2022-07-26 22:08:23 +00:00
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<?xml version="1.0" ?>
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<rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
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<channel>
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2022-07-27 02:41:08 +00:00
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<atom:link href="https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
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2022-07-26 22:08:23 +00:00
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<title>BASEMENT QWEST</title>
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2022-07-27 02:41:08 +00:00
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<link>https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml</link>
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2022-07-26 22:08:23 +00:00
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<description>Friends having ADVENTURES! Huzzah!</description>
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2022-12-22 22:01:35 +00:00
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<item>
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2022-12-22 23:51:12 +00:00
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<title>42</title>
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2022-12-22 22:01:35 +00:00
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<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
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2022-12-22 23:51:12 +00:00
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<guid isPermaLink="false">42 - Sat, 17 Dec 2022 08:01:41
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2022-12-22 22:01:35 +00:00
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-0700</guid>
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2022-12-22 23:51:12 +00:00
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<pubDate>Sat, 17 Dec 2022 08:01:48 -0700</pubDate>
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2022-12-22 22:01:35 +00:00
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<description>
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<![CDATA[
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2022-12-22 23:51:12 +00:00
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<h3 id="00042">00042</h3>
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2022-12-22 22:01:35 +00:00
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<blockquote>
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2022-12-22 23:51:12 +00:00
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<p>This seems a bit strange. Certainly Blavin has been pulling
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strings from behind the scenes the whole time, but why
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coordinate a special escort for us when there are other
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retrieval teams, and we’ve been less than amicable with the
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bloke the entire time.. Alex thinks to himself.</p>
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<p><em>DM: I’d like to check for any signs of deceit in the
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toques demeanor or communcations with us</em></p>
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<p>Confidence you said right? What would you do if I simply
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chose not to accompany you? I mean, there’s a whole city
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around us, perhaps I’d prefer a drink before climbing a
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mountains worth of stairs. Or better yet, I could get back on
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the boat and ride to the top and same myself the hassle.</p>
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2022-12-22 22:01:35 +00:00
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</blockquote>
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2022-12-22 23:51:12 +00:00
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<p>Bread once again looks confused. Confidence looks
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surprised, caught off guard.</p>
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<!--
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Alex rolls Investigation 2 to check for signs of deceit
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3 5 = Partial Success / Success at Cost
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//-->
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<p>Confidence sputters, “Well, yes, of course. You’ve been
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traveling for some time now, haven’t you? I can assure you
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that the food and drink at Runesocesius will be better than
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anything you can get here! But the choice is entirely yours.
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Feel free to avail yourself of the local offerings. We will
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wait here at the steps for you.”</p>
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<p>Bread nods slowly, and seems to trailing behind the
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conversation just a second or two.</p>
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<p>Their reactions seem genuine to you despite the
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circumstances. They seem like a couple of low level employees
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of a luxury hotel earnestly trying to follow the instructions
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they’ve been given.</p>
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<p>There are a couple of stalls and vendors set up around the
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gondola station. Many of them serve mulled wine and hot
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chocolate. There is some edible fare. Hot sandwiches and
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pitas. Nothing that an empanada from Enrique’s wouldn’t put to
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shame. But they look hot and steamy, and of great comfort to
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anybody who might be hungry and cold. There are a few fire
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pits, next to which there are long benches with blankets,
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where you might sit and warm up for a bit.</p>
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<p>The gondola lift ends here, and does not continue up to the
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mountain any further. The cloud steps are the most common way
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to get up to the peak, and to the Runesocesius. But you’re
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pretty sure one or two of the stalls here offers balloon rides
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up to the peak for thrill seekers and for those with
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accessibility needs.</p>
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2022-12-22 22:01:35 +00:00
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<blockquote>
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2022-12-22 23:51:12 +00:00
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<p>“I think you already know I’m interested in neither bread
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nor cheese, the second of which I certainly did not ask for
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yet you tried to offer in your hasty pretence.” Inky smiles
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thinly at the toques.</p>
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<p>Taking out a small bag of gold coins and weighing it slowly
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on one hand to the sound of coins clinking inside the pouch,
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Inky continues, “Speak, answer our questions frankly and you
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will be rewarded. The hotelier up there need not know. Breathe
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a word of our little chat to another soul, however …” Inky’s
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gaze cut briefly to four snow ravens perched atop a spiral
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lamp post and back, “and you will learn the meaning of
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disappearing without a trace.”</p>
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2022-12-22 22:01:35 +00:00
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</blockquote>
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2022-12-22 23:51:12 +00:00
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<p>Bread looks confused. You are starting to believe it is
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their default expression. “So, you <em>don’t</em> want no
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chee—”</p>
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<p>“Our only desire is to help!” Confidence hastily
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interrupts. He smiles pleasingly. “We are your guides! Not
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just physically up the steps, but in all things here on Kelsun
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Peak. You have but to ask, and if it is within our power to
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give it, it will be yours! We are but humble ser—”</p>
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<p>And just then Confidence is also suddenly interrupted. A
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thundering boom like a canon sounds from somewhere nearby,
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followed quickly by an explosion somewhere up above. Snow
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ravens fly off in all directions in a panic. The sound ripples
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through the mountaintop, rattling the ground on which you
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stand. A bunch of small rocks and two large boulders shake
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loose from the mountainside. Shoppers and travelers shout and
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duck for cover as they are pelted by the scree. One of the
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large boulder bounces clear over the station and plummets down
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the side of the mountain before disappearing into the cloud
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ocean below. The second one falls straight toward the
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platform. A vendor selling wreaths and candles dives out of
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the way as his stall is crushed by the boulder. A bench is
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toppled over, spilling its blankets into the fire pit, and
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catches fire, quickly spreading to another nearby stall.</p>
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<p>Bread looks up at the sky, confused. You see a thin line of
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black smoke starting to rise up into the sky from over the
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ridge where the Runesocesius lies. Confidence shouts, and you
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see him pointing at the sea, where a balloonship is rising up
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out of the cloud bank, sailing quickly toward you and the
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summit of Kelsun Peak.</p>
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<p>It resembles a seafaring ship, but instead of masts and
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sails, it has two large, colorful, patchwork balloons that
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provide it lift. A large fan on a pivot at the rear of the
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ship provides thrust. As you watch, it fires a second
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canon—that <em>is</em> what the sound was!—nearly straight up,
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arcing up and over the peak at Palace Runesocesius.</p>
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<p>The crew of the ship bustle around on the deck of the ship,
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reloading the canons, firing the balloons, shouting, giving
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and following orders.</p>
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<p>“Cyberplasms,” groans Confidence, and Bread whimpers. Alex,
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that quiet, dull, static roar that has been constantly
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tickling the back of your head ever since you found that
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dagger seems to rise in pitch and in tone. It conveys a sense
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of urgency, of warning. You can <em>almost</em> hear a
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desperate voice behind the static fuzz cautioning you,
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“Evil…”</p>
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<p>The only corporeal element of the crew are their cybernetic
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enhancements. A mechanical leg. A synthetic eye. A claw, a
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hook, a hand. An arm canon. Almost all of them have more than
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one, some as many as 3 or 5. The cybernetic pieces of each
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individual crew member are held together by plasmic energy
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arcs, crackling blue and green. And surrounding the bioware
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and the plasmic arcs of each crew member, like a blanket or a
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cocoon, is the translucent, wavering, ghostly form of some
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humanoid long-dead.</p>
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<p>The figure standing on the deck surveying the work of the
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rest of the crew—presumably the captain—has a synthetic eye
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rotating freely, 360 degrees in all directions, inside its
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skull-like head; a bulky arm canon; and a thin robotic leg
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terminating in a thick boot. Plasmic blasts arc through its
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core, sometimes disrupting and glitching its ghostly body.</p>
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<p>The captain raises its arm canon and shouts to the crew.
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Its voice carried on the breeze sounds like something
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otherworldly rising slowly from the murky deep. “Fire the
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canon, boys! And fire up the balloons! Drop the ballast! That
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crystal is <em>ours!</em>”</p>
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<p>It happens very quickly: the ship ascends to the summit and
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soon is firing grappling hooks at it to pull themselves in and
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breach the walls of the hotel.</p>
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<p>Bread looks at you, wide-eyed and trembling. They let loose
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a pitiful wail and turn and start running up the steps.
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“Bread!” Confidence yells after them. They cast a backward
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glance at you. “I’ve got to help Bread! We’ve got to save the
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hotel!” And they give chase to their fellow toque, bounding up
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the cloudstuff steps.</p>
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2022-12-22 22:01:35 +00:00
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<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
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<p><a
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2022-12-22 23:51:12 +00:00
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href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-12/msg00203.html">www</a></p>
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2022-12-22 22:01:35 +00:00
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]]>
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</description>
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</item>
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<item>
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<title>46</title>
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<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
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<guid isPermaLink="false">46 - Thu, 22 Dec 2022 12:36:07
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-0700</guid>
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<pubDate>Thu, 22 Dec 2022 12:36:10 -0700</pubDate>
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<description>
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<![CDATA[
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<h3 id="00046">00046</h3>
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<blockquote>
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<p>Ah so I suppose those Toques were being honest then, there
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was a Ginnarak crystal, and I guess they were going to give it
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to us.. oh well, nothing good in life comes easy.</p>
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<p>Alex cranks the dial on the sunspoke, grabs the hemogoblin
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from the basket, and jumps out of the balloon and onto the
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deck of the ship. He rushes over to the nearest pile of
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bundled rope and barrels and stows his new hemo friend. “Just
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stay hidden little guy, let me take care of these pirates
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first.”</p>
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<p>Alex grabs the dagger from his side as he makes his way
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towards the side of the ship, first thing first, best to cut
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the mooring lines and zip lines. The static clawing sensation
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appears at the back of Alex’s mind, but he attempts to ignore
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it. There’s too much that needs to be done too quickly, and
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he’s all too aware of the danger he’s put himself in. “What
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would Corraidhin do..” Alex thinks to himself, “perhaps a
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spell?”.</p>
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<div class="sourceCode" id="cb1"><pre
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class="sourceCode lua"><code class="sourceCode lua"><span id="cb1-1"><a href="#cb1-1" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"></a><span class="kw">function</span> target<span class="op">:</span>new<span class="op">(</span>obj<span class="op">,</span> tbl<span class="op">)</span></span>
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<span id="cb1-2"><a href="#cb1-2" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"></a> obj <span class="op">=</span> obj <span class="kw">or</span> <span class="op">{}</span></span>
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<span id="cb1-3"><a href="#cb1-3" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"></a> <span class="fu">setmetatable</span><span class="op">(</span>obj<span class="op">,</span> self<span class="op">)</span></span>
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<span id="cb1-4"><a href="#cb1-4" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"></a> self<span class="op">.</span><span class="cn">__</span>index <span class="op">=</span> self</span>
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<span id="cb1-5"><a href="#cb1-5" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"></a> self<span class="op">.</span>x <span class="op">=</span> <span class="dv">0</span></span>
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<span id="cb1-6"><a href="#cb1-6" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"></a> self<span class="op">.</span>y <span class="op">=</span> <span class="dv">0</span></span>
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<span id="cb1-7"><a href="#cb1-7" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"></a> self<span class="op">.</span>speed <span class="op">=</span> <span class="dv">0</span></span>
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<span id="cb1-8"><a href="#cb1-8" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"></a> reutrn obj</span>
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<span id="cb1-9"><a href="#cb1-9" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"></a><span class="kw">end</span></span>
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<span id="cb1-10"><a href="#cb1-10" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"></a></span>
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<span id="cb1-11"><a href="#cb1-11" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"></a><span class="kw">function</span> target<span class="op">:</span>yeet<span class="op">()</span></span>
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<span id="cb1-12"><a href="#cb1-12" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"></a> self<span class="op">.</span>x <span class="op">=</span> <span class="dv">100</span></span>
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<span id="cb1-13"><a href="#cb1-13" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"></a> self<span class="op">.</span>y <span class="op">=</span> <span class="dv">100</span></span>
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<span id="cb1-14"><a href="#cb1-14" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"></a> self<span class="op">.</span>speed <span class="op">=</span> <span class="dv">50</span></span>
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<span id="cb1-15"><a href="#cb1-15" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"></a> <span class="cf">return</span> self</span>
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<span id="cb1-16"><a href="#cb1-16" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"></a><span class="kw">end</span></span></code></pre></div>
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<p>After preparing the spell Alex makes his way towards the
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guard rail ready to cut the mooring and zip lines, spell at
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the ready should an enemy appear.</p>
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</blockquote>
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<p>You crank the dial to 11. The sunspoke squeals in delight
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and burns like a tiny star. You grab the hemogoblin, who
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chirrups and clings tightly to you, and leap from the balloon
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onto the deck of the airship.</p>
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<p>You think you can hear—barely audible—the sunspoke singing
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a song of homecoming as the hot air balloon continues to rise
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unpiloted up toward the sun.</p>
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<p>You rush over to cover behind a barrel, and deposit your
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new hemogoblin friend safely inside the center of a large coil
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of rope. It looks up at you quizzically, but nods when you
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tell it to stay put.</p>
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<p>You invoke the powers of the moon and prepare a quick but
|
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|
|
(hopefully) sufficient Spell of Yeeting.</p>
|
|
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|
<!--
|
|
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|
Alex rolls Do Anything 1 to cut the lines and avoid detection
|
|
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|
6 = Great Success! Level Up!
|
|
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|
//-->
|
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<p>When you draw the dagger, the world develops a faint static
|
|
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|
|
background noise which is easy enough to ignore at the moment
|
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|
given the state of things. You dash forward and start sawing
|
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at the thick mooring lines. The dagger’s ruby hilt flashes in
|
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the sunlight as you work, and in your mind’s eye you see a
|
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bright red wine, and a drop of blood red ink flowing from the
|
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nib of a fountain pen.</p>
|
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<p>You shake the images from your head just as you finish
|
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sawing through the rope. A Cyberplasm who was shimmying back
|
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|
up the rope from the hotel to the ship yelps as the line goes
|
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|
slack and swings back into the side of the cliff. The pirate
|
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rebounds from the impact, bounces off the mountainside a few
|
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times, and falls from view as it disappears through the clouds
|
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below.</p>
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<p>The ship drifts lazily, rising slightly, and despite your
|
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best sneaking around, the remaining Cyberplasms on board
|
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cannot help but notice that the ship is no longer tethered.
|
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You successfully hide behind a barrel as three cyber ghost
|
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pirates come rushing over to the ship railing and lean over,
|
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looking below at where there are no longer any ropes attaching
|
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the ship to the hotel.</p>
|
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<p>Out of the corner of your eye, you can see the hemogoblin
|
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|
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toddling across the deck toward the Cyberplasms, no doubt
|
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curious about what they’re looking at over the side of the
|
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ship.</p>
|
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<blockquote>
|
|
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<p>“Indeed, Bread, it’s me. You have not yet escaped your fate
|
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|
|
of untraceable disappearance just yet.” Inky deadpans, then
|
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smiles. “We have much to discuss, but later. I do need a guide
|
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|
|
… to your hotelier. Presumably I will find them by following
|
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|
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the racket and trail of ruined decor, but maybe you know of a
|
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|
quicker route?”</p>
|
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|
|
</blockquote>
|
|
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|
|
<p>Bread smiles at the threat of being untraceably
|
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|
|
disappeared, mostly confident that they are on the inside of a
|
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|
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private little joke and that they are presently in no actual
|
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|
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danger from Inky. They grip their hammer a little tighter
|
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nonetheless.</p>
|
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|
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<p>Confidence slips their trowels into their apron. “Yes, this
|
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|
way!”</p>
|
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<p>They hurry down the hall. You know you’re going the right
|
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|
way because tattered, torn, charred books litter the ground in
|
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|
|
increasing numbers. Bits of paper and ash fall like snow.</p>
|
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|
|
<p>Confidence guides you away from the entrance to the
|
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|
|
library’s Great Hall, and takes you instead to a smaller, more
|
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|
|
discreet staff entrance. They open the door a crack, and as
|
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|
|
you look through you are just in time to see the ship captain
|
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|
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with their cybernetic leg, arm canon, and eye. Now that the
|
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|
|
crew have cleared the way for them, they stroll across the
|
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|
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library over piles of fallen, damaged books.</p>
|
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|
<p>A thin bald man with a neatly trimmed mustache is on the
|
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|
|
other side of the hall, his back turned to the pirate. He
|
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|
|
wears a fine suit and has just finished unlocking a glass
|
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|
|
display case. He retrieves a multifaceted blue and gold stone
|
|
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|
|
and hugs it to his chest with both arms. He throws a panicked
|
|
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|
|
glance over his shoulder at the slowly approaching pirate, and
|
|
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|
|
|
turns to run away. His retreat is halted by a small explosion
|
|
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|
|
at his feet. He skids to a stop and looks back at the pirate,
|
|
|
|
|
|
who is lowering their arm canon.</p>
|
|
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|
|
<p>“The crystal,” the captain demands in a voice part ghostly
|
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|
|
moan, part mechanical drone. “Hand it over, hotelier.” It
|
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|
|
steps closer. “Mother has promised us new bodies if we deliver
|
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|
|
the quintessence. You won’t be permitted to stand in our
|
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|
|
way.”</p>
|
|
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|
|
<p>One pirate near the breach tucks a couple volumes of manhwa
|
|
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|
|
under its arm and climbs out onto the mooring line, returning
|
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|
to the ship with its plunder. It howls as the line suddenly
|
|
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|
|
goes slack, flinging the pirate and its comics into the
|
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|
|
mountainside, and then out into space.</p>
|
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|
<p>Sunlight pours into the library from outside as the shadow
|
|
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|
|
of the airship shifts as it starts to drift, suddenly
|
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|
|
|
unmoored.</p>
|
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|
|
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
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|
|
<p><a
|
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|
|
href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-12/msg00231.html">www</a></p>
|
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|
|
]]>
|
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</description>
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</item>
|
2022-12-23 03:44:45 +00:00
|
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<item>
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<title>47</title>
|
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<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
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|
<guid isPermaLink="false">47 - Thu, 22 Dec 2022 16:51:54
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|
-0700</guid>
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|
|
<pubDate>Thu, 22 Dec 2022 16:51:59 -0700</pubDate>
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<description>
|
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|
<![CDATA[
|
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|
|
<h3 id="00047">00047</h3>
|
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<blockquote>
|
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<p>Damn it! I should’ve left the little goblin in the balloon,
|
|
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|
|
|
this could get tricky..</p>
|
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|
|
<p>Time slows for just the briefest of moments while Alex
|
|
|
|
|
|
calculates his next move. Looking at the position of the
|
|
|
|
|
|
pirates he can probably yeet the middlemost one away from the
|
|
|
|
|
|
group into the left most pirate. Best case this sends both of
|
|
|
|
|
|
them sailing over the edge of the ship, worst case it just
|
|
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|
|
slightly knocks them off balance. In either event this gives
|
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|
|
me enough time to dart from cover and quickly dispatch the
|
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|
|
right most pirate with Uncle’s dagger. I’ve got to sever each
|
|
|
|
|
|
connection point between the ecotplasm and the cybernetics,
|
|
|
|
|
|
nothing quite as quick and easy as flesh and blood, but a
|
|
|
|
|
|
quick slice to the left most armpit, and another to the right
|
|
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|
|
|
most leg right above the carotid artery should do it..</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Jumping immediately to action Alex casts
|
|
|
|
|
|
<code>yeet.middle_cyberplasm()</code> sending the middle
|
|
|
|
|
|
pirate into the left most pirate away from the hemogoblin
|
|
|
|
|
|
while he dashes forward to take the third right most pirate by
|
|
|
|
|
|
surprise. As he reaches the right most pirate he makes two
|
|
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|
|
|
quick slices, first at the leg, followed by a quick upper cut
|
|
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|
|
|
to the left arm.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</blockquote>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<!--
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alex rolls Do Anything 1 to yeet the cyberplasm
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 = Things go poorly. Gain 1 xp.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Spend 1 xp to pass and gain Sysorcery 2
|
|
|
|
|
|
//-->
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>You channel some of the ambient environmental charge into
|
|
|
|
|
|
your prepared incantation. It’s comforting sometimes to peer
|
|
|
|
|
|
behind the veil and see the world through this lens. It’s so
|
|
|
|
|
|
simple. The separation of self and other is an illusion:
|
|
|
|
|
|
everything is just a table. The concept of time itself is
|
|
|
|
|
|
simplified: coroutines prevent everything from happening all
|
|
|
|
|
|
at once and create the illusion of concurrency. It’s all
|
|
|
|
|
|
really quite elegant.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Anyway so the hemogoblin sidles up next to the pirates at
|
|
|
|
|
|
the railing. It’s not tall enough to see over the railing, and
|
|
|
|
|
|
starts to kind of jump up and down, trying to catch a glimpse.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The pirates look down at it in confusion just as the
|
|
|
|
|
|
<code>yeet</code> happens, and they knock into each other. The
|
|
|
|
|
|
leftmost one almost manages to regain its balance but then
|
|
|
|
|
|
trips over the little blood gremlin and pitches over the
|
|
|
|
|
|
railing. The middle pirate yelps as the startled hemogoblin
|
|
|
|
|
|
darts between its legs to get out of the way. The pirate
|
|
|
|
|
|
stumbles and then slips in a small puddle of blood. Its feet
|
|
|
|
|
|
shoot from beneath it and it too tips over the railing.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<!--
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alex rolls Do Anything 1 to sever connections
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 = Things go poorly. Gain 1 xp.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Spend 1 xp to pass and gain Stabbing 2
|
|
|
|
|
|
//-->
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>The hemogoblin dashes right into the waiting arms of the
|
|
|
|
|
|
rightmost Cyberplasm. “Gotcha, you little … ugh! What …” The
|
|
|
|
|
|
pirate is starting to regret snatching up the little furball,
|
|
|
|
|
|
which is defensively gushing blood all over it, when you make
|
|
|
|
|
|
your first slice into its left armpit. Half its cybernetics go
|
|
|
|
|
|
offline. One arm goes limp and it drops the hemogoblin, which
|
|
|
|
|
|
scurries around and hides behind you. The pirate turns toward
|
|
|
|
|
|
you, now full of regrets, and you stab into its right leg,
|
|
|
|
|
|
knocking its tech completely offline and dispersing the
|
|
|
|
|
|
ghostly energies.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>As far as you can tell, the ship is now free of
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cyberplasms.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>The hemogoblin thrusts its tiny fists in the air and
|
|
|
|
|
|
cheers.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<blockquote>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Inky shakes out several large and very fine kerchiefs,
|
|
|
|
|
|
handing two each to the guides and gestures for them to cover
|
|
|
|
|
|
their noses and mouths with them while they perform the action
|
|
|
|
|
|
themselves to demonstrate.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Donning a pair of skydiving goggles snatched from one of
|
|
|
|
|
|
the souvenir stalls at the gondola station while no one was
|
|
|
|
|
|
looking (replacing it with its approximate weight in silver
|
|
|
|
|
|
coins), Inky retrieves a black metal box that previously
|
|
|
|
|
|
served as a portable camp stove from their knapsack and
|
|
|
|
|
|
removes the lid. The inside of the box is filled with dry wood
|
|
|
|
|
|
chips mixed with a pine green powder, and Inky throws in the
|
|
|
|
|
|
wicks pulled from some of the scented candles that were pushed
|
|
|
|
|
|
into a heater flask to melt fully during the walk up the hotel
|
|
|
|
|
|
steps. Finally, Inky pours another vial of foul-smelling
|
|
|
|
|
|
liquid over the contents, opens the door just wide enough to
|
|
|
|
|
|
slide the metal box through to one side of the door a few
|
|
|
|
|
|
paces away.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>A mildly sweet, cloying smoke emanates from the flameless
|
|
|
|
|
|
heat inside the box, which begin to fill the library hall with
|
|
|
|
|
|
a rapidly thickening cloud. It is also taking on an acrid and
|
|
|
|
|
|
slightly sooty edge. Near the door, Inky fans more of the
|
|
|
|
|
|
smoke in the direction of the cyberplasmic apparition with a
|
|
|
|
|
|
thin bound manuscript laying on the floor.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</blockquote>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Bread, Confidence, and you all don protective gear. You
|
|
|
|
|
|
push the camp stove through the door like an Olympic curler.
|
|
|
|
|
|
It glides across the library floor a respectable distance
|
|
|
|
|
|
considering the book debris and the lack of sweepers. Much
|
|
|
|
|
|
more quickly than one would think possible, the hall is filled
|
|
|
|
|
|
with a thick, sooty smoke. The Cyberplasm captain groans with
|
|
|
|
|
|
frustration as even the short distance between it and the
|
|
|
|
|
|
hotelier (and the crystal) becomes occluded in the smoke
|
|
|
|
|
|
screen. The hotelier wisely doesn’t make a sound as he
|
|
|
|
|
|
disappears from view.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Bread nudges you, grins, and gives you a thumbs up.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p><a
|
|
|
|
|
|
href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-12/msg00234.html">www</a></p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
]]>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</description>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</item>
|
2022-12-19 15:02:17 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<item>
|
2022-12-22 23:51:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<title>43</title>
|
2022-12-19 15:02:17 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
2022-12-22 23:51:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<guid isPermaLink="false">43 - Mon, 19 Dec 2022 08:03:20
|
2022-12-19 15:02:17 +00:00
|
|
|
|
-0700</guid>
|
2022-12-22 23:51:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<pubDate>Mon, 19 Dec 2022 08:03:25 -0700</pubDate>
|
2022-12-19 15:02:17 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<description>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<![CDATA[
|
2022-12-22 23:51:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<h3 id="00043">00043</h3>
|
2022-12-19 15:02:17 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<blockquote>
|
2022-12-22 23:51:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<p>Pirates?! Again?! Alex groans, unfortunately he’s run into
|
|
|
|
|
|
this crew of dastardly mostly cybernetic punks in the past.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nasty group back home, always kept the precinct busy. Not
|
|
|
|
|
|
necessarily with the detective work, it was always a little
|
|
|
|
|
|
obvious when they showed up. They have a flair for the
|
|
|
|
|
|
dramatic.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Alex shouts to Inky & Jarrod “Come on, we need to get
|
|
|
|
|
|
in one of those balloons and fast!” he then darts off in the
|
|
|
|
|
|
direction of the nearest abandoned balloon in the market
|
|
|
|
|
|
place, not looking to see if his companions had followed
|
|
|
|
|
|
him.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p><em>internally</em> I know these guys have pulled off
|
|
|
|
|
|
smaller heists, they could just be attacking the hotel to
|
|
|
|
|
|
plunder riches from its guests. They don’t seem the likes of a
|
|
|
|
|
|
retrieval team.. Then again, that Blavin fellow has multiple
|
|
|
|
|
|
teams working for him, and he doesn’t seem all too picky about
|
|
|
|
|
|
how they get the job done, it wouldn’t be surprising if he’d
|
|
|
|
|
|
hired some brigands hoping they’d get the gems faster.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Alex conjures up another bug, a stag beetle this time, and
|
|
|
|
|
|
casts it away at the pirate ship. It’ll probably take some
|
|
|
|
|
|
time to catch up, but once it does we’ll be able to keep an
|
|
|
|
|
|
eye on the pirate’s ship and general actions, at least within
|
|
|
|
|
|
line of sight of the bug.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>As Alex reaches the balloon he grabs the ruby hilted dagger
|
|
|
|
|
|
and cuts the mooring lines keeping it down, and jumps into the
|
|
|
|
|
|
basket preparing for take off.</p>
|
2022-12-19 15:02:17 +00:00
|
|
|
|
</blockquote>
|
2022-12-22 23:51:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<p>You spot a balloon that has already been knocked half loose
|
|
|
|
|
|
of its mooring by the pirate attack. The basket is listing to
|
|
|
|
|
|
the side and tugging at the one remaining rope tying it down
|
|
|
|
|
|
Its owner scurries around in circles trying to secure it.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>The vertical panels of the balloon are all different
|
|
|
|
|
|
colors, creating a brilliant rainbow pattern. The large woven
|
|
|
|
|
|
basket is large enough for maybe three people.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>You leap inside, swinging the ruby hilted dagger at the
|
|
|
|
|
|
remaining mooring line. The balloon owner cries out in dismay.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The basket shifts beneath your feet as the balloon tugs it
|
|
|
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|
|
skyward.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>In the burner, a small sunspoke—a minor fire elemental—is
|
|
|
|
|
|
merrily burning away, producing a modest flame that is hot
|
|
|
|
|
|
enough to lift the balloon slowly above the market into the
|
|
|
|
|
|
sky. There is a knob valve on the side of the burner to allow
|
|
|
|
|
|
more oxygen to flow in, thereby feeding the sunspoke and
|
|
|
|
|
|
encouraging it to burn more intensely and raise the balloon
|
|
|
|
|
|
higher and faster. The valve is currently only about one third
|
|
|
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|
|
open.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>A pile of blankets in one corner of the basket—and that
|
|
|
|
|
|
area of the basket itself—is covered in blood. Somebody
|
|
|
|
|
|
injured in the pirate attack must have temporarily climbed
|
|
|
|
|
|
into the basket looking for cover? As you’re about to look
|
|
|
|
|
|
away, something large-ish (small for a human, large for an
|
|
|
|
|
|
animal) under the blankets shifts and moves.</p>
|
2022-12-19 15:02:17 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<blockquote>
|
2022-12-22 23:51:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<p>Inky stares after Alex’s sprinting figure before shrugging
|
|
|
|
|
|
and stepping towards one of the stalls selling sandwiches
|
|
|
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|
|
bowled over by one of the large boulders. They place some
|
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|
|
loose change on the stall’s wooden sign that had tipped over
|
|
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|
|
on the ground and pocket one of the sandwiches displayed
|
|
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|
|
|
inside an open chest oven. Next, they pick up several of the
|
|
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|
|
scented candles scattered on the ground by the crash, throwing
|
|
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|
|
|
some coins in the direction of the disoriented vendor before
|
|
|
|
|
|
continuing at a leisurely pace up the steps to the hotel,
|
|
|
|
|
|
taking in the balloonship and surrounding scenery. The members
|
|
|
|
|
|
of their merry party arriving first can hold their own as well
|
|
|
|
|
|
as the fort of a hotel.</p>
|
2022-12-19 15:02:17 +00:00
|
|
|
|
</blockquote>
|
2022-12-22 23:51:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<p>You do a little leisurely shopping as the vendors and other
|
|
|
|
|
|
shoppers put out fires and tend to the injured. With a couple
|
|
|
|
|
|
scented candles and a sandwich safely in your pocket, you
|
|
|
|
|
|
start to climb the cloud steps, enjoying the scenery as you
|
|
|
|
|
|
go. Bread and Confidence have quite a bit of a head start on
|
|
|
|
|
|
you, and are nowhere to be seen. As the stairway winds around
|
|
|
|
|
|
the mountainside, the market and its bustle recede from view,
|
|
|
|
|
|
and soon you are quite isolated and alone.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>The majesty of creation is humbling here: the endless,
|
|
|
|
|
|
roiling ocean of cloud; the towering mountain of rock. It’s as
|
|
|
|
|
|
though this was the creator’s playground when they were still
|
|
|
|
|
|
trying to figure out scale. Before they quite got it right for
|
|
|
|
|
|
human-sized creatures.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>About halfway up your climb, it starts raining sheets of
|
|
|
|
|
|
paper. You snatch one and read it. Some heroic fantasy about
|
|
|
|
|
|
slaying demons and facing great peril. You grab another. A
|
|
|
|
|
|
bodice-ripping romance. Another. A gourmand’s food tour of
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basmentaria, eating their way from coast to coast. A murder
|
|
|
|
|
|
mystery whodunnit. An aetherwael handler’s guide to
|
|
|
|
|
|
interplanetary travel. How to grow your own fortified
|
|
|
|
|
|
pumpkins. On the Care and Maintenance of Fortles. The Rise and
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fall and Rise of Palace Runesocesius. Within a minute, you
|
|
|
|
|
|
have fists full of an entire library’s worth of snippets and
|
|
|
|
|
|
passages.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>~</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>It looks as though Alex will approach the hotel by balloon
|
|
|
|
|
|
from the non-pirate side. And Inky’s approach by stair will
|
|
|
|
|
|
deposit them at the hotel entrance, roughly
|
|
|
|
|
|
pirate-adjacent.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p><a
|
|
|
|
|
|
href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-12/msg00217.html">www</a></p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
]]>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</description>
|
|
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|
|
</item>
|
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|
<item>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<title>44</title>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<guid isPermaLink="false">44 - Tue, 20 Dec 2022 08:47:08
|
|
|
|
|
|
-0700</guid>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<pubDate>Tue, 20 Dec 2022 08:47:11 -0700</pubDate>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<description>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<![CDATA[
|
|
|
|
|
|
<h3 id="00044">00044</h3>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<blockquote>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>As Alex spots the sunspoke valve he grabs it and cranks it
|
|
|
|
|
|
up to the 2/3 mark. “Sorry little friend, we’re going to need
|
|
|
|
|
|
a little bit more juice”. The baloon lurches upwards as air
|
|
|
|
|
|
rushes in feeding the sunspoke, causing it to burn more
|
|
|
|
|
|
intensely. After setting the sunspoke ablaze and shouting back
|
|
|
|
|
|
to the balloon’s owner Alex takes account of his surroundings.
|
|
|
|
|
|
It’s during this time he spots the bloodied, moving blankets.
|
|
|
|
|
|
They seem to writhe, as though something beneath them is
|
|
|
|
|
|
injured.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Gripping the dagger firmly in one hand Alex grabs the
|
|
|
|
|
|
blankets from the corner of the balloon basket revealing
|
|
|
|
|
|
whatever lay beneath.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</blockquote>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>The sunspoke stretches its little arms and wriggles its
|
|
|
|
|
|
little fingers. It sighs happily, luxuriating in the extra
|
|
|
|
|
|
fuel. It burns twice as bright, shooting a hot jet of bright
|
|
|
|
|
|
yellow flame up into the parachute. The sunspoke starts to
|
|
|
|
|
|
glow a molten red, and you start to rise faster.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>As you rise up over the peak, you can finally spot the
|
|
|
|
|
|
Runesocesius. The grand hotel is draped over the top of the
|
|
|
|
|
|
mountain, clinging to it like a dragon resting on its
|
|
|
|
|
|
hoard.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>The “cyberplasms” as Confidence called them have docked to
|
|
|
|
|
|
the side of a tower on the other side of the peak from you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
They have shot a large hole in the side of the tower, and you
|
|
|
|
|
|
can see them now starting to zipline into the building. A
|
|
|
|
|
|
thick plume of black smoke billows out of the side of the
|
|
|
|
|
|
tower, carrying pages and pages of loose paper into the air
|
|
|
|
|
|
with it. They rain down like snow. The tower must house an
|
|
|
|
|
|
extensive library.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>You cautiously pull back a corner of the bloody blankets,
|
|
|
|
|
|
jeweled dagger raised and ready to strike. You reveal a small
|
|
|
|
|
|
bloody furry blob. You see two big round eyes, a short-snouted
|
|
|
|
|
|
face, and enormous pointed ears. It quickly looks away from
|
|
|
|
|
|
you, chirps pathetically, and trembles as it cowers in place.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You have found a frightened hemogoblin stowaway!</p>
|
2022-12-19 15:02:17 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p><a
|
2022-12-22 23:51:12 +00:00
|
|
|
|
href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-12/msg00219.html">www</a></p>
|
2022-12-19 15:02:17 +00:00
|
|
|
|
]]>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</description>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</item>
|
2022-12-23 03:44:45 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<item>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<title>41</title>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<guid isPermaLink="false">41 - Wed, 14 Dec 2022 17:50:38
|
|
|
|
|
|
-0700</guid>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<pubDate>Wed, 14 Dec 2022 17:50:44 -0700</pubDate>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<description>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<![CDATA[
|
|
|
|
|
|
<h3 id="00041">00041</h3>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<blockquote>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Alex grips the encoded message he received in reply to his
|
|
|
|
|
|
last request firmly in his coat pocket. It was simple, curt,
|
|
|
|
|
|
impactful. “Trust no one”. Which begged the question, could
|
|
|
|
|
|
even it be trusted? Was HQ compromised? His informants in
|
|
|
|
|
|
danger? His allies and leads awash in the dark grey mist of
|
|
|
|
|
|
uncertainity. Or had his message been intercepted, cracked,
|
|
|
|
|
|
and a farsical response been sent in its place. Alex wasn’t
|
|
|
|
|
|
certain which, but the strange format and unusually speedy
|
|
|
|
|
|
response had him on edge.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>This anxiety didn’t boil up to the surface, not a line of
|
|
|
|
|
|
worry or hint of the inner turbulence broke his cold blue
|
|
|
|
|
|
eyes. Outwardly he was just as composed as ever, but between
|
|
|
|
|
|
these uncertainties, the loss of his uncle, and now this
|
|
|
|
|
|
utterly strange dagger he’d found amongst his uncle’s
|
|
|
|
|
|
belongings, he wasn’t certain how long that composure would
|
|
|
|
|
|
last. It didn’t held that he felt this gnawing at the back of
|
|
|
|
|
|
his mind, as though something was probing, attempting to
|
|
|
|
|
|
communicate with him, somewhere between telepathy and utter
|
|
|
|
|
|
magic, and not in any sense that Alex understood.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>And here he stood, a stranger amongst amidst his uncle’s
|
|
|
|
|
|
allies, and very little intention to change that situation at
|
|
|
|
|
|
the moment.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>As the gondola touched down and the Toques rushed to greet
|
|
|
|
|
|
them Alex jumped blithely off the ship and onto firm, but
|
|
|
|
|
|
fluffy, ground. He cast a look around him at what appeared to
|
|
|
|
|
|
be an ordinary port of entry, noting the crowds of people
|
|
|
|
|
|
passing by. As the Toques arrived Alex spoke curtly to them,
|
|
|
|
|
|
“Who sends you to greet us, and where do you wish to take us,
|
|
|
|
|
|
and by what means do we travel?”. Short, cut, information
|
|
|
|
|
|
only. There’s too much unnerving in an unknown situation like
|
|
|
|
|
|
this.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</blockquote>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>~</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<blockquote>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Inky greets the toques in turn politely, then turns to the
|
|
|
|
|
|
second toque and says, “A little bit of bread and no
|
|
|
|
|
|
cheese.”</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</blockquote>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>“Cheese?” Bread cocks their head looks at Inky with a touch
|
|
|
|
|
|
of embarrassment. They start patting at their pockets,
|
|
|
|
|
|
presumably looking for a morsel of cheese to share with the
|
|
|
|
|
|
travelers, but finding none. They groan miserably. Confidence
|
|
|
|
|
|
butts in apologetically, “There will be plenty of food at the
|
|
|
|
|
|
hotel if you want some! Some delicious fondue perhaps? Kelsun
|
|
|
|
|
|
Peak’s famous liquid gold!”</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>“Blavin Blandfoot arranged for us to meet you,” Bread
|
|
|
|
|
|
answers Alex. Confidence nods enthusiastically in agreement.
|
|
|
|
|
|
“But I suppose technically the hotelier sent us.” Bread points
|
|
|
|
|
|
up at the sky, in the general direction of the summit of
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kelsun Peak. “We are to escort you to Palace Runesocesius.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
They thumb over their shoulder in the general direction of the
|
|
|
|
|
|
stairs. “By way of the cloud steps. On foot.”</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Confidence leans in close and lowers their voice. “A
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ginnarak Crystal! I can’t hardly believe it! Thought they had
|
|
|
|
|
|
all been lost to the ages. I hear it’s complete dumb random
|
|
|
|
|
|
luck that this one turned up. Story is, an aetherwael beached
|
|
|
|
|
|
itself on some wide zephynos boulevard. Happens sometimes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poor things can’t distinguish between clouds and cloudstuff. I
|
|
|
|
|
|
don’t blame ’em! At a distance, you and me can’t either!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, this aetherwael has got a harpoon stuck in its side.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dratted poachers. May they all fall out of the sky and be
|
|
|
|
|
|
dashed to a thousand pieces on the rocks below. But it had a
|
|
|
|
|
|
harpoon in its side and was trailing behind it a float bag
|
|
|
|
|
|
tethered to the harpoon. And you probably already guessed what
|
|
|
|
|
|
was inside of it!” By the time Confidence finishes their brief
|
|
|
|
|
|
story, they are trembling and nearly breathless with
|
|
|
|
|
|
excitement.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>“Anyway,” Bread interrupts their excited companion in an
|
|
|
|
|
|
attempt to restore decorum. Both of the toques have been
|
|
|
|
|
|
gently herding you toward the base of the stairs this whole
|
|
|
|
|
|
time. “You know how the zephynos are. You could give them all
|
|
|
|
|
|
the coin in Basmentaria, or something priceless like a
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ginnarak Crystal, and they’d just as quickly misplace it out
|
|
|
|
|
|
of carelessness. If it’s not a cloud they can sculpt into the
|
|
|
|
|
|
shape of seussomorph or the likeness of some fantasy creature,
|
|
|
|
|
|
they just don’t give a fig. Luckily the hotelier caught wind
|
|
|
|
|
|
of the aetherwael and found out about the crystal before they
|
|
|
|
|
|
managed to lose it, or bury it inside of a sculpture or
|
|
|
|
|
|
something silly! He has it safe and sound in the library up at
|
|
|
|
|
|
Runesocesius now.” Bread climbs the first step, his foot
|
|
|
|
|
|
sinking barely a centimeter into wispy cloud before striking
|
|
|
|
|
|
the solid cloudstuff. “Come! The hotelier will be very excited
|
|
|
|
|
|
to greet you!”</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p><a
|
|
|
|
|
|
href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-12/msg00193.html">www</a></p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
]]>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</description>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</item>
|
2022-11-19 01:14:31 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<item>
|
2022-11-25 14:13:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<title>39</title>
|
2022-11-19 01:14:31 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
2022-11-25 14:13:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<guid isPermaLink="false">39 - Sat, 19 Nov 2022 07:38:02
|
2022-11-19 01:14:31 +00:00
|
|
|
|
-0700</guid>
|
2022-11-25 14:13:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<pubDate>Fri, 25 Nov 2022 07:11:12 -0700</pubDate>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<description>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<![CDATA[
|
|
|
|
|
|
<h3 id="00039">00039</h3>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<blockquote>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Alex silently observes the party and this foolish hobbit,
|
|
|
|
|
|
before him three untouched drinks have accumulated. He’s a
|
|
|
|
|
|
little less enthusiatic about taking drink from strangers, too
|
|
|
|
|
|
much risk in that. As Blavin describes this crystal, whatever
|
|
|
|
|
|
it may be, he catches a glimpse of the pinkish purplish
|
|
|
|
|
|
armband on the party across from them. They don’t look out of
|
|
|
|
|
|
place given the patrons at the tavern, but he’s certain they
|
|
|
|
|
|
were listening in on the animated conversation of the hobbit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
It could be nothing, or it coule be connected to Corraidhin,
|
|
|
|
|
|
best to put a bug on them Alex thinks.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Silently beneath the table and out of site Alex prepares a
|
|
|
|
|
|
bug and sets it off to follow the person with the armband.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Once the bug catches up to the part it’s programmed to perform
|
|
|
|
|
|
a tcpdump and capture information streaming around it, and
|
|
|
|
|
|
then report back to Alex once full. By no means a perfect
|
|
|
|
|
|
method of spying, but it’s low energy and can be maintained
|
|
|
|
|
|
from great distances without taxing Alex’s energy.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>As Blavin comes back to the group from his grandoise space
|
|
|
|
|
|
commentary Alex begins to question him.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Enough of your theatrics hobbit. Tell me about the mark,
|
|
|
|
|
|
you’ve obviously tipped off the entire tavern as to the
|
|
|
|
|
|
whereabouts of whatever it is you’re looking for, so give us
|
|
|
|
|
|
an edge, something those evesdroppers a table over don’t have.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And cut this tripe about your benefactor, who is he, and what
|
|
|
|
|
|
does he want with this magical baubbles.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>As Alex finishes his questions he sits quietly for a moment
|
|
|
|
|
|
staring down Blavin.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>During this outburts, as all eyes turn to Blavin for his
|
|
|
|
|
|
response, Alex casts yet another bug. This one sneaks onto the
|
|
|
|
|
|
personage of Blavin himself. Programmed the same way.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>We’ll get information from someone, subtle, or not if
|
|
|
|
|
|
needed.</p>
|
2022-11-07 16:00:08 +00:00
|
|
|
|
</blockquote>
|
2022-11-13 00:12:18 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<p>~</p>
|
2022-11-07 19:05:45 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<blockquote>
|
2022-11-25 14:13:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<p>Inky watches with faint amusement as a magical device,
|
|
|
|
|
|
likely a probe, found its way onto their mission handler.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Inky might have missed the slight movement under the table
|
|
|
|
|
|
if they weren’t waiting for it, having received word of the
|
|
|
|
|
|
younger wizard’s penchant for pre-emptive offence magic. As it
|
|
|
|
|
|
were, the offices and surrounding premises were routinely
|
|
|
|
|
|
swept for similar devices, a more recent example of which had
|
|
|
|
|
|
been placed in plain sight by an overzealous tabloid writer
|
|
|
|
|
|
hoping to pick up an exclusive reveal. The quality of the
|
|
|
|
|
|
contraption, which had immediately fallen apart when detached
|
|
|
|
|
|
from its gum adhesive on the back of a glass vase, had been
|
|
|
|
|
|
almost insulting.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>It seems Blackfoot hadn’t learned his lesson after all, and
|
|
|
|
|
|
if Alex was keen to give him a reminder, Inky had no
|
|
|
|
|
|
objection. As Blavin takes another swig from his sixth drink
|
|
|
|
|
|
of the evening, the waitress smiling at him with a wink as she
|
|
|
|
|
|
set down their glasses before skating away to take another
|
|
|
|
|
|
order (Inky made sure tip her liberally for the attentive
|
|
|
|
|
|
service), Inky let their line of sight flicker to a
|
|
|
|
|
|
fuchsia-coloured band on a departing customer’s arm.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Inky smiles internally at the sight — they can almost hear
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beaker’s crow of dismay. The poor kingfisher had been under
|
|
|
|
|
|
increased pressure of late from other scientific associations
|
|
|
|
|
|
and prominent speakers to exclude BAND from presenting at one
|
|
|
|
|
|
of the largest annual ornithology conferences of the year on
|
|
|
|
|
|
accusations of spreading misinformation and junk science in
|
|
|
|
|
|
addition to attempting to erase the history of native bird
|
|
|
|
|
|
tribes. There had been a huge row, which ended with the
|
|
|
|
|
|
BANDits storming off, yelling about “the proof being crystal
|
|
|
|
|
|
clear” and that they will bring “ancient arcane evidence”. The
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alcedinian researcher had lamented the halcyon days when
|
|
|
|
|
|
conferences were avenues for scientific exchange, not
|
|
|
|
|
|
twittering soapboxes. Not that anyone who had ever tried to
|
|
|
|
|
|
arrange any gathering of birds of a feather really thought
|
|
|
|
|
|
things simply glided along smoothly before. However, the
|
|
|
|
|
|
advent of dedicated carrier pigeon networks had made it easier
|
|
|
|
|
|
to relay research to and from smaller communities, opening the
|
|
|
|
|
|
pathways for their participation, including a few somewhat
|
|
|
|
|
|
Controversial fringe groups like BAND.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</blockquote>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Alex attempts to shake down the hobbit, who titters merrily
|
|
|
|
|
|
at his demands.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>“You know nearly everything I do, dear! Your <em>mark</em>
|
|
|
|
|
|
as you put it,” Blaven theatrically drops his voice as he
|
|
|
|
|
|
looks around for eavesdroppers, “would be the zephynos of
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kelsun Peak should you choose to go that route.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>“If you choose to go to the moon, you’ll have a harder go
|
|
|
|
|
|
of it,” he frowns. He flips the map over and draws four
|
|
|
|
|
|
circles in a straight line. They have the proportions of a
|
|
|
|
|
|
grapefruit, an orange, a tangerine, and an orange. He jabs a
|
|
|
|
|
|
finger at the grapefruit. “This is us, here, earth.” He points
|
|
|
|
|
|
at the two oranges and the tangerine. “And these are our
|
|
|
|
|
|
planet’s moons.” He points to them in order. “Selene, the
|
|
|
|
|
|
Green Lady. Moonmoon. And Lua, the Red Lady. Recently, as you
|
|
|
|
|
|
well know, we had a super eclipse in which these four bodies
|
|
|
|
|
|
and the sun all lined up in perfect alignment. The combined
|
|
|
|
|
|
magnetic pull of the spheres allowed a rare commingling of the
|
|
|
|
|
|
ionic spheres, and our instruments were able to detect the
|
|
|
|
|
|
crystal somewhere out there in space. If I were to bet on it,
|
|
|
|
|
|
I would put my money on Lua.” He points to the farthest moon,
|
|
|
|
|
|
the Red Lady, with its own tiny satellite, Moonmoon. He looks
|
|
|
|
|
|
up at you and explains, “She’s far enough away that her
|
|
|
|
|
|
ionosphere would never make contact with ours except for in
|
|
|
|
|
|
this particular, rare circumstance. That’s why the crystal has
|
|
|
|
|
|
escaped our detection for so long.”</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>“As for the Benefactor!” He brightens up. “He’s a
|
|
|
|
|
|
magnificent fellow as you well know! A renowned collector. His
|
|
|
|
|
|
wishes are to preserve the crystals and protect them (and us!)
|
|
|
|
|
|
from their misuse or mishandling! He has a hot tub!” he winks
|
|
|
|
|
|
at you. “Speaking of crystals,” he adds as an afterthought,
|
|
|
|
|
|
taking another sip of his drink, “why don’t you hand that
|
|
|
|
|
|
crystal over to me and I’ll deliver it to the Benefactor. That
|
|
|
|
|
|
is what he’s paying you for after all!”</p>
|
2022-11-19 01:14:31 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<!--
|
2022-11-25 14:13:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
Meta: Alex rolls Investigation 2 on the Ornithologer Trio
|
|
|
|
|
|
4, 5 = Mixed Success
|
2022-11-19 01:14:31 +00:00
|
|
|
|
//-->
|
2022-11-25 14:13:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<p>The Ornithologer’s Trio leaves Lucy’s Basement quite
|
|
|
|
|
|
oblivious to their bug. The Ornithologer turns out to be the
|
|
|
|
|
|
orator of their little group, ranting about the conspiracy,
|
|
|
|
|
|
the attempted cover up, about how Big Science wants to
|
|
|
|
|
|
convince you that birds are dinosaurs but they’re just pulling
|
|
|
|
|
|
the wool over your eyes. The truth is right there in the
|
|
|
|
|
|
fossil record for crying out loud! All you have to do is look
|
|
|
|
|
|
for yourself. Nobody these days wants to <em>think</em> is the
|
|
|
|
|
|
problem. They just get their information from the authorities
|
|
|
|
|
|
and take it as gospel, but they don’t see that the authorities
|
|
|
|
|
|
have adopted a narrative that suits their own ends.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>At which point the groll interjects and asks what is the
|
|
|
|
|
|
end goal of Big Science, and how exactly does convincing the
|
|
|
|
|
|
proletariat that birds are dinosaurs help achieve it?</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>The BANDit scowls and answers, Look, you just don’t get it,
|
|
|
|
|
|
okay!</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>The three split up and go their separate ways and disappear
|
|
|
|
|
|
into the night.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>You learn the following, one of which is true, one of which
|
|
|
|
|
|
is false, and one of which is meaningless.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<ol type="1">
|
|
|
|
|
|
<li><p>BAND plans to intercept the CRYSTAL of VOID and use it
|
|
|
|
|
|
to petition the Insatiable Wyrm for definitive proof that
|
|
|
|
|
|
Birds Are Not Dinosaurs. In this way they shall shame their
|
|
|
|
|
|
fellow paleornithologists and earn their rightful place at the
|
|
|
|
|
|
table of Big Science, which they have spent decades
|
|
|
|
|
|
undermining.</p></li>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<li><p>The Gnu Zealots intend to reverse engineer the power of
|
|
|
|
|
|
the crystals, create a newborn godling, and then release their
|
|
|
|
|
|
findings, thus laying the foundation of the world’s first
|
|
|
|
|
|
truly open source religion</p></li>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<li><p>The trio seeks the crystals not at all, but in fact
|
|
|
|
|
|
search for Sitopotnia, creator and progenitor of the entire
|
|
|
|
|
|
amaizeon race—including corbits, aurs, centaurs, and
|
|
|
|
|
|
others—and the only mortal in the history of Basmentaria to
|
|
|
|
|
|
successfully take the mantle of creation from the
|
|
|
|
|
|
overgods.</p></li>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</ol>
|
2022-11-15 15:16:54 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<!--
|
2022-11-25 14:13:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
Meta: Alex rolls Investigation 2 on Blaven
|
|
|
|
|
|
1, 3 = Things go poorly, gain 1 xp
|
2022-11-15 15:16:54 +00:00
|
|
|
|
//-->
|
2022-11-25 14:13:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<p>Meanwhile, Blaven slips out into the early, early morning
|
|
|
|
|
|
carrying his own bug. He whistles tunelessly to himself as he
|
|
|
|
|
|
sails down the street with a wide and veering but surprisingly
|
|
|
|
|
|
steady gait.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Once he gets a few blocks away, his gait narrows and his
|
|
|
|
|
|
step becomes more lively, a bit jaunty. He stands upright and
|
|
|
|
|
|
ceases whistling. All signs of drunkenness disappear as he
|
|
|
|
|
|
tugs on his sleeves and straightens his vest, and runs a hand
|
|
|
|
|
|
through his hair.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>He meets a goblin catcher in the street going the other
|
|
|
|
|
|
way, wearily making his way home after a long night’s work. He
|
|
|
|
|
|
wears a tiny goblin in a glass jar around his neck, as is the
|
|
|
|
|
|
signifier of his trade. And he carries over his shoulder a
|
|
|
|
|
|
large cloth sack, the contents of which writhe and kick. Looks
|
|
|
|
|
|
like it was a productive night for our goblin catcher! Blaven
|
|
|
|
|
|
gives him a little bow and a salute, laughs, and pats him on
|
|
|
|
|
|
the back in passing, deftly transferring the bug. “Good night
|
|
|
|
|
|
for it then ey?” he calls cheerily. The goblin catcher smiles
|
|
|
|
|
|
politely, mumbles a nicety, and carries on.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Later, hidden safely away from spying eyes and listening
|
|
|
|
|
|
ears, Blaven sits at his desk, putting the final flourishes on
|
|
|
|
|
|
a missive. He sits back and re-reads it to himself, lips
|
|
|
|
|
|
moving silently. He nods and smiles, satisfied, and reaches
|
|
|
|
|
|
for a stamp to sign the letter. He presses it into a dark red
|
|
|
|
|
|
ink pad and then onto the parchment, leaving the image of an
|
|
|
|
|
|
apple and iris. He sands the paper, carefully folds it, and
|
|
|
|
|
|
places it in an envelope.</p>
|
2022-11-15 01:28:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
2022-11-25 14:13:40 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<p>Note: Feel free to back up and play out some more
|
|
|
|
|
|
conversation at Lucy’s before Blavin leaves if you want
|
|
|
|
|
|
to.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Options on the table:</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<ul>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<li>To the mountains!</li>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<li>To the moon!</li>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<li>Something else!</li>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p><a
|
|
|
|
|
|
href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-11/msg00103.html">www</a></p>
|
2022-11-15 01:28:58 +00:00
|
|
|
|
]]>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</description>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</item>
|
2022-12-16 15:14:25 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<item>
|
2022-12-23 03:44:45 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<title>45</title>
|
2022-12-16 15:14:25 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
2022-12-23 03:44:45 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<guid isPermaLink="false">45 - Tue, 20 Dec 2022 10:15:23
|
2022-12-16 15:14:25 +00:00
|
|
|
|
-0700</guid>
|
2022-12-23 03:44:45 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<pubDate>Thu, 22 Dec 2022 09:29:11 -0700</pubDate>
|
2022-12-16 15:14:25 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<description>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<![CDATA[
|
2022-12-23 03:44:45 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<h3 id="00045">00045</h3>
|
2022-12-16 15:14:25 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<blockquote>
|
2022-12-23 03:44:45 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<p>As the blankets draw back from the bloody mass, a cute
|
|
|
|
|
|
little hemogoblin appears. “Aww little fellas just scared.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alex lowers the dagger, but otherwise ignores the hemogoblin.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Best to leave it be for now, there’s more important
|
|
|
|
|
|
things.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>As the balloon gets within range of the ship Alex begins to
|
|
|
|
|
|
scan the deck for Cyberplasms. At the same time he checks his
|
|
|
|
|
|
bug to track the location of the cyberplasms more acutely. It
|
|
|
|
|
|
looks like there may be an opporunity to jump from the balloon
|
|
|
|
|
|
to the ship. After that cutting the zip lines would give me
|
|
|
|
|
|
the opporunity to steal the ship, leaving the cyberplasms
|
|
|
|
|
|
trapped at the top of the hotel.</p>
|
2022-12-16 15:14:25 +00:00
|
|
|
|
</blockquote>
|
2022-12-23 03:44:45 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<p>Just a few Cyberplasms remain on the deck of the airship.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The vast majority of them have zipped into the hotel
|
|
|
|
|
|
tower.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>You check your bug’s feed. It has gone almost entirely
|
|
|
|
|
|
unnoticed in the fracas, and you are able to piece together a
|
|
|
|
|
|
clear picture of the inside of the tower. It is indeed a grand
|
|
|
|
|
|
library, its galleries spanning each floor of the tower. One
|
|
|
|
|
|
of the largest collections in all of Basmentaria.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>The Cyberplasms have breached the tower near its base and
|
|
|
|
|
|
are pouring into the Great Hall. You tune in just in time to
|
|
|
|
|
|
see a rail-thin, bald and mustachioed man standing defensively
|
|
|
|
|
|
in front of a display case. “No! You can’t!” he exclaims as a
|
|
|
|
|
|
disembodied sickle approaches him in a cloud of electricity
|
|
|
|
|
|
and ectoplasm.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Behind the glass in the display case is a bluish hunk of
|
|
|
|
|
|
rock the size of a melon, with gently pulsing gold veins.</p>
|
2022-12-16 15:14:25 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<blockquote>
|
2022-12-23 03:44:45 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<p>Inky puts away the papers they caught in passing or picked
|
|
|
|
|
|
up along the path up to read later, including a number that
|
|
|
|
|
|
from a cursory glance appear to be from a culinary collection
|
|
|
|
|
|
and a few from some moth-eaten but finely illustrated
|
|
|
|
|
|
botanical tome, among others.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Eventually arriving at the hotel entrance, Inky enters and
|
|
|
|
|
|
manages to catch a frantic-looking attendant near the
|
|
|
|
|
|
reception to ask the whereabouts of the hotelier, indicating
|
|
|
|
|
|
they had a business appointment with said manager.</p>
|
2022-12-16 15:14:25 +00:00
|
|
|
|
</blockquote>
|
2022-12-23 03:44:45 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<p>You walk in through the hotel’s main entrance. The grandeur
|
|
|
|
|
|
would take your breath away were it not for the shouting and
|
|
|
|
|
|
the smoke and the explosions coming from down the hall to your
|
|
|
|
|
|
right.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>You wave down a passing hotel clerk and inquire after the
|
|
|
|
|
|
hotelier. They are hauling a large bucket of hot water, and
|
|
|
|
|
|
carrying an oversized bundle of clean towels under one arm.
|
|
|
|
|
|
They pause for a moment to look at you incredulously before
|
|
|
|
|
|
running off in the opposite direction.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>A cry rings out nearby and a Cyberplasm flies through an
|
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open door down the hallway. It lands in a heap of crackling
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energy, smears of ectoplasm streaking the floor as though it
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were bleeding heavily. It seems to be barely held together by
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the energy stored in its cybernetic leg and a metal skull
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plate.</p>
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<p>It scoots backwards on its hands and its butt, trying to
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stand up. Two toques leap out of the door after it. You
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recognize Bread and Confidence right away.</p>
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<p>Bread has obviously been to the kitchens. They are wearing
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tin baking sheets and an oversized pot on their heard as
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makeshift armor, and have a couple of dangerous looking
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kitchen knives hanging from their belt. At the moment they are
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swinging a large meat tenderizer over their head as though it
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were a war hammer.</p>
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<p>Confidence, meanwhile, has been to the gardener’s shed.
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They are wearing a heavy leather apron and thick leather
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gloves, and have a trowel in each hand, and a large hoe or
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rake strapped to their back.</p>
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<p>Bread lowers their hammer on Cyberplasms head, denting the
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skull plate. And Confidence darts in and stabs with both hands
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at the leg. As soon as the prosthetics go offline and the
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plasmic arcs cease firing, there is nothing left holding the
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ectoplasm together and the ghost kind of dissipates into the
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air with a soft wail.</p>
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<p>They look up and notice you at the same time, relaxing
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their offensive stances. “Oh!” cries Bread. “It’s you!”</p>
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<p>“You don’t happen,” asks Confidence, “to need a guide, do
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you?”</p>
|
2022-12-16 15:14:25 +00:00
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<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
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<p><a
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2022-12-23 03:44:45 +00:00
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href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-12/msg00227.html">www</a></p>
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2022-12-16 15:14:25 +00:00
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]]>
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</description>
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</item>
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2022-11-27 09:26:25 +00:00
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<item>
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<title>40</title>
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<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
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<guid isPermaLink="false">40 - Sun, 27 Nov 2022 01:30:42
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-0700</guid>
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<pubDate>Wed, 14 Dec 2022 05:41:15 -0700</pubDate>
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<description>
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<![CDATA[
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<h3 id="00040">00040</h3>
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<blockquote>
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<p>As Blavin finished his afterthought about handing over the
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crystal, a yelp was the only warning they heard before a young
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waiter was suddenly half-sprawled over the hobbit, a tray of
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ginger beers toppled from his hand and the mugs’ contents
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splashed onto the hobbit’s front, though fortunately some of
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it ended up in a large puddle on the ground rather than on
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Blavin’s person. The waiter had tripped over a bag on the
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floor on his way to the table two over from theirs and was
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scrambling to his feet.</p>
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<p>“By Nullar’s nuts, I— OH SH——!! S-s-sorry, sir! Hold on,
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l-lemme get— uh—” the waiter looked around frantically. The
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waitress who had brought their drinks rushed over with some
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clean dry towels, a few of which she handed to the other
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waiter, and they both proceeded to wipe and dab at Blavin’s
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damp clothes amid the hapless waiter’s babbled apologies.
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Under the cover of the towels, the waitress patted down the
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hobbit’s vest and replaced the sheaf of papers she had
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covertly lifted from one of the vest pockets earlier with a
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beguiling smile and wink. Once the beer on the floor had been
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cleaned up (the despondent young waiter had offered to pay for
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Blavin’s next two rounds of drinks) and the waiters had moved
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on to serve other customers, Inky spoke.</p>
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<p>“You don’t mind that we prefer to deliver it to the
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Benefactor personally, of course,” Inky piped cheerily,
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referring to the crystal. “The late wizard thought it was
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prudent to cover our bases since you’re a new, untested case
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manager after all. Besides, a little delayed gratification
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never hurt anybody, did it?” Inky smiled and raised their
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drink. “Another toast in tribute to Master Corraidhín! May his
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courage and buoyant spirit guide us on our next mission!”</p>
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<p>~</p>
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<p>When Inky stepped out of the tavern and was a few paces
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away, someone clattered through the door and called out, “Hey!
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You forgot your takeout!”</p>
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<p>Inky turned in the direction of the voice. It was the
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waitress who had served their table earlier. She waved a brown
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paper bag in one hand. Inky gave her an embarrassed smile and
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said, “Thanks.” As the bag changed hands, the waitress mouthed
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soundlessly, <em>We’ll report any more.</em> She went back
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inside, and Inky strolled off into the cool night air with the
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bag securely tucked away next to a tea pouch and a more
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pressing question: what blend would go best with fried
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tofurkey balls?</p>
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<p>~</p>
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<p><em>(Meanwhile)</em></p>
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<p>“The BANDit and his associates had gone to the tavern.” His
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assistant looked up from the scrap of paper held under a
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claw.</p>
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<p>Beaker heaved a sigh and rubbed the tips of one wing
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against his forehead. Surely he had better things to do than
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play Eye Spy over a bunch of crackpots, such as peer reviewing
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the latest draft of a paper on the development of Cerylidian
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hunting techniques for an upcoming issue of <em>The
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Ichnition</em>. But Cio seemed to think something may come of
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it and unfortunately, she was usually right about
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troublemakers.</p>
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<p>“Tell them to continue tailing from a distance,” he replied
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with a distracted wave, and his assistant left the room.</p>
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<p>Anyway, if he had the spare time, he could look at more
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interesting things, like the data he had collected surrounding
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the disappearance of the time anomaly that had popped up a few
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weeks ago. It had happened gradually, and he still wasn’t
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entirely sure what had caused this particular incident, but
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the signals picked up by his instruments had later faded, just
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like other ones before it. Still, it was comparatively larger
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than previous ones, and seemed to have taken slightly longer
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to dissipate, which meant more data points.</p>
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<p>He stole another glance at his Dat repositories before
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sighing again, swivelling his chair and attention back to the
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manuscript before him. Work first … then more work.</p>
|
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</blockquote>
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<p>~</p>
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<blockquote>
|
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<p>The party dispersed after the discussion with Blavin.
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Nobody had wanted to relinquish the crystal to him, personally
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Alex felt that was prudent, though he still wasn’t sure what
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the point of it all was. The foolish hobbit had blathered on
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and on about their “mark” tactfully ignoring the real
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questions. And then the bug, damn it, the bug that chittered
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on about absolutely nothing for hours. It didn’t take Alex too
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long to figure out why, but he clung to the transmission until
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it died out hoping he’d be mistaken.</p>
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<p>So there he sat, in the attic of his once Uncle, staring
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bleakly into a cup of dark black coffee. The desk strewn with
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hastily scratched notes pulled from the bugs feeds. At least
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the one that had tracked that nosey group had proved somewhat
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helpful. Turns out this little group has less friends than a
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drunk who’s run up their tab.</p>
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<p>Still, there’s no point to share any of this information.
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It’s too loose, not definitive enough to action with the
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group.</p>
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<p>Alex begins to pen a message to an fellow operative, in
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hopes that HQ will pick it up and assign someone to the
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task.</p>
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<pre><code><- OP 2817 * LOC MB-A
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-> OP 25120 * LOC ESPER
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CLEARANCE: SECRET
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PACKET ENCLOSED. YOUR EYES ONLY.
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REQUESTING DETAIL ON BLAVIN
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EMPLOY OF "THE BENEFACTOR"
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PERCEPTIVE, AWARE OF BUGS.
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DO NOT CONTACT, DO NOT DISRUPT
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EXTREME CAUTION IMPERATIVE.</code></pre>
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<p>Once penned Alex encrypts it with GPG and sends it along.
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These channels have worked well for him in the past. If Blavin
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wants to play games, then games we shall have.</p>
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<p>“I hate to do this” Alex mumbles to himself. “Normally I’d
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trail him myself, but I don’t think I have much say in the
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matter.” As it stands the group is dead set on gathering more
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of these cyrstals, regardless of what the danger may be, and
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if Alex wants to find his Uncle, they’re his best bet in doing
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so. Blavin doesn’t even matter outside of that. But if he can
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help the group reach their end faster, or force the
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information out of Blavin, perhaps it can come sooner..</p>
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<p>Alex lets out another sigh and glances wistfully around the
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gloomy attic room. It looked just like he remembered his
|
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|
Uncle’s office looking like at the College of Sysorcerery when
|
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|
he had taught there. He always was so particular. Pushing his
|
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chair away and grabbing his coffee he wanders to the bookshelf
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where a large steamer chest sits beside it. The bookshelf is
|
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covered in manuscripts, “Practical Common Lisp”, “The C
|
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|
|
Programming Language Vol 2”, “RHEL 5 Systems Administration”,
|
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|
each one arcane and well worn. And the amount of volumes,
|
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sometimes it’s a wonder Corraidhin had time to do anything
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other than read.</p>
|
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<p>“Maybe if I had been a little more studious I’d know how to
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help you..” as he pulls “A Guide to Backups and All Things
|
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|
|
Necessary” off of the shelf a knife falls out of the book, and
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clatters onto the floor glaring malevolently up at Alex.</p>
|
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|
</blockquote>
|
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<p>Your gondola lift finally rises above the thick layer of
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clouds. The sudden flash of clear blue sky is a revelation
|
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|
|
after ascending for nearly 60 minutes through clouds so thick
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|
you couldn’t see through the foggy windows more than three
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feet. Above you towers rocky, imposing Kelsun Peak. You can
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just see a tiny portion of the hotel roof through a cleft in
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the rocks. Below you, a frozen turbulent ocean of clouds
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dotted with twisting leaning spires and spiraling branching
|
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towers, all made out of solid cloudstuff. Handiwork of the
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|
whimsical and industrious zephynos.</p>
|
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<p>You spot two or three of them now, leaping and diving
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|
playfully through the clouds like dolphins, spinning the
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|
clouds like yarn, and packing them into solid constructs.
|
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|
Their current project resembles a garden of outlandish,
|
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|
|
distorted tubas, french horns, and trombones.</p>
|
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|
|
<p>The small cloud dragons are about 6 - 8 feet long including
|
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|
their thick tails. They have wide faces with round lidless
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eyes, and always seem to be smiling. Their heads are topped
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with multiple pairs of filamented stalks. They have six short,
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|
stubby arms with long thin fingers that they use to knead and
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pull clouds into solid shapes.</p>
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<p>They build ceaselessly and mostly for the sake of building:
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they have no apparent need for the structures themselves,
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living as they do floating among the clouds. On occasion they
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have been entreated to build on behalf of others. And the rare
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floating palace or city can still be found drifting around
|
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|
Basmentaria as a result. The great city of Vay’Neddas—tethered
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to the ground by great chains to Primora in the north and
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Agendell in the south—is one of their greatest enduring
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works.</p>
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<p>You approach the gondola station at the base of Kelsun
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Peak, and exit your cable car as it slowly rounds the
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bullwheel. There are two toques—presumably meant to be
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operating the lifts—standing off to the side, ignoring their
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responsibilities, complaining loudly to nobody and everybody
|
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about being forced to work long hours and being unfairly
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compensated. The tips of their soft, conical heads slump
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forward, calling to mind revolutionaries, or smurfs.</p>
|
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|
<p>It is wicked cold as you step out onto the platform and the
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wind nips and bites at you relentlessly.</p>
|
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<p>At the edge of the platform, foggy white steps made of firm
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|
cloudstuff climb up around the side of the mountain peak to
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the Palace Runesocesius. Once the conspicuously extravagant
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residence of one of Basmentaria’s most powerful politicians,
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it has since—after its owner fell from public favor and was
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routed out—been gutted and transformed into a luxury hotel of
|
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|
equally conspicuous extravagance. It continues to be one of
|
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|
the highest inhabitable places on Basmentaria.</p>
|
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|
<p>Two small toques at the base of the steps rush forward to
|
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|
|
meet you—the floppy tips of their coneheads waggling side to
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side in their exuberance—and introduce themselves as
|
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|
Confidence and Bread, your guides. They have been instructed
|
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|
|
to guide you up to Runesocesius where you will take posession
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|
|
of the Ginnarak Crystal.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p><a
|
|
|
|
|
|
href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-12/msg00186.html">www</a></p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
]]>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</description>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</item>
|
2022-11-19 01:14:31 +00:00
|
|
|
|
<item>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<title>38</title>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<guid isPermaLink="false">38 - Mon, 14 Nov 2022 18:30:25
|
|
|
|
|
|
-0700</guid>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<pubDate>Mon, 14 Nov 2022 18:30:35 -0700</pubDate>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<description>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<![CDATA[
|
|
|
|
|
|
<h3 id="00038">00038</h3>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<blockquote>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>The mission, party-wise, had been an abject failure.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>They had found the crystal, and Master Corraidhín had
|
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|
vanished. Inky wasn’t sure which was worse — the appalling
|
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|
lack of water-resistant fireworks surrounding the
|
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|
disappearance, or the bears’ ceaseless waterworks in grief
|
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over their ghostly counterparts. Said bears plus a giant manta
|
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ray were eventually left with the remains of Inky’s two snack
|
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|
stashes. (The third was back on the <em>Diamond Howler</em>.)
|
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The crystal was currently securely hidden away inside the Milk
|
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Market, which was for the best. Inky was not about to drag
|
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around an inedible melon that could potentially level entire
|
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cities, if the wizard’s hints about its power were true. The
|
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crystal-retrieval missions were a cover anyway — Inky had
|
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gotten what they were looking for. The equipment and
|
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provisions sponsored by the Benefactor were a handy bonus
|
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though.</p>
|
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<p>Inside the tent, Inky adds the finishing flourishes to a
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package and places it to one side, next to two others of a
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similar size and a thin envelope already piled inside a padded
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sack on the ground. The client should be pleased. It had taken
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longer, but the result had been worth the additional hassle.
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The envelope, on the other hand … who knew what had become of
|
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the previous one, sent in an impulsive fit of post-dive haze
|
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once the ship had docked at the port town. Donning a grey
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fedora, a worn light brown jacket, a flask kettle and a wooden
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box with carrying straps, Inky the “Tiny” tea seller leisurely
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sets off for the post office, sack in hand.</p>
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<p>It was still a bit strange — if less shocking than the
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first time it happened — to speak in rabbiton with the
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postmistress at the counter, although Inky couldn’t actually
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detect any significant differences from the common tongue
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besides occasionally being reminded they shouldn’t be able to
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understand the sounds at all. Rabbiton or rabbitoff, hare mail
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couriers are among the fastest across Basmentaria and will
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ensure any parcels and letters arrive at their recipients in a
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timely manner. Due to their broad network and high delivery
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confidence, letters without return addresses were no issue;
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they can deliver with a valid recipient address, which they
|
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are able to verify from an extensive series of registries and
|
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|
course codes before taking the item. So it was that one such
|
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envelope containing yet another somewhat unusual recipe was
|
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promptly delivered to the Milk Market’s ground floor on a
|
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|
blustery Boltday afternoon.</p>
|
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|
<p>Postage done, Inky wanders through one of the city’s
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|
seedier districts, peddling cups of hot tea along the way.
|
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|
This had become a daily routine for a little over a month
|
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|
since the Sugrin Sea mission (longer and more sporadically
|
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|
|
before that whenever the imp was in the city), including a
|
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|
|
spontaneous fifteen-minute “Tiny Teatime” held in open areas
|
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|
|
|
such as small parks, or occasionally in a back alley between
|
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|
several crowded residences. The tea happening had initially
|
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|
|
been a whimsical response to <em>Teatime with Tanokuma</em>
|
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|
|
and still regularly attracted children when iced drinks were
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served during the summertime.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Rows of slightly crooked houses sandwiched among acacia
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|
trees line a narrow, winding lane. Inky passes the elderly
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|
playing tabula surrounded by a small group of onlookers,
|
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|
people chewing on sweet lemongrass or peeling vegetables,
|
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|
|
hanging up laundry on colourful lines made of scrap rags,
|
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|
|
children laughing and chasing soapy bubbles with wands
|
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|
dripping from laundry water, and all sorts of activity that
|
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|
made houses into homes. Many of them were frank about not
|
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|
|
|
having any spare coins for extras like speciality teas brewed
|
|
|
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|
“just like them shops”, but gladly accepted a steaming bamboo
|
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|
|
cup upon realising they needn’t pay, if sometimes a little
|
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|
|
|
suspiciously at first. Instead of coin, they held a rich font
|
|
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|
|
|
of stories, local legends, folk remedies, cooking methods,
|
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|
|
insider tip-offs and rumours, which they were often eager to
|
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|
impart to an attentive audience.</p>
|
|
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|
<p>Some of the passer-by were always in a hurry, downing the
|
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|
|
tea as though it were a shot of hard liquor before retrieving
|
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|
|
a handful of loose coins from a pocket or sock. When Inky
|
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|
|
smiled and told them there was no charge, most would return a
|
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|
|
puzzled look or uncertain smile, or roll their eyes, and drop
|
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|
|
a copper coin into a slot on the lid of the box anyway. A few
|
|
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|
|
|
had promptly walked off wordlessly with snickering faces, as
|
|
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|
|
|
though they had gotten away with something clever. Regardless,
|
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|
|
it was one of the best ways to see and observe a bustling
|
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|
|
metropolis. No one took any particular notice of young urchins
|
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|
|
|
and vendors selling refreshments, flowers and various trinkets
|
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|
|
on the streets.</p>
|
|
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|
<p>Likewise no one witnessed a tea seller pause near one of
|
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|
|
the windows at the back of Enrique’s Empanada Emporium late in
|
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|
|
the day. For a while they watch the chef within in action,
|
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|
|
clearly in his element, before reluctantly pulling away and
|
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|
|
retreating quietly up the stairs to the second floor. They
|
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|
|
should wash up and see if their marketing manager is in the
|
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|
|
mood for some takeout and Terrapin Ale this evening.</p>
|
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|
|
</blockquote>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>~</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<blockquote>
|
|
|
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|
|
<p>Background: Alex isn’t young, but in comparison to his
|
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|
|
|
whizzened uncle Corraidhin he’s the depiction of youth. He has
|
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|
|
jet black hair and alert blue eyes, and a quiet serenity about
|
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|
|
him that gives one pause, as though he’s constantly
|
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|
|
calculating. He gives into his passions quickly however, and
|
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|
|
becomes rather animated when his emotions break loose. He’ll
|
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|
|
be the first to curse his uncle for his foolish endeavors,
|
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|
|
never quite understanding the sysorcerer’s way. Early in life,
|
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|
|
after the death of his parents, Corraidhin took him under his
|
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|
|
wing and tried in vain to teach him the ways of magical
|
|
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|
|
systems administration. Much to Corraidhin, it only resulted
|
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|
|
in damaged systems, and a rift with his nephew.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>It took years to recover from that, but eventually the two
|
|
|
|
|
|
grew close again, though distant nonetheless. That closeness
|
|
|
|
|
|
reflects itself in the situation Alex finds himself in now, a
|
|
|
|
|
|
mysterious alert from some overly contrived magical system,
|
|
|
|
|
|
ruining his perfectly good winning streak. It’s not that he
|
|
|
|
|
|
was necessary bad at all of that stuff, it just, wasn’t as
|
|
|
|
|
|
much fun as gambling. And it certainly wasn’t as exhillerating
|
|
|
|
|
|
as writing malware.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Breaking into a system, smashing it to bites and pieces,
|
|
|
|
|
|
watching the carefully wrought design burn in amber and green,
|
|
|
|
|
|
now THAT was magic.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>META: Alex is like Corraidhin in some aspects, he’s
|
|
|
|
|
|
younger, more brash, more given to whim and fancy. He’s
|
|
|
|
|
|
somewhat greedy and craven, attracted to riches far too
|
|
|
|
|
|
easily. He’s a passionate gambler, not due to his skill, but
|
|
|
|
|
|
by virtue of his ability to distract and confuse, which gives
|
|
|
|
|
|
him a delightful edge. Some would call it lucky, but he calls
|
|
|
|
|
|
it subterfuge. He has some sysorcerer skills, nothing quite as
|
|
|
|
|
|
flexible as Corraidhin, but he delightfully wreaks havoc with
|
|
|
|
|
|
worms, scrapers, ransom & spyware. If he can’t bypass
|
|
|
|
|
|
something, he’ll delightfully destroy it. If he can’t break
|
|
|
|
|
|
in, he’ll distract someone or something so he can slip by.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>(Think rogue + illusion magic, where Corraidhin is straight
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wizard)</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Introduction: Kev, just give it to me straight, the hell
|
|
|
|
|
|
does this Deadman’s trigger mean. You can’t have a service
|
|
|
|
|
|
like that flap, it’s a boolean, you’re either dead or your
|
|
|
|
|
|
not. And don’t try to lie to me, I’m not some project managing
|
|
|
|
|
|
schmuck, you know full and well Uncle Corraidhin taught me. I
|
|
|
|
|
|
know enough to tell when you’re lying.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>(Kevin) Ah, well, umm. Yes I suppose that’s true. You can’t
|
|
|
|
|
|
be dead and not. It’s just not an option. But Zabbix doesn’t
|
|
|
|
|
|
lie! It’s what monitors your Uncle’s life force, the state of
|
|
|
|
|
|
his infrastructure so to speak. Look check your own, there’s
|
|
|
|
|
|
nothing to indicate any issue with you, but your uncle’s
|
|
|
|
|
|
fluxuates consistently. None of his other state checks are
|
|
|
|
|
|
failing though! So it could just be a problem with his
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deadman’s trigger code.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Absolutely not. Corraidhin might be a flighty fool, but
|
|
|
|
|
|
he’s not someone who would deploy faulty code to production.
|
|
|
|
|
|
There’s no way in hell it would get past his linter, let alone
|
|
|
|
|
|
all of the QA he does before it even gets that far. Look, what
|
|
|
|
|
|
the hell did you drag him into, you know exactly what he gets
|
|
|
|
|
|
up to, just point me in his direction so I can get this shit
|
|
|
|
|
|
over with.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>(Kevin) Hmm, he didn’t really want me to talk about it, but
|
|
|
|
|
|
last I saw him, he was babbling on and on about some magical
|
|
|
|
|
|
Json sword or something. I couldn’t quite keep up with it.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>You were trying to get him to buy into KDL again weren’t
|
|
|
|
|
|
you?</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>(Kevin) It’s a good language I swear, and if your uncle had
|
|
|
|
|
|
just.. (Alex cuts him off)</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Hush it. What did the sword look like, where was he
|
|
|
|
|
|
headed?</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>(Kevin) <em>sigh</em> it was large, with a ruby hilt, and a
|
|
|
|
|
|
magical eye of some sort. I’m certain if you just ask around
|
|
|
|
|
|
you’ll find it. Just ask about the sysorcerer who mutters to
|
|
|
|
|
|
his sword, that’s how the poor bastard is remembered around
|
|
|
|
|
|
here these days.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>With this information Alex departed the Sysorcerer’s guild
|
|
|
|
|
|
in search of his Uncle. As he asked around town, people shied
|
|
|
|
|
|
away. Nasty business talking about that one, they’d tell him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
A few mentioned something about an attack, and a dagger and
|
|
|
|
|
|
bloodlust the likes of which they’d only heard from the bard
|
|
|
|
|
|
at their local tavern. None of this sounded like the Uncle he
|
|
|
|
|
|
remembered, but he followed the trail until it lead him to the
|
|
|
|
|
|
Milk Maid.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>As Alex checked around for someone, anyone who seemed to be
|
|
|
|
|
|
in the know, he spotted Inky, serving tea as she watched the
|
|
|
|
|
|
ongoings at the Empanada shop near the Milk Maid.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Excuse me, miss? You wouldn’t have happened to seen my
|
|
|
|
|
|
Uncle, he’s an old whizened fellow. Constantly harrumphs and
|
|
|
|
|
|
goes on and on endlessly about some magical script, or how
|
|
|
|
|
|
much he hates the School of Powershell. I haven’t been able to
|
|
|
|
|
|
find him, and I’ve been looking all over the city for the
|
|
|
|
|
|
better part of 3 days. Note even his best friend Kevin at the
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sysorcer’s guild knew where he was, and I’m just, I’m at a bit
|
|
|
|
|
|
of a loss..</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p><em>sigh</em> I’m sorry to just unload on your like that.
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you don’t know him that’s okay, I’d be happy to pay for a
|
|
|
|
|
|
cup of tea for your time.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</blockquote>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>~</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<blockquote>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p><em>(Two days prior)</em></p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>An office, barely illuminated by the glow of a moonstone
|
|
|
|
|
|
lamp.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>An elf attired in red silk dress robes with a shimmering
|
|
|
|
|
|
pattern of butterflies, a red floral picture hat and matching
|
|
|
|
|
|
high heel boots lounged in the visitor’s chair in front of a
|
|
|
|
|
|
heavy wooden desk. The charms dangling from her wrist circlets
|
|
|
|
|
|
tinkled as she reached for a teacup. A silver tray was placed
|
|
|
|
|
|
to one side of the desk with a pot of maghrebi francus, two
|
|
|
|
|
|
porcelain cups and a bowl of sugar cubes. The remaining
|
|
|
|
|
|
surface was mostly covered by a map of Basmentaria, the
|
|
|
|
|
|
moonstone lamp and a short stack of books. Behind the desk sat
|
|
|
|
|
|
an imp in a midnight blue suit, a dart pen balanced on the
|
|
|
|
|
|
edge of two fingers of one hand, while the other tapped a
|
|
|
|
|
|
silent rhythm on the pineapple leather armrest.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>The lady in dress robes spoke first. “I made some
|
|
|
|
|
|
inquiries. That sysorcerer acquaintance of yours seems to be
|
|
|
|
|
|
stuck in some sort of spatial-temporal loop. The anomalies are
|
|
|
|
|
|
usually salvageable given time and expert attention. His
|
|
|
|
|
|
nephew is out looking for him now.” She hands the imp a sheet
|
|
|
|
|
|
with a drawing of a pensive but bright-eyed young man with
|
|
|
|
|
|
dark hair, and several lines of notes below. “How are things
|
|
|
|
|
|
at your end?”</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>“The situation is tenable for the moment. One checked,
|
|
|
|
|
|
another disengaged. Between the wizard and bard, Blackfoot
|
|
|
|
|
|
will think twice before making any more untoward moves. One of
|
|
|
|
|
|
the waiters at the club said the bard gave him a little
|
|
|
|
|
|
dressing-down after the stabbing. He was practically shaking
|
|
|
|
|
|
in his boots by the end of it.”</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>The elf laughed. “I read your earlier missive. Slipping a
|
|
|
|
|
|
catalyst into a milk pudding to stir up a bloodthirsty sword?
|
|
|
|
|
|
I guess you were pretty sure the thirst wouldn’t get out of
|
|
|
|
|
|
hand and kill the hobbit outright.”</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>“Not entirely, but the good wizard would fight it with
|
|
|
|
|
|
considerable strength of will. That guild of his may be full
|
|
|
|
|
|
of white hats too busy with their petty squabbling over
|
|
|
|
|
|
semantics to see trouble looming until it smacked them in
|
|
|
|
|
|
their faces, but they have their principles and will not give
|
|
|
|
|
|
in easily when challenged.” The imp grimaced. “An unpleasant
|
|
|
|
|
|
matter but arguably a necessity. It was only a matter of time
|
|
|
|
|
|
before the cursed sword would find itself a target. May as
|
|
|
|
|
|
well put evil to good use.”</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>“You did what you had to do, Ink. And that sailor with the
|
|
|
|
|
|
gold eye?”</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>“Met with an unfortunate … accident. Securing the crystal
|
|
|
|
|
|
would have been sufficient, but the horkosgrampus weren’t
|
|
|
|
|
|
terribly impressed with him. The Benefactor should be
|
|
|
|
|
|
relieved. Men of their ilk would sooner sell to the highest
|
|
|
|
|
|
bidder.” The pen twirled in their hand once, twice, before
|
|
|
|
|
|
pausing with the nib pointing downward at a spot on the map.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The imp continued, “All the more reason to move as soon as the
|
|
|
|
|
|
young man finds his uncle. Kelsun Peak, most likely.”</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>“Right. I’ll let the others know if anything happens.” She
|
|
|
|
|
|
rose to her heels in a whisper of brocade silks. “Do you want
|
|
|
|
|
|
an antidote for … ?” She gestured with a slim, graceful hand
|
|
|
|
|
|
framed in delicate strands of the gold bracelets towards her
|
|
|
|
|
|
companion.</p>
|
|
|
|
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|
<p>The imp inclined their head slightly in grateful
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acknowledgement. “No need. The condition is relatively
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harmless and reversing the effects now might raise suspicion.
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The postmistress at the Hutcheon Lane branch of Leplus Post
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was very tickled by it.”</p>
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<p>“I see. So that’s how it is.” she replied with undisguised
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mirth. The imp ignored her smirk. “Please see to it the
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preparations are carried out. The fate of your beloved
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operetta house may well depend upon it.”</p>
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<p>“You would never!” The elven lady exclaimed in mock
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affront. “No, I wouldn’t, even though it is the bane of all
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fine glassware. However, if the crystals came to less
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discerning hands …” They shared a solemn look before the elf
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nodded and swept out of the room, leaving the cloying scent of
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violets in her path.</p>
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<p>~</p>
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<p>Inky gestures wordlessly for the young wizard to follow
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them upstairs to the second floor of the Milk Market, heading
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straight for the room at one end of a long hallway.</p>
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<p>As Inky enters, their small and fluffy marketing manager
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pops its head out of the wooden tub of water standing to one
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side of the room. “We have a visitor!” Inky cheerfully tells
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the duck. Their marketing manager looks back at them both and
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says, “QUACK!”</p>
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<p>Inky turns back to the young man with a smile. “Please have
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a seat. How may we address you? Tea? No charge for Master
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Corraidhín’s nephew, of course.”</p>
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<p>Once seated on some cushions thrown over a slightly ratty
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tartan rug and having poured out a steaming cup of mandarin
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pekoe for each of them, Inky begins, “So, about your uncle.
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The good news is, we know him. The bad news is, we knew him.”
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They then proceed to recount the events of their latest
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mission at the site of a shipwreck out in the Sugrin Sea, and
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the elder sysorcerer’s disappearance.</p>
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</blockquote>
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<p>Prelude:</p>
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<p>A fringe movement of lunatic paleornithologists and
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crackpots of various other professions has slowly been gaining
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traction over the last few decades. The movement was born when
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the enterprising Modern Fuchsia, at the time a budding young
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scientist on a dig yearning to make a name for himself, found
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the fossil of a modern feathered bird—probably some kind of
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swallow—alongside a theropod, that variety of dinosaur widely
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accepted to be the ancestor of modern birds. Faced with what
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he believed to be irrefutable evidence of a modern descendant
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coexisting alongside its own ancient ancestor, Fuchsia arrived
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at the only conclusion he was capable of making: Birds Are Not
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Dinosaurs. And thus BAND came into being.</p>
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<p>Ever since, Fuschia and his BANDits have spent considerable
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amounts of time and energy attending conferences and
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publishing papers, pouting and demanding to be taken seriously
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by the wider scientific community. A community which, if it
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pays them any attention at all, merely mocks and ridicules
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their crackpot theories.</p>
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<p>Modern Fuschia is of course wrong. But neither he nor his
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BANDits know how dangerously close he came to the actual
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truth.</p>
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<p>For much, much deeper in the shadowy fringes of
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paleornithology, there is a clandestine operation called BATT.
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And only BATT knows the actual explanation for how a modern
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descendant might coexist alongside its own ancestor. Birds Are
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Time Travelers.</p>
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<p>In the far future when birds are the dominant intelligent
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life on Basmentaria, they do indeed invent time travel. The
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end result was catastrophic and is the real reason that the
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dinosaurs went extinct.</p>
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<p>It is a common misconception that barn swallows are the
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most common and widespread species of swallow. That
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distinction in fact belongs to the <em>time swallow</em>.
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Although—if you’re lucky—you’ll never actually see one. Since
|
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the Incident, the secret agents of BATT have vowed never again
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|
to interfere with or try to alter the time stream. Nor to
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allow anyone else to. The time swallows are special bred,
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special trained, appearing wherever and whenever an anomaly
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appears to remove it and restore the proper timeline. The tiny
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birds quite literally swallow, consume, and destroy anything
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that meddles with time.</p>
|
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|
<p>At their headquarters, in the present day, BATT Director
|
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|
Purple Martin is delivering a report to his superior. Martin
|
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|
has a throaty and rich voice of which he is self-conscious in
|
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|
the presence of his superior’s persistent silence.</p>
|
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<p>“We have successfully extracted the sysorcerer and have
|
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|
repaired the anomaly. The subject is currently under the care
|
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|
of Felixe and is expected to make a full recovery. In his
|
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|
possession were a couple of interesting artifacts. One Class C
|
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sentient object, a sword. And a piece of exotica of unknown
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|
origin. Our researchers so far suspect that it is a sort of
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reliquary containing both elemental and divine arcana. The
|
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xot’s physical manifestation—a crystalline ore—thus far
|
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|
prevents us from determining the precise identity of the
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|
arcana.”</p>
|
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|
<p>Director Purple Martin is delivering this report to a
|
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|
lanky, thin man folded into an armchair. He wears thin, wire
|
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|
spectacles with round lenses, and dangles a walking stick over
|
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|
the arm of the chair as he sits. He interrupts Martin with a
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|
rare utterance. “The reliquary. I shall like to see it.”</p>
|
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|
<p>Now then:</p>
|
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|
|
<p>Retrieval Team 43 welcomes Alex into their ranks even as
|
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|
|
they mourn the loss of Corraidhín the Wizened.</p>
|
|
|
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|
|
<p>It starts off as a somber affair at Lucy’s as you all sit
|
|
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|
|
around your regular table, ensconced and wedged into a corner
|
|
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|
|
surrounded on two sides by the red velvet curtains that line
|
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|
|
the walls.</p>
|
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|
|
<p>But then the hobbit joins you.</p>
|
|
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|
|
<p>Blavin Blandfoot orders a round of drinks in tribute to
|
|
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|
|
|
Corraidhín. And then another round of drinks to welcome his
|
|
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|
|
nephew Alex. “A family affair, is it not!” And then another
|
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|
|
round of drinks because he is thirsty.</p>
|
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|
|
<p>The hobbit is in high spirits, brimming with flair and good
|
|
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|
|
|
cheer. His arm is fully healed from the attack over a month
|
|
|
|
|
|
ago at this very table. His fond memories and frequent toasts
|
|
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|
|
to the sysorcerer make no reference to the incident.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>“The Benefactor is immensely pleased with your performance
|
|
|
|
|
|
so far!” He punches a new hole in your Frequent Retrieval
|
|
|
|
|
|
cards. “You are one step closer to winning a FABULOUS PRIZE! I
|
|
|
|
|
|
don’t mind telling you I’m a little jealous. Assuming you go
|
|
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|
|
|
the distance, of course. I mean who doesn’t love hot dogs and
|
|
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|
|
hot tubs!” He winks conspiratorially at you. “To say nothing
|
|
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|
|
|
of actually getting to meet the Benefactor! Just imagine!”</p>
|
|
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|
|
<p>After a few more drinks he eventually clears a space on the
|
|
|
|
|
|
table and rolls out a map of Basmentaria. “We once again have
|
|
|
|
|
|
two reports of a crystal spotting!” He jabs a finger at the
|
|
|
|
|
|
mountain range in northern Primora. “The first, as you know,
|
|
|
|
|
|
has been reported by the zephynos high atop Kelsun Peak.”</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>“The second,” his voice quivers with excitement. He looks
|
|
|
|
|
|
up at you wide-eyed and gestures away from the map into open
|
|
|
|
|
|
space. “Is on the moon!”</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Seated a couple tables away from you is the same trio who
|
|
|
|
|
|
were present the last time you all met here: a dusty groll, a
|
|
|
|
|
|
matted gnu, and a curious Ornithologer. The observant among
|
|
|
|
|
|
you, if you happened to look, would notice that the
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ornithologer wears a pinkish purplish red armband with the
|
|
|
|
|
|
word BAND on it. They listen to your proceedings with great
|
|
|
|
|
|
interest while trying really hard to look like they’re not
|
|
|
|
|
|
listening. After Blavin’s final proclamation, the trio
|
|
|
|
|
|
finishes their drinks, stands, and starts to leave the dining
|
|
|
|
|
|
room.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<ul>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<li>Do you give the second crystal to Blavin?</li>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<li>Do you choose to go to Kelsun Peak, or to the moon?</li>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<li>Who is the Lady in Red and what does she want?</li>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<li>Will Corraidhín recover in the care of Felixe?</li>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<li>Who does the Director of BATT report to and what do they
|
|
|
|
|
|
want with the 1st Crystal?</li>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<li>What’s the deal with the Ornithologer’s Trio?</li>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<li>Who left you the note signed with an iris and apple?</li>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Find out next time on BASEMENT QUEST</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p><a
|
|
|
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|
|
href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-11/msg00097.html">www</a></p>
|
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]]>
|
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</description>
|
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|
</item>
|
2022-07-26 22:08:23 +00:00
|
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</channel>
|
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</rss>
|
