period of time? As a race, they're famed for never learning a lesson. Have we ever known one that did?
>If not, say, "'Everyone stays away'? Just what does this Yuka DO to visitors?"

>If the trip is long for them, with all their natural advantages, you ponder how much longer it might be for you. On the other hand, it's possible their concept of distance isn't quite the same as yours.
>Well, it is certainly possible to get some fairies to wise up, at least for a while; they do tend to be legendarily flaky, though, and fond of pushing their luck. It's not outside the realm of belief that someone could terrorize them sufficiently for it to stick, though it would not be extraordinarily common, either.
>Dai shakes her head. "I... don't know, for sure. Some of my sisters may have... exaggerated a little." She looks a little sheepish at this fact. "But please believe me when I say she's dangerous. I know that maybe this doesn't mean very much to you, coming from a fairy, but she really is."

[Oldmansour]

>"Oh, I believe you. You're not quite like any fairy I've ever met before. I got no issue taking your warning's seriously."
>Take a long breath. "Doesn't change what I think I have to do, but, I'll be warned for when I get there."

[DracoOmega]

>"Oh, I believe you. You're not quite like any fairy I've ever met before. I got no issue taking your warning's seriously."
>Take a long breath. "Doesn't change what I think I have to do, but, I'll be warned for when I get there."

>Dai nods tentatively. "I wish I knew better what to warn you against; maybe she'll treat you differently because you're not a fairy, but... I don't think she'll be happy for anyone to intrude on her garden."

[Oldmansour]

>"Yeah, well, first I gotta find the damn place, or it won't be an issue at all. Appreciate the sentiment, though."
>"You mentioned a couple of fairies in your village had been there before. You think they'd still remember where it was, or at least a decent idea?"
>Just as a refresher, getting to the village itself shouldn't be a big problem, from what we saw on the map, right?

[DracoOmega]

>"Yeah, well, first I gotta find the damn place, or it won't be an issue at all. Appreciate the sentiment, though."
>"You mentioned a couple of fairies in your village had been there before. You think they'd still remember where it was, or at least a decent idea?"
>Just as a refresher, getting to the village itself shouldn't be a big problem, from what we saw on the map, right?

>"They... probably don't remember exactly how they got there," she says. "But one of them might still be able to guide you part of the way."
>Getting to the village will require somehow traversing a lake, but finding it should be very straightforward.

[Oldmansour]

>During our time here, did we pass by any stores or buildings that would indicate the services of a ranger, or tracker, for hire? Someone who would be familiar with the area in question, and would be a little more reliable than a fairy?
>Reminder. Val Razua doesn't have a Seeker's guildhall, correct?

[DracoOmega]

>During our time here, did we pass by any stores or buildings that would indicate the services of a ranger, or tracker, for hire? Someone who would be familiar with the area in question, and would be a little more reliable than a fairy?
>Reminder. Val Razua doesn't have a Seeker's guildhall, correct?

>You didn't notice anything like that specifically, but you're fairly certain such people could be found for hire somewhere within the city.
>There is a chapter of the Seeker's Guild within Val Razua. Despite the much greater size of the city itself, you do not believe it has all the facilities of the guildhall in Braston, but contracts are still posted and fulfilled here.