Nue Quest 10 - The Lost Levels: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> Chuckle a bit.
> "You should have more faith in me, Tenshi."

>"Eh, maybe," says Tenshi.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Continue on to Alice's house.

[Hello Purvis]

> Continue on to Alice's house.

>The flight to Alice's house is a reasonably peaceful one. The forest is starting to liven up, as faeries are slowly coming out of the woodwork and resuming their usual activities. It probably won't be too long unlike some kind of danmaku starts to fly from the canopy somewhere. The rain continues to fall, and it has gotten quite dark outside between the sunset and the clouds blocking the stars. But compared to some places underground, it's positively daylight as far as you're concerned.
>You reach Alice's cabin without any problems, landing on the front porch.  You can see some faerie activity over the lake; it would be wise to avoid flying over it without taking some caution against rousing them.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Knock on the door.

[Hello Purvis]

> Knock on the door.

>You knock on the door, After a moment, it opens and a doll peers out at you. You can hear what sounds like a saw cutting through wood inside.  After a moment, the doll silently opens the door wider and waves at you to come inside.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Enter!

[Hello Purvis]

> Enter!

>You walk inside, and find the front room is a bit emptier than you remember it, only about a third of the dolls from before linger about, most of them busy tending to some small thing.
>Alice comes from the eastern door, and nods toward you. "I didn't expect you back so soon, Nue," she says. Then with a glance toward your companion, she adds, "Nor did I expect to see you again tonight, Tenshi."
>"Yeah, well," says Tenshi. She doesn't seem interested in finishing this thought, and lets it drop.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Look over at Tenshi with a raised eyebrow, then look back at Alice.
> "Well, I wanted to go the great umbrella shuffle tonight, since I have yours and Mystia has one of mine, and I wanted to not have to think about it more than I had to. I'm also here, though, to inquire about the prospect of a custom-made doll."

[Hello Purvis]

> Look over at Tenshi with a raised eyebrow, then look back at Alice.
> "Well, I wanted to go the great umbrella shuffle tonight, since I have yours and Mystia has one of mine, and I wanted to not have to think about it more than I had to. I'm also here, though, to inquire about the prospect of a custom-made doll."

>"Don't worry about umbrellas," says Alice, shaking her head. "It's trivial to get another one. As for making a doll, I'd be happy to make you any doll that you would like."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "All right. In that case, Tenshi has a request for a doll. Please consider her request as coverage for the remainder of the cost of the mahogany. You needn't worry about Mamizou futher, either, since she's decided to stay in Gensokyo."

[Hello Purvis]

> "All right. In that case, Tenshi has a request for a doll. Please consider her request as coverage for the remainder of the cost of the mahogany. You needn't worry about Mamizou futher, either, since she's decided to stay in Gensokyo."

>"Ah, good," she says. "I admit, I completely forgot about showing Mamizou around in all of the excitement."
>She turns to Tenshi, "What would you like me to make?"
>"Thinking about it," says Tenshi. 
>"So we'll be here awhile," Alice says. Then she glances back for a moment as the sawing noise ends in a muted thump.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Not as long as you might think. I don't know what the final decision will be, and I'll be leaving before it's made, but I do know there are a limited number of candidates."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Not as long as you might think. I don't know what the final decision will be, and I'll be leaving before it's made, but I do know there are a limited number of candidates."

>Alice nods. "I won't keep you, then."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Mentally check the locations of Youkai Mountain, Marisa's house, the Hakurei Shrine, Turtle House, the Scarlet Devil Mansion, and the entrance to the Underground from our current location.
> Turn to Tenshi and extend a hand for a handshake.
> "Pleasure doing business."

[Hello Purvis]

> Mentally check the locations of Youkai Mountain, Marisa's house, the Hakurei Shrine, Turtle House, the Scarlet Devil Mansion, and the entrance to the Underground from our current location.
> Turn to Tenshi and extend a hand for a handshake.
> "Pleasure doing business."

>Youkai mountain is some ways to the Northeast.  Marisa's house is just a little ways to the north. The Hakurei Shrine is some distance to the northeast, more north than east. Maribel's home is to the north a bit further than Marisa's home. The Scarlet Devil Mansion is just a short distance to the southwest, you could easily see it from the front porch. The entrance to the Underground is, if you're correct, to the east and a bit northward, but you may have to hunt a little bit for it.
>You turn to Tenshi and offer her a handshake. She takes it and gives you a rather painfully firm shake. "Yeah. I'll get that hole fixed up tomorrow if the rain cuts out by then."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod.
> "I talked to Byakuren. The supplies will be ready."
> "Anyway, I'll take my leave. Thank you both for your help today."
> Assuming no objection from either, leave the house and head to Marisa's house. Fly if possible, walk if necessary.

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "I talked to Byakuren. The supplies will be ready."
> "Anyway, I'll take my leave. Thank you both for your help today."
> Assuming no objection from either, leave the house and head to Marisa's house. Fly if possible, walk if necessary.

>"Okay, good," says Tenshi. "See you."
>"Thank you," says Alice. "You've helped me along quite nicely."
>You depart, and fly toward Marisa's house. It's not too difficult to pick out from the air, not many of the forest clearings have houses in them. As you draw close, you don't note any light in the windows.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Might as well try.
> Swoop down and knock on the door.

[Hello Purvis]

> Might as well try.
> Swoop down and knock on the door.

>You swoop down and knock on the door. You are not surprised to find that no one answers.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Oh well.
> Take flight again and head to Turtle House.

[Hello Purvis]

> Oh well.
> Take flight again and head to Turtle House.

>You take to the air again, and approach the house at the edge of the forest. You do notice there's a light on this time, in the front room.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> What was the language spoken in Avalon again? The sword itself was Cornish.
> Swoop down and knock on the door.

[Hello Purvis]

> What was the language spoken in Avalon again? The sword itself was Cornish.
> Swoop down and knock on the door.

>According to Sir Kay, it was Brythonic.
>You swoop down and knock on the door. it opens quickly, to reveal a rather rain-soaked Maribel. "Oh, hello Nue," she says. "Is there anything we can do for you."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Kind of. I'll try not to keep you long, since you look like you need to dry off. Have you two heard of a place called Avalon? Apparently it's in Europe?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Kind of. I'll try not to keep you long, since you look like you need to dry off. Have you two heard of a place called Avalon? Apparently it's in Europe?"

>"Uh, not Avalon, but we know about Europe."
>"What about Europe?" comes Renko's voice from inside.
>"Nue's asking about it," says Maribel, looking back.
>"Oh, why?" Renko says.
>Maribel looks back to you. "That is a good question."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "It's where that sword came from. And it's a place I somehow traveled to earlier today, presumably because I had the sword. I found my best friend from a long time ago there and brought her back here, but I'm rather curious as to how far away it is, given I'd never heard of it before but Gensokyo is somehow linked to it."

[Hello Purvis]

> "It's where that sword came from. And it's a place I somehow traveled to earlier today, presumably because I had the sword. I found my best friend from a long time ago there and brought her back here, but I'm rather curious as to how far away it is, given I'd never heard of it before but Gensokyo is somehow linked to it."

>"It's pretty much on the other side of the world," says Maribel.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Well damn. That must have taken her forever to get there. Regardless, from the sound of things, Avalon's well-known and kinda important amongst Eastern magicians, so you two might want to ask about it some time. Patchouli seemed to know a good deal about it, as expected. I didn't gather much about it myself while I was there, something about a King Pendragon and some Knights of the Round Table or some such, but probably not anything that would be useful to tell a magician beyond maybe the fact that the humans there avoid supernatural creatures like the plague."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well damn. That must have taken her forever to get there. Regardless, from the sound of things, Avalon's well-known and kinda important amongst Eastern magicians, so you two might want to ask about it some time. Patchouli seemed to know a good deal about it, as expected. I didn't gather much about it myself while I was there, something about a King Pendragon and some Knights of the Round Table or some such, but probably not anything that would be useful to tell a magician beyond maybe the fact that the humans there avoid supernatural creatures like the plague."

>"Wow, really?" comes Renko's voice, now just past the door.
>"You were there?" says Maribel. "How?"
>"We're definitely going,"says Renko.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Not quite sure. Think the pieces of that sword ripped a hole in the side of reality. You're not getting there, though, unless you want to be trapped there with a ton of people that don't speak your language and will flip their lids the instant you fly or do anything magic. Yukari's closing the connection as we speak, and given how miffed she was that it was open in the first place, I doubt even her twin could convince her to keep it open."