51

basement.order

@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ src/epistolary/00047.md
 src/epistolary/00048.md
 src/epistolary/00049.md
 src/epistolary/00050.md
+src/epistolary/00051.md
 src/bestiary/index.md
 src/bestiary/aur.md
 src/bestiary/blahoblin.md

src/characters/index.md

@@ -4,5 +4,5 @@ created: Tue, 26 Jul 2022 20:32:23 -0600
 updated: Tue, 26 Jul 2022 20:32:23 -0600
 public: yes
 ---
-## Characters
+## Dramatis Personae
 

src/epistolary/00051.md

@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+---
+title: 00051
+created: Sat, 31 Dec 2022 17:08:07 -0700
+updated: Sat, 31 Dec 2022 17:08:07 -0700
+syndicated: yes
+public: yes
+---
+### 00051 {#00051}
+
+> 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
+
+[www](https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2023-01/msg00014.html)
+

www/index.html

@@ -272,7 +272,8 @@
 <ul>
 <li><a href="#stats" id="toc-stats">Stats</a></li>
 <li><a href="#about" id="toc-about">About</a></li>
-<li><a href="#characters" id="toc-characters">Characters</a>
+<li><a href="#dramatis-personae" id="toc-dramatis-personae">Dramatis
+Personae</a>
 <ul>
 <li><a href="#alex" id="toc-alex">Alex</a></li>
 <li><a href="#corraidhín" id="toc-corraidhín">Corraidhín</a></li>
@@ -322,6 +323,7 @@ of the Were-Hare</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00048" id="toc-00048">00048</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00049" id="toc-00049">00049</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00050" id="toc-00050">00050</a></li>
+<li><a href="#00051" id="toc-00051">00051</a></li>
 </ul></li>
 <li><a href="#bestiary" id="toc-bestiary">Bestiary</a></li>
 <li><a href="#geography" id="toc-geography">Geography</a></li>
@@ -354,11 +356,11 @@ Runesocesius</a></li>
 </ul>
 </nav>
 <h2 id="stats">Stats</h2>
-<p>Total length: 53623 words / 229 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
+<p>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.)</p>
-<p>There have been 176 messages posted over 171 days since the first
+<p>There have been 180 messages posted over 173 days since the first
-post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.02.</p>
+post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.04.</p>
 <h2 id="about">About</h2>
 <p>This is a game that me and the kids in the basement are playing over
 email.</p>
@@ -370,7 +372,7 @@ into the <a href="#current-story">current story arc</a>.</p>
 <p>If you’re not on the mailing list and want to keep up with the story,
 you can <a href="https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml">subscribe to
 the rss feed</a>.</p>
-<h2 id="characters">Characters</h2>
+<h2 id="dramatis-personae">Dramatis Personae</h2>
 <h3 id="alex">Alex</h3>
 <details>
 <summary>
@@ -5647,6 +5649,97 @@ has already formed at its feet.</p>
 <p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
 <p><a
 href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-12/msg00257.html">www</a></p>
+<h3 id="00051">00051</h3>
+<blockquote>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>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.”</p>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>While the zephynos play overhead, the three of them prepare to slide
+down to the deck of the balloonship along the zip line.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>The 3rd Ginnarak Crystal is now on the deck of the ship.</p>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
+<p><a
+href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2023-01/msg00014.html">www</a></p>
 <h2 id="bestiary">Bestiary</h2>
 <p>Some of the creatures who inhabit the world of Basmentaria</p>
 <dt>

www/spoilers.html

@@ -272,7 +272,8 @@
 <ul>
 <li><a href="#stats" id="toc-stats">Stats</a></li>
 <li><a href="#about" id="toc-about">About</a></li>
-<li><a href="#characters" id="toc-characters">Characters</a>
+<li><a href="#dramatis-personae" id="toc-dramatis-personae">Dramatis
+Personae</a>
 <ul>
 <li><a href="#alex" id="toc-alex">Alex</a></li>
 <li><a href="#corraidhín" id="toc-corraidhín">Corraidhín</a></li>
@@ -322,6 +323,7 @@ of the Were-Hare</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00048" id="toc-00048">00048</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00049" id="toc-00049">00049</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00050" id="toc-00050">00050</a></li>
+<li><a href="#00051" id="toc-00051">00051</a></li>
 </ul></li>
 <li><a href="#bestiary" id="toc-bestiary">Bestiary</a></li>
 <li><a href="#geography" id="toc-geography">Geography</a></li>
@@ -357,11 +359,11 @@ Runesocesius</a></li>
 </ul>
 </nav>
 <h2 id="stats">Stats</h2>
-<p>Total length: 53623 words / 229 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
+<p>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.)</p>
-<p>There have been 176 messages posted over 171 days since the first
+<p>There have been 180 messages posted over 173 days since the first
-post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.02.</p>
+post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.04.</p>
 <h2 id="about">About</h2>
 <p>This is a game that me and the kids in the basement are playing over
 email.</p>
@@ -373,7 +375,7 @@ into the <a href="#current-story">current story arc</a>.</p>
 <p>If you’re not on the mailing list and want to keep up with the story,
 you can <a href="https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml">subscribe to
 the rss feed</a>.</p>
-<h2 id="characters">Characters</h2>
+<h2 id="dramatis-personae">Dramatis Personae</h2>
 <h3 id="alex">Alex</h3>
 <details>
 <summary>
@@ -5650,6 +5652,97 @@ has already formed at its feet.</p>
 <p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
 <p><a
 href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-12/msg00257.html">www</a></p>
+<h3 id="00051">00051</h3>
+<blockquote>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>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.”</p>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>While the zephynos play overhead, the three of them prepare to slide
+down to the deck of the balloonship along the zip line.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>The 3rd Ginnarak Crystal is now on the deck of the ship.</p>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>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.</p>
+<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
+<p><a
+href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2023-01/msg00014.html">www</a></p>
 <h2 id="bestiary">Bestiary</h2>
 <p>Some of the creatures who inhabit the world of Basmentaria</p>
 <dt>