From a8eefbd45ebe2ef1b871cf04cb43427e31358e65 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "Christopher P. Brown" Date: Sun, 27 Nov 2022 02:26:25 -0700 Subject: [PATCH] 40 --- basement.order | 1 + src/epistolary/00040.md | 216 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ src/notes.md | 5 +- www/index.html | 176 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++- www/rss.xml | 202 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www/spoilers.html | 179 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++- 6 files changed, 770 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-) create mode 100644 src/epistolary/00040.md diff --git a/basement.order b/basement.order index a383c58..cbfbfc2 100644 --- a/basement.order +++ b/basement.order @@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ src/chapter2.md src/epistolary/index.md src/epistolary/00038.md src/epistolary/00039.md +src/epistolary/00040.md src/bestiary/index.md src/bestiary/aur.md src/bestiary/blahoblin.md diff --git a/src/epistolary/00040.md b/src/epistolary/00040.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e2a9833 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/epistolary/00040.md @@ -0,0 +1,216 @@ +--- +title: 00040 +created: Sun, 27 Nov 2022 01:30:42 -0700 +updated: Wed, 14 Dec 2022 05:41:15 -0700 +syndicated: yes +public: yes +--- +### 00040 {#00040} + +> As Blavin finished his afterthought about handing over the crystal, +> a yelp was the only warning they heard before a young waiter was +> suddenly half-sprawled over the hobbit, a tray of ginger beers +> toppled from his hand and the mugs' contents splashed onto the +> hobbit's front, though fortunately some of it ended up in a large +> puddle on the ground rather than on Blavin's person. The waiter had +> tripped over a bag on the floor on his way to the table two over +> from theirs and was scrambling to his feet. +> +> "By Nullar's nuts, I— OH SH——!! S-s-sorry, sir! Hold on, l-lemme +> get— uh—" the waiter looked around frantically. The waitress who +> had brought their drinks rushed over with some clean dry towels, a +> few of which she handed to the other waiter, and they both +> proceeded to wipe and dab at Blavin's damp clothes amid the hapless +> waiter's babbled apologies. Under the cover of the towels, the +> waitress patted down the hobbit's vest and replaced the sheaf of +> papers she had covertly lifted from one of the vest pockets earlier +> with a beguiling smile and wink. Once the beer on the floor had +> been cleaned up (the despondent young waiter had offered to pay for +> Blavin's next two rounds of drinks) and the waiters had moved on to +> serve other customers, Inky spoke. +> +> "You don't mind that we prefer to deliver it to the Benefactor +> personally, of course," Inky piped cheerily, referring to the +> crystal. "The late wizard thought it was prudent to cover our bases +> since you're a new, untested case manager after all. Besides, a +> little delayed gratification never hurt anybody, did it?" Inky +> smiled and raised their drink. "Another toast in tribute to Master +> Corraidhín! May his courage and buoyant spirit guide us on our next +> mission!" +> +> ~ +> +> When Inky stepped out of the tavern and was a few paces away, +> someone clattered through the door and called out, "Hey! You forgot +> your takeout!" +> +> Inky turned in the direction of the voice. It was the waitress who +> had served their table earlier. She waved a brown paper bag in one +> hand. Inky gave her an embarrassed smile and said, "Thanks." As the +> bag changed hands, the waitress mouthed soundlessly, *We'll report +> any more.* She went back inside, and Inky strolled off into the +> cool night air with the bag securely tucked away next to a tea +> pouch and a more pressing question: what blend would go best with +> fried tofurkey balls? +> +> ~ +> +> *(Meanwhile)* +> +> "The BANDit and his associates had gone to the tavern." His +> assistant looked up from the scrap of paper held under a claw. +> +> Beaker heaved a sigh and rubbed the tips of one wing against his +> forehead. Surely he had better things to do than play Eye Spy over +> a bunch of crackpots, such as peer reviewing the latest draft of a +> paper on the development of Cerylidian hunting techniques for an +> upcoming issue of *The Ichnition*. But Cio seemed to think +> something may come of it and unfortunately, she was usually right +> about troublemakers. +> +> "Tell them to continue tailing from a distance," he replied with a +> distracted wave, and his assistant left the room. +> +> Anyway, if he had the spare time, he could look at more interesting +> things, like the data he had collected surrounding the +> disappearance of the time anomaly that had popped up a few weeks +> ago. It had happened gradually, and he still wasn't entirely sure +> what had caused this particular incident, but the signals picked up +> by his instruments had later faded, just like other ones before it. +> Still, it was comparatively larger than previous ones, and seemed +> to have taken slightly longer to dissipate, which meant more data +> points. +> +> He stole another glance at his Dat repositories before sighing +> again, swivelling his chair and attention back to the manuscript +> before him. Work first … then more work. + +~ + +> The party dispersed after the discussion with Blavin. Nobody had +> wanted to relinquish the crystal to him, personally Alex felt that +> was prudent, though he still wasn't sure what the point of it all +> was. The foolish hobbit had blathered on and on about their "mark" +> tactfully ignoring the real questions. And then the bug, damn it, +> the bug that chittered on about absolutely nothing for hours. It +> didn't take Alex too long to figure out why, but he clung to the +> transmission until it died out hoping he'd be mistaken. +> +> So there he sat, in the attic of his once Uncle, staring bleakly +> into a cup of dark black coffee. The desk strewn with hastily +> scratched notes pulled from the bugs feeds. At least the one that +> had tracked that nosey group had proved somewhat helpful. Turns out +> this little group has less friends than a drunk who's run up their +> tab. +> +> Still, there's no point to share any of this information. It's too +> loose, not definitive enough to action with the group. +> +> Alex begins to pen a message to an fellow operative, in hopes that +> HQ will pick it up and assign someone to the task. +> +> ``` +> <- OP 2817 * LOC MB-A +> -> OP 25120 * LOC ESPER +> +> CLEARANCE: SECRET +> PACKET ENCLOSED. YOUR EYES ONLY. +> +> REQUESTING DETAIL ON BLAVIN +> EMPLOY OF "THE BENEFACTOR" +> PERCEPTIVE, AWARE OF BUGS. +> DO NOT CONTACT, DO NOT DISRUPT +> EXTREME CAUTION IMPERATIVE. +> ``` +> +> Once penned Alex encrypts it with GPG and sends it along. These +> channels have worked well for him in the past. If Blavin wants to +> play games, then games we shall have. +> +> "I hate to do this" Alex mumbles to himself. "Normally I'd trail +> him myself, but I don't think I have much say in the matter." As it +> stands the group is dead set on gathering more of these cyrstals, +> regardless of what the danger may be, and if Alex wants to find his +> Uncle, they're his best bet in doing so. Blavin doesn't even matter +> outside of that. But if he can help the group reach their end +> faster, or force the information out of Blavin, perhaps it can come +> sooner.. +> +> Alex lets out another sigh and glances wistfully around the gloomy +> attic room. It looked just like he remembered his Uncle's office +> looking like at the College of Sysorcerery when he had taught +> there. He always was so particular. Pushing his chair away and +> grabbing his coffee he wanders to the bookshelf where a large +> steamer chest sits beside it. The bookshelf is covered in +> manuscripts, "Practical Common Lisp", "The C Programming Language +> Vol 2", "RHEL 5 Systems Administration", each one arcane and well +> worn. And the amount of volumes, sometimes it's a wonder Corraidhin +> had time to do anything other than read. +> +> "Maybe if I had been a little more studious I'd know how to help +> you.." as he pulls "A Guide to Backups and All Things Necessary" +> off of the shelf a knife falls out of the book, and clatters onto +> the floor glaring malevolently up at Alex. + +Your gondola lift finally rises above the thick layer of clouds. The +sudden flash of clear blue sky is a revelation after ascending for +nearly 60 minutes through clouds so thick you couldn't see through +the foggy windows more than three feet. Above you towers rocky, +imposing Kelsun Peak. You can just see a tiny portion of the hotel +roof through a cleft in the rocks. Below you, a frozen turbulent +ocean of clouds dotted with twisting leaning spires and spiraling +branching towers, all made out of solid cloudstuff. Handiwork of the +whimsical and industrious zephynos. + +You spot two or three of them now, leaping and diving playfully +through the clouds like dolphins, spinning the clouds like yarn, and +packing them into solid constructs. Their current project resembles a +garden of outlandish, distorted tubas, french horns, and trombones. + +The small cloud dragons are about 6 - 8 feet long including their +thick tails. They have wide faces with round lidless eyes, and always +seem to be smiling. Their heads are topped with multiple pairs of +filamented stalks. They have six short, stubby arms with long thin +fingers that they use to knead and pull clouds into solid shapes. + +They build ceaselessly and mostly for the sake of building: they have +no apparent need for the structures themselves, living as they do +floating among the clouds. On occasion they have been entreated to +build on behalf of others. And the rare floating palace or city can +still be found drifting around Basmentaria as a result. The great +city of Vay'Neddas---tethered to the ground by great chains to +Primora in the north and Agendell in the south---is one of their +greatest enduring works. + +You approach the gondola station at the base of Kelsun Peak, and exit +your cable car as it slowly rounds the bullwheel. There are two +toques---presumably meant to be operating the lifts---standing off to +the side, ignoring their responsibilities, complaining loudly to +nobody and everybody about being forced to work long hours and being +unfairly compensated. The tips of their soft, conical heads slump +forward, calling to mind revolutionaries, or smurfs. + +It is wicked cold as you step out onto the platform and the wind nips +and bites at you relentlessly. + +At the edge of the platform, foggy white steps made of firm +cloudstuff climb up around the side of the mountain peak to the +Palace Runesocesius. Once the conspicuously extravagant residence of +one of Basmentaria's most powerful politicians, it has since---after +its owner fell from public favor and was routed out---been gutted and +transformed into a luxury hotel of equally conspicuous extravagance. +It continues to be one of the highest inhabitable places on +Basmentaria. + +Two small toques at the base of the steps rush forward to meet +you---the floppy tips of their coneheads waggling side to side in +their exuberance---and introduce themselves as Confidence and Bread, +your guides. They have been instructed to guide you up to +Runesocesius where you will take posession of the Ginnarak Crystal. + +WHAT DO YOU DO + +[www](https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-12/msg00186.html) + + + diff --git a/src/notes.md b/src/notes.md index 090326c..ec3524d 100644 --- a/src/notes.md +++ b/src/notes.md @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ --- title: notes created: Tue, 26 Jul 2022 20:32:23 -0600 -updated: Tue, 26 Jul 2022 20:32:23 -0600 +updated: Sun, 27 Nov 2022 02:24:11 -0700 --- ## Spoilers @@ -10,10 +10,11 @@ updated: Tue, 26 Jul 2022 20:32:23 -0600 **THREADS** - Lady in Red ??? +- Beaker (and Cio) trailing the BANDits? - Benefactor wants Crystals to kill a god - Golden Iris wants Crystals to make a new god -- Blavin double agent with Golden Iris - Gnu Zealots seek Sitopotnia the Corn Mother (aligned with Golden Iris) +- Blavin double agent with Golden Iris - BATT wants to preserve the timeline - Felixe and Corraidhin diff --git a/www/index.html b/www/index.html index 2d0a6a9..0fb54b1 100644 --- a/www/index.html +++ b/www/index.html @@ -248,6 +248,7 @@ of the Were-Hare
  • Bestiary
  • Geography
    • @@ -257,11 +258,11 @@ of the Were-Hare

    Stats

    -

    Total length: 37919 words / 162 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the +

    Total length: 39588 words / 169 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the length of this entire page, including all the extra bits and bobs. Not just the story.)

    -

    There have been 136 messages posted over 136 days since the first -post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.00.

    +

    There have been 142 messages posted over 154 days since the first +post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of .92.

    About

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

    @@ -4408,6 +4409,175 @@ Lucy’s before Blavin leaves if you want to.

    www

    +

    00040

    +
    +

    As Blavin finished his afterthought about handing over the crystal, a +yelp was the only warning they heard before a young waiter was suddenly +half-sprawled over the hobbit, a tray of ginger beers toppled from his +hand and the mugs’ contents splashed onto the hobbit’s front, though +fortunately some of it ended up in a large puddle on the ground rather +than on Blavin’s person. The waiter had tripped over a bag on the floor +on his way to the table two over from theirs and was scrambling to his +feet.

    +

    “By Nullar’s nuts, I— OH SH——!! S-s-sorry, sir! Hold on, l-lemme get— +uh—” the waiter looked around frantically. The waitress who had brought +their drinks rushed over with some clean dry towels, a few of which she +handed to the other waiter, and they both proceeded to wipe and dab at +Blavin’s damp clothes amid the hapless waiter’s babbled apologies. Under +the cover of the towels, the waitress patted down the hobbit’s vest and +replaced the sheaf of papers she had covertly lifted from one of the +vest pockets earlier with a beguiling smile and wink. Once the beer on +the floor had been cleaned up (the despondent young waiter had offered +to pay for Blavin’s next two rounds of drinks) and the waiters had moved +on to serve other customers, Inky spoke.

    +

    “You don’t mind that we prefer to deliver it to the Benefactor +personally, of course,” Inky piped cheerily, referring to the crystal. +“The late wizard thought it was prudent to cover our bases since you’re +a new, untested case manager after all. Besides, a little delayed +gratification never hurt anybody, did it?” Inky smiled and raised their +drink. “Another toast in tribute to Master Corraidhín! May his courage +and buoyant spirit guide us on our next mission!”

    +

    ~

    +

    When Inky stepped out of the tavern and was a few paces away, someone +clattered through the door and called out, “Hey! You forgot your +takeout!”

    +

    Inky turned in the direction of the voice. It was the waitress who +had served their table earlier. She waved a brown paper bag in one hand. +Inky gave her an embarrassed smile and said, “Thanks.” As the bag +changed hands, the waitress mouthed soundlessly, We’ll report any +more. She went back inside, and Inky strolled off into the cool +night air with the bag securely tucked away next to a tea pouch and a +more pressing question: what blend would go best with fried tofurkey +balls?

    +

    ~

    +

    (Meanwhile)

    +

    “The BANDit and his associates had gone to the tavern.” His assistant +looked up from the scrap of paper held under a claw.

    +

    Beaker heaved a sigh and rubbed the tips of one wing against his +forehead. Surely he had better things to do than play Eye Spy over a +bunch of crackpots, such as peer reviewing the latest draft of a paper +on the development of Cerylidian hunting techniques for an upcoming +issue of The Ichnition. But Cio seemed to think something may +come of it and unfortunately, she was usually right about +troublemakers.

    +

    “Tell them to continue tailing from a distance,” he replied with a +distracted wave, and his assistant left the room.

    +

    Anyway, if he had the spare time, he could look at more interesting +things, like the data he had collected surrounding the disappearance of +the time anomaly that had popped up a few weeks ago. It had happened +gradually, and he still wasn’t entirely sure what had caused this +particular incident, but the signals picked up by his instruments had +later faded, just like other ones before it. Still, it was comparatively +larger than previous ones, and seemed to have taken slightly longer to +dissipate, which meant more data points.

    +

    He stole another glance at his Dat repositories before sighing again, +swivelling his chair and attention back to the manuscript before him. +Work first … then more work.

    +
    +

    ~

    +
    +

    The party dispersed after the discussion with Blavin. Nobody had +wanted to relinquish the crystal to him, personally Alex felt that was +prudent, though he still wasn’t sure what the point of it all was. The +foolish hobbit had blathered on and on about their “mark” tactfully +ignoring the real questions. And then the bug, damn it, the bug that +chittered on about absolutely nothing for hours. It didn’t take Alex too +long to figure out why, but he clung to the transmission until it died +out hoping he’d be mistaken.

    +

    So there he sat, in the attic of his once Uncle, staring bleakly into +a cup of dark black coffee. The desk strewn with hastily scratched notes +pulled from the bugs feeds. At least the one that had tracked that nosey +group had proved somewhat helpful. Turns out this little group has less +friends than a drunk who’s run up their tab.

    +

    Still, there’s no point to share any of this information. It’s too +loose, not definitive enough to action with the group.

    +

    Alex begins to pen a message to an fellow operative, in hopes that HQ +will pick it up and assign someone to the task.

    +
    <- OP 2817 * LOC MB-A
+-> OP 25120 * LOC ESPER
+
+CLEARANCE: SECRET
+PACKET ENCLOSED. YOUR EYES ONLY.
+
+REQUESTING DETAIL ON BLAVIN
+EMPLOY OF "THE BENEFACTOR"
+PERCEPTIVE, AWARE OF BUGS.
+DO NOT CONTACT, DO NOT DISRUPT
+EXTREME CAUTION IMPERATIVE.
    +

    Once penned Alex encrypts it with GPG and sends it along. These +channels have worked well for him in the past. If Blavin wants to play +games, then games we shall have.

    +

    “I hate to do this” Alex mumbles to himself. “Normally I’d trail him +myself, but I don’t think I have much say in the matter.” As it stands +the group is dead set on gathering more of these cyrstals, regardless of +what the danger may be, and if Alex wants to find his Uncle, they’re his +best bet in doing so. Blavin doesn’t even matter outside of that. But if +he can help the group reach their end faster, or force the information +out of Blavin, perhaps it can come sooner..

    +

    Alex lets out another sigh and glances wistfully around the gloomy +attic room. It looked just like he remembered his Uncle’s office looking +like at the College of Sysorcerery when he had taught there. He always +was so particular. Pushing his chair away and grabbing his coffee he +wanders to the bookshelf where a large steamer chest sits beside it. The +bookshelf is covered in manuscripts, “Practical Common Lisp”, “The C +Programming Language Vol 2”, “RHEL 5 Systems Administration”, each one +arcane and well worn. And the amount of volumes, sometimes it’s a wonder +Corraidhin had time to do anything other than read.

    +

    “Maybe if I had been a little more studious I’d know how to help +you..” as he pulls “A Guide to Backups and All Things Necessary” off of +the shelf a knife falls out of the book, and clatters onto the floor +glaring malevolently up at Alex.

    +
    +

    Your gondola lift finally rises above the thick layer of clouds. The +sudden flash of clear blue sky is a revelation after ascending for +nearly 60 minutes through clouds so thick you couldn’t see through the +foggy windows more than three feet. Above you towers rocky, imposing +Kelsun Peak. You can just see a tiny portion of the hotel roof through a +cleft in the rocks. Below you, a frozen turbulent ocean of clouds dotted +with twisting leaning spires and spiraling branching towers, all made +out of solid cloudstuff. Handiwork of the whimsical and industrious +zephynos.

    +

    You spot two or three of them now, leaping and diving playfully +through the clouds like dolphins, spinning the clouds like yarn, and +packing them into solid constructs. Their current project resembles a +garden of outlandish, distorted tubas, french horns, and trombones.

    +

    The small cloud dragons are about 6 - 8 feet long including their +thick tails. They have wide faces with round lidless eyes, and always +seem to be smiling. Their heads are topped with multiple pairs of +filamented stalks. They have six short, stubby arms with long thin +fingers that they use to knead and pull clouds into solid shapes.

    +

    They build ceaselessly and mostly for the sake of building: they have +no apparent need for the structures themselves, living as they do +floating among the clouds. On occasion they have been entreated to build +on behalf of others. And the rare floating palace or city can still be +found drifting around Basmentaria as a result. The great city of +Vay’Neddas—tethered to the ground by great chains to Primora in the +north and Agendell in the south—is one of their greatest enduring +works.

    +

    You approach the gondola station at the base of Kelsun Peak, and exit +your cable car as it slowly rounds the bullwheel. There are two +toques—presumably meant to be operating the lifts—standing off to the +side, ignoring their responsibilities, complaining loudly to nobody and +everybody about being forced to work long hours and being unfairly +compensated. The tips of their soft, conical heads slump forward, +calling to mind revolutionaries, or smurfs.

    +

    It is wicked cold as you step out onto the platform and the wind nips +and bites at you relentlessly.

    +

    At the edge of the platform, foggy white steps made of firm +cloudstuff climb up around the side of the mountain peak to the Palace +Runesocesius. Once the conspicuously extravagant residence of one of +Basmentaria’s most powerful politicians, it has since—after its owner +fell from public favor and was routed out—been gutted and transformed +into a luxury hotel of equally conspicuous extravagance. It continues to +be one of the highest inhabitable places on Basmentaria.

    +

    Two small toques at the base of the steps rush forward to meet +you—the floppy tips of their coneheads waggling side to side in their +exuberance—and introduce themselves as Confidence and Bread, your +guides. They have been instructed to guide you up to Runesocesius where +you will take posession of the Ginnarak Crystal.

    +

    WHAT DO YOU DO

    +

    www

    Bestiary

    Some of the creatures who inhabit the world of Basmentaria

    diff --git a/www/rss.xml b/www/rss.xml index 3813e08..3063059 100644 --- a/www/rss.xml +++ b/www/rss.xml @@ -211,6 +211,208 @@ ]]> + + 40 + dozens@tilde.team (dozens) + 40 - Sun, 27 Nov 2022 01:30:42 +-0700 + Wed, 14 Dec 2022 05:41:15 -0700 + + 00040 +
    +

    As Blavin finished his afterthought about handing over the + crystal, a yelp was the only warning they heard before a young + waiter was suddenly half-sprawled over the hobbit, a tray of + ginger beers toppled from his hand and the mugs’ contents + splashed onto the hobbit’s front, though fortunately some of + it ended up in a large puddle on the ground rather than on + Blavin’s person. The waiter had tripped over a bag on the + floor on his way to the table two over from theirs and was + scrambling to his feet.

    +

    “By Nullar’s nuts, I— OH SH——!! S-s-sorry, sir! Hold on, + l-lemme get— uh—” the waiter looked around frantically. The + waitress who had brought their drinks rushed over with some + clean dry towels, a few of which she handed to the other + waiter, and they both proceeded to wipe and dab at Blavin’s + damp clothes amid the hapless waiter’s babbled apologies. + Under the cover of the towels, the waitress patted down the + hobbit’s vest and replaced the sheaf of papers she had + covertly lifted from one of the vest pockets earlier with a + beguiling smile and wink. Once the beer on the floor had been + cleaned up (the despondent young waiter had offered to pay for + Blavin’s next two rounds of drinks) and the waiters had moved + on to serve other customers, Inky spoke.

    +

    “You don’t mind that we prefer to deliver it to the + Benefactor personally, of course,” Inky piped cheerily, + referring to the crystal. “The late wizard thought it was + prudent to cover our bases since you’re a new, untested case + manager after all. Besides, a little delayed gratification + never hurt anybody, did it?” Inky smiled and raised their + drink. “Another toast in tribute to Master Corraidhín! May his + courage and buoyant spirit guide us on our next mission!”

    +

    ~

    +

    When Inky stepped out of the tavern and was a few paces + away, someone clattered through the door and called out, “Hey! + You forgot your takeout!”

    +

    Inky turned in the direction of the voice. It was the + waitress who had served their table earlier. She waved a brown + paper bag in one hand. Inky gave her an embarrassed smile and + said, “Thanks.” As the bag changed hands, the waitress mouthed + soundlessly, We’ll report any more. She went back + inside, and Inky strolled off into the cool night air with the + bag securely tucked away next to a tea pouch and a more + pressing question: what blend would go best with fried + tofurkey balls?

    +

    ~

    +

    (Meanwhile)

    +

    “The BANDit and his associates had gone to the tavern.” His + assistant looked up from the scrap of paper held under a + claw.

    +

    Beaker heaved a sigh and rubbed the tips of one wing + against his forehead. Surely he had better things to do than + play Eye Spy over a bunch of crackpots, such as peer reviewing + the latest draft of a paper on the development of Cerylidian + hunting techniques for an upcoming issue of The + Ichnition. But Cio seemed to think something may come of + it and unfortunately, she was usually right about + troublemakers.

    +

    “Tell them to continue tailing from a distance,” he replied + with a distracted wave, and his assistant left the room.

    +

    Anyway, if he had the spare time, he could look at more + interesting things, like the data he had collected surrounding + the disappearance of the time anomaly that had popped up a few + weeks ago. It had happened gradually, and he still wasn’t + entirely sure what had caused this particular incident, but + the signals picked up by his instruments had later faded, just + like other ones before it. Still, it was comparatively larger + than previous ones, and seemed to have taken slightly longer + to dissipate, which meant more data points.

    +

    He stole another glance at his Dat repositories before + sighing again, swivelling his chair and attention back to the + manuscript before him. Work first … then more work.

    +
    +

    ~

    +
    +

    The party dispersed after the discussion with Blavin. + Nobody had wanted to relinquish the crystal to him, personally + Alex felt that was prudent, though he still wasn’t sure what + the point of it all was. The foolish hobbit had blathered on + and on about their “mark” tactfully ignoring the real + questions. And then the bug, damn it, the bug that chittered + on about absolutely nothing for hours. It didn’t take Alex too + long to figure out why, but he clung to the transmission until + it died out hoping he’d be mistaken.

    +

    So there he sat, in the attic of his once Uncle, staring + bleakly into a cup of dark black coffee. The desk strewn with + hastily scratched notes pulled from the bugs feeds. At least + the one that had tracked that nosey group had proved somewhat + helpful. Turns out this little group has less friends than a + drunk who’s run up their tab.

    +

    Still, there’s no point to share any of this information. + It’s too loose, not definitive enough to action with the + group.

    +

    Alex begins to pen a message to an fellow operative, in + hopes that HQ will pick it up and assign someone to the + task.

    + 
    <- OP 2817 * LOC MB-A
+-> OP 25120 * LOC ESPER
+
+CLEARANCE: SECRET
+PACKET ENCLOSED. YOUR EYES ONLY.
+
+REQUESTING DETAIL ON BLAVIN
+EMPLOY OF "THE BENEFACTOR"
+PERCEPTIVE, AWARE OF BUGS.
+DO NOT CONTACT, DO NOT DISRUPT
+EXTREME CAUTION IMPERATIVE.
    +

    Once penned Alex encrypts it with GPG and sends it along. + These channels have worked well for him in the past. If Blavin + wants to play games, then games we shall have.

    +

    “I hate to do this” Alex mumbles to himself. “Normally I’d + trail him myself, but I don’t think I have much say in the + matter.” As it stands the group is dead set on gathering more + of these cyrstals, regardless of what the danger may be, and + if Alex wants to find his Uncle, they’re his best bet in doing + so. Blavin doesn’t even matter outside of that. But if he can + help the group reach their end faster, or force the + information out of Blavin, perhaps it can come sooner..

    +

    Alex lets out another sigh and glances wistfully around the + gloomy attic room. It looked just like he remembered his + Uncle’s office looking like at the College of Sysorcerery when + he had taught there. He always was so particular. Pushing his + chair away and grabbing his coffee he wanders to the bookshelf + where a large steamer chest sits beside it. The bookshelf is + covered in manuscripts, “Practical Common Lisp”, “The C + Programming Language Vol 2”, “RHEL 5 Systems Administration”, + each one arcane and well worn. And the amount of volumes, + sometimes it’s a wonder Corraidhin had time to do anything + other than read.

    +

    “Maybe if I had been a little more studious I’d know how to + help you..” as he pulls “A Guide to Backups and All Things + Necessary” off of the shelf a knife falls out of the book, and + clatters onto the floor glaring malevolently up at Alex.

    +
    +

    Your gondola lift finally rises above the thick layer of + clouds. The sudden flash of clear blue sky is a revelation + after ascending for nearly 60 minutes through clouds so thick + you couldn’t see through the foggy windows more than three + feet. Above you towers rocky, imposing Kelsun Peak. You can + just see a tiny portion of the hotel roof through a cleft in + the rocks. Below you, a frozen turbulent ocean of clouds + dotted with twisting leaning spires and spiraling branching + towers, all made out of solid cloudstuff. Handiwork of the + whimsical and industrious zephynos.

    +

    You spot two or three of them now, leaping and diving + playfully through the clouds like dolphins, spinning the + clouds like yarn, and packing them into solid constructs. + Their current project resembles a garden of outlandish, + distorted tubas, french horns, and trombones.

    +

    The small cloud dragons are about 6 - 8 feet long including + their thick tails. They have wide faces with round lidless + eyes, and always seem to be smiling. Their heads are topped + with multiple pairs of filamented stalks. They have six short, + stubby arms with long thin fingers that they use to knead and + pull clouds into solid shapes.

    +

    They build ceaselessly and mostly for the sake of building: + they have no apparent need for the structures themselves, + living as they do floating among the clouds. On occasion they + have been entreated to build on behalf of others. And the rare + floating palace or city can still be found drifting around + Basmentaria as a result. The great city of Vay’Neddas—tethered + to the ground by great chains to Primora in the north and + Agendell in the south—is one of their greatest enduring + works.

    +

    You approach the gondola station at the base of Kelsun + Peak, and exit your cable car as it slowly rounds the + bullwheel. There are two toques—presumably meant to be + operating the lifts—standing off to the side, ignoring their + responsibilities, complaining loudly to nobody and everybody + about being forced to work long hours and being unfairly + compensated. The tips of their soft, conical heads slump + forward, calling to mind revolutionaries, or smurfs.

    +

    It is wicked cold as you step out onto the platform and the + wind nips and bites at you relentlessly.

    +

    At the edge of the platform, foggy white steps made of firm + cloudstuff climb up around the side of the mountain peak to + the Palace Runesocesius. Once the conspicuously extravagant + residence of one of Basmentaria’s most powerful politicians, + it has since—after its owner fell from public favor and was + routed out—been gutted and transformed into a luxury hotel of + equally conspicuous extravagance. It continues to be one of + the highest inhabitable places on Basmentaria.

    +

    Two small toques at the base of the steps rush forward to + meet you—the floppy tips of their coneheads waggling side to + side in their exuberance—and introduce themselves as + Confidence and Bread, your guides. They have been instructed + to guide you up to Runesocesius where you will take posession + of the Ginnarak Crystal.

    +

    WHAT DO YOU DO

    +

    www

    + ]]> +     +     38 dozens@tilde.team (dozens) diff --git a/www/spoilers.html b/www/spoilers.html index e647830..7a1f880 100644 --- a/www/spoilers.html +++ b/www/spoilers.html @@ -248,6 +248,7 @@ of the Were-Hare
  • Bestiary
  • Geography
    • @@ -260,11 +261,11 @@ id="toc-acknowledgements">Acknowledgements

    Stats

    -

    Total length: 37919 words / 162 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the +

    Total length: 39588 words / 169 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the length of this entire page, including all the extra bits and bobs. Not just the story.)

    -

    There have been 136 messages posted over 136 days since the first -post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.00.

    +

    There have been 142 messages posted over 154 days since the first +post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of .92.

    About

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

    @@ -4411,6 +4412,175 @@ Lucy’s before Blavin leaves if you want to.

    www

    +

    00040

    +
    +

    As Blavin finished his afterthought about handing over the crystal, a +yelp was the only warning they heard before a young waiter was suddenly +half-sprawled over the hobbit, a tray of ginger beers toppled from his +hand and the mugs’ contents splashed onto the hobbit’s front, though +fortunately some of it ended up in a large puddle on the ground rather +than on Blavin’s person. The waiter had tripped over a bag on the floor +on his way to the table two over from theirs and was scrambling to his +feet.

    +

    “By Nullar’s nuts, I— OH SH——!! S-s-sorry, sir! Hold on, l-lemme get— +uh—” the waiter looked around frantically. The waitress who had brought +their drinks rushed over with some clean dry towels, a few of which she +handed to the other waiter, and they both proceeded to wipe and dab at +Blavin’s damp clothes amid the hapless waiter’s babbled apologies. Under +the cover of the towels, the waitress patted down the hobbit’s vest and +replaced the sheaf of papers she had covertly lifted from one of the +vest pockets earlier with a beguiling smile and wink. Once the beer on +the floor had been cleaned up (the despondent young waiter had offered +to pay for Blavin’s next two rounds of drinks) and the waiters had moved +on to serve other customers, Inky spoke.

    +

    “You don’t mind that we prefer to deliver it to the Benefactor +personally, of course,” Inky piped cheerily, referring to the crystal. +“The late wizard thought it was prudent to cover our bases since you’re +a new, untested case manager after all. Besides, a little delayed +gratification never hurt anybody, did it?” Inky smiled and raised their +drink. “Another toast in tribute to Master Corraidhín! May his courage +and buoyant spirit guide us on our next mission!”

    +

    ~

    +

    When Inky stepped out of the tavern and was a few paces away, someone +clattered through the door and called out, “Hey! You forgot your +takeout!”

    +

    Inky turned in the direction of the voice. It was the waitress who +had served their table earlier. She waved a brown paper bag in one hand. +Inky gave her an embarrassed smile and said, “Thanks.” As the bag +changed hands, the waitress mouthed soundlessly, We’ll report any +more. She went back inside, and Inky strolled off into the cool +night air with the bag securely tucked away next to a tea pouch and a +more pressing question: what blend would go best with fried tofurkey +balls?

    +

    ~

    +

    (Meanwhile)

    +

    “The BANDit and his associates had gone to the tavern.” His assistant +looked up from the scrap of paper held under a claw.

    +

    Beaker heaved a sigh and rubbed the tips of one wing against his +forehead. Surely he had better things to do than play Eye Spy over a +bunch of crackpots, such as peer reviewing the latest draft of a paper +on the development of Cerylidian hunting techniques for an upcoming +issue of The Ichnition. But Cio seemed to think something may +come of it and unfortunately, she was usually right about +troublemakers.

    +

    “Tell them to continue tailing from a distance,” he replied with a +distracted wave, and his assistant left the room.

    +

    Anyway, if he had the spare time, he could look at more interesting +things, like the data he had collected surrounding the disappearance of +the time anomaly that had popped up a few weeks ago. It had happened +gradually, and he still wasn’t entirely sure what had caused this +particular incident, but the signals picked up by his instruments had +later faded, just like other ones before it. Still, it was comparatively +larger than previous ones, and seemed to have taken slightly longer to +dissipate, which meant more data points.

    +

    He stole another glance at his Dat repositories before sighing again, +swivelling his chair and attention back to the manuscript before him. +Work first … then more work.

    +
    +

    ~

    +
    +

    The party dispersed after the discussion with Blavin. Nobody had +wanted to relinquish the crystal to him, personally Alex felt that was +prudent, though he still wasn’t sure what the point of it all was. The +foolish hobbit had blathered on and on about their “mark” tactfully +ignoring the real questions. And then the bug, damn it, the bug that +chittered on about absolutely nothing for hours. It didn’t take Alex too +long to figure out why, but he clung to the transmission until it died +out hoping he’d be mistaken.

    +

    So there he sat, in the attic of his once Uncle, staring bleakly into +a cup of dark black coffee. The desk strewn with hastily scratched notes +pulled from the bugs feeds. At least the one that had tracked that nosey +group had proved somewhat helpful. Turns out this little group has less +friends than a drunk who’s run up their tab.

    +

    Still, there’s no point to share any of this information. It’s too +loose, not definitive enough to action with the group.

    +

    Alex begins to pen a message to an fellow operative, in hopes that HQ +will pick it up and assign someone to the task.

    +
    <- OP 2817 * LOC MB-A
+-> OP 25120 * LOC ESPER
+
+CLEARANCE: SECRET
+PACKET ENCLOSED. YOUR EYES ONLY.
+
+REQUESTING DETAIL ON BLAVIN
+EMPLOY OF "THE BENEFACTOR"
+PERCEPTIVE, AWARE OF BUGS.
+DO NOT CONTACT, DO NOT DISRUPT
+EXTREME CAUTION IMPERATIVE.
    +

    Once penned Alex encrypts it with GPG and sends it along. These +channels have worked well for him in the past. If Blavin wants to play +games, then games we shall have.

    +

    “I hate to do this” Alex mumbles to himself. “Normally I’d trail him +myself, but I don’t think I have much say in the matter.” As it stands +the group is dead set on gathering more of these cyrstals, regardless of +what the danger may be, and if Alex wants to find his Uncle, they’re his +best bet in doing so. Blavin doesn’t even matter outside of that. But if +he can help the group reach their end faster, or force the information +out of Blavin, perhaps it can come sooner..

    +

    Alex lets out another sigh and glances wistfully around the gloomy +attic room. It looked just like he remembered his Uncle’s office looking +like at the College of Sysorcerery when he had taught there. He always +was so particular. Pushing his chair away and grabbing his coffee he +wanders to the bookshelf where a large steamer chest sits beside it. The +bookshelf is covered in manuscripts, “Practical Common Lisp”, “The C +Programming Language Vol 2”, “RHEL 5 Systems Administration”, each one +arcane and well worn. And the amount of volumes, sometimes it’s a wonder +Corraidhin had time to do anything other than read.

    +

    “Maybe if I had been a little more studious I’d know how to help +you..” as he pulls “A Guide to Backups and All Things Necessary” off of +the shelf a knife falls out of the book, and clatters onto the floor +glaring malevolently up at Alex.

    +
    +

    Your gondola lift finally rises above the thick layer of clouds. The +sudden flash of clear blue sky is a revelation after ascending for +nearly 60 minutes through clouds so thick you couldn’t see through the +foggy windows more than three feet. Above you towers rocky, imposing +Kelsun Peak. You can just see a tiny portion of the hotel roof through a +cleft in the rocks. Below you, a frozen turbulent ocean of clouds dotted +with twisting leaning spires and spiraling branching towers, all made +out of solid cloudstuff. Handiwork of the whimsical and industrious +zephynos.

    +

    You spot two or three of them now, leaping and diving playfully +through the clouds like dolphins, spinning the clouds like yarn, and +packing them into solid constructs. Their current project resembles a +garden of outlandish, distorted tubas, french horns, and trombones.

    +

    The small cloud dragons are about 6 - 8 feet long including their +thick tails. They have wide faces with round lidless eyes, and always +seem to be smiling. Their heads are topped with multiple pairs of +filamented stalks. They have six short, stubby arms with long thin +fingers that they use to knead and pull clouds into solid shapes.

    +

    They build ceaselessly and mostly for the sake of building: they have +no apparent need for the structures themselves, living as they do +floating among the clouds. On occasion they have been entreated to build +on behalf of others. And the rare floating palace or city can still be +found drifting around Basmentaria as a result. The great city of +Vay’Neddas—tethered to the ground by great chains to Primora in the +north and Agendell in the south—is one of their greatest enduring +works.

    +

    You approach the gondola station at the base of Kelsun Peak, and exit +your cable car as it slowly rounds the bullwheel. There are two +toques—presumably meant to be operating the lifts—standing off to the +side, ignoring their responsibilities, complaining loudly to nobody and +everybody about being forced to work long hours and being unfairly +compensated. The tips of their soft, conical heads slump forward, +calling to mind revolutionaries, or smurfs.

    +

    It is wicked cold as you step out onto the platform and the wind nips +and bites at you relentlessly.

    +

    At the edge of the platform, foggy white steps made of firm +cloudstuff climb up around the side of the mountain peak to the Palace +Runesocesius. Once the conspicuously extravagant residence of one of +Basmentaria’s most powerful politicians, it has since—after its owner +fell from public favor and was routed out—been gutted and transformed +into a luxury hotel of equally conspicuous extravagance. It continues to +be one of the highest inhabitable places on Basmentaria.

    +

    Two small toques at the base of the steps rush forward to meet +you—the floppy tips of their coneheads waggling side to side in their +exuberance—and introduce themselves as Confidence and Bread, your +guides. They have been instructed to guide you up to Runesocesius where +you will take posession of the Ginnarak Crystal.

    +

    WHAT DO YOU DO

    +

    www

    Bestiary

    Some of the creatures who inhabit the world of Basmentaria

    @@ -4784,11 +4954,12 @@ embers.

    THREADS