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src/epistolary/00062.md
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src/epistolary/00062.md
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src/epistolary/00063.md
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src/epistolary/00063.md
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src/epistolary/00064.md
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src/epistolary/00064.md
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src/epistolary/00065.md
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src/notes.md
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src/notes.md
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src/acknowledgements.md
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src/acknowledgements.md
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src/afterword.md
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src/afterword.md
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---
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title: 00065
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created: Tue, 21 Feb 2023 14:02:22 -0700
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updated: Tue, 21 Feb 2023 14:02:22 -0700
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public: yes
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syndicated: yes
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---
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### 00065 {#00065}
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Marvelo fetched a fluffy blanket from the piles of blankets and
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pillows in the ritual room where the dreamers continue to sleep. He
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has wrapped up the child and is drying them off. The sound of rain
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continues to drum incessantly outside.
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"Poor thing, you're chilled to the bone. Don't worry, Uncle Marv will
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take care of you. There we go. Fix you right up!"
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The child is still and silent. It has not made a noise this whole
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time. Nor has it acted on its own to actually do anything besides
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stare up at Marvelo with wide, dark eyes.
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"How did you end up outside by yourself in the rain, hmm? No? That's
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okay. What about your name? Have you got a name?"
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"Rind," says a voice behind Marvelo. At the sound of its name, the
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child's eyes flick over Marvelo's shoulder. The mercenary starts to
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spin around even as the blanket writhes in his hands, wrapping itself
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around his wrists and binding them tightly together.
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"Hungh!" he cries out wordlessly and tucks into a roll, turning to
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face his assailant and---he hopes---dodging any potential attack from
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behind. And also putting some distance between himself and the child
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to get it out of harms way.
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Marvelo tries to push up to his knees as cords of rope snake their
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way out of the shadows and coil around his knees and elbows. He
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struggles to pull free of them. A thicker rope wraps around his
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waist, and another squeezes around his chest and back. The ropes
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contract and pull Marvelo into a ball. He groans and falls to his
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side. He looks up into the eyes of a man wearing a bright red sash.
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The child has tottled over to the man and reaches its arms up. The
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man scoops the child up and holds it in the crook of one arm. The
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child puts its arms around the man's neck and looks down at Marvelo
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while resting its cheek on the man's chest.
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"His name is Rind," the man smiles.
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> Feeling bedraggled yet dry despite having been submerged under water,
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> Inky lays on the beach, staring up at the sky before sitting up and
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> looking around the landscape. They are now attired in a hooded azure
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> blue vest over red shirt and shorts, and blue shoes over mismatched
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> knee-high stockings. Their auburn hair is tied back with the
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> drawstrings from an attached small pouch. A plush toy resembling a
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> certain floofy duck peeks out from the hood.
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>
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> They sense a soft weight land on one shoulder, and smile as Fuko nips
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> at their ear, no doubt partly in reproach for wandering off again
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> without her, and maybe partly meant to be reassuring. This is
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> followed several moments later by a low hiss and a series of light
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> taps next to Inky's ear with her beak. Inky murmurs, "Is that so … we
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> should call it a wrap soon. Master Alex would probably be happy
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> having Big Bother to himself anyway, to grill as he likes."
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>
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> After a very long minute, Inky sighs and taking out a piece of paper
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> and pencil from their suitcase, scribbles a "pome":
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>
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> ```
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> Island tower of towers
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> Nowhere everywhere the sea
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> Keep your apples and flowers
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> Your suitor has come for thee
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> ```
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>
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> They roll up the paper and tuck it into a small and clear glass
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> bottle with a cork stopper. Murmuring the sysorcerer's name to the
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> bottle, they lower it into the water and watch as the bottle drifts
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> into the distance.
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>
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> Walking along the shoreline and stopping a short distance from the
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> lone figure, Inky says casually, "Good day, fellow thing-finder."
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The figure turns in your direction and lowers their hood revealing a
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long, hooked, black beak and a face covered in black feathers. Beady
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black eyes regard you without blinking.
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The feathers around its throat bristle when it speaks like a thick
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bristling beard.
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"Greetings, Dreamer, and welcome to Ephemeris, the Heart of the
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Dreaming. What brings you to the Throne of Konsu?"
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> Well Kasutva, I may as well trust you. I imagine if you meant me harm
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> there are more direct and interesting ways to harm me than to
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> misguide me. Give me a moment to collect myself, I've never been much
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> for swimming you see, learned late and was always deathly afraid as a
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> child. Dreadful stuff really.
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>
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> Alex steps away briefly to the edge of the pier and looks into the
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> Azure blue ocean, a swirl of unending blue depth. Still not my thing,
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> Alex mutters to himself. As he steels himself he notices a bottle
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> adrift, nearing the pier. As it comes closer, he plucks it from the
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> water, decorks it and inspects the note inside.
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>
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> "What does it say" the little Kasutva inquires.
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>
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> "Oh nothing, just someone trying to get in contact about our floating
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> pirateships extended warranty" Alex replies bruskly. This definitely
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> must have come from Inky Alex thinks to himself. They must have found
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> the way.
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>
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> "Look Kasutva, this has been great fun, but I really think I ought to
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> be going, not really sure that a sea of anyones dreams is my sort of
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> thing and all that. And I seem ot have done not but create a mess of
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> things" Alex says as he gestures to the wreckage of the Mech. Alex
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> gestures in the air before him, a small split keyboard appears in
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> front of him and he types out a few short commands.
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>
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> > ```
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> > cat > /home/inky/messages/urgent <<EOF
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> > Got your message
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> > In a bit of a bind, wrapped up with some weird mushroom guy who wants to go for a swim.
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> > Not sure how to handle it, but I might have to dip back to the real world and let you finish here.
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> > I've made a write mess of things, but I trust you can finish this.
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> >
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> > Oh, see attached, if you get into a pinch just use this spell, it'll get you what you need.
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> >
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> > grep -A4 AID ~/messages/urgent | sed 's/AID//' | sh
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> >
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> > AID
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> > 4b1af3fcf4ce005ef86d83c45713ba1a548b4e79da09a6d44632cdb6c5917489
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> > d7d500fa37b986d931b70e114b4e67375b10b373aa6649641e7132e8b3dc7d18
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> > ef6efe98ffd070f486c00b4f50d8bf1448414ef9c2fabe0cacd40bebafba8a02
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> > 1d0d1bf0188b842d9ae08b9b37b0f266936ef38b8f07e5c90e4a9351bf018898
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> > EOF
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> > ```
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>
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> "Right!" Alex exclaims startling the little Kasutva accidentally.
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> "Time for me to head back to the real world. Anything you need from
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> me before I head out? Oh also, can I take the ak74u? I think I might
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> need it."
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"Back ... back to the waking world?" Mushroom Kasutva stammers.
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"But..."
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It looks out at the sea with a look of longing, confusion, and
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frustration. "But we were finally going to see Ephemeris," they say
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almost wistfully.
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"You were going to take us to Ephemeris!" they shout at you, suddenly
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angry.
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Mushroom Kasutva screws up its face and roars in rage as it rushes at
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you and tries to shove you over the edge of the pier into the waters
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below.
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But Kasutva is less than a foot tall and quite ineffective at shoving
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a human-sized person such as Alex.
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Big Kasutva, on the otherhand, is roughly twelve feet tall and quite
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capable of manhandling a human-sized person.
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You look up in time to jerk back out of the way as they swipe at your
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chest with their face-removing knife. It was all a feint though. As
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soon as you are slightly off balance from dodging their attack, they
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reach out with their other hand and give you a shove.
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You trip over Mushroom Kasutva, who has positioned themself in just
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such a way to best tangle up your feet. You stumble backwards a few
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steps until one of your feet steps out into open air. You twist and
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and look behind you as Ousia rises up to meet you.
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Kasutva clings to your leg as you fall, crying. "We're sorry. We're
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sorry," they say over and over as you are pulled below the waves.
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WHAT DO YOU DO
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143
www/index.html
143
www/index.html
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@ -288,6 +288,7 @@
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<li><a href="#00062" id="toc-00062">00062</a></li>
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<li><a href="#00062" id="toc-00062">00062</a></li>
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<li><a href="#00063" id="toc-00063">00063</a></li>
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<li><a href="#00063" id="toc-00063">00063</a></li>
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<li><a href="#00064" id="toc-00064">00064</a></li>
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<li><a href="#00064" id="toc-00064">00064</a></li>
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<li><a href="#00065" id="toc-00065">00065</a></li>
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</ul></li>
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</ul></li>
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<li><a href="#afterword" id="toc-afterword">Afterword</a></li>
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<li><a href="#afterword" id="toc-afterword">Afterword</a></li>
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<li><a href="#appendix-a-dramatis-personae"
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<li><a href="#appendix-a-dramatis-personae"
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@ -361,11 +362,11 @@ into the <a href="#current-story">current story arc</a>.</p>
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you can <a href="https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml">subscribe to
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you can <a href="https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml">subscribe to
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the rss feed</a>.</p>
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the rss feed</a>.</p>
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<h2 id="stats">Stats</h2>
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<h2 id="stats">Stats</h2>
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<p>Total length: 82674 words / 353 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
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<p>Total length: 83975 words / 358 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
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length of this entire page, including all the extra bits and bobs. Not
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length of this entire page, including all the extra bits and bobs. Not
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just the story.)</p>
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just the story.)</p>
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<p>There have been 223 messages posted over 222 days since the first
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<p>There have been 226 messages posted over 228 days since the first
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post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.00.</p>
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post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of .99.</p>
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<h2 id="chapter-1">Chapter 1</h2>
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<h2 id="chapter-1">Chapter 1</h2>
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<p>This is the first installment of BASEMENT QUEST.</p>
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<p>This is the first installment of BASEMENT QUEST.</p>
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<p>Jump to: <a href="#00001">1</a> <a href="#00002">2</a> <a
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<p>Jump to: <a href="#00001">1</a> <a href="#00002">2</a> <a
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@ -6856,6 +6857,142 @@ you up and carry you to Ephemeris.”</p>
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<p>It hops up to you and extends itself in a clear request, despite its
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<p>It hops up to you and extends itself in a clear request, despite its
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lack of limbs, that it wants you to pick it up.</p>
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lack of limbs, that it wants you to pick it up.</p>
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<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
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<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
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<h3 id="00065">00065</h3>
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<p>Marvelo fetched a fluffy blanket from the piles of blankets and
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pillows in the ritual room where the dreamers continue to sleep. He has
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wrapped up the child and is drying them off. The sound of rain continues
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to drum incessantly outside.</p>
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<p>“Poor thing, you’re chilled to the bone. Don’t worry, Uncle Marv will
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take care of you. There we go. Fix you right up!”</p>
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<p>The child is still and silent. It has not made a noise this whole
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time. Nor has it acted on its own to actually do anything besides stare
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up at Marvelo with wide, dark eyes.</p>
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<p>“How did you end up outside by yourself in the rain, hmm? No? That’s
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okay. What about your name? Have you got a name?”</p>
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<p>“Rind,” says a voice behind Marvelo. At the sound of its name, the
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child’s eyes flick over Marvelo’s shoulder. The mercenary starts to spin
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around even as the blanket writhes in his hands, wrapping itself around
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his wrists and binding them tightly together.</p>
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<p>“Hungh!” he cries out wordlessly and tucks into a roll, turning to
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face his assailant and—he hopes—dodging any potential attack from
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behind. And also putting some distance between himself and the child to
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get it out of harms way.</p>
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<p>Marvelo tries to push up to his knees as cords of rope snake their
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way out of the shadows and coil around his knees and elbows. He
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struggles to pull free of them. A thicker rope wraps around his waist,
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and another squeezes around his chest and back. The ropes contract and
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|
pull Marvelo into a ball. He groans and falls to his side. He looks up
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into the eyes of a man wearing a bright red sash.</p>
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<p>The child has tottled over to the man and reaches its arms up. The
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man scoops the child up and holds it in the crook of one arm. The child
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puts its arms around the man’s neck and looks down at Marvelo while
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resting its cheek on the man’s chest.</p>
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<p>“His name is Rind,” the man smiles.</p>
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<blockquote>
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<p>Feeling bedraggled yet dry despite having been submerged under water,
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Inky lays on the beach, staring up at the sky before sitting up and
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looking around the landscape. They are now attired in a hooded azure
|
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blue vest over red shirt and shorts, and blue shoes over mismatched
|
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|
knee-high stockings. Their auburn hair is tied back with the drawstrings
|
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|
from an attached small pouch. A plush toy resembling a certain floofy
|
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|
duck peeks out from the hood.</p>
|
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|
<p>They sense a soft weight land on one shoulder, and smile as Fuko nips
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|
at their ear, no doubt partly in reproach for wandering off again
|
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|
without her, and maybe partly meant to be reassuring. This is followed
|
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|
several moments later by a low hiss and a series of light taps next to
|
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|
Inky’s ear with her beak. Inky murmurs, “Is that so … we should call it
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|
a wrap soon. Master Alex would probably be happy having Big Bother to
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himself anyway, to grill as he likes.”</p>
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<p>After a very long minute, Inky sighs and taking out a piece of paper
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and pencil from their suitcase, scribbles a “pome”:</p>
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<pre><code>Island tower of towers
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Nowhere everywhere the sea
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Keep your apples and flowers
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Your suitor has come for thee</code></pre>
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<p>They roll up the paper and tuck it into a small and clear glass
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bottle with a cork stopper. Murmuring the sysorcerer’s name to the
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bottle, they lower it into the water and watch as the bottle drifts into
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the distance.</p>
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<p>Walking along the shoreline and stopping a short distance from the
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lone figure, Inky says casually, “Good day, fellow thing-finder.”</p>
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</blockquote>
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<p>The figure turns in your direction and lowers their hood revealing a
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long, hooked, black beak and a face covered in black feathers. Beady
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black eyes regard you without blinking.</p>
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<p>The feathers around its throat bristle when it speaks like a thick
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bristling beard.</p>
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<p>“Greetings, Dreamer, and welcome to Ephemeris, the Heart of the
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Dreaming. What brings you to the Throne of Konsu?”</p>
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<blockquote>
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<p>Well Kasutva, I may as well trust you. I imagine if you meant me harm
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there are more direct and interesting ways to harm me than to misguide
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me. Give me a moment to collect myself, I’ve never been much for
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swimming you see, learned late and was always deathly afraid as a child.
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Dreadful stuff really.</p>
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<p>Alex steps away briefly to the edge of the pier and looks into the
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Azure blue ocean, a swirl of unending blue depth. Still not my thing,
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Alex mutters to himself. As he steels himself he notices a bottle
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|
adrift, nearing the pier. As it comes closer, he plucks it from the
|
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|
water, decorks it and inspects the note inside.</p>
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<p>“What does it say” the little Kasutva inquires.</p>
|
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<p>“Oh nothing, just someone trying to get in contact about our floating
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pirateships extended warranty” Alex replies bruskly. This definitely
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must have come from Inky Alex thinks to himself. They must have found
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the way.</p>
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<p>“Look Kasutva, this has been great fun, but I really think I ought to
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be going, not really sure that a sea of anyones dreams is my sort of
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thing and all that. And I seem ot have done not but create a mess of
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things” Alex says as he gestures to the wreckage of the Mech. Alex
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gestures in the air before him, a small split keyboard appears in front
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||||||
|
of him and he types out a few short commands.</p>
|
||||||
|
<blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<pre><code>cat > /home/inky/messages/urgent <<EOF
|
||||||
|
Got your message
|
||||||
|
In a bit of a bind, wrapped up with some weird mushroom guy who wants to go for a swim.
|
||||||
|
Not sure how to handle it, but I might have to dip back to the real world and let you finish here.
|
||||||
|
I've made a write mess of things, but I trust you can finish this.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Oh, see attached, if you get into a pinch just use this spell, it'll get you what you need.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
grep -A4 AID ~/messages/urgent | sed 's/AID//' | sh
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
AID
|
||||||
|
4b1af3fcf4ce005ef86d83c45713ba1a548b4e79da09a6d44632cdb6c5917489
|
||||||
|
d7d500fa37b986d931b70e114b4e67375b10b373aa6649641e7132e8b3dc7d18
|
||||||
|
ef6efe98ffd070f486c00b4f50d8bf1448414ef9c2fabe0cacd40bebafba8a02
|
||||||
|
1d0d1bf0188b842d9ae08b9b37b0f266936ef38b8f07e5c90e4a9351bf018898
|
||||||
|
EOF</code></pre>
|
||||||
|
</blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>“Right!” Alex exclaims startling the little Kasutva accidentally.
|
||||||
|
“Time for me to head back to the real world. Anything you need from me
|
||||||
|
before I head out? Oh also, can I take the ak74u? I think I might need
|
||||||
|
it.”</p>
|
||||||
|
</blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>“Back … back to the waking world?” Mushroom Kasutva stammers.
|
||||||
|
“But…”</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>It looks out at the sea with a look of longing, confusion, and
|
||||||
|
frustration. “But we were finally going to see Ephemeris,” they say
|
||||||
|
almost wistfully.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“You were going to take us to Ephemeris!” they shout at you, suddenly
|
||||||
|
angry.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Mushroom Kasutva screws up its face and roars in rage as it rushes at
|
||||||
|
you and tries to shove you over the edge of the pier into the waters
|
||||||
|
below.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>But Kasutva is less than a foot tall and quite ineffective at shoving
|
||||||
|
a human-sized person such as Alex.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Big Kasutva, on the otherhand, is roughly twelve feet tall and quite
|
||||||
|
capable of manhandling a human-sized person.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>You look up in time to jerk back out of the way as they swipe at your
|
||||||
|
chest with their face-removing knife. It was all a feint though. As soon
|
||||||
|
as you are slightly off balance from dodging their attack, they reach
|
||||||
|
out with their other hand and give you a shove.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>You trip over Mushroom Kasutva, who has positioned themself in just
|
||||||
|
such a way to best tangle up your feet. You stumble backwards a few
|
||||||
|
steps until one of your feet steps out into open air. You twist and and
|
||||||
|
look behind you as Ousia rises up to meet you.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Kasutva clings to your leg as you fall, crying. “We’re sorry. We’re
|
||||||
|
sorry,” they say over and over as you are pulled below the waves.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
||||||
<h2 id="afterword">Afterword</h2>
|
<h2 id="afterword">Afterword</h2>
|
||||||
<p>I don’t know what I’m going to put here, but I didn’t want this
|
<p>I don’t know what I’m going to put here, but I didn’t want this
|
||||||
document to just abruptly end. So here you go: a kind farewell and a
|
document to just abruptly end. So here you go: a kind farewell and a
|
||||||
|
|
825
www/rss.xml
825
www/rss.xml
|
@ -235,59 +235,6 @@ And Fortune said it shou'd be you. Puu."</code></pre>
|
||||||
]]>
|
]]>
|
||||||
</description>
|
</description>
|
||||||
</item>
|
</item>
|
||||||
<item>
|
|
||||||
<title>61</title>
|
|
||||||
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
|
||||||
<guid isPermaLink="false">61 - Mon, 06 Feb 2023 09:59:55
|
|
||||||
-0700</guid>
|
|
||||||
<pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2023 09:59:55 -0700</pubDate>
|
|
||||||
<description>
|
|
||||||
<![CDATA[
|
|
||||||
<h3 id="00061">00061</h3>
|
|
||||||
<p>Alex the Octopus and Inky the Noogle stand on a tree branch
|
|
||||||
as wide a street in the heart of the great white upside-down
|
|
||||||
forest.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>A cry of anguish and anger echoes through the forest, and
|
|
||||||
the branches below you sway and rustle as something rises up
|
|
||||||
from the depths. You keep catching a glimpse of scarlet
|
|
||||||
between the silvery white leaves.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>The large black ravens perched below you scream in
|
|
||||||
agitation and fly up past you to the thicker branches up
|
|
||||||
above, where they hop side to side and loudly scold and
|
|
||||||
protest the disturbance. A single black feather the length of
|
|
||||||
your hand settles to the ground at your feet, knocked loose
|
|
||||||
during their flight.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>You finally see the fearsome beast crashing through the
|
|
||||||
branches below you. Its crazed, yellow eyes as large and round
|
|
||||||
as dinner plates, a great eight-legged rodent leaps from
|
|
||||||
branch to branch as it swiftly ascends. It is a bloody,
|
|
||||||
crimson red. Its long tufted ears lay flat against its
|
|
||||||
elongated, grinning skull. Its ribbon-like tail twitches as it
|
|
||||||
trails along behind it like a river of blood. It cries out
|
|
||||||
again in anger, showing its overgrown incisors, and grinds and
|
|
||||||
gnashes its back teeth.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>Its eyes bore into you with wild fury and blind madness as
|
|
||||||
it climbs.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>“She’s not herself,” sighs the chipmunk, suddenly at your
|
|
||||||
side once more. When you look down at the chipmunk, however,
|
|
||||||
it has suddenly turned into a small featureless black turtle
|
|
||||||
with a sticky sweet roll instead of a shell. Its smooth little
|
|
||||||
head pokes timidly out of the roll.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>“The Red Squirrel,” laments the turtle. “She’s being ridden
|
|
||||||
by a ghost. An angry ghost who isn’t from here. Somebody left
|
|
||||||
the door open, and it blew in on the breeze.” The turtle’s
|
|
||||||
voice trails off until its final words are barely a
|
|
||||||
whisper.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>You can still feel two currents tugging at you and trying
|
|
||||||
to pull you under. One inward toward your host’s deep, core
|
|
||||||
memories. And the second pulling you outward toward the Sea of
|
|
||||||
Dreams.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>You have but a moment before the Red Squirrel is upon
|
|
||||||
you.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
|
||||||
]]>
|
|
||||||
</description>
|
|
||||||
</item>
|
|
||||||
<item>
|
<item>
|
||||||
<title>59</title>
|
<title>59</title>
|
||||||
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
||||||
|
@ -386,6 +333,284 @@ trap sleep INT EXIT</code></pre>
|
||||||
]]>
|
]]>
|
||||||
</description>
|
</description>
|
||||||
</item>
|
</item>
|
||||||
|
<item>
|
||||||
|
<title>56</title>
|
||||||
|
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
||||||
|
<guid isPermaLink="false">56 - Mon, 16 Jan 2023 14:10:25
|
||||||
|
-0700</guid>
|
||||||
|
<pubDate>Mon, 16 Jan 2023 14:10:25 -0700</pubDate>
|
||||||
|
<description>
|
||||||
|
<![CDATA[
|
||||||
|
<h3 id="00056">00056</h3>
|
||||||
|
<blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>The agitation Alex feels bubbles just beneath the surface.
|
||||||
|
Patterns where patterns shouldn’t be, strange orders from HQ,
|
||||||
|
indifference where once was ample aide as well. It was
|
||||||
|
maddening. Combine it all with the haunting suspicion that
|
||||||
|
there was constantly someone just around the next corner, and
|
||||||
|
it was enough to truly drive Alex mad.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>That uneasiness takes its toll on a long enough time line,
|
||||||
|
but Alex wasn’t about to let it get to him. Or so he thought
|
||||||
|
to himself as he cast a furtive look at his monitoring
|
||||||
|
equipment. This paranoia had served him well in the past, very
|
||||||
|
well in fact. It’s a sort of sixth sense in a way, always kept
|
||||||
|
Alex off the edge of the cliff, especially when someone
|
||||||
|
stepped close enough to push him off. Those were the types of
|
||||||
|
skills HQ sought after in the first place.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Alex closes the iron door on his bunker, leaving his
|
||||||
|
monitoring equipment running, dead man’s trigger set to blow
|
||||||
|
the place shoul anyone enter it. Can’t be too careful these
|
||||||
|
days..</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Emerging from the sewer grate, sticking to the shadows,
|
||||||
|
Alex makes his way down an alley, then another, and yet
|
||||||
|
another, finally emerging a few blocks from the Milk Market.
|
||||||
|
Across the street, as he had expected, was Marvelo’s Marvelous
|
||||||
|
MurderSticks, a quaint place should one needed something, well
|
||||||
|
you get the picture, they don’t really sell anything but
|
||||||
|
weaponry here.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Alex ducked into the entrance of the shop and strode
|
||||||
|
towards the back rack, where a collection of knives was on
|
||||||
|
display. A rough looking fellow, ruddy red beard, thinning
|
||||||
|
hair, moved from the counter as he saw Alex approach. “Fine
|
||||||
|
sampling of knives we have, could I interest you in one?”
|
||||||
|
Marvelo says. Alex reaches for a thin stilleto style dagger,
|
||||||
|
and hands it to Marvelo “This one seems about right, but I’d
|
||||||
|
like an extra sharp edge put on it, if you don’t mind”.
|
||||||
|
Marvelo takes the stilleto from Alex say “Not a problem at all
|
||||||
|
sir”, and he heads into the back.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>He sets to work honing the edge, and once complete he
|
||||||
|
places it on his work bench. Grabbing a velvet lined case from
|
||||||
|
a stack, he deftly removes the bottom and places a rolled
|
||||||
|
piece of paper into the bottom, alongside an m1911 style
|
||||||
|
pistol, and a couple of clips of ammo. He then places the
|
||||||
|
velvet bottom back over the equipment, and places the stilleto
|
||||||
|
on top, bringing the entire package back to the front. “An
|
||||||
|
extra fine edge on this one sir, that’ll be 15 gold, plus
|
||||||
|
another 5 to cover the service.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Alex pays, and nips out the shop and heads back to the back
|
||||||
|
alley. Paranoia begets what it requets, Alex mutters to
|
||||||
|
himself as he disassembles the box holstering the pistol and
|
||||||
|
ammo, and sheathing the dagger. Can’t keep going unarmed like
|
||||||
|
I’m some kind of beat cop, not anymore.. Alex discards the
|
||||||
|
case and unfurls the message, quickly deciphering the
|
||||||
|
encryption set on it by Marvelo.</p>
|
||||||
|
<pre><code>The hunt is still on, no word on Blavin nor the Iris group, yet.
|
||||||
|
Agent 7 heard rumor of a couple of persons inquiring about the "Milk Market" these past few days.
|
||||||
|
Agent 3 heard similar rumors, was able to bribe a melon vendor to acertain the figure wore a red sash, and was looking for friends.
|
||||||
|
Agent 6 has kept watch on the Market, nothing strange yet, coming and goings as usual, no strange visitors
|
||||||
|
Agent 4 monitoring feeds still present glitches, something abnormal
|
||||||
|
Agent 5 found the melon vendor dead in a back alley, strangled to death, not immediate signs of blunt force trauma, caution advised</code></pre>
|
||||||
|
<p>Alex burned the note, striding rapidly away from the alley,
|
||||||
|
taking a meandering route away from the Milk Market, looping
|
||||||
|
back around, and heading back towards it by yet another.
|
||||||
|
Nobody appeared to be following him, yet he paused at each
|
||||||
|
corner and turn, waiting for the footsteps of a pursuant.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Noting nothing, he made his way through the back entrance
|
||||||
|
of Enrique’s Empanadas greeting the cook quietly, but jovial.
|
||||||
|
“Enrique, where’s Inky? We’ve got a problem.”</p>
|
||||||
|
</blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>~</p>
|
||||||
|
<blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>Inky skims the page. They thank the witch, pay for the
|
||||||
|
items and exit the shop, promptly discarding all notions of
|
||||||
|
meeting Bother at the place stipulated on the note.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p><em>(Half and one hour later)</em></p>
|
||||||
|
<p>One-sixths into a caramel cantaloupe cream cornet, Inky
|
||||||
|
runs into Confidence outside the Wandering Bazaar and obtains
|
||||||
|
some of their new pamphlets, minted with luminescent ink for
|
||||||
|
the convenience of late-night tourists. These are subsequently
|
||||||
|
hare-mailed to every editor at the <em>Niuewstijl</em> office,
|
||||||
|
which is almost certain to earn another chiding remark from
|
||||||
|
Tess about etiquette and the handling of unsolicited bulk mail
|
||||||
|
to parent editorial teams.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p><em>(Half and two hours later)</em></p>
|
||||||
|
<p>The installation on display at the Milk Market was
|
||||||
|
grotesque — that is to say, a work of beauty. Inky steps
|
||||||
|
carefully through the rooms to not disturb the piece.
|
||||||
|
Afterwards, they sign the guestbook set up on an upturned milk
|
||||||
|
crate by the door, delightedly pasting rows of horse head and
|
||||||
|
thumbs-up emo Gs on a page thoughtfully titled “you can’t ed
|
||||||
|
the unedible”.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p><em>(Half and three hours earlier)</em></p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Thanking Agate for her time, Inky passes her a sheet of
|
||||||
|
paper on which were written a few questions about the
|
||||||
|
prescribed ritual, with some space after each question should
|
||||||
|
the witch prefer to scribble a response:</p>
|
||||||
|
<ul>
|
||||||
|
<li><p>What do guides in the Sea of Dreams and the Ravenfolk
|
||||||
|
typically seek in return for directing travellers to the
|
||||||
|
correct pocket dimension?</p></li>
|
||||||
|
<li><p>An establishment inside the Bazaar is only open in the
|
||||||
|
evenings whenever it appears in the city. How long does travel
|
||||||
|
to a pocket dimension typically take, allowing for time to
|
||||||
|
seek out a guide? Is there a way travellers can estimate the
|
||||||
|
time to set out on their journey, in order to arrive at the
|
||||||
|
establishment while it is open?</p></li>
|
||||||
|
<li><p>Who are the Red Spider and “Dude 215R” mentioned in the
|
||||||
|
ritual? How can travellers avoid summoning them?</p></li>
|
||||||
|
<li><p>Would anything happen to the travellers if any of the
|
||||||
|
sigils were removed during the ritual before they wake
|
||||||
|
up?</p></li>
|
||||||
|
</ul>
|
||||||
|
<p><em>(Half and four hours later)</em></p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Two sets of eyes peer down at the contents of an open tin.
|
||||||
|
One accompanied by a focused look and a little trepidation,
|
||||||
|
following the pinkish, flesh-like chunks speckled with white
|
||||||
|
pockets of fat as they tumble into a hot pan and almost
|
||||||
|
immediately begin to move of their own accord. The moving
|
||||||
|
mounds resemble small round mouths opening, each with a rim of
|
||||||
|
sharp teeth. The other pair of eyes belongs to a grinning face
|
||||||
|
that beams when the mounds bloom into bright red flat caps,
|
||||||
|
the edges beneath about to soften in the olive oil.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Minutes after, The slices are ready. Inky accepts the plate
|
||||||
|
of tostada with spicy pickled artichoke mushrooms and tomatoes
|
||||||
|
with a murmur of thanks. Reassembling the recipe for the
|
||||||
|
tinned spicy artichoke mushrooms had been a tedious process —
|
||||||
|
someone had ripped out the pages from an old pickling book
|
||||||
|
that had long ceased publication. Eventually Inky found a
|
||||||
|
former nomad who had eaten them for two years in their youth
|
||||||
|
and could recall or somewhat describe the taste. Flowery and
|
||||||
|
savoury, they said. Many taste tests later, it turned out to
|
||||||
|
be closer to partially decomposed cheese in ponderosa lemon
|
||||||
|
juice. Canning was fortuitously easier with the increasing
|
||||||
|
portability of sealers. Rather than telling the empanada chef
|
||||||
|
any of this, Inky watches satisfaction slowly spread across
|
||||||
|
his face. The tale that follows is far more entertaining.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p><em>(Half and five hours later)</em></p>
|
||||||
|
<p>While measuring out ingredients for the forty-second tea
|
||||||
|
infusion since the start of the missions, not that Inky was
|
||||||
|
keeping a close count, they hear a familiar voice a short
|
||||||
|
distance outside the door asking for their whereabouts.
|
||||||
|
Without pausing in their whisking, Inky simply informs the
|
||||||
|
owner of the voice they’re not here, obviously, before
|
||||||
|
emerging from the storage pantry with a fresh pot and bowls on
|
||||||
|
a wooden tray, and greets the returning sysorcerer.</p>
|
||||||
|
</blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>Agate writes back quickly:</p>
|
||||||
|
<blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>What do guides in the Sea of Dreams and the Ravenfolk
|
||||||
|
typically seek in return for directing travellers to the
|
||||||
|
correct pocket dimension?</p>
|
||||||
|
</blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>Intangibles. Usually memories, hopes, or dreams.</p>
|
||||||
|
<blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>An establishment inside the Bazaar is only open in the
|
||||||
|
evenings whenever it appears in the city. How long does travel
|
||||||
|
to a pocket dimension typically take, allowing for time to
|
||||||
|
seek out a guide? Is there a way travellers can estimate the
|
||||||
|
time to set out on their journey, in order to arrive at the
|
||||||
|
establishment while it is open?</p>
|
||||||
|
</blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>You’ll find that time is rather malleable on the Otherside.
|
||||||
|
You’ll likely arrive exactly when you’re meant to. No need to
|
||||||
|
worry too much about it.</p>
|
||||||
|
<blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>Who are the Red Spider and “Dude 215R” mentioned in the
|
||||||
|
ritual? How can travellers avoid summoning them?</p>
|
||||||
|
</blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>Godforms manifested by the Linking Sigil and the Dream
|
||||||
|
Sigil, respectively. It’s not <em>terrible</em> if they show
|
||||||
|
up. But it’s definitely not ideal. You shouldn’t register on
|
||||||
|
their radar as long as you don’t pump too much energy into, or
|
||||||
|
siphon to much energy out of, the sigils. If they do show up,
|
||||||
|
just know that you’re in the presence of a godlike power, and
|
||||||
|
behave accordingly.</p>
|
||||||
|
<blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>Would anything happen to the travellers if any of the
|
||||||
|
sigils were removed during the ritual before they wake up?</p>
|
||||||
|
</blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>If the sigils are removed or if the circle is broken,
|
||||||
|
you’ll likely just wake up before you wanted to. Same goes for
|
||||||
|
if your dreamform is destroyed while in the Dreaming. The only
|
||||||
|
real danger you may encounter is the Scissormen and their ilk.
|
||||||
|
They will attempt to permanently sever your dreamform from
|
||||||
|
your waking body. Which would leave your body a soulless husk,
|
||||||
|
and leave your consciousness adrift in the Sea of Dreams. But
|
||||||
|
that probably won’t happen! Okay good luck, have fun!</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
||||||
|
]]>
|
||||||
|
</description>
|
||||||
|
</item>
|
||||||
|
<item>
|
||||||
|
<title>60</title>
|
||||||
|
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
||||||
|
<guid isPermaLink="false">60 - Tue, 31 Jan 2023 19:11:47
|
||||||
|
-0700</guid>
|
||||||
|
<pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2023 19:11:48 -0700</pubDate>
|
||||||
|
<description>
|
||||||
|
<![CDATA[
|
||||||
|
<h3 id="00060">00060</h3>
|
||||||
|
<blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>Alex takes inventory of himself, this dream world is
|
||||||
|
definitely strange, but fortunately its decided to provide him
|
||||||
|
with his impecable fashion, trench coat and all. Unfortunately
|
||||||
|
the same can’t be said for his roguish good looks, as he’s
|
||||||
|
found himself 6 arms heavier, and a bit more octopus-y than he
|
||||||
|
remembers.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Nontheless this doesn’t appear to be much of an impediment,
|
||||||
|
and he promptly moves on with assessing the situation.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“Acorns? No, I don’t think so. I’m afraid octopus’ are
|
||||||
|
terrible at fetching acrons, and at any rate, I have a
|
||||||
|
dreadfully important meeting across town.” turning to address
|
||||||
|
Inky, “We need to make a break for it, what’d the witch tell
|
||||||
|
you? Envision our goal or something? This is really a little
|
||||||
|
outside of my realm of mechanical magic expertise..
|
||||||
|
unless..”</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Alex makes a gesture with his tentacles in the area and a
|
||||||
|
terminal prompt appears before him. His tentacles work at
|
||||||
|
blinding speed at the digital window, a quick bypass there, a
|
||||||
|
root access escalation there.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“Looks like this whole place runs on Linux, it’s an older
|
||||||
|
kernel, about 2.6 or so, but it checks out. Easy to exploit as
|
||||||
|
needed. Here I’m giving us sudo access, should we need
|
||||||
|
it.”</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“Oh and squirrel, here’s your acorns”</p>
|
||||||
|
<pre><code>find /* -name '*acron*' -exec mv /home/squirrel { } \</code></pre>
|
||||||
|
</blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>It takes Alectopus a couple tries, but he gets it. First he
|
||||||
|
corrects ‘acron’ to ‘acorn’. Then he moves all the acorns to
|
||||||
|
the <em>chipmunk</em> instead of to the squirrel.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Hundreds of acorns appear at the chipmunk’s feet. It
|
||||||
|
squeals in delight.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>In the distance, far below you, you hear the anguished yell
|
||||||
|
of what can only be a Red Squirrel whose giant stash of acorns
|
||||||
|
has just vanished.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>The chipmunk rubs its hands together gleefully and starts
|
||||||
|
scooping up acorns by the armful and shoving them into its
|
||||||
|
mouth by the dozen. “Oh, thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” it
|
||||||
|
says around a mouthful of nuts. “Here…” It tosses you a large
|
||||||
|
square silver coin with a round hole drilled in the center. On
|
||||||
|
one side is the number twenty-one next to a picture of a
|
||||||
|
curved, short-handled sickle. On the other side is the number
|
||||||
|
five and a picture of a flail.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“A Twenty-One Fiver! Sorry, you deserve more, but it’s all
|
||||||
|
I have,” it apologizes as it scampers off, no doubt to hide
|
||||||
|
its nuts. Hopefully somewhere more secure this time.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>If you hold the coin up to your eye and peer through the
|
||||||
|
hole, you see the dreamscape before you as though looking
|
||||||
|
through a cloudy film. All the same stuff is there, but it’s
|
||||||
|
hazy and shadowy.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Standing a fair distance from you on the branch, just out
|
||||||
|
of hailing distance, is a tall figure cloaked in black robes.
|
||||||
|
Dark shadows pool restlessly around its feet. Occasionally the
|
||||||
|
shadows leap up and take the form of demons the like of which
|
||||||
|
words cannot describe, before falling and returning to shadow
|
||||||
|
once more. The figure wears a large spherical helmet of
|
||||||
|
obsidian-like glass. You can see constant flashes of a rainbow
|
||||||
|
of colors crackle and splinter along the inside of the helmet
|
||||||
|
like lightning, but illuminating nothing within. You feel
|
||||||
|
sickened at the sight, but at the edge of your mind you feels
|
||||||
|
a tug, a familiarity. Something about this character is
|
||||||
|
familiar to you, but you cannot place it.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>When you lower the coin, the figure and the dark landscape
|
||||||
|
both disappear. When you raise it again, the distorted
|
||||||
|
landscape reappears but the figure is gone.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>You notice a pair of large ravens watching you rather
|
||||||
|
intently from the branches below.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
||||||
|
]]>
|
||||||
|
</description>
|
||||||
|
</item>
|
||||||
<item>
|
<item>
|
||||||
<title>58</title>
|
<title>58</title>
|
||||||
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
||||||
|
@ -616,86 +841,6 @@ in its own domain</code></pre>
|
||||||
]]>
|
]]>
|
||||||
</description>
|
</description>
|
||||||
</item>
|
</item>
|
||||||
<item>
|
|
||||||
<title>60</title>
|
|
||||||
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
|
||||||
<guid isPermaLink="false">60 - Tue, 31 Jan 2023 19:11:47
|
|
||||||
-0700</guid>
|
|
||||||
<pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2023 19:11:48 -0700</pubDate>
|
|
||||||
<description>
|
|
||||||
<![CDATA[
|
|
||||||
<h3 id="00060">00060</h3>
|
|
||||||
<blockquote>
|
|
||||||
<p>Alex takes inventory of himself, this dream world is
|
|
||||||
definitely strange, but fortunately its decided to provide him
|
|
||||||
with his impecable fashion, trench coat and all. Unfortunately
|
|
||||||
the same can’t be said for his roguish good looks, as he’s
|
|
||||||
found himself 6 arms heavier, and a bit more octopus-y than he
|
|
||||||
remembers.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>Nontheless this doesn’t appear to be much of an impediment,
|
|
||||||
and he promptly moves on with assessing the situation.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>“Acorns? No, I don’t think so. I’m afraid octopus’ are
|
|
||||||
terrible at fetching acrons, and at any rate, I have a
|
|
||||||
dreadfully important meeting across town.” turning to address
|
|
||||||
Inky, “We need to make a break for it, what’d the witch tell
|
|
||||||
you? Envision our goal or something? This is really a little
|
|
||||||
outside of my realm of mechanical magic expertise..
|
|
||||||
unless..”</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>Alex makes a gesture with his tentacles in the area and a
|
|
||||||
terminal prompt appears before him. His tentacles work at
|
|
||||||
blinding speed at the digital window, a quick bypass there, a
|
|
||||||
root access escalation there.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>“Looks like this whole place runs on Linux, it’s an older
|
|
||||||
kernel, about 2.6 or so, but it checks out. Easy to exploit as
|
|
||||||
needed. Here I’m giving us sudo access, should we need
|
|
||||||
it.”</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>“Oh and squirrel, here’s your acorns”</p>
|
|
||||||
<pre><code>find /* -name '*acron*' -exec mv /home/squirrel { } \</code></pre>
|
|
||||||
</blockquote>
|
|
||||||
<p>It takes Alectopus a couple tries, but he gets it. First he
|
|
||||||
corrects ‘acron’ to ‘acorn’. Then he moves all the acorns to
|
|
||||||
the <em>chipmunk</em> instead of to the squirrel.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>Hundreds of acorns appear at the chipmunk’s feet. It
|
|
||||||
squeals in delight.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>In the distance, far below you, you hear the anguished yell
|
|
||||||
of what can only be a Red Squirrel whose giant stash of acorns
|
|
||||||
has just vanished.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>The chipmunk rubs its hands together gleefully and starts
|
|
||||||
scooping up acorns by the armful and shoving them into its
|
|
||||||
mouth by the dozen. “Oh, thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” it
|
|
||||||
says around a mouthful of nuts. “Here…” It tosses you a large
|
|
||||||
square silver coin with a round hole drilled in the center. On
|
|
||||||
one side is the number twenty-one next to a picture of a
|
|
||||||
curved, short-handled sickle. On the other side is the number
|
|
||||||
five and a picture of a flail.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>“A Twenty-One Fiver! Sorry, you deserve more, but it’s all
|
|
||||||
I have,” it apologizes as it scampers off, no doubt to hide
|
|
||||||
its nuts. Hopefully somewhere more secure this time.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>If you hold the coin up to your eye and peer through the
|
|
||||||
hole, you see the dreamscape before you as though looking
|
|
||||||
through a cloudy film. All the same stuff is there, but it’s
|
|
||||||
hazy and shadowy.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>Standing a fair distance from you on the branch, just out
|
|
||||||
of hailing distance, is a tall figure cloaked in black robes.
|
|
||||||
Dark shadows pool restlessly around its feet. Occasionally the
|
|
||||||
shadows leap up and take the form of demons the like of which
|
|
||||||
words cannot describe, before falling and returning to shadow
|
|
||||||
once more. The figure wears a large spherical helmet of
|
|
||||||
obsidian-like glass. You can see constant flashes of a rainbow
|
|
||||||
of colors crackle and splinter along the inside of the helmet
|
|
||||||
like lightning, but illuminating nothing within. You feel
|
|
||||||
sickened at the sight, but at the edge of your mind you feels
|
|
||||||
a tug, a familiarity. Something about this character is
|
|
||||||
familiar to you, but you cannot place it.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>When you lower the coin, the figure and the dark landscape
|
|
||||||
both disappear. When you raise it again, the distorted
|
|
||||||
landscape reappears but the figure is gone.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>You notice a pair of large ravens watching you rather
|
|
||||||
intently from the branches below.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
|
||||||
]]>
|
|
||||||
</description>
|
|
||||||
</item>
|
|
||||||
<item>
|
<item>
|
||||||
<title>57</title>
|
<title>57</title>
|
||||||
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
||||||
|
@ -948,6 +1093,59 @@ in its own domain</code></pre>
|
||||||
]]>
|
]]>
|
||||||
</description>
|
</description>
|
||||||
</item>
|
</item>
|
||||||
|
<item>
|
||||||
|
<title>61</title>
|
||||||
|
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
||||||
|
<guid isPermaLink="false">61 - Mon, 06 Feb 2023 09:59:55
|
||||||
|
-0700</guid>
|
||||||
|
<pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2023 09:59:55 -0700</pubDate>
|
||||||
|
<description>
|
||||||
|
<![CDATA[
|
||||||
|
<h3 id="00061">00061</h3>
|
||||||
|
<p>Alex the Octopus and Inky the Noogle stand on a tree branch
|
||||||
|
as wide a street in the heart of the great white upside-down
|
||||||
|
forest.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>A cry of anguish and anger echoes through the forest, and
|
||||||
|
the branches below you sway and rustle as something rises up
|
||||||
|
from the depths. You keep catching a glimpse of scarlet
|
||||||
|
between the silvery white leaves.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>The large black ravens perched below you scream in
|
||||||
|
agitation and fly up past you to the thicker branches up
|
||||||
|
above, where they hop side to side and loudly scold and
|
||||||
|
protest the disturbance. A single black feather the length of
|
||||||
|
your hand settles to the ground at your feet, knocked loose
|
||||||
|
during their flight.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>You finally see the fearsome beast crashing through the
|
||||||
|
branches below you. Its crazed, yellow eyes as large and round
|
||||||
|
as dinner plates, a great eight-legged rodent leaps from
|
||||||
|
branch to branch as it swiftly ascends. It is a bloody,
|
||||||
|
crimson red. Its long tufted ears lay flat against its
|
||||||
|
elongated, grinning skull. Its ribbon-like tail twitches as it
|
||||||
|
trails along behind it like a river of blood. It cries out
|
||||||
|
again in anger, showing its overgrown incisors, and grinds and
|
||||||
|
gnashes its back teeth.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Its eyes bore into you with wild fury and blind madness as
|
||||||
|
it climbs.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“She’s not herself,” sighs the chipmunk, suddenly at your
|
||||||
|
side once more. When you look down at the chipmunk, however,
|
||||||
|
it has suddenly turned into a small featureless black turtle
|
||||||
|
with a sticky sweet roll instead of a shell. Its smooth little
|
||||||
|
head pokes timidly out of the roll.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“The Red Squirrel,” laments the turtle. “She’s being ridden
|
||||||
|
by a ghost. An angry ghost who isn’t from here. Somebody left
|
||||||
|
the door open, and it blew in on the breeze.” The turtle’s
|
||||||
|
voice trails off until its final words are barely a
|
||||||
|
whisper.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>You can still feel two currents tugging at you and trying
|
||||||
|
to pull you under. One inward toward your host’s deep, core
|
||||||
|
memories. And the second pulling you outward toward the Sea of
|
||||||
|
Dreams.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>You have but a moment before the Red Squirrel is upon
|
||||||
|
you.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
||||||
|
]]>
|
||||||
|
</description>
|
||||||
|
</item>
|
||||||
<item>
|
<item>
|
||||||
<title>64</title>
|
<title>64</title>
|
||||||
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
||||||
|
@ -1393,6 +1591,169 @@ NOTE GDB INDICATES SOME ANOMALY</code></pre>
|
||||||
]]>
|
]]>
|
||||||
</description>
|
</description>
|
||||||
</item>
|
</item>
|
||||||
|
<item>
|
||||||
|
<title>65</title>
|
||||||
|
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
||||||
|
<guid isPermaLink="false">65 - Tue, 21 Feb 2023 14:02:22
|
||||||
|
-0700</guid>
|
||||||
|
<pubDate>Tue, 21 Feb 2023 14:02:22 -0700</pubDate>
|
||||||
|
<description>
|
||||||
|
<![CDATA[
|
||||||
|
<h3 id="00065">00065</h3>
|
||||||
|
<p>Marvelo fetched a fluffy blanket from the piles of blankets
|
||||||
|
and pillows in the ritual room where the dreamers continue to
|
||||||
|
sleep. He has wrapped up the child and is drying them off. The
|
||||||
|
sound of rain continues to drum incessantly outside.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“Poor thing, you’re chilled to the bone. Don’t worry, Uncle
|
||||||
|
Marv will take care of you. There we go. Fix you right
|
||||||
|
up!”</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>The child is still and silent. It has not made a noise this
|
||||||
|
whole time. Nor has it acted on its own to actually do
|
||||||
|
anything besides stare up at Marvelo with wide, dark eyes.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“How did you end up outside by yourself in the rain, hmm?
|
||||||
|
No? That’s okay. What about your name? Have you got a
|
||||||
|
name?”</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“Rind,” says a voice behind Marvelo. At the sound of its
|
||||||
|
name, the child’s eyes flick over Marvelo’s shoulder. The
|
||||||
|
mercenary starts to spin around even as the blanket writhes in
|
||||||
|
his hands, wrapping itself around his wrists and binding them
|
||||||
|
tightly together.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“Hungh!” he cries out wordlessly and tucks into a roll,
|
||||||
|
turning to face his assailant and—he hopes—dodging any
|
||||||
|
potential attack from behind. And also putting some distance
|
||||||
|
between himself and the child to get it out of harms way.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Marvelo tries to push up to his knees as cords of rope
|
||||||
|
snake their way out of the shadows and coil around his knees
|
||||||
|
and elbows. He struggles to pull free of them. A thicker rope
|
||||||
|
wraps around his waist, and another squeezes around his chest
|
||||||
|
and back. The ropes contract and pull Marvelo into a ball. He
|
||||||
|
groans and falls to his side. He looks up into the eyes of a
|
||||||
|
man wearing a bright red sash.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>The child has tottled over to the man and reaches its arms
|
||||||
|
up. The man scoops the child up and holds it in the crook of
|
||||||
|
one arm. The child puts its arms around the man’s neck and
|
||||||
|
looks down at Marvelo while resting its cheek on the man’s
|
||||||
|
chest.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“His name is Rind,” the man smiles.</p>
|
||||||
|
<blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>Feeling bedraggled yet dry despite having been submerged
|
||||||
|
under water, Inky lays on the beach, staring up at the sky
|
||||||
|
before sitting up and looking around the landscape. They are
|
||||||
|
now attired in a hooded azure blue vest over red shirt and
|
||||||
|
shorts, and blue shoes over mismatched knee-high stockings.
|
||||||
|
Their auburn hair is tied back with the drawstrings from an
|
||||||
|
attached small pouch. A plush toy resembling a certain floofy
|
||||||
|
duck peeks out from the hood.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>They sense a soft weight land on one shoulder, and smile as
|
||||||
|
Fuko nips at their ear, no doubt partly in reproach for
|
||||||
|
wandering off again without her, and maybe partly meant to be
|
||||||
|
reassuring. This is followed several moments later by a low
|
||||||
|
hiss and a series of light taps next to Inky’s ear with her
|
||||||
|
beak. Inky murmurs, “Is that so … we should call it a wrap
|
||||||
|
soon. Master Alex would probably be happy having Big Bother to
|
||||||
|
himself anyway, to grill as he likes.”</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>After a very long minute, Inky sighs and taking out a piece
|
||||||
|
of paper and pencil from their suitcase, scribbles a
|
||||||
|
“pome”:</p>
|
||||||
|
<pre><code>Island tower of towers
|
||||||
|
Nowhere everywhere the sea
|
||||||
|
Keep your apples and flowers
|
||||||
|
Your suitor has come for thee</code></pre>
|
||||||
|
<p>They roll up the paper and tuck it into a small and clear
|
||||||
|
glass bottle with a cork stopper. Murmuring the sysorcerer’s
|
||||||
|
name to the bottle, they lower it into the water and watch as
|
||||||
|
the bottle drifts into the distance.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Walking along the shoreline and stopping a short distance
|
||||||
|
from the lone figure, Inky says casually, “Good day, fellow
|
||||||
|
thing-finder.”</p>
|
||||||
|
</blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>The figure turns in your direction and lowers their hood
|
||||||
|
revealing a long, hooked, black beak and a face covered in
|
||||||
|
black feathers. Beady black eyes regard you without
|
||||||
|
blinking.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>The feathers around its throat bristle when it speaks like
|
||||||
|
a thick bristling beard.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“Greetings, Dreamer, and welcome to Ephemeris, the Heart of
|
||||||
|
the Dreaming. What brings you to the Throne of Konsu?”</p>
|
||||||
|
<blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>Well Kasutva, I may as well trust you. I imagine if you
|
||||||
|
meant me harm there are more direct and interesting ways to
|
||||||
|
harm me than to misguide me. Give me a moment to collect
|
||||||
|
myself, I’ve never been much for swimming you see, learned
|
||||||
|
late and was always deathly afraid as a child. Dreadful stuff
|
||||||
|
really.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Alex steps away briefly to the edge of the pier and looks
|
||||||
|
into the Azure blue ocean, a swirl of unending blue depth.
|
||||||
|
Still not my thing, Alex mutters to himself. As he steels
|
||||||
|
himself he notices a bottle adrift, nearing the pier. As it
|
||||||
|
comes closer, he plucks it from the water, decorks it and
|
||||||
|
inspects the note inside.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“What does it say” the little Kasutva inquires.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“Oh nothing, just someone trying to get in contact about
|
||||||
|
our floating pirateships extended warranty” Alex replies
|
||||||
|
bruskly. This definitely must have come from Inky Alex thinks
|
||||||
|
to himself. They must have found the way.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“Look Kasutva, this has been great fun, but I really think
|
||||||
|
I ought to be going, not really sure that a sea of anyones
|
||||||
|
dreams is my sort of thing and all that. And I seem ot have
|
||||||
|
done not but create a mess of things” Alex says as he gestures
|
||||||
|
to the wreckage of the Mech. Alex gestures in the air before
|
||||||
|
him, a small split keyboard appears in front of him and he
|
||||||
|
types out a few short commands.</p>
|
||||||
|
<blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<pre><code>cat > /home/inky/messages/urgent <<EOF
|
||||||
|
Got your message
|
||||||
|
In a bit of a bind, wrapped up with some weird mushroom guy who wants to go for a swim.
|
||||||
|
Not sure how to handle it, but I might have to dip back to the real world and let you finish here.
|
||||||
|
I've made a write mess of things, but I trust you can finish this.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Oh, see attached, if you get into a pinch just use this spell, it'll get you what you need.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
grep -A4 AID ~/messages/urgent | sed 's/AID//' | sh
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
AID
|
||||||
|
4b1af3fcf4ce005ef86d83c45713ba1a548b4e79da09a6d44632cdb6c5917489
|
||||||
|
d7d500fa37b986d931b70e114b4e67375b10b373aa6649641e7132e8b3dc7d18
|
||||||
|
ef6efe98ffd070f486c00b4f50d8bf1448414ef9c2fabe0cacd40bebafba8a02
|
||||||
|
1d0d1bf0188b842d9ae08b9b37b0f266936ef38b8f07e5c90e4a9351bf018898
|
||||||
|
EOF</code></pre>
|
||||||
|
</blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>“Right!” Alex exclaims startling the little Kasutva
|
||||||
|
accidentally. “Time for me to head back to the real world.
|
||||||
|
Anything you need from me before I head out? Oh also, can I
|
||||||
|
take the ak74u? I think I might need it.”</p>
|
||||||
|
</blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>“Back … back to the waking world?” Mushroom Kasutva
|
||||||
|
stammers. “But…”</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>It looks out at the sea with a look of longing, confusion,
|
||||||
|
and frustration. “But we were finally going to see Ephemeris,”
|
||||||
|
they say almost wistfully.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“You were going to take us to Ephemeris!” they shout at
|
||||||
|
you, suddenly angry.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Mushroom Kasutva screws up its face and roars in rage as it
|
||||||
|
rushes at you and tries to shove you over the edge of the pier
|
||||||
|
into the waters below.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>But Kasutva is less than a foot tall and quite ineffective
|
||||||
|
at shoving a human-sized person such as Alex.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Big Kasutva, on the otherhand, is roughly twelve feet tall
|
||||||
|
and quite capable of manhandling a human-sized person.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>You look up in time to jerk back out of the way as they
|
||||||
|
swipe at your chest with their face-removing knife. It was all
|
||||||
|
a feint though. As soon as you are slightly off balance from
|
||||||
|
dodging their attack, they reach out with their other hand and
|
||||||
|
give you a shove.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>You trip over Mushroom Kasutva, who has positioned themself
|
||||||
|
in just such a way to best tangle up your feet. You stumble
|
||||||
|
backwards a few steps until one of your feet steps out into
|
||||||
|
open air. You twist and and look behind you as Ousia rises up
|
||||||
|
to meet you.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Kasutva clings to your leg as you fall, crying. “We’re
|
||||||
|
sorry. We’re sorry,” they say over and over as you are pulled
|
||||||
|
below the waves.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
||||||
|
]]>
|
||||||
|
</description>
|
||||||
|
</item>
|
||||||
<item>
|
<item>
|
||||||
<title>55</title>
|
<title>55</title>
|
||||||
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
||||||
|
@ -1701,203 +2062,5 @@ NOTE GDB INDICATES SOME ANOMALY</code></pre>
|
||||||
]]>
|
]]>
|
||||||
</description>
|
</description>
|
||||||
</item>
|
</item>
|
||||||
<item>
|
|
||||||
<title>56</title>
|
|
||||||
<author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
|
|
||||||
<guid isPermaLink="false">56 - Mon, 16 Jan 2023 14:10:25
|
|
||||||
-0700</guid>
|
|
||||||
<pubDate>Mon, 16 Jan 2023 14:10:25 -0700</pubDate>
|
|
||||||
<description>
|
|
||||||
<![CDATA[
|
|
||||||
<h3 id="00056">00056</h3>
|
|
||||||
<blockquote>
|
|
||||||
<p>The agitation Alex feels bubbles just beneath the surface.
|
|
||||||
Patterns where patterns shouldn’t be, strange orders from HQ,
|
|
||||||
indifference where once was ample aide as well. It was
|
|
||||||
maddening. Combine it all with the haunting suspicion that
|
|
||||||
there was constantly someone just around the next corner, and
|
|
||||||
it was enough to truly drive Alex mad.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>That uneasiness takes its toll on a long enough time line,
|
|
||||||
but Alex wasn’t about to let it get to him. Or so he thought
|
|
||||||
to himself as he cast a furtive look at his monitoring
|
|
||||||
equipment. This paranoia had served him well in the past, very
|
|
||||||
well in fact. It’s a sort of sixth sense in a way, always kept
|
|
||||||
Alex off the edge of the cliff, especially when someone
|
|
||||||
stepped close enough to push him off. Those were the types of
|
|
||||||
skills HQ sought after in the first place.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>Alex closes the iron door on his bunker, leaving his
|
|
||||||
monitoring equipment running, dead man’s trigger set to blow
|
|
||||||
the place shoul anyone enter it. Can’t be too careful these
|
|
||||||
days..</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>Emerging from the sewer grate, sticking to the shadows,
|
|
||||||
Alex makes his way down an alley, then another, and yet
|
|
||||||
another, finally emerging a few blocks from the Milk Market.
|
|
||||||
Across the street, as he had expected, was Marvelo’s Marvelous
|
|
||||||
MurderSticks, a quaint place should one needed something, well
|
|
||||||
you get the picture, they don’t really sell anything but
|
|
||||||
weaponry here.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>Alex ducked into the entrance of the shop and strode
|
|
||||||
towards the back rack, where a collection of knives was on
|
|
||||||
display. A rough looking fellow, ruddy red beard, thinning
|
|
||||||
hair, moved from the counter as he saw Alex approach. “Fine
|
|
||||||
sampling of knives we have, could I interest you in one?”
|
|
||||||
Marvelo says. Alex reaches for a thin stilleto style dagger,
|
|
||||||
and hands it to Marvelo “This one seems about right, but I’d
|
|
||||||
like an extra sharp edge put on it, if you don’t mind”.
|
|
||||||
Marvelo takes the stilleto from Alex say “Not a problem at all
|
|
||||||
sir”, and he heads into the back.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>He sets to work honing the edge, and once complete he
|
|
||||||
places it on his work bench. Grabbing a velvet lined case from
|
|
||||||
a stack, he deftly removes the bottom and places a rolled
|
|
||||||
piece of paper into the bottom, alongside an m1911 style
|
|
||||||
pistol, and a couple of clips of ammo. He then places the
|
|
||||||
velvet bottom back over the equipment, and places the stilleto
|
|
||||||
on top, bringing the entire package back to the front. “An
|
|
||||||
extra fine edge on this one sir, that’ll be 15 gold, plus
|
|
||||||
another 5 to cover the service.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>Alex pays, and nips out the shop and heads back to the back
|
|
||||||
alley. Paranoia begets what it requets, Alex mutters to
|
|
||||||
himself as he disassembles the box holstering the pistol and
|
|
||||||
ammo, and sheathing the dagger. Can’t keep going unarmed like
|
|
||||||
I’m some kind of beat cop, not anymore.. Alex discards the
|
|
||||||
case and unfurls the message, quickly deciphering the
|
|
||||||
encryption set on it by Marvelo.</p>
|
|
||||||
<pre><code>The hunt is still on, no word on Blavin nor the Iris group, yet.
|
|
||||||
Agent 7 heard rumor of a couple of persons inquiring about the "Milk Market" these past few days.
|
|
||||||
Agent 3 heard similar rumors, was able to bribe a melon vendor to acertain the figure wore a red sash, and was looking for friends.
|
|
||||||
Agent 6 has kept watch on the Market, nothing strange yet, coming and goings as usual, no strange visitors
|
|
||||||
Agent 4 monitoring feeds still present glitches, something abnormal
|
|
||||||
Agent 5 found the melon vendor dead in a back alley, strangled to death, not immediate signs of blunt force trauma, caution advised</code></pre>
|
|
||||||
<p>Alex burned the note, striding rapidly away from the alley,
|
|
||||||
taking a meandering route away from the Milk Market, looping
|
|
||||||
back around, and heading back towards it by yet another.
|
|
||||||
Nobody appeared to be following him, yet he paused at each
|
|
||||||
corner and turn, waiting for the footsteps of a pursuant.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>Noting nothing, he made his way through the back entrance
|
|
||||||
of Enrique’s Empanadas greeting the cook quietly, but jovial.
|
|
||||||
“Enrique, where’s Inky? We’ve got a problem.”</p>
|
|
||||||
</blockquote>
|
|
||||||
<p>~</p>
|
|
||||||
<blockquote>
|
|
||||||
<p>Inky skims the page. They thank the witch, pay for the
|
|
||||||
items and exit the shop, promptly discarding all notions of
|
|
||||||
meeting Bother at the place stipulated on the note.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p><em>(Half and one hour later)</em></p>
|
|
||||||
<p>One-sixths into a caramel cantaloupe cream cornet, Inky
|
|
||||||
runs into Confidence outside the Wandering Bazaar and obtains
|
|
||||||
some of their new pamphlets, minted with luminescent ink for
|
|
||||||
the convenience of late-night tourists. These are subsequently
|
|
||||||
hare-mailed to every editor at the <em>Niuewstijl</em> office,
|
|
||||||
which is almost certain to earn another chiding remark from
|
|
||||||
Tess about etiquette and the handling of unsolicited bulk mail
|
|
||||||
to parent editorial teams.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p><em>(Half and two hours later)</em></p>
|
|
||||||
<p>The installation on display at the Milk Market was
|
|
||||||
grotesque — that is to say, a work of beauty. Inky steps
|
|
||||||
carefully through the rooms to not disturb the piece.
|
|
||||||
Afterwards, they sign the guestbook set up on an upturned milk
|
|
||||||
crate by the door, delightedly pasting rows of horse head and
|
|
||||||
thumbs-up emo Gs on a page thoughtfully titled “you can’t ed
|
|
||||||
the unedible”.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p><em>(Half and three hours earlier)</em></p>
|
|
||||||
<p>Thanking Agate for her time, Inky passes her a sheet of
|
|
||||||
paper on which were written a few questions about the
|
|
||||||
prescribed ritual, with some space after each question should
|
|
||||||
the witch prefer to scribble a response:</p>
|
|
||||||
<ul>
|
|
||||||
<li><p>What do guides in the Sea of Dreams and the Ravenfolk
|
|
||||||
typically seek in return for directing travellers to the
|
|
||||||
correct pocket dimension?</p></li>
|
|
||||||
<li><p>An establishment inside the Bazaar is only open in the
|
|
||||||
evenings whenever it appears in the city. How long does travel
|
|
||||||
to a pocket dimension typically take, allowing for time to
|
|
||||||
seek out a guide? Is there a way travellers can estimate the
|
|
||||||
time to set out on their journey, in order to arrive at the
|
|
||||||
establishment while it is open?</p></li>
|
|
||||||
<li><p>Who are the Red Spider and “Dude 215R” mentioned in the
|
|
||||||
ritual? How can travellers avoid summoning them?</p></li>
|
|
||||||
<li><p>Would anything happen to the travellers if any of the
|
|
||||||
sigils were removed during the ritual before they wake
|
|
||||||
up?</p></li>
|
|
||||||
</ul>
|
|
||||||
<p><em>(Half and four hours later)</em></p>
|
|
||||||
<p>Two sets of eyes peer down at the contents of an open tin.
|
|
||||||
One accompanied by a focused look and a little trepidation,
|
|
||||||
following the pinkish, flesh-like chunks speckled with white
|
|
||||||
pockets of fat as they tumble into a hot pan and almost
|
|
||||||
immediately begin to move of their own accord. The moving
|
|
||||||
mounds resemble small round mouths opening, each with a rim of
|
|
||||||
sharp teeth. The other pair of eyes belongs to a grinning face
|
|
||||||
that beams when the mounds bloom into bright red flat caps,
|
|
||||||
the edges beneath about to soften in the olive oil.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>Minutes after, The slices are ready. Inky accepts the plate
|
|
||||||
of tostada with spicy pickled artichoke mushrooms and tomatoes
|
|
||||||
with a murmur of thanks. Reassembling the recipe for the
|
|
||||||
tinned spicy artichoke mushrooms had been a tedious process —
|
|
||||||
someone had ripped out the pages from an old pickling book
|
|
||||||
that had long ceased publication. Eventually Inky found a
|
|
||||||
former nomad who had eaten them for two years in their youth
|
|
||||||
and could recall or somewhat describe the taste. Flowery and
|
|
||||||
savoury, they said. Many taste tests later, it turned out to
|
|
||||||
be closer to partially decomposed cheese in ponderosa lemon
|
|
||||||
juice. Canning was fortuitously easier with the increasing
|
|
||||||
portability of sealers. Rather than telling the empanada chef
|
|
||||||
any of this, Inky watches satisfaction slowly spread across
|
|
||||||
his face. The tale that follows is far more entertaining.</p>
|
|
||||||
<p><em>(Half and five hours later)</em></p>
|
|
||||||
<p>While measuring out ingredients for the forty-second tea
|
|
||||||
infusion since the start of the missions, not that Inky was
|
|
||||||
keeping a close count, they hear a familiar voice a short
|
|
||||||
distance outside the door asking for their whereabouts.
|
|
||||||
Without pausing in their whisking, Inky simply informs the
|
|
||||||
owner of the voice they’re not here, obviously, before
|
|
||||||
emerging from the storage pantry with a fresh pot and bowls on
|
|
||||||
a wooden tray, and greets the returning sysorcerer.</p>
|
|
||||||
</blockquote>
|
|
||||||
<p>Agate writes back quickly:</p>
|
|
||||||
<blockquote>
|
|
||||||
<p>What do guides in the Sea of Dreams and the Ravenfolk
|
|
||||||
typically seek in return for directing travellers to the
|
|
||||||
correct pocket dimension?</p>
|
|
||||||
</blockquote>
|
|
||||||
<p>Intangibles. Usually memories, hopes, or dreams.</p>
|
|
||||||
<blockquote>
|
|
||||||
<p>An establishment inside the Bazaar is only open in the
|
|
||||||
evenings whenever it appears in the city. How long does travel
|
|
||||||
to a pocket dimension typically take, allowing for time to
|
|
||||||
seek out a guide? Is there a way travellers can estimate the
|
|
||||||
time to set out on their journey, in order to arrive at the
|
|
||||||
establishment while it is open?</p>
|
|
||||||
</blockquote>
|
|
||||||
<p>You’ll find that time is rather malleable on the Otherside.
|
|
||||||
You’ll likely arrive exactly when you’re meant to. No need to
|
|
||||||
worry too much about it.</p>
|
|
||||||
<blockquote>
|
|
||||||
<p>Who are the Red Spider and “Dude 215R” mentioned in the
|
|
||||||
ritual? How can travellers avoid summoning them?</p>
|
|
||||||
</blockquote>
|
|
||||||
<p>Godforms manifested by the Linking Sigil and the Dream
|
|
||||||
Sigil, respectively. It’s not <em>terrible</em> if they show
|
|
||||||
up. But it’s definitely not ideal. You shouldn’t register on
|
|
||||||
their radar as long as you don’t pump too much energy into, or
|
|
||||||
siphon to much energy out of, the sigils. If they do show up,
|
|
||||||
just know that you’re in the presence of a godlike power, and
|
|
||||||
behave accordingly.</p>
|
|
||||||
<blockquote>
|
|
||||||
<p>Would anything happen to the travellers if any of the
|
|
||||||
sigils were removed during the ritual before they wake up?</p>
|
|
||||||
</blockquote>
|
|
||||||
<p>If the sigils are removed or if the circle is broken,
|
|
||||||
you’ll likely just wake up before you wanted to. Same goes for
|
|
||||||
if your dreamform is destroyed while in the Dreaming. The only
|
|
||||||
real danger you may encounter is the Scissormen and their ilk.
|
|
||||||
They will attempt to permanently sever your dreamform from
|
|
||||||
your waking body. Which would leave your body a soulless husk,
|
|
||||||
and leave your consciousness adrift in the Sea of Dreams. But
|
|
||||||
that probably won’t happen! Okay good luck, have fun!</p>
|
|
||||||
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
|
||||||
]]>
|
|
||||||
</description>
|
|
||||||
</item>
|
|
||||||
</channel>
|
</channel>
|
||||||
</rss>
|
</rss>
|
||||||
|
|
|
@ -288,6 +288,7 @@
|
||||||
<li><a href="#00062" id="toc-00062">00062</a></li>
|
<li><a href="#00062" id="toc-00062">00062</a></li>
|
||||||
<li><a href="#00063" id="toc-00063">00063</a></li>
|
<li><a href="#00063" id="toc-00063">00063</a></li>
|
||||||
<li><a href="#00064" id="toc-00064">00064</a></li>
|
<li><a href="#00064" id="toc-00064">00064</a></li>
|
||||||
|
<li><a href="#00065" id="toc-00065">00065</a></li>
|
||||||
</ul></li>
|
</ul></li>
|
||||||
<li><a href="#spoilers" id="toc-spoilers">Spoilers</a></li>
|
<li><a href="#spoilers" id="toc-spoilers">Spoilers</a></li>
|
||||||
<li><a href="#acknowledgements"
|
<li><a href="#acknowledgements"
|
||||||
|
@ -364,11 +365,11 @@ into the <a href="#current-story">current story arc</a>.</p>
|
||||||
you can <a href="https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml">subscribe to
|
you can <a href="https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml">subscribe to
|
||||||
the rss feed</a>.</p>
|
the rss feed</a>.</p>
|
||||||
<h2 id="stats">Stats</h2>
|
<h2 id="stats">Stats</h2>
|
||||||
<p>Total length: 82674 words / 353 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
|
<p>Total length: 83975 words / 358 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
|
||||||
length of this entire page, including all the extra bits and bobs. Not
|
length of this entire page, including all the extra bits and bobs. Not
|
||||||
just the story.)</p>
|
just the story.)</p>
|
||||||
<p>There have been 223 messages posted over 222 days since the first
|
<p>There have been 226 messages posted over 228 days since the first
|
||||||
post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.00.</p>
|
post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of .99.</p>
|
||||||
<h2 id="chapter-1">Chapter 1</h2>
|
<h2 id="chapter-1">Chapter 1</h2>
|
||||||
<p>This is the first installment of BASEMENT QUEST.</p>
|
<p>This is the first installment of BASEMENT QUEST.</p>
|
||||||
<p>Jump to: <a href="#00001">1</a> <a href="#00002">2</a> <a
|
<p>Jump to: <a href="#00001">1</a> <a href="#00002">2</a> <a
|
||||||
|
@ -6859,6 +6860,142 @@ you up and carry you to Ephemeris.”</p>
|
||||||
<p>It hops up to you and extends itself in a clear request, despite its
|
<p>It hops up to you and extends itself in a clear request, despite its
|
||||||
lack of limbs, that it wants you to pick it up.</p>
|
lack of limbs, that it wants you to pick it up.</p>
|
||||||
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
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|
<h3 id="00065">00065</h3>
|
||||||
|
<p>Marvelo fetched a fluffy blanket from the piles of blankets and
|
||||||
|
pillows in the ritual room where the dreamers continue to sleep. He has
|
||||||
|
wrapped up the child and is drying them off. The sound of rain continues
|
||||||
|
to drum incessantly outside.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“Poor thing, you’re chilled to the bone. Don’t worry, Uncle Marv will
|
||||||
|
take care of you. There we go. Fix you right up!”</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>The child is still and silent. It has not made a noise this whole
|
||||||
|
time. Nor has it acted on its own to actually do anything besides stare
|
||||||
|
up at Marvelo with wide, dark eyes.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“How did you end up outside by yourself in the rain, hmm? No? That’s
|
||||||
|
okay. What about your name? Have you got a name?”</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“Rind,” says a voice behind Marvelo. At the sound of its name, the
|
||||||
|
child’s eyes flick over Marvelo’s shoulder. The mercenary starts to spin
|
||||||
|
around even as the blanket writhes in his hands, wrapping itself around
|
||||||
|
his wrists and binding them tightly together.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“Hungh!” he cries out wordlessly and tucks into a roll, turning to
|
||||||
|
face his assailant and—he hopes—dodging any potential attack from
|
||||||
|
behind. And also putting some distance between himself and the child to
|
||||||
|
get it out of harms way.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Marvelo tries to push up to his knees as cords of rope snake their
|
||||||
|
way out of the shadows and coil around his knees and elbows. He
|
||||||
|
struggles to pull free of them. A thicker rope wraps around his waist,
|
||||||
|
and another squeezes around his chest and back. The ropes contract and
|
||||||
|
pull Marvelo into a ball. He groans and falls to his side. He looks up
|
||||||
|
into the eyes of a man wearing a bright red sash.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>The child has tottled over to the man and reaches its arms up. The
|
||||||
|
man scoops the child up and holds it in the crook of one arm. The child
|
||||||
|
puts its arms around the man’s neck and looks down at Marvelo while
|
||||||
|
resting its cheek on the man’s chest.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“His name is Rind,” the man smiles.</p>
|
||||||
|
<blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>Feeling bedraggled yet dry despite having been submerged under water,
|
||||||
|
Inky lays on the beach, staring up at the sky before sitting up and
|
||||||
|
looking around the landscape. They are now attired in a hooded azure
|
||||||
|
blue vest over red shirt and shorts, and blue shoes over mismatched
|
||||||
|
knee-high stockings. Their auburn hair is tied back with the drawstrings
|
||||||
|
from an attached small pouch. A plush toy resembling a certain floofy
|
||||||
|
duck peeks out from the hood.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>They sense a soft weight land on one shoulder, and smile as Fuko nips
|
||||||
|
at their ear, no doubt partly in reproach for wandering off again
|
||||||
|
without her, and maybe partly meant to be reassuring. This is followed
|
||||||
|
several moments later by a low hiss and a series of light taps next to
|
||||||
|
Inky’s ear with her beak. Inky murmurs, “Is that so … we should call it
|
||||||
|
a wrap soon. Master Alex would probably be happy having Big Bother to
|
||||||
|
himself anyway, to grill as he likes.”</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>After a very long minute, Inky sighs and taking out a piece of paper
|
||||||
|
and pencil from their suitcase, scribbles a “pome”:</p>
|
||||||
|
<pre><code>Island tower of towers
|
||||||
|
Nowhere everywhere the sea
|
||||||
|
Keep your apples and flowers
|
||||||
|
Your suitor has come for thee</code></pre>
|
||||||
|
<p>They roll up the paper and tuck it into a small and clear glass
|
||||||
|
bottle with a cork stopper. Murmuring the sysorcerer’s name to the
|
||||||
|
bottle, they lower it into the water and watch as the bottle drifts into
|
||||||
|
the distance.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Walking along the shoreline and stopping a short distance from the
|
||||||
|
lone figure, Inky says casually, “Good day, fellow thing-finder.”</p>
|
||||||
|
</blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>The figure turns in your direction and lowers their hood revealing a
|
||||||
|
long, hooked, black beak and a face covered in black feathers. Beady
|
||||||
|
black eyes regard you without blinking.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>The feathers around its throat bristle when it speaks like a thick
|
||||||
|
bristling beard.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“Greetings, Dreamer, and welcome to Ephemeris, the Heart of the
|
||||||
|
Dreaming. What brings you to the Throne of Konsu?”</p>
|
||||||
|
<blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>Well Kasutva, I may as well trust you. I imagine if you meant me harm
|
||||||
|
there are more direct and interesting ways to harm me than to misguide
|
||||||
|
me. Give me a moment to collect myself, I’ve never been much for
|
||||||
|
swimming you see, learned late and was always deathly afraid as a child.
|
||||||
|
Dreadful stuff really.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Alex steps away briefly to the edge of the pier and looks into the
|
||||||
|
Azure blue ocean, a swirl of unending blue depth. Still not my thing,
|
||||||
|
Alex mutters to himself. As he steels himself he notices a bottle
|
||||||
|
adrift, nearing the pier. As it comes closer, he plucks it from the
|
||||||
|
water, decorks it and inspects the note inside.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“What does it say” the little Kasutva inquires.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“Oh nothing, just someone trying to get in contact about our floating
|
||||||
|
pirateships extended warranty” Alex replies bruskly. This definitely
|
||||||
|
must have come from Inky Alex thinks to himself. They must have found
|
||||||
|
the way.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“Look Kasutva, this has been great fun, but I really think I ought to
|
||||||
|
be going, not really sure that a sea of anyones dreams is my sort of
|
||||||
|
thing and all that. And I seem ot have done not but create a mess of
|
||||||
|
things” Alex says as he gestures to the wreckage of the Mech. Alex
|
||||||
|
gestures in the air before him, a small split keyboard appears in front
|
||||||
|
of him and he types out a few short commands.</p>
|
||||||
|
<blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<pre><code>cat > /home/inky/messages/urgent <<EOF
|
||||||
|
Got your message
|
||||||
|
In a bit of a bind, wrapped up with some weird mushroom guy who wants to go for a swim.
|
||||||
|
Not sure how to handle it, but I might have to dip back to the real world and let you finish here.
|
||||||
|
I've made a write mess of things, but I trust you can finish this.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Oh, see attached, if you get into a pinch just use this spell, it'll get you what you need.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
grep -A4 AID ~/messages/urgent | sed 's/AID//' | sh
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
AID
|
||||||
|
4b1af3fcf4ce005ef86d83c45713ba1a548b4e79da09a6d44632cdb6c5917489
|
||||||
|
d7d500fa37b986d931b70e114b4e67375b10b373aa6649641e7132e8b3dc7d18
|
||||||
|
ef6efe98ffd070f486c00b4f50d8bf1448414ef9c2fabe0cacd40bebafba8a02
|
||||||
|
1d0d1bf0188b842d9ae08b9b37b0f266936ef38b8f07e5c90e4a9351bf018898
|
||||||
|
EOF</code></pre>
|
||||||
|
</blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>“Right!” Alex exclaims startling the little Kasutva accidentally.
|
||||||
|
“Time for me to head back to the real world. Anything you need from me
|
||||||
|
before I head out? Oh also, can I take the ak74u? I think I might need
|
||||||
|
it.”</p>
|
||||||
|
</blockquote>
|
||||||
|
<p>“Back … back to the waking world?” Mushroom Kasutva stammers.
|
||||||
|
“But…”</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>It looks out at the sea with a look of longing, confusion, and
|
||||||
|
frustration. “But we were finally going to see Ephemeris,” they say
|
||||||
|
almost wistfully.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>“You were going to take us to Ephemeris!” they shout at you, suddenly
|
||||||
|
angry.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Mushroom Kasutva screws up its face and roars in rage as it rushes at
|
||||||
|
you and tries to shove you over the edge of the pier into the waters
|
||||||
|
below.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>But Kasutva is less than a foot tall and quite ineffective at shoving
|
||||||
|
a human-sized person such as Alex.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Big Kasutva, on the otherhand, is roughly twelve feet tall and quite
|
||||||
|
capable of manhandling a human-sized person.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>You look up in time to jerk back out of the way as they swipe at your
|
||||||
|
chest with their face-removing knife. It was all a feint though. As soon
|
||||||
|
as you are slightly off balance from dodging their attack, they reach
|
||||||
|
out with their other hand and give you a shove.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>You trip over Mushroom Kasutva, who has positioned themself in just
|
||||||
|
such a way to best tangle up your feet. You stumble backwards a few
|
||||||
|
steps until one of your feet steps out into open air. You twist and and
|
||||||
|
look behind you as Ousia rises up to meet you.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>Kasutva clings to your leg as you fall, crying. “We’re sorry. We’re
|
||||||
|
sorry,” they say over and over as you are pulled below the waves.</p>
|
||||||
|
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
||||||
<h2 id="spoilers">Spoilers</h2>
|
<h2 id="spoilers">Spoilers</h2>
|
||||||
<details>
|
<details>
|
||||||
<summary>
|
<summary>
|
||||||
|
|
Loading…
Reference in New Issue