diff --git a/basement.order b/basement.order index 2b7421c..a1a4925 100644 --- a/basement.order +++ b/basement.order @@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ src/chapter3.md src/chapter4.md src/epistolary/index.md src/epistolary/00074.md +src/epistolary/00075.md +src/epistolary/00076.md +src/epistolary/00077.md src/notes.md src/acknowledgements.md src/characters/index.md diff --git a/includes/styles.html b/includes/styles.html index 6293fba..46e3cb8 100644 --- a/includes/styles.html +++ b/includes/styles.html @@ -6,6 +6,13 @@ left: 2rem; } } +html { + line-height: 1.5; + font-family: Georgia, serif; + font-size: 20px; + color: #1a1a1a; + background-color: #fdfdfd; +} body { padding-top: 0; } diff --git a/src/epistolary/00075.md b/src/epistolary/00075.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c2a0e78 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/epistolary/00075.md @@ -0,0 +1,162 @@ +--- +title: 00075 +created: Mon, 27 Mar 2023 09:24:13 -0600 +updated: Mon, 27 Mar 2023 09:24:14 -0600 +public: yes +syndicated: yes +--- + +### 00075 {#00075} + +> White blooms look on as Inky turns another page in the book they +> are reading, a purported bestseller luridly titled *The Secret +> Lives of Plants*. The olericulture guide before it had been more +> appealing, but it was something to do between meals and napping +> with an eye mask while holed up in the green room. +> +> While Confidence had been taking stock of provisions one night days +> before the ship's departure, Inky had dropped in and not so +> covertly taken over a room with a higher ceiling near the cargo +> hold, beside an escape hatch. They brought in some grow lights the +> following evening and asked Confidence to help install them +> overhead after explaining their plan. Next, they loaded in some +> dwarf conifers and star magnolias in wheeled containers with weight +> compression. A nutrient solution pump connected to a timer and long +> hoses periodically watered and fed the trees. Near the door was an +> air filter, another useful item from the Wandering Bazaar. It +> monitored air quality and composition, and could extract various +> common gases from multiple inputs and pipe them to attached storage +> tanks. There were two tanks outside the room that were hooked up to +> the filter: a smaller one for excess carbon dioxide drawn from the +> atmosphere that can be released slowly in tiny concentrations back +> into the green room for the trees to absorb (or injected into water +> with a carbonator for fizzy drinks), and a larger one for extra +> oxygen produced by the trees and held in reserve. There was also +> another tank and an unused combinator on board to recombine +> hydrogen and oxygen. +> +> When the rest of the crew take turns to sleep or patrol the rest of +> the ship, Inky steps within hearing distance of the starhelm and +> activates the energy barrier around it. The barrier also blocks off +> sounds to maximise the energy directed at the helm. +> +> Standing back against a low wall enclosure, Inky begins to play on +> their violetti, channelling emotions through the lilting notes. The +> instrument itself was a bespoke affair, an early Yule indulgence +> years ago, and Inky had conferred at length with the luthier on +> their requirements and core design. In appearance it closely +> resembles a smaller, lighter violin while being an octave higher +> than most violins, making it a great accompaniment to a flute or +> piccolo in birdsong. However, instead of a mechanical nightingale +> solo, they feed the helm a selection of nursery ditties — falling +> bridges, black sheep, blind mice and the like. Sliding a few bars +> of Bubbytabbies at intervals for best measure. Nya nya. + +~ + +> Alex didn't mind the travel, in fact, he enjoyed the cramped +> confines of his quarters. The limited world of their space ship a +> bubble, something he could control, and protect from the chaos that +> surrounded him. It was no different than the sailing he did planet +> side, something he had been fond of and his uncle had chided him +> for being so passionate about. Corraidhin would always titter on +> about Alex's studies, and then he'd sneak off and sail out under +> the stars with Marvelo, and his uncle wouldn't see hide or hair of +> him for a handful of nights. +> +> "If only you could see me now Uncle" Alex muttered as he sat behind +> a large leather bound chair in front of a large ornate desk strewn +> with star charts, and books on everything ranging from divination, +> to history, navigation, to munition manufacturing. Some of the +> titles were unsurprising "Starhelms & You: A Guide to Starhelm +> maintenance", "The Big Bang: Everything Delightful About +> Explosives", but others were peculiar for Alex "Palmistry for +> Dummies", "Superstitions DO Exist, and you're NOT Paranoid!", +> "Ancient Gods and Goddess of Basementaria". +> +> Alex pushed the books, and loose notes, and maps away from him and +> placed his cup of coffee in their place. Cold, again. He stared into +> the dark depths of his favored drink, forlorn. He sighed, and made +> a gesture, and a small stag drone dislodged itself from amongst the +> papers and books and latched itself onto the coffee mug, warming +> it. "Thanks again" Alex muttered "What is this? Sixth time this +> cup?" he shook his head. He couldn't focus. +> +> Since they started this trip he'd spent more and more time brooding +> over these books he'd collected before their departure, barely +> saying a word to Marv or the others even. The only one he seemed to +> communicate with on any sort of cadence was Inky. They never forgot +> to bring a cup of warming tea, floral and fruit notes, to stave off +> scurvy they'd said. +> +> "That does it!" Alex said to the room at large as he stands, and +> strides to the door of the cabin. He strides out into the star +> light, noting the crew has taken note of his sudden appearance. "At +> Ease!" he barks, and marches up to the starhelm and sits before it. +> +> The explitives come swift and fast. If it weren't for the emotion +> reflector the crew and everyone in the galaxy would think rather +> poorly of Alex, but it felt good. "Neddas you son of a bitch, you +> and your cursed crystals, and all these snakes slithering around +> waiting to strike! Light burn each and every one of them!" and once +> Alex had let his anger burn, the tears came, strong and +> unrelenting. "I don't know what to do uncle, you're within grasp, +> but I don't know how to help, or where to go." and so it went, Alex +> wept until there were no more tears to weep, and the letter Inky +> had relayed from his uncle bore an unmistakable tear sodden rumpled +> look. +> +> When it was over, Alex rose, solemn and calm and meandered across +> the deck to the bowsprite to take in the empty uncaring void before +> him. + +The atmosphere of most starsails only last a couple weeks before the +recycled air starts to get stale, and then noxious, and finally +unbreathable. Consequently they often have to 'refuel' at planets and +moons with breathable air whenever they pass by. + +Inky's ship garden however has been keeping your air fresh and +self-replenishing over the last couple of days. The crew are +consequently well oxygenated, have been sleeping well, and lack the +fatigue that most starsailors experience at this point in their +journey. + +A pair of space gulls have apparently decided to hitch a ride on your +ship, and can be found roosting on the mizzen mast when not hunting +for space guppies. They have tried on occasion to steal food from +some of the crew, with little consequence but an exasperated shooing +away: space gulls are considered good luck, and they are never in any +real danger from the crew. + +Keeping the starhelm well fed with various sundry emotions, you make +good time, and are soon approaching the orbit of the green moon +Selene. The moon itself is well out of the way, but your current path +will take you through the Tears of Selene, a large asteroid cluster +that trails along and fans out behind Selene as the moon orbits the +planet. From the surface of the planet, it looks like a wide comet's +tail made of stars of various sizes. From here, it looks like a sea +of asteroids of different shapes and sizes. + +There are a couple of asteroids in the Tears large enough to support +permanent life. Pirate outposts, mostly. Or other parties looking to +escape the law---or someone or something else---for one reason or +another. + +You slow the ship down well below cruising speed to carefully +navigate the Tears. You spot the fabled and notorious Rock of Brawl +in the distance, a sprawling cosmopolitan city ruled by Scarlet +Darling the Pirate King. It covers every inch of both the top and +bottom of a large, flat asteroid at the center of the cluster. + +Cautiously you eventually emerge on the other side of the Tears. You +see a derelict starsail adrift on the other side of the asteroids. It +is in the shape of a seahorse with a tucked head, a crest fanning +from the top of its head down its back, and a long tail tightly +curled toward its front. It lists to the side and drifts seemingly +without power, except for some strobing emergency lights behind the +seahorse's eyes, signaling distress. + +As you sail closer, you see what looks like a little old woman in a +cloak and shawl on the helm waving and trying to hail you. + +WHAT DO YOU DO? diff --git a/src/epistolary/00076.md b/src/epistolary/00076.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..05bea4d --- /dev/null +++ b/src/epistolary/00076.md @@ -0,0 +1,127 @@ +--- +title: 00076 +created: Sun, 16 Jul 2023 14:49:38 -0600 +updated: Sun, 16 Jul 2023 14:49:38 -0600 +public: yes +syndicated: yes +--- + +### 00076 {#00076} + +> As the ship grew closer and the derelict became more clear Alex +> gripped the side of the ship. He could see the woman in the window +> through his telescope, but wasn't sure what to make of the situation. +> He assembled the members of the team to the deck to discuss further. +> +> "It's clear that the ship is adrift. We should probably attempt to +> help." Alex stated matter of factly. "However Marvelo has confided in +> me his strongest suggestions that we not take the risk. We have a +> clear goal. And the life of this one woman isn't work much in the +> scheme of things. The world is at risk." Alex sighs, "He may +> unfortunately have a point, but I believe we that if we choose to +> stare into the abyss and make such a choice we become the monsters we +> struggle against. And we always have a short." Alex's eyes dart to +> Inky, the seem sad, ashamed. A fleeting statement of understanding is +> exchanged between the two. +> +> "I say we go, but with caution. If anyone wishes to join me, they may +> do so. We need someone to remain with the ship to guard it. Marvelo +> is still not up to excursions, but he's a crack shot with a blaster +> and has agreed to watch from atop deck. Lee I need you on the deck +> gun and look out. Should anything come towards us while we explore +> the derelict, you have explicit permission to send them to hell. Use +> your judgement." +> +> "I've done some reconnaisance on the ship already, we can at least go +> in knowing something about what we face. However anyone who comes +> needs to come armed, with medical assets, and spare oxygen. We need +> enough equipment to get in, face the unknown, and save this poor +> woman's life." +> +> (DM: Do I notice anything about the derelict upon inspecting it with +> a telescope? Signs of attacks? Further what do scans reveal about the +> derelict and the area around it?) + +~ + +> Inky offers the ship's captain a small encouraging smile when he +> looks over in their direction but otherwise remains silent during the +> briefing. The unspoken agreement was that no one was going to let +> their captain go in on his own despite any individual misgivings on +> the matter, Fair One's chosen or not. The only question is who would +> accompany him. This presents three problems. +> +> Problem #1: Inky's packs and pod were already prepared before the +> rumbles overhead about a starsail sighting sounded while they were +> checking on the salt batteries and compost tea. It would be a pity to +> not test the equipment before the mission landing. Get more distance +> out of that deep discount. +> +> Problem #2: his uncle would have Inky's fireball-roasted head on a +> platter if he found out Inky was enjoying a freshly harvested +> watercress salad back on the ship while his nephew faced great peril +> at the hands of an evil old lady. +> +> Problem #3: the sysorcerer is the only obstacle between Inky and four +> very angry, heavily armed agents. He is trying hard to be a good +> captain and leader to them, that anyone could see. Better to be a +> mobile tea lackey than an immovable target practice lackey. +> +> To the sea dragon it is. + +You run a quick scan of the derelict starsail. + +It looks as though is has been heavily pierced and battered by +artillery, boarded and looted, and left to drift. No doubt the work +of some enterprising, opportunistic space pirates. + +The ship is broadcasting a weak SOS signal running a loop, but you +pick up no other energy readings. + +There is a single lifeform reading on board. But you know from +experience that such readings are notoriously unreliable in deep +space where creatures of the vacuum often tread the thin line between +life and death. + +You launch a jollyboat and cautiously approach the sea dragon. As +your small craft enters its atmosphere, a putrid wind blows across +you and its rank air fills your nostrils and lungs. The ship has been +adrift for quite some time for its air to be this stale. Another +short couple of weeks from now its air will become toxic to breathe. + +As you dock, the small woman rushes forward to greet you, hands +flitting up and down like moths. Thin wisps of white hair peek around +the edges of the shawl she has pulled up like a hood and wrapped +around her shoulders. Her weathered taut skin gives her a gaunt, +almost skeletal appearance. There is a painful looking crack running +across her scalp, down her forehead, and over her face, splitting her +features into two hemispheres. Her left eye is large and watery, and +droops down her cheek like a runny egg yolk. + +"Oh thank you, thank you for stopping!" she wheezes in a raspy croak. +"We were attacked by reavers and left to drift. We've been out here +for weeks, and nobody would stop for us! Oh, we would have surely +perished if you hadn't come by!" + +"Oh, yes." She notices you looking at her, and briefly attempts to +hide her face behind a fluttering hand. "I have the Splitting +Sickness, you see. It will be the end of me soon, I'm afraid. Nothing +that can be done about it now." + +"My granddaughter and I were on our way to Lua," she continues, +disappearing into the ship and beckoning you to follow. "Are you +going that way by chance? I must deliver my granddaughter there. She +is very sick, you see. And I believe the cure is to be found on the +red moon." + +The bridge is dark, save for the dim red glow of the floor lights and +the strobing emergency lights. The old woman stops before a long +glass box on a raised platform, inside which lies a young woman, eyes +closed and still as death, as though deeply asleep. + +The old woman looks up at you, her cursed eye gleaming wetly and +unblinking in the low light. "Will you help us?" + +WHAT DO YOU DO + + diff --git a/src/epistolary/00077.md b/src/epistolary/00077.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9b456f7 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/epistolary/00077.md @@ -0,0 +1,88 @@ +--- +title: 00077 +created: Tue, 18 Jul 2023 17:50:29 -0600 +updated: Tue, 18 Jul 2023 17:50:29 -0600 +public: yes +syndicated: yes +--- + +### 00077 {#00077} + +> Alex stands in the airlock watching the woman retreat. He briefly +> gestures to the crew to hold their position while he grips his +> weapon. "I'll be just a moment everyone. You know what to do" +> +> Alex steps into the ship and begins to follow the woman. "Ma'am, what +> happened here exactly. And how can we help your grand daughter once +> we've reached Lua? We're happy to take her and assist, but we must +> know how we can do that. I'd also like to file a report about the +> attack you suffered, even if you think you're a forgone conclusion +> we can help others. And admittedly, I'm no doctor, but are you +> certain there's nothing that can be done about this splitting +> sickness?" +> +> A faint static on the radio "Boss, don't forget the cookies." +> +> Alex sighs heavily, "my second in command would like to know if you +> have any cookies as well. He's convinced helping little old ladies in +> space somehow nets you home baked cookies." + +~ + +> Inky gives the crew a quick sidelong glance, then shrugs internally +> and hops lightly onto the derelict ship after Master Alex. They +> follow behind at a short clip, half-registering the captain's voice +> in conversation with the old lady and hiding a smile at the mention +> of cookies over the radio. Angry agents or not, at least someone +> has got their priorities straight. +> +> From their position behind and to one side of the captain, they +> surreptitiously run a scan on the woman for further injuries with a +> portable infrared sensor, with particular attention to the crack +> at her scalp. They listen to the old lady's breathing, as well as +> for any sounds aboard the ship while the instrument takes +> measurements of vital signs under the woman's skin, including +> temperature, oxygen levels and presence of scar tissue. +> +> + +The old woman slowly shuffles away, back out to the battle-torn main +deck, clicking and muttering to herself. "There is a grain that grows +in the dusty red soil of Lua," she explains. "Its fruit can be +processed and ground into a paste that hopefully will halt and even +reverse my granddaughter's mysterious ailment." + +As she talks, Inky surreptitiously runs a scan on the woman for +further injuries. She is wasting away, suffering from advanced stages +of Splitting Sickness. Her organs have begun to turn to pulp and are +rapidly failing. Her swollen heart beats irregularly. A thick +puckered seam runs along its length, threatening to burst at any +moment. It will be the end of her if the crack in her skull doesn't +split open first. + +"It's genetic. Her sickness, I mean. At least, it's hereditary. That +is, her mother died of it. Poor thing." She babbles away as she pokes +at the rubble on the deck with shaky hands. "I keep her asleep in the +suspension unit so it doesn't advance any further." + +"Ha! Here we are," she rasps, a lopsided grin scattered across her +broken face. She jerkily hauls a metallic cube from behind a pile of +rubble out onto the deck. She opens a panel on its side and pulls out +a tray of slightly undercooked cookies. A solar oven. "Here you go, +dearie." The tray trembles in her grasp as she holds it out to you. + +You hear gunfire coming from your own ship. You spin around to look. +Marvelo has fired two signal flares up and away from the ship. The +arc of the flares draw your eyes to the Tears of Selene in the +distance. + +The carcass of an enormous space whale drifts forward from the +asteroid field. It's a gruesome ship. A starsail cobbled together +from the bones of dead space whales, sloppily painted with faded, +patchy red and white stripes. Scrap and salvage and odd rusted pieces +of metal adorn its sides along with humanoid and bestial remains. + +"Oh no," croaks the old woman. "Oh no, they're back. No no no no no." + +WHAT DO YOU DO diff --git a/src/notes.md b/src/notes.md index dd8f978..d04e101 100644 --- a/src/notes.md +++ b/src/notes.md @@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ Upcoming NPCs and/or monsters - [ ] oracle - - [ ] corn smut? - - [ ] Jorunna Parva, sea bunny time lord +- [x] Cocopita, Gourd Witch +- [x] Calabazh, granddaughter of the Gourd Witch - [x] harrowkrake - [x] time swallows: It is a common misconception that barn swallows are the most widespread species of swallow. That distinction belongs to the *time* swallow. Although---if you're lucky---you'll never actually see one. - [x] gnu zealots diff --git a/www/index.html b/www/index.html index e9ba7c8..9f6fdf5 100644 --- a/www/index.html +++ b/www/index.html @@ -7,9 +7,6 @@ BASEMENT QUEST