Total length: 53623 words / 229 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the +
Total length: 54614 words / 233 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 176 messages posted over 171 days since the first -post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.02.
+There have been 180 messages posted over 173 days since the first +post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.04.
This is a game that me and the kids in the basement are playing over email.
@@ -370,7 +372,7 @@ into the current story arc.If you’re not on the mailing list and want to keep up with the story, you can subscribe to the rss feed.
-WHAT DO YOU DO
+++As they wait for the balloonship to approach, Inky glances to the +prone remains of the hotelier on the floor and frowns. There wasn’t much +they could do about that now. It was really inconvenient timing — he +hadn’t received the papers yet. Inky can already picture Cio’s unspoken +but palpable disappointment even as she offered reassurances that it was +perfectly fine. The gnawing guilt she could inflict with a look was +worse than a tenacious terrorier with a bone biscuit. Then Inky recalls +an urban legend from the elderly aunts they sometimes pass by during +teatimes, which claim that it was possible to send messages and items to +the deceased by burning the articles.
+Ducking momentarily behind another bookshelf, Inky removes an +envelope bearing the seal of a butterfly in red wax, drops it into a +recently-emptied shortbread tin and holds a lit match to a corner of the +paper. Before long the entire envelope is consumed by the flames and the +lid replaced tightly over the tin. If the paperwork found its way to the +hotelier on the spiritual plane, that would be the formalities +completed. Or if it was reduced to ashes without ever reaching the +recipient, no one had to know.
+Inky walks back to the window to see a flare light and a zip line +ending below the windowsill. They look to the other end of the line, +back to the toques, and around the room. Their gaze lands on a few cloth +covers draped over several bookshelves near an alcove from top to +bottom, possibly to protect the manuscripts on the shelves from extended +exposure to dust and light. They tie a large red kerchief to the zip +line to indicate they had seen flare signal, before turning to +Confidence. “There’s an airship waiting outside with a zip line. We +should get Bread patched up by a healer in town. It wouldn’t do to have +them walk around like that, unless you want to turn the hotel into a +haunted house attraction.”
+As they finish speaking, Inky pulls off three of the covers, two iron +spears and one of the two decorative flag poles with flags featuring the +crest of Runesocesius, and a symbol (of the old town, Inky surmises) +that stood in a nook between the wall and a bookshelf. Crossing over to +a wall display of ceremonial chains and maces, they remove two of the +metal chains that hung on from hooks on the wall. Having gathered the +items, they retrieve two zip line harnesses, some parachute cord and two +additional pulley hooks from their bag.
+They lay the chains on the floor about two feet apart, followed by +the cloth sheets with their outer surfaces facing down over them, and +tie the corners at both ends to the flag pole to form the base of a +makeshift hammock. With Confidence’s help, they slide Bread onto the +sheets, being cautious to avoid further jostling the toque’s injuries. +Inky wraps the ends of the chains around the flagpole, tying them and +the cloth bundle with loops of parachute cord, and sets the pulley hooks +to links on the top surface of the flag pole.
+Inky puts on a zip line harness and throws the spare one to +Confidence, directing them to do the same. With some difficulty, they +hoist the bundle of Bread to the window. Inky descends first, hooking +their harness pulley to the zip line as they brace against the tower +wall. As the bundle is slowly lowered through the window, Inky connects +the pulley hooks on the metal chains to the zip line, Confidence +bringing up the rear while Inky holds the hammock steady.
+While the zephynos play overhead, the three of them prepare to slide +down to the deck of the balloonship along the zip line.
+
Confidence and Inky, framing the Bread basket between them, slide +down the zipline to the balloonship. The zephynos frolic up overhead, +and the hole in the library wall gapes below. And beyond that, the +endless sea of clouds.
+Inky, having descended the line first, makes it to the ship ahead of +Bread and Confidence. They clambor up over the side, unhook themself, +and reach for the corner of the hammock.
+The 3rd Ginnarak Crystal is now on the deck of the ship.
+Looking up, Inky sees that two determined cyberplasms have started +following them out the library tower window. Neither has a harness. One +is hanging upside down on the cable, arms and legs wrapped around it, +and has managed to shimmy a couple feet away from Runesocesius. The +other has just swung out of the window and is holding onto the line with +their hands. They are kicking their legs up over and over, trying to +swing high enough to lock their ankles around the cable.
+In the time that it will take you to unhook the hammock and get both +Bread and Confidence onto the ship, the two pirates will have closed +most of the distance between you and might be within striking +distance.
+Meanwhile on the deck of the ship, the hemogoblin is deeply entranced +by a private conversation it seems to be having with the ruby-hilt +dagger. It nods and chirps and coos as it continues to strangle the grip +in its tiny bloody hands, singing softly and soothingly. The ruby +flashes and glints, almost strobe-like in the sunlight, as though in the +midst of some kind of struggle. But as the hemogoblin continues its +strange lullaby, the gem eventually fades and grows dull, until finally +it resembles nothing more than a lifeless lump of stone.
+The hemogoblin releases its death grip on the dagger and lowers its +arms to its sides, allowing the dagger to slip to the ground. It looks +up at you happily with ruby-red eyes that seem to flash in the sunlight, +and it chirps merrily.
+WHAT DO YOU DO
+Some of the creatures who inhabit the world of Basmentaria
--This seems a bit strange. Certainly Blavin has been pulling - strings from behind the scenes the whole time, but why - coordinate a special escort for us when there are other - retrieval teams, and we’ve been less than amicable with the - bloke the entire time.. Alex thinks to himself.
-DM: I’d like to check for any signs of deceit in the - toques demeanor or communcations with us
-Confidence you said right? What would you do if I simply - chose not to accompany you? I mean, there’s a whole city - around us, perhaps I’d prefer a drink before climbing a - mountains worth of stairs. Or better yet, I could get back on - the boat and ride to the top and same myself the hassle.
-
Bread once again looks confused. Confidence looks - surprised, caught off guard.
- -Confidence sputters, “Well, yes, of course. You’ve been - traveling for some time now, haven’t you? I can assure you - that the food and drink at Runesocesius will be better than - anything you can get here! But the choice is entirely yours. - Feel free to avail yourself of the local offerings. We will - wait here at the steps for you.”
-Bread nods slowly, and seems to trailing behind the - conversation just a second or two.
-Their reactions seem genuine to you despite the - circumstances. They seem like a couple of low level employees - of a luxury hotel earnestly trying to follow the instructions - they’ve been given.
-There are a couple of stalls and vendors set up around the - gondola station. Many of them serve mulled wine and hot - chocolate. There is some edible fare. Hot sandwiches and - pitas. Nothing that an empanada from Enrique’s wouldn’t put to - shame. But they look hot and steamy, and of great comfort to - anybody who might be hungry and cold. There are a few fire - pits, next to which there are long benches with blankets, - where you might sit and warm up for a bit.
-The gondola lift ends here, and does not continue up to the - mountain any further. The cloud steps are the most common way - to get up to the peak, and to the Runesocesius. But you’re - pretty sure one or two of the stalls here offers balloon rides - up to the peak for thrill seekers and for those with - accessibility needs.
---“I think you already know I’m interested in neither bread - nor cheese, the second of which I certainly did not ask for - yet you tried to offer in your hasty pretence.” Inky smiles - thinly at the toques.
-Taking out a small bag of gold coins and weighing it slowly - on one hand to the sound of coins clinking inside the pouch, - Inky continues, “Speak, answer our questions frankly and you - will be rewarded. The hotelier up there need not know. Breathe - a word of our little chat to another soul, however …” Inky’s - gaze cut briefly to four snow ravens perched atop a spiral - lamp post and back, “and you will learn the meaning of - disappearing without a trace.”
-
Bread looks confused. You are starting to believe it is - their default expression. “So, you don’t want no - chee—”
-“Our only desire is to help!” Confidence hastily - interrupts. He smiles pleasingly. “We are your guides! Not - just physically up the steps, but in all things here on Kelsun - Peak. You have but to ask, and if it is within our power to - give it, it will be yours! We are but humble ser—”
-And just then Confidence is also suddenly interrupted. A - thundering boom like a canon sounds from somewhere nearby, - followed quickly by an explosion somewhere up above. Snow - ravens fly off in all directions in a panic. The sound ripples - through the mountaintop, rattling the ground on which you - stand. A bunch of small rocks and two large boulders shake - loose from the mountainside. Shoppers and travelers shout and - duck for cover as they are pelted by the scree. One of the - large boulder bounces clear over the station and plummets down - the side of the mountain before disappearing into the cloud - ocean below. The second one falls straight toward the - platform. A vendor selling wreaths and candles dives out of - the way as his stall is crushed by the boulder. A bench is - toppled over, spilling its blankets into the fire pit, and - catches fire, quickly spreading to another nearby stall.
-Bread looks up at the sky, confused. You see a thin line of - black smoke starting to rise up into the sky from over the - ridge where the Runesocesius lies. Confidence shouts, and you - see him pointing at the sea, where a balloonship is rising up - out of the cloud bank, sailing quickly toward you and the - summit of Kelsun Peak.
-It resembles a seafaring ship, but instead of masts and - sails, it has two large, colorful, patchwork balloons that - provide it lift. A large fan on a pivot at the rear of the - ship provides thrust. As you watch, it fires a second - canon—that is what the sound was!—nearly straight up, - arcing up and over the peak at Palace Runesocesius.
-The crew of the ship bustle around on the deck of the ship, - reloading the canons, firing the balloons, shouting, giving - and following orders.
-“Cyberplasms,” groans Confidence, and Bread whimpers. Alex, - that quiet, dull, static roar that has been constantly - tickling the back of your head ever since you found that - dagger seems to rise in pitch and in tone. It conveys a sense - of urgency, of warning. You can almost hear a - desperate voice behind the static fuzz cautioning you, - “Evil…”
-The only corporeal element of the crew are their cybernetic - enhancements. A mechanical leg. A synthetic eye. A claw, a - hook, a hand. An arm canon. Almost all of them have more than - one, some as many as 3 or 5. The cybernetic pieces of each - individual crew member are held together by plasmic energy - arcs, crackling blue and green. And surrounding the bioware - and the plasmic arcs of each crew member, like a blanket or a - cocoon, is the translucent, wavering, ghostly form of some - humanoid long-dead.
-The figure standing on the deck surveying the work of the - rest of the crew—presumably the captain—has a synthetic eye - rotating freely, 360 degrees in all directions, inside its - skull-like head; a bulky arm canon; and a thin robotic leg - terminating in a thick boot. Plasmic blasts arc through its - core, sometimes disrupting and glitching its ghostly body.
-The captain raises its arm canon and shouts to the crew. - Its voice carried on the breeze sounds like something - otherworldly rising slowly from the murky deep. “Fire the - canon, boys! And fire up the balloons! Drop the ballast! That - crystal is ours!”
-It happens very quickly: the ship ascends to the summit and - soon is firing grappling hooks at it to pull themselves in and - breach the walls of the hotel.
-Bread looks at you, wide-eyed and trembling. They let loose - a pitiful wail and turn and start running up the steps. - “Bread!” Confidence yells after them. They cast a backward - glance at you. “I’ve got to help Bread! We’ve got to save the - hotel!” And they give chase to their fellow toque, bounding up - the cloudstuff steps.
-WHAT DO YOU DO
- - ]]> ---Ah so I suppose those Toques were being honest then, there - was a Ginnarak crystal, and I guess they were going to give it - to us.. oh well, nothing good in life comes easy.
-Alex cranks the dial on the sunspoke, grabs the hemogoblin - from the basket, and jumps out of the balloon and onto the - deck of the ship. He rushes over to the nearest pile of - bundled rope and barrels and stows his new hemo friend. “Just - stay hidden little guy, let me take care of these pirates - first.”
-Alex grabs the dagger from his side as he makes his way - towards the side of the ship, first thing first, best to cut - the mooring lines and zip lines. The static clawing sensation - appears at the back of Alex’s mind, but he attempts to ignore - it. There’s too much that needs to be done too quickly, and - he’s all too aware of the danger he’s put himself in. “What - would Corraidhin do..” Alex thinks to himself, “perhaps a - spell?”.
--function target:new(obj, tbl) - obj = obj or {} - setmetatable(obj, self) - self.__index = self - self.x = 0 - self.y = 0 - self.speed = 0 - reutrn obj -end - -function target:yeet() - self.x = 100 - self.y = 100 - self.speed = 50 - return self -endAfter preparing the spell Alex makes his way towards the - guard rail ready to cut the mooring and zip lines, spell at - the ready should an enemy appear.
-
You crank the dial to 11. The sunspoke squeals in delight - and burns like a tiny star. You grab the hemogoblin, who - chirrups and clings tightly to you, and leap from the balloon - onto the deck of the airship.
-You think you can hear—barely audible—the sunspoke singing - a song of homecoming as the hot air balloon continues to rise - unpiloted up toward the sun.
-You rush over to cover behind a barrel, and deposit your - new hemogoblin friend safely inside the center of a large coil - of rope. It looks up at you quizzically, but nods when you - tell it to stay put.
-You invoke the powers of the moon and prepare a quick but - (hopefully) sufficient Spell of Yeeting.
- -When you draw the dagger, the world develops a faint static - background noise which is easy enough to ignore at the moment - given the state of things. You dash forward and start sawing - at the thick mooring lines. The dagger’s ruby hilt flashes in - the sunlight as you work, and in your mind’s eye you see a - bright red wine, and a drop of blood red ink flowing from the - nib of a fountain pen.
-You shake the images from your head just as you finish - sawing through the rope. A Cyberplasm who was shimmying back - up the rope from the hotel to the ship yelps as the line goes - slack and swings back into the side of the cliff. The pirate - rebounds from the impact, bounces off the mountainside a few - times, and falls from view as it disappears through the clouds - below.
-The ship drifts lazily, rising slightly, and despite your - best sneaking around, the remaining Cyberplasms on board - cannot help but notice that the ship is no longer tethered. - You successfully hide behind a barrel as three cyber ghost - pirates come rushing over to the ship railing and lean over, - looking below at where there are no longer any ropes attaching - the ship to the hotel.
-Out of the corner of your eye, you can see the hemogoblin - toddling across the deck toward the Cyberplasms, no doubt - curious about what they’re looking at over the side of the - ship.
---“Indeed, Bread, it’s me. You have not yet escaped your fate - of untraceable disappearance just yet.” Inky deadpans, then - smiles. “We have much to discuss, but later. I do need a guide - … to your hotelier. Presumably I will find them by following - the racket and trail of ruined decor, but maybe you know of a - quicker route?”
-
Bread smiles at the threat of being untraceably - disappeared, mostly confident that they are on the inside of a - private little joke and that they are presently in no actual - danger from Inky. They grip their hammer a little tighter - nonetheless.
-Confidence slips their trowels into their apron. “Yes, this - way!”
-They hurry down the hall. You know you’re going the right - way because tattered, torn, charred books litter the ground in - increasing numbers. Bits of paper and ash fall like snow.
-Confidence guides you away from the entrance to the - library’s Great Hall, and takes you instead to a smaller, more - discreet staff entrance. They open the door a crack, and as - you look through you are just in time to see the ship captain - with their cybernetic leg, arm canon, and eye. Now that the - crew have cleared the way for them, they stroll across the - library over piles of fallen, damaged books.
-A thin bald man with a neatly trimmed mustache is on the - other side of the hall, his back turned to the pirate. He - wears a fine suit and has just finished unlocking a glass - display case. He retrieves a multifaceted blue and gold stone - and hugs it to his chest with both arms. He throws a panicked - glance over his shoulder at the slowly approaching pirate, and - turns to run away. His retreat is halted by a small explosion - at his feet. He skids to a stop and looks back at the pirate, - who is lowering their arm canon.
-“The crystal,” the captain demands in a voice part ghostly - moan, part mechanical drone. “Hand it over, hotelier.” It - steps closer. “Mother has promised us new bodies if we deliver - the quintessence. You won’t be permitted to stand in our - way.”
-One pirate near the breach tucks a couple volumes of manhwa - under its arm and climbs out onto the mooring line, returning - to the ship with its plunder. It howls as the line suddenly - goes slack, flinging the pirate and its comics into the - mountainside, and then out into space.
-Sunlight pours into the library from outside as the shadow - of the airship shifts as it starts to drift, suddenly - unmoored.
-WHAT DO YOU DO
- - ]]> --- -Damn it! I should’ve left the little goblin in the balloon, - this could get tricky..
-Time slows for just the briefest of moments while Alex - calculates his next move. Looking at the position of the - pirates he can probably yeet the middlemost one away from the - group into the left most pirate. Best case this sends both of - them sailing over the edge of the ship, worst case it just - slightly knocks them off balance. In either event this gives - me enough time to dart from cover and quickly dispatch the - right most pirate with Uncle’s dagger. I’ve got to sever each - connection point between the ecotplasm and the cybernetics, - nothing quite as quick and easy as flesh and blood, but a - quick slice to the left most armpit, and another to the right - most leg right above the carotid artery should do it..
-Jumping immediately to action Alex casts -
-yeet.middle_cyberplasm()sending the middle - pirate into the left most pirate away from the hemogoblin - while he dashes forward to take the third right most pirate by - surprise. As he reaches the right most pirate he makes two - quick slices, first at the leg, followed by a quick upper cut - to the left arm.
You channel some of the ambient environmental charge into - your prepared incantation. It’s comforting sometimes to peer - behind the veil and see the world through this lens. It’s so - simple. The separation of self and other is an illusion: - everything is just a table. The concept of time itself is - simplified: coroutines prevent everything from happening all - at once and create the illusion of concurrency. It’s all - really quite elegant.
-Anyway so the hemogoblin sidles up next to the pirates at
- the railing. It’s not tall enough to see over the railing, and
- starts to kind of jump up and down, trying to catch a glimpse.
- The pirates look down at it in confusion just as the
- yeet happens, and they knock into each other. The
- leftmost one almost manages to regain its balance but then
- trips over the little blood gremlin and pitches over the
- railing. The middle pirate yelps as the startled hemogoblin
- darts between its legs to get out of the way. The pirate
- stumbles and then slips in a small puddle of blood. Its feet
- shoot from beneath it and it too tips over the railing.
The hemogoblin dashes right into the waiting arms of the - rightmost Cyberplasm. “Gotcha, you little … ugh! What …” The - pirate is starting to regret snatching up the little furball, - which is defensively gushing blood all over it, when you make - your first slice into its left armpit. Half its cybernetics go - offline. One arm goes limp and it drops the hemogoblin, which - scurries around and hides behind you. The pirate turns toward - you, now full of regrets, and you stab into its right leg, - knocking its tech completely offline and dispersing the - ghostly energies.
-As far as you can tell, the ship is now free of - Cyberplasms.
-The hemogoblin thrusts its tiny fists in the air and - cheers.
---Inky shakes out several large and very fine kerchiefs, - handing two each to the guides and gestures for them to cover - their noses and mouths with them while they perform the action - themselves to demonstrate.
-Donning a pair of skydiving goggles snatched from one of - the souvenir stalls at the gondola station while no one was - looking (replacing it with its approximate weight in silver - coins), Inky retrieves a black metal box that previously - served as a portable camp stove from their knapsack and - removes the lid. The inside of the box is filled with dry wood - chips mixed with a pine green powder, and Inky throws in the - wicks pulled from some of the scented candles that were pushed - into a heater flask to melt fully during the walk up the hotel - steps. Finally, Inky pours another vial of foul-smelling - liquid over the contents, opens the door just wide enough to - slide the metal box through to one side of the door a few - paces away.
-A mildly sweet, cloying smoke emanates from the flameless - heat inside the box, which begin to fill the library hall with - a rapidly thickening cloud. It is also taking on an acrid and - slightly sooty edge. Near the door, Inky fans more of the - smoke in the direction of the cyberplasmic apparition with a - thin bound manuscript laying on the floor.
-
Bread, Confidence, and you all don protective gear. You - push the camp stove through the door like an Olympic curler. - It glides across the library floor a respectable distance - considering the book debris and the lack of sweepers. Much - more quickly than one would think possible, the hall is filled - with a thick, sooty smoke. The Cyberplasm captain groans with - frustration as even the short distance between it and the - hotelier (and the crystal) becomes occluded in the smoke - screen. The hotelier wisely doesn’t make a sound as he - disappears from view.
-Bread nudges you, grins, and gives you a thumbs up.
-WHAT DO YOU DO
- - ]]> ---Pirates?! Again?! Alex groans, unfortunately he’s run into - this crew of dastardly mostly cybernetic punks in the past. - Nasty group back home, always kept the precinct busy. Not - necessarily with the detective work, it was always a little - obvious when they showed up. They have a flair for the - dramatic.
-Alex shouts to Inky & Jarrod “Come on, we need to get - in one of those balloons and fast!” he then darts off in the - direction of the nearest abandoned balloon in the market - place, not looking to see if his companions had followed - him.
-internally I know these guys have pulled off - smaller heists, they could just be attacking the hotel to - plunder riches from its guests. They don’t seem the likes of a - retrieval team.. Then again, that Blavin fellow has multiple - teams working for him, and he doesn’t seem all too picky about - how they get the job done, it wouldn’t be surprising if he’d - hired some brigands hoping they’d get the gems faster.
-Alex conjures up another bug, a stag beetle this time, and - casts it away at the pirate ship. It’ll probably take some - time to catch up, but once it does we’ll be able to keep an - eye on the pirate’s ship and general actions, at least within - line of sight of the bug.
-As Alex reaches the balloon he grabs the ruby hilted dagger - and cuts the mooring lines keeping it down, and jumps into the - basket preparing for take off.
-
You spot a balloon that has already been knocked half loose - of its mooring by the pirate attack. The basket is listing to - the side and tugging at the one remaining rope tying it down - Its owner scurries around in circles trying to secure it.
-The vertical panels of the balloon are all different - colors, creating a brilliant rainbow pattern. The large woven - basket is large enough for maybe three people.
-You leap inside, swinging the ruby hilted dagger at the - remaining mooring line. The balloon owner cries out in dismay. - The basket shifts beneath your feet as the balloon tugs it - skyward.
-In the burner, a small sunspoke—a minor fire elemental—is - merrily burning away, producing a modest flame that is hot - enough to lift the balloon slowly above the market into the - sky. There is a knob valve on the side of the burner to allow - more oxygen to flow in, thereby feeding the sunspoke and - encouraging it to burn more intensely and raise the balloon - higher and faster. The valve is currently only about one third - open.
-A pile of blankets in one corner of the basket—and that - area of the basket itself—is covered in blood. Somebody - injured in the pirate attack must have temporarily climbed - into the basket looking for cover? As you’re about to look - away, something large-ish (small for a human, large for an - animal) under the blankets shifts and moves.
---Inky stares after Alex’s sprinting figure before shrugging - and stepping towards one of the stalls selling sandwiches - bowled over by one of the large boulders. They place some - loose change on the stall’s wooden sign that had tipped over - on the ground and pocket one of the sandwiches displayed - inside an open chest oven. Next, they pick up several of the - scented candles scattered on the ground by the crash, throwing - some coins in the direction of the disoriented vendor before - continuing at a leisurely pace up the steps to the hotel, - taking in the balloonship and surrounding scenery. The members - of their merry party arriving first can hold their own as well - as the fort of a hotel.
-
You do a little leisurely shopping as the vendors and other - shoppers put out fires and tend to the injured. With a couple - scented candles and a sandwich safely in your pocket, you - start to climb the cloud steps, enjoying the scenery as you - go. Bread and Confidence have quite a bit of a head start on - you, and are nowhere to be seen. As the stairway winds around - the mountainside, the market and its bustle recede from view, - and soon you are quite isolated and alone.
-The majesty of creation is humbling here: the endless, - roiling ocean of cloud; the towering mountain of rock. It’s as - though this was the creator’s playground when they were still - trying to figure out scale. Before they quite got it right for - human-sized creatures.
-About halfway up your climb, it starts raining sheets of - paper. You snatch one and read it. Some heroic fantasy about - slaying demons and facing great peril. You grab another. A - bodice-ripping romance. Another. A gourmand’s food tour of - Basmentaria, eating their way from coast to coast. A murder - mystery whodunnit. An aetherwael handler’s guide to - interplanetary travel. How to grow your own fortified - pumpkins. On the Care and Maintenance of Fortles. The Rise and - Fall and Rise of Palace Runesocesius. Within a minute, you - have fists full of an entire library’s worth of snippets and - passages.
-~
-It looks as though Alex will approach the hotel by balloon - from the non-pirate side. And Inky’s approach by stair will - deposit them at the hotel entrance, roughly - pirate-adjacent.
-WHAT DO YOU DO
- - ]]> -++As they wait for the balloonship to approach, Inky glances + to the prone remains of the hotelier on the floor and frowns. + There wasn’t much they could do about that now. It was really + inconvenient timing — he hadn’t received the papers yet. Inky + can already picture Cio’s unspoken but palpable disappointment + even as she offered reassurances that it was perfectly fine. + The gnawing guilt she could inflict with a look was worse than + a tenacious terrorier with a bone biscuit. Then Inky recalls + an urban legend from the elderly aunts they sometimes pass by + during teatimes, which claim that it was possible to send + messages and items to the deceased by burning the + articles.
+Ducking momentarily behind another bookshelf, Inky removes + an envelope bearing the seal of a butterfly in red wax, drops + it into a recently-emptied shortbread tin and holds a lit + match to a corner of the paper. Before long the entire + envelope is consumed by the flames and the lid replaced + tightly over the tin. If the paperwork found its way to the + hotelier on the spiritual plane, that would be the formalities + completed. Or if it was reduced to ashes without ever reaching + the recipient, no one had to know.
+Inky walks back to the window to see a flare light and a + zip line ending below the windowsill. They look to the other + end of the line, back to the toques, and around the room. + Their gaze lands on a few cloth covers draped over several + bookshelves near an alcove from top to bottom, possibly to + protect the manuscripts on the shelves from extended exposure + to dust and light. They tie a large red kerchief to the zip + line to indicate they had seen flare signal, before turning to + Confidence. “There’s an airship waiting outside with a zip + line. We should get Bread patched up by a healer in town. It + wouldn’t do to have them walk around like that, unless you + want to turn the hotel into a haunted house attraction.”
+As they finish speaking, Inky pulls off three of the + covers, two iron spears and one of the two decorative flag + poles with flags featuring the crest of Runesocesius, and a + symbol (of the old town, Inky surmises) that stood in a nook + between the wall and a bookshelf. Crossing over to a wall + display of ceremonial chains and maces, they remove two of the + metal chains that hung on from hooks on the wall. Having + gathered the items, they retrieve two zip line harnesses, some + parachute cord and two additional pulley hooks from their + bag.
+They lay the chains on the floor about two feet apart, + followed by the cloth sheets with their outer surfaces facing + down over them, and tie the corners at both ends to the flag + pole to form the base of a makeshift hammock. With + Confidence’s help, they slide Bread onto the sheets, being + cautious to avoid further jostling the toque’s injuries. Inky + wraps the ends of the chains around the flagpole, tying them + and the cloth bundle with loops of parachute cord, and sets + the pulley hooks to links on the top surface of the flag + pole.
+Inky puts on a zip line harness and throws the spare one to + Confidence, directing them to do the same. With some + difficulty, they hoist the bundle of Bread to the window. Inky + descends first, hooking their harness pulley to the zip line + as they brace against the tower wall. As the bundle is slowly + lowered through the window, Inky connects the pulley hooks on + the metal chains to the zip line, Confidence bringing up the + rear while Inky holds the hammock steady.
+While the zephynos play overhead, the three of them prepare + to slide down to the deck of the balloonship along the zip + line.
+
Confidence and Inky, framing the Bread basket between them, + slide down the zipline to the balloonship. The zephynos frolic + up overhead, and the hole in the library wall gapes below. And + beyond that, the endless sea of clouds.
+Inky, having descended the line first, makes it to the ship + ahead of Bread and Confidence. They clambor up over the side, + unhook themself, and reach for the corner of the hammock.
+The 3rd Ginnarak Crystal is now on the deck of the + ship.
+Looking up, Inky sees that two determined cyberplasms have + started following them out the library tower window. Neither + has a harness. One is hanging upside down on the cable, arms + and legs wrapped around it, and has managed to shimmy a couple + feet away from Runesocesius. The other has just swung out of + the window and is holding onto the line with their hands. They + are kicking their legs up over and over, trying to swing high + enough to lock their ankles around the cable.
+In the time that it will take you to unhook the hammock and + get both Bread and Confidence onto the ship, the two pirates + will have closed most of the distance between you and might be + within striking distance.
+Meanwhile on the deck of the ship, the hemogoblin is deeply + entranced by a private conversation it seems to be having with + the ruby-hilt dagger. It nods and chirps and coos as it + continues to strangle the grip in its tiny bloody hands, + singing softly and soothingly. The ruby flashes and glints, + almost strobe-like in the sunlight, as though in the midst of + some kind of struggle. But as the hemogoblin continues its + strange lullaby, the gem eventually fades and grows dull, + until finally it resembles nothing more than a lifeless lump + of stone.
+The hemogoblin releases its death grip on the dagger and + lowers its arms to its sides, allowing the dagger to slip to + the ground. It looks up at you happily with ruby-red eyes that + seem to flash in the sunlight, and it chirps merrily.
+WHAT DO YOU DO
+ + ]]> +++“They are a good guide,” Inky corrects adamantly. + “Do you hear that, Bread? You’re not allowed to disappear + until you’ve had an entire bag of these croutons, and even + then you’re still not allowed. If I’d known you’d never had + croutons before I wouldn’t have let you walk a step further + into that hall. That was simultaneously the worst and best + idea ever. Mango! Croutons! What a travesty. Did you even + taste any of it? No? You have to! How can you offer guests + delicious fondue without croutons? Speaking of which, we + haven’t gotten that fondue you promised yet, that’s reason + #144 you can’t disappear. What’s reason #143? Crostinis. Small + toasted bread. Slice of life. You can put cheese on it too, if + you really must …”
+And so on. While Inky talks at Bread in a bid to keep them + conscious, they whisk out a first-aid kit from their courier + bag and kneeling on the floor, proceeds to stem the bleeding + from the chest wound with coagulant-coated bandages. Slowly, + they tip a flask of tea infused with some restorative herbs + down Bread’s open mouth, careful not to pour too quickly. Inky + pauses mid-diatribe and mid-pour to thrust another flask of + tea into Confidence’s hand, the one wrapped four-fifths of the + hotelier and ask, “Are you injured? Please keep an eye on your + companion, I will summon for assistance.”
+Standing up, Inky walks to a window, opens it and peers + out. They look around for a hot air balloon and notice the + unmoored airship. After squinting at it with a mini-spyglass, + they see Alex standing at the helm of the ship with a young + hemogoblin on board. Inky waves, and makes a vertical cross + sign with a fist and thumb on the opposite upper arm a few + times. Next, they pull out a small tin whistle, and toot a few + sharp notes in the same cadence as the one-liner directed at + Bread earlier by the gondola station. After a moment, a scops + owl swoops in to land on the windowsill. Inky inserts a rolled + piece of paper into a small pouch hanging at the bird’s back, + and the bird flies off again.
+Returning to the figures slumped against the wall, Inky + places the Ginnarak crystal in a lightly padded cloth bag, + stowing it away in their knapsack-style backpack. They resume + checking and tending to the toques’ injuries, while expounding + upon various permutations of toasted bread to a captive + audience.
+
Bread closes their eyes and smiles dreamily at the + descriptions of various breads. They weakly sip the tea as you + tip it into their mouth and swallow with effort.
+ +They sigh and open their eyes. They focus on you and + maintain eye contact as you draw from a seemingly bottomless + well of knowledge on the topic of toasted breads. Bread and + life are clinging fast to each other, neither ready or willing + to let go of the other. They are going to be okay.
+Confidence’s wounds are superficial. They are winded from + dragging Bread and the hotelier up seven flights of stairs. + But they are fine.
+The hotelier’s wounds are sadly quite fatal. Honestly it + was all over for him the moment he took the full force of the + captain’s plasma canon to his chest. He babbles, “It’s not … I + wasn’t …” And then with sudden realization and quiet + resignation, a clear-eyed, “Oh.” And then he is gone.
+His courage in the face of danger is the reason you now + have the third of the five Ginnarak Crystals in your pack. + Whether or not his death was in vain is now largely up to you + and what you decide to do with the crystal.
+~
+Downstairs in the Great Hall of the library, one of the + remaining Cyberplasms crouches down next to the inert + cybernetic eye that until very recently belonged to their + captain. They pick it up and turn it over in their hand. + “Worry not, my captain,” the ghost mourns. “We will find the + quintessence. And once we do, we will be made anew in the + forge of our Mother.”
+He rolls the orb in palm of his hand. A faint arc of energy + crackles across its surface. And the eye rolls over of its own + volition and looks up at the pirate.
+Suddenly reverent, the pirate gently places the eye on the + ground as a ghostly face begins to form around it. The pirate + waits patiently, attentively. It’s not every day one gets to + bare witness to a new birth. The ectoplasm that gathers around + the eye forms a rail-thin body. Its head is bald and its face + sports a neatly trimmed mustache. It is missing an arm and a + leg.
+Dutifully, the witness fetches a recently discarded arm + canon and leg booster. The exotica tap into the energy + provided by a new crossing over, and come online, and create a + new mesh.
+The hotelier stands and looks down at its new body. As it + were. It looks around at its surroundings. It picks up a few + books and starts shelving them.
+The pirate, mostly wishing to provide companionship and + comfort to the new ghost, assists with tidying up.
+~
+Alex, you are at the helm of the balloon-ship. As you start + to drift slightly up and away, the blue dome of the hotel + comes into view. On its peak you can see a life-sized statue + of a stern-faced Runesocesius wielding a spear, drawn back as + though ready to hurl an angry thunderbolt down at the world + below.
+The hemogoblin is still down on the deck by the canons. You + see it waving cheerily at the library tower. You squint in + that direction, but can’t see what has caught its + attention.
+A small tufted-ear owl silently lands next to you breaking + you from your reverie. The owl is wearing a small harness with + a pouch at the back. Inside the pouch is a rolled piece of + paper signed by Inky, up on the seventh floor of the + tower.
+You count seven windows up the side of the tower from its + base. There seems to be some movement inside, but you can’t + make much out from here. With a lucky shot, you think you + might be able to hook the window frame with a zipline.
+~
+Outside, a pink zephynos is spinning raw cloud into a + minuscule opera house and performing arts center under the + direction of an amber imp with a new hunger for life. It is an + organic looking structure: a primary concert hall, surrounded + by a number of smaller stages and performance areas spiraling + out from the center like a nautilus shell.
+The imp smiles happily, proudly. What tales will be told + here! What songs will be sung! “Lorehold,” it whispers to + itself. “You will tell the world’s stories.”
+It is already trying out lines in its head, imagining the + play it will write of this day. About the hotel and the + library and the pirates and the cloud dragons. About a pair of + adventurers. And a very brave and lucky drone pilot that dared + to chase its dreams.
+WHAT DO YOU DO
+ + ]]> +++Meta: I look forward to reading the A.I.’s play once it’s + written, we should go back and write the sequence of events + for this segment from their perspective in play form at some + point.
+Alex gingerly takes the note from the owl and reads it + quickly. “I guess my S.T.A.G. got to Inky after all.” Eyeing + the tower and cutting up the windows, it looks like maybe I’d + get a shot in from the zip line. But it’s iffy.
+Alex grabs the wheel and guides the balloonship slowly up a + few levels. From that vantage point it should only be 3-4 + levels between the ship and I.
+After getting the ship in place he grabs a zip line canon + and launches it at one of the windows on the 7th floor, + sinking the anchor firmly beneath the window.
+Now to signal Inky… Alex rummages around the ship, finding + both a signal flare gun and flares in the cargo hold, at least + the pirates were prepared for the worst. Taking aim away from + the Balloon Sails, Alex fires the flare up into the air + creating a dazingly and bright signal in the sky.
+
You fire the zipline and the hemogoblin cheers adorably. + The spear pierces the stone right beneath the 7th floor + window, and the hooks extend and foam, cementing the line in + place.
+In a locker on the side of the ship you find a few signal + flares. You point them away from the balloons and fire into + the sky. The flares explode brilliantly and hang dazzling in + the sky before slowly drifting downward.
+A pair of zephynos swim over, attracted by the brilliant + sparkling lights. They excitedly bat at the air with their + hands and turn somersaults. They pull at some clouds and + squeeze them into dozens of abstract forms inspired by the + bursts. They toss them back and forth playfully and soon the + boulders are drifting around listlessly overhead.
+Below, almost all of the Cyberplasms have noticed by now + that their ship has been stolen. Several crowd into the hole + in the wall and shout and shake their fists at you.
+You hear a low chirrup behind you and turn to see the + hemogoblin standing in the middle of the deck. Somehow in all + the commotion it has managed to get its tiny little hands on + the ruby-hilted dagger. It grips the hilt tightly in both + hands and gazes in wide-eyed wonder at the gem, utterly + captivated, back turned to the fireworks. The hemogoblin and + the blade are absolutely dripping with rivers of blood. A + decent sized pool has already formed at its feet.
+WHAT DO YOU DO
+ + ]]> +++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
+ + ]]> +++Alex silently observes the party and this foolish hobbit, + before him three untouched drinks have accumulated. He’s a + little less enthusiatic about taking drink from strangers, too + much risk in that. As Blavin describes this crystal, whatever + it may be, he catches a glimpse of the pinkish purplish + armband on the party across from them. They don’t look out of + place given the patrons at the tavern, but he’s certain they + were listening in on the animated conversation of the hobbit. + It could be nothing, or it coule be connected to Corraidhin, + best to put a bug on them Alex thinks.
+Silently beneath the table and out of site Alex prepares a + bug and sets it off to follow the person with the armband. + Once the bug catches up to the part it’s programmed to perform + a tcpdump and capture information streaming around it, and + then report back to Alex once full. By no means a perfect + method of spying, but it’s low energy and can be maintained + from great distances without taxing Alex’s energy.
+As Blavin comes back to the group from his grandoise space + commentary Alex begins to question him.
+Enough of your theatrics hobbit. Tell me about the mark, + you’ve obviously tipped off the entire tavern as to the + whereabouts of whatever it is you’re looking for, so give us + an edge, something those evesdroppers a table over don’t have. + And cut this tripe about your benefactor, who is he, and what + does he want with this magical baubbles.
+As Alex finishes his questions he sits quietly for a moment + staring down Blavin.
+During this outburts, as all eyes turn to Blavin for his + response, Alex casts yet another bug. This one sneaks onto the + personage of Blavin himself. Programmed the same way.
+We’ll get information from someone, subtle, or not if + needed.
+
~
+++Inky watches with faint amusement as a magical device, + likely a probe, found its way onto their mission handler.
+Inky might have missed the slight movement under the table + if they weren’t waiting for it, having received word of the + younger wizard’s penchant for pre-emptive offence magic. As it + were, the offices and surrounding premises were routinely + swept for similar devices, a more recent example of which had + been placed in plain sight by an overzealous tabloid writer + hoping to pick up an exclusive reveal. The quality of the + contraption, which had immediately fallen apart when detached + from its gum adhesive on the back of a glass vase, had been + almost insulting.
+It seems Blackfoot hadn’t learned his lesson after all, and + if Alex was keen to give him a reminder, Inky had no + objection. As Blavin takes another swig from his sixth drink + of the evening, the waitress smiling at him with a wink as she + set down their glasses before skating away to take another + order (Inky made sure tip her liberally for the attentive + service), Inky let their line of sight flicker to a + fuchsia-coloured band on a departing customer’s arm.
+Inky smiles internally at the sight — they can almost hear + Beaker’s crow of dismay. The poor kingfisher had been under + increased pressure of late from other scientific associations + and prominent speakers to exclude BAND from presenting at one + of the largest annual ornithology conferences of the year on + accusations of spreading misinformation and junk science in + addition to attempting to erase the history of native bird + tribes. There had been a huge row, which ended with the + BANDits storming off, yelling about “the proof being crystal + clear” and that they will bring “ancient arcane evidence”. The + Alcedinian researcher had lamented the halcyon days when + conferences were avenues for scientific exchange, not + twittering soapboxes. Not that anyone who had ever tried to + arrange any gathering of birds of a feather really thought + things simply glided along smoothly before. However, the + advent of dedicated carrier pigeon networks had made it easier + to relay research to and from smaller communities, opening the + pathways for their participation, including a few somewhat + Controversial fringe groups like BAND.
+
Alex attempts to shake down the hobbit, who titters merrily + at his demands.
+“You know nearly everything I do, dear! Your mark + as you put it,” Blaven theatrically drops his voice as he + looks around for eavesdroppers, “would be the zephynos of + Kelsun Peak should you choose to go that route.
+“If you choose to go to the moon, you’ll have a harder go + of it,” he frowns. He flips the map over and draws four + circles in a straight line. They have the proportions of a + grapefruit, an orange, a tangerine, and an orange. He jabs a + finger at the grapefruit. “This is us, here, earth.” He points + at the two oranges and the tangerine. “And these are our + planet’s moons.” He points to them in order. “Selene, the + Green Lady. Moonmoon. And Lua, the Red Lady. Recently, as you + well know, we had a super eclipse in which these four bodies + and the sun all lined up in perfect alignment. The combined + magnetic pull of the spheres allowed a rare commingling of the + ionic spheres, and our instruments were able to detect the + crystal somewhere out there in space. If I were to bet on it, + I would put my money on Lua.” He points to the farthest moon, + the Red Lady, with its own tiny satellite, Moonmoon. He looks + up at you and explains, “She’s far enough away that her + ionosphere would never make contact with ours except for in + this particular, rare circumstance. That’s why the crystal has + escaped our detection for so long.”
+“As for the Benefactor!” He brightens up. “He’s a + magnificent fellow as you well know! A renowned collector. His + wishes are to preserve the crystals and protect them (and us!) + from their misuse or mishandling! He has a hot tub!” he winks + at you. “Speaking of crystals,” he adds as an afterthought, + taking another sip of his drink, “why don’t you hand that + crystal over to me and I’ll deliver it to the Benefactor. That + is what he’s paying you for after all!”
+ +The Ornithologer’s Trio leaves Lucy’s Basement quite + oblivious to their bug. The Ornithologer turns out to be the + orator of their little group, ranting about the conspiracy, + the attempted cover up, about how Big Science wants to + convince you that birds are dinosaurs but they’re just pulling + the wool over your eyes. The truth is right there in the + fossil record for crying out loud! All you have to do is look + for yourself. Nobody these days wants to think is the + problem. They just get their information from the authorities + and take it as gospel, but they don’t see that the authorities + have adopted a narrative that suits their own ends.
+At which point the groll interjects and asks what is the + end goal of Big Science, and how exactly does convincing the + proletariat that birds are dinosaurs help achieve it?
+The BANDit scowls and answers, Look, you just don’t get it, + okay!
+The three split up and go their separate ways and disappear + into the night.
+You learn the following, one of which is true, one of which + is false, and one of which is meaningless.
+BAND plans to intercept the CRYSTAL of VOID and use it + to petition the Insatiable Wyrm for definitive proof that + Birds Are Not Dinosaurs. In this way they shall shame their + fellow paleornithologists and earn their rightful place at the + table of Big Science, which they have spent decades + undermining.
The Gnu Zealots intend to reverse engineer the power of + the crystals, create a newborn godling, and then release their + findings, thus laying the foundation of the world’s first + truly open source religion
The trio seeks the crystals not at all, but in fact + search for Sitopotnia, creator and progenitor of the entire + amaizeon race—including corbits, aurs, centaurs, and + others—and the only mortal in the history of Basmentaria to + successfully take the mantle of creation from the + overgods.
Meanwhile, Blaven slips out into the early, early morning + carrying his own bug. He whistles tunelessly to himself as he + sails down the street with a wide and veering but surprisingly + steady gait.
+Once he gets a few blocks away, his gait narrows and his + step becomes more lively, a bit jaunty. He stands upright and + ceases whistling. All signs of drunkenness disappear as he + tugs on his sleeves and straightens his vest, and runs a hand + through his hair.
+He meets a goblin catcher in the street going the other + way, wearily making his way home after a long night’s work. He + wears a tiny goblin in a glass jar around his neck, as is the + signifier of his trade. And he carries over his shoulder a + large cloth sack, the contents of which writhe and kick. Looks + like it was a productive night for our goblin catcher! Blaven + gives him a little bow and a salute, laughs, and pats him on + the back in passing, deftly transferring the bug. “Good night + for it then ey?” he calls cheerily. The goblin catcher smiles + politely, mumbles a nicety, and carries on.
+Later, hidden safely away from spying eyes and listening + ears, Blaven sits at his desk, putting the final flourishes on + a missive. He sits back and re-reads it to himself, lips + moving silently. He nods and smiles, satisfied, and reaches + for a stamp to sign the letter. He presses it into a dark red + ink pad and then onto the parchment, leaving the image of an + apple and iris. He sands the paper, carefully folds it, and + places it in an envelope.
+WHAT DO YOU DO
+Note: Feel free to back up and play out some more + conversation at Lucy’s before Blavin leaves if you want + to.
+Options on the table:
+++Alex grips the encoded message he received in reply to his + last request firmly in his coat pocket. It was simple, curt, + impactful. “Trust no one”. Which begged the question, could + even it be trusted? Was HQ compromised? His informants in + danger? His allies and leads awash in the dark grey mist of + uncertainity. Or had his message been intercepted, cracked, + and a farsical response been sent in its place. Alex wasn’t + certain which, but the strange format and unusually speedy + response had him on edge.
+This anxiety didn’t boil up to the surface, not a line of + worry or hint of the inner turbulence broke his cold blue + eyes. Outwardly he was just as composed as ever, but between + these uncertainties, the loss of his uncle, and now this + utterly strange dagger he’d found amongst his uncle’s + belongings, he wasn’t certain how long that composure would + last. It didn’t held that he felt this gnawing at the back of + his mind, as though something was probing, attempting to + communicate with him, somewhere between telepathy and utter + magic, and not in any sense that Alex understood.
+And here he stood, a stranger amongst amidst his uncle’s + allies, and very little intention to change that situation at + the moment.
+As the gondola touched down and the Toques rushed to greet + them Alex jumped blithely off the ship and onto firm, but + fluffy, ground. He cast a look around him at what appeared to + be an ordinary port of entry, noting the crowds of people + passing by. As the Toques arrived Alex spoke curtly to them, + “Who sends you to greet us, and where do you wish to take us, + and by what means do we travel?”. Short, cut, information + only. There’s too much unnerving in an unknown situation like + this.
+
~
+++Inky greets the toques in turn politely, then turns to the + second toque and says, “A little bit of bread and no + cheese.”
+
“Cheese?” Bread cocks their head looks at Inky with a touch + of embarrassment. They start patting at their pockets, + presumably looking for a morsel of cheese to share with the + travelers, but finding none. They groan miserably. Confidence + butts in apologetically, “There will be plenty of food at the + hotel if you want some! Some delicious fondue perhaps? Kelsun + Peak’s famous liquid gold!”
+“Blavin Blandfoot arranged for us to meet you,” Bread + answers Alex. Confidence nods enthusiastically in agreement. + “But I suppose technically the hotelier sent us.” Bread points + up at the sky, in the general direction of the summit of + Kelsun Peak. “We are to escort you to Palace Runesocesius.” + They thumb over their shoulder in the general direction of the + stairs. “By way of the cloud steps. On foot.”
+Confidence leans in close and lowers their voice. “A + Ginnarak Crystal! I can’t hardly believe it! Thought they had + all been lost to the ages. I hear it’s complete dumb random + luck that this one turned up. Story is, an aetherwael beached + itself on some wide zephynos boulevard. Happens sometimes. + Poor things can’t distinguish between clouds and cloudstuff. I + don’t blame ’em! At a distance, you and me can’t either! + Anyway, this aetherwael has got a harpoon stuck in its side. + Dratted poachers. May they all fall out of the sky and be + dashed to a thousand pieces on the rocks below. But it had a + harpoon in its side and was trailing behind it a float bag + tethered to the harpoon. And you probably already guessed what + was inside of it!” By the time Confidence finishes their brief + story, they are trembling and nearly breathless with + excitement.
+“Anyway,” Bread interrupts their excited companion in an + attempt to restore decorum. Both of the toques have been + gently herding you toward the base of the stairs this whole + time. “You know how the zephynos are. You could give them all + the coin in Basmentaria, or something priceless like a + Ginnarak Crystal, and they’d just as quickly misplace it out + of carelessness. If it’s not a cloud they can sculpt into the + shape of seussomorph or the likeness of some fantasy creature, + they just don’t give a fig. Luckily the hotelier caught wind + of the aetherwael and found out about the crystal before they + managed to lose it, or bury it inside of a sculpture or + something silly! He has it safe and sound in the library up at + Runesocesius now.” Bread climbs the first step, his foot + sinking barely a centimeter into wispy cloud before striking + the solid cloudstuff. “Come! The hotelier will be very excited + to greet you!”
+WHAT DO YOU DO
+ + ]]> +--“They are a good guide,” Inky corrects adamantly. - “Do you hear that, Bread? You’re not allowed to disappear - until you’ve had an entire bag of these croutons, and even - then you’re still not allowed. If I’d known you’d never had - croutons before I wouldn’t have let you walk a step further - into that hall. That was simultaneously the worst and best - idea ever. Mango! Croutons! What a travesty. Did you even - taste any of it? No? You have to! How can you offer guests - delicious fondue without croutons? Speaking of which, we - haven’t gotten that fondue you promised yet, that’s reason - #144 you can’t disappear. What’s reason #143? Crostinis. Small - toasted bread. Slice of life. You can put cheese on it too, if - you really must …”
-And so on. While Inky talks at Bread in a bid to keep them - conscious, they whisk out a first-aid kit from their courier - bag and kneeling on the floor, proceeds to stem the bleeding - from the chest wound with coagulant-coated bandages. Slowly, - they tip a flask of tea infused with some restorative herbs - down Bread’s open mouth, careful not to pour too quickly. Inky - pauses mid-diatribe and mid-pour to thrust another flask of - tea into Confidence’s hand, the one wrapped four-fifths of the - hotelier and ask, “Are you injured? Please keep an eye on your - companion, I will summon for assistance.”
-Standing up, Inky walks to a window, opens it and peers - out. They look around for a hot air balloon and notice the - unmoored airship. After squinting at it with a mini-spyglass, - they see Alex standing at the helm of the ship with a young - hemogoblin on board. Inky waves, and makes a vertical cross - sign with a fist and thumb on the opposite upper arm a few - times. Next, they pull out a small tin whistle, and toot a few - sharp notes in the same cadence as the one-liner directed at - Bread earlier by the gondola station. After a moment, a scops - owl swoops in to land on the windowsill. Inky inserts a rolled - piece of paper into a small pouch hanging at the bird’s back, - and the bird flies off again.
-Returning to the figures slumped against the wall, Inky - places the Ginnarak crystal in a lightly padded cloth bag, - stowing it away in their knapsack-style backpack. They resume - checking and tending to the toques’ injuries, while expounding - upon various permutations of toasted bread to a captive - audience.
-
Bread closes their eyes and smiles dreamily at the - descriptions of various breads. They weakly sip the tea as you - tip it into their mouth and swallow with effort.
- -They sigh and open their eyes. They focus on you and - maintain eye contact as you draw from a seemingly bottomless - well of knowledge on the topic of toasted breads. Bread and - life are clinging fast to each other, neither ready or willing - to let go of the other. They are going to be okay.
-Confidence’s wounds are superficial. They are winded from - dragging Bread and the hotelier up seven flights of stairs. - But they are fine.
-The hotelier’s wounds are sadly quite fatal. Honestly it - was all over for him the moment he took the full force of the - captain’s plasma canon to his chest. He babbles, “It’s not … I - wasn’t …” And then with sudden realization and quiet - resignation, a clear-eyed, “Oh.” And then he is gone.
-His courage in the face of danger is the reason you now - have the third of the five Ginnarak Crystals in your pack. - Whether or not his death was in vain is now largely up to you - and what you decide to do with the crystal.
-~
-Downstairs in the Great Hall of the library, one of the - remaining Cyberplasms crouches down next to the inert - cybernetic eye that until very recently belonged to their - captain. They pick it up and turn it over in their hand. - “Worry not, my captain,” the ghost mourns. “We will find the - quintessence. And once we do, we will be made anew in the - forge of our Mother.”
-He rolls the orb in palm of his hand. A faint arc of energy - crackles across its surface. And the eye rolls over of its own - volition and looks up at the pirate.
-Suddenly reverent, the pirate gently places the eye on the - ground as a ghostly face begins to form around it. The pirate - waits patiently, attentively. It’s not every day one gets to - bare witness to a new birth. The ectoplasm that gathers around - the eye forms a rail-thin body. Its head is bald and its face - sports a neatly trimmed mustache. It is missing an arm and a - leg.
-Dutifully, the witness fetches a recently discarded arm - canon and leg booster. The exotica tap into the energy - provided by a new crossing over, and come online, and create a - new mesh.
-The hotelier stands and looks down at its new body. As it - were. It looks around at its surroundings. It picks up a few - books and starts shelving them.
-The pirate, mostly wishing to provide companionship and - comfort to the new ghost, assists with tidying up.
-~
-Alex, you are at the helm of the balloon-ship. As you start - to drift slightly up and away, the blue dome of the hotel - comes into view. On its peak you can see a life-sized statue - of a stern-faced Runesocesius wielding a spear, drawn back as - though ready to hurl an angry thunderbolt down at the world - below.
-The hemogoblin is still down on the deck by the canons. You - see it waving cheerily at the library tower. You squint in - that direction, but can’t see what has caught its - attention.
-A small tufted-ear owl silently lands next to you breaking - you from your reverie. The owl is wearing a small harness with - a pouch at the back. Inside the pouch is a rolled piece of - paper signed by Inky, up on the seventh floor of the - tower.
-You count seven windows up the side of the tower from its - base. There seems to be some movement inside, but you can’t - make much out from here. With a lucky shot, you think you - might be able to hook the window frame with a zipline.
-~
-Outside, a pink zephynos is spinning raw cloud into a - minuscule opera house and performing arts center under the - direction of an amber imp with a new hunger for life. It is an - organic looking structure: a primary concert hall, surrounded - by a number of smaller stages and performance areas spiraling - out from the center like a nautilus shell.
-The imp smiles happily, proudly. What tales will be told - here! What songs will be sung! “Lorehold,” it whispers to - itself. “You will tell the world’s stories.”
-It is already trying out lines in its head, imagining the - play it will write of this day. About the hotel and the - library and the pirates and the cloud dragons. About a pair of - adventurers. And a very brave and lucky drone pilot that dared - to chase its dreams.
-WHAT DO YOU DO
- - ]]> ---Alex silently observes the party and this foolish hobbit, - before him three untouched drinks have accumulated. He’s a - little less enthusiatic about taking drink from strangers, too - much risk in that. As Blavin describes this crystal, whatever - it may be, he catches a glimpse of the pinkish purplish - armband on the party across from them. They don’t look out of - place given the patrons at the tavern, but he’s certain they - were listening in on the animated conversation of the hobbit. - It could be nothing, or it coule be connected to Corraidhin, - best to put a bug on them Alex thinks.
-Silently beneath the table and out of site Alex prepares a - bug and sets it off to follow the person with the armband. - Once the bug catches up to the part it’s programmed to perform - a tcpdump and capture information streaming around it, and - then report back to Alex once full. By no means a perfect - method of spying, but it’s low energy and can be maintained - from great distances without taxing Alex’s energy.
-As Blavin comes back to the group from his grandoise space - commentary Alex begins to question him.
-Enough of your theatrics hobbit. Tell me about the mark, - you’ve obviously tipped off the entire tavern as to the - whereabouts of whatever it is you’re looking for, so give us - an edge, something those evesdroppers a table over don’t have. - And cut this tripe about your benefactor, who is he, and what - does he want with this magical baubbles.
-As Alex finishes his questions he sits quietly for a moment - staring down Blavin.
-During this outburts, as all eyes turn to Blavin for his - response, Alex casts yet another bug. This one sneaks onto the - personage of Blavin himself. Programmed the same way.
-We’ll get information from someone, subtle, or not if - needed.
-
~
---Inky watches with faint amusement as a magical device, - likely a probe, found its way onto their mission handler.
-Inky might have missed the slight movement under the table - if they weren’t waiting for it, having received word of the - younger wizard’s penchant for pre-emptive offence magic. As it - were, the offices and surrounding premises were routinely - swept for similar devices, a more recent example of which had - been placed in plain sight by an overzealous tabloid writer - hoping to pick up an exclusive reveal. The quality of the - contraption, which had immediately fallen apart when detached - from its gum adhesive on the back of a glass vase, had been - almost insulting.
-It seems Blackfoot hadn’t learned his lesson after all, and - if Alex was keen to give him a reminder, Inky had no - objection. As Blavin takes another swig from his sixth drink - of the evening, the waitress smiling at him with a wink as she - set down their glasses before skating away to take another - order (Inky made sure tip her liberally for the attentive - service), Inky let their line of sight flicker to a - fuchsia-coloured band on a departing customer’s arm.
-Inky smiles internally at the sight — they can almost hear - Beaker’s crow of dismay. The poor kingfisher had been under - increased pressure of late from other scientific associations - and prominent speakers to exclude BAND from presenting at one - of the largest annual ornithology conferences of the year on - accusations of spreading misinformation and junk science in - addition to attempting to erase the history of native bird - tribes. There had been a huge row, which ended with the - BANDits storming off, yelling about “the proof being crystal - clear” and that they will bring “ancient arcane evidence”. The - Alcedinian researcher had lamented the halcyon days when - conferences were avenues for scientific exchange, not - twittering soapboxes. Not that anyone who had ever tried to - arrange any gathering of birds of a feather really thought - things simply glided along smoothly before. However, the - advent of dedicated carrier pigeon networks had made it easier - to relay research to and from smaller communities, opening the - pathways for their participation, including a few somewhat - Controversial fringe groups like BAND.
-
Alex attempts to shake down the hobbit, who titters merrily - at his demands.
-“You know nearly everything I do, dear! Your mark - as you put it,” Blaven theatrically drops his voice as he - looks around for eavesdroppers, “would be the zephynos of - Kelsun Peak should you choose to go that route.
-“If you choose to go to the moon, you’ll have a harder go - of it,” he frowns. He flips the map over and draws four - circles in a straight line. They have the proportions of a - grapefruit, an orange, a tangerine, and an orange. He jabs a - finger at the grapefruit. “This is us, here, earth.” He points - at the two oranges and the tangerine. “And these are our - planet’s moons.” He points to them in order. “Selene, the - Green Lady. Moonmoon. And Lua, the Red Lady. Recently, as you - well know, we had a super eclipse in which these four bodies - and the sun all lined up in perfect alignment. The combined - magnetic pull of the spheres allowed a rare commingling of the - ionic spheres, and our instruments were able to detect the - crystal somewhere out there in space. If I were to bet on it, - I would put my money on Lua.” He points to the farthest moon, - the Red Lady, with its own tiny satellite, Moonmoon. He looks - up at you and explains, “She’s far enough away that her - ionosphere would never make contact with ours except for in - this particular, rare circumstance. That’s why the crystal has - escaped our detection for so long.”
-“As for the Benefactor!” He brightens up. “He’s a - magnificent fellow as you well know! A renowned collector. His - wishes are to preserve the crystals and protect them (and us!) - from their misuse or mishandling! He has a hot tub!” he winks - at you. “Speaking of crystals,” he adds as an afterthought, - taking another sip of his drink, “why don’t you hand that - crystal over to me and I’ll deliver it to the Benefactor. That - is what he’s paying you for after all!”
- -The Ornithologer’s Trio leaves Lucy’s Basement quite - oblivious to their bug. The Ornithologer turns out to be the - orator of their little group, ranting about the conspiracy, - the attempted cover up, about how Big Science wants to - convince you that birds are dinosaurs but they’re just pulling - the wool over your eyes. The truth is right there in the - fossil record for crying out loud! All you have to do is look - for yourself. Nobody these days wants to think is the - problem. They just get their information from the authorities - and take it as gospel, but they don’t see that the authorities - have adopted a narrative that suits their own ends.
-At which point the groll interjects and asks what is the - end goal of Big Science, and how exactly does convincing the - proletariat that birds are dinosaurs help achieve it?
-The BANDit scowls and answers, Look, you just don’t get it, - okay!
-The three split up and go their separate ways and disappear - into the night.
-You learn the following, one of which is true, one of which - is false, and one of which is meaningless.
-BAND plans to intercept the CRYSTAL of VOID and use it - to petition the Insatiable Wyrm for definitive proof that - Birds Are Not Dinosaurs. In this way they shall shame their - fellow paleornithologists and earn their rightful place at the - table of Big Science, which they have spent decades - undermining.
The Gnu Zealots intend to reverse engineer the power of - the crystals, create a newborn godling, and then release their - findings, thus laying the foundation of the world’s first - truly open source religion
The trio seeks the crystals not at all, but in fact - search for Sitopotnia, creator and progenitor of the entire - amaizeon race—including corbits, aurs, centaurs, and - others—and the only mortal in the history of Basmentaria to - successfully take the mantle of creation from the - overgods.
Meanwhile, Blaven slips out into the early, early morning - carrying his own bug. He whistles tunelessly to himself as he - sails down the street with a wide and veering but surprisingly - steady gait.
-Once he gets a few blocks away, his gait narrows and his - step becomes more lively, a bit jaunty. He stands upright and - ceases whistling. All signs of drunkenness disappear as he - tugs on his sleeves and straightens his vest, and runs a hand - through his hair.
-He meets a goblin catcher in the street going the other - way, wearily making his way home after a long night’s work. He - wears a tiny goblin in a glass jar around his neck, as is the - signifier of his trade. And he carries over his shoulder a - large cloth sack, the contents of which writhe and kick. Looks - like it was a productive night for our goblin catcher! Blaven - gives him a little bow and a salute, laughs, and pats him on - the back in passing, deftly transferring the bug. “Good night - for it then ey?” he calls cheerily. The goblin catcher smiles - politely, mumbles a nicety, and carries on.
-Later, hidden safely away from spying eyes and listening - ears, Blaven sits at his desk, putting the final flourishes on - a missive. He sits back and re-reads it to himself, lips - moving silently. He nods and smiles, satisfied, and reaches - for a stamp to sign the letter. He presses it into a dark red - ink pad and then onto the parchment, leaving the image of an - apple and iris. He sands the paper, carefully folds it, and - places it in an envelope.
-WHAT DO YOU DO
-Note: Feel free to back up and play out some more - conversation at Lucy’s before Blavin leaves if you want - to.
-Options on the table:
---Meta: I look forward to reading the A.I.’s play once it’s - written, we should go back and write the sequence of events - for this segment from their perspective in play form at some - point.
-Alex gingerly takes the note from the owl and reads it - quickly. “I guess my S.T.A.G. got to Inky after all.” Eyeing - the tower and cutting up the windows, it looks like maybe I’d - get a shot in from the zip line. But it’s iffy.
-Alex grabs the wheel and guides the balloonship slowly up a - few levels. From that vantage point it should only be 3-4 - levels between the ship and I.
-After getting the ship in place he grabs a zip line canon - and launches it at one of the windows on the 7th floor, - sinking the anchor firmly beneath the window.
-Now to signal Inky… Alex rummages around the ship, finding - both a signal flare gun and flares in the cargo hold, at least - the pirates were prepared for the worst. Taking aim away from - the Balloon Sails, Alex fires the flare up into the air - creating a dazingly and bright signal in the sky.
-
You fire the zipline and the hemogoblin cheers adorably. - The spear pierces the stone right beneath the 7th floor - window, and the hooks extend and foam, cementing the line in - place.
-In a locker on the side of the ship you find a few signal - flares. You point them away from the balloons and fire into - the sky. The flares explode brilliantly and hang dazzling in - the sky before slowly drifting downward.
-A pair of zephynos swim over, attracted by the brilliant - sparkling lights. They excitedly bat at the air with their - hands and turn somersaults. They pull at some clouds and - squeeze them into dozens of abstract forms inspired by the - bursts. They toss them back and forth playfully and soon the - boulders are drifting around listlessly overhead.
-Below, almost all of the Cyberplasms have noticed by now - that their ship has been stolen. Several crowd into the hole - in the wall and shout and shake their fists at you.
-You hear a low chirrup behind you and turn to see the - hemogoblin standing in the middle of the deck. Somehow in all - the commotion it has managed to get its tiny little hands on - the ruby-hilted dagger. It grips the hilt tightly in both - hands and gazes in wide-eyed wonder at the gem, utterly - captivated, back turned to the fireworks. The hemogoblin and - the blade are absolutely dripping with rivers of blood. A - decent sized pool has already formed at its feet.
-WHAT DO YOU DO
- - ]]> --+Alex grips the encoded message he received in reply to his - last request firmly in his coat pocket. It was simple, curt, - impactful. “Trust no one”. Which begged the question, could - even it be trusted? Was HQ compromised? His informants in - danger? His allies and leads awash in the dark grey mist of - uncertainity. Or had his message been intercepted, cracked, - and a farsical response been sent in its place. Alex wasn’t - certain which, but the strange format and unusually speedy - response had him on edge.
-This anxiety didn’t boil up to the surface, not a line of - worry or hint of the inner turbulence broke his cold blue - eyes. Outwardly he was just as composed as ever, but between - these uncertainties, the loss of his uncle, and now this - utterly strange dagger he’d found amongst his uncle’s - belongings, he wasn’t certain how long that composure would - last. It didn’t held that he felt this gnawing at the back of - his mind, as though something was probing, attempting to - communicate with him, somewhere between telepathy and utter - magic, and not in any sense that Alex understood.
-And here he stood, a stranger amongst amidst his uncle’s - allies, and very little intention to change that situation at - the moment.
-As the gondola touched down and the Toques rushed to greet - them Alex jumped blithely off the ship and onto firm, but - fluffy, ground. He cast a look around him at what appeared to - be an ordinary port of entry, noting the crowds of people - passing by. As the Toques arrived Alex spoke curtly to them, - “Who sends you to greet us, and where do you wish to take us, - and by what means do we travel?”. Short, cut, information - only. There’s too much unnerving in an unknown situation like - this.
+Pirates?! Again?! Alex groans, unfortunately he’s run into + this crew of dastardly mostly cybernetic punks in the past. + Nasty group back home, always kept the precinct busy. Not + necessarily with the detective work, it was always a little + obvious when they showed up. They have a flair for the + dramatic.
+Alex shouts to Inky & Jarrod “Come on, we need to get + in one of those balloons and fast!” he then darts off in the + direction of the nearest abandoned balloon in the market + place, not looking to see if his companions had followed + him.
+internally I know these guys have pulled off + smaller heists, they could just be attacking the hotel to + plunder riches from its guests. They don’t seem the likes of a + retrieval team.. Then again, that Blavin fellow has multiple + teams working for him, and he doesn’t seem all too picky about + how they get the job done, it wouldn’t be surprising if he’d + hired some brigands hoping they’d get the gems faster.
+Alex conjures up another bug, a stag beetle this time, and + casts it away at the pirate ship. It’ll probably take some + time to catch up, but once it does we’ll be able to keep an + eye on the pirate’s ship and general actions, at least within + line of sight of the bug.
+As Alex reaches the balloon he grabs the ruby hilted dagger + and cuts the mooring lines keeping it down, and jumps into the + basket preparing for take off.
You spot a balloon that has already been knocked half loose + of its mooring by the pirate attack. The basket is listing to + the side and tugging at the one remaining rope tying it down + Its owner scurries around in circles trying to secure it.
+The vertical panels of the balloon are all different + colors, creating a brilliant rainbow pattern. The large woven + basket is large enough for maybe three people.
+You leap inside, swinging the ruby hilted dagger at the + remaining mooring line. The balloon owner cries out in dismay. + The basket shifts beneath your feet as the balloon tugs it + skyward.
+In the burner, a small sunspoke—a minor fire elemental—is + merrily burning away, producing a modest flame that is hot + enough to lift the balloon slowly above the market into the + sky. There is a knob valve on the side of the burner to allow + more oxygen to flow in, thereby feeding the sunspoke and + encouraging it to burn more intensely and raise the balloon + higher and faster. The valve is currently only about one third + open.
+A pile of blankets in one corner of the basket—and that + area of the basket itself—is covered in blood. Somebody + injured in the pirate attack must have temporarily climbed + into the basket looking for cover? As you’re about to look + away, something large-ish (small for a human, large for an + animal) under the blankets shifts and moves.
+++Inky stares after Alex’s sprinting figure before shrugging + and stepping towards one of the stalls selling sandwiches + bowled over by one of the large boulders. They place some + loose change on the stall’s wooden sign that had tipped over + on the ground and pocket one of the sandwiches displayed + inside an open chest oven. Next, they pick up several of the + scented candles scattered on the ground by the crash, throwing + some coins in the direction of the disoriented vendor before + continuing at a leisurely pace up the steps to the hotel, + taking in the balloonship and surrounding scenery. The members + of their merry party arriving first can hold their own as well + as the fort of a hotel.
+
You do a little leisurely shopping as the vendors and other + shoppers put out fires and tend to the injured. With a couple + scented candles and a sandwich safely in your pocket, you + start to climb the cloud steps, enjoying the scenery as you + go. Bread and Confidence have quite a bit of a head start on + you, and are nowhere to be seen. As the stairway winds around + the mountainside, the market and its bustle recede from view, + and soon you are quite isolated and alone.
+The majesty of creation is humbling here: the endless, + roiling ocean of cloud; the towering mountain of rock. It’s as + though this was the creator’s playground when they were still + trying to figure out scale. Before they quite got it right for + human-sized creatures.
+About halfway up your climb, it starts raining sheets of + paper. You snatch one and read it. Some heroic fantasy about + slaying demons and facing great peril. You grab another. A + bodice-ripping romance. Another. A gourmand’s food tour of + Basmentaria, eating their way from coast to coast. A murder + mystery whodunnit. An aetherwael handler’s guide to + interplanetary travel. How to grow your own fortified + pumpkins. On the Care and Maintenance of Fortles. The Rise and + Fall and Rise of Palace Runesocesius. Within a minute, you + have fists full of an entire library’s worth of snippets and + passages.
~
---Inky greets the toques in turn politely, then turns to the - second toque and says, “A little bit of bread and no - cheese.”
-
“Cheese?” Bread cocks their head looks at Inky with a touch - of embarrassment. They start patting at their pockets, - presumably looking for a morsel of cheese to share with the - travelers, but finding none. They groan miserably. Confidence - butts in apologetically, “There will be plenty of food at the - hotel if you want some! Some delicious fondue perhaps? Kelsun - Peak’s famous liquid gold!”
-“Blavin Blandfoot arranged for us to meet you,” Bread - answers Alex. Confidence nods enthusiastically in agreement. - “But I suppose technically the hotelier sent us.” Bread points - up at the sky, in the general direction of the summit of - Kelsun Peak. “We are to escort you to Palace Runesocesius.” - They thumb over their shoulder in the general direction of the - stairs. “By way of the cloud steps. On foot.”
-Confidence leans in close and lowers their voice. “A - Ginnarak Crystal! I can’t hardly believe it! Thought they had - all been lost to the ages. I hear it’s complete dumb random - luck that this one turned up. Story is, an aetherwael beached - itself on some wide zephynos boulevard. Happens sometimes. - Poor things can’t distinguish between clouds and cloudstuff. I - don’t blame ’em! At a distance, you and me can’t either! - Anyway, this aetherwael has got a harpoon stuck in its side. - Dratted poachers. May they all fall out of the sky and be - dashed to a thousand pieces on the rocks below. But it had a - harpoon in its side and was trailing behind it a float bag - tethered to the harpoon. And you probably already guessed what - was inside of it!” By the time Confidence finishes their brief - story, they are trembling and nearly breathless with - excitement.
-“Anyway,” Bread interrupts their excited companion in an - attempt to restore decorum. Both of the toques have been - gently herding you toward the base of the stairs this whole - time. “You know how the zephynos are. You could give them all - the coin in Basmentaria, or something priceless like a - Ginnarak Crystal, and they’d just as quickly misplace it out - of carelessness. If it’s not a cloud they can sculpt into the - shape of seussomorph or the likeness of some fantasy creature, - they just don’t give a fig. Luckily the hotelier caught wind - of the aetherwael and found out about the crystal before they - managed to lose it, or bury it inside of a sculpture or - something silly! He has it safe and sound in the library up at - Runesocesius now.” Bread climbs the first step, his foot - sinking barely a centimeter into wispy cloud before striking - the solid cloudstuff. “Come! The hotelier will be very excited - to greet you!”
+It looks as though Alex will approach the hotel by balloon + from the non-pirate side. And Inky’s approach by stair will + deposit them at the hotel entrance, roughly + pirate-adjacent.
WHAT DO YOU DO
- ]]> ---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
- + href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-12/msg00217.html">www ]]>++This seems a bit strange. Certainly Blavin has been pulling + strings from behind the scenes the whole time, but why + coordinate a special escort for us when there are other + retrieval teams, and we’ve been less than amicable with the + bloke the entire time.. Alex thinks to himself.
+DM: I’d like to check for any signs of deceit in the + toques demeanor or communcations with us
+Confidence you said right? What would you do if I simply + chose not to accompany you? I mean, there’s a whole city + around us, perhaps I’d prefer a drink before climbing a + mountains worth of stairs. Or better yet, I could get back on + the boat and ride to the top and same myself the hassle.
+
Bread once again looks confused. Confidence looks + surprised, caught off guard.
+ +Confidence sputters, “Well, yes, of course. You’ve been + traveling for some time now, haven’t you? I can assure you + that the food and drink at Runesocesius will be better than + anything you can get here! But the choice is entirely yours. + Feel free to avail yourself of the local offerings. We will + wait here at the steps for you.”
+Bread nods slowly, and seems to trailing behind the + conversation just a second or two.
+Their reactions seem genuine to you despite the + circumstances. They seem like a couple of low level employees + of a luxury hotel earnestly trying to follow the instructions + they’ve been given.
+There are a couple of stalls and vendors set up around the + gondola station. Many of them serve mulled wine and hot + chocolate. There is some edible fare. Hot sandwiches and + pitas. Nothing that an empanada from Enrique’s wouldn’t put to + shame. But they look hot and steamy, and of great comfort to + anybody who might be hungry and cold. There are a few fire + pits, next to which there are long benches with blankets, + where you might sit and warm up for a bit.
+The gondola lift ends here, and does not continue up to the + mountain any further. The cloud steps are the most common way + to get up to the peak, and to the Runesocesius. But you’re + pretty sure one or two of the stalls here offers balloon rides + up to the peak for thrill seekers and for those with + accessibility needs.
+++“I think you already know I’m interested in neither bread + nor cheese, the second of which I certainly did not ask for + yet you tried to offer in your hasty pretence.” Inky smiles + thinly at the toques.
+Taking out a small bag of gold coins and weighing it slowly + on one hand to the sound of coins clinking inside the pouch, + Inky continues, “Speak, answer our questions frankly and you + will be rewarded. The hotelier up there need not know. Breathe + a word of our little chat to another soul, however …” Inky’s + gaze cut briefly to four snow ravens perched atop a spiral + lamp post and back, “and you will learn the meaning of + disappearing without a trace.”
+
Bread looks confused. You are starting to believe it is + their default expression. “So, you don’t want no + chee—”
+“Our only desire is to help!” Confidence hastily + interrupts. He smiles pleasingly. “We are your guides! Not + just physically up the steps, but in all things here on Kelsun + Peak. You have but to ask, and if it is within our power to + give it, it will be yours! We are but humble ser—”
+And just then Confidence is also suddenly interrupted. A + thundering boom like a canon sounds from somewhere nearby, + followed quickly by an explosion somewhere up above. Snow + ravens fly off in all directions in a panic. The sound ripples + through the mountaintop, rattling the ground on which you + stand. A bunch of small rocks and two large boulders shake + loose from the mountainside. Shoppers and travelers shout and + duck for cover as they are pelted by the scree. One of the + large boulder bounces clear over the station and plummets down + the side of the mountain before disappearing into the cloud + ocean below. The second one falls straight toward the + platform. A vendor selling wreaths and candles dives out of + the way as his stall is crushed by the boulder. A bench is + toppled over, spilling its blankets into the fire pit, and + catches fire, quickly spreading to another nearby stall.
+Bread looks up at the sky, confused. You see a thin line of + black smoke starting to rise up into the sky from over the + ridge where the Runesocesius lies. Confidence shouts, and you + see him pointing at the sea, where a balloonship is rising up + out of the cloud bank, sailing quickly toward you and the + summit of Kelsun Peak.
+It resembles a seafaring ship, but instead of masts and + sails, it has two large, colorful, patchwork balloons that + provide it lift. A large fan on a pivot at the rear of the + ship provides thrust. As you watch, it fires a second + canon—that is what the sound was!—nearly straight up, + arcing up and over the peak at Palace Runesocesius.
+The crew of the ship bustle around on the deck of the ship, + reloading the canons, firing the balloons, shouting, giving + and following orders.
+“Cyberplasms,” groans Confidence, and Bread whimpers. Alex, + that quiet, dull, static roar that has been constantly + tickling the back of your head ever since you found that + dagger seems to rise in pitch and in tone. It conveys a sense + of urgency, of warning. You can almost hear a + desperate voice behind the static fuzz cautioning you, + “Evil…”
+The only corporeal element of the crew are their cybernetic + enhancements. A mechanical leg. A synthetic eye. A claw, a + hook, a hand. An arm canon. Almost all of them have more than + one, some as many as 3 or 5. The cybernetic pieces of each + individual crew member are held together by plasmic energy + arcs, crackling blue and green. And surrounding the bioware + and the plasmic arcs of each crew member, like a blanket or a + cocoon, is the translucent, wavering, ghostly form of some + humanoid long-dead.
+The figure standing on the deck surveying the work of the + rest of the crew—presumably the captain—has a synthetic eye + rotating freely, 360 degrees in all directions, inside its + skull-like head; a bulky arm canon; and a thin robotic leg + terminating in a thick boot. Plasmic blasts arc through its + core, sometimes disrupting and glitching its ghostly body.
+The captain raises its arm canon and shouts to the crew. + Its voice carried on the breeze sounds like something + otherworldly rising slowly from the murky deep. “Fire the + canon, boys! And fire up the balloons! Drop the ballast! That + crystal is ours!”
+It happens very quickly: the ship ascends to the summit and + soon is firing grappling hooks at it to pull themselves in and + breach the walls of the hotel.
+Bread looks at you, wide-eyed and trembling. They let loose + a pitiful wail and turn and start running up the steps. + “Bread!” Confidence yells after them. They cast a backward + glance at you. “I’ve got to help Bread! We’ve got to save the + hotel!” And they give chase to their fellow toque, bounding up + the cloudstuff steps.
+WHAT DO YOU DO
+ + ]]> +++ +Damn it! I should’ve left the little goblin in the balloon, + this could get tricky..
+Time slows for just the briefest of moments while Alex + calculates his next move. Looking at the position of the + pirates he can probably yeet the middlemost one away from the + group into the left most pirate. Best case this sends both of + them sailing over the edge of the ship, worst case it just + slightly knocks them off balance. In either event this gives + me enough time to dart from cover and quickly dispatch the + right most pirate with Uncle’s dagger. I’ve got to sever each + connection point between the ecotplasm and the cybernetics, + nothing quite as quick and easy as flesh and blood, but a + quick slice to the left most armpit, and another to the right + most leg right above the carotid artery should do it..
+Jumping immediately to action Alex casts +
+yeet.middle_cyberplasm()sending the middle + pirate into the left most pirate away from the hemogoblin + while he dashes forward to take the third right most pirate by + surprise. As he reaches the right most pirate he makes two + quick slices, first at the leg, followed by a quick upper cut + to the left arm.
You channel some of the ambient environmental charge into + your prepared incantation. It’s comforting sometimes to peer + behind the veil and see the world through this lens. It’s so + simple. The separation of self and other is an illusion: + everything is just a table. The concept of time itself is + simplified: coroutines prevent everything from happening all + at once and create the illusion of concurrency. It’s all + really quite elegant.
+Anyway so the hemogoblin sidles up next to the pirates at
+ the railing. It’s not tall enough to see over the railing, and
+ starts to kind of jump up and down, trying to catch a glimpse.
+ The pirates look down at it in confusion just as the
+ yeet happens, and they knock into each other. The
+ leftmost one almost manages to regain its balance but then
+ trips over the little blood gremlin and pitches over the
+ railing. The middle pirate yelps as the startled hemogoblin
+ darts between its legs to get out of the way. The pirate
+ stumbles and then slips in a small puddle of blood. Its feet
+ shoot from beneath it and it too tips over the railing.
The hemogoblin dashes right into the waiting arms of the + rightmost Cyberplasm. “Gotcha, you little … ugh! What …” The + pirate is starting to regret snatching up the little furball, + which is defensively gushing blood all over it, when you make + your first slice into its left armpit. Half its cybernetics go + offline. One arm goes limp and it drops the hemogoblin, which + scurries around and hides behind you. The pirate turns toward + you, now full of regrets, and you stab into its right leg, + knocking its tech completely offline and dispersing the + ghostly energies.
+As far as you can tell, the ship is now free of + Cyberplasms.
+The hemogoblin thrusts its tiny fists in the air and + cheers.
+++Inky shakes out several large and very fine kerchiefs, + handing two each to the guides and gestures for them to cover + their noses and mouths with them while they perform the action + themselves to demonstrate.
+Donning a pair of skydiving goggles snatched from one of + the souvenir stalls at the gondola station while no one was + looking (replacing it with its approximate weight in silver + coins), Inky retrieves a black metal box that previously + served as a portable camp stove from their knapsack and + removes the lid. The inside of the box is filled with dry wood + chips mixed with a pine green powder, and Inky throws in the + wicks pulled from some of the scented candles that were pushed + into a heater flask to melt fully during the walk up the hotel + steps. Finally, Inky pours another vial of foul-smelling + liquid over the contents, opens the door just wide enough to + slide the metal box through to one side of the door a few + paces away.
+A mildly sweet, cloying smoke emanates from the flameless + heat inside the box, which begin to fill the library hall with + a rapidly thickening cloud. It is also taking on an acrid and + slightly sooty edge. Near the door, Inky fans more of the + smoke in the direction of the cyberplasmic apparition with a + thin bound manuscript laying on the floor.
+
Bread, Confidence, and you all don protective gear. You + push the camp stove through the door like an Olympic curler. + It glides across the library floor a respectable distance + considering the book debris and the lack of sweepers. Much + more quickly than one would think possible, the hall is filled + with a thick, sooty smoke. The Cyberplasm captain groans with + frustration as even the short distance between it and the + hotelier (and the crystal) becomes occluded in the smoke + screen. The hotelier wisely doesn’t make a sound as he + disappears from view.
+Bread nudges you, grins, and gives you a thumbs up.
+WHAT DO YOU DO
+ + ]]> +++Ah so I suppose those Toques were being honest then, there + was a Ginnarak crystal, and I guess they were going to give it + to us.. oh well, nothing good in life comes easy.
+Alex cranks the dial on the sunspoke, grabs the hemogoblin + from the basket, and jumps out of the balloon and onto the + deck of the ship. He rushes over to the nearest pile of + bundled rope and barrels and stows his new hemo friend. “Just + stay hidden little guy, let me take care of these pirates + first.”
+Alex grabs the dagger from his side as he makes his way + towards the side of the ship, first thing first, best to cut + the mooring lines and zip lines. The static clawing sensation + appears at the back of Alex’s mind, but he attempts to ignore + it. There’s too much that needs to be done too quickly, and + he’s all too aware of the danger he’s put himself in. “What + would Corraidhin do..” Alex thinks to himself, “perhaps a + spell?”.
++function target:new(obj, tbl) + obj = obj or {} + setmetatable(obj, self) + self.__index = self + self.x = 0 + self.y = 0 + self.speed = 0 + reutrn obj +end + +function target:yeet() + self.x = 100 + self.y = 100 + self.speed = 50 + return self +endAfter preparing the spell Alex makes his way towards the + guard rail ready to cut the mooring and zip lines, spell at + the ready should an enemy appear.
+
You crank the dial to 11. The sunspoke squeals in delight + and burns like a tiny star. You grab the hemogoblin, who + chirrups and clings tightly to you, and leap from the balloon + onto the deck of the airship.
+You think you can hear—barely audible—the sunspoke singing + a song of homecoming as the hot air balloon continues to rise + unpiloted up toward the sun.
+You rush over to cover behind a barrel, and deposit your + new hemogoblin friend safely inside the center of a large coil + of rope. It looks up at you quizzically, but nods when you + tell it to stay put.
+You invoke the powers of the moon and prepare a quick but + (hopefully) sufficient Spell of Yeeting.
+ +When you draw the dagger, the world develops a faint static + background noise which is easy enough to ignore at the moment + given the state of things. You dash forward and start sawing + at the thick mooring lines. The dagger’s ruby hilt flashes in + the sunlight as you work, and in your mind’s eye you see a + bright red wine, and a drop of blood red ink flowing from the + nib of a fountain pen.
+You shake the images from your head just as you finish + sawing through the rope. A Cyberplasm who was shimmying back + up the rope from the hotel to the ship yelps as the line goes + slack and swings back into the side of the cliff. The pirate + rebounds from the impact, bounces off the mountainside a few + times, and falls from view as it disappears through the clouds + below.
+The ship drifts lazily, rising slightly, and despite your + best sneaking around, the remaining Cyberplasms on board + cannot help but notice that the ship is no longer tethered. + You successfully hide behind a barrel as three cyber ghost + pirates come rushing over to the ship railing and lean over, + looking below at where there are no longer any ropes attaching + the ship to the hotel.
+Out of the corner of your eye, you can see the hemogoblin + toddling across the deck toward the Cyberplasms, no doubt + curious about what they’re looking at over the side of the + ship.
+++“Indeed, Bread, it’s me. You have not yet escaped your fate + of untraceable disappearance just yet.” Inky deadpans, then + smiles. “We have much to discuss, but later. I do need a guide + … to your hotelier. Presumably I will find them by following + the racket and trail of ruined decor, but maybe you know of a + quicker route?”
+
Bread smiles at the threat of being untraceably + disappeared, mostly confident that they are on the inside of a + private little joke and that they are presently in no actual + danger from Inky. They grip their hammer a little tighter + nonetheless.
+Confidence slips their trowels into their apron. “Yes, this + way!”
+They hurry down the hall. You know you’re going the right + way because tattered, torn, charred books litter the ground in + increasing numbers. Bits of paper and ash fall like snow.
+Confidence guides you away from the entrance to the + library’s Great Hall, and takes you instead to a smaller, more + discreet staff entrance. They open the door a crack, and as + you look through you are just in time to see the ship captain + with their cybernetic leg, arm canon, and eye. Now that the + crew have cleared the way for them, they stroll across the + library over piles of fallen, damaged books.
+A thin bald man with a neatly trimmed mustache is on the + other side of the hall, his back turned to the pirate. He + wears a fine suit and has just finished unlocking a glass + display case. He retrieves a multifaceted blue and gold stone + and hugs it to his chest with both arms. He throws a panicked + glance over his shoulder at the slowly approaching pirate, and + turns to run away. His retreat is halted by a small explosion + at his feet. He skids to a stop and looks back at the pirate, + who is lowering their arm canon.
+“The crystal,” the captain demands in a voice part ghostly + moan, part mechanical drone. “Hand it over, hotelier.” It + steps closer. “Mother has promised us new bodies if we deliver + the quintessence. You won’t be permitted to stand in our + way.”
+One pirate near the breach tucks a couple volumes of manhwa + under its arm and climbs out onto the mooring line, returning + to the ship with its plunder. It howls as the line suddenly + goes slack, flinging the pirate and its comics into the + mountainside, and then out into space.
+Sunlight pours into the library from outside as the shadow + of the airship shifts as it starts to drift, suddenly + unmoored.
+WHAT DO YOU DO
+ + ]]> +Total length: 53623 words / 229 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the +
Total length: 54614 words / 233 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 176 messages posted over 171 days since the first -post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.02.
+There have been 180 messages posted over 173 days since the first +post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.04.
This is a game that me and the kids in the basement are playing over email.
@@ -373,7 +375,7 @@ into the current story arc.If you’re not on the mailing list and want to keep up with the story, you can subscribe to the rss feed.
-WHAT DO YOU DO
+++As they wait for the balloonship to approach, Inky glances to the +prone remains of the hotelier on the floor and frowns. There wasn’t much +they could do about that now. It was really inconvenient timing — he +hadn’t received the papers yet. Inky can already picture Cio’s unspoken +but palpable disappointment even as she offered reassurances that it was +perfectly fine. The gnawing guilt she could inflict with a look was +worse than a tenacious terrorier with a bone biscuit. Then Inky recalls +an urban legend from the elderly aunts they sometimes pass by during +teatimes, which claim that it was possible to send messages and items to +the deceased by burning the articles.
+Ducking momentarily behind another bookshelf, Inky removes an +envelope bearing the seal of a butterfly in red wax, drops it into a +recently-emptied shortbread tin and holds a lit match to a corner of the +paper. Before long the entire envelope is consumed by the flames and the +lid replaced tightly over the tin. If the paperwork found its way to the +hotelier on the spiritual plane, that would be the formalities +completed. Or if it was reduced to ashes without ever reaching the +recipient, no one had to know.
+Inky walks back to the window to see a flare light and a zip line +ending below the windowsill. They look to the other end of the line, +back to the toques, and around the room. Their gaze lands on a few cloth +covers draped over several bookshelves near an alcove from top to +bottom, possibly to protect the manuscripts on the shelves from extended +exposure to dust and light. They tie a large red kerchief to the zip +line to indicate they had seen flare signal, before turning to +Confidence. “There’s an airship waiting outside with a zip line. We +should get Bread patched up by a healer in town. It wouldn’t do to have +them walk around like that, unless you want to turn the hotel into a +haunted house attraction.”
+As they finish speaking, Inky pulls off three of the covers, two iron +spears and one of the two decorative flag poles with flags featuring the +crest of Runesocesius, and a symbol (of the old town, Inky surmises) +that stood in a nook between the wall and a bookshelf. Crossing over to +a wall display of ceremonial chains and maces, they remove two of the +metal chains that hung on from hooks on the wall. Having gathered the +items, they retrieve two zip line harnesses, some parachute cord and two +additional pulley hooks from their bag.
+They lay the chains on the floor about two feet apart, followed by +the cloth sheets with their outer surfaces facing down over them, and +tie the corners at both ends to the flag pole to form the base of a +makeshift hammock. With Confidence’s help, they slide Bread onto the +sheets, being cautious to avoid further jostling the toque’s injuries. +Inky wraps the ends of the chains around the flagpole, tying them and +the cloth bundle with loops of parachute cord, and sets the pulley hooks +to links on the top surface of the flag pole.
+Inky puts on a zip line harness and throws the spare one to +Confidence, directing them to do the same. With some difficulty, they +hoist the bundle of Bread to the window. Inky descends first, hooking +their harness pulley to the zip line as they brace against the tower +wall. As the bundle is slowly lowered through the window, Inky connects +the pulley hooks on the metal chains to the zip line, Confidence +bringing up the rear while Inky holds the hammock steady.
+While the zephynos play overhead, the three of them prepare to slide +down to the deck of the balloonship along the zip line.
+
Confidence and Inky, framing the Bread basket between them, slide +down the zipline to the balloonship. The zephynos frolic up overhead, +and the hole in the library wall gapes below. And beyond that, the +endless sea of clouds.
+Inky, having descended the line first, makes it to the ship ahead of +Bread and Confidence. They clambor up over the side, unhook themself, +and reach for the corner of the hammock.
+The 3rd Ginnarak Crystal is now on the deck of the ship.
+Looking up, Inky sees that two determined cyberplasms have started +following them out the library tower window. Neither has a harness. One +is hanging upside down on the cable, arms and legs wrapped around it, +and has managed to shimmy a couple feet away from Runesocesius. The +other has just swung out of the window and is holding onto the line with +their hands. They are kicking their legs up over and over, trying to +swing high enough to lock their ankles around the cable.
+In the time that it will take you to unhook the hammock and get both +Bread and Confidence onto the ship, the two pirates will have closed +most of the distance between you and might be within striking +distance.
+Meanwhile on the deck of the ship, the hemogoblin is deeply entranced +by a private conversation it seems to be having with the ruby-hilt +dagger. It nods and chirps and coos as it continues to strangle the grip +in its tiny bloody hands, singing softly and soothingly. The ruby +flashes and glints, almost strobe-like in the sunlight, as though in the +midst of some kind of struggle. But as the hemogoblin continues its +strange lullaby, the gem eventually fades and grows dull, until finally +it resembles nothing more than a lifeless lump of stone.
+The hemogoblin releases its death grip on the dagger and lowers its +arms to its sides, allowing the dagger to slip to the ground. It looks +up at you happily with ruby-red eyes that seem to flash in the sunlight, +and it chirps merrily.
+WHAT DO YOU DO
+Some of the creatures who inhabit the world of Basmentaria