Maribel Quest Continuation: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

>"Afternoon."

>Examine Bottle of Soft Light, Violent Potion, Black Cube, Bag of Glittering Powder

>"I had a question for you, actually. Do you recall a bucket that Murasa purchased from you a short while ago? Do you recall how you acquired it? It turns out it might be somewhat more particular than she'd thought, and I'm trying to look into its origin."

>You start to examine some of the more interesting items.
>Bottle of Soft Light.
>This bottle glows like a lantern. The light is not very strong, but you can see no obvious source for it.
>Violent Potion
>The contents of this small bottle seem to be in constant state of boiling turmoil, with several muted colors flowing around randomly.
>Black Cube
>This is a black cube made of metal, about three inches to a side. It feels hollow.
>Bag of Glittering Powder
>A silken back full of coarse greenish powder that sparkles in the like.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>Ponder if we became so distracted by the merchandise that we forgot to speak?

>"Good afternoon. I had a question for you, actually. Do you recall a bucket that Murasa purchased from you a short while ago? Do you recall how you acquired it? It turns out it might be somewhat more particular than she'd thought, and I'm trying to look into its origin."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Good afternoon. I had a question for you, actually. Do you recall a bucket that Murasa purchased from you a short while ago? Do you recall how you acquired it? It turns out it might be somewhat more particular than she'd thought, and I'm trying to look into its origin."

>You repeat yourself.
>"Ah, my apologizes," says Rinnosuke. "I was reading about the new sightings of the Brocken Spectre. Yes, I recall that bucket. What would you need to know about it?"

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"I was just curious if you recall who brought it in here? Assuming that you hadn't found it somewhere yourself."

[Kasu]

> "I would just like to know how you came in possession of it as it may have been stolen property."
> "Also, whats this about a broken spectre?"

[DracoOmega]

> "I would just like to know how you came in possession of it as it may have been stolen property."

>Don't mention the stolen property bit just yet. He has a reputation for not being picky about that. And it's also a little confrontational.

[Hello Purvis]

>"I was just curious if you recall who brought it in here? Assuming that you hadn't found it somewhere yourself."

>"It was an item sold to me," says Rinnosuke, still reading the paper. "I recall the seller well."

> "I would just like to know how you came in possession of it as it may have been stolen property."
> "Also, whats this about a broken spectre?"

>Don't mention the stolen property bit just yet. He has a reputation for not being picky about that. And it's also a little confrontational.

>You consider bringing up the stolen aspect, and set it aside for now.
>"Brocken Spectre," Rinnosuke says. "It's one of the names given to a supposed giant that's been sighted in various places around Gensokyo over the past few months. Well, I should say sighted a few months ago, really. It had disappeared."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Would you be willing to share their identity with me? I'm curious to trace its path here, that's all."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Would you be willing to share their identity with me? I'm curious to trace its path here, that's all."

>"That would be against my policy," says Rinnosuke.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"And there's no way I could convince you to make an exception? It would help resolve an unfortunate incident that arouse in Byakuren's clinic."

[Hello Purvis]

>"And there's no way I could convince you to make an exception? It would help resolve an unfortunate incident that arouse in Byakuren's clinic."

>"If I violate policy for you," he replies, "I'll have to do it the next time too. Then I might as well not have a policy."

[DracoOmega]

>"Sorry, I mean no disrespect. I'm just not sure how to proceed, otherwise."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Sorry, I mean no disrespect. I'm just not sure how to proceed, otherwise."

>He looks toward the ceiling for a moment, quirking his lips. "Mmm. My thoughts would be to consider who goes Underground; which could be anyone; who is of criminal proclivities, and who would be willing to take a bucket of little individual value. Put those together, and I think it would narrow down the list quite a bit, don't you?"

[Kilgamayan]

> Goddamnit Nazrin
> "Hmm...that would indeed help narrow it down. Thank you for for your advice."
> "Also, I was just recently...attacked, or something, by someone. She screamed something very loud and then ran off before I could see her. She got my face wet somehow, too. Should I be worried about this?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Hmmm.... well, I'll try to consider it from that angle, anyway. On a different note..."

>"Do you know what this potion here does?"
>Indicate the violent potion

>"Also, do you know what kind of powder is in this bag here?"
>Indicate the bag of glittering powder

[Hello Purvis]

> Goddamnit Nazrin
> "Hmm...that would indeed help narrow it down. Thank you for for your advice."
> "Also, I was just recently...attacked, or something, by someone. She screamed something very loud and then ran off before I could see her. She got my face wet somehow, too. Should I be worried about this?"

>You can never trust a rodent
>"It may not hurt to ask someone who knows many people, as well."
>"Hm. Sounds like Kogasa woke up. She's probably not harmful"

>"Hmmm.... well, I'll try to consider it from that angle, anyway. On a different note..."

>"Do you know what this potion here does?"
>Indicate the violent potion

>"Also, do you know what kind of powder is in this bag here?"
>Indicate the bag of glittering powder

>"That is Oil of Vibration," says Rinnosuke. "Apply it to something, and it will shake uncontrollably for a short time. I am not certain of the mass limit on it, but I can confidently say there is enough to affect at least 120 kilograms."
>"This powder is Somnolessence. Place a pinch of it under your tongue when you got to sleep, and you shall have a deep sleep lasting four hours, marked with vivid, sometimes lucid dreams and feel remarkably refreshed by the end of it. "
>"Ah, do not forget you do have some credit as well."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Kogasa? Who's that?"

[DracoOmega]

>Pick up the cube. If it felt hollow, does there seem to be a way to open it?

[Hello Purvis]

> "Kogasa? Who's that?"

>"She's a karakasa who lives to surprise and frighten people," Rinnosuke says. "She's renowned for being rather inept at it. But given that you've told a different story, maybe I have judged who it is too quickly."

>Pick up the cube. If it felt hollow, does there seem to be a way to open it?

>You feel along the edges of the cube. You think you feel a slight catch around one of the edges, too small to see.
>"If you open that, you have bought it." Rinnosuke says.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Are the contents a secret or something?"
>Shake it gently. Can we hear anything inside?

[Kilgamayan]

> "I'd guess she got lucky with her choice of target. I imagine I'm probably a lot easier to surprise than most everyone else here."
> "Do you know where she lives?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Are the contents a secret or something?"
>Shake it gently. Can we hear anything inside?

>"Not at all," says Rinnosuke. "It contains the silence of the void. Open it, and the silence shall overwhelm everything around it for a time. Once released, it cannot be put back inside, I should note."

> "I'd guess she got lucky with her choice of target. I imagine I'm probably a lot easier to surprise than most everyone else here."
> "Do you know where she lives?"

>"Perhaps so," says Rinnosuke. "Regardless, she's more of a nuisance than a threat, I think."
>He shrugs. "Somewhere in the forest, I imagine."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Oh, I see. That's... rather more exotic than I expected. Do you have any idea on the duration or range of the effect?"

[Kilgamayan]

> "Aww. I almost feel bad for her."
> "...Almost. I'm still not happy she soaked my face."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Oh, I see. That's... rather more exotic than I expected. Do you have any idea on the duration or range of the effect?"

>"For a minute or two, it would be absolute silence over an area...mmm... let's say fifty meters initially. Then it will spread and dilute as nature fills the void. Very loud sounds will start to permeate, while the effect spreads further out, then less and less loud ones. Soon, it'll spread all throughout Gensokyo, and have hardly any effect at all, before vanishing entirely."

> "Aww. I almost feel bad for her."
> "...Almost. I'm still not happy she soaked my face."

>He chuckles.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"What would my store credit cover, among the three items I inquired about?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"What would my store credit cover, among the three items I inquired about?"

>"Mmmm, we'll say any two of them," says Rinnosuke. "I feel generous today."

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Does the powder of somnolence only work if you're already falling asleep in the conventional way, or does it actually induce sleep? And you say that the four hours it provides is as restful, or moreso, than a full night's conventional sleep?"
>Looking at the bag, about how many pinches do we think are in there, roughly?

[Hello Purvis]

>"Does the powder of somnolence only work if you're already falling asleep in the conventional way, or does it actually induce sleep? And you say that the four hours it provides is as restful, or moreso, than a full night's conventional sleep?"
>Looking at the bag, about how many pinches do we think are in there, roughly?

>"It doesn't cause sleep unless you desire it," says Rinnosuke. "And it will mimic a very good night's sleep."
>It's a small bag, but large enough you can't really estimate the number of doses. A few, at least.

>_

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, I think I'll take the potion and the cube, in that case, on the remainder of my credit."
>Obtain said items