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

[Kilgamayan]

> Do we have any spare futons?
> "If I'm not around here by the time you're done, should I pick you up at the temple? Or do you expect to stay the night there?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Do we have any spare futons?
> "If I'm not around here by the time you're done, should I pick you up at the temple? Or do you expect to stay the night there?"

>You should, but it's been some time since it's seen use.
>"I could stay there, if that's no problem," says Mamizou. "I've not quite figured out what I'll be doing in that regard."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "It shouldn't be a problem. But come on now, of course my place is open to you. I have a spare futon lying around somewhere."
> Point at her tail.
> "And hell, if it comes to it, my bed is big enough for all three of us."

[Hello Purvis]

> "It shouldn't be a problem. But come on now, of course my place is open to you. I have a spare futon lying around somewhere."
> Point at her tail.
> "And hell, if it comes to it, my bed is big enough for all three of us."

>You've not actually seen her tail, her dress hides it well.
>"I don't know which of those two options would give me more fleas," says Mamizou. "But I might take up that offer of a spare futon."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I'll pull it out when I get home, just in case."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I'll pull it out when I get home, just in case."

>"I suppose I'll have to do my best to make sure the effort is not wasted, then," says Mamizou.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Continue on toward our destination in the forest.

[Hello Purvis]

> Continue on toward our destination in the forest.

>It is not too much further to get there. Once you reach the southern portions of the Forest of Magic, it is not too difficult to find the heretics' house. From there, you can retrace your flight toward the grove of strange trees without too much difficulty. Along the way, you can hear the faeries below every so often, but they seem to be keeping below the trees and not bothering you.
>Soon enough, you reach the grove. There doesn't seem to be any faerie activity here at the moment.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Descend into the trees.

[Hello Purvis]

> Descend into the trees.

>You descend down into the trees. Looking around, you don't see any signs of anyone, just the trees and the distant sounds of an owl, crickets, and faeries at play. Looking southward into the grove, you note that you can still see the forest near Arzas.
>"Is she gone?" says Mamizou, as she lands near you.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Look around for Yukari.

[Hello Purvis]

> Look around for Yukari.

>You look around, and see no signs of the distinctive blonde youkai.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Does the lack of fairy activity strike us as unusual?
> "No clue. The job doesn't look finished yet, but I can't imagine she'd leave this hole unattended."

[Hello Purvis]

> Does the lack of fairy activity strike us as unusual?
> "No clue. The job doesn't look finished yet, but I can't imagine she'd leave this hole unattended."

>It's not unusual, but it is notable.
>"True," says Mamizou. "Well, shall we assume that it's fine to proceed?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod.
> "Yeah, I think you should be good to go back. I'll spend a few minutes here to she if she comes back, or if someone else wanders by. If nothing happens, I'll take care of some stuff underground before meeting you back at the temple."
> How dark is it?

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "Yeah, I think you should be good to go back. I'll spend a few minutes here to she if she comes back, or if someone else wanders by. If nothing happens, I'll take care of some stuff underground before meeting you back at the temple."
> How dark is it?

>"That should do," says Mamizou.
>It is most definitely night time. Even your visibility is somewhat affected.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Good. Let's get moving, then. And if it doesn't take too much time, say bye to the water sprite for me."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Good. Let's get moving, then. And if it doesn't take too much time, say bye to the water sprite for me."

>"If I have the time, I'll leave word with Isolde," says Mamizou, as she starts into the grove.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Watch Mamizou leave.
> Once she's out of sight, spend about five minutes in the area, looking around, watching and waiting for anything unusual. Muse on our day if we get bored.

[Hello Purvis]

> Watch Mamizou leave.
> Once she's out of sight, spend about five minutes in the area, looking around, watching and waiting for anything unusual. Muse on our day if we get bored.

>You watch Mamizou leave, walking away and quickly disappearing into the Avalonian foliage.
>You spend a few minutes looking around,  and quickly get bored and muse on your day. ...It's been a rather long one, given discovering Rinnosuke, getting cursed, beating him unconscious, pioneering a path to a new world, meeting an old friend, and facing down a god beast. You don't think you're going to open the bar tomorrow, at least not until evening...
>Time passes, and you notice nothing unusual.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> And Avalon is still visible?
> Frown and call out into the wilderness.
> "You're really not going to show yourself?"

[Hello Purvis]

> And Avalon is still visible?
> Frown and call out into the wilderness.
> "You're really not going to show yourself?"

>You look through the grove, and you can see it still continues on into Avalon.
>You call out into the wilderness. After a moment, you hear a slight sort of hiss noise behind you, followed by Yukari's voice saying, "I rather have my hands full with your mess, thank you." Looking back, you catch a glimpse of purple gap, about as long as your forearm, closing.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Oh, well, all right. If you like, once you're done here, get in touch with Suwako to get up-to-date on the rest of today's events. I suspect you'll want to know."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Oh, well, all right. If you like, once you're done here, get in touch with Suwako to get up-to-date on the rest of today's events. I suspect you'll want to know."

>You do not get a reply, but you imagine if she heard the first part, then she probably heard the second.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Just have to hope for the best.
> Take flight, crest the canopy, and head back to the entrance to the underground.

[Hello Purvis]

> Just have to hope for the best.
> Take flight, crest the canopy, and head back to the entrance to the underground.

>You take to the air, and head northeast, toward the mountains on the eastern edge of the Forest of Magic.
>The trip is a peaceful enough one, save for a moment when a burst of danmaku flies out from the forest and passes some yards to your right. With no follow-up attacks, you quickly conclude that it is some faerie's stray shots and continue on. Once at the edge fot e forest, you have to do a little scouting before you can find the precise spot, a cave mouth at the foot of a rocky face at the edge of the mountain range.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Enter and begin making our way back toward the oni village. Keep an eye out for Kisume and Yamame, just to generically check if they're around.

[Hello Purvis]

> Enter and begin making our way back toward the oni village. Keep an eye out for Kisume and Yamame, just to generically check if they're around.

>You enter and make your way through the caverns.  The first tunnel is empty, and you neither see nor hear any signs of Yamame in the chambered filled with spider webs.  Onward, you find the point where the path splits empty, before coming to the chamber laden with fissures. Carefully examining the ceiling, you catch a glimpse of a bucket dangling among the stalactites; you wouldn't have seen it if you weren't specifically looking for it.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Call up to the ceiling.
> "Oy. How are things looking down in the village?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Call up to the ceiling.
> "Oy. How are things looking down in the village?"

>"Don't ask me," replies a voice from the shadows. "I'm not goin' there with things like they are. I don't have a head on my shoulders for nothing!"

>_