(Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest (Part 3)

[DracoOmega]

>"No offense taken. Sound advice, actually."
>"Now about those tools...?"

>She gives a curt nod.
>"Right," she says, moving off down the path towards the barn.

[Oldmansour]

>Folllow.

[DracoOmega]

>Folllow.

>You follow along as she makes her way towards the barn then undoes the lock on the doors and pulls one aside. It opens with the low creek.
>Stepping inside, you get a pungent whiff of stables. Looking to your right, you see several stalls along the wall, currently stabling a pair of horses; they quietly acknowledge her entrance. Much of the rest of the room is devoted to storage: you see a plow and tack, and other basic farming and carpentry tools. A rack against the opposite wall holds spades, hoes, and a pitchfork, while the corner next to it is piled with sacks of seed or feed or something of that nature. Among this are scattered other bits and bobs of the trade, along shelves built into the wall or stacked on top of wooden boxes. It is relatively tidy, if not scrupulously organized.
>The farmer quickly makes her way over to ones of the shelves and pushes a few items aside, retrieving a large spool of bailing twine. Then she fetches the pitchfork off of the tool rack and brings it over to you.
>"Anything else you need?" she asks, handing them to you.

[Oldmansour]

>"A question. About how much twine is in this spool here?"

[DracoOmega]

>"A question. About how much twine is in this spool here?"

>"Was a 3000-footer," she says. "Most of it's used now. Couldn't say exactly how much is left. 500 feet, maybe? Is that good enough?"

[Oldmansour]

>"More than good enough. I only need around 100 feet or so, I think."
>Measure out about 40 feet of twine, seperate it from the spool, then tie one end of the string to the end of a kunai, and the other end to our belt. Repeat twice more.
>Then, give pitchfork a couple of experimental thrusts, to get a feel of the thing.

[DracoOmega]

>"More than good enough. I only need around 100 feet or so, I think."
>Measure out about 40 feet of twine, seperate it from the spool, then tie one end of the string to the end of a kunai, and the other end to our belt. Repeat twice more.
>Then, give pitchfork a couple of experimental thrusts, to get a feel of the thing.

>"Just bring the rest back when you're done with it," she says.
>At the moment, you have nothing on you to measure with, although you could approximate. However, you also are not wearing a belt, presenting a flaw in at least one other part of this plan.
>You take the pitchfork and give it a few experimental thrusts. You catch the farmer giving you a dubious look while you do this, muted and subtle though it is. It isn't an ideal weapon; the haft is fairly heavy, making the balance feel a little uneven and the curvature of the tines also means that a straight thrust wouldn't bring its full penetrating power to bear. Still, even if you aren't able to be particularly agile with it, it does offer range in melee that your kunai do not, and could still do appreciable damage to something you hit with it.

[Oldmansour]

>"I'll do my best."
>"Oh, I forget to mention earlier. I'd also be well served if I could get a butcher's knife, or something like it. My kunai are good throwing weapons, but I'd like something bigger, if the need arises. And perhaps an old belt, as well, if you've got one lying around."

[DracoOmega]

>"I'll do my best."
>"Oh, I forget to mention earlier. I'd also be well served if I could get a butcher's knife, or something like it. My kunai are good throwing weapons, but I'd like something bigger, if the need arises. And perhaps an old belt, as well, if you've got one lying around."

>She nods.
>"A... belt? Are you sure you-" She pauses, then shrugs. "Sorry. I might have something. I can get you a knife, anyway. Don't know if it's big enough for you."
>She turns and walks back over to the one of the shelves in the corner and starting shifting through things. A few moments later she returns with a stout hunting knife in a simple leather scabbard.
>"Will this do you?"

[Oldmansour]

>"That's what I'm talkin' about, that's perfect."

[DracoOmega]

>"That's what I'm talkin' about, that's perfect."

>"Good."
>She hands you the knife, then seems to take a moment and sizes you up again.
>"Don't suppose I can ask you what you need the belt for?"

[Oldmansour]

>"I plan to tie a piece of this twine to the end of my kunai, and tie the other end to my belt, so I can reel it back in without having to run 20 or so feet, or jump onto a spider's back to yank it out."
>"And if need be, I can cut the twine off my belt in event of an emergency. I don't really have anything to tie the lines to on me right now, and keeping 100 feet or so of twine in my kunai pouch would probably just lead to getting it all tangled together."
>"If nothing else, it'd give me something to belt this nice knife here to."

[DracoOmega]

>"I plan to tie a piece of this twine to the end of my kunai, and tie the other end to my belt, so I can reel it back in without having to run 20 or so feet, or jump onto a spider's back to yank it out."
>"And if need be, I can cut the twine off my belt in event of an emergency. I don't really have anything to tie the lines to on me right now, and keeping 100 feet or so of twine in my kunai pouch would probably just lead to getting it all tangled together."
>"If nothing else, it'd give me something to belt this nice knife here to."

>She is silent for a moment. You can see a faint suggestion of a frown upon her face. "Don't see how a belt's gonna help with that, but I guess I could look for one if you want to come with."

[Oldmansour]

>"Works for me. Lead on."

[DracoOmega]

>"Works for me. Lead on."

>Her expression barely wavers as you give her an affirmative. She pauses silently for another moment, then turns and walks out of the barn again. You follow after her as she leads you past the cornfields and towards her house, some distance further towards town. It's a fairly plain dwelling, though well-maintained. The interior exhibits a similar functional style, with few embellishment or decorative touches, though you do notice a number of rustic wood carvings of modest skill arrayed around the space.
>She offers you a seat at the table while she goes off into another room to search for a belt. A short while later she emerges with a fairly worn and not terribly attractive specimen.
>"It's only an old thing," she says as she returns, "but I'm sure it'll do you as well enough as any."

[Oldmansour]

>Not looking to win any fashion contests here.
>"Long as it fits, it'll do just fine by me."

[DracoOmega]

>Not looking to win any fashion contests here.
>"Long as it fits, it'll do just fine by me."

>She nods and hands it to you. "That it, then?"

[Oldmansour]

>Nod.
>"Once I get my weapons set up, I'll be on my way. Bit of luck, and this problem'll be done by suppertime."
>Come to think of it, did we at least touch that twine? Enough at least to get a grasp of how easy it would be to cut with kunai? It is thicker and tougher than normal string, after all.

[DracoOmega]

>Nod.
>"Once I get my weapons set up, I'll be on my way. Bit of luck, and this problem'll be done by suppertime."
>Come to think of it, did we at least touch that twine? Enough at least to get a grasp of how easy it would be to cut with kunai? It is thicker and tougher than normal string, after all.

>She nods slowly. "Well, good luck to you. I'm going to go spread the word to the people still out north, let 'em know what they need to be watching out for."
>It is lightweight, but quite densely corded. Cutting it would likely require applying some force to secure the twine and a little elbow grease.

[Oldmansour]

>Would more run of the mill string serve the same intended purpose? That would have to be easier to cut on the fly.

[DracoOmega]

>Would more run of the mill string serve the same intended purpose? That would have to be easier to cut on the fly.

>Run of the mill string is certainly capable of pulling something as light as a kunai without snapping, although there is more potential of it breaking if caught on rocks or trees.

[Oldmansour]

>"Oh, before you go, I've just had a thought."
>"I don't mean to sound demanding, but for what I've got in mind, run of the mill string might serve the purpose better than twine. Would you happen to have about 100 feet or so of that lying about?"
>Fasten on the belt.

[DracoOmega]

>"Oh, before you go, I've just had a thought."
>"I don't mean to sound demanding, but for what I've got in mind, run of the mill string might serve the purpose better than twine. Would you happen to have about 100 feet or so of that lying about?"
>Fasten on the belt.

>She gives you another dull stare, then opens her mouth as if to speak, but says nothing. She shakes her head. "Don't think so, no."
>You put on the belt. It was clearly intended for someone larger than you and hangs rather loosely even using the tightest loop. It doesn't help matters that your outfit lacks any place to thread it through; it looks rather out of place, all things considered.

[Oldmansour]

>Bats. Guess we'll have to make do.
>"Had to ask."

[DracoOmega]

>Bats. Guess we'll have to make do.
>"Had to ask."

>This may be true.
>She nods.

[Oldmansour]

>Back to that twine!
>Affix knife sheathe to belt.

[Hello Purvis]

>Let's head off to visit Minoriko while we're doing this, given she probably is most likely to know about unusual fauna.

[Oldmansour]

>To the inn, then.
>Still affix knife sheathe to belt.

[DracoOmega]

>Let's head off to visit Minoriko while we're doing this, given she probably is most likely to know about unusual fauna.

>To the inn, then.
>Still affix knife sheathe to belt.

>You part ways with the farmer and head for the Harvest's Bounty. She wishes you good luck in her taciturn way, then heads northward towards the pastures. Your own path takes you southeast, to the village center. Along the way, you thread the hunting knife's sheathe over your belt. It hangs fairly comfortably; at least as well as you can expect from this belt.
>It is but a short trip to the inn, Easthaven being what it is. Rather in contrast to your last visit, the place is a bustle of activity; it is basically lunchtime, after all. The place is filled with both the sounds of friendly banter and aromas of hearty stews and roasts and baked potatoes. You spot Minoriko on the far side of the establishment, laying out a bowl of soup before a patron, that warm smile of hers on her face. >Among the crowd, you also catch sight of another familiar face, sitting at a table in the middle of the room. Or rather, a familiar hat, back-on to you as she is.

[Oldmansour]

>Identify the hat.