From 46ba6e89d5527e2dfd22ce567385668f1194fe42 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "Christopher P. Brown" <christopher.p.brown@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2023 08:25:19 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] 69

---
 basement.order          |    1 +
 src/epistolary/00069.md |  170 +++++
 www/index.html          |  144 +++-
 www/rss.xml             | 1476 ++++++++++++++++++++++-----------------
 www/spoilers.html       |  146 +++-
 5 files changed, 1274 insertions(+), 663 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 src/epistolary/00069.md

diff --git a/basement.order b/basement.order
index 5e9e936..37d805c 100644
--- a/basement.order
+++ b/basement.order
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ src/epistolary/00065.md
 src/epistolary/00066.md
 src/epistolary/00067.md
 src/epistolary/00068.md
+src/epistolary/00069.md
 src/notes.md
 src/acknowledgements.md
 src/afterword.md
diff --git a/src/epistolary/00069.md b/src/epistolary/00069.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..45e3a3a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/epistolary/00069.md
@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+---
+title: 00069
+created: Thu, 02 Mar 2023 07:16:46 -0700
+updated: Thu, 02 Mar 2023 07:16:46 -0700
+public: yes
+syndicated: yes
+---
+### 00069 {#00069}
+
+> Inky offers the cat person a bemused half-smile, then turns to the
+> sysorcerer. "We hope you are well. Young Master Alex has been
+> searching for you. He had planned on coming, but had to attend to an
+> urgent matter on short notice."
+> 
+> A pause, then Inky slides an open envelope — a plain affair with a
+> grid of tiny blue dots, and a single sheet of a similar pattern
+> inside — across the table towards the wizard. They continue, "If
+> there is anything you wish to tell him, you can write it in a
+> language only you two understand and seal the envelope. This one will
+> do their best to pass on the message." They wave another identical
+> envelope, indicating the message will be copied once sealed before
+> pocketing it again.
+> 
+> "If you do decide to write, please do it promptly. This one will be
+> departing shortly, and the envelope in front of you will disappear,"
+> they inform the sysorcerer with an apologetic look and a tinge of
+> sadness.
+> 
+> To the self-proclaimed double agent, Inky replies, "Thanks for the
+> information. Master Alex will be positively ecstatic with the news."
+> They send the hobbit a lopsided smile. "Nevertheless, you will
+> understand if the party would like to consider your proposal further
+> before providing an answer. Haste makes waste, as proverbs say.
+> Perhaps your pirate captain would agree. My condolences."
+> 
+> Ignoring the proffered dice, Inky bids the group at the table good
+> evening and exits the club by the same route with which they had
+> entered, trying to stave off the growing unease at the back of their
+> mind.
+> 
+> ~
+> 
+> Three corridors later, one with a high vaulted ceiling away from the
+> din of the gambling club, Inky slows their brisk trot and hands Fuko
+> the envelope. The owl grips the item, dives down and drops it onto
+> the thick carpet. She places the back of one feet lightly over a
+> corner of the envelope, deftly slicing open the top layer along one
+> edge with a claw. Working quickly, she pulls out the contents with
+> her beak, smoothing out the sheet with a brush of her wings. Next,
+> she flies in a slow circle above the papers a few times before
+> descending again upon the papers and dragging them into a cake tin.
+> Finally, the bird pops the lid over the container, where the paper
+> within turns into dry compost.
+> 
+> "It's confidential. Please do not decode." Inky says as a reminder
+> from their spot near the end of the corridor. 
+> 
+> Fuko levels an unimpressed look at her companion, as if to say, *Yes,
+> for the twenty-fourth time.* Inky smiles back at her and asks, "Is
+> your *boss* satisfied now?" The smile widens briefly at the indignant
+> screech and clicks in response, then vanish as the events of the past
+> few moments caught up to them again. Here in a hallway brightly lit
+> by glow lamps away from any windows, the howling winds are a distant
+> echo, but it did not stop Inky from wondering.
+> 
+> It had been a risk, dallying around longer to give the elder wizard
+> time to say his piece in writing. No one could have missed the
+> disappointment written clearly on his face when he realised his
+> nephew hadn't come. Now, from Fuko's sparse recount of what their
+> tails had found, the candle had burned down, releasing something
+> somewhere, yet none of the others had woken up. It would appear that
+> Master Alex had not left the Dreaming at all, but was in another area
+> doing Neddas-only-knows-what.
+> 
+> They stare up at the large central chandelier in the next room with
+> thousands of crystal beads that gleam like tiny droplets suspended in
+> the air. Orange shirt and blue shorts have since been replaced with a
+> red brimmed hat and blue duffel coat, the drawstring pouch tied below
+> the collar, and running shoes with red rain boots. The mess of ginger
+> hair is trimmed to a caramel crop.
+> 
+> When the owl settles again on their shoulder, stirring Inky from
+> their thoughts, they collect the cake tin, remove the lid and look
+> inside. From a pocket of their coat, they pull out three seeds and
+> nudge them with two fingers into the soil. Descending a flight of
+> stairs, Inky sets the dousojin, grown to the size of a boulder, and
+> the tin on a side table. They pour seaweed tea into the tin from a
+> glass bottle, then refill the bottle with small fish-shaped crackers,
+> corking and placing it beside the tin.
+> 
+> "Thank you, Great Spirit. This useless one will take their leave now,
+> and apologises if they have accidentally 'left the door open' for
+> something to blow in that should not be here." Inky says.
+> 
+> They turn to the great horned owl. "Impeccable as ever, both of you.
+> Thanks for coming along tonight. You may go, Fuko. When you wake
+> yourself or with Futa's help, please get into the carrier as quickly
+> as you can, activate the connection and leave immediately. Sever it
+> as soon as you arrive safely. Forget about pulling off the patch
+> under my forearm, it can be delivered later, or he can have the body
+> sent over eventually. Leave and don't look back." Then, more airily,
+> "Should we meet again, Inky the Insolent shall bring you a large 'rat
+> at two eels'. How's that for a handsome reward?"
+
+~ 
+
+> Alex takes the amulet solemnly "Alright, now that's something I can
+> believe in." he says as he turns the locket over in his hand. The
+> golden veins shimmer and pulse inside of the pale blue. Alex dons the
+> necklace, noting that the stone is warm, almost exactly body
+> temperature. "Alright Neddas, you've got yourself a deal. I'll finish
+> assembling the crystals, we'll haul you back out to Basementaria. And
+> it sounds like we're cracking a few eggs along the way thanks to
+> this".
+> 
+> The howling interrupts, growing louder, becoming a cacaphony of
+> tormented banshee wails. The gray expanse of sand fills with a vile
+> wind, a thick almost physical wall of dark black smog closes in.
+> Neddas, is nowhere to be found.
+> 
+> Alex dips down and scoops up the little Katsuva, tucking him into the
+> ruck sack at his side. "Hang tight little guy, I think the ride out
+> of here's going to get bumpy.."
+> 
+> In a single swift motion Alex pulls back the bolt on his AK74u and
+> levels it at the smog, letting loose a sustained volley of gunfire.
+> Bullets whiz with a defeaning RATATATAT. While laying down
+> suppressing fire, he pulls the little console back up to his side
+> with a short wave of the hand. A single command is all he needs here.
+
+When Alex pulls up his terminal he sees a notification blinking in
+the corner of the screen. A message from Corraidhín?
+
+The howling wind abruptly stops and the smog quickly dissipates.
+
+~
+
+In the fish market, Alex and Inky both wake with a start, gasping for
+breath as though drowning.
+
+It is dark. The lights are all out but it looks as through Marvelo
+has dropped some flairs on the ground. They fill the room with an
+eerie, crackling red glow.
+
+It is not quiet. The antiques dealer / spymaster has a couple of
+cords of rope and a couple loose blankets coiled around his arms and
+legs. He is shaking them off while screaming obscenities and
+repeatedly firing a blaster pistol at a large, roaring abomination
+standing in the center of the room.
+
+The nightmare has an almost fetal-looking head with a long, bulbous
+skull that looks far too large for its body. A single eye glares
+malevolently from the center of its small face. Oily feathers drip
+from a thin, sagging membrane that runs from wrist to ankle. Its
+leathery skin cracks and oozes from repeated shots to the torso from
+Marvelo's blaster, but it seems unbothered by the attack.
+
+It screeches and lunges forward and swings one massive arm at
+Marvelo. Its leathery, feathery wing slices through the air like a
+billowing cape behind its claws. Marvelo jumps to the side at the
+last moment, firing another shot right into the creature's chest
+while in midair, and lands on the ground.
+
+Now prone and helpless on the floor, he looks up as the beast looms
+over him. It screeches and falls on top of him, shoving its slender
+hands into his mouth. Marvelo's muffled screams become pitiful
+whimpers as the creature pulls out teeth by the handful and crams
+them into its own mouth.
+
+WHAT DO YOU DO?
diff --git a/www/index.html b/www/index.html
index 0e2fe93..97a9e09 100644
--- a/www/index.html
+++ b/www/index.html
@@ -259,6 +259,10 @@
   summary p {
     display: inline;
   }
+  li:has(> input[checked]) {
+    text-decoration: line-through;
+    color: lightgray;
+  }
   </style>
   <!--[if lt IE 9]>
     <script src="//cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/html5shiv/3.7.3/html5shiv-printshiv.min.js"></script>
@@ -292,6 +296,7 @@
 <li><a href="#00066" id="toc-00066">00066</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00067" id="toc-00067">00067</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00068" id="toc-00068">00068</a></li>
+<li><a href="#00069" id="toc-00069">00069</a></li>
 </ul></li>
 <li><a href="#afterword" id="toc-afterword">Afterword</a></li>
 <li><a href="#appendix-a-dramatis-personae"
@@ -365,10 +370,10 @@ into the <a href="#current-story">current story arc</a>.</p>
 you can <a href="https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml">subscribe to
 the rss feed</a>.</p>
 <h2 id="stats">Stats</h2>
-<p>Total length: 87969 words / 375 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
+<p>Total length: 89395 words / 382 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
 length of this entire page, including all the extra bits and bobs. Not
 just the story.)</p>
-<p>There have been 236 messages posted over 231 days since the first
+<p>There have been 238 messages posted over 233 days since the first
 post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.02.</p>
 <h2 id="chapter-1">Chapter 1</h2>
 <p>This is the first installment of BASEMENT QUEST.</p>
@@ -7392,6 +7397,141 @@ red standard has been</code></pre>
 <p>You can suddenly hear an ominous wind whistling outside the club and
 battering at the windows.</p>
 <p>“Well?” Balvin prompts. “What do you do?”</p>
+<h3 id="00069">00069</h3>
+<blockquote>
+<p>Inky offers the cat person a bemused half-smile, then turns to the
+sysorcerer. “We hope you are well. Young Master Alex has been searching
+for you. He had planned on coming, but had to attend to an urgent matter
+on short notice.”</p>
+<p>A pause, then Inky slides an open envelope — a plain affair with a
+grid of tiny blue dots, and a single sheet of a similar pattern inside —
+across the table towards the wizard. They continue, “If there is
+anything you wish to tell him, you can write it in a language only you
+two understand and seal the envelope. This one will do their best to
+pass on the message.” They wave another identical envelope, indicating
+the message will be copied once sealed before pocketing it again.</p>
+<p>“If you do decide to write, please do it promptly. This one will be
+departing shortly, and the envelope in front of you will disappear,”
+they inform the sysorcerer with an apologetic look and a tinge of
+sadness.</p>
+<p>To the self-proclaimed double agent, Inky replies, “Thanks for the
+information. Master Alex will be positively ecstatic with the news.”
+They send the hobbit a lopsided smile. “Nevertheless, you will
+understand if the party would like to consider your proposal further
+before providing an answer. Haste makes waste, as proverbs say. Perhaps
+your pirate captain would agree. My condolences.”</p>
+<p>Ignoring the proffered dice, Inky bids the group at the table good
+evening and exits the club by the same route with which they had
+entered, trying to stave off the growing unease at the back of their
+mind.</p>
+<p>~</p>
+<p>Three corridors later, one with a high vaulted ceiling away from the
+din of the gambling club, Inky slows their brisk trot and hands Fuko the
+envelope. The owl grips the item, dives down and drops it onto the thick
+carpet. She places the back of one feet lightly over a corner of the
+envelope, deftly slicing open the top layer along one edge with a claw.
+Working quickly, she pulls out the contents with her beak, smoothing out
+the sheet with a brush of her wings. Next, she flies in a slow circle
+above the papers a few times before descending again upon the papers and
+dragging them into a cake tin. Finally, the bird pops the lid over the
+container, where the paper within turns into dry compost.</p>
+<p>“It’s confidential. Please do not decode.” Inky says as a reminder
+from their spot near the end of the corridor.</p>
+<p>Fuko levels an unimpressed look at her companion, as if to say,
+<em>Yes, for the twenty-fourth time.</em> Inky smiles back at her and
+asks, “Is your <em>boss</em> satisfied now?” The smile widens briefly at
+the indignant screech and clicks in response, then vanish as the events
+of the past few moments caught up to them again. Here in a hallway
+brightly lit by glow lamps away from any windows, the howling winds are
+a distant echo, but it did not stop Inky from wondering.</p>
+<p>It had been a risk, dallying around longer to give the elder wizard
+time to say his piece in writing. No one could have missed the
+disappointment written clearly on his face when he realised his nephew
+hadn’t come. Now, from Fuko’s sparse recount of what their tails had
+found, the candle had burned down, releasing something somewhere, yet
+none of the others had woken up. It would appear that Master Alex had
+not left the Dreaming at all, but was in another area doing
+Neddas-only-knows-what.</p>
+<p>They stare up at the large central chandelier in the next room with
+thousands of crystal beads that gleam like tiny droplets suspended in
+the air. Orange shirt and blue shorts have since been replaced with a
+red brimmed hat and blue duffel coat, the drawstring pouch tied below
+the collar, and running shoes with red rain boots. The mess of ginger
+hair is trimmed to a caramel crop.</p>
+<p>When the owl settles again on their shoulder, stirring Inky from
+their thoughts, they collect the cake tin, remove the lid and look
+inside. From a pocket of their coat, they pull out three seeds and nudge
+them with two fingers into the soil. Descending a flight of stairs, Inky
+sets the dousojin, grown to the size of a boulder, and the tin on a side
+table. They pour seaweed tea into the tin from a glass bottle, then
+refill the bottle with small fish-shaped crackers, corking and placing
+it beside the tin.</p>
+<p>“Thank you, Great Spirit. This useless one will take their leave now,
+and apologises if they have accidentally ‘left the door open’ for
+something to blow in that should not be here.” Inky says.</p>
+<p>They turn to the great horned owl. “Impeccable as ever, both of you.
+Thanks for coming along tonight. You may go, Fuko. When you wake
+yourself or with Futa’s help, please get into the carrier as quickly as
+you can, activate the connection and leave immediately. Sever it as soon
+as you arrive safely. Forget about pulling off the patch under my
+forearm, it can be delivered later, or he can have the body sent over
+eventually. Leave and don’t look back.” Then, more airily, “Should we
+meet again, Inky the Insolent shall bring you a large ‘rat at two eels’.
+How’s that for a handsome reward?”</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>~</p>
+<blockquote>
+<p>Alex takes the amulet solemnly “Alright, now that’s something I can
+believe in.” he says as he turns the locket over in his hand. The golden
+veins shimmer and pulse inside of the pale blue. Alex dons the necklace,
+noting that the stone is warm, almost exactly body temperature. “Alright
+Neddas, you’ve got yourself a deal. I’ll finish assembling the crystals,
+we’ll haul you back out to Basementaria. And it sounds like we’re
+cracking a few eggs along the way thanks to this”.</p>
+<p>The howling interrupts, growing louder, becoming a cacaphony of
+tormented banshee wails. The gray expanse of sand fills with a vile
+wind, a thick almost physical wall of dark black smog closes in. Neddas,
+is nowhere to be found.</p>
+<p>Alex dips down and scoops up the little Katsuva, tucking him into the
+ruck sack at his side. “Hang tight little guy, I think the ride out of
+here’s going to get bumpy..”</p>
+<p>In a single swift motion Alex pulls back the bolt on his AK74u and
+levels it at the smog, letting loose a sustained volley of gunfire.
+Bullets whiz with a defeaning RATATATAT. While laying down suppressing
+fire, he pulls the little console back up to his side with a short wave
+of the hand. A single command is all he needs here.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>When Alex pulls up his terminal he sees a notification blinking in
+the corner of the screen. A message from Corraidhín?</p>
+<p>The howling wind abruptly stops and the smog quickly dissipates.</p>
+<p>~</p>
+<p>In the fish market, Alex and Inky both wake with a start, gasping for
+breath as though drowning.</p>
+<p>It is dark. The lights are all out but it looks as through Marvelo
+has dropped some flairs on the ground. They fill the room with an eerie,
+crackling red glow.</p>
+<p>It is not quiet. The antiques dealer / spymaster has a couple of
+cords of rope and a couple loose blankets coiled around his arms and
+legs. He is shaking them off while screaming obscenities and repeatedly
+firing a blaster pistol at a large, roaring abomination standing in the
+center of the room.</p>
+<p>The nightmare has an almost fetal-looking head with a long, bulbous
+skull that looks far too large for its body. A single eye glares
+malevolently from the center of its small face. Oily feathers drip from
+a thin, sagging membrane that runs from wrist to ankle. Its leathery
+skin cracks and oozes from repeated shots to the torso from Marvelo’s
+blaster, but it seems unbothered by the attack.</p>
+<p>It screeches and lunges forward and swings one massive arm at
+Marvelo. Its leathery, feathery wing slices through the air like a
+billowing cape behind its claws. Marvelo jumps to the side at the last
+moment, firing another shot right into the creature’s chest while in
+midair, and lands on the ground.</p>
+<p>Now prone and helpless on the floor, he looks up as the beast looms
+over him. It screeches and falls on top of him, shoving its slender
+hands into his mouth. Marvelo’s muffled screams become pitiful whimpers
+as the creature pulls out teeth by the handful and crams them into its
+own mouth.</p>
+<p>WHAT DO YOU DO?</p>
 <h2 id="afterword">Afterword</h2>
 <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
diff --git a/www/rss.xml b/www/rss.xml
index 33e17f4..1c0a09e 100644
--- a/www/rss.xml
+++ b/www/rss.xml
@@ -6,110 +6,81 @@
     <link>https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml</link>
     <description>Friends having ADVENTURES! Huzzah!</description>
     <item>
-      <title>62</title>
+      <title>60</title>
       <author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
-      <guid isPermaLink="false">62 - Sun, 12 Feb 2023 08:57:51
+      <guid isPermaLink="false">60 - Tue, 31 Jan 2023 19:11:47
 -0700</guid>
-      <pubDate>Sun, 12 Feb 2023 08:57:51 -0700</pubDate>
+      <pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2023 19:11:48 -0700</pubDate>
       <description>
         <![CDATA[
-          <h3 id="00062">00062</h3>
+          <h3 id="00060">00060</h3>
           <blockquote>
-          <p>One moment, Inky is half-asleep on their feet in the middle
-          of Branch Avenue. In the next, they are reclining in a banana
-          boat that resembles a canoe painted with long stripes of
-          yellow and white with deep brown swipes. The s’more interior
-          padding is soft, yet with the suppleness of fruit leather. A
-          few round, matching brown mini-cushions are strewn across the
-          boat interior. Also in the boat are two silver spoon paddles,
-          more for looks than cooks.</p>
-          <p>They don’t know where the boat came from. Things just
-          appear. Like that Red Squirrel. Inky moves to holler a
-          greeting, but instead recites:</p>
-          <pre><code>&quot;sgb rpthqqbk hr qba sgb fgnrsr dktb
-sgb qnkkr rwbbs uma rn uqb ynt
-sgnt uqs ly fthahmf rsuq ul h sghmb
-h rbb vbqhky ly utrohehntr rhfm
-sgb kns wur snrra uma sgbm h aqbw
-uma cnqstmb ruha hs rgnta db ynt ott&quot;[1]</code></pre>
-          <pre><code>[1]:
-&quot;The squirrel is red, the ghost&#39;s blue,
-The roll&#39;s sweet, and so are you.
-Thou art my guiding star, am I thine?
-I see verily my auspicious sign:
-The lot was toss&#39;d and then I drew,
-And Fortune said it shou&#39;d be you. Puu.&quot;</code></pre>
+          <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 &#39;*acron*&#39; -exec mv /home/squirrel { } \</code></pre>
           </blockquote>
-          <p>~</p>
-          <blockquote>
-          <p>While Inky boards her banana boat and recites poetry to the
-          maddened squirrel, Alex springs to action leaping blithely
-          from the branch towards the squirrel. Beneath him manifests a
-          cockpit, sleek and futuristic. Around this materializes a
-          large robotic weapon, octopus-oid in shape. The many tentacles
-          bristle with weapons both fearsome and deadly.</p>
-          <p>Alex grabs the controls, in one tentacle he latches onto
-          the banana boat, that way he won’t accidentally get separated
-          from Inky. With the other seven a series of feathers appear in
-          every brilliant hue. The tentacle attached to the boat unfurls
-          allowing Alex to draw closer to the squirrel. As the gap
-          closes the most intense tickle fight the dream world has ever
-          seen ensues, bringing joyous laughter to the faces of
-          many.</p>
-          <p>“Inky, if we need to get out of here, just jet it! That
-          tentacle will yank the control pod and me with it!”</p>
-          </blockquote>
-          <p>Alex basically becomes a Mech pilot, and confronts the Red
-          Squirrel head on with the Octopod.</p>
-          <p>You engage in the tickle fight to end all tickle
-          fights!</p>
-          <p>Its eight arms are more than a match for the squirrels
-          eight legs. You have the advantage of reach, entanglement, and
-          sucker pads. It struggles in your grasp, gnashing its terrible
-          teeth, but cannot reach you. Its long tail whips around
-          ineffectively, battering you softly.</p>
-          <p>The agitated squirrel squeals and swells like a red
-          balloon. The mech’s tentacles struggle to contain it. Just as
-          the strain on the machine is about to become unbearable, the
-          rodent violently deflates. It collapses in on itself with such
-          ferocity that it turns itself inside out. The octopod, all
-          tangled up in the collapsing squirrel, is pulled along as it
-          folds in on itself until it becomes a hungry void the size of
-          a marble, floating in space and sucking at the air.</p>
-          <p>Inky watches from the banana boat as Alex and the squirrel
-          disappear from the Silver Forest. The squirrel portal finally
-          closes in on itself, severing the banana boat from the octopus
-          mecha at the last possible second. Inky on this side. Alex on
-          the other.</p>
-          <p>Alex, you and the wreckage of the octopod are vomited out
-          onto a sandy beach. Red mist and vapors dissipate from your
-          entry point. Before you is a vast ocean, lapping lazily at the
-          beach. The shoreline extends endlessly in both directions.
-          Behind you are endless sand dunes. Though there is no sun, the
-          sky seems to hover at sunset, all brilliant, swirling oranges
-          and purples.</p>
-          <p>A lone humanoid figure can be seen standing atop a nearby
-          dune. It is tall. It has legs like a goat or fawn, and a
-          paunchy belly. Its long neck protrudes into a kind of trunk
-          that eventually folds over and hangs down in front of the
-          creature, about chest height. It terminates in a smooth, round
-          nub. No face. It wears a small satchel at its hip, its strap
-          slung over one shoulder and across its chest. Its long arms
-          hand loosely at its sides. Despite the lack of a face and any
-          sensory organs, it seems to be watching you. Slowly, it
-          descends the dune and starts walking toward you. It reaches
-          into its satchel and draws a long, sharp knife as it
-          approaches.</p>
-          <p>Inky, you are in the banana boat in the Silver Forest. The
-          turtle that was a chipmunk has holed up in its shell,
-          effectively just a sticky bun.</p>
-          <p>“You wanted to see me,” intones a slightly muffled voice
-          behind you. A statement, not a question. You turn to see a
-          figure cloaked in shadows and demons. They wear a domed helmet
-          of black obsidian glass, flashes of rainbow colored light
-          crackling along the inside illuminating very little of the
-          smoke-filled interior.</p>
-          <p>“What is it you seek from Dude 215R?”</p>
+          <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>
@@ -615,6 +586,440 @@ Agent 5 found the melon vendor dead in a back alley, strangled to death, not imm
         ]]>
       </description>
     </item>
+    <item>
+      <title>68</title>
+      <author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
+      <guid isPermaLink="false">68 - Wed, 01 Mar 2023 18:14:47
+-0700</guid>
+      <pubDate>Wed, 01 Mar 2023 18:14:47 -0700</pubDate>
+      <description>
+        <![CDATA[
+          <h3 id="00068">00068</h3>
+          <p>The fingertips of the Nyxmaer graze the eye and an eldritch
+          wind begins to howl inside the fish market.</p>
+          <p>It whips around and around inside the ritual circle,
+          flipping blankets and tossing pillows. The dreamers also toss
+          and turn in their sleep, but still do not wake. The foul wind
+          tugs at their hair and at their clothing.</p>
+          <p>The small candles around the edge of the circle go out,
+          plunging the room into near darkness. The dark flame of the
+          demon candle sputters.</p>
+          <p>The wind screams as it pushes through the small smudged gap
+          in the circle and out onto the floor of the market. It coils
+          around Rind’s feet and teases at the hem of the child’s dress.
+          It ruffles the duck’s feathers.</p>
+          <p>The fingertips flick over the eye, caress it, draw it
+          close. And finally its fist closes tightly around it.</p>
+          <p>The last candle goes out, plunging the room into darkness.
+          The wind and the sirens stop all at once, and in the silence
+          all that can be heard is the steady rain outside.</p>
+          <blockquote>
+          <p>“Look Trine or not, I need a little more than this. I ain’t
+          nobodies errand boy, and insofar as I can tell either the Gods
+          are dead, or they haven’t given a rats ass about me or anyone
+          else. What’s more, you’re claiming to be some sort of
+          divinity, yet you can only manifest here amongst my
+          nightmares, the same ones I learned years ago to shut out. You
+          never forget the face of your first mark, but what they don’t
+          tell you is it doesn’t have to haunt you either.” Alex looks
+          directly at the apparition.</p>
+          <p>“But I’m reasonable too. Give me some proof you say what
+          you are. You say you have power to share? Well power I need. I
+          have people to protect, and an unclue to rescue. I’ll be
+          damned if I let anything happen to them. Yet here I am, stuck
+          in this god firsaken place chittering away with my own
+          subconcious getting attacked by freaking mushrooms
+          people.”</p>
+          <p>“Just give it to me straight Neddas, what assistance are
+          you offering, and what must I give in return? If you an
+          guarantee me a way to protect those close to me, I don’t give
+          a rats ass about the rest.”</p>
+          </blockquote>
+          <p>Neddas silently holds your gaze for a long moment.</p>
+          <p>“What you ask of me is fair, since I am asking so much of
+          you.”</p>
+          <p>They hold out their hands and present you with a stone
+          amulet. It slightly resembles the Ginnarak Crystals. Much
+          smaller. And more almond shaped than melon shaped. But it is
+          the same shade of blue, with the same veins of slightly
+          pulsating gold throughout. It hangs from a fine chain of small
+          silver links.</p>
+          <p>“As long as this stone is in your possession, you will find
+          you have the courage to do what you think is right. Be aware
+          that it is a piece of me. And those who know about it will try
+          to take it from you.”</p>
+          <p>In the distance you can hear alarms and terrible moans
+          carried on a howling wind.</p>
+          <p>~</p>
+          <p>Corraidhín impatiently flips over the first three tumbrot
+          cards in front of Inky:</p>
+          <ol type="1">
+          <li><p>A tall man looks from a battlemented roof over sea and
+          shore; he holds a globe in his right hand, while a staff in
+          his left rests on the battlement; another is fixed in a ring.
+          The Rose and Cross and Lily should be noticed on the left
+          side.</p></li>
+          <li><p>Strange chalices of vision, but the images are more
+          especially those of the fantastic spirit.</p></li>
+          <li><p>A ferryman carrying passengers in his punt to the
+          further shore. The course is smooth, and seeing that the
+          freight is light, it may be noted that the work is not beyond
+          his strength.</p></li>
+          </ol>
+          <p>Felixe the Cat passes the two six-sided tumbrot dice to
+          Inky and recites a small pome for the inkling:</p>
+          <blockquote>
+          <pre><code>In the superior world it is
+A young man, leaning on his
+to indicate therein. It is
+speaking, to the traditional
+red standard has been</code></pre>
+          </blockquote>
+          <p>You can suddenly hear an ominous wind whistling outside the
+          club and battering at the windows.</p>
+          <p>“Well?” Balvin prompts. “What do you do?”</p>
+        ]]>
+      </description>
+    </item>
+    <item>
+      <title>58</title>
+      <author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
+      <guid isPermaLink="false">58 - Sat, 21 Jan 2023 16:24:45
+-0700</guid>
+      <pubDate>Sun, 29 Jan 2023 11:02:32 -0700</pubDate>
+      <description>
+        <![CDATA[
+          <h3 id="00058">00058</h3>
+          <blockquote>
+          <p><em>(A week prior)</em></p>
+          <p>The secretary collected the stack of papers that had
+          accumulated at one corner of the desk. “This might help,” she
+          said, setting down a bundle of herbs with white and pink
+          flowers in place of the papers.</p>
+          <p>Inky stared at the blooms, hands stilled over the owl’s
+          plumage. “Oh! Thanks. Good thinking, really. It’ll help make
+          the stench more bearable when they find the remains.”</p>
+          <p>The grey elf was confused for a moment, then mortified as
+          the words sank in. “That’s not what I meant! It’s for the
+          circle,” she clarified.</p>
+          <p>Seeing the imp’s preoccupied nod, she coughed lightly to
+          regain their attention, then spoke in a hushed voice.
+          “Beaker’s associates have picked up the empanada shop
+          proprietor and transported him to an undisclosed location.
+          There will be a retinue with him at all times.”</p>
+          <p>Inky seemed to visibly pull themselves back to the room
+          before responding, “Thank you, Salvia. One more thing — if I
+          do not return by the indicated time, please activate the
+          hitsuzen protocol. As precaution.”</p>
+          <p>The secretary looked at Inky in concern. “Is everything all
+          right? If you’re still troubled by the hotelier, accidents
+          happen. A single incident—”</p>
+          <p>“Third. An unidentified man was attacked at the docks. He
+          was probably sent to investigate the melon vendor. One of the
+          other stall owners heard him asking questions shortly after
+          the melon vendor disappeared.”</p>
+          <p>Salvia’s violet eyes narrowed. “What, the fruit vendor?
+          Didn’t the tabloids say it was an accident? He tried to get
+          rid of a neighbor’s nest of snakes.”</p>
+          <p>Inky only raised an eyebrow at her.</p>
+          <p>The secretary let out a low curse. “You didn’t tell her.
+          You didn’t want her to worry,” she said aloud in realization.
+          She sighed. “She’s going to be pretty angry with you when she
+          finds out, you know.”</p>
+          <p>Inky offered her a sardonic smile. “Making people angry is
+          my job. You of all people know this well. In the event of my
+          timely demise I’m sure the others would find it cause for a
+          grand celebration.” They replied matter-of-factly before
+          returning to smoothing the feathers of one bird wing.</p>
+          <p>Salvia shook her head vehemently. “That’s not true. You’ll
+          make it back, Ink. What then—”</p>
+          <p>“Then our fair Lady’s ire would be the least of the
+          problems.”</p>
+          </blockquote>
+          <p>~</p>
+          <blockquote>
+          <p>Alex stared morosely into his cup of coffee. He’d received
+          word of agent 5’s demise that morning, and had been the only
+          thing on his mind since. 5, no Be’tram knew the risks, we all
+          knew the risks defying HQ brought, but to happen so suddenly?
+          He’d snuck down to the wharf once he’d heard, making sure to
+          cover his tracks and dodge any potential witnesses. He even
+          managed to slip past the police cordon they’d setup around the
+          body. What he’d found wasn’t pretty, it looked like Be’Tram
+          had suffered in his final moments. The bruising around his
+          neck pointed to strangulation, with some sort of cloth,
+          perhaps a rope. The bruising was deep, and there wasn’t a cut,
+          burn, shot or something of the likes on his otherwise.</p>
+          <p>The kill had been intimate.</p>
+          <p>Alex had worked quickly that night, popping Be’Tram’s eye
+          had been hard, but he’d of wanted Alex to have it. Behind his
+          right eye was a recording device, it could only catch the last
+          15m or so of what he had seen, but it would give him a clear
+          look at what had happened. And potentially lead Alex to the
+          killer. Miserable business, but Be’Tram knew it could make a
+          difference.</p>
+          <p>Alex had planted a bomb on the body after he had extracted
+          the eye, and made his way well away from the area before it
+          went off obliterating the remains. A regrettable end for an
+          old friend, but it was too dangerous to leave.</p>
+          <p>And then there was the matter of the zabbix alert, a little
+          purple red critical for the sewer hideout. He’d had time to
+          send out a drone beetle. The smoldering slag that was left was
+          reassuring. Most of the equipment was utterly destroyed, racks
+          upon racks of servers reduced to twisted melted metal. The
+          effectively of the destruction was delightful, in a sick sort
+          of desperate way. Alex felt assured that most if not all of
+          the equipment was useless, but this spelled the end of a
+          valuable listening outpost. And whoever had done it wasn’t
+          part of the slag pile.</p>
+          <p>Alex stood up, his coffee untouched. The cafe around his
+          burbled in quiet excitement. The city had lit up since the
+          Melon vendor’s death. A thousand rumors abounded about it, but
+          none of them held true; some said the city had become
+          dangerous, a crime syndicate had arisen in the neighboring
+          city block another thought, and did you hear about the
+          explosion at the wharf the other night, the city was electric,
+          yet somehow ever so slightly off the pulse of the issue.</p>
+          <p>As Alex stepped away a woman with horn rimmed glasses
+          strode past the table he had just abandoned, deftly pulling
+          the note from beneath the coffee cup, left for her.</p>
+          <pre><code>4 -&gt; 3
+Daylight breaks on the morrow
+The suns rays make chase
+casting soft cloth
+across the nap of nature&#39;s neck
+
+So, night relents and gives way
+biding time until
+it can rule
+in its own domain</code></pre>
+          <p>For the passerby, it was but a bit of poetry, scribbled
+          carelessly on the back of a napkin in a coffee near the wharf.
+          But for Agent 3 it was a warning, one part notes on Agent 5s
+          demise recovered from his eyecam, one part orders; stay low
+          and we’ll strike these bastards from the shadows, on our
+          terms, on our ground. Similar missives were delivered to
+          Agents 6 &amp; 7. The numbers were dwindling rapidly, even
+          just one agent lost was hard to stomach.</p>
+          <p>Alex hand gripped the pistol in his coat pocket with a
+          white knuckled grip as he stepped from the coffee shop into
+          the city. Whatever was after him, whatever had gotten to
+          Be’Tram, it had better know he was coming, and he’d happily
+          send it straight to hell. HQ be damned, the rules be damned,
+          this little game of cat and mouse had just gotten
+          personal.</p>
+          </blockquote>
+          <p>~</p>
+          <blockquote>
+          <p>Alex, Inky, Confidence, Bread, and Agent 7 find themselves
+          in a dark backroom in a secluded corner of an old fish
+          processing plant on the wharf. The accommodations are rough,
+          and the stench is abhorrent, but it’s the best that could be
+          procured in a pinch. And it should provide enough
+          seclusion.</p>
+          <p>The backroom is like that of many factories, high up near
+          the ceiling, a single rusty rickety staircase winds its way
+          along the side of the building for what seems to be 3 flights,
+          before it reaches a metal room with dusty grimy windows, and a
+          single steel door. The windows on the interior overlook the
+          fish processing plant, where rows of belts and machinery stand
+          still, covered in dust and long forgotten blood. You’re glad
+          to know that the factory stopped operating years ago, hygiene
+          is lacking in every sense.</p>
+          <p>Alex stares forlornly out the exterior windows, the sky is
+          a grey overcast, it matches his mood perfectly. He didn’t like
+          what him and Inky were about to do, but they didn’t have much
+          they could do about it. They would be vulnerable for the
+          duration of the ritual. But Agent 7 and Confidence were there
+          to help mitigate that risk. Alex and Agent 7 had taken every
+          precaution they could think of.</p>
+          <p>The plant floor was scattered with booby traps, trip wires,
+          and alarms. The other agents were laying low, but kept drones
+          around the wharf feeding in a network of twtxt data back to
+          Agent 7 for recon. And that was on top of the double barred
+          steel doors, and reinforced glass box they’d chosen as their
+          hide out. Meticulously planned, Alex expected no less from
+          Agent 7.</p>
+          <p>See Marvelo had been at this as long as Alex had, and then
+          some. He was sharp as a tack, with an animal-like third sense
+          that came from years of close calls. He was, simply put, the
+          right man for the job, when that job was keeping your
+          unconscious ass alive.</p>
+          <p>Alex turns away from the window and addresses Inky.
+          “Apologies for the smell, it turns out there’s a strong
+          correlation between disgust and seclusion, but I believe we
+          should at least be safe here. Safer than we would have been
+          back home. I’m ready if you are, as ready as I’ll ever be that
+          is.”</p>
+          </blockquote>
+          <p>The Golden Iris have summoned you to appear at the Harpoon
+          Club this evening. But the Harpoon Club is nowhere to be found
+          on this plane of existence. It won’t appear until a week and a
+          half from now, on the last day of the month.</p>
+          <p>Confidence the Guide has predicted exactly where the
+          Wandering Bazaar will be on that day. With a small bucket of
+          red paint and a large brush, he has drawn a Linking Sigil on
+          the ground at the location. He sits nearby, making sure
+          careless passersby and mischievous kids don’t disturb it, but
+          otherwise letting the sigil absorb the energies of the bustle
+          of shopping and commerce.</p>
+          <p>At the fish market, Marvelo is posted outside. He keeps
+          vigilant watch, alert to every movement and disturbance.</p>
+          <p>And inside, Bread, Inky, Fuko, and Alex are huddled up in
+          the office in the back near the ceiling. They all sit inside a
+          dark circle that has been smudged on the floor with a paste
+          made of ash and salt. Painted on the ground is a second
+          Linking Sigil, connecting this spot to Confidence’s, allowing
+          the energies of the two locations to co-mingle. There is also
+          the Dream Sigil, which will connect this place to the
+          Dreaming.</p>
+          <p>Bread the Host is propped up on some pillows and cushions
+          in the center of the circle, next to the Nyxmaer. The candle
+          is alleged to be made of the flesh and fat of a certain
+          nightmare. Its hand and eye bound in the wax. The Dream Sigil
+          is the door, but the Nyxmaer is the key. The catalyst that
+          will cause all of the otherwise inert metaphysical particles
+          to become volatile and reactive. It is what will allow you to
+          actually pass over and arrive on the shores of the Sea of
+          Dreams.</p>
+          <p>Per the shop witch’s instructions, the Nyxmaer has been
+          placed on a thin, hard tin plate. As the candle burns, the wax
+          will soften and eventually allow the large metal nail in its
+          side to fall. When it strikes the plate, you will awaken,
+          exiting the Dreaming. You expect hours may pass in the realm
+          of sleep. But only about thirty minutes will pass here.</p>
+          <p>Inky and Alex sit inside the circle, near the perimeter,
+          facing Bread in the center. Fuko the owl sits at Inky’s
+          side.</p>
+          <p>It is dim. You are illuminated by mundane, non-magical
+          candles set around the edges of the circle. Outside, a steady
+          rain beats on the roof and the windows of the building. The
+          smell of fish is faint but ever-present. A constant reminder
+          of the small creatures that have left their bodies in a
+          fashion far more permanent and irreversible than the
+          separation of spirit and body you are about to experience. You
+          hope.</p>
+          <p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
+          <ul>
+          <li><p>How do you induce a deep and powerful slumber in
+          Bread?</p></li>
+          <li><p>What shape or form will you take when you arrive in the
+          Dreaming?</p></li>
+          <li><p>What are you secretly worried or hopeful about being
+          exposed in the dreamland, the realm of metaphor?</p></li>
+          </ul>
+        ]]>
+      </description>
+    </item>
+    <item>
+      <title>62</title>
+      <author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
+      <guid isPermaLink="false">62 - Sun, 12 Feb 2023 08:57:51
+-0700</guid>
+      <pubDate>Sun, 12 Feb 2023 08:57:51 -0700</pubDate>
+      <description>
+        <![CDATA[
+          <h3 id="00062">00062</h3>
+          <blockquote>
+          <p>One moment, Inky is half-asleep on their feet in the middle
+          of Branch Avenue. In the next, they are reclining in a banana
+          boat that resembles a canoe painted with long stripes of
+          yellow and white with deep brown swipes. The s’more interior
+          padding is soft, yet with the suppleness of fruit leather. A
+          few round, matching brown mini-cushions are strewn across the
+          boat interior. Also in the boat are two silver spoon paddles,
+          more for looks than cooks.</p>
+          <p>They don’t know where the boat came from. Things just
+          appear. Like that Red Squirrel. Inky moves to holler a
+          greeting, but instead recites:</p>
+          <pre><code>&quot;sgb rpthqqbk hr qba sgb fgnrsr dktb
+sgb qnkkr rwbbs uma rn uqb ynt
+sgnt uqs ly fthahmf rsuq ul h sghmb
+h rbb vbqhky ly utrohehntr rhfm
+sgb kns wur snrra uma sgbm h aqbw
+uma cnqstmb ruha hs rgnta db ynt ott&quot;[1]</code></pre>
+          <pre><code>[1]:
+&quot;The squirrel is red, the ghost&#39;s blue,
+The roll&#39;s sweet, and so are you.
+Thou art my guiding star, am I thine?
+I see verily my auspicious sign:
+The lot was toss&#39;d and then I drew,
+And Fortune said it shou&#39;d be you. Puu.&quot;</code></pre>
+          </blockquote>
+          <p>~</p>
+          <blockquote>
+          <p>While Inky boards her banana boat and recites poetry to the
+          maddened squirrel, Alex springs to action leaping blithely
+          from the branch towards the squirrel. Beneath him manifests a
+          cockpit, sleek and futuristic. Around this materializes a
+          large robotic weapon, octopus-oid in shape. The many tentacles
+          bristle with weapons both fearsome and deadly.</p>
+          <p>Alex grabs the controls, in one tentacle he latches onto
+          the banana boat, that way he won’t accidentally get separated
+          from Inky. With the other seven a series of feathers appear in
+          every brilliant hue. The tentacle attached to the boat unfurls
+          allowing Alex to draw closer to the squirrel. As the gap
+          closes the most intense tickle fight the dream world has ever
+          seen ensues, bringing joyous laughter to the faces of
+          many.</p>
+          <p>“Inky, if we need to get out of here, just jet it! That
+          tentacle will yank the control pod and me with it!”</p>
+          </blockquote>
+          <p>Alex basically becomes a Mech pilot, and confronts the Red
+          Squirrel head on with the Octopod.</p>
+          <p>You engage in the tickle fight to end all tickle
+          fights!</p>
+          <p>Its eight arms are more than a match for the squirrels
+          eight legs. You have the advantage of reach, entanglement, and
+          sucker pads. It struggles in your grasp, gnashing its terrible
+          teeth, but cannot reach you. Its long tail whips around
+          ineffectively, battering you softly.</p>
+          <p>The agitated squirrel squeals and swells like a red
+          balloon. The mech’s tentacles struggle to contain it. Just as
+          the strain on the machine is about to become unbearable, the
+          rodent violently deflates. It collapses in on itself with such
+          ferocity that it turns itself inside out. The octopod, all
+          tangled up in the collapsing squirrel, is pulled along as it
+          folds in on itself until it becomes a hungry void the size of
+          a marble, floating in space and sucking at the air.</p>
+          <p>Inky watches from the banana boat as Alex and the squirrel
+          disappear from the Silver Forest. The squirrel portal finally
+          closes in on itself, severing the banana boat from the octopus
+          mecha at the last possible second. Inky on this side. Alex on
+          the other.</p>
+          <p>Alex, you and the wreckage of the octopod are vomited out
+          onto a sandy beach. Red mist and vapors dissipate from your
+          entry point. Before you is a vast ocean, lapping lazily at the
+          beach. The shoreline extends endlessly in both directions.
+          Behind you are endless sand dunes. Though there is no sun, the
+          sky seems to hover at sunset, all brilliant, swirling oranges
+          and purples.</p>
+          <p>A lone humanoid figure can be seen standing atop a nearby
+          dune. It is tall. It has legs like a goat or fawn, and a
+          paunchy belly. Its long neck protrudes into a kind of trunk
+          that eventually folds over and hangs down in front of the
+          creature, about chest height. It terminates in a smooth, round
+          nub. No face. It wears a small satchel at its hip, its strap
+          slung over one shoulder and across its chest. Its long arms
+          hand loosely at its sides. Despite the lack of a face and any
+          sensory organs, it seems to be watching you. Slowly, it
+          descends the dune and starts walking toward you. It reaches
+          into its satchel and draws a long, sharp knife as it
+          approaches.</p>
+          <p>Inky, you are in the banana boat in the Silver Forest. The
+          turtle that was a chipmunk has holed up in its shell,
+          effectively just a sticky bun.</p>
+          <p>“You wanted to see me,” intones a slightly muffled voice
+          behind you. A statement, not a question. You turn to see a
+          figure cloaked in shadows and demons. They wear a domed helmet
+          of black obsidian glass, flashes of rainbow colored light
+          crackling along the inside illuminating very little of the
+          smoke-filled interior.</p>
+          <p>“What is it you seek from Dude 215R?”</p>
+          <p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
+        ]]>
+      </description>
+    </item>
     <item>
       <title>67</title>
       <author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
@@ -1071,331 +1476,6 @@ Agent 5 found the melon vendor dead in a back alley, strangled to death, not imm
         ]]>
       </description>
     </item>
-    <item>
-      <title>58</title>
-      <author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
-      <guid isPermaLink="false">58 - Sat, 21 Jan 2023 16:24:45
--0700</guid>
-      <pubDate>Sun, 29 Jan 2023 11:02:32 -0700</pubDate>
-      <description>
-        <![CDATA[
-          <h3 id="00058">00058</h3>
-          <blockquote>
-          <p><em>(A week prior)</em></p>
-          <p>The secretary collected the stack of papers that had
-          accumulated at one corner of the desk. “This might help,” she
-          said, setting down a bundle of herbs with white and pink
-          flowers in place of the papers.</p>
-          <p>Inky stared at the blooms, hands stilled over the owl’s
-          plumage. “Oh! Thanks. Good thinking, really. It’ll help make
-          the stench more bearable when they find the remains.”</p>
-          <p>The grey elf was confused for a moment, then mortified as
-          the words sank in. “That’s not what I meant! It’s for the
-          circle,” she clarified.</p>
-          <p>Seeing the imp’s preoccupied nod, she coughed lightly to
-          regain their attention, then spoke in a hushed voice.
-          “Beaker’s associates have picked up the empanada shop
-          proprietor and transported him to an undisclosed location.
-          There will be a retinue with him at all times.”</p>
-          <p>Inky seemed to visibly pull themselves back to the room
-          before responding, “Thank you, Salvia. One more thing — if I
-          do not return by the indicated time, please activate the
-          hitsuzen protocol. As precaution.”</p>
-          <p>The secretary looked at Inky in concern. “Is everything all
-          right? If you’re still troubled by the hotelier, accidents
-          happen. A single incident—”</p>
-          <p>“Third. An unidentified man was attacked at the docks. He
-          was probably sent to investigate the melon vendor. One of the
-          other stall owners heard him asking questions shortly after
-          the melon vendor disappeared.”</p>
-          <p>Salvia’s violet eyes narrowed. “What, the fruit vendor?
-          Didn’t the tabloids say it was an accident? He tried to get
-          rid of a neighbor’s nest of snakes.”</p>
-          <p>Inky only raised an eyebrow at her.</p>
-          <p>The secretary let out a low curse. “You didn’t tell her.
-          You didn’t want her to worry,” she said aloud in realization.
-          She sighed. “She’s going to be pretty angry with you when she
-          finds out, you know.”</p>
-          <p>Inky offered her a sardonic smile. “Making people angry is
-          my job. You of all people know this well. In the event of my
-          timely demise I’m sure the others would find it cause for a
-          grand celebration.” They replied matter-of-factly before
-          returning to smoothing the feathers of one bird wing.</p>
-          <p>Salvia shook her head vehemently. “That’s not true. You’ll
-          make it back, Ink. What then—”</p>
-          <p>“Then our fair Lady’s ire would be the least of the
-          problems.”</p>
-          </blockquote>
-          <p>~</p>
-          <blockquote>
-          <p>Alex stared morosely into his cup of coffee. He’d received
-          word of agent 5’s demise that morning, and had been the only
-          thing on his mind since. 5, no Be’tram knew the risks, we all
-          knew the risks defying HQ brought, but to happen so suddenly?
-          He’d snuck down to the wharf once he’d heard, making sure to
-          cover his tracks and dodge any potential witnesses. He even
-          managed to slip past the police cordon they’d setup around the
-          body. What he’d found wasn’t pretty, it looked like Be’Tram
-          had suffered in his final moments. The bruising around his
-          neck pointed to strangulation, with some sort of cloth,
-          perhaps a rope. The bruising was deep, and there wasn’t a cut,
-          burn, shot or something of the likes on his otherwise.</p>
-          <p>The kill had been intimate.</p>
-          <p>Alex had worked quickly that night, popping Be’Tram’s eye
-          had been hard, but he’d of wanted Alex to have it. Behind his
-          right eye was a recording device, it could only catch the last
-          15m or so of what he had seen, but it would give him a clear
-          look at what had happened. And potentially lead Alex to the
-          killer. Miserable business, but Be’Tram knew it could make a
-          difference.</p>
-          <p>Alex had planted a bomb on the body after he had extracted
-          the eye, and made his way well away from the area before it
-          went off obliterating the remains. A regrettable end for an
-          old friend, but it was too dangerous to leave.</p>
-          <p>And then there was the matter of the zabbix alert, a little
-          purple red critical for the sewer hideout. He’d had time to
-          send out a drone beetle. The smoldering slag that was left was
-          reassuring. Most of the equipment was utterly destroyed, racks
-          upon racks of servers reduced to twisted melted metal. The
-          effectively of the destruction was delightful, in a sick sort
-          of desperate way. Alex felt assured that most if not all of
-          the equipment was useless, but this spelled the end of a
-          valuable listening outpost. And whoever had done it wasn’t
-          part of the slag pile.</p>
-          <p>Alex stood up, his coffee untouched. The cafe around his
-          burbled in quiet excitement. The city had lit up since the
-          Melon vendor’s death. A thousand rumors abounded about it, but
-          none of them held true; some said the city had become
-          dangerous, a crime syndicate had arisen in the neighboring
-          city block another thought, and did you hear about the
-          explosion at the wharf the other night, the city was electric,
-          yet somehow ever so slightly off the pulse of the issue.</p>
-          <p>As Alex stepped away a woman with horn rimmed glasses
-          strode past the table he had just abandoned, deftly pulling
-          the note from beneath the coffee cup, left for her.</p>
-          <pre><code>4 -&gt; 3
-Daylight breaks on the morrow
-The suns rays make chase
-casting soft cloth
-across the nap of nature&#39;s neck
-
-So, night relents and gives way
-biding time until
-it can rule
-in its own domain</code></pre>
-          <p>For the passerby, it was but a bit of poetry, scribbled
-          carelessly on the back of a napkin in a coffee near the wharf.
-          But for Agent 3 it was a warning, one part notes on Agent 5s
-          demise recovered from his eyecam, one part orders; stay low
-          and we’ll strike these bastards from the shadows, on our
-          terms, on our ground. Similar missives were delivered to
-          Agents 6 &amp; 7. The numbers were dwindling rapidly, even
-          just one agent lost was hard to stomach.</p>
-          <p>Alex hand gripped the pistol in his coat pocket with a
-          white knuckled grip as he stepped from the coffee shop into
-          the city. Whatever was after him, whatever had gotten to
-          Be’Tram, it had better know he was coming, and he’d happily
-          send it straight to hell. HQ be damned, the rules be damned,
-          this little game of cat and mouse had just gotten
-          personal.</p>
-          </blockquote>
-          <p>~</p>
-          <blockquote>
-          <p>Alex, Inky, Confidence, Bread, and Agent 7 find themselves
-          in a dark backroom in a secluded corner of an old fish
-          processing plant on the wharf. The accommodations are rough,
-          and the stench is abhorrent, but it’s the best that could be
-          procured in a pinch. And it should provide enough
-          seclusion.</p>
-          <p>The backroom is like that of many factories, high up near
-          the ceiling, a single rusty rickety staircase winds its way
-          along the side of the building for what seems to be 3 flights,
-          before it reaches a metal room with dusty grimy windows, and a
-          single steel door. The windows on the interior overlook the
-          fish processing plant, where rows of belts and machinery stand
-          still, covered in dust and long forgotten blood. You’re glad
-          to know that the factory stopped operating years ago, hygiene
-          is lacking in every sense.</p>
-          <p>Alex stares forlornly out the exterior windows, the sky is
-          a grey overcast, it matches his mood perfectly. He didn’t like
-          what him and Inky were about to do, but they didn’t have much
-          they could do about it. They would be vulnerable for the
-          duration of the ritual. But Agent 7 and Confidence were there
-          to help mitigate that risk. Alex and Agent 7 had taken every
-          precaution they could think of.</p>
-          <p>The plant floor was scattered with booby traps, trip wires,
-          and alarms. The other agents were laying low, but kept drones
-          around the wharf feeding in a network of twtxt data back to
-          Agent 7 for recon. And that was on top of the double barred
-          steel doors, and reinforced glass box they’d chosen as their
-          hide out. Meticulously planned, Alex expected no less from
-          Agent 7.</p>
-          <p>See Marvelo had been at this as long as Alex had, and then
-          some. He was sharp as a tack, with an animal-like third sense
-          that came from years of close calls. He was, simply put, the
-          right man for the job, when that job was keeping your
-          unconscious ass alive.</p>
-          <p>Alex turns away from the window and addresses Inky.
-          “Apologies for the smell, it turns out there’s a strong
-          correlation between disgust and seclusion, but I believe we
-          should at least be safe here. Safer than we would have been
-          back home. I’m ready if you are, as ready as I’ll ever be that
-          is.”</p>
-          </blockquote>
-          <p>The Golden Iris have summoned you to appear at the Harpoon
-          Club this evening. But the Harpoon Club is nowhere to be found
-          on this plane of existence. It won’t appear until a week and a
-          half from now, on the last day of the month.</p>
-          <p>Confidence the Guide has predicted exactly where the
-          Wandering Bazaar will be on that day. With a small bucket of
-          red paint and a large brush, he has drawn a Linking Sigil on
-          the ground at the location. He sits nearby, making sure
-          careless passersby and mischievous kids don’t disturb it, but
-          otherwise letting the sigil absorb the energies of the bustle
-          of shopping and commerce.</p>
-          <p>At the fish market, Marvelo is posted outside. He keeps
-          vigilant watch, alert to every movement and disturbance.</p>
-          <p>And inside, Bread, Inky, Fuko, and Alex are huddled up in
-          the office in the back near the ceiling. They all sit inside a
-          dark circle that has been smudged on the floor with a paste
-          made of ash and salt. Painted on the ground is a second
-          Linking Sigil, connecting this spot to Confidence’s, allowing
-          the energies of the two locations to co-mingle. There is also
-          the Dream Sigil, which will connect this place to the
-          Dreaming.</p>
-          <p>Bread the Host is propped up on some pillows and cushions
-          in the center of the circle, next to the Nyxmaer. The candle
-          is alleged to be made of the flesh and fat of a certain
-          nightmare. Its hand and eye bound in the wax. The Dream Sigil
-          is the door, but the Nyxmaer is the key. The catalyst that
-          will cause all of the otherwise inert metaphysical particles
-          to become volatile and reactive. It is what will allow you to
-          actually pass over and arrive on the shores of the Sea of
-          Dreams.</p>
-          <p>Per the shop witch’s instructions, the Nyxmaer has been
-          placed on a thin, hard tin plate. As the candle burns, the wax
-          will soften and eventually allow the large metal nail in its
-          side to fall. When it strikes the plate, you will awaken,
-          exiting the Dreaming. You expect hours may pass in the realm
-          of sleep. But only about thirty minutes will pass here.</p>
-          <p>Inky and Alex sit inside the circle, near the perimeter,
-          facing Bread in the center. Fuko the owl sits at Inky’s
-          side.</p>
-          <p>It is dim. You are illuminated by mundane, non-magical
-          candles set around the edges of the circle. Outside, a steady
-          rain beats on the roof and the windows of the building. The
-          smell of fish is faint but ever-present. A constant reminder
-          of the small creatures that have left their bodies in a
-          fashion far more permanent and irreversible than the
-          separation of spirit and body you are about to experience. You
-          hope.</p>
-          <p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
-          <ul>
-          <li><p>How do you induce a deep and powerful slumber in
-          Bread?</p></li>
-          <li><p>What shape or form will you take when you arrive in the
-          Dreaming?</p></li>
-          <li><p>What are you secretly worried or hopeful about being
-          exposed in the dreamland, the realm of metaphor?</p></li>
-          </ul>
-        ]]>
-      </description>
-    </item>
-    <item>
-      <title>68</title>
-      <author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
-      <guid isPermaLink="false">68 - Wed, 01 Mar 2023 18:14:47
--0700</guid>
-      <pubDate>Wed, 01 Mar 2023 18:14:47 -0700</pubDate>
-      <description>
-        <![CDATA[
-          <h3 id="00068">00068</h3>
-          <p>The fingertips of the Nyxmaer graze the eye and an eldritch
-          wind begins to howl inside the fish market.</p>
-          <p>It whips around and around inside the ritual circle,
-          flipping blankets and tossing pillows. The dreamers also toss
-          and turn in their sleep, but still do not wake. The foul wind
-          tugs at their hair and at their clothing.</p>
-          <p>The small candles around the edge of the circle go out,
-          plunging the room into near darkness. The dark flame of the
-          demon candle sputters.</p>
-          <p>The wind screams as it pushes through the small smudged gap
-          in the circle and out onto the floor of the market. It coils
-          around Rind’s feet and teases at the hem of the child’s dress.
-          It ruffles the duck’s feathers.</p>
-          <p>The fingertips flick over the eye, caress it, draw it
-          close. And finally its fist closes tightly around it.</p>
-          <p>The last candle goes out, plunging the room into darkness.
-          The wind and the sirens stop all at once, and in the silence
-          all that can be heard is the steady rain outside.</p>
-          <blockquote>
-          <p>“Look Trine or not, I need a little more than this. I ain’t
-          nobodies errand boy, and insofar as I can tell either the Gods
-          are dead, or they haven’t given a rats ass about me or anyone
-          else. What’s more, you’re claiming to be some sort of
-          divinity, yet you can only manifest here amongst my
-          nightmares, the same ones I learned years ago to shut out. You
-          never forget the face of your first mark, but what they don’t
-          tell you is it doesn’t have to haunt you either.” Alex looks
-          directly at the apparition.</p>
-          <p>“But I’m reasonable too. Give me some proof you say what
-          you are. You say you have power to share? Well power I need. I
-          have people to protect, and an unclue to rescue. I’ll be
-          damned if I let anything happen to them. Yet here I am, stuck
-          in this god firsaken place chittering away with my own
-          subconcious getting attacked by freaking mushrooms
-          people.”</p>
-          <p>“Just give it to me straight Neddas, what assistance are
-          you offering, and what must I give in return? If you an
-          guarantee me a way to protect those close to me, I don’t give
-          a rats ass about the rest.”</p>
-          </blockquote>
-          <p>Neddas silently holds your gaze for a long moment.</p>
-          <p>“What you ask of me is fair, since I am asking so much of
-          you.”</p>
-          <p>They hold out their hands and present you with a stone
-          amulet. It slightly resembles the Ginnarak Crystals. Much
-          smaller. And more almond shaped than melon shaped. But it is
-          the same shade of blue, with the same veins of slightly
-          pulsating gold throughout. It hangs from a fine chain of small
-          silver links.</p>
-          <p>“As long as this stone is in your possession, you will find
-          you have the courage to do what you think is right. Be aware
-          that it is a piece of me. And those who know about it will try
-          to take it from you.”</p>
-          <p>In the distance you can hear alarms and terrible moans
-          carried on a howling wind.</p>
-          <p>~</p>
-          <p>Corraidhín impatiently flips over the first three tumbrot
-          cards in front of Inky:</p>
-          <ol type="1">
-          <li><p>A tall man looks from a battlemented roof over sea and
-          shore; he holds a globe in his right hand, while a staff in
-          his left rests on the battlement; another is fixed in a ring.
-          The Rose and Cross and Lily should be noticed on the left
-          side.</p></li>
-          <li><p>Strange chalices of vision, but the images are more
-          especially those of the fantastic spirit.</p></li>
-          <li><p>A ferryman carrying passengers in his punt to the
-          further shore. The course is smooth, and seeing that the
-          freight is light, it may be noted that the work is not beyond
-          his strength.</p></li>
-          </ol>
-          <p>Felixe the Cat passes the two six-sided tumbrot dice to
-          Inky and recites a small pome for the inkling:</p>
-          <blockquote>
-          <pre><code>In the superior world it is
-A young man, leaning on his
-to indicate therein. It is
-speaking, to the traditional
-red standard has been</code></pre>
-          </blockquote>
-          <p>You can suddenly hear an ominous wind whistling outside the
-          club and battering at the windows.</p>
-          <p>“Well?” Balvin prompts. “What do you do?”</p>
-        ]]>
-      </description>
-    </item>
     <item>
       <title>59</title>
       <author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
@@ -1495,82 +1575,166 @@ trap sleep INT EXIT</code></pre>
       </description>
     </item>
     <item>
-      <title>60</title>
+      <title>69</title>
       <author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
-      <guid isPermaLink="false">60 - Tue, 31 Jan 2023 19:11:47
+      <guid isPermaLink="false">69 - Thu, 02 Mar 2023 07:16:46
 -0700</guid>
-      <pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2023 19:11:48 -0700</pubDate>
+      <pubDate>Thu, 02 Mar 2023 07:16:46 -0700</pubDate>
       <description>
         <![CDATA[
-          <h3 id="00060">00060</h3>
+          <h3 id="00069">00069</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 &#39;*acron*&#39; -exec mv /home/squirrel { } \</code></pre>
+          <p>Inky offers the cat person a bemused half-smile, then turns
+          to the sysorcerer. “We hope you are well. Young Master Alex
+          has been searching for you. He had planned on coming, but had
+          to attend to an urgent matter on short notice.”</p>
+          <p>A pause, then Inky slides an open envelope — a plain affair
+          with a grid of tiny blue dots, and a single sheet of a similar
+          pattern inside — across the table towards the wizard. They
+          continue, “If there is anything you wish to tell him, you can
+          write it in a language only you two understand and seal the
+          envelope. This one will do their best to pass on the message.”
+          They wave another identical envelope, indicating the message
+          will be copied once sealed before pocketing it again.</p>
+          <p>“If you do decide to write, please do it promptly. This one
+          will be departing shortly, and the envelope in front of you
+          will disappear,” they inform the sysorcerer with an apologetic
+          look and a tinge of sadness.</p>
+          <p>To the self-proclaimed double agent, Inky replies, “Thanks
+          for the information. Master Alex will be positively ecstatic
+          with the news.” They send the hobbit a lopsided smile.
+          “Nevertheless, you will understand if the party would like to
+          consider your proposal further before providing an answer.
+          Haste makes waste, as proverbs say. Perhaps your pirate
+          captain would agree. My condolences.”</p>
+          <p>Ignoring the proffered dice, Inky bids the group at the
+          table good evening and exits the club by the same route with
+          which they had entered, trying to stave off the growing unease
+          at the back of their mind.</p>
+          <p>~</p>
+          <p>Three corridors later, one with a high vaulted ceiling away
+          from the din of the gambling club, Inky slows their brisk trot
+          and hands Fuko the envelope. The owl grips the item, dives
+          down and drops it onto the thick carpet. She places the back
+          of one feet lightly over a corner of the envelope, deftly
+          slicing open the top layer along one edge with a claw. Working
+          quickly, she pulls out the contents with her beak, smoothing
+          out the sheet with a brush of her wings. Next, she flies in a
+          slow circle above the papers a few times before descending
+          again upon the papers and dragging them into a cake tin.
+          Finally, the bird pops the lid over the container, where the
+          paper within turns into dry compost.</p>
+          <p>“It’s confidential. Please do not decode.” Inky says as a
+          reminder from their spot near the end of the corridor.</p>
+          <p>Fuko levels an unimpressed look at her companion, as if to
+          say, <em>Yes, for the twenty-fourth time.</em> Inky smiles
+          back at her and asks, “Is your <em>boss</em> satisfied now?”
+          The smile widens briefly at the indignant screech and clicks
+          in response, then vanish as the events of the past few moments
+          caught up to them again. Here in a hallway brightly lit by
+          glow lamps away from any windows, the howling winds are a
+          distant echo, but it did not stop Inky from wondering.</p>
+          <p>It had been a risk, dallying around longer to give the
+          elder wizard time to say his piece in writing. No one could
+          have missed the disappointment written clearly on his face
+          when he realised his nephew hadn’t come. Now, from Fuko’s
+          sparse recount of what their tails had found, the candle had
+          burned down, releasing something somewhere, yet none of the
+          others had woken up. It would appear that Master Alex had not
+          left the Dreaming at all, but was in another area doing
+          Neddas-only-knows-what.</p>
+          <p>They stare up at the large central chandelier in the next
+          room with thousands of crystal beads that gleam like tiny
+          droplets suspended in the air. Orange shirt and blue shorts
+          have since been replaced with a red brimmed hat and blue
+          duffel coat, the drawstring pouch tied below the collar, and
+          running shoes with red rain boots. The mess of ginger hair is
+          trimmed to a caramel crop.</p>
+          <p>When the owl settles again on their shoulder, stirring Inky
+          from their thoughts, they collect the cake tin, remove the lid
+          and look inside. From a pocket of their coat, they pull out
+          three seeds and nudge them with two fingers into the soil.
+          Descending a flight of stairs, Inky sets the dousojin, grown
+          to the size of a boulder, and the tin on a side table. They
+          pour seaweed tea into the tin from a glass bottle, then refill
+          the bottle with small fish-shaped crackers, corking and
+          placing it beside the tin.</p>
+          <p>“Thank you, Great Spirit. This useless one will take their
+          leave now, and apologises if they have accidentally ‘left the
+          door open’ for something to blow in that should not be here.”
+          Inky says.</p>
+          <p>They turn to the great horned owl. “Impeccable as ever,
+          both of you. Thanks for coming along tonight. You may go,
+          Fuko. When you wake yourself or with Futa’s help, please get
+          into the carrier as quickly as you can, activate the
+          connection and leave immediately. Sever it as soon as you
+          arrive safely. Forget about pulling off the patch under my
+          forearm, it can be delivered later, or he can have the body
+          sent over eventually. Leave and don’t look back.” Then, more
+          airily, “Should we meet again, Inky the Insolent shall bring
+          you a large ‘rat at two eels’. How’s that for a handsome
+          reward?”</p>
           </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>
+          <p>~</p>
+          <blockquote>
+          <p>Alex takes the amulet solemnly “Alright, now that’s
+          something I can believe in.” he says as he turns the locket
+          over in his hand. The golden veins shimmer and pulse inside of
+          the pale blue. Alex dons the necklace, noting that the stone
+          is warm, almost exactly body temperature. “Alright Neddas,
+          you’ve got yourself a deal. I’ll finish assembling the
+          crystals, we’ll haul you back out to Basementaria. And it
+          sounds like we’re cracking a few eggs along the way thanks to
+          this”.</p>
+          <p>The howling interrupts, growing louder, becoming a
+          cacaphony of tormented banshee wails. The gray expanse of sand
+          fills with a vile wind, a thick almost physical wall of dark
+          black smog closes in. Neddas, is nowhere to be found.</p>
+          <p>Alex dips down and scoops up the little Katsuva, tucking
+          him into the ruck sack at his side. “Hang tight little guy, I
+          think the ride out of here’s going to get bumpy..”</p>
+          <p>In a single swift motion Alex pulls back the bolt on his
+          AK74u and levels it at the smog, letting loose a sustained
+          volley of gunfire. Bullets whiz with a defeaning RATATATAT.
+          While laying down suppressing fire, he pulls the little
+          console back up to his side with a short wave of the hand. A
+          single command is all he needs here.</p>
+          </blockquote>
+          <p>When Alex pulls up his terminal he sees a notification
+          blinking in the corner of the screen. A message from
+          Corraidhín?</p>
+          <p>The howling wind abruptly stops and the smog quickly
+          dissipates.</p>
+          <p>~</p>
+          <p>In the fish market, Alex and Inky both wake with a start,
+          gasping for breath as though drowning.</p>
+          <p>It is dark. The lights are all out but it looks as through
+          Marvelo has dropped some flairs on the ground. They fill the
+          room with an eerie, crackling red glow.</p>
+          <p>It is not quiet. The antiques dealer / spymaster has a
+          couple of cords of rope and a couple loose blankets coiled
+          around his arms and legs. He is shaking them off while
+          screaming obscenities and repeatedly firing a blaster pistol
+          at a large, roaring abomination standing in the center of the
+          room.</p>
+          <p>The nightmare has an almost fetal-looking head with a long,
+          bulbous skull that looks far too large for its body. A single
+          eye glares malevolently from the center of its small face.
+          Oily feathers drip from a thin, sagging membrane that runs
+          from wrist to ankle. Its leathery skin cracks and oozes from
+          repeated shots to the torso from Marvelo’s blaster, but it
+          seems unbothered by the attack.</p>
+          <p>It screeches and lunges forward and swings one massive arm
+          at Marvelo. Its leathery, feathery wing slices through the air
+          like a billowing cape behind its claws. Marvelo jumps to the
+          side at the last moment, firing another shot right into the
+          creature’s chest while in midair, and lands on the ground.</p>
+          <p>Now prone and helpless on the floor, he looks up as the
+          beast looms over him. It screeches and falls on top of him,
+          shoving its slender hands into his mouth. Marvelo’s muffled
+          screams become pitiful whimpers as the creature pulls out
+          teeth by the handful and crams them into its own mouth.</p>
+          <p>WHAT DO YOU DO?</p>
         ]]>
       </description>
     </item>
@@ -1627,6 +1791,169 @@ trap sleep INT EXIT</code></pre>
         ]]>
       </description>
     </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 &gt; /home/inky/messages/urgent &lt;&lt;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&#39;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&#39;ll get you what you need.
+
+grep -A4 AID ~/messages/urgent | sed &#39;s/AID//&#39; | 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>
       <title>64</title>
       <author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
@@ -2072,169 +2399,6 @@ NOTE GDB INDICATES SOME ANOMALY</code></pre>
         ]]>
       </description>
     </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 &gt; /home/inky/messages/urgent &lt;&lt;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&#39;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&#39;ll get you what you need.
-
-grep -A4 AID ~/messages/urgent | sed &#39;s/AID//&#39; | 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>
       <title>55</title>
       <author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
diff --git a/www/spoilers.html b/www/spoilers.html
index 49a160e..d64b3ab 100644
--- a/www/spoilers.html
+++ b/www/spoilers.html
@@ -296,6 +296,7 @@
 <li><a href="#00066" id="toc-00066">00066</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00067" id="toc-00067">00067</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00068" id="toc-00068">00068</a></li>
+<li><a href="#00069" id="toc-00069">00069</a></li>
 </ul></li>
 <li><a href="#spoilers" id="toc-spoilers">Spoilers</a></li>
 <li><a href="#acknowledgements"
@@ -372,10 +373,10 @@ into the <a href="#current-story">current story arc</a>.</p>
 you can <a href="https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml">subscribe to
 the rss feed</a>.</p>
 <h2 id="stats">Stats</h2>
-<p>Total length: 87972 words / 375 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
+<p>Total length: 89395 words / 382 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
 length of this entire page, including all the extra bits and bobs. Not
 just the story.)</p>
-<p>There have been 236 messages posted over 231 days since the first
+<p>There have been 238 messages posted over 233 days since the first
 post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.02.</p>
 <h2 id="chapter-1">Chapter 1</h2>
 <p>This is the first installment of BASEMENT QUEST.</p>
@@ -7399,6 +7400,141 @@ red standard has been</code></pre>
 <p>You can suddenly hear an ominous wind whistling outside the club and
 battering at the windows.</p>
 <p>“Well?” Balvin prompts. “What do you do?”</p>
+<h3 id="00069">00069</h3>
+<blockquote>
+<p>Inky offers the cat person a bemused half-smile, then turns to the
+sysorcerer. “We hope you are well. Young Master Alex has been searching
+for you. He had planned on coming, but had to attend to an urgent matter
+on short notice.”</p>
+<p>A pause, then Inky slides an open envelope — a plain affair with a
+grid of tiny blue dots, and a single sheet of a similar pattern inside —
+across the table towards the wizard. They continue, “If there is
+anything you wish to tell him, you can write it in a language only you
+two understand and seal the envelope. This one will do their best to
+pass on the message.” They wave another identical envelope, indicating
+the message will be copied once sealed before pocketing it again.</p>
+<p>“If you do decide to write, please do it promptly. This one will be
+departing shortly, and the envelope in front of you will disappear,”
+they inform the sysorcerer with an apologetic look and a tinge of
+sadness.</p>
+<p>To the self-proclaimed double agent, Inky replies, “Thanks for the
+information. Master Alex will be positively ecstatic with the news.”
+They send the hobbit a lopsided smile. “Nevertheless, you will
+understand if the party would like to consider your proposal further
+before providing an answer. Haste makes waste, as proverbs say. Perhaps
+your pirate captain would agree. My condolences.”</p>
+<p>Ignoring the proffered dice, Inky bids the group at the table good
+evening and exits the club by the same route with which they had
+entered, trying to stave off the growing unease at the back of their
+mind.</p>
+<p>~</p>
+<p>Three corridors later, one with a high vaulted ceiling away from the
+din of the gambling club, Inky slows their brisk trot and hands Fuko the
+envelope. The owl grips the item, dives down and drops it onto the thick
+carpet. She places the back of one feet lightly over a corner of the
+envelope, deftly slicing open the top layer along one edge with a claw.
+Working quickly, she pulls out the contents with her beak, smoothing out
+the sheet with a brush of her wings. Next, she flies in a slow circle
+above the papers a few times before descending again upon the papers and
+dragging them into a cake tin. Finally, the bird pops the lid over the
+container, where the paper within turns into dry compost.</p>
+<p>“It’s confidential. Please do not decode.” Inky says as a reminder
+from their spot near the end of the corridor.</p>
+<p>Fuko levels an unimpressed look at her companion, as if to say,
+<em>Yes, for the twenty-fourth time.</em> Inky smiles back at her and
+asks, “Is your <em>boss</em> satisfied now?” The smile widens briefly at
+the indignant screech and clicks in response, then vanish as the events
+of the past few moments caught up to them again. Here in a hallway
+brightly lit by glow lamps away from any windows, the howling winds are
+a distant echo, but it did not stop Inky from wondering.</p>
+<p>It had been a risk, dallying around longer to give the elder wizard
+time to say his piece in writing. No one could have missed the
+disappointment written clearly on his face when he realised his nephew
+hadn’t come. Now, from Fuko’s sparse recount of what their tails had
+found, the candle had burned down, releasing something somewhere, yet
+none of the others had woken up. It would appear that Master Alex had
+not left the Dreaming at all, but was in another area doing
+Neddas-only-knows-what.</p>
+<p>They stare up at the large central chandelier in the next room with
+thousands of crystal beads that gleam like tiny droplets suspended in
+the air. Orange shirt and blue shorts have since been replaced with a
+red brimmed hat and blue duffel coat, the drawstring pouch tied below
+the collar, and running shoes with red rain boots. The mess of ginger
+hair is trimmed to a caramel crop.</p>
+<p>When the owl settles again on their shoulder, stirring Inky from
+their thoughts, they collect the cake tin, remove the lid and look
+inside. From a pocket of their coat, they pull out three seeds and nudge
+them with two fingers into the soil. Descending a flight of stairs, Inky
+sets the dousojin, grown to the size of a boulder, and the tin on a side
+table. They pour seaweed tea into the tin from a glass bottle, then
+refill the bottle with small fish-shaped crackers, corking and placing
+it beside the tin.</p>
+<p>“Thank you, Great Spirit. This useless one will take their leave now,
+and apologises if they have accidentally ‘left the door open’ for
+something to blow in that should not be here.” Inky says.</p>
+<p>They turn to the great horned owl. “Impeccable as ever, both of you.
+Thanks for coming along tonight. You may go, Fuko. When you wake
+yourself or with Futa’s help, please get into the carrier as quickly as
+you can, activate the connection and leave immediately. Sever it as soon
+as you arrive safely. Forget about pulling off the patch under my
+forearm, it can be delivered later, or he can have the body sent over
+eventually. Leave and don’t look back.” Then, more airily, “Should we
+meet again, Inky the Insolent shall bring you a large ‘rat at two eels’.
+How’s that for a handsome reward?”</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>~</p>
+<blockquote>
+<p>Alex takes the amulet solemnly “Alright, now that’s something I can
+believe in.” he says as he turns the locket over in his hand. The golden
+veins shimmer and pulse inside of the pale blue. Alex dons the necklace,
+noting that the stone is warm, almost exactly body temperature. “Alright
+Neddas, you’ve got yourself a deal. I’ll finish assembling the crystals,
+we’ll haul you back out to Basementaria. And it sounds like we’re
+cracking a few eggs along the way thanks to this”.</p>
+<p>The howling interrupts, growing louder, becoming a cacaphony of
+tormented banshee wails. The gray expanse of sand fills with a vile
+wind, a thick almost physical wall of dark black smog closes in. Neddas,
+is nowhere to be found.</p>
+<p>Alex dips down and scoops up the little Katsuva, tucking him into the
+ruck sack at his side. “Hang tight little guy, I think the ride out of
+here’s going to get bumpy..”</p>
+<p>In a single swift motion Alex pulls back the bolt on his AK74u and
+levels it at the smog, letting loose a sustained volley of gunfire.
+Bullets whiz with a defeaning RATATATAT. While laying down suppressing
+fire, he pulls the little console back up to his side with a short wave
+of the hand. A single command is all he needs here.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>When Alex pulls up his terminal he sees a notification blinking in
+the corner of the screen. A message from Corraidhín?</p>
+<p>The howling wind abruptly stops and the smog quickly dissipates.</p>
+<p>~</p>
+<p>In the fish market, Alex and Inky both wake with a start, gasping for
+breath as though drowning.</p>
+<p>It is dark. The lights are all out but it looks as through Marvelo
+has dropped some flairs on the ground. They fill the room with an eerie,
+crackling red glow.</p>
+<p>It is not quiet. The antiques dealer / spymaster has a couple of
+cords of rope and a couple loose blankets coiled around his arms and
+legs. He is shaking them off while screaming obscenities and repeatedly
+firing a blaster pistol at a large, roaring abomination standing in the
+center of the room.</p>
+<p>The nightmare has an almost fetal-looking head with a long, bulbous
+skull that looks far too large for its body. A single eye glares
+malevolently from the center of its small face. Oily feathers drip from
+a thin, sagging membrane that runs from wrist to ankle. Its leathery
+skin cracks and oozes from repeated shots to the torso from Marvelo’s
+blaster, but it seems unbothered by the attack.</p>
+<p>It screeches and lunges forward and swings one massive arm at
+Marvelo. Its leathery, feathery wing slices through the air like a
+billowing cape behind its claws. Marvelo jumps to the side at the last
+moment, firing another shot right into the creature’s chest while in
+midair, and lands on the ground.</p>
+<p>Now prone and helpless on the floor, he looks up as the beast looms
+over him. It screeches and falls on top of him, shoving its slender
+hands into his mouth. Marvelo’s muffled screams become pitiful whimpers
+as the creature pulls out teeth by the handful and crams them into its
+own mouth.</p>
+<p>WHAT DO YOU DO?</p>
 <h2 id="spoilers">Spoilers</h2>
 <details>
 <summary>
@@ -7526,14 +7662,14 @@ blood, demon</li>
 <li><input type="checkbox" disabled="" />palindromes: taco cat, reward
 drawer, tin unit, lap pal, evil olive</li>
 <li><input type="checkbox" disabled="" />The Benefactor is Nullar</li>
-<li><input type="checkbox" disabled="" />Blavin is a secret agent,
-working for the Golden Iris, a secret society that wants to ‘create
-balance’ by creating a fourth god</li>
 <li><input type="checkbox" disabled="" />Nullar got tired of being a god
 and wanted to die, and Neddas agreed to help him. Shit went bad and
 turned Liandt to stone, and Nullar’s leg to stone. Now Nullar is trying
 to gather the Ginnarak crystals to assemble the <em>God Slayer</em> to
 attempt once more to end his own life.</li>
+<li><input type="checkbox" disabled="" checked="" />Blavin is a secret
+agent, working for the Golden Iris, a secret society that wants to
+‘create balance’ by creating a fourth god</li>
 <li><input type="checkbox" disabled="" checked="" />the BAND (Birds Are
 Not Dinosaurs) and the BATT (Birds Are Time Travelers) conspiracy</li>
 <li><input type="checkbox" disabled=""