Iku Quest Deka: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> "Well, tasks plural assumes that whatever the problem solvers are doing right now keeps them unconvinced of Bhava-Agra's innocence. If they are content to leave my people be by the time I see them again, then all the better. I will get an apology from Marisa for being so...obstinate, and that may very well be the end of that. This would limit things to one task. The catch..."
> Deep breath.
> "...is that this one task is freeing my people enslaved at the Scarlet Devil Mansion."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Well, tasks plural assumes that whatever the problem solvers are doing right now keeps them unconvinced of Bhava-Agra's innocence. If they are content to leave my people be by the time I see them again, then all the better. I will get an apology from Marisa for being so...obstinate, and that may very well be the end of that. This would limit things to one task. The catch..."
> Deep breath.
> "...is that this one task is freeing my people enslaved at the Scarlet Devil Mansion."

>"Oh, you're planning on attacking Scarlet Devil Mansion?" says Parsee. "Well, have fun with that."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I hope I will not need to resort to violence. But...I might."

[Hello Purvis]

> "I hope I will not need to resort to violence. But...I might."

>"Just get several hundred faeries to back you up," says Parsee. "It's worked before."
>"Perhaps we could go searching for Reimu for you?" Nitori says. "I imagine we could cover a lot more ground that way."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "That would be most helpful, if you are all willing to do so."

[Hello Purvis]

> "That would be most helpful, if you are all willing to do so."

>"I owe you one," Nitori says, "So it's the least I could do."
>Kogasa nods.
>"I should probably head back, and let everyone back home know things are alright," says Utsuho, "But I'm sure Parsee wouldn't mind help out."
>"Eh, fine," says Parsee. "Guess it'd be good to wander around a bit, anyways."
>"We'll search around," Renko says with a nod.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Nod.
> "All right. I have some ideas about how to go about this search, but before we go about deciding who is going to go where, is there anyone here that knows how to get to Eientei, or thinks they could convince someone that knows how to get there to take them there?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Nod.
> "All right. I have some ideas about how to go about this search, but before we go about deciding who is going to go where, is there anyone here that knows how to get to Eientei, or thinks they could convince someone that knows how to get there to take them there?"

>You are met with a number of shrugs and headshakes.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Mmm. Unfortunate. Well, then. Just to organize what we know, we have had people present recently travel to the human village, as well as the Hakurei Shrine, and none of the incident solvers were present there. Tenshi and myself have both been around the Scarlet Devil Mansion recently, and I did not see or hear or anyone unusual there, either. Therefore, this is my proposal for a floating search plan."
> "Nitori, I would like you to check around Youkai Mountain. Find out if your people or the tengu know anything. If you can, try to get an audience with the Moriya Shrine. Lady Yasaka and Lady Moriya will certainly have a vested interest in knowing where their shrine maiden is."
> "Kogasa, I would like you to investigate around Marisa's home, and perhaps ask Alice if she knows anything. Since you will be wandering around the forest...be sure you choose your victims wisely. I cannot guarantee I can get you free a second time."
> "Utsuho, since you will be going underground, may I ask you to ask the cave entrance dwellers if they have seen any unusual activity today? I cannot imagine any problem solvers will be able to get by Kisume and Yamame unnoticed."
> "Parsee, you can either go with Utsuho back underground and assist any investigation you deem necessary there, or you can go to the human village and see if you can find anyone that knows how to get to Eientei, or is willing to take you there themselves."
> "Renko, Maribel, as much as it makes me nervous to suggest this, since I imagine your curiosities are already piqued, I believe you would be best served investigating the area around the gate between Gensokyo and Makai, a place to which I will give you directions as best I can. I myself will be headed to Lady Yakumo's residence to inform her of the lacking barrier, as I imagine she will be interested to hear about such a thing. I expect she will want to investigate it for herself, in which case I apologize in advance should you two run into her. What is most important, however, is that you make sure not to approach anyone unfamiliar and belligerent. Makai's residents do not play around, and they are willing to attack with little provocation. Let Lady Yakumo or Tenshi and myself handle any serious trouble that may crop up there."
> "Now then, is there anyone that wishes to raise an objection to their suggestion?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Mmm. Unfortunate. Well, then. Just to organize what we know, we have had people present recently travel to the human village, as well as the Hakurei Shrine, and none of the incident solvers were present there. Tenshi and myself have both been around the Scarlet Devil Mansion recently, and I did not see or hear or anyone unusual there, either. Therefore, this is my proposal for a floating search plan."
> "Nitori, I would like you to check around Youkai Mountain. Find out if your people or the tengu know anything. If you can, try to get an audience with the Moriya Shrine. Lady Yasaka and Lady Moriya will certainly have a vested interest in knowing where their shrine maiden is."
> "Kogasa, I would like you to investigate around Marisa's home, and perhaps ask Alice if she knows anything. Since you will be wandering around the forest...be sure you choose your victims wisely. I cannot guarantee I can get you free a second time."
> "Utsuho, since you will be going underground, may I ask you to ask the cave entrance dwellers if they have seen any unusual activity today? I cannot imagine any problem solvers will be able to get by Kisume and Yamame unnoticed."
> "Parsee, you can either go with Utsuho back underground and assist any investigation you deem necessary there, or you can go to the human village and see if you can find anyone that knows how to get to Eientei, or is willing to take you there themselves."
> "Renko, Maribel, as much as it makes me nervous to suggest this, since I imagine your curiosities are already piqued, I believe you would be best served investigating the area around the gate between Gensokyo and Makai, a place to which I will give you directions as best I can. I myself will be headed to Lady Yakumo's residence to inform her of the lacking barrier, as I imagine she will be interested to hear about such a thing. I expect she will want to investigate it for herself, in which case I apologize in advance should you two run into her. What is most important, however, is that you make sure not to approach anyone unfamiliar and belligerent. Makai's residents do not play around, and they are willing to attack with little provocation. Let Lady Yakumo or Tenshi and myself handle any serious trouble that may crop up there."
> "Now then, is there anyone that wishes to raise an objection to their suggestion?"

>No one seems to object. "Yeah, I'll look around the village," says Parsee.
>"There's worse things than running into Yukari," says Maribel. "She's really not as bad as all that..."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "All right, then. Also, just to warn everyone, I do have some business with Momizi that I may need to take care of after visiting Lady Yakumo, depending on the time. Nitori, assuming you have not run into her yet at that point, I will be sure to ask her if she has seen anything. The tengu patrols are very active today, so if something suspicious has been spotted, she will be very likely to know about it."

[Hello Purvis]

> "All right, then. Also, just to warn everyone, I do have some business with Momizi that I may need to take care of after visiting Lady Yakumo, depending on the time. Nitori, assuming you have not run into her yet at that point, I will be sure to ask her if she has seen anything. The tengu patrols are very active today, so if something suspicious has been spotted, she will be very likely to know about it."

>"Got it," says Nitori. "I'll keep an eye out for her. Hopefully, I'll be able to make it up to the shrine."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "All right, then. The final question then becomes one of sharing information. Shall we all meet back here once our individual search efforts are exhausted, or would we like to meet somewhere else?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "All right, then. The final question then becomes one of sharing information. Shall we all meet back here once our individual search efforts are exhausted, or would we like to meet somewhere else?"

>"Here is okay," says Renko.
>The rest seem satisfied with that.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "All right, then. Good luck to you all in your efforts, and thank you very much for being willing to help me after I have imposed so much on all of you."

[Hello Purvis]

> "All right, then. Good luck to you all in your efforts, and thank you very much for being willing to help me after I have imposed so much on all of you."

>"It's no problem," says Maribel. "We love having guests.'
>You think you hear Parsee snort under her breath.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Eh, ignore it.
> "I hope to see you all later today. Stay safe."
> Leave the house. Beckon to Tenshi if she seems reluctant to go with us.
> Fly to the Yakumo residence.

[Hello Purvis]

> Eh, ignore it.
> "I hope to see you all later today. Stay safe."
> Leave the house. Beckon to Tenshi if she seems reluctant to go with us.
> Fly to the Yakumo residence.

>You think it was more directed at Maribel than you, anyways.
>"You too," says Nitori, while the others say their farewells to you.
>Tenshi doesn't seem to show any hesitation in following you, and you both make the short flight to the Yakumo residence without any trouble.
>The cottage seems rather quiet at the moment. Looking around, you don't see any signs of Yukari outside today.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Are there any signs of anyone around?
> Head up to the door and knock gently on it.

[Hello Purvis]

> Are there any signs of anyone around?
> Head up to the door and knock gently on it.

>You don't seen any signs of activity outside.
>Walking up to the door, you knock on it. After a moment of waiting, you hear Yukari's voice inside say, "Come in."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Thank you."
> Enter!

[Hello Purvis]

> "Thank you."
> Enter!

>You enter the house.
>The inside is surprisingly humble. To the left, you see a small kitchen, and to the right are a number of sheets hung from the ceiling to make little side rooms. Small shelves  run along the wall, with some tiny sets of metal rails running along them. Leafy plants in large pots are placed here and there, and the floor seems to have a few toys scattered across it. In the middle of the room, opposite of the door, is a large kotatsu where Yukari is sits; with a book open in front of her.
>"Hello again," says Yukari. "It seems you've done a bit of travelling?"

[Kilgamayan]

> "I have, and I must offer apologies for not visiting you sooner about those travels. May I presume you know where I have been, and thus why I am here to see you again?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "I have, and I must offer apologies for not visiting you sooner about those travels. May I presume you know where I have been, and thus why I am here to see you again?"

>"I have an inkling," she says. She glances over to Tenshi. "Tenshi, dear, how would you like to make a little spending money?"
>"Huh?" says Tenshi, frowning.
>"I would give you 20☼ if you would be so kind as to go to town and find Ran," says Yukari. "I find myself craving beef medallions all of a suddenly, and it would be rude to open a gap in the middle of the market and tell her, don't you think? So if you could go there and tell her to be sure to get the correct spices, I would be most pleased."
>Tenshi glances toward you. "Uh, think it's okay?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Put on a face like we're thinking about it.
> "Hmm..."
> Nod.
> "I think it should be okay, yes, as long as you make sure to come right back once you're done. We may yet need all the local currency we can get, depending on how long Bhava-Agra stays where it is. Just be careful that you avoid the long-haired woman from the tavern. I do still need you by my side today."

[Hello Purvis]

> Put on a face like we're thinking about it.
> "Hmm..."
> Nod.
> "I think it should be okay, yes, as long as you make sure to come right back once you're done. We may yet need all the local currency we can get, depending on how long Bhava-Agra stays where it is. Just be careful that you avoid the long-haired woman from the tavern. I do still need you by my side today."

>"Well, okay, I'll be back," says Tenshi, as she walks out the door.
>Yukari waits a moment after the door closes, then says, "It really was rather foolish to bring her along if you intended to talk about those kind of things."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "She already knows where I went yesterday, and I have stated my exact reason for meeting you again at this time in front of her already, which merely pertains to where I was and how I got here from there, and not how I got there in the first place."

[Hello Purvis]

> "She already knows where I went yesterday, and I have stated my exact reason for meeting you again at this time in front of her already, which merely pertains to where I was and how I got here from there, and not how I got there in the first place."

>"We, however, know better," says Yukari. "And her presence would make frankness very difficult. But no matter, the situation has been handled. Please, speak."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Of course. I come to you out of concern for two things, which may very well be related. One, that the barrier between Gensokyo and Makai appears to be no more, given I walked straight out of one into the other just yesterday evening. I found a note on the Makai side of things; apparently a gatekeeper named Sara had decided to quit her post and return to Higan after an exceptionally long and brutal winter of several years ago. It seems the poor girl's note has gone completely unnoticed by her fellow Makai residents, but that is beside the point. Makai now has free and easy access to Gensokyo. Two, that I have not seen any of Reimu, Marisa or Sanae about today, despite seeing them everywhere yesterday. Reimu appears to not be at her shrine; her little fairy companion is all in a tizzy from grief. No one I have spoken to knows where she is. I believe I did tell Reimu last night that I had just emerged from Makai, so I must wonder if the gate is where those three are now."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Of course. I come to you out of concern for two things, which may very well be related. One, that the barrier between Gensokyo and Makai appears to be no more, given I walked straight out of one into the other just yesterday evening. I found a note on the Makai side of things; apparently a gatekeeper named Sara had decided to quit her post and return to Higan after an exceptionally long and brutal winter of several years ago. It seems the poor girl's note has gone completely unnoticed by her fellow Makai residents, but that is beside the point. Makai now has free and easy access to Gensokyo. Two, that I have not seen any of Reimu, Marisa or Sanae about today, despite seeing them everywhere yesterday. Reimu appears to not be at her shrine; her little fairy companion is all in a tizzy from grief. No one I have spoken to knows where she is. I believe I did tell Reimu last night that I had just emerged from Makai, so I must wonder if the gate is where those three are now."

>She nods. "Your worries are appreciated. Makai is fine, I assure you. The guard's position is mostly ceremonial, which is why Lady Shinki has likely not bothered to replace her. I do keep an eye on that gateway, you are the first to pass through it in quite awhile. As for Reimu, I'm sure she's around."

>_