Author Topic: (Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest (Part 5) (Read 49382 times)

Oldmansour · « **Reply #210 on:** September 28, 2011, 07:35:01 AM »

>"Good point there, too."
>How IS our arm, anyway? Any lingering stiffness?
>"Gotta admit, I'm curious. Why DID you decide to come down to the level of mortals? Even without the spiders, ain't exactly an easy life down here."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #211 on:** September 28, 2011, 08:13:20 AM »

Quote from: Old Man Sour on September 28, 2011, 07:35:01 AM

>"Good point there, too."
>How IS our arm, anyway? Any lingering stiffness?
>"Gotta admit, I'm curious. Why DID you decide to come down to the level of mortals? Even without the spiders, ain't exactly an easy life down here."

>"I'll... see if I can figure out what to do with it," she says.
>Your arm feels just a hair off perfectly normal. You expect whatever small traces of stiffness you feel are due to the physical wounding that area received, rather than the poison; certainly it feels entirely fine once you get a little south of the shoulder.
>This comment draws an actual smile from Minoriko. "Not always, perhaps, but I think it's a wonderful one. There's the joy of family and community and of helping one another, or of simply enjoying a bowl of soup and a slice of pumpkin pie. There are hardships and troubles, too, of course. That's a part of what life is. But through it all, there is still... life. People shoulder each others' burdens, share each others load, and sometimes find joy even in times of sadness. I think it is a wonderful and precious thing."
>"As for why I came here, well... I found that I wanted to share in the lives of those people who'd prayed to me, to help in the harvest and the planting with my own hands and live the existence they lived. It may only have started as curiosity, but I wouldn't want to go back. This life, this place and its people... they all mean too much to me. You as well, Nazrin," she says, frowning again. "It breaks my heart to see this happen to you, and I know Ichirin is taking it even harder."

Oldmansour · « **Reply #212 on:** September 28, 2011, 08:21:08 AM »

>Lean back in our seat.
>"Doesn't it get hard? Living among people you'll always outlive? Poison, blight, famine, spiders, war, whatever else comes with the territory, we all live mortal lives. How do you live with all those memories? All those faces?"

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #213 on:** September 28, 2011, 02:37:23 PM »

I'm not processing things correctly at the moment due to being a bit lightheaded and may have missed it, but have we asked her if anyone has survived this disease to her knowledge?

Kilgamayan · « **Reply #214 on:** September 28, 2011, 04:43:55 PM »

A quick phone read-through doesn't show us asking the question.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #215 on:** September 28, 2011, 06:10:32 PM »

Quote from: Old Man Sour on September 28, 2011, 08:21:08 AM

>Lean back in our seat.
>"Doesn't it get hard? Living among people you'll always outlive? Poison, blight, famine, spiders, war, whatever else comes with the territory, we all live mortal lives. How do you live with all those memories? All those faces?"

>"Is it really so different than your kind?" she says. "Ichirin has already outlived a generation of the human children she raised, and will outlive this one as well, should nothing tragic happen. Any youkai can expect this - perhaps you're still too young to really understand..." She frowns and looks away uncomfortably a moment.
>"I'd seen the passing of countless generations before I came here - it's a part of what I am. But I'd never known the warmth that comes from truly sharing these lives, seeing the smile that a warm meal can bring, speaking with people as friends instead of deferent worshipers.... Whatever the sadness, I believe it's worth it. There is death, but there is also new life. It's a cycle as old as the world itself and something more a part of me than most people could ever understand. It's hard to put into words."
>She shakes her head. "But no, it's not a burden. It's just... life."

Oldmansour · « **Reply #216 on:** September 28, 2011, 07:57:55 PM »

Told you all something would occur to you folks that wouldn't to me.

>Sit back and ponder her words for a few moments.
>"Gotta be honest, Minoriko. I'm not sure I really understand that. At least, not yet. I still intend to live long enough to figure it out. And even if I... If I can't, if I really can't, and this is it for me, I still gotta try. I'm not going out on my back, laid up and useless."
>"While we're on the subject, you wouldn't know of anyone heading to Braston today, would you? Or of a quick horse I can borrow? My only other lead's in Braston, and I'd really rather not have to walk all the back right now."
>"Just out of curiousity, so far as you can remember, did anyone come out of this blight on their own? You said you know of no cure, but people can be resistant to disease sometimes."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #217 on:** September 28, 2011, 08:26:47 PM »

Quote from: Old Man Sour on September 28, 2011, 07:57:55 PM

>Sit back and ponder her words for a few moments.
>"Gotta be honest, Minoriko. I'm not sure I really understand that. At least, not yet. I still intend to live long enough to figure it out. And even if I... If I can't, if I really can't, and this is it for me, I still gotta try. I'm not going out on my back, laid up and useless."
>"While we're on the subject, you wouldn't know of anyone heading to Braston today, would you? Or of a quick horse I can borrow? My only other lead's in Braston, and I'd really rather not have to walk all the back right now."
>"Just out of curiousity, so far as you can remember, did anyone come out of this blight on their own? You said you know of no cure, but people can be resistant to disease sometimes."

>You sit back in silence for a moment.
>Minoriko gives you a gentle smile, though her eyes are somber. "Of course. Live every precious day you have by your own principles. Whatever happens... you can still be proud of that."
>"Most of the people going to market left hours ago, of course," she says. "But I'm sure someone would be willing to make the trip for you. I could ask around, if you'd like."
>She frowns and shakes her head. "I don't know that it infected everyone it touched, but once it showed on their skin... it was only a matter of time. In a way, you're fortunate. You're still able-bodied and on your own two feet. Most people... did not get even this chance." She pauses a moment. "Can I... have another look at them?"

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #218 on:** September 28, 2011, 08:48:10 PM »

>Nod, and show her one of the more visible ones that would require minimal embarrassing exposure.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #219 on:** September 28, 2011, 10:39:25 PM »

Quote from: It's Purvis BKT on September 28, 2011, 08:48:10 PM

>Nod, and show her one of the more visible ones that would require minimal embarrassing exposure.

>You pull up your sleeve and show her the mark on your right arm. She leans in and scrutinizes it closely, frowning.
>"It hasn't grown very much in the last day," she says. "Which is good; at least as good as can be said about any of this... How's the one on your leg?"

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #220 on:** September 28, 2011, 10:42:15 PM »

>"Well, it looks rather nasty. I only noticed them a little while ago."
>Show her that one.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #221 on:** September 28, 2011, 10:48:57 PM »

Quote from: It's Purvis BKT on September 28, 2011, 10:42:15 PM

>"Well, it looks rather nasty. I only noticed them a little while ago."
>Show her that one.

>"I noticed it when I was trying to treat your fever first," she says. "It's... how I knew what had happened."
>You roll up the left leg of your pants above your knee and show her the marking there. She bends down to get a better look at it.
>"This one's grown a little more, but still only a little. Did you notice any others?"

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #222 on:** September 28, 2011, 10:58:45 PM »

>"There's one on my side..."
>Show her the torso one if she asks to see it.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #223 on:** September 28, 2011, 11:01:46 PM »

Quote from: It's Purvis BKT on September 28, 2011, 10:58:45 PM

>"There's one on my side..."
>Show her the torso one if she asks to see it.

>She frowns a little. "May I see?"
>You pull your shirt up enough to expose the third, smaller patch on your torso.
>"This one is new," she says, examining it. "But still quite small. All things considered, it's progressing very slowly. I'm sure that's a small comfort..."

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #224 on:** September 28, 2011, 11:12:41 PM »

>"It gives me some time."
>Sigh.
>"So, can you tell me anything about this weapon, or why it exists?"

DracoOmega · « **Reply #225 on:** September 28, 2011, 11:29:56 PM »

Quote from: It's Purvis BKT on September 28, 2011, 11:12:41 PM

>"It gives me some time."
>Sigh.
>"So, can you tell me anything about this weapon, or why it exists?"

>"I imagine it exists for one the reasons most weapons exist: to defend things or to kill them. There's a power resonating inside it, very much like faith or prayer; it's very old, but still strong. It pushes back against your illness; whether because it's trying to shelter its wielder or because its nature directly opposes the blight's, I couldn't say for sure. I can't even say exactly how it came to possess this power; another god may have been involved, or it might have been empowered by a host of people placing their own hopes and prayers within it. Faith can be a very powerful thing, when enough people believe something strongly."

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #226 on:** September 28, 2011, 11:45:23 PM »

Thing to remember: Ask Ichirin how she got the web off us. Might be something we can use there for future encounters.

>"Do you think it's doing so because it wants to? Or does it have no more choice than a knife being used to cut food?"

DracoOmega · « **Reply #227 on:** September 28, 2011, 11:50:07 PM »

Quote from: It's Purvis BKT on September 28, 2011, 11:45:23 PM

>"Do you think it's doing so because it wants to? Or does it have no more choice than a knife being used to cut food?"

>"I don't think it has any consciousness, if that's what you mean. It's still only a sword; this power is simply part of its being now, as much as the metal is."

Oldmansour · « **Reply #228 on:** September 29, 2011, 01:22:34 AM »

>"Speaking of this sword, are we gonna need to make any more of that medicine?"

DracoOmega · « **Reply #229 on:** September 29, 2011, 01:27:03 AM »

Quote from: Old Man Sour on September 29, 2011, 01:22:34 AM

>"Speaking of this sword, are we gonna need to make any more of that medicine?"

>"I've already prepared enough to last you several days," she says. "I've you're planning on leaving soon, I still have enough herbs left over to make more."

Oldmansour · « **Reply #230 on:** September 29, 2011, 01:36:32 AM »

>"I still have to see the Prismrivers, or at least Lunasa, before I go. Ichirin said Lunasa wanted to have a word with me. And stop in to see Ichirin herself, as well. But other than that, I plan to head back to Braston as soon as I can find some transport. The sooner I see Rinnosuke, the sonner I'll know which direction to go to find a cure."
>... if there is one to be found.
>"Are any of the sisters here, by the way? Or have they set up camp somewhere else after I came back down from 8-leg hill?"

DracoOmega · « **Reply #231 on:** September 29, 2011, 01:43:48 AM »

Quote from: Old Man Sour on September 29, 2011, 01:36:32 AM

>"I still have to see the Prismrivers, or at least Lunasa, before I go. Ichirin said Lunasa wanted to have a word with me. And stop in to see Ichirin herself, as well. But other than that, I plan to head back to Braston as soon as I can find some transport. The sooner I see Rinnosuke, the sonner I'll know which direction to go to find a cure."
>... if there is one to be found.
>"Are any of the sisters here, by the way? Or have they set up camp somewhere else after I came back down from 8-leg hill?"

>She nods. "Of course. But make sure to come back before you leave, so that I can give you the rest of the batch."
>Indeed...
>"They're still lodging here," she says. "But I'm not sure if any of them are in at the moment."

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #232 on:** September 29, 2011, 01:51:40 AM »

Before we claim the plan is to head back to Braston...

It seems we have three options. One is Braston. The upside being is that it is a mostly unknown quality, we could find new hope there. The downside is that it would mean we leave the village, and likely take it's best protection, one that our spider friend directly fears, with us, and it may well prompt her to act if she's paying attention. And if she's smart, she's definitely asking spiders for information; we'd do the same with mice in this situation. It would be troublesome if she decided to spread the disease in our absence.

The second is we got after the disease source itself. The upside is that she has a high chance of being knowledgeable about it, and it would possibly be killing two birds with one stone; we do still need to deal with her. The downside is that she probably doesn't want to help us, and will likely take some extreme coercion to consider it to the tune of "I'll kill every spider I meet until you knock this shit off".

The third is we try to tap into whatever this sword has, which requires us to figure out a way. but given that Minoriko could leech power out of it, it seems to be plausible. The pros and cons of this are hard to weigh.

I'm not much in favor of leaving town until we exhaust everything else, myself. We can send letters (and hopefully Ichirin did as we requested in that vein yesterday) and I really dislike removing a deterrence to any further spider -related problems until we have some confirmation there's a reason to do so.

Oldmansour · « **Reply #233 on:** September 29, 2011, 02:01:45 AM »

>"About how long will it take to make?"

We're not going after the youkai. She didn't help us before, she's not going to help us now, and we're in no condition for another fight. With her or her spiders. We're already dying, going back to the cave is sure death. I have a plan to deal with her, to get her to Ichirin's without too much collateral damage, as I explained in the previous thread. And that's Marisa. We can send Marisa in after the youkai. She can beat her way more easily than we did, and she doesn't have to kill the spiders she meets between her and the youkai; she's as dangerous with non-lethal spells as she is with lethal. And then Unzan can keep her in line.

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #234 on:** September 29, 2011, 02:14:47 AM »

I dunno about the no condition to win thing; we did knock the shit out of her despite her being better than us in pretty much all ways while heavily wounded and tired, thanks to the sword. But, this may be my lack of desire to pass the buck onto an NPC talking. At the same time, what guarantee do we have that Marisa is still in town? It's well established that she doesn't hang around. It would be very foolish to just go to town without any assurance there's something there we can draw upon to deal with this situation. Unzan could probably handle her, true. Thing is, can he handle her fast enough to keep her from wreaking havoc once the item that she has shown a great deal of fear toward is out of town? I'd say it's pretty uncharacteristic to consider taking that out of town for as long as going back to Braston would take until we have some guarantee there's something worth going there for.

Narouge · « **Reply #235 on:** September 29, 2011, 02:19:19 AM »

I don't think staying will really have any effect on combat. We not in a shape to fight as sour said. We would be wiped heading to a city we made trips to already.

She KNOWS what where infected with, she said the sword was the only reason we where alive, she was hinting the whole fight something was wrong with us, and that we "where already dead" far she concerned where a walking corpse.... which we kinda are in some senses.

Besides, it could be BETTER if we leave, she just want her spider to hunt and be full, but she hates the sword, and us, which means she might be more inclined to attack if she knew we where there to get ride her biggest, and far she concerned, only problem, the sword. Again where a walking corpse, we are-selves didn't even make her feel threatened WITH the sword, at a far more healthy condition. If your right and she getting info from the spiders, and WALKING, cause by all accounts we shouldn't be, she going want finish the job soon she can.

Also i not say she was less scared. more hateing the weapon.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #236 on:** September 29, 2011, 02:23:38 AM »

Quote from: Old Man Sour on September 29, 2011, 02:01:45 AM

>"About how long will it take to make?"

>She pauses thoughtfully. "Well, I have to grind it and then it needs to steep for at least a half-hour or so... The lunch rush will be starting soon, too, but I can get one of the others to fill in for me if you need it sooner rather than later."

Oldmansour · « **Reply #237 on:** September 29, 2011, 02:29:43 AM »

>"There may not be a BIG rush, it depends on how long it takes me to track Lunasa down. If they're not here, I assume they'd be out in the fields, or the forest, somewhere?"

I might add, I'm not opposed to the idea of trying to draw the faith in the sword into us. We'd probably still need to find a cure, but we wouldn't necessarily be in such a rush to find one. A little more time on the death clock is always good. But the only person I can think of that might have an idea how to do that would be Minoriko, and I'm almost certain that's outside her area of expertise.

Narouge · « **Reply #238 on:** September 29, 2011, 02:30:32 AM »

>"Where wouldn't happen to be anywhere, where defense of the town if coordinated or something would there? if i can't find the sisters it be the best place to ask after."

Hello Purvis · « **Reply #239 on:** September 29, 2011, 02:35:13 AM »

Quote from: Narouge on September 29, 2011, 02:19:19 AM

Besides, it could be BETTER if we leave, she just want her spider to hunt and be full, but she hates the sword, and us, which means she might be more inclined to attack if she knew we where there to get ride her biggest, and far she concerned, only problem, the sword. Again where a walking corpse, we are-selves didn't even make her feel threatened WITH the sword, at a far more healthy condition. If your right and she getting info from the spiders, and WALKING, cause by all accounts we shouldn't be, she going want finish the job soon she can.

That's an aspect I hadn't considered. Good point.