WHAT DO YOU DO
+++While Inky packs the top of a sack with a thin layer of earth from +under a loose rock, they feel a heated glare in their general direction +for a few beats and surmises Master Corraidhín had entered the vault +with his newfound companion. After decades of serving rather … demanding +customers as an inkling, Inky knew an evil eye directed at them even +when they can’t see it (while preparing a brew with their back turned, +for instance) and makes a mental note to give Pointy a wide berth.
+Once the sacks were placed close to the vault entrance for a quick +haul, Inky returns to the items that had been discovered while digging +under the loose rock. The set of gold-nibbed quills were swiftly +pocketed — each quill was finely crafted and felt balanced when held in +one hand. The malleable tips in a range of sizes would be invaluable for +testing ink viscosity and smoothness, among other properties. A +felicitously fantastic find!
+The jade tea set was next to be admired, its deep green hue +reflecting the age of the stone from which the items were carved. With +cups for every member of their merry group, the teapot would make a +worthy addition to any travelling, crystal-seeking tea party. So thin +and translucent were the small cups, having been expertly crafted, that +they were almost too fragile to carry around everywhere. A +non-shattering charm was often applied to heirloom sets meant to be +passed down through generations, but it is difficult to tell by looking +whether a set had been charmed unless the spell was a particularly +strong one. The teapot and cups were returned to the small wooden box +they were found in and stored away. Perhaps a few crockery talismans +could be procured at the next town?
+Inky pauses at the rack of bottled ink. The first rule that any +inkling in training learns is to never trust pre-bottled inks from +unverified ingredients or unknown sauces. Inky tilts the rack to better +examine the weird yet vaguely familiar glyphs on the bottles.
+The first glyph was a circle with three dots. The bottle next to it +was adorned with a swirl, followed by a bottle with a circle surrounding +a pointing hand or a snail. Another glyph looked like a twisted hook, +and was that some sort of sinister grinning reptile on the next one?? +Towards the middle of the rack was a bottle with a glyph of what could +be a mountain with a tunnel at its base. The bottle beside it bore a +glyph of a block broken to three pieces. Yet another bottle was simply +stamped with a circle and a dot at its center. Its neighbour held a +glyph that slightly resembled a mountain range if someone stared very +hard. The next two bottles bore glyphs that looked like a spiky fish and +a circle with a pair of horns protruding from it. The last bottle’s +contents seemed more gooey than the others, with a glyph of a +helmet-wearing hare.
+The shade of ink within the bottles varied, but all seem to be +derived from the same indistinct hue. None of the bottles had the usual +piece of ash paper with bits of string attached to them, but otherwise +appear to be intact and the vessels themselves top quality, as shown by +the delicate tarring on the caps. The wooden rack was lightly worn but +solid in Inky’s hands.
+It was certainly an odd collection. “No hash, no stash” though, as +the rule of thumb goes. Inky puts the rack down carefully on the floor +by the sacks, concluding that if anyone wanted to help themselves to the +bottles, they were hopefully not planning to ingest the contents.
+Dusting off their boots, Inky settles just behind the banner, closer +to the vault entrance and rousing performance, to watch the crowd around +Jarrod and listen for any sounds from outside the vault.
+
You pack up the quills and the jade tea set, and arrange the bags by +the vault entrance for quick retrieval.
+As you carry the rack of ink bottles over to the bags, the twelfth +and final ink bottle, the one with the glyph of the helmet-wearing hare, +suddenly cracks. Seemingly of its own volition. A tiny shard of glass +slices the palm of your hand and disappears into the meat at the base of +your thumb. The gooey ink seeps out of the bottle and paints your hand a +muddy, rusty blue.
+You jerk your hand back. The ink is swiftly absorbed into your hand +as though it were a sponge. Soon it’s all gone: the ink, the blood, all +of it. Nothing remains of the scratch itself but a hair-thin line. If +you run your finger over it, you can feel the hard nub of the glass +shard beneath the skin.
+For a moment you can hear the double drum of your own heartbeat +rushing through your ears. Your senses seem to sharpen. Colors grow more +crisp, and sounds more clear. But then it passes, and the moment is +gone.
+++Harrumph, pointy my friend, that’s just inky. They’re definitely not +super evil. That’s the finest ink craftsmen and tea preparer this side +of Basementaria. And we absolutely won’t be stabbing them. There are FAR +eviler things to stab, potentially that weird naked thing that seems to +think itself a horse. I could be convinced IT was evil, but wouldn’t use +attacking it unprovoked make us evil? Surely a sword as ancient and wise +as you could see the perfectly puzzling philosophical delimna we put +ourselves in.
+And then this thing, (corraidhin gestures at the crystal), horrible +magical item used to create untold death, destruction, and mayhem during +the last Artificer war. Definitely probably evil, if used that way, but +also filled with untold power that could be used for good! Now would the +person weilding it be evil just because, or could someone overcome the +magical nature of a device capable of such evil and apply them for good? +I for one believe afirmatively that one can overcome such things.
+As corriadhin finishes his philosophical prattling to his new stabby +friend he pushes the glass case off the crystal and grabs it.
+
The Sword of Yam’l starts to launch into a long winded reply.
+Oh yes, that winged naked thing is surely evil. Let us stab it, Hardy Bear! Let us stab and stab and stab until --- What's that? Oh no, don't worry. We are unquestionably, infallibly good. I was designed and made for but one purpose, after all. TO RID EVIL! As for the crystal, yes, I suppose you are correct. Wielding a powerful, bloodthirsty, magical item probably does make the wielder evil, and consequently immediately deserving of being stabbed! Say, speaking of stabbing ... that naked, winged thing--But then, before the sword can finish its thought (a thought, you are +quite confident, would end with something like, “let’s stab it!”) you +knock the glass dome off the pedestal and grab the Ginnarak Crystal.
+You brace yourself. It thrums slightly in your hand but doesn’t do +anything overtly magical or destructive. In fact it seems perfectly +inert.
+So there you are. A pointer murder stick attached firmly to one hand, +and a potential atom bomb of a crystal in the other. But you think +you’re totally going to pull this off!
+Then the glass dome hits the ground and shatters into dozens of +pieces.
+HORSE screams and whips around at the noise. “BhrruUHRHUuHRRh! My +blue and gold melon sized gem! Noooooo! BrUHrhHHHURHuRu!”
+It flaps its wings and wheels up into the air and swoops down at you! +The three aurs get swept up in the excitement and start flapping around, +making tiny squeaks of alarm. The remaining kobit leaps to its feet, but +then trips over its shoelaces.
+WHAT DO YOU DO??
+Some of the creatures who inhabit the world of Basmentaria
--“SHOE SHINE!” Bellows Tea, with a full bodied laugh!
-With a well practiced move, faster than one would think - giant like Tea could move, Tea removes an object from their - satchel.
-…at first glance it appears to be a flail without a handle, - but is actually a spare pair of giant boots, held by their - laces.
-“These could indeed use a good shining.”
-The boot are spectacularly large, probably a 1/2 size too - large, in all honest, for even Tea’s feet.
-The boots have gold eyelets.
-
Earrings greedily snatches the boots and start washing, - drying, and polishing them to a shine. Waistcoat eagerly tugs - on Tea’s wrist and guides him to the comfy chair, which is - decidedly too small for his bulky frame. Teeth graciously - offers him a wedge of cheese.
-Depending on how observant Tea is, he may or may not notice - that the boots are returned to him with 1 - 3 fewer - eyelets.
---Bending down, Inky sniffs the bottles carefully, mumbling, - “Creosote, shellac, hopweed … ou, wild cherry liquorice.” - Then, a little louder to one of the blahoblins, though it came - out not much more than a squeak, “Might I ask from where did - you get these?”
-
“Shoe Polish! We Make! Roots and ash!” shouts Waistcoat. - They seem to only have the one volume.
-“Beeswax!” yells Earrings.
-“Resin!” cries Teeth.
-“SHOE SHIIINE!” they all cry in unison.
- - ]]> ---Psst, Inky, can you poke your head into the vault, see if - you can spot any crystals. Also, can you tell what kind of - gold’s in there? Maybe it’s worth something to nab a piece of - two for ourselves, you know, since we’re so good at vault - cracking.
-While you do that I’m going to take a closer look at this - sword, it’s giving me heeby jeebies.
-I cast a spell on the sword to identify its physical, - magical, and metaphysical properties
-“Strange sword, I command thee to divulge your secrets! All - that you are of, exist in, and imbue from shall be wrought in - words of sorcercy so that the world my see clear what you - are!” I chant as I invoke ancient runes with my wand.
+Harrumph I say as I billow out my mustache. I know exactly + what this is, I’ve seen these silly terminals at the wizarding + academy. Fascinating little babbles really, not that easy to + use, and I find they’re easier to melt with a well placed + fireball or two, but I think I can get us past without that. + Now I might need someone to cover for me if that Kobit catches + onto what I’m doing, and I’ll say the weird sword is starting + to creep me out a bit.
+Corraidhin approaches the terminal, cracks his knuckles, + and enters: 1,$p
Corraidhín commands the sword commandingly. But the sword - just rolls its eye and looks at him exasperatedly.
-Hmm. Yes, no mouth. Well then.
-Corraidhín draws on his mastery of Arcane Lore, and sifts - through all the knowledge he has filed away on magical swords. - There are so many books on magic swords!
-While at first you guessed that it may merely be a common - Look Sword, you have since revised your initial assessment. - Look Swords are minor magical items, and are not quite as - sentient as this particular blade appears to be.
-No this must be something a little more special.
-It’s hard to tell from here–the water is not perfectly - clear–but the pattern on the hilt is kind swirly and whirly. - Probably a Sword of Omens.
-Unless…
-No, it’s so unlikely.
-And yet.
-If the pattern on the hilt turns out to be more whirly than - swirly, then it probably is indeed a Sword of Omens.
-But on the other hand, if it is more swirly than whirly, - it’s possible that this may be then legendary Sword of - J’Son.
-If only you could get a closer look…
+The printer spits out a piece of paper:
+The door is Locked--Inky nods and peeks inside the vault, while keeping an ear - open for any sounds coming from the tunnel where the guard - kobit is currently sleeping soundly. Small mountains of - ancient gold, some as coins and some in nuggets of various - shapes and sizes, filled most of the cavern floor. In one - corner were a few chests overflowing with rubies and emeralds, - with the occasional amethyst and tiny pink diamonds. Whoever - had this vault set up has amassed a nice hoard!
-Inky whispered back, “Some good old gold! There are also - little crystals in one of the chests, but I can’t tell if any - of them is a Ginnarak.”
+Corraidhin stares at the paper. Well, that’s not right, the + door’s only partially closed. Preposterious thing.
+That’s okay, I know how to fix this.
+19 c there is no door, there never was, and never will be. + Also the Kobit guard forgot to tie his shoes. . w 1,$p
Inky hears the drunken cowboy Kobit guard snoring gently. - It whistles adorably a little bit at the top of each - exhale.
-You peek inside the vault just in time to see the lone - Kobit guard that went inside to check on the vault. It yelps - and trips over its own feet.
-Its shoes were untied.
-There are indeed piles of gold, gems, and crystals. Chests - full of precious stones. A few suits of armor. For some - reason, a giant clam, mouth open to reveal a giant pearl.
-And in the center of it all, atop a stone pedestal, beneath - a dome of glass, is the blue and gold Ginnarak Crystal. It is - the size of a melon, and kind of shaped like one. A lumpy, - multi-faceted blue and gold melon.
-Flitting around the pedestal are a couple of Aurs. Giant - ears with bat wings. Very keen hearing obviously. Usually more - of an annoyance than a true deterrent. Unless there’s a - Centaur around. Nasty things those. A hundred ears with a - hundred wings. The size of a small horse. They can really ruin - your day. Luckily you don’t see one around.
-Finally, curled up on the ground at the base of the - pedestal, hugging a mound of gold coins like a body pillow, is - a nude Kobit, sound asleep. It stretches briefly in its sleep - and when it does, you are astonished to see that it has large - leathery wings.
+The printer spits out a slip of paper.
+there is no door, there never was, and never will be. Also the Kobit guard forgot to tie his shoes.With a soft pop, the thick stone door vanishes.
+The sword at the bottom of the pool widens its eye in + surprise.
+Nothing remains between you and the interior of the + vault.
+Some light from the hall spills in and glints off what + appears to be a mound of gold, gems, and crystals. The rest of + its contents are hidden from view unless you venture + inside.
+You can still hear the guard kobit in the passage, now + whistling a warbling, lamentful tune. It sounds dangerously + close. Best get a move on if you want to avoid a + confrontation.
WHAT DO YOU DO
- +++While the wisened scholar inspects the vault door, Inky + walks a few steps from the antechamber to meet the Kobit + guard, pressure gauge and tiny notebook in hand. Inky proceeds + to ask them about water flow sounds in the surrounding area, + water stains, signs of potential pests that could damage the + pipes, and other rather boring elements pertaining to modern + Basmentia burrow plumbing.
+After a while, seeing as they have been conversing for some + time, Inky pulls out two small bottles of chilled arrowroot + beer from a waist pouch and offers one to the Kobit guard.
+
The big guard kobit’s eyes start to glass over as Inky goes + on about water pressure and structural integrity.
+But it does graciously accept a bottle arrowroot beer.
+“Well, golly, don’t mind if I do!” It cracks the lid off, + toasts to your health and takes a long swig.
+“Aaaaaaaah! That hits the spot!”
+++Corraidhin absentmindedly inspects the terminal and door + while Inky converses with the guard. He’s utterly distracted + and talking to himself.
+By the gods, it’s gone. Just like that! I thought it’d + fizzle or something, but it’s gone! I wonder what else I can + do with this thing.
+Corraidhin wanders back to the terminal and enters another + command.
+19 c The wise and elderly Corraidhin is now a young and + dashing rogue, with a very nice hat. .
+
The printer spits out a slip of paper:
+?Maybe the ed terminal only has jurisdiction over the door + to the vault.
+Or maybe the machine, the universe, or whatever, is telling + you not to push your luck.
+By now the big guard kobit, lulled by Inky’s questions and + finally sedated by the alcohol, is slumped and snoring softly + in the mouth of one of the twisty little passages.
+You stand before the open vault under the ever watchful + gaze of the sword at the bottom of the pool of water in the + center of the room.
+WHAT DO
]]>Suddenly three anthropomorphic gophers come crashing - through the trees behind you into the dig site. The first is - wearing a sash of many pockets. The second is wearing cargo - shorts of many pockets. The third is wearing a vest of many - pockets. Each wears a pair of goggles with thick smokey black - lenses, and a floppy checkered hat that looks like a - waffle.
-They march up to the zip-line.
-“Out of the way, losers!” Sash cries. It grabs the zip-line - trolley, and immediately dives off the side of the cliff and - zooms down into the deep, deep hole.
-Vest introduces itself, “Retrieval Team 70 here! We are - here to recover the Ginnarak Crystal that is reported to be at - this location. After we collect all five, then it will be - us who get to hang out in the Benefactor’s hot tub! - Not you! Ha!”
-Sash has reached the bottom of the deep, deep hole. Shorts - starts reeling in the pulley.
-Vest leans in close and peers at you through its foggy - lenses. “You must be the new Retrieval Team 43. Hmmph. Shame - what happened to the previous Team 43. Hope you know what - you’re doing! Would hate to see you end up like them!”
-Shorts grabs the trolley and leaps down into the deep, deep - hole. It sails all the way down, and joins Sash at the - bottom.
-“Welp!” Vest concludes with an air of finality. “No hard - feelings, and all that! After we collect this crystal, we just - need four more. And then we get to meet the Benefactor! - Ha!”
-It waddles off and starts reeling in the trolley.
-Meanwhile, another gnome explodes behind you.
-WHAT DO YOU DO
- - ]]> -Blavin provides you with a multibeast for your excursion. - “Courtesy of the Benefactor!” You pack it up with food and - supplies, and trek into the Tammineaux Forest in search of the - first Ginnarak Crystal.
-The forest is lush, thick, and green. You have to hack your - way through the vines and the brush. There are stinging - insects, squawking birds, and dangerous forest creatures a - plenty. It is hot and sticky.
-How will you ever find your way through this wilderness to - the dig site?
-“Shouldn’t be too hard,” you remember Blavin saying back at - Lucy’s, gesturing carelessly and sloshing a little bit of his - fourth drink. “They’re gnomes, after all! Just follow the - sound of explosions and screaming.”
-Sure enough, before long you hear a mechanical droning and - some blasting up ahead, punctuated now and then by high - pitched screams, and you guide the multibeast in that - direction.
-Suddenly you are ambushed by a troop of blahoblins! Awful - looking things. Taut rubbery gray skin. Long flat noses stick - out way far from their faces. And so do their protruding, - lipless mouths full of sharp pointy teeth. You didn’t hear - them over the noise of the shrieking parrots and, in the - distance, the shrieking gnomes.
-“SHOE SHINE!!” the first one yells. It is wearing a gold - ring on each finger (minus the three fingers it is missing), - two in each ear, and one in its nose. It is dragging a vat of - black polish nearly as tall as it is.
-“SHOE SHINE!!” a second one agrees. It is wearing a nice - waistcoat with large gaudy buttons, and a nice looking pocket - watch on a gold chain. It is dragging a comfy looking chair - stuffed with bits of fluff and leaves and fur.
-A third one screams, “SHOE SHINE SHOE SHINE!” It has - several gold teeth and carries a huge block of cheese secured - to its back with long loops of hempen rope.
-The fourth and final one is wearing what looks like freshly - painted red shoes and is carrying a lit torch. “SHOE - SHIIIIINE!” it screams. It is wearing a gold medallion on a - gold necklace.
- - ]]> ---Inky peers down at the hole, and after some time, turns to - the party. “Do you think they’ve cleared most of the gnomes by - now, or should we wait until they emerge and grab the crystal - then?” Gazing at some invisible spot farther among the trees, - Inky continued, “One of the old miners back at the tavern said - there used to be a natural maw on the southwestern side, but - it was blocked when the tunnel caved in many years ago. The - gnomes don’t waste their efforts on blowing up things knowing - someone’s already been through them. Chances are there’s only - one exit, unless this mine is a decoy.”
+While Inky packs the top of a sack with a thin layer of + earth from under a loose rock, they feel a heated glare in + their general direction for a few beats and surmises Master + Corraidhín had entered the vault with his newfound companion. + After decades of serving rather … demanding customers as an + inkling, Inky knew an evil eye directed at them even when they + can’t see it (while preparing a brew with their back turned, + for instance) and makes a mental note to give Pointy a wide + berth.
+Once the sacks were placed close to the vault entrance for + a quick haul, Inky returns to the items that had been + discovered while digging under the loose rock. The set of + gold-nibbed quills were swiftly pocketed — each quill was + finely crafted and felt balanced when held in one hand. The + malleable tips in a range of sizes would be invaluable for + testing ink viscosity and smoothness, among other properties. + A felicitously fantastic find!
+The jade tea set was next to be admired, its deep green hue + reflecting the age of the stone from which the items were + carved. With cups for every member of their merry group, the + teapot would make a worthy addition to any travelling, + crystal-seeking tea party. So thin and translucent were the + small cups, having been expertly crafted, that they were + almost too fragile to carry around everywhere. A + non-shattering charm was often applied to heirloom sets meant + to be passed down through generations, but it is difficult to + tell by looking whether a set had been charmed unless the + spell was a particularly strong one. The teapot and cups were + returned to the small wooden box they were found in and stored + away. Perhaps a few crockery talismans could be procured at + the next town?
+Inky pauses at the rack of bottled ink. The first rule that + any inkling in training learns is to never trust pre-bottled + inks from unverified ingredients or unknown sauces. Inky tilts + the rack to better examine the weird yet vaguely familiar + glyphs on the bottles.
+The first glyph was a circle with three dots. The bottle + next to it was adorned with a swirl, followed by a bottle with + a circle surrounding a pointing hand or a snail. Another glyph + looked like a twisted hook, and was that some sort of sinister + grinning reptile on the next one?? Towards the middle of the + rack was a bottle with a glyph of what could be a mountain + with a tunnel at its base. The bottle beside it bore a glyph + of a block broken to three pieces. Yet another bottle was + simply stamped with a circle and a dot at its center. Its + neighbour held a glyph that slightly resembled a mountain + range if someone stared very hard. The next two bottles bore + glyphs that looked like a spiky fish and a circle with a pair + of horns protruding from it. The last bottle’s contents seemed + more gooey than the others, with a glyph of a helmet-wearing + hare.
+The shade of ink within the bottles varied, but all seem to + be derived from the same indistinct hue. None of the bottles + had the usual piece of ash paper with bits of string attached + to them, but otherwise appear to be intact and the vessels + themselves top quality, as shown by the delicate tarring on + the caps. The wooden rack was lightly worn but solid in Inky’s + hands.
+It was certainly an odd collection. “No hash, no stash” + though, as the rule of thumb goes. Inky puts the rack down + carefully on the floor by the sacks, concluding that if anyone + wanted to help themselves to the bottles, they were hopefully + not planning to ingest the contents.
+Dusting off their boots, Inky settles just behind the + banner, closer to the vault entrance and rousing performance, + to watch the crowd around Jarrod and listen for any sounds + from outside the vault.
Inky peers down the hole and watches Retrieval Team 70 - approach the kobit caves.
-The maw on the southwestern side did indeed collapse - several seasons ago. If you know anything about the industrial - and intrepid kobits however, it is that they have probably dug - several alternative, secret entrances since then.
-Just as the gophers reach the cave entrance, a large erge, - muscles rippling beneath its white feathers, emerges from - behind a boulder and blocks their way forward.
-It raises the feathery crest on the crown of its head, and - fluffs up its plumage in a dramatic display. It appears to be - arguing with the gophers. All three gophers appear to be - arguing back.
-The egre gestures angrily at the gophers’ feet, shakes its - head, and crosses its arms defiantly. The gophers look down at - their own feet and shuffle about as though embarrassed.
-They all exchange a few more words and then the gophers - retreat away from the egre and the cave entrance. They huddle - together briefly and then start slowly climbing the - scaffolding back up to the top of the hole.
-“Oh yeah,” the foreman remarks absentmindedly. “There’s an - egre guarding the kobit caves.”
-The egre below preens and struts about proudly having - chased off the gophers.
-“Stubborn things,” the foreman continues. “Easily provoked - to violence. Impeccable fashion sense though.”
-WHAT DO YOU DO
+You pack up the quills and the jade tea set, and arrange + the bags by the vault entrance for quick retrieval.
+As you carry the rack of ink bottles over to the bags, the + twelfth and final ink bottle, the one with the glyph of the + helmet-wearing hare, suddenly cracks. Seemingly of its own + volition. A tiny shard of glass slices the palm of your hand + and disappears into the meat at the base of your thumb. The + gooey ink seeps out of the bottle and paints your hand a + muddy, rusty blue.
+You jerk your hand back. The ink is swiftly absorbed into + your hand as though it were a sponge. Soon it’s all gone: the + ink, the blood, all of it. Nothing remains of the scratch + itself but a hair-thin line. If you run your finger over it, + you can feel the hard nub of the glass shard beneath the + skin.
+For a moment you can hear the double drum of your own + heartbeat rushing through your ears. Your senses seem to + sharpen. Colors grow more crisp, and sounds more clear. But + then it passes, and the moment is gone.
+++Harrumph, pointy my friend, that’s just inky. They’re + definitely not super evil. That’s the finest ink craftsmen and + tea preparer this side of Basementaria. And we absolutely + won’t be stabbing them. There are FAR eviler things to stab, + potentially that weird naked thing that seems to think itself + a horse. I could be convinced IT was evil, but wouldn’t use + attacking it unprovoked make us evil? Surely a sword as + ancient and wise as you could see the perfectly puzzling + philosophical delimna we put ourselves in.
+And then this thing, (corraidhin gestures at the crystal), + horrible magical item used to create untold death, + destruction, and mayhem during the last Artificer war. + Definitely probably evil, if used that way, but also filled + with untold power that could be used for good! Now would the + person weilding it be evil just because, or could someone + overcome the magical nature of a device capable of such evil + and apply them for good? I for one believe afirmatively that + one can overcome such things.
+As corriadhin finishes his philosophical prattling to his + new stabby friend he pushes the glass case off the crystal and + grabs it.
+
The Sword of Yam’l starts to launch into a long winded + reply.
+Oh yes, that winged naked thing is surely evil. Let us stab it, Hardy Bear! Let us stab and stab and stab until --- What's that? Oh no, don't worry. We are unquestionably, infallibly good. I was designed and made for but one purpose, after all. TO RID EVIL! As for the crystal, yes, I suppose you are correct. Wielding a powerful, bloodthirsty, magical item probably does make the wielder evil, and consequently immediately deserving of being stabbed! Say, speaking of stabbing ... that naked, winged thing--But then, before the sword can finish its thought (a + thought, you are quite confident, would end with something + like, “let’s stab it!”) you knock the glass dome off the + pedestal and grab the Ginnarak Crystal.
+You brace yourself. It thrums slightly in your hand but + doesn’t do anything overtly magical or destructive. In fact it + seems perfectly inert.
+So there you are. A pointer murder stick attached firmly to + one hand, and a potential atom bomb of a crystal in the other. + But you think you’re totally going to pull this off!
+Then the glass dome hits the ground and shatters into + dozens of pieces.
+HORSE screams and whips around at the noise. + “BhrruUHRHUuHRRh! My blue and gold melon sized gem! Noooooo! + BrUHrhHHHURHuRu!”
+It flaps its wings and wheels up into the air and swoops + down at you! The three aurs get swept up in the excitement and + start flapping around, making tiny squeaks of alarm. The + remaining kobit leaps to its feet, but then trips over its + shoelaces.
+WHAT DO YOU DO??
+ href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-09/msg00026.html">www ]]>--Harrumph I say as I billow out my mustache. I know exactly - what this is, I’ve seen these silly terminals at the wizarding - academy. Fascinating little babbles really, not that easy to - use, and I find they’re easier to melt with a well placed - fireball or two, but I think I can get us past without that. - Now I might need someone to cover for me if that Kobit catches - onto what I’m doing, and I’ll say the weird sword is starting - to creep me out a bit.
-Corraidhin approaches the terminal, cracks his knuckles, - and enters: 1,$p
-
The printer spits out a piece of paper:
-The door is Locked--Corraidhin stares at the paper. Well, that’s not right, the - door’s only partially closed. Preposterious thing.
-That’s okay, I know how to fix this.
-19 c there is no door, there never was, and never will be. - Also the Kobit guard forgot to tie his shoes. . w 1,$p
-
The printer spits out a slip of paper.
-there is no door, there never was, and never will be. Also the Kobit guard forgot to tie his shoes.With a soft pop, the thick stone door vanishes.
-The sword at the bottom of the pool widens its eye in - surprise.
-Nothing remains between you and the interior of the - vault.
-Some light from the hall spills in and glints off what - appears to be a mound of gold, gems, and crystals. The rest of - its contents are hidden from view unless you venture - inside.
-You can still hear the guard kobit in the passage, now - whistling a warbling, lamentful tune. It sounds dangerously - close. Best get a move on if you want to avoid a - confrontation.
-WHAT DO YOU DO
---While the wisened scholar inspects the vault door, Inky - walks a few steps from the antechamber to meet the Kobit - guard, pressure gauge and tiny notebook in hand. Inky proceeds - to ask them about water flow sounds in the surrounding area, - water stains, signs of potential pests that could damage the - pipes, and other rather boring elements pertaining to modern - Basmentia burrow plumbing.
-After a while, seeing as they have been conversing for some - time, Inky pulls out two small bottles of chilled arrowroot - beer from a waist pouch and offers one to the Kobit guard.
-
The big guard kobit’s eyes start to glass over as Inky goes - on about water pressure and structural integrity.
-But it does graciously accept a bottle arrowroot beer.
-“Well, golly, don’t mind if I do!” It cracks the lid off, - toasts to your health and takes a long swig.
-“Aaaaaaaah! That hits the spot!”
---Corraidhin absentmindedly inspects the terminal and door - while Inky converses with the guard. He’s utterly distracted - and talking to himself.
-By the gods, it’s gone. Just like that! I thought it’d - fizzle or something, but it’s gone! I wonder what else I can - do with this thing.
-Corraidhin wanders back to the terminal and enters another - command.
-19 c The wise and elderly Corraidhin is now a young and - dashing rogue, with a very nice hat. .
-
The printer spits out a slip of paper:
-?Maybe the ed terminal only has jurisdiction over the door - to the vault.
-Or maybe the machine, the universe, or whatever, is telling - you not to push your luck.
-By now the big guard kobit, lulled by Inky’s questions and - finally sedated by the alcohol, is slumped and snoring softly - in the mouth of one of the twisty little passages.
-You stand before the open vault under the ever watchful - gaze of the sword at the bottom of the pool of water in the - center of the room.
-WHAT DO
- ]]> -RETCON!
-Before Corraidhín ascended to the surface of the pool….
---As Corraidhin finishes his incantation a small porro drifts - down bonking him on the head. Startled corraidhin begins to - move around in the pool trying to find his assailant.
-“By the gods what in the world is in this pool with me!” he - tugs frantically on the sword, and as he does so the porro - drifts into view. “Oh wait, that..” his eyes follow the rubber - hose attached to it up to the top of the pool. “Ah ha!” he - exclaims immediately inhaling a mouth full of water and - frantically pulling the porro from the hose with his spare - hand and teeth. Corraidhin sucks greedily at the air the hose - provides as he becomes acutely aware of the burning sensation - in his lungs.
-The porro drifts wistfully to the bottom of the pool, just - out of reach. A dark liquid rises from it as it comes to rest - on the bottom of the pool.
-
And now back to our show!
---After heartily congratulating Master Corraidhín on his - successful sword acquisition in hushed whispers and finishing - off a cup of blackcurrant tea, Inky retrieves the porro from - the bottom of the pool with a fishing pole and a few recasts. - (Calling that gnarly stick with a line, bottle and hook - slightly bent out of shape on one end a fishing pole would be - an affont to any self-respecting fisherfolk though.) Inky - rinses the pitcher and hose before stowing them away again in - the bag along with the pole and other ink brewing - paraphernalia.
-Refreshed, Inky slips noiselessly inside the vault, edging - along the wall on the farther side from the crowd now wholly - enraptured by Jarrod’s grand recital. Seeing the crowd - pacified and giving Jarrod a thumbs-up, Inky unfurls a long - and dusty bolt of dark cloth with the words “UNDER MAINTENANCE - — NO UNAUTHORISED ENTRY [by order of the Basmentaria Bureau of - Sanitation]” in roughly-scrawled letters tacked onto it, and - hung the ends of the cloth so it spanned and completely - obscured one side of the vault.
-Standing behind the makeshift inspection site, Inky - proceeds to fill several sacks with gold and gems using a - small shovel, before putting one of the sacks into their Hacky - Duffer Discette (its capacity for large storage and small - weight is a blessing in disguise for both aspiring and - afflicted collectors alike).
-
You successfully cordon off a corner of the vault and set - up a very convincing UNDER CONSTRUCTION banner. It looks - straight up like a 90’s website.
-You start shoving bags of treasure into your HD Discette, - but it only accepts 1.44 bags before running out of space. You - you leave the remaining bags for the others.
-During your excavation, you find a complete set of - magnificent, ornate, gold-nibbed quills, and also a small - wooden rack of bottled ink.
-There are a dozen small bottles all arranged in a row, each - one with a different mysterious glyph, the contents all a - slightly different shade. As you handle the rack, the ink - sloshes around inside. It could still be good!
-The fine wooden rack encloses them all and holds them in - place by means of the lid, which closes securely around the - bottle necks. Once you open the lid, you can easily retrieve - and stow the bottles.
-You also spot a fine jade teapot. A matching set of small - cups—no handles, no saucers—cluster around the pot like - nursing pups.
---Corraidhin clambors out of the pool, magical pokey stick in - hand.
-Good show! He exclaims to himself and the sword. Now I can - finally get a good look at this sword, though for some reason - I can’t seem to let go, I guess for now I won’t lose it.
-You said you wanted to do some stabbin right? Of evil - things? What constitutes evil my pointy new friend?
-
The sword does indeed remain steadfastly glued to your - hand. As you swish it around you discover that it seems to get - lighter when you hold it aloft, and that it trembles and grows - increasingly heavy as it descends. The sensation is almost as - though it has a hollow core in which some kind of heavy liquid - sloshes around. And as though its blow would be - devastating.
-The sword relishes being wielded and swung, and grows more - and more ecstatic. Its eye darts menacingly back and forth, - vanquishing imaginary enemies with each jab.
-Yes! Yes, I am made for a singular purpose. To RID EVIL. To root out evil, spill its blood, and then do it again! So let's go find some evil, Bear! And then you can just stab it with me.
-
-Oh, what constitutes evil, you ask? In my experience, evil can't help but make itself known. You'll know it when you see it.
-
-For example, see there? That little inky fellow sneaking into that treasure room? Probably super evil. We should go investigate.--As corraidhin questions the sword he wanders towards the - vault peering in to inspect Jarrod’s performance. He’s really - good at that, what do you think? Actually what do I even call - you? Do you like nicknames? I was thinking pointy, or stabby, - but I’m open to suggestions, respect and all that.
-Oh hey, the crystal! It looks like it’s unguarded! - Corraidhin slinks towards the crystal muttering to his magical - sword as he does.
-
The sword is momentarily distracted by the Aurs and Kobits. - Its eye widens. It almost seems to shudder with - anticipation.
-EEEEEVIL! Rid. Evil. Spill. Repeat.You are thankful that the voice seems only to be heard - inside your own head.
-Oh, my name? I'm sure I had one at some point. Long forgotten by now. No matter, I'm not sad about it. One has no use for a name when instead they have a singular, all-consuming purpose!
-
-But, my last Bear called me her Bee. I quite liked that. The bee in her bonnet! Ha! Evil, fear my sting!The sword prattles on in your head as you sneak past - Jarrod’s monstrous storytime and approach the pedestal. Or is - it a lectern?
-You arrive unseen. The crystal is a dazzling deep blue, - with pulsing gold veins. It is oddly shaped, somewhat like an - egg. And it floats, rotating slowly, suspended in air beneath - the glass dome that encloses it.
-Drawing on your knowledge of Arcane Lore, you remember that - the five Ginnarak Crystals played a key role in the Artifice - Wars that once rampaged across all of Basmentaria. They are - sources of tremendous power. Some say that, the five of them - together, they could kill a god. You’re not sure you believe - that. But they did definitely reduce the once lush and verdant - island nation of Ginnarak to cinder wastes and deserts of ash. - A cataclysmic event that put a resolute end to the Artifice - Wars.
-You look around the vault. Jarrod is reciting epic poetry - and mesmerizing the monsters. Inky is pillaging and looting. - You have a bloodthirsty, sentient sword in one hand; and a - large arcane battery of a crystal within reach of the - other.
+The Retrieval Team 70 gophers are absolutely losing their + minds over the ed terminal.
+“It just keeps printing a question mark!” Vest sobs.
+“Try pushing escape?” suggests Shorts somewhat + panicking.
+“I’ve tried it! It’s not vi! It doesn’t do anything!” Vest + moans. “Here you try it if you’re so smart!”
+Sash is balled up on the floor crying, having already had a + turn at the terminal.
+Shorts carefully steps over them and timidly prods at the + keypad.
+A throng of beefy guard kobits come charging into the hall, + alerted by the gopher racket.
+“Here now! You’re not supposed to be in here!”
+One of them trips over Sash, still balled up on the floor, + and crashes into Shorts’s back, pinning them to wall. They + squeal. Another guard grabs Vest by the collar, and after a + brief scuffle all three gophers are escorted out of the hall + despite their howls of protest.
+“I had better check on the vault!” exclaims one of the + kobits who remains behind.
+They bang a few keys on the terminal and it spits out a + slip of paper.
+ed v1.6
+19
+P
+*,n
+1 the door is locked
+*1s/locked/open
+?
+*H
+no match
+*1s/Locked/Open
+the door is Open
+*wq
+17There is a mechanical whir deep in the walls, and a click + and a gasp of air as the door swings inward.
+The kobit slips into the vault and the door swings only + partly closed behind it.
+The sword in the bottom of the pool pointedly narrows its + eye at you.
+The gods of Basmentaria observe passively from their + reliefs in the alcoves around you.
+The door to the vault is ajar, the first of the five + legendary Ginnarak crystals presumably behind it.
+From one of the twisty little passages, you hear a guard + kobit approaching, singing a sad cowboy song to itself.
WHAT DO YOU DO
+ href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-09/msg00001.html">www ]]>“Congratulations!” The slightly tipsy hobbit grins and - salutes you with his martini. “On Retrieval Team 43’s - inaugural mission! I’m so excited for you, I’m sure you’ll do - fantastic!”
-You are all seated around a table in the corner at Lucy’s - Basement. It is dimly lit and fairly noisy. The walls are - covered in red velvet curtains, and the tablecloths have - little gold tassels. A cloud of purple smoke from candles, - cigars, and pipes hangs in the air. Waiters bustle between - tables refilling drinks.
-“So to recap, the Benefactor has tasked you with retrieving - the five fabled Ginnarak Crystals. I, Blavin Blandfoot, will - be your case manager. You will be paid handsomely for each - crystal you retrieve. And if you retrieve all 5, you’ll get to - meet the Benefactor at be their guest at their glorious - mansion!”
-“The first crystal has been spotted near a Gnomish dig site - in the Tammineaux Forest, just east of here.”
-“I recommend getting started right away!” He polishes off - his drink and squints at his empty glass. “Well, maybe first - thing in the morning. Waiter!”
-Once Corey the Kobit exits the antechamber, you are free to + look around a little bit.
+The eyesword continues to watch from the bottom of the + pool, and the Kobit Ed terminal continues to await you by the + vault door.
+But also you notice a couple of alcoves along the walls + between the twisty little passages. Each of them holds a + relief sculpture depicting one of the three deities of + Basmentaria.
+There is Neddas, the wise god of sages and starlight. + Androgynous, clad in purple robes, depicted with a golden + third eye in the middle of their forehead. They are shown here + stoically bestowing gifts upon the inhabitants of + Basmentaria.
+And here is Nullar, god of time and tides. A bespectacled + male figure with a golden third eye on his forehead. He is + dressed in a dapper vest and bow tie, and is adorned with + small cogs and gears. He is depicted here looking up at the + stars from a mechanical contraption he is working on.
+Finally, there is Liandt, goddess of war and flame. A + primal, elemental deity, she is depicted as a fiery warrior + with a golden third eye. The relief shows her on the + battlefield during the Artifice wars. The wars which reduced + Ginnarak to the wastes of cinder and ash that they are today. + The wars which drained Liandt’s divine energies so thoroughly + that she fell into a deep sleep and has been absent from the + mortal realms ever since.
+But enough of this lore dump! There is something important + happening!
+You hear a shuffling and a mumbling approaching from one of + the twisty little passages.
+You’re already in one of the alcoves studying the relief, + so your press yourself flat into the recess.
+Three gophers with smoked glass goggles spill out from one + of the passages. Retrieval team 70! They made it past the egre + after all!
+They don’t see you, but head straight to the keypad by the + vault. They crowd around it and start pressing buttons, + arguing and bickering with one another.
+The sword at the bottom of the pool seems to roll its eye + in exasperation.
+WHAT DO YOU DO?
+ href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-08/msg00017.html">www ]]>The Retrieval Team 70 gophers are absolutely losing their - minds over the ed terminal.
-“It just keeps printing a question mark!” Vest sobs.
-“Try pushing escape?” suggests Shorts somewhat - panicking.
-“I’ve tried it! It’s not vi! It doesn’t do anything!” Vest - moans. “Here you try it if you’re so smart!”
-Sash is balled up on the floor crying, having already had a - turn at the terminal.
-Shorts carefully steps over them and timidly prods at the - keypad.
-A throng of beefy guard kobits come charging into the hall, - alerted by the gopher racket.
-“Here now! You’re not supposed to be in here!”
-One of them trips over Sash, still balled up on the floor, - and crashes into Shorts’s back, pinning them to wall. They - squeal. Another guard grabs Vest by the collar, and after a - brief scuffle all three gophers are escorted out of the hall - despite their howls of protest.
-“I had better check on the vault!” exclaims one of the - kobits who remains behind.
-They bang a few keys on the terminal and it spits out a - slip of paper.
-ed v1.6
-19
-P
-*,n
-1 the door is locked
-*1s/locked/open
-?
-*H
-no match
-*1s/Locked/Open
-the door is Open
-*wq
-17There is a mechanical whir deep in the walls, and a click - and a gasp of air as the door swings inward.
-The kobit slips into the vault and the door swings only - partly closed behind it.
-The sword in the bottom of the pool pointedly narrows its - eye at you.
-The gods of Basmentaria observe passively from their - reliefs in the alcoves around you.
-The door to the vault is ajar, the first of the five - legendary Ginnarak crystals presumably behind it.
-From one of the twisty little passages, you hear a guard - kobit approaching, singing a sad cowboy song to itself.
+++As the blahoblins were packing up, Inky persuades Waistcoat + to sell a few small bottles of shoe polish, a roughly round + piece of broken glass and scraps of cheesecloth from the + mountain of debris previously on the ground. Inky rolls Do + Anything 1 and rolls a 4.
+
Inky successfully persuades Waistcoat to sell a few baubles + and trinkets with the first roll of the game!
+They haggle back and forth a little bit, and Inky ends up + paying a little more than they wanted to, but they get all the + stuff they wanted. Yay commerce!
+Having concluded business, the blahoblins pack up and + disappear into the bushes toting their chair, cheese, and vat + of polish.
+The sound of mechanical droning and periodic explosions + compel you forward to the dig site.
+It is easy to find.
+It is a large hole blasted deep into the ground. There are + drills, and conveyor belts, earth moving machines, and all + kinds of gadgets and gizmos, the purpose of which is not + always readily apparent. And there is a zip line that seems to + be the only way down to the bottom.
+The site is absolutely teeming with gnomes. Diminutive + humanoids with bright red noses and long, long ears, and long, + nimble fingers. All gnomes are compulsive tinkerers and + mechanics, and build fantastic contraptions. All gnomes are + women, and are all highly explosive. Which makes their + combustion powered machines extremely dangerous, both for + themselves and for any unfortunate bystanders close enough to + get caught in the blast.
+A gnome in a white hat comes running up to you. “You there! + Hey! Yes, you!”
+“Are you the retrieval team? We’ve been expecting you! The + whole dig is halted because we accidentally blasted into a + whole nest of Kobits, and they won’t let us get near to keep + digging! They keep sabotaging our machines when we try!”
+“They also stole the Ginnarak Crystal that we found! That + thing could have powered such glorious new machines!” She + pouts.
+In the background, a gnome who had crawled half way into a + coal bin in the side of some kind of excavator suddenly + scrambles quickly out, smoking, and runs around in circles in + a panic. Nearby gnomes dive out of the way as she erupts in a + small ball of fire. The gnomes wait for the smoke to clear and + then immediately return to working on the contraption.
+The foreman continues talking to you as though nothing + happened. She leads you over to the edge of the hole and + points to the bottom.
+“The entrance to their cave is right down there! The zip + line is the second fastest way down.”
WHAT DO YOU DO
+ href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-07/msg00035.html">www + ]]> +++Jarrod wanders into the vault. Spotting the Aurs and the + Kobits, a slow grin starts to spread on his face. Taking a + deep breath in, he gestures grandiosely around him and booms: + “Ah! Come gather round! Hear a tale of Triumph! Of Heart! … + Maybe even a bit of Nirvana!”
+He saunters over to the giant open clam and poses grandly + nearby. His eyes sweep across the Kobits, attempting to catch + the eyes of each one, as he begins to tap the fingers of his + left hand rhythmically against his thigh, mimicking a + heartbeat.
++"Our tale begins with a hero, though one not oft recognized, + Weaving bureaucratic mysteries across parchment with zeal, + Though held to account, and by all accounts terrorized, + By small minded yes-men with power and zeal! + + Yes, our hero of sorts did not act and avail, + He gave others their tasks to be done. + No pleasure he gleaned from the mop or the pail, + And yet here we begin with the fun!"Thus has the epic begun, and Jarrod is pushing the rhythm + of the words hard, attempting to draw all eyes and ears to + himself.
+
Broad-chested, olive-skinned Jarrod launches into the epic, + flanked on one side by a giant clam and on the other side by a + suit of armor.
+The aurs, enraptured, immediately flutter down to rest at + his feet to listen to the poem.
+The one Kobit that tripped over its own feet rolls over + where it lays on the ground and listens with naked + admiration.
+The naked, winged Kobit rouses from its sleep at the noise + with a groan. It grouchily rises to its feet, flaps its wings + a few times, and soars up into the air.
+“My name,” it cries out, “is HORSE! BhrruUHRHUuHRRh! Behold + my majesty! BrUHrhHHHURHuRu! You shall not steal my blue and + gold, melon-sized gem! BhrruUHRHUuHRRh! I have such beautiful + WINGS!”
+The aurs and the clumsy Kobit all start to fidget as + Horse’s outburst threatens to break the spell of Jarrod’s + captivating oration.
+++“Excellent!” Corradihin whispers to Inky nudging her gently + as he does. “It looks like Jarrod has the Kobits covered, I’m + gonna make a break for the sword, I’m decently, somewhat, sort + of positive that it’s the legendary sword of Jason. But if I’m + wrong and it’s cursed watch my back. I might need a quick + save.”
+Corraidhin makes a step forward, “Oh and Inky, if Jarrod’s + distraction goes awry, shout, I’ll come in fireballs blazing. + I highly suggest a rapid retreat if it comes to thay.”
+Corraidhin darts towards the sword scrambling over the + terrain while the actions on the vault. As he approaches the + sword he asks the sword if it wouldn’t mind coming along for a + bit of adventure, and he grabs it by the hilt.
+
Corraidhín wades resolutely into the pool. The water rises + up to his knees, his hips, his shoulders, and finally he dives + under about 10 feet to the bottom of the pool. The eye of the + sword stares at him with great intensity as he descends.
+The mage reaches out and firmly grasps the hilt.
+You feel a jolt, and the eye rolls back in its socket.
+You yank on the sword and it budges not one bit. Not one + iota!
+You go to adjust your grip. But your hand is stuck fast! + Glued to the hilt of the sword!
+You look up at the surface of the water, some 10 feet + above.
+You look down at the sword that refuses to release you.
+You look more closely at the pattern on the hilt. Egads! + Why did you not see it before? The pattern is neither whirly + nor swirly at all! It is in fact kind of spacey and + indented.
+This is not the legendary Sword of J’son! It’s so obvious! + How could you have been so mistaken! This is none other than + the infamous Sword of Yam’l. Yam’l is of course a superset of + J’son, so it is an easy enough error to make. And perfectly + harmless in an academic setting. It is however a costly + miscalculation to make while glued to a sword at the bottom of + a fountain.
+You lungs start to burn a little bit, and you hear a + spectral, burbling, significant whitespace voice in your head + as the sword makes intense eye contact with you:
+---
+name: Yam'l
+conditions: {"stuck": "true", "sticky": "true"}
+greatest desire: stabbing
+...And then an expectant pause, as though the sword eagerly + awaits your reply.
+++Inky watches Master Corraidhín make his way towards the + creepy sword with two drams of admiration and a tiny dose of + apprehension. Taking out a small wrench, a pouch of nuts and + bolts, along with some gum twine, Inky crouches near the vault + archway, listening in a little on Jarrod’s epic tale about the + unsung hero of sanitation while occasionally looking into the + pool.
+
Inky, from the best seat in the house, hears Jarrod launch + into an epic poem, and also the beating of leathery wings and + a mighty whinny and a neigh.
+They also watch Corraidhín dive to the bottom of the + fountain, and then thrash about a bit with one hand on the + hilt of the eye sword.
+WHAT DO YOU DO
+ ]]>--As the blahoblins were packing up, Inky persuades Waistcoat - to sell a few small bottles of shoe polish, a roughly round - piece of broken glass and scraps of cheesecloth from the - mountain of debris previously on the ground. Inky rolls Do - Anything 1 and rolls a 4.
-
Inky successfully persuades Waistcoat to sell a few baubles - and trinkets with the first roll of the game!
-They haggle back and forth a little bit, and Inky ends up - paying a little more than they wanted to, but they get all the - stuff they wanted. Yay commerce!
-Having concluded business, the blahoblins pack up and - disappear into the bushes toting their chair, cheese, and vat - of polish.
-The sound of mechanical droning and periodic explosions - compel you forward to the dig site.
-It is easy to find.
-It is a large hole blasted deep into the ground. There are - drills, and conveyor belts, earth moving machines, and all - kinds of gadgets and gizmos, the purpose of which is not - always readily apparent. And there is a zip line that seems to - be the only way down to the bottom.
-The site is absolutely teeming with gnomes. Diminutive - humanoids with bright red noses and long, long ears, and long, - nimble fingers. All gnomes are compulsive tinkerers and - mechanics, and build fantastic contraptions. All gnomes are - women, and are all highly explosive. Which makes their - combustion powered machines extremely dangerous, both for - themselves and for any unfortunate bystanders close enough to - get caught in the blast.
-A gnome in a white hat comes running up to you. “You there! - Hey! Yes, you!”
-“Are you the retrieval team? We’ve been expecting you! The - whole dig is halted because we accidentally blasted into a - whole nest of Kobits, and they won’t let us get near to keep - digging! They keep sabotaging our machines when we try!”
-“They also stole the Ginnarak Crystal that we found! That - thing could have powered such glorious new machines!” She - pouts.
-In the background, a gnome who had crawled half way into a - coal bin in the side of some kind of excavator suddenly - scrambles quickly out, smoking, and runs around in circles in - a panic. Nearby gnomes dive out of the way as she erupts in a - small ball of fire. The gnomes wait for the smoke to clear and - then immediately return to working on the contraption.
-The foreman continues talking to you as though nothing - happened. She leads you over to the edge of the hole and - points to the bottom.
-“The entrance to their cave is right down there! The zip - line is the second fastest way down.”
-WHAT DO YOU DO
- - ]]> -Once Corey the Kobit exits the antechamber, you are free to - look around a little bit.
-The eyesword continues to watch from the bottom of the - pool, and the Kobit Ed terminal continues to await you by the - vault door.
-But also you notice a couple of alcoves along the walls - between the twisty little passages. Each of them holds a - relief sculpture depicting one of the three deities of - Basmentaria.
-There is Neddas, the wise god of sages and starlight. - Androgynous, clad in purple robes, depicted with a golden - third eye in the middle of their forehead. They are shown here - stoically bestowing gifts upon the inhabitants of - Basmentaria.
-And here is Nullar, god of time and tides. A bespectacled - male figure with a golden third eye on his forehead. He is - dressed in a dapper vest and bow tie, and is adorned with - small cogs and gears. He is depicted here looking up at the - stars from a mechanical contraption he is working on.
-Finally, there is Liandt, goddess of war and flame. A - primal, elemental deity, she is depicted as a fiery warrior - with a golden third eye. The relief shows her on the - battlefield during the Artifice wars. The wars which reduced - Ginnarak to the wastes of cinder and ash that they are today. - The wars which drained Liandt’s divine energies so thoroughly - that she fell into a deep sleep and has been absent from the - mortal realms ever since.
-But enough of this lore dump! There is something important - happening!
-You hear a shuffling and a mumbling approaching from one of - the twisty little passages.
-You’re already in one of the alcoves studying the relief, - so your press yourself flat into the recess.
-Three gophers with smoked glass goggles spill out from one - of the passages. Retrieval team 70! They made it past the egre - after all!
-They don’t see you, but head straight to the keypad by the - vault. They crowd around it and start pressing buttons, - arguing and bickering with one another.
-The sword at the bottom of the pool seems to roll its eye - in exasperation.
-WHAT DO YOU DO?
- - ]]> ---Jarrod wanders into the vault. Spotting the Aurs and the - Kobits, a slow grin starts to spread on his face. Taking a - deep breath in, he gestures grandiosely around him and booms: - “Ah! Come gather round! Hear a tale of Triumph! Of Heart! … - Maybe even a bit of Nirvana!”
-He saunters over to the giant open clam and poses grandly - nearby. His eyes sweep across the Kobits, attempting to catch - the eyes of each one, as he begins to tap the fingers of his - left hand rhythmically against his thigh, mimicking a - heartbeat.
--"Our tale begins with a hero, though one not oft recognized, - Weaving bureaucratic mysteries across parchment with zeal, - Though held to account, and by all accounts terrorized, - By small minded yes-men with power and zeal! - - Yes, our hero of sorts did not act and avail, - He gave others their tasks to be done. - No pleasure he gleaned from the mop or the pail, - And yet here we begin with the fun!"Thus has the epic begun, and Jarrod is pushing the rhythm - of the words hard, attempting to draw all eyes and ears to - himself.
-
Broad-chested, olive-skinned Jarrod launches into the epic, - flanked on one side by a giant clam and on the other side by a - suit of armor.
-The aurs, enraptured, immediately flutter down to rest at - his feet to listen to the poem.
-The one Kobit that tripped over its own feet rolls over - where it lays on the ground and listens with naked - admiration.
-The naked, winged Kobit rouses from its sleep at the noise - with a groan. It grouchily rises to its feet, flaps its wings - a few times, and soars up into the air.
-“My name,” it cries out, “is HORSE! BhrruUHRHUuHRRh! Behold - my majesty! BrUHrhHHHURHuRu! You shall not steal my blue and - gold, melon-sized gem! BhrruUHRHUuHRRh! I have such beautiful - WINGS!”
-The aurs and the clumsy Kobit all start to fidget as - Horse’s outburst threatens to break the spell of Jarrod’s - captivating oration.
---“Excellent!” Corradihin whispers to Inky nudging her gently - as he does. “It looks like Jarrod has the Kobits covered, I’m - gonna make a break for the sword, I’m decently, somewhat, sort - of positive that it’s the legendary sword of Jason. But if I’m - wrong and it’s cursed watch my back. I might need a quick - save.”
-Corraidhin makes a step forward, “Oh and Inky, if Jarrod’s - distraction goes awry, shout, I’ll come in fireballs blazing. - I highly suggest a rapid retreat if it comes to thay.”
-Corraidhin darts towards the sword scrambling over the - terrain while the actions on the vault. As he approaches the - sword he asks the sword if it wouldn’t mind coming along for a - bit of adventure, and he grabs it by the hilt.
-
Corraidhín wades resolutely into the pool. The water rises - up to his knees, his hips, his shoulders, and finally he dives - under about 10 feet to the bottom of the pool. The eye of the - sword stares at him with great intensity as he descends.
-The mage reaches out and firmly grasps the hilt.
-You feel a jolt, and the eye rolls back in its socket.
-You yank on the sword and it budges not one bit. Not one - iota!
-You go to adjust your grip. But your hand is stuck fast! - Glued to the hilt of the sword!
-You look up at the surface of the water, some 10 feet - above.
-You look down at the sword that refuses to release you.
-You look more closely at the pattern on the hilt. Egads! - Why did you not see it before? The pattern is neither whirly - nor swirly at all! It is in fact kind of spacey and - indented.
-This is not the legendary Sword of J’son! It’s so obvious! - How could you have been so mistaken! This is none other than - the infamous Sword of Yam’l. Yam’l is of course a superset of - J’son, so it is an easy enough error to make. And perfectly - harmless in an academic setting. It is however a costly - miscalculation to make while glued to a sword at the bottom of - a fountain.
-You lungs start to burn a little bit, and you hear a - spectral, burbling, significant whitespace voice in your head - as the sword makes intense eye contact with you:
----
-name: Yam'l
-conditions: {"stuck": "true", "sticky": "true"}
-greatest desire: stabbing
-...And then an expectant pause, as though the sword eagerly - awaits your reply.
---Inky watches Master Corraidhín make his way towards the - creepy sword with two drams of admiration and a tiny dose of - apprehension. Taking out a small wrench, a pouch of nuts and - bolts, along with some gum twine, Inky crouches near the vault - archway, listening in a little on Jarrod’s epic tale about the - unsung hero of sanitation while occasionally looking into the - pool.
-
Inky, from the best seat in the house, hears Jarrod launch - into an epic poem, and also the beating of leathery wings and - a mighty whinny and a neigh.
-They also watch Corraidhín dive to the bottom of the - fountain, and then thrash about a bit with one hand on the - hilt of the eye sword.
-WHAT DO YOU DO
- - ]]> -“Congratulations!” The slightly tipsy hobbit grins and + salutes you with his martini. “On Retrieval Team 43’s + inaugural mission! I’m so excited for you, I’m sure you’ll do + fantastic!”
+You are all seated around a table in the corner at Lucy’s + Basement. It is dimly lit and fairly noisy. The walls are + covered in red velvet curtains, and the tablecloths have + little gold tassels. A cloud of purple smoke from candles, + cigars, and pipes hangs in the air. Waiters bustle between + tables refilling drinks.
+“So to recap, the Benefactor has tasked you with retrieving + the five fabled Ginnarak Crystals. I, Blavin Blandfoot, will + be your case manager. You will be paid handsomely for each + crystal you retrieve. And if you retrieve all 5, you’ll get to + meet the Benefactor at be their guest at their glorious + mansion!”
+“The first crystal has been spotted near a Gnomish dig site + in the Tammineaux Forest, just east of here.”
+“I recommend getting started right away!” He polishes off + his drink and squints at his empty glass. “Well, maybe first + thing in the morning. Waiter!”
+++Psst, Inky, can you poke your head into the vault, see if + you can spot any crystals. Also, can you tell what kind of + gold’s in there? Maybe it’s worth something to nab a piece of + two for ourselves, you know, since we’re so good at vault + cracking.
+While you do that I’m going to take a closer look at this + sword, it’s giving me heeby jeebies.
+I cast a spell on the sword to identify its physical, + magical, and metaphysical properties
+“Strange sword, I command thee to divulge your secrets! All + that you are of, exist in, and imbue from shall be wrought in + words of sorcercy so that the world my see clear what you + are!” I chant as I invoke ancient runes with my wand.
+
Corraidhín commands the sword commandingly. But the sword + just rolls its eye and looks at him exasperatedly.
+Hmm. Yes, no mouth. Well then.
+Corraidhín draws on his mastery of Arcane Lore, and sifts + through all the knowledge he has filed away on magical swords. + There are so many books on magic swords!
+While at first you guessed that it may merely be a common + Look Sword, you have since revised your initial assessment. + Look Swords are minor magical items, and are not quite as + sentient as this particular blade appears to be.
+No this must be something a little more special.
+It’s hard to tell from here–the water is not perfectly + clear–but the pattern on the hilt is kind swirly and whirly. + Probably a Sword of Omens.
+Unless…
+No, it’s so unlikely.
+And yet.
+If the pattern on the hilt turns out to be more whirly than + swirly, then it probably is indeed a Sword of Omens.
+But on the other hand, if it is more swirly than whirly, + it’s possible that this may be then legendary Sword of + J’Son.
+If only you could get a closer look…
+++Inky nods and peeks inside the vault, while keeping an ear + open for any sounds coming from the tunnel where the guard + kobit is currently sleeping soundly. Small mountains of + ancient gold, some as coins and some in nuggets of various + shapes and sizes, filled most of the cavern floor. In one + corner were a few chests overflowing with rubies and emeralds, + with the occasional amethyst and tiny pink diamonds. Whoever + had this vault set up has amassed a nice hoard!
+Inky whispered back, “Some good old gold! There are also + little crystals in one of the chests, but I can’t tell if any + of them is a Ginnarak.”
+
Inky hears the drunken cowboy Kobit guard snoring gently. + It whistles adorably a little bit at the top of each + exhale.
+You peek inside the vault just in time to see the lone + Kobit guard that went inside to check on the vault. It yelps + and trips over its own feet.
+Its shoes were untied.
+There are indeed piles of gold, gems, and crystals. Chests + full of precious stones. A few suits of armor. For some + reason, a giant clam, mouth open to reveal a giant pearl.
+And in the center of it all, atop a stone pedestal, beneath + a dome of glass, is the blue and gold Ginnarak Crystal. It is + the size of a melon, and kind of shaped like one. A lumpy, + multi-faceted blue and gold melon.
+Flitting around the pedestal are a couple of Aurs. Giant + ears with bat wings. Very keen hearing obviously. Usually more + of an annoyance than a true deterrent. Unless there’s a + Centaur around. Nasty things those. A hundred ears with a + hundred wings. The size of a small horse. They can really ruin + your day. Luckily you don’t see one around.
+Finally, curled up on the ground at the base of the + pedestal, hugging a mound of gold coins like a body pillow, is + a nude Kobit, sound asleep. It stretches briefly in its sleep + and when it does, you are astonished to see that it has large + leathery wings.
+WHAT DO YOU DO
+ + ]]> +++Inky peers down at the hole, and after some time, turns to + the party. “Do you think they’ve cleared most of the gnomes by + now, or should we wait until they emerge and grab the crystal + then?” Gazing at some invisible spot farther among the trees, + Inky continued, “One of the old miners back at the tavern said + there used to be a natural maw on the southwestern side, but + it was blocked when the tunnel caved in many years ago. The + gnomes don’t waste their efforts on blowing up things knowing + someone’s already been through them. Chances are there’s only + one exit, unless this mine is a decoy.”
+
Inky peers down the hole and watches Retrieval Team 70 + approach the kobit caves.
+The maw on the southwestern side did indeed collapse + several seasons ago. If you know anything about the industrial + and intrepid kobits however, it is that they have probably dug + several alternative, secret entrances since then.
+Just as the gophers reach the cave entrance, a large erge, + muscles rippling beneath its white feathers, emerges from + behind a boulder and blocks their way forward.
+It raises the feathery crest on the crown of its head, and + fluffs up its plumage in a dramatic display. It appears to be + arguing with the gophers. All three gophers appear to be + arguing back.
+The egre gestures angrily at the gophers’ feet, shakes its + head, and crosses its arms defiantly. The gophers look down at + their own feet and shuffle about as though embarrassed.
+They all exchange a few more words and then the gophers + retreat away from the egre and the cave entrance. They huddle + together briefly and then start slowly climbing the + scaffolding back up to the top of the hole.
+“Oh yeah,” the foreman remarks absentmindedly. “There’s an + egre guarding the kobit caves.”
+The egre below preens and struts about proudly having + chased off the gophers.
+“Stubborn things,” the foreman continues. “Easily provoked + to violence. Impeccable fashion sense though.”
+WHAT DO YOU DO
+ + ]]> +Suddenly three anthropomorphic gophers come crashing + through the trees behind you into the dig site. The first is + wearing a sash of many pockets. The second is wearing cargo + shorts of many pockets. The third is wearing a vest of many + pockets. Each wears a pair of goggles with thick smokey black + lenses, and a floppy checkered hat that looks like a + waffle.
+They march up to the zip-line.
+“Out of the way, losers!” Sash cries. It grabs the zip-line + trolley, and immediately dives off the side of the cliff and + zooms down into the deep, deep hole.
+Vest introduces itself, “Retrieval Team 70 here! We are + here to recover the Ginnarak Crystal that is reported to be at + this location. After we collect all five, then it will be + us who get to hang out in the Benefactor’s hot tub! + Not you! Ha!”
+Sash has reached the bottom of the deep, deep hole. Shorts + starts reeling in the pulley.
+Vest leans in close and peers at you through its foggy + lenses. “You must be the new Retrieval Team 43. Hmmph. Shame + what happened to the previous Team 43. Hope you know what + you’re doing! Would hate to see you end up like them!”
+Shorts grabs the trolley and leaps down into the deep, deep + hole. It sails all the way down, and joins Sash at the + bottom.
+“Welp!” Vest concludes with an air of finality. “No hard + feelings, and all that! After we collect this crystal, we just + need four more. And then we get to meet the Benefactor! + Ha!”
+It waddles off and starts reeling in the trolley.
+Meanwhile, another gnome explodes behind you.
+WHAT DO YOU DO
+ + ]]> +++“SHOE SHINE!” Bellows Tea, with a full bodied laugh!
+With a well practiced move, faster than one would think + giant like Tea could move, Tea removes an object from their + satchel.
+…at first glance it appears to be a flail without a handle, + but is actually a spare pair of giant boots, held by their + laces.
+“These could indeed use a good shining.”
+The boot are spectacularly large, probably a 1/2 size too + large, in all honest, for even Tea’s feet.
+The boots have gold eyelets.
+
Earrings greedily snatches the boots and start washing, + drying, and polishing them to a shine. Waistcoat eagerly tugs + on Tea’s wrist and guides him to the comfy chair, which is + decidedly too small for his bulky frame. Teeth graciously + offers him a wedge of cheese.
+Depending on how observant Tea is, he may or may not notice + that the boots are returned to him with 1 - 3 fewer + eyelets.
+++Bending down, Inky sniffs the bottles carefully, mumbling, + “Creosote, shellac, hopweed … ou, wild cherry liquorice.” + Then, a little louder to one of the blahoblins, though it came + out not much more than a squeak, “Might I ask from where did + you get these?”
+
“Shoe Polish! We Make! Roots and ash!” shouts Waistcoat. + They seem to only have the one volume.
+“Beeswax!” yells Earrings.
+“Resin!” cries Teeth.
+“SHOE SHIIINE!” they all cry in unison.
+ + ]]> +Blavin provides you with a multibeast for your excursion. + “Courtesy of the Benefactor!” You pack it up with food and + supplies, and trek into the Tammineaux Forest in search of the + first Ginnarak Crystal.
+The forest is lush, thick, and green. You have to hack your + way through the vines and the brush. There are stinging + insects, squawking birds, and dangerous forest creatures a + plenty. It is hot and sticky.
+How will you ever find your way through this wilderness to + the dig site?
+“Shouldn’t be too hard,” you remember Blavin saying back at + Lucy’s, gesturing carelessly and sloshing a little bit of his + fourth drink. “They’re gnomes, after all! Just follow the + sound of explosions and screaming.”
+Sure enough, before long you hear a mechanical droning and + some blasting up ahead, punctuated now and then by high + pitched screams, and you guide the multibeast in that + direction.
+Suddenly you are ambushed by a troop of blahoblins! Awful + looking things. Taut rubbery gray skin. Long flat noses stick + out way far from their faces. And so do their protruding, + lipless mouths full of sharp pointy teeth. You didn’t hear + them over the noise of the shrieking parrots and, in the + distance, the shrieking gnomes.
+“SHOE SHINE!!” the first one yells. It is wearing a gold + ring on each finger (minus the three fingers it is missing), + two in each ear, and one in its nose. It is dragging a vat of + black polish nearly as tall as it is.
+“SHOE SHINE!!” a second one agrees. It is wearing a nice + waistcoat with large gaudy buttons, and a nice looking pocket + watch on a gold chain. It is dragging a comfy looking chair + stuffed with bits of fluff and leaves and fur.
+A third one screams, “SHOE SHINE SHOE SHINE!” It has + several gold teeth and carries a huge block of cheese secured + to its back with long loops of hempen rope.
+The fourth and final one is wearing what looks like freshly + painted red shoes and is carrying a lit torch. “SHOE + SHIIIIINE!” it screams. It is wearing a gold medallion on a + gold necklace.
+ + ]]> +RETCON!
+Before Corraidhín ascended to the surface of the pool….
+++As Corraidhin finishes his incantation a small porro drifts + down bonking him on the head. Startled corraidhin begins to + move around in the pool trying to find his assailant.
+“By the gods what in the world is in this pool with me!” he + tugs frantically on the sword, and as he does so the porro + drifts into view. “Oh wait, that..” his eyes follow the rubber + hose attached to it up to the top of the pool. “Ah ha!” he + exclaims immediately inhaling a mouth full of water and + frantically pulling the porro from the hose with his spare + hand and teeth. Corraidhin sucks greedily at the air the hose + provides as he becomes acutely aware of the burning sensation + in his lungs.
+The porro drifts wistfully to the bottom of the pool, just + out of reach. A dark liquid rises from it as it comes to rest + on the bottom of the pool.
+
And now back to our show!
+++After heartily congratulating Master Corraidhín on his + successful sword acquisition in hushed whispers and finishing + off a cup of blackcurrant tea, Inky retrieves the porro from + the bottom of the pool with a fishing pole and a few recasts. + (Calling that gnarly stick with a line, bottle and hook + slightly bent out of shape on one end a fishing pole would be + an affont to any self-respecting fisherfolk though.) Inky + rinses the pitcher and hose before stowing them away again in + the bag along with the pole and other ink brewing + paraphernalia.
+Refreshed, Inky slips noiselessly inside the vault, edging + along the wall on the farther side from the crowd now wholly + enraptured by Jarrod’s grand recital. Seeing the crowd + pacified and giving Jarrod a thumbs-up, Inky unfurls a long + and dusty bolt of dark cloth with the words “UNDER MAINTENANCE + — NO UNAUTHORISED ENTRY [by order of the Basmentaria Bureau of + Sanitation]” in roughly-scrawled letters tacked onto it, and + hung the ends of the cloth so it spanned and completely + obscured one side of the vault.
+Standing behind the makeshift inspection site, Inky + proceeds to fill several sacks with gold and gems using a + small shovel, before putting one of the sacks into their Hacky + Duffer Discette (its capacity for large storage and small + weight is a blessing in disguise for both aspiring and + afflicted collectors alike).
+
You successfully cordon off a corner of the vault and set + up a very convincing UNDER CONSTRUCTION banner. It looks + straight up like a 90’s website.
+You start shoving bags of treasure into your HD Discette, + but it only accepts 1.44 bags before running out of space. You + you leave the remaining bags for the others.
+During your excavation, you find a complete set of + magnificent, ornate, gold-nibbed quills, and also a small + wooden rack of bottled ink.
+There are a dozen small bottles all arranged in a row, each + one with a different mysterious glyph, the contents all a + slightly different shade. As you handle the rack, the ink + sloshes around inside. It could still be good!
+The fine wooden rack encloses them all and holds them in + place by means of the lid, which closes securely around the + bottle necks. Once you open the lid, you can easily retrieve + and stow the bottles.
+You also spot a fine jade teapot. A matching set of small + cups—no handles, no saucers—cluster around the pot like + nursing pups.
+++Corraidhin clambors out of the pool, magical pokey stick in + hand.
+Good show! He exclaims to himself and the sword. Now I can + finally get a good look at this sword, though for some reason + I can’t seem to let go, I guess for now I won’t lose it.
+You said you wanted to do some stabbin right? Of evil + things? What constitutes evil my pointy new friend?
+
The sword does indeed remain steadfastly glued to your + hand. As you swish it around you discover that it seems to get + lighter when you hold it aloft, and that it trembles and grows + increasingly heavy as it descends. The sensation is almost as + though it has a hollow core in which some kind of heavy liquid + sloshes around. And as though its blow would be + devastating.
+The sword relishes being wielded and swung, and grows more + and more ecstatic. Its eye darts menacingly back and forth, + vanquishing imaginary enemies with each jab.
+Yes! Yes, I am made for a singular purpose. To RID EVIL. To root out evil, spill its blood, and then do it again! So let's go find some evil, Bear! And then you can just stab it with me.
+
+Oh, what constitutes evil, you ask? In my experience, evil can't help but make itself known. You'll know it when you see it.
+
+For example, see there? That little inky fellow sneaking into that treasure room? Probably super evil. We should go investigate.++As corraidhin questions the sword he wanders towards the + vault peering in to inspect Jarrod’s performance. He’s really + good at that, what do you think? Actually what do I even call + you? Do you like nicknames? I was thinking pointy, or stabby, + but I’m open to suggestions, respect and all that.
+Oh hey, the crystal! It looks like it’s unguarded! + Corraidhin slinks towards the crystal muttering to his magical + sword as he does.
+
The sword is momentarily distracted by the Aurs and Kobits. + Its eye widens. It almost seems to shudder with + anticipation.
+EEEEEVIL! Rid. Evil. Spill. Repeat.You are thankful that the voice seems only to be heard + inside your own head.
+Oh, my name? I'm sure I had one at some point. Long forgotten by now. No matter, I'm not sad about it. One has no use for a name when instead they have a singular, all-consuming purpose!
+
+But, my last Bear called me her Bee. I quite liked that. The bee in her bonnet! Ha! Evil, fear my sting!The sword prattles on in your head as you sneak past + Jarrod’s monstrous storytime and approach the pedestal. Or is + it a lectern?
+You arrive unseen. The crystal is a dazzling deep blue, + with pulsing gold veins. It is oddly shaped, somewhat like an + egg. And it floats, rotating slowly, suspended in air beneath + the glass dome that encloses it.
+Drawing on your knowledge of Arcane Lore, you remember that + the five Ginnarak Crystals played a key role in the Artifice + Wars that once rampaged across all of Basmentaria. They are + sources of tremendous power. Some say that, the five of them + together, they could kill a god. You’re not sure you believe + that. But they did definitely reduce the once lush and verdant + island nation of Ginnarak to cinder wastes and deserts of ash. + A cataclysmic event that put a resolute end to the Artifice + Wars.
+You look around the vault. Jarrod is reciting epic poetry + and mesmerizing the monsters. Inky is pillaging and looting. + You have a bloodthirsty, sentient sword in one hand; and a + large arcane battery of a crystal within reach of the + other.
+WHAT DO YOU DO
+ + ]]> +WHAT DO YOU DO
+++While Inky packs the top of a sack with a thin layer of earth from +under a loose rock, they feel a heated glare in their general direction +for a few beats and surmises Master Corraidhín had entered the vault +with his newfound companion. After decades of serving rather … demanding +customers as an inkling, Inky knew an evil eye directed at them even +when they can’t see it (while preparing a brew with their back turned, +for instance) and makes a mental note to give Pointy a wide berth.
+Once the sacks were placed close to the vault entrance for a quick +haul, Inky returns to the items that had been discovered while digging +under the loose rock. The set of gold-nibbed quills were swiftly +pocketed — each quill was finely crafted and felt balanced when held in +one hand. The malleable tips in a range of sizes would be invaluable for +testing ink viscosity and smoothness, among other properties. A +felicitously fantastic find!
+The jade tea set was next to be admired, its deep green hue +reflecting the age of the stone from which the items were carved. With +cups for every member of their merry group, the teapot would make a +worthy addition to any travelling, crystal-seeking tea party. So thin +and translucent were the small cups, having been expertly crafted, that +they were almost too fragile to carry around everywhere. A +non-shattering charm was often applied to heirloom sets meant to be +passed down through generations, but it is difficult to tell by looking +whether a set had been charmed unless the spell was a particularly +strong one. The teapot and cups were returned to the small wooden box +they were found in and stored away. Perhaps a few crockery talismans +could be procured at the next town?
+Inky pauses at the rack of bottled ink. The first rule that any +inkling in training learns is to never trust pre-bottled inks from +unverified ingredients or unknown sauces. Inky tilts the rack to better +examine the weird yet vaguely familiar glyphs on the bottles.
+The first glyph was a circle with three dots. The bottle next to it +was adorned with a swirl, followed by a bottle with a circle surrounding +a pointing hand or a snail. Another glyph looked like a twisted hook, +and was that some sort of sinister grinning reptile on the next one?? +Towards the middle of the rack was a bottle with a glyph of what could +be a mountain with a tunnel at its base. The bottle beside it bore a +glyph of a block broken to three pieces. Yet another bottle was simply +stamped with a circle and a dot at its center. Its neighbour held a +glyph that slightly resembled a mountain range if someone stared very +hard. The next two bottles bore glyphs that looked like a spiky fish and +a circle with a pair of horns protruding from it. The last bottle’s +contents seemed more gooey than the others, with a glyph of a +helmet-wearing hare.
+The shade of ink within the bottles varied, but all seem to be +derived from the same indistinct hue. None of the bottles had the usual +piece of ash paper with bits of string attached to them, but otherwise +appear to be intact and the vessels themselves top quality, as shown by +the delicate tarring on the caps. The wooden rack was lightly worn but +solid in Inky’s hands.
+It was certainly an odd collection. “No hash, no stash” though, as +the rule of thumb goes. Inky puts the rack down carefully on the floor +by the sacks, concluding that if anyone wanted to help themselves to the +bottles, they were hopefully not planning to ingest the contents.
+Dusting off their boots, Inky settles just behind the banner, closer +to the vault entrance and rousing performance, to watch the crowd around +Jarrod and listen for any sounds from outside the vault.
+
You pack up the quills and the jade tea set, and arrange the bags by +the vault entrance for quick retrieval.
+As you carry the rack of ink bottles over to the bags, the twelfth +and final ink bottle, the one with the glyph of the helmet-wearing hare, +suddenly cracks. Seemingly of its own volition. A tiny shard of glass +slices the palm of your hand and disappears into the meat at the base of +your thumb. The gooey ink seeps out of the bottle and paints your hand a +muddy, rusty blue.
+You jerk your hand back. The ink is swiftly absorbed into your hand +as though it were a sponge. Soon it’s all gone: the ink, the blood, all +of it. Nothing remains of the scratch itself but a hair-thin line. If +you run your finger over it, you can feel the hard nub of the glass +shard beneath the skin.
+For a moment you can hear the double drum of your own heartbeat +rushing through your ears. Your senses seem to sharpen. Colors grow more +crisp, and sounds more clear. But then it passes, and the moment is +gone.
+++Harrumph, pointy my friend, that’s just inky. They’re definitely not +super evil. That’s the finest ink craftsmen and tea preparer this side +of Basementaria. And we absolutely won’t be stabbing them. There are FAR +eviler things to stab, potentially that weird naked thing that seems to +think itself a horse. I could be convinced IT was evil, but wouldn’t use +attacking it unprovoked make us evil? Surely a sword as ancient and wise +as you could see the perfectly puzzling philosophical delimna we put +ourselves in.
+And then this thing, (corraidhin gestures at the crystal), horrible +magical item used to create untold death, destruction, and mayhem during +the last Artificer war. Definitely probably evil, if used that way, but +also filled with untold power that could be used for good! Now would the +person weilding it be evil just because, or could someone overcome the +magical nature of a device capable of such evil and apply them for good? +I for one believe afirmatively that one can overcome such things.
+As corriadhin finishes his philosophical prattling to his new stabby +friend he pushes the glass case off the crystal and grabs it.
+
The Sword of Yam’l starts to launch into a long winded reply.
+Oh yes, that winged naked thing is surely evil. Let us stab it, Hardy Bear! Let us stab and stab and stab until --- What's that? Oh no, don't worry. We are unquestionably, infallibly good. I was designed and made for but one purpose, after all. TO RID EVIL! As for the crystal, yes, I suppose you are correct. Wielding a powerful, bloodthirsty, magical item probably does make the wielder evil, and consequently immediately deserving of being stabbed! Say, speaking of stabbing ... that naked, winged thing--But then, before the sword can finish its thought (a thought, you are +quite confident, would end with something like, “let’s stab it!”) you +knock the glass dome off the pedestal and grab the Ginnarak Crystal.
+You brace yourself. It thrums slightly in your hand but doesn’t do +anything overtly magical or destructive. In fact it seems perfectly +inert.
+So there you are. A pointer murder stick attached firmly to one hand, +and a potential atom bomb of a crystal in the other. But you think +you’re totally going to pull this off!
+Then the glass dome hits the ground and shatters into dozens of +pieces.
+HORSE screams and whips around at the noise. “BhrruUHRHUuHRRh! My +blue and gold melon sized gem! Noooooo! BrUHrhHHHURHuRu!”
+It flaps its wings and wheels up into the air and swoops down at you! +The three aurs get swept up in the excitement and start flapping around, +making tiny squeaks of alarm. The remaining kobit leaps to its feet, but +then trips over its shoelaces.
+WHAT DO YOU DO??
+Some of the creatures who inhabit the world of Basmentaria