41

2022-12-16 08:14:25 -07:00 · 2022-12-16 08:14:25 -07:00 · 4873a06e6c
parent a8eefbd45e
commit 4873a06e6c
5 changed files with 351 additions and 6 deletions
--- a/basement.order
+++ b/basement.order
@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ src/epistolary/index.md
 src/epistolary/00038.md
 src/epistolary/00039.md
 src/epistolary/00040.md
 src/epistolary/00041.md
 src/bestiary/index.md
 src/bestiary/aur.md
 src/bestiary/blahoblin.md
--- a/src/epistolary/00041.md
+++ b/src/epistolary/00041.md
@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
 ---
 title: 00041
 created: Wed, 14 Dec 2022 17:50:38 -0700
 updated: Wed, 14 Dec 2022 17:50:44 -0700
 syndicated: yes
 public: yes
 ---
 ### 00041 {#00041}
 > Alex grips the encoded message he received in reply to his last
 > request firmly in his coat pocket. It was simple, curt, impactful.
 > "Trust no one". Which begged the question, could even it be
 > trusted? Was HQ compromised? His informants in danger? His allies
 > and leads awash in the dark grey mist of uncertainity. Or had his
 > message been intercepted, cracked, and a farsical response been
 > sent in its place. Alex wasn't certain which, but the strange
 > format and unusually speedy response had him on edge.
 > 
 > This anxiety didn't boil up to the surface, not a line of worry or
 > hint of the inner turbulence broke his cold blue eyes. Outwardly he
 > was just as composed as ever,  but between these uncertainties, the
 > loss of his uncle, and now this utterly strange dagger he'd found
 > amongst his uncle's belongings, he wasn't certain how long that
 > composure would last. It didn't held that he felt this gnawing at
 > the back of his mind, as though something was probing, attempting
 > to communicate with him, somewhere between telepathy and utter
 > magic, and not in any sense that Alex understood.
 > 
 > And here he stood, a stranger amongst amidst his uncle's allies,
 > and very little intention to change that situation at the moment.
 > 
 > As the gondola touched down and the Toques rushed to greet them
 > Alex jumped blithely off the ship and onto firm, but fluffy,
 > ground. He cast a look around him at what appeared to be an
 > ordinary port of entry, noting the crowds of people passing by. As
 > the Toques arrived Alex spoke curtly to them, "Who sends you to
 > greet us, and where do you wish to take us, and by what means do we
 > travel?". Short, cut, information only. There's too much unnerving
 > in an unknown situation like this.
 ~
 > Inky greets the toques in turn politely, then turns to the second
 > toque and says, "A little bit of bread and no cheese."
 "Cheese?" Bread cocks their head looks at Inky with a touch of
 embarrassment. They start patting at their pockets, presumably
 looking for a morsel of cheese to share with the travelers, but
 finding none. They groan miserably. Confidence butts in
 apologetically, "There will be plenty of food at the hotel if you
 want some! Some delicious fondue perhaps? Kelsun Peak's famous liquid
 gold!"
 "Blavin Blandfoot arranged for us to meet you," Bread answers Alex.
 Confidence nods enthusiastically in agreement. "But I suppose
 technically the hotelier sent us." Bread points up at the sky, in the
 general direction of the summit of Kelsun Peak. "We are to escort you
 to Palace Runesocesius." They thumb over their shoulder in the
 general direction of the stairs. "By way of the cloud steps. On
 foot."
 Confidence leans in close and lowers their voice. "A Ginnarak
 Crystal! I can't hardly believe it! Thought they had all been lost to
 the ages. I hear it's complete dumb random luck that this one turned
 up. Story is, an aetherwael beached itself on some wide zephynos
 boulevard. Happens sometimes. Poor things can't distinguish between
 clouds and cloudstuff. I don't blame 'em! At a distance, you and me
 can't either! Anyway, this aetherwael has got a harpoon stuck in its
 side. Dratted poachers. May they all fall out of the sky and be
 dashed to a thousand pieces on the rocks below. But it had a harpoon
 in its side and was trailing behind it a float bag tethered to the
 harpoon. And you probably already guessed what was inside of it!" By
 the time Confidence finishes their brief story, they are trembling
 and nearly breathless with excitement.
 "Anyway," Bread interrupts their excited companion in an attempt to
 restore decorum. Both of the toques have been gently herding you
 toward the base of the stairs this whole time. "You know how the
 zephynos are. You could give them all the coin in Basmentaria, or
 something priceless like a Ginnarak Crystal, and they'd just as
 quickly misplace it out of carelessness. If it's not a cloud they can
 sculpt into the shape of seussomorph or the likeness of some fantasy
 creature, they just don't give a fig. Luckily the hotelier caught
 wind of the aetherwael and found out about the crystal before they
 managed to lose it, or bury it inside of a sculpture or something
 silly! He has it safe and sound in the library up at Runesocesius
 now." Bread climbs the first step, his foot sinking barely a
 centimeter into wispy cloud before striking the solid cloudstuff.
 "Come! The hotelier will be very excited to greet you!"
 WHAT DO YOU DO
 [www](https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-12/msg00193.html)
--- a/www/index.html
+++ b/www/index.html
@ -249,6 +249,7 @@ of the Were-Hare</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00038" id="toc-00038">00038</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00039" id="toc-00039">00039</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00040" id="toc-00040">00040</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00041" id="toc-00041">00041</a></li>
 </ul></li>
 <li><a href="#bestiary" id="toc-bestiary">Bestiary</a></li>
 <li><a href="#geography" id="toc-geography">Geography</a></li>
@ -258,11 +259,11 @@ of the Were-Hare</a></li>
 </ul>
 </nav>
 <h2 id="stats">Stats</h2>
-<p>Total length: 39588 words / 169 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
+<p>Total length: 40358 words / 172 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 142 messages posted over 154 days since the first
+<p>There have been 143 messages posted over 156 days since the first
-post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of .92.</p>
+post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of .91.</p>
 <h2 id="about">About</h2>
 <p>This is a game that me and the kids in the basement are playing over
 email.</p>
@ -4578,6 +4579,81 @@ you will take posession of the Ginnarak Crystal.</p>
 <p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
 <p><a
 href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-12/msg00186.html">www</a></p>
 <h3 id="00041">00041</h3>
 <blockquote>
 <p>Alex grips the encoded message he received in reply to his last
 request firmly in his coat pocket. It was simple, curt, impactful.
 “Trust no one”. Which begged the question, could even it be trusted? Was
 HQ compromised? His informants in danger? His allies and leads awash in
 the dark grey mist of uncertainity. Or had his message been intercepted,
 cracked, and a farsical response been sent in its place. Alex wasn’t
 certain which, but the strange format and unusually speedy response had
 him on edge.</p>
 <p>This anxiety didn’t boil up to the surface, not a line of worry or
 hint of the inner turbulence broke his cold blue eyes. Outwardly he was
 just as composed as ever, but between these uncertainties, the loss of
 his uncle, and now this utterly strange dagger he’d found amongst his
 uncle’s belongings, he wasn’t certain how long that composure would
 last. It didn’t held that he felt this gnawing at the back of his mind,
 as though something was probing, attempting to communicate with him,
 somewhere between telepathy and utter magic, and not in any sense that
 Alex understood.</p>
 <p>And here he stood, a stranger amongst amidst his uncle’s allies, and
 very little intention to change that situation at the moment.</p>
 <p>As the gondola touched down and the Toques rushed to greet them Alex
 jumped blithely off the ship and onto firm, but fluffy, ground. He cast
 a look around him at what appeared to be an ordinary port of entry,
 noting the crowds of people passing by. As the Toques arrived Alex spoke
 curtly to them, “Who sends you to greet us, and where do you wish to
 take us, and by what means do we travel?”. Short, cut, information only.
 There’s too much unnerving in an unknown situation like this.</p>
 </blockquote>
 <p>~</p>
 <blockquote>
 <p>Inky greets the toques in turn politely, then turns to the second
 toque and says, “A little bit of bread and no cheese.”</p>
 </blockquote>
 <p>“Cheese?” Bread cocks their head looks at Inky with a touch of
 embarrassment. They start patting at their pockets, presumably looking
 for a morsel of cheese to share with the travelers, but finding none.
 They groan miserably. Confidence butts in apologetically, “There will be
 plenty of food at the hotel if you want some! Some delicious fondue
 perhaps? Kelsun Peak’s famous liquid gold!”</p>
 <p>“Blavin Blandfoot arranged for us to meet you,” Bread answers Alex.
 Confidence nods enthusiastically in agreement. “But I suppose
 technically the hotelier sent us.” Bread points up at the sky, in the
 general direction of the summit of Kelsun Peak. “We are to escort you to
 Palace Runesocesius.” They thumb over their shoulder in the general
 direction of the stairs. “By way of the cloud steps. On foot.”</p>
 <p>Confidence leans in close and lowers their voice. “A Ginnarak
 Crystal! I can’t hardly believe it! Thought they had all been lost to
 the ages. I hear it’s complete dumb random luck that this one turned up.
 Story is, an aetherwael beached itself on some wide zephynos boulevard.
 Happens sometimes. Poor things can’t distinguish between clouds and
 cloudstuff. I don’t blame ’em! At a distance, you and me can’t either!
 Anyway, this aetherwael has got a harpoon stuck in its side. Dratted
 poachers. May they all fall out of the sky and be dashed to a thousand
 pieces on the rocks below. But it had a harpoon in its side and was
 trailing behind it a float bag tethered to the harpoon. And you probably
 already guessed what was inside of it!” By the time Confidence finishes
 their brief story, they are trembling and nearly breathless with
 excitement.</p>
 <p>“Anyway,” Bread interrupts their excited companion in an attempt to
 restore decorum. Both of the toques have been gently herding you toward
 the base of the stairs this whole time. “You know how the zephynos are.
 You could give them all the coin in Basmentaria, or something priceless
 like a Ginnarak Crystal, and they’d just as quickly misplace it out of
 carelessness. If it’s not a cloud they can sculpt into the shape of
 seussomorph or the likeness of some fantasy creature, they just don’t
 give a fig. Luckily the hotelier caught wind of the aetherwael and found
 out about the crystal before they managed to lose it, or bury it inside
 of a sculpture or something silly! He has it safe and sound in the
 library up at Runesocesius now.” Bread climbs the first step, his foot
 sinking barely a centimeter into wispy cloud before striking the solid
 cloudstuff. “Come! The hotelier will be very excited to greet you!”</p>
 <p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
 <p><a
 href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-12/msg00193.html">www</a></p>
 <h2 id="bestiary">Bestiary</h2>
 <p>Some of the creatures who inhabit the world of Basmentaria</p>
 <dt>
--- a/www/rss.xml
+++ b/www/rss.xml
@ -211,6 +211,105 @@
        ]]>
      </description>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>41</title>
      <author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">41 - Wed, 14 Dec 2022 17:50:38
 -0700</guid>
      <pubDate>Wed, 14 Dec 2022 17:50:44 -0700</pubDate>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[
          <h3 id="00041">00041</h3>
          <blockquote>
          <p>Alex grips the encoded message he received in reply to his
          last request firmly in his coat pocket. It was simple, curt,
          impactful. “Trust no one”. Which begged the question, could
          even it be trusted? Was HQ compromised? His informants in
          danger? His allies and leads awash in the dark grey mist of
          uncertainity. Or had his message been intercepted, cracked,
          and a farsical response been sent in its place. Alex wasn’t
          certain which, but the strange format and unusually speedy
          response had him on edge.</p>
          <p>This anxiety didn’t boil up to the surface, not a line of
          worry or hint of the inner turbulence broke his cold blue
          eyes. Outwardly he was just as composed as ever, but between
          these uncertainties, the loss of his uncle, and now this
          utterly strange dagger he’d found amongst his uncle’s
          belongings, he wasn’t certain how long that composure would
          last. It didn’t held that he felt this gnawing at the back of
          his mind, as though something was probing, attempting to
          communicate with him, somewhere between telepathy and utter
          magic, and not in any sense that Alex understood.</p>
          <p>And here he stood, a stranger amongst amidst his uncle’s
          allies, and very little intention to change that situation at
          the moment.</p>
          <p>As the gondola touched down and the Toques rushed to greet
          them Alex jumped blithely off the ship and onto firm, but
          fluffy, ground. He cast a look around him at what appeared to
          be an ordinary port of entry, noting the crowds of people
          passing by. As the Toques arrived Alex spoke curtly to them,
          “Who sends you to greet us, and where do you wish to take us,
          and by what means do we travel?”. Short, cut, information
          only. There’s too much unnerving in an unknown situation like
          this.</p>
          </blockquote>
          <p>~</p>
          <blockquote>
          <p>Inky greets the toques in turn politely, then turns to the
          second toque and says, “A little bit of bread and no
          cheese.”</p>
          </blockquote>
          <p>“Cheese?” Bread cocks their head looks at Inky with a touch
          of embarrassment. They start patting at their pockets,
          presumably looking for a morsel of cheese to share with the
          travelers, but finding none. They groan miserably. Confidence
          butts in apologetically, “There will be plenty of food at the
          hotel if you want some! Some delicious fondue perhaps? Kelsun
          Peak’s famous liquid gold!”</p>
          <p>“Blavin Blandfoot arranged for us to meet you,” Bread
          answers Alex. Confidence nods enthusiastically in agreement.
          “But I suppose technically the hotelier sent us.” Bread points
          up at the sky, in the general direction of the summit of
          Kelsun Peak. “We are to escort you to Palace Runesocesius.”
          They thumb over their shoulder in the general direction of the
          stairs. “By way of the cloud steps. On foot.”</p>
          <p>Confidence leans in close and lowers their voice. “A
          Ginnarak Crystal! I can’t hardly believe it! Thought they had
          all been lost to the ages. I hear it’s complete dumb random
          luck that this one turned up. Story is, an aetherwael beached
          itself on some wide zephynos boulevard. Happens sometimes.
          Poor things can’t distinguish between clouds and cloudstuff. I
          don’t blame ’em! At a distance, you and me can’t either!
          Anyway, this aetherwael has got a harpoon stuck in its side.
          Dratted poachers. May they all fall out of the sky and be
          dashed to a thousand pieces on the rocks below. But it had a
          harpoon in its side and was trailing behind it a float bag
          tethered to the harpoon. And you probably already guessed what
          was inside of it!” By the time Confidence finishes their brief
          story, they are trembling and nearly breathless with
          excitement.</p>
          <p>“Anyway,” Bread interrupts their excited companion in an
          attempt to restore decorum. Both of the toques have been
          gently herding you toward the base of the stairs this whole
          time. “You know how the zephynos are. You could give them all
          the coin in Basmentaria, or something priceless like a
          Ginnarak Crystal, and they’d just as quickly misplace it out
          of carelessness. If it’s not a cloud they can sculpt into the
          shape of seussomorph or the likeness of some fantasy creature,
          they just don’t give a fig. Luckily the hotelier caught wind
          of the aetherwael and found out about the crystal before they
          managed to lose it, or bury it inside of a sculpture or
          something silly! He has it safe and sound in the library up at
          Runesocesius now.” Bread climbs the first step, his foot
          sinking barely a centimeter into wispy cloud before striking
          the solid cloudstuff. “Come! The hotelier will be very excited
          to greet you!”</p>
          <p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
          <p><a
          href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-12/msg00193.html">www</a></p>
        ]]>
      </description>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>40</title>
      <author>dozens@tilde.team (dozens)</author>
--- a/www/spoilers.html
+++ b/www/spoilers.html
@ -249,6 +249,7 @@ of the Were-Hare</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00038" id="toc-00038">00038</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00039" id="toc-00039">00039</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00040" id="toc-00040">00040</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00041" id="toc-00041">00041</a></li>
 </ul></li>
 <li><a href="#bestiary" id="toc-bestiary">Bestiary</a></li>
 <li><a href="#geography" id="toc-geography">Geography</a></li>
@ -261,11 +262,11 @@ id="toc-acknowledgements">Acknowledgements</a></li>
 </ul>
 </nav>
 <h2 id="stats">Stats</h2>
-<p>Total length: 39588 words / 169 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
+<p>Total length: 40358 words / 172 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 142 messages posted over 154 days since the first
+<p>There have been 143 messages posted over 156 days since the first
-post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of .92.</p>
+post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of .91.</p>
 <h2 id="about">About</h2>
 <p>This is a game that me and the kids in the basement are playing over
 email.</p>
@ -4581,6 +4582,81 @@ you will take posession of the Ginnarak Crystal.</p>
 <p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
 <p><a
 href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-12/msg00186.html">www</a></p>
 <h3 id="00041">00041</h3>
 <blockquote>
 <p>Alex grips the encoded message he received in reply to his last
 request firmly in his coat pocket. It was simple, curt, impactful.
 “Trust no one”. Which begged the question, could even it be trusted? Was
 HQ compromised? His informants in danger? His allies and leads awash in
 the dark grey mist of uncertainity. Or had his message been intercepted,
 cracked, and a farsical response been sent in its place. Alex wasn’t
 certain which, but the strange format and unusually speedy response had
 him on edge.</p>
 <p>This anxiety didn’t boil up to the surface, not a line of worry or
 hint of the inner turbulence broke his cold blue eyes. Outwardly he was
 just as composed as ever, but between these uncertainties, the loss of
 his uncle, and now this utterly strange dagger he’d found amongst his
 uncle’s belongings, he wasn’t certain how long that composure would
 last. It didn’t held that he felt this gnawing at the back of his mind,
 as though something was probing, attempting to communicate with him,
 somewhere between telepathy and utter magic, and not in any sense that
 Alex understood.</p>
 <p>And here he stood, a stranger amongst amidst his uncle’s allies, and
 very little intention to change that situation at the moment.</p>
 <p>As the gondola touched down and the Toques rushed to greet them Alex
 jumped blithely off the ship and onto firm, but fluffy, ground. He cast
 a look around him at what appeared to be an ordinary port of entry,
 noting the crowds of people passing by. As the Toques arrived Alex spoke
 curtly to them, “Who sends you to greet us, and where do you wish to
 take us, and by what means do we travel?”. Short, cut, information only.
 There’s too much unnerving in an unknown situation like this.</p>
 </blockquote>
 <p>~</p>
 <blockquote>
 <p>Inky greets the toques in turn politely, then turns to the second
 toque and says, “A little bit of bread and no cheese.”</p>
 </blockquote>
 <p>“Cheese?” Bread cocks their head looks at Inky with a touch of
 embarrassment. They start patting at their pockets, presumably looking
 for a morsel of cheese to share with the travelers, but finding none.
 They groan miserably. Confidence butts in apologetically, “There will be
 plenty of food at the hotel if you want some! Some delicious fondue
 perhaps? Kelsun Peak’s famous liquid gold!”</p>
 <p>“Blavin Blandfoot arranged for us to meet you,” Bread answers Alex.
 Confidence nods enthusiastically in agreement. “But I suppose
 technically the hotelier sent us.” Bread points up at the sky, in the
 general direction of the summit of Kelsun Peak. “We are to escort you to
 Palace Runesocesius.” They thumb over their shoulder in the general
 direction of the stairs. “By way of the cloud steps. On foot.”</p>
 <p>Confidence leans in close and lowers their voice. “A Ginnarak
 Crystal! I can’t hardly believe it! Thought they had all been lost to
 the ages. I hear it’s complete dumb random luck that this one turned up.
 Story is, an aetherwael beached itself on some wide zephynos boulevard.
 Happens sometimes. Poor things can’t distinguish between clouds and
 cloudstuff. I don’t blame ’em! At a distance, you and me can’t either!
 Anyway, this aetherwael has got a harpoon stuck in its side. Dratted
 poachers. May they all fall out of the sky and be dashed to a thousand
 pieces on the rocks below. But it had a harpoon in its side and was
 trailing behind it a float bag tethered to the harpoon. And you probably
 already guessed what was inside of it!” By the time Confidence finishes
 their brief story, they are trembling and nearly breathless with
 excitement.</p>
 <p>“Anyway,” Bread interrupts their excited companion in an attempt to
 restore decorum. Both of the toques have been gently herding you toward
 the base of the stairs this whole time. “You know how the zephynos are.
 You could give them all the coin in Basmentaria, or something priceless
 like a Ginnarak Crystal, and they’d just as quickly misplace it out of
 carelessness. If it’s not a cloud they can sculpt into the shape of
 seussomorph or the likeness of some fantasy creature, they just don’t
 give a fig. Luckily the hotelier caught wind of the aetherwael and found
 out about the crystal before they managed to lose it, or bury it inside
 of a sculpture or something silly! He has it safe and sound in the
 library up at Runesocesius now.” Bread climbs the first step, his foot
 sinking barely a centimeter into wispy cloud before striking the solid
 cloudstuff. “Come! The hotelier will be very excited to greet you!”</p>
 <p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
 <p><a
 href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-12/msg00193.html">www</a></p>
 <h2 id="bestiary">Bestiary</h2>
 <p>Some of the creatures who inhabit the world of Basmentaria</p>
 <dt>