From 1f54892cbc244666ea0b9c58cd15d792d65888c5 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "Christopher P. Brown" Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2022 08:02:17 -0700 Subject: [PATCH] 42 --- basement.order | 1 + src/epistolary/00042.md | 154 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www/index.html | 130 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++- www/rss.xml | 149 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www/spoilers.html | 130 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++- 5 files changed, 558 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-) create mode 100644 src/epistolary/00042.md diff --git a/basement.order b/basement.order index 6156e34..7284721 100644 --- a/basement.order +++ b/basement.order @@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ src/epistolary/00038.md src/epistolary/00039.md src/epistolary/00040.md src/epistolary/00041.md +src/epistolary/00042.md src/bestiary/index.md src/bestiary/aur.md src/bestiary/blahoblin.md diff --git a/src/epistolary/00042.md b/src/epistolary/00042.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d61363a --- /dev/null +++ b/src/epistolary/00042.md @@ -0,0 +1,154 @@ +--- +title: 00042 +created: Sat, 17 Dec 2022 08:01:41 -0700 +updated: Sat, 17 Dec 2022 08:01:48 -0700 +syndicated: yes +public: yes +--- +### 00042 {#00042} + +> This seems a bit strange. Certainly Blavin has been pulling strings +> from behind the scenes the whole time, but why coordinate a special +> escort for us when there are other retrieval teams, and we've been +> less than amicable with the bloke the entire time.. Alex thinks to +> himself. +> +> *DM: I'd like to check for any signs of deceit in the toques +> demeanor or communcations with us* +> +> Confidence you said right? What would you do if I simply chose not +> to accompany you? I mean, there's a whole city around us, perhaps +> I'd prefer a drink before climbing a mountains worth of stairs. Or +> better yet, I could get back on the boat and ride to the top and +> same myself the hassle. + +Bread once again looks confused. Confidence looks surprised, caught +off guard. + + + +Confidence sputters, "Well, yes, of course. You've been traveling for +some time now, haven't you? I can assure you that the food and drink +at Runesocesius will be better than anything you can get here! But +the choice is entirely yours. Feel free to avail yourself of the +local offerings. We will wait here at the steps for you." + +Bread nods slowly, and seems to trailing behind the conversation just +a second or two. + +Their reactions seem genuine to you despite the circumstances. They +seem like a couple of low level employees of a luxury hotel earnestly +trying to follow the instructions they've been given. + +There are a couple of stalls and vendors set up around the gondola +station. Many of them serve mulled wine and hot chocolate. There is +some edible fare. Hot sandwiches and pitas. Nothing that an empanada +from Enrique's wouldn't put to shame. But they look hot and steamy, +and of great comfort to anybody who might be hungry and cold. There +are a few fire pits, next to which there are long benches with +blankets, where you might sit and warm up for a bit. + +The gondola lift ends here, and does not continue up to the mountain +any further. The cloud steps are the most common way to get up to the +peak, and to the Runesocesius. But you're pretty sure one or two of +the stalls here offers balloon rides up to the peak for thrill +seekers and for those with accessibility needs. + +> "I think you already know I'm interested in neither bread nor +> cheese, the second of which I certainly did not ask for yet you +> tried to offer in your hasty pretence." Inky smiles thinly at the +> toques. +> +> Taking out a small bag of gold coins and weighing it slowly on one +> hand to the sound of coins clinking inside the pouch, Inky +> continues, "Speak, answer our questions frankly and you will be +> rewarded. The hotelier up there need not know. Breathe a word of +> our little chat to another soul, however …" Inky's gaze cut briefly +> to four snow ravens perched atop a spiral lamp post and back, "and +> you will learn the meaning of disappearing without a trace." + +Bread looks confused. You are starting to believe it is their default +expression. "So, you *don't* want no chee---" + +"Our only desire is to help!" Confidence hastily interrupts. He +smiles pleasingly. "We are your guides! Not just physically up the +steps, but in all things here on Kelsun Peak. You have but to ask, +and if it is within our power to give it, it will be yours! We are +but humble ser---" + +And just then Confidence is also suddenly interrupted. A thundering +boom like a canon sounds from somewhere nearby, followed quickly by +an explosion somewhere up above. Snow ravens fly off in all +directions in a panic. The sound ripples through the mountaintop, +rattling the ground on which you stand. A bunch of small rocks and +two large boulders shake loose from the mountainside. Shoppers and +travelers shout and duck for cover as they are pelted by the scree. +One of the large boulder bounces clear over the station and plummets +down the side of the mountain before disappearing into the cloud +ocean below. The second one falls straight toward the platform. A +vendor selling wreaths and candles dives out of the way as his stall +is crushed by the boulder. A bench is toppled over, spilling its +blankets into the fire pit, and catches fire, quickly spreading to +another nearby stall. + +Bread looks up at the sky, confused. You see a thin line of black +smoke starting to rise up into the sky from over the ridge where the +Runesocesius lies. Confidence shouts, and you see him pointing at the +sea, where a balloonship is rising up out of the cloud bank, sailing +quickly toward you and the summit of Kelsun Peak. + +It resembles a seafaring ship, but instead of masts and sails, it has +two large, colorful, patchwork balloons that provide it lift. A large +fan on a pivot at the rear of the ship provides thrust. As you watch, +it fires a second canon---that *is* what the sound was!---nearly +straight up, arcing up and over the peak at Palace Runesocesius. + +The crew of the ship bustle around on the deck of the ship, reloading +the canons, firing the balloons, shouting, giving and following +orders. + +"Cyberplasms," groans Confidence, and Bread whimpers. Alex, that +quiet, dull, static roar that has been constantly tickling the back +of your head ever since you found that dagger seems to rise in pitch +and in tone. It conveys a sense of urgency, of warning. You can +*almost* hear a desperate voice behind the static fuzz cautioning +you, "Evil..." + +The only corporeal element of the crew are their cybernetic +enhancements. A mechanical leg. A synthetic eye. A claw, a hook, a +hand. An arm canon. Almost all of them have more than one, some as +many as 3 or 5. The cybernetic pieces of each individual crew member +are held together by plasmic energy arcs, crackling blue and green. +And surrounding the bioware and the plasmic arcs of each crew member, +like a blanket or a cocoon, is the translucent, wavering, ghostly +form of some humanoid long-dead. + +The figure standing on the deck surveying the work of the rest of the +crew---presumably the captain---has a synthetic eye rotating freely, +360 degrees in all directions, inside its skull-like head; a bulky +arm canon; and a thin robotic leg terminating in a thick boot. +Plasmic blasts arc through its core, sometimes disrupting and +glitching its ghostly body. + +The captain raises its arm canon and shouts to the crew. Its voice +carried on the breeze sounds like something otherworldly rising +slowly from the murky deep. "Fire the canon, boys! And fire up the +balloons! Drop the ballast! That crystal is *ours!*" + +It happens very quickly: the ship ascends to the summit and soon is +firing grappling hooks at it to pull themselves in and breach the +walls of the hotel. + +Bread looks at you, wide-eyed and trembling. They let loose a pitiful +wail and turn and start running up the steps. "Bread!" Confidence +yells after them. They cast a backward glance at you. "I've got to +help Bread! We've got to save the hotel!" And they give chase to +their fellow toque, bounding up the cloudstuff steps. + +WHAT DO YOU DO + +[www](https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-12/msg00203.html) + diff --git a/www/index.html b/www/index.html index 2e0c061..201726b 100644 --- a/www/index.html +++ b/www/index.html @@ -250,6 +250,7 @@ of the Were-Hare
  • 00039
  • 00040
  • 00041
    • +
  • 00042
  • Bestiary
  • Geography
    • @@ -259,11 +260,11 @@ of the Were-Hare

    Stats

    -

    Total length: 40358 words / 172 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the +

    Total length: 41570 words / 177 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the length of this entire page, including all the extra bits and bobs. Not just the story.)

    -

    There have been 143 messages posted over 156 days since the first -post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of .91.

    +

    There have been 148 messages posted over 157 days since the first +post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of .94.

    About

    This is a game that me and the kids in the basement are playing over email.

    @@ -4654,6 +4655,129 @@ cloudstuff. “Come! The hotelier will be very excited to greet you!”

    WHAT DO YOU DO

    www

    +

    00042

    +
    +

    This seems a bit strange. Certainly Blavin has been pulling strings +from behind the scenes the whole time, but why coordinate a special +escort for us when there are other retrieval teams, and we’ve been less +than amicable with the bloke the entire time.. Alex thinks to +himself.

    +

    DM: I’d like to check for any signs of deceit in the toques +demeanor or communcations with us

    +

    Confidence you said right? What would you do if I simply chose not to +accompany you? I mean, there’s a whole city around us, perhaps I’d +prefer a drink before climbing a mountains worth of stairs. Or better +yet, I could get back on the boat and ride to the top and same myself +the hassle.

    +
    +

    Bread once again looks confused. Confidence looks surprised, caught +off guard.

    + +

    Confidence sputters, “Well, yes, of course. You’ve been traveling for +some time now, haven’t you? I can assure you that the food and drink at +Runesocesius will be better than anything you can get here! But the +choice is entirely yours. Feel free to avail yourself of the local +offerings. We will wait here at the steps for you.”

    +

    Bread nods slowly, and seems to trailing behind the conversation just +a second or two.

    +

    Their reactions seem genuine to you despite the circumstances. They +seem like a couple of low level employees of a luxury hotel earnestly +trying to follow the instructions they’ve been given.

    +

    There are a couple of stalls and vendors set up around the gondola +station. Many of them serve mulled wine and hot chocolate. There is some +edible fare. Hot sandwiches and pitas. Nothing that an empanada from +Enrique’s wouldn’t put to shame. But they look hot and steamy, and of +great comfort to anybody who might be hungry and cold. There are a few +fire pits, next to which there are long benches with blankets, where you +might sit and warm up for a bit.

    +

    The gondola lift ends here, and does not continue up to the mountain +any further. The cloud steps are the most common way to get up to the +peak, and to the Runesocesius. But you’re pretty sure one or two of the +stalls here offers balloon rides up to the peak for thrill seekers and +for those with accessibility needs.

    +
    +

    “I think you already know I’m interested in neither bread nor cheese, +the second of which I certainly did not ask for yet you tried to offer +in your hasty pretence.” Inky smiles thinly at the toques.

    +

    Taking out a small bag of gold coins and weighing it slowly on one +hand to the sound of coins clinking inside the pouch, Inky continues, +“Speak, answer our questions frankly and you will be rewarded. The +hotelier up there need not know. Breathe a word of our little chat to +another soul, however …” Inky’s gaze cut briefly to four snow ravens +perched atop a spiral lamp post and back, “and you will learn the +meaning of disappearing without a trace.”

    +
    +

    Bread looks confused. You are starting to believe it is their default +expression. “So, you don’t want no chee—”

    +

    “Our only desire is to help!” Confidence hastily interrupts. He +smiles pleasingly. “We are your guides! Not just physically up the +steps, but in all things here on Kelsun Peak. You have but to ask, and +if it is within our power to give it, it will be yours! We are but +humble ser—”

    +

    And just then Confidence is also suddenly interrupted. A thundering +boom like a canon sounds from somewhere nearby, followed quickly by an +explosion somewhere up above. Snow ravens fly off in all directions in a +panic. The sound ripples through the mountaintop, rattling the ground on +which you stand. A bunch of small rocks and two large boulders shake +loose from the mountainside. Shoppers and travelers shout and duck for +cover as they are pelted by the scree. One of the large boulder bounces +clear over the station and plummets down the side of the mountain before +disappearing into the cloud ocean below. The second one falls straight +toward the platform. A vendor selling wreaths and candles dives out of +the way as his stall is crushed by the boulder. A bench is toppled over, +spilling its blankets into the fire pit, and catches fire, quickly +spreading to another nearby stall.

    +

    Bread looks up at the sky, confused. You see a thin line of black +smoke starting to rise up into the sky from over the ridge where the +Runesocesius lies. Confidence shouts, and you see him pointing at the +sea, where a balloonship is rising up out of the cloud bank, sailing +quickly toward you and the summit of Kelsun Peak.

    +

    It resembles a seafaring ship, but instead of masts and sails, it has +two large, colorful, patchwork balloons that provide it lift. A large +fan on a pivot at the rear of the ship provides thrust. As you watch, it +fires a second canon—that is what the sound was!—nearly +straight up, arcing up and over the peak at Palace Runesocesius.

    +

    The crew of the ship bustle around on the deck of the ship, reloading +the canons, firing the balloons, shouting, giving and following +orders.

    +

    “Cyberplasms,” groans Confidence, and Bread whimpers. Alex, that +quiet, dull, static roar that has been constantly tickling the back of +your head ever since you found that dagger seems to rise in pitch and in +tone. It conveys a sense of urgency, of warning. You can almost +hear a desperate voice behind the static fuzz cautioning you, +“Evil…”

    +

    The only corporeal element of the crew are their cybernetic +enhancements. A mechanical leg. A synthetic eye. A claw, a hook, a hand. +An arm canon. Almost all of them have more than one, some as many as 3 +or 5. The cybernetic pieces of each individual crew member are held +together by plasmic energy arcs, crackling blue and green. And +surrounding the bioware and the plasmic arcs of each crew member, like a +blanket or a cocoon, is the translucent, wavering, ghostly form of some +humanoid long-dead.

    +

    The figure standing on the deck surveying the work of the rest of the +crew—presumably the captain—has a synthetic eye rotating freely, 360 +degrees in all directions, inside its skull-like head; a bulky arm +canon; and a thin robotic leg terminating in a thick boot. Plasmic +blasts arc through its core, sometimes disrupting and glitching its +ghostly body.

    +

    The captain raises its arm canon and shouts to the crew. Its voice +carried on the breeze sounds like something otherworldly rising slowly +from the murky deep. “Fire the canon, boys! And fire up the balloons! +Drop the ballast! That crystal is ours!”

    +

    It happens very quickly: the ship ascends to the summit and soon is +firing grappling hooks at it to pull themselves in and breach the walls +of the hotel.

    +

    Bread looks at you, wide-eyed and trembling. They let loose a pitiful +wail and turn and start running up the steps. “Bread!” Confidence yells +after them. They cast a backward glance at you. “I’ve got to help Bread! +We’ve got to save the hotel!” And they give chase to their fellow toque, +bounding up the cloudstuff steps.

    +

    WHAT DO YOU DO

    +

    www

    Bestiary

    Some of the creatures who inhabit the world of Basmentaria

    diff --git a/www/rss.xml b/www/rss.xml index c178c54..a5d7590 100644 --- a/www/rss.xml +++ b/www/rss.xml @@ -5,6 +5,155 @@ BASEMENT QWEST https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml Friends having ADVENTURES! Huzzah! + + 42 + dozens@tilde.team (dozens) + 42 - Sat, 17 Dec 2022 08:01:41 +-0700 + Sat, 17 Dec 2022 08:01:48 -0700 + + 00042 +
    +

    This seems a bit strange. Certainly Blavin has been pulling + strings from behind the scenes the whole time, but why + coordinate a special escort for us when there are other + retrieval teams, and we’ve been less than amicable with the + bloke the entire time.. Alex thinks to himself.

    +

    DM: I’d like to check for any signs of deceit in the + toques demeanor or communcations with us

    +

    Confidence you said right? What would you do if I simply + chose not to accompany you? I mean, there’s a whole city + around us, perhaps I’d prefer a drink before climbing a + mountains worth of stairs. Or better yet, I could get back on + the boat and ride to the top and same myself the hassle.

    +
    +

    Bread once again looks confused. Confidence looks + surprised, caught off guard.

    + +

    Confidence sputters, “Well, yes, of course. You’ve been + traveling for some time now, haven’t you? I can assure you + that the food and drink at Runesocesius will be better than + anything you can get here! But the choice is entirely yours. + Feel free to avail yourself of the local offerings. We will + wait here at the steps for you.”

    +

    Bread nods slowly, and seems to trailing behind the + conversation just a second or two.

    +

    Their reactions seem genuine to you despite the + circumstances. They seem like a couple of low level employees + of a luxury hotel earnestly trying to follow the instructions + they’ve been given.

    +

    There are a couple of stalls and vendors set up around the + gondola station. Many of them serve mulled wine and hot + chocolate. There is some edible fare. Hot sandwiches and + pitas. Nothing that an empanada from Enrique’s wouldn’t put to + shame. But they look hot and steamy, and of great comfort to + anybody who might be hungry and cold. There are a few fire + pits, next to which there are long benches with blankets, + where you might sit and warm up for a bit.

    +

    The gondola lift ends here, and does not continue up to the + mountain any further. The cloud steps are the most common way + to get up to the peak, and to the Runesocesius. But you’re + pretty sure one or two of the stalls here offers balloon rides + up to the peak for thrill seekers and for those with + accessibility needs.

    +
    +

    “I think you already know I’m interested in neither bread + nor cheese, the second of which I certainly did not ask for + yet you tried to offer in your hasty pretence.” Inky smiles + thinly at the toques.

    +

    Taking out a small bag of gold coins and weighing it slowly + on one hand to the sound of coins clinking inside the pouch, + Inky continues, “Speak, answer our questions frankly and you + will be rewarded. The hotelier up there need not know. Breathe + a word of our little chat to another soul, however …” Inky’s + gaze cut briefly to four snow ravens perched atop a spiral + lamp post and back, “and you will learn the meaning of + disappearing without a trace.”

    +
    +

    Bread looks confused. You are starting to believe it is + their default expression. “So, you don’t want no + chee—”

    +

    “Our only desire is to help!” Confidence hastily + interrupts. He smiles pleasingly. “We are your guides! Not + just physically up the steps, but in all things here on Kelsun + Peak. You have but to ask, and if it is within our power to + give it, it will be yours! We are but humble ser—”

    +

    And just then Confidence is also suddenly interrupted. A + thundering boom like a canon sounds from somewhere nearby, + followed quickly by an explosion somewhere up above. Snow + ravens fly off in all directions in a panic. The sound ripples + through the mountaintop, rattling the ground on which you + stand. A bunch of small rocks and two large boulders shake + loose from the mountainside. Shoppers and travelers shout and + duck for cover as they are pelted by the scree. One of the + large boulder bounces clear over the station and plummets down + the side of the mountain before disappearing into the cloud + ocean below. The second one falls straight toward the + platform. A vendor selling wreaths and candles dives out of + the way as his stall is crushed by the boulder. A bench is + toppled over, spilling its blankets into the fire pit, and + catches fire, quickly spreading to another nearby stall.

    +

    Bread looks up at the sky, confused. You see a thin line of + black smoke starting to rise up into the sky from over the + ridge where the Runesocesius lies. Confidence shouts, and you + see him pointing at the sea, where a balloonship is rising up + out of the cloud bank, sailing quickly toward you and the + summit of Kelsun Peak.

    +

    It resembles a seafaring ship, but instead of masts and + sails, it has two large, colorful, patchwork balloons that + provide it lift. A large fan on a pivot at the rear of the + ship provides thrust. As you watch, it fires a second + canon—that is what the sound was!—nearly straight up, + arcing up and over the peak at Palace Runesocesius.

    +

    The crew of the ship bustle around on the deck of the ship, + reloading the canons, firing the balloons, shouting, giving + and following orders.

    +

    “Cyberplasms,” groans Confidence, and Bread whimpers. Alex, + that quiet, dull, static roar that has been constantly + tickling the back of your head ever since you found that + dagger seems to rise in pitch and in tone. It conveys a sense + of urgency, of warning. You can almost hear a + desperate voice behind the static fuzz cautioning you, + “Evil…”

    +

    The only corporeal element of the crew are their cybernetic + enhancements. A mechanical leg. A synthetic eye. A claw, a + hook, a hand. An arm canon. Almost all of them have more than + one, some as many as 3 or 5. The cybernetic pieces of each + individual crew member are held together by plasmic energy + arcs, crackling blue and green. And surrounding the bioware + and the plasmic arcs of each crew member, like a blanket or a + cocoon, is the translucent, wavering, ghostly form of some + humanoid long-dead.

    +

    The figure standing on the deck surveying the work of the + rest of the crew—presumably the captain—has a synthetic eye + rotating freely, 360 degrees in all directions, inside its + skull-like head; a bulky arm canon; and a thin robotic leg + terminating in a thick boot. Plasmic blasts arc through its + core, sometimes disrupting and glitching its ghostly body.

    +

    The captain raises its arm canon and shouts to the crew. + Its voice carried on the breeze sounds like something + otherworldly rising slowly from the murky deep. “Fire the + canon, boys! And fire up the balloons! Drop the ballast! That + crystal is ours!”

    +

    It happens very quickly: the ship ascends to the summit and + soon is firing grappling hooks at it to pull themselves in and + breach the walls of the hotel.

    +

    Bread looks at you, wide-eyed and trembling. They let loose + a pitiful wail and turn and start running up the steps. + “Bread!” Confidence yells after them. They cast a backward + glance at you. “I’ve got to help Bread! We’ve got to save the + hotel!” And they give chase to their fellow toque, bounding up + the cloudstuff steps.

    +

    WHAT DO YOU DO

    +

    www

    + ]]> +     +     39 dozens@tilde.team (dozens) diff --git a/www/spoilers.html b/www/spoilers.html index 3fbb659..0757eab 100644 --- a/www/spoilers.html +++ b/www/spoilers.html @@ -250,6 +250,7 @@ of the Were-Hare
  • 00039
  • 00040
  • 00041
    • +
  • 00042
  • Bestiary
  • Geography
    • @@ -262,11 +263,11 @@ id="toc-acknowledgements">Acknowledgements

    Stats

    -

    Total length: 40358 words / 172 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the +

    Total length: 41570 words / 177 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the length of this entire page, including all the extra bits and bobs. Not just the story.)

    -

    There have been 143 messages posted over 156 days since the first -post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of .91.

    +

    There have been 148 messages posted over 157 days since the first +post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of .94.

    About

    This is a game that me and the kids in the basement are playing over email.

    @@ -4657,6 +4658,129 @@ cloudstuff. “Come! The hotelier will be very excited to greet you!”

    WHAT DO YOU DO

    www

    +

    00042

    +
    +

    This seems a bit strange. Certainly Blavin has been pulling strings +from behind the scenes the whole time, but why coordinate a special +escort for us when there are other retrieval teams, and we’ve been less +than amicable with the bloke the entire time.. Alex thinks to +himself.

    +

    DM: I’d like to check for any signs of deceit in the toques +demeanor or communcations with us

    +

    Confidence you said right? What would you do if I simply chose not to +accompany you? I mean, there’s a whole city around us, perhaps I’d +prefer a drink before climbing a mountains worth of stairs. Or better +yet, I could get back on the boat and ride to the top and same myself +the hassle.

    +
    +

    Bread once again looks confused. Confidence looks surprised, caught +off guard.

    + +

    Confidence sputters, “Well, yes, of course. You’ve been traveling for +some time now, haven’t you? I can assure you that the food and drink at +Runesocesius will be better than anything you can get here! But the +choice is entirely yours. Feel free to avail yourself of the local +offerings. We will wait here at the steps for you.”

    +

    Bread nods slowly, and seems to trailing behind the conversation just +a second or two.

    +

    Their reactions seem genuine to you despite the circumstances. They +seem like a couple of low level employees of a luxury hotel earnestly +trying to follow the instructions they’ve been given.

    +

    There are a couple of stalls and vendors set up around the gondola +station. Many of them serve mulled wine and hot chocolate. There is some +edible fare. Hot sandwiches and pitas. Nothing that an empanada from +Enrique’s wouldn’t put to shame. But they look hot and steamy, and of +great comfort to anybody who might be hungry and cold. There are a few +fire pits, next to which there are long benches with blankets, where you +might sit and warm up for a bit.

    +

    The gondola lift ends here, and does not continue up to the mountain +any further. The cloud steps are the most common way to get up to the +peak, and to the Runesocesius. But you’re pretty sure one or two of the +stalls here offers balloon rides up to the peak for thrill seekers and +for those with accessibility needs.

    +
    +

    “I think you already know I’m interested in neither bread nor cheese, +the second of which I certainly did not ask for yet you tried to offer +in your hasty pretence.” Inky smiles thinly at the toques.

    +

    Taking out a small bag of gold coins and weighing it slowly on one +hand to the sound of coins clinking inside the pouch, Inky continues, +“Speak, answer our questions frankly and you will be rewarded. The +hotelier up there need not know. Breathe a word of our little chat to +another soul, however …” Inky’s gaze cut briefly to four snow ravens +perched atop a spiral lamp post and back, “and you will learn the +meaning of disappearing without a trace.”

    +
    +

    Bread looks confused. You are starting to believe it is their default +expression. “So, you don’t want no chee—”

    +

    “Our only desire is to help!” Confidence hastily interrupts. He +smiles pleasingly. “We are your guides! Not just physically up the +steps, but in all things here on Kelsun Peak. You have but to ask, and +if it is within our power to give it, it will be yours! We are but +humble ser—”

    +

    And just then Confidence is also suddenly interrupted. A thundering +boom like a canon sounds from somewhere nearby, followed quickly by an +explosion somewhere up above. Snow ravens fly off in all directions in a +panic. The sound ripples through the mountaintop, rattling the ground on +which you stand. A bunch of small rocks and two large boulders shake +loose from the mountainside. Shoppers and travelers shout and duck for +cover as they are pelted by the scree. One of the large boulder bounces +clear over the station and plummets down the side of the mountain before +disappearing into the cloud ocean below. The second one falls straight +toward the platform. A vendor selling wreaths and candles dives out of +the way as his stall is crushed by the boulder. A bench is toppled over, +spilling its blankets into the fire pit, and catches fire, quickly +spreading to another nearby stall.

    +

    Bread looks up at the sky, confused. You see a thin line of black +smoke starting to rise up into the sky from over the ridge where the +Runesocesius lies. Confidence shouts, and you see him pointing at the +sea, where a balloonship is rising up out of the cloud bank, sailing +quickly toward you and the summit of Kelsun Peak.

    +

    It resembles a seafaring ship, but instead of masts and sails, it has +two large, colorful, patchwork balloons that provide it lift. A large +fan on a pivot at the rear of the ship provides thrust. As you watch, it +fires a second canon—that is what the sound was!—nearly +straight up, arcing up and over the peak at Palace Runesocesius.

    +

    The crew of the ship bustle around on the deck of the ship, reloading +the canons, firing the balloons, shouting, giving and following +orders.

    +

    “Cyberplasms,” groans Confidence, and Bread whimpers. Alex, that +quiet, dull, static roar that has been constantly tickling the back of +your head ever since you found that dagger seems to rise in pitch and in +tone. It conveys a sense of urgency, of warning. You can almost +hear a desperate voice behind the static fuzz cautioning you, +“Evil…”

    +

    The only corporeal element of the crew are their cybernetic +enhancements. A mechanical leg. A synthetic eye. A claw, a hook, a hand. +An arm canon. Almost all of them have more than one, some as many as 3 +or 5. The cybernetic pieces of each individual crew member are held +together by plasmic energy arcs, crackling blue and green. And +surrounding the bioware and the plasmic arcs of each crew member, like a +blanket or a cocoon, is the translucent, wavering, ghostly form of some +humanoid long-dead.

    +

    The figure standing on the deck surveying the work of the rest of the +crew—presumably the captain—has a synthetic eye rotating freely, 360 +degrees in all directions, inside its skull-like head; a bulky arm +canon; and a thin robotic leg terminating in a thick boot. Plasmic +blasts arc through its core, sometimes disrupting and glitching its +ghostly body.

    +

    The captain raises its arm canon and shouts to the crew. Its voice +carried on the breeze sounds like something otherworldly rising slowly +from the murky deep. “Fire the canon, boys! And fire up the balloons! +Drop the ballast! That crystal is ours!”

    +

    It happens very quickly: the ship ascends to the summit and soon is +firing grappling hooks at it to pull themselves in and breach the walls +of the hotel.

    +

    Bread looks at you, wide-eyed and trembling. They let loose a pitiful +wail and turn and start running up the steps. “Bread!” Confidence yells +after them. They cast a backward glance at you. “I’ve got to help Bread! +We’ve got to save the hotel!” And they give chase to their fellow toque, +bounding up the cloudstuff steps.

    +

    WHAT DO YOU DO

    +

    www

    Bestiary

    Some of the creatures who inhabit the world of Basmentaria